Stampfel, Peter
Songs Shards
Since the 1960s, Peter Stampfel (Holy Modal Rounders, The Fugs) has been a major influence on the freakier edge of folk music, standing as "one of the first artists to explore the nexus where folk and psychedelia meet" (All Music). On his new album Song Shards, which marries two concepts, also represents a return to health for Stampfel, who was unable to sing for a time due to dysphonia. Section 1 is made up of ancient stoic aphorisms: prayers and observations of wit and wisdom (some inspired by his time in AA and others by smoking weed); while Section 2 sees Stampfel recalling radio advertising jingles, the first of which he heard on the radio at the age of 6 in 1945. Both are made up of extremely short songs. The album was produced by Mark Bingham (Marianne Faithfull, Dr. John, R.E.M.) and recorded in Brooklyn and New Orleans. Stampfel has collaborated with Michael Hurley, Jeffrey Lewis, Yo La Tengo, and They Might Be Giants and won a GRAMMY Award for his liner notes of The Anthology of American Folk Music reissue. According to Rolling Stone his music is "oddball and ambitious" and The New York Times called him "the joyful embodiment of Americana of the folk hero."