Released 10 Aug 2018 Rachael Mcshane has trekked through the valleys of folk music theatre with her star turn as Susannah, a new mother fighting through hardship on a boat to Australia in “The Transports”, dazzled under the lights of big band folk in “Bellowhead”, and made a flourish as a solo artist and teacher […]
Category: British
Hebden Bridge Folk and Roots Festival 2018 – What you missed
Hi I hope everyone’s good and enjoying the sun! So it’s been a few weeks since the Hebden Bridge Folk and Roots Festival, where the sun started to emerge and the musicians came out to entertain. We had quite a few highlights from the festival with (for us) an array of new talent and artists […]
Geoff Lakeman at Village Folk – 17th March 2018
There is procrastination and procrastination. I mean I have thought about painting the walls in my office a beautiful forest green for weeks (and haven’t managed yet) but sometimes people put off really big things, things that matter. In the world of music there are bands who take their sweet time between album releases. For example Daft […]
Kathryn Roberts & Sean Lakeman – Personae (2018) Album Review
“Sharp, witty and accomplished there is a class to Roberts & Lakeman’s new album that cannot be measured on any known scientific apparatus” Album: Personae Producer: Sean Lakeman Tracks: 10 Iscream Music Records (2018) Released 9th March 2018 Kathryn Roberts & Sean Lakeman are indeed a famous duo. Maybe the best known in folk circles […]
The Twisted Twenty (Debut Album) Review
THE TWISTED TWENTY From: Penny Fiddle Records Tracks: 8 With: Holly Harman (baroque violin, vocals), Alexis Bennett (baroque violin, guitar, bodhran, electronics), James O’Toole, David Rabinovici (baroque violin), Ewan Macdonald (Cittern), Lucia Capellaro (baroque cello), Carina Cosgrave (baroque double bass Producer: Sam Proctor Zesty yet focused, the Twisted Twenty’s Debut is a fantastic window […]
Kim Lowings and the Greenwood – Wild & Wicked Youth – A Review
FANCOURT MUSIC Album Release: 8 September 2017 I continue to wade through folk CD reviews as there are many. The next artist I would like to talk about is Kim Lowings and the Greenwood and their release “Wild & Wicked Youth.” Let me just say to start and paint a picture; Kim Lowings has a […]
Martin Carthy at Village Folk, Chellaston, Derbyshire – April 2017
Village Folk – http://www.villagefolk.org/ In my past posts about Village Folk I have alluded to the venue (The Lawns Hotel) in Chellaston being very much like a fortress. On reconsideration, it may in fact be more like a castle. Whatever your mythological leanings and interests one thing for certain is that within English music Martin Carthy is […]
Steve Pledger’s – “Somewhere Between” Album Review
A self-assured album from Pledger, whose writing has clearly grown in skill. The lyrics are pleasingly concise, yet emotive and manage to capture other people’s viewpoints very well. It always persuades, but sometimes astonishes. Introduction to Album Steve Pledger is back with “Somewhere Between” his second acoustic-offering that continues to move across the themes […]
Merry Hell’s Bloodlines – Album Review
Release Date – 1 November 2016 Merry Hell are certainly putting their hours in. There are a working band with new disc “Bloodlines” coming out within two years since their last album, “The Ghost in Our House” (2015). They are in the middle of an exceptionally busy looking tour schedule too (with dates being filled […]
Show of Hands w/Megan Henwood Live @ Royal Northern College, Manchester
I am happy on this Wednesday in November…. I am in Manchester. Christmas stalls are up, but it is not that seasonal treat that interests me. It is instead the chance to catch a music group, a well-established roots band that is characterised by many years of playing and writing. I am talking of course […]