Clara Engel – A New Skin

Clara Engel is based in Toronto, Canada.  Her work has been described as “Folk-Noir” or “minimalist holy blues,” and who am I to disagree?  This takes the best elements of neofolk, stripped-down to just voice, cigar box guitar, electric guitar, melodica and harmonica, and it sounds like a rare self-pressed Continue Reading

Vedan Kolod – Gorodische

Vedan Kolod are a troupe based in Moscow, Russia, who do sterling work interpreting medieval Russian folkloric music, especially Siberian tunes, with a modern twist.  The label, CPL, is run by my friend and colleague, Christian Pliefke, whose taste in artists is impeccable, and every release he’s curated for his Continue Reading

Tom Carter – Beautiful Saviour

Tom Carter was the guitarist of improvisers Charalambides, one of the heirs of fine Texas psychedelia.  His new album, Beautiful Savior, comes as a pleasant, hopeful respite after being inundated by moronic ‘devil’-related titles.  Is this an acid-Christian album?  Who knows?  The tones from this album speak for themselves. The Continue Reading