Traditional and alternative folk music

rachelmanija gave me a four-day crash course in ballads, traditional folk, alternative folk, and folk-influenced music, especially in murder ballads, while we were driving to and fro around LA. My education has largely consisted of Lyle Lovett, Nick Cave, Johnny Cash, Nick Cave being demented, Andy Stewart, Nick Cave being murderous, Leonard Cohen, Nick Cave being psychotic, Steeleye Span, Nick Cave being murderous and psychotic, Steve Earle, and finally, Nick Cave being demented, murderous, and psychotic. Then there was the bonus Johnny Cash covering Nick Cave being demented, murderous, and psychotic ("The Mercy Seat").

( More murder! )

Sadly, this entry is getting huge, so I haven't even really covered alt country and Lyle Lovett (summed up by "I suck, no one loves me, and I'm in Mexico with no money"), Nick Cave's take on alt country (summed up by Nick Cave attempting to imitate a wolf howling), and how Nick Cave's songs frequently include credits for wailing and moaning. Oh! I also had the genius idea that Nick Cave should play Sweeney Todd some day. Because you just know that would be awesome.

This rounded out a weekend full of gothic horror in the flavors of American (Johnny Cash), Victorian (Sweeney Todd), Japanese (Onmyouji), and insane (Yuki Kaori, Nick Cave, and After School Nightmare).