Giant Skyflower Band - Blood of the Sunworm (2007)

Giant Skyflower Band are a supergroup of sorts containing various band members from various other "new weird america" psychedelic bands such as the Skygreen Leopards and Flying Cannon. Glenn Donaldson fronts this group and if i hadent found out this album was put out in 2007, i would have guessed that it had been released somewhere from 1969-73. This excellent acid folk album sounds very out of place with all the synthed out shittiness that passes for "freak folk" these days. This dreamy sounding record has great instrumentation which stays true to its late 60's roots with inclusion of traditional pysch instruments like sitar. Donaldson's voice at first was off putting to me, but after a few spins i realized that it fits perfectly with the overall "coming up" mood of the entire album. Some of the best tracks don't even feature his voice and only rely on in your face psychedelic hooks that i would put up there with the best of them from back in the day. Im very surprised that this album hasn't made waves, they really do deserve the recognition.

Try
Buy

Entrance - Wandering Stranger (2004)

When i first heard of Entrance naturally i listened to his first album. Its full of great minimalistic freak folk songs, then i listened to his third album it was full of hard stoner rock. With a discography with such variety in musical styles, his second album Wandering Stranger is no exception to his modus operandi. In this album he presents himself as a folkly blues musician, crafting many of his own songs and covering many public domain delta blues tunes. He often only accompanies himself with an acoustic guitar and his masterful blues styling with occasional accompaniment by a fiddle and electric guitar. This channels a blend of freak folk and old delta blues acoustic guitar players such as Robert Johnson or Big Bill Broonzy. A great find among all the freak folk artists coming out of the woodwork these days.

Try
Buy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAX_LYI939g

Tyrannosarus Rex - My People Were Fair and Had Sky in Their Hair... But Now They're Content To Wear Stars on Their Brows (1968)

Before T.Rex became the coked out, glam rock superstars that they are best known as, they were known as Tyrannosaurus Rex and released psychedelic folk albums. My People Were Fair and Had Sky in Their Hair... But Now They're Content To Wear Stars on Their Brows was their first release and sounds like a bunch of hippies in the woods indulging in some mushrooms and playing around a campfire. It almost sounds like the Incredible String Band but with many more great improv freakout moments. This album has great minimalism, with most songs being played solely with acoustic guitar and bongos (man they rock the bongos), sometimes with accompaniment by what sounds like a xylophone. This was a pleasant surprise to find considering how much i abhorre T.Rex's later albums. If only they had continued with their mushroom adventures, but as they say, cocaine is a hell of a drug.

PS. i read somewhere that this is the first English pop record to feature a hare krishna chant (3 years before George Harrison's My Sweet Lord)

Try
Buy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUDQPqxLW30

July - July (1968)

Though July was only together for less than a year, they definitely made their mark on the British psychedelic scene. This is brilliantly crafted pop type psychedelia. "The Way" being one of my favorite on this record. The drum breaks remind me of something you would hear in trip-hop music of today. These songs are trippy, odd, weird and head induced. The more you listen the more fun you will have. This album is clearly influenced by Revolver and Sgt. Pepper's and sounds almost like a lost Beatles album from the late 60's. This is one of those bands that sounds very similar to Olivia Tremor Control, The Sunshine Fix, or any of the Elephant Six bands of today.

Try

Buy

Merle Travis - Folk Songs of the Hills (1947)

Here is one of my favorite albums of all time. You may know Merle Travis from his well known later career where he made himself famous among country musicians for his slide guitar playing skills and honky tonk vibe. This album however is Merle's first release and truly shows his roots in the coal mining country of Kentucky. This album is chocked full of traditional folk/country songs played only on an acoustic guitar (which Merle has clearly mastered at this point). He truly expresses the feeling and angst at a time when many folk artists were singing songs about the hardships that labor workers faced. I could ramble on about the significance of each track and how it so clearly represents the struggle and everyday life of labor workers trying to make it for their family during the great depression, or you could just listen to it and discover all these sentiments for yourself. A must for folk fans of any kind.

PS. the folkie spoken introductions are great context before he plays each song

Try

Buy