‘One Fine Morning’ from Chris Chambers January 20, 2012
How do superb musicians remain hidden from me either by time, distance or accident? One such is Chris Chambers. I’ve listened to this powerful... [MORE]
‘Pieces of the Puzzle’ by Joanna Weston January 18, 2012
Listening to ‘Pieces of the Puzzle’ by Joanna Weston is an enjoyable and lyrically enchanting musical experience. The only downside is t... [MORE]
‘Nine and Fifty Swans’ from Norwegian progressive gothic-folk artist Tirill January 16, 2012
It takes nerve to base an album around the poems of WB Yeats. Not the easiest poetry to access – wrapped in allusive imagery, mysticism, symbo... [MORE]
Merlin's Keep - infectious, energetic folk rock January 15, 2012
Hailing from Grimsby on the English East Coast five-piece Merlin's Keep play infectious, energetic, thoughtful Celtic folk rock based around three, ... [MORE]
Mr. Bookshop’ a fine collection of self-penned songs January 12, 2012
The minute the opening track ‘Weak’ kicks-in, Polly Barrett’s voice reaches out to demand your undivided attention. There’s ... [MORE]
‘My Friend Marx’ the debut album from Irish folk-blues singer songwriter Marc O'Reilly January 11, 2012
Do the roots of Americana thrive in Ireland? Does the inspiration of Irish folk blend with the blues? Listen to ‘My Friend Marx’ the deb... [MORE]
‘Tales of Power’ from Magicfolk - a dazzling album January 06, 2012
The memories of the Winter Solstice and Yule fade. The expectations of the awakening of Imbolc beckon. However, there’s a guaranteed way to dr... [MORE]
‘Hundred Bars, A Thousand Cars’ - Robert Cooper December 07, 2011
Here’s an album that’s worth your time. It has the simplicity and authority of ‘man-with-guitar’ style despite the fact he a... [MORE]
'Now We Are Six Again' - Steeleye Span December 04, 2011
Who said you can’t re-live your youth? Well, I certainly have by going back to 1974. Was it really that long ago that Steeleye first release... [MORE]
Mary MacMaster and Donald Hay - ‘Love And Reason’ December 03, 2011
We in the ‘folk’ world are blessed with inventive musicians and although, it must be said that the coupling of vocals, harp and drums (o... [MORE]
‘A Sound In The Frosty Air’ by Albion Christmas Band November 27, 2011
‘A Sound In The Frosty Air’ by Albion Christmas Band - I’ve just had to slag off a certain ‘folk’(?) band for daring t... [MORE]
'Moonshee' - mix of Indian and British folk cultures November 27, 2011
I suppose the mark of any good CD is when you can play it to your mates (even those not remotely interested in ‘folk’) whilst grooving... [MORE]
‘American Songwriter’ from Danny Darst - poignant tales you’ll want to hear November 26, 2011
‘American Songwriter’ from Danny Darst holds a subtle yet inexorable power. I know, I’ve just spent three days of my life listeni... [MORE]
‘A Treasury Of Shanties And Songs Of The Sea’ from various artists November 21, 2011
‘A Treasury Of Shanties And Songs Of The Sea’ from various artists. Now don’t get me wrong, I suppose like many of the general pu... [MORE]
'Yoke' from The Existence of Harvey Lord November 20, 2011
Not everyone will know The Existence of Harvey Lord. They’re not exactly main stream. They blend strangely related stories in a wandering styl... [MORE]
The Woodbine & Ivy Band - traditional, innovative folk November 14, 2011
The Woodbine & Ivy Band, a collective with superlative musical flair, perform traditional songs in an innovative folk rock vein. They also emplo... [MORE]
‘In My Life’ from Kathy Barwick November 12, 2011
It’s all in the blend - a diverse mix of Americana, bluegrass and Irish folk, consummate skill, an accomplished multi-instrumentalist, and 30-... [MORE]
‘Arise And Go!’ from Stephen James Smith and Enda Reilly November 09, 2011
Occasionally, just occasionally something truly beautiful, original and enticing comes to your ears. And when it does it strikes deep and lingers ... [MORE]
‘Memory of Voices’ from singer-songwriter Andrew Wiltshire November 08, 2011
Infectious; outside of the medical definition, in·fec·tious means ‘easily or readily communicated’: such as an infectious ... [MORE]
Wooden Horse - ‘What Comes Around’ October 26, 2011
Take two guys, tightly-tempered gutsy guitars, seamlessly melded harmonic vocals, then wrap that around a folksy, bluesy mix of Americana and you&rs... [MORE]
‘Blink…And You Miss It’ from Merry Hell October 24, 2011
‘Blink…And You Miss It’ from Merry Hell - Guitar riffs, shouty, singable anthems…what more could you ask for on a trip d... [MORE]
‘Home Is Where Your Heartlands’ from Navaro October 20, 2011
‘Home Is Where Your Heartlands’ from Navaro, the follow up to their inspired 2008 album ‘Under Diamond Skies’ has been a l... [MORE]
Pharis & Jason Romero - ‘A Passing Glimpse’ October 19, 2011
I’m known to have a predilection for American music – folk, blues, country and bluegrass – especially old-time and early music. ... [MORE]
John Doyle - Shadow And Light’ October 18, 2011
John Doyle may, at first hearing appear an earnest, thought provoking artist but at least he cannot be accused of being dull. By that I mean he u... [MORE]
The Bad Shepherds - ‘By Hook or By Crook’ October 17, 2011
The Bad Shepherds new album - ‘By Hook or By Crook’ - at first the idea of ‘folk’ with a punk attitude didn’t appeal t... [MORE]
The Once – ‘Row Upon Row Of The People They Know’ October 10, 2011
The Once – ‘Row Upon Row Of The People They Know’ - Not many Internationally established Canadian folk artists immediately sprin... [MORE]
‘Nothing at All’ from Jigfoot October 10, 2011
There’s something uniquely reassuring about English dance tunes. Perhaps it’s their fragile resilience in an increasingly less-than-pe... [MORE]
Roy Harper - ‘Songs Of Love And Loss’ October 07, 2011
Few musicians reach ‘icon’ status in their genre, fewer still truly deserve the accolade, one who does is Roy Harper. Never compliant t... [MORE]
‘Doors At Eight’ from Peter Knight’s Gigspanner October 06, 2011
I must admit that I couldn’t wait to get my hands on ‘Doors At Eight’ from Peter Knight’s Gigspanner, a gem of a recording ... [MORE]
Heather Styka - ‘Lifeboats for Atlantis’ October 04, 2011
One word leaps to mind to describe Heather Styka’s voice – purity. On Heather’s new album ‘Lifeboats for Atlantis’ she... [MORE]
‘Wriggle and Writhe’ from Tim Edey & Brendan Power October 03, 2011
‘Wriggle and Writhe’ from Tim Edey & Brendan Power - for those that have not seen them before, Tim and Brendan are without doubt (... [MORE]
Mark Atherton - ‘To Bring Me Home To You’ October 01, 2011
Gentle, poignant, thoughtful songs that slide into your ears with the subtlety of a healing balm. This is music to savour to appreciate its delica... [MORE]
‘Acoustic Gold’ – from Acoustic Strawbs September 30, 2011
‘Acoustic Gold’ – from Acoustic Strawbs - as the blurb says, The Strawbs have created a unique niche for their progressive ... [MORE]
Nimming Ned - ‘Summon the Crows’ September 29, 2011
There’s a new album from Nimming Ned out on FolkWit Records – it’s called ‘Summon the Crows’ and it’s damn good... [MORE]
The Abion Band - ‘Fighting Room’ EP September 28, 2011
The Abion Band - ‘Fighting Room’ EP - Wipe away any nostalgic tears you might feel like shedding as the baton of The Albion Band is pa... [MORE]
Marvin B. Naylor - ‘The Stargazer’s Symphonium’ September 23, 2011
It took a while for some to get inside Marvin B. Naylor’s first album - the follow up ‘The Stargazer’s Symphonium’ is just a... [MORE]
‘A Countryman’s Favour’ from Piefinger September 19, 2011
Scintillating strings entwined across soothing harmonies with lyrics that draw elusive mind-pictures. This album interleaves a mélange of e... [MORE]
‘Frozen Trees’ - Wing and Hollow September 17, 2011
s the lyrics of the opening track say: “...there’s something beautiful” - and it’s true, ‘Frozen Trees’ the late... [MORE]
‘Songs From The Barley Temple’ - Rapunzel & Sedayne August 16, 2011
The spirit of traditional yet unconventional, far-reaching and natural folk survives in the deftly dramatic, effortlessly enchanting, musical inte... [MORE]
Charlie Betts - ‘A New World’. August 15, 2011
The laid back fluency of Charlie Betts’ previous album continues through the gentle and more abundant tones of his latest - ‘A New World... [MORE]
‘Folk ‘n’ Glory’ - Bleeding Hearts August 13, 2011
‘Folk ‘n’ Glory’ the new self-recorded album from iconoclastic punk-folk rockers Bleeding Hearts is hard-hitting punk-folk w... [MORE]
Hal Cannon August 05, 2011
Hal Cannon sings songs from the old American West, he tells tales of cowboys - the open range and hidden trails; meetings and partings; scenery bo... [MORE]
‘Harp and a Monkey’ August 01, 2011
Haunting and surreal describes the debut album from ‘Harp and a Monkey’. Its wide expanse of folk electronica draws you into a realm po... [MORE]
‘Move That Thing’ from The Beaver Street Hat Band July 26, 2011
Here we go again with another dose of high horse-power Americana with attitude, supercharged skiffle on speed and full-on folk fuelled with funk.... [MORE]
‘If Stones Could Talk’ by Gene and Gayla Mills July 21, 2011
Take the cornerstones of acoustic Americana, add a touch of bluegrass, country and folk, mix together with dedication, superb musicianship and the... [MORE]
Cheyenne Brown - ‘Parallel Latitudes’ July 18, 2011
Now there’s a chance to absorb Cheyenne Brown's consummate skill on the harp with her new album ‘Parallel Latitudes’ - also recog... [MORE]
‘Dead Man’s Hand’ - Harpeth Rising July 13, 2011
There’s a distinctive sound arrived from America, part folk, part bluegrass with a touch of classical and it’s wholly wonderful - Harp... [MORE]
Chris Ricketts - ‘Port of Escape’ July 11, 2011
There’s one more reason England’s rich tradition of seafaring songs is now a little less likely to fade with the steady decline of its... [MORE]
‘Long Gone: Utah Remembers Bruce “Utah” Phillips’ July 07, 2011
‘Long Gone: Utah Remembers Bruce “Utah” Phillips’ – is a vital piece of folk history and a tribute to the music, prese... [MORE]
Kate MacLeod and Kat Eggleston - ‘Lost and Found’ July 05, 2011
Kate MacLeod and Kat Eggleston have released their second album as a duo – and it’s a triumph. ‘Lost and Found' blends original an... [MORE]
‘Well Spun Lies’ from Greg Harper July 03, 2011
‘Well Spun Lies’ from Greg Harper is an album of delicious self-penned songs delivered by an English songwriter writing about his coun... [MORE]
Elle Osborne - ‘So Slowly Slowly Got She Up’ June 30, 2011
Elle Osborne delivers the poignant promise of her EP ‘Good Grief’ with the unique and enthralling ‘So Slowly Slowly Got She Up&rs... [MORE]
‘Overgrown Tales’ from The Crooked Fiddle Band June 23, 2011
‘Overgrown Tales’ from The Crooked Fiddle Band will split the folk fraternity – no ambiguity here, no fence-sitting, you will des... [MORE]
Oonagh Derby - ‘Harmony Street’ June 19, 2011
An outstanding cover of ‘About You Now’ immediately connects (this is how it should be sung) delivered by the emotive voice of singer ... [MORE]
‘A Leap of Faith’ - Buskalaska June 17, 2011
Should you decide to busk your way from Anchorage, Alaska via the Rockies to Alberta then choosing ‘Buskalaska’ is a good enough name (a... [MORE]
Battlefield Band - 'Line Up' June 14, 2011
There’s something permanent about Battlefield Band – personnel change, faces come and go but the band remains – much like the fou... [MORE]
‘All I Have Is Here’ - Barricades Rise June 12, 2011
The second album from Barricades Rise gives the lie to the popular belief that a first album is hard to follow – not true in this case.... [MORE]
‘Secrets’ - Circus Envy June 08, 2011
With their new album, ‘Secrets’, Hull-based band Circus Envy cut loose with their wide-ranging, expressive diversity of 21st century fol... [MORE]
‘Invisible Angel’ from Nikki Matheson May 31, 2011
‘Invisible Angel’ is an album of radiance from Nikki Matheson that will take you through a rich variety of incarnations as you fall dee... [MORE]
‘Backwoods’ by Sean Siegfried May 26, 2011
There are many reasons to buy a copy of ‘Backwoods’ - a folk-guitar instrumental album by Sean Siegfried – the guitar technique, t... [MORE]
Liam Blake - ‘You And Other Stories’ May 23, 2011
Liam Blake writes memorable songs that effortlessly blend folk, pop and acoustic to fashion alluring tunes around thoughtful lyrics. On his debut a... [MORE]
‘House of Memory’ from Rose Laughlin May 18, 2011
There’s a new album you should buy – don’t wait, do it right now - it’s an exercise in perfection that you will listen to ... [MORE]
‘Life, Love & Chocolate’, the latest album from Wendy Arrowsmith May 17, 2011
There’s a quintessential beauty about ‘Life, Love & Chocolate’, the latest album from Wendy Arrowsmith with its mix of traditi... [MORE]
‘Postcard From Antigua’ from Josh Joffen May 11, 2011
‘Postcard From Antigua’ from Josh Joffen oozes the essence of American folk - from the minute the title track kicks in you know you&rsq... [MORE]
Foxpockets - ‘The Coracle & The Albatross’ May 06, 2011
There’s something magically enticing yet hauntingly disconcerting about Foxpockets’ music. Maybe it’s the faintly disturbing edge... [MORE]
Ryan Kirby - ‘Postcard From Vermont’ May 05, 2011
There’s always a place for perfected simplicity in acoustic music – from whichever side of the pond you originate and whatever musical ... [MORE]
‘Traditional Spirits’ - Ailie Robertson April 26, 2011
There’s something delicately powerful in the poignant sound of the harp (or clasarch to be more precise). It’s evocative, inspirational... [MORE]
Philippa Hanna - ‘Out of the Blue’. April 23, 2011
Cross-influenced or just plain diverse, American bluegrass mixed with English acoustic – call it what you will, eclectic inspiration mixe... [MORE]
Naomi Bedford - ‘Tales from the Weeping Willow’ April 13, 2011
Naomi Bedford has released her second album: ‘Tales from the Weeping Willow’, a sombre collection of sinister and bleak songs, laments ... [MORE]
'Vision' - from Fresch April 11, 2011
Austria has a solid acoustic folk tradition, both vocal and instrumental. Its musicians create a delicate almost mystical edge that entices and e... [MORE]
'Double Live' - Cordelia’s Dad April 04, 2011
What King Crimson was to experimental jazz-rock fusion Cordelia’s Dad is to a folk-rock punk amalgam that breaks musical boundaries and forge... [MORE]
