Laura LoveCountry of origin:U.S. Type of music generally:Folk-rock mixed with diverse styles such as jazz, blues, funk, and hip-hop (JoAnn Whetsell) Status:Most recent release, NEVABAWARLDAPECE (EP, 2013) See also:Laura Love's site Comparisons:Her voice is a little bit like Toni Childs'. But the only person I can think of who has the energy and the range (and political passion) is Ani Difranco. They have things in common but musically are quite different. Perhaps what Ani would be like if she were rooted in African-American music. (JoAnn Whetsell) Covers/own material:Own and co-written, occasional cover General comments:A most energetic goddess. (jsutton@rahul.net) Comments about live performance:Laura Love and her band (Julie Wolf, Rod Cook, and Chris somebody-or-other) were at the Iron Horse in Northampton on Sunday night, and boy, do they ever know how to rock. I'd had the new album Octoroon in my car for a few days and hadn't had a chance to listen to it yet, but I knew from the songs I'd been hearing on the radio that it's a great piece of work (an opinion since confirmed by several listens to the disc), her best by far since Pangaea. Recommended first album:Octoroon or Fourteen Days Recordings:
The Laura Love CollectionRelease info:1995—Putumayo World Music—M118-2 Availability:Wide Ecto priority:Highly recommended Group members:Laura Love—lead vocal, background vocals, bass guitar, vocal arrangements Guest artists:Linda Severt—acoustic rhythm guitar, percussion, tongue drum, pennywhistle, ocarina, acoustic guitar, background vocals, vocal arrangements Produced by:Dan Storper Comments:This collection is comprised of songs from Laura Love's first two albums. It's a good introduction to her work, and it makes sense that it's on the Putumayo label as the selections showcase Laura's varied worldwide influences. (JoAnn Whetsell) OctoroonRelease info:1997—Mercury Records—314 534 649-2 Availability:Wide Ecto priority:Highly recommended Group members:Laura Love—lead vocal, backing vocal, bass, hand claps Guest artists:Rod Cook—backing vocal, acoustic guitars, national steel guitar, electric guitars, guitars Produced by:Laura Love Comments:I came to this album late and had a little trouble getting into it, but now I think it's up there with Laura's best work and one of her essential albums. Why? It's hard to describe. Which is a good thing. Of all of Laura's albums I've heard, I find Octoroon the hardest to describe because it probably has the widest variety of styles. It grooves hardest too. There's a bluegrassy "Amazing Grace," a gospel "Blind Bartimus," a Kurt Cobain cover ("Come As You Are"), and political songs covering slave auctions ("Octoroon"), the Tiananmen Square massacre ("June 4th Foundation"), and same-sex love ("If I Knew"). But that description doesn't hint at the energy and passion of the album. For that you'll just have to listen to it. (JoAnn Whetsell) Shum TickyRelease info:1998—Mercury Records—314 558 866-2 Availability:Wide Ecto priority:Highly recommended Group members:Laura Love—lead vocal, backing vocal, bass, additional lyrics (4) Guest artists:Rod Cook—backing vocal, acoustic and electric guitars, National steel, Tacoma Papoose, and Guild D35 acoustic guitars, bass Produced by:Laura Love, Joe Chicarelli Comments:Laura Love is one of those performers of such high energy that studio albums kinda pale with respect to a live performance. However, Shum Ticky comes close to capturing some of the magic of Laura love and her band. Laura stays true to her self-described Afro-Celtic description and puts together a fine collection of new and previously released material. (jsutton@rahul.net) Fourteen DaysRelease info:2000—Zoë Records—01143-1015-2 Availability:Wide Ecto priority:Highly recommended Group members:Laura Love—vocals, bass Guest artists:Rod Cook—vocal, acoustic, electric, National steel, and electric slide guitars Produced by:Joe Chicarelli and Laura Love Comments:My first Laura Love album, and still my favorite. Yet I don't know quite how to describe it. It's got a bit of everything—politics ("In Seattle," "Sativa"), folk ("Shenandoah"), and a lot of the unclassifiable mixture of styles that defines her music. (JoAnn Whetsell) Welcome to Pagan PlaceRelease info:2003—KOCH Records—CD 8478 Availability:Wide Ecto priority:Recommended Comments:One of the best of 2003. One song stands out in my mind amid the sad behavior of the United States since 9-11. That song is by Laura Love, titled "I Want You Gone" dedicated to George Bush. Laura was the first artist I heard speak out against the US policy and it just resonated with me. I could not have expressed my feeling any more clearly. I want to thank Laura Love for speaking out against the insanity of a nation gone asleep. (jsutton@rahul.net) You Ain't Got No Easter ClothesRelease info:2004—KOCH Records—KOC-CD-9553 Availability:Wide Ecto priority:Highly recommended Group members:Laura Love—lead vocals, electric bass Guest artists:Jen Todd—additional lead vocals, background vocals, acoustic guitar, djembe Produced by:Laura Love with David Lange Comments:The companion to the memoir of the same name. It's certainly not necessary to read the book to enjoy the album as the songs tell stories. Easter Clothes is more personal, more folky, perhaps a bit more tame, but just as heartfelt and just as good as Laura's previous work. She ends with beautiful harmonies on the traditional "Hard Times" and the gospel-influenced "Satisfied," telling us how she feels about her life now and giving a difficult story a happy ending. (JoAnn Whetsell) NeGrassRelease info:2007—Octoroon Biography—OBCD005 Availability:Wide Ecto priority:Highly recommended Group members:Laura Love—vocal, electric bass Guest artists:Jeff Autry—guitar, vocal Produced by:Barbara Lamb and Laura Love Comments:A great collection of traditionals, spirituals and originals with a heavy bluegrass sound. (JoAnn Whetsell) Further info:Laura Love's songs appear on the following albums: Shelter: The Best of Contemporary Singer-Songwriters (1994), Women's Work (1996), Travel the World with Putumayo (1997), Voce—Music From Women Of The World (1999). In 1995 she also released an album with Jo Miller called Jo Miller and Laura Love Sing Bluegrass and Old-Time Music and was part of the quartet Venus Envy which released the cd I'll Be a Homo for Christmas. She is also the author of the memoir, You Ain't Got No Easter Clothes, a companion to the album of the same name. Thanks to JoAnn Whetsell for work on this entry.
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