Folk music: let’s riff a little on its definition. Sorry Tigercats, just hang in there. At folk’s core, let’s assume, must be storytelling. Scholars – yes, certain scholars have little better to do than consider your listening predilections – have…
Category: Reviews
Album | Alabama Shakes – Boys & Girls
Chances are you’ve probably heard of Alabama Shakes on every music website/blog on the internet. Their southern rock, infusing elements of soul and blues, has put a spell on everyone who’s listened to them or seen them live. Boys &…
Album | Great Lake Swimmers – New Wild Everywhere
I had hopes for this album from Great Lake Swimmers, mostly due to this song, which is magical when played in velvety darkness. They’re a perfect lullaby band, beautiful, lush, soothing, though sometimes in danger of being a bit vanilla…
Bumper Singles Round-up | Richard Hawley, Smoke Fairies, Tom Williams & The Boat, Quickbeam, Skinny Lister, and many more
Oh my, oh my. A new Richard Hawley album is always something to get excited about, but Sheffield’s most restless talent has really excelled himself this time. Whereas each of his solo records to date have delivered a stark beauty,…
Album | Seth Lakeman – Tales From The Barrel House
Tales From The Barrel House is much as you would expect from a Seth Lakeman album. His old folks tales and traditional themes are punctuated by frequent fiddle breaks and often punchy drums. Often minimalist instrumentation allows Lakeman’s strong vocals…
Album | Simone Felice – Simone Felice
The former drummer of the Felice Brothers and the brains behind The Duke & the King, Simone Felice’s first solo record arrives weighted with expectation. There are moments of the brilliance of both outfits in this eponymous debut, recorded with…
Album | Deer Tick – Divine Providence (and Tim EP)
Rhode Island is no doubt meant to be a clarion call to their youth, a reliving of the bad old days of getting drunk, picking up chicks and telling stories about it afterwards.
Album | Shearwater – Animal Joy
Whilst not as dense or treacle-thick as previous Shearwater records, Animal Joy is just as intricately layered, and manages to be peculiarly exhilerating in spite of its persistently shadowy subject matter. Opener ‘Animal Life’ anchors the album’s loose thread of…
New Bands Panel | Randolph’s Leap – The Curse of the Haunted Headphones
The Irn-Bru drinkers amongst you may be familiar with this lot- it’s lo-fi Glasgow based 8-piece Randolph’s Leap. A tartan background adorns their bandcamp. They have a song called ‘Cassie O’Tone’. Playing devil’s advocate here, I’m going to say they…
EP | Poor Moon – Illusion
The constituent members of Fleet Foxes come from such a rich heritage of previous bands, solo efforts and general musical immersion that it seems a little disingenuous to call Poor Moon a side project, not least because two of the…