Author: Ian Parker

Ian is For Folk's Sake's reviews editor. Find him on Twitter @iparky.

FFS New Bands Panel: Musical Charis

Sacramento’s Musical Charis have just released their LP People, People, so we sent the panel in for a listen. Emma Dalby Bowler: Lush and full of life, jam-packed with uplifting harmonies, the album People People is at first not especially…

FFS New Bands Panel: Emily & the Woods

Emily Wood has been causing something of a stir since recording her first demos in the kitchen of Laura Marling, getting one of our favourite artists to provide percussion using pasta while adding the occasional well-timed cough. Since then, she…

FFS New Bands Panel: The Black Hand Gang

The Black Hand Gang douse their ears in old blues and country, 60s R ‘n’ B, psychedelia, and rock, but our panel found the end result from this Glasgow band is a much more modern sound. Louis Gilbert: The Black…

FFS New Bands Panel: Salwa Azar

London’s Salwa Azar uses a “ukelele and some other ramshackle instruments” to make her music, but, as our panel found out, from simple things can come wonderful sounds. Alice Sage: This woman has a truly lovely voice. It trips and…

FFS New Bands Panel: Luke Brant

Luke Brant’s myspace page promises that “This hope will set you free”. So, after giving it a listen, are any of the panel members still in shackles? Damien Girling: It was said once by a member of Franz Ferdinand that…

FFS New Bands Panel: Matt Shillito

After several years working with different bands, Matt Shillito has gone solo with his brand of angry folk-rock. It’s raw, yes, but is there beauty within? The panel went looking. Kate Hinksman: Matt Shillito makes stripped back acoustic folk-rock along…

FFS New Bands Panel: Silent Paper Radios

Dan Gubbins works under the name Silent Paper Radios, and while there is no doubt something fragile about the music he makes, our panel found you should certainly make sure the volume is not too low. Alice Sage: Pared-back but…

FFS New Bands Panel: Colour Masks

There’s no doubting that Samual Higginbotham has created something rather weird under the name of the Colour Masks, but as the panel found out, it’s also occasionally wonderful. James Rutherford: I’m usually suspicious of bands that have fewer friends on…

FFS New Bands Panel: Clarity Kaufmann

A chance meeting between Korean artist Maia Ruth Lee, and British musician Christopher Knowle at a bus stop in Northern Italy gave birth to Clarity Kaufmann, a folk/electro crossover act. We sent in the panel to assess the results. James…