Search - Various Artists :: Music Of Kentucky: Early American Rural Classics 1927-1937

Not for Garth Brooks fans (see previous reviewer)

wilmoth houdini | Hong Kong | 04/15/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The previous negative review highlights an interesting point.
This music may not be suitable for people who don't listen to much "pre-Elvis" music. Shania Twain fans may be disturbed by the rawness of the music. "Terribly played, Terribly sang?"
Oh please, don't be silly. I play guitar, banjo, mandolin and fiddle, and this music, while raw and at times rudimentary, is entirely credible, impressive and has depth and emotional resonance that will be lost only on the souless. A related point to this, is that this CD should appeal to vintage blues fans. The musical interaction between black and white styles is immediately evident, and fans of powerful artists such as Charley Patton and Skip James should enjoy this CD, as it is mercifully free of much of the pathetic hokey white novelty aspects that have turned you off this music in the past. B.F Shelton, like his close contemporary Dock Boggs, has a dark savage power that will appeal to fans of the "hard stuff" and not family strummalong kumbaya singing kingston trio wannabes."

Timeless, terrific music from the land of my birth...

Joe Sixpack -- Slipcue.com | ...in Middle America | 12/09/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a really great record. Sometimes old-timey collections can be a little bit of a chore to get through, but this one is really fun, a record you can have on in the background and be delighted by. Especially nice are the robust, almost rowdy, gospel recordings made by the gruff-sounding Alfred G. Karnes and Ernest Phipps during the legendary Bristol recording sessions of 1927-28.



Contrary to the grouchy comments of the guy from Pennsyvania (below), the sound quality on many of these tracks is actually quite good, and the music is great. Besides, dude, what do you think Bill Monroe and all his buddies were listening to when they created modern bluegrass? This stuff. That's why it's so cool and so important... and if you can get in the right frame of mind, that's also why it's so fun!"

Excellent

Michael J. Collins | Cincinnati, OH | 12/15/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a rare treat that any traditional bluegrass/folk/Appalachia fan should get right away. Some of the recordings have better sound quality than others, but considering the age of these songs, there's nothing to complain about. Everything sounds great in terms of technical quality, and the music is absolutely superb. It's a time capsule of little-known music in digital form that you'd be hard-pressed to find anything comparable. Listen and you won't be disappointed."