Tract Rec.VA : “Eye of the Beholder II” (US,2003)*

From this compilation only Tiger Saw’s “Aili”, appealed enough to me, although it still is a pretty simple instrumental with guitar, cello, percussion, and it doesn’t give me much idea of what expressions the group really is capable of. I might also mention Annika Bently who appeared on vol 2 too, and who has two tracks here. For me her voice is too pushy in higher registers. I found her track “Nude as the news”, accompanied by broken play in guitar, and cello the most, but still not entirely successful because of the reasons earlier mentioned still being present.

Tiger saw : http://www.kimcheerecords.com/bands/tigersaw/ ; review page->

Annika Bently : http://www.annikab.com/

Info : http://www.tractrecords.nstemp.com/eyeofthebeholderone.htm

Tract Rec.         VA : “Eye of the Beholder I” (US,2002)*°

This compilation gives a less well consistent listen compared to volume III, so I will only say something about my favourite tracks, chosen for airplay.

From this compilation I choose Picastro’s “Gidali” which is a beautiful bittersweet almost-melancholy song with background guitar pickings, with some slide guitar and cello (review of her full album down on this page). I also like the seemingly more intuitive waving singing of Scout Niblett, on “Ripe with Life” (or here), with an oddly tuned guitar (?). Nad Navillus has contributed a guitar instrumental, called “Plucking Petals (part one)” which is ok & nice too, but I need to hear more to give me an idea of the range and originality of his style.

I believe this release is sold out now. Only 500 numbred copies were made.

Chosen artists for interest :

Picastro :  review page->

Scout Niblett : http://www.secretlycanadian.com/secretlycanadian/scoutniblett/

Elephant Micah : audio : "Cigarette Lighter" ; http://www.elephantmicah.com/map.html ; review page->

Nad Navellus : http://www.nadnavillus.com/

Info : http://www.tractrecords.nstemp.com/eyeofthebeholdertwo.htm

Tract Rec. VA : “Eye of the Beholder III” (US,S,2003)*** (vg)

I preferred to check out and review this release because both Devendra Banhart and Rivulets were on it.

In general I must say that the label picked out a good choice of -simple- songs, which hang well together in a pretty constant mood of, in a light melancholic way, a slightly American folksong style, with a bittersweet gentleness, easy minor key playing, and direct emotional smoothness. The album, with just a few slightly weaker moments near the end, is pretty enjoyable to listen to.

Let me point out some of my personal favourites. Celestine’s track, "Come On" is a beautiful post-rock song with nicely psychedelic beeping electric guitar and keyboards on top of a smooth rock arrangement. The Strugglers’s track, "Fine-Tuned" is closer to the Bonnie Prince Billie kind of emotional singing, with easy guitar and song orientation. I also always like the addition of an organ on smooth romantic rhythms and song, like on the indie track by The Virginia Reel. A sweet somewhat dark personal song is performed by Diana Darby, called “Crazy” with quiet voice, guitar, cello, making me curious for more. After a track by Boy Omega, ... with romantic chords, duo vocals, guitar, we hear Devendra Banhart with “Nature walks” (or here), just guitar & voice. His style is a pretty original kind of folkblues or whatever we might call it. Pale Horse and Rider (-like Marc Gartman a bit further on-) we knew already from the Alcohol EP’s (review on next page). He's listed here with an enjoyable song called "Annabelle" . Perhaps I might also choose the track "The Evidence"  by Homeland (voice, guitar, banjo) for eventual airplay.

Chosen singer-songwriters for eventual airplay :

Celestine (Sweden) : www.celestine.nu ; see below->

The Strugglers : www.thestrugglers.org 

The Virginia Reel : www.thevirginiareel.com

Diana Darby : www.dianadarby.com  ; review page->

Devendra Banhart :  review page->

-because his first release was pretty much home-recorded-.

Pale Horse and Rider : www.palehorseandrider.com ; review page->

Red Admiral : sventek@emailaccount.com

Info : http://www.tractrecords.nstemp.com/eyeofthebeholderthree.htm

singer-songwriters presents :

Tract Label

Tract are the homebase of Teath and Everything is Fine.

The label discovered some interesting poor and sad homerecorded singer-songwriters, from which I reviewed some of their solo releases too.

Compilations : V.A.: Eye of the Beholder III, Eye of the Beholder II, Eye of the Beholder I,

What are Museums Doing

Bands : Theath/Everything Is Fine

some other albums by the label :

Tract Rec.  Everything is Fine : "Lake Vostok" EP / Theath : "Red Path" EP (US,2005)**°/-

Tract Rec. Theath : "Golden Morning Feel" EP / Everything Is Fine : "Cold Hands" EP (US,2004)*°/-

These two new releases are listed because I'll airplay some of the Everything Is Fine music. Both groups make lo fi dowbeat s/sw and instrumentals. Everything Is Fine is fine enough, with "Lake Vostok" as my prefered EP. It is a very nice and moody EP, mostly instrumental (guitar, organ, cello).

Audio : "Lake Vostok", "You and Me"

Info : www.tractrecords.com

Teath : www.theath.com 

Everything Is Fine : www.everythingisfine.net & http://www.myspace.com/everythingisfine

with first split EP album : http://www.tractrecords.com/work%20red%20path%20theath.htm

Tract Rec.Theath & The Inca Taqui Trio : Inti Raymi (US,2006)°?

Homepage : http://www.theath.com/ & http://www.myspace.com/theath 

Tract Rec.V.A. : What are the museums doing ? (US,2006)°°°

What are the museums doing? For the moment collecting things that are made dead by killing the context, but that are still able to get a revival through memorisation of its categorisations in time perspectives.

What is a label like Tract records doing on their compilations ? Delivering a chance for the poor singer-songwriters, that are not ever uplifted into the elite, but who try to create their own world of expressions, in song relation, no matter how poorly this is expressed (the least regarded category) or otherwise no matter what kind of poor this is expressing (the most interesting approach). Within this expression field we find rather interesting contributions. Different and distinctive from the others is Derek Joe Brocket, a sneezing cowboy voice-mixture of Johnny Cash and Elvis, singing about dust, with a couple of weirdos as background chorus. Other tracks are singers with song expressions and a few solo underground experiments.

Audio :  Boo Hiss  : "the worst (ranger t. version)", Carbonic : "look at the picture", Derek Joe Brockett  :

"dust", Theath : "creation myth"

Label info with links to groups : http://tractrecords.com/TR035.htm

Other reviews : http://songsillinoismp3.blogspot.com/... &  http://nashvillesradio.com/node/7933

Red Weather Tigers page with audio from this album : http://www.myspace.com/redweathertigers

I reviewed 2 solo releases of Carbonic on http://psychedelicfolk.homestead.com/acidfolkreview18.html

go back to the singer-songwriters index

or go back to the general index

* privateCelestine : 4-track demo (S,2004)**°°

airplayed :Tr.3, “The lost sun” 3 min, Tr.4, “Under our blanket” 6 min

Nice singer-songwriter project with beautiful accompaniment (acoustic guitar, soft percussion, mellotron, double bass,chimes....)..

Info : www.celestine.nu E-mail : info@celestine.nu

* privateTwo times the trauma :  a little sign (S,2004)***

Tr.2, "Your Ghost" (alternative version) 5 min

Solo-project with Mattias Ohlsson (Änglagard, Nangok of the North, Pineforest Crunch).

Info : sonnyst@telia.com