karen dalton

newly unearthed tapes from ‘66 find the folk-blues legend unadorned & unburdened by studio production, just banjo & guitar used to heartbreaking effect.

recorded in her colorado cabin, these long lost reels allow an intimate & unfiltered portrayal of the remote & elusive songwriter. there are sparse renditions, including 4 duets with richard tucker, which are in many ways superior to the 2 studio albums that were coaxed from her, capturing these songs as she perhaps intended them to be heard. as well as the covers she delivers traditional songs including a devastating version of ‘katie cruel’, that is so powerful, it is as if the ghost of katie cruel seeped into her blood. “the old-timey accompaniment & dalton’s bluesy vocals perfectly suit hardin’s exquisitely sad songs” 4/5 – uncut.

daniel recommends: "utterly essential early home recordings from the enigmatic & elusive dalton, engrossing & heartbreaking. i have to admit to never really “getting” dalton’s two studio albums, 1969’s ‘it’s so hard to tell…’ & 1971’s ‘in my own time’ (controversial, i know). the overly produced lush studio sound seemed a bit oppressive, draining her incredible voice of a lot of its colour, & my impressions probably weren’t helped by the well-reported fact she was notoriously reluctant to record anything in a studio. this collection however, is totally mindblowing. it consists of recordings of her & richard tucker rehearsing for a gig in their remote colorado cabin. stripped back to just guitar / banjo & voice, the songs gain a remarkable power, with the likes of tim hardin’s ‘reason to believe’ & the traditional ‘katie cruel’ becoming even more devastating. her vocals have the power & emotion of the classic blues & gospel singers, with the delicate, melodic intricacy of a lot of her contemporaries in the folk scene, &  these are the recordings on which, for me, she truly shines."