Various: Milk of the Tree - an Anthology of Female Vocal Folk and Singer-Songwriters 1966-73 album review

There may be a better version of gender equality now, but in the 1960s, in the early stages of the pop/rock music industry, there was both a shocking absence of female artists and, when present, shrewd manipulation by male managers and/or songs written by men trying to write from a female viewpoint.

That changed somewhat with the advent of second-wave feminism, and Milk of the Tree aims to gather many examples (60 in total) that tentatively, and then more assuredly, grappled with getting their voices heard.

A treasure trove of proven singer-songwriters (including Joan Baez, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Laura Nyro, Vashti Bunyan, Sandy Denny) and virtual unknowns (including Polly Niles, Bonnie Dobson, Margo Guryan), this superb project is equal parts revelation, revolution and ladies climbing out of that deep canyon onto the freeway.

[ cherryred.co.uk/label/grapefruit ]