Nath Family - Sounds of the Indian Snake Charmer Vol. 2 (2006)

While we're on the subject, here is another gifted one courtesy of Illinois, USA. If you're a connoisseur of aesthetic analyzing, you'll probably be able to guess that this one also came from Hanson. This is the second volume of what was apparently a hit piece of music recorded by Aaron Dilloway when he supposedly spent some time with "a family of snake charmers in Nepal." In a sense, this could be called a field recording, but let's not be hasty; while discussing this, a close friend suggested "travel recording" as a more accurate label, if you really would like one. A worthy release of genuine folk music from Kirtipur, it is a live recording of an impromptu snake charming show put on for Dilloway. Fascinating and enjoyable music.

Nath Family - Sounds of the Indian Snake Charmer Vol. 2 MediaFire

The One AM Radio - Loose Ends: Rare & Unreleased Tracks (2009)

As always, apologies for the lack of updates. Something is amiss in my existence and I find it necessary to concentrate my time and energy on other preoccupations. To tide you over, here is a companion post to the One AM Radio single that I shared some time ago. If my memory serves me well, this package was created in 2009 prior to the band's/man's tour that year. Utterly, characteristically sparse recordings that are most likely to appeal to longtime fans of the band than the causal meandering reader. The CD includes various covers, some more interesting than others, that I will leave you to ponder yourself. There were 55 of these CDs made. I am looking into my turntable problem and I hope to return to your respective worlds shortly.

The One AM Radio - Loose Ends: Rare & Unreleased Tracks MediaFire

Goodtime Washboard Three - Oakland 7" (1964)

I'll touch a little on my folk roots here and share a great single by this not-so-well-known group, Goodtime Washboard Three. The threesome was made up of "Wayne Pope on washboard, Bruce Bratton on washtub bass and Dick Fagerstrom on banjo" and played music with instruments you'd more likely find in a swampy Louisiana bayou in the early 1900's than in the Bay Area in 1964. I'm always on the lookout for new folk gems, so finding this single on Fantasy Records by such a familiar name (at least for me) was a real treat. Two cuts of California-themed tunes, which certainly helps in my continued enjoyment of them; I've played the single, "Oakland," quite a few times since I bought this. In fact, I'm really surprised I hadn't heard the tune before because, incidentally, the "Oakland" tune, apart from being quite humorous and entertaining, seemed to attract some popularity to the band. More than 12,000 copies of this single sold (apparently), and the band even appeared on the Bing Crosby show. Unfortunately, they didn't rise to the fame they thought they would; the albums they recorded never even saw the light of day. Despite this, some incarnation of the band apparently still exists and plays sporadically. All this history of my home, great music, and entertainment for fifty cents out of my pocket!

Goodtime Washboard Three - Oakland 7" MediaFire

The Fertile Crescent - Lips Wide Moths Pour Out

Yesterday, I decided I would start up this blog again. I didn't have a very big following here, and I think that was part of why I decided to stop posting. Now, however, I am going in with renewed vigor. If nobody ever sees this, at least it's a nice archive of memories for myself.

Now that that's out of the way... This is The Fertile Crescent's "Lips Wide Moths Pour Out" CD-R, a strictly experimental, 34-minute piece consisting of a variety of Indian instruments. What was apparently an electronica band in a past life became a pseudo-folk/psychedelia group, a conversion I'm having trouble piecing together. In any case, I wouldn't be uploading this if I didn't enjoy it thoroughly. The piece consists of six movements, notated in the song's title, all with its own unique and chilled vibe. There were 50 of these made on a label called featherspines (evidently not capitalized.) I picked this up after catching their set in the summer of 2008. I believe I picked up pretty much every bit of music they had to help them on their way across the west. I remember them being very weirded-out by my friends and I, but maybe they were just high. Who knows.

The Fertile Crescent - Lips Wide Moths Pour Out Mediafire