Folk Show Ep. 12 Playlist
A Different Thread – Cherry Tree
A Different Thread are a trio that’have their own contemporary take on what American music is: They play what they are calling ‘British-Americana’ – “pulling from roots of traditional American and British music alike, weaving together aspects of country, blues and folk with classical undertones and hints of bluegrass.” They can call it what they like, I enjoyed their new EP enough to kick off this week’s show. Their new EP ‘High Time’ is out now and they have a number of upcoming gigs. Go check them out here: www.adifferentthread.com
Dori Freeman – Over There
We shared the video for this traditional Appalachian song recently which was filmed during the Old Fiddler’s Convention which has just celebrated its 82nd year at Galax, Virginia which is Dori’s hometown. It’s from her latest album, Letters Never Read, which was produced by Teddy Thompson and features his dad Richard Thompson as well as Aiofe O’Donovan and another Folk Radio UK favourite – Canadian psych-folk duo Kacy & Clayton. Read more here.
Tom Paley, Ben Paley, Robin Gillan, Jonny Bridgwood – Didn’t He Ramble
We shared the sad news recently that American folk legend Tom Paley has died, he was 89 years old (read our tribute here). On the show this week we’ve included two tracks from Paley & Son (2015) which was released on Hornbeam Recordings and features some great guests including Cerys Matthews, BJ Cole and Rob Mason.
Jim Page – Landlord
Yes, Jim Page is back – he has a new release out this month A Hand Full Of Songs. I couldn’t resist including his updated version of an old favourite which was covered by the likes of Moving Hearts. The original appeared on the Seattle musicians 1975 debut A Shot of the Usual. Jim’s lyrical social commentary has spanned the course of five decades, through multiple presidencies, social justice, environmental, and worldwide movements. Coming of age in the 1960’s in the San Francisco Bay Area, the music and artistic experimentation of those days left a lasting impression on him. The politics and social awareness was a part of everything that was going on and it has stayed that way in Jim’s music ever since. In the spirit of Woody Guthrie, Jim Page is a stalwart storyteller of our times, causing the late great Utah Phillips to remark, “If you’re ever going to get the message, this is the messenger to get it from.”
His latest CD A Hand Full Of Songs (Release date: Oct. 5th, 2017) is a poignant collection of songs, which continues Page’s keen observation of the world around him. As Page tells it, “I had a handful of songs that I wanted to record and all the musicians and the studio time was booked. Then Trump was elected and the world shifted and I wrote a few songs in response to that. I believe that artists have an obligation to speak out, to not be silent. I put the political pieces in the middle so that the listener could walk into a room full of music, get into the stories, and then have the reality get real, then emerge slowly back into the daylight. In that sense, it’s like a journey through our times.”
Julie Fowlis – Fear a’ bhrochain / Dòmhnall binn (The Porridge man / Sweet-voiced Donald)
I opted for a few double-helpings in this week’s show, including two tracks from Julie Fowlis’ new album Alterum which is released on October 27th via Machair Records Ltd. There are plenty of guest appearances including Duncan Chisholm on fiddle in this beautiful number.
Ye Vagabonds – Lowlands of Holland
Yes, they are back in swift time having kicked off last week’s show with this well-known ballad taken from Ye Vagabonds self-titled debut album, due to be released on Friday 13th October 2017 on Inglenook Records. We featured their new video for Song Long Forgotten here. Fans can pre-order the album now on Bandcamp.
Martin Hayes Quartet – The Boy in the Gap
Another release, that deserves a double helping this week is The Blue Room – Martin Hayes’ first new project since the remarkable success of The Gloaming. It features Dennis Cahill, Doug Wieselman and Liz Knowles. Read more about it here.
Lankum – Willow Garden
An album you just have to feature two tracks from at least! Lankum (previously Lynched) return on 27th October with Between the Earth and Sky, the news of which we shared here.
Danny Diamond – The Blackbird
It was Raddie Peat of Lankum who told me about Danny Diamond who sent through his new solo fiddle album Elbow Room last week. It goes on general release on 26th October. Danny’s music draws deeply on the rich lineage of Irish traditional music for inspiration, while in parallel reaching out to find new connections with other art forms.
Poetry and contemporary dance, in particular, have inspired many of the new compositions on this recording. Echoes of other traditions such as American old-time and Baroque string music can also clearly be heard in Diamond’s distinctively personal and expressive playing style, as can the influence of the great Dublin fiddle player Tommie Potts. I strongly urge you to get your hands on a copy – it’s an exceptional album from a brilliantly creative musician. dannydiamond.ie
Hedy West – The House Carpenter
This one slipped in due to Dori Freeman as Over There also features on Hedy West’s Ballads and Songs from the Appalachians (available via Fellside).
Ian Anderson – The Wreck Of The Northfleet
Mr Anderson of fRoots is back with a new album this month – Deathfolk Blues Revisited. Earlier this year Ian decided to scare himself by doing some solo gigs again for the first time since the early 1970s which went a lot better than he expected. As a result, he’s decided to do some catching up. I loved this one in particular about an incident that happened off Dungeness in 1873. Ian first heard it sung by Sussex singers Harry Upton and Johnny Doughty. His guitar playing on here is wonderful, just one of the man little gems you can find on his new album – released via Ghosts from the Basement and available to order via Bandcamp here: ghostsfromthebasement.bandcamp.com
Sam Brothers – Early Morning Song
A name we’re pretty sure you’ll be hearing more of very soon. Sam, a 23-year-old folk singer from Canterbury in Kent releases his debut album ‘Farewell to my Old Days’ on 20 October. His passion for his music shines through brightly on this album – his guitar playing and vocals are strikingly honest.
Edgelarks – No Victory
Edgelarks is the new name of Phillip Henry and Hannah Martin. Their self-titled album is a Featured Album of the Month – one that’s full of muted, autumnal beauty. Edgelarks may signify a new venture for Hannah Martin and Phillip Henry, but the quality of their songwriting and performing only continues to improve, this is their best yet. Read our review here. Edgelarks is available via: Bandcamp | ProperMusic | Amazon
The Young’uns – Lapwings
Taken from The Young’uns new album Strangers – Another Featured Album of the Month – Strength and courage is what ‘Strangers’ is all about. Despite the hardships it describes, there is barely a moment on this album that doesn’t hum with positivity. The Young’uns have perfected a sound that is as unique as it is uplifting, and it would be no surprise if their already burgeoning popularity were to rise to even greater heights. Read our album review here. Out now on Navigator Records. Order it here – http://smarturl.it/ox0wmn
Gwyneth Glyn – Cân Y Cŵn
From Gwyneth Glyn’s ‘Tro’ (a Featured Album of the Month – Reviewed here) – less an album and more a journey: to the quiet, longed-for corners of Wales, but also across the world, taking in West Africa and the Asian subcontinent. And it is an inward journey, an exploration of love and its many meanings and guises. As a whole, it is a poetic and deeply moving experience. Available via bendigedig | Arc | Amazon
BackWest – Flowers Of Sweet Strabane
From ‘The Long Walk Back’, the debut album from Galway city’s newest Irish traditional music ‘Suoer Group’ BackWest. The band features brother and sister duo Maureen Browne and Brendan Browne (fiddle and accordion), Peter Vickers – described as Galway’s own ‘Lord of the Dance’ (percussion/dance) and Tyrone’s legendary virtuoso PJ McDonald (guitar/vocals/whistle). Find out more here: backwestmusic.com
Tom Paley, Ben Paley, Cerys Matthews – This Train
See above.
Sam Kelly & The Lost Boys – Angeline The Baker
Another fine Featured Album of the Month – Pretty Peggy firmly adds Sam Kelly & The Lost Boys to the list of artists who are proving that great party bands are no longer the exclusive domain of the Scottish & Irish music scenes. Pretty Peggy is easily one of the best albums to come from the ever-growing world of youthful folk music. Read our album review here. Pretty Peggy is out now on Navigator Records – http://smarturl.it/8j4qah
Julie Fowlis – Òran an ròin (Seal song)
See above
Martin Hayes Quartet – The Humours of Scariff
See above
Lankum – The Granite Gaze
see above