Browsing Tag

Folk Singer Songwriter

Hope overcomes fear in the live recording in the woods of Lara Eidi’s folk ballad, Maybe Then

When so many folk artists find their muses amongst natural phenomena, Lara Eidi’s live performance in the woods of her latest single, Maybe Then, will make you question why the acoustics of nature aren’t a more common setting for recordings.

Maybe Then is a captivating continuation of her previous singles, Breathe Love, and Summer Winds within the depth of the spirituality and connectivity to the organic nature of reality many forget we exist in.

Her dynamic operatic vocal range projects melancholic uncertainty and fear against nothing more than quivering cello strings and open atmosphere, which readily drinks in the sombreness within the folk ballad, armouring Maybe Then with heavy emotional artillery, ensuring that every arcanely harmonised and succinctly held note strikes every conceivable visceral chord as it drifts into the woods of Immitos Mountains in Athens and nuancedly advocates for hope for peace and unity following the genocide of Palestinian civilians.

Watch the live performance of Maybe Then via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Blake Baker is captivating in his wistfully listless single, Mind the Gap

The up-and-coming genre-fluid singer-songwriter Blake Baker became the ultimate raconteur of relatable melancholy while simultaneously delivering sonic sanctuary with his latest acoustic single, Mind the Gap.

The profound and beautifully crafted introspective piece resonates with the soulful narrative strength of classic folk songwriting; Baker’s skill in blending this traditional foundation with an Americana blues essence results in a song that is both timeless and refreshingly original.

Lyrically, Mind the Gap paints a vivid, cinematic portrait of a protagonist who feels overlooked and invisible amidst the bustling society around him. This theme of alienation and longing for connection speaks directly to anyone who has struggled to find their place in the world. Baker’s ability to capture this sentiment in his eloquently compassionate lyricism is beyond compare as the track anchors around his rich, sonorous voice which can carry the low timbres as well as the highs he maintains resonant depth.

Mind the Gap is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

River Knight extended empathy for politically derived malady in their orchestral folk-rock score, Green and Gold

River Knight’s latest single, Green and Gold, is a socialist orchestral folk-rock masterpiece; with a reprise of “the system is broken and there’s no way back” as a lyrical opening, there’s no deliberation before immersing you into the infectiously empowering assault on late-stage capitalism.

The modern iteration of everyman’s blues keeps an upbeat tempo as the everyday atrocities unravel over the zeal in the instrumental arrangement to create an emotionally well-rounded score that unifies the disenfranchised while vindicating the anger that is breeding within the social tapestry.

With an ear for a compelling melody, an empathy for politically derived malady, and the technical prowess to construct a soul-sating earworm you’ll be humming for days, the UK duo who banded together in 2017 after Darren Knight’s wife passed away have become as essential as the Manic Street Preachers were in the 90s.

Green and Gold was officially released on November 24; stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Charlie Diamond’s Melodies Are Blowing in the Wind in His Latest Release, ‘New York’s Been Good to Me’

Charlie Diamond’s latest single, New York’s Been Good to Me, is a striking homage to the classic folk era, echoing the raw, unfiltered essence of Bob Dylan with its old-school production and soulful harmonica blows. Diamond, whose life reads like an adventure novel brings a unique authenticity to his music. His experiences, including hiking the Appalachia trail and musing in solitude, infuse his songwriting with a depth that resonates deeply.

The song paints a vivid, panoramic picture of New York City, reminiscent of Tom Waits’ wistful storytelling. Diamond’s lyrics and melody transport listeners to the bustling streets of the city, capturing the inviting yet overwhelming paradox of New York and portraying the city as a character in itself, whose acquaintance isn’t for the faint of introverted heart.

The singer-songwriter’s belief in his anachronistic reincarnation adds a layer of timelessness to the track which bridges decades for ample cross-generational appeal. If you lament living this timeline too, find ample solace by hitting play and taking a journey through the eyes of a troubadour who has lived a life as colourful and varied as the landscape he sings about in this nostalgic escapism-aiding release.

Stream New York’s Been Good to Me on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Settle in for a ‘Long Hard Winter’ with Ben Brooks’ Americana Folk single, ft EG Vines

If you can already feel Seasonal Affective Disorder kicking in, sink into the latest single, Long Hard Winter, by the Americana folk raconteur Ben Brooks.

Created in collaboration with EG Vines, the meta single cleverly runs in the parallels between the winter phases of our lifetimes and the bitterly cold season which leaves serotonin in short supply; both of which leave us yearning for the spring and summer of youth and the warmth that allows the trees to blossom.

With a sonic style as arrestingly affecting as Bob Dylan and Neil Young, Ben Brooks, who has recently found his voice and inspiration again post-Covid, is perceptibly back in his stride. This bitter-sweet earworm will undoubtedly become a great source of comfort for many as the leaf litter thickens and days darken. Even though it was written during the hardest winter during the pandemic, it’s a smorgasbord of sun-toned soul.

Stream Long Hard Winter on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Grainne Eve paid a poignant homage to Sam Henry with her cover of ‘Maid of Culmore’

Taken from Grainne Eve’s debut album, The Songs of Sam Henry, the standout orchestral folk single, Maid of Culmore, is so much more than a narrative tale; the inexplicably anachronistic arrangement conjures panoramic imagery to ensure you’re not solely looking at a portrait of the lyrical protagonist, you are in the landscape within her, completely abstracted from the 21st century.

The debut LP is just a scratch on the surface of the Portstewart, Northern Ireland-hailing folk singer-songwriter’s lifelong mission to understand and pay homage to the legacy of the folklorist and ballad crafter Sam Henry, who was integral to the preservation of Northern Irish folk tradition. Grainne Eve is currently in the final stages of writing her PhD, which focuses on Henry’s vast folk collection after completing a BA and MA in Music at Newcastle University.

‘The Songs of Sam Henry’ made its official debut on July 8th, 2022, at the Riverside Theatre in Coleraine. The album launch event was graciously introduced by the renowned TV presenter Joe Mahon. It was also presented live on Raidio Failte as part of the Belfast TradFest 2022 and received airplay on BBC Radio Ulster. Notably, ‘The Songs of Sam Henry’ earned a nomination for the NI Music Prize in 2022. Here’s to hoping we hear plenty more from Eve in the not-too-distant future.

Stream Maid of Culmore on Spotify and find out more about the exemplary artist and aural academic by visiting her official website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Jeff Jepson spoke for the disillusioned masses in his jovially schadenfreude folk single, Here Comes Trouble

The Liverpool-born Isle of Man-residing singer-songwriter Jeff Jepson spoke for the disillusioned masses with the jovially schadenfreude standout single, Here Comes Trouble, from his latest album, Meaning Waves.

If you are nostalgic for the days when you used to hide in bed because you were dysfunctional instead of as a protective measure to shield yourself from the chaos in our climate, you won’t fail to find the melodic magic in this masterpiece of instrumental and lyrical ingenuity.

If you want a song to sing along with as the fabric of society tears under our precarious footing in it, consider making Here Comes Trouble a sanity-saving playlist staple. You’d be hard-pressed to forget the enchantingly alchemic progressions anyway.

Here Comes Trouble will be available to stream with the rest of his hotly anticipated LP, Meaning Waves on October 13; stream it on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Dora Gola – The Last Tear (Ostatnia Lza): Electronic Folklore Has a New Eloquent Author

For her latest single, The Last Tear (Ostatnia Lza), the electronic folk artist Dora Gola tapped into the divinity of her femininity to create an innately spiritual Clannad-esque score of pure beguile.

With her ethereal vocal timbre scintillating the orchestration of awakening Eastern beats and the reverb-swathed synth lines which give the release an ambiently explorative energy, the Polish Ireland-residing singer-songwriter and dancer reached the pinnacle of transcendent folktronica soul.

After her debut single, Dark Sand, saw her revered by Hot Press and The Irish Times Magazine as one of the most exciting acts to emerge from Ireland in recent years, expectations on the rhythmic seamstress were set high; with each new release, she’s surpassed all expectations.

Stream the official music video for The Last Tear by heading over to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Sadness plays the blues in the latest folk composition by Italian virtuoso, Stefano Manotti

A cosmically arcane air breezes right through the latest folk single from the Italian singer, songwriter, composer and guitarist Stefano Manotti. He may be only a few years on from the release of his Soulgem Records-distributed debut single, but he is already making major waves in the industry by climbing the charts and supporting internationally acclaimed artists.

The amorous melancholy that lingers in his vocal lines as they drift above the folky instrumental arrangement in Endless Road, which paints a panoramic picture of estrangement and wantonness for connection, invites you into an intimately electrifying and orchestrally ornate world. Sonically visualising the middle ground between Bowie & Tom Waits while orchestrating an exemplary manifestation of Italian folk, Manotti’s sound couldn’t be more refined in this odyssey of folk blues.

Endless Road is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Oliver James Brooks synthesised contemporary sickness with the fever of the 70s in ‘Technologically Stoned.

https://bit.ly/OJB-TechnologicallyStoned-Video

To hold a mirror to the dystopic sickness of the day, the critically acclaimed Toronto singer-songwriter, Oliver James Brooks, lyrically narrated our iPhone co-dependency issues in stark contrast to the 70s fever of psych-folk timbres with his alt-folk-rock single, Technologically Stoned.

Illuminating the reality of the evolution of technology which is spurring the regression of society while orchestrating a lava lamp warm soundscape that consoles through the dusky hues couldn’t have been an easy feat; the resolving raconteur succeeded nonetheless.

The accompanying music video, shot on super 8mm film along the Humber River Valley, also acts as a compelling visual exposition of how the chokehold of our phones is blinding us to the natural beauty that is everywhere we turn. If any single is going to convince you to get your dopamine fix in a more organic way, it is Technologically Stoned; the organic and raw production leads by efficacious example.

Technologically Stoned was officially released on September 22; it will also feature in the artist’s third studio LP, A Little Long While, which will be available to stream on all major platforms from November 24.

Watch the official music video for Technologically Stone on YouTube now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast