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.
Without Willow - The Heather Field
www.withoutwillow.com
Without Willow are an acoustic folk duo with an americana twist from Co Donegal. There is a touch of Alison Krauss in Union Station mode to this tune. Fiddle, and Dobro, but with Cello adding a unique twist to it. From a debut album due out in April. TM
Susan O'Neill - Drive
susanoneill.ie
A different sort of Irish singer songwriting. Her gritty voice suits an indie pop song with some intriguing words. "You thought you knew me. You were toying with emotions. And you thought I wouldn't notice I won't give that part away." The full band production should attract more of the radio play she has enjoyed in the past. TM
Jess Tuthill - Fuzzy Love
jesstuthill.co.uk
Basing a sound on the Ukelele is still unusual, but it's the ideal instrument for this first step into releasing the music she has been making for 20 years. Her album is produced by Ed Harcourt. A testimonial says she has "a voice that is to your ears what an M&S treacle pudding advert is to your eyes," and I can see that. Delightful, give it a listen. TM
Rachel Hill - You Stop The Light Going Out
www.rachelhillmusic.com
The opening line of the week award must go to, "I feel as tired as the house guitar left in the corner." Brilliant observational words about relating an open mic night to a relationship. Her voice has the touch of originality that is hard to find now. The song builds into the sort of layers The Staves do well, but still all very much her own style. Looking forward to seeing her at some festivals this summer, as she has more songs as good as this one. TM
Blue Rose Code - Bright Circumstances
bluerosecode.com
The next single from the album due to be released shortly is well up to the impossibly high standard of Blue Rose Code's usual offerings. A sparkling piano solo brightens the middle of this joyful song. Think "Van Morrison and a young John Martyn, both shipwrecked with a bunch of Motown records." If you haven't heard Blue Rose Code catch up now. TM
Oliver Cox & Julie Fowlis - Ceithir Gaothan na h-Alba' (The Four Winds of Scotland)
www.juliefowlis.com
Quite beautiful single, as the first release from the Lush Spa Highlands Spa Treatment soundtrack. A setting of a poem by Scottish writer George Campbell Hay, it's one of a whole album's worth of music commissioned by cosmetics company Lush to accompany their Highland Spa treatments. TM
Deep Dark Woods - Spanish Is The Loving Tongue
www.thedeepdarkwoods.com
Sitting in the middle ground between Neil Young and Al Green, this is country folk gone to church. 60s pop organ mixes with pedal steel on a Texas ballad that restores your faith in Country Music. TM
Everette - High And Lonesome
www.weareeverette.com
Starting as a piece of classic Bluegrass this quickly morphs into something far more contemporary with drums and handclaps from a disco tune, and vocal breakdowns. The frenetic soloing you expect from Bluegrass is all present and correct and the whole thing gets done and out in 2 and a half minutes. Best Bluegrass song of 2024 so far. TM
James O'Hurley - Evil
jamesohurley.com
Another Tex-Mex sounding country song, straight out of South London. Dark brooding words and a gritty soul filled voice make this debut single a joy. "Well, I've seen evil, and she better stay away from me," he tells us. I believe him. TM
Shufflepuck - Where The Hell Is She
www.bigstirrecords.com
Los Angeles band Shufflepuck are signed to Power Pop movers and shakers Big Stir. They are connected to Weezer, and you can hear that in the dense guitars and harmonies. If this sounds like it's from 1995, that's because it appears to be, and getting a first release to support an album and book project. It's still fab no matter when it was recorded. TM
Tomorrow Bird - Don't Count Me Out
www.tomorrowbird.comA regular on the Fatea singles column tomorrow bird have produced another fine narrative folk-based song. Jen Bird and Sion Driscoll are veteran musical theatre writers, and it always shows in their songs, which would be great on stage while still standing alone as fine singles. TM
Lucy Parker - Red Ink
www.lucyparkerofficial.com
Nina Simone is having something of a comeback, and you can hear her in Lucy Parker's voice. While she claims influence from more modern singers this is classic soul folk singing, whether the influence is conscious or not. Good song, great singing. TM
Bryony Heart - Player (Acoustic)
www.bryonyheart.com
Tracy Chapman, Amy Winehouse, and Norah Jones are the influences claimed by Bryony Heart and Chapman is the most obvious. An interesting stop start guitar style and a well-developed voice make this a strong single. I'm sure there is a full band version playing in her head, but for now this acoustic version will do very nicely.
Rosy Nolan - One Of Your Songs
www.rosynolan.com
A song about getting mixed up with the wrong man is hardly a new theme in country music. The Mandolin and fiddle give this a pleasantly old timey/blue grass feel to go with her sharp lyrics. I won't spoil the very clever twist at the end of those words. A good time, old time song. TM
The Milk Men - One Man Band
themilkmenmusic.com
It's no surprise to learn that bass player Lloyd Green is the son of The Pirates Mick Green. This is straight out of the late 70s Pirates song book. Stinging guitar, gravelly vocal and a short sharp song with no pretence to be anything other than a good rock and roll song. If you miss early Dr Feelgood, you can find them reborn here. TM
Holly Lerski - Oh Cassy Run
www.hollylerski.com
Describing herself as a British alt-Americana troubadour Holly Lerski's single sits just the right side of light country/pop. An insistent groove pushed by gently shaken percussion and guitar gives this a hook that should help it cross to Radio 2 if there is any justice. TM
Rob McHale - 40 Ford
robmchale.com
The acoustic sequel to Steve Earle's Copperhead Road. His North Carolina background has clearly informed the story of fast cars and whiskey running. Folk based Americana of the best sort, harmonica, and dobro give this the drive it needs while never letting the tune get too fast and furious. Excellent song taken from a compilation of his earlier material, so plenty more to sample. TM
Freddy And The Phantoms - Blood
www.facebook.com/freddyphan
Danish Blues Rock from a new album called Heathen Gospels. Bits of Fleetwood Mac, bits of Ry Cooder guitar, with Bryan Adams singing over it all. If that sounds like a strange mix, it really works. Powerful without becoming bombastic, and a great minor key tune to make this a new best find of the month. "Sonically, the listener has arrived together with the band somewhere on the Nordic Prairie." And indeed, it is a sound all their own. TM
Red Velvet - After The War/Stranger Welcome
www.redvelvetfolk.co.uk
Red Velvet have re-released two singles from their back catalogue. Both sadly very current. After The War looks at the hope and optimism for a time when fighting stops, and how often those hopes are dashed. With Trump making his own come back and Gaza and Ukraine on TV every day this is a message we need to hear.
Stranger Welcome has a reggae beat with trumpet that has a sinister message of racism and fear of difference that is very relevant in the light of much of the news currently. "Not wanted here" is too common a message. TM
Remorae - Johnny's On The Water
remorae.co.uk
Combining folk, jazz and electronica has been a thing for some time, but this highly sequenced tune takes it in a new minimalist direction. Lissie Daly's trumpet adds a different level and the sparse vocal from Florence Brady drifts past adding to the dream like atmosphere of the song. If you don't think electronics have a place in folk, this is the song to change your mind. TM
Ciderhouse Rebellion -As We Party Oblivious
theciderhouserebellion.com
A first single from new album And Even The Sheep Shall Dance, which seems to be a concept album based around the "idea that as the world seems to be a tricky and dispiriting place in so many ways, one way of dealing with things is to listen and dance to upbeat music." And the doings of sheep. It has a graphic novel to accompany it apparently. This tune is the opening track and goes from a jolly upbeat-ness to a rather more melancholy end section leaving us with a cliff hanger until the next song on the album, which is called Trees Shall Fall. Can't wait to here, and read, the rest. TM
The Old Country Crows - Walls Cone Down
www.theoldcountrycrows.co.uk
Kent Country band Old Country Crows have produced a dusty southern tune with home counties singing and sentiments. The Roy Orbison/ Hank Marvin guitar figure that leads the tune is great, and the sing along nature of the song will make this a live stand out, I'm sure. A short sharp guitar solo breaks the song up. This is a single that should attract a lot of new fans. TM
Bonneville - Chimpanzee
www.missyorkshiregold.comA promising start to her music career for Bonnie Milnes, comparing herself to Ham the first Chimpanzee in space, presumably in terms of isolation and unwilling sacrifice. A gentle country/folk tune with her modern pop vocal style and a gentle groove make this a single to hear. 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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