Linda Perhacs - PARALLELOGRAMS (1970)

RYM: 3.92
AM: bubbling under
AllMusic: 4.5





Vashti Bunyan - JUST ANOTHER DIAMOND DAY (1970)

RYM: 3.88
AM: 1487
AllMusic: 5 stars
Pitchfork: 9.0

***

I've mentioned this before, but one of the great things about music is its ability to surprise every once in a while. I discovered these two albums over the past weekend and quite enjoy them, which boggles my mind considering how 'female' and 'folk' have never really crossed paths in my musical vocabulary (Joni, admittedly, does nothing for me).

But these two records -- the lone album of each artist -- are solid chamber-folk albums. Parallelograms leans more to the psychedelic end of the spectrum; in fact, the title track is some really trippy stuff. (Check out the interweaving vocals of the line: "Quadrahedral, tetrahedral, mono-cycla-cyber-cillia". Gorgeous.) Diamond Day is a bit more playful and childlike, but very good.

Has anyone else heard these? (And does anyone own them?)

Own 'em both. The Linda Perhacs album, which I found during a burst of Bubbler buying (say that three times fast), is a real find, indeed one of the trippiest singer-songwriter albums ever made, and I highly recommend it. I like JUST ANOTHER DIAMOND DAY as well, although I need to listen to it more.

By the way, that's NOT Bunyan's only album - thanks to the rediscovery of JADD by Devendra Banhart and his fellow freak-folkers, she actually started performing and writing again, and made an excellent comeback album with 2005's LOOKAFTERING - which, like its 1970 predecessor, is in the AM top 3000.

Oh my, what an oversight! Thanks, Harold. (And yeah, figured you owned both.)

At this point, I'm really enjoying both albums equally. I mean, Diamond Day is maybe more solid, song-wise, but Parallelograms is definitely more experimental, and maybe more rewarding because of it. "Chimicum Rain" has some fantastic vocal parts and melodies, and the previously mentioned "Parallelograms" is some of the best singer-songwriter psychedelia I've heard.

A couple of early x-mas presents to myself.

I've been to a Vashti Bunyan concert. She was very sweet, and the concert brought tears to my eyes. She had always dreamt of going on tour, while doing her dishes and cleaning her house, but she thought that would never happen. And then all of a sudden she's a pop star, entertaining at a rock festival in Europe. One of the best concerts I've been to.

Both her albums are very very good, and they're both in my top 200. You should also check out her collection of demos and singles, called Some Things Just Stick in Your Mind. Haven't heard that Linda Perhacs album, but I've heard of it, so I'll probably check it out in the future.

Vashti Bunyan also collaborated with Animal Collective for "Prospect Hummer" an EP released in 2005.

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:dxfoxqqsld0e

Bunyan's fame has also been spread recently with Ben Gibbard and Feist's cover of "Train Song" which appeared on this year's "Dark Was the Night" compilation. (Bunyan's original can be found on "Some Things Just Stick in Your Mind, well worth seeking out.)

The first single by Vashti was a Jagger/Richards original, Some Things Just Stick in Your Mind (1965), the 1964 demo from the Stones was not released till 1975’s Metamorphosis

I have Vashti's, solid release, a folk masterpiece and it's hard to believe people waited more than 30 years for a follow up. I'm checking out Linda, haven't heard her yet.