June 2010

Thumbnail image for Kronos Quartet – Alim Qasimov

Kronos Quartet – Alim Qasimov

by Alex 24 June 2010 Video

In 2008, the Aga Khan Music Inititative and the San Fracisco-based Kronos Quartet inaugurated a pioneering musical collaboration that brought the quartet together with leading musicians from Azerbaijan and Afghanistan to create music rooted Central Asian traditions. Over a period of nine months, Kronos met with renowned Azerbajani vocalist Alim Qasimov and his ensemble, and [...]

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Thumbnail image for John Jackson – Rappahannock Blues

John Jackson – Rappahannock Blues

by Alex 23 June 2010 Downloads

Raised in a large, musical farm family in Rappahannock County, Virginia, John Jackson (1924–2002) was the most important black Appalachian musician to come to broad public attention during the mid-1960s. Smithsonian Folkways is proud to present Rappahannock Blues, a new collection of previously unreleased live recordings by John Jackson mostly made at the Smithsonian Folklife [...]

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Thumbnail image for UNITE – A Gathering of Strangers

UNITE – A Gathering of Strangers

by Alex 23 June 2010 Music News

UNITE: A Gathering of Strangers is the latest ambitious world fusion project from Hamid Man Tu and Tim Whelan of Transglobal Underground. UNITE stands for URBAN NATIVE INTEGRATED TRADITIONS OF EUROPE. Taking stock of their group of collaborators and co-conspirators across Europe, they were looking to create something that reflected both that network and the [...]

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Thumbnail image for The Staves – Review / Interview

The Staves – Review / Interview

by Billy 22 June 2010 Interviews

The Staves, comprising of sisters Jessica, Camilla and Emily, are a melodious folk trio from Watford who are garnishing some well deserved praise for their infectious and seductive harmonies. Their new EP, “Facing West” is an excellent introduction to the girls’ music and a real promise of treats to come.

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Thumbnail image for Folk Against Fascism Vol 1

Folk Against Fascism Vol 1

by Neil McFadyen 21 June 2010 Reviews

Music has been used to spread messages; political, romantic, historical, for hundreds, probably thousands of years. It’s an effective medium and the musical traditions we’re so proud of owe their very existence to this fact. The trouble is, of course, that almost any message is open to interpretation. This CD, and the Folk Against Fascism [...]

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Thumbnail image for Vadoinmessico @ The Enterprise

Vadoinmessico @ The Enterprise

by Melanie McGovern 21 June 2010 Live Reviews

Never judge a book by its cover…or a record for that matter. However I love the pleasant surprise that often comes in doing just that. That was how I came to stumble upon Vadoinmessico, a five-piece based in London with members hailing from Mexico, Italy and Austria. They met at music college in the city [...]

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Thumbnail image for Perfume Genius – Learning LP

Perfume Genius – Learning LP

by Melanie McGovern 19 June 2010 Reviews

Fragmented, scrapbook recordings documented at his mother’s house, Mike Hadreas’ debut Learning is the kind of angst-ridden poetry that succeeds by being so shrouded in mystery and a tender incoherence that we are left intrigued rather than irritated. These lo-fi recordings echo the Woods, his vocals Sufjan Stevens’ girlish whisper and Neil Young’s pained falsetto.

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Thumbnail image for Southern Fried Festival 2010

Southern Fried Festival 2010

by Neil McFadyen 19 June 2010 Music News

Seasick Steve heads a posse of top acts for the third annual Southern Fried Festival of American Roots Music in Perth, Scotland. The festival takes place in Perth Concert Hall, Perth Theatre and a variety of other venues nearby. All the roots music bases from blues and country to rock ‘n’ roll, gospel, soul and [...]

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A Weather - Everyday Balloons

A Weather – Everyday Balloons

by Melanie McGovern 18 June 2010 Reviews

Folk-shoegaze five-piece A Weather have been quietly lurking around since 2006, releasing The Feather Test 7 inch in 2007, followed by debut LP Cove the year after. This year’s Everyday Balloons, in keeping with the previous releases is out on Conor Oberst’s record label Team Love, and was produced by Adam Selzer who has worked [...]

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Thumbnail image for Paul Curreri – Shed Session

Paul Curreri – Shed Session

by Alex 16 June 2010 Video

Paul Curreri is renowned for his inspired songs, bright voice, and talented finger-style playing as well as his wife, Devon Sproule. He has also been described as  “A ruffled gypsy gutter cowboy, a true life adventurer…”. He has been touring in the UK promoting his latest CD, California. In some ways the album came about [...]

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Jenna Reid / Cormac Cannon @ Stirling / Galway Sessions

Jenna Reid / Cormac Cannon @ Stirling & Galway Sessions

by Neil McFadyen 16 June 2010 Live Reviews

An intimate setting in Stirling’s Tollbooth theatre was the location for a double bill featuring Cormac Cannon, a Uilleann piper from Galway and a performance of Jenna and Bethany Reid’s The Shetland Bus Cormac Cannon is one of a talented group of young Uilleann pipers in Ireland today. Learning music from an early age, his [...]

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Thumbnail image for Wig Smith – A Means of Escape Through a Hedge

Wig Smith – A Means of Escape Through a Hedge

by Melanie McGovern 15 June 2010 Reviews

Wig Smith is the other half of folk duo The Hand which comprises Bristol singer-songwriter Rachael Dadd. At the end of April he announced the release of his solo debut A Means of Escape Through a Hedge. There was little background information I could track down on this album other than the plentiful insights from [...]

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Thumbnail image for Imploding Acoustic Inevitable Festival: 18-19 June

Imploding Acoustic Inevitable Festival: 18-19 June

by Alex 15 June 2010 Music News

If you’re at a loose end this weekend or fancy a great festival why not head upto the Lake District for the Imploding Acoustic Inevitable Festival! The festival takes place in Fell Foot Woods, home of Pancosmic Pyromanticism! IAI is an intimate 2 day festival and offers the finest underground urban folk and poetry that [...]

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Thumbnail image for Open House Festival Line-up

Open House Festival Line-up

by Alex 14 June 2010 Music News

This festival line-up just keeps getting better, just when I think they’ve topped it they add another top band that we love! Indie giants Modest Mouse, gothic-Americana act Iron & Wine, conquering London guitar trio The White Lies and the single most exciting irish act of the last few years, Villagers, have all been added [...]

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