Shawn by Shawn Phillips, released on Columbia in 1965.

Shawn Review by Richie Unterberger

...As an interpretive artist, Phillips was something of a folk variety show, doing Pete Seeger (an above-average arrangement of "The Bells of Rhymney"), Leadbelly's "Black Girl," Rod McKuen, Barry McGuire, Billy Ed Wheeler, and even "Maria" from West Side Story. (Phillips may have been unique among folksingers of his stature in his taste for standards from musicals.) Earnest protest/travelin' man folk lingered in cuts like "Theme for the March of Washington" and "Another Country." Only four of the 12 songs were Phillips compositions, and these did sometimes show him slowly developing in more original directions, particularly on "London Town" and "Storm."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tdgT2badKM&list=RD-tdgT2badKM&start_radio=1

#ShawnPhillips #Folk #FolkMusic #12stringguitar #Music #WestSideStory

I'm A Loner by Shawn Phillips, released on Columbia in 1964.

I'm a Loner Review by Richie Unterberger

Phillips was still in pretty much of a traditional early-'60s folk troubadour mode on his debut album, on which he's accompanied only by his 12-string acoustic guitar. He did stand out from much of the competition (certainly in Britain, where the American singer was based by the time of this mid-'60s release) by virtue of his eclectic repertoire, impassioned delivery, and imaginative arrangements. He wasn't as much of an innovator as peers such as Dino Valenti and Fred Neil were in this respect, but like them he was breaking away to some degree from hidebound, stiff folk deliveries. He wasn't recording much original material, though, and this set is largely devoted to covers of songs by the likes of Phil Ochs (including the obscure "I'm Tired";..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRy5oG30V_Q

#ShawnPhillips #Folk #PhilOchs #Music #12stringguitar