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Finally following up ‘His Heart Had Six Strings,’ here’s the second volume in Musicophilia’s singer-songwriter series, representing the women of the movement as it expanded through the 70s from its neo-traditional folk revival roots.  Like the men on the first volume, there’s perhaps more range here than might be expected, subtly incorporating elements of the gestalt of the late 60s and early 70s, from jazz to folk to even a touch of Stockhausian electronics and avant-garde experimentalism.  The overall palate certainly emphasizes blues, purples, greens: the emotional intimacy and sensitivity for which the genre is known.  But there are explorations of both darker and sunnier territory to match the longing and the hopes.  To be sure, the central strength of the singer-songwriter approach was that it suited the voices, literal and figurative, of men and women equally.  This is simply music about being human, seeking universality through the honest expression of the personal and specific.  Download with artwork and full tracklist after the “more…” link.

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I’ll forgo the usual breakdown of specific artists, and instead apologize for the mothballing of Musicophilia over most of the last year, if anyone is out there who noticed.  I can only say that almost every aspect of my life has changed radically in the last year, mostly for the best (happily married, graduate school in traditional architecture) but with the result that I’ve had almost no time for even listening to music, much less making mixes.  I certainly miss it, and sharing its joys through this blog.  Hopefully somehow I’ll manage to make a few mixes during the new year.  Regardless, I hope Musicophilia continues to be found by a trickle of new folks, and isn’t too dependent on “new” work, but rather acts as an archive of worthwhile listening.  Do check out the “back pages” and see what might be new to you, and pass it on.  Many thanks for your kindnesses, and I wish you all the best in the new year.

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Various – ‘Her Heart Had Six Strings’
Volume 2 (1965-1977)

Part 1
01  [00:00]  Emmanuell Parrenin – ” Ce Matin À Frémonte” (Maison Rose, 1977)
02  [02:35]  Joni Mitchell – “California” (Blue, 1971)
03  [06:20]  Odetta – “Hit or Miss” (Odetta Sings, 1971)
04  [10:11]  Sibylle Baier – “William” (Color Green, 1973)
05  [12:31]  Karen Dalton – “Katie Cruel” (In My Own Time, 1971)
06  [14:45]  Brigitte Fontaine – “La Harpe Jaune” (Vou et Nous, 1977)
07  [17:33]  Anne Briggs – “Fine Horseman”  (The Time Has Come, 1971)
08  [20:38]  Kate & Anna McGarrigle – “My Town” (Kate & Anna McGarrigle, 1975)
09  [23:27]  Annette Peacock – “Gesture Without Plot” (I’m The One, 1972)
10  [26:49]  Bridget St. John – “The Lady and the Gentle Man” (Songs for the Gengle Man, 1971)

Part 2
01  [00:00]  Linda Perhacs – “Hey, Who Really Cares?” (Parallelograms, 1970)
02  [02:33]  Candi Stanton – “I’ll Drop Everything and Come Running” (Candi Stanton, 1973)
03  [05:21]  Shelagh McDonald – “City’s Cry” (StarGazer, 1972)
04  [07:50]  Mimi Farina – “Miles” (Reflections in a Crystal Wind, 1965)
05  [10:33]  Linda Thompson – “Withered and Died”  (I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight, 1974)
06  [13:59]  Roberta Flack – “Killing Me Softly with His Song” (Killing Me Softly, 1973)
07  [18:45]  Nico – “Afraid” (Desertshore, 1970)
08  [22:14]  Vashti Bunyan – “Window Over the Bay” (Just Another Diamond Day, 1970)
09  [23:55]  Nina Simone – “Black is the Color of My True Love’s Hair” (Wild is the Wind, 1966)

[Total Time: 57:25]

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