There are big projects, there are gargantuan labours of love, and then there is this. The Self Preservation Society is an ambitious vinyl collection of songs from the late 1960s and early 1970s performed by the likes Eliza Carthy, Teddy Thompson, Marry Waterson and many others.
New albums from Beth Nielsen Chapman seem few and far between, but when they do arrive they’re solid gold. Hearts Of Glass is no exception. Her decision to bring in Sam Ashworth as producer has fostered a new setting for her music, one that offers her engaging lyrics room to breathe.
We talk to American singer songwriter Mary Gauthier, our featured Artist of the Month, about her latest album, Rifles And Rosary Beads. A work that brings new songs to her audience, from a quite remarkable source.
John Oates began his career as a folk/blues musician in Philadelphia in the 1960’s, before turning to the “blue-eyed soul” sound that defined Hall and Oates. Arkansas finds him returning to his roots with a special focus on his hero, Mississippi John Hurt.
There’s far more to Undersong than the time Salt House spent recording on the tiny Hebridean island of Berensay, with seasoned producer Andy Bell. Undersong is a highly accomplished album of wonderful music, that singles Salt House out as a trio of exceptional talent.
Rifles And Rosary Beads is a small selection of exceptional songs from a unique, and valuable project. In fact, remarkable really doesn’t cover it. When Mary Gauthier writes, records, performs, you expect remarkable; that’s what her music is. Rifles And Rosary Beads goes far beyond this.
What Sam Carter and Jim Moray have created with Harmonograph is fittingly detailed, truly collaborative, varied and often beautiful. It is the work of two modern masters in perfect harmony. In the world of folk and roots music, collaborations don’t get much bigger and better than this.
We Are The Wildlife, the solo debut of Brona McVittie whose name has been cropping up more and more frequently in the more expansive and experimental subsets of the folk music world. This is one of the most distinctive debuts you are likely to hear all year.
Matthew Crampton and Paul Sartin talk to FRUK about the epic folk opera The Transports which is released as a live album this week and embarks on a 14-date UK tour from tomorrow.
The most arresting and impressive aspects of Sanctuary are not the message and the direction the music is coming from – it’s the music itself. The writing and musicianship shine in what is easily Ross Ainslie’s most impressive album so far.
There is nothing else quite like The Transports in the world of folk music, and this new version is even more ambitious than the original. The perfect combination of song and story that is a fitting tribute to its hugely talented and much-missed creator.
We caught up with Kate Rusby while on her Christmas tour, she reflects on what’s behind these special celebrations, the family and friends who take part, and her approach to the music itself. We also talk about her glittering, fun-filled new album Angels and Men and share her new video.
