For Folk's Sake » Caitlin Rose

Blog | The making of our charity compilation It’s Christmas 2011

Lynn Roberts — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 19:39:02 +0000

First of all, MERRY CHRISTMAS FOLK FANS! I hope you’re reading this full up and content.

Secondly, I’d like to say an enormous thank you to everyone who has contributed to, bought and supported For Folk’s Sake It’s Christmas 2011. It’s been brilliant. We’re so stoked to have so many of our favourite bands on the album, we’ve had an overwhelming reaction from loads of kind people, and we’ve raised far more money than we’d dared hope for the Integrated Cancer Centre. But it’s not over yet, and the grand total will be released after Christmas.

We’ve got a real mixture of acts on the album, some you’ll definitely have heard of, and some you definitely won’t have (because they named themselves just in time for the record sleeves to be printed). So for your perusal on this festive day, here’s some inside info on the tracks and artists.

1. Howard Carter – Christmas Blues

Cerys Matthews singled it out as one of her favourites from It’s Christmas 2011 and said she thought the pianist sounded like a cynical drunk santa!

I’ve known Howard since university, and always thought he was a jolly nice chap. I knew he was a musician and producer, but to my shame I had no idea just how blimmin’ talented he is. What a joy, then, to be presented with this incredible track, which Howard played and recorded especially for the record. Not only is it a brilliant stand-alone song, and the perfect start to the album, but it turns out I’m pretty much pals with a young Jools Holland. Cool.

You can listen to Howard’s soundtrack for Dark Light here.

2. The Leisure Society – Christmas Mistakes

FFS favourites The Leisure Society need no introduction for readers of this website. They won our first Schmercury best album poll in 2009 with their debut The Sleeper.

When I interviewed Nick Hemming and Christian Hardy from the Leisure Society around the release of their brilliant second album Into The Murky Water (buy it buy it buy it!), Nick asked if we’d be doing another Christmas record this year, and mentioned they’d be up for doing a song. So it was decided. We were doing another record.

The Leisure Society squeezed the recording of this track in between touring cathedrals with Laura Marling and their own European tour, pulling all-nighters to get it finished. But faced with time pressure they certainly didn’t do things by halves. When I asked Nick how the track was coming along he said “It’s fine. We’ve just got to get a harp player and brass section in.” And that’s on top of the strings and woodwind that come as standard with the band.

I’m sure you’ll agree it was worth it – you can hear the Brian Wilson-like perfection and precision that make this song just incredible.

3. Caitlin Rose & Keegan DeWitt – You Never Come Home For Christmas

Caitlin Rose is a Nashville singer and songwriter who’s on the thoroughly excellent Names Records in the UK (also home to Alela Diane. See? Excellent.) She played an Allotment night back in 2010, which we organised with promoter, artist and blogger Anika in London. Caitlin donated this ‘depressing Christmas song’ that she recorded with her friend Keegan De Witt for a Rough Trade bonus EP. Caitlin’s debut album Own Side Now is country at its most down-to-earth and marks her out as a songwriting force to be reckoned with.

4. Cocos Lovers – Christmas Is Coming/God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

We first came across the brilliant Cocos Lovers at London club A Folking Good Night and were instantly charmed by their laid-back and rustic folk. They won our best album poll in 2010 with their debut album Johannes. They laid down these gorgeous layered vocals for us around the table after Sunday lunch. The band are based by the seaside – in Deal in Kent – and this cosy recording only makes their lives sound more lovely.

5. Devon Sproule – Send Me To Coventry

Completing the set of our best album poll winners, Devon Sproule took the (imaginary) trophy with I Love You, Go Easy this year. She and her husband, musician Paul Curreri, have recently moved to Berlin from the US, and Devon wrote this lovely song about spending Christmas with her friends in Coventry. And Devon’s label – the lovely folk at Tin Angel Records – have launched a competition to make a video for Devon’s song. Enter here.

6. Darren Hayman – Lost In The Snow

Ex-Hefner frontman Darren Hayman is another one of our favourite UK artists, so we were delighted when he & Fika Records allowed us to use this song from his new EP Christmas in Haworth. Also check out his advent calendar with songs, videos and stories contributed by Darren’s creative friends. There’s an especially amazing picture of Darren with his real dog and a remarkably lifelike lego model.

7. Paper Aeroplanes – In The Bleak Midwinter

Harmony-laden folky pop band Paper Aeroplanes is Sarah Howells and Rich Llewellyn. I first came across Sarah singing with fellow Welsh songwriter Al Lewis on their EP Skin & Bones, and fell in love with her vocals. Sarah’s been a friend of us at FFS for a while – contributing a lovely jingle with which we open our London Fields Radio show, and we’re delighted that she and Rich could record this gorgeous version of ‘In The Bleak Midwinter’ for the compilation.

8. Kathryn Williams & Neill MacColl – Christmas In Hell

Tom McCrae suggested I ask Kathryn Williams if she’d be interested in writing a song for the record. Kathryn was nominated for the Mercury prize for her second album Little Black Numbers in 2000. Neill MacColl is folk music royalty – his father is Ewan MacColl, his mother is Peggy Seeger and Kirsty MacColl was his half sister. And Neill’s son Jamie is in Bombay Bicycle Club. Neill has had an illustrious career himself as a guitarist, singer and producer working with Steve Earle, David Grey and Eddi Reader among many others. The pair also released an album Two together in 2008.

9. Fiona Bevan – Love In A Cold Climate

I’m very grateful to Rockfeedback man Kev Molloy for putting us in touch with Fiona Bevan. Her bright and upbeat music is perfect for a crisp winter day. Find out more at www.fionabevan.co.uk.

10. Hollows – Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

Hollows are a new East London-based choir of folk lovers, taking well-loved and little-known songs and adding layers of female harmonies. This is their first recording.

11. Adam Killip & Mi Mye – O Come All Ye Faithful

Adam Killip was the singer and songwriter of London-based band the Tailors. He teamed up with his pals in Wakefield band Mi Mye for this brilliant rendition of O Come All Ye Faithful. Us FFSers particularly like the bit where he sings “Chriiiiist” and misses off “the Lord’. It’s the little things.

12. Laura Boyle – Silent Night

Seventeen-year-old Laura Boyle is a new act on the London acoustic circuit. Her debut release The Nightengale EP was released this month in postcard format via Turf Records. Find out more here.

Thanks again to everyone involved in the record. And have yourselves a merry little Christmas evening!

Lynn x

Need last minute Christmas presents? Make your own ‘It’s Christmas 2011′ CD

Lynn Roberts — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 12:06:46 +0000

In need of a last-minute Christmas present for a music lover? We’ve made the cover of our festive compilation album For Folk’s Sake It’s Christmas 2011 available to download so you can make your own copies.

Here’s the plan…

1. Go to www.forfolkssake.bandcamp.com and download For Folk’s Sake It’s Christmas 2011 for a bargainous £5. (All proceeds to the Integrated Cancer Centre).

2. Burn the 12 EXCELLENT tracks onto a disc.

3. Download the artwork & tracklisting here by right clicking & selecting ‘save as’.

4. Wrap up the CD and make someone’s Christmas folkily brill.

The For Folk’s Sake It’s Christmas 2011 compilation album is being sold to raise money for the Integrated Cancer Centre. The compilation features original recordings from Devon Sproule, The Leisure Society, Cocos Lovers, Howard Carter, Fiona Bevan, Laura Boyle, Kathryn Williams & Neill MacColl, Paper Aeroplanes, Adam Killip & Mi Mye and Hollows. As well as songs from Caitlin Rose and Darren Hayman. The artwork & illustrations are by Amber Cassidy.

For Folk’s Sake It’s Christmas – physical copies selling out!

Lynn Roberts — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 21:43:06 +0000

Our charity compilation, For Folk’s Sake It’s Christmas 2011, featuring original tracks from loads of our favourite artists was released a couple of weeks ago. The physical copies are close to selling out so we wanted to show you, our lovely readers, just how nice they are so you don’t miss your chance…

The artwork is by Amber Cassidy who you can find on twitter @amber_cassidy should you want to say hello/tell her how CLEVER she is. Here’s what the inside of the digipak looks like…

You probably know all about it, but in case you don’t, the tracklisting is:

1. Howard Carter – Christmas Blues

2. The Leisure Society – Christmas Mistakes

3. Caitlin Rose with Keegan DeWitt – You Never Come Home For Christmas

4. Cocos Lovers – Christmas is Coming/God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

5. Devon Sproule – Send Me To Coventry

6. Darren Hayman - Lost In The Snow

7. Paper Aeroplanes – In The Bleak Midwinter

8. Kathryn Williams & Neill MacColl – Christmas In Hell

9. Fiona Bevan – Love In A Cold Climate

10. Hollows - Come Thou Fount Of Every Blessing

11. Adam Killip & Mi Mye – O Come All Ye Faithful

12. Laura Boyle – Silent Night

The record is being sold to raise money for the Integrated Cancer Centre. And it’s available over at forfolkssake.bandcamp.com.

News | For Folk’s Sake It’s Christmas 2011 – available now!

Lynn Roberts — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 10:00:19 +0000

Please forgive us for adding to the bit-too-early Christmas chat, but we’re SO excited to announce the release of our second Christmas compilation For Folk’s Sake It’s Christmas 2011, which is out on 28th November 2011 and available to pre-order now at forfolkssake.bandcamp.com.

Some of our very favourite artists have donated songs to the record, which is being sold to raise money for the Integrated Cancer Centre. Just look at who we’ve got for you…

Howard Carter – Christmas Blues
The Leisure Society – Christmas Mistakes
Caitlin Rose with Keegan DeWitt – You Never Come Home For Christmas
Cocos Lovers – Christmas is Coming/God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Devon Sproule – Send Me To Coventry
Darren Hayman - Lost In The Snow
Paper Aeroplanes – In The Bleak Midwinter
Kathryn Williams & Neill MacColl – Christmas In Hell
Fiona Bevan – Love In A Cold Climate
Hollows - Come Thou Fount Of Every Blessing
Adam Killip & Mi Mye – O Come All Ye Faithful
Laura Boyle – Silent Night

Some truly lovely physical copies, featuring more artwork from Amber Cassidy (there’s a wee preview below), are available to pre-order now from forfolkssake.bandcamp.com priced at £8 (+ postage). All pre-orders come with an immediate download of the album. There’s a very limited number of physical copies available (cos we have to post them out BY HAND) so get them while they’re still in our sitting room.

Then, on 28th November, For Folk’s Sake it’s Christmas 2011 will also become available as a download for £5. Or you can choose to give more if the Christmas cheer/sherry has got you feeling extra charitable.

All profits from the sale of For Folk’s Sake It’s Christmas 2011 will be donated to the Integrated Cancer Centre at King’s Health Partners, a pioneering centre that combines cancer research with innovative treatment, trials and care.

A huge thank you to all the bands and artists who donated their time and talents so generously - we’ll be bringing you more from them in the coming weeks.

Editor’s picks… Johnny Flynn, Broadcast 2000, Anni Rossi, Alela Diane, Caitlin Rose, Mara Carlyle

Lynn Roberts — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 22:20:42 +0000

1. Johnny Flynn singing Amazon Love with his sister Lillie for Burberry Sessions. You can also still download the free 5-track EP that Johnny Flynn recorded with the brilliant Rockfeedback for the Independent here.

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2. Broadcast 2000‘s set on Marc Riley’s 6 Music show from last year. The band plays Get Up and Go, Rouse Your Bones, All is Said and Done and their version of Regina Spektor‘s Us. Listen, listen.

Broadcast 2000 BBC 6MUSIC LIVE SESSION + INTERVIEW by broadcast2000

Head to B2000′s website for his Shed Sessions – recordings from his home studio featuring Emily & the Woods, Lucy Rose, John Smith and Laura Moody.

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3. Here’s a gorgeous performance of Own Side Now that Caitlin Rose did for the Guardian’s “How I Wrote…” series. It’s just perfect.

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4. LOVE this new(ish) Anni Rossi song – Land Majestic. It’s a getting ready to go out/driving sort of track I’d say. And it’s available for free download. Hurrah!.

5. This is a sad story. Nick from the Leisure Society is selling the guitar he wrote the first album on. Which means that TWO Ivor Novello nominated songs were composed on this guitar so it is worth at least a million pounds. If you have a million pounds bid on it now.

6. Our Helen is in love with Mara Carlyle. A pal of Willy Mason, who collaborated with him when he played a gig in South London a while back. I’m loathe to link you to a MySpace, but it’s all I have. Sorry.

7. Fancy a snoop around Alela Diane’s house?

ALELA DIANE & WILD DIVINE from More Dust Than Digital on Vimeo.

End of the Road line-up: Marling, Mogwai, Midlake, Mangan

Lynn Roberts — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 13:38:29 +0000

End of the Road, FFS’s favourite festival, has added another slew of bands to its aleady brilliant line-up.

Mogwai will be joining headliners Midlake, Beirut and Laura Marling.

Also confirmed are The Leisure Society, Dry The River, Joan as a Policewoman, James Yorkson, Micah P Hinson, John Grant, Jolie Holland, Timber Timbre and Willy Mason.

Other FFS-recommended artists on the line-up include Nashville wonder Caitlin Rose, Canadian folk-popper purveyor Dan Mangan, retro lovelies The Secret Sisters and brilliant lunatic tUnE-yArDs.

We’re willing to bet it’ll be the best bunch of artists at any festival this year. Tickets are on sale now for £145.

To buy them and for more information visit www.endoftheroadfestival.com.

Caitlin Rose on tour next week, spawns mini-me

Lynn Roberts — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 00:25:41 +0000

The brilliant Caitlin Rose is over in the UK next week for a string of tourdates kicking off with a sold out show at London’s Borderline.

Tickets are still available for the rest of the dates in Oxford, Exeter, Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham and a second show in the capital.

And while we’re on the subject of Ms Rose, have a look at this cover of her beautiful song ‘Own Side’ which we have heard righteously described as ‘the cutest thing on the internet’.

Full tour dates are below:

7/3: London – Borderline (sold-out)
8/3: Oxford – Jericho Tavern
9/3: Exeter – Phoenix
10/3: London – Windmill
11/3: Glasgow – Stereo
12/3: Manchester – Academy 3
13/3 – Birmingham – Glee Club

And here’s a free download of her track Shanghi Cigarettes

Caitlin Rose – Shanghai Cigarettes by Stayloose

Brian’s Mixtape #45: Brian’s Album Round-up 2010

Brian — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 13:00:13 +0000

It’s hardly news to FFS’s regular readers that Brian’s a pretty inconsistent character. He flits about, willy-nilly, with little concern for the wellbeing of his mixtape devotees. You might be relieved to hear that he’s turning over a new Horse Chestnut leaf in 2011, but that relief might be short-lived when you realise he’s basically thieved this week’s song choices from FFS’s Assistant Editor Helen. The cad.

Luckily for Brian, she has pretty impeccable taste, so his first mixtape of 2011′s come out rather well, if he does say so himself. Stick this in your ears and get nostalgic for 2010, which was a proper stunning year for music, as it goes.

1. Beach House – Walk in the Park
2. Broadcast 2000 – Gonna Build a Mountain
3. Caitlin Rose – Sinful Wishing Well
4. Anais Mitchell – Why We Build the Wall
5. The Miserable Rich – Let Me Fade
6. Sea of Bees – Wizbot
7. Kristin Hersh – Sand
8. Isobel Campbell & Willy Mason) – Cool Water
9. Edwyn Collins – Bored
10. Belle & Sebastian – I Can See Your Future
11. Jenny & Johnny – Just Like Zeus
12. Regina Spektor – The Call

Head to Spotify to have a listen now, if you like.

Blog: Helen’s Album Round-up 2010

Helen True — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 14:15:08 +0000

When I was an undergraduate we would sometimes play the ‘would you rather…’ game. Andy and Maggie play it in Extras (‘Would you rather be a penguin who’s a bird but can’t fly or a flying fish that’s a fish that can fly a bit?’, for example). I once asked the table (all literature or drama students) ‘would you rather never read books or never listen to music ever again?’ and (I may be wrong, we were all a few vino collapsoes the worse for wear) everyone chose music. Books have been incredibly important to me all my life, but there’s something music does that just can’t be replicated.

Here are my musical highlights of 2010:

January: Beach House – Teen Dream

This brightened up the post-Christmas sadness of January 2010 no end. ‘Zebras’ is one of the most beautiful opening tracks there’ve ever been, and it really is actually a bit about zebras. It’s an ambient, smoky wonder of an album and it was a good pal throughout 2010. Anika says very very good things about it here.

February: Broadcast 2000 – Broadcast 2000

This was my out-and-out favourite album of 2010. Joe Steer (the heart and soul of Broadcast 2000) writes extraordinarily original music: I know of nothing that sounds like it. He also wrote it all by himself and made loads of the noises himself when recording it, which is especially amazing when you see how many people it takes to replicate the sound live.

His lyrics can be cynical and melancholy, but I find this album so incredibly uplifting. The double-tracked vocal harmonies are stunning, the extensive use of glockenspiel is inspired, and it’s just utterly brilliant. The broken glass noise on ‘That Sinking Feeling’ is brilliant, too. I once listened to it on a sunny walk from Old Street to the Southbank and it was one of the nicest hours I’ve ever spent.

March: Caitlin Rose – Own Side Now

Speaking as a sincere and devoted life-long Dolly Parton fan, I can’t really begin to explain how wonderful it is that Caitlin Rose even exists – she’s a young, fresh, twenty-something who knows her way around country music backwards and upside-down. There’s nothing remotely cheesy or outdated about her lyrics, and yet they fit beautifully over what is undeniably very traditional country music. She writes witty words packed with verve and intelligence, all set alight when she sings with the most gorgeous Tennessee drawl. [Exerted from my review, which you can read in full here if you so wish].

April: Anaïs Mitchell – Hadestown

Deeply dark, drenched in atmosphere, heavy beats and whining guitars, this is a folk-opera of an album set in the netherworld. Mitchell has a unique voice – high-pitched yet soft, and she’s built a mythology of her own from the old-school story of Orpheus and Eurydice. Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) sings Orpheus’s lines, which adds another velvety ribbon of gorgeousness to this big, big triumph of an album.

May: The Miserable Rich – Of Flight and Fury

I am almost irrationally in love with the 12th track of this 14 track album. ‘Let it Fade’ is about a break-up. Not a difficult break-up, but a slow, careful, heartbreaking one. It’s made me cry before, and songs don’t often make me cry. I didn’t even cry at Bambi (which I realise is not a song).

The whole album’s very well put together and I love the lead singer’s name (James de Malplaquet) almost as much as I love his voice. This is proper 21st Century folk music. It’s about taking your make-up off your boyfriend’s bathroom sink when you leave for the last time, dreary hang overs and train trips and it’s great.

June: Sea of Bees – Songs for the Ravens

Jules Baenziger is one of the singularly most fascinating, warm, delicately-voiced performers I’ve ever had the pleasure of watching interact with a guitar. Her songs are full of pain: wails, sighs, and half-sung gasps of words. This album’s a beautiful work of art: a journey of sorts without even approaching the corny with a barge pole. I wish I’d had it when I was 13.

July: Kristin Hersh – Crooked

Kristin Hersh understands her fans so perfectly. This album was initially released as a hardback book. You bought the book, followed the instructions inside, filled in a few ‘passwords’ online and gained access to various downloads, blog posts, videos and images. It was a treasure hunt, an album, and a beautifully intense book of poetry in one wonderful bundle. (I’m seeing Ms. Hersh live this month. I’m TOO excited).

August: Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan – Hawk

This is an album of bluesy, soulful country duets that covers unconditional love, misery, jealousy, anger and attitude. Lanegan’s voice is less of a drawl on this than their previous collaborations, but the juxtaposition with Campbell’s ethereal vocals is just as strong as ever.

Willy Mason also appears with Campbell on two of the tracks, the best of which is ‘Cool Water’. It’s so gentle it’s almost breathless, and it holds you on the brink for three and a half extraordinary minutes. Gold.

September: Edwyn Collins – Losing Sleep

Part of me worries that Collins (of Orange Juice fame) might be sick of people mentioning his stroke in reviews of his music, but it’s just so bloody relevant I can’t help it. When he was insanely young (46) he suffered a series of strokes that left him with right-sided weakness and speech difficulties. He practised drawing intricate pictures of birds with his left hand to improve his motor skills, and managed to regain his speech. Then he recorded an amazing album. It’s melodically astounding, lyrically frank, and unabashedly honest about his astonishing comeback.

October: Belle and Sebastian – Belle and Sebastian Write About Love

I love Belle and Sebastian. Everything they do. I especially wanted this album because it’d been such an incredibly long wait (FOUR years) for a fabulously varied, witty, beautifully executed record. ‘I Want the World to Stop’ got played almost to death on 6music and I still love it.

This is shimmering guitar pop and harmonies at their best, and no one does it better than Belle & Sebastian. No one.

November: Jenny and Johnny – I’m Having Fun Now

Magnificently honest, jangly, up-beat pop-rock full of scissors, test-tubes, complications and surreal distortions. Not unlike most relationships, I’ll admit, but the day-to-day of this pair is especially fascinating. ‘Just Like Zeus’ is especially fabulous: imagining Mount Olympus as a ‘pile of trash’ and the mercury in thermometers as a drug. This is the most up-beat album I’ve liked in ages.

December: Regina Spektor – Live in London

This is the closest I’m yet to come to seeing Ms. Spektor live. It’s a recording of a gig she did in Hammersmith to a large room full of very lucky ladies and gentlemen, and it bursts with strength, unassailable personality and beauty at every turn. As the years pass, Regina continues to be utterly amazing, and this was a fantastic Christmas present with which to round off 2010.

This album doesn’t just prove this woman’s talents as a live performer: it forms a retrospective of her wildly oddball writing skills and her full armoury of vocal ticks. Lynn says correct things about it here.

Click the images for links to the albums on Spotify, where available. You’re welcome.

Bandstand Busking get festive with video advent calendar

Lynn Roberts — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 13:47:13 +0000

The marvellous folk at Bandstand Busking have put together a video advent calendar to delight our ears to the run up to Christmas. A new, unseen video will be revealed every day on bandstandbusking.com.

Artists tipped for inclusion are Sam Amidon, Laura Hocking, Vivian Girls, Frightened Rabbit, Sky Larkin, Hundred In The Hands, Caitlin Rose, The Irrepressibles, Chief, Slow Club, Johnny Flynn and many more…

For Folk's Sake » Caitlin Rose

Blog | The making of our charity compilation It’s Christmas 2011

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