Search - Roger McGuinn :: The Folk Den Project

McGuinn Is Heading for Mars

S. F Gulvezan | Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan USA | 02/07/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I didn't think old Rog could do anything to top last year's superb LIMITED EDITION. But he has. In this 4 - CD set he's re-arranged, and in some instances, written new lyrics to 100 folk songs. Some of them are simply sublime. May I mention "Wanderin," "Oh Freedom," and "America for Me" as just a few examples. Lots of these songs would have fit in comfortably on any Byrds album, and maybe been the highlight of the album. Cudos to you, Roger. You and Richard Thompson seem to be the 2 guys who are holding in there, just getting better and better.



















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5 Out of 5 Stars!

Seven String | 02/21/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"MUSIC REVIEW

Roger McGuinn: The Folk Den Project 1995-2005 (5 stars out of 5)

This Byrd has grown: McGuinn's folk shines



Jim Abbott | Orlando Sentinel Pop Music Critic



REVIEW RANK: 5 Out of 5 Stars!



There's hardly a better example of a happy marriage between old and new than Roger McGuinn's Folk Den.



Over the past decade, this former Byrd, technology geek and Orlando resident has been archiving traditional folk songs on his Web site, mcguinn.com. At the interactive Folk Den, musicians and historians could find a captivating time capsule of storytelling and music, complete with free downloads, lyrics, chords and a note from McGuinn.



To mark the project's first 10 years, McGuinn has compiled 100 of his favorite songs into a four-disc package available for purchase at his Web site, amazon.com and cdbaby.com.



It's a lovely extension of McGuinn's 2001 album Treasures from the Folk Den and a far better-sounding collection on a purely audio level than 2004's Limited Edition.



For folk purists, McGuinn's loving treatment of songs such as "Mighty Day'' and "Dink's Song,'' both on Disc 1, is a treasure indeed. The former is a topical song about the Galveston Flood of 1900 that rings truer than ever more than 100 years later in the wake of Katrina.



McGuinn's liner notes are plainspoken, just like the tale itself: "A strong hurricane can do as much damage as a nuclear bomb,'' he writes, "and should be respected.''



"Dink's Song,'' meanwhile, is a duet with Pete Seeger on a traditional song recently covered in rougher fashion by a young Bob Dylan on the No Direction Home documentary soundtrack. The harmonies are far sweeter here, especially when augmented by McGuinn's ringing 12-string guitar.



McGuinn's signature Rickenbacker guitar provides a chiming accompaniment for "Silver Dagger,'' which opens the second disc. It's a twist on the version of the song made popular by Joan Baez in the 1960s, with McGuinn changing the gender of the main character to suit his angle on the story.



The folk tradition is about adaptation, and it's not surprising that these old songs find new life in the shadow of current events. So it is that "Down by the Riverside,'' with its admonition that "I ain't gonna study war no more,'' becomes a gentle anti-war anthem.



Whether it's wrapped around topical songs, spirituals or tall tales, McGuinn's voice on the Folk Den Project is a significant and engaging one in the preservation of this important music."

A "must have" for Byrds fans

James Llorca | Orlando, FL | 04/04/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I've been a Byrds fan for over 20 years, and having the Byrds' first five albums was the closest thing to folk music I had until I bought Roger's "Limited Edition" CD, and even more now with "The Folk Den Project: 1995-2005". In my opinion, this compilation brings Roger's career full circle. One of my favorites on Disc 1 is "The Colorado Trail", where Roger brings out his trademark Rickenbacker 12-string. On this tune, the solo is a near combination of "Mr. Tambourine Man" meets "The Bells Of Rhymney". It really rings out in true Byrds fashion. A couple of highlights on Disc 2: "Oh Freedom", which Roger recorded during an actual thunderstorm, and is heard in the background. Also, the closing track on Disc 2, "To Morrow", is a recording of Roger at the age of 16 singing this tune. Anyone who knows Roger's history knows that he was a graduate of The Old Towne School Of Folk Music in Chicago. "To Morrow" gives listeners a chance to hear a young McGuinn in the folk mode that he would be accustomed to throughout his life and career. Disc 3 includes Roger's versions of two traditional Christmas tunes: "The First Noel" and "Away In A Manger", to put some holiday flavor into this collection. He also sings "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" on Disc 1, and "The Twelve Days Of Christmas" on Disc 4. Speaking of Disc 4, the only Byrds tune featured in this collection is on this disc: "Wild Mountain Thyme", a song from the Byrds' "Fifth Dimension" album. The collection concludes with two folk classics: "Home On The Range" and "When The Saints Go Marching In". Chances are that if you sang folk songs in school, as did I, at least one of them is likely to be found among these CDs in true folk style that Roger has created, as he has said, "for the preservation of the music I love". This was the popular type of music people were listening to and playing until the Beatles and the Byrds and the British Invasion made rock & roll all the rage. Folk music was, for the most part, pushed aside, with the possible exceptions of Bob Dylan and Peter, Paul & Mary. Listening to Roger sing these classics, you can hear not only the influence, but the emotion of how meaningful this music is to him. Remember, the Byrds were known for creating "folk-rock", and this collection demonstrates where it all began for Roger before, and now, after the legacy of the Byrds. If you have ever been a fan of folk music, or just a diehard Byrds fan like me, to own this compilation is an absolute treat. I recommend adding this to your CD collection."