This EP was always going to be a winner with me- I’m a sucker for any gravely voiced bluesy man with a guitar. Especially when he sounds like Eddie Vedder from Pearl Jam (swoon). This 25 year old singer/songwriter from Brooklyn is singing the blues with genuine reason. His past is peppered with regrets including becoming an addict and sleeping on benches in Coney Island. Every tortured artist needs a sob story, but it’s nice when you hear that turn into a genuine sound with relatable lyrics.
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.
EP: Thom Stone – Hearts and Bones
Thom Stone is a scruffy haired English singer/songwriter who sings slow burning, acoustic folk-like music. His voice is unique and — on new EP Hearts and Bones — often accompanied by a haunting humming. Now without his backing band, this new offering is raw, acoustic and impressive.
Best Of: Daniel Johnston – Welcome to my World
Being a fan of Daniel Johnston can sometimes be both an enjoyable yet uncomfortable experience. On the one hand there is his honest, childish yet emotional pop music with clever lyrics dealing with love, life and everything in between but on the other there is the knowledge that you’re listening to someone struggling with a severe mental illness and can beg the question ‘am I a voyeur into a world that I can never understand and is it okay to be here and enjoy it?’
Album: The Dodos – Time to Die
There are some astounding duo acts out there, and The Dodos’ 2008 album Visiter easily set them apart from the rest. This year’s Time To Die does not disappoint and sees the duo become a trio, introducing vibraphonist Keaton Snyder into the mix with exciting consequences.
Album: Theoretical Girl – Divided
When I looked up Theoretical Girl, (AKA Amy Turnridge), on wikipedia they described her music as Chamber pop- an odd explanation, but probably the most accurate! My description would go more like this: ‘50’s style romantic pop mixed with folk, electro and angst’. On the whole the album is sweet and full of catchy chorus’ that come off as innocent pop. However, after a closer listen you realise Amy isn’t all sweetness and light. When you really listen to the lyrics you hear lines such as “You’re the biggest mistake I ever made”…. “I should have loved you more”….. and “My love is unrequited” – suddenly she isn’t this little girl with cute ditties and romantic tales- she’s you and me.
Festival: Carey at Indietracks – part 4
Part four: in which Carey tastes celestial Italian melodies, ultra-camp Euro-pop and realises that if you don’t like Teenage Fanclub, you’re probably a twat.
Festival: Carey at Indietracks – part 3
Part three: in which Carey finds himself unimpressed by FFS favourites Cats on Fire and Camera Obscura, but beguiled by Emmy the Great.
Festival: Carey at Indietracks – part 2
Part two: in which Carey discovers that if Morrissey had been a bit more chatty and a bit less veggie, the Smiths would still have been quite good.
Festival: Carey at Indietracks – part 1
FFS’s Carey Davies took a trip to Indietracks festival in Derbyshire. In part one of this four part review our intrepid reporter loses confidence in his state of mind, only to have it restored by checked shirts and drainpipe jeans.
Album: Julian Plenti is… Skyscraper
So Interpol’s frontman Paul Banks has joined the growing ranks of blokes in bands releasing solo records, but does the world need another outlet for his creative juices?
On first listen, and particularly on first track Only If You Run, you’d have to say a big fat ‘no’. It plods, it whines, and it lacks any of the tense energy of Interpol at their best.