Kath Bloom, Loren MazzaCane Connors 1981 - 1984

This record fits into a continuum whose modern end gains more and more momentum every day while its origins are constantly mined for overlooked gems: the American folk music tradition. Comparised to the Carter Family by those familiar with early recordings, and to WS Burn by those of us who've been lucky enough to hear them so far, Kath Bloom's voice blends with Connors' delta-style guitar in 14 lo-fi tracks way ahead of--or behind depending on your perspective--their time. Although we are currently witnessing a renaissance of folk music, this was not so in the early 80s, and this feild-recording-sounding album seems like it's finally found itself in the right era.

An immediately characteristic track on this record is their rendition of "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot," a familiar melody made into something alien and beautiful by Bloom and Connors. Kath sings like a choir girl but Connors' guitar and sometimes-atonal moaning creates an unusual backdrop. The ominous reverb gives the illusion of a choir in the distance.

Connors mentioned in his liner notes that his, "free-form playing and vocalizations were too unsettling for most folk music fans," in the early 80s, and that it had been better received in the "small avant music scene" at the time. It may be due for a resurrection, then, since the new folk sounds seem to have recently caught up with them. Other notable tracks include, "Bicycle Song," a spaced-out love song, and the closing, "A Homeless Dream" which gets into pretty heavy questions about money from the point of view of a hobo. And being near homelessness again as I write this, I've been thinking about the illusion of money, the absence of metal-backing in our paper money, and how smart it is for rappers to put all their money into gold around their necks. Maybe that's where it belongs. But I'm way off subject; Kath Bloom sings the kind of words that encourage you to think, and I was thrilled to find that she's still making music when I found her website today. In fact, I emailed her about an interview, so check issue #2 to learn more about this overlooked voice in our American story. Thanks to Nick Hennies for really pushing me to hear this music. Mental note: do whatever Nick tells you.

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