Beyond The 45
Singles, EPs, Downloads
The Fatea office also serves as a home for our weekly Along The Tracks show on Blues & Roots 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.
Lady Nade & Boo Hewerdine - Echo
ladynade.co.uk/
2021 was very much Lady Nade's year. Her third album 'Willing' was universally well reviewed and she was rewarded with an AMA Song of the year award for 'Ain't One Thing' from the album. Her first release of 2022 is a joint effort with Boo Hewerdine. 'Echo' is a country tinged, acoustic song with a lazy Banjo taking the main instrumental line. Their voices complement each other nicely, and the song drifts along on a very pleasant groove. Lady Nade says she connected with hewerdine after supporting him in 2019. "I convinced him that together we could be invincible and thus a strong friendship was born; all through lockdown we've met once a week to write songs. It's become a welcome regular moment of well-being for each of us through the difficulty of the pandemic" If that means there are more singles or even an album to come, that could be the best musical news so far this year. TM
Siena Christie - Northern Lights
sienachristie.bandcamp.com/
The only comparison between this song and the Renaissance hit is the voice of Siena Christie, which does have some of the same cut glass quality of Annie Haslam. Christie says that it was written for her wife "At the time I wrote it, she was experiencing severe depression and anxiety, from having hid her true identity (as a trans woman) all her life. I felt cold, alone, and helpless watching her suffer. So I wrote the song partly to soothe myself, and partly to show compassion for her, in hopes she too might feel less alone." The ballad style suits both her voice and the subject matter, and it ends up sounding quite uplifting. TM
Lynne Hanson - Hip Like Cohen
www.lynnehanson.com/
Hanson's new single released ahead of a new album due at the end of April blends an acoustic Indie and Americana feel with a lyric that sounds more than a little tongue in cheek. "I was such a great dancer, when I was three. The Glory days of my infant phase, a time before reality. Introduced me to the concept there was a celling to being me" is best opening verse I've heard in ages. I'm guessing the Cohen of the title is Leonard, and her voice has touches of both him and Lucinda Williams while being wholly her own. The song opens up into a Nick Lowe style stomp, with a full bore electric guitar solo in the middle before settling back to the more acoustic groove. Hopefully the rest of the album will reflect the very high quality of this song. TM
Robert Lane - Pass The Day
www.robertlanemusic.co.uk/
Actor, musician and comedian Robert Lane's new single "is a song about letting events happen and being open to the possibility that sometimes things fall the way that you want without forcing them." It was recorded solo and released in a couple of weeks. While it's hard to be critical of something that so much passion and effort has gone into, sitting with it for an extra day or two may have led to some different choices about the finished article. It is very full of instruments which get in the way of a Beatles-ey groove that just feels like it could have used a bit more space for the interesting words to breath. There is definitely room for a couple of remixes to bring out other aspects of a good song. TM
Carnan - Calmac Kenny
carnan.bandcamp.com/track/calmac-kenny
Louden Mackay and Arthur Brook are Càrnan and this is their debut single. Accordionist Louden Mackay has a fascinating way with his instrument, almost sounding like Thelonius Monk at times. CalMac, Caledonian MacBrayne, operate ferries around the Islands of Scotland and are such an intrinsic part of the way of life that Mackay wrote the song: "for our good friend Kenny who landed his dream job [at CalMac] and is a tribute to his hard work! He was chuffed when he heard that we were recording the track and that we'd composed something so cheery as a toast to him." Brook's guitar keeps up with the accordion and this is one of the brightest cheeriest sings in a long time. ideal for playing on the ferry to Kennacraig… TM
Tomorrow Bird - Promise of Today
www.tomorrowbird.com/home
Tomorrow Bird are Jen Bird and Simon Driscoll, established artists in their own right. Mainly folk based there is more than a touch of the sort of Americana that The Civil Wars dealt in, an influence they acknowledge. "We offer up this song as a ray of sunshine and to pave the way for better (post-Pandemic!) days", is how they describe it. Ray of Sunshine covers it nicely. There is nothing startlingly original in the song, but it just highlights how uplifting a good song played and sung well can be. TM
Jacob And Drinkwater - New Capri
www.jacobanddrinkwater.com/
And it is about the car that for a certain generation was a serious aspiration. Tobias ben Jacob delivers the nostalgic refrain with feeling. "Life is for Living… Don't wait 'til tomorrow to find your own way, start today" His partner in this song Lukas Drinkwater plays most of the instruments, leaving guitar and voice to Jacob. There is more than a hint of the seventies in the music as well as the subject matter, despite neither of them being old enough to have yearned for a new Capri. They follow a relaxed pop folk feel that is beguiling and typical of their sound. This was recorded at the sessions for their 2021 album 'More Notes from the Field' which is definitely worth investigating.
Linda Moylan - Brig Hannah
http://lindamoylan.co.uk/
Shipwrecks are standard material for folk music, and this is the tale of a ship which transported emigrants to Canada during the Irish Famine. It is best known for the fact that the captain officers took the only lifeboat and abandoned passengers and crew. The optimism of the chorus looks towards new life and fortune in Canada and being able to return to save the singers family from the famine The verse talks about the Captain deserting his ship. The violin that carries the tune behind the voice has a funereal feel to it. A great piece of traditional Celtic flavoured folk.
Bella Gaffney with Sam Kelly - Fair and Tender Ladies
www.bellagaffneymusic.com/
During lockdown, the Magpies' Bella Gaffney formed online collaborative friendships with other performers from around the world, with plans to release an album based on those later this year. One collaboration is with The Lost Boys' Sam Kelly on the Appalachian folk song "Fair and Tender Ladies", chosen as the single to herald the album. Guitar, fiddle, bass and a haunting plucked banjo provide an atmospheric accompaniment as Gaffney and Kelly have a musical discussion about undependable men. It makes for very easy listening and is beautifully performed. I look forward to hearing the album. BL
Merry Hell - Peace and Love
www.merryhell.co.uk/
Merry Hell have been rumbustiously folk-rocking their way round the UK since 2010. Many of their songs have what can only be called anthemic qualities, and their new single "Peace and Love" is the latest in that line. Right up to date in terms of its social relevance, both for individuals in Boris's Britain and the current military madness, it has a rousing tune, great playing and singing, and will, no doubt, have audiences at Merry Hell concerts singing out loud and strong. Great stuff. BL
Hunz - Honey
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100076154027351
Having formed at the end of 2021, Welsh combo Hunz, have been quick off the mark with their releases, with sophmore single "Honey", rapidly following debut "Green Tea". "Honey" is a catchy, folk-pop earworm, that will constantly have you repeating the hook over and over in your head. I'm really looking to hearing more from this unit, they definitely have something. Something they don't have is good socials, checkout the url, but do check then out, it's well worth the effort, "You'll never go hungry...." NK
Fatea Showcase Sessions
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Corsair is the current session and features 16 fantastic artists check out the website to find out more about them and download your copy
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