Track: Lloyd Chandler - "Remember And Do Pray For Me"

I've long been interested in American traditional music in its various forms; folk, country, blues. I sort of grew up with it, and somewhere a couple of years ago I got into it more seriously and since I grab pretty much every compilation I can find. I think it's really bullshit that this stuff often gets written off as hillbilly music or something. Part of this, I'm sure, is simply ignorance; most "roots" music that makes the mainstream in any capacity is either too deeply crossbred with pop music forms or else is simply watered-down, shined-up crap. Mainstream country has always tended towards glossy, sappy stuff, and modern mainstream country and blues are as much rock as they are themselves. Whatever bluegrass gets noticed is almost exclusively of the pickin' 'n' grinnin' variety. These things seem like total sacrilege to me, because they go completely against large parts of what draws me to this music. Not to say that I believe it's not open to further evolution, but polishing it to make it "easier" is rather contrary to the roots of it, and the music is weaker for it. Most of these people with whom this music originates would've been making music very much apart from the cultural context we're used to it in. The whole system of influence would be totally different; instead of albums or radio, most if not all music would be known just from oral tradition within most likely a small area. Much less outside influence seeping in. Without charts and a music industry, the music would also be less shaped by commercial standards, etc, etc, etc. As a result of all these things, it's very pure. That concept, of music in a raw form, really fascinates me.

This track is from a compilation of old folk field recordings (field recordings being recordings made outside a formal studio) called "High Atmosphere". It was recorded throughout Virginia and North Carolina in 1965 by John Cohen, a musician and musicologist. This guy, Lloyd Chandler, was a Baptist preacher in addition to a singer, and there are claims that he wrote the earliest version of "O Death", now a bluegrass standard. This track is a perfect example of that rawness I was talking about; there's not even any instrumentation, just Chandler's voice. And what a voice it is. I'm used to unconventional singers, and it even took me a bit to get used to this. Chandler has a strong voice, ragged though it is. His style is sparse, for sure, no flourishes, but the melody is solid throughout. Really, I think that serves the piece best. Chandler's howl sounds almost unearthly, but at the same time the distinctly human frailty of it is part of what makes it so compelling. There's just something else about it, though, that I can't quite describe. It sounds like more than a song, I think; like something from within coming out in the form of music. I'll spare further grasping into pretension...long story short, I find this a tremendously powerful piece. It's unrefined and harsh, but those imperfections are vital to it. This is raw music.