#folkrock — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #folkrock, aggregated by home.social.
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The “incredibly heavy” 1970 song that stunned Ritchie Blackmore
Credit: Alamy Fri 11 September 2026 3:00, UK In the late 1990s, Leslie West, the former singer and…
#NewsBeep #News #Music #1970 #1970s #classicrock #DeepPurple #Entertainment #Folkrock #RitchieBlackmore #RockandRoll #UK #UnitedKingdom
https://www.newsbeep.com/uk/767050/ -
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📻 Vortex Sessions 🎧 (Indie pop, synth-pop, alternative rock)
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🎵 Daughter - Party▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
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📻 Vortex Indie 🎸 (Indie pop, indie rock, classic rock)
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🎵 The HU - Horsemen▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
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📻 Vortex Abyss 🕳️ (Dark ambient, neofolk, shoegaze, immersive)
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🎵 Shoos Off - Dandelion▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
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📻 Vortex Shadow 🌑 (New wave, synthwave, cold wave, goth)
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🎵 Broken Records - Until the Earth Begins to Part▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
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📻 Vortex Shadow 🌑 (New wave, synthwave, cold wave, goth)
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🎵 Cass McCombs - Not the Way▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
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📻 Vortex Shadow 🌑 (New wave, synthwave, cold wave, goth)
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🎵 Tarnation - Your Thoughts and Mine▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
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📻 Vortex WaveSpiral 🌀 (Post Punk & Classical New Wave)
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🎵 Neil Young - Computer Age▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
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📻 Vortex Indie 🎸 (Indie pop, indie rock, classic rock)
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Ronnie Van Zant’s 1977 X-rated attack on Neil Young
Credit: Far Out / MCA Records / Analog Originals Wed 9 September 2026 1:00, UK Rock and roll…
#NewsBeep #News #US #USA #UnitedStates #UnitedStatesOfAmerica #Music #1970 #1970s #1977 #America #CivilRightsMovement #Entertainment #feud #FolkRock #LynyrdSkynyrd #NeilYoung #SouthernRock
https://www.newsbeep.com/us/841391/ -
Ronnie Van Zant’s 1977 X-rated attack on Neil Young
Credit: Far Out / MCA Records / Analog Originals Wed 9 September 2026 1:00, UK Rock and roll…
#NewsBeep #News #US #USA #UnitedStates #UnitedStatesOfAmerica #Music #1970 #1970s #1977 #America #CivilRightsMovement #Entertainment #feud #FolkRock #LynyrdSkynyrd #NeilYoung #SouthernRock
https://www.newsbeep.com/us/841391/ -
Ronnie Van Zant’s 1977 X-rated attack on Neil Young
Credit: Far Out / MCA Records / Analog Originals Wed 9 September 2026 1:00, UK Rock and roll…
#NewsBeep #News #Music #1970 #1970s #1977 #America #CivilRightsMovement #Entertainment #Feud #Folkrock #LynyrdSkynyrd #NeilYoung #SouthernRock #UK #UnitedKingdom
https://www.newsbeep.com/uk/764628/ -
https://www.europesays.com/uk/1194356/ Ronnie Van Zant’s 1977 X-rated attack on Neil Young #1970 #1970s #1977 #america #CivilRightsMovement #Entertainment #feud #FolkRock #LynyrdSkynyrd #music #NeilYoung #SouthernRock #UK #UnitedKingdom
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🎵 Ed Mount - It Might Be Something▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
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🎵 O & the Mo - Make Way For The Sun▶️ 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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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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"Bridge over Troubled Water" is a song by the American #folkRock duo #SimonAndGarfunkel, released in January 1970 as the second single from their fifth and final studio album, #BridgeOverTroubledWater (1970). It was written by #PaulSimon and produced by Simon, #ArtGarfunkel and #RoyHalee. "Bridge over Troubled Water" features lead vocals by #ArtGarfunkel and a piano accompaniment influenced by #gospelMusic, with a "Wall of Sound"-style production.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9-yfeA2JZs -
Down To Earth
#jimmybuffett #downtoearth #70smusic #folkrock #gulfandwestern #music #musicsky #musiciansky #country #countryrock Jimmy's first album ... classic "Gulf and Western" ... is released on August 11, 1970. It's recorded in Nashville and is our intro to his acoustic folk, country rock and socially conscious storytelling. The album was a flop in terms of sales -- some say less than 500 copies got sold.
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Just completed this one. Song: На Исходе (at The End). Artist: Сны Саламандры лунный бард. Good song for beginners. Give the notes a look. Sheet:
https://chordyes.com/chord/at-the-end
#fender #gibson #russian #malevocalist #folkrock #mystical #nature
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https://recordsalbums.com/grateful-dead-vinyl-records-albums-lps/9014-grateful-dead-american-beauty-lp-vinyl-record-for-sale.html American Beauty showcases the Grateful Dead at their most melodic, making beautifully crafted songs rooted in folk, country, and bluegrass... #GratefulDead #AmericanBeauty #Grateful #Dead #TheDead #DeadHead #DeadHeads #GratefulDeadVinyl #GratefulDeadRecords #GratefulDeadLPs #GratefulDeadRecord #GratefulDeadLP #AmericanBeautyVinyl #PsychedelicRock #PsychedelicFolk #PsychedelicMusic #FolkRock #JerryGarcia #PhilLesh
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My kids and I (the Land Seeds) live at the Rose City Book Pub in Portland, OR today #folkrock #trio #originalsongs #acousticguitar #harmonica #bassguitar #drums #vocals #Sasquatch #PeaceAndLove https://youtu.be/KZ18pZf5pEQ?si=tqFrvFT1lq2fEzuD
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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 -
"Bridge over Troubled Water" is a song by the American #folkRock duo #SimonAndGarfunkel, released in January 1970 as the second single from their fifth and final studio album, #BridgeOverTroubledWater (1970). It was written by #PaulSimon and produced by Simon, #ArtGarfunkel and #RoyHalee. "Bridge over Troubled Water" features lead vocals by #ArtGarfunkel and a piano accompaniment influenced by #gospelMusic, with a "Wall of Sound"-style production.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-7ublizwZ0 -
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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Self-Titled Saturday | Brama (2024, France)
For our next STS 2.0 spotlight, we’re going to take a look at number 0y[1] on The List, submitted by riff. Here’s a quick rundown:
- Point of origin(s): This group began in 2019 as a psychedelic power trio with Simon Guy (lead vocals, guitar), Paolo Gauthier (drums, vocals), and Baptiste Lherbeil (hurdy-gurdy, vocals). Yes, hurdy-gurdy. The album we look at here is Brama’s debut LP, following their 2022 EP La Glane. Their lyrics are in the Occitan language – continuing their partnership seen on the EP with Dominique Decomps, a professor/translator of Occitan, Decomps wrote or co-wrote the lyrics for nearly all the songs, with the final track using a traditional text.
- Tasting notes: Translated from their Bandcamp: “Brama’s music draws as much from the violin music of the Massif Central, as from the Pakistani Qawali, the guitar from Mali, the German krautrock and the ritualistic rock riff full of fuzz. Always sunny and hypnotic, Brama invites you into a ceremony at the crossroads of a tarantella and a psychedelic rock’n’roll mass. The hurdy-gurdy as a liturgical organ, the guitar/bass as an exorcised subject and the shamanic voice, mistress of worship.” The Quietus review of this album compared them to Mdou Moctar “in the way they revitalise hoary rock tropes through a combination of local flair, blistering musicianship and infectious enthusiasm”,[2] and I’d have to agree.
- Standout track: “S’enraija”, but, also, all of them rock.
- Where are they now?: Brama is now a quartet, with Amandine Pauvert at the hurdy-gurdy helm and Antony Miranda on bass.
- Websites: Bandcamp, Discogs (has links to their socials)
Happy listening!
- We use 0 followed by a letter to denote albums on The List that weren’t in Discogs at the time of adding (or at least I couldn’t find them). I’ve since found this one on Discogs, but the entry is currently separate from the already established page for the group. ↩︎
- https://thequietus.com/quietus-reviews/quietus-international/french-music-reviews-jac-berrocal-aluk-todolo-brama/ ↩︎
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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 -
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 -
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 -
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 -
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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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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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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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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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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"Bridge over Troubled Water" is a song by the American #folkRock duo #SimonAndGarfunkel, released in January 1970 as the second single from their fifth and final studio album, #BridgeOverTroubledWater (1970). It was written by #PaulSimon and produced by Simon, #ArtGarfunkel and #RoyHalee. "Bridge over Troubled Water" features lead vocals by Art Garfunkel and a piano accompaniment influenced by #gospelMusic, with a "#WallOfSound"-style production.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbAJRdbTDXg -
https://youtu.be/QpcbyVyDKDU?si=qI638cgBMvTUkVBL
La meva #CançóDelDia per al divendres 20 de febrer és aquesta de #TheWheel #Boston #FolkRock #PsychPop #Cantautor 💘!