Albums

Formerly known as Joyce The Librarian, Martin Callingham recently released the excellent ‘Tonight, We All Swim Free’, one of our featured Albums of the Month. Here he gives FRUK an exclusive insight into the album’s creation, those involved in its making and shares his thoughts on mysterious art of songwriting.

10 years on, Tom Heyman’s finally made a third album, one that showcases his fine work on acoustic, electric and slide guitars as well as his slightly grained and rasped baritone. We also have the European Video Premiere for Black Top, a B-movie inspired spoof made with director Steve Hanft and featuring a surprise guest from Dengue Fever.

Asleep At The Wheel call on old friends and new with a younger generation drawn to re-flame the torch for western swing and their ongoing tribute to The King, Bob Wills. Featuring: Pokey LaFarge, The Avett Brothers, Old Crow Medicine Show, Willie Nelson and The Quebe Sisters and many more.

‘Sonomama’ is the title of Lucy Sale’s latest album, it is a Japanese word, meaning ‘in a natural state’ – and that’s how the show began: multi-instrumentalist Lucy opted for a stripped-back accompaniment of only a nylon-stringed classical guitar for a solo rendition of the unreleased ‘You Never Can Tell’. A memorable evening at The Maudslay, Coventry.

Kyle Carey’s debut revealed her to be as impressive a storyteller as she is a musician and singer, something confirmed by North Star, her full-length follow-up which was produced by Seamus Egan, a founding member of Solas and featuring contributions from Josienne Clarke, Ben Walker, Pauline Scanlon, Natalie Haas and Craig Werth.

Old England Grown New has a quiet confidence and a strong sense of self-worth which, at a time when political and moral bankruptcy are the order of the day for our kleptocratic rulers, sets it apart from the herd. Gregg Cave provides his vision of 21st century Britain viewed through the lens of our collective history – a striking and memorable debut album.

Recording in Nashville with Band Of Horses Lotte Mullan tells finely etched tales of heartbreak and hope on Love’s Bonfire, one of our Featured Albums of the Month, an album ablaze with superb songcraft throughout. Read our in-depth review and interview.

VIP: Very Interesting Persons takes the trawler’s approach with Findlay Napier & Boo Hewerdine dragging their net across the globe in search of characters worthy of a song. As an album it marries musicality with individuality, hits the sweet spot early and keeps giving ‘til the end.

A new name on the folk circuit, David Roberts makes his debut with the obliquely beautiful and poetic St Clears, an album inspired by a stay in the Carmarthenshire town of the same name. The album is full of references to nature, but cast in impressionistic lines that conjure a dreamy haze to wander through. A dappled musical dream that you won’t want to wake up from.

Since the current Fairport Convention line-up (Leslie, Pegg, Sanders, Nicol, Conway) came together in 1998 they’ve not put a foot wrong. Indeed, each successive album has, arguably, been better than the last. Myths And Heroes proves no exception as they set yet another high bar to be surpassed as they contemplate a follow up to coincide with their 50th anniversary.

Paul heads to Servant Jazz Quarters on a February Thursday to see relocated Canadian native Miriam Jones faithfully reproduce tracks from her latest album, ‘Between Green And Gone’.

Kristin McClement has created a debut album of gravitas and maturity which should secure her reputation as a songwriter and musician of depth and character.