"LONG GONE": THE NEW CD FROM
CLOTHESLINE REVIVAL
About the CD
Listen to clips
Reviews of "Long Gone"
Who's Playing "Long Gone"
About Clothesline Revival
Why is this page here?
about Clothesline Revival's new CD, "Long
Gone" --
How to categorize "Long Gone", the new CD by Clothesline Revival ? It's a question that has challenged many reviewers, who have resorted to all manner of neologisms to try to capture what is going on here: "ethno ambient electronica" -- " folktronica" -- "ambient folk" -- "acid country"...
Okay, forget categorization -- let's try description. The songs on Long Gone start with a cappella source vocals from old field recordings. These old jewels are then put in a new setting, built up from instrumentation including a menagerie of guitars, bass, drums, harmonica, and additional vocals, as well as sampled sounds and effects, beats and electronic atmospheres.
Okay, description is a little inadequate too. Perhaps the best thing to do is to listen...
About "Long Gone" | Clips | Reviews | Who's Playing It | About Clothesline Revival | Why this page?
listen to clips of songs from "Long Gone" --
At Clothesline Revival's album page for "Long Gone", there are links to sample clips, or full versions, of the songs on the CD:
1. Under the Ramp (intro) - Ray Wood
2. Morning Train - E. M. Martin and Pearline Johns [sample]
3. Satisfied - Florence Stamp and girls [FULL MP3]
4. The Color Song - Lum Wilson "Bill" Jackson & Mrs. Myra Pipkin [sample]
5. Shortenin' Bread - Ora Dell Graham and girls [sample]
6. Big Boy, Can’t You Move ‘Em - “Uncle” Bradley Eberhard [sample]
7. Crawdad Song - Mrs. Vernon Allen [sample]
8. Strange Things Happening - Charles Haffer Jr. [sample]
9. Trouble About My Soul - Lillie Knox [sample]
10. Down In Arkansas - Almeda Riddle [sample]
11. All You Rounders Better Lie Down - Fred Fox Lee [FULL MP3]
12. With His Ole Grey Beard A'Shining - Pearl Brewer [sample]
13. Music Has No End - Neil Morris [FULL MP3]
There are also links to sample clips of some of the original field recordings that form the base for some of those songs, including these:
"Down In Arkansas": original a cappella vocal by Almeda Riddle // "Long Gone" version
"Trouble About My Soul": original a cappella vocal by Lillie Knox // "Long Gone" version
"Crawdad Song": original a cappella vocal by Mrs. Vernon Allen // "Long Gone" version
About "Long Gone" | Clips | Reviews | Who's Playing It | About Clothesline Revival | Why this page?
reviews of "Long Gone":
At Puremusic, reviewer Frank Goodman said:
"In the nearly five years that we’ve been doing Puremusic, one of our favorite and most important finds has been Clothesline Revival. We’ve never heard a more compelling synthesis of seemingly disparate sounds with such melodious and funky results. Each song on Long Gone began with an a cappella source vocal, from a field recording made between the 1930s and 50s. The vocals are mostly singing, but frequently spoken word as well. Many were recorded by the famous archivists John and (son) Alan Lomax, but a handful of other recordists contribute equally compelling source material. Praetzel and Powell take each vocal and plant it in sonic beds worlds away from whence it came, where exotic things are growing. The interplay of the depth and the lightheartedness involved produce tracks that contribute something inspired and vital to Americana, a genre which is sometimes a hotbed of mediocrity..." [Read the complete review here.]
At eFolkMusic, there is this description of Clothesline Revival's work:
"Neo-traditionalists Conrad Praetzel and Robert Powell stake out their claim in the Americana landscape with an eclectic mix of ambient folk and acid/alt country. Clothesline Revival blends electronic and acoustic beats with dobro, mandolin, guitars, lap and pedal steel guitar, ebow, atmospherics and more to create a captivating new sound with an old-time haunting quality." [page here]
and clips from these reviews:
WKZE CT 8/18/2005 - "Original, funky, rootsy, untamed, fun, deep, off-beat, eclectic and with a sense of wonder - all with a tasteful quirkyness, spiced with the things I love in good music. Bravo!" Frank Matheis
CIUT-FM Toronto 8/18/2005 - "The release by Clothesline Revival - Long Gone is truly a stunning recording. I have never heard a more creative sampling of Alan Lomax''s own recordings. As many people as possible should be made aware of this fine example of creativity!". Ron Burd, Music Director
At Stylus, reviewer Andrew Gaerig said:
"On Long Gone, Clothesline Revival attempt to re-contextualize old-time Americana. The second album from Conrad Praetzel and Robert Powell samples vocals from old field recordings—many of them made by Alan Lomax—and constructs new foundations out of a flea market of instruments, employing everything from dobros to drum machines. Before you muff your ears and run away screaming “Moby!”, consider Clothesline Revival’s more holistic approach to their sampling: often copping entire vocal performances, Praetzel and Powell forgo original compositions, preferring instead to update the tapestries for music long thought to be untouchable..." [Read the complete review here.]
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At globalvillageidiot.net, "Long Gone" gets this review:
"In a way almost a companion to the Tangle Eye workout, although the Revival got there first, and on this collection they do a beautiful job of putting old vocals (mostly taken from Lomax field recordings) in new settings. The textures can be interesting, sometimes lovely ("Down in Arkansas" end up sounding like primitive REM), and the sense of invention is never- ending. Their last was good; this is extraordinary." -
Village Voice 32nd (or 33rd) Annual Pazz and Jop Critic's Poll - ranked Number 1 Album on ballot of critic James Rodgers ; Number 6 album on ballot of critic Michael Ross
About "Long Gone" | Clips | Reviews | Who's Playing It | About Clothesline Revival | Why this page?
who's playing "Long Gone":
Clothesline Revival's "Long Gone" has been getting play at a number of stations around North America. Here are some recent charts and playlists, giving a good idea of the kind of music "Long Gone" has been keeping company with.
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KALW 91.7 FM San Francisco, CA - "Tangents" playlist: 10/15/05 - 10/8/05
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WYSO 91.3 FM Yellow Springs / Antioch College (OH) - October 2005 "CD of the Month"
WYCE 88.1 FM Independent Community Radio for W. MI - this year's music
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CIUT 89.5 FM Toronto (ON) charts: 10/18/05 - 9/20/05 - 9/13/05
KUSP 88.9 Santa Cruz CA - "It Takes All Kinds" playlist: 8/31/05
KMUD Redwood (CA) Community Radio charts: 10/10 - 10/3 - 9/26 - 9/19 - 9/11 - 9/5
Freight Train Boogie Radio - "Best Releases of 2005" list
KXCI 91.3 FM Tucson, AZ - music charts 1/30/2006
WFHB 91.3 FM / 98.1 FM Bloomington, IN - playlist 1/30/2006 - 1/23/2006
WFMU 91.1 FM Hoboken NJ - "heavy airplay', 2/8/06
About "Long Gone" | Clips | Reviews | Who's Playing It | About Clothesline Revival | Why this page?
about Clothesline Revival:
Clothesline Revival is Conrad Praetzel (acoustic
and electric guitars, Dobro, sampling, beats, bass and atmospheres) and Robert
Powell (pedal steel, pedal steel bass, lap steel, electric and
acoustic slide guitar).
They are joined on "Long Gone" by Wendy Allen (voices and voice arrangements), Scoop McGuire (double bass), Adam "Bagel" Berkowitz (drum kit), and Bruce "Creeper" Kurnow (harmonica).
Clothesline
Revival's first CD, "Of My Native Land", garnered a
lot of attention -- and good notices -- when it appeared in 2002. Here
are reviews of that CD from:
Chris Nickson / National Public Radio (on All Things Considered)
Steve Reynolds / Figgle
Jesse Ashlock / epitonic
Richard von Busack / metroactive
Evanston Wade / Splendid
Glenn Brooks / Jelly
Tom Druckenmiller / Sing Out!
cdbaby - clips from reviews by: Chris Nickson / Seattle Weekly, Frank Matheis / WKZE (CT), Karen Olson/ Utne Reader, Julie Flaskett/ Country Music People, Ned Hammad/ Tower Pulse!, Chris Frank/efolkmusic.com, j. poet/ Paste Magazine, Ian Anderson/ fRoots
About "Long Gone" | Clips | Reviews | Who's Playing It | About Clothesline Revival | Why this page?
why is this page here? --
Because I like the CD a lot!
.
. .
Okay, there's another reason:
because Clothesline Revival used some of my photographs for the cover art on "Long Gone".
The images are some of my
photos of the "Concrete Park" folk art sculptures of Fred
Smith. 
I think it would be cool if "Long Gone" got the attention it warranted -- and I think it would be cool if more people saw these photos.
So, I'm doing my bit here to try to build the buzz.
About "Long Gone" | Clips | Reviews | Who's Playing It | About Clothesline Revival | Why this page?