Artist - Various Artists
Album Title - Nordic Roots
Date of Release - July, 1998 inprint
Rating - *** (good)
Genre - World
Styles - Worldbeat, Sweden, Swedish Folk, Norway, Norwegian Folk, Finland, Finnish Folk, Joik
Instruments - fiddle, hardanger fiddle, nyckelharpa, kantele, jew's harp, vocal, hurdy-gurdy
Eras - 80's, 90's
Type - various artists
1998 NorthSide NSD 6016
Despite the accusation that our culture is Eurocentric, we actually only pay attention to a select few countries. Poor Scandinavia barely registers on our radar and most folks in the United States still confuse Sweden with Switzerland and Danish with Dutch. For the past twenty years a quiet revolution has been happening in folk and roots music in Scandinavia, although you would have been hard-pressed to know that by looking in the International section of your local record store. This renaissance is finally coming to light in U.S. record stores and small Twin Cities label NorthSide is dedicated to making it available to listeners in the U.S.
So dedicated, in fact, that they are offering this very good sampler at the price of $2.98 hoping that folks will be enticed enough to investigate further. Artists from most Scandinavian countries with the exception of Denmark and Iceland make an appearance on this disk. Most of the music is instrumental as the emphasis of the folk/roots revival has been on music for dancing. From the Swedish-cum-Celtic sound of Väsenšs "30 Year Jig" and SWÅP, to the beautiful Finnish vocals of Hedningarna and Loituma, to the joiks (chanting vocal style of the Sami people) of Wimme, this CD covers many of the major strains of the folk/roots movement of the last few years in Scandinavia.
1.Väsen -- 30-Års Jiggen * 30-Year Jig -- from Whirled
2.Hedningarna -- Grodan / Widergrenen * Toadeater -- from Kaksi!
3.Groupa -- Imeland -- from 15 Years
4.Chateau Neuf -- Den Store Paipolsen * The Great Pie Pols -- from Stolen Goods
5.SWÅP -- Red Jacket -- from SWÅP
6.Loituma -- Eriskummainen Kantele * My Kantele -- from Things of Beauty
7.Garmarna -- En Gång Ska Han Gråta * One Day He'll Cry -- from a Swedish CD single
8.Väsen -- Brudmarsch... / Roddare I Bärsärk * Wedding March / Rowers Go Berserk -- from Spirit
9.Hege Rimestad -- Skinfakse * Delivering The Light -- from White Arrow
10.Hedningarna -- Räven * Foxwoman -- from Trä
11.Wimme -- Bieggajorri * Weathervane -- from Wimme
12.Tapani Varis -- Fanitullen -- from Jews Harp
13.Olov Johansson -- Sjöankans Vals * Sea Duck's Waltz -- from Storsvarten
14.Hoven Droven -- Skvadern * The Skvader -- from Groove
15.Hedningarna -- Bierdna * The Bear -- from Hippjokk
16.Wimme -- Texas -- from a Finnish CD EP
17.Den Fule -- Den Blå Slåtten / Ormslå * The Blue Tune / The Legless Lizard -- from Quake
18.Troka -- Klockar Aleksanteri -- from Troka
19.Triakel -- Alla Gossar * All The Young Men -- from Triakel
20.Väsen -- Långt Ner I Småland / Slängpolska * Way Down In Småland / Swingpolska -- live in Seattle, previously unreleased
Home again, home again, jiggety-jig!
Established 5/12/99, last modified on 5/12/99