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 Cleverley - Lord Of Chaos
chriscleverley.com
Lord Of Chaos is the lead single from Chris Cleverley's new Christmas E.P Gods Of All Things. It has the sparkly, gently frosted feel which seems to be the hall mark of Christmas songs. A dense arrangement that has evolved from his fine 2022 album Broadcast The Secret Verse. If you think you don't like Seasonal tunes, this is the one to change your mind. TM
Briana Corrigan - Caledonia
brianacorrigan.com
Critics have said that Brianna Corrigan's highly distinctive voice "could melt icebergs at 50 paces." 20 years on from her time with the Beautiful South she has produced several well received solo albums and has now returned with a simple piano, cello and whistle led tune. Having had some recent high profile radio exposure this is hopefully the song that means she steps out from the tag of "formerly of the Beautiful South," and into her own power. The wide opens spaces of the song reflect the place she is singing about. "Caledonia is everything I've ever had." TM
The Old Crow Road - O Death
theoldcrowroad.com
The Old Crow Road "take traditional British folk (and occasionally a little Appalachian influence) and add their own spin to create something original." This song which dates back over a hundred years has been played by many artists, but hardly ever as effectively as here. Rachel Evans-Haigh voice rides above the weeping violin with a passion that harks back to the early English origins of songs that describe a conversation with death. Spine tingling doesn't begin to cover the mesmerising effect of this tune. TM
Latin Quarter - No Paper Planes
www.latinquartermusic.com
"The reason we wrote these songs is pretty obvious unless you were lucky enough to be living on a different planet for the past few years." All monies raised from download sales go to UNICEF. A stripped back tune puts the words front and centre. But the music is only part of the point, good as it is. This is about the message. "There are no schools in my streets, just hard, hard lessons, no assembly seats, just pulverized possessions." TM
The Magpie Arc Feat Maddy Prior & Ian Anderson - The Mantle
themagpiearc.com
The stellar names which feature on this single the band described as a supergroup having "just the right amount of Black Sabbath for folk/rock," are not really the point. Any song with Ian Anderson on it is bound to be slightly dominated by him especially when he turns in a solo better than anything Jethro Tull have managed for years. This is contemporary folk rock at its absolute finest. Nancy Kerr and Prior blend beautifully, but the rhythm section of Tom A. Wright on drums and bassist Alex Hunter carry this song, driving the soloist and the singers on what could easily be a contender for song of the year in any poll. TM
Eleanor Dunsdon & Gregor Black - The Waulking Songs
www.eleanorgregorduo.com
A duo of harp and percussion with ethereal electronics filling out the sound sounds on paper like something hard to push together. But Eleanor Dunsdon and Gregor Black take their instruments and create a whole new genre mixing Jazz, traditional folk, and New Age sounds and styles to build an instrumental tune which is quite unique. There is a clear connection in the way they have fashioned the music. How much was written and how much improvised it's hard to tell because it just feels like it has flowed out of them in one steam of creativity. TM
Elles Bailey - Take A Step Back
www.ellesbailey.com
In a year that has seen her step forward with relentless touring around her excellent last album Elles Bailey has now produced a single which suggests another evolution in her sound. A soulful Rolling Stones style tune, filled with bass and big drums. "Sometimes relationships can be all fire, all pleasure and all pain simultaneously and you either have to embrace it - or take a step back," she says. If this is typical of the new album Can't Take My Story Away, recorded over 3 years it is clearly the big push to push for superstardom which she richly deserved from years of hard work. TM
Rob Jones & The Restless Dream - St Maria
www.robjonesandtherestlessdream.com
A light country song, with touches of Bruce Hornsby, Eagles released as a single ahead of a debut album Stars later in November. He describes it as a "a dreamy little tune, somewhere between a religious vision and an REM B-side." That does this slice of pop country a big disservice as it's a well written thoughtfully played song which suggests that their album will be well worth a listen. TM
True Foxes - Promise Men
truefoxesmusic.co.uk
"Promise Men is about reclaiming your power and honouring your truth, even when it makes others uncomfortable. It challenges the conditioning that teaches us to be agreeable." Cornish Folk/Americana dup true Foxes have definite similarities with The Secret Sisters but hang on to their individuality. This short sharp single should build on their live fan base. They are excellent live, and you should catch them If you can. The mix of folk and country which they play is very accessible but still has the air of something they are passionate about delivering. TM
The Night Herons - Persephone
thenightherons.wixsite.com/band
They describe their music as "Jazz-Funk-Folk." Persephone is more on the Jazz side, with a piano tune which has more emotion and passion than a whole album of Diana Krall tunes. Rachel Holmes' singing and Dave Hemming's piano lead the song. Other pieces on the EP that this is the title track for drift into the pop funk area. A band clearly not frightened to experiment with the strong songs to support that and make coherent individual music. TM
Asgeir - Smoke
www.asgeirmusic.com
There is something about the culture of Iceland that has long allowed it to box well above their weight internationally. Taken from his 5th album, "Julia" due out in the new year, "Smoke" represents a departure for Asgeir in that he is now penning his own lyrics and doing so with a poetry that would make his father Einer Georg Einarsson proud. Recorded live with strong Americana sound and feel "Smoke" bleeds emotion from every note. NK
Bird - The Film
www.birdofficial.com
Half English, half Irish, singer-songwriter Janie Price, aka Bird, has combined contemporary Americana with an element of dreampop to create a new single, "The Film" that feels, like it's title suggests, it's an aural equivalent of old style independent cinema. Carried along by a beat that feels it's walking you around a late night city, the narrative lays a narrative over the top that feels like trying to find the real you in a mass on contradiction. NK
Catcher Evo - Don't Ever Change
www.hemifran.com/artist/Catcher%20Evo
Preceding his debut EP, "Charcoal", "Don't Ever Change" comes out as the calling card for Scandi Americana project Catcher Evo. With a sound reminiscent of The Bros Landeth, but with that contemporary twang that the likes of A.K. And The Brotherhood are trailing, Catcher Evo, is another artists showing that the innovation in Americana is happening well away from the shores that gave it the name. NK
Sean Taylor - Britain's Got Talent
www.seantaylorsongs.com
In a year that has seen her step forward with relentless touring around her excellent last album Elles Bailey has now produced a single which suggests another evolution in her sound. A soulful Rolling Stones style tune, filled with bass and big drums. "Sometimes relationships can be all fire, all pleasure and all pain simultaneously and you either have to embrace it - or take a step back," she says. If this is typical of the new album Can't Take My Story Away, recorded over 3 years it is clearly the big push to push for superstardom which she richly deserved from years of hard work. TM
Regan & Bricheno - Don't Call Me Carrie
reganbricheno.bandcamp.com
Featuring half of All About Eve, "Don't Call Me Carrie" was released as a Halloween gift from Regan & Bricheno and follows on from "Opelia" that coincidently or not was released on Lughnasdah. There is a delightfully ethereal feel to the single that also drags in influences from the seventies folk rock sounds. There's no news on tour dates or an album, but there's a website in preparation, til then there are singles like this to fall back on and know that this duo are keeping the flame alive and enlightening. NK
Walk Don't Run _ I Can Hear That Train
www.facebook.com/walkdontrun6
As much a group of friends as a group and named after The Ventures best know track, Walk Don't Run, have a really good take on Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues" taking the country classic and giving it a Merseybeat edge and more than a hint of Joe Meek.. This is what a cover should be taking a song and making it your own. All power to them and the charity gigs they have done over the years. 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.
Folk Friday Radio
Check out our shows and many other great shows on: