V/A - Imaginational Anthem Vol. 2

Imaginational Anthem Volume 2 expands and builds on this theme with 70+ more minutes of guitar magic - all previously unreleased on CD in the US. 24-year old UK 12-string upstart James Blackshaw opens the record, while the late master Robbie Basho, a clear influence on Blackshaw's style, closes it. Basho's track is the only live recording by this groundbreaking guitarist ever released. Riches abound on Imaginational Anthem Vol 2, with new recordings by former Takoma roster alumni Peter Lang (who made an album with John Fahey and Leo Kottke), Billy Faier (an original Greenwich Village folkie whose late 50's Riverside records inspired a fellow crack banjo player, Steve Martin) and an archival home recording by Fred Gerlach (a favorite of Jimmy Page). The new breed is well-represented by fascinating figures of today - Smith, Carter, Sparhawk, Kraus, Rose and Blackshaw. Legendary singer/songwriter Michael Chapman, whose first albums for the Harvest label in the 60's are now seeing the light again, contributes as well.

V/A - Imaginational Anthem Vol. 2 part 1
V/A - Imaginational Anthem Vol. 2 part 2

Evan Miller - Beeswax Ephemera

Evan Miller makes finger picking folk music with lots of nods towards the san fransisco freak folk scene and the midwestern noise scene. Iowa City's six-string guru Evan "Swain" Miller pounded out this release just in time for the Night People (Raccoo-oo-oon/Evan Miller) east coast tour of 2007. Handcrafted paper with impressive printing and stitching packaging on the physical level, while the audio supplied features Evan expounding on his intricating fingerpicking stylings while evoking the spirit of Fahey's finger angels into your most vivid coloured dream of raga-intricated satisfaction. Highly, highly recommended.

Evan Miller - Beeswax Ephemera

Six Organs of Admittance - Compathía

Compathía, the classic album from Six Organs of Admittance, is so surprising. Ben Chasny, whose largely meditative Dark Noontide proved a major launching pad for this New Weird sound, has toned down the drone and made what is essentially a pop record. It retains the Eastern tinge of past recordings, but Chasny’s voice, and furthermore his lyrics, separate this from anything he’s done before this.

Six Organs of Admittance - Compathía

Animal Collective ft. Vashti Bunyan - Prospect Hummer EP

Following a hugely successful 2004, Animal Collective return with their first release of 2005 - a brand new four-track EP, which features the sweet voice of the near-legendary Vashti Bunyan. Having long been huge fans of her sole album, the recently rediscovered 1970 gem, ‘Just Another Diamond Day’, Animal Collective happened to meet Vashti when they played in Edinburgh on a 2003 tour supporting Four Tet (Four Tet’s Kieran Hebden had recently played as part of Vashti’s band during her first live set in over 30 years at the Royal Festival Hall). Following this meeting, ideas were hatched and conversations began, culminating in the group selecting these three beautiful songs for her to make a home in.

Acoustic-based and once again recorded by their friend Rusty Santos (who co-produced ‘Sung Tongs’ along with the band), ‘Prospect Hummer’ centres around the three harmonised vocal tracks, ‘It’s You’, ‘Prospect Hummer’, and ‘I Remember Learning How To Dive’, all of which were recorded over three days in March 2004 at Idle Luxury Studios in London, immediately before the band set off on their European tour to promote ‘Sung Tongs’. Weaving their luscious, multi-layered web around Vashti’s singing, these three tracks feature Animal members Avey Tare, Panda Bear and Deakin. A fourth track, the instrumental ‘Baleen Sample’ was completed late last year, and includes samples from band member Geologist, who was absent from the Four Tet tour.

Besides a huge mutual admiration, another link that both artists share is their experiences of people attempting to pigeonhole them both into some kind of folk-ish ideal. Whilst rising to critical prominence around the same time as artists like Devendra Banhardt, Iron & Wine, Espers, Joanna Newsom and Vetiver, Animal Collective have always balked at the idea of being part of some kind of ‘Avant/Modern American Folk’ scene – and anything more than the most cursory listen through their back catalogue will amply illustrate the changing nature, uniqueness and breadth of their music. Similarly, whilst obviously remembered for the autobiographical folk settings of ‘JADD’, Vashti is likewise insistent that her music stands on its own two feet, entirely separate from any scene-creation. - FatCat Records

AC ft. Vashti Bunyan - Prospect Hummer EP