Browsing Tag

Folk Singer Songwriter

Martin Reynolds swaps the drum stool for the acoustic guitar on folk-pop solo debut ‘Strange Days Indeed’

Posted on 1 March 2021

Upfront with an acoustic guitar and a bunch of original tracks might not be Martin Reynolds’ usual place, but on the basis of ‘Strange Days Indeed’ it really, really ought to be far, far more often. Usually found thumping tubs behind Birmingham grunge-blues-rockers You Dirty Blue, Reynolds took the opportunity of lockdown to borrow a 24 track mixer and record an album’s worth of vaguely folky, jangly loosely sixties- and seventies-inspired numbers, the first of which to hit the public’s earlobes and consciousness being ‘Strange Days Indeed’. Think Del Amitri, Hothouse Flowers, Ray LaMontagne, Jack Johnson, or Ben Harper.

‘Strange Days Indeed’ is friendly, immediate and open, honest and confessional, speaking of a personal take on life and the emotions of the last twelve months, bittersweet but optimistic and upbeat, Reynolds’ voice lilting and melodic, the song itself poppy, catchy, and uplifting – a riot of strummed campfire guitar, tambourine, and backing vocals, but Reynolds’ musicianship shines through the whole time in the picked acoustic solo and the overall arrangement.

‘Where There’s Hope’ – the ten track album – is out shortly; check out ‘Strange Days Indeed’ on Spotify, and follow Martin Reynolds on Facebook and Instagram.

Review by Alex Holmes

Erick Beau – I Found Love in You: Hauntingly Intimate Alt-Folk Americana

Posted on 19 February 2021
Erick Beau

After racking up over a million streams with their single, ‘Waiting for You’, Erick Beau set his own bar fairly high, but their latest romantic-to-the-point-of-transcendence single ‘I Found Love in You’ easily rises above it.

The roots-deep country ballad is influenced by an eclectic array of timeless artists, from Bach to the Beatles, Keith Urban to Cat Stevens, but the soul it contains allows those hauntingly intimate alt-folk tones to resonate with innovative evocative appeal.

With the singer-songwriter’s ability to create a cinematically vivid experience with ardently gratified lyrics and emotion-capturing finger-picked guitar notes within the semi-orchestral soundscape, we wouldn’t be surprised to see his name in the OST credits for Hollywood blockbusters in the near future.

I Found Love in You is now available to stream by SoundCloud.

For more ways to listen, and more info on the trailblazing artist, head over to their website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

 

Alt-folk alchemist, Bill E Daly, has pulled light from the darkness with ‘The World is Waiting’

Posted on 27 January 2021

In the same way you wouldn’t want to strike up a conversation with someone that had nothing to say, we should be mindful of which artists we take the time to listen to, any amount of time spent listening to Irish singer-songwriter, Bill E Daly will be well-invested.

The lifelong artist may have only just started to make waves as a solo artist, but after decades honing in on their craft and increasing the value of their introspection, there has been no better time to get acquainted with his unique alt-folk sound.

Their latest single ‘The World is Waiting’ was penned during the first lockdown in 2020 after sympathetically witnessing the impact of lockdown on young adults. While many struggle to see past their own plight, Bill E Daly extended his compassion to some of those hardest hit by the pandemic. Everything feels like it’s the end of the world to those still adjusting to adulthood, the levels of despair while the world stands still is unimaginable.

With reminiscences to Nick Cave, PJ Harvey and other alchemists of alt-folk who aren’t afraid to experiment with darker tones on the sonic palette, The World is Waiting atmospherically encapsulates the dull view which so many have taken upon the world. Lyrically, Bill E Daly finds unique ways to inspire optimism and instil confidence.

It’s a stunning single transpired from just as stunning sentiment.

The World is Waiting is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Vincent Sonder lights up our day with ‘Camel Lights’

Posted on 20 January 2021

In his day job, Vincent Sonder – the alter-ego of celebrated filmmaker Joe Connor – has worked with bands as diverse as The Rolling Stones, Sam Smith, Coldplay, Paul Weller, The Maccabees, and Placebo (among others), and that shoulder-rubbing pedigree has obviously stood him in good stead when it comes to his own creative flow. Recorded in 2017 but only now available across streaming services, ‘Vincent Sonder’ the album is a gorgeous, glorious affair, and ‘Camel Lights’ is a perfect introduction.

Beautiful, exquisite piano accompanies Sonder’s mellow storytelling vocal, the lyrical flow creating a perfect mood of contemplation and reverie, dreamlike and meditative, with a narrative feel that tells the story of ‘the memory of a man that I can’t find’. It’s bewitching, evocative, and anecdotal, made all the more memorable by the interplay with the second, female vocal intertwined between Sonder’s lead and those plaintive minor piano chords; you listen, and you can practically see cigarette smoke drifting from a discarded ashtray, monochrome, in the rain. It’s beautiful.

Follow Vincent Sonder on Instagram; hear ‘Camel Lights’, and the rest of the album, on Spotify.

Review by Alex Holmes

Escape the 21st century in the timeless tones of T.C. Tumbleweed’s Alt Folk single ‘Louise’

Posted on 18 January 2021

Folk-punk became an infinitely more enamouring genre with the release of Swedish-born singer-songwriter T.C. Tumbleweed’s latest EP, ‘Out of Tune’, with old school blues thrown in for good measure, plenty of timeless tones are revived, but through this humble exhibition of their amiable talent, it may as well be your first time cruising through upraising bluesy rhythms with shimmering organ wails bringing a touch of the celestial.

The standout track, ‘Louise (Love is Only a Day) is set to enamour fans of 70s era Stones, Bob Dylan, Frank Turner and Gogol Bordello alike. If you could imagine what Nick Cave would sound like if he had a soul, you’ll get an idea of what is in store when you hit play on the instantly enrapturing track which is impossible to pick apart. It becomes so much more than the sum of all parts with the swathes of emotion delivered in equal measure through the soulfully compelling vocals and the instrumentals which exhibit a level of prowess which affirms that T.C. Tumbleweed definitely deserves a spot on your radar. He’ll probably reserve a spot in your soul by the time you hit the first chorus.

You can check out T.C. Tumbleweed’s EP for yourselves by heading over to Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Michael Golden sends a haunting Alt Folk Christmas card with ‘Some Kind of Holiday’

Posted on 10 January 2021

Michael Golden’s latest single ‘Some Kind of Holiday’ perfectly captures that contemplative morosity-tinged mood that everyone has the proclivity to fall into the festive season. Through the sparse lyrics and haunting choral tones, there’s an invaluable affirmation that the state of seasonally-inspired forlorn introspection is universal, regardless of what facades are worn.

The tenderly compelling single may be the ultimate antithesis of a Christmas single, but it is all the better for it. It is performed without pretence, odious capitalistic desire or cliché wistfulness. Instead, it brings emotions to the surface which you wouldn’t have independently experienced, it allows you to get lost within the romantic imagery in the lyricism, it allows you to shed tears for all the right reasons.

The official music video for Some Kind of Holiday premiered on December 23rd. You can check it for yourselves via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Mauri Dark – Poison Woman: Cinematically Dark Alt Folk

Posted on 6 January 2021

If you could imagine what it would sound like if Nick Cave and Johnny Cash aurally met in the middle, you’ll get a good idea of what is on offer in Finnish singer-songwriter, Mauri Dark’s, latest single ‘Poison Woman’ taken from their LP ‘Dreams of a Middle-Aged Man’.

With rhythms which will throw into a dark Western while sending a few postcards from 70s Folk, Poison Woman is an eclectic smorgasbord of familiarity, rearranged to offer undiluted ingenuity. It’s as immersive as any Tarantino film but easily eclipses them on an emotional level. The sonorously low vocal timbre coalesces with the baritone guitar, setting a dismally cinematic tone which draws you into the melancholic mindset the single was written with. But with the level of emotion on display, listening to Poison Woman is anything but an exercise in morosity.

You can check out Poison Woman via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Clara Day has made her hauntingly hypnotic debut with ‘The Ritual’

Posted on 29 December 2020
https://claraday.bandcamp.com/?fbclid=IwAR0Y1uPgteh4QQ3rg5njzWJtND5tV-lxq1ovg-UNyJVPOc-QfxlyShf_L-U

Bristol-based singer-songwriter, Clara Day, made her debut with the stunning Psych Folk single, ‘The Ritual’, on December 17th, without a hint of hyperbole, it may be the most enthralling single released in 2020.

By taking inspiration from 70s folk horror films, Clara Day was able to bring hypnotically hexing energy to the ambient semi-orchestral single which oozes sensuality, beguile and tender intimacy, all in equal measure.

Any fans of Mazzy Star, Angel Olsen and Big Thief will find Clara Day’s haunting vocal timbre just as enchanting. Yet, with the celestial psychedelia which the singer-songwriter brings to her transfixing sound, there’s an extra layer of alchemy to sink your teeth into.

You can check out The Ritual for yourselves by heading over to Bandcamp now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

CORBETT – Under the Tree: An Alt-Folk Festive Playlist Staple

Posted on 18 November 2020
CORBETT

Usually, when you think of Christmas music, you think of the grating classics you hear in supermarkets or whichever iconic track John Lewis has decided to butcher with their Christmas ad, but CORBETT’s forthcoming single ‘Under the Tree’ will shatter your perception of festively-inclined aural offerings.

With the London Folk singer-songwriter’s enigmatic whiskey-soaked raspy vocals which will send an ethereal chill up your spine interlacing with a stripped-back jazzy Folk arrangement and lyrics lamenting over lactose intolerance, it’s impossible not to be endeared.

I didn’t think that I’d ever see the day where a Christmas song touched my soul and made me turn a smile, it’s practically a Christmas miracle.

Under the Tree is due for official release on December 1st. You’ll be able to check it out via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Dom Malin – Eye of the Storm: Sweetly Tempestuous Modern Indie Folk

Posted on 6 November 2020

As soon as you hit play on West Midlands-based singer-songwriter Dom Malin’s third self-produced Indie Folk single, you’ll see why it is titled “Eye of the Storm”.

The parable between heartbreak and elemental chaos is intensely palpable. You’ll find yourself swept up in the evocatively raw, melodically crafted radio-ready production and ardently in awe of Malin’s intimate connectable vulnerability.

It’s so much more than the deliverance of piteous self-indulgent woe. Eye of the Storm deals with the unendurable emotions which come to fruition when you realise that there’s no chance of keeping a fire in a relationship breathing as the last ember has already faded. Malin notes the inconsolability which accompanies heartbreak, but with Eye of the Storm, he offers a temporary aural escape by delivering emotion which may just displace your own romantic lament.

Your soul would have to be fairly dilapidated not to register the painful emotion which has been projected into the soundscape which will go down a storm (excuse the pun) with any fans of John Mayer, The Lumineers, Damien Rice and Ben Howard.

Even though there are some stylistic nods to the likes of Paul Simon, Malin’s sound is anything but archaic. Malin achieves a sonically massive sound which would have no trouble filling a stadium, all the while delivering one of the most tenderly poetic singles which you’ll hear this year.

Ahead of the official release, Eye of the Storm has already been chosen as track of the week by BBC introducing Lincolnshire. It would be no surprise if it featured on plenty of other Radio A-lists throughout Autumn 2020 and beyond.

Eye of the Storm was released on Friday, November 6th, 2020. You can check it out via Spotify.

Stay up to date with new releases from Dom Malin by following him on Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast