VA - Doom & Gloom - Early Songs Of Angst And Disaster (1927 - 1945)

Daß es „so weiter“ geht, ist die Katastrophe. Sie ist nicht das jeweils Bevorstehende, sondern das jeweils Gegebene. Die Rettung hält sich an den kleinen Sprung in der kontinuierlichen Katastrophe. - Walter Benjamin


"The modern age, driven by science and technology, made a promise: to put an end to all the evils of the past, once and for all. At last mankind would be freed from the horrors of disease, fire, plague, drought, floods and earthquakes. But progress also produced new horrors. Mega-technology in transport, and a drive towards ever larger capacity and higher speeds unleashed catastrophes on a scale previously unknown. Now a railway crash, a blazing zeppelin or a shipping disaster could inflict not dozens, but hundreds or even thousands of casualties. In the 1920s and 30s a series of disasters created a climate of fear, affecting the psyche in a way similar to today, when wars, fanaticism, terrorism, natural disasters, global warming, bird flu, tsunami, hurricanes and tornados all contribute to a gloomy atmosphere of uncertainty and constant dread. Hillbilly and blues musicians in the 1920s and 30s expressed the general mood in a poignant way. They sang of catastrophes and disasters, whether far away or on their doorstep. They talked of the effects these events had on the lives of ordinary people; they described what happened when disaster struck, as seen through the eyes of the victims. Perhaps the articulation of these awful events in songs helped to ease feelings of despair, offering a crumb of comfort to those listeners dealing with the brutal reality." (www.trikont.com)

One of the greatest things about traditional American folk music is the dichotomy between the lyrical content and the spirit of the music. Don’t be misled by the foreboding title, for this superb compilation is anything but depressing. The subject matter portrayed in these songs of death, disaster, war and floods is often belied by uplifting and life affirming melodies. With names like The Carter Family, Charley Patton and Blind Willie Johnson among others, there are some wonderful examples here.



Tracklist:

1. Blind Willie Johnson God moves on the water 03:00
2. Roy Acuff & his Crazy Tennesseeans Wreck on the highway 02:47
3. Charlie Poole with The North Carolina Ramblers Baltimore Fire 03:10
4. Big Bill Broonzy Southern Flood Blues 03:17
5. Lulu Belle & Scotty That Crazy War 02:53
6. William & Versey Smith When that great ship went down 02:57
7. Karl & Harty When the atom bomb fell 02:53
8. He's coming to us dead 02:59
9. Bessie Smith Back-Water Blues 03:15
10. Joe Williams Providence help the poor 03:07
11. The Carter Family The dying soldier 03:04
12. Cofer Brothers The great ship went down 02:47
13. Kansas Joe & Memphis Minnie When the levee breaks 03:15
14. Blind Alfred Reed Explosion in the Fairment Mines 03:16
15. Charley Patton High Water Everywhere - Part 1 02:55
16. The Dixon Brothers School House Fire 03:14
17. Gid Tanner & his Skillet-Lickers with Riley Puckett & Clayton McMichen The Wreck of The Southern Old 97 02:44
18. Casey Bill Weldon Flood Water Blues 03:06
19. The Allen Brothers Jake Walk Blues 02:35
20. Richard "Rabbit" Brown Sinking of the Titanic 03:46
21. Carolina Twins Off to War I'm Going 02:59
22. Cauley Family Lumberton Wreck 02:59
23. Asa Martin & James Roberts Rycove Cyclone 03:12
24. Blind Willie Johnson Dark was the night - Cold was the ground 03:17

VA -  Doom & Gloom - Early Songs Of Angst And Disaster (1927 - 1945)

(320 kbps, cover art included)