Category Archives: Music news

Celebrated folk rock band Green Diesel back with long-awaited fifth album: Onward The Sun!

Folk music, Music news, Rock music, , , , ,

Released: 25 April 2025

Following their critically-acclaimed 2021 album, After Comes The Dark, which saw Green Diesel pick up a slew of enthusiastic reviews for what became their best-selling release to date, the Kent-based folk rock band are finally back with a brand-new album.

Onward The Sun! is the band’s long-awaited fifth album and is scheduled for release on 25 April. The nine-track album features six newly-composed songs inspired by themes such humanity’s connections with the natural world, ancient folklore, the persecution of witches and Shakespeare’s Henry IV, as well as fresh interpretations of much-loved Morris tunes, a modern take on a traditional murder ballad and a cover of a Paul Giovanni composition from the cinematic soundtrack to The Wickerman.

Showcasing Green Diesel’s masterful distillation of folk, rock and psychedelic influences, together with their usual exemplary musicianship and trademark vocals, the album was recorded at Squarehead Studios in Newington, Kent with producer Rob Wilks (Smoke Fairies, Lianne La Havas, Story Books) once again at the helm.

Guitarist, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist, Greg Ireland, comments:

“This is an album born out of playing together a lot!  Most of the pieces were developed through a lot of sessions together and really stretching out the jams into some of those elongated pieces we play live.  We then recorded the main tracks all live together in one room, no click tracks.  It’s really a celebration of what this band is and the sound we make together.”

Green Diesel are:

Ellen Care – violin/vocals
Matt Dear – lead guitar/vocals
Ben Holliday – bass
Greg Ireland – rhythm guitar/mandolin/dulcimer/vocals
Ben Love – drums/percussion

About Green Diesel:

Hailing from Faversham in Kent, Green Diesel take their inspiration from the depths of English folk lore and legend, and the classic folk-rock sound of their predecessors: Fairport Convention and The Albion Band. Blending violin, mandolin and dulcimer with electric guitars and drums, Green Diesel’s sound is born from a love of traditional English music and a desire to bring it to a modern audience.

Green Diesel’s first three albums,  Now Is the Time (2012), Wayfarers All (2014) and The Hangman’s Fee(2016) all won praise for the quality of song-writing and musicianship. A major turning-point, however, came with the band’s last album After Comes The Dark (2021). The album entered the UK Folk Top 40 on release and saw Green Diesel nominated for FATEA Music’s ‘Group/Duo of the Year’ award and also saw the band pushing their sound further, bringing in elements of psychedelia and progressive rock whilst remaining rooted in their folk upbringing.

Green Diesel – What They Say:

“A cornucopia of sounds that blends classic folk-rock, prog and elements of stately Early Music into their own distinctive style’” – R2 Magazine

“4/5 stars – ‘(Green Diesel bring) a psychedelic, progressive edge to their interpretations of both traditional and original material” – Shindig!

“Evocative of early Steeleye Span and veined with prog-rock and influences drawn from early Genesis and the 70s Canterbury scene’” – Folk Radio

“Green Diesel has skyrocketed into my top few bands” – FATEA

Onward The Sun! – Track-By-Track:

1. Venus Tree (Ireland): ‘Yarrow (the ‘pretty flower of Venus’ tree) is an interesting plant…!  The song is perhaps a slightly twisted take on a love song, based around some of the ways in which yarrow can be used for what you might call ‘love divination’ whereby sprigs of yarrow would be placed under the pillow of a young woman who would then dream of her true love to be.  One popular rhyme for instance reads:

‘Yarrow sweet yarrow, the first that I have found
And in the name of sweet Jesus, I pluck it from the ground
As Joseph loves sweet Mary and took her for his dear
So in a dream this very night my true love will appear!’

Like all good folk stories there’s a twist in the tale of course.  The yarrow plucked must be plucked from the grave of a young man dead before his time…’ Greg

2. Hotspur (Holliday): ‘Hotspur is the nickname given to Henry Percy, who was the 2nd Earl of Northumberland and led a rebellion against Henry IV. This rebellion culminated at the Battle of Shrewsbury, which is depicted in Shakespeare’s Henry IV. The night before the Battle, Hotspur is told that his various allies who agreed to fight alongside him aren’t turning up, but (in the play) he still delivers a fiery speech and declares they will go ahead and attack the ‘usurper’ Henry IV no matter what. The song tries to capture his mental state at night before the battle – he can’t sleep, he’s scared, but he knows he has to ‘front up’ and be the brave, fearless, fiery Hotspur that everyone knows.’  Ben

3. Huntress Moon (Dear): ‘This song is a spell of transformation. I’d been reading about Paracelsus, the history of alchemy, the occult, and the persecution of witches during the Reformation. I wanted to write something that drew on this symbolism, using the language of magick to craft a lament, an impossible dream, a transcendent fiction.’  Matt

4. Princess Royal/Dribbles of Brandy (trad arr Green Diesel): ‘Two English folk tunes learnt from our trusty companion Pete Cooper’s book of English Fiddle Tunes.  I’ve played Princess Royal with my dad for years – there’s actually two different versions of this tune: one in a minor key and one in a major key.   The minor one seemed to fit our style better!  The second tune is called Dribbles of Brandy and was one we used to have on setlists during our wild misspent youth before it took a quiet retirement.  It seemed time to resurrect!  This one always puts me in mind of late night gigs at Broadstairs Folk Week fuelled by too many ciders…’  Ellen

5. Hymn For The Turning Year (Ireland): ‘Written in the depths of the Covid winter of 2020 when, amidst all the chaos in the human world, the Earth was just doing the same thing it does every year.  The verses are individual snapshots of things I witnessed on my mandated solo walks and a reflection on ultimately how powerless we are against the natural world, a feeling which seemed to be mirrored on a human level by the situation in the world at the time.’  Greg

6. Maypole (Paul Giovanni): ‘A cover of one of  Paul Giovanni’s compositions from the soundtrack to The Wickerman.  The soundtrack has long been a favourite of mine, it was and remains a big influence on my songwriting. This song always struck a chord with me, and I’d always wanted to develop it into a longer song. It seemed to encapsulate my morbid attraction to the Summerisle cult, a return to a cyclical view of time, death and life entwined.’  Matt

7. Onward The Sun! (Ireland): ‘In some ways the sister song to Hymn…  a frequent walking route of mine was up Golden Hill in Harbledown, just outside Canterbury.  There’s a particular bench there where you can just sit and look across the hills.  The sun is such a part of folklore and folk imagery and I suppose that was in my mind on some of these walks – musing on our temporary status in the world.  We’ll all shuffle off sooner or later but the sun will go on and on.  Hopefully…’  Greg

8. Ring The Hill (Ireland): ‘Based on the Cornish legend of the white hare.  It is thought that the creature is the spirit of a broken-hearted lady determined to haunt her faithless lover to the grave.  This also got me thinking about the historical connections between hares and witchcraft – the chorus lyrics are an adaptation of some of the words used by Isobel Gowdie at her trial (she was tried as a witch in Scotland in 1662 and her testimony survives).   The song follows the progression of our heroine from broken-hearted to vengeful and it seemed appropriately prog to divide it into two parts.  The tune for the second part is a variant of the traditional tune for Dives and Lazarus.’  Greg

9. Wild Wild Berry (trad arr. Green Diesel): ‘A traditional song that appears to share similarities with the Lord Randall ballad.  Collected from the traditional singer Ray Driscoll who apparently learned it in Shropshire after being evacuated there during the war.  My own introduction to the song came from the version by the Furrow Collective.  I particularly liked the way that this version distils the essence of the long Lord Randall ballad into three powerful verses.  And, of course, I love the poetic ending of the murderer being hanged with the deadly nightshade entwined in her hair!  Musically I had been listening to a lot of drone-based composers like Alison Cotton and John Cale and wanted to try and extract the maximum mileage we could from one chord on this one’.  Greg

Website: http://greendieselfolk.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greendieselfolk

Related posts:

After Comes The Dark: new album from Green Diesel promises folk in glorious technicolor

Green Diesel at The Albion, Hastings 2017

Green Diesel album review – Wayfarers All

Green Diesel at Lewisham 2016

‘The River’ – second single from the forthcoming EP ‘River Stories’ by singer-songwriter Little Lore

americana, Music news, , , , , ,

Released: 7 March 2025

“We were spellbound by her ability to highlight unique perspectives with her songwriting” – Maverick magazine

Released on 7 March, ‘The River’ is the second single from the forthcoming EP by London-based Americana singer-songwriter, Little Lore. A burgeoning presence on the UK Americana scene, Little Lore has received many plaudits, both for her astute, observational songwriting and for her warm, heartfelt vocals.

‘The River’ is one of six songs that will appear on the brand-new Little Lore EP, River Stories, which comes out in April. From rivers, to boats, to canals, to swimming, all six songs on the EP are inspired in some way by the theme of water. The concept for the EP came about following an invitation for Little Lore to become songwriter in residency on Johnson’s Island, an artists’ community set on a tiny island on the Grand Union Canal and the River Brent in West London.

A gentle, reflective song with gorgeous instrumentation, sumptuous vocals and beautiful harmonies ‘The River’ reminds us that rivers can be beautiful, tranquil places but can also be very powerful forces that can wreak great devastation.

Little Lore: “This song was inspired by two enormous storms that battered the UK in November 2023 causing great damage and floods.  I had been invited to become songwriter in residence on Johnson’s island- an artists’ studio located in the mouth of the Grand Union Canal and the River Brent. A week before the residency the whole island was flooded including the artist’s room I was due to use. When I got the call letting me know that it was looking 50/50 for the residency to go ahead, I sat on the sofa with my guitar and I thought – damn that river has two sides. And the song came from there, with that phrase and the little guitar riff coming first, unusually for me as I am almost always a lyrics-first kinda gal.”

“The song reflects on the incredible beauty of the river and the destruction it can reap when the right combination of high tides, gravitational pull from the moon and storms collide. I love how Oli interpreted the song – and the addition of violins and cello really evoke the feelings of the water.”

Renowned New York-based producer and multi-instrumentalist, Oli Deakin, (who records under the name of Lowpines) is Little Lore’s principal musical collaborator and again produced the single and the forthcoming EP and provides much of the instrumentation.

‘The River’ is released digitally on 7 March 2025 via: https://littlelore.bandcamp.com or via Spotify: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/littlelore/the-river

Release information ‘The River’:

Written and performed by: Little Lore AKA Tricia Duffy
Produced by: Oli Deakin
Violin: Francesca Dardani
Cello: Sasha Ono
Drums: Morgan Karabel
All other instruments: Oli Deakin
Artwork: Afiya Paice

About Little Lore:

Little Lore is a London based, Indie-Americana singer-storyteller whose songs are both charmingly accessible and beguilingly challenging. You’ll want to listen twice. When you combine British wit and wordplay with cherished Americana roots, musical magic starts to happen. Based in Chiswick, West London, and originally hailing from Portsmouth, Tricia Duffy started her singing career as a teenager, which included a stint on cruise ships in the United States.  She began writing and performing her own material with Americana duo Duffy & Bird and they released a well-received album 5 Lines in 2017 and a follow-up EP Spirit Level in 2019.

Tricia’s solo project Little Lore was created in 2020 during the pandemic. Her debut solo EP, Little Lore, was released in 2021 to glowing reviews. The singles, ‘Shallow’, ‘Brown Liquor John’ and ‘Birds’ were released in 2022 to similar acclaim, followed by another equally well-received single ‘Normal’ in January 2023. Two follow-up EPs Seven Stories Part One and Seven Stories Part Two were then released in late 2023 and early 2024 to enthusiastic reviews and extensive radio airplay. Little Lore has become a force to be reckoned with on the UK Americana scene, picking up a slew of enthusiastic reviews and extensive radio airplay – including BBC Radio Scotland, BBC Radio Ulster, Nashville Worldwide Country Radio and the International Americana Music Show. In her songs, Little Lore brings together an affection for the heart and heritage of Americana music, with an intelligence and maturity of storytelling that can sweep you away into new and unexpected emotional worlds.

An enthusiastic advocate for songwriters, she is the London Chapter Coordinator for NSAI (Nashville Songwriters Association International), and a member of Ivors Academy  and the Americana Music Association UK. She is especially passionate about creating opportunities for female, transgender and non-binary songwriters.

Website: https://littlelore.uk

X: https://twitter.com/littleloremusic

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/littleloremusic

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/littleloremusic

Related posts:

Americana: ‘I Can Breathe Underwater’ – new single from the forthcoming EP ‘River Stories’ by Little Lore

Seven Stories (parts one and two): the new project from acclaimed Americana singer-songwriter, Little Lore

The gripping tale of Little Lore: interview with Americana singer-storyteller, Tricia Duffy

Little Lore: the magical new project from UK Americana singer-storyteller Tricia Duffy

‘Normal’: a gorgeous slice of lush Americana – the new single from Little Lore

Americana: ‘I Can Breathe Underwater’ – new single from the forthcoming EP ‘River Stories’ by Little Lore

americana, Music news, , , , , ,

Released: 7 February 2025

“We were spellbound by her ability to highlight unique perspectives with her songwriting” – Maverick magazine

‘I Can Breathe Underwater’ is the new single from Little Lore, the  highly sought-after singer-songwriter on the UK Americana scene. Released on 7 February, it is one of six songs that will appear on a brand-new Little Lore EP called River Stories, which comes out in April.

From rivers, to boats, to canals, to swimming, all six songs on the EP are inspired in some way by the theme of water. This followed an invitation for Little Lore to become songwriter in residency on Johnson’s Island, an artists’ community set on a tiny island on the Grand Union Canal and the River Brent in West London.

With its gorgeous vocals, thoughtful lyrics, irresistible choruses and sumptuous production, ‘I Can Breathe Underwater’ is a tale of resilience that will bring a touch of joy to the seasonal gloom and act as the perfect antidote to those winter blues.

Little Lore: “The inspiration behind this song came from a family tale that when I was two years-old, I fell over in a swimming pool. I wasn’t in the water for long, I was scooped up quickly with no lasting physical impact. I was so young, that I have no recollection of the incident, it was shared with me when I was older by my parents. But although I didn’t remember it something in my psyche held on to this experience because as a child I refused to learn to swim. I can’t emphasise enough what a good girl I was as a kid, I did as I was told most of the time and was pretty compliant but when it came to swimming, I was adamant.  There was absolutely no way I was getting into water. I certainly wasn’t going to put my face in and blow bubbles like the other children at swimming lessons. It didn’t matter what anyone said or did – I was immovable.”

“In my teens I got over it enough that I learned to swim, but I still don’t put my face in the water. Some incidents last but they give you strength and a way to prove that you can overcome difficult times. This song is a testimony to overcoming pain, suffering and not allowing it to destroy you but rather to give you a glossy mermaids tail and resilience in all aspects of your life. Sometimes I feel as though nothing can hurt me because I can (metaphorically) breathe underwater.“

The single is again produced by renowned New York-based producer and multi-instrumentalist, Oli Deakin, who records under the name of Lowpines.

‘I Can Breathe Underwater’ is released digitally on 7 February 2025 via:

https://littlelore.bandcamp.com

Release information ‘I Can Breathe Underwater’:

Written and performed by: Little Lore AKA Tricia Duffy

Produced by: Oli Deakin

Violin: Francesca Dardani

Cello: Sasha Ono

Drums: Morgan Karabel

All other instruments: Oli Deakin

Artwork: Afiya Paice

About Little Lore:

Little Lore is a London based, Indie-Americana singer-storyteller whose songs are both charmingly accessible and beguilingly challenging. You’ll want to listen twice. When you combine British wit and wordplay with cherished Americana roots, musical magic starts to happen. Based in Chiswick, West London, and originally hailing from Portsmouth, Tricia Duffy started her singing career as a teenager, which included a stint on cruise ships in the United States.  She began writing and performing her own material with Americana duo Duffy & Bird and they released a well-received album 5 Lines in 2017 and a follow-up EP Spirit Level in 2019.

Tricia’s solo project Little Lore was created in 2020 during the pandemic. Her debut solo EP, Little Lore, was released in 2021 to glowing reviews. The singles, ‘Shallow’, ‘Brown Liquor John’ and ‘Birds’ were released in 2022 to similar acclaim, followed by another equally well-received single ‘Normal’ in January 2023. Two follow-up EPs Seven Stories Part One and Seven Stories Part Two were then released in late 2023 and early 2024 to enthusiastic reviews and extensive radio airplay. Little Lore has become a force to be reckoned with on the UK Americana scene, picking up a slew of enthusiastic reviews and extensive radio airplay – including BBC Radio Scotland, BBC Radio Ulster, Nashville Worldwide Country Radio and the International Americana Music Show. In her songs, Little Lore brings together an affection for the heart and heritage of Americana music, with an intelligence and maturity of storytelling that can sweep you away into new and unexpected emotional worlds.

An enthusiastic advocate for songwriters, she is the London Chapter Coordinator for NSAI (Nashville Songwriters Association International), and a member of Ivors Academy  and the Americana Music Association UK. She is especially passionate about creating opportunities for female, transgender and non-binary songwriters.

Website: https://littlelore.uk

X: https://twitter.com/littleloremusic

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/littleloremusic

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/littleloremusic

Related posts:

Seven Stories (parts one and two): the new project from acclaimed Americana singer-songwriter, Little Lore

The gripping tale of Little Lore: interview with Americana singer-storyteller, Tricia Duffy

Little Lore: the magical new project from UK Americana singer-storyteller Tricia Duffy

‘Normal’: a gorgeous slice of lush Americana – the new single from Little Lore

Closer To My Home – new album from Grand Funk founding legend, Mark Farner

Music news, Rock music, , , , ,

Closer to My Home is the long-awaited new album from the legendary guitarist/singer-songwriter and founding member of Grand Funk Railroad, Mark Farner.

Celebrating the 55th anniversary of the iconic hit ‘(I’m Your Captain) Closer To My Home’, Farner revisits the song with a brand-new recording for the the album.

Mark Farner: “These songs are honest and from my heart,” Farner said. “The collaboration with Jim (Peterik) and Mark (Slaughter) came from a place of trust and that makes the whole experience so much more rewarding as songwriters. The audience can feel that, and these songs reflect those very human moments that you can’t find creating a song from a computer. Closer to My Home comes from the idea that love is at the heart of all that I do, and music is my home.”

As one of the founding members, lead singer and lead guitarist, Farner wrote the vast majority of Grand Funk Railroad’s back-catalogue and his soulful voice,  powerful riffs, great songwriting and energetic stage presence, combined to ensure Grand Funk Railroad were a great American success story.

Farner remains proud of his humble beginnings and a blue-collar outlook and this has been a defining element in his music. Over five decades later Farner commands the stage with the same intensity performing epic hits that defined a generation – ‘I’m Your Captain (Closer to Home)’, ‘Bad Time’, ‘Some Kind of Wonderful’, ‘Foot Stompin’ Music’, ‘Heartbreaker’, “Rock & Roll Soul’, ‘Locomotion’, ‘Mean Mistreater’ and ‘We’re An American Band’.

Performing with Mark Farner’s American Band, Farner’s songs continue to resonate with audiences. When I interviewed Farner back in 2021 he emphasised the importance of that connection with audiences through his music, which was there from the very start:

“I think people appreciated the heart behind it. There was always a sincerity because I meant what I said. And when I… walk on that stage, I am who my songs say I am.”

Closer to My Home is released on November 8th on Righteous Rock Records and is available via vinyl and CD.

Interview:

You can read my full-length interview with Mark Farner here

‘Watery Moon’ – the new single from singer-songwriter Jake Aaron

americana, Folk music, Music news, , ,

The UK guitarist and singer-songwriter, Jake Aaron, has released a new single ahead of what will be his third album next year. ‘Watery Moon’ was released digitally on 25th October 2024.

Jake Aaron: “Watery Moon is the first single from a new album due out next year. I was strumming the opening chords and starting thinking about the brilliant doo-wop songs of the 1950s. I like the melodrama and nostalgia of the piece and enjoyed the lyric writing process too. It was great to record with the same line up from my last two albums: Steve Lodder on piano and Hammond, Davide Mantovani on double bass, Marc Parnell on drums. They just got it immediately and I think this was the first take. Kenny Jones again is engineering.”

A British guitarist and songwriter who has “moved among both folk and jazz circles” (‘Cosmic Jazz’ – Feb 2023) Jake’s first EP of acoustic pieces was released in 2015 to positive reviews from folk and indie reviewers. His 2018 single ‘Give Me Your Horse’ was a bigger, jazzier number which had airplay on both folk stations as well as jazz, including the BBC’s Jazz Nights. He released his first album in 2019 Fag Ash and Beer, a collection of songs, longer lyrical offerings and instrumentals which was nominated for Debut Album of The Year by Fatea Magazine. That was followed up by a second album, Always Seeking, released in May 2023 to positive reviews and extensive airplay.

You can stream or download ‘Watery Moon’ at https://jakeaaron.com/watery-moon or listen to it on Spotify or iTunes

You can read my interview with Jake Aaron here

‘This Building is condemned’ – the new single from Americana singer-songwriter, Little Lore

americana, Music news, , , ,

Released: 11 October 2024

“Her songwriting hasn’t gone astray, with catchy lines coming thick and fast, alongside the wistful observational writing. The musicality sways in with reverberating, almost shoegaze guitar embellishments and constantly strumming acoustic guitar to ground each song with the brushed drums and light piano accompaniment. – Maverick magazine on Little Lore’s 2023 EP, Seven Stories Part One

With three acclaimed EPs of lush Americana, superb songwriting and heart-felt vocals under her belt, Little Lore has become a force to be reckoned with on the UK Americana scene, picking up a slew of enthusiastic reviews and extensive radio airplay – including BBC Radio Scotland, Nashville Worldwide Country Radio and the International Americana Music Show. Now Little Lore is back with a brand-new single, ‘This Building Is Condemned’, featuring that trademark blend of sharp, observational songwriting, top-notch musicianship and gorgeous vocals.

Little Lore: “This song was inspired at a cross section between a play by Tennessee Williams called This Property is Condemned, and the idea of a condemned building as a metaphor for how it feels to be a post-menopausal women. Yes really! When I was a teenager I did a lot of acting and I often used a monologue from the play for auditions and exams. A 1966 American film inspired by this one act play stared Natalie Wood in the part of Alva and it was her character, oppressed, misunderstood and frustrated that formed the starting point for my writing. I was finding the word ‘property’ wasn’t very singable, so I evolved to building and that inspired me to lean into my own story using the building figuratively. “

“Musically I wanted to capture some of that 1930s Americana feel I got from the film and so I worked with long-time Little Lore collaborator Oli Deakin to create a rich sonic-sound scape using the brilliant talents of Francesca and Sasha for the violin and cello, Morgan on drums with all other instruments played by Oli. I couldn’t be prouder of this song, both lyrically and harmonically, and I am delighted with how it has turned out.”

The single is again produced by renowned New York-based producer and multi-instrumentalist, Oli Deakin (who records under the name of Lowpines). Released digitally on October 11th 2024 it is available via: https://littlelore.bandcamp.com

Release information ‘This Building is Condemned’:

Written and performed by Little Lore / Tricia Duffy

Produced by Oli Deakin

Violin by Francesca Dardani

Cello by Sasha Ono

Drums by Morgan Karabel

All other instruments Oli Deakin

Artwork Afia Paice

About Little Lore:

Little Lore is a London based, Indie-Americana singer-storyteller whose songs are both charmingly accessible and beguilingly challenging. You’ll want to listen twice. When you combine British wit and wordplay with cherished Americana roots, musical magic starts to happen. Based in Chiswick, West London, and originally hailing from Portsmouth, Tricia Duffy started her singing career as a teenager, which included a stint on cruise ships in the United States.  She began writing and performing her own material with Americana duo Duffy & Bird and they released a well-received album ‘5 Lines’ in 2017 and a follow-up EP ‘Spirit Level’ in 2019.

Tricia’s solo project Little Lore was created in 2020 during the pandemic. Her debut solo EP, Little Lore, was released in 2021 to glowing reviews. The singles, ‘Shallow’, ‘Brown Liquor John’ and ‘Birds’ were released in 2022 to similar acclaim, followed by another equally well-received single ‘Normal’ in January 2023. Two follow-up EPs Seven Stories Part One and Seven Stories Part Two were then released in late 2023 and early 2024 to enthusiastic reviews and extensive radio airplay.

An enthusiastic advocate for songwriters, she is the London Chapter Coordinator for NSAI (Nashville Songwriters Association International) and is especially passionate about creating opportunities for female, transgender and non-binary songwriters. In her songs, Little Lore brings together an affection for the heart and heritage of Americana music, with an intelligence and maturity of storytelling that can sweep you away into new and unexpected emotional worlds.

Website: https://littlelore.uk

Related posts:

The gripping tale of Little Lore: interview with Americana singer-storyteller, Tricia Duffy

Seven Stories (parts one and two): the new project from acclaimed Americana singer-songwriter, Little Lore

Little Lore: the magical new project from UK Americana singer-storyteller Tricia Duffy

‘Normal’: a gorgeous slice of lush Americana – the new single from Little Lore

New single: ‘Look At Me’ from Eliza Delf & The Wilderness – out 31 October

Folk music, Music news, , , , , ,

Following a hugely-impressive debut album released in 2022, Norwich based indie-folk outfit Eliza Delf and The Wilderness will be unveiling their latest single at the end of this month.

‘Look At Me’ will be released across all digital platforms on 31 October 2024, and is
the first taste of a brand-new album scheduled for release in Spring 2025

Reviewing the debut album at the time I wrote: “The term folk barely covers what Into The Wilderness is about. This boundary-defying debut album spans indie, folk, prog, singer-songwriter and much more besides.” That impressive debut album brought forth comparisons with everyone from Kate Bush to Sandy Denny to PJ Harvey.


Now with this new single Delf and the band establish an even more vivid direction for their music revealing, as they explain: “…the darkly poetic lyricism of Eliza’s extraordinary vocal performance. All set against the lush percussive rhythms of drummer Tim Skinner, and the rich textures of cellist Eva Wright and guitarist Jacob Browne.”

For a sneak preview of the song, prior to its formal release on October 31st, the band uploaded a live version to YouTube. This is from a performance at The Bear Club in Luton on 15 June 2024.

Delf sums it up deftly, by adding: “This is the sort of song you don’t just sing…you howl!”

Released digitally: October 31st 2024

Visit Eliza Delf website here


This week’s featured artist: Singer-songwriter Anita Abram – debut EP ‘The First Escapade’

Album reviews, Folk music, Music news, Uncategorized, , , , , ,

Anita Abram is a singer-songwriter, radio presenter and producer who also has a passion for the visual arts. A member of the DIY female musicians’ ‘Rise and Release’ community, she composes, records and produces music from her home in Suffolk, and is the founder of Every Bird Records, a community interest company supporting independent female musicians with unique voices.

Abram herself performs as part of folk trio, The Copper Foxes, as well as a solo artist. The First Escapade is her debut EP.

Opening track, the poignant and beautifully-atmospheric ‘Gravity Running’, is a personal commentary on the “futility, inevitability and insanity of human conflict driven by fear and greed”. The song’s final line “we will never back down” pays tribute to the strength and determination of the Ukrainian people.

Comprising five original songs, other themes explored on this charming and thought-provoking EP include love (‘Go Again’), ongoing threats to our natural environment (‘Shift Away’) and loss (‘Stars Above’), which is dedicated to NHS staff. Bearing striking hand-painted cover art, the CD artwork also incorporates an additional images created by Abram.

Luke Concannon, best known from the folk duo Nizlopi while influencing a young Ed Sheeran, says: “There is something classic in Anita’s song writing. Simple, mythic, deep…”

In addition to Anita Abram (lead vocals, rhythm guitar, field recordings), the release also features Pete Moody (vocals, piano, arrangements), Chris Lockington lead guitar) and Mark Sewell (percussion)

Released: 1 January 2024

https://anitamusic.uk/

‘Days Rollin’ – new single to coincide with release of the latest album from Intelligent Music Project

Music news, Rock music, , , , , , , ,

To coincide with the release of their latest album, Miracles Beyond, this week, Bulgarian-based supergroup Intelligent Music Project have released a new single and video. ‘Days Rollin’ features lead vocals from Toto’s Joseph Williams, alongside Simon Phillips (drums), Ernest Tibbs (bass), Biser Ivanov (guitars) and Ivo Stefanov (keyboards).

The band have also released a video with Simon Phillips ((Toto, The Who, Judas Priest), John Payne (ex-Asia) and Ernest Tibbs discussing the making of the Miracles Beyond album and their work with Intelligent Music Project.

John Payne: “The songs are great, it’s an interesting album. There is some pretty rocky stuff on this one and I see influences from bands like Queen, progressive music, pop music and really deep meaningful songs.”

Milen Vrabevski, MD, producer, songwriter and founder of the project, “The album’s dedicated to free spirits – the driving force of the progress of humanity. It’s a testament to the spirit of collaboration and the power of music to transcend boundaries. Musically, we offer a good example of what a super-group product should sound like. It’s great to have all these musicians on board again. This is Simon Phillips’s 6th album with us, John Payne’s 5th, and Joseph Williams’s 4th. Such a star turnout is a special privilege for me, which again shows that we have another world-class product!”

About Intelligent Music Project

Intelligent Music Project is a Bulgarian supergroup with an exceptionally international line-up, created in 2011 by Bulgarian businessman, philanthropist, and arts patron Dr. Milen Vrabevski, who is not only the project’s producer but also the composer of the band’s music and lyrics.

Intelligent Music Project is a creative mix of melodic, hard-rock songs with progressive hooks, driven by catchy guitar riffs and keyboards, often combined with interesting symphonic textures and complex musical arrangements. The lyrics of Intelligent Music Project’s songs carry a positive and motivating message, with an emphasis on themes from everyday life, through which the author offers key advice about success based on his personal experience and vision. Through the language of music, Dr. Vrabevski aims to bring to the forefront basic values that can serve as a solid foundation for young people on their path to becoming mature adults leading meaningful lives.

Prior to Miracles Beyond, the band released seven albums – The Power of Mind, My Kind O’Lovin’, Touching the Divine, Sorcery Inside, Life Motion, The Creation, and Unconditioned. Intelligent Music Project was the Bulgarian representative to the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 in Turin, Italy, with the song Intention.

Besides the aforementioned musicians, over the years, the band has seen a stellar lineup, including John Lawton (Uriah Heep, Lucifer’s Friend), Ronnie Romero (Rainbow, Michael Schenker’s Group), Nathan East (Eric Clapton, Michael Jackson, Toto, Stevie Wonder, and more), Tim Pierce (Joe Cocker, Bon Jovi, Alice Cooper, and more), Bobby Rondinelli (Rainbow, Black Sabbath), and Todd Sucherman (Styx).

Miracles Beyond: released 15th May 2024

Visit website here

New Collateral single ‘On The Long Road’ out now ahead of 24th May album release

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I was fortunate enough to enjoy a sneak preview of the new single from Collateral when they played legendary Hastings rock venue, The Carlisle this month. ‘On The Long Road’ (released today 19th April) is the second single to be released from the band’s forthcoming album Should’ve Known Better. With this latest single the Kent-based hard rock band slow things a notch with an emotive ballad on a deeply personal theme.

Collateral frontman Angelo Tristan comments: “I’ve never been in a position to write about such a personal painful subject,” says  about the new single. “During the pandemic, my partner’s mum passed away with no real warning. It was a real dark time, and there was no way of escaping it, so I did the only thing I know how, and that was to try and get those feelings out. It’s about tragedy, but I’m starting to see an underlying hope within the song. After all, it’s a story that sooner or later, we all take part in.”

‘On The Long Road’ is available on all streaming platforms HERE.

On May 24th, the album will be released by Big Shot Records on red vinyl, picture disc, CD and digital with worldwide distribution by Cargo Records Direct. The album is available to pre-order from www.collateralofficial.com and Cargo Records Direct.

Collateral are comprised of Angelo Tristan (lead vocals, guitar), Louis Malagodi (guitar), Jack Bentley-Smith (bass) and Ben Atkinson (drums). 

Photo credits (this and header image): Rob Blackham

Both the new single and the forthcoming album are produced by Dan Weller (Those Damn Crows, Elles Bailey, Enter Shikari, Monster Truck, Kris Barras). It’s the band’s second album following their eponymous debut in 2020 which secured a Top 5 placing in the UK Rock Album Chart. A remixed and remastered version of the album, retitled Re-Wired, also saw the band back in the UK rock charts.

Commenting on the new album Angelo Tristan added:

“We felt that our debut album was lacking the production. For the sophomore album, I wanted to make sure that this time we left no room for error and so got one of the hottest producers in the music industry, Dan Weller, to help lift these songs into a new dimension. With Dan’s pioneering studio expertise, this album has massive production quality that enables you to get lost in each character-filled track. Dan really brought out the emotions we were trying to portray and has achieved it with his own unique style.”

“We wanted this album to express where we were in our own lives since the release of our first. So much has happened since then, I mean the world shut down for what felt like a lifetime! And it was obvious that people were going to need some sort of optimism.  I hope ‘Glass Sky’ is one of those songs that gives people the belief to find themselves again.”

“Whereas, the feel-good ‘Just One Of Those Days’ is trying to find the good side of a bad day. Me being me, couldn’t help but to write a big power ballad, ‘The Long Road’, that I wrote from a very hard and deep place, in hope that it could maybe bring some peace and comfort to people who need it. I think there’s all aspects of life running though this album and what it means to us will remain in our hearts forever.”

“Should’ve Known Better” is an album that goes beyond specific music genres. It’s almost like a soundtrack to a beating heart.  It’s an album that will remain timeless in years to come.”

https://www.collateralofficial.com