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Tag Archives: folk
Album review: ELAINE SAMUELS & KINDRED SPIRIT BAND – Elemental

[Release date 02.11.19] Folk rock imbued with flute? It’s impossible not to make Tull/Anderson comparisons. Violin – Curved Air anyone? But Elaine Samuels and her Kindred Spirits (no relation Siobhan Maher’s all too short lived post River City People liaison … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Elaine Samuels, Elementral, folk, Kindred Spirit Band, prog, progressive folk, Progressive Rock, review
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Album review: DANDELION CHARM – Maybe Dreamers

Independent [Release date 01.11.19] Dandelion Charm – John Fowler and Clare Fowler – return with their second studio album and ‘Maybe Dreamers’ marks a big leap forward for the band, as they widen their musical horizons further. Sadly this album … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged acoustic, album, Dandelion Charm, folk, jazz, Maybe Dreamers, melodic, prog, progressive, review
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Album review: LUKE JACKSON – Journals

First Take [Release date 08.11.19] Luke Jackson returns with his fifth album where he is joined by Andy Sharps on bass and Elliott Norris on drums, with both adding harmony vocals. Luke Jackson tackles a number of subjects on the … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged acoustic, album, blues, folk, guitarist, Journals, Luke Jackson, review, Sandy Denny
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Quick plays: BRUCE COCKBURN, LOUIEN

BRUCE COCKBURN Crowing Ignites True North Records [Release date 20.09.19] ‘Crowing Ignites’ is Bruce Cockburn’s 34th and his second all instrumental album, which differs from his previous instrumental album in that the compositions on here are brand new. The music … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged acoustic, album, blues, Bruce Cockburn, Crowing Ignites, folk, instrumental, jazz, Joni Mitchell, Louien, None of My Words, pop, review
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Album review: SHOW OF HANDS – Battlefield Dance Floor

Hands On Music [Release date 27.09.19] Show Of Hands – Steve Knightley and Phil Beer – have been making music since 1987, going on to become one of the biggest folk bands around today (they have sold out the Royal … Continue reading
Album review: RALPH McTELL – Hill Of Beans

Leola Music [Release date 20.09.19] ‘Hill Of Beans’ is Ralph McTell’s first album of originals since 2010’s ‘Down The Road’. This album also sees McTell reunited with producer Tony Visconti, who worked on his earlier albums. Another link to the … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, blues, folk, guitarist, Hill Of Beans, jazz, ragtime, Ralph McTell, review, singer songwriter, Tony Visconti
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Album review: THE PORTRAITS – For Our Times

www.theportraitsmusic.com [Release date 25.10.19] The musical landscape has changed significantly since the release of Counterbalance (2012) – the last outing by The Portraits – Somerset based husband and wife duo Jeremy and Lorraine Millington. For Our Times sees the duo … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged acoustic, album, folk, For Our Times, review, singer, songwriter, The Portraits
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Gig review: DANNY VAUGHN – Eleven, Stoke, 29 August 2019

Eleven has been going a couple of years now and although it is a converted warehouse, it has that rock club/gig venue vibe that suggests it has been here a lot longer. Excellent sound on the night too, plus a … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged acoustic, Danny Vaughn, DEMON, Dirty White Boyz, Eleven, folk, gig, Kiss Of The Gypsy, melodic, review, rock, singer songwriter, Solo, Stoke, Tony Micthell, Tyketto, Waysted
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Gig review: RUNRIG – The Last Dance DVD World Premiere – Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow – 17 August 2019

Exactly one year ago to the day I and around 25,000 other Runrig fans descended on the City Park in my home town of Stirling to witness the band’s final show. After 45 years the guys had decided that retirement beckoned but not without one last … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, DVD REVIEWS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 17th August 2018, 17th August 2019, Alba, Brian Hurren, Bruce Guthro, Callum McDonald, castle, City park, Donny Munro, DVD, folk, Glasgow, Ian Bain, live, Malcolm Jones, premiere, rock, Roddy Hart, Rory Mcdonald, Royal Concert Hall, Runrig, Scotland, Stirling, The Last Dance
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Gig review: CAMBRIDGE FOLK FESTIVAL – Cherry Hinton Hall – 1-4 August 2019

Beginning in 1965, once a year Cambridge Folk Festival transforms the grounds of Cherry Hinton Hall into something a bit special. Cambridge Folk Festival is more than just the folk music. The festival pride themselves on hosting a diverse range of … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 1st August 2019, Amadou, Amy Montgomery, Bilnd Bos Of Alabama, Calexico, Cambridge Folk Festival, Cherry Hinton Hall, Daori Farrell, Dylan Menzies, Fairport Convention, folk, Foufalah, Graham Nash, Gruff Rhys, Jack Broadbent, Lucinda Williams, Marian, Nick Mulvey, Richard Thomson, Roo Panes, roots, Sarah Darling, The Unthanks
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Interview: BEN FEATHERSTONE

Ben Featherstone has just released his debut album ‘Prisoner to the Wind’, an album some ten years in the making. Ben tells us more about the recording and songs on the album, along with what inspired him to start playing music … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/10 Questions
Tagged album, Ben Featherstone, classical, folk, interview, jazz, melodic, Prisoner To The Wind, singer songwriter
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Album review: IAMTHEMORNING – The Bell

K-scope (Release date: 02.08.19) One thing is for certain – you don’t listen to the music of iamthemorning for a laugh. Their exceptional 2016 album ‘Lighthouse’ which was based around the complexities of mental illness and which I described … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, classical, folk, Gleb Kolyakin, Iamthemorning, Marjana Semkina, Progressive Rock, review, Russia, The Bell
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Album review: BEN FEATHERSTONE – Prisoner To The Wind

Website [Release date 23.08.19] Ben Featherstone has been working on this album over the past decade, mostly recorded in a 400 year old abandoned chapel on a disused cemetary in the middle of nowhere on mostly a 1950′s reel to … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Ben Featherstone, classical, folk, melodic, Nick Cave, Prisoner To The Wind, review, singer songwriter
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Gig review: CORNBURY FESTIVAL – Great Tew, Oxfordshire, 5-7 July 2019

Friday 5 July Arriving onsite just in time to catch the tail end of former Supergrass singer/songwriter Gaz Coombes set. Being a bit of a local musical hero his set was well received although he may have missed a trick … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, INTERVIEWS
Tagged 2 Tone, 80's music, Alfie Boe, Billy Lockett, blues, Chris Difford, Cornbury, Echo And The Bunnymen, Elkie Brooks, festival, folk, gig, Hothouse Flowers, indie, Keane, Paul Carrack, pop, Rainbreakers, review, rock, ska, Steeleye Span, The Beach Boys, The Specials, Trevor Horn
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Album review: DANNY VAUGHN – Myths, Legends & Lies

Self-release [Release date 14.06.19] It has been eleven years since Danny Vaughn’s last solo outing, although this one was delayed by issues caused by Pledge Music going into administration. Luckily Danny Vaughn has a loyal fan following meaning this album … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, country, Danny Vaughn, folk, jazz, review, rock, singer songwriter, Solo, Tyketto, Waysted
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Quick plays: ROYAL REPUBLIC, ROB MORATTI, FINE SOFT DAY, TRAGIK

ROYAL REPUBLIC Club Majesty Nuclear Blast [Release date 31.05.19] Royal Republic are on the up and up with their mix of rock, dance, disco, funk, rock n roll – heck they will put in any style of music into their … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged album, AOR, Club Majesty, dance, disco, Fine Soft Day, folk, melodic rock, Phil Vincent, Pink Floyd, pop rock, progressive, Quick Plays, review, Rob Moratti, rock, rock 'n' roll, Royal Republic, Saga, Survival Code, Tragik
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Single review: TIGER & THE LIGHT SIDE – Somewhere Else

Website [Release date 24.06.19] A sparse ethereal atmosphere pervades the opening of ‘Somewhere Else’, a new single from barely a year old outfit, Tiger and The Light Side. Hailing from France, Tiger Finkel has assembled a distinctly international band coming … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged Elbow, folk, indie, lo-fi, pop, review, singer songwriter, single, Somewhere Else, Tiger & the Light Side
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Gig review: BEARDED THEORY’S SPRING GATHERING – Catton Park, Derbyshire, 23 – 26 May 2019

Life, Love and Unity. The Dreadzone motto of “Life, love and unity” has never been more perfectly exemplified than at Bearded Theory’s Spring Gathering. It’s a philosophy that seems to be embraced by the Beardy tribe. Fields full of friendly folk, a fantastic line up, … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 2019, Bearded Theory, Catton Park, Dreadzone, Editors, festival, folk, Idlewild, Imperial Leisure, Little Steven, live, Pulled Apart By Horses, punk, Reef, Rev Hammer, rock, Suede, The Blinders, The Dreadnoughts, The Mahones, The Orb, The Slow Readers Club, Thw Wildhearts
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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: UNION DUKE, AUBURN, CARRIE TREE

UNION DUKE Golden Days [Release date 14.06.19] Bridging indie rock with bluegrass and country, and laden with three, four and even five voice harmonies, Toronto-based quintet Union Duke put the pedal to the metal with their third release. With banjo, … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged album, ambient, Americana, Auburn, Carrie Tree, country, folk, Game Of Faith, Golden days, review, roots, singer, songwriter, The Canoe, Union Duke
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Album review: MASSY FERGUSON – Great Divides

North & Left [Release date 17.05.19] Massy Ferguson plough a fairly industrial, ‘heavy duty’, furrow of country rock. Or as the PR sheet for the Seattle based band’s 5th album aptly describes it, ‘amplified Americana’. Driven by the song writing … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Americana, country, folk, Great Divides, Massy Ferguson, review, rock, roots
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Album review: CORMAC NEESON – White Feather

Cormac Neeson Music [Release date 26.04.19] The solo debut album from the Answer’s vocalist Cormac Neeson has had a bumpy ride as it was one of those caught up in the recent Pledge Music issues, which have scuppered plans for … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Americana, blues, Cormac Neeson, country, folk, gospel, melodic, Nashville, review, rock, singer songwriter, soul, THE ANSWER, White Feather
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