Monthly Archives: January 2019

New Roots presents a superb alt-folk double bill – The Rail Abandon & Sailing Stones.

Venue: The Harrison

28 Harrison Street, Kings Cross, London WC1H 8JF, Ph  020 7278 3966

Doors open 7.30 pm, nearest tube Kings Cross, 6 mins walk.

£7.00 Adv  BUY NOW  / £8.50  Door

The Rail Abandon is the musical (dis)guise of Sonny Johns, Grammy, MOBO and Mercury nominated producer/ engineer/ musician. Grounded in the 1960s folk revival of John Martyn, Nick Drake and Fairport Convention, The Rail Abandon’s “Afrolktronica” incorporates influences of electronic music as well as the sound of West Africa – inspired by the musicians Sonny has worked with, including Ali Farke Toure, Fatoumata Diawara, Orchestra Baobab and Tony Allen.

Created as an outlet for Sonny’s solo song writing, The Rail Abandon is a collaboration of friends and fellow musicians such as Seb Rochford, Dinosaur’s Laura Jurd & Elliot Galvin, The Little Unsaid’s John Elliot, Liran Donin and Adam Beattie. The Rail Abandon has recorded two albums, the most recent of which, Kalba, is a collaboration between Sonny and Ghanaian xylophonist Isaac Birituro. Named after the town it was recorded in, and where Isaac went to school, the profits of the album will be used to help build a new school in Kalba, North Ghana. The album is due for release in Spring 2019.

Dublin-born singer songwriter Jenny Lindfors returns with a new moniker and new music. Sailing Stones emerges from a period of self-discovery, self-production, and a new musical approach. With a musical spectrum that ranges from the sophisticated folk of Laurel Canyon to the analogue ambiences of Bladerunner and Vangelis, Lindfors’ effortlessly graceful, beautifully observed songs stand as testimony to a wonderful songwriting talent.

Her career to date has seen her tour with the million-selling Rumer, and share the stage with Angus & Julia Stone.

‘..captivating, in a similar vein to Lucy Rose or to early Laura Marling, set apart by the spacious melancholy that’s all its own’. The Line of Best Fit

www. thisisailingstones.com

______________________________________

New Roots is committed to promoting events that shine a light on up and coming talent in the UK alt-folk scene. It’s committed to providing artists with an environment that is sympathetic to what they do, giving musicians the respect they and their music deserves – for this reason we ask for no talking and no use of mobile phones while artists are performing. Our music policy comes from the kitchen table, the roots of public performance- intimate, acoustic based, high quality musicianship with as little interference between performer and listener as possible.

Website: www.newrootsevents.com
New Roots Radio: https://www.mixcloud.com/RadioNewRoots/

New Roots presents THE NEW ROOTS SESSIONS, A series of Friday and Saturday night events at the Harrison in Kings Cross featuring three superb headline solo artists on a triple-bill. Fully seated, tickets limited to 40 only- advance purchase advised.

Venue: The Harrison

28 Harrison Street, Kings Cross, London WC1H 8JF, Ph  020 7278 3966

Doors open 7.30 pm, nearest tube Kings Cross, 6 mins walk.

£8.50 Adv  BUY NOW  / £10.00 Door

Danny Wilson’s formidable credentials go back to his days in seminal UK roots rock band Grand Drive with brother Julian, followed by six albums of consistently high calibre output with his enormously successful Danny & The Champions of the World incarnation. In 2016 the band swept the boards at the first UK Americana Awards, winning with Album, Artist and Song of the Year. Alongside Robin Bennett (The Dreaming Spires, Goldrush, Saint Etienne) and Tony Poole (Starry Eyed and Laughing) he has recently formed Bennett, Wilson, Poole (“instant classics… hints of Willie and Levon” Bud Scoppa, Uncut), named Americana-UK’s ‘Band Of The Year’ 2018.

“Some things remain constant… not least Wilson’s unfailing feel for Southern/Celtic soul melodies, and his eloquence of sentiment never allowing affection for his inspirations to lead him in the direction of pointless pastiche when he could break your heart or make you smile instead” MOJO

“One of my favourite-ever songwriters…’ Stevie Chick (The Guardian)

‘..simply exemplary’ FATEA Magazine

Michele Stodart’s career with the Magic Numbers has taken her around the world, to the biggest stages, selling huge amounts of records and receiving a Mercury nomination along the way. She has to date released two critically acclaimed, beautifully written, roots and soul-drenched solo albums.

‘Stodart’s solo career..sits in a rich tradition that encompasses such touchstone female performers as Karen Dalton and Judee Sill…Etta James..Alison Moorer [&] Gillian Welch. Pieces may well be the most impressive record she’s ever made, with or without brother Romeo and band’. MOJO 

A hugely respected figure in the world of contemporary UK folk, Trevor Moss has spent the last ten years performing as a duo with his wife Hannah-Lou, releasing four albums with with producers such as Ethan Johns (Ryan Adams/ Laura Marling/ Kings of Leon) , Richard Causon (Lucinda Williams/ The Jayhawks/ Alanis Morrisette) and Dan Carey (Kate Tempest/ Nick Mulvey/ Willy Mason). He has toured the world and supported, amongst others, Tori Amos, Ron Sexsmith, Damon Albarn and Loudon Wainwright, performing everywhere from The Royal Albert Hall to the Ryman Auditorium, and festivals including Glastonbury, Cambridge Folk Festival and Green Man.

“Ranagri … stunning, dazzling, remarkable…’Tim Carroll, FolkWorlds /  “[Ranagri are] creating a trademark sound that’s becoming ever more familiar as they continue to make waves on the UK and European folk scene”. Folk Radio UK

Venue: The Slaughtered Lamb

34-35 Great Sutton St, Clerkenwell,  EC1V 0DX Ph: 020 7253 1516

Nearest tube Farringdon, 6 minutes walk

£10.00 adv BUY NOW / £12.00 door

Following the success of first single ‘Bad Lover’, Jeremy Tuplin announces the release of his sophomore album ‘Pink Mirror’ on 22 March via Trapped Animal & Cargo Records.

Venue: The Slaughtered Lamb

34-35 Great Sutton St, Clerkenwell,  EC1V 0DX Ph: 020 7253 1516

Nearest tube Farringdon, 6 minutes walk

£8.50 adv BUY NOW/ £10.00 door

Jeremy Tuplin describes ‘Pink Mirror’ as a “jovial sojourn through some of human nature’s so-called dark sides. It’s a satirical look at representations of love, desire, vanity, society, the internet and more in the modern world.” Conceptually, the aforementioned pink mirror acts as a visual echo chamber against which, Tuplin exposes naked realities amongst catchy chords belying the subject matter at hand.

Recorded at Marketstall Recording Studio in South Bermondsey, Tuplin used the same sound-engineer and co-producer, Mark Estall, he used to produce his acclaimed first album. ‘I Dreamt I Was An Astronaut’ was described by Clash Music as a “cosmic gem” and by BBC’s Tom Robinson as “unconventional, conversational and intimate”. Tuplin’s second album brings it back to earth adding soundscapes and swells, plus more guitar.

During one of the hottest summers on record, Tuplin released one-off track ‘Long Hot Summer’ in 2018 to raise money for Friends of the Earth. That caught the attention of independent record label Trapped Animal as an exciting artist with a social conscious. ‘Pink Mirror’ was recorded organically with a tried and trusted formulae. Tuplin wanted to break away from cosmic space-folk, bringing this album back down to earth.

Album teaser track ‘Just Cos Ur Handsome’ was made available as a limited-edition free download through Bandcamp, which was described by ComeHereFloyd as “what you want in a drizzly life that needs a dose of bright sunshine of reality.” First single ‘Bad Lover’, released November 2018, went down a storm, thanks no doubt to the accompanying video of Jeremy performing with a backing band of ironically-yawning-hipsters. ForTheRabbits said of the track, “Jaunty guitars, group backing vocals so wonderful the Ronettes would be proud of them, and rolling basslines; it’s Jeremy Tuplin sure, but as we’ve never seen him before.” The track went on to top many a Spotify playlist and video round-up with Americana UK writing that it was “ridiculously catchy, has great lyrics and a fun video to accompany it.”

Tuplin’s favourite album tracks are ‘Can We Be Strangers’, ‘The Machine’ and ‘The Beast’, as they are more autobiographical, combining them with humility to those tracks voicing social commentary. The album artwork was taken from a larger painting Tuplin has been working on. He was helped with formatting by Sam Mortimer. The darker artwork on the reverse of the album cover seeks to expose the rose-tinted optimism of the bright front cover. Tuplin brings with him a real sense of authenticity. The tracks are consumed so easily but there are reasons, thought and sincerity behind each.