Young folks focuses on the best, fresh folk, acoustic, singer-songwriter indie folk & alt-country jams. Turn it up Folks!
***hɣcſcâ=5 (Muisca numerical system)***
James Edwyn & The Borrowed Band
‘Quoting Sagan’
[folk/americana]
Press Notes:
Glasgow sextet James Edwyn & the Borrowed Band were formed in 2013, influenced by folk singer songwriters like Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan as well as alternative country artists such as Gillian Welch, Dave Rawlins, the Felice Brothers and Ryan Adams. Their music is a mix of alt country, indie/folk rock and roots orientated Americana.
James Edwyn and the Borrowed Band’s first album The Tower was released in 2014 through the band’s own label, Dead Records Collective. The album was well received, achieving significant airplay and positive reviews across a broad range of media. The Tower features special guest performances from acclaimed Scottish Americana troubadour Roddy Hart and the world renowned Prague Philharmonic Orchestra on The Last Waltz.
High Fences, the band’s 2017 follow up to The Tower, sees a big leap forward for the band. With Grammy nominated and ARIA-winning engineer Adrian Breakspear (Sony Australia) on mixing duties, the 10-track L.P. captures a bigger, harder edged sound without the band losing their trademark focus on finely honed arrangement and melody. Pushing Statues is the second single from the album.
Live, the band continue to move from strength to strength. Their second year on the festival circuit saw them stepping up to a number of main stages and cementing their growing reputation as a formidable live act. Their two hometown shows of late 2017 were hugely successful, with a sold out single and album launch shows. 2018 has gone with a bang for the band, seeing them invited to showcase at Glasgow’s famous Celtic Connections festival and the UK Americana Music Association festival in London. They play their first headline show in London on Sunday the 4th of November.
Quoting Sagan is the third single from High Fences.
Gracie & The Valley
‘Doorbell Dixie’
[indie-folk]
Press Notes:
“Doorbell Dixie” is the first single to be released off of Gracie & The Valley’s new album Chrysanthemum, out everywhere on Nov. 16th, 2018.
“I remember when we were younger
Swinging in your backyard & playing doorbell dixie”
Doorbell Dixie is a single about childhood sweethearts. This playful folk tune captures the innocence of young love and the reminisce of walking down memory lane. The lyrics and the instrumentation, up until the bridge, paint a picture of these two swinging on swing sets, skipping around their neighborhood, and playing ‘Ding Dong Ditch’. In the bridge, the lyrics stop looking back in time and jump to the present. Grace Bates, lead vocalist, sings for reassurance about how much and how long he will love her. The song sonically swells but remains playful, leaving unanswered questions as to how their relationship is in present tense.
“Tell me you’ll love me tomorrow
Tell me you loved me yesterday
That you see right through my sorrow
& you love me just the same”
Acoustic and electric guitar, electric bass, keys, drums, and gang vocals fill the folk sounds of this tune. The lighthearted instrumentation and the call and response chorus makes it irresistible to sing along. Being the second song on the album, it sets the stage for the love story that Chrysanthemum theatrically tells from beginning to end.
About the artist
Grace Bates was born in Northern New Jersey and raised in Nashville, TN. She formed Gracie & The Valley in August of 2017 and they have since created a signature sound that can be described as hip-swinging and heartfelt. Their songs are as eclectic as the local thrift stores while still dancing in a cohesive sweet spot, leaving no song sounding the same but all songs belonging together. The lyrics vulnerably and relentlessly delve into the fatigue of 9 to 5’s, the turmoils of the heart, and self discovery. Pairing their unique twist on indie pop music with Grace’s lyrical depth and powerhouse voice, their music will move your heart as well as your feet.
David Nevory
‘Still Afternoons’
[folk/acoustic]
Press Notes:
German-american Songwriter David Nevory decided to go back into the 70‘s for one year, just to write songs. He then gathered a multi-cultural band around him to recreate the sound of that time. Finally, the album is coming 2018!!
The title „Spring to Fall“ not only stands for the time of year the songs were written in, but also for today‘s society facing an abyss of both ignorance and insecurity.
David Nevory entwines a mix of Folk and Classic Rock music with a modern twist. Real handmade music without Auto-Tune or Synthesizers that could have been made fifty years ago. But the point is, it wasn’t.
Porch Light Apothecary
‘I Shall Be Released’
[americana/rock]
Press Notes:
Porch Light Apothecary is an Americana / Rock band from Raleigh, NC who have continued to evolve to new levels since their start in 2014. The quartet has quickly lifted their sound from the front porch to something larger, developing a colorful, vibrant sound overflowing with emotion. Their sophomore album, Weight of the Heart, is set to be released August 31, 2018.
Weight of the Heart, to a large extent, was created during a very transformative, and often tumultuous, time since the release of their last album in 2016. In addition to so many disturbing recent events, some members of the band experienced personal loss, as well. The emotional weight present while writing and recording resulted in a more intentional album and the creative process provided much needed healing. Through Weight of the Heart, the band has been able to lay down many burdens and turn them into something positive that hopefully will spread love and be uplifting.
Porch Light Apothecary is:
Brent Jordan (vocals/guitar)
Jason “JJ” Elliott (mandolin/drums/percussion)
Brandon Whitesell (keys/bass/uke/vocals)
Chris Wear (lead guitar)
David Stone
‘Strange’
[folk/singer-songwriter]
Press Notes:
Canadian singer/songwriter and musician.
Tiphanie Doucet
‘Under My Sun’
[indie pop/folk]
Press Notes:
Having starred in both Le bébé d’Elsa (as a teenager) and the Glee-like Chante! a decade ago, French singer/songwriter Tiphanie Doucet is already an established artistic presence in her homeland. Likewise, her short time in the country-esque outfit Milk demonstrated her passion and aptitude for a formal musical career. Now, with her upcoming debut solo LP, Under My Sun, she hopes to spread her lovely folk pop candidness to the whole world. Filled with earnest songwriting (sung in both French and English) and calming instrumentation, it’s a richly poignant and pastoral journey that reveals Doucet as a master of the style.
Produced in the Catskill Mountains by Simone Felice (the Lumineers, Bat for Lashes, Jade Bird), Under My Sun is inspired by artists like Norah Jones, Ingrid Michaelson, and Feist. (At times, it also channels the most organic and sparse sides of Sia, Greg Laswell, Tori Amos, and David Gray.) As for its topics and themes, Doucet reveals that the “heartbreak and homesickness” she felt after moving to America served as “a wellspring of musical inspiration”. As such, its “bittersweet meditation[s] on love and relationships” are mostly autobiographical yet wholly universal.
Although there’s a prevailing sense of scant acoustic elegance that makes the collection feel unified, each composition offers something special. Of course, the opening title track allures with its warm arpeggios, wistful vocals, easygoing percussion, and delicate piano and string accompaniments (courtesy of David Baron, Anneke Schaul-Yoder, and Felice). While several other selections exist in a similar air (“Shadow of You”, “Les Miroirs”, and closer “9 Bar Café”), pieces like “Dors” and “She” offer a faster pace and lusher symphonic arrangement. Meanwhile, “Come to Me” proves especially inviting with its handclaps and optimistic splendor, whereas “Peace of Heart” is a fervent gem in every way, making it a clear standout of the bunch. Really, every song culminates beautifully to make Under My Sun a piercing, elegant statement. ” – Jordan Blum for Pop Matters,
Shaped by her experiences in France, Los Angeles, New York, and her recently adopted New Jersey home alike, Doucet’s new work embraces a folksier, jazz-tinged gentleness. Its subtle warmth instantly feels like home, pervading the senses in a way not dissimilar to Norah Jones or Lucy Rose. Yet, in spite of any similarities you may draw between her and other great songwriters, Doucet’s dreamy vocal quality is markedly distinct, especially in how she tenderly incorporates it into her music to tell stories unique to her own outlook and experiences.” (For Folk’s Sake- Jonathan Frahm).
The Simple Parade
‘Going Through Something’
[acoustic]
Press Notes:
Lead single from upcoming album to be released spring 2019.
The Simple Parade is a musical duo comprised of Justin and Kayla Hooper based out of beautiful Denver, CO. Justin writes the songs, Kayla lends her voice, and together they create a unique variety of instrumentation to help bring the lyrics to life. With a collection of songwriting awards and magazine features under their belt, the musical couple is dedicated to creating songs that attempt to challenge the mind and encourage the soul. In fact, the band name is in itself a challenge. It is easy to get caught in the mindset of viewing life as a rigid assembly line or an immovable traffic jam, but the hope is to instead see it as a joyful parade where everyone has their own unique part to play. The simplicity is that our parade should primarily be about the relationships we make along the way, and although the march is rarely easy, it never has to be made alone. Have you joined The Simple Parade?
Box of Moxie
‘Train Car Romance’
[folk/folksy rock]
Press Notes:
Box of Moxie’s body of work is a collaboration between Virginia band founder and Frontman Stephen Jacques & Nationally recognized Multi-Instrumentalist, Producer & Recording Engineer Alan Weatherhead (The Cardigans, Cracker, Magnolia Electric Co., Camper Van Beethoven, Hotel Lights, Sparklehorse). Alan is an exceptional, prolific & insightful musician with an extensive list of credits in the Music industry. Stephen (vocals, guitar, lyrics) began writing the 1st of over 60 songs & ballads following the crash of the 2009 American Real Estate market. A silver lining of sorts as Moxie was launched out of the starting blocks.
Box of Moxie has been described as a lot of things over the years: alt-rock, Americana, Folksy Rock, Avant-garde. But mostly, there’s a lifetime of working in the real world that has essentially delivered the goods in terms of the lyrics by Stephen. He spent over 25 years working before the first lyrics were ever penned – as an engineer, custom builder, TV show host, and actor- strumming his Acoustic along the way.
Karla Kane
‘Goodguy Sun’
[folk/indie pop]
Press Notes:
The upcoming single from Karla Kane, “Goodguy Sun,” paints a wistful classic-pop picture that encapsulates the feelings of summer giving way to autumn. Written by DIY pop master Martin Newell (Cleaners From Venus), it’s a mix of California sunshine and English melancholy, as befitting its transatlantic origins. The song is being released in conjunction with the autumn issue of Big Stir Magazine (in which Kane interviews both Newell and Robyn Hitchcock) and its monthly Burbank concert series.
Kane and Newell (one of her musical heroes) have worked together in the past. He performed vocals on her debut solo release, King’s Daughters Home For Incurables, and the two have shared the stage several times in England. “He sent me his demo of the song and said he thought it might suit me. Well, when your songwriting idol says that, you take notice!” Kane explains. She quickly recorded the track in California with a backing band including both frequent and first-time collaborators (Khoi Huynh, KC Bowman, Bradley Skaught, Gina Sperinde). Newell’s acclaimed album The Greatest Living Englishman was recently released on vinyl to celebrate its 25th anniversary and a new album, Life in a Time Machine, is imminent.
“Goodguy Sun” is dreamy, enchanting and full of golden autumn light. With Kane’s vocals soaring between rolling fields of ukulele, piano and heavenly harmonies, it’s a perfect fall soundtrack no matter the weather.
About Karla Kane
Karla Kane is best known as the lead singer/songwriter/ukulele player for California band the Corner Laughers. They have released four acclaimed albums, plus two more with the side project Agony Aunts. Her well-regarded solo debut, King’s Daughters Home For Incurables, was released in 2017 on Mystery Lawn Music/Gare du Nord. Kane has performed alongside members of Fountains of Wayne, The Soft Boys, Martin Newell, Hungrytown, and Allen Clapp (The Orange Peels). Her music has been featured in retail stores including Old Navy, Victoria’s Secret and American Eagle and played on the BBC, CBC and radio stations throughout the U.S. and internationally. Kane has received multiple awards including Twirl Radio’s Twirly Award for album of the year 2009/10 and runners-up in 2012 and 2015 and for best songwriting in 2017, and best album of the year (2015) in Discussions Magazine and Goldmine Magazine.
Sascha Osborn
‘Brooklyn’
[folk/singer-songwriter]
Press Notes:
Sascha Osborn is a London based singer songwriter of reflective and heartfelt folk songs, inspired by jazz harmony, soulful melodies, descriptive lyrics and a love of simple everyday natural beauty. Blending her cocktail of influences, seamlessly dancing between the ‘folk’ and ‘jazz’ worlds she utilises these flavours and colours to express narratives of relationships and evocations of life experience.
‘Looking Out and After’ her debut album recorded and produced by Patrick Wood, is released 26.10.18, which she describes as an ‘oil painting weaving colourful shades and stories of hope, change, loss and love.’
Passionate about music and singing for as long as she can remember Sascha grew up to the sounds of Maria Callas, Jacqueline Du Pre, Benjamin Britten, Billie Holiday, Buddy Holly and BBC Radio 2’s Sounds of the 60’s. Moving to Sheffield in 1991, she discovered a world of folk music, electronica and neo-soul and for a few years sang in a local band and worked with various musicians and producers on a range of projects.
In 2008 she relocated to London. Keen to continue in music, Sascha joined a contemporary choir and a gospel choir and then stumbled upon jazz. Newly inspired she started studying jazz harmony, discovered new songs, new musicians and a love for ECM artists.
In September 2012 Sascha had to take six-month break from singing, however unexpectedly this proved to be a catalyst in finding her stylistic voice. Unable to sing, she listened to mountains of music and started writing songs on the guitar and singing melodies in her head. Engaging further in song writing, she found support and confidence enabling her to connect her love of jazz harmonies, soulful melodies and descriptive lyric to create her sound; through losing her voice, she found her stylistic voice.
Following further and fuller engagement in song writing, she released her debut five-track EP ‘Love Finds You’ on 14th September 2015, recorded and produced by Patrick Wood, a defining moment: ‘My pencil sketches became watercolours, an amazing experience.’
Further developing Sascha’s distinctive sound and influences, her debut album, ‘Looking Out and After’ introduces the musical personalities of the talented Patrick Wood (guitars, Rhodes, Wurlitzer, piano) Roy Dodds (drums and percussion) and Simon Edwards (double and electric bass.)
Sascha is releasing select songs to preview her album and playing solo acoustic sessions at various venues. The album launch is on Monday 29th October 2018 at the intimate and beautiful St. Pancras Old Church, London with full band featuring the finest musicians.
Compiled by: Christos Doukakis