Folk
Meet: Futureheads frontman Barry Hyde on his new solo album Miners Ballads
Barry Hyde has always been an artist with an instinct for reinvention. As frontman of The Futureheads, his angular, harmony-laden punk propelled the band to prominence in the 2000s. But his latest project, Miner’s Ballads, is a stark departure—a deeply personal folk record commissioned by Sunderland Council, chronicling the region’s coal mining heritage. When we …
Album Review: Barry Hyde – Miners’ Ballads; A deeply personal folk concept album
Barry Hyde, best known as the frontman of The Futureheads, ventures into deeply personal and historical territory with Miners’ Ballads, released on his own Sirenspire Records. The album is a concept piece inspired by the coal mining heritage of Northeast England, particularly Sunderland and Washington. Commissioned by Sunderland City Council and Paul Emerson, the project …
Premiere: ‘Solid and Human’ – Maia Jelavic releases a yearning slow burning anthem that sparkles in the sunshine, with debut album and gigs on the way.
Maia Jelavic premiered her last single with us a few years back under the stage name Maia Marsh. She has made the decision to be true to herself and returned with another premiere under her birth name Maia Jelavic, and while the label might change, the imperial quality of her songwriting remains. We are therefore …
LIVE REVIEW: Beans On Toast at The Grove, Newcastle. 15.03.2025.
A glorious night of singing, dancing, smiling, laughing and the pricking of people’s social conscience. Beans On Toast, aka Jay McAllister, has released an album every year for the last 16 years. Latest long player ‘Wild Goose Chasers’ is pared back – no guitar, just vocals and piano courtesy of Matt Millership (punky pianist Tensheds) …
Album Review: Constant Follower – The Smile You Send Out Returns To You; a beautiful, spacial, immersive album
Stephen McAll’s journey to The Smile You Send Out Returns To You is as moving as the music itself. A brutal attack in his teens left him with lasting head injuries, altering his memory and setting him on an unexpected path. Yet, through sheer resilience, he has carved out a space in music, using songwriting …
Live Review & Gallery: A Truly Enchanting Night at Oxford Art Factory With Bess Atwell, Ruby Gill and Sarah Levins – Eora Land/Sydney, 06.03.25
From the first note to the last, Bess Atwell’s night at Oxford Art Factory was never about spectacle, it was something rawer, more tangible. No theatrics, no backing band, just three artists at their most unfiltered, pulling the audience into their worlds with little more than voice, melody, and presence. Sarah Levins opened, her voice …
Meet: Katherine Priddy on Daybreaker, Collaborating with Simon Armitage and future plans
Katherine Priddy has long been celebrated for her poetic songwriting, but her latest collaboration takes that connection to a whole new level. Working with Poet Laureate Simon Armitage, Priddy has transformed his words into two stunning winter-themed songs, the latest of which, Daybreaker, was released on January 30. This follows Close Season, which earned widespread …
Track: It’s not a cover – Lutruwita/Tasmania’s go-to musician Jethro Pickett releases the shimmering and lush single ‘Jolene (not a cover)’
Jethro Pickett is the go-to guitarist in his home Lutriwitta/Tasmania – look at any recent release and you will find his signature chiming guitars sparkling somewhere in the mix (Claire Anne Taylor, EWAH and Christopher Coleman being recent examples). In his new single ‘Jolene (not a cover’ – which he is at pains to make …
Album Review: Seth Lakeman – The Granite Way; folklore, melody and history beautifully entwined
Seth Lakeman’s forthcoming album, The Granite Way, set for release on February 14th via Honour Oak Records, reaffirms his mastery in contemporary folk music. While the album doesn’t mark a significant departure from his established style, it encapsulates the core elements that have consistently distinguished his work: a compelling voice, intricate arrangements, and evocative storytelling. …
News: Stranded Horse Shares New Single ‘Right No Wrongs With No Arms’ Alongside New Album Announcement (feat Boubacar Cissokho)
Stranded Horse (aka Yann Tambour) released their second album Humbling Tides (Talitres) in early 2011, featuring ethereal melodies with a wandering spirit. Years before, Tambour had made a dramatic artistic shift away from the darker sound of Encre with Churning Strides (2007). This distinctive and bright work blended Anglo-Saxon folk with French chanson and Mandinka …