Back catalogue: Folk/Americana

Review: The long lost 1968 debut album by singer-songwriter Scott Fagan, South Atlantic Blues, comes reissued for the first time in its original artwork, with an iconic portrait of Fagan by famed rock photographer Joel Brodsky, following a widely celebrated 2015 release. Revisiting his mystical, mythical, and deeply soulful masterpiece, this psych-folk gem doffs a Tropicalia hat direct from downtown New York. Fagan's story is worthy of a movie in itself. A swinging hipster who landed in 60s Greenwich folk scene, escaping the abject poverty of his U.S. Virgin Islands upbringing, Fagan found himself mentored by the Brill Building's Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, and feted as the next big thing. "Forget Rodriguez, forget Searching for Sugar Man," says Sharyn Felder, daughter of the late Doc Pomus, the legendary songwriter who signed Fagan to management in 1964. "Scott was so much more. He was cut from a different cloth." South Atlantic Blues is the perfect soundtrack to this tale, an epic song cycle wrapped around an impassioned love story, driven by Fagan's dense, allusive lyrics, and production by Elmer Jared Gordon (Pearls Before Swine) and rich arrangements by Horace Ott (Nina Simone, Sam Cooke, The Shirelles).

Review: Fairport Convention eventually went on to become folk legends after a very quick rise through the ranks over the course of four full-lengths in just a couple of years. Revered names from British and world music played their part as the school friends set out on their mission to become 'the British Jefferson Airplane'. Unhalfbricking from 1969 is the sound of a band growing in confidence, despite the fact that Ian Matthews left the group during the writing of it. There are three Bob Dylan covers including the Top 30 UK hit single, 'Si Ti Dois Partir,' with plenty of other traditional folk songs and an 11-minute ballad.

Review: Esteemed rock guitarist Andy Fairweather Low first came to prominence in 1967 with a cover version of 'Gin House Blues', Bessie Smith's 1928 original. He then went on to front the psychedelic rock band Amen Corner, marking a surprising shift in genre ambit. With the latter move rendering Low's early bluings relatively obscure, The Last Music Company gladly announce the early blues treads of this master musician's all-pervading influence on music, here with this new selected hits compilation. There are many collaborating musicians indebted to Low, and who yet owe him more than one drink: BB King, Van Morrison, Pete Townsend, Jimi Hendrix, Chris Rea and Kate Bush, to name a few. A longtime sideman in Eric Clapton's band, hence the title, it not only highlights his mastery of blues guitar, but also his under-recognition as a hidden, arch-musician, pillaring the notoriety of others.

Review: Arabic funk, soul and folk specialists Habibi Funk are masters at digging deep to find extremely rare and unreleased music. Even so, their latest offering is particularly obscure. It's a retrospective of 1970s material by a Lebanese singer-songwriter called Roger Fakhr, who put out one self-released tape in the mid 1970s, of which only 200 copies were ever made. Some of those songs feature on this retrospective, but the majority of the material is unreleased tracks from Fakhr's archive. Interestingly, the majority of the music on offer is sung in English rather than Arabic and sits somewhere between American railroad blues, English revivalist folk of the sort popular in the late '60s and early '70s, sun-soaked Californian folk, and gentle folk. A genuinely eye-opening musical treat.

Review: Good things from those who wait, someone should have definitely said at some point. For Bill Fay, who had both the privilege and the nightmare of being able to choose from some 40 years of material to put this together. Amazingly only his third LP, arriving 50 years after his debut, at 76-years-young he has clearly mastered the art of keeping things simple in order to be truly, staggeringly powerful. It's unforgettable stuff to say the least. Tender vocals, gentile guitar, delicate pianos and little more, aside from some incredibly evocative lyrics. Works such as "I Will Remain Here" and the title track summarise Fay in many ways. Songs about ancient, mysterious places and histories imagined and real, our poet-cum-troubadour acting as both guide and accomplice to the act of marvelling at it all. Records like this literally don't come along everyday, and we should treasure every moment of them.

Review: The Felice Brothers' latest release, Valley of Abandoned Songs, out on June 28, 2024, is a stunning collection of tracks originally meant for their previous albums, Undress (2019) and Asylum on the Hill (2023). These songs, featuring the lives of quirky loners, come across as charming pastiches. Each track, though fragmented, is tied together by shared incongruity. The album kicks off with 'Crime Scene Queen,' blending noir and sci-fi elements, followed by the nostalgic 'Flowers By The Roadside.' 'New York By Moonlight' offers a rich blend of New York's beauty and despair. The playful 'Racoon, Rooster and Crow' and the poetic 'Black Is My True Love's Hair' are immediate standouts. Tracks like 'Strangers Arms' and 'Tomorrow Is Just a Dream Away' highlight the band's musical versatility, while 'Let Me Ride Away With The Horsemen' and 'It's Midnight and the Doves Are in Tears' present emotional depth. Concluding with 'To Be a Papa,' the album underscores the band's ability to evoke introspection and solidarity, making 'Valley of Abandoned Songs' an album to check out.

Review: Trail of Flowers by Sierra Ferrell is a captivating journey through the heart of folk and country music.. Ferrell's rich and emotive vocals shine brightly throughout the album, carrying the listener through tales of love, loss, and resilience. With a style that seamlessly blends traditional folk with classic country elements, Ferrell delivers a collection of songs that feel both timeless and contemporary. Each track is imbued with raw emotion and authenticity, drawing listeners into Ferrell's world with its vivid storytelling and heartfelt lyricism. The instrumentation is equally enchanting, featuring acoustic guitars, fiddles, and subtle yet expressive arrangements that perfectly complement Ferrell's vocals. The production maintains a warm and intimate atmosphere, allowing Ferrell's voice to take center stage while still capturing the nuances of each instrument. This album has been receiving widespread acclaim since being released and in our opinion, it's definitely warranted

Review: On Rosal, Luna Maria Cedron gently brings together the complex influences and facets of her existence, in a complex interweaving of Latin musicalities, ranging from Occitan lyrics, flamenco, and popular Venezuelan ballad styles. Using these structures as a starting point, Cedron gradually moves into an increasingly electronic palette, deploying everything from reggaeton to hybrid abstraction - this begins in a relatively limited fashion in the form of a drum machine backing up a slow flamenco song ('Rosal'), before gradating into more hard-driven bops towards the latter half. As if to convey an increasing defiance, the LP's uptick in trajectory matches the increasing theme of upset at its heart and a railing against the status quo.

Review: The long-established alternative folk act Fink, led by Fin Greenall - an undeservingly lesser-hailed favourite on the Ninja Tune roster for some time now - returns with their eighth studio album, Beauty In Your Wake. Finding movement and motivation in loss, Greenall, the now Berlin resident, sought a native Cornish peace and solitude in the back-to-earth atmosphere of the county's small village of Zennor, where the album was recorded. Initially going in without an agenda, Fink soon found themselves with the ambition to create a 'classic' lo-fi English folk album; the likes of 'What Would You Call Yourself' and 'So We Find Ourselves' flaunt honest and free-associative lyrics, combining these with muted mixes and cleanly-recorded instrumentation for a less experimental but equally more heartfelt album compared to former LPs.

Review: This album wonderfully celebrates Flatland Cavalry's ten-year journey while setting the stage for their future. It is an essential listen with more than 15 reimagined fan-favourites from their acclaimed releases including 'Come May', 'Humble Folks', 'Homeland Insecurity', 'Welcome to Countryland', 'Songs to Keep You Warm', and 'Wandering Star' alongside four brand-new tracks that showcase the band's signature style. Along the way, these tunes span everything from heartfelt ballads and energetic jams to timeless songwriting and always with masterful musicianship on show. Its mix of nostalgia and fresh energy means Flatland Forever captures the essence of the band's journey so far.

Review: On his fourth album as Fleet Foxes, Shore, Robin Pecknold has decided to celebrate life and death - a theme that no doubt was inspired in part by the ongoing global pandemic. The New York based artist sets his stall out immediately via lusciously orchestrated, choir-sporting opener 'Wading in Waist-High Water' and the similarly gorgeous 'Sunblind' - where he namechecks many of his dead musical heroes - before continuing on a similarly warm, jangling and opaque musical theme. That means soaring chord progressions, emotion-rich vocals, fluid piano lines and plenty of melancholic musical flourishes. It's soft-touch Americana for hard times; confirmed fans and newcomers alike should find plenty to savour.

Review: For Fleet Foxes, there'll be no clock-burning or heartelt 'omming' round Stonehenge this winter, as Robin Pecknold and co. present their latest album 'A Very Lonely Solstice', for all the hurt hearts out there freezing away alone in this festive quarter. Pecknold resonates; all tracks on this LP were recorded at the pinnacle of the artists' own solitude, during a live-streamed event performed on the winter solstice of 2020 just days after COVID restrictions in New York tightened. Coming to CD, black and limited white vinyl, songs from every classic Fleet Foxes album, From Helplessness Blues to Crack-Up, are reimagined acoustically here, as Pecknold's voice resonates through a lonesome yet gripping chamber space.

Review: New York indie-folk four-piece' Florist's second album is a hypnotic, psychedelic album that is the musical equivalent of an out of body experience. Single 'Have Heaven' is so elegant that you imagine singer Emily Sprague as someone who is deeply in tune with nature and the cosmos, careful as not tread too heavily incase she disturbs the flowers. It's timeless but also quite unusual in terms of the mix because although there's aspects of folk classics like Joni Mitchell, some of the flourish with pedals and effects brings to mind more modern influences, like Superorganism. But it's more a peppering of that side so as to not overwhelm. Another single from the album, 'This Was A Gift' is pure beauty that makes the hairs stand up on the back of your neck. Some singers are just born for the role of troubadour and Sprague is one of them. Long may Florist keep capturing songs this magical.

Review: Flunk's third album, 'Personal Stereo,' released in 2007, has never been available on vinyl before now. It continued their signature blend of Anja's ethereal vocals, Ulf's electronica, and Jo's intricate guitar work while maintaining their trademark uplifting melancholy. The album explores darker themes compared to its predecessors, For Sleepyheads Only (2002) and Morning Star (2004) and revisits their debut's eclectic approach, sampling from decades of popular music as evidenced in tracks like 'Personal Stereo' and 'Change My Ways.' Cult favourite Daniel Johnston features on 'Haldi' adding a unique touch to an album recorded entirely in Oslo apartments. In all, this is a perfect example of Flunk's distinctive "budget pop" style.

Review: Richmond Fontaine's Post to Wire celebrates its 20th anniversary with a deluxe 2LP edition, featuring a bonus live disc on Curacao transparent color vinyl housed in a gatefold sleeve. Recognised by Uncut Magazine as one of the top ten albums of the year, this release is adorned with a hype sticker. Described as a blend between Gram Parsons' slide guitar majesty and Lou Reed's narrated New York, Post to Wire offers a collection of narrated snapshots of life, crafted by frontman Willy Vlautin. Vlautin's songwriting delves into the depths of human desperation and resilience, weaving tales of downtrodden characters with incisive lyricism reminiscent of Raymond Carver. The album's epic centerpiece, 'Broken Hearts,' stands out as a testament to Vlautin's storytelling prowess, binding together characters in a shared journey of struggle and hope. With tunes that evoke familiarity and characters that feel like neighbors, Post to Wire emerges as a great addition to the canon of passionate, literary rock 'n' roll.

Review: Fresh from the release of two tip-top twelves on Handy Records and Wolf Music, Malik Kassim brings his trademark Retromigration sound to the freshly minted LYAM label. Typically warm, woozy, bass-heavy and with plenty of intricate musical details - think Ron Trent, with a dash of the Burrell Brothers and the Detroit deep house swing of Andres - all four cuts are superb examples of the Dutch producer's approach to dancefloor dynamics. Highlights include the laidback, club-ready bump of 'Heat it Up', where undulating acid lines and synth-sax catch the ear; the shuffling, broken house sparkle of 'You Want That' (a genuinely sumptuous late-night delight smothered in spacey synth solos); and the mid-tempo, jazz-funk style title track, where loose-limbed live instrumentation and emotive solos come to the fore.

Review: InFine has always been an enigmatic label. It started life when co-founder Alexandre Cazac attended a Francesco Tristano concert in Paris, during which the legendary pianist covered Derrick May's Detroit techno track 'Strings Of Life', compelling the attendee to team up with Yannick Matray and Agoria to create a platform for electronic-classical noodling. And, even if the latter French electronic tour de force has since left the team, the imprint has continued to push these kinds of boundaries since. Francois & the Atlas Mountains have some big shoes to fill with their debut for the label, then. And they do this with aplomb, albeit the kind of aplomb that's softly spoken, and sounds like you're gazing out across an endless view which is at once unknown and comforting. Electronic folk, chill-disco, whispered downtempo synth pop and patient plugged-in symphonies.

Review: An artist whose life was often beset by tragedy and ill fortune, and one who arguably never achieved his true potential, Jackson C. Frank has had his songs covered by everyone from Simon & Garfunkel (his former flatmates) and Nick Drake to Laura Marling and Counting Crows. Moreover, the appeal of the reflective world-weary melancholy of these songs extends well beyond the mid-'60s folk circuit where he initially made his name. This three album collection is the definitive version of the man's work: remastered and sounding richer than ever, it contains 24 previously unreleased tracks, paying rich homage to a maverick and magical talent.

Review: Multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter Rebecca Frazier has plenty of accoladed to her name. Some, like her being rhetorical first woman to grace the cover of Flatpicking Guitar Magazine, are commendable but mainly serve to emphasise how backwards the music press often still is. Others, like her 2018 'Guitar Performer of the Year' award from the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America, speak volumes about how talented she is. On Boarding Windows In Paradise she's making a serious case for recognition well outside the bluegrass scene. The guitar work throughout is nothing sort of spectacular and - in many moments - mind-boggling in its pace and complexity. The lyrics are delivered with the heartfelt sincerity of a true great, and her personality shines on every number. Exceptional stuff, to put it mildly.

Review: The long-awaited new album of psychedelia-tinged country from US singer-songwriter Edith Frost. It's her first album from the Texas native since 2005 and continues her long-standing partnership with the esteemed Drag City label, who she started her solo career with in 1996, after brief stints in bands The Holler Sisters and The Marfa Lights. Despite her lengthy absence, sonically she sounds on the form of her life: 'Nothing Comes Around' is as cool as anything Cate Le Bon or Aldous Harding have released recently. And 'Hold On' reflects Frost's taste for atypical vocal arrangements, which adds a striking touch to the otherwise more orthodox Americana feel.

Review: A classic album by Mark Fry, an English singer-songwriter, and an obscurity-lover's choice folk artist. Now over 50 years on from its first release in 1972, the album already held sway among its fans back then for its surreally up-close-and-personal, yet muffled, quality. But now more than ever, the passage of time lends further effect to Fry's approach to song, and could be construed as a coming-of-age piece, considering he was only 19 years old at the time of its recording. Through all its crud and layering, we can still make out the voice of a sweet soul, though the mystery of the titular Alice is still wrapped up in much illusion and allusion, with nods to the Lewis Carroll-created character cropping up throughout.

Review: Jake Xerxes Fussell's story is fascinating. Born in Columbus, Georgia, his father, Fred C. Fussell, was a folklorist, curator and photographer, a man whose life was dedicated to documenting life, as seen through the lens of human experience. We can't think of many other ways you'd grow up with the keen observational skills of Fussell Jr, who was already studying and playing with older musicians by the time he turned teenager, including blues doyen Precious Bryant. Between then and now he's put out four studio albums, released vernacular Southern Music with sonic historian George Mitchell and another folklorist, the award-winning Art Rosenbaum. Now, here we are, LP five, and it's another quiet and softly spoken hit in our opinion. Featuring appearances from Robin Holcomb, Joan Shelley, and Blake Mills, it's a captivating, rich, tender, honeyed and reflective folk delight.

Review: Since first joining forces in 2017, Warren Hampshire and Greg Foat have released some of the most magical albums of recent times - sets that cannily combine their mutual love of pastoral music, jazz-funk, library jazz, soundtracks and heady downtempo grooves. The Upturned Glass, the pair's sixth collaborative full-length, is another genuine gem. Highlights come thick and fast, from the skewed, lo-fi jazz-funk warmth of 'Pool In The Rose' and the string-drenched beauty of opener '6,000 Drunks Clinging to a Landslip' (an amusing title for a genuinely moving track), to the chiming, low-slung brilliance of the two-part title track and the emotive, slow-motion ambient-folk beauty of 'Evening Song'.