KLOF No. 90 (Folk, Experimental, Ambient, Alternative)

In this week’s Mixtape, we turn back the clock to the 1970s for three tracks taken from the new Martin Carthy archival boxset release, Along The Road Forever: Live at the BBC (1965-2022), which is released today (July 17th) via Madfish. This is a huge collection, and for anyone thinking this is a CD-sized boxset similar to what you often get via the excellent Cherry Red, then think again. This is a large vinyl-sized boxset featuring a 20 CD collection of 328 live and session recordings made for the BBC corporation from 1965 to 2022 (plus earlier ABC TV recordings). That is 22½ hours of music and 237 unique repertoire performances, two-thirds of them taken from master tapes. There’s also a large (same size as the box) 80-page book that includes numerous photographs, as well as images of posters, tickets and ads, alongside a new essay on Carthy’s life by music biographer Clinton Heylin, plus detailed session notes by Kevin Boyd. I’ve been a Martin Carthy fan since I was a teen and I can honestly say that this is the most beautifully produced release I’ve ever seen. As for the recordings, they match the effort put into the presentation, and, having a few Carthy archive recordings in my collection already, the audio quality is way beyond what I was expecting. It is a treasure in the most literal sense of the word. I don’t know how many of these are being produced, but I wouldn’t hang around.

You can order it here now.

I have to follow certain rules when putting together a Mixtape, i.e. a maximum of 3 tracks from the same album or compilation within a single show, so I’ve been very selective, but rest assured, there will definitely be more! For this first offering I decided to focus on the 1970s, so you can hear Martin performing at Cambridge Folk Festival in 1977, a John Peel Session from 1976 and a performance at St Albans Folk Club from 1973.

Alongside the three tracks from Martin, you can also hear new releases from Seu Jorge (covering Nick Drake and ft. Beck), two tracks from Elanor Moss (that unforgettable voice), the new AA single from Hana Stretton (can’t stop playing this), Sari Lightman, midori jaeger, the new single form Jake Xerxes Fussell (you’ve never heard Rock Island Line like this before), Sairie (yes, they’re back, and their first full length album is coming), Trá Pháidín (also back – what a week!), a double offering from the wonderful Two Runner we’ve been following, the incredible Biita Houdei (her forthcoming debut album, This Bed Was Made For Me, which was produced by Haley Heynderickx, is sure to feature on many end of year lists), Max Subar (he recorded his debut over 10 days in a house overlooking a frozen lake in Wisconsin. He emerged with 11 songs imbued with what the poet Adrienne Rich called “a wild patience,” a radical stillness, a journey towards consciousness, peace and self awareness. His debut album ‘Anything Could Be‘, drops today on Merge Records). Finally, a track from Luluc‘s new album Sweet Thief, what Tobias Furlong called a gorgeous, contemplative exercise in quiet isolation and self-reflection.

There’s also some older tunes from C Joynes and the Dead Rat Orchestra (Live), Alasdair Roberts (and live with Tartine de clous) The Notwist, and Karl Blau.

This is all top-drawer! One of our best Mixtapes yet.

Listen on Mixcloud

Playlist

1. 00:00 Seu Jorge – River Man ft. Beck
2. 04:25 Elanor Moss – Again, My Love
3. 06:59 Hana Stretton – As It Was Before This
4. 10:28 Sari Lightman – The Prize
5. 14:45 midori jaeger – hunted
6. 18:24 Jake Xerxes Fussell – Rock Island Line
7. 22:50 Martin Carthy – The Bedmaking + DJ Intro (Live At Cambridge Folk Festival 30/7/77)
8. 27:08 C Joynes and the Dead Rat Orchestra – Triennale
9. 30:40 Sairie – Harder than it Seemed
10. 35:37 The Notwist – How the Story Ends
11. 39:30 Trá Pháidín – An Béal Bocht
12. 42:52 Martin Carthy – Willie`s Lady (John Peel, Radio 1, 7/9/76 (#7 Of 9 Peel Sessions)
13. 50:15 Two Runner – Roadrunner
14. 53:18 Biita Houdei – The Ground Here
15. 55:46 Alasdair Roberts – An Altar In the Glade
16. 59:19 Martin Carthy – Skewbald (Live At St Albans Folk Club 1973)
17. 01:05:14 Max Subar – Like You’ve Known It
18. 01:09:16 Alasdair Roberts, Neil McDermott & Tartine de clous – Tout en me promenant
19. 01:13:53 Elanor Moss – Sarah Waiting in the Car
20. 01:16:51 Hana Stretton – Seagull Theory II
21. 01:19:31 Karl Blau – Fallin’ Rain
22. 01:29:02 Two Runner – Strawberry Rhinestone
23. 01:33:16 Luluc – Wanna Get Free