Thomas Blake

The songs on Love of Too Much Living sit astride the fathomless land between maturity and naivety, and whose lyrics describe that land with profound directness.

Lutine’s debut album ‘White Flowers’ is a beautiful lucid dream of a record. They occupy the shifting, elemental space of their songs – both effortlessly minimal and somehow whole.

On ‘South Wind, Clear Sky’ Mark Fry has created a set of songs that examine innocence, loneliness, tranquillity and adventure with a painter’s eye for detail and an enviable compositional skill.

Christchurch resident Aldous Harding’s self-titled debut album “is the kind of album that moves you in ways you can’t quite fathom”….it goes beyond beautiful.

What sets The Old Dance School apart from other folk bands is their eagerness to embrace the new. In a live setting their songs are conceptually fascinating, and thrilling in their performance.

Having reviewed James Yorkston’s latest album The Cellardyke Recording And Wassailing Society, Thomas grabs an opportunity to talk to James about his new album and more.

Annointed Queen is the result of a collaboration between ethereal London-based baroque folk quartet Firefay and 70s survivor Alison O’Donnell – a match made in psych-folk heaven.

The Cellardyke Recording And Wassailing Society is an album replete with delicate, elusive joys and eloquent, autumnal sadness from one of FRUK’s favourite all-time artists James Yorkston.

Emma Tricca’s individual approach to Relic gives the album a unique, bittersweet mood, a distinctive and quietly beautiful album.

Stick In The Wheel embody the paradox of making great, vital and unashamedly new music from influences that are ancient, highly personal and brimming with local individuality. They are London at its dirty, inspired best.

Thomas explores the new offering from Spitdust, an album whose essence is one of prettiness which is at once supported and undermined by something darker.

Cannell’s weird and often eerie choice of instruments, her attention to historical and musical detail, and in particular her improvisational prowess give this remarkable and at times elemental album a personality of its own.