News
James Varda, one of the most distinctive singer songwriters of his generation, has died. I interviewed James back in January and we spoke about his career and ‘Chance and Time’, widely hailed as his best ever album on which he ‘turned his songwriting talent to chronicling the experience of confronting illness and death, and in doing so, created a unique language and music of love and pain, family, landscape and …
With Cambridge Folk Festival getting closer the full line up for the festival has now been announced along with the Club Tent Showcases and Den Stage line-up which features many FRUK favourites. There are also some newly confirmed main-stage acts including the Jaywalkers and this year’s BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award winners Talisk.
Our Song of the Day is the beautiful ‘Stay On My Shore’ by Joan Shelley. It’s taken from her forthcoming album Over And Even on which she is accompanied by guitarist Nathan Salsburg along with some help from some of her Kentucky friends in the form of Glen Dentinger, Rachel Grimes, Will Oldham and Dan Dorff.
Our Song of the Day is Caesar. Watch Chris Wood performing live with Hamish Stuart at Atkins Guitars. Chris recalls it being inspired by the Cash-for-questions affair, or one of the parliamentary scandals…there’s been so many. Plus we have his latest tour dates including Folk East with Andy Cutting.
Our Song of the Day is from Keston Cobblers Club with Longer Than Gone from their forthcoming new album Wildfire due for release on 15 June. They are putting in a number of appearances at folk festivals this year including Priddy, Underneath the Stars, Sidmouth, Cambridge, Purbeck and Towersey so try and catch them if you can.
Ahead of the release of their new album The Sovereign Self on 29th June Trembling Bells reveal their new video for ‘Sweet Death Polka’ and announce a Two Day London Residency featuring Alasdair Roberts, eclectic folk trio the Family Elan, Incredible String Band founder Mike Heron and legendary folk artist Martin Carthy and more.
We have music to lighten your day with a new tune from guitarist Kyle Fosburgh whose beautifully refined playing never ceases to stop me in whatever I’m doing and just take it all in. ‘Turning Point’ is from his forthcoming new album ‘One Night’, out next month on his own label Grass-Tops Recording.
There’s no doubt that Emily Portman has, with a little help from her friends, created and curated a dazzling display of writing and musicianship, but the real success of Coracle lies in the balancing of many seemingly disparate aspects to create an intensely luminous collection of songs whose articulate lyrics, virtuoso performances and intricate arrangements never overshadow the very real humanity which is at the heart of it all.