How Sad, How Lovely

Robert Forster recently wrote an article titled 'Lost Women Found' about the 'forgotten' folk music of Vashti Bunyan, Sibylle Baier and Connie Converse. These women wrote original, beautiful, honest music between the 1950s-1970s, but although largely ahead of their time, enjoyed little initial commercial success. However, recent years have seen a re-release of Bunyan's Diamond Day (2000), and first pressings of Baier's Colour Green (2006; compiled of songs recorded in the 1970s) and Converse's How Sad, How Lovely (2009; from tape recordings made in the 1950s).

Although belated, these albums have received deserved acclaim from various musicians (Bunyan recently worked with Devendra Banhart, and the Animal Collective) and music-critics. For this reason, it seems that their songs weren't 'forgotten'- it's just that their influence has too often has been misplaced, or gone unrecognised.

While I love to listen to Vashti Bunyan and Sibylle Baier, the music of Connie Converse was a new discovery to me. WNYC radio program Spinning on Air put together a wonderful special on her music last year which you can listen to here. Its full of nolstolgia, for forgotten old times.

The music, and mysterious lives of Vashti Bunyan, Sibylle Baier and Connie Converse could be the subject of numerous music or critical essays..... but their own words and voices will always tell their stories much better. Thus, my humble homage: