Folkzinger

Folkzinger

Folkzinger

Editorial Reviews
All Music Guide
"Gentle and wry, but with plenty of her trademark zing."

Product Description
Christine Lavin's new CD, "folkZinger," her 17th solo release, continues her focus on the foibles of contemporary life. Far more than a comedienne with a guitar, Christine creates theatrical vignettes in many of her songs by utilizing hilarious spoken-word anecdotes and mini-skits, occasional sound effects, and an ever-broadening palette of arrangements.

Everyday absurdities and indignities remain the backbone (and funnybone) of Christine's repertoire. Whether it's the latest approach to safe sex ("Bad Girl Dreams"), the nightmare of uncancellable e-mail subscriptions ("Chicken Soup"), or a yearning for an imaginary-sounding but real island paradise free of telemarketers and ring-tones ("Moken Spoken Here"), Christine presents these scenarios for our amusement. For contrast, there's also a quiet, thoughtful take on 21st Century midlife crises ("The Bends"), a charming reminiscence of her staid grandfather's moment of athletic glory ("One of the Boys"), a torchy "makeout" version of The Beatles' "All My Lovin'" and a cover of Donovan's cheery "Happiness Runs."

"FolkZinger" displays several new influences in Christine's creative life. Since August 2004, she has been a regular at the weekly "Cast Party" show at the Birdland jazz club in New York, meeting and singing with vocalists and musicians from outside the folk world, some of whom appear on this CD. Her friendship with iconic songwriter Ervin Drake ("Good Morning Heartache," "It Was a Very Good Year") has led to "folkZinger's" most overtly political songs - the co-written "The Peter Principle At Work," about "a leader who never had a clue," and Drake's humorously defiant "(I'm a) Card-Carrying Bleeding Heart Liberal." The award-winning New York a cappella octet The Accidentals provide a bonus-track version of Lavin's "Winter in Manhattan," a witty tribute to the Big Apple that also appears here in a Christine-fronted arrangement.

The result is a beautifully crafted fusion of Lavin's alternately wise and frazzled vocals, folkish acoustic guitar, and the fresh musical input of producer and multi-instrumentalist Brian Bauers, "Cast Party" friends, longtime folk performer Robin Batteau (violin), The Accidentals, and even Christine's young nephews.

Folkzinger

Folkzinger,Christine Lavin,Appleseed Records,Contemporary Folk,Contemporary Singer/Songwriter,Folk,Folk & Traditional,One of folk music's funniest and most perceptive singer-songwriters presents a new CD of hilarious and penetrating contemporary observations.,Pop
Folkzinger
Average customer rating: 3 out of 5 stars
  • Not her best, nor her worst...longtime fans will want it...
Folkzinger
Christine Lavin
Manufacturer: Appleseed Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music
Singer-SongwritersSinger-Songwriters | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Folk | Styles | Music
Traditional FolkTraditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music
Singer-SongwritersSinger-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000AA4ITO
Release Date: 2005-09-20

Tracks:

  1. Armageddon
  2. Happiness Runs
  3. The Bends
  4. Winter in Manhattan
  5. Moken Spoken Here
  6. Chicken Soup
  7. Bad Girl Dreams
  8. All My Lovin'
  9. One of the Boys
  10. The Peter Principle At Work
  11. (I'm a) Card-Carrying Bleeding Heart Liberal
  12. Surprise
  13. Winter in Manhattan (sung by The Accidentals)

Album Description

Christine Lavin's new CD, "folkZinger," her 17th solo release, continues her focus on the foibles of contemporary life. Far more than a comedienne with a guitar, Christine creates theatrical vignettes in many of her songs by utilizing hilarious spoken-word anecdotes and mini-skits, occasional sound effects, and an ever-broadening palette of arrangements.

Everyday absurdities and indignities remain the backbone (and funnybone) of Christine's repertoire. Whether it's the latest approach to safe sex ("Bad Girl Dreams"), the nightmare of uncancellable e-mail subscriptions ("Chicken Soup"), or a yearning for an imaginary-sounding but real island paradise free of telemarketers and ring-tones ("Moken Spoken Here"), Christine presents these scenarios for our amusement. For contrast, there's also a quiet, thoughtful take on 21st Century midlife crises ("The Bends"), a charming reminiscence of her staid grandfather's moment of athletic glory ("One of the Boys"), a torchy "makeout" version of The Beatles' "All My Lovin'" and a cover of Donovan's cheery "Happiness Runs."

"FolkZinger" displays several new influences in Christine's creative life. Since August 2004, she has been a regular at the weekly "Cast Party" show at the Birdland jazz club in New York, meeting and singing with vocalists and musicians from outside the folk world, some of whom appear on this CD. Her friendship with iconic songwriter Ervin Drake ("Good Morning Heartache," "It Was a Very Good Year") has led to "folkZinger's" most overtly political songs - the co-written "The Peter Principle At Work," about "a leader who never had a clue," and Drake's humorously defiant "(I'm a) Card-Carrying Bleeding Heart Liberal." The award-winning New York a cappella octet The Accidentals provide a bonus-track version of Lavin's "Winter in Manhattan," a witty tribute to the Big Apple that also appears here in a Christine-fronted arrangement.

The result is a beautifully crafted fusion of Lavin's alternately wise and frazzled vocals, folkish acoustic guitar, and the fresh musical input of producer and multi-instrumentalist Brian Bauers, "Cast Party" friends, longtime folk performer Robin Batteau (violin), The Accidentals, and even Christine's young nephews.

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars Not her best, nor her worst...longtime fans will want it..........2005-12-15

Overall, I guess I am a little disappointed in this new release, which, like her recent "I'm in Love with a Difficult Man" CD, has no really outstanding track that I wanted to hear many times. I think both those discs appeal more to women than to men of 61 (but a really recent 61!) like me. About half of this is pleasant enough, or funny enough, or thought-provoking enough to justify owning it. However, the "bleeding heart liberal" song seemed a bit childish, frankly, to these "moderate Democratic" ears. And I think one version of "Winter in Manhattan" was enough. Christine's earlier releases were uneven, but the brilliant tracks made up for the not-well-realized song efforts. In recent years, her CD's have been more consistent, but less compelling. I'd give this 3-and-a-half stars if Amazon would allow it. I love Christine, but there are better songs on other CD's, and if I were introducing a friend to her work for the first time, I'd play the best tracks on her earlier efforts first. Read the reviews and listen to the samples of all 17 of her products, and then pick the one that seems to suit your age, gender and musical tastes.

Music Review:

  1. Forever: An Anthology
  2. Get Myself Together
  3. Girl Who Couldn't Fly [Import]
  4. Goodbye and Hello
  5. Here Come the Choppers
  6. Hold On, We're Strummin'
  7. I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight [Enhanced] [Original recording remastered]
  8. In the Land of Grey & Pink [Original recording remastered] [Import]
  9. In These Times
  10. Joan Baez/5

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