CD-Charts Position 1
Average Rating:

Raising Sand

CD-Charts > Music > Folk Rock
from: Rounder

Release Date October 23, 2007
"Raising Sand" is the haunting and brilliant collaboration between Robert Plant and Allison Krauss; it opens with my favorite track - the Sam Phillips song "Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us", which quickly demonstrates that there's a lot more going on here than the "Led Zeppelin goes Country" preconception that the notion of these two artists working together conjures up. The album continues with track after track enjoyment and surprise. This is yet another triumph for producer T Bone Burnett, who has incisively crafted a breath-taking soundscape, supported by some of the finest musicians working today, where the whole is deliriously more than the sum of the parts. It all sounds so effortless that you know it must have been quite the opposite ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 2
Average Rating:

The Beatles 1

CD-Charts > Music > Folk Rock
by: The Beatles

Release Date November 14, 2000
Purists have and will continue to argue this particular release into the ground with a host of complaints that range from "The audio mix is bad!" to "Lady Madonna was never number one on the charts!" But while it may come as deep shock to them, not every one approaches The Beatles as if they were holy relics, not everyone considers them "essential," and not every one feels it necessary to purchase every album the band made.

Quite obviously I tend to fall into this category. I like quite a few of The Beatles' recordings, but they never spoke me in a gotta-have-it way, and although I like "Come Together" I'm not going to buy ABBEY ROAD in order to obtain it. But while this compilation doesn't include every one of my favorites, it does ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 3
Average Rating:

Rubber Soul

CD-Charts > Music > Folk Rock
by: The Beatles

Release Date October 25, 1990
A lot has been written and spoken about "Rubber soul" It is basically The Beatles coming of age release. Their work takes on a more reflected and personal identity. They sound more mature in their singing, playing and songwriting. At no time though does this CD sound heavy handed or preachy. Some of the pop sheen is still present, but their melodies and subject matter have a very passionate feel to them. They were still writing in a "singles" (45's) mode and so most everything on the CD sounds like it could have been a hit single in 1965. For that matter probably could be a hit record these days too. Really the only true throwaway song on here is Ringo's "What goes on?" Everything else brims with worthy craftsmanship. Imagine how good this album would have ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 4
Average Rating:

The Beatles (The White Album)

CD-Charts > Music > Folk Rock
by: The Beatles

Release Date October 25, 1990
Beginning with the release of Rubber Soul in 1965, The Beatles quickly evolved from brilliant pop songwriters and performers to "serious" artists whose best songs stand comparison, in their craft and creative scope, with great classical music. As their music became more ambitious, The Beatles drew progressively further away from their rock and roll roots. After their last scheduled concert in August 1966, they gave up live performance to become exclusively a studio band. Their withdrawal reached its limits in 1967's Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, when they assumed the identities of fictional performers. The pendulum turned the following year. As suggested by its self-title, The Beatles (The White Album) was an effort by The Beatles to return to their original ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 5
Average Rating:

Solo Acoustic, Vol. 2

CD-Charts > Music > Folk Rock
by: Jackson Browne

Release Date March 04, 2008
Liked the CD, but no where near as much as Solo Acoutic 1. Browne is great solo, a thing not many can do. Just not many songs I really really liked, and Browne does have many great songs to chose from.

CD-Charts Position 6
Average Rating:

Essential Leonard Cohen

CD-Charts > Music > Folk Rock
by: Leonard Cohen

Release Date October 22, 2002
I downloaded this album from Amazon after seeing the Leonard Cohen documentary ("I'm Your Man") on the Sundance Channel. You just forget how many great songs Leonard wrote until you hear a compilation like this. I had also recently downloaded the 25th anniversary edition of Jennifer Warne's "Famous Blue Raincoat" album (another collection of Cohen songs) and the two have quickly become members of my top ten albums on my iPod...

CD-Charts Position 7
Average Rating:

The Very Best of Peter, Paul & Mary

CD-Charts > Music > Folk Rock
by: Peter Paul & Mary

Release Date August 23, 2005
Listening to these powerful and earnest songs some 40 plus years on is to marvel at the times they were created in. Modern Folk music has its roots in socially progressive activism (think Pete Seeger or Woody Guthrie) which then evolved into the more psychedelic aspects of Bob Dylan. The magic of Peter, Paul and Mary was in the presentation. They mixed sweet harmonies into the messages and then took them to the pop charts. As such, their importance to musical history simply can not be understated.

Their discography includes top ten singles from Seeger ("If I Had a Hammer"), Dylan ("Blowing In The Wind") and powerful statements of their own. "The Great Mandela" is the apex of 60's moral questions; Do you fight for your country or do you resist the ethical quagmire of an unjust war? ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 8
Average Rating:

Still on Top: The Greatest Hits

CD-Charts > Music > Folk Rock
by: Van Morrison

Release Date November 06, 2007
The CD is a compilation of my favorite Van Morrison songs. They're still excellent after all these years.

CD-Charts Position 9
Average Rating:

I Know You're Married But I've Got Feelings Too

CD-Charts > Music > Folk Rock
by: Martha Wainwright

Release Date June 10, 2008
I was really looking forward to another Martha Wainwright release. This album disappoints on so many levels. It is not even comparable to her self-titled album that came out a few years ago. Her folksy sound is all but drowned out by electronic drum beats, strings and electric guitars. If her previous album hadn't been so good maybe I would have been a little more fair with the review of her latest one. I've listened to the album several times now and there really isn't a high point to remember. Boring.

CD-Charts Position 10
Average Rating:

Kill to Get Crimson

CD-Charts > Music > Folk Rock
by: Mark Knopfler

Release Date September 18, 2007
I love Mark Knopfler music...I thought. What I love is his guitar, which apparently has been relegated to 40 seconds of low key filler at the end of each song.

The songs: pleasant to boring. Mark, for the love of Jesus, please find your guitar mojo and bring it back.