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.
Laura Loh - Cold Morning
www.lauraloh.com
Laura Loh is a Hampshire, based singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer with a background in classical and jazz music and an inclination towards alt-pop and alt-folk. Cold morning starts as a piano led ballad that adds Phil Collins style big drums in the second verse. Her singing has the touch of Kate Bush that seems to be inevitable, but also enough of her personality in it to make this a more than passable single. If Radio 2 was interested in pushing new artists a hit would beckon. TM
Tu-kay & Ryan - Something Real
tukayandryan.co.uk
The close harmonies of this duo are the key selling point here. Folk styled but with drums and electric guitars to bulk up the sound to give a pop folk feel that is left behind for a purely acoustic end point to the song. As catchy and engaging as their earlier singles reviewed here, the bigger arrangement suits the song and their singing. Their websites say that they are optimists at heart and believe there is always a light at the end of the tunnel and want their lyrics to "encourage a positive outlook on life, even when things may be tough." Job done. TM
Norman Lamont And The Heaven Sent - She Wants Out
www.normanlamont.com
Norman Lamont (not THAT one I'm assuming) says "She Wants Out is our Beatles tribute and takes place six weeks or months after She Loves You. This is as good a piece of Merseybeat as anything released back in the day. Modern sensibilities over the handclaps and McCartney style bassline. He describes two of his songwriting themes as "'surreal' in the sense of dream-like, with only their own internal logic holding them together", and "Relationship songs that nail an unspoken feeling with disarming honesty" with touch of humour. I'd say he has managed to combine those on this song, which is definitely single of the month for May 1963. TM
False Colours - Horizon
www.falsecolours.co.uk
Another duo, but more traditionally folk in approach. They call their style 'happy/sad, rhythmic, jangle indie folk music". With a drone (a Shrutibox perhaps?) to keep the folk flavour the song and the guitar playing are more than a little reminiscent of 80s jangly pop music. Play this on a 12 string Rickenbacker and it would work just as well, which is the mark of a good song. TM
Riders Of The Canyon - Master of my Lonely Time
specialfriend.bandcamp.comA second single from upcoming album Wait Until The Flames Come Rushing In. Special Friend are a drums and bass duo, but go for chiming guitars and insistent drum beat over the heavy rock approach that this combination often looks for to fill up the sound. Strings and an overdubbed fuzz guitar solo make the bigger noise when needed, and their harmony vocals are sweet rather than strident. If this is typical of the album, then you can put it on the check out in June list. TM
Jim Ghedi & Toby Hay - Bright Edge Deep
www.jimghedi.com/projects
Topic Records have brought together two of folk's finest guitarists. There's an almost Grateful Dead feel to the interplay of their guitars on this tune. They weave around each other with little lines and figures appearing and vanishing again. Magical music that is over far too soon. This has become keenly awaited now and with some shows to promote the album promised I hope one of those is local enough to get to. TM
Rosie Bell - Cursed
www.facebook.com/RosieBellMusic
I don't know if Bell has heard any of Renaissance's 70s output, but there is a similarity in the lead bass and pure clear voice. The 60s psych guitar gives it her own spin. She says she has a penchant for vampires and mythical creatures! The words bear that out, listen to them, and if you like the folkier end of prog Rock give this a try. TM
Holly Ebony - Burner Song
www.hollyebony.com
An intimate folk song with vocals up close and a delicate backing that keeps you focused on the words and the voice. "The track touches on seasonally affected mental health, the benefits of connecting with nature & the uplifting power of love". This could have come from Laurel Canyon about 1971 as easily as the Dartmoor she actually hails from. TM
The 3 Clubmen - Aviatrix
www.facebook.com/the3clubmen
The 3 Clubmen is a new project comprised of XTC's Andy Partridge, Jen Olive and Stu Rowe. There is inevitably an XTC feel to this first single from an EP due in June. Olive's vocals are as prominent as Partridge's and she brings a reggae lilt to her verses. Rowe has been in and around the XTC universe for many years. The avantgarde pop of this first song is a welcome oddity in an increasingly bland musical world. "Like an 'action painter' throws colour at a canvas, we tend to throw musical and sound things, knowing that we'll cut through this seemingly insane mess later, to hopefully find some beautiful garden, hiding there," says Andy Partridge. Brilliant. 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.
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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