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.
Eliza Carthy - Blood On My Boots
www.eliza-carthy.com
The latest single from Carthy's new 'Queen of the Whirl' album, celebrating 30 years in the business, started life on her album. Neptune' in 2011. If you haven't got a preorder in for this album yet then this mix of Vaudeville and folk rock may be the one to do it. A celebration of Carthy's unique style is worth joining in with. She is touring to support the album in November, and if you have followed our reviews of the previous singles you'll know that we will be in the front row TM
Annie Dressner - I've Always Been Like This
www.anniedressner.com
Having listened to the recent Dressner/Ford this up tempo solo single from Dressner is an interesting contrast. The closest comparison to her voice is Judee Sill thanks to the double tracked vocal, certainly but she also has the same narrative quality to her songs. Once you've bought this lovely single you can try her Digital Tour Demos 2022 EP from Bandcamp which makes an interesting contrast, as well as highlighting just how good her song writing is. A name to add to the watch out for her visiting your town list. TM
Emily Portman & Rob Harbron - Time Was Away
emilyandrob.uk
Taken from Emily Portman & Rob Harbron's debut duo album which comprises eight English folk songs and two 20th Century poems set to music. With established reputations as solo performers, this was always ging to be an enticing prospect and the first single and title song confirms that this will be one of the traditional folk albums of the year if they maintain this quality across the whole 10 songs. The brass solo (maybe tuba?) adds an air of melancholy to the song. It's hard to beat The Guardian's description of Portman's singing: "English folk comes no more enchanted than Emily Portman's delicately sung tales" TM
DiElle - Too Tough For Easy Money
dielle.bandcamp.comAnother single from her 'One Girl One guitar' project. Her press says "knack brutally honest lyrics, and a voice that could bring a tear to the eye of the most stone hearted souls.". She is certainly in the top row of acoustic guitar and voice performers around at the moment. She also says of her music: "If the Eagles and Adele had a lovechild and left it in the woods..." No chance much better than that… TM
Gavin Fairhall Lever - Martha By The Loveny
gavinfairhalllever.com
Gavin Fairhall Lever brings together three acclaimed musicians to present a fresh, contemporary folk music born of their diverse roots. Punk fiddle meets jazz bass and Balkan guitar is how they describe their music. An extended instrumental that is mostly led by James Patrick Gavin's fiddle. Tim Fairhall's Danny Thompson style bass underpins the tune, and Adrian Lever's guitar, which certainly has Balkan and Spanish touches rounds out the sound. TM
Andy Smythe - The Riverman
andysmythe.com
'The Riverman' is a song about the beautiful minds of introverted people. Andy wrote the song after watching a Nick Drake documentary which sparked a certain sadness in his heart. Supported by a strong string arrangement and a relentless drum beat Smythe's sound has little in common with Drake. His voice has a tremor in places to it that I assume to be deliberate. The stronger voice on the chorus is far more in keeping with the setting he has placed his words in. 'The Riverman' is a song about creating oneself, a journey which can be challenging in a cut-throat world that favours the extrovert, and the lyrics are by far the best aspect of his song. TM
Scooter Page - The Morning After
www.scooterpageartistry.com
Listing Aerosmith and Guns and Roses among his influences gives a fairly clear idea of where Scooter Page sits musically. 'The Morning After' is on the poppy side of Aerosmith, and his voice has more than a touch of Axl Rose about it. There's nothing very original about this tune, but there doesn't need to be. Good quality guitar based pop rock will always find an audience, and this song will bring the air guitar out as you bounce around the room. Based in San Pedro, California. Page is an actor as well as musician. TM
Brophy's Law - Road To Meo
www.brophys-law.com
Neil Brophy has been a fixture on the festival circuit across Scandinavia, UK, and Europe for many years. With a more band outlook that led to renaming his activities as Brophy's Law he and his band have settled in Copenhagen. This is a high energy piece of acoustic folk rock. With Whistle, Mandolin, Pipes, and a driving rhythm section this stretches to nearly seven minutes, but it doesn't let up and it feels a lot shorter. Hopefully the length doesn't deter radio paly because this is a stomping good tune that leaps out of the speakers at you and hangs on until it is done. TM
Alice Cotton - My Turn
www.alicecottonmusic.com
Australia's Darwin is home to Cotton. This is a single from her debut EP. A stately piece of Americana influenced indie folk, her voice is delicate but never overwhelmed by the sympathetic backing. She says of it is creation that it is a self-declaration that I choose to spend my time bringing my ideas to life for their own sake, because it feels good and important and I don't want to have to justify it beyond that". Along with many artists now she is increasingly "disempowered and boggled by the industry" and sets out her stall as an independent artist. A great debut and I look forward to hearing more from her. TM
Finn Collinson - Jerry Bundler
www.finncollinson.com
Jerry Bundler is the latest single from Finn Collinson, taken from his forthcoming second album. Calling himself a contemporary folk musician, one of the feature instruments here is Emma Beach's Oboe which gives this a decidedly medieval feel, as does Collinson's recorder solo. "I'm often drawn to create music inspired by stories I read, both fictional and real-life", explains Finn. "I especially enjoy short stories and this song grew from one I read last year." Anyone who likes the folkier end of progressive rock should certainly try this song as it has a feel of Jethro Tull about it in places. His new album 'The Thershold' Is out soon and is a subject for investigation based on this single. TM
Maddie Morris - Philomela
maddiemorris.co.uk
Folk songs have always told stories, but how Maddie makes her mark is by turning this storytelling into action. Describing her as "leading the next generation of socially conscious songwriters" is born out on this single. "She takes traditional song in new directions to shine a light on contemporary issues, offering new perspectives about the world we live in today". The first single from an Ep to be called 'Upstream' she has a distinctive, fresh singing style that sits with the spars guitar, strings, and piano backing. More proof that folk based singer songwriting is thriving in 2022. TM
Julian Taylor - Seeds
juliantaylormusic.ca
Canadian singer songwriter Julian Taylor's new single is a great vehicle for his rich voice and features a string based sound that stands out from the Americana crowd. He has been snging and playing for 20 years and has Juno and Polaris prizes to back up the high standard his music has maintained over that time. After time spent with the band Staggered Crossing, he has released several solo records and this is one of his best and a good place to start with his catalogue. TM
Rosie Smith - Jekyll and Hyde
www.facebook.com/RosieSmithOfficialJekyll and Hyde is a catchy pop song, not quite on the cutting edge of modern pop, but all the better for that. All the classic elements are here, big chorus, dense arrangement, heavy drums. And blended with a voice that is superior to most of what is in the charts at present this makes it one for the car playlist. "I wrote 'Jekyll and Hyde' when I was in school," She says "There were some quite unpleasant people who made me feel like I was going crazy by playing mind games and tricks on me, which is why I used 'Jekyll and Hyde' as the title, as I almost had to create another personality to survive the trials and tribulations, they put me through." A recent support tour with Lawson will hopefully have got her the exposure she deserves. TM
The Wanton String Band - Deb's
wantonstringband.net
Their press says "The sound of the Wanton String Band is ecstatic and shamelessly danceable, combining the melodies, warm string sounds and hypnotic repetition of the old time canon, our own disparate influences and an unwavering commitment to the joy and hedonism of losing yourself in music." And I can't word it any better. Modernising traditional folk and trying to make it dance is always a tricky job but The Wanton String Band have managed it without turning into a novelty act. Deb's could be the start of a new trend Folk-Trance, and it's fabulous. Give it a listen. TM
Cormac O Caoimh - Aliens
www.cormacocaoimh.net
A song on the borders of pop and folk. With cinematic string fills and a relaxed groove this is a great showcase for the Irish singer's intimate warm voice. There is more than a bit of the earworm about this song. It's unlike anything else. Baroque pop over folk, this is part of a series of singles that will also include a B side (remember them?) when bought on Bandcamp. Inviting and warm this Is a song that will stick with you. TM
mUmbo - Don't Even Mind The Rain
mumbomusic.com
Folk/Pop recorded remotely in the UK and Italy this is a good old fashioned pop music that could come from anytime in the last 30 years, but still sounds right up to date. Chiming guitars, a languid vocal from Emma Semple. A bit of Mazzy Star and a slide guitar solo that fades out frustratingly at the end of the song. Hopefully an album version will be longer as at 4 and a half minutes you could easily listen to another chorus or two. TM
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.
Corsair 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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