Wait no more – possibly the album you have all been anticipating more
than any other this year is finally here – hurray! Sigh No More is
the much-hyped debut album from the folk force charging its way in to
ears and hearts all over the country – Mumford and Sons. 12 tracks of
classic Mumford tunes – think your dad’s old folk records meets Welsh
men’s choir for hilly billy hoe down in a pub in Ireland on a rainy
evening. [Breath!]
The Leisure Society announce single and tour
Soaring wonder-boats of folksome sounds The Leisure Society have announced the release of their new single ‘Save It For Someone Who Cares’ on the 28th of September. This track, inspired by an unsatisfactory experience in the Union Chapel, is a melodic little blinder, and will feature in set lists on the band’s forthcoming tour.
Brian’s Mixtape #6: Birthdays and Rememberances
Rest assured guys, we’ve had words with our owl-in-residence. This is the second time he’s come in woefully beyond his deadline, and frankly this is no time to be slacking, because it’s our BIRTHDAY! Well, our birthday week. FFS has been purveying the finest that the new folk movement has to offer for a whole year, and we reserve the right to be pleased about this for the next seven days. At least.
Q&A: Love Like Fire
Why do FFS interviews always get around to food? Probably cos music and food are our favourite things ever. LoveLikeFire’s Ann Yu is a girl after our own heart, she answers Mary Machin’s questions.
Album: Dawn Landes – Sweetheart Rodeo
Reviews for Dawn Landes’ previous album Fireproof tended towards the “nearly there, give her a year or two” end of the spectrum. The pressure was on: would Landes deliver? Well, probably not, but maybe we’ll give her another year or two. This is a really decent set of songs packed full of interesting sounds, but it doesn’t quite gel as an album.
Album: Drive-By Truckers – The Fine Print
The Drive-By Truckers have carved a career out of creating, what is on first listen, very generic country rock. But once given time by a listener this generic country rock can seep into your heart and become the music that a person will carry with them for their whole life. They are a band that fans will sing about from the highest mountains, but to the rest of the music buying public sound as dull as dishwater. There is no doubt that the Truckers have an amazing ear for a tune that can wrench at the heart, because nobody flukes upon rock ‘n’ roll gold as much as they have, but it’s a delicate tightrope that they walk, and they rarely stray from what they are good at.
Album: Homelife — Exotic Interlude
Homelife’s sound is one I found pretty hard to pin down and analyse. The first track sounds like a band that would play Woodstock with flowers in their hair and peace signs on their guitars. Moving through you hear an intense Hawaiian theme- suddenly you’re transported to a deserted beach on Maui craving a hog roast. Next thing you know the music takes a turn for the modern and you’re at a bohemian house party with people smoking shisha and discussing politics. In other words, this album is fantastic.
Mumford and Sons play secret West London book club sessions
Are Mumford and Sons the most right-on band ever? It might be the case. Yesterday they took to the independent bookshops of West London to record sessions for Radio 1 and to promote the chain-free stores too. What nice chaps.
Brian’s mixtape #5: Heroes and Villains
Brian has been a right lazy owl this week. Really we’re quite ashamed of him. Not only is he providing you with your Monday playlist on Tuesday, but he’s only gone and made a list of his namesake’s songs.
The thing is, Brian says, lots of people think the Beach Boys are all Surfer Girls, Ba-Ba-Ba Ba-Babara Ann, Fun Fun Fun and that idiot Mike Love writing naive lyrics about girls and cars. Well they ain’t.
LOVE this artwork
For the Monsters of Folk album:
Album: Piney Gir – The Yearling
So here comes Miss Piney Gir, a Kansas country lady based in London, with her third album and vintage dresses and toys as part of the project troupe as far as visuals and tunes go.
Anika interviews Alela Diane
FFS’s favourite Londoner Anika has a cross-continent chat with Alela Diane, who has never been to Nandos.
Sons of Noel and Adrian and Peggy Sue play free gig this Sunday
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.
First Aid Kit – Hard Believer Video
The future of music (woe is me)
Q&A with Schmercuries nominee John Blain Hunt of Butcher Boy
Over the coming weeks FFS will be submitting the same set of questions to the Schmercury nominees. Today, John Blain Hunt answers on behalf of Butcher Boy, who are nominated for their second album React or Die.
Album: Richmond Fontaine – We used to think the freeway sounded like a river
If there is something that characterizes Richmond Fontaine, this alternative country band from Portland Oregon, is their ability to recreate imagery into music. Willy Vlautin – vocals and guitar – is well known for this art. Yet this album combines his skill with an additional display of pure American songwriting spells and traditional rock and roll bravado.