''Folksinger'' is an album by folk singer-songwriter

Phranc Phranc (born Susan Gottlieb; August 28, 1957), is an American singer-songwriter whose career began playing in several bands in the late 1970s Los Angeles punk rock scene. Her musical style later shifted during the 1980s as a solo artist, into a ...

, released in 1985. Phranc's first solo LP fused elements of her

punk rock Punk rock (also known as simply punk) is a rock music genre that emerged in the mid-1970s. Rooted in 1950s rock and roll and 1960s garage rock, punk bands rejected the corporate nature of mainstream 1970s rock music. They typically produced sh ...

past with acoustic folk music. She covers

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan; born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Described as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture over his nearly 70-year ...

's "

The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll" is a topical song written by the United States, American musician Bob Dylan. Recorded on October 23, 1963, the song was released on Dylan's 1964 album ''The Times They Are a-Changin' (album), The Times They A ...

," comments on the image of girl groups ("Everywhere I Go (I Hear the Go Go's)"), and relays the personal tragedy of suicide in "Lifelover." ''Folksinger'' was released on

Rhino Records A rhinoceros ( ; ; ; : rhinoceros or rhinoceroses), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant taxon, extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates (perissodactyls) in the family (biology), famil ...

, and was licensed to Island Records in 1990. "Everywhere I Go (I Hear the Go-Go's)" is a bonus track on the Island version.

Critical reception

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

wrote that "acoustic folk music had yet to be embraced by the punk/new wave underground, making ''Folksinger'' a watershed album." ''

Trouser Press ''Trouser Press'' was a rock and roll magazine started in New York in 1974 as a mimeographed fanzine by editor/publisher Ira Robbins, fellow fan of the Who, Dave Schulps, and Karen Rose under the name "Trans-Oceanic Trouser Press" (a reference ...

'' wrote that "Phranc’s not a timeless melodicist, but her wry lyrical observations and attractive singing make ''Folksinger'' a fine effort." ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' wrote that the songs "tend to be too slight and specific for repeated listening; they don't have the resonances of 'Hattie Carroll.'"

Track listing

All tracks composed by Phranc, except where indicated # "One of the Girls" – 4:56 # "Noguchi" – 2:56 # "Mary Hooley" – 4:02 # "Ballad of the Dumb Hairdresser" – 3:24 # "Caped Crusader" – 2:16 # "Female Mudwrestling" – 2:12 # "

" (

) – 4:26 # "Amazons" – 2:34 # "Liar Liar" – 1:58 # "Handicapped" – 1:30 # "Carolyn" – 4:27 # "Lifelover" – 2:36 # "Everywhere I Go (I Hear the Go Go's)" – 2:46

Critical reception

Track listing

Personnel

Release details

References

External links