January 2022

For Lonesome Weary Blues, an album of covers and traditional tunes, Daniel Bachman’s acoustic is again the star of the show. The music sounds joyous and the picking is confident and precise. It’s a beautifully balanced album, unpretentious and life-affirming, from this ever-creative musician.

Taken from his 2021 album ‘The Beat Goes On’, watch Sean Taylor’s accompanying video for ‘The heart of the ocean’. “…a love song. Infinite and ageless. A celebration of the eternal pulse of our shared existence.”

For her new album ‘Elevation’, Norwegian artist Susanna translates into music the rich symbolism and imagery of the work of 19th Century modernist French poet Charles Baudelaire and shares video inspired by his poem “Alchemy of Suffering”.

On Dodging Dues, the latest offering from Garcia Peoples, nothing is exactly what it seems. It is an album quite unlike anything else you’ll hear this year, an example of a band that is consistently trying to find the next doorway to the stars.

Welsh folk-pop artist Rosa Lavenne continues her love for that mid-century nostalgia as she shares her new video for ‘Golden Ale’. It’s quite an upbeat number for this melancholic singer and it has a great looping guitar melody that hooks you in.

This Friday, the folk-electronica powerhouse Niteworks release their cinematic new album A’ Ghrian, blending Scottish traditional, folk and Gaelic music with cutting-edge electronica. Listen to Gloomy Winter featuring Hannah Rarity, a song by the ‘Weaver Poet’ Robert Tannahill.

St Caron’s Well Festival of Psych and strange music takes place in Tregaron West Wales (4-6 March) featuring Burd Ellen, Rhodri Davies, Alula Down, Ceri Rhys Matthews, Moongoose, itdreamedtome, Pefkin, Alan Holmes and Zoe Skoulding, De Louet, Crausius & Modular Synth Meet.

Rakish are a New England-based duo comprised of Maura Shawn Scanlin on fiddle and Conor Hearn on guitar. Watch their video for their new single ‘The Lucky One’ from their forthcoming album ‘ Counting Down the Hours’, produced by Seamus Egan of Solas.

We were saddened to hear of the passing of Koady Chaisson of Prince Edward Island trio The East Pointers who was just 37 years old. Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family, loved ones & everyone who knew him.

Eliza Gilkyson’s ‘Songs from the River Wind’ is an ode to simpler times, a life shaped by the love of the land…a truly wonderful evocation of the foundations of her heart and hearth that transports you to the rivers and hills it so beautifully celebrates.

On ‘Age of Apathy’, Aoife O’Donovan’s songs are delivered in a way that makes you want to give them time and attention. While it’s a personal record, it echoes all our own straits of the past two years and a positive look to the future.

Watch the new video from Chicago’s Steve Dawson (Dolly Varden/Funeral Bonsai Wedding) for his new single, ‘A World Without You A World Without You’, an achingly soulful number to be released on 21 January.

Since they made their album debut back in 2010, Police Dog Hogan have been building a reputation as one of the country’s finest live bands and folk-country acts. Overground is their finest hour yet.

Support Folk Radio UK by subscribing to our new Newsletter – Perks include Exclusive Mixes & Playlists, Music Recommendations and community discussions. You will also be helping to secure our future.