Rosie Hood - The Beautiful & The Actual (16/06/17)

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• Artist: Rosie Hood
• Genre: Folk
• Released Date: 16th June, 2017
• Record Label: Rootbeat Records
• Tracks: 12
• Website: http://www.rosiehood.co.uk

'The Beautiful & The Actual' displays Rosie’s artistic progress and creative partnerships that have developed since releasing her eponymous E.P. in 2011. 'From A Furlong of Flight', lamenting an 11th Century monk’s unrealised dreams, effortlessly enhanced by the Barber Sisters’ strings arrangements, to the tragic traditional ballad 'Lord Lovel', sung in classic duo harmony style with Folk Award winner Jefferson Hamer, and 'Undaunted Female', the story of a bold young woman, simply accompanied by Emma Smith’s driving double bass, Rosie’s vocal holds these songs together. John Archbold’s poignant war song 'The Hills of Kandahar' features Ollie King’s sensitive melodeon playing, whilst the stark and haunting version of 'The Cruel Mother' is sung with Folk Singer of the Year nominee Emily Portman. These sparse accompaniments allow each track to breathe and for Rosie’s timeless singing to tell the stories that make up this superb debut album.

Rosie Hood a young folk singer from Minety in Wiltshire, is known for her strong, pure voice and engaging solo performance. A BBC Performing Arts Fellow in 2015 and a 2016 Horizon Award nominee at the Radio 2 Folk Awards, Rosie has become more than purely a traditional singer. Having started learning folk songs at an early age from her family, Rosie has a keen interest in the history of traditional songs, particularly those of her native Wiltshire, where she has spent time researching in the local archives and developing a broad repertoire of local songs. Rosie’s Fellowship year with the English Folk Dance & Song Society proved a pivotal point in her career giving her time and space to develop as an artist. The year saw Rosie develop her song-writing with mentor Emily Portman, hone her instrumental skills and even resulted in a transatlantic collaboration with New York based singer and guitarist Jefferson Hamer.

Jamie Francis - The Patient Neighbour (02/06/17)

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• Artist: Jamie Francis
• Genre: Americana, Folk Acoustic
• Release Date: 2nd June, 2017
• Record Label: TCR Music
• Tracks: 10
• Website: https://www.jamiefrancismusic.com

Jamie Francis (of Sam Kelly & the Lost Boys, The Changing Room, and Stark) presents his debut solo album. The album is led by Jamie's banjo, but also features fiddle and whistles from Toby Shaer (John McCusker and Heidi Talbot) and cello from Graham Coe (Jellyman's Daughter and Blue Rose Code). The tracks are a mix of Irish and Americian traditional tunes, as well as some original compositions by Jamie.

Top Floor Taivers - A Delicate Game (28/02/17)

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• Artist: Top Floor Taivers
• Genre: Folk, Trad Folk, Scottish Music, Acoustic
• Release Date: 28th February, 2017
• Record Label: TFT Records
• Tracks: 10
• Website: http://www.topfloortaivers.com/

Top Floor Taivers are a young and fresh Glasgow based band performing traditional and contemporary Scottish songs and tunes. Coming from Scotland, England and Ireland, Top Floor Taivers combine stunning vocals with piano, fiddle and clarsach to create unique arrangements of traditional folk songs and tunes as well as their own compositions.

Nominated in the Up and Coming Artist category at the 2016 MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards, Top Floor Taivers released their highly anticipated debut album A Delicate Game in January 2017. With unique arrangements of traditional Scottish songs like The False Bride, to contemporary Scottish songs like Princess Rosanna by Findlay Napier, and Everybody Knows by Leonard Cohen, this exciting new album has something in it for everyone.

Since forming in 2013 the band have performed across Scotland and Ireland, with highlights including BBC Music Day, Stonehaven Folk Festival, Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Street Party, and Celtic Connections amongst others. In 2017 they will be touring their new album and will be performing a tour of Germany in 2018.

3 Daft Monkeys - Year Of The Clown (28/04/17)

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• Artist: 3 Daft Monkeys
• Genre: Acoustic, Alt Folk
• Release Date: 28th April, 2017
• Record Label: 3DM Records
• Tracks: 12
• Website: https://www.3daftmonkeys.co.uk/

Sound Of The Sirens - For All Our Sins (26/05/17)

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• Artist: Sound Of The Sirens
• Genre: Acoustic Folk-Rock
• Release Date: 26th May, 2017
• Record Label: Dmf Records
• Tracks: 10
• Website: http://www.soundofthesirens.net/

There's a certain transcendent magic that happens when two contrasting voices coalesce in perfect harmony - think The Everly Brothers, Simon & Garfunkel or George Jones and Tammy Wynette. Imperceptibly, they can raise you from the temporal to the spiritual in the breath of a song, and set you floating among the firmament infused with a sense of wonder - just like Sound of the Sirens. Exeter-based duo Abbe Martin and Hannah Wood dovetail beautifully on their debut album, For All Our Sins, a beguiling acoustic pop collection replete with lyrical sensibility. Already championed by Chris Evans - who declared himself "blown away" when he heard Sound of the Sirens for the first time, and subsequently invited them to perform alongside U2 and Take That on TFI Friday last year - they're certain to broaden a burgeoning fan base on the back of For All Our Sins. It's a fan base built up not just over several sublime EP releases - but also through their live shows, which combine a natural facility for connecting with their audiences and unforgettable performances predicated on energy, warmth, humour and, above all, real conviction. Sound of the Sirens want to both enlighten and entertain, and they want to do it with euphony. For All Our Sins accomplishes all of the above.

Ned Roberts - Outside My Mind (24/03/17)

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• Artist: Ned Roberts
• Genre: Singer-Songwriter, Folk, Acoustic
• Release Date: 24th March, 2017
• Record Label: Aveline Records
• Tracks: 10
• Website:  https://www.nedroberts.co.uk

After Ned Roberts' excellent self titled and critically acclaimed debut released in 2014, we were looking forward to more music from this very talented London based singer-songwriter. His latest release 'Outside My Mind' doesn't disappoint. It is a collection of self penned songs released by the excellent Aveline Records who stable include artists such as Ani DiFranco, Ruth Theodore, Linah Rocio and The Goat Roper Band. 

The album boasts excellent high quality and pure vocal from Ned combined with perfectly complementary stripped arrangements. Reflective, heartfelt, melancholy and bittersweet...but with a feeling of hope for the future. It exists in spirit in the original Laurel Canyon and Greenwich Village of the late 60's, while remaining true to its modern London roots. 

Good Harvest - In A Life And Place Like This (31/03/17)

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• Artist: Good Harvest
• Genre: Folk, Americana, Singer-Songwriter
• Release Date: 31st March, 2017
• Record Label: Space Station 12 / BMG Rights Management (UK) Ltd
• Tracks: 15 or 16 (with extra live bonus track)
• Website: http://goodharvestmusic.com/

Scandinavia has long been a hotbed of great music and musicians and Hanna Enlöf & Ylva Eriksson of Good Harvest are the latest excellent emerging acoustic duo. Based in Falan in Sweden their music has been described as "extraordinary beautiful, emotional and well crafted".  They call themselves musical twins, which shines through the inter-weaved harmonies and excellent interaction on stage. Quite simply they have the 'wow!' factor. Conjuring the vibe of modern groups like The Staves and First Aid Kit and Joseph while echoing classic 'Laurel Canyon' musicians like Joni Mitchell and CSNY. To best describe their music, imagine a mix of how Simon & Garfunkel play together add the harmonies of Nick Drake and finish of with the strong approach and narrative style of Gillian Welch.

Greg Russell - Inclined To Be Red (21/07/17)

• Artist: Greg Russell
• Genre: Folk, Singer-Songwriter, Acoustic
• Release Date: 21st July, 2017
• Record Label: Fellside Recordings
• Tracks: 12
• Website: http://www.gregrussellfolk.co.uk/

Martin Simpson - Trails & Tribulations (01/09/17)

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• Artist: Martin Simpson
• Genre: Folk, Americana
• Release Date: 1st September, 2017
• Record Label: Topic Records
• Tracks: 13  (+6 Deluxe edition)
• Website: http://www.martinsimpson.com/

World-renowned guitarist, singer and songwriter Martin Simpson releases his 20th solo album  ‘Trails & Tribulations’ on September 1st, 2017 via Topic Records. The new studio album is his first new solo work since 2013’s critically acclaimed ‘Vagrant Stanzas. 

Roxanne de Bastion - Heirlooms & Hearsay (05/05/2017)

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• Artist: Roxanne de Bastion
• Genre: Indie Folk, Singer-Songwriter
• Release Date: 5th May, 2017
• Record Label: Nomad Songs
• Tracks: 10
• Website: http://www.roxannedebastion.com/

It's always very exciting when Berlin born and London based singer-songwriter Roxanne de Bastion releases new music. Especially when it is her new second album and a very special groundbreaking one at that. 'Heirlooms and Hearsay' is perfectly named as it links three generations of the very talented and musical de Bastion family. It tells their stories, sharing their memories and their music. Containing all self-penned songs and a co-write the album explores Roxanne's life, her feelings, her family history and rich musical heritage. Including valuable heirlooms like the family piano handed down through the generations by her great grandfather Aladar Holzer which was one of the inspiration for the album.