Rootsy

Pentangle – Basket of Light

Style: British Folk Rock, Folk Baroque, Blues-Influenced

Vibes: Uplifting, Intertwined, Romantic, Flowing, Sentimental, Rootsy, Intricate, Responsive, Spring, Warm, Energetic,, Groovy, Traditional

Musical Qualities: Melodic, Polyphonic, Lush, Uncommon Time Signatures, Improvisation, Acoustic

Instrumentation: Acoustic Guitar, Vocal Harmonies, Upright Bass, Drums, Glockenspiel, Sitar, Banjo

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The Pentangle

Style: Folk Baroque, British Folk, Acoustic Blues

Vibes: Intertwined, Rootsy, Pastoral, Breezy, Playful, Bluesy, Intricate, Uplifting

Instrumentation: Upright Bass, Vocal Harmonies, Drums, Acoustic Guitars

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Dorothy Carter – Troubadour

LP, Celeste Recording, 1976 Style: Neo-Medieval Folk, Progressive Folk, Traditional [Appalachian, Celtic, European, Hymns] Vibes: Hypnotic, Flowing, Rootsy, Medieval, Passionate, Meditative, Peaceful Musical Qualities: Acoustic, Suite, Pulse Instrumentation: Voice, Hammered Dulcimer, Psalteries, Flute Tamboura, Ch’in

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Joseph Allred – Hoddmímis Holt

Style: Appalachian Folk Music, American Primitivism

Vibes: Rootsy, Spiritual, Warm, Passionate, Meditative, Religious, Storytelling, Sentimental, spiritual, storytelling

Musical Qualities: Acoustic, Traditional, Lyrical, Droney, Open Tunings, Solo, Sparse

Instrumentation: Vocals, Harmonium, Acoustic Guitars (6- & 12-String), Autoharp, Piano, Banjo

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Matana Roberts – Coin Coin Chapter Five: In the Garden

Style: Free Jazz, Creative Music, Liberation Music, Jazz Poetry, Spiritual Jazz

Vibe: Passionate, Rootsy, Poetic, Storytelling, Rebellious, Compassionate, Intertwined, Haunting, Spiritual, Driving, Communal, Triumphant, Sad, Powerful

Themes: Ancestry, History, Feminism, Trauma, Memory, Black Liberation, Identity, Death

Musical Qualities: Suite, Thematic, Graphic Score, Improvisation, Spoken Word, Complex, Group Vocals

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Henry Flynt – Graduation

LPx2, Archival, Superior Viaduct, 2001 / 2013 Recorded 1975-1979 Style: Weird Americana, “Cowboy Raga”, Old-Time, Celestial Boogie, Back-porch Minimalism Vibes: Hypnotic, Warm, Rural, Summer, Energetic, Groovy, Playful, Psychedelic, Rootsy, Ecstatic Instrumentation: Fiddle, Tapes, Electric Guitar, Electric Bass, Saxophone, Drums Musical Qualities: Droney, Instrumental, Improvisation, Minimalistic, Modal, Repetitive Graduation by Henry Flynt

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J.J. Cale – 5

Style: Roots Rock, Blues Rock, Singer/Songwriter

Moods: Confident, Laid Back, Sensual, Romantic, Mellow Swagger, Road Trip, Warm, Sunny, Bluesy, Sexual, Rootsy

Musical Qualities: Lush, Groovy, Melodic, Sleek

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Pelt – Ayahuasca

Style: Free Folk, Appalachian Dhrupad, Psychedelic Drone, American Primitive

Moods: Ritualistic, Meditative, Spiritual, Rural, Hallucinogenic, Eerie, Mysterious, Rootsy, Woods

Musical Qualities: Droney, Acoustic, Noisy, Dissonant, Improvisation

Instrumentation: Banjo, Hurdy Gurdy, Acoustic Guitar, Esraj, Tanpura, Bowls, Fiddle, Concertina, Chord Organ, Cymbals

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Friends of the Road – Now You Know Something Right Here and I’ll Tell You For a Fact

This collective of experimental Seattle musicians perform back-porch seances on old-time jigs & folk tunes, half of which can be found in Alan Lomax’s Folk Songs of North America book. The ritualistic, droning dissonance of cello, banjo, harmonium, & fiddle recall Pelt, Henry Flynt, & Tongue Depressor. Despite an often haunting atmosphere, folksiness and camaraderie pervade the tape in the form of warm lo-fi sing-a-longs and friendly, candid banter between tracks. The original social function of the music lives eternally, a nonlinear communication with fellow travelers from the past, present, & future.

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Matana Roberts – Coin Coin Chapter Two: Mississippi Moonchile

Style: Jazz (Spiritual, Avant-Garde, Folk), Modern Creative, Spirituals

Moods: Spiritual, Storytelling, Passionate, Reflective, Intertwined, Rootsy, Warm, Uplifting, Poetic, Communal

Musical Qualities: Suite, Progressive, Acoustic, Collage, Complex, Dense, Conducted Improvisation, Thematic,

Instrumentation: Alto Saxophone, Group Vocals, Wordspeak, Operatic Vocals, Piano, Trumpet, Upright Bass, Drums

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Mandingo Griot Society

Styles: Griot Music, Mande Music, Afro-Jazz

Moods: Uplifting, Earthy, Sunny, Communal, Dance, Joyful, Passionate, Peaceful, Playful, Ritualistic, Spiritual, Warm, Tribal, Utopian

Musical Qualities: Percussive, Polyrhythmic, Acoustic, Melodic, Technical

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Dengue Dengue Dengue – Zenit & Nadir

Styles: Digital Cumbia, Organic Beat Music, Psychedelic Electronic

Moods: Brooding, Earthy, Intertwined, Shadowy, Dancing, Determined, Tribal, Complex, Mystical, Hypnotic, Mechanical, Ominous, Rootsy, Haunting, Dark, Knotted, Mysterious, Ritualistic, Futuristic

Musical Qualities: Polyrhythmic, Percussive, Loops, Progressive, SpokenWord, Electro-Acoustic, Sampling

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Joe Rainey – Niineta

Style: Post-Industrial Powwow Music, Experimental Electronic

Mood: Communal, Ritualistic, Cathartic, Spiritual, Passionate, Mournful, Epic

Musical Qualities: Chants, Manipulated Vocals, Distorted, Electroacoustic, Studio-as-an-Instrument, Percussive, Noisy

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Eli Winter – Eli Winter

ft. jaimie branch, Tyler Damon, Sam Wagster, Cameron Knowler, David Grubbs, Ryley Walker, & Yasmin Williams

FFO: Jim O’Rourke (Bad Timing / The Visitor), William Tyler, Ry Cooder Instrumentals, Gastr Del Sol, Elkhorn, Moon Bros, Appalachian Folk, Leo Kottke, Jack Rose

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Sélène Saint-Aimé – Potomitan

Style: Avant-garde Chamber Jazz, Afro-Carribean Jazz, Gwoka

Moods/Themes: Ancestry, Ritualistic, Meditative, Hypnotic, Communal, Rootsy, Poetic, Sombre, Elegant, Flowing, Warm, Mystical

Musical Qualities: Polyrhythmic, Percussive, Acoustic, Repetitive, Improvisation, Technical

Instrumentation: Upright Bass, Bèlè Drum, Ka Drum, Trumpet, Tenor Saxophone, Vocals, Cello, Violin

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Sathima Bea Benjamin – Windsong

Personnel: Sathima Bea Benjamin – Vocals; Kenny Barron – Piano; Buster Williams – Upright Bass; Billy Higgins – Drums

Style: Vocal Jazz, Spiritual Jazz, Ballads, Traditional

Vibe: Healing, Flowing, Warm, Airy, Spiritual, Soothing, Sombre, Heartfelt, Elegant, Uplifting, Bittersweet, Intimate, Morning, Peaceful, Reflective, Rootsy, Sentimental,

Musical Qualities: Acoustic, Soft, Improvisation, Slow, Polished, Lyrical, Lush

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Sam Amidon – Sam Amidon

Style: Dream Folk, Jazz-Folk, Warped Americana

Vibes: Warm Melancholy, Springtime Reflection, Rootsy, Early Afternoons in the Garden, Dreamy, Intertwined, Heartfelt

Musical Qualities: Lush; Improvised Arrangements; Studio-as-an-Instrument, Melodic, Vocal Fx

Instrumentation: Banjo, Saxophone, Acoustic Guitar, Percussion, Flute, Acoustic Bass, Synthesizers, Piano

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Pentangle – Solomon’s Seal

Style: Brit-Folk, Chamber Folk, Jazz-Folk

Vibe: Flowing, Morning, Breezy, Warm, Medieval, Sentimental, Rootsy, Mellow, Pastoral, Uplifting

Musical Qualities: Vocal Harmonies, Acoustic, Traditional, Melodic, Improvisation

Instrumentation: Acoustic Guitars (Fingerstyle), Vocals, Upright Bass, Sitar, Dulcimer, Banjo, Recorder, Harmonica, Electric Guitar, Drums

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Neko Case – Blacklisted

LP, Anti- Records, 2002 (2016, RE) Style: Gothic Americana, Alt-Country, Singer/Songwriter Vibe: Bittersweet, Rebellious, Haunting, Western, Passionate, Energetic, Longing, Anthemic, Breakup, Depressive, Heartfelt, Introspective, Twangy, Rustic, Sentimental

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Neko Case – Furnace Room Lullaby

Style: Alt-Country, Americana, Singer/Songwriter

Vibe: Bittersweet, Warm, Angsty, Rustic, Heartfelt, Confident, Passionate, Twangy, Love, Breakup, Reflective, Sentimental, Lush, Rootsy

Instrumentation: Electric & Acoustic Guitar, Lap Steel & Pedal Steel Slide Guitars, Fiddle, Electric & Upright Basses, Drums, Vocal Harmonies, Banjo, Mandolin, Organ, Accordion

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Jackie-O Motherfucker – Fig 5.

Style: Mystical Americana, Free Folk, Post-Rock, Drone

Vibe: Haunting, Meandering, Rootsy, Rustic, Nocturnal, Mysterious, Deconstructed, Ragged, Communal, Murky, Abstract, Lethargic, Hallucinogenic, Raw

Musical Qualities: Collective Improvisation, Instrumental (except B1,C1), Loose, Lo-fi, Dynamic, Droney, Noisy, Group Vocals (B1), Harmonies (B1, C1)

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Helena Espvall & Masaki Batoh

On this self-titled collaboration, acid folk luminaries Helena Espvall (Espers) and Masaki Batoh (Ghost) create mysterious and earthy interpretations of traditional Medieval, Swedish, Japanese, and Finnish folk songs, plus a Son House cover, an original, and a handful of free improvisations.

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Califone – Heron King Blues [Deluxe]

Style: New Weird Americana, Warped Folk Rock, Psych Folk

Vibe: Twangy, Cryptic, Mythic, Surreal, Mysterious, Rustic, Mellow, Warm, Rootsy

Musical Qualities: Percussive, Loops, Electro-Acoustic, Rhythmic, Studio-as-an-Instrument, Improvisation

Instrumentation: Acoustic Guitar, Banjo, Percussion, Organ, Piano, Vocals, Electronics, Cello, Electric Guitar, Pump Organ, Bass

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Sam Amidon – The Following Mountain

Style: New Weird Americana, Post-Modern Appalachia, Jazz-Folk

Vibe: Autumnal, Earthy, Imaginative, Lush, Morning, Peaceful, Rootsy, Rustic, Warm, Contemplative

Musical Attributes: Acoustic, Melodic, Studio-as-an-Instrument, Improvisation, Progressive, Lyrical

Instrumentation: Fiddle, Drums, Banjo, Vocals, Percussion, Saxophone, Acoustic Guitar, Drum Machine, Percussion, Electric Bass, Organ Synthesizers, Flute

Collaborators: Leo Abrahams, Shahzad Ismaily, Sam Gendel,
Milford Graves, Chris Vatalaro, James Sultan

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Sixteen Horsepower – Folklore

Style: Gothic Country, Americana, Chamber Folk?Vibe: Rustic, Sombre, Murky, Rootsy, Ominous, Loner, Western, Melancholy, Moody, Dark?Musical Attributes: Acoustic Instrumentation (Banjo, Upright Bass, Cello, Acoustic Guitar, Accordion, Piano), Atmospheric, Droney, Slow, Lyrical?Lyrical Themes: Alienation, Religious, Christian, Storytelling

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Lonnie Holley – Mith

Style: Experimental Singer-Songwriter, Soul Blues, Psychedelic Soul

Vibe: Imaginative, Bluesy, Cathartic, Conscious, Cosmic, Spiritual, Heartfelt, Passionate, Psychedelic, Rootsy, Bittersweet, Poetic

Lyrical Themes: Existential, Afro-Futurism, History, Racism, Reflective

Musical Attributes: Atmospheric, Lyrical, Improvisation, Raw, Studio-as-an-Instrument

Instrumentation: Vocals, Piano, Synthesizers, Keyboards, Saxophone, Trombone, Percussion

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John Fahey & His Orchestra – Old Fashioned Love

Another interesting one from Fahey, side A consists of some amazingly intricate guitar duets with Woodrow Mann, including my favorite Fahey song “Jaya Shiva Shankarah”. Side B takes a strange turn though…halfway through the title track a 10-piece dixieland band kicks for a few tracks of New Orleans-style jazz. The album closes in a more familiar place with a contemplative solo piece that most Fahey fans would dig.

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