by Ian Parker • • Comments Off on Album | Frazey Ford – U Kin B The Sun
Frazey Ford is one of those artists you would happily listen to singing the proverbial phone book. You’d be unlikely to make out any of the names or addresses, but her rich voice, clearer in its emotion than its enunciation,…
by Ian Parker • • Comments Off on Live | Smoke Fairies @ Soup Kitchen, Manchester
“If we started a cult now, would you all join?” It’s funny where a conversation about being stuck in a lift can go, but as Katherine and Jessica sort their tunings for ‘Elevator’, they’re apparently contemplating a new concept for…
by Ian Parker • • Comments Off on Album | Lankum – The Livelong Day
Dropping the needle on The Livelong Day is to enter an intense world. Their third studio album is the Irish four-piece’s most uncompromising statement yet. Few bands would dare open with an 11-minute long reworking of ‘The Wild Rover?’, its…
by Ian Parker • • Comments Off on Album | Neil Young & Crazy Horse – Colorado
For his 41st (not counting those unreleased treasures constantly teased but not yet heard) studio album, Neil Young headed to the Studio In The Clouds, almost two miles above sea level in the Colorado Rockies. You know that if Young…
by Ian Parker • • Comments Off on Video premiere | Junkboy – Fulfil
Junkboy’s sixth career album Trains, Trees and Topophilia brought widespread acclaim on its release in August. The instrumental record from Mik and Rich Hanscomb, their first since 2014’s Sovereign Sky, was inspired by travel (by train, of course) around the…
by Ian Parker • • Comments Off on Live | Bill Callahan @ Manchester Albert Hall
As he stands in the splendour of Manchester’s Albert Hall, Bill Callahan almost looks like he is enjoying himself. He cracks the odd joke and flashes an occasional smile. ‘This is the first time we’ve played Manchester since Mark E…
by Ian Parker • • Comments Off on Premiere | Molly Linen – Outside EP
Let’s step Outside. Molly Linen releases her debut EP this week and it’s a gem. On this five-track collection for Lost Map’s PostMap Club series, the Shropshire-born, Glasgow-based artists has weaved a subtle but engagingly rich tapestry of sounds to…
by Ian Parker • • Comments Off on Premiere | Rachael Dadd – Beacon
Anticipation is building here at FFS towers because one of our favourite artists Rachael Dadd has a new album on the way. FLUX is due in a couple of months and, treat of treats, we can now bring you the…
by Ian Parker • • Comments Off on Premiere | Emma Frank – Before You Go Away (Living Room Songs version)
Emma Frank will return with her second album on next month. Expanding on her distinctive mix of folk, R&B and jazz, Come Back is the follow-up to 2018’s Ocean Av. As a teaser before it’s release, here we bring you…
by Ian Parker • • Comments Off on Premiere | Broken Forest – Deeper Than You (Live at The Old Church)
When Broken Forest were invited to play The Old Church in Stoke Newington earlier this year, Luise London and her band took the opportunity to reimagine their songs to fit the setting. Stripped back, the songs lost their distinctive elements…