Author: Alice Sage

Alice is For Folk's Sake's New Bands Editor. You can find her on Twitter @alicemcsage.

Album | Calexico – El Mirador

A low-key, effortless musicality permeates Calexico’s 10th studio album.  There is a confidence in being able to create something so musically complex and endearingly simple.  Differing from song to song and mingling together in each track – voices, themes and…

Album | Humphrey – Humphrey

Recorded back in 1971 in a South Africa which was, at the time, ruled by Apartheid, Humphrey’s self-titled album is wonderful surprise dug out from the archives by Notes on a Journey. Left in obscurity for almost half a century,…

New Bands Panel | Oh Stockholm!

Birmingham’s Michael Hutchinson and his mate Anna Bennet have moved from electro-pop to sad solos to something a little folky. With two EPs available online and gigs aplenty – the panel stepped up to check ’em out… Nicholas Franks: The…

New Bands Panel | Hey Amy

Small-town Canada’s Hey Amy is a mix of Amy McIsaac and her very talented friends – a debut album is due for release in the near future – meanwhile our panel had a listen for themselves… James Robinson: Fans of breezy,…

New Bands Panel | Foxpockets

Brighton based folk experimentalists Foxpockets play with all manner of instruments and have a new EP out for our perusal – the band took a listen and this is what they said… Chris Belson: Please don’t be put off when I…

New Bands Panel | Rosie Jones

Devonshire lass Rosie Jones and her band The Mystery Machine have released two lovely EPs, supported Johnny Flynn and been praised by Paul McCartney – the panel stepped up to check the hype… Tom Moyser: I don’t think the word twee…

New Bands Panel | Russell Marshall/Bella In The Wych Elm

The Midland’s Russell Marshall, aka Bella In The Wych Elm, takes his name from a gruesome local murder and his cover art from sketches drawn by fans – the panel stepped up to give his his lo-fi sound a go……

New Bands Panel | Sam Brookes

After winning an MTV talent contest with his old band The Volt, touring solo with Ray Davies, and a self-titled debut in the pipeline, the panel decided to check this rising star out… Tom White: The Devil has all the best…

The Lake Poets

Fresh from a session with Amazing Radio, with two EPs under his belt and some BBC airplay, Sunderland singer-songwriter Martin Longstaff, aka The Lake Poets, seemed to the panel to be worth a listen… Tom Moyser: My favourite bit from The…

O Chapman

Eighteen-year-old Londoner O. Chapman makes bluesy acoustic folk that the panel really wanted to hear… James Robinson: O. Chapman makes perfect music – there is nothing that needs to be put in or taken out. These lovely duets with their minor chord progressions,…