These are the records every complete record collection should have, even if you aren't necessarily a folk fan. These records define folk to some degree, but represent the core qualities of what folk has to offer to an even more significant one. These aren't my favorite records in folk - and really anyone who gave you this list as their top 25 is either lying to save face or works for Rolling Stone - but they are all five-star classics that will forever be cited as the fundamental works of the genre. And, of course, many if not most of them are my favorite folk albums, most notably Astral Weeks.
Maybe the hardest part of narrowing Folk down to 25 core records is the Dylan dilemma. Bob Dylan towers over everyone else in the genre (and quite nearly pop music in general), and from 1963 to 1966 he put out five inarguable classics - each of which could easily rank as the greatest work of any artist. How do you reconcile the importance of these records with the need to include a broader range of music in the overall group? Including all five seems ludicrous considering the purpose of this set. Consequently, I've only included one of these records, along with Blood on the Tracks, a later Dylan album that is sufficiently different enough to warrant inclusion - I also happen to think it's the easiest way into Dylan's catalog for the uninitiated.
One last note on "folk": this is a much more amorphous genre than hip hop. While the latter genre might have some bleed-over into R&B and electronic music, folk overlaps with rock, country, bluegrass, the blues, jazz, soul music, and even electronic. (And technically isn't hip hop folk music anyway?) To get around this, I've instituted an "I know it when I see it" policy that I hope we can all agree on. I've included the blues in this category because its history is intertwined with folk traditions and exposure (Lomax, etc.), and many of these blues artists were really folk musicians who had their music racialized. This leaves a lot of blues out (and knocks out a little space for more "folk" records), but I think this current set is the right mix of the two barely divided genres. On the other hand, I've excluded bluegrass simply because I think it fits better in the country list. This list also comes with the caveat that many of the most influential artists in folk's early years never really put out a great LP and their comps are more significant historically than as recognized classics (Leadbelly and Bessie Smith come immediately to mind). There is a TON of blues and folk missing here that requires a deeper dig (or even a not-so-deep dig, like Taj Mahal or Howlin' Wolf), but that's not the purpose of this core selection. If you don't like it (or better yet if you do like it) let me know in the comment section.
These are the 25 records in folk music that deserve to be canonized.
Mississippi John Hurt
Avalon Blues (1928/1996)
These sides were the only recorded output of John Hurt until he was tracked down during the 1960s folk revival living in Avalon, Mississippi. Unlike many of his now-famous contemporaries, Hurt didn't have any success in his initial career and went back to farm work for more than 30 years. The singer went on to record a few albums before his death in 1966. All of them are good, but his original work is some of the best blues put to record, even if it is quieter and more intimate than what most people identify as the blues. Without the folk revival, his work would be just as admired by blues and folk aficionados, but it probably would have remained on vinyl as collector's items, instead of widely available today, towering over most guitar/singer work put out since.
Woody Guthrie
Dust Bowl Ballads (1940)
Woody Guthrie is most famous for "This Land Is Your Land," but Dust Bowl Ballads was his first recorded album and as a whole it works better than even the many compilations which have been released posthumously. There is simply no way to have a conversation about folk music without mentioning Woody Guthrie, and fortunately what's on record here isn't just historically important, it's artistically awesome. Guthrie's Dust Bowl Ballads is a reminder that as great as Dylan is, he is playing a role. Guthrie's powerful, lyrical stories are the real deal.
Various Artists
Anthology of American Folk Music (1952)
I'm reluctant to include compilation works from one artist, which means I'm really reluctant to include multi-artist compilations, which means Anthology of American Folk Music is just that significant. Consisting of three CDs (originally six LPs) divided into ballads, social music, and songs, with ballads being the most cohesive set. This previously extremely obscure music was compiled by Harry Smith, an artist involved in the Beat movement of the 1950s, from his own collection and released with apparently little concern for copyright conflicts. These were presumably resolved when the CD set was released in the 1990s by the Folkways label, by which time the set had already inspired countless artists both significant and obscure across multiple generations. A friend called this the Rosetta Stone of folk music, and that sums it up well.
Odetta
Odetta Sings Ballads and Blues (1956)
If you love music, the first time you hear Odetta's voice is inevitably a revelation - perhaps every time. This is her greatest record (and the one that Dylan cited as a major reason he switched to folk music - sorry to keep mentioning him, by the way, he just comes up a lot), and it's a startling presentation of vocal skill. The song selection ranges from straight blues to hymn to traditional ballads, and Odetta handles all of them with an equal appreciation of their meaning while still making them her own. This is raw and impeccable music in the way only a true talent performing alone can pull off.
Muddy Waters
At Newport (1960)
There are plenty of Muddy Waters records that could make it to this list (his plantation recordings in particular are probably equally essential), and some might argue that the musician never really made the perfect record that stands above his other work. But I'm not including At Newport because I think Waters should be represented on this list, I'm including it because it rocks so hard, and truly deserves to be ranked with the great live albums of all time. Of course, At Newport is more restrained than many other live blues performances, but the controlled chaos on display makes it an immediately accessible document, and it consequently helps bridge the gap between the traditional recordings Alan Lomax assisted and the blues rock bleedover that would be established over the next decade.
Robert Johnson
King of the Delta Blues Singers (Various/1961)
There's no way to overstate Robert Johnson's importance in the blues - perhaps not in terms of innovation or even necessarily musicality but certainly as an icon. Dead at the mythical age of 27, Johnson left behind an output that combined astonishing technical guitar playing and a voice that remains unparalleled in his genre - haunting, elastic, and powerful. This collection was first issued in the early 60s and it remains the best document of Johnson's skill and importance. If you really hate the blues, you still need this record. There are only a few more-essential albums in this list.
Bob Dylan
The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan (1963)
What can I say? Modern folk began here. If you put five pop records in a time capsule, this would be one of them. The end.
Fred Neil
Fred Neil (1966)
Fred Neil's self-titled record is the pinnacle of a career that was long underrated and hugely influential. Neil was a fixture in the New York folk scene of the mid-60s (his first record was called Bleeker and MacDougal), and his work shows off that movement's cross-genre experimentation. This record has strong blues and jazz strains, and tilts toward the soft rock of the next decade. But the core remains folk, and the songwriting on display here is as powerful as anything else that came out of the era. The most significant song here is "Everybody's Talkin'", though it is best known as performed by Harry Nilsson - Neil's version is sharper and superior.
Phil Ochs
Pleasures of the Harbor (1967)
Pleasures of the Harbor is a challenging and ambitious work that stands out from any other folk record of its era as a true attempt to present production and complex song structures that could rival anything rock artists were doing at the time. There is obvious Beatle influence here, but the record also draws inspiration from early psychedelia and the usual folk heroes. Ochs made a number of solid political/protest records before his tragic suicide, and while all of them are worth hearing, Pleasures of the Harbor was his most significant record as a sonic statement. Though it has a solid following, it deserves broader attention as a modern folk landmark when the genre was at the height of its power.
Leonard Cohen
The Songs of Leonard Cohen (1967)
Cohen was 33 when he made his debut record, one of the greatest collections of songwriting in history. This is still young, but it is a startling fact considering the age most of the artists on this list were after making their first record. Even more impressive is the accomplished lyricism and singular vocals found on a record from an artist who had never recorded before. Although it's quite a stretch to call anything Cohen made "pop," songs like "Suzanne" and "Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye" deliver immediately accessible and beautiful melodies to rival anything Brian Wilson ever wrote, while simultaneously presenting complex and intense emotional worlds. The Songs of Leonard Cohen is a master class in effortless craft that, through sheer talent and artistic honesty, knocks down any barriers between its contents and the listener.
Van Morrison
Astral Weeks (1968)
Astral Weeks is a record that exists outside of time, steeped in the rock and jazz traditions of the 60s but born of pure emotion and humanity. Van Morrison had already seen some success with pop and rock songs when the album was released, but he had yet to reach this level of artistic success - few other artists ever have. It’s often hailed as one of the great albums in history, yet its ambition and accomplishments are subtle and personal. Astral Weeks is what folk is all about, community through common individual experience, local made universal. There are few more beautiful or sad records you can get lost in.
Fairport Convention
Liege and Lief (1969)
Fairport Convention are undoubtedly the most significant British folk rock group of the 1960s (which means probably ever) and Liege and Lief is both their most folk-slanted record and, if the main purpose of the group was to take traditional music and bring it into the modern aesthetic while staying true to the original intention, their greatest success. The record takes primarily traditional folk songs and delivers them in impeccable arrangements that nod towards the psychedelia and electric sound that was taking Britain and the US by storm. It's also a virtuoso display of technical skill from some very talented musicians. Liege and Lief is ultimately a folk record because of its dedication to music history, even if its sound doesn't place it far from folk rock that slanted more towards the latter, like Crosby, Stills and Nash on the other side of the Atlantic.
Nick Drake
Bryter Layter (1970)
At the pivot point of the pure folk 60s and the singer-songwriter 70s, Nick Drake made three of the best records of the genre. Five Leaves Left is his straightforward debut and Pink Moon is a stark and beautiful final statement from the singer, but Bryter Layter is the best introduction to his work and his most unified record. “Hazy Jane,” “One of These Things First,” and “Northern Sky” are perfect examples of Drake’s skill as both a songwriter and a performer, and the album as a whole projects a mournful, misty tone that makes it perfect for casual and focused listens alike. All three records from Drake are essential, really, both because they are all five-star classics and because he inspired so many singer-songwriters after him. But this is the best place to start.
Simon and Garfunkel
Bridge Over Troubled Water (1970)
Simon and Garfunkel were already on their way to breaking up when they released Bridge, still the best work Paul Simon ever produced. Virtually every track here is untouchable, but “Cecilia” and “The Boxer” remain two of the greatest pop songs ever recorded - and that’s before mentioning the title track and “Keep the Customer Satisfied.” Some of the arrangements here tilt the album into rock territory, but the harmonies and Simon’s lyrics are still purposefully tied to folk traditions, making this an easy inclusion.
Joni Mitchell
Blue (1971)
Although I slightly prefer Court and Spark, Blue is Mitchell’s most highly praised album and her most emotionally stark artistic statement. This is one record where the cover is a perfect representation of the album, which has a melancholy intensity and deep, soulful texture. For the average listener digging into the "consensus great records," Blue can often be a mystifying experience because the record is so intimate and challenging, both melodically and emotionally. Take a closer listen, listen again, and listen one more time. The record's shell will give way and you'll be rewarded with one of the strongest inner cores in music.
Bob Dylan
Blood on the Tracks (1975)
After a few years off (and a terrible motorcycle accident), Bob Dylan went back to his pure folk roots and released Blood on the Tracks in the mid-1970s. It’s his best record post-1960s, a remarkable collection of songs that have gained almost mythical status in the decades since. Like most breakup albums, it’s a bit of a downer, but there are few more emotionally satisfying albums to get lost in on a lonely night. Blood on the Tracks is also the most accessible masterpiece Dylan ever made, and it’s regularly cited by non-fans as their favorite album in his catalog. This means if “Blowing in the Wind” does little for you, start with this record and go from there.
Joan Baez
Diamonds and Rust (1976)
Though Baez released an early modern folk masterpiece in 1960, her strongest record came deep into the 70s with Diamonds and Rust. Baez has arguably her two best compositions here in the title track and the beautiful “Winds of the Old Days,” an intense and vivid shedding of her resentment towards Bob Dylan for abandoning the protest movement in the 60s. There are also great covers to be found, especially Jackson Browne’s “Fountain of Sorrow.” Diamonds and Rust is a reminder that the 1970s were a time when music could be soft, complex, personal - and hugely successful.
Kate and Anna McGarrigle
Kate and Anna McGarrigle (1976)
These two Canadian sisters produced a debut album of such beauty and perfect harmonies that they had to be family. Unlike many of the records on this list post electric-Dylan, this is a true folk record with no bleed over into other genres. Consequently, it’s not as well known as many of the rock or pop crossovers, which is a shame because it’s just as good. Note, too, that Kate is Rufus Wainwright’s mother, and his father Loudon wrote the beautiful “Swimming Song.”
Paul Simon
Graceland (1986)
For a thirty-something American raised by parents who liked music, Graceland is like a station wagon trip to TCBY after soccer practice. But removing the record from that generational stigma reveals what is inarguably one of the great pop records of the 80s, and a folk masterpiece that manages to take African rhythms (and, in some cases, whole hooks and arrangements) and turn them into a genuine piece of Americana. The politics of Graceland, both contemporary (apartheid) and timeless (the adoption of African music by a white artist) make the record endlessly intellectually fascinating, but the music itself is undeniable.
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman (1988)
Best known for “Fast Car,” Tracy Chapman released her debut album in the final days of Reagan’s America. It’s a true folk record in the grand tradition of Woody Guthrie, and it helped revitalized the genre for a wide range of artists to come, especially women like Sarah McLauglin and Ani DiFranco. Like Guthrie, Chapman became a voice for a progressive movement that felt unheard and lost. But there were plenty of other artists in the late 80s and early 90s that had an impact on this movement, and the many singer-songwriters to come would have existed without Chapman. The difference is that very few of them ever made a record this good.
Johnny Cash
American Recordings (1994)
Make no mistake, this is a folk record, through a through. Even if Cash never had the country twang, his early music is easily identifiable as country music. But American Recordings, his comeback record produced with Rick Rubin, and the multiple sets that followed present a collection of traditional and modern songs delivered in a simple and virtually unadorned format. This is music from a man and a guitar, and Rubin kept a steady hand that helped reestablish Cash as a legend and gave country music an artist that mainstream rock fans could embrace - partially because he wasn’t making country music, but mainly because this was powerful and beautiful music that reminded listeners of the power of simplicity.
Belle and Sebastien
If You're Feeling Sinister (1996)
Often identified as indie rock, Belle and Sebastien are nevertheless a folk group in the tradition of Simon and Garfunkel, particularly on If You’re Feeling Sinister, their first widespread release. Apart from the airy production and effortless melodies they create, the thing that’s most striking about Belle and Sebastien is their sense of humor, which is wry and clever in the great tradition of folk songwriters that came before them. It might be culturally connected to the singer-songwriter movement of the late-90s and early-00s, but If You’re Feeling Sinister is a perfect gateway to the world of folk.
Lucinda Williams
Car Wheels on a Gravel Road (1998)
Though it dips its toes in rock and country, Car Wheels on a Gravel Road is a folk record that merges much of what made the folk rock movement of the late 60s and early 70s so fruitful with a soulful voice that harkens back to humble blues singers while still standing up to the best singers of the 90s. Williams is an effortless performer, as evidenced by the wide range of material she is able to deliver impeccably, moving from country road ballad to old-style rock swing with just a gap between the tracks to separate them. The record's production can occasionally seem dated, but folk is at its best when it's paradoxically both timeless and of its time. Car Wheels on a Gravel Road is a perfect example.
Bonnie Prince Billy
I See a Darkness (1999)
I See a Darkness brought the indie music movement a new kind of Americana, steeped in the old ways but crafted for the modern sensibility. This is one of the lesser-known records on this list, but its cult following makes it hard to ignore in folk’s history. Bonnie Prince Billy has released a wide range of records under various pseudonyms, and his impact has been felt far and wide in indie rock circles, especially with regard to artists like Iron and Wine and Davendra Banhart, both of whom never made a record this good or well-regarded. As far as modern folk goes, I See a Darkness is a towering statement in the form of quiet, gothic art.
Sufjan Stevens
Come On Feel the Illinoise (2005)
If I find myself making an argument for a record’s inclusion in this folk music list too often post-1980, it’s because the genre has evolved and hybridized so thoroughly over the last generation. And while there are certainly still great artists that rely exclusively on their unique voice and an acoustic guitar, the best records as a whole are often far more complex than that. Illinois is the best example of this new beast in the first decade of the 21st century. Sufjan Stevens’s impeccable songwriting met elaborate arrangements and a modern eye (check “Chicago”) to deliver a loosely collected set of songs ostensibly about Illinois, but really about life and home in all its wondrous messiness - which is really what folk was about all along.
No comments:
Post a Comment