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.
Mike Batt Ft Paul Carrack - Winter Song
www.mikebatt.com
Illustrious producer Mike Batt recruited equally well know singer Paul Carrack for a single that steps beyond the seasonal. The song was originally written for the 90's TV series of Watership Down. Batt wrote "Bright Eyes" for the 1979 film although this didn’t have the same impact. This orchestral and choral reworking is a tour de force and certainly needs to be given a listen in the cold light of January. TM
20/20 - Laurel Canyon
www.bigstirrecords.com/20-20
Back after 2 decades away Power Pop legends 20/20 have offered a single filled with the Jangly guitars and epic choruses which filled their earlier songs. Band leader Steve Allen says: “After the Pandemic had started, I was out walking, and I heard the opening guitar lick in my head and sang it into my phone. I felt the music had a connection to California. Laurel Canyon... that quest to make a stand in California is timeless.” If their comeback album is this good, it will be up there with their debut as a classic pop album. TM
Kathy Stommel - Singing Cowboys Don't Talk
kathystommel.com/home
Singing Cowboys Don’t Talk is a tribute to Kathy Stommel’s father. She says he was “a man of deep emotions, intelligence, and success, yet one with whom I often struggled to communicate. I felt his immense heart most clearly when he was singing and playing his guitar. After his passing, I came to realise that our strongest bond was through music.” A bluegrass styled song filled with the joy of her connection with him TM
The Taps Of The Holy Trinity - Most Of Them Were Ghosts
https://michaelaplater.wixsite.com/michaelplater
A new project led by Australian experimental musicians Michael Plater and Arthur Karanikas. Drawing on their shared Mediterranean heritage, their debut single, “Most of Them Were Ghosts,” blends the traditional drone of the Greek demotika style with the hypnotic ecstasy of Anatolian folk music and psychedelic rock. Interesting and challenging, if hardly pop chart material with screams, shouts, and no discernible tune. But if you want to see how far folk music can be pushed this is the place to find the answer. TM
Elliott Morris – Voe
www.elliottmorris.co.uk
A guitar and fiddle instrumental with Celtic inspiration. The tune drifts along like a Scottish mist until it toughens up halfway through a guitar riff and an answering fiddle line. Having built a reputation supporting a variety of big names he has turned into a dynamic player. His 3 albums to date are all worth hearing and as this release suggests a 4th is on the way, time to catch up with Elliott Morris. TM
Simon Morley - Dogs At The Door
simorley4.wixsite.com/home
Starting the year by discovering a new singer songwriter is good news. Simon Morley plays an intricate finger-style acoustic guitar and writes amusing or touching stories. Here his guitar is supported by a keyboard wash which emphasises the slightly melancholy sound of the song. That touches on the darker side of previous single “The shirt off my back” about “being broke.... when it actually affects your mental health and in the case of this one, your physical health too.” Based in Hampshire he plays around that part of the world and worth getting to see if he plays near you. TM
Greg & Nicole - Kavka's Choice
www.gregspero.com
Pianist Greg Spero has a style not far from Brad Mehldau on this piece. Having played with singer Halsey and the funk/fusion Miles Electric Band he has clearly wanted to explore the acoustic side of his art. With Saxophonist Nicole McCabe adding a solo to the end of this piece he has produced an engaging piece which while hardly a typical single release points them out as people to look out for in 2025. TM
Flook - The Farther Shore/Winter Flower
flook.co.uk
With the flutes and whistles of Brian Finnegan and Sarah Allen leading these two tunes combined as one single release this is typical of Flook’s intricate chamber folk style. The Farther Shore’ featured in the BBC documentary series, ‘The Narrow Sea,’ ‘Winter Flower’ is a tune of Brian’s dedicated to Eva his wife. He says, “Eva’s motherland is beautiful Mexico, yet she has lived now through fifteen County Armagh winters” As delightful as they always are. If you don’t know Flook’s music start here. TM
Rare Birds - Pop Mosquitoes
www.facebook.com/therarebirdsofficial
Rare Birds hail from Stockholm have the churning 90s guitar and heavy drums sound down to perfection. If you miss the slacker/shoegaze days this is your new favourite band. Not to be confused with 70s prog band Rare Bird, they have taken a style that has drifted out of favour and put some new life into it. TM
The Joff Lowson Trio - All The Bananas
www.jofflowson.com
A large dose of Americana, a touch of western swing and enough political satire to "Spitting Image" to shame. "All The Bananas" sees The Joff Lowson Trio have a not too subtle, but incredibly well written dig at political corruption and billionaire greed justification and it does it without feeling preachy. This is a track that you can just enjoy even if you don't want to think about the narrative, a very well walked tightrope. Joff Lowson also teaches banjo, so he understands suffering. Give in a listen. 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.
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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