//  Happy '98, everyone!  Today we have lots more recommendations for
//  music by artists you should investigate.  - MF

From: Susan Krauss (skrauss@hooked.net)                           
Subject: Re: Top 15                                                  

At 05:12 AM 12/31/97 -0800, Bill Peete wrote:
>Hmmm... well I guess we will at least find out which one was number 15 when
>you have to remove one to make room for Nanci's album "Blue Roses From The
>Moons". Susan, you are usually much more reliable than that! How did you
>forget that?

I thought long and hard about it.  I love the songs live but I just don't
listen to the record often - there's something about the production which
really turns me off.   The Folks Festival and the SF Warfield show were
revelations to me because from the record, I really wasn't sure about
anything.  So that's why it's not there.  I have the ETown tape (thanks
Denise) and I listen to that a bunch (even "Battlefield" Deb) but I don't
listen to the record like I do the others on my list.

susan

Susan Krauss                            Krauss Research
mailto:skrauss@hooked.net               http://www.wenet.net/~skrauss
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From: Jing Tan (jtan@infinet.net.au)                              
Subject: I wanna get my Top Ten list before 1997 is gone...          

Hiya possums,

Here I am sitting at home nursing a sore throat and an insistent cold in
heat that can fry a platypus or three, having just finished watching on
the telly a concert by The Leningrad Cowboys and the Russian Red Army
Choir and Orchestra and directed by Aki Kaurismaki (a surreal experience
if there ever was one), with only 2 hours to go before 1997 says ta ta,
thinking what the hootie, I might as well pitch in with my Top Ten list
:)

Here goes (bongo drums please):

1) 'Coal Mining Women' - Various

>From the very first belting-up by Hazel Dickens on the first track, I
thought to myself this is going to be one meatloaf of an album. Also
featuring Phyliss Boyens, Sarah Gunning, Reel World String Band and
Florence Reece (people I have never ever heard before, so if any of you
punters have any info please do enlighten), this Rounder compilation
lets out songs of infinite sadnesses, up-yours defiance, and stirring
soul-latching melodies. If I can paint a similarity, the songs
represented here are much reminiscent of Flora Mae DeMent's singing the
last track in Iris' 'Infamous Angel' (the styles, I believe, labelled
under the rubric of 'American primitive').

2) 'Looking for Butter Boy' - Archie Roach

One of the best Australian singer-songwriters around (if not the best),
Archie delves into issues of family, separation, and his Aboriginality
in this, his third album. Might be a bit hard to get his albums overseas
but grab them if you do come across them. I bet ya you won't be
disappointed (hey, I'll even prepare to buy the albums off ya if you
don't like them...how that's for endorsement...)

3) 'Hourglass' - Kate Rusby

The current diva of English folk (I'm chary to repeat my description of
her as 'the folkie babe from Barnsley' as someone actually popped his
pantyhose when I described her so in an earlier missive in the Nancinet
:)), Rusby has this evocatively amazing voice. To repeat the cliche,
once listened, twice smittened. This is her first solo album, featuring
traditional tunes and a few songs written by Rusby herself. (An aside:
Someone earlier in the list mentioned Julie Matthews of Daphne's  Flight
and the Poozies. Rusby and her erstwhile singing partner Kathryn Roberts
once appeared in a fantabulous CD called 'Intuition' which also featured
Julie Matthews. Rusby, apart from his solo career, is also the newest
member of the Poozies).

4. 'The End of the Summer' - Dar Williams

What can I say Dar is Dar!

5. 'The Songs of Jimmie Rodgers: A Tribute' - Various

Iris, Iris, you are a cup of steaming hot Horlicks in cold winter
nights...

6. 'Harmony' - Barry and Holly Tashian

Old-timey harmony music that I reckon all Nancinetters would love.

7. 'Gone From Danger' - Joan Baez

Needs no explanations - the bonus tracks of Joan with Dar and Betty
Elders in the Borders edition are more than bonuses...they are
revelations!

8. 'So Long So Wrong' - Alison Krauss & Union Station

It's Alison, so I got to like it :)

9. 'Wandering Home' - Maura O'Connell

Already mentioned in the list, so I won't add anything more except to
say that that old Irish standard, 'Down by the Sally Gardens' never
sounded better.

10. 'Shaming of the Sun' - Indigo Girls

I'll echo the view that the first two tracks are the best. Can't wait to
see them when they are here in Sydney next February. Got seats in the
second and the third rows so I'll probably be looking up the girls'
nostrils. Brilliiiiiiiant!

Honourable mentions: 'Light Enough to Find My Way' by Carol Elizabeth
Jones and James Leva (wonderful harmony music), 'Dan Bern' by Dan Bern
(hey, this Dylan-wannabe is actually rather good once you got past the
singing) and 'Moonpie Dream' by Kate Campbell.

Dishonourable admission: Aieee, I still haven't bought my copy of BRFTM.
New year resolutions - I must get BRFTM, I must get BRFTM, I must get
BRFTM....and try to stop being a fool to myself and a burden to others
:)

Cheers, take care of the dogs, and may you new year be your best ever...

Jing Khoon
 
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From: "The Williams Family" (hedleybarb@msn.com)                  
Subject: That Old Top Ten List                                       

As a very occasional contributer, but constant reader, I would like to throw
in a couple of albums for 97 that have not received a mention from the
Nancinetters

The Verve....Urban Hymns
An absolutely stunning disc containing probably the single of the year in
"Bitter Sweet Symphony"

Radiohead....OK Computer
More music for grownups

and for my daughter
Chumbawumba....Tubthumping
Oh to be 9 again !!!

and show of the year.....Nanci in Ann Arbor

(yes, I had all the other choices BRFTM, Dylan, Van etc. but try The Verve)
 
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From: graham.brown.01@bbc.co.uk (Graham Brown-PRESSTC)            
Subject: More on Kimmie Rhodes                                       

A Happy New Year to all NanciNetters from London, England.  I'm catching
up with messages from the last couple of days after coming into work at
8am today (groan).

I'd like to endorse the recommendations for Kimmie Rhodes and her music.
 Over the years I have been lucky enough to see her perform live on three
occasions at London's Weavers Arms - a fun, intimate venue which I always
imagine is something like the bars in Austin, Texas (which l hope to
visit soon).

Her shows are always excellent.  The last time I saw her the two lead
guitarists were her son Gabe and England's Wes McGhee.  Wes, who appears
regularly at the Weavers, is a talented, singer/songwriter/guitarist
whose style covers country, folk and blues.  He deserves much wider
recognition - but that is another story.

Anyone know if Kimmie is planning another visit to England?

Regards to one and all,
Graham

graham.brown.01@bbc.co.uk

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From: Cheri Villines (cvilline@comp.uark.edu)                     
Subject: The Verve                                                   

On Wed, 31 Dec 1997, The Williams Family wrote:

> As a very occasional contributer, but constant reader, I would like to throw
> in a couple of albums for 97 that have not received a mention from the
> Nancinetters
>
> The Verve....Urban Hymns
> An absolutely stunning disc containing probably the single of the year in
> "Bitter Sweet Symphony"

I have to throw in a plug here as well, though I would never have thought
of praising The Verve to the NanciNet group. :) I have been a devoted
follower of the band since "A Storm in Heaven" was released in 1993. I
had the pleasure of seeing them live not long after that and it was an
incredible show. Beautiful voice and richly layered music, an old friend
of mine described listening to them as a mild acid trip. If any of you are
familiar with the music categories of "shoegazer" or "dreampop", that is
where they fit in.....music to sway by.


take care,
Cheri

n.p.(in my truck): BRFTM
n.p.(in my home): Lisa Loeb - Firecracker
n.r.: Pride and Prejudice, for the third time
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From: egleim@surfnetinc.com (Edgar C. Gleim)                      
Subject: To little, to late                                          

Netters:
  I realize that this is really to late to alert anyone but WYCC-20 in
Chicago (Educational TV from the University of Chicago) broadcast many
(or maybe all) of the Sessions shows over New Year's eve and New Year's
Day.  Must have been 20 plus hours in all.
NG was first up, Richard Thompson a couple hours later.  Included
sessions which I recorded and am watching now included Emmylou
Harris/Daniel Lanois, Gillian Walsh, Cheryl Crow, Shawn Colvin, Leo
Kotke and many more.  So far I have been most impressed with Crow.  I
thought she was just a pop creation but in watching and hearing the
interview, I have changed my mind-she really has talent.
  Best wishes for the new year.
Ed
 
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From: Blake Marshall (bmarshall@worldnet.att.net)                 
Subject: Dar Williams (no Nanci content)                             

I've noticed that several people have mentioned Dar Williams
here.  She's playing in town next week, so I'm thinking of
checking out the show.  Does anyone out there think it'll
be worth $12 and a drive across town?
Opening act is Ellis Paul.  Has anyone ever heard of him/her/them?

Blake


//  Go.  - MF 
_________________________________________________________________
 
From: "Deb Thornton" (dlt4@email.byu.edu)                         
Subject: Re: two cents about twelve dollars

The illustrious Blake Marshall inquires:
        Does anyone out there think [the Dar/Ellis Paul show coming too to his
town will] be worth $12 and a drive across town?

My understated response:
        Short of sending the cash to me, you'll never find a better way to 
spend a
dozen little dollars, and as for the drive across town, i'd walk barefoot
and make a pilgrimage of it.

Heck, i'd belly crawl across town and spend fifty bucks to hear Dar play
half of one song. But i've driven 600 miles one way four times to hear her
play, so crawling across town doesn't mean much to me. I saw her for the
14th time in Salt Lake this summer and was chagrined that kidney stones
prevented my driving up to Boise ten days later for an encore.

as cool as i am,
deb "anybody that has a good car doesn't need to be redeemed" thornton

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From: Mike Chesman (chesman@preferred.com)                        
Subject: CD Help                                                     

I thought while news was rather slow, (at least very little has been coming
through from my server), I would see if anyone out there could help me
locate a CD I missed.  The disc is Christmas Memories by Steve Wariner
(1990).  It is still listed in the catalogs at many of the record stores I
frequent, but it was pulled from release a year ago.  All attempts to order
the disc have failed.  The disc is on MCA records (MCAD-10067).  If the used
CD shoppers out there would keep your eyes out for it, I will be glad to pay
for the disc and throw in a Nanci promo single to sweeten the deal (you can
choose from my doubles).

Mike Chesman
 
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