Compiled by DJ/Twisted Nerve label founder
Andy Votel,
Folk Is Not a Four Letter Word -- the third in a series of discs previously spotlighting prog and glam, respectively -- documents the mind-expanding funk-folk of the late '60s and early '70s, a subgenre notable for its dreamy grooves and gentle, nuanced rhythms. For music so clearly born of a particular time and place, this is genuinely timeless stuff, presciently anticipating the neo-soul of a later generation -- its 15 tracks are presented with an emphasis on the kind of uniform mood and painstaking pacing that more haphazardly compiled sets miss altogether. It's perfect Sunday morning listening -- airy and spacious, but never too light for its own good. Highlights include
Brigitte Fontaine's "Brigitte," Kathy Smith's "It's Taking So Long," and Breakout's cinematic "Warm Up My Lips."