Dark Holler: Old Love Songs and Ballads

I love, love, love this! It has a lot of the old ballads on it. And by that I do mean old, as most of these originated in England and along the Scottish border. And from there traveled with (mainly) the Scots-Irish across the sea, to America, where they became known as "mountain ballads". "Mathie Groves" was my first introduction to this type of music, as a child, so I was glad to see that one listed here, along with several others that I've learned down through the years. The title says "Old Love Songs and Ballads" and while that is very true, most of these are very dark, murder ballads, and are not for the faint of heart at least in terms of the a fore mentioned "Mathie Groves". And if you are interested in the old songs of this sort, or you are starting a collection of this type of music, I recommend starting here, I didn't, but now that I have it and have listened to it, I wish I had.

Evocative of wooden porches attached to hand hewn cabins along mountain paths, these haunting recitations and solo sung tales are at once similar and unique in their telling. Plaintive and mournful, each song stands as having been learned and passed down from generation to generation. At the foot of ancestors. They speak as if woven and spun from the fabric of mountain life and lost love, tragedy and hopes or regrets.I found it a wonderful collection, full of feeling and history.

Really fast service. Had alot of fun listening to this album, I like different music styles great that I could find.

Listen to this, then listen to one of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's recordings. Like Ali Khan on recordings like "Qawwali: The Vocal Art of the Sufis", these Appalachian singers are also celebrating God and the mysteries of existence.Zen calls it "Emptiness", or "the void", Dillard Chandler and his friends call it "Dark Holler."And do they ever holler. These voices come from deep valleys of the shadow of the earth where they fear no evil.Listen to the rod and the staff of a cappella. Immerse yourself in the wailings of whippoorwills as they circle the mouth of the void. And fear not the pit.The sun riseth, and ye are baptised in sound.