#folkrock — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #folkrock, aggregated by home.social.
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“Fireball” exclusive premiere at the Obelisk. Hush Now LP/CD/DD out 10/16. #folkrock #doommetal #fuzz #americana
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“Fireball” exclusive premiere at the Obelisk. Hush Now LP/CD/DD out 10/16. #folkrock #doommetal #fuzz #americana
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“Fireball” exclusive premiere at the Obelisk. Hush Now LP/CD/DD out 10/16. #folkrock #doommetal #fuzz #americana
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“Fireball” exclusive premiere at the Obelisk. Hush Now LP/CD/DD out 10/16. #folkrock #doommetal #fuzz #americana
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🔴 LIVE NOW ON VORTEX
📻 Vortex Sessions 🎧 (Indie pop, synth-pop, alternative rock)
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🎵 Grimm Grimm - Something in Your Way▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
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🔴 LIVE NOW ON VORTEX
📻 Vortex Sessions 🎧 (Indie pop, synth-pop, alternative rock)
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🎵 Half Moon Run - Jello on my Mind▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
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🔴 LIVE NOW ON VORTEX
📻 Vortex Sessions 🎧 (Indie pop, synth-pop, alternative rock)
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🎵 Kurt Vile - Pretty Pimpin▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
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🔴 LIVE NOW ON VORTEX
📻 Vortex Sessions 🎧 (Indie pop, synth-pop, alternative rock)
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🎵 Babe Rainbow - Aquarium cowgirl▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
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Don't care much for Van Morrison as a person, a notorious egotistical asshole and later an anti-vaxxer, but I'm rocking out to Moondance this morning while watching #f1 on mute and I can't deny it is an incredible record.
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Don't care much for Van Morrison as a person, a notorious egotistical asshole and later an anti-vaxxer, but I'm rocking out to Moondance this morning while watching #f1 on mute and I can't deny it is an incredible record.
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Don't care much for Van Morrison as a person, a notorious egotistical asshole and later an anti-vaxxer, but I'm rocking out to Moondance this morning while watching #f1 on mute and I can't deny it is an incredible record.
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Don't care much for Van Morrison as a person, a notorious egotistical asshole and later an anti-vaxxer, but I'm rocking out to Moondance this morning while watching #f1 on mute and I can't deny it is an incredible record.
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Don't care much for Van Morrison as a person, a notorious egotistical asshole and later an anti-vaxxer, but I'm rocking out to Moondance this morning while watching #f1 on mute and I can't deny it is an incredible record.
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Free download codes:
The B Roads - Nowhere Fast
"A middle age, middle England, Post Rock, Jazz Folk Road trip."
#indierock #indiefolk #altrock #folkrock #postrock #altcountrycrossover #alternativejazz #rootsandamericana #music
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Free download codes:
The B Roads - Nowhere Fast
"A middle age, middle England, Post Rock, Jazz Folk Road trip."
#indierock #indiefolk #altrock #folkrock #postrock #altcountrycrossover #alternativejazz #rootsandamericana #music
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Free download codes:
The B Roads - Nowhere Fast
"A middle age, middle England, Post Rock, Jazz Folk Road trip."
#indierock #indiefolk #altrock #folkrock #postrock #altcountrycrossover #alternativejazz #rootsandamericana #music
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Free download codes:
The B Roads - Nowhere Fast
"A middle age, middle England, Post Rock, Jazz Folk Road trip."
#indierock #indiefolk #altrock #folkrock #postrock #altcountrycrossover #alternativejazz #rootsandamericana #music
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The 1960s guitarist Ray Davies knew was not in his league
Credit: Far Out / Ray Davies Sat 5 September 2026 15:30, UK Something that Ray Davies was perfect…
#NewsBeep #News #Music #BluesRock #classicrock #Entertainment #Folkrock #JimiHendrix #LedZeppelin #PeteTownshend #psychrock #raydavies #TheKinks #TheWho #UK #UnitedKingdom
https://www.newsbeep.com/uk/761666/ -
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📻 Vortex Abyss 🕳️ (Dark ambient, neofolk, shoegaze, immersive)
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🎵 America; George Martin - Ventura Highway▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
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Bob Dylan names the R&B star who could teach Mick Jagger
Credit: Alamy / John Barrett Sat 5 September 2026 21:30, UK Rock and roll’s archetypal frontman, Mick Jagger,…
#NewsBeep #News #Music #BobDylan #classicrock #Entertainment #Folkrock #Hardrock #MickJagger #R&B #RayCharles #RockandRoll #TheRollingStones #UK #UnitedKingdom
https://www.newsbeep.com/uk/761348/ -
https://www.europesays.com/uk/1188707/ Bob Dylan names the R&B star who could teach Mick Jagger #BobDylan #ClassicRock #Entertainment #FolkRock #HardRock #MickJagger #music #RayCharles #RB #RockAndRoll #TheRollingStones #UK #UnitedKingdom
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🔴 LIVE NOW ON VORTEX
📻 Vortex Sessions 🎧 (Indie pop, synth-pop, alternative rock)
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🎵 Man/Woman/Chainsaw - Canyons▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
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🔴 LIVE NOW ON VORTEX
📻 Vortex Sessions 🎧 (Indie pop, synth-pop, alternative rock)
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🎵 Squirrel Flower - Cleveland▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
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🔴 LIVE NOW ON VORTEX
📻 Vortex Indie 🎸 (Indie pop, indie rock, classic rock)
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🎵 Mammoth - Epiphany▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
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🔴 LIVE NOW ON VORTEX
📻 Vortex Abyss 🕳️ (Dark ambient, neofolk, shoegaze, immersive)
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🎵 Esme Emerson - Show You (Truck Song)▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
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📻 Vortex Night 🕯️ (In the black lodge - Lynch sounds)
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🎵 Weyes Blood - Movies▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
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📻 Vortex Night 🕯️ (In the black lodge - Lynch sounds)
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🎵 Sharon Van Etten - Tarifa▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
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🔴 LIVE NOW ON VORTEX
📻 Vortex Sessions 🎧 (Indie pop, synth-pop, alternative rock)
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🎵 Phoebe Bridgers - I Can't Wait▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
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📻 Vortex WaveSpiral 🌀 (Post Punk & Classical New Wave)
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🎵 Joan Armatrading - Drop The Pilot▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
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https://discord.gg/d82hJZBeDE#VortexWave #JoanArmatrading #FolkRock #SingerSongwriter #80s
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https://recordsalbums.com/108-jackson-browne-vinyl-records-albums-lps Jackson Browne is one of the defining singer-songwriters of the Laurel Canyon sound, known for writing deeply human songs... #Jackson #Browne #JacksonBrowne #ClassicRock #Rock #FolkRock #JacksonBrowneVinyl #JacksonBrowneRecords #JacksonBrowneAlbums #JacksonBrowneLps #Vinyl #VinylRecords #Records #RecordAlbums #LPs #Albums #VinylRecord #Record #RecordAlbum #LP #Album
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https://youtu.be/bUmKUWzbDxg?is=dviI5s5SG4c13TB_
La meva #CançóDelDia per al dimarts 8 de setembre és aquesta de la #PaulaCole #Rockport #FolkRock #Pop #Soul #RnB #Balades #Cantautora 🤠!
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Blues For Allah
#gratefuldead #bluesforallah #70srock #folkrock #progressiverock #psychedelicrock #rock #rockmusic #music #musicsky #musiciansky #jerrygarcia #donnajeangodchaux #mickeyhart #billkreutzmann #philleash #bobweir #keithgodchaux September 1, 1975 ~ The Grateful Dead release Blues For Allah. It's a highly experimental record -- even for the Dead -- that blends progressive rock, jazz fusion, and Middle Eastern musical influences. It is also the first album to…
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Slow Turning
#JohnHiatt #slowturning #80srock #americana #folkrock #singersongwriters #rock #rockmusic #music #musicsky #musiciansky The 9th album from John Hiatt -- released on August 30, 1988. It is one of his most critically acclaimed and successful albums and is considered an Americana classic. John gets help from The Goners ... his frequent back-up band that includes guitarist Sonny Landreth, who helped craft the album's signature sound. Slow Turning ... it's like…
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https://recordsalbums.com/803-the-band-vinyl-records-albums-lps The Band were a folk rock group who helped reshape what rock music could sound like... #TheBand #BobDylan #RobbieRobertson #LevonHelm #RichardManuel #RickDanko #GarthHudson #TheBandVinyl #TheBandRecords #TheBandAlbums #TheBandLPs #FolkBand #Folk #FolkRock #Vinyl #VinylRecords #Records #RecordAlbums #LPs #Albums #VinylRecord #Record #RecordAlbum #LP #Album
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Grace
#jeffbuckley #Grace #90smusic #folkrock #altrock #jazzrock #rock #rockmusic #music #musicsky #musiciansky One album. And then, he was gone. It's produced by Andy Wallace -- known for mixing Nirvana's Nevermind -- and deftly combines alternative rock, folk, blues and even some art-pop. All that and Buckley's four-octave range and you have something special. It had poor sales but over the years its reputation has risen to legend.
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Ten Songs With … The Mountain Goats
“Ten Songs With…” is a new, irregular series of posts in which I explore the music of a group or artist I like but am only familiar with a small portion of their catalog. Unlike my previous Deep Dives series this will be more focused, limited to highlighting – yep, you guessed it – ten songs.
Ten Songs With … The Mountain Goats
I became aware of The Mountain Goats around 15 years ago, and am familiar with several songs the band has released over the past couple of decades. But I was surprised to learn that The Mountain Goats have been recording since 1991, and have released 24 studio albums – plus live albums, compilations, EPs, singles, cassettes, and limited releases. This was going to be a challenging catalog to explore!
The Mountain Goats are essentially a project of John Darnielle, born in Indiana, raised in California, and now based in North Carolina. While Darnielle attended Pitzer College from 1991 to 1995, he released his first recordings as The Mountain Goats. Many early recordings were just Darnielle and his guitar, but he was joined by Rachel Ware on bass and vocals from 1992 to 1996. Peter Hughes joined for a brief stint on bass and vocals in 1996, and then returned to play with the band from 2002 to 2024. The other two long-time members of the band are Jon Wurster, drummer since 2007, and Matt Douglas, a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist since 2015. Numerous other musicians and collaborators have contributed to The Mountain Goats sound live and in the studio.
The first decade of The Mountain Goats drew on Darnielle’s urgency to record songs as soon as possible by playing them straight into a tape recorder. While Darnielle returns to this “lo-fi” style from time to time, since the release of Tallahassee in 2002, albums by The Mountain Goats are typically recorded in a professional studio with a full band. Tallahassee was also the first album released on a major label, 4AD. The Mountain Goats later recorded with Merge Records for 15 years. Since 2025, new releases by The Mountain Goats are independently released on their own Cadmean Dawn label.
Darnielle is known as a talented lyricist with a literary style. Many songs are autobiographical and confessional, including stories of growing up with an abusive stepfather (on the album The Sunset Tree) and his addiction to methamphetamine just after high school (We Shall All Be Healed). A recurring theme across his works include song cycles about the dysfunctional “Alpha” couple, who argue in character through the song lyrics. Darnielle has also created concept albums based on his various interests such as the Bible (The Life of the World to Come), professional wrestling (Beat the Champ), and goth culture and music (Goths).
To prepare for this post, I searched for lists of “Best Albums” made by fans of The Mountain Goats, making a composite list. From this list, I chose to give a close listen to the ten albums that seemed most essential (see below) as well as various singles and playlists of the bands best songs. From this project I made my list of Ten Song, albeit it seems to only scratch the surface of The Mountain Goats’ outpout.
1994 Zopilote Machine
1995 Sweden
1997 Full Force Galesburg
2000 The Coroner’s Gambit
2002 All Hail West Texas
2002 Tallahassee
2005 The Sunset Tree
2008 Heretic Pride
2012 Transcendental Youth
2017 GothsMy Ten Songs
“Alpha Incipiens” – Zopilote Machine (1994)
“No Children” – Tallahassee (2002)
“Alpha Rats Nest” – Tallahassee (2002)
“This Year” – The Sunset Tree (2005)
“Dance Music” – The Sunset Tree (2005)
“Amy aka Spent Gladiator 1” – Transcendental Youth (2012)
“The Legend of Chavo Guerrero” – Beat the Champ (2015)
“Rain in Soho” – Goths (2017)
“Training Montage” – Bleed Out (2022)
“Rocks in My Pockets” – Through This Fire Across from Peter Balkan (2025)
Have you listened to The Mountain Goats? If so, let me know your favorite songs in the comments.
Previous Ten Songs With…:
#FolkRock #indieFolk #indieRock #Music #TenSongsWith #TheMountainGoats -
After The Storm
#crosbystillsandnash #afterthestorm #ninetiesrock #rock #rockmusic #music #musicsky #musiciansky #davidcrosby #grahamnash #stephenstills #glynjohns #rock #americana #folkrock #benmonttench #classicrock The fifth from CS&N is released on August 16, 1994. It's produced by legendary engineer Glyn Johns and his influence is all over the album. He recorded the rhythm section and guitars mostly live and that avoids the "date-stamped" sound of pop. CSN asked…
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"I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better" is a song by the Los Angeles #folkRock band #theByrds, first released in June 1965 on the #Bside of the band's second single, "All I Really Want to Do". Despite initially being released as a B-side, the song managed to chart in its own right in the U.S., just outside the Billboard Hot 100. It was also included on the Byrds' debut album, #MrTambourineMan and #TheByrdsGreatestHits. The song was written by band member #GeneClark.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=to-RVV_3anw -
Stamp Collecting is/was my son Lennon's band who released their album last night at their final show in #NorthPortland. Half the group is leaving for college. Obviously I have bias, but damn, they were so good! #Unwound fans take note.
#emo #experimentalmusic #folkrock #psychfolk #noiserock
https://stampcollecting.bandcamp.com/album/cardboard-television
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#JukeboxFridayNight #marketsandfairs #fairportconvention #shemovesthroughthefair #sandydenny #psychfolk #folkrock
Fairport Convention "She Moves Through the Fair"
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Album Recommendations – July 2026
I’ve given up on trying to regularly write reviews of new albums, but I still want to share albums I enjoyed. Below are several new (and new-ish) albums – no ratings, no criticism – just music I enjoy listening to and hope you will to.
Album: Wendy Eisenberg
Artist: Wendy Eisenberg
Genre: Folk Rock, Country Pop
Release Date: April 3, 2026
Label: Joyful Noise
Favorite Tracks:- Take a Number
- Meaning Business
- Old Myth Dying
- Vanity Paradox
- The Walls
An avant-guarde approach to folk music combined with introspection and a sense of hopefulness shape this album by the Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter.
Album: Nine Inch Noize
Artist: Nine Inch Nails, Boys Noize
Genre: Industrial Techno
Release Date: April 17, 2026
Label: The Null Corporation, Interscope
Favorite Tracks:- Heresy
- Parasite
- Came Back Haunted
- As Alive As You Need Me to Be
Nine Inch Nails (Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross) and Boys Noize (Alexander Ridha) collaborate on this compilation of live and remixed tracks from the Nine Inch Nails catalog. While I initially thought it was a mashup of boy bands with industrial techno, it’s still pretty cool if not legendary.
Album: Gongbu
Artist: Balming Tiger
Genre: Alternative K-Pop
Release Date: May 19, 2026
Label: Awal Recordings
Favorite Tracks:- Janjan
- Home
- It’s the Night
Balming Tiger is classified as K-Pop which is kind of absurd, since K-Pop is a whole music industry not a genre. And as an experimental music collective, Balming Tiger doesn’t even fit a genre.
Album: Ultra
Artist: Six Sex
Genre: Perreo, Electroclash
Release Date: June 6, 2026
Label: Dale Play
Favorite Tracks:- LOVE ME HATE ME
- CALIENTE
- BEAUTY privilege
- no more porn
Argentine Francisca Cuello electronic dance project Six Sex is kind of like if someone crossed reggaeton with Charli XCX.
Album: Olivia Rodrigo
Artist: you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love
Genre: Indie Rock, Dream Pop
Release Date: June 12, 2026
Label: Geffen
Favorite Tracks:- drop dead
- stupid song
- maggots for brains
- the cure
- what’s wrong with me
- expectations
Olivia Rodrigo was born in 2003 but is keeping the sounds of the 80s & 90s alive with her mix of synthpop, power pop, pop punk, and thoughtfully-worded ballads. She even features a guest appearance by Robert Smith of the Cure!
Album: Floyd Mercantile
Artist: Peter Mulvey & Jenna Nicholls
Genre: Folk, Singer/Songwriter
Release Date: June 12, 2026
Label: Righteous Babe Records
Favorite Tracks:- Some People
- Dreamers Awake
- Butterfly Kisses
Floyd Mercantile is the name of a store in rural Virginia where singer songwriters Peter Mulvey and Jenna Nicholls, and guitarist Ross Bellenoit recorded this album. It includes original works by Mulvey (whom I’ve been following for a long time) and Nicholls (who is new to me but has a lovely voice) and classic pop songs from the Great American Songbook, all in a folk/jazz style.
Album: Public Luxury
Artist: Downtown Boys
Genre: Punk Rock
Release Date: June 26. 2026
Label: Sup Pop
Favorite Tracks:- No Me Jodas
- The City Begins
- Yellow Sun
- You’re A Ghost
- Public Works
The socialist punk rock band from Providence, RI return with their first album since 2017’s Cost of Living.
#AlbumRecommendation #AlternativeMusic #BalmingTiger #BoysNoize #CountryPop #DowntownBoys #DreamPop #Electroclash #FolkMusic #FolkRock #indieRock #Industrial #JennaNicholls #KPop #Music #NineInchNails #OliviaRodrigo #Perreo #PeterMulvey #PunkRock #SingerSongwriter #SixSex #Techno #WendyEisenberg -
Stills 2
#stephenstills #stills2 #70srock #70smusic #folkrock #americana #csn #csny #music #musicsky #musiciansky #rock #rockmusic #jerrygarcia #thememphishorns #davidcrosby #grahamnash June 30, 1971 ~ The Captain releases his second solo album. A few noteables stop by to lend a hand: Eric Clapton, Billy Preston, Nils Lofgren, Dr. John, David Crosby and Jerry Garcia. Oh, and that's the Memphis Horns putting out that big horn sound throughout the album.
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Lauren Hoffman – the lilas (EP)
#90s #Alternative #Rock #alternativerock #chamberpop #emo #folkrock #indierock #singersongwriter #LosAngeles
CC BY-SA (#CreativeCommons Attribution Share Alike) #ccmusic
https://laurenhoffman.bandcamp.com/album/the-lilas-ep -
Punisher
#PhoebeBridgers #punisher #2020rock #contemporaryfolk #folkrock #emo #indiefolk #indierock #rock #rockmusic #music #musicsky #musiciansky Phoebe releases her critically acclaimed sophomore album on June 18, 2020 ... This one confirmed what we already knew from her first album -- Phoebe Bridgers is one of her generation's most vivid and devastating lyricists, blending indi-folk with ethereal dream pop. I mean .. look at the album cover.
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"Sunny Came Home" is a #folkrock song by American musician #ShawnColvin. It is the opening track on her 1996 concept album, #AFewSmallRepairs. The song was serviced to #contemporaryHitRadio in the US on February 4, 1997, and was released commercially on June 24. In the United Kingdom, the song was released in July 1997 but did not chart until a re-release in May 1998. "Sunny Came Home" was a commercial success.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DR1HUFhXsk -
Albion – It Was In The Month of May I Review By Mystikus HugebeardSorry, but I can’t resist: It was in the month of May that I sat down to review the newest album by the British folk-rockers Albion, titled It Was In The Month of May I.1 This gaggle of self-declared whippersnappers blew this reviewer away with their 2024 album Lakesongs of Elbid. What started as an unassuming filter piece grew on me more and more to the point it made my (and my co-conspirator Killjoy’s) end-of-year list. Albion’s timeless, joyful folk-rock music has enjoyed constant rotations in the Hugebeard tower since then, and so a new album has been a hotly anticipated affair. Now that it’s in our hands, has Albion continued their trend for quality?
For those unfamiliar with Albion, they play a flute-heavy, wistful sort of progressive folk-rock that draws an obvious comparison to Jethro Tull and reminds me a great deal of Big Big Train. For those a little more familiar, it’s worth mentioning that It Was In The Month of May has somewhat toned down the already limited metal crunch that graced Lakesongs of Elbid. Rest assured, this is no criticism, as this album remains energetic and adventurous in all the right ways. The opening prelude, “Mis Mai,” followed by the first true foray into the album’s essence, “The Green Knight,” demonstrate Albion’s sonic strengths right out of the gates. “Mis Mai” highlights the dulcet pipes of Joe Parrish-James as he lathers the song’s Welsh lyrics in decadent velvet, while “The Green Knight” starts the album in usual Albion fashion with grandiose flute melodies explored atop galloping guitar strumming.
What I love about Albion’s music, and what they maintain in It Was In The Month of May, is a sense of effortlessness. The music is fun, it’s accessible, it’s breezy, it’s comfortably warm and full of well-crafted little moments so crisp and yet so obvious it almost makes you wonder how no one else thought of it first. The pub-rock verse of “Down With The Hero” and the epic call-and-response between the flutes and guitars in the middle of “Calan Mai” come especially to mind. In the album’s longer songs, Albion are quite eager to just let the music run free through the meadow in spacious explorations of riffs and solos, but it never feels aimless. The melodies of “The Green Knight” and “Eldest” in particular see the guitars and flutes bounce merrily along in an endless up-and-down like the rolling hills stretching before you as you prepare for adventure. The closer, “Calan Mai,” is the longest at ten minutes, but even at its most unrestrained, the song’s melodies wield graceful finality in a way that always feels satisfying.
It Was In The Month of May is almost 20 minutes shorter than its predecessor, Lakesongs, which makes for an overall cleaner listening experience. However, the album’s pacing does waver a little by over-saturating the latter half with lower-energy tunes. I really quite love “Hymn to Elbereth,” as it has this gently twisting nature to it that happily makes me think of Glass Hammer, but it’s misplaced between the otherwise pleasantly acoustic “She Is The River” and the ballad “Cherry Hill,” making for an overly languid sequence of songs. “Cherry Hill” in particular leans a bit too heavily on chorus repetition for its six-minute runtime. Still, the album ends on the right note with “Calan Mai,” and there are no other noteworthy structural issues or damaging patterns affecting the album. However, I simply must mention the “la-da-da’s” and “doo-do-do’s” in the chorus of “Down With The Hero.” I don’t mind vocalizations at all and they work perfectly well as little interstitial passages like in “Eldest,” but I find it to be a heavily misguided choice for them to carry the chorus of the album’s most upbeat song.
It Was In The Month of May is warm, adventurous, inviting, and once again, and I simply cannot stress this enough, extraordinarily British. While this album never gripped me quite like Lakesongs of Elbid did, the final word on this review is nevertheless one of eager positivity. Albion is a band I tend to think of no matter the musical flavor I’m looking for, and It Was In The Month of May only furthers that trend. This is music that is just so pleasant to listen to, no matter the day, and there are some damn good bangers to be found here for any fan of folk, British rock, or prog.
Rating: Good!
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: FLAC
Label: Self-Release
Websites: official | facebook | bandcamp
Releases Worldwide: May 26th, 2026Killjoy
In the year 2021, I unexpectedly became acquainted with the debut EP of a very special folk rock group from England. The potential that Albion showed on Pryderi was immediately obvious, and I longed for more. My wish was granted in 2024 by the whopping 70-minute full-length debut Lakesongs of Elbid, for which my esteemed colleague (and now review partner), Mystikus Hugebeard, wrote a splendid filter piece. Albion has wasted no time since then, here to regale our ears again with cheery tunes. It Was in the Month of May seeks to honor the magical time of year when spring sunsets and will soon cede to warmer temperatures.
Albion’s music is wholesome for the soul, whispering to the part of human consciousness that yearns for carefree meadows and being in nature. They primarily achieve this through the exquisite pairing of flute and guitars (both acoustic and electric). This, of course, invites comparisons to Jethro Tull,2 although Albion perhaps hews a bit closer to folk music. Take, for example, the beautiful acoustic guitar fingerpicking and Welsh singing3 in “Mis Mai.” Further, Albion plays a more modernized style of rock than Jethro Tull. “Down with the Hero” is a rousing, ultra-catchy pub rock number and the guitarwork in “The Green Knight” is elaborate, sounding like a slightly slower and proggier Dark Forest. The way that Albion harmoniously blends the old with the new is genuinely refreshing.
It Was in the Month of May similarly succeeds in striking a balance between humble and epic. In both the quiet and upbeat moments, there is an air of unassuming regality. Therefore, it makes perfect sense that Albion composed a pair of songs about Tolkien’s characters Tom Bombadil and his wife, Goldberry. “Eldest (Tom Bombadil)” contains gorgeous guitar and flute swells evoking endless verdant hillsides, as well as a Celtic folk-influenced jig reminiscent of Tuatha de Danann or Braia. “She Is the River (Goldberry)” is entirely acoustic and percussion-less (save for hand claps), with sunny guitar strumming and pleasantly poetic lyrics. Continuing with Tolkien subject matters, “Hymn to Elbereth” features vocal harmonization by Joe and Rhiannon Parrish-James which is as fair as the elves who Frodo, Sam, and Pippin overheard singing these very words in The Fellowship of the Ring. Rhiannon adds her voice to Joe’s at various other times throughout the record, and I would love to hear her take center stage in the future.
Overall, It Was in the Month of May is sharper and more focused than its predecessor. As much as I loved Lakesongs of Elbid, opening with a 9-and-a-half minute instrumental track didn’t help it find its footing. “The Green Knight,” the first full song here, isn’t much shorter but its structure is more disciplined, never wavering from its gallant, galloping theme. The other 8+ minute songs, “Eldest (Tom Bombadil)” and “Calan Mai,” also mostly justify their lengths, although the latter feels a bit meandering towards the end. But the larger issue with “Calan Mai” has to do with the track that precedes it. “Cherry Hill (Maya II)” hits like a lullaby, which might have been okay if it were 3 minutes instead of 6, so it ends up stifling the momentum leading into the ornate concluding track. I do appreciate that, with a total runtime of 52 minutes, It Was in the Month of May is easier to listen to in one sitting.
It Was in the Month of May is great for drifting away and forgetting one’s troubles for a while. The uplifting compositions are easy on the ears while offering bountiful details to uncover during return visits. “Cherry Hill (Maya II)” is the main thing holding it back from unqualified greatness. That said, if Albion continues refining their songcraft at this pace, the next album will surely shatter our score safety counter. So, kick back and enjoy time outside with loved ones. It Was in the Month of May is an excellent way to ring in summer in the Northern Hemisphere.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
#2026 #30 #35 #Albion #BigBigTrain #Braia #BritishMetal #DarkForest #FolkMetal #FolkRock #GlassHammer #ItWasInTheMonthOfMayI #JethroTull #LakesongsOfElbid #May26 #ProgressiveRock #Pryderi #Review #Reviews #TuathaDeDanann -
Come see me with the Land Seeds tomorrow at 1pm in the St. Johns Square in N Portland. #folkrock #indiefolk #indiefolkrock #psychedelicfolk #psychfolk #newweirdamerica #familyband #trio #originalsongs #coversongs #acousticguitar #harmonica #bass #drums #singing #art #crafts #food
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🇩🇰 Gasolin' "Efter endnu en dag" – 1976
Produced by Roy Thomas Baker who also produced Queen. A mature and expansive album that captures Gasolin’ at their creative peak. The sound blends rock, folk influences, and more atmospheric, almost progressive elements, resulting in a record that feels both grounded and ambitious...
#gasolin #kimlarsen #danishmusic #rock #70smusic #folkrock #scandinavianmusic #vinylcommunity #vinyl #music #vinylrecords #nowspinningonvinyl #nowspinning #nowlistening
