There will always be a place in my heart for keening melodies played on acoustic guitar, and soaring close-harmony vocals. Some might baulk that music like this fails to push boundaries: others, the folk purists, (generally the most militant of…
Author: Ian Parker
Ian is For Folk's Sake's reviews editor. Find him on Twitter @iparky.
Album | Justin Townes Earle – Nothing’s Gonna Change The Way You Feel About Me Now
If Justin Townes Earle’s young career reached its peak to date with 2010’s Harlem River Blues, the follow-up offers us a note of caution. For all the fine work he’d done in separating himself from the considerable burdens that follow…
News | Smoke Fairies reveal album details and Record Store Day EP
The Smoke Fairies have revealed further details of their second album Blood Speaks, which will be released on May 21. The album, which is the follow-up to the outstanding Through Low Light And Trees, will be preceded by a special…
Listen | Cate Le Bon and Gruff Rhys to release split 7″ for Record Store Day
News continues to come thick and fast as Record Store Day approaches on April 21st. There’s word that the Flaming Lips have used, er, actual blood from Ke$ha and others in the packaging for their release The Flaming Lips and…
EP | Loch Lomond – White Dresses
Six months on from the UK release of Little Me Will Start A Storm, Chemikal Underground asked Portland’s Loch Lomond to record a short EP of fresh material to help push their European tour. Maybe they expected something simple to…
Live | The Civil Wars @ Leeds Metropolitan University Student Union
“I haven’t smiled this much all week,” says John Paul White as another huge cheer goes up from the cowd. “That might sound pretty sad, but…well, thanks.” White and Joy Williams, the other half of the Civil Wars, have had…
Album | Michael Kiwanuka – Home Again
Debut albums always represent the end of a long journey for any artist. Hopefully the beginning of one too, but definitely an ending – a point at which they have realised a long held dream and compiled that defining first…
Album | Gabriel & The Hounds – Kiss Full of Teeth
New bands signing to Communion tend to make us sit up and take notice. Not only because they’re almost always really good, but also because they usually serve up something full of the folky flavours we love so much. Gabriel…
News | Kathryn Williams to return as a member of The Pond
Kathryn Williams will return with a new album in May that promises to be a departure from her earlier work. Williams has teamed up with Simon Edwards and Ginny Clee to form “The Pond”, which is described as, er, a…
News | Marthas and Arthurs release new video and offer free download
We at FFS love a band that can pull off a retro sound, which makes us very excited about the upcoming Marthas and Arthurs debut album, due in April. The foursome have whetted our appetite further, by releasing the video…