An evening spent with Monsters of Folk, a merry band of musical brothers I have admired for what feels like most of my musical existence: there was no way this wasn’t going to be good.
Author: Lynn Roberts
Lynn founded For Folk's Sake in 2008. Her favourite artists are Joni Mitchell, The Leisure Society and The Mountain Goats. She plays keyboards in Joe Innes & the Cavalcade.
Cocos Lovers in a pub
What could be better than a lovely bit of acoustic folk in a country pub on a winters evening? Nothing? We agree… feast your eyes: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTo5XFdECBk] The band say: ?”We will be at the Enterprise, Camden headlining a Folking Good…
FFS recommends: Caitlin Rose
FFS had Caitlin Rose recommended to us by Matt over at Stay Loose, had a chat with Anika about her who’d just discovered her too — through the rather amazing Names Records — and before we knew it we were booking her for our next Allotment show.
Stornaway and Beth Jeans Houghton tour
A couple of FFS favourites are heading out on a UK tour together, curated by the intriguing types at twisted folk. See the poster for deeeets. www.bethjeanshoughton.co.uk www.myspace.com/stornoway
End of the Road 2010: The Mountain Goats, Wilco, Diane Cluck
FFS’s favourite festival, End of the Road, has announced the first few acts for 2010.
Diane Cluck, The Mountain Goats, AA Bondy, The Low Anthem and The Wilderness of Manitoba join headliners Wilco in what is already a highly exciting line-up.
Live: Daniel Johnston, Laura Marling, The Wave Pictures @ Union Chapel, London
We arrived at Union Chapel to catch the end of The Wave Pictures’ earlier-than-advertised slot. The Leicestershire band delivered an assured performance, and have certainly come along way since FFS last saw them at End of the Road 2008. When they close with the brilliant Strange Fruit For David, we see why The Wave Pictures are so well-loved by established alt-folkers like Jeffrey Lewis and Darren Hayman, with whom they’ve appeared on stage.
Live: Willy Mason and Friends — St Giles in the Fields Church
From the importance of the local folk community inhabited by both he and his parents, to his preference for playing concerts in fans’ living rooms rather than ‘proper’ venues, Willy Mason is a man who understands the power music has to bring people together and share something special between them. Stood in front of the altar of St Giles church – a disconcertingly peaceful spot in the heart of bustling, grimy Soho – he allowed the congregation into his world as he stood alongside numerous fellow musicians for an inclusive night of shared sounds.
EP: Draw Me Stories — The Sky and the Mirror
Already spurred by critical acclaim from their first album and their stonking live performances, the Cardiff trio have released The Sky and the Mirror, an impressive collection of four songs infused with rock, a dash of funk and lashings of folk.
The Shins but not
Yesterday, while searching for the Shins album Oh, Inverted World on Spotify in order to help FFS’s resident owl Brian make his weekly playlist (he doesn’t have opposable thumbs, which makes computer-use tricky, you see) I discovered this: Pickin’ On…
Maryland on Balcony TV
Here’s God’s Gift to the Gunshy from Londoners Maryland.