Thank Folk It’s Friday – 30th January

January 30, 2015 at 13:56 (News, Week in Review)
Tags: bear's den, bell st delays, bella hardy, brad butcher, carolina chocolate drops, catgut, darren hanlon, emily barker, fanny lumsden, first aid kit, folk music, illawarra folk festival, jess locke, kathryn roberts and sean lakeman, national folk festival, stornoway, the pigs, the seals, the wild comforts, timothy james bowen, tolka, winterbourne, xavier rudd, xavier rudd & the united nations

TFIF

This Week in Folk

All the News From The Week That Was

– London based Australian singer-songwriter Emily Barker has announced a new solo album The Toerag Sessions. Details here

– Timothy James Bowen released his new video “Let Me Be Your Fire”. Details here

– First Aid Kit released their new video “Master Pretender”. Details here

– Singer-songwriter Jess Locke released her new video “Change The Sheets” from her forthcoming album Words That Seem To Slip Away. Details here

– Bear’s Den have released their new video “Think of England”. Details here

– Bluegrassers The Pigs released their new video “You Just Like Me ‘Cos I’m Good In Bed” featuring Fanny Lumsden and Red Symons. Details here

– English husband-wife duo Kathryn Roberts & Sean Lakeman released their video for the track “Child Owlet”. Details here

– Brad Butcher confirmed his new album Jamestown will be out in March along with dates for a national tour. Details here

– Xavier Rudd & The United Nations have announced a new album plus dates for a national tour. Details here

– The Wild Comforts released their new video “Better Off Dead”. Details here

– UK four-piece Stornoway have released the video for “The Road You Didn’t Take” along with details of their new album. Details here

– Perth Bluegrassers The Seals have announced their plans to finish up this year but not before a final show in their hometown. Details here

– English folk darling Bella Hardy has announced her new album With The Dawn. Details here

– Sydney old-timey three-piece Catgut are streaming their new album Flying Spiders Over Texas online. Details here

– The National Folk Festival added more artists to its 2015 including Kutcha Edwards, Gina Williams and Guy Ghouse, the Djaadjawan Dancers, My Friend The Chocolate Cake, Shane Howard, Christopher Coleman Collective, Restless Legs, The Button Collective, Folklore, Lime and Steel, The String Contingent and many more. Details here

– Sydney duo Winterbourne have announced their first ever national headline tour. Details here

– Darren Hanlon has announced details of his new album Where Did You Come From? as well as a national tour this March and April. Details here

Reviews

Recordings

“One House is an outstanding release from one of the true rising stars of the Australian folk scene. A completely contemporary folk album that is rooted heavily in the tradition, One House is Tolka at the peak of their powers” – Gareth Hugh Evans reviews One House by Tolka. Review here

Gigs

“And then I was off! Having just a day at the festival meant I needed to see as much as possible in a small amount of time. Anyone tracking my progress around the showground would have seen me almost running between venues, ducking in halfway into sets, saying g’day to the artists as they clambered off stage only to then piss-bolt to the next gig” – Gareth Hugh Evans recounts his 12 hours at the Illawarra Folk Festival. Review here

Releases This Week

Catgut
Flying Spiders Over Texas – Catgut
Bandcamp

S – Emmy The Great
Rough Trade

Sailing By The Stars – Roland Kay-Smith
Bandcamp

Then Came The Morning – The Lone Bellow
iTunes

Timber and Steel Recommends – Go To This Gig

Bell St Delays

Bell St Delays, the duo project of singer-songwriters Tracy McNeil and Luke Sinclair (Raised By Eagles) make their way to Sydney and Maitland this weekend bringing their beautiful harmonies and stunning folk songs to their NSW fans

Friday 30th January – Petersham Bowls Club, Sydney, NSW
Saturday 31st January – The Junkyard, Maitland, NSW

Gigs Next Week

Alanna Eileen
Wednesday 4th February – Brighton Up Bar, Sydney, NSW

Angus and Julia Stone
Wednesday 4th February – Kings Park & Botanic Garden, Perth, WA
Friday 6th February – Entertainment Centre, Darwin, NT

Ann Vriend
Friday 30th January – Sovereign Resort Hotel, Cooktown, Qld
Saturday 31st January – The Reef Casino, Cairns, Qld
Sunday 1st February – Brisbane Jazz Club, Fortitude Valley, Qld
Thursday 5th February – House Concert, Tallai, Qld
Friday 6th February – Mother’s Milk, Sawtell, NSW

Bernard Fanning with Little May
Friday 30th January – Twilight At Taronga, Sydney, NSW
Saturday 31st January – Melbourne Zoo Twilights, Melbourne, VIC

Bell St Delays
Friday 30th January – Petersham Bowls Club, Sydney, NSW
Saturday 31st January – The Junkyard, Maitland, NSW

Black Market Tune
Friday 30th January – Albert Park Yacht Club, Melbourne, VIC
Saturday 31st January – Roxby Hotel, Sydney, NSW

CW Stoneking
Friday 6th February – Milton Theatre, Milton, NSW

Husband
Friday 30th January – The Prince of Wales Hotel, Bunbury, WA

John Flanagan
Wednesday 4th February – The Yarra Hotel, Abbottsford, VIC
Thursday 5th February – The Singing Gallery, McLaren Vale, SA
Friday 6th February – The Bluebee room, Adelaide, SA

Kim Churchill
Friday 30th January – The Zoo, Brisbane, QLD
Saturday 31st January – Solbar, Maroochydore, QLD
Sunday 1st February – Festival of King Island, TAS
Thursday 5th February – Jive, Adelaide, SA
Friday 6th February – Amplifier Bar, Perth, WA

Lachlan Bryan w/ Jack Henderson, Sam York, Aleyce Simmonds
Friday 30th January – The Basement, Sydney, NSW
Monday 2nd February – The Loft, Melbourne, VIC

Mandy Connell with Tom Ciccone
Saturday 31st January – Retreat, Melbourne, VIC
Wednesday 4th February – Spotted Mallard, Melbourne, VIC

Melody Pool
Tuesday 3rd February – The Spotted Mallard, Melbourne, VIC

Passenger
Thursday 5th February – Darwin Entertainment Centre, Darwin, NT

Peasant Moon
Friday 30th January – Gasoline Pony, Sydney, NSW

The Melbourne Folk Club feat. Jeff Lang, Emma Swift, Matt Langley
Wednesday 4th February – Bella Union, Melbourne, VIC

The Wild Comforts
Saturday 31st January – The Old Bar, Melbourne, VIC

Tim Edey
Friday 30th January – Harvest Moon, Bellarine, VIC
Saturday 31st January – Flying Saucer Club, Caulfield RSL, VIC

Friday Folk Flashback

“‘S iomadh rud tha dhith orm/Ciamar a ni mi ‘n dannsa direach” – Carolina Chocolate Drops

This is one of my favourite tracks from the Another Day, Another Time: Celebrating the Music of Inside Llewyn Davis live album where Carolina Chocolate Drops singer Rhiannon Giddens performs it which then prompted me to hunt out some CCD versions on Youtube. Look out for the traditional “raising of the foot” to signify the change in songs in this video!

Darren Hanlon Announces New Album Where Did You Come From?

January 30, 2015 at 11:56 (Album News, News, Tour News, Video News)
Tags: darren hanlon, folk music

Image Courtesy of Darren Hanlon

Everyone’s favourite troubadour Darren Hanlon has announced plans to release his fifth studio album Where Did You Come From? on the 2nd March. The album is Hanlon’s first in almost five years and was conceived in the isolated NSW town of Broken Hill.

Watch the video for the first single from the album, “When You Go”, below:

To celebrate the release of Where Did You Come From? Darren Hanlon is heading out on the tour – the full list of dates are here:

Friday 27th February to Sunday 1st March – Nannup Festival, WA
Monday 2nd March – Mojos Bar, Freemantle, WA
Tuesday 5th March – Republic Bar, Hobart, TAS
Friday 6th to Sunday 8th March – Panama Festival, TAS
Thursday 12th March – Railway Club, Darwin, NT
Friday 20th to Sunday 22nd March – Yackandandah Folk Festival, VIC
Tuesday 24th March – Clarendon Guest House, Katoomba, NSW
Wednesday 25th March – Gallipoli Legions Club, Newcastle, NSW
Thursday 26th March – Manning Bar, Sydney, NSW
Saturday 28th March – Candelo Festival, NSW
Sunday 29th March – Street Theatre, Canberra, ACT
Thursday 2nd April – Jive Bar, Adelaide, SA
Friday 3rd April – Karova Lounge, Ballarat, VIC
Thursday 9th April – The Spotted Cow, Toowoomba, QLD
Friday 10th April – The Zoo, Brisbane, QLD
Saturday 11th April – Majestic Theatre, Pomona, QLD
Friday 17th April – The Corner Hotel, Melbourne, VIC

1 Comment

Winterbourne Announce Headline National Tour

January 30, 2015 at 09:46 (News, Tour News)
Tags: folk music, winterbourne

Image Courtesy of Winterbourne

Sydney based indie-folk duo Winterbourne are kicking 2015 into gear with the announcement of their first ever headline tour. Scheduled for this March and April the tour will celebrate their latest single “Steady My Bones” and will feature Gordi in support for most of the dates.

Check out the full list of Winterbourne dates below:

Thursday 12th March – Beavs Bar, Geelong, VIC
Saturday 14th March – Wrangler, Melbourne, VIC
Saturday 14th March – Shebeen Bandroom, Melbourne, VIC
Thursday 19th March – Moonshine, Manly, NSW
Saturday 21st March – Newtown Social Club, Sydney, NSW
Sunday 22nd March – The Lair, Sydney, NSW
Thursday 26th March – Lizottes, Newcastle, NSW
Friday 27th March – Rad, Wollongong, NSW
Saturday 28th March – The Front Gallery & Café, Canberra, ACT
Thursday 2nd April – The Wheatsheaf Hotel, Adelaide, SA
Saturday 4th to Monday 6th April – Fremantle Street Arts Festival, Fremantle, WA
Thursday 9th April – The Milk Factory, Brisbane, QLD
Friday 10 April – The Treehouse, Byron Bay, NSW
Saturday 11th April – 5 Church St, Bellingen, NSW
Friday 17th April – Warrumbungle Food Festival, Coonabarabran, NSW

1 Comment

The National Folk Festival Announce Even More Artists for 2015

January 30, 2015 at 08:16 (Festival News, News)
Tags: christopher coleman collective, col hardy, djaadjawan dancers, folk music, folklore, gina williams and guy ghouse, john bennett, kutcha edwards, lime and steel, my friend the chocolate cake, national folk festival, restless legs, shane howard, the button collective, the string contingent

Image Courtesy of Kutcha Edwards

A bunch more artists were added to The National Folk Festival lineup this week and we can’t tell you how excited we are.

Firstly a plethora of indigenous artists will be gracing the stage at The National Folk Festival this year including soul/blues icon Kutcha Edwards, celebrated duo Gina Williams and Guy Ghouse, Golden Guitar winner Col Hardy, singer-songwriter John Bennett and the Djaadjawan Dancers.

These artists will be joined by the freshly announced My Friend The Chocolate Cake, Shane Howard, Christopher Coleman Collective, Restless Legs, Alex and Annette Hood, The Bush Music Club, The Button Collective, The Coalbrook Band, Coolfinn Mac, Folklore, John Peel, Lime and Steel, Round Mountain Girls, Ryebuck Bush Band, Scots on the Rocks, Señor Cabrales, Southern Cross Trawlers, The Transylvaniacs, Waiting For Guinness, The String Contingent, Ukulele Republic of Canberra, Cathie O’Sullivan, Coral Eden and the Melbourne Colonial Dancers, Dingo’s Breakfast, Frank Povah and Chris Cruise, Keith McKenry and Santa Taranta.

The National Folk Festival takes place over the Easter Long Weekend from the 2nd to the 6th April 2015. For more information check out the official site here.

1 Comment

Stream the New Catgut Album Flying Spiders Over Texas

January 29, 2015 at 15:01 (Album News, News)
Tags: catgut, folk music, old timey

Catgut
Image Courtesy of Catgut

Over the weekend Sydney old-timey trio Catgut quietly released their brand new album Flying Spiders Over Texas and they’ve popped it up to stream and buy online. The album was recorded by Gary Brown and features artwork by Emma Louise (above).

Take a listen to Flying Spiders Over Texas below and then pick up a copy from Bandcamp here.

1 Comment

Bella Hardy Announces New Album With The Dawn

January 29, 2015 at 12:56 (Album News, News, Video News)
Tags: bella hardy, folk music

Image Courtesy of Bella Hardy

Celebrated English folk singer Bella Hardy has announced plans to release her seventh solo album. Titled With The Dawn, the album is an account of her life over a one year time period and features electronic sounds and loops interspersed with traditional folk instrumentation. With The Dawn is due for release on the 30th March this year.

The first new track from With The Dawn is the wonderful “The Only Thing To Do” – check out the video below:

1 Comment

The Seals Say Farewell With Final Show

January 29, 2015 at 12:23 (News)
Tags: bluegrass, folk music, the seals

Image Courtesy of The Seals

WA’s favourite bluegrass band The Seals have sadly announced that 2015 will see their conclusion. The band have been raising the roof for almost five years now and have become a shining light in the Perth folk and bluegrass scene so it’s going to be really sad to see them go.

To celebrate one last time The Seals have announced a final show to be held on the 28th March at the Quarry Amphitheatre in Perth. Tickets for this show are bound to sell fast so make sure you get in early – for more information check out this site.

It’s been a blast Seals! We’ll be raising a ruckus in your honour!

1 Comment

Watch the New Stornoway Video “The Road You Didn’t Take”

January 29, 2015 at 11:31 (Album News, News, Video News)
Tags: folk music, stornoway

Image Courtesy of Stornoway

So we finally have a name for the upcoming Stornoway album – Bonxie which is due for release on the 13th April. The first single from the album, “The Road You Didn’t Take”, also has a brand new video – check it out below:

The full track listing for Bonxie is as follows:

1. Between The Saltmarsh and the Sea
2. Get Low
3. Man on Wire
4. The Road You Didn’t Take
5. Lost Youth
6. Sing With Our Senses
7. When We Were Giants
8. When You’re Feeling Gentle
9. Heart of the Great Alone
10. Josephine
11. Love Song of the Beta Male

1 Comment

Watch the New Video From The Wild Comforts, “Better Off Dead”

January 29, 2015 at 08:07 (News, Video News)
Tags: alt country, folk music, the wild comforts

Image Courtesy of The Wild Comforts

Having released their new album Silver City Sorrow at the start of the month alt-country band The Wild Comforts have been busy touring up and down the east coast. And they’ve also found time to release their new video “Better Off Dead” which you can watch below:

The Wild Comforts have one date left in their current tour, this Saturday 31st January at The Old Bar in Melbourne.

1 Comment

Review: Tolka, One House

January 28, 2015 at 15:03 (Albums, Reviews)
Tags: folk music, tolka, trad

Tolka
Image Courtesy of Tolka

When Melbourne trad group Tolka announced that they would be spending six months in Belfast to record their new album One House with with Dónal O’Connor and Brian Finnegan here’s what I expected: The quartet would get so immersed in the Northern Irish trad scene that they’d emerge with a plethora of newly collected traditional tune sets and the occasional song about being away from home.

What I didn’t expect was an album of ten original tunes and songs steeped in, but not constrained by the tradition. Tolka have spent their time abroad getting inside themselves and writing some amazing music in the process.

One House is a stunning blend of instrumentals and contemporary folk songs that shows the band growing from their debut release Tunes From The External Hardrive. It’s obvious the band are enjoying playing with the production with loops, drones, steel drums, vocal samples (in “The Giant”), and even drums on a number of tracks. Tolka’s trademark ear for arrangement, with the banjo, guitar, fiddle and flute all intertwining to create captivating music, is out in full force on One House – I recommend checking out “The Old Sweetshop” and see if you don’t crack a smile when the tune step changes about halfway through.

While the album is largely instrumental the two songs – “Mulberry Sky” and “This Old Lie” – are standouts and demonstrate just how strong Tolka are as lyricists, not just tune writers. Despite being originals the songs sound as timeless as the tunes – I can see “Mulberry Sky” in particular becoming a firm favourite.

Overall One House is an outstanding release from one of the true rising stars of the Australian folk scene. A completely contemporary folk album that is rooted heavily in the tradition, One House is Tolka at the peak of their powers.

One House is due for release on the 1st March, 2015