Holloway Road Ticketmaster Session + Live Dates inc C2C shows

January 31, 2018 by David Vousden in Acoustic, Country, Festivals, News, Pop, Tour Dates, Video

UK country duo Holloway Road continue to go from strength to strength on the back of successful UK touring and recent singles 'If She Falls' and 'Under Cover.' The guys will continue their touring schedule with a run of stripped back acoustic dates to showcase another side of their music including shows at the C2C festival for the fourth year running. To give fans an idea of what to expect on the dates the boys recently visited Ticketmaster HQ to play a live acoustic session. Those all important dates and the Ticketmaster session follow:

Ramblin' Roots Revue returns to High Wycombe April 6th-8th

January 29, 2018 by David Vousden in Acoustic, Americana, Bluegrass, Country, Festivals, Folk, News, Roots, Tour Dates, Alt-Country

After a successful first event last year, the Ramblin' Roots Revue will return to Bucks Student Union in High Wycombe for three days of Americana, folk, country and roots music in 2018. The event is produced in association with respected UK Americana label Clubhouse Records and they're put together an impressive range of acts including The Magic Numbers, The Rails, Danny and the Champions of the World, Jess Klein, Robert Vincent and Bennett Wilson Poole (whose upcoming album has gone down well in the RGM office). All the info you'll need about the festival follows:

American Folk OST featuring Joe Purdy & Amanda Rubarth available now

January 26, 2018 by David Vousden in Acoustic, Folk, News, singer-songwriter, Tour Dates, Video, Soundtrack

The soundtrack to American Folk is released today (January 26th) via Thirty Tigers. American Folk features Joe Purdy and Amanda Rubarth as two strangers, and folk singers, whose lives take an unexpected turn after the events of 9/11. The film, which has been picking up awards at various film festivals, is now on release at selected cinemas in the USA while Purdy and Rubarth are touring to promote the soundtrack. More about American Folk including the trailer for the film and 'Someone Singing With Me' a track from the soundtrack follows:

Indie-folk duo Percival Elliott will 'Save Your Soul' in 2018

January 18, 2018 by David Vousden in Acoustic, Folk, New Single, News, Video

Every so often something appears in the RGM inbox so classy that you'd kick yourself if you didn't say something about it. Indie-folk duo Percival Elliott exhibit refinement and grace on their new single 'Forever' which is from their upcoming album 'Save Your Soul' due early in 2018. Olly Hite and Samuel Carter-Brazier are Percival Elliott and their brand of striking piano melodies, gentle harmonies and sumptuous strings has a timeless quality that you just don't hear every day. More about the duo, the family history that inspired the name and the stunning video for 'Forever' follows:

Mary Gauthier, Seamus Fogarty & The Blasters latest names added to Kilkenny Roots 2018

December 05, 2017 by David Vousden in Acoustic, Americana, Blues, Country, Festivals, News, Roots

The Kilkenny Roots Festival is celebrating 21 years in 2018 and the latest additions to the line-up include Mary Gauthier, who has an excellent new album 'Rifles & Rosary Beads' due in January, Irish songwriter Seamus Fogarty and, from the USA, The Blasters. With RGM fave Whitney Rose already announced alongside a host of impressive names that include Deep Dark Woods, Michael Nau and Nikki Lane this looks like an excellent weekend of great music. More about the festival and the artists set to appear follows:

I'm With Her announce 'See You Around' album and May 2018 UK dates

November 09, 2017 by David Vousden in Acoustic, Folk, News, singer-songwriter, Tour Dates

The debut album from I'm With Her will be released February 16th, 2018 on the Rounder Records label. I'm With Her features a trio of artists blessed with considerable vocal and musical talent namely Sara Watkins, Sarah Jarosz and Aoife O'Donovan. Needless to say this makes 'See You Around' one of the most anticipated releases lined up for 2018. The title track from the album is available now so please read on to check out the track, along with more about the trio, and those May 2018 UK dates:

The Wailin' Jennys celebrate 'Fifteen' with new covers album

November 01, 2017 by David Vousden in Folk, News, Acoustic

On January 5th, 2018 The Wailin' Jennys will release their first album of new material since 'Bright Morning Stars' in 2011 via True North Records in the UK. The record 'Fifteen' marks the fifteenth anniversary of the trio hence the title. The album features interpretations of some of their favourite songs including gems originally recorded by Tom Petty, Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, Paul Simon and Warren Zevon. More about The Wailin' Jennys, including a track-by-track of the songs on the new album, plus their version of the Tom Petty classic 'Wildflowers' follows:

Matt Westerman 'Life Out Loud' EP due November 3rd

September 26, 2017 by David Vousden in Pop, singer-songwriter, Soundcloud, Acoustic

Singer/songwriter Matt Westerman bought a dash of Southern Californian sunshine and positivity to the RGM inbox this week. The track in question 'One Fine Day' is an impressively catchy introduction to his upcoming debut EP 'Life Out Loud' due November 3rd. RGM recently heard the EP and the likes of 'Wait and See' and 'Don't Give Up On You' are prime examples of acoustic based pop and should appeal to a wide audience. Please read on to check out 'One Fine Day' and learn a little more about Matt Westerman:

Bruno Merz returns with 'Whisper Turn' on October 4th 2017

September 14, 2017 by David Vousden in Acoustic, Folk, New Single, News, Pop, singer-songwriter

The much travelled, New Zealand born, singer-songwriter Bruno Merz will release 'Whisper Turn' on October 4th. The single is a highly impressive teaser, and the title track, from his new album due in early 2018. When your press release includes comparisons to Nick Drake, Simon and Garfunkel, Iron and Wine etc you need to be able to hold your own but fans of his 2014 'Highways' release will need no convincing that Bruno Merz is a talent on the rise. This view is cemented by the achingly beautiful 'Whisper Turn'. More about Bruno Merz including a stream of 'Whisper Turn' follows:

The Black Feathers 'Holy Water' single / video + UK dates

September 12, 2017 by David Vousden in Acoustic, Americana, New Single, News, Tour Dates, Video

Sian Chandler and Ray Hughes aka The Black Feathers have released a video for 'Holy Water' the first single from their upcoming second album due in the spring of 2018. 'Holy Water' will be released on October 13th and is a stunning track which will be familiar to those of us who've been lucky enough to catch the duo live. If 'Holy Water' is anything to go by then the new album can't come soon enough. In the meantime the duo are setting out on a UK tour which starts on September 13th in Nottingham. More about The Black Feathers, those tour dates and the new video for 'Holy Water' follows:

Seth Lakeman News: Deluxe album reissue, new single + Robert Plant tour

August 22, 2017 by David Vousden in Acoustic, Folk, New Single, News, Tour Dates

Seth Lakeman has been very busy indeed in the last year or so. His album 'Ballads of the Broken Few' received some of the best reviews of his career including one from RGM that can be found Here. Since the album release Lakeman has toured extensively and continues to do so. On September 15th the album will be reissued with five bonus tracks including the new single 'Everything' once again featuring Wildwood Kin. In further news Lakeman will be joining rock legend Robert Plant pulling double duty as opening act and as a member of Robert's band. A win-win situation for Lakeman fans. Further details about the album and the tour follow:

Two legendary Folk Festivals combine forces

July 20, 2017 by David Vousden in Acoustic, Americana, Blues, Folk, News

These days there seems to be a new festival turning up every five minutes, but if you want to do things properly, then you can't go wrong with two festivals that effectively wrote the book on the festival experience. The Newport Folk Festival dates back to 1959 and would claim a place in musical/cultural history when Bob Dylan plugged in and switched on in 1965. Coincidentally 1965 would see the launch of the Cambridge Folk Festival so that was a pretty good year. The two festivals have announced plans for a historic twinning of the two festivals to form a unique transatlantic alliance. Please read on for more about Newport, Cambridge and their plans going forward:

Ferris & Sylvester to release 'The Yellow Line' EP June 23rd 2017

June 20, 2017 by David Vousden in Acoustic, Americana, Folk, Tour Dates, Video

Ferris & Sylvester are gearing up for the release of their 'The Yellow Line' EP on June 23rd 2017. The duo recently signed to Youth's new publishing company Painted Word Music. Killing Joke bassist Youth will be most familiar for his impressive string of production credits that include The Verve, Crowded House, Paul McCartney and a terrific album by Howie Day. With this heavyweight support things are looking bright for Ferris & Sylvester and the EP shows immense promise for the future. You can catch the duo live in London on July 12th 2017 at the famed Half Moon in Putney. You can catch the duo live in London on July 12th 2017 at the famed Half Moon in Putney. The press release about the EP and the video for 'Berlin' follows:

Maverick Festival 2017 Final Line-Up and Stage Times

June 15, 2017 by David Vousden in Acoustic, Americana, Bluegrass, Blues, Country, Festivals, News

The Maverick Festival today announced their final additions to the line-up with Nashville duo American Young and Alabama songwriter Sonia Leigh added to an already impressive artist list. Leigh has songwriting credits on that guilty pleasure that is the Nashville TV series while American Young performed recently at C2C in London. The Maverick Festival runs from June 30th - July 2nd and with so many excellent acts in just three days some inventive clock watching, or a flux capacitor, might be required to catch that not-to-be-missed set. We have all the info you'll need so please read on for more about Maverick and those stage times.

Russell Joslin announces new album 'Hey Mathematician' due August 21st 2017

June 11, 2017 by David Vousden in Acoustic, Folk, News, singer-songwriter

A welcome new arrival in the RGM inbox this week introduced us to Russell Joslin and a track taken from his upcoming album 'Hey Mathematician' due August 21st 2017. The press release refers to the track entitled 'Shackles' as a "dark love song" and the video, which features Russell and girlfriend Sarah McCaig, is well worth your time. More about Russell Joslin, Sarah McCaig and the video for 'Shackles' follows:

Madison Violet support 'The Knight Sessions' album with UK / Ireland dates

April 11, 2017 by David Vousden in Acoustic, Americana, Folk, News, Tour Dates

May 5th 2017 is the date for the latest album from Madison Violet via Big Lake Music which finds the duo of Brenley MacEachern and Lisa MacIsaac creating new music and looking back at songs from earlier in their career from a more organic, acoustic viewpoint. Madison Violet will embark on a run of shows, as a duo, in the UK and Ireland dubbed 'Back To The Roots' to coincide with the album release. More about the album, Madison Violet and those all important dates follows:

Sound of the Sirens emerge from behind a 'Smokescreen'

April 04, 2017 by David Vousden in Acoustic, Folk, Pop, Video

Abbe Martin and Hannah Wood aka Sound of the Sirens will release their debut album 'For All Our Sins' on May 5th 2017 via DMF records. The duo have been championed by Chris Evans which gained them a prestigious spot on his TFI Friday TV show (hopefully Top Gear fans won't hold this against them). The first release from the album 'Smokescreen' is available now and the video follows:

Maverick Festival 2017 full line-up announced

April 04, 2017 by David Vousden in Acoustic, Americana, Bluegrass, Country, Festivals, Folk, Roots, singer-songwriter, Tour Dates

The Maverick Festival recently announced their full line-up for 2017 with a press launch in London. The event was held at the Gibson Brands Studio in central London, with craft beers and duck wraps a plenty, to get those attending in the mood for long summer days in the Suffolk countryside. The music for the evening was courtesy of Dean Owens, Brigitte DeMeyer and Will Kimbrough. Dean has been working with Will on his upcoming album and judging by the tunes performed on the night it’ll be another good one. All you need to know about the Maverick Festival and the full line-up follows:

Cambridge Folk Festival announces a host of additions for 2017

March 16, 2017 by David Vousden in Acoustic, Alt-Folk, Americana, Bluegrass, Country, Festivals, Folk, News

Cambridge Folk Festival has announced a huge update with a host of new additions to the 2017 festival. As is usually the case with Cambridge Folk the festival brings together an eclectic mix of artists old and new from many genres of music.The latest additions announced include Shirley Collins, Loudon Wainwright III, Indigo Girls, Ward Thomas, Cara Dillon and Liv On (Olivia Newton-John, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Amy Sky). More about the festival and the acts set to perform follows:

Subterranean Festival to feature The Amorettes, Pins and Stone Broken

February 26, 2017 by David Vousden in Acoustic, Alternative Rock, Festivals, Hard Rock, Tour Dates, Indie

The Subterranean Festival is a brand new Indie / Rock festival set for Sept 23rd in the heart of Cambridge. The festival features headliners The Amorettes, Pins and Stone Broken. The event is promoted by Cambridge Live and will also feature a host of local acts all for a bargain £15. More about the festival and the full line-up follows: