FOLK

Artist: Bert Jansch Label: Earth Records

Artist: BUCK CURRAN Label: Esp Disk Ltd.

No, the Apocalypse is not the end of things; it’s a part of creation and an immanent process in the eternal cycle of becoming and ceasing to be. There is no evolutionary ‘thread’ that leads us to believe in redemption. Even though on ‘Hall of Thatch’, Jérôme Reuter – alias ROME – initially only confronts us with voice and acoustic guitar, one thing is clear from the first note: This is the beginning of something new. Like some dark, powerful storm, the album’s sound draws over the threshold of our perception. Rome much like Vergil, who as with Dante, takes the listener by the hand and leads him through the spheres of our base existence. Terms such as paradise, hell and purgatory, however, would be much too banal to describe the abysses of the present day. ‘Hall of Thatch’ has an enormous impact. Previously, ROME mainly addressed literary or historical topics, and preferably a combination of both aspects. Each album stood on its own, yet each begat the other. At least superficially, on ‘Hall of Thatch’ he dispenses with that previous metaplane, in order to discover a new arena on the detour of a personal journey. The CD is much more introspective and thoughtful than most previous releases. ROME steers his boat down a dark stream of consciousness. “On the other ten albums (leaving out "Hell Money" here), I mostly used a political, historical or philosophical context in order to disseminate my thoughts. On this one it’s rather more personal, but more on the metaphysical, transcendental plane. Where does the body fit in that realm between the spirit and the world? It’s neither about current events nor politics, but rather about a process of realisation that’s still some way off from being completed.” There's a history to ‘Hall of Thatch’, however. Some years go, Jérôme Reuter set off for Vietnam. The country, its history, the culture and its relationship to Buddhism fascinated him just as much as the lifestyle of the people, who really did experience the Apocalypse half a century ago. At regular intervals, he played concerts at the most south-easterly point of the Asian mainland, and afterwards travelled across the land by moped. He himself called it his field recording trip. Many of these chants and prayers found their way onto the album, forming the framework for ROME's new songs. Now, it can be said that Buddhism is an easy subject matter. But despite tackling basic Buddhist thought, a Gregorian seriousness is nevertheless immanent in ‘Hall of Thatch’. For Reuter, the spiritual element is present in the successful battle with his own inner demons. “The album is not the peaceful end product of that peaceful being that you eventually want to become, but it focuses the struggle that leads to this point. We obviously tend to have difficulties in letting go. On the album I try to make this negotiation along the journey from one state to another audible. Where am I, who am I, what would I like to be, what must I surrender to achieve this? The songs are the individual stopping points on this journey. The final song is more placid than the others. There’s something of an achievement there for me, but on a very small level. It’s not the peak of the holy mountain, merely the base camp. That’s all I can sing about, because I’ve not yet been any further.” And in order to reach this peak, you sometimes have to go through hell, just as Dante did while holding Vergil’s hand. ROME’s basic sound has always been massive, but on none of the project’s previous albums was it ever so dark and powerful as on ‘Hall of Thatch’. Reuter grants rays of light here and there, but admits that this time there is no escape. This is not music that you can just flop down to. ROME compares it to being thrown into some satanic barrel organ, where you are never able to come out of it unscathed. In this regard, the album can be filed in a row with those of acts such as Wovenhand, Foetus, Swans or Steve Von Till. Although at first glance, the new CD doesn’t have anything at all to do with current politics and is definitely not a protest album, it does indeed serve as an appropriate soundtrack to our times. ROME's motto is that the time of banality is past. “The music is free of any kind of utopia or other values that politics or history could deliver. The status quo is utterly hopeless. You can no longer get to grips with the state of the world by deploying the usual approaches. We’re searching for new explanations, but can’t cede anything to a higher authority. Instead, we must all work out the answers ourselves. That’s hard work, and you’re standing there with both feet in the mud. In this respect, the album is definitely a reaction to all that’s going on right now. The majority of the diseases we have today are political diseases. When the outside world becomes just too much, we react with our entire bodies and collapse.” Bang! A statement like a meteorite whose impact envelopes the Earth in darkness. The album is not supposed to be an escape, emphasises Reuter. Nevertheless, or perhaps because of this, ROME becomes a phoenix. By withdrawing into himself, he is able to describe his own resurrection. This moment is what imbues this album with its power, splendour and grandeur. The songs feel like a tautened bow that is waiting to fire the arrow. That may appear to be a contradiction in itself, but it’s not the only paradox on this record. The Luxembourger Reuter outed himself as a staunch European long ago. But ‘Hall of Thatch’ is the most American of his albums to date, although this Americanness can in turn be seen as being very European. The CD characterises a provisional end point in ROME’s development curve, yet at the same time forms a basis for the future. The songs are charismatic without being missionary. In the manner of depth analysis, they sing of the state of our times, yet set themselves up as neither the rescuer nor herald of worlds. They are infernal, yet at the same time very intimate and vulnerable. However, Jérôme Reuter manages this without any kind of Ecce homo posing. Ultimately, it’s – once again – the stringent yet equally gripping work of a musician who always develops from album to album. He therefore has the courage to say, “The album is what it is. What emerges from it is presumambly… Nothing. I’ve said what I had to say and that’s all there is to it.” An exceedingly apt conclusion befitting an album that nods towards Buddhism yet displays Gregorian features. Record Label: Trisol Music Group Style: Gothic / Rock

SUPERB “UNPLUGGED” BROADCAST RECORDINGS FROM YOUNG’S SOLO SETS ON HIS 1976 TOUR OF THE US 1. Campaigner 3:19 2. The Old Laughing Lady 5:00 3. Human Highway 2:46 4. Tell Me Why 2:57 5. After The Gold Rush 4:17 6. Harvest 2:34 7. Mr. Soul 2:34 8. Here We Are In The Years 3:48 9. Journey Through The Past 3:10 10. White Line 2:29 11. Give Me Strength 3:22 12. Don't Say You Win, Don't Say You Loose 2:15 13. Mellow My Mind 2:30 14. Too Far Gone 6:36 15. The Needle And The Damage Done 2:08 16. Pocahontas 3:36 17. Roll Another Number (For The Road) 2:12 18. The Losing End 3:42 19. Love Is A Rose 2:08 20. Sugar Mountain 7:26 Record Label: All Access Style: Singer / Songwriter

6CD BOX SET FEATURING LEONARD COHEN AT HIS LIVE FINEST The tragic loss of the extraordinary composer and performer Leonard Cohen, in November 2016, left fans of the great man saddened and bereft. However, Leonard left behind an unparalleled body of work which not only stands as testament to his glorious career, but one which remains and vital, and will remain just as relevant to future generations for as long as people enjoy sophisticated, high qualitymusic and poetry. This box set contains 6 CDs featuring some of the finest live performances Cohen ever gave. All CDs include separate booklets, each with its own liner notes, while the set is completed in an elegant outer-box. Record Label: Broadcast Archive Style: Folk

Artist: The Wood Brothers Label: Honey Jar Records

Artist: Sun Ra Label: Strut Records

Artist: Klaus Paier; Artist: Asja Valcic Label: Act (Edel)

Artist: Bert Jansch Label: Earth Recordings

Artist: Bert Jansch Label: Earth Recordings

Artist: Tax the Heat Label: Nuclear Blast

Artist: Stick in the Wheel Label: Stick In The Wheel

The miracle of Andalusia "- this album sets a musical monument: Christian, Moorish and Jewish songs and melodies awakened to new life from the worldmusic ensemble Joyosa. The band uses almost only traditional instruments Record Label: Foxy Records Style: Folk

Artist: VARIOUS ARTISTS Label: Simply

Artist: Various Artists Label: Republic of Music

Official Record Store Day Black Friday Selection, limited to 2,500 copies worldwide on GOLD wax, first ever vinyl release, newly remastered audio, LP housed in a deluxe gatefold Stoughton tip-on jacket. Willie Nelson’s 1996 album Spirit is an emotional concept album illustrating the forlorn tale of a man abandoned by the great love of his life. We follow him down the path of loss as he confronts grief, gets back on his feet, and eventually finds solace in acceptance. While producing Spirit, Nelson assuredly knew the commercial risks behind releasing an album this melancholic. After all, in 1973 he himself wrote “sad songs and waltzes ain’t selling this year.” Beloved by those familiar with Nelson’s deep catalog, Spirit largely slipped through the cracks in the mainstream, but remains highly revered amongst critics and fans alike. Backed by legendary country fiddler Johnny Gimble (of Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys), sister Bobbie Nelson on piano, and his longtime touring guitarist Jody Payne, the song-cycle is anchored by lilting Spanish-inspired instrumentals that absorb a lonesome gravity when placed next to ballads that tug at even the most unwavering heartstrings. Likened to Bob Dylan’s Time Out Of Mind or Waylon Jennings’ Right For the Time, Spirit sees Nelson maturing most gracefully: he trades rousing sing-alongs and saloon tunes for gut-wrenching lyrics and instrumentation of greater precision and skill, proving this release as deep and as challenging as his career-defining albums released twenty years before. Originally released by Island Records in 1996, Spirit is issued here on vinyl for the first time as a special Record Store Day Black Friday release. Newly remastered with a deluxe, gatefold, ‘tip-on’ uncoated jacket, this is a chance to own this unique album in its most beautifully presented form. Record Label: Light In The Attic Style: Folk

Chalet Beats No. 5 compiled by DJ Hoody & HP.Hoeger...coming soon! Record Label: Clubstar Style: Dance

Artist: Five Hand Reel Label: Talking Elephant

The Dutch band Shireen has made it their business to create their own interpretation of folk in the broadest sense They call their music "Witchpop" and that hits the nail quite right on the head, so you can find a mix of modern music, acoustic rock and folk, but Shireen is still much more than that Record Label: Foxy Records Style: Folk

Artist: Davy Graham Label: CREATURE MUSIC