Laura Marling has composed the music for a new production of Shakespeare's As You Like It, which opened on Wednesday in Stratford-upon-Avon.
Laura Marling has composed the music for a new production of Shakespeare's As You Like It, which opened on Wednesday in Stratford-upon-Avon.
There are certain clichés that go hand in hand in the contemporary folk revival. Press shots taken on fallen trees. Bunting. Oh, Christ, so much bloody bunting. And, of course, birds. Hell, FFS understands the bird element so much we’ve enlisted our own resident playlist master from the winged world. Julie Hawk indulges in...
“Dog is dead!”, a dyslexic’s version of Neitzche’s famous phrase, was the cry of the night at KOKO on an almost summery evening in north London. The floor was heaving and the three layers of balconies and theatre boxes were overflowing with people waiting to see this up-and-coming fivesome. Riled by the excellent...
That The Staves’ two-day residency at London’s Scala coincides with a brief heat wave in the capital may be no coincidence: more warmth radiates from the audience to the stage and back again over the course of their set than is generated by an entire British summer. For the Watford-born Staveley-Taylor sisters, this is...
The Leisure Society released their third album Alone Aboard the Ark at the beginning of this month. After a short stint in Europe, they're about to complete their UK tour with a sold out show at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London. FFS had a chat with songwriter and frontman Nick Hemming...
Spiro are Jane Harbour (violin, viola), Jon Hunt (acoustic guitar, cello), Jason Sparkes (accordion) and Alex Vann (mandolin). Their bewitching, unconventional brand of folk draws powerfully on a fascinating array of both contemporary and traditional influences. Mesmeric, often frenzied, Spiro’s masterpieces take you to dreamlike and highly addictive highs. We caught up with Jane and Jon...
Having spent much of the last three years playing residencies in Dublin pubs – our idea of heaven, really – Gavin James is now sharing his prodigious talent with the rest of the world. Debut EP, Say Hello, entered the Irish iTunes album charts at Number One, after which he coolly went on to pick up...
The brilliant Boat to Row featured on our charity Christmas album For Folk’s Sake It’s Christmas 2012 and their EP Loyal Light is out now. We asked them to give us the low down on the record and here’s what they said… Mike: For me, lyrically speaking, each song has its own time and place...
You could hardly accuse Junip of being a prolific band. It’s been a long three years since the release of Fields, without much from the solo projects of individual members in between. Thankfully, when the Swedish trio do take the time to craft a record, the result is well worth the wait, for Junip...
Hello dear readers, It will come as no surprise to you that I am of the opinion that birds are the finest class of creature to inhabit this planet. Our singing voices are remarkable (some better than others, though I for one can stretch from bass to contralto parts, if necessary). Our wit is...
Ian Parker, Albums Editor extraordinaire, is uncontested for the title of For Folk’s Sake’s resident physicals enthusiast. While some of us were busy watching Johnny Flynn’s baby singing his dad’s songs or pretending to be this guy, Ian was freezing in the line outside Piccadilly Records to try to pick up the WHOLE of the...
With first two albums, Matchbox Man and Map or Direction, John Smith (no more comments on the name, please god) built up a quiet but devoted following. With third full-length release, Great Lakes, the time has come for Smith to take his place amongst the heavy-weights of the new British folk scene. A seamless...
‘Say what you like about that Sgt Bilko fella, but he sure plays a mean banjo!’ So goes the conversation among agents and studio bosses in all the most exclusive Hollywood bars every time Steve Martin strolls by, usually without even a nod of acknowledgement. He doesn’t need those bloodsuckers any more. During the...
Record Store Day is a celebration of all record stores are, and all they can be. A good record store plays a huge role in the local community – and exceptional ones do even more. Last month, the film Good Vibrations was released, telling the story of how one shop made itself a sanctuary...
If you’ve got any budget left from reading parts one and two of the shopping guide, we can help you find a few more ways to spend it in part three. Tift Merritt – Markings | Merritt revisits the title track of her 2012 album Travelling Alone, offering up an acoustic version along with...
Part two of our shopping guide continues with some lovely coloured vinyl from the Leisure Society and a sweet-sounding collaboration from Willy Mason and Brendan Benson. These are the things that should be getting you out of bed. Bob Dylan – Wigwam/Thirsty Boots | Two tracks from the Dylan archives in the form of...
It’s almost that time again. Record Store Day 2013 is tomorrow, 20th April. So whether you’re planning to line up outside your local record shop from the crack of dawn, or just saunter down mid-afternoon to see what you can hoover up, here is the FFS guide to some of the more interesting releases...
#77 Dodos - Confidence May 19th, 2013
#76 The Wood Brothers - Midnight Rider May 18th, 2013
#75 Hero & Leander - Kiss Me By The Water Cooler May 17th, 2013