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.
Ewelina Borkowska - Warrior (Acoustic)
www.ewelinamusic.com
Dedicated to victims of emotional violence, this is from Polish singer, Ewelina's album Set in Stone. The acoustic guitar and her emphatic vocal give this a quiet power that underscores the message effectively. She says that "Warrior is a deeply personal song about overcoming emotional abuse. Despite the challenges, I've become stronger, and I hope this song inspires others to rise above gaslighting, guilt-tripping, and self-doubt". TM
Tarren - Neither Maid Nor Man
tarrenmusic.com/home
The trio Tarren say their band is "an ambassador for New-Folk; music that is fresh and dynamic, still rooted in the English tradition". An Accordion carries bulk of the tune, with repeating, almost sequence patterns, over a vocal at times unaccompanied. As a new name to me this feels like traditional instruments and singing but using modern ways to create the mood. Fresha and dynamic are the wright words here. Album, Outside Time is due in the Autumn, looking forward to it. TM
Sam Carter - Silver Horizon
www.samcartermusic.co.uk
A gentle folk pop tune, that has the sort of chiming electric guitar which bands like The Cocteau Twins and Sundays made popular. Sam Carter's voice is pleasant and keeps you focused on his words. The tune builds to a quietly epic conclusion. The album for which this is the title track is out in August and is another one that is added to the wants list. Emotive, sincere and enjoyable. TM
Allison Russell - Take Me To Church
allisonrussellmusic.com/home
A new single from the mighty Allison Russell is alays an event, and this cover of the Hozier song for Spotify's Singles series, which invites musicians to reimagine one of their own songs and a song they love, is a step away from the country soul of her last album. The choir back her up adds a huge punch to this quite brilliant interpretation. If you were wondering she also reinterprets her own Stay Right here for this release, which turns her song from The Returner into an 80s funk dream with fat synths replacing the original's strings. TM
Ben Francis - Hold On For Me
www.benfrancishqic.co.uk
Another song from the pop end of folk. He says "Writing this song and even bringing it to life was one of the emotionally hardest things I've done. I don't know if I'll ever be able to play it without a lump in my throat but It's the much-needed message to that kid inside that got lost such a long time ago". Piano leads the tune with string sounds adding weight to the second part of the song. Francis has a voice powerful enough for the backing and the subject, with an emotional depth often lacking in today's pop songs. An artist to follow, as he's got more songs just as good. TM
Bryony Heart - If (Acoustic)
www.bryonyheart.com
She claims influence from Tracy Chapman, Amy Winehouse and Norah Jones, but has mixed these into her own acoustic pop style, and while you can hear a bit of Amy in her delivery this is all her own. One of the many singer songwriters working around the country, Bryony Heart stands out by having a voice that draws you into the world of her song, and invites you to feel the words as she sings them TM
The LKG Trio - Icarus
www.facebook.com/thelkgtrio
A new take on the Greek tale of flying too high. A driving drums and bass with a stuttering violin line hook you into the nervous energy of the song. They conclude that "Mountains are a bitch to climb and if you wanna get the part you gotta learn the lines Coz' there's nothing wrong with dreaming if you're looking at the ceiling but your nose better be to that grindstone - is it ever gonna be enough?" Their strapline tells you everything you need to know. "High energy, good vibes and great for any night of the week!" TM
Jordie Lane - Blame Me If You Want
www.jordielane.com
A slow and stately tune with a guitar twang and pedal steel right out of a western. Jordie Lane is "an Australian indie roots artist, from Melbourne via LA to Nashville. This is the second single from his forthcoming album, Tropical Depression. This is just a great Americana style ballad that demands you hit the replay button. Johnny Cash would be doing songs like this if he was still with us and came from Melbourne. TM
Boulder Fields - Measures
www.facebook.com/TheBoulderFields
Cam Fraser describes Boulder Fields as on the on the slacker-indie side of Americana. This seamless blend of Scottish Indie pop from the Postcard Records school and folk based Americana has a pleasingly homemade feel without ever being less than 100% professional. Acoustic guitar with tambourine shaken at the edge of the mix and harmonies that supplement Fraser's story songs that have enough of CSNY about their makeup to attract the Americana fan, and an indie bite that makes this perfect pop. Album With All The Other Ghosts is just out, and contains 11 songs of the same high quality. TM
Quireboys - Raining Whiskey
www.quireboys.com
Veteran rock and roll band The Quireboys return with a Rolling Stones riff that could be an out take from 1972. With Scottish singer Frankie Miller supporting Spike's vocals this is a late-night blues for when the drink has kicked in. Written with Luke Morley of Thunder, think a Honky Tonk Women for the 21st Century. TM
The Petal Falls - Will The World Stop Turning
www.thepetalfalls.com
A single form The Rhythm Train, their 4th album, musically somewhere between melodic hard rock and goth, with the voice buried in the mix giving a wall of sound that washes over the listener. Nearly 6 minutes of epic rock music, like they used to make. The album is only on CD, but this onsg alone makes it an essential purchase for anyone who remembers 90s hard rock fondly. TM
John Reed Ft Laura Kelsey - Long Way
www.johnreedmusic.com
Halfway through the vocals suddenly leaps to the font of the song where they had been tentative at best before that, and the intent of John Reed with this song becomes clear. Having only taken up music in retirement he has produced some great work over the last 8 years or so, but matching his songs with Canadian singer, Laura Kelsey's bluesy voice could make for his best song yet. Slight guitar and synths make up the backing, but this all about Reed's words and Kelsey's delivery of them. TM
Big Joe Shelton- Mississippi Night
www.reverbnation.com/bigjoeshelton
Big Joe Shelton's 2008 release of 'Mississippi Night' brings us all the instrumental playfulness of classic blues combined with the genuine grit of classic rock'n'roll. Shelton's rich, gravelly voice alternating with the sweetness of the harmonica; the electric guitar filling out the melody alongside the drawl of the drums, offers 5 minutes of uninterrupted, unwavering, unflinching blues; the wholesome slowness of the song being almost sensual. The musical fullness doesn't detract from the purity of the instrumentation or Shelton's raw vocal performance, rather the track's unashamed commitment to the blues-rock genre and the personal edge of Shelton's Mississippi origin gives his distinctive vocal even more power. The opening guitar works through the song in a scale-like fashion almost in the background before a classic electric guitar solo kicks in overhead. This guitar intrepidly carries the rest of the song, replacing the harmonica, and perfectly satisfying the listener's cravings for something meatier. 'Mississippi Night' stands as an iconic reflection of true blues-rock, and would quench the thirst of any pre-established fan of the genre or anyone looking to experience it for the first time. Big Joe Shelton presents us with a truly hard-hitting, deliciously packed anthem.
Sean Taylor - Way Down In Enniscorthy
www.seantaylorsongs.com
Opening with a handclapping gospel moment, Sean Taylor's celebration of the second largest town in County Wexford, quickly turns into a piano boogie blues. When you learn that it is home to the Blackstairs Blues Festival everything falls into place. As a regular at the festival namechecking local landmarks doesn't feel contrived, and Taylor's piano and lead guitar are as good as his soulful vocals. Good time happy blues. TM
Harold Payne - Quiet Heroes
haroldpaynemusic.com
Quiet Heroes is about the Japanese American 442nd Battalion from World War Two. As the American treatment of their Japanese heritage population is one of the unknown darker aspects of that time it's good to have light shed on it. Payne is a multi-platinum selling songwriter working with Bobby Womack and Rod Stewart amongst others. The low-key acoustic guitar tune is almost incidental to the words here, powerful, and clearly designed to make you dig further into the subject. If you want to learn more read George Takei's biography, To The Stars' which describes his time as an internee eloquently. TM
Zeztra - Fool
www.instagram.com/zeztraofficial
An Irish duo, Avril and Lorna Meade take a slightly more folk based route to the sort of alt-pop that Duo Lipa has made her own. An organic acoustic feel, strings and spot on harmonies make this one of the best modern pop singles to come our way for a while. They say: "Drawing inspiration from different genres of pop, alt-rock, R&B, and Latin music has honed our craft, creating songs with blood harmonies and hopeful instrumentation." John Reynolds, producer to Sinead O'Connor and Belinda Carlisle has taken them under his wing which accounts for the polished performance but detracts nothing from a really good song. TM
Hannah Scott - Bigger Than My Body
www.hannahscott.co.uk
More pop, but of a more traditional sort. A piano ballad that could have been written anytime since 1974 with selling strings and Scott's clear, pure voice. 3 albums and 15 years into her career she has absorbed a love of classical music into her songwriting. The words express the feeling that everyone gets of emotions being too big to contain and reflects her other work which is "shaped by human stories, with family, in all its chaos and glory, sitting at the heart of her work". She's touring in the Autumn and is on the list of people to see. TM
Maud's Dog - Pebble Beach
www.maudsdog.com
Mark Fisher and Jackie Pryce make up Maud's dog, which is a great band name. While the song is basically a folk tune, their collective backgrounds, Pryce in poetry, Fisher in Metal band Voltz, make this sound and feel like nothing else. Pryce's words have similarities to Betty Thatcher's poetic lyrics for Renaissance, and Fisher's guitar work has a more "riff" based feel than much acoustic music. This is their debut single but has a professional sheen which makes that a surprise. Excellent tune, more please. TM
Lucas Elliott - Fairytale
www.instagram.com/lucaselliottofficial
A tinkling music box tune sets the tone for this first single from Lucas Elliott. His press says, that he is "weaving together elements of pop and singer-songwriter sensibilities, Lucas Elliott invites listeners into a sonic landscape where vulnerability meets resilience". And the playful delicate tune does fit into the space he suggests. His words "address the media that many people grow up watching and reading-movies, novels, and other stories". An imprssive start and an EP will follow later this year. TM
Tim Grimm - Broken Truth
timgrimm.com/home
Grimm has one of those voices made for country music, dark and sincere, and his music is just that. Unashamedly anti Trump, this is in the tradition of Woody Guthrie, and Bob Dylan's protest songs. He says "Let's turn the tide and wield Pete Seeger's Hammer. Let's make America a good place, a compassionate place which can be called a beacon for truth and hope again. I'll be singing, loud and clear." This is typical of his intense and personal style and comes from a 10th album due in the Autumn. This is an important political polemic, but also a great song 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.
Folk Friday Radio
Check out our shows and many other great shows on: