Folk
Not Forgotten: Smog – A River Ain’t Too Much to Love
For the first minute or so there’s nothing but melancholic acoustic guitar and a far away harmonica. It’s moving, deeply moving. Then comes Bill Callahan’s voice, and you’re utterly invested. By the time he released A River Ain’t Too Much to Love in 2005, Callahan has been recording under the identity of Smog since the …
Track: The Hanging Stars – On a Sweet Summer’s Day
“On A Sweet Summer’s Day” is the new single to be taken from cosmic folk outfit The Hanging Stars’ forthcoming album Songs For Somewhere Else, due out on 9 February 2018 on Crimson Crow. The band have also announced some live dates, including a London album launch at The Victoria in Hackney on 22 February. …
See: Trembling Bells release new video for Christ’s entry into Govan
Seems like we’re only a few days into 2018 and we’ve already had some brilliant new tracks. Here’s another one, maybe the best. Trembling Bells return with ‘Christ’s Entry Into Govan, a Leige & Leif slice of freak folk, that has this startlingly brilliant arrangement, full of intricate guitars and lovely harmonies, but it’s so …
News: Myles Kennedy announces solo UK headline dates
Myles Kennedy has announced his first ever headline UK dates as a solo artist to coincide with the release of his first solo album in March. Presales will begin at 9am on Wednesday 16th January with O2, and 9am on Thursday 17th January at 9am with Livenation, before general sale begins at 9am on Friday …
News: The Low Anthem reveal new concept album, watch album trailer
The eminent classical avant garde composer John Cage visited the music college I attended in my youth. Little did he expect, I’m sure, after a detailed explanation of his chance music and various prepared piano experiments to be asked questions which included ‘Do you like fish and chips?’ and ‘Do you want to come with …
Not Forgotten: Bob Dylan – John Wesley Harding
Music changed forever in 1967, primarily because in the wake of Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, it was firmly established that the long player had finally wrestled the mantle of definitive medium for rock and roll statements from the single format. Sure, it was already in the pipeline anyway, as acts like Pink Floyd …
Live Review: Ryan Keen / Corey Harper, The Islington, London, 30/11/17
Totnes-born singer-songwriter Ryan Keen has graced the same stages as megastars like Ed Sheeran and X Factor champion Leona Lewis playing support slots on huge national and indeed world tours, but if he has been changed by these massive brushes with success, you’d never know. He has also toured with some of the most interesting …
See: Panteon reveals new video for debut single White Jaguar
Travelling the world might well provide inspiration for songwriting, but its not often that that inspiration comes in the shape of the indigenous civilisation of the the Kogi in Columbia, still living like they did some 400 years ago. Well, not many people are Yvonne Ambrée, aka Panteon. She’s used the tribe, who are apparently …
See: Holy Moly & The Crackers release new video for ‘Let Go’, plus November tour dates
‘Let Go’ is the new single off Holy Moly & The Crackers’ recently release album, Salem. ‘Let Go’. The North East gypsy folk outfit go in heavy on the record with some full on soulful vocals from Ruth Patterson, and its supported by crunchy guitar chords, fiddles, accordians and percussion building the tension and expectation …
Album Review: Pale Bird – Ten Things Which Aren’t Love
Pale Bird, aka Martin Austwick, or the artist formerly known as the Sound of the Ladies possesses an instantly identifiable folkish indie sound. Part of this is down to Austwick’s oddly soothing voice, his guitar work, or the feeling of space his production techniques provide between each instrument. It acts as an audible thread connecting …