| Whoever you need to give a gift to this holiday season, there’s probably a best-of out there that’s perfect for them.
One set that will likely garner a lot of attention in the next little while is the two-disc Putumayo World Music 10th Anniversary Collection 1993-2003. The compilation’s 24 tracks include artists like Capercaille, Eric Bibb, Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Angelique Kidjo, with three videos included as bonus material. The liner notes – most of which have been translated into French, Spanish and German – feature a catalogue of all the Putumayo releases of the past decade and a listing of folk, jazz and world music festivals from across the globe.
One of the most interesting features is the interview with Putumayo founder Dan Storper, who started the record label after finding that customers in his ethnic-inspired clothing stores liked listening to world music while they shopped. Sensing a void in the marketplace, Putumayo now supplies compilations of "universally appealing" music to bookstores and gift shops around the world. It isn’t particularly altruistic (although a portion of the proceeds from this collection will go to the Putumayo Cross-Cultural Initiative), but it sure is making money.
There’s another Wrasse Records release on the shelves, which means excellent African music but lousy liner notes. The Best of The Mahotella Queens – The Township Idols focuses on a trio of South African singers from various tribal backgrounds who have been singing together in the Mbaquanga style (a fusion of jazz, blues, gospel, soul and traditional music) since the 1960s. The voices of Nobesuthu Mbadu, Hilda Tloubatla and Mildred Mangxola blend together beautifully on upbeat, positive tracks like "Women of The World" and "Malaika." It’s a good introduction to a lesser-known musical group.
Anglophiles of various stripes are well taken care of right now. Pass In Time (Heavenly/BMG) is the new "definitive collection" of British songstress Beth Orton’s work. In addition to well-known songs like "Stolen Car" and "Central Reservation" (in two different versions, which might be a bit much), there are B-sides, Japanese bonus tracks, a new track ("Same Day") and collaborations with the Chemical Brothers. Mostly, they’re gentle, heartbreaking songs, good for late-night listening by candlelight. Orton provides background on how each of the songs came into being, while Sean O’Hagan of The High Llamas provides a liner essay on how Orton the singer came into being. A well-put-together package for fans or new listeners.
Punky folkster (or is it folky punkster?) Billy Bragg is the subject of a two-disc retrospective titled Must I Paint You A Picture? (Outside Music). The 40 tracks included cover the Bard of Barking’s 20-year career as a solo recording artist, from classic solo tracks like "A New England," "Levi Stubbs’ Tears" and "Sexuality" to recent collaborative work with Wilco and with his own band, The Blokes. There’s a lot of discographical information, but the liner essay by Bragg’s official biographer is disappointingly short – I suppose he’d rather you buy his book than get your information from the CD booklet. Nevertheless, the songs themselves are wonderful – whether it’s the left-wing or love, Bragg’s simple delivery and crystal-clear lyrics are almost unparalleled in modern music.
Still on the activist bent, Steve Earle’s two-disc live set Just An American Boy (E-Squared/Artemis) is full of roots rock and grassroots anger. Between classics like "Copperhead Road" and new tracks like "John Walker’s Blues" (as well as in his short liner essay), Earle rails against the ridiculous state of affairs south of the 49th parallel. The Dukes are in fine form behind him, whether they’re performing rock duties on "Guitar Town" or bluegrass licks on "The Mountain." A solid document of the live Steve Earle experience.
Other recent releases include a 25th anniversary collection from Rough Trade records called Stop Me If You Think That You’ve Heard This One Before, which features tracks from artists like British Sea Power, Belle and Sebastian and Canadian groups Royal City and The Hidden Cameras; L’Anno Zero, a best-of release from Italian Euro-pop star Nek (for which all the liner notes and lyrics are in Italian); The Movie Album from Barbra Streisand (Sony), where Babs sings her favourite silver screen tunes; and a new two-disc best-of collection from The Eagles (Warner), which features the post-9-11 track "Hole In The World" and journalist-turned-filmmaker Cameron Crowe’s 30-plus page interview with Glenn Frey and Don Henley.
And you thought I was kidding when I said there’s something for everyone. |
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