Attention Folk Fans

If you're not listening to Radio 1 then do so.

RIGHT NOW.

Mumford & Sons are doing a one off gig at seminal folk house Cecil Sharp House with other indie/low fi giants Laura Marling and Bombay Bicycle Club, showcasing some of the finest British talent on the scene right now. Oh, and The Maccabees will be there too.

If that sounds like it's right up your street then get to it now, you've already missed a beautiful rendition of Rambling Man.

Check it out: bbc.co.uk/radio1

If you missed out on the fun and frolics at Cecil Sharp House, here's a taster of what went on:

Adelaide's Cape- Moles, Bath 14/06/10

Photos: Christopher Steel

Monday night wasn't a gig.

On Monday night I wasn't in some dingy (yet brilliant) club in Bath, checking out burgeoning talent Adelaide's Cape. On Monday night I was sat in someone's living room at 3 in the morning, gathered around with some friends watching a couple of mates have a bit of a jamming session. At least, that's what it felt like; sat in some dingy club in Bath, checking out Adelaide's Cape and co. Both the support and main man himself managed to create a truly refreshing gig in a world where the connection between artists and audience has been cut short.

Before all that though, there's the mater of the support. Now usually the support slot can always be a bit hit and miss- you know, the kind of act that leaves you wanting to impale them with the mic stand. Thankfully however, this wasn't one of those occasions. Mike Still offered a somewhat unconventional support; regaling tales of falling in love with a stripper, the wonders of MDMA and even a particularly well formed ditty about incest (well, he is from Swindon..). Mike shows real promise as these songs stand well on their own, though a bit of progression is needed before he can really bring them to life. For me anyway there was this kind of longing present in a lot of his songs; it was all far too abrupt. Just one more verse, chorus, anything really. I couldn't quite put my finger on what was missing but there was a definite sense of anticipation after his songs, not something perhaps should be present after every song. All in all though I'd say that was the only downpoint of the evening. Mike is obviously a very talented musician who has a razor sharp wit- perhaps in time this will become more evident in his songs' full realisation.

Adelaide's Cape provided a very chilled end to the proceedings with a couple of really mellow numbers, definitely more swaying than lighters in the air but nevertheless all very twee. Again there was this kind of inclusive vibe that gave the impression of just chilling with some muso types; a certain sense of camaraderie more typical of an impromptu performance at a houseparty, not at a gig in the traditional sense. Hell, he even stopped midway through song to joke about someone in the crowd being tickled. You don't get THAT at the Academy now do you? With lyrics so vivid you could literally place yourself within them and a rousing accompaniment from his band (including a particularly groovy double bassist- actually makes me want to take it up again), Adelaide's Cape were well worth waiting for, even if in the end only a select few of us had the privilege of hearing it.

Despite being dubbed as "nu-folk" on his Facebook page, Adelaide's Cape have that stripped back feel of one man and his guitar that is typical of a lot of great traditional folk artists out there. I only hope that he is able to reach the same heights of popularity as his counterparts have.

There should have had a bigger crowd. Fact. But the selfish part of me almost prefers that there wasn't. Monday night wasn't a gig of normal proportions: but my what a lovely way to spend an evening.

Mystery of Le Mousquetaires

In an effort to prolong my boredom during the liberating but somewhat monotonous holidays, I've been delving into the underground realms of Folk Noir. Folk Noir (a branch of Neofolk) is described as music that shows 'dark undertones-' so like most folk then, I mean the genre has never been one full of chirpy prozac ridden harmonies and rosy cheeked youths playing xylophones, has it?
(Well, certainly not the type of folk I am accustomed to anyway).

Le Fils des Trois Mousquetaires

What strikes me as interesting about this band is that there is absolutely no information about them on t'internet; I found them on Last.fm which directed me to their Myspace page, only to have it tell me to go back to their Last.fm page, quite an odd promo tactic. And all without any trace of a bio. Strange. Infact, the only bit of information I have regarding this band is that they're from Belgium. Not that it matters a great deal, the music speaks more than any amount of biographical waffle.


There's something very distinctive and almost alluring about the mysterious gent's voice which suggests he's either a devout Doherty fan, or is his slightly more demure and possibly Belgian twin. But, for all we know, the guy could be your run of the mill butcher from Bruges who just happens to like a good singsong.


If this is typical Folk Noir then the Beatles must have been the emo kids of the 60's, there's not much in the way of sinister, brutal melodies here. The songs amble along at their own pace, slowly drawing you in before leaving you feeling thoroughly hypnotised. Although there are tinges of melancholy in wistful She Won't Be Home, it's certainly not going to be the music you'd top yourself to. I actually find the vocals to have a highly therapeutic effect on me, most notably Lullaby that plays up to its name entirely; gentle rocking acoustic chords over the top of the vocalists smooth as honey melody, perfect for chilling out and contemplating life.


Or just good to have a nap to, either way I like it.


Looking on the band's Last.fm page, there's one comment that pretty much sums up my opinion of these guys and Folk Noir in general: 'strange beauty.'

Le Fils de Trois Mousquetaires- Lullaby.MP3

Le Fils de Trois Mousquetairs- She Won't Be Home.MP3

A Midweek Pick Me Up

So, in my next attempt at a mini-post during the run up to exams I shall let you in on one of my favourite singer songwriters, the wonderfully surreal folk outfit known as Sue and the Unicorn.

Photo by Matthew Cotton

Now you may have seen this quirky mademoiselle, aka Sue Denim, in chaotic electro duo Robots in Disguise, but what you may not be aware of is that for the past year or so she's been extending her talents to the realms of folk.

Sue and the Unicorn has been a not so guilty pleasure of mine for some time now, always meant to post about her but never quite got around to it. Sue's songs are brilliant due to their sheer simplicity: It literally is just her and a guitar, and there's no better song to highlight this than 'Like Brewster McCloud.' The acoustic guitar is a perfect backdrop for her slightly otherworldy lyrics about wanting to be free to laugh and live and, errm, fly. A more Ska-influenced version of the track also fails to disappoint. The song sounds entirely different to the original, the Reggae lilt creating a much brighter and chilled tone, which is in itself quite an impressive feat seeing as the original is more than a little bit wistful in comparison.

My favourite track, and what I think epitomises everything I like about Sue is 'Til the Sweat Dries.' Sue's vulnerable pleading for more than just a one night stand almost mystifies. There's no pretentiousness here as is with some musicians of this calibre; what you hear is more certainly what was intended, and there's definitely no smoke and mirrors. Just simple chords and Sue's soaring vocals, enough to give me goosebumps. And then, just when you think it's getting too sappy, Sue changes her mind and cheekily commands to get inside me. Brilliant.

My only qualm with Sue.. is that even with two mini tours under her belt, she has yet to release an EP of any sort and most of her songs are still in demo form. Get a move on woman!

However, in the meantime there's always this upbeat and thoroughly cute track, recorded in some random park in Germany. Enjoy.

SUE AND THE UNICORN : PICK ME UP from brian belukha on Vimeo.

For the mentioned tracks and more, visit
www.myspace.com/sueandtheunicorn

Sweet or Stalkery?

A simple song full of remorse about years gone by, accumulating in a twee declaration of love for the aging genius that is Mr. Leonard Cohen (and let's face it, what's not to love?). Great to listen to over a cup of tea and a chocolate digestive.



Robin Grey-I Love Leonard Cohen.MP3

Robin Grey's Myspace

Teenage Angst

So tonight my friends and I thought it would be nice if we actually went out somewhere instead of locking ourselves in our bedrooms watching the IT Crowd followed by some obscure comedian's warblings all night. So, after many a google search (not really, it was advertised well enough) I found that local folkman Barry Dolan, aka Oxygen Thief celebrating his 100th gig by playing with a couple of other singer-songwriters at a local pub in Stokes Croft. Lovely. Now usually the people in Stokes Croft are lovely to us young 'uns, well by that I mean we can get into The Croft without hassle, even though we are sixteen, hardly toddlers. However, tonight's escapades have proved to be the exception..

So after having a stressful week of exam revision and coldness we thought a civilised night of folk wouldn't go a-miss. So, after eventually getting there and getting in easily enough, we settled down to watch the first of the acts play, in a state of blissful unawareness of what was about to unfold.



Before I continue I must stress, we're not exactly innocent (there was some hunting for alcohol involved, alas to no avail) but still we had absolutely NO intention of even trying to purchase alcohol in the pub in which we were, I mean that's just poor logic isn't it? Plus we were there, well I was anyway, to see Oxygen Thief play again.



After seeing him support Chris T-T in the pub down the road from The Junction, I definitely jumped at the chance to hear him play live again. Oxygen Thief makes music both interesting and refreshing; almost like when you dip your face in water and, although it stings a bit, wakes you up. Hmm, maybe a poor analogy, but needless to say I like his music. He has a distinct personality that definitely comes across in his songs, and has a genuine enthusiasm for the music that he plays, a trait that is seldom seen these days. So, understandably, I was looking forward to hearing his set and having a quiet night with some friends before the hussle and bustle that is the festive period. However, just after the first act had left the tiny stage (sort of like what Snow Patrol would sound like if they needed a bit of prozac) a barmaid kindly asked us to leave the premises, as another pub had been raided for underage drinkers. Underage DRINKERS.
Why is it that just because we're teenagers in a pub that we would be classed as underage drinkers?



Now normally I wouldn't mind so much, but when it comes to music I have no sense of humour. Why should we be discriminated against due to our age? Why should our junior years restrict us from enjoying good music? I could even understand if there were age restrictions of gigs with explicit content, like, say a German Death Metal troupe (why German? I don't know, but they sound more grr) But really, it's folk.



Folk I tell you.



And this isn't the first time this has been an issue.
You only need to go to the local ticket shop to see that us under 18's have been ostracised in terms of gigs. The list of clubs and bars we can't go to is endless' Louisiana? Nope. Fleece? Uh Uh. Thekla? Don't even bother. Everywhere you go bouncers are quick to push you out the door just because you don't have a valid id or are a few months younger than the rest of the punters. Age doesn't make you more mature. Neither does it mean you should all of a sudden be let into the magical world of good music on your eighteenth birthday. We all deserve the right to enjoy ourselves in a safe environment where we can see genuine talent. Yes there's the Academy, but unless you're fliering it don't come cheap for a night out. And we're only poor students afterall.



Look at the huge response Underage Festival got this year, it's clear to see that teenagers are sick of being alienated from the music we enjoy. So to any venue managers out there, the next time a group of sober, money paying teenagers enter your venue looking to support local talent such as Oxygen Thief, give the kids a chance. Innit.


http://www.myspace.com/oxygenthief