Website Powered by FATEA

Releases

You've just completed your latest masterpiece and need to get the news out to a waiting world. Here's your opportunity. Click Here to mail us the details and a photo.

Please include contact, price and availability details.

You also get up to fifty words to let everyone know what you and your release is about.

Please keep pictures below 30k

Website: http://www.rebsiefairholm.co.uk

"Mind The Gap" is Rebsie's solo debut, but she has previously released as part of Revolving Doris. The album, feels mostly traditional, drawing on both English and Celtic songs. It's a songs album, vocal lead. Regardless of song style, the focus is very much around Rebsie's breathy and floating vocal style. That's not to say the instrumentation osn't solid, it is. Rebsie is also a multi instrumentalist at home on instruments old and new, she's also joined by the legendary Steafan Hannigan on a couple of tracks. It's an album that's as witty as it is dark. A great selection of songs old and new.

Album:Out Here In The Country

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

There is a slight retro feel to "Out Here In The Country". It harks back to a time when singer/songwriters weren't embarressed to write songs that had hooks and singalong elements to them. As Brian Jack's "Seasons In The Sun" showed, that doesn't mean that a song had to lack depth or meaning. Stanton's songwriting harks back to that feel, but manages to sound contemporary and distinct. Music that can be enjoyed as well as analysed. This is what acoustic pop should be about, well crafted songs, performed with conviction, a heart and a soul.

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

"Scrap Book" is a strong album, full of well written songs that take a slightly skewed look at life. Rich in both metaphore and tone, Redvers and the band experiment in both sound and harmony. It's the harmony and vocal generally that create a surreal, blurred at the edge feel to the album, aided and abetted by some experimentation and at times, well noise. Occasionally it feels self indulgent, but mostly, "Scrap Book" feels like an album that wants to explore boundaries. It's a challenging album, it feels on a kilter. It also makes you think and, more importantly, listen.

Website: www.manillapr.com/artists/Agua%20de%20Choro.asp

Chorinho is a Brazillian jazz form, that at its kost primitive uses, panderio, flute and guitar, combined with laidback, nightclub vocals. Agua De Choro infuse the core sound with a dash of keyboard and a splash of sax to create a sound cocktail, that reaches into the digital generation, without betraying the chorinho heart. It's sophisticated without feeling out of reach. It's music that will catch you in it's rhythm and reel you in. It's late nights and sunsets. It feels like a red rose clenched in the teeth, a night of passion and a hint of regret in the morning

Album:Future's Dream

Website: http://www.paulhandyside.com

The first thing you notice about "Future's Dream" is the epic proportion of Paul Handyside's voice. Regardless of actual volume, you can sense the power and control that provides delivery. It's a rare talent, the closest equivilent I can think of is the great Maria McKee. It's often backed by hard and harsh acoustic instrumentation that helps give the songs a feel of epic proportion, driving, powerful and honest. The production, by Paul and Rob Tickell is true to the spirit of the well honed songs, simple and direct no need for polish because there should be rough edges here.

James Hollingsworth

Album:Coming Home To Stay

Website: http://www.jameshollingsworth.com

James Hollingsworth is a man steeped in the troubadour tradition. It feels like just the man, his guitar and the open road. Ok a little bit of gob iron as well. The timer on my music player tells me this is exactly one hour long. What it doesn't tell me is the words and phrases that James squeezes into that hour. 12 minute plus epics feel as at home as two minute blitzes. It's an album that feels as much a gallery as it does a songboard. Hollingsworth paints canvas with his songs, there is something almost visual about them. It's easy to slip into character for the songs

Album:Battle And Victory

Website: http://www.nancyelizabeth.co.uk

Hot on the heels of the single, "I Used To Try" comes the album that mothered it, "Battle And Victory. Nancy Elizabeth proves that less really is more. Most of the songs are simple in construction. Nancy's voice accompanied by very simple string arrangements. Her use of dulcimer and harmony is stunning, the impact huge. Nancy doesn't tie her self to one sound. "Coriander" one of the more complex songs, sounds French in places because that's what it needs. "Battle And Victory is a masterpiece, rich and evocative. Nancy Elizabeth a star in creation.

EP:A Vodka For The Girl Who Changed My World

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

When the man who won the FATEA Favourite Male Vocalist of 2006 releases a new EP, you tend to take notice and rightly so. "A Vodka For The Girl Who Changed My World" sees him experimenting with a more band driven sound. It works. I've always rated Quinn as a songwriter, the band setting really brings the songs to life, adds a vibrancy, notably via the pedal steel and backing vocal. Strong songs, elequently delivered make for a really dynamic EP. Niall Quinn is building on an already high standard, hopefully this will help him breakthrough to the wider audience he deserves.

Label:Backwater Records

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

The thing I like about folk artists is they don't try to cheer you up, they keep trying to find different ways to bring you to their level. Unkle Black's latest release, "Earthling" show's why the band have acquired themselves a reputation for delivering story based songs with a quirky edge. Whilst there is a warmth to this album, it turns out to be the sun reflecting off a pool signed 'deep water'. Uncle Black are confident swimmers, alternatively diving into the depths and breaking the surface with bright splashes, reflecting mini-rainbows of colour and emotion.

Website: http://www.zoo-music.co.uk/

"Suddenly" is the first single from Zoo's criticallly acclaimed "Greenhouse" album. Hopefully it'll garner some of the attention needed to push the album from critical success to a significant commercial one. Zoo are a jazz trio that create a sensitive blend of the acoustic and the electric. "Suddenly" has a groove that gives the impression of the vocalist laid across a grand piano focusing her attention on one member of the audience, in this case you. It's relaxed, but with an edge. Realiastion dawns as the song's being performed that it's not the same as it was.

Album:Trees Outside The Academy

Website: http://www.sonicyouth.com/main/index.html

Thurston Moore remains an enigma. His heart beats with the spirit of a singer-songwriter. A passionate wordsmith who constructs songs like every note matters, every word has to be in the right place. Every aspect in the right setting. He's brought in a number of guests to match the songs to the sounds. At time that sound is noise, rather than riff and melody, but it works in the context of the songs. For me though it's the ballad he performs with Christina Carter, "Honest James", that is the stand out track in a strong and varied album. Simple, but oh so powerful.

Album:Washed Up On The North Shore

Website: http://www.jonchapman.co.uk

Jon Chapman's second CD shows a marked maturity both in his song writing and musicianship, as well as highlighting his credentials as an arranger and most importantly his abilities behind the production desk. Washed Up on the North Shore takes no effort in getting into; the songs are instantly accessible, but that isn't to say they are lacking in depth in any way, they are just constructed in the manner of most good pop music, to be easy on the ear. Jon is joined by Kim Osmundsvaag on cello, Calder McLaughlin on percussion and Ben Trott on guitar.