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.
Zoe Wren - Welcome Here
www.zoewren.com
Written from her first-hand experience as a street performer, watching how homeless people in similar spaces are treated, and for the most part ignored, "Welcome Here", the single from Zoë Wren's first full-length album, will be released on Friday 23rd October. The lyrics of this atmospheric folk-influenced song are a call to show compassion to everyone, regardless of their circumstances. Ultimately, it has a message of hope, and culminates in an uplifting chorus backed by lush harmonies from viola, double bass and mandolin. Zoë will be celebrating the release with a live-stream concert on Twitch at 4pm on October 23rd, raising money for the C4WS Homeless Project. You can join at www.twitch.tv/zoewrenmusic DP
The Little Unsaid - Half Alive
www.thelittleunsaid.com
Available on all platforms via Reveal Records, the latest single from The Little Unsaid is an absolute cracker. Day-dreamy alt-folk, with a truly mesmerising melodic arrangement, the lyrics seemingly concern the juxtaposition of eternal love and mortality. This lazy, slow-paced song immediately captivates, the tasteful blending of keyboards and strings, together with beautiful harmonies, are irresistible. John Elliott and friends have managed to hit the spot once more with "Half Alive". DP
Steve Pledger - The Baptist's Father
www.stevepledger.co.uk/
The latest release from Steve Pledger is as powerful and moving a piece as you are likely to hear this year. Still unable to sing following contracting Covid 19, this version of "The Baptist's Father" is a spoken piece, over a suitably chapel-like sounding piano, which is poetic in its majesty. Whilst some songs of resistance aim straight for the jugular spitting vitriol and bile, this piece achieves the same objective, delivering a message which so obviously comes from Steve's heart, the importance of speaking out and up for what is just. With lyrics imploring "If you've got words, you say them now … Make your voices heard", this track should resonate with all unprejudiced listeners and deserves a wide audience. It can be downloaded here www.stevepledger.co.uk/shop and the official video release is well-worth a watch too. DP
Hannah Rebekah - Every Single One Of Us
www.hannahrebekah.com/
"Every Single One of Us," the single taken from American singer-songwriter Hannah Rebekah's forthcoming, January 2021, debut E.P. release, is the product of growing up steeped in white mid-western American Christianity and then slowly unlearning it through conversations with the rest of the world. White Christian hypocrisy is a main theme, which Hannah views as rampant in the US, causing real harm both now and to future generations and the planet. Recorded, mixed, and mastered at Brighton Road Recording Studios in Brighton by Ali Gavan, Hannah Rebekah performs all vocals, the acoustic guitar, and the French horn parts on this track, with Ali on piano and drums, and Joseph Oppegaard on bass. The single will be released with an accompanying video, as well as a COVID-friendly live-stream via Instagram and Facebook on the day of release, October 23rd. DP
Natalie D-Napoleon - Thunder Rumor
www.nataliednapoleon.net/
"Thunder Rumor" the opening track on her latest full-length CD, 'You Wanted To Be The Shore, But Instead You Were The Sea', is its first single release from Natalie D-Napoleon, the American/Australian singer-songwriter and award-winning poet who divides her time between Fremantle, Western Australia and Santa Barbara, California. Penned on a front porch of an historic Californian cottage, and then recorded in a century-old cottage using a single microphone, 'Thunder Rumor' is a haunting exploration of the moment a woman decides to break free of, and put an end to, an abusive relationship. Natalie's stunning vocal performance is a wonder to behold, and the supporting musicianship is of superlative quality. Highly recommended, as is the full album.DP
Jack Badcock - Too Many Things
www.jackbadcock.com
Jack Badcock is probably best known as the frontman of Dallahan, but that might be about to change with the release of his debut solo album and the accompanying single "Too Many Things". There is a distinctive sound that comes from the crossover influences of the Scots trad scene with it's take on Americana. You can hear the sentimentality of standards like "Nobody's Child" on both tune and narrative, particularly when joined by a choir of voices on the chorus, but it's delivered with a conviction that leads it away from smultz and into a darker world or wine and regret. It's that same chorus that makes me think "Too Many Things", will become a standard. NK
Ali Bullivent - Birdsong Soul Song
alibullivent.co.uk/
Commissioned by Wakefield Council, "Birdsong Soul Song" is one of the more unusual songs to come from lockdown. Lead by Ali Bullivent, it's a seven and a half minute epic that reflects contributions from over sixty residents about their thoughts and feelings about being able to properly hear birdsong again. The result, as you can probably imagine, is a song that can only be described as uplifting. It's a song that moves through a number of different textures as Bullivent nails down the brief and brings together and reflects on a number of thoughts, it's also a song that's very easy to return to. Well done Wakefield. NK
Stay Illusion - Prove Me Wrong
stayillusion.ch/
Poppier than a lot of material than we cover, Anglo-Swiss combo Stay Illusion, seem to be a band that aren't afraid to flout with conventions. Formed in 2017 and fronted by Grace Willis, the band are getting noticed for delivering narrative lead songs with an alt.rock overtone. There's a political element to their music that would be more familiar to a solo artist, but which loses nothing for being in a less conventional setting similarly whilst "Prove Me Wrong" touches on depression and anxiety, it also draws on the subconscious pressures hooked on success and that fear of failure that pull you down. Hopefully on tour outside of Switzerland next year, Covid permitting. NK
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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