There’s no real need for an introduction. Spring is here finally, and it rules. West coasters may not be privy to this, but on the east coast, we have this thing called February which really sucks the life out of you. With these new mild conditions and sunshine, I had the energy to pull together a rather massive springtime collection of music – sunny folk and psychedelia (with annotations!) that evokes the oft conjured imagery of the season that I won’t waste time reiterating here. This gangsta-ass mix is so massive, as a matter of fact, that it will be be broken up into two parts. I wish someone made me a mix this monumentally ballin’, but unfortunately I’m probably the only one dope enough to bring this to you.

As always, please support the artists if’n you take a likin’ to any of these torch ballads. Salad rules, as well.

MP3 :::
Margo Guryan – Come to Me Slowly
You can find this gem on the collection 25 Demos

The Free Design – Bubbles
Everything is small potatahs up against the mighty FD, trick

Mia Dio Todd – My Room is White
Remixed by Dungen for her collaboration compilation La Ninja (ZOMG NINJAZ!!1!)

The Left Banke – Ivy Ivy
Technically, this is a Montage song, but since both groups have Michael Brown at the helm, it matters not. Good gravy either way.

Fairport Convention – The Deserter
Okay, so the subject matter of this one, as with many Fairport numbers, is not as pleasant as spring tends to be (a narrative of being ratted out on and meeting your executioner), but Sandy Denny makes everything gorgeous.

The Incredible String Band – There is a Green Crown
Eight big minutes of sitars and freak-folk before anyone knew what freak-folk was. You can find this one on The Hangman’s Beautiful Daughter.

Broadcast – Look Outside
Considering their respectable following, why… in the fuck… is The Noise Made By People not available in the United States? Warp… dudes, what gives?

Black Moth Super Rainbow – Smile Heavy
Yeah… why does the sun go down? Rotation – fuck that shit. Find this on their 2004 effort Start a People.

Pia Fraus – Springsister
With the word “spring” in the title, this was an obvious choice. What I lack in subtlety, I make up for in honesty.

Mahogany – Chance
Excellent neo-gaze band from the early ’00s

Koushik – Be With
You would think this might be on Sundazed. But it’s not – it’s on Stones Throw.

Tower Recordings – Other Kinds Run
Matt Valentine, PG Six, and other rad dudes on acid freak the fuck out for three minutes.

With that autumnal chill now prominently in the air, I figured it would be appropriate to discuss my favorite fall-time electric folk collective. There’s nothing better than Fairport Convention on the ghetto blaster as the soundtrack to a crisp, dry, cool autumn evening. Evidently, the band agrees as well. Look at all those dried up dead leaves in the old band photo above. Smokey the Bear would have had a shit-fit if he was there.  I know I have a bad habit of going off-topic and chasing tangents, but it’s worth mentioning that Smokey the Bear is still totally awesome.

You know what’s not awesome, though? The notion that Bob Dylan is the end-all, be-all of folk songwriters. I tend to polarize people in my friends circle with that ol’ statement of mine “Bob Dylan… totally overrated.” Ballsy, I know. This is not to say that Blood on the Tracks and similar jam hives are not remarkable. However, some of Dylan’s accolades should have also been bestowed upon a certain premiere British electric folk collective that turn traditional folk songs and ’60s psych folk into godlike rumbles. The hippies may hang their fabric Bob Dylan posters in their living rooms in messianic ritual, claiming to be all up in on that folk tip, but they will all look at you confused when you drop the bomb of who the greatest folk artist of all time is. And that’s Fairport Convention.  Perhaps I’m losin’ it, or am totally missing something, but I just don’t think Dylan could have composed what Fairport Convention did in 1969 with the magical What We Did On Our Holidays – lyrically, musically, or otherwise.  A powerful statement for a powerful album.

What We Did On Our Holidays is one of the most diverse, sweeping, moody folk albums ever released. Granted, all the preceding banter is pure opinionated fodder. With all those bravado statements out of the way, it should be noted that Fairport Convention do, ahem, cover Dylan’s “I’ll Keep It With Mine.” Regardless, Fairport Convention uber alles.

The depth of each song – rich, orchestrated layers with literary lyrics and a sonic roller coaster feel throughout the 12 flawless movements – is something rarely heard in a normally minimalist, populist genre. Sandy Denny’s vocals on “She Moves Through the Fair” is stunningly seraphic, soaring high over atmospheric, loose arrangements. Totally celestial. It’s a traditional Irish folk song, but the weighty mood of Fairport Convention’s version feels like something entirely different than a public domain sing-a-long – it feels like an emotional KO. I mean, look at what’s happening at the three minute mark: “Last night she came to me / My dead love came in / So softly she came that her feet made no din / And she laid her hand on me and this she did say ‘Oh, it will not be long, love till our wedding day’” I mean, what do you say to that? Call me a nancyboy if you will, but that chokes me up. Sappy, I know. I also like flowers. So what?

Compare this with “Tale in Hard Time,” the previous song on the record. Forgive me for likening this jam to Blue Cheer, but ya know, for folk – this is heavy. Like BC heavy. Not only does the rhythm thump and guitars (albeit clean distortion guitars) slam seismic, but you gotta love that baroque flavor through the entire song courtesy of Simon Nicol’s autoharp that, I guess, he got from a time machine or somethin’.

Not much to say about “Nottamun Town,” other than it’s the perfect mystical chanty to play if you ever find yourself traveling by caravan across the Anglo country side with Donovan and Vashti Bunyan. Another classic that slays me on an almost daily basis.

Anyway, without further ado, get it crunk on these nuggets.

MP3 :::
Fairport Convention – She Moves Through the Fair
Fairport Convention – Nottamun Town
Fairport Convention – Tale in Hard Time

In an effort to make this blog, ya know, legitimate, I’m looking for another writer. Maybe two more writers. Why not? Being a contributor to the Decibel Tolls requires no knowledge of how to run a website – I take care of that. I just need a few good writers. I’m looking for thoughtful, articulate people with a passion for music, bizarre topics, and the ability to connect the two.

I don’t need, like, an entire CV or resume or anything like that. But you must:

- Possess a strong command of the English langauge
- LOVE psychedelic rock, shoegazing, folk, post rock, space rock, kraut, et al.
- Understand the general ethos of this blog (irreverence uber alles is one cornerstone philosophy)
- Be able to contribute often (1-2 times a week) with rich, insightful content
- Not take yourself too seriously

An insane, bizarre, baffling record collection is preferred, but not necessary. Interested? Send me an email: kb [at] thedecibeltolls.com, with 2-3 samples of your writing (it doesn’t have to be published work) and a paragraph or two introduction. Feel free to ask me any questions.

I’m including a couple of MP3s below for the sole purpose of getting people other than my friends to read this. See, if you don’t include an MP3, nobody from Elbows or Hype Machine will stop by to see you. We live in a culture of instant gratification. People want the goods, then they cut and run. This is your first lesson as a blog writer, future contributor! It’s a sad state of affairs we live in.

Since I’m asking applicants for a small bio, let’s sling some songs up here with the word “tale” in the title.

MP3 :::
Fairport Covnention – Tale in Hard Time
Friends (Peter Howell/John Ferdinando) – Tale of Your Life