Well I had actually planned for you to meet Sarofeen & Smoke this week but when it came time to prepare the rip I had made for posting (seperating the tracks, removing clicks & converting to MP3s) I discovered some problems with the sound. Since I'm now in the process of changing over to a new computer I probably won't get to rerip it for a couple weeks, but it is on its way along with the Cheryl Dilcher, which someone else asked for. So instead I bring you another female vocalist, as good in her own way as those previously mentioned.
Anna Black, according to the liner notes, was born in Oklahoma City, is part Chickasaw Indian, and likes/liked sardines smothered in chile. She's against fear, waste, and war. And she cuts her own hair. The liner notes contain some other useless details but I won't bore you with them. What's important is that she has an excellent voice and writes a pretty good song. This record ranges over a pretty wide range of musical territory including some jazz standards (i.e., Gloomy Sunday & Miss Otis Regrets) and a creepy Beatles cover (Eleanor Rigby, which, come to think of it, was covered by jazz singers at the time too).
Black's own songs (the best one's on the record) generally fall into the country-swamp-funk category--think Tony Joe White or "an overlooked gem in the vein of Southern white songstresses like Bobbie Gentry" (which is what the reviewer for the allmusic.com has to say about this release). Lysergia.com calls it "femme folk psych" but that's probably the drugs talking because I don't hear much psych and just a touch of folk here. However, if you want a somewhat funky/somewhat soulful musical perspective on Southern, country living (as imagined in the pop songs of the 1960s) you have some excellent examples here in You-All Come, Muddy Hay & Billy Goat Run.
All-in-all this is a fun, fine record. Black went on to record one other lp the following year, which I haven't heard but would like to.
Here's the tracklist for this one:
Side A
1. Miss Otis Regrets 2. Little Annie Weed 3. You-All Come 4. Hey Now Now 5. The Tullys & the Tolphins 6. Jimmy Ben
Side B
7. Eleanor Rigby 8. Freedom Train 9. Gloomy Sunday 10. Muddy Hay 11. Drinkin' Daddy 12. Billy Goat Run
Listen to it here.
10 comments:
What a voice!!! Instant hard-on, metaphorically.
Hi my friend, I want to share with yo my blog page with some Lps: we're from Chile. You would link us to share with other people much more culture. Thanks, Moreno http://eldiscorayado.blogspot.com
FANTASTIC album!
Ηi,
tried to listen it, but there's no link
Would you correct it please?
I will get a repost up by this weekend.
What a voice!!!!Loved the version of 'Gloomy Sunday'!!!!
Truly fantastic!
Thanks,
Todd
5/'10
Lo these many, many years later, a crate of long lost LPs arrives and among MANY forgotten and not so forgotten treasures is a MONO version of "Meet Anna Black", a radio promotion copy no less, acquired during my kid-years working in radio. A no-madic life but oh what fun not to mention an astounding number of free LPs, Anna Black among them. How good to see others who not only remember Black but appreciate her music.
Just wanted to say thx for the great review of my Mothers amazing album. She's very proud of it as am I. She is one of the best singers I've ever heard and I've heard a lot. So thanks again.
London Mace
I left another comment but I haven't seen it as of yet. Oh well, just wanted to thank you for the great sounding files. I have my moms records but no record player. These are awesome. She still records. Check out her latest album on itunes, Anna Black - The House That BAM Built.
ps. on this first album, James Burton plays (Elvis Band) and Ginger Baker (Cream) and a lot more famous kats of the day.
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