Back catalogue: Folk/Americana

Review: Originally released in 2014, Canadian singer-songwriter Myriam Gendron's debut album Not So Deep As A Well is finally back in reach via Basin Rock. On these fragile, finger-picked delights Gendron draws on the poetry of celebrated American writer Dorothy Parker and creates arresting folk songs out of them. Rendered in stark terms, with just guitar and voice pressed close to the microphone, it's an intimate experience which is sure to charm any fan of Sandy Denny, Buffy Sainte-Marie or Linda Perhacs. Gendron's heartworn, low-register voice adds an acerbic weight to Parker's writing, and she weaves her guitar playing around the words with understated power.

Review: Myriam Gendron's Mayday is a poignant and deeply resonant exploration of folk traditions, seamlessly blending elements of Quebecois culture with avant-garde nuances. Building on the success of her previous albums, Gendron crafts a stunning listen through both English and French lyrics, accompanied by a stellar lineup of musicians including Marisa Anderson, Jim White, and Cedric Dind-Lavoie. Despite the album's dark undertones, stemming from personal loss, Gendron masterfully infuses each track with a subtle yet powerful light, reminiscent of Leonard Cohen's ability to navigate darkness with grace. The result is a collection of songs that exude intimacy and familiarity while pushing boundaries and exploring new sonic territories. From haunting melodies to quietly aggressive free-rock arrangements combined with Gendron's lyrical talents shining through, Mayday hits all the right notes. It's a beautiful and thought-provoking work that lingers in the mind long after the final note fades away.

Review: Jakarta Records is mostly known for its superb hip hop but this one is a dazzling album well worth checking. It's a perfect mix of instrumental jazz, soul and gentle grooves that will get you nodding along and lost in the gorgeous melodies from the master of this sort of stuff that is Gianni Brezzo. The Italian has put put several fine albums before now and this collection is another doozy with certain harmonic and rhythmic concepts recurring throughout that drawn on European and folklorist style.

Review: Reconnecting through their shared musical heritages, Rhiannon Giddens and Justin Robinson present What Did the Blackbird Say To The Crow, a mesmerising collection of fiddle and banjo tunes tied to North Carolina's many oral and digital traditions. After their late mentor Joe Thompson bequeathed them a trove of recordings to work with, the already esteemed, torch-bearing duo breathe new life into 18 handpicked rethinks and honorific originals, some sung, others purely instrumental. Recorded outdoors at sites meaningful to Thompson and Baker, their sessions were joined by the rare, overlapping calls of two cicada broods, unheard together since 1803. Giddens calls it "music made for your community's enjoyment and for dancing."

Review: A career retrospective release featuring music over the last 50 years by American born musician Beverly-Glenn Copeland. He started his career as a folk singer, incorporating jazz, classical and blues elements, and performed on albums by Ken Friesen, Bruce Cockburn, Gene Murtynec, Bob Disalle and Kathryn Moses. Features 'In The Image' first released in 2004 under the moniker Phynix , 'Sunset Village' first released on the Keyboard Fantasies album in 1986, 'Colour Of Anyhow' (CBC q live version) recorded by the Canadian Broadcasting Commission 2011, 'Deep River' recorded live at Le Guess Who? in Utrecht 2018, 'The Netherlands and Montreal Main' (The Buddha In The Palm) first released on At Last! EP in 1983. All tracks remastered by Guy Davie at Electric Mastering.

Review: To say there's a meditative quality to Golem Mecanique's third album would be like saying air is something we breathe. The nom de plume of French multi-instrumental Karen Jebane, the album title directly quotes the final comments made by Pier Paolo Pasolini in his last ever interview, given just days before his body was found on an Italian beach after being brutally murdered. "We are all in danger", he quipped. From what, or who, we are still trying to figure out, 50 years on. Siamo Tutti In Pericolo doesn't look to answer the great mystery of what happened to the great filmmaker and auteur. But it does look to feelings of tension, quiet unease, and opaque mystery for its incredibly atmospheric tomes. This is deep dive stuff, reliant on a combination of refrained notes, echoes, and sombre, spiritual voices inviting us to push through into some other state of consciousness. Whether that will shed any light on anything is, of course, the real question we need to answer.

Review: Jose Gonzalez (of Argentine origins but living in Sweden) released his debut album in 2006 and received critical acclaim all over Europe. "Veneer" is a striking collection of hushed indie pop bedroom songs that sits elegantly on the hi-fi end of the lo-fi spectrum. This Peacefrog release can't be missed.

Review: Michael Grigoni and Pan•American's latest collaboration is a series of contemplative reflections on the isolation, fractures and uncertainties that define today's world. The album delves into the emotional landscape shaped by political divisions, personal solitude, and the lingering aftereffects of the pandemic. Through its fusion of folk, country, bluegrass, and blues elements, paired with a modern, ambient atmosphere, the sound is both rooted in tradition and forward-looking. Tracks like 'Sun Morning Sun' and 'Silver Streams' carry a sense of quiet introspection, while 'Black River Song' and 'Mirage/Afternoon' showcase the duo's ability to merge organic instrumentation with spacious, textured soundscapes. The album's exploration of personal and collective experience creates a reflective space, asking listeners to pause and engage with the complexities of modern life. A musical journey that speaks to the heart of the American experience, offering an emotional response to an uncertain future.

Review: Liz Harris' image as a gothic, studio-dwelling, ambient mastermind is cemented by her 12th album, 'Shade'. Compiling a loose and formerly unrelated collection of songs made over the last 12 years - from the short, ruined polaroid-style opener 'Followed The Ocean', to the naked strum-singing of 'Unclean Mind' and the droning submergence of 'Basement Mix', this one is arguably one of her most lo-fi projects. It easily captures Grouper's emergence on the international folk-ambient scene through the analog fog of rare CD-Rs and handmade cassettes, making her career trajectory a ghost story if we've ever heard one. Gear up for a print edition, with original sky photographs by Harris' friend David Horvitz, as well as a signed archival letter-press print of Moon Study, her exclusive new book.

Review: Guitarist, composer and skateboarder Tommy Guerrero hears several of his earliest albums reissued now via Be With, of which 2008's Return Of The Bastard was his fifth. Still evidently deep in the throes of recording for the pure fun of it, this fifteen-track album reflects a pure lyricless enjoyment that few other of Guerrero's contemporaries could ever hope to share. Perhaps it's the meditative truck of his earlier skate career that course-corrected his frame of mind to pure creative meditativeness; here driving noisy drum machines, lightly-amped two-tones, the occasional kalimba and faint vocals all collide for the perfect accompaniment to an implied visual narrative.

Review: Margo Guryan's solo album, Take A Picture, originally released in 1968, has attained cult status for its enchanting blend of honeyed vocals and sophisticated songwriting. Known for her influence on soft-pop and dream-pop genres, Guryan's album features the iconic track 'Sunday Morning,' later covered by Bobbie Gentry and Glen Campbell. This reissue, now available on vinyl, features Guryan's jazz background shining through in her meticulous compositions, which have been praised for their funky sunshine arrangements and lush melodies. As a renowned songwriter, her works have been performed by artists ranging from Astrud Gilberto to Harry Belafonte. Take A Picture stands as a bridge between Burt Bacharach's sophistication and the indie pop stylings of Belle & Sebastian, influencing artists like the Wondermints and even inspiring Diablo Cody during the creation of Juno. Despite critical acclaim, Guryan preferred the role of songwriter over performer, reflecting her dedication to musical craft and independence from the spotlight.

Review: Margo Guryan's Take a Picture is a charming artifact of late '60s pop, blending the orchestral sophistication of Burt Bacharach with the dreamy resonance of early Belle & Sebastian. Guryan, a seasoned songwriter with credits including Ornette Coleman and Harry Belafonte, crafted a singular album that's both a lush time capsule and a showcase of her unique vision. Now released on gold vinyl, the production is richly adorned with horns, strings, and sweet harmonies, creating a warm, nostalgic atmosphere. Tracks like 'Sunday Morning' (later covered by Bobbie Gentry and Glen Campbell) and 'Sun' radiate a carefree energy, capturing the essence of Sunshine Pop. Ballads like 'Think Of Rain' and 'Thoughts' are very nostalgic, while 'Love' intriguingly veers into Psychedelic Rock. Take a Picture endures as a delightful reminder of its era, offering a glimpse into a bygone musical sensibility with Guryan's endearing, Doo-Wop-inspired vocals at its core.

Review: Numero's comprehensive collection, Words and Music, offers a deep dive into the eclectic catalog of cult singer-songwriter Margo Guryan. Beyond her viral hit 'Why Do I Cry?', Guryan's music showcases a breadth of scope that extends far beyond the Billboard charts. Trained in jazz and inspired by the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds, her 1968 debut album Take A Picture exemplifies her ambition and talent, blending bright harmonies, cheeky lyrics, and taut breaks with unusual jazz flourishes. Despite initial obscurity, Guryan's music found renewed appreciation in the 90s and beyond, with tracks like 'I Don't Intend to Spend Christmas Without You' gaining traction. Numero's exhaustive set includes her entire discography, from the Take A Picture LP to vintage demos and unreleased recordings, showcasing Guryan's evolution from her early jazz influences to her later chamber pop experiments. Words and Music is a testament to Guryan's enduring musical legacy and wide-ranging influences.

Review: Margo Guryan, best known for penning hits like 'Sunday Morning,' had a musical vision that extended far beyond the Billboard charts. A jazz student who collaborated with Ornette Coleman and Don Cherry, Guryan found inspiration in the Beach Boys' 'Pet Sounds,' which led her to create the organ-led 'Think of Rain' for her 1968 debut album, 'Take A Picture.' Despite its commercial potential, the album, filled with bright harmonies, cheeky lyrics, and jazz flourishes, failed to break through due to Guryan's disinterest in touring and the label's lack of promotion. Guryan's music was rediscovered in the 90s, with renewed interest sparked by Saint Etienne's cover of 'I Don't Intend to Spend Christmas Without You.' In 2001, she released a set of vintage demos, reconnecting with a new generation of fans. Following her passing in 2021, her track 'Why Do I Cry?' went viral, prompting Numero to compile her entire discography into an exhaustive set. This collection includes 'Take A Picture,' additional tracks from Beatball Records' 2009 edition, the '25 Demos' album and 16 unreleased recordings. Spanning from 1956 to 1975, this compilation showcases Guryan's evolution from her early jazz-influenced tracks to her later ambitious chamber pop, reflecting her wide-reaching musical inclinations and unique wordplay.

Review: Like Someone I Know features reinterpretations of Margo Guryan's timeless songs by a diverse lineup of artists, including TOPS, Clairo, Empress Of, and Margo Price. Guryan, a talented singer-songwriter and pianist, released her only album, Take a Picture, in 1968, which, despite initial obscurity, has become a cornerstone of the sunshine-pop genre. Her compositions reflect a sophisticated understanding of love and uncertainty, showcasing a delicate yet powerful songwriting style. Guryan's artistry gained renewed recognition in recent years, particularly after her haunting track 'Why Do I Cry' went viral on TikTok shortly before her passing in 2021. This tribute album celebrates her influence, allowing modern musicians to explore her work while maintaining the essence of her original sound. Tracks like McDoom's atmospheric take on 'Thoughts' and Frankie Cosmos' playful rendition of 'Take a Picture' highlight Guryan's remarkable craftsmanship and emotional depth. By donating a portion of proceeds to affordable reproductive health services, this compilation not only honours Guryan's legacy but also reaffirms the lasting impact of her music, proving that her work continues to resonate across generations.