Fondly known as one of the hardest working duos in the folk music world, John Spiers and Jon Boden were the hit of this year’s Cambridge Folk Festival. Their bombastic 11-piece big band Bellowhead played a storming set in the main…
Author: For Folk's Sake
Album | Anna Elias & The Forlorn Hope – The Valleys in the Flatlands
Formerly of Bodixa, Leeds songstress Anna Elias is connecting more fully with folk roots in this new project, which features husband Harvey as well as such luminaries of the UK folk scene as Karine Polwart and Saul Rose and even…
Live | Austra @ Scala, 6th September
As we stand on Scala’s balcony overlooking our fellow audience members, we’re utterly transfixed by Austra. The only thing that can interrupt FFS’s state of mind is the raucous applause that separates each of their songs. Like many sailors drawn…
Album | Blitzen Trapper – American Goldwing
With over a decade of experience and five other albums under their belt, Blitzen Trapper proved their worth long before creating new album American Goldwing. This of course means that they also have a reputation to uphold, particularly after failing…
EP | Sweet Baboo – Girl Under A Tree
It will come of no surprise to Voluntary Butler Scheme fans that Sweet Baboo’s long-awaited new release has been co-produced by one-man band extraordinaire Rob Jones. It’s summery, jangly, relentlessly upbeat production makes for a perky listen and perfectly compliments…
EP | Paper Aeroplanes – A Comfortable Sleep
Sarah Howells and Richard Llewellyn are Paper Aeroplanes, a Welsh duo beloved BBC Radio 2, and, if their activity this year is anything to go by – this is their second release of the year – very busy indeed. Upon…
Festival | Bestival 2011
Sparky electro-pop and dance were more dominant than folk at this year’s Bestival, but it’s a cheerful mish-mash where sensitive strumming acts are welcomed (as long as they’re not upset by a soft background thud of drum and bass, as…
Album | Charlie Parr – Cheap Wine
Even casual old-time music enthusiasts will be lured in by Cheap Wine, a retrospective of Charlie Parr’s first ten years of music. Mr. Parr is a bold and burley resonator player and he can make a healthy plunk and thump…
Album | The Drums – Portamento
“There’s always been a lot of pressure and tension on the line. If ‘Pi’ didn’t work out, I have no idea what my career would be. I don’t think I would have gotten another shot at it. If ‘Requiem for…
Album | Slow Down, Molasses – Walk Into The Sea
Very occasionally Windows Media Player can be quite an astute critic. Take for instance its acute appraisal of Slow Down, Molasses’s Walk into the Sea: “Unknown Genre”. It’s right. The band’s music seems to me to refuse to take shape,…