Beyond The 45
Singles, EPs, Downloads
The Fatea office also serves as a home for our weekly Along The Tracks show on Folk Friday Radio and as a rule singles and Eps have generally gone in that direction whilst Fatea generally concentrates on albums and live reviews for our full length feature, but with more artists going back down the single route to keep themselves in the public eye, we thought it was time to reflect that in our offerings and as rules are made to be broken or at the very least adapted, welcome to the Singles Round Up.
Clare Sands - Curlew Song
claresands.com
Featuring RÃoghnach Connolly, Curlew Song is, simply put, stunningly beautiful. The voices combine as if one, the instrumentation compliments those voices. Its subtle, gentle delivery makes this track something very special indeed. I love it, I'm sure I'm one of many who will have this track on repeat. MF
The Celia Bryce Band - Shine Like The Road
www.theceliabryceband.com
As soon as those deep vocal tones of Celia Bryce filter into my ears I am struck by the passion they invoke. The words of Shine Like the Road are delivered with such integrity, leaving with me with no doubt that Celia means each and every one. MF
Melinda Joy and Son of Cormack - Out of the Blue and To Late
melindajoy.com
I'm not sure but possibly this is a double A side single, well that's what they called them back in the day. Two tracks that, listening to one after the other, work really well together. Turn up the volume, put the top down (get a can opener if you haven't got a soft top) and give these tracks a spin on a long drive to the coast.
The Apple Sellers - Bells Of Old England
theapplesellers.com
The Apple Sellers are Martin Purdy and Ian Mayer. Bells Of Old England has all the attributes of a warm, satisfying traditional folk song, with a repetitive refrain that any audience will have no choice but to join in with. How cannily the verses carry us from early England right up to the hard times of nowadays. The sadness of the tune conveys a reality that nothing will ever change, although there is precious hope conveyed in the lyrics. MF
Rebecca Hill and Charlie Stewart - Abhainn Hotaroil
www.rebeccaandcharliemusic.com
Rebecca and Charlie are a harp and fiddle duo based in Glasgow. Abhainn Hotaroil is an absorbing instrumental that trickles in, drip drip dripping sound slowly into our ears, which gently flows across the mind, gradually rising to a torrent of delight. And now, we find ourselves, awash with wave upon wave of sparkling strings that have built to a tempest of sound, which eventually, carefully, gently, carries safely back home. What an absolute pleasure to review! MF
Russel Kitchin - Counting Magpies
russelkitchin.com
Counting Magpies is a confident, catchy, country choon. Great lyrics, bouncy melody, story of loves labours, what more could you ask for to get yourself up off of the sofa and line dancing on the kitchen floor, what? You need a little more? Well, take a look online, there's a Counting Magpies line dance to compliment this banjo driven track. I like this one so much, I'm off to add it to my country playlist, just as soon as I've found my cowboy boots. MF
Screaming Foxes - Playing Games
www.screamingfoxes.co.uk
Plaintive acoustic guitar and dreamy voice drift like whisps of scattering clouds. Sunlight dappling through breeze-stirred leaves. Thus 'Playing Games' wafts in, and wafts back out again out without much deviation, the music's soft tenderness belying the apparent tale of relationship-confusion conveyed by the lyrics. Shades of Bon Ivor here from Liverpool-based Screaming Foxes, with Ophelia drifting down the upper reaches of the Mersey fully surrendered to being lost at sea. A very pleasant 2'43" - JC
Luke Jackson - Don't Waste A Worry
www.lukepauljackson.com
There can't be that many catchy colloquial phrases left which haven't already been commandeered on behalf of a chorus but "Don't Waste a Worry [on me]" is a good 'un I haven't heard before. It's certainly the stand out lyric of this well-crafted song, lifted up into the world of 'a bit special' by the rich-with-a-dash-of-rasp vocal delivery of British singer-songwriter Luke Jackson. Taken from Jackson's forthcoming 8th album 'Soil and Seed', 'Don't Waste A Worry' swims somewhere in waters once populated by the likes of James Taylor and Jackson Browne, and contains no jump scares or innovative musical excursions. But when you have a voice this adept, perhaps all you need to do is arrange a well turned out hotel bed for it to lie on. - JC
Kaekh - Hold The Hill
kaekh.com
This charity single is supporting both the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal and the Soldiers Of Gloucestershire Museum. It is perhaps a sign of moving times that the events commemorated in this song are from Korea, not WW2. Hold The Hill is a powerful, rock driven, remembrance of the Gloucestershire Regiments action holding Hill 235 allowing allied troops to regroup behind them. NK
Grainne Brady - Oak
https://www.grainnebradyfiddle.com/
Gráinne Brady a fiddle-singer and songwriter from Co. Cavan, has spent many years steeped in Glasgow's lively traditional and folk community. Now back in Ireland, she carries with her a rich collection of music shaped by the interplay of Irish and Scottish traditions. Oak being the first single from "The Highest Blossom", tipped for release in '27 NK
Ainsley Hamill - Leerie Brae
ainsleyhamill.com
Leerie Brae is a striking collaboration between Ainsley Hamill and Sam Kelly, a meeting of two voices that feel instantly compatible yet wonderfully distinct. Hamill leads with her trademark blend of clarity and emotional weight, shaping the song's narrative with a storyteller's instinct, while Kelly adds a warm, earthy counterbalance that deepens the track's atmosphere. AI
Penny Jayne Black - Fire In My Belly
https://www.pennyjayneblack.com
Fire In My Belly marks another compelling chapter in Penny Jayne Black's evolving story. Black channels the grit and warmth of her influences into a track that burns with determination, pairing her trademark vocal depth with a driving, roots rich arrangement. There's a sense of renewal in the song, a spark that speaks to creative momentum and a growing confidence in her artistic voice. AI
Fatea Showcase Sessions
The Fatea Showcase Sessions are a series of downloads featuring acts that we've really enjoyed and think that more people should get the chance to hear.
Pirate is the current session and features 16 fantastic artists check out the website to find out more about them and download your copy
www.fatea-showcase-sessions.co.uk for all the artist information.
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