Skip to main content

The Coral - Beyond The Sun

Despite the retention of traditional instruments, the years immediately preceding World War II brought a definite change in the sound of the south Louisiana blues as it did throughout the states. The south Louisiana blues musicians started imitating the amplified sound of the bestselling artists of the day that they were hearing on the radio and recordings... With wailing harmonica and electric guitars booming over the wallowing sound of muffled swamp beat, the local musicians started to make their mark in the juke joints and bars. The 1950s saw the beginning of the development of south Louisiana urban blues, and by the end of the decade, the bluesmen begun to establish their warm recognizable style from the borrowed sounds. The style became known as Swamp Blues, and Baton Rouge became its home.

Exactly when the term originated is unclear, but there exist several origin narratives... it refers to the Devil's Swamp, just on the edge of Scotlandville, where most of the bluesmen had lived for the past fifty years... they would hold jam sessions on the porches of their homes, overlooking Devil's Swamp. So the name swamp blues seemed appropriate and the bluesmen started referring to their highly percussive sound as the swamp sound.

Similarly, the itinerant bluesmen from Louisiana found work relatively easily in nearby Texas and there was much movement between Texas and south Louisiana as the itinerant workers and bluesmen wandered from job to job and from gig to gig. The fact that the smoother, sophisticated sound of the horns that were becoming an integral part of the new Chicago sound never became absorbed into the Swamp Blues sound. Despite the traditions of such instruments from nearby New Orleans, the absence illustrates how confident the Louisiana bluesmen already were, with their own distinctive sound, the lazy, wallowing bass, the muffled drums, and melodious vocals.
Source: Blues & Blacks in the Red Stick: Origins, Evolution, and Current Status by Joyce Jackson


The Coral - Beyond The Sun
  • Recorded in: 2015
  • Released on: Mar 4, 2016
  • Genre: Psychedelic Rock, Alternative Rock

"The Coral's 2002 debut album, The Coral, was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize and listed as the fourth best album of the year by New Musical Express. Their second album, Magic and Medicine, produced four UK Top 20 singles."

See previous Song of the Day

Labels:
Location: United States

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Psychotic Reactions - Skip To My Lou

It expresses the emotions of angst, anger, and lust in some of the only ways that are accepted by society. The history of this edgy music genre dates back to the 1950s. It was formed by a combination of the blues, gospel music, and country. Throughout the decades, rock ‘n roll has evolved and become famous for being the genre that’s continued to push the boundaries of music, and, sometimes, the cultural boundaries of society itself. In the 1950s rock ‘n roll could be defined as rhythm and blues. In the 1960s it was partial to new musical styles such as folk rock and soul. And in the 1970s hard rock was born. From the 1980s to the present, technology has had an enormous impact on the music industry. Good taste is the enemy of the revolution. This remark epitomizes the spirit of rock ‘n roll. You’re not expected to conform, you’re expected to be yourself… no matter what anyone thinks. You are admired deeply for expressing emotions such as anger, heartbreak, and sadness through music in a...
Post a Comment
Read more

Spiritualized - Spread Your Wings

Spiritualized - Spread Your Wings Released in: February 1995 Duration: 6:17 Vocals: Jason Pierce "The first Spiritualized release was a space rock esque cover in 1990, a record which heralded the official split of Spacemen 3. On 15 June 1997, Spiritualized became the last band to play at Factory Records' Manchester nightclub." See Previous Song of the Day  
Post a Comment
Read more

Steve Winwood - Domingo Morning

There have also been plenty of blues festivals and events in Ireland, which have brought the styles to a greater number of people. The Cork Jazz Festival is a massive annual offering that attracts thousands, while there’s also the Dublin Blues, Roots, and Brass Festival that brings in local and international blues enthusiasts. The events are a prime opportunity to celebrate the heritage of these music varieties and showcase some of the best talents around. The influence of reggae and blues music in Ireland goes beyond the music scene and has had a broader impact on the entertainment industry. It’s clear that the incorporation of these genres into Ireland’s entertainment landscape has helped bring diversity and richness to the culture of the country. This has, in turn, led to the attraction of more diverse audiences to Irish entertainment. Companies that offer entertainment to people in Ireland now must consider this diversity, and market their offerings to a broad spectrum of consumers...
Post a Comment
Read more