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Tag Archives: folk rock
Gig review: SLIM CHANCE- Cabbage Patch, Twickenham, 17 February 2022

When Ronnie Lane quit the Faces, he got away from it all and retreated to the country, as many rock stars did in the seventies. However he took things a stage further when, with his band Slim Chance, he conjured … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged Billy Nicholls, Charlie Hart, Eel Pie Club, folk rock, Frank Mead, Geraint Watkins, gig, Ronnie Lane, Slim Chance, Steve Bingham, Steve Simpson
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Album review: OYSTERBAND – Read The Sky

Running Man Records [Release date 04.03.22] After an 8-year gap – as the band explain “hey, we were busy” – the Oysterband return with their twelfth studio album, (fourteen including their two collaborative albums with June Tabor). Oysterband have been … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, folk, folk rock, melodic, Oysterband, Read The Sky, review
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Album review: JAMES WHITE & THE WILD FIRE – Live at Saffron Hall

Facebook [Release date 19.11.21] James White & The Wild Fire formed in 2020 and musically are a blend of country, bluegrass, indie and Americana, hailing from Saffron Walden, Essex. The group consists of James White (vocals and guitar), Brooke Bond … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, bluegrass, country, folk, folk rock, James White & the Wild Fire, live album, Live at Saffron Hall, review
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Gig review: SKERRYVORE – Arlington Arts Centre, Friday November 26 2021

Possibly the most tartan on display south of the border outside of an Edinburgh Woollen Mill shop, Celtic folk rockers Skerryvore were in town for a Friday night to remember. Skerryvore consist of Alec Dalglish (vocals, guitar & the band’s … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged Arlington Arts Centre, Celtic rock, country, folk, folk rock, Friday November 26 2021, gig, melodic, review, Skerryvore
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Quick plays: HAMISH HAWK, LANGAN FROST & WANE

HAMISH HAWK Heavy Elevator Assai Recordings [Release date 17.09.21] Hamish Hawk is an Edinburgh-based songwriter who performs solo and as frontman of the New Outfit. Hamish Hawk possess a rich, warm baritone vocal, perfectly suited for the mellower moments like … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged album, alt rock, folk, folk rock, Hamish Hawk, Heavy Elevator, indie, Langan Frost & Wane, progressive, psychedelic, review
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Album review: COLIN SCOT – Colin Scot

Esoteric/Cherry Red [Release date 30.7.21] It’s more than a little unfair that the late singer-songwriter Colin Scot’s 1971 debut seems to be regarded more for the myriad of guest musicians than for Scot’s own undoubted talent. Reissued on CD for … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged album, Colin Scot, folk, folk rock, Jon Anderson, Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, reissue, review, Rick Wakeman, Robert Fripp, singer songwriter
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Album review: GRYPHON – Get Out Of My Father’s Car!

Talking Elephant/Gryphon [Release date 20.11.20] Gryphon will always occupy a small but significant place in my musical heritage. Coinciding with my interest in (and performance of) early music, in the early 1970s they became a cross-genre novelty act. And with … Continue reading
EP review: BLACKMORE’S NIGHT – Here We Come A-Caroling

Edel/EarMUSIC [Release date 04.12.20] Blackmore’s Night have been around since 1997, founded by Ritchie Blackmore and Candice Night to stage their mutual love for traditional medieval and folk-rock music. This seasonal EP is released ahead of the band’s next album … Continue reading
Album review: SHRED KELLY – Like A Rising Sun

Devil Duck Records [Release date 03.07.20] Where do these excellent bands keep appearing from? Shred Kelly are another one, a five piece alt folk rock band (and not a speed metal band as their name may suggest) hailing from Canada … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, alt folk, folk, folk rock, Like A Rising Sun, melodic, pop rock, review, Shred Kelly
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EP review: CADENCE NOIR – A Reckless Endeavour

Indie [Release date 20.06.20] There’s something so blissfully wild and earthy about Cadence Noir as they join great bands like The Levellers in mixing folk and punk into a heady brew that will make you dance uncontrollably. This new seven … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged A Reckless Endeavour, Cadence Noir, EP, folk rock, Levellers, punk folk, review
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Book review: FAIRPORT CONVENTION On Track – Every Song, Every Album by Kevan Furbank

Sonicbond Publishing [Publication date 26.03.20] The ‘On Track’ series by publishers Sonic Bond provides an album by album, track by track overview of a number of artists. The latest in the series to get this treatment are British folk-rock legends … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS
Tagged book, Dave Pegg, Every Album, Fairport Convention, folk, folk rock, Kevan Furbank, On Track Every Song, review, Richard Thompson, Simon Nicol, Sonicbound Publishing
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Album review: PETER KNIGHT’S GIGSPANNER BIG BAND – Natural Invention

Gigspanner [Release date 10.04.20] Beginning life as a trio – with fiddle player Peter Knight and former member of Steeleye Span, being joined by percussionist Sacha Trochet and guitarist Roger Flack – the line-up has been expanded to form the … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Bellowhead, Edgelarks, folk, folk rock, Gigspanner, John Spiers, Natural Invention, Peter Knight, Phil Henry, review, Steeleye Span
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Album review: JETHRO TULL & IAN ANDERSON

JETHRO TULL – Living With The Past (CD&DVD Collector’s Edition Gatefold Digipac) EarMUSIC/Edel [Release date 20.03.20] Germany’s Edel/Ear Music continue their ambitious “Classics Range” with a double Jethro Tull whammy. These two boxsets add up to several hours of high … Continue reading
Album review: RICHARD THOMPSON – Live At Rock City, Nottingham 86

Angel Air/Store For Music [Release date 13.03.20] An archive live performance from Richard Thompson from 1986 where he has backed by a veritable array of top notch folk musicians including Clive Gregson & Christine Collister (who were forging a successful … Continue reading
Quick plays: STEELEYE SPAN, GALLAGHER & LYLE, HUMBLE PIE

STEELEYE SPAN Live at De Montfort Hall Leicester 1977 Store For Music/Angel Air [Release date 04.10.19] One glaring error on this CD is the concert was in fact recorded in 1978 on the band’s then farewell tour (although the band … Continue reading
Album review: STEELEYE SPAN – EST’D 1969

Park Records [Release date 21.06.19] Unlike many long established bands who only add a few songs off any new album into their set lists, Steelye Span have added nearly all of ‘EST’D 1969’ into their current set list. Take a … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, EST’D 1969, folk, folk rock, Ian Anderson, Jethro Tull, Maddy Prior, review, Steeleye Span, traditional music
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Quick plays: THE WILLOWS, ME AND MY FRIENDS, JEROME MAZZA

THE WILLOWS Through the Wild [Release date 30.11.18] ‘Through the Wild’ is the third album from the Cambridge folk band the Willows, who have picked up praise from the likes of Bob Harris and Mike Harding. Listening to this album … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged album, ANGELICA, Fairport Convention, folk, folk rock, Jemrome Mazza, Look Up, Me and My Friends, melodic rock, Mike Slamer, Outlaw Son, reggae, review, rock, soul, Steve Overland, Steve Walsh, the Willows, Through the Wild, Tommy Denander
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Gig review: STEELEYE SPAN – Hexagon, Reading, 15 October 2018

First visit to the Hexagon in Reading, a venue I had seen on TV previously when a snooker tournament used to be held here. Tonight though it hosts folk rock legends Steeleye Span, to a sadly half-full auditorium which is even … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged Bellowhead, concert, folk, folk rock, gig, Hexagon, Jacqui McShee, Maddy Prior, Pentangle, reading, review, Steeleye Span, traditonal music
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Interview: JULIAN LITTMAN (STEELEYE SPAN)

Next year iconic folk rockers Steeleye Span celebrate their fiftieth anniversary. 2019 will see a brand new album and associated tours as the ever-evolving band mark their half century. More immediately, however, there is the matter of an autumn tour. … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/Rock Stars
Tagged Classic Albums, Dodgy Bastards, folk, folk rock, interview, Julian Littman, Maddy Prior, prog rock, Steeleye Span, Terry Prachett, Tour, Wintersmith
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Album review: GREENROSE FAIRE – Riders In The Night

Friendly Folk Records [Release date 01.06.18] The fourth album from the Finnish sextet who marry violin, bouzouki and mandolin with a traditional rock line up of bass, drums and keys (and yes, some guitar!) to produce their own rollicking brand … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, folk, folk rock, Greenrose Faire, review, Riders In The Night
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Gig Review: CAMBRIDGE FOLK FESTIVAL, 2-5 August 2018

I must begin with a confession; this was my first time attending Cambridge Folk Festival and I only recognised a handful of the acts scheduled to play. I know, I’m a folking heathen. Especially when you consider that the festival … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Special Events
Tagged 2-5 August 2018, blues, Cambridge Folk Festival, Eric Bibb, First Aid Kit, folk, folk rock, gig, Janis Ian, John Prine, Peatbog Faeries, review
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Album review: SKERRYVORE – Evo

Tyree Tecords [Release date 11.06.18] Skerryvore formed in 2005 by Isle of Tiree-born Gillespie brothers Daniel (accordion) and Martin (Highland bagpipes), with Scott Wood (pipes, whistles) – the band’s newest member who joined last year, Craig Espie (fiddle), Alan Scobie (keys), … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Americana, Evo, folk, folk rock, melodic, review, Scotlan, Skerryvore
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Gig review: FAIRPORT CONVENTION – Union Chapel, London, 27 May 2017

Folk-rock pioneers Fairport Convention have never been a band to shy away from celebrating their own legacy. When they decided to split in 1979 they held a big outdoor farewell gig in Cropredy, Oxfordshire that proved so successful they decided … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 50th anniversary, Cropredy, Dave Pegg, Fairport Convention, folk, folk rock, gig, London 27 May 2017, review, Simon Nicol, Union Chapel
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Album review: HOME SERVICE – A New Ground

Dotted Line [Release date 01.09.16] If you want a band that takes up where Ashley Hutchings and the Albion Band left off then Home Service is your saviour. Completely understandable as, in 1980, the band formed with members out of … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged A New Ground, Albion Band, album, Ashley Hutchings, folk, folk rock, fusion, Graeme Taylor, Home Service, jazz, John Kirkpatrick, review
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Interview: Jeremy Cunningham (LEVELLERS) – August 2016

On a gloriously sunny Sunday afternoon at Watchet Live Music Festival, bass player for The Levellers, Jeremy Cunningham, was kind enough to interrupt his lunch for a quick chat with me. Headliners at Watchet Live, this was the second date … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/Rock Stars
Tagged August 2016, folk, folk rock, interview, Jertemy Cunningham, Levellers, rock, Watchet festival
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