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Freak Folk Part Two (S4 | E169)
Freak Folk
Part two. Under the weather for this one, you get simply gorgeous songs including a bunch by Stereolab. Freak Folk… really? Well – not sure they belong in this category. But – eerie and remote and foggy – yes they are. I chose some rare demos and love what they add to the show.
Stereolab
Stereolab are an Anglo-French avant-pop band formed in London in 1990. Led by the songwriting team of Tim Gane and Lætitia Sadier, the group’s sound features influences from krautrock and 1960s pop music, often incorporating a repetitive motorik beat with the use of vintage electronic keyboards and female vocals sung in English and French. Their lyrics have political and philosophical themes influenced by the Surrealist and Situationist movements. On stage, they play in a more feedback-driven and guitar-oriented style. The band also draw from funk, jazz and Brazilian music, and were one of the first bands to be dubbed “post-rock”.
FREAK FOLK
Freak folk is a loosely defined synonym or subgenre of psychedelic folk that involves acoustic sounds, pastoral lyrics, and a neo-hippie aesthetic. The label originated from the “lost treasure” reissue culture of the late 1990s.
Vashti Bunyan has been labeled “the Godmother of Freak Folk” for her role in inspiring the new crop of folk experimentalists. David Crosby’s 1971 album If Only I Could Remember My Name has been described as an early progenitor of the genre. Other major influences on later freak folk artists include Linda Perhacs, Anne Briggs, Karen Dalton, Shirley & Dolly Collins, Animal Collective, the Incredible String Band, Xiu Xiu, and Pearls Before Swine. Devendra Banhart would become one of the leaders of the 2000s freak folk movement, along with Joanna Newsom.
Show Playlist: Uncanny Gorgeous | Sub-genre: Freak Folk Part One
| Song | Artist | Album | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Olson | The Boards of Canada | Music has the right to children | 1998 |
| Fare Thee Well | Jessica Pratt | Quiet Signs | 2019 |
| Button Inside of My Soul | Haunted Shed | Faltering Light | 2021 |
| Melissa Juice | The Boards of Canada | TWOISM | 2002 |
| This Time Around | Jessica Pratt | Quiet Signs | 2019 |
| Infinite Bliss | Maston | Tulips | 2017 |
| I Feel The Air (Demo) | Stereolab | Dots and Loops (Expanded Edition) | 1997 |
| Absentee | Cass McCombs | Tip of the Sphere | 2019 |
| The Sticky | Black Moth Super Rainbow | Eating Us | 2009 |
| Refractions in the Plastic Pulse (Demo) | Stereolab | Dots and Loops (Expanded Edition) | 1997 |
| Cumulous Potion (For the Clouds to Sing) | Salami Rose Joe Louis | Zdenka 2080 | 2018 |
| Velvet Mood | Alice Phoebe Lou | Glow | 2021 |
| Allures (Demo) | Stereolab | Dots and Loops (Expanded Edition) | 1997 |
| Contranature (Demo) | Stereolab | Dots and Loops (Expanded Edition) | 1997 |
| Evergreen Dazed – Remastered Edition | Felt | Crumbling the Antiseptic Beauty (Remastered Edition) | 1981 |
| Contranatura Pt. 2 (Instrumental) | Stereolab | Dots and Loops (Expanded Edition) | 1997 |
| The Letter – Remastered | Deux Filles | Silence & Wisdom (Remastered) | 1981 |
| Milky | Pram | The Stars Are So Big The Earth is So Small… Stay As You Are | 1993 |
| Accidentals | Broadcast | Work And Non Work | 1997 |
| Untitled in Dusseldorf (Demo) | Stereolab | Dots and Loops (Expanded Edition) | 1997 |
You lucky radio stations – for finding LTNF you get this fabulous show on your air! Well done!
Freak Folk Part Two (S4 | E169)
