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Album:Fatea Showcase Sessions:Openings - Spring 10

Website: http://www.fatea-showcase-sessions.co.uk

With the usual caveat that this is one of ours, "Openings" is the eight addition to the Fatea Showcase Sessions and the first ofr the 2010 series. Featuring eighteen tracks from solo artists across a number of genres, "Openings" is designed to showcase the quality that is there just below the radar or emerging just above it. It comes to you at no cost so please follow the link and help yourself to a copy. If you like what you hear, just follow the links to the artist websites and spend some time and money on their recordings. Thanks to everyone that makes these possible.

Album:Folk Awards 2010

Website: http://www.propergandablog.com

This three cd compilation features twenty two of the nominated artists for this years BBC Radio Two Folk Awards across two discs and the finalists of the BBC Radio Two Young Folk Awards. It oozes quality from every pore. In addition to traditional and contemorary folk, there's a smattering of other traditional base music styles such as bluegrass. As both a reminder to what a great musical year 2009 was or as an introduction the British folk music scene, there's a lot worse you could do than use this as you starting point. Congratulations to everyone that made the cd.

Album:Princes Of The Hollow Tree

Website: http://www.myspace.com/krazyroscoe

It's been a while since I've encountered Roscoe, so when his new album, "Princes Of The Hollow Tree" dropped through the letterbox, I was intrigued and, as it turns out, delighted. A purveyor of troubadour, folk blues, Roscoe uses the album to take you on a series of journeys, both physical and meta-physical. As well as being a wordsmith, he knows his way around the guitar. The result is a series of songs that are easily accessable and also make you think. There's an intensity about the album that gives it an air of authority, a sense of it's relationship with singer and listener.

Website: http://www.myspace.com/alicewatts

This album has been out a little while, but it is Alice Watts current cut. I came across Alice playing a support slot recently and suitably impressed acquired a copy of the album. Alice has a rootsy, at times laid back style, with the odd hint of whimsy. There's a soul thang that informs the underlying folky vibe. It's a real body swayer of an album, it imparts a sense of well being. It's been doing stress busting duties in the house for a couple of weeks. It's also more than the sum of those parts. There's plenty of changes in pace and tone to keepit vibrant. Roll on the new album

EP:Help Yourself Float

Website: http://www.paulliddell.com

With a blend of acoustic rock, a strong narrative and a regional accent, Paul Liddell has put together an ep that contains that all important factor individuality and recognition. Whilst there are a number of good acoustic rock bands hitting the same pace, "Help Yourself Float" benefits from wearing it's North East origins on its sleeve. Not just for it's title, but "Ghost Car (The Caffine Kicks)" could easily be "Ghost Riders In The Sky" for the twenty tens. It's got that sense of being driven, chanty backing vocals and moral ambiguity. A great ep all around.

Website: http://www.chumba.com

Whilst the music may not be as agressive as it once was, there's no sign of Chumbawamb mellowing in their choice of topics for songs. Songs have always been used for political purposes and recounting social history. As the band point out there was a time when songs were sung in pubs rather than listened to. Aspects of class, war and anti-semitism all get an outing, there's space at the end for an attack on the BNP's attempt to usurp English folk and culture to establish themselves in the mainstream. Folk Against Fascism, you cant argue against the ideal. Provocative throughout.