Assuming an album can be judged by such a fulsome title, The Only Folk Collection You’ll Ever Need, a two-disc compilation from Shout Factory, is the optimum choice, and appears tailored, for those seeking a primer of vintage folk archetypes. In an era of handcrafted playlists and the shuffle feature playing deejay on any digital device, this now ‘old-school’ CD set takes a similar approach, with 30 songs by 30 different artists, sequenced relatively chronologically, charting the development of the genre. For the purists, these 30 will stir debate as to their inclusion as essential, though few will argue with benchmarks like the Carter Family, Woody Guthrie, Lead Belly or the Stanley Brothers. The casual fan should be pleased with the ‘60s golden age classics. Dylan’s expected “The Times They Are A-Changin’” and Peter, Paul, and Mary (doing Dylan) on “Blowin’ in the Wind” are here, as well as The Byrds, Pete Seeger, and Joan Baez. The novice will get an introduction to the realm of acoustic guitars, lone microphones, and lyrics that moved listeners emotionally and well as socially, and perhaps a better understanding as to why these musicians were and continue to be so well-regarded. It isn’t flawless, despite the title. Virtually equating the importance of Donovan with that of Dylan is a stretch, and there are song choices that in some cases seem a little obvious, missing an opportunity to expose some gemstones, which may allow the collection, ironically, not to serve as a finish line so much as it does a starting point for the curious. Those complaints, however, do nothing to diminish the music that is present, and any album that contains Dave Van Ronk and Fairport Convention has done its homework. The Only Folk Collection You’ll Ever Need, bold boast and all, will be more than enough for some music fans, never enough for others, and a hinting, well-curated suggestion of all that remains to be heard.
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