Audio Library

Audio Tracks Library - First Archive

listen on-line to wyrd-folk music

In this section there are a number of playable tracks drawn from an eclectic range of wyrd-folk albums. These may be played by the user through Windows MediaPlayer shown below. Each track is compressed so that it will play on-line and the quality is therefore reduced from the original source which will also stop pirating of the tracks.

For non Windows users - unfortunately the files below won't play on your operating system and I apologise for this. I am trying to establish an easy way of streaming open source files. Vorbis Ogg have proved too big per file (over 4MB at the lowest setting) and Real media keep changing their format baseline causing a lot of problems for users. We are looking into embedding a file into Flash but this isn't an option for easy, quick streaming. This is an amateur site done in spare time so while I will sort it, it may take a little time. Thoughts are as always most welcome!

Windows Audio Files for playing on-line Get Media Player

The audio files use Windows Media Player, if you don't have this use the link above to download it before playing the files.

Click the hyperlink to play online (56k modem will be fine)

Synanthesia Tale of the Spider and the Fly (UK, 1969)	A track loaded to complement the album review added to the site. To view now click here.
Nature and Organisation Bloodstreamruns (UK, 1994)	A gothic apocalyptic folk track from the solo band of Michael Cashmore from Current93, quite a dark unsettling track that you will either love or hate.
Heron Car Crash (UK, 1971)	A gentle, fragile track recorded live in a meadow with the birds in the background.
Election Violet Dew (UK, 1968)	Excellent mixture of UK traditional folk and US LA 60s folk rock from this international band based in the UK with members who went on to Fairport convention.
Tudor Lodge Forest (UK, 1970)	A fantastic track taken from their rare 1970 album uploaded to complement the new album review. To read this now click here to open the review in a new window.
Steve Ashley Fire and Wine (UK, 1974)	A wonderful track from the artist's legendary debut album which features a wider range of classic British folk artists. Steve Ashley was part of Ragged Robin who backed Anne Briggs last album before Steve Ashley went solo. A song that explores the changing of the season into winter, it starts with a vocal section but move into a fantastic folk rock song that evokes the seasonal celebrations.
The Woods Band Dreams For Me (Ireland, 1971)	Terry Woods was formerly in Irish legendary band The Sweeney Men who largely created Celtic folk rock as a popular form and wrote 'Standing On Your Shore' done beautifully by their friend Anne Briggs. Terry was married to Gay Woods and formed his own band and redid their own song from a Sweeney Man album. Terry Woods went on to join The Pogues but has now reformed the band.
Bob & Carole Pegg A Glass of Water (UK, 1971)	Bob and Carole Pegg are true folk legends and were the creative driving force behind 'Mr Fox' the folk band they formed after doing three solo albums. This track comes from their album of Sidney Carter songs and has many elements that we associate with the later band.
Al Stewart Turn Into Earth (UK, 1966)	Al Stewart started as a folk artist in the mid 1960s and had a varied start with orchestral and autobiographical folk albums before working with ISB and Fairport Convention on his albums. In the 70s he moved into a rootsy popular area and had chart hits. This strange track merges the psychedelic and folk before psychedelia had even become a musical form back in 1966. The song was covered by The Yardbirds on their 'Roger The Engineer' album. Here we have a gothic, monk like folk song that is entrancing.
Book Of Am Fire (Sweden, 1978)	This band did one album that is an overtly magical folk album that is atmospheric and quite beautiful. This track is a siren song that takes the listener into strange realms.
Celebrated Ratliffe Stout Band The Yellow Peg (UK, 1976)	A UK folk-rock band with an excellent name and great album, this delicate track merges sublime electric guitars and chimes.
Silver Birch Ushers Well (UK, 1973)	A Grimsby based UK folk band who like Green Man or Mr Fox merged traditional folk with newer forms and varied instrumentation. This track starts normally and moves into an excellent Tudor sounding song.
Dulcimer Sonnet To The Fall (UK, 1971)	Taken from their first album which was played live to tape in the studio and has actor Richard Todd reading the middle oration inspired by Richard Burton's earlier successful reading of 'Under Milkwood'. This style was also done on the longer 'Caravan' compiled on the Lammas Night Laments CDr series.
Elyse 'Deed I Do (US, 1968)	A fantastic sitar based psychedelic folk track which is a version of the song written but not recorded by Bert Jansch. The only earlier version was by Donovan while a wonderful artist who doesn't capture it as well.
Tower Recordings Q Delmak-O (US, 1997)	A strange, scary folk track by this modern US band who count the excellent P G Six amongst their members. This starts unsettlingly and moves into darker territories.
In Gowan Ring Rosehip November (US, 2002)	A beautiful track by this definitive US band available on their recent CDr of works in progress.
Milkwood Tapestry Wondrous Fairy Tale (US, 1971)	A US band who recorded both seething psych rock and whimsical fantastical folk. This is from their latter style and is lovely gentle trip into child hood.
Sallyangie Children of the Sun (UK, 1969)	This band was Sally and Mike Oldfield, a young brother and sister duo who only recorded one album before Mike went on to international stardom. The album has been recently reissued on double CD with extra tracks and is well worth picking up.
Paul O' Reilly Birds Don't Sing (UK, 2002)	A fantastic new UK artist who carries on the introspective, personal folk style pioneered by Nick Drake. A short album which lies in the background, it haunts long after your initial listens.
Vera Coomans Ghost of Jane Delawney (Belgium, 2001)	From Belgium comes this wonderful artist who merges psychedelia and folk definitively and here does a stunning sitar based version of the Tudor sounding Trees ballad.
Westwind Robin Hill (UK, 1970)	A warm song that has found favour following it's inclusion on the Lammas Night Laments series, this song is evocative and genuinely old fashioned sounding.
Tony, Caro & John Sargasso Sea (UK, 1972)	In the UK in the early 70s there were many bands trying to following ISB and record psychedelic folk music. At long last this band has had their sole album reissued on CD and it takes the listener back to that era straight away. Here we have a wild psychedelic ride with electronic sea birds, backwards guitars and more.
Bread, Love & Dreams Purple Hazy Melancholy (UK, 1970)	Moving into a post-acid come down feeling with a fragile, damaged sounding ballad that is almost like a counterpart to Nico's ballads with the Velvet Underground.
Incredible String Band Nightfall (UK, 1968)	A beautiful lullaby taken from the 'Hangman's Beautiful Daughter' album that has an exquisite sitar melody with strange tapes spooling in the background.
Dando Shaft Riverboat (UK, 1971)	Here we have a phenomenal song with one of the best vocal performances in folk music I have ever heard, the wordless improvisation towards the end is highly moving and the song radiates excitement and a sense of the past.