Folkzinger

Christine Lavin

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 20, 2005)
• Original Release Date: September 20, 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Appleseed Records
• ASIN: B000AA4ITO
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #160,191 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not her best, nor her worst...longtime fans will want it..., December 14, 2005

By	William E. Adams (Midland, Texas USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

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.