For Folk's Sake » Fanfarlo

Singles round-up | Lucy Rose, The Lost Cavalry, We Aeronauts, Anja McCloskey

For Folk's Sake — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 10:28:05 +0000

Lucy Rose – Middle of the Bed

What a stylishly simple debut single we have here from Lucy Rose. She’s come along way from busking on the streets of London, playing open mic nights, gigging in bars and eventually coming to the attention of Edith Bowman and Mumford & Sons. Her voice is reminiscent of a young Joni Mitchell, sweet but also with a strong presence to it. Her dreamy vocals skip along to a funky guitar riff, echoing effects and underlying percussion. ‘Middle Of The Bed’ is a love song about moving on with a traditional folk sensibility about it, but brought up to date in Lucy’s own inimitable way.

Lucy Rose – Middle Of The Bed by Lucy Rose

The Lost Cavalry – Desert Tracks

The band’s press release tagline describes their new single as being about “abandoned diamond mines, Namibia, sand and horses”. And it is. ‘Desert Tracks’ features both an array of rousing and subtle instrumentation along with descriptive lyrics that create an illustration of a foreboding terrain and its harsh living – a desolate place that not many people see. The heat, the dryness and the danger are all juxtaposed with carefree shanty-style music, laid-back vocals and warm harmonies. This is music that shines with grandeur.

Find more The Lost Cavalry songs at Myspace Music

We Aeronauts – Chalon Valley EP

The Chalon Valley EP is named after a place in France where We Aeronauts sought artistic inspiration. They returned with music filled with the landscapes, sea, and the sense of living they found there. Minimalist lead vocals are backed by a fine femail voice, all layered over an array of strings, percussion and wistful trumpet that helps the music glide along. The final song ‘Alpe d’Huez’, is the EP’s highlight, an atmospheric track building up from guitar and trumpet into a wall of sound with stirring, emotional lyrics. Topped off with angelic choral harmonies, it rises up to the heavens.

Anja McCloskey – And Her Head

Anja has a strikingly tender voice to go along with her talent as multi-instrumentalist, playing accordion and violin on her new single ‘And Her Head’. Anja and her cohorts create a haunting song which is more classical than folk, influenced by the life of her accordion-playing grandfather. The lyrics and the music create echoes and feelings of the past. B-side ‘Impeccable’ is a wistful love song also fuelled by classical music. It’s a song about the frustrations of a stifling relationship. Anja’s vocals soar with feeling as the mood is extricated by the music.

Words: Shaun McCoy

Schmercury Awards 2010: Shortlist announced

Lynn Roberts — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 15:13:37 +0000

Not one to be left out of all this Mercury spoofing, FFS is delighted to announce this year’s Schmercury Awards shortlist. We had such a hard time whittling all the fantastic albums released this year down to just 12 that we had to have a sit down with some tea and Belle & Sebastian to calm our nerves. However, it is done, and here – in alphabetical order – are our finalists.

Broadcast 2000 – Broadcast 2000
Gemma Hampson said: “This album is a hit waiting in the wings. It’s eclectic enough to be accepted by some of the alt-folk fanatics, different enough to be listened to by those dipping a toe into the more avant-garde acoustic and commercial enough to be played all over every radio station and snapped up by the masses.”
(Spotify, MySpace, FFS Review)

Caitlin Rose – Own Side Now
Helen True said: “Caitlin Rose is 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.
(Spotify, MySpace, FFS Review)

Cocos Lovers – Johannes
Alice Knapp said: “Kentish folk stalwarts Cocos Lovers’ latest album, Johannes, captures all the beauty of their live singing. The clear-toned guitars, flickering mandolin and chorus vocals are filled with British tradition. At the same time, other worldwide musical references can be heard in the use of upbeats, hand drums, accordions and operatic vocal cords.”
(Spotify, MySpace, FFS Review)

Field Music – Measure
Liane Escorza said: “A kaleidoscope of textures and a versatile canvas of sounds… it opens up shyly, gets confident and alert on its own toes and then bursts into wings of indulgence… a brilliant surge of compelling music and a jungle of brilliant surprises.”
(Spotify, MySpace, FFS Review)

Local Natives – Gorilla Manor
Lynn Roberts said: “Mixing Beach Boys’ sunny Californian harmonies and Simon & Garfunkel’s syncopated rhythms with a raucous, upbeat and infectious dollup of youthful energy, Local Natives’ soaring vocals and everyday, truthful lyrics make Gorilla Manor a true delight… and what’s more, one you can dance to.”
(Spotify, MySpace, FFS Interview)

Laura Marling – I Speak Because I Can
Lynn Roberts said: “The most surprising aspect of I Speak Because I Can is just how robust the once painfully shy Laura now sounds. With rousingly primal tracks like opener Devil’s Spoke, she has extended her repertoire from the meeker sounds of Alas I Cannot Swim. In fact, this LP is in danger of totally overshadowing her Mercury-nominated debut.”
(Spotify, MySpace, FFS Review)

Midlake – The Courage of Others
Stephen Thomas said: “Present on Courage is the sort of sweeping majesty that was a staple ingredient of the folk scene in the early seventies. With this album Midlake have realised their position in the world, and in the music industry – and it’s right at the top of the pile.”
(Spotify, MySpace, FFS Review)

Anais Mitchell – Hadestown
Lynn Roberts said: “It’s been all I could do to tear myself away from Anais Mitchell’s concept album/folk opera Hadestown. A modern retelling of Orpheus and Eurydice, it features guest vocals from Justin Vernon of Bon Iver and Ben Knox Milller from the Low Anthem as well as Greg Brown and Ani DeFranco. It’s definitely one of the best things I’ve heard all year.”
(Spotify, MySpace, FFS Review)

Mountain Man – Made the Harbor
Ali Mason said: “Bluegrass-tinged folk songs bringing to mind the vast sweeping landscapes of the United States, from the New England hills through the Rockies and the Deep South and beyond, as they sing about buffalos and herons and rivers and bees. What marks it out more than the complex, three-part harmonies which flit so gracefully on the air is the sense of stillness and calm which pervades. A perfectly-formed work of understated joy.”
(Spotify, MySpace, FFS Review)

Noah & the Whale – The First Days of Spring
Lois Jeary said: “A lifetime of heartbreak away from the whistling and clapping of their twee-folk debut, the album is Charlie Fink’s brutal confession on the state of his heart following his relationship with Laura Marling. But with the imagery of approaching “blue skies” recurring throughout, the lingering impression left by this beautiful album is not of desolation, but of the broken heart’s cautious optimism at the freedom to pursue new possibilities and loves.”
(Spotify, MySpace, FFS Review)

Peggy Sue – Fossils & Other Phantoms
Mary Machin said: “Peggy Sue have concocted a heady mixture of blues, rock and doo-wap with their debut. Fossils is a flawlessly contained world all of its own. Its remarkable coherance makes it a body of work to be cherished for years to come.”
(Spotify, MySpace, FFS Review)

Sea of Bees – Songs for the Ravens
Nikki Dodds said: “This sweet and complex record presents a hybrid of tunes all tied together via the lazy warmth of Baenziger’s voice. It is interesting and moreish as you witness the tracks tumble between dark and light.”
(Spotify, MySpace, FFS Review)

Like last year — when The Leisure Society’s debut album The Sleeper won the first FFS Schmercury Poll after a battle with Camera Obscura’s My Maudlin Career — we’ve refused to be constrained by geography as the Mercury Prize is, and so this list features our favourite records from around the world.

Have yourselves a listen, and then vote for your pick of the bunch below (you can vote once a day, if you’re keen). But whichever wins, know that we recommend all of these records very highly indeed and urge you to seek out the ones you haven’t heard. Because there’re few things nicer than discovering another brilliant album.

Brian’s Mixtape #36: Brian’s been to Glasto

Brian — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 16:45:12 +0000

Brian’s been a bit quiet of late, largely because when he gets really excited his wings start quivering and he can’t type. What happened was, he realised it was June and that it was about to be Glastonbury, and his feathers were no longer under his control. The lucky fellow doesn’t even have to buy a ticket – he just stows away in HelenFFS’s backpack and no one ever notices.

This year was spectacular, especially for Brian, who could fly to the highest bough of the nearest tree whenever he needed shade, and flutter over the fences that divide the dirty from the clean in order to spy on Jarvis Cocker (who was wearing a lovely suit).

Here’s a swift round-up of his favourite parts of the weekend in the form of a Spotify playlist so that you can close your eyes and pretend all the flags, bunting, stages and sleeping hippies are all still firmly in place and you’re not going to have to sleep in a boring old bed tonight.*

Seasick Steve – Walkin’ Man
tUnE-yArDs – Sunlight
Laura Marling – I Speak Because I Can
Mountain Man – Arabella
Fanfarlo – The Walls are Coming Down
The Leisure Society – Love’s Enormous Wings
Ellen and the Escapades – Without You
Midlake – Small Mountain
Mumford & Sons – Roll Away Your Stone
Devendra Banhart – Meet Me at Lookout Point
Stornoway – Boats and Trains
Alessi’s Ark – Dancing Feet
Candi Staton – Young Hearts Run Free
Beach House – Walk in the Park
Frightened Rabbit – Old Old Fashioned
Stevie Wonder – Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)

Get the playlist here: Brian’s Mixtape #36: Brian’s Been to Glasto and Spotify here if you’re late to the party.

*Disclaimer: before you accuse Brian of appearing to have been in two places at the same time on occasion, please take a moment to remember that he has WINGS and can FLY. Thank you.

The Folk Artist Twitter Directory

Stephen W Thomas — Thu, 06 May 2010 08:30:09 +0000

Below is our attempt at a comprehensive directory of folk artists currently on Twitter – of course, we aren’t Twitter deities and as such will almost certainly have missed out on certain artists. Let us know if you can think of any tweeting folk musicians in the comments below.

Akron/Family

Angus and Julia Stone

Asthmatic Kitty (Label)

Brian: FFS’s Mixtape-Making Owl

Broadcast 2000

Caitlin Rose

Cherbourg

Colin Meloy (Decemberists)

Damien Rice (PR Account)

Dev Hynes (Lightspeed Champion)

Divine Comedy (PR account)

Efterklang

Emmy the Great

Fanfarlo

FFS (Official Account)

Kurran & the Wolfnotes

Laura Marling (PR account)

Lisa Hannigan (PR account)

Lisa Mitchell

Lissie

The Living Sisters (PR account)

Local Natives

The Low Anthem

Midlake

Monsters of Folk (PR account)

The New Pornographers

Owen Pallett (Final Fantasy)

Peggy Sue

Rebecca Taylor (Slow Club)

Rufus Wainwright (PR account)

She & Him (PR account)

St. Vincent

Sweet Billy Pilgrim

The Swell Season (PR account)

The Swell Season (Glen Hansard)

Single: Fanfarlo – Harold T. Wilkins

Helen True — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 15:19:38 +0000

The latest babe to emerge from the Fanfarlo woods is young Harold T. Wilkins, and quite the fascinating song it is too. Inspired by a British flying saucer obsessive of the same name, this song speaks not only to the sceptically treated spotter of extra terrestrials, but to any lad or lass who’s felt out of sync with the world in which they dwell.

Throughout, the single’s rhythm puts the listener in mind of the tick-tock of the happiest of clocks: perhaps one housing a happy wooden couple, or a selection of birds who enjoy marking the hour with charming squawks. The clean, simple melody of the verses contrasts with the passionate thundering of the chorus:

In a town where everyone will kick and scream
And come to the same conclusion every time
Time to realise you were never on the team
There was always a question hanging over you
In a hot air balloon with a rusty nail
Looking over your shoulder and setting sail

The source of inspiration for this song is heavily alluded to in the fabulous eccentricity of its video, which you can watch here:

‘Harold T. Wilkins’, or ‘How to Wait for a Very Long Time’ is released on March 8th.

Words: Helen True

Fanfarlo to support Mumford and Sons + headline UK tour + new single + instore tomorrow

Lynn Roberts — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 14:15:17 +0000

Fanfarlo have announced they are to support Mumford and Sons on their sold out upcoming tour as well as a headline tour with support from Tom Waits’ ex-babysitter, Jesca Hoop.

The Swedish/British string-lovers released their self-released debut album Reservoir last year to critical acclaim. They’ve just been on a whirlwind tour of America and have announced a free instore at Rough Trade East in London, before their feet have hit the ground.

The Band’s new single Harold T Wilkins is out on 8th March.

Were you to want to see them at one of their UK shows, you could do so at one of the following locations:

Jan 18 – Rough Trade East, London (In Store)

Feb 09 – Bristol, Thekla (+ Race Horses, Jesca Hoop)
Feb 10 – Birmingham, Hare & Hounds (+ Race Horses)
Feb 11 – Leeds, Brudenell Centre (+ Race Horses, Jesca Hoop)
Feb 12 – London, ULU (+ Race Horses, Freelance Whales)
Feb 13 – Brighton, Audio (+ Race Horses)

March 03 – Glasgow, ABC (supporting Mumford and Sons)
March04 – Manchester, Academy 1 (supporting Mumford and Sons)
March06 – Wolverhampton, Wulfrun Hall (supporting Mumford and Sons)
March07 – Newcastle, University (supporting Mumford and Sons)
March 09 – Liverpool, Academy (supporting Mumford and Sons)
March 10 – Cambridge, Junction (supporting Mumford and Sons)
March 12 – Brighton, Corn Exchange (supporting Mumford and Sons)
March 13 – London, Shepherds Bush Empire (supporting Mumford and Sons)

For more info see Fanfarlo’s website and MySpace.

Words: Lynn Roberts

Single: Fanfarlo – The Walls are Coming Down

Helen True — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 10:09:00 +0000

Fanfarlo’s newest single, from the magnificent album Reservoir, might have something rather pertinent to say to our suited and booted friends in the city:

“They swallowed it whole, they went for the gold, for the gold
We fall for the same lies we all have the same shoes to fit
The preachers and books of your empire will fight here alone
Some day the will be forgotten and die one by one”

That’s one to mull over, I’d say. Simon Balthazar tells us in his gentle, lilting tones, that “there is nothing left to do” over a musical base which, conversely, communicates only beauty and hope. Heaven knows we all need a bit of that sort of thing from time to time.

Most pleasingly, these folks know what to do with a trumpet, which is more than can be said for some, and the arrangement on this single is stunning – orchestral and complex yet utterly accessible, with the tinkle of a glockenspiel welcoming all and sundry to the fold.

‘The Walls are Coming Down’ will be released on 21st September. Watch the frankly astounding video here.

Words: Helen True

Like the sound of that? Fanfarlo are doing us all a favour and touring, so that we can have the chance to hear their sounds as they should be: all lovely and live:

28th September – Manchester, Deaf Institute
29th September – York, Fibbers
30th September – Glasgow, ABC 2

2nd October – Middlesbrough, Westgarth
3rd October – Nottingham, Bodega
5th October – Oxford, Jericho Tavern
6th October – London, Bush Hall
7th October – Brighton, Hanbury Ballroom
8th October – Cardiff, Clwb Ifor bach
9th October – Leeds, Brundenell Social Club

Sons of Noel and Adrian and Peggy Sue play free gig this Sunday

Helen True — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:11:37 +0000

This Sunday’s free Bandstand Busk will be a particularly special one, so far as FFS are concerned, featuring as it will two of our very favourite bands. Troubador and -esses Peggy Sue, and bigger-than-a-football team Sons of Noel and Adrian will be appearing at Northampton Square Bandstand from 3pm on Sunday, 6th September.

These loveliest of bands will also be appearing together at the ICA on 6th November, so if you fancy a free preview, this is an ideal chance. See our article on that upcoming gig here for ticket information and the like.

To give you an idea of previous high calibre busks, the most recent acts to take part in a free busk have been King Creosote, Woodpigeon, Kill it Kid, Fanfarlo, Theoretical Girl, Slow Club, Wildbirds and Peacedrums and Alessi’s Ark. Coincidentally, that’s also the bulk of FFS’s CD Christmas list. The keepers of the bandstand sure know what they’re doing.

Check out the Bandstand Busking website for recordings of previous performances from all these lovely bands and more, then hop on down on Sunday for some free delectation.

Words: Helen True

Fanfarlo

Lynn Roberts — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 13:03:11 +0000

You might also be interested in... Singles round-up | Lucy Rose, The Lost Cavalry, We Aeronauts, Anja McCloskey Schmercury Awards 2010: Shortlist announced Brian's Mixtape #36: Brian's been to Glasto The Folk Artist Twitter Directory Single: Fanfarlo - Harold T. Wilkins Fanfarlo to support Mumford and Sons + headline UK tour + new single + [...]

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Categories: Artist profiles

Tags: Fanfarlo

Q&A: FFS emails Fanfarlo

Lynn Roberts — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 12:50:25 +0000

Fanfarlo frontman Simon Balthazar took a break from their UK tour to answer FFS’s questions.

FFS: You formed the band in 2006. How did everyone get involved?

Simon: When I moved over from Sweden I had a couple of demos I had recorded with me (one of them ending up our first single), and started playing shows here and there with people I met in London. The first shows were just us and a backing track, but now we’re up to six people.

Your album is out in a couple of weeks, there is a lot of buzz about you and Reservoir it’s had some great press. Were you expecting a good reaction to it?

We don’t expect to ever be a trendy band, that’s not what we’re trying to do — but we’re proud of the record we’ve made and we think it’s a good record, so I guess we were expecting pretty good reactions. Oddly we don’t seem to have ever had a bad review of anything we’ve done so far.

It’s a truly lovely album, both epic and delicate.What inspired you?

That’s a BIG question. Too many thing to list here probably. We all listen to all sorts of music so that’s a part of the equation, but we also read a lot. We wanted it to have a folky, timeless feel and not rely to much on electric guitars.

What was behind the decision to self-release?

We figured there’s very little a label can do that we can’t do ourselves. You have to give up a lot to sign to a label.

What do you hope people will get from the album?

We hope people will literally live their lives by it and turn it into a sort of holy scripture. [Some comedy gold for you there - Ed]

How does your live sound differ from your recorded sound?

Live, we all play sax. Every song is played as a sax ensemble rendition. Apart from that there are no major differences. [And another bit. Stop it, it's too much...]

What was the reason that Mark West left the band?

We just didn’t work very well together, so he couldn’t keep playing in the band. We play with a few different people at the moment, so we have yet to see what the differences will be.

How is your UK tour going? Do you find you get a different reaction from the crowd in different parts of the country?

The tour this week has been great, especially in Southampton, surprisingly. We played this tiny tiny venue but it was packed and people were really into it. It was too sweaty to play on stage so we ended up finishing the gig on the floor instead.

You’re playing a good slew of festivals this summer. Do you prefer playing to big crowds or more intimate venues?

The smaller venues are definitely better. We like it intense and intimate.

You’ve been known to cover In The Aeroplane Over The Sea live. Are Neutral Milk Hotel a big influence?

I think NMH are a big part of my love for using trumpet in pop music. They are also an interesting phenomenon as a band… I recommend reading the 33 1/3 book about them.

Do you have much contact now with the Swedish music scene? Are there any bands you can recommend to us that we might not have heard of?

The UK seems to be really well connected to the Swedish scene, so I doubt there’s anything I can recommend that you haven’t heard of already. Swedish indie bands tend to get more exposure over here in fact. I mainly hear of Swedish bands from my British friends.

Have you come across any little-known UK artists in your travels that you really like?

At the moment, I’m pretty excited about my friends’ band Male Bonding here in London.

You’ve been known to discuss politics in interviews, do you think you’ll ever mix music and politics (eg in the form of protest songs, or some Bono-style evangelising)?

Nothing is a-political, everything is a statement in some form. Although I don’t set out to preach to anyone, I think it’s important to be opinionated and speak your mind. All the bad shit going on in the world comes from people not caring or not being bothered to make up their own minds. But I don’t think I would write a protest song, I like subtlety.

After the tour and festivals what’s next for the band? Are you itching to get back into the studio or do you fancy a break?

We love recording more than anything else so there’s definitely some of that coming our way very soon.

Interview: Lynn Roberts