Scientists and international organisations have been raising the alarm that humans have only nine years left to prevent the climate crisis. We need to hurry up because there is no planet B. This significant date, 2030, appears in the title…
In 2019, Van Plating returned from a nine-year musical hiatus with her self-titled LP. Influenced by folk traditions and contemporary Americana alike, she wasn’t quite sure how her return would be received—both due to the length of time she’d spent…
Peter Donovan and Elijah Ocean have been meshing minds since 2008. Bonding over Dylan and the Beatles, they were quick friends and collaborators. Their songwriting efforts were less Lennon/McCartney and more McGuinn, making roomy, rootsy guitar-pop. Eventually, this led way…
Dominique Pruitt’s ridden a tumultuous past few years. Now, she’s come out on the other side with an EP coming on 2 July. From losing her job, to navigating a global pandemic, and moving out of Los Angeles, it’s been…
As vaccines are in arms and lockdowns lift, it’s time to get the For Folk’s Sake sessions started again. And the first guest of this new run is the multi-talented Basia Bartz. This is actually Basia’s 2nd visit to the…
The Mountain Goats are a little different than most bands, rather than taking on one project at a time they actually took on three. In between recording Songs for Pierre Chuvin and Getting Into Knives, they went into FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals…
Let’s talk about Lady Nade, UK Americana Award nominee, showcased at the Folk Alliance International and the International Live Music Conference, performing at many online festivals in the UK and USA – including Thriving Roots and Folk on Foot. Recently…
Dive in deep to the wonderful, traditional and ever surprising sound world of Marry Waterson and Oliver Knight’s The Days That Shaped Me and you won’t be disappointed. Here we have English folk-smithery and deep-rooted tradition at its idiosyncratic and…
In Tall Tales, Ringlefinch have created a delightfully self-assured soundtrack for a world doing the hokey-cokey with the Covid 19 pandemic. Intelligent catchy song-writing, imagination, good humour, heart, hygge, and folk politics abound and flourish in this aural delight. I’m…
The voice is disorienting, pure as a bell, yet the subject matter of Where Shall We Begin by Chloe Foy is often decidedly downbeat. At first it seemed like a great lost Virginia Astley album. That lasted all of about…
David John Morris was asked to give up his guitar for nine months in order to enter Nova Scotia’s Gampo Abbey, which actually resulted in the creation of Monastic Love Songs. Along the way he had to work, study and meditate with the Buddhist…
In the creative landscape there’s something quite unfashionable about looking back. Whether you’re an artist, a novelist or a songwriter, you’re constantly training yourself to think that the next thing you create – the next song, novel, painting – will…
Inspired by the ancient Mount Paektu, Gruff Rhys’ latest solo album finds him exploring fertile territory while remaining both familiar and fresh. The Super Furries’ frontman has ploughed a rich and varied seam under his own steam for 15 years. Seeking…
Always Smiling, Oliver Woods first solo album, is a testament to not having a plan. He didn’t even know he was making a solo album. Being creative, when folks came to Nashville, he invited them over to write and jam…
It’s amazing what you can do in 10 days – it took just that long to record Flora by Frøkedal & Family. The Family part is something new, up until now it had just been Anne Lise Frøkedal. The new title reflects the communal…
Seven LPs on with the 14 May release of When We Wander, Jesse Terry continues to find fresh avenues to traverse with his songwriting. Given, he has prime inspiration. Largely inspired by his role as a father to his daughter,…
Some things contain a magic so special that your breath is literally taken away by the vision, scope and artistry present in the work; be it a painting, a poem, a meal or as in this album a collection of…