Various Artists
Album: Downtown:Folkstock Records
Label: Folkstock
Tracks: 10
Website: http://www.folkstockrecords.com

The Folkstock Arts Foundation is the Hertfordshire-based community interest company specifically set up to aid the musicians coming through on the current folk, acoustic and roots revival, amongst other things it runs the annual Folkstock festival. Now the latest CD to be released under its auspices is a special limited-edition compilation album (the fourth, I believe) celebrating the talented musicians on its roster with, this time, a representative collection of tracks by emerging artists who performed at Folkstock’s two showcase concerts at The Islington venue in early November this year. These shows were presented under the banners of “Alt Country” and “Folk” respectively, but such categorisation in the end gives no real clue and is probably rendered meaningless by the universal appeal of the actual music. Suffice to say that the idiom ranges widely, then…

Even though each of the selections stands up on its own merits and communicates through its own muse, the sequencing of this compilation displays its own logic, and a straight playthrough is naturally the preferred option for the listener. That’s not to discourage dipping in, of course, but it’s the mark of a good compilation when it cuts both ways. Here the attention-grabbing bookend tracks are by the already-award-winning Kelly Oliver, proudly unveiling music from her forthcoming second album. Kelly’s espousal of traditional values is to the fore on disc opener, the rootsy Miles To Tralee, which gains even more in presence from Stu Hanna’s thoughtful production, while the disc closer, Rio, is a slice of fresh, breezy, frothy indie-pop ending proceedings on a distinctly uplifting note. Making a mental note to catch up on Kelly’s first album pronto, I reluctantly move on to consider the remainder of Downtown. And although Kelly proves a hard act to follow, each of the other seven acts on display is a winner in its own way. The fact that it happens to be predominantly female artists this time round is mentioned for purely factual context. The lone solo-male entrant is Ben Smith, who, while audibly influenced by both American and British models (Eric Bibb, Richie Havens, John Martyn), really satisfies with his stylish, tremendously assured and tasty brand of jazzy acoustic-soul on Let Me Down Easy (taken from his recent EP release). The Cambridge-based band Fred’s House (featuring songwriting duo Griff Jameson and Vikki Gavin) provide their own thoroughly affable brand of vintage-style 70s-west-coast-inspired country-rock, and it’s easy to hear why they’ve gained much airplay of late, notably on BBC6 Music.

The remaining five artists on Downtown, though ostensibly all solo singer-songwriters, together provide proof that the mere s/s tag, often used unfairly derogatorily, is so woefully inadequate when it comes to evidencing the breadth and complexity of the sub-genre. It’s not just a matter of vocal style and delivery, although you can’t fail to notice the striking contrast between the vocal timbres of – for example – Minnie Birch (beguiling, girlish and vulnerable-sounding, yet at the same time striking and bold and capable of so much natural expression) and Marina Florance (deeper, softer, velvet-smooth and every bit as naturally involved with its deliberate, breathed phrasing). It’s no wonder that Marina’s already featured on BBC6 Music, and if the track showcased here, Little Black Cloud, is anything to go by, then her next full-length album, due next month, will be a stunner. Minnie’s tracks are both taken from her excellent debut full-lengther Floundering, and it’s no surprise to hear that she’s been championed by (and performed support for) Joan Armatrading. The charismatic, seductive Kaity Rae has already appeared on BBC Introducing, and is by now a veteran of Folkstock compilations, so her imaginative and knowing songwriting will probably need no further introduction to listeners. Zoë Wren writes powerful songs and has a strong voice eminently capable of crossing the traditional and contemporary modes (in a similar way to Sandy Denny, perhaps); her song Nothing To See is a true gem, and was recorded specially for this compilation. Sensitivity is also a hallmark of the writing of Russian-born Daria Kulesh, who couches her own highly evocative life-documentaries in a quite special brand of lyrical romanticism and there’s an assured, cultured expressiveness that reminded me rather of Katy Carr.

Downtown is a very persuasive and well-assembled collection, every single performance characterised by a keen degree of accomplishment, a large measure of potential and a sense of real personal and artistic commitment, There’s so much talent out there, and this collection’s both a cause for celebration and a taster for things to come.

David Kidman