This week’s Folk Show features a gorgeous mix of music that is sure to lighten anyone’s week. From the past we have:
James Yorkston and The Athletes recorded live on tour at Le Poisson Mouillé, Paris during Autumn 2004; Mary Hampton‘s outstanding rendition of Benjamin Bowmaneer from her 2011 album Folly; the self-titled Amalgamated Sons Of Rest (2002 – featuring Jason Molina, Will Oldham and Alasdair Roberts) with My Donal (sung by Oldham) and Michael Head & The Strands with X Hits the Spot from The Magical World of the Strands (1997). The show is bookended by King Creosote (Kenny Anderson), opening with Melin Wynt, taken from his last album Astronaut Meets Appleman (2016) and closing with Kenny’s early band – Skuobhie Dubh Orchestra with Shiver, taken from the 1996 album A New Cat which was made available exclusively via Fence Records fencezine vol. 3, # 1 (the good old days).
Sandwiched between that lovely lot are plenty of new(ish) releases. Five of which come from a bunch of Irish artists who truly are at the vanguard of a new generation of musicians. They are David Kitt and his latest album Yous; Seamus Fogarty and his 2017 album The Curious Hand; Brona McVittie‘s We are the Wildlife – “one of the most distinctive debuts you are likely to hear all year” which we covered here; a new name to many- Landless, a traditional Irish vocal group from Dublin & Belfast who sing unaccompanied traditional songs from Ireland, Scotland, England & America in four-part harmony. Just take a listen to Buried In Kilkenny and you’ll understand why the Irish Times said of their live performance “..when Landless step onstage and open their mouths, the hush In the room Is louder than any amplifier hum”. And finally, taking pride of place on the shows cover is Brigid Mae Power and her latest ‘mesmeric’ album The Two Worlds which we reviewed here.
We also have The Rheingans Sisters with Green Unstopping, one of my personal favourites from their new album Bright Field which is currently a Featured Album of the Month, reviewed here.
The Rheingans Sisters’ musicianship has always had a special, almost alchemical force to it. Now their powers of songwriting and arranging have reached a new peak; they have become one of the most formidably talented duos around. In Bright Field, they have created an album bursting with worldly joys and shot through with intimate sorrow and wisdom.
We have a new track from feral pop outliers Modern Studies taken from their forthcoming second album Welcome Strangers (May 2018 – pre-order here). Haley Heynderickx‘s No Face from her debut album I Need to Start a Garden, a translation of this unabating flux of life, which is out now on Mama Bird Recording Co. From another recently reviewed album, we have Kim Richey (ft Chuck Prophet) Whistle on Occasion, taken from Edgeland, reviewed here. And finally, We Are Muffy who you will know better as Nick Duffy (The Lilac Time, Bait) & Angeline Morrison (The Mighty Sceptres, The Ambassadors of Sorrow). You can grab 20th Century Folk Hymnal from Bandcamp here.
Playlist
King Creosote – Melin Wynt
David Kitt – Cause for Leaving
Modern Studies – Mud and Flame
Seamus Fogarty – Short Ballad For A Long Man
James Yorkston and the Athletes – a Friday Night in New York
Haley Heynderickx – No Face
Mary Hampton – Benjamin Bowmaneer (Radio Edit)
Amalgamated Sons Of Rest – My Donal
Landless – Buried In Kilkenny
Brona McVittie – Broken Like the Morning
Brigid Mae Power – Let Me Go Now
The Rheingans Sisters – Green Unstopping
Kim Richey Feat. Chuck Prophet – Whistle on Occasion
We Are Muffy – 20th Century Folk Hymnal
Michael Head & The Strands – X Hits The Spot
Skuobhie Dubh Orchestra – Shiver