SACRED HARP SINGERS OF THE SOUTHLAND-
FA SOL LA 

****************************************************

          There is very little information out there about this Sacred Harp crew aside from what's written on the back of this record.  I'm not going to reprint it or anything, but here's a little taste:

             "The Chattahooche Sacred Harp Singing Convention was organized at                      Macedonia Church, in Coweta County, Georgia, on the first Sunday in                    August, 1852... the Chattahooche Convention is one of the very few                            Sacred Harp Singing Conventions whose activities are conducted to an                  established procedure laid down in a written constitution, and so far as we          know, it is the only convention having a recorded membership list     dating  from the first session in 1852 to the last session in 1965."  

          This is a sterling example of the form.  Spiraling exhalations and crowded shouts on high, echoing in a chamber of stained glass, and printed pages.  

      

SACRED HARP SINGERS OF THE SOUTHLAND

"During the War Between the States, only token sessions were held..."

-Mrs. Ruth Denson Edwards

John Sebastian and Terry Snyder-

Inca Dance (78rpm)

********************************************  

 This is a very dusty side of harmonica and bongo meandering.      

INCA DANCE

  

New Horizons 

of the Josh Noland Guitar Duo 

.......................................................

Josh Noland, lead guy of the New Horizons guitar duo, writes on the back cover, “Please realize that this album was not made for the purpose of competing with the Guitar Greats.  It’s just a souvenir for your listening enjoyment… [My sound is] a sort of combination of Chet Atkins, Howard Roberts, and Jerry Reed… recorded by only two musicians and an electronic drummer.”   

The sound is sparse, impressionistic, lonesome, sturdy and American.  Some of the tracks wouldn't be out of place in a David Lynch film.  The “electronic drummer” Noland refers to is actually a Rhythm-Ace drum machine, and, as with most utilizations of the instrument, the drum programming is very straight forward.   The machine is turned on.  The simple pattern repeats throughout the entirety of the song without change.  The machine is turned off.  Drum machines wouldn't be unlocked for years to come.  Extra points for the duo's cover of Elizabeth Cotton’s “Freight Train.”  

New Horizons of the Josh Noland Guitar Duo

 "My answer is simple.  I feel we are all a part of everyone we meet." 
-Josh Noland

Lone Pigeon- Touched By Tomoko + Untitled 7"

 ........................................................................................................................

          These are two 7-inches from Lone Pigeon... aka Gordon Anderson of the Beta Band.    'Touched By Tomoko' contains five tracks including an alternate of the track 'Waterfall' (originally found on the 'Concubine Rice' LP).  The title track is wrenched.  The untitled 7" is housed in a white sleeve with a stamped number.  The b-side contains no music.  The first few tracks seem to be more Concubine Rice alternates....  


The Lone Pigeon- Touched By Tomoko + Untitled 7"

"The Lone Pigeon acknowledges the help of tomoko..."

Baba Mukantananda- Guru Gita

............................................................

     A devotional recitation of the "indispensible" Hindu text Guru Gita as delivered by Baba Muktanananda.  Born May 16, 1908 in South India, Baba Muktananda's spiritual inquiry began in early adulthood.  He received the divine grace of his guru Bhagawan Nityananda at age 39, and some nine-years later, after an "intense" sadhana, reached the spiritual pinnacle of Self-realization. His headlining "World Tour" was booked immediately thereafter.   This was the tour LP.  Blasé spiritual recitation at it's utmost.  Right there in the pocket of all the other great Indian vocal minimalists... sans raga fanfare, red beanie, sleep with one eye open.    

Muktananda- Guru Gita

"All seekers are welcome... you are welcome too."

  G.P.O. Box 1718 

New York, New York 10001 

Various Artists-  Turn of The Grindstone

.....................................................................................................................................

     An excellent compilation of "Independent Electronic Music" from the year 1988.  The label is K.O. City Studios and most of these basement types are from TN, VA, and MA.  An impressive pedigree.  Add a Conrad Schnitzler cameo on the last track and you've got a pretty nice Independent Electronic Music comp.  Turn of the Grindstone?  

     For the most part, the first side has some sort of dojo newsroom obsession throughout.  Astonishing.  But, the real standouts are to be found on the second half... "Keep Down" by Mental Anguish/Nomuzic sounds like John Bender covering the Cure (maybe not such a suprise).  And with their track "The Heat Is Gone," Victimized Karcass preempt a track or two off of the extended version of A.P.'s "The Doldrums."  Then..."Media Hunt" by the group/artist Curious Voltage (aka Christopher Elston c/o Spare Room Studio 133 Willard St. Lowell MA 01850) nicely manages to shift the momentum from all out late-80's basement luno-fringe songwriting into the final "out" trio piece featuring Conrad Schnitzler, David Prescott, and someone credited as Montgomery. 

V/A-Turn Of The Grindstone

"Hello all you dear supporters!  ...without you this is impossible."

  -K.O. City Studio

Elvio Monti and Nelvil Cameron- Tastiere No2

......................................

 Italian library music "specially recorded for film, radio and television."  Very romantic and underwater sounding piano figures with some guitar leads.  Right in line with Alessandro Alessandroni, some Bruno Nicolai, and maybe even Sven Libaek.  Pressed on the FAMA label.   Sublime.  This is a very dusty copy, almost percussive at times.  


Tastiere No2

"Avventura a lieto fine... melanconica... heart breaking melody... The nano." 

                  

Silver Wings- On The Rocks

..................................

Silver Wings are a group comprised of three brothers named Williams that banded together in 1988 to independently release this...  the aptly titled "On The Rocks."  Somewhere in between Robert Lester Folsom's "Music and Dreams" and America's "Hat Trick," the lone(?) Silver Wings album has a certain  warm hospitality about it... in spite of it's general lyrical despondency.  On the track "Who Really Cares" lead guy Randy Williams sings up-beat, "At night all alone, wanna call you on the telephone.  It's a shame.  Who's to blame?  Who really cares?" The first side of this record has been killing me lately.  I can not stop listening.  Not too many guitar solos or anything.  The insert has an invitation to join their fan club.  Kind of insane. 


Silver Wings- On The Rocks 

"I'd like to dedicate this L. P. to Dee for believing in me, for pushing me out into the Chicago cold when I might have stayed home... and especially to Linda..." 

   Sincerely,

 Randy

Don McHan- New Songs I Love

.........................................................

                    

       Here we present an early Don McHan album titled "New Songs I Love." As you might expect from such a man, a liminal figure of Nashville's golden "entertainment" age, this album falls back on the regional stock and trade in fine-ironed banjo starch and Norman Rockwell Bible Belt piety. And yeah... all the God fearing does get a little tired.  But "New Songs I Love" is not without a few charms. Don plays tambourine and hand percussion on virtually every track.  He lyricizes about dressing funny, smoking pot and taking pills (against it). And, in the end, manages to squeeze out two pretty good songs about nature mostly... the standout "Sounds of Living" and the cannily Davy Crockett-esque "Tennessee Rollin' Hills." Full download will not be featured on this one (trust me here), though I'm sure you could catch a copy if you pray hard enough.

Don McHan- Sounds of Living  
Don McHan- Tennessee Rollin' Hills

"Don McHan is an unusual artist... He does all vocals and music himself on this album."                                                                                                                                            -Warren C. Evitt         

             Song Time Music Productions

              Cullowhee, North Carolina 28723

...........................................................................................................................