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.
Chris Murphy- Worn Thin
www.chrismurphymusic.com
A long established session violinist and writer Murphy has 15 albums under his own name. This new song takes a violin loop and adds his eclectic Jazz/folk violin improvisation over the top and a heavily treated vocal to produce a slightly sinister sound that echoes the theme of patience at its breaking point. A quote on his Bandcamp page from No Depression Magazine sums up Chris Murphy perfectly. "One of the best songwriters in popular music unjustly flying under the radar." TM
Pilch - Come What May
www.pilchmusic.com
A jaunty country song with 70s soft rock harmonies. Pilch is singer songwriter Andy Pritchard, from London which may explain the refreshing lack of a formula to his country music. HE says that Come What May is "a song about the getting up, not the falling down, a song about friendship and reassurance." Country without the clichés and a great fun summery song. TM
Linda Moylan - Irish Love Song
www.lindamoylan.co.uk
Irish Love Song is the lead single from the forthcoming new album The Fool. At heart a folk song, the rhythm section moves this towards a more pop sound. Accordion and Violin fill out the sound to give a tune that sits somewhere in the 70s, in a good way. More proof that we are in a time where musical talent is creeping out wherever you look. Looking forward to hearing her next album. TM
Iona Fyfe - Love Story (Scots Version)
ionafyfe.com
If this sounds familiar that's because it is the Taylor Swift song given a Scots makeover. With a sparse backing the focus is all on her voice. Iona Fyfe has done this before with Swift's All Too Well as well as settings of Robert Burns and Richard Thompson as well as her own songs. In amongst the many Sub-Taylor singers, it takes a brave soul to put a twist to her songs, and a true talent to make them her own. Fyfe is that talent, and even convinced my Swiftie daughter to prefer this over her hero's original. TM
Moondusty - Moondusty
www.instagram.com/moon__dusty
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
Alas De Liona - Violet
www.alasdeliona.com
The sound of The Cocteau Twins and Mazzy Star is definitely back in style. Los Angeles by way of Edinburgh singer Alas De Liona has refined that sound, bringing a dusty Americana quality to the typical reverb laden tune. Almost military drumming adds that little something extra which raises a song. Her earlier EP Radio Astronomy has an atmospheric folk feel that is also worth investigating. TM
John Jenkins - Dressing Up The Truth
johnjenkinsmusic.com/home
Liverpool's John Jenkins is another of those singer songwriters who sit just under the radar despite being worthy of platinum records by the boatload. "This song is a little trip down memory lane for me. Characters and relatives intertwine within the narrative. A big memory for me was the New Year celebrations we had in Borella Road where my family and cousins lived, where at midnight everyone would be hugging each other and then 3 hours later some would be at each other's throats" Quite upbeat, especially compared to his Tuebrook album, which is just one amongst the delights to be found in his catalogue. If you haven't found the pop/folk of John Jenkins start here and then you'll be hooked. TM
Boulder Fields - Wipe Out The Stars
www.facebook.com/TheBoulderFields
The second single from excellent With All The Other Ghosts album is a love song to his adopted hometown of Edinburgh. A piano led ballad with one of my favourite lines of the year so far that shows how far the city has got under his skin. "And we can't escape now and so we remain. Forever enthralled by the mist and the rain. And we never noticed you tricking our hearts. Sweeping us up when we'd fallen apart." Another major songwriting talent to discover. TM
Matt Hall - You
www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100076396612164
A song of three parts. Acoustic introduction, heavily strummed over the gritty vocal. An electric guitar and drums build the urgency as the vocal rises. And then out of nowhere a slapped bass pops in to the third act bringing another dimension to a riveting performance of a great song. And all in 3 minutes. TM
Hayley McKay - Saviour On A Hill
www.hayleymckay.co.uk
Gospel styled Country from a North East England based singer. This doesn't follow the accepted norms of country, again probably due to not being in Nashville. A voice that is equal parts LeAnn Rimes and Kate Bush. An award-winning singer who has been around for some time, worked with a range of well-known artists and has the big production and vocal presence of far better recognised singers. TM
Katie Nicholas - The Wheel
www.katienicholas.co.uk
Another Folk/Country singer, but with strings to give a very different sound, somewhere roughly in the region of The Corrs. Katie Nicholas has far more substance to her songwriting though. She has an economical way with words, making a virtue of repeated phrases allowing the strings to carry the emotion of the song. "The Wheel is a song about the never-ending cycle of trying to make a relationship work which never seems have much luck, despite how hard two people may try." The circular music and words work, and this is a fine song that sits above genre. TM
Tomorrow Bird - Next Train Outta Here
www.tomorrowbird.com
Yet another great single from Jen Bird and Simon Driscoll. Rather different to some of their other songs we have reviewed here in the past. Driscoll takes the first half of the singing with Bird soaring in later. The stomping call and response style of the chorus adds a grit to the son that is another departure from their usual style. Currently touring the UK, I would take the chance to see a dup who consistently turn in some great songs. TM
Ewelina Borkowska - Wonderwall
www.ewelinamusic.com
A second recent single is indeed an Oasis cover. Different in approach to her own song Warrior reviewed here previously, she brings a whole new way of looking at this song. Piano and synths with backing chorus her direct singing style suits this very nicely. You can see why she's chosen to offer this as a single following her earlier tribute to victims of emotional violence. It's another side of the same coin. TM
Pa Sheehy - My Old Friend John
www.pasheehy.com
A delicate song that needs all of its five verses to get across the story. It's a compelling song that perhaps should be a book. He has an album of songs based around his hometown of Dingle in Ireland, Maybe It Was All For This, coming out in October. If he can maintain the intensely personal style of this song, it will be well worth hearing. TM
Lone Justice - Teenage Kicks
firerecords.com
Yes, that Lone Justice, and yes that Teenage Kicks. Raucous garage band stuff, from a new album Viva Lone Justice by the reformed group. Maria McKee is well outside her comfort zone with a version closer to MC5 than Undertones. Described their label as "a rambunctious slice of punk angst that was recorded in one take. It's a timeless anthem with a joyous riff that explodes into a hail of feedback." The B side Nothing Can Stop My Loving You is a live take far more in line with what we might have expected from McKee. TM
Hannah Patterson - The Song I Never Wrote
www.hannahpatterson.studio
Folk in the John Martyn mould of introspective delivery from an Irish singer songwriter. Acoustic guitar and strings with a vocal that feels like a stream of consciousness flowing over the music. Atmospheric and melancholy. TM
Col Gerrard - Sun & Sky
www.instagram.com/colgerrardmusic
From the pop/rock end of singer songwriter land. Co Gerrard's sparkly guitar and rich voice offer nothing startlingly new, but good writing and a fine performance are all you need really. And this tune delivers that. The song also reflects his philosophy about music. "Whatever it is you want in life, you have to go and get it for yourself" says Gerrard. "The great weakness of us as human beings is making excuses for things rather than taking responsibility for ourselves. There have definitely been times throughout my life where I have been guilty of doing exactly that. And none more so than with my music." 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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