Due for release on May 29th in the UK on the Nettwerk label, we’ve received all the details we could ever want from both band and label.

Entitled “Tree Bursts in Snow”, the record will feature 10 tracks recorded and mixed by “breakthrough producer of the year” Paul Savage at Chem 19 in Glasgow and mastered by Greg Calbi (The National, Fleet Foxes, Paul Simon, Grizzly Bear) at Sterling Sound in New York City.

Front man and songwriter Louis Abbott gives us some insight into the origins of the album’s unusual title.

“The title refers to the sound and the image of an artillery shell exploding into a cluster of snow-drenched trees. I’m also astounded by the sheer volume of gun related violent crimes throughout the world but in particular in the U.S. The lyric from ‘Tree Bursts’ was inspired by the idea of the effect that losing friends through violence, in particular during times of war or conflict has on young men and women. They are “the leaves that fall louder than backfire, all orange and halloween red…”

The first single from “Tree Bursts in Snow” is “Beetle in the Box”, which is available for a limited time as a free download and will be released on a strictly limited white label vinyl also featuring a cover of the beautiful Associates’ song “Party Fears Two”. The can be purchased from admiralfallow.com, and indie stores from March 2012.

Tracklisting

Tree Bursts
The Paper Trench
Guest Of The Government
Beetle In The Box
Old Fools
Isn’t This World Enough?
Brother
The Way You Were Raised
Burn
Oh, Oscar

Scott Edgar

Somewhere down by the River Thames in London, Duke Special is locked up in the studio, with fellow musicians including brass and clarinet maestro Ben Castle, putting the finishing touches to the record, hemmed in by timpani, vibraphone, marimba and glockenspiel and throwing the merest of hints as to the new tracks.

Seventeen creations beginning to crystallise into little songs with their own little faces. After today… 3 days left. Time for them to start getting dressed and put on a little make up. Not too much, just to highlight the natural features.

Duke and his band will be previewing songs from the upcoming record at two intimate shows in London and Dublin.

April 23rd
Lexington Arms, London
BUY TICKETS

April 25th
Workman’s Club, Dublin
BUY TICKETS

http://folkandtumble.com/?p=187 It’s been a hectic start to 2012 for Northern Irish songwriter Foy Vance. In January alone he has completed a mini-tour of Europe, paid a quick visit to NYC and released a new single on iTunes.

‘Be The Song’ is the lead single from the upcoming ‘Melrose EP’ and is a collaboration with long time friend and producer David Holmes. If you can’t yet get your hands on a copy of the song check out Series 10 of American drama “House” where you can hear a little on the soundtrack.

Foy and David have also collaborated on a soundtrack for Terry George’s new short film, The Shore. The movie has been nominated for an Oscar which is an exciting prospect for any songwriter.

If you’re already a fan of Mr Vance are are based in or around London you may be able to catch him play as part of HMV’s Next Big Thing series of shows. Foy plays London’s ‘Garage’ on 9th February with support from One Sixth of Tommy & Tom Moriarty.

BUY BE THE SONG ON ITUNES

BUY TICKETS FOR HMV’S NEXT BIG THING

You may know him as Captain Cameron and while the name may have changed, the songwriting prowess, keen ear for a melody and raw emotional delivery of a song have not.

The new EP is entitled Flow River, Flow and is available for free over on David’s Bandcamp page.

And while you’re there check out his sublime cover of Lana Del Rey’s ‘Video Games’ recorded for BBC Northern Ireland’s Across The Line show.

Scott Edgar

If you’re new to the music of Ben Howard then check out this session for BBC Radio One with Zane Lowe.

If you’re already well versed in the tunes of this young Englishman then get ready for pre-sale tickets to go on sale tomorrow (February 8th) and if all that wasn’t enough, special guest for the UK shows is none other than the fantastic Willy Mason.

2nd November – Brighton, The Dome
3rd November – Plymouth, Pavilions
4th November – Cardiff, University (Great Hall)
5th November – Bristol, Colston Hall
7th November – Dublin, Olympia
9th November – Belfast, Mandela Hall
10th November – Glasgow, O2 Academy
12th November – Manchester, Apollo
14th November – Leeds, O2 Academy
16th November – Newcastle, O2 Academy
17th November – Aberdeen, Music Hall
19th November – Cambridge, Corn Exchange
20th November – Lincoln, Engine Shed
21st November – Leicester, O2 Academy
22nd November – Nottingham, Rock City
24th November – Birmingham, O2 Academy
25th November – Bournemouth, O2 Academy
26th November – Southampton, GuildHall
28th November – London, O2 Brixton Academy

Scott Edgar

Alex Highton’s debut album is essentially a concept album, not in the same vein as some of the prog rock, self-indulgent, allegedly great concept albums of our time but rather a collection of heartfelt, whimsical tales chronicling the protagonists move from the city life to the rural sprawl.

His move to rural Cambridgeshire from London is nothing new amongst the music writing fraternity. In recent years we’ve watched in horror as the likes of Noel Gallagher and Alex James have become dull, soft-spoken and without valid opinion but thankfully Highton’s move to the greenery sees him blazing a trail of creativity akin to that of Frank Turner.

I always feel my music is to middle-of-the-road for some tastes and too weird for others – it’s middle-of-the-weird – but there’s something in it that resonates with people. When you state your inspirations as Harry Nilsson and David Ackles, I’m sure it doesn’t set the hearts of the major record companies fluttering. – Alex Highton

Despite the concerns of the songwriter, we find this record chock-full of subtle nods to great songwriting talent from the storytelling of Ray Davies to the undoubted influence of Lennon and McCartney. To say this album sounds a little like The Beatles unplugged is not to do it a disservice. To master the melodies of McCartney combines with the acerbic Scouse wit of Lennon is something that few have mastered.

Highton claims he feels uncomfortable telling the stories of the songs but the lyrics are so personal and raw that the music most definitely does the talking.

‘(Kids) On The Corner’ and ‘Village Life’ see Highton at his darkest, letting the wit of lyric and gentle finger picking of acoustic guitar betray the subjects at hand. As a predominantly acoustic album there’s ample orchestration, a little brass and some nicely layered vocals to add to the instantly hummable melodies. The album closes with ‘Little Rocks’, a plain and simple love song dedicated to his wife with themes of planets, stars and solar occurrences bringing him as close to Alex James territory as we hope he gets.

‘Woodditton Wives Club’ is out now on The Local.

Track Listing
1. You’ve Got The Trees
2. (Kids) On The Corner
3. I Left The City
4. You Left Me In No Doubt
5. Stupid
6. I Just Found Out Today
7. Hip With The Kids
8. Sing A Song For Someone
9. Village Life
10. The Great Divide
11. Sweet Taste Of Defeat
12. What Will You Do When They Break Your Heart
13. Little Rocks

Scott Edgar

The aurally pleasing ‘Stories from the Steeples’ has been gracing the stereo at Folk & Tumble for quite a while now. The good people of Ireland were lucky enough to get their hands on this fine record in late 2011 and now on Valentine’s Day 2012 it’s commercially available on North American release courtesy of Blix. If you love someone who loves music this could be the perfect gift.

We’ve had a long wait of six years for a studio album from Mary Black. But when the result is a collection of tunes such as this, you can forgive the award-winning, Irish best-seller for the delay.

There has never been any doubt over the ability of Black to truly make a song her own. Her sensitive, soulful delivery has been a trademark throughout her long and varied career but it’s in this genre of traditional Celtic folk that her talent is really allowed to shine. The vocal is never overdone, never forced, just a perfectly passionate telling of stories old and new which has lead to obvious career long comparisons to the likes of Emmylou Harris, Eva Cassidy or Mary Chapin-Carpenter.

Predominantly ‘Songs from the Steeples’ is a solo record however there are several duets with Finbar Furey, Janis Ian and the upbeat ‘Mountains to the Sea’ with the hugely talented Imelda May. These songs in particular show the mutual respect held between Black and artists not only from her generation but from the younger guard of Irish talent as well. Perhaps this is a move to bring folk to a younger audience or to give the newer voices and songwriting talent a chance to shine.

The power of this album however lies as much with the songwriting as in the performance of said tracks. The interpretations of songs by authors such as Eric Bogle and Ricky Lynch are beautiful renditions of well-spun tales with the opening track ‘Marguerite and the Gambler’ almost Dylan-like flowing from the pen of Lynch. Standout tracks, we discover are written by Danny O’Reilly who long-time fans of Mary Black will recognise as her son while the younger generation of Irish music fan will know him as frontman and chief songwriter for number one selling Irish act The Coronas. A love of music, stories and poetry clearly runs in the bloodline. If you listen to one track to warm your heart to this record make it the O’Reilly written ‘Wizard of Oz’.

With it’s roots firmly based down under in Antipodean lands, the track reflects themes that run throughout the album so much so that it could be named ‘Songs from Oz’ or such however we’ll stick with the given name of ‘Songs from the Steeples’, in honour of the Dublin record studios but also creating images of the old Celtic church where perhaps we’ve all come to praise yet another classic folk album.

CW Stoneking’s gig last at year’s Out to Lunch was by all accounts one of the highlights of the whole year if not just the festival so it was no surprise that this year’s appearance was moved to the larger Spring & Airbrake from Out to Lunch’s usual HQ at the Black Box.

The venue was well packed when support act Tiny Ruins began her set and it was a bit of a thankless task as the expectant crowd only had ears for the man they’d waited all year to see again. Her set was good – she was alone with her acoustic guitar and finger-picked her way through a half-hour of nice songs. Nice but forgetful, especially when her softly sung ways failed to carry through the venue and impact upon the gathering crowd.

CW Stoneking and his Primitive Horn Orchestra weren’t long filling the silence that was hanging after Tiny Ruins. After the success of last year’s appearance he had an audience eager to hear his hokum blues. The fervour led to a few clashes and tension in the crowd as the chatterers and the shushers battled for primacy in the venue to the point where I heard one shusher threaten to take three chatterers outside and “f*ck them up”.

By the look of Mr Stoneking he’s seen a few threats of violence in his time and remained unfazed by what was going on below him. And he put on an excellent set of old-time blues, ragtime and calypso music busking between his banjo and his steel guitar and singing with a voice like a cross between Tom Waits and Leadbelly that really shouldn’t be coming from a man so fresh faced.

The horn section, comprising of a cornet, trombone and tuba was fantastic and added so much to a set of traditional sounding songs drawn from his two albums with touches and splashes of calypso, blues and jazz which really elevated the gig.

There was a nice contrast soon to come when Stoneking’s band stood down and left him alone with his banjo and his stories. His patter and shtick was well received and well, I would say endeared him to the crowd, but the crowd was bias from the word go and so they lapped up every mumbling word of it.

A few more numbers with Stoneking alone on stage and soon he was gone, leaving a roaring ovation and continuing the legend that he leaves in his wake.

Owen McNulty

Bombay Bicycle Club’s third album ‘A Different Kind of Fix’ is a further step towards glory for the already critically acclaimed band. The title sums up the band’s innovative approach towards this record. It is a fresh sound that has moved on from the previous efforts but still maintains the trademark Bombay Bicycle Club essence that has their fans hooked on every chord and lyric.

A lot of the songs on the album maintain the same dynamism that appeared on the earlier releases but everything has got ‘bigger’. This is a band that are savvy enough to realise that as they move to larger gig venues, they need to create music that is able to fill these bigger spaces.

Many songs on the record combine a driving, pounding rhythm section with catchy yet wistful melodies, such as ‘Your Eyes’ and ‘Bad Timing’, the latter of which would not sound out of place on a Doves album. Single ‘Shuffle’ is predictably one of the standout tracks on the album, with its coupling of jerky piano loops with the mellow tones of Steadman’s voice. Another highlight of the album is the delightful ‘Beggars’. Steadman’s voice has not sounded better and the sound harks back to the electro-folk essence of their second album. Reflective but at the same time rampant, this song showcases Bombay Bicycle Club’s many musical talents.

Whilst this is a great third album from Bombay Bicycle Club, you get the feeling that there is something missing and I consider that to be the band’s lack of self-belief. When you think they’re about to hit their musical peak, it fades out before they hit the target.

Intelligent without being pretentious, diverse, lyrically mesmerising and at times wonderfully awkward, this album proves if you didn’t realise it already, that Bombay Bicycle Club are worth their weight in gold. They just need to believe it.

Carly Goodman

Ethan Ash has already had quite a year, taking up invitations from MTV and BBC respectively and making various appearances on the summer festival circuit. His new single ‘All I Need’ is possibly the moment when the musical world finally realises the talent of this singer-songwriter.

A beautifully crafted pop song, ‘All I Need’ showcases Ash’s stunning voice as well as his ability to write material that stretches over many musical genres, from soul to folk. I can definitely see this single having lots of airtime with its extremely catchy chorus and thoughtful, romantic lyrics.

One thing that really stands out for me is the timelessness of this song. Whilst it is fresh and very current, possessing similarities to the phenomenon that is Ed Sheeran, I can also imagine myself listening to it back in the 60’s. This is a testament to Ash’s gift for writing a great pop song.

As summer comes to a close, Ethan Ash’s ‘All I Need’ has a sunny serenity to it that will blow away any post-summer blues with gusto. A definite must-have for any pop fan’s music collection.

Carly Goodman