For fans and musicians of Folk, Americana, Country, Blues, Singer-Songwriter, Rock, Roots & Acoustic and music from the Laurel Canyon late 60’s/early 70’s era.
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Artist: Ben Walker
Release Date: 14th September, 2018
Genre: Folk, Singer-Songwriter
Record Label: Folkroom Records
Tracks: 4
Website:
A excellent new EP from Ben Walker a fantastic producer and one half of the multi award wining duo Josienne Clarke and Ben Walker. Ben a superb guitar player and this instrumental EP positively sparkles with musicianship and creatively.
Artist: Pistol Annies
Release Date: 2nd November. 2018
Genre: Country, Pop
Record Label: RCA Records Label Nashville
Tracks: 14
Website:
The Pistol Annies, the acclaimed side project of Angaleena Presley, Ashley Monroe and Miranda Lambert, have set November 2nd as the release date for their excellent third album ‘Interstate Gospel’. The album is the follow-up to 2013’s ’Annie Up’ and features songs written by all three artists together. With one exception, the album’s closing track “This Too Shall Pass,” written by Ashley and Angaleena.
The platinum-selling supergroup, whose members are also multi talented and very successful solo artists, initially revealed the track listing for the new project through postcards mailed directly to fans. From the riotous, harmony-soaked “Got My Name Changed Back,” to the ironic and poignant “Best Years of My Life,” the album spotlights the trio’s emphasis on classic-country storytelling from a modern female perspective.
Artist: John Smith
Release Date: 5th October, 2018
Genre: Folk, Americana, Singer-Songwriter
Record Label: Commoner Records
Tracks: 10
Website: https://www.johnsmithjohnsmith.com
John Smith is an acclaimed singer, songwriter and guitarist from Devon, England. He has played to audiences all over the world in living rooms, festival tents and sold-out concert halls. He is a genuine folksinger, an inquisitive truth-seeker, devoted song interpreter, and enchanting writer. A contributor and collaborator, John quickly and effortlessly earns the esteem of his comrades and heroes. He has opened for folk greats including John Martyn, Davy Graham and John Renbourn, who called John Smith the future of folk music. On the contemporary side, he has also opened for Iron and Wine, Tinariwen, and Ben Howard. He has guested with artists such as Jackson Browne, Jerry Douglas, Glen Hansard and Rodney Crowell. He has played guitar for artists such as David Gray, Lisa Hannigan, Joe Henry and Joan Baez.
John described his reason for making Hummingbird "Ever since my teenage epiphany at the altar of Folk Music, hearing Nick Drake, Bert Jansch and John Renbourn for the first time, I have been a devotee. The six strings of my guitar have granted me access to a sacred space between things, the unconscious interweaving sensations that allow us that gentle buzz on hearing a good folk song. It was with this in mind that I returned to Sam Lakeman s Somerset studio in March of 2018, two years since recording my previous album Headlong in that same place, to commit six of my favourite folk songs to tape, alongside one cover version and three original songs. The tracks quickly took on their own shape in Sam s able hands. I invited several good friends to join me in this process: Cara Dillon, John McCusker and Ben Nicholls"
Artist: Phillip Henry
Release Date: 5th October, 2018
Genre: Folk, Americana
Record Label: Dragonfly Roots
Tracks: 11
Website:
In the autumn of 2018, Phillip Henry will celebrate the release of his long awaited solo album ‘True North’ with a national tour. Commemorating ten years since his journey to Kolkata to study under the great slide guitarist Pandit Debashish Bhattacharya,
‘True North’ charts a life spent travelling the globe, collecting tunes, stories, and instruments. From music written whilst kangaroo spotting in Australia, to tunes learnt from a Canadian maestro on First Nations reservation land in Canada; songs of the road; and pieces written by musician friends from Kent to Kolkata ; the album's diversity is matched only by the virtuosity of Henry's playing. One musician, one instrument, is the guiding principle; yet instruments range from mellow Weissenborn depths to spectacular Dobro flourishes, to the sounds of the rare Indian Chaturangui (a 22 string guitar from the sub-continent). Here is a fusion of global styles deeply infused with Henry's British folk roots, and brought together with a considered beauty all his own.
Phillip Henry is an in demand performer whose collaborations with fellow musicians such as Peter Knight (Steeleye Span), Steve Knightley (Show of Hands), and Hannah Martin (Edgelarks), have led to the evolution of a unique instrumental style that has wowed audiences around the world. Now he is preparing to take his solo show on the road with a very special series of concerts. As well as his collection of slide guitars, his show-stopping beatbox harmonica, a great favourite with audiences, is sure to make an appearance. Featuring old favourites, and material from True North, this will be an evening to inspire the mind and lighten the soul.
Artist: KT Tunstall
Release Date: 5th October, 2018
Genre: Rock, Pop
Record Label: Jaydone
Tracks: 11
Website:
LCM favourite KT Tunstall releases her wonderful latest album ‘Wax’ in October. Really looking forward to this one :)
Pre-order your copy below
Artist: Punch Brothers
Release Date: 20th July, 2018
Genre:
Record Label: Nonesuch
Tracks: 9
Website: https://www.punchbrothers.com/
The excellent new fifth studio album from New York band the Punch Brothers, who are the quintet of mandolinist Chris Thile, guitarist Chris Eldridge, bassist Paul Kowert, banjoist Noam Pikelny and violinist Gabe Witcher. Says the Washington Post, "With enthusiasm and experimentation, Punch Brothers take bluegrass to its next evolutionary stage, drawing equal inspiration from the brain and the heart." Their upcoming album, All Ashore, is out July 20 on Nonesuch Records. ‘All Ashore’ follows Punch Brothers’ critically acclaimed T Bone Burnett–produced 2015 release, The Phosphorescent Blues, of which NPR said, “Punch Brothers sing of distraction and isolation in the digital age...the sound is all their own.” ‘For All Ashore’, the quintet again attempt to make sense of the world around them.
Artist: The Paper Kites
Release Date: 21st September, 208
Genre: Indie Folk Pop
Record Label: Wonderlick Entertainment / Nettwerk Records
Tracks: 11
Website: http://thepaperkites.com.au
Artist: Colter Wall
Release Date: 12th October, 2018
Genre: Country, Americana, Blues, Rock
Record Label: Young Mary Record Company
Tracks: 13
Website:
The excellent second album from Saskatoon based Americana singer-songwriter Colter Wall.
Artist: JP Cooper
Release Date: 6th October 2017
Genre: Singer-Songwriter, Soul, Rock, Pop
Record Label: Universal / Island
Tracks: 13
Website: https://jpcoopermusic.com/
The excellent debut album by Manchester singer-songwriter JP Cooper
Artist: Tom Walker
Release Date: 19th October, 2018
Genre: Singer-Songwriter
Record Label: Relentless Records
Tracks: 13
Website: http://www.iamtomwalker.com/
‘What A Time To Be Alive’ is the great debut album from Scottish singer-songwriter Tom Walker.
Artist: Jillian Jacqueline
Release Date: 7th September, 2018
Genre: Country, Pop, Country Pop, SInger-Songwriter
Record Label: Big Loud Records
Tracks: 6
Website: https://www.jillianjacqueline.com/
Artist: Gavin James
Release Date: 26th October, 2018
Genre: Singer-Songwriter, Pop
Record Label:
Tracks: 14
Website:
The very talented singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Mary Erskine and her band return for her latest 11-track album 'Loose End' released via Seahorse Music.
After the success of her critically acclaimed top 20 album 'My Wild West', Lissie returns deeply emotive piano ballad Blood & Muscle, showcasing a power vocal performance that has become with synonymous with this always engaging musician. 'Don't You Give Up On Me' reached #23 in the UK Airplay Chart Critical Acclaim for her previous album 'My Wild West' "Undoubtedly her best album yet" - Q | "Another bittersweet triumph" - Independent on Sunday | 4* - The Guardian | 4* - The Star | 4* - Mail On Sunday | 5*- Uncut | "Wild West contains her most convincing songs yet" - Evening Standard | "Country rock calm flows through this album, her voice a mix of Stevie Nicks and Lana Del Rey" - Daily Express | "Lissie's third album is the country-rocking belle's fond farewell to Los Angeles" - Daily Mail | "Fits somewhere between the rustic charm of Emmylou Harris and a dash of Stevie Nicks" - The Times | "An album made by an artist who is still top of her game" - The 405 | "Spellbinding" - Red Bull | "An intoxicating return" - Clash.
After releasing an excellent and one of our LCM featured albums 'To My Roots' in 2017, Emma returns with a brand new EP entitled 'Atoms'. It's being crowd-funded and released through Pledge music with a release date planned towards the end of 2018.
If you would like to support Emma's project or purchase others exclusive goodies, please head on over via the link below.
Artist: Jimmy Aldridge & Sid Goldsmith
Release Date: 7th September, 2018
Genre: Folk
Record Label: Ear Trumpet Music
Tracks: 11
Website: http://www.jimmyandsidduo.com/
Review By: Gary Smith (LCM)
The release of their critically acclaimed second album 'Night Hours' in 2016 cemented Jimmy Aldridge and Sid Goldsmith's reputation as two of the most exciting musicians and social commentators on the British folk scene. Songs have always taken center stage with Jimmy and Sid and on 'Many A Thousand' we see the duo flexing not only their vocal and instrumentation skills, but also their talent as composers. Part of what makes this compelling duo tick is a love of traditional folk song and a mutual passion for the history that is carried in the music.
On 'Many A Thousand' the past and present sit side by side, with original songs more than comfortably holding their own next to the traditional. Another crucial element to this partnership is a shared world-view: sustainability, traditional crafts and living in tune with the land, all elements that deeply inform their music.
The album opens with the thought provoking ‘Hope and Glory’, a response to the rise of nationalism in England. A cautionary tale of falsely romanticising the past in order to stoke the fear of change. This defiant song shows that we must not misuse our shared history in this way. The traditional Bothy ballad ‘Working Chap’ depicts the struggles of poverty and working very hard to make ends meet. Something that resonates very clearly today, as many people in the UK are still ‘just about managing (JAM)’. The song contains an additional verse added by Martin Cathy, who first recorded the song in 1990. “They are working live out…. to keep life in” .
The powerful ‘Turning Of The Year’ tells of the unique ability of the elements to heal and restore us. Following a difficult period in their lives Jimmy and his partner were caught in a huge storm on the Cornish cliffs on New Year’s Day. They returned alarmed but completely renewed. With it’s hypnotic drone backing the traditional ‘Reedcutter’s Daughter’ tells the tale of a traveler who falls in love with a girl from Hoveton, a village very close to where they both grew up. The traveler has to decide whether to settle down with his love or follow the call of the road. This album recording of the song using the organ of St. Helens in Hoveton. Another very thought provoking and atmospheric song ‘The Last Ploughshare’ was written by John Connolly in response to a call from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) for songs about the mistreatment of our natural world.
The haunting and beautiful ‘The Hawks Call’ is a re-write of the slave spiritual ‘No More Auction Block’, imagining a world of peace without military conflict. It was a stunning song when the performed it live at their album launch in London. There is a real sense of irony in ‘A Monument To The Times/The Stepped Ford’ a song about Shirebook in Derbyshire. For years the site of a unionised colliery but now a Sports Direct warehouse employing people on zero hours contracts and below minimum wage. The songs explores whether these warehouses represent a troubling monument to our times. This moves wonderfully into ‘The Stepped Ford’, a song written by Sid on the English Acoustic Collective summer school last year.
Love reflected in nature is something of a holy grail in the folk tradition and ‘Via Extasia’ manages it so well. A beautiful song written by Liam Weldon and first recorded in 1976. it was learned from the the great Norfolk singer Harry Cox, who was recorded singing it in 1970. ‘The Poachers Fate’ (Roud 793) like many traditional songs on the subject deals with the age old battle against land and power lying in the hands of the rich.
Written by Jimmy for a event celebrating the history of Rotherhithe ‘The Tide’ reflects on the relentless drifting and rising tide of the River Thames (and people) coming in and out of London each day. The album closes wonderfully on a song based on a Joseph Campbell poem ‘The Seasons’. It is recorded over birdsong recorded at dawn in Wacton in Norfolk. Additional lyrics are by Peta Webb, Ken Hall and Jeff Wesley.
‘Many A Thousand’ is a stunning album of both traditional and contemporary folk music from two of it’s finest fast rising UK stars. Thought provoking, timely and highly crafted.
