The FRUK Blog

Yep, after gawping at the incredulity of Twitter I joined up so now you can be nosey and see what I’m upto! The last few “tweets” will appear in the sidebar on the right…as you can see, I got off to a great enthusiastic start!

You can also keep up with the boring exploits of FRUK here: http://twitter.com/FRUK

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I came across this while checking on what Matt Bauer was upto. Matt, Marie and Alela Diane all work together on bits and pieces and they are all featured on the Indie stream. I was watching this in the early morning hours with a beer in hand with the cats for company. Very nice to chill to when the world is so still and quiet.

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Until last week I had never heard of William Fitzsimmons. His latest album, his third in fact is ’The Sparrow and the Crow’ which can be heard on the Indie Stream. He has a great sound and an even more interesting pass as his site biography will show:

William Fitzsimmons is one of the oddest people you will ever meet. Born the youngest child of two blind parents, William was raised in the outskirts of the steel city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Due to the family’s inability to communicate through normal visual means, William’s childhood home was filled with a myriad of sounds to replace what eyes could not see. The house was suffused with pianos, guitars, trombones, talking birds, classical records, family sing-a-longs, bedtime stories, and the bellowing of a pipe organ, which his father built into the house with his own hands. When his father’s orchestral records were not resonating through the walls, his mother would educate him on the folk stylings of James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, and Simon & Garfunkel. By the completion of his youth and schooling, Fitzsimmons had become well-versed at a variety of instruments, at the minor expense of social standing, interactional skills, and a knowledge of proper shaving technique.

Fitzsimmons’ path into music was likewise unusual, forsaking the hobby for many years to work with the mentally ill and pursue an education in the field of mental health. It was during his last semester of graduate school that William pooled monies from past birthday’s, holidays, and snow shoveling outings, and bought cheap home recording equipment to begin creating songs again (the first collection of which eventually became his debut album). After finally achieving his goal of becoming a practicing therapist, William left, and returned again to his love of crafting and playing songs. He felt that is where he most belonged. Somewhere between a singing therapist, and a counselor who writes songs, is where Fitzsimmons endeavors to be. Using songs to address matters that he believes need to be addressed.

William draws from those early folks stylings of his mother’s music, and the embellished instrumentation of his father’s. He is often compared to contemporaries Sufjan Stevens, Iron & Wine, and the late Elliott Smith, not only for his unique style and skill in writing and proclivity to deal with substantive and evocative subject matter, but also for his use of organic and colorful melodies and arrangements. His first two records were completely self-produced and his new album, “The Sparrow And The Crow,” produced by Marshall Altman at Galt Line Studios in Los Angeles, is his first studio recorded work. While his lyricism deals often with darker undertones (his most recent album is said to have been written following his own divorce), a measure of hopefulness is always carefully blended in. Even with his short tenure as a songwriter, William has already received mention in noted publications such as Billboard, Paste Magazine, and Performing Songwriter Magazine, and his music has been featured on several television programs such as “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Army Wives.”

http://www.williamfitzsimmons.com

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Christmas Champions was originally written for BBC Radio 3’s Late Junction. Now a live multimedia show has been commissioned by The Sage Gateshead and will be touring in December 2007. BBC Folk Award winning duo Chris Wood and Hugh Lupton are joined by The English Acoustic Collective and Olivia Ross in a performance that mixes the recorded voices of past generations with ritual theatre, seasonal song, storytelling and music in a celebration of England’s most enduring midwinter custom: The Mummers Play.

The show combines the music of midwinter, both choral and instrumental, with new songs and re-workings of established carols, worked into field recordings of Herbie Smith’s reminiscences of mumming in the Medway valley at the turn of the last century. Hugh Lupton’s narrative constantly contextualises the music and the singers reciprocate, weaving and compounding imagery, parable and drama. It is the true, native, vernacular mystery play and this performance, directed by Tim Dalling, brings it vividly to life.

To hear Christmas Champions visit the Late Junction website and click ‘Listen Again’

December 2007 Tour Dates:

Dec 10 The Sage Gateshead
Dec 11 Darlington Arts Centre
Dec 12 Birmingham MAC
Dec 13 Bridgwater Arts Centre
Dec 14 Ruskin Mill College, Nailsworth
Dec 15 Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis
Dec 16 Norwich Arts Centre
Dec 18 Barbican Cinema, London
Dec 19 West End Centre, Aldershot
Dec 20 Huntingdon Hall, Worcester
Dec 21 Bury Met
Dec 22 The Sage Gateshead
Dec 23 The Sage Gateshead

Source: English Accoustic Collective

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This is my second attempt at unleashing some of the great counterculture media out there upon you. Arthur is a free bi-monthly magazine in the US but UK folk can download it from their site for free or subscribe for 6 issues and get it delivered for $11.00. It’s reminiscent of the hippie free press and, according to the wiki entry, it’s drawn to noise music, stoner metal, folk and other types of psychedelia. I liked it and it covers a hell of a lot. In the words of Brian J. Barr of Seattle Weekly:

[Arthur has] an allure unlike any other magazine I have seen in my lifetime. [L]ike picking up a true document of a time and place in American culture, yet also removed from the present, harkening back to the utopian visions championed by the hippie free press… In any given issue, you can read about music, drugs, protest, meditation, metaphysics, sex, herbs, nature, communes, art, socialism, siphoning gasoline from SUVs, and hypnotizing cops by eating doughnuts in front of them… Arthur seems to attract a readership numbed by the glut of too-slick music and culture mags, just waiting for something truly unique to emerge.

It has been suggested that this type of publication is lacking in the UK…maybe that’s true. There certainly isn’t anything out there that I think draws a good parallel in the free-press at least. Alan Mcgee:

Arthur [is] the most eclectic, thoughtfully designed periodical I have encountered. Arthur [is] clearly drawn to psychedelic music and [is] always a good place to look for fresh acts but to say it [is] a music magazine would be a misnomer. This free publication presents contemporary artwork, photography, political essays and literary reviews with admirable disregard for categorisation. I [have] never picked up a copy of Arthur without finding something intriguing and informative and I believe that magazines of which this can be said are all too few and far between…. In drawing attention to what is being produced under the radar and discussing its merits, magazines like Arthur have a nurturing effect on great music and art. They connect artists with audiences and provide an outlet for intelligent discussion and detailed criticism. It would be great to see the example taken up [in Britain]

Those two quotes sum up it’s attraction so give it a go. Download a copy. This is in the latest issue:

Author Trinie Dalton traveled into the wilds of New Mexico to live with psychedelic earthers BRIGHTBLACK MORNING LIGHT for two days. Sublimity ensued. Here’s what happened. With photography by Lisa Law.

Douglas Rushkoff: The mortgage and credit crisis wasn’t merely predictable; it was predicted. And not by a market bear or conspiracy theorist, but by the people and institutions responsible. Illustration by Arik Moonhawk Roper.

Dave Reeves: Having doubts about Iraq? America’s Victory Is Infinite. Just look at Vietnam…

Molly Frances on all sorts of delights in, from, or about Los Angeles–from Wallace Berman, Velaslavasay Panorama and Lily Tomlin in The Late Show to Show Cave, Nite Jewel and the new Flying Lotus album. Plus other, non-geographically specific stuff.

On May 10, 1968 SLY & THE FAMILY STONE opened two shows for THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE at the Fillmore East in New York City. Artist/scholar Plastic Crimewave reports on this extraordinary, little-known moment in American countercultural history.

Greg Shewchuk: What is it about skateboarding that makes kids willing to break laws in order to do it? Illustration by Joseph Remnant.

Nance Klehm: What to do with the nuts, seeds and berries you can find while foraging in the urban jungle. Illustration by Makeswell.

The Center for Tactical Magic: Do the ends ever justify the magic(k)? Illustration by Cassandra Chae.

Erik Davis: Is the “planetary consciousness” of neotribal psytrance gatherings like Portugal’s Boom festival just window dressing for the same old hedonism and escapism–or could it actually be what it says it is?

A centerfold of new ARTHUR COMICS by Jeffrey Brown, Charles Burns, Al Columbia, P.W.E., Simon Evans, Matt Furie, Tom Gauld, Lisa Hanawalt, Joseph Hanks, Tim Hensley, Ted May, Anders Nilsen, Laura Park, Helge Reumann, Souther Salazar, Julia Wertz and Dan Zettwoch. Edited by Buenaventura Press.

STYLE: Annakim Violette, glampire vamp, tells an arachnid tale from a rainbow’s underbelly. Styled by Miss KK, with photography and design by Alia Penner.

BYRON COLEY & THURSTON MOORE review choice finds from the deep underground.

C and D let it rip about the Fela! musical plus new albums by Hacienda, Megapuss, Little Joy, Kasai All-Stars, Grouper, Natacha Atlas, Matt Baldwin, Mercury Rev, Desolation Wilderness, Gang Gang Dance, Raglani, Jonas Reinhardt, Apse and Eagles of Death Metal.

That’s it in a psychedelic nutshell…go visit: http://www.arthurmag.com

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A re-issue of the critically lauded debut from Providence band Deer Tick. Songwriting prodigy John McCauley III wrote and recorded the album at the age of 19, and he plays every single instrument.

Deer Tick
“Art Isn’t Real (City of Sin)” (mp3)
from “War Elephant”
(Partisan Records)

More On This Album

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Following the huge demand for “The Galway Girl” single since the airing of the fantastic new Magners advert across all TV and Radio channels, IRL is now making the track available on a new Sharon Shannon “Best Of” album. This 13 track album includes a selection of classic Sharon Shannon favourites along with both versions of the hit single, “The Galway Girl” - the original featuring Steve Earle and the newly recorded studio version with Mundy. Special guests also featured on the album include: Damien Dempsey, Dessie O’Halloran, Kirsty MacColl, Michael McGoldrick, Jackson Browne and Mike Scott of The Waterboys.

The title track was written by Steve Earle while he was spending some time living in Galway writing a book. It was first recorded by Earle and Shannon in 1999 for Shannon’s hugely successful ‘Diamond Mountain Sessions’ album. The song has been gaining in popularity ever since, reflected earlier this year when it won the most downloaded single for 2007 at the Irish Meteor Awards. Mundy has been performing the song at Sharon Shannon Big Band shows across the country in recent times and had the opportunity to perform it with Steve Earle at last year’s Cambridge Folk Festival much to the festival goers delight.

This is a great track to get anyone in the mood for the weekend, enjoy it!

Sharon Shannon, Steve Earle
“The Galway Girl” (mp3)
from “The Galway Girl - The Best Of Sharon Shannon (Bonus Track Version)”
(Daisy / IRL)

Buy at iTunes Music Store

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With three distinct voices that together create an achingly perfect vocal sound, The Wailin’ Jennys have been winning over audiences across the world since their 2002 debut on the roots music scene. The diverse artistic backgrounds of Annabelle Chvostek, Nicky Mehta, and Ruth Moody – all established singer/songwriters in their own right - shape the trio’s dynamic style. From alt-country to traditional, roots to rock, and beyond, The Wailin’ Jennys’ fresh acoustic folk-pop unites evocative harmonies, powerful songwriting, and compelling arrangements, earning them the reputation as “one of the most exciting new folks bands” (Barnes & Noble).

The Wailin’ Jennys as an unforgettable voice on the musical landscape.

Long Time Traveller (mp3)

Buy at iTunes Music Store

Buy at eMusic

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The following offers you a chance to sample the delights of that great collection from Topic records ‘Voice of the People’. You can find out more about this amazing collection of nearly 500 songs and tunes from the Topic website.

Harry Brazil
“Sally Morrow” (mp3)
from “Voice of the People Volume 11 - My Father’s The King Of The Gypsies”
(Topic)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Buy at eMusic
Buy at Amazon MP3

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