
I really hope I can get there! There is alot of snow around Huddersfield. Doors at 6pm and first band on at 6.30.

I really hope I can get there! There is alot of snow around Huddersfield. Doors at 6pm and first band on at 6.30.
Filed under News

I have talked about Communion a little before, but for people who don’t know, its basically a folk gig night put on in Leeds, London and Brighton. It was set up by Ben Lovett from Mumford and Sons and Kevin Jones, who was a member of Cherbourg before they split. The night has included the likes of Laura Marling, Noah and the Whale, JJ Pistolet and Mumford and Sons among many others. This album is an introduction to the whole London nu-folk movement, featuring both more establish artists such as Mumford and Sons and Johnny Flynn alongside new artists. It’s wonderful to see that this scene is ever growing and getting stronger, I think one of the special things about folk music is how it brings people together and I hope this compilation will bring more people into the folk movement.
The record is started off by a previously unreleased track by Johnny Flynn called ‘In the Honour of Industry’, a song with a different feel from A Laurm, showing he is continuing to develop as a very talented songwriter after his wonderful Sweet William EP. The collection goes on with stand out tracks from Stokes William, Andrew Davie, Peggy Sue, Elena Tonra and obviously ‘Sister’ by Mumford and Sons although few of the tracks slip into the background, proving that the folk movement has some very strong new acts and will continue to grow and grow. Songs such as Peter by Elena Tonra, a song apparently written about Peter Pan, and More than Letters Benjamin Francis Leftwich show how beautiful and strong the singer songwriter still is, and tracks such as That Sinking Feeling by Broadcast 2000 and February Snow by Peggy Sue shows how folk has developed into something very new and indie-inspired. Zion by Stokes, William, one of my favourites rings both Mumford and Sons and Johnny Flynn influences compared with the Jeffrey Lewis sounding Beans on Toast song. The record shows both the diversity and the community feel that the folk movement has. The collection is ended beautifully with the delicate sound of Matthew Corby, one of the few artists on the album that was new to me. The Chapter are as followed:
Chapter 1
Johnny Flynn – In The Honour Of Industry
Jay Jay Pistolet – Vintage Red
Marcus Foster – Circle In A Square
Stokes, William feat. Marcus Mumford – Zion
Pete Roe – Bellina
Chapter 2
Broadcast 2000 – That Sinking Feeling
Benjamin Francis Leftwich – More Than Letters
Jeremy Warmsley – How We Became
Brendan Campbell – Maudlin Reverie
Alessi’s Ark – Hands In The Sink
Chapter 3
Mumford and Sons – Sister
Matthew and the Atlas – Deadwood
Alan Pownall – Take Me
Elena Tonra – Peter
Beans On Toast – Things To Do Before You’re Thirty
Chapter 4
Kurran and the Wolfnotes – Pounding
Peggy Sue – February Snow
Andrew Davie – Lie Down In The Blood
Rachel Sermanni – My Friend Fire
Jesse Quin and the Mets – The Sculptor and the Stone
Matt Corby – Light Home
The record is out on vinyl on March 1st but you can pre-order it today from here and you will get your mp3′s to listen to now. I really do recommend it and its only about £10 so well worth it!
Best Tracks: Peter- Elena Tonra, Zion- Stokes, William, February Snow- Peggy Sue and Sister- Mumford and Sons
Rating: 4/5
Filed under Album Review
I’m really excited about music this year, both all the new music that I have fallen in love with and also old bands who are back with another album. Today Laura Marling announced the release date, title and tracklisting for her album so I thought I would make a little post about some of the lovely albums to come in the next few months…
Vampire Weekend- Contra- January 11th 2010

The second album from the delightful Vampire Weekend. To pre-order and for the track listing go here (amazon). They are also doing a UK tour at the start of February but the dates are all sold out.
Marina and the Diamonds- Family Jewels- February 15th 2010

BBC’s Sound of 2010 number 2, Marina and the Diamonds, a singer who has grown on me alot in the last week or so, will release her album Family Jewels in February. She also has a tour planned for February. Pre order and track listing here (amazon).
Laura Marling- I Speak because I can- March 22nd (or 1st March?)

What a lovely album title, and set to be a rather beautiful album too! With songs such as Blackberry Stone, Made by Maid and Hope in the Air. Laura has a tour planned for April, tickets are still available, get them quick if you wanna go! Pre-order here (amazon).
Peggy Sue- Fossils and Other Phantoms- April 2010

A very exciting concept, Peggy Sue with an album! I think it might be rather special, but we will have to wait until April to see. I don’t think its avaliable for Pre order anywhere, but if you go to their website and enter your password, they are giving away a free track of Hatstand Blues. Go here.
Ellie Goulding- Lights- March 1st 2010

Ellie, it was today announced is BBC’s Sound of 2010 winner! I am very excited about how this year is going to pan out for her. She has a tour planned for April, tickets are still available, but get them quick as I don’t know how much longer for. I can’t seem to find a track listing for this record but you can pre order here.
Broadcast 2000 (self-titled album)- February 15th 2010

The first full album from this exciting band who I hope will do well this year. They made an album trailer below, which is rather beautiful, but I can’t find any track listings or places to pre-order. If your around Leeds, they are playing for free at Nation of Shopkeepers with Alessi’s Ark and Rachael Dadd on 21st February, so come along!
First Aid Kit- The Big, The Black and the Blue- 25th January
![]()
The Swedish sister duo release there first album this month, followed by a full UK tour in February/March. The album includes all new tracks, non from the Drunken Trees EP released a few years ago. Tracklisting is here, and pre order here (amazon).
Other bands set to release albums in early 2010: Arcade Fire, Johnny Flynn (just announced a full band mini-tour for next month, dates), Bon Iver?, Fleet Foxes?
Going to be a good year for music!
Filed under Features

This is being organised by the Golden Owl, a lovely blog also based in Leeds, visit it here.
Happy New Year! This is the first post of 2010! It’s gonna be a good year, I can feel it. At the moment there are quite a few lists about for predictions of bands which are gonna be big next year. I have decided to do a little selection of bands I think will have success next year, or bands I hope will. There success might not be massive like Florence or La Roux this year, but I hope they will have some success, even if it stays under the radar.
Ellie was my New Treat a few days ago and is the post below this one so look their for some mp3′s, videos and a full description on my thoughts on her. I predict big things for this lady this year. She’s mentioned on every list I have come across for ones to watch next year, and rightly so, she’s amazing.
I love love love Peggy Sue and have done ages, but I think that 2010 is gonna be their year. Following the success of Mumford and Sons last year, and as there album is due to be released in the springtime, I think they could do very very well. I hope they do as they really deserve it. The video I have chosen to post I posted a while back but I think its wonderful and beautifully shot so here it is again.
I thought they would do pretty well in 2009 but they have definitely slipped under the radar. Gutted. Local Natives are like a mixture between Fleet Foxes and Vampire Weekend, certainly not a bad combination. There album is already out and a UK tour planned for later this year. I love his voice, its really pure and breathy.
Yay! Fanfarlo are a wonderful band. I saw them live on there tour with First Aid Kit and they are really very good. There album is such a beautiful collection of songs. When I made a Top 5 albums of 2009 list in December, they would probably be number 6. This video is of them at Bandstand Busking.
I saw Marina and the Diamonds at Glastonbury and I wasn’t overly impressed but I do really like the edgy, strange thing she is bringing to pop music. Her voice is a little like Kate Bush, and her songs are catchy so I think she will do well. Her album is out in February I think.
I don’t think they will have any big commercial success, but they might do pretty well within the folk scene. For Leeds people, there playing for free at Nation of Shopkeepers along with Alessi’s Ark and Rachael Dadd (what a gig! be there)
I’m confused whether I love or hate King Charles. This song is pretty addictive and if he produces more like it he could do rather well.
Other bands I think will do good are Owl City, Starsmith, Stornaway, Daisy Dares You, Rox.
I also think The Arcade Fire will have a massive come back as they have a new album out. I predict some anthems in the making.
So, 2010 is looking sunny
If you have any suggestions of other bands you would like to do well, I would love to listen. Happy New Year again!
Filed under Features