Tag Archives: folk

Album review: RALPH McTELL – Hill Of Beans

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 , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: THE PORTRAITS – For Our Times

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 , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: BEAUTIFUL DAYS FESTIVAL – Escot Park, Devon, 16-18 August 2019

Beautiful Days festival, in it’s 17th year, is held in the grounds of Escot Park in Devon and is a festival I’ve attended every year since 2011, with good reason.  Founded by punk folk rockers, Levellers, they always offer a high calibre line-up.  A smorgasbord … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Interview: BEN FEATHERSTONE

BEN FEATHERSTONE – Prisoner To The Wind

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 , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: IAMTHEMORNING – The Bell

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 , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: BEN FEATHERSTONE – Prisoner To The Wind

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 , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: DANNY VAUGHN – Myths, Legends & Lies

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 , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Quick plays: ROYAL REPUBLIC, ROB MORATTI, FINE SOFT DAY, TRAGIK

ROYAL REPUBLIC - Club Majesty

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Single review: TIGER & THE LIGHT SIDE – Somewhere Else

TIGER & THE HOMERTONS - 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 , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: MYRATH – Shehili

MYRATH - Shehili

earMUSIC [Release date 03.05.19] Tunisian metallers Myrath have been around since 2001, gaining more rave reviews and fans after 2016’s ‘Legacy’ album, one which saw them embrace their Arabic sounds more and ditch some of the Eurometal clichés. On ‘Shehili’ … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: STEELEYE SPAN – EST’D 1969

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 , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Quick plays: UNION DUKE, AUBURN, CARRIE TREE

UNION DUKE Golden Days

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: MASSY FERGUSON – Great Divides

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 , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: DEVIN TOWNSEND – Empath

Hevy Devy/Inside Out [Release date 29.03.19] Devin Townsend has rested his Project and with ‘Empath’ we have his first solo album since ‘Ziltoid’. Guests include regular contributor Anneke van Giersbergen, Nickelback’s Chad Kroeger, Frank Zappa alumni Mike Keneally as music … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

News: ELEANOR McEVOY – ‘Gimme Some Wine Tour’ In April

Irish multi-instrumentalist chanteuse and raconteur Eleanor McEvoy will play eleven-dates across England throughout April 2019 as part of her new ‘Gimme Some Wine Tour’. Eleanor’s new tour follows the great success of her 2017 album release ‘The Thomas Moore Project’, … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: BECKY MILLS – Tall Tales and Home Truths

BECKY MILLS – Tall Tales and Home Truths

Talking Elephant [Release date 26.04.19] Becky Mills was part of the all girl folk band Waking the Witch, who split-up in 2008. After the band’s break-up Becky Mills released her debut solo album ‘Dandelion’ back in 2013. This new album … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Album review: ELLES BAILEY – Road I Call Home

ELLES BAILEY – Road I Call Home

Outlaw Music [Release date 08.03.19] After attracting a slew of favourable reviews with her debut album, 2017′s ‘Wildfire’, the Bristol-based singer-songwriter Elles Bailey is back with a follow-up. Like its predecessor, recorded primarily in Nashville’ Road I Call Home’ is … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/Rising Stars | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Quick plays: KRISTINA STYKOS, DANNI NICHOLLS

KRISTINA STYKOS River Of Light

KRISTINA STYKOS River Of Light Thunder Ridge Records [Release date 05.04.19] With many of the songs delivered in an enforced semi-spoken style (in 2017, she was diagnosed with spasmodic dysphonia, a disorder that makes speaking and singing difficult or even … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: RUTH NOTMAN & SAM KELLY – Changeable Heart

RUTH NOTMAN & SAM KELLY – Changeable Heart

Pure Records [Release date 15.03.19] In young folk terms this is a bit of a star studded collaboration, with former BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award finalist Ruth Notman making a return to making music (she took time out to … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment