Folk wouldn't be the first thing most people who know me think of as a genre I know much about. Generally, that's a fair assessment of my collection, but I do have some minor background in folk, mostly from a Finnish perspective with all the songs I remember my family singing amongst the other pop and classical songs from either the radio or stereo. I even play an instrument called the kantele, though it's not something I carry around regularly.
However, I filled in on Wednesday for Val on CITR's Folk Oasis (Podcast) for two hours of vaguely roots and folk music, though filtered through my global travels, peculiar tastes and wicked humour. I can play it straight too, as evidenced by the Robert Plant & Alison Krauss song that began the show, plus great lesser-known acts like Calico Horse, Epic45 and Katie Dill.
I had some older songs from Beach House and Forest City Lovers lined up, but I was pleased to find both their recent albums on the station's playlist, so substitutions were found. Finland's Kemialliset Ystävät was an act I've been struggling to fit into my past shows, but despite their more difficult sounds, they fit in quite nicely. New Zealand's Flight of the Conchords were a last minute addition, which should have been obvious to me earlier.
Before the show, I hung out with Anita briefly during her show, catching up as she had recently become a mother for the second time last month. On air, we talked about what I was planning to spin during the show and off air, being fans of Hayden. Sadly, I didn't get a chance to meet any of the hostesses of Juicebox Radio, who took this week off, meaning I had to queue up (or still have to as I type this) a repeat broadcast. I could've played through their hour, all the way to the insanely genius Hans Kloss' Misery Hour (Podcast), but I declined. My days are getting longer and longer already, especially during the weekdays. One day in the near future, I'll aim for three hours. Maybe more.
Playlist follows:
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss: Rich Woman (Raising Sand, 2007) Rounder
Hayden: In Field & Town (In Field & Town, 2008) Hardwood
Beck: He's a Mighty Good Leader (One Foot in the Grave, 1994) K
Calico Horse: Idioteque (unreleased, 2008) Banter Records
Tom Waits: Better Off Without a Wife (Nighthawks at the Diner, 1975) Asylum
The Langley Schools Music Project: To Know Him is to Love Him (Innocence & Despair, 2001) Bar None
Beach House: D.A.R.L.I.N.G. (Devotion, 2008) Carpark
Forest City Lovers: Monsters (Haunting Moon Sinking, 2008) Out of This Spark
Psapp: Rear Moth (Tiger, My Friend, 2004) Domino
Flight of the Conchords: Foux du Fafa (Flight of the Conchords, 2008) Sub Pop
Kemialliset Ystävät: Kiimaniityn Kutsu (Alkuhärkä, 2004) Fonal
Martti Pokela: Karelian Spring (Best of Kantele, 1995) Finlandia Records
Rautakoura: Työn iloa (Työmiehen avautuminen) (Kaikki Peliin, 2005) ?
Gals and Pals: Blue on Blue (Daydream/Blue on Blue, 2007) Dynamite Soul
Salatin el Tarab Orchestra: Helm (Intro Taksim) (The Rough Guide to Bellydance Café, 2007) World Music Network
Soulsavers: Through My Sails (It's not how you fall, it's the way you land, 2007) Red Ink
Epic45: Secret Maps of England (Against the Pull of Autumn, 2004) Where Are My Records
Katie Dill: The Body's Only Rental (MySpace, 2008) independent
Planningtorock: Think That Thought (Have It All Stringed Up EP, 2006) Roston
Department of Eagles: Sailing by Night (The Whitey on the Moon, 2003) American Dust
John Cale: Paris 1919 (Paris 1919, 1973) 2006 Reprise/WEA
Beirut: A Sunday Smile (The Flying Club Cup, 2007) Ba Da Bing!
Emiliana Torrini: Nothing Brings Me Down (Fisherman's Woman, 2005) Rough Trade
The Carpenters: Goodbye to Love (A Song for You, 1972) A&M
Ukuleles of Halifax: Ukulele Lady (Ukuleles on Tour, 1973) Audat
Panda Bear: Comfy in Nautica (Person Pitch, 2007) Paw Prints
The Tough Alliance: Taken Too Young (Taken Too Young, 2007) Sincerely Yours
Beat Happening: Indian Summer (Jamboree, 1988) K
Jonathan Richman: As My Mother Lay Lying (Because Her Beauty is Raw and Wild, 2008) Vapor
Shearwater: Whipping Boy (Winged Life, 2004) Fargo
Yo La Tengo: Don't Have to be Sad (Summer Sun, 2003) Matador
It's only now I realize that I've played that Taken Too Young song once before, though all the calls I got during the show asking about that song, plus many more, was a delight. Another delight came along the bike ride home, down the many hills away from UBC. With a very hot few days lined up this Victoria Day weekend and already in the evening, the air felt slightly muggy. As I passed by the golf course, I could hear frogs croaking away in the late spring evening.
You won't find this show through my podcast, or the Folk Oasis podcast either, so you can download Scotch tape for a cardboard utopia as an MP3 [111.0 Mb, 121:27]
