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16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
foxy digitalis, November 7, 2006
foxy digitalis
reviewed by Jamie Townsend
online music magazine and proponent of proper booth plurality
Artist: Ruthann Friedman
Album: Constant Companion
Rating:9/10
Label: Water
Water Records continues to display pysch-folk's enormous influence on the modern music scene by reissuing this almost forgotten treasure from 1969. Most well know for her song "Windy," which became a hit in 1967 when performed by The Association, Ruthann Friedman struck real gold with her single solo album "Constant Companion." Companion veers between the gentle folk melodies and fairy tales of Vashti Bunyan and the dark ruminations of Bill Fay, creating a singular album peopled with pipers and magic men.
Friedman's songs, some written when she was very young, reflect a child's world seen through adult eyes; its magic dampened by a slowly growing realization of time and endless change. Ever the shadow, Friedman slips in and out of the light throughout the course of tracks like "Piper's Call," "Fairy Prince Rainbow Man," and the anthemic "People," where Friedman digs deep below the surface of a dreaming culture. These songs serve as a counterpoint to the idealism of 60s culture as Friedman searches for truth in a "wicked wicked world."
Friedman's smoothly intricate guitar playing supports her hugely expressive voice, equal parts Grace Slick and contemporary folk singer Joanna Newsome. She has the type of voice that reminds listeners that "singer" has just as much value in the equation as "songwriter." Song such as "Danny" and "Look Up to the Sun" display the tension and release of a wavering blues chanteuse. Here she slides in and out of notes, punctuating verses with trills and repetitions before settling into strides of melancholy melodicism.
As an added bonus this reissue includes the Van Dyke Parks produced single "Carry On (Glittering Dancer") a jumble of strings and horns that showcases Friedman's voice in a whole new setting. As usual Parks injects a sense of innocence and joy into his arrangement creating a musical march to support Friedman's childlike wonder.
The three lone songs Friedman performed at the Big Sur Folk Festival in 1969, passed like spirit in between sets from Joni Mitchell and Joan Baez, artists who received their due recognition. Now its Ruthann's turn.- Jamie Townsend
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15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
from Other Music...New York, July 3, 2006
RUTHANN FRIEDMAN
Constant Companion
(Water)
Water continues their seamless reissue streak with this '69 find, the lone album by LA-based folksinger Friedman who a few years earlier had found success by penning "Windy" for the Association. Fans of the recent psych-folk implosion (and hallucinogens) could ostensibly crawl inside this gorgeous, unadorned album of lyrical fantasy, gentle yet sturdy acoustic accompaniment, and unmistakable of-the-times demeanor, and quite possibly live contentedly within it forever. Friedman's story is one of a musician who had her fun and celebrated only the positives of the peace & love generation, gingerly avoiding its dark side and remaining unscathed, seemingly with nothing but fond, collectively-experienced memories of being in such an invigorating and pivotal social moment, which included everything from joining Joni Mitchell onstage at the Big Sur Folk Festival to dating Van Dyke Parks, palling around with Dr. John the Night Tripper and living with David Crosby. Another feather in the cap of hindsight being 20/20, this time tipping in its favor. Says on the label that it's recommended for fans of Cat Power and Vashti Bunyan, but Friedman often provides a grounded counterpoint to those artists' flights of fancy. Quite a find. [DM]
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13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A worthy addition to a folk library, June 21, 2008
After hearing Linda Perhacs's amazing Parallelograms, it was only natural that I would look further on Amazon for unheard folk gems that were never uncovered by the MOJO Collection.
Ruthann Friedman's "Constant Companion" might lack any of the startling ambience or biting social commentary of Perhacs, but if you go beyond expecting those standards one will nonetheless find a refreshing piece of music.
The opening track, the short a capella "Topsy Turvy Moon" is an exceptional piece that really lured me in rather too easily. The simple, childlike lyrics are hard to get too much of and are much more amusing than ordinary child rhymes. The reaminded of the original album, however, is at first at least less impressive and it takes quite a bit of listening to appreciate the individual quality of Friedman's touching voice. "Morning Becomes You", however, is the kind of song few folk singers could ever write and make so amazingly effective, and the simplicity of "Peaceable Kingdom" is almost mysterious in its quality owing to Friedman's voice, which has a church-like, very plain but deep quality. "Too Late To Be Mourning", in particular, shows Friedman's ability to tell the simplest tales so well.
The final track "Carry On (Glittering Dancer)" is a most impressive bonus track and counters the sameness of some pieces on the original album. "No Time", even though it sticks to the same plain guitar-and-voice instrumentation of previous pieces, has a very different texture with Friedman's "sharp" picking and leave-me-alone lyrical message. The touching, even warm, sound of "Look Up To The Sun" has almost the opposite effect on the listener yet Friedman somehow managed to prevent the whole thing from sounding at all disjointed.
Even if there is no "Paper Mountain Man" or even "Spiral" or "Heaven Heath" here, "Constant Companion" is worth owning for its beautiful, even stark simplicity. The line "our simplicity/I love thee" sums up succintly the essence of this record.
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~ Ruthann Friedman
~ Catherine Howe
~ Various Artists
~ Nick Garrie
~ Linda Perhacs
by Ruthann Friedman 
