Check out Pre Develske Drom from Henning Gustavsen. It’s a recent release from Etnisk Musikklubb, and it is captivating. Gustavsen’s voice is clear and compelling, and it is put front and center on this album. A few early tracks are sung a capella—little to no instrumentation and only an occasional harmonizing voice. These tracks are stark and memorable. In other places, however, the album is friendlier and warmer. “Det var i fjor jag tjena dreng” is one of these—the track begins with sounds of a crackling fire and then proceeds to evoke a country boy, John Denver tone. In yet another turn, “Brevet til mamma” is a drama-laden, piano-based track that shows off Gustavsen’s versatility. The instrumentation seems to grow as the album progresses—we hear the tuba, accordion, and pipe organ. Download these varied but valuable tracks from Amazon.com.

Here’s a performance from Gustavsen that captures the country side of his repertoire.  This track is not on this album, but it is well worth a listen.

Etnisk Musikklubb’s recent release Merakerklarinetten I Solo Og Samspell (bet you can’t say that three times fast) features the almost forgotten Meraker clarinet, a handmade folk clarinet that was rediscovered and modernized by Harald Gilland in the 1950s. Since Gilland’s passing in 1992, the instrument has again fallen into near obscurity. To try to keep the sound alive, two of his students, Geir Egil Larsen and Bjorn Aksdal, recorded this album, which is packed with 29 short tunes. Download these rare tracks from Amazon.com.

Norway’s Etnisk Musikklubb label is offering up another page from its traditional music playbook: Rammeslag II from Daniel Sanden-Warg and Sigurd Brokke. Two instruments dominate this album—the fiddle (both regular fiddle and the Hardanger fiddle) and the jew’s harp. The jew’s harp (or mouth harp) is a small instrument with a big, unusual sound—think low-tech synthesizer. The songs here are traditional folk music, and the liner notes include historic photos of some of the performers who have passed down the tradition. It’s not an album that will appeal to a wide audience, but folk music devotees will find much of value here.