A special tip for Laura, who asked us, some of our favorite banjo songs, few days ago. I forget to mention in my top list these days : Pieces from Danny Leggett.
Author Archive for Olivier
Paul Tiernan & Fraser Anderson
It rarely happens but it happened: last Saturday I foresaked my mountain, accompanied by part of my offspring, and hit the road to a lost abbey, somewhere in the piedmont region, near Aurignac.
No, it’s not my piety that forced me into visiting this magnificent place. Why spread the gospel around in the plains when altitude tends to make you more audible?
Yes, it’s my passion for Fraser Anderson’s music. After a winter of shoveling snow, bringing down trees and chopping wood, this was a well-deserved break from this isolated spot. I admit, they make me laugh at times, those songwriters that lock themselves up in a cabin lodge for six months to find the muse. I live here throughout the year and I don’t have any time to spare on writing songs. Jealous, Me? I sing out loud, bawdy songs, while splitting wood which has a double merit to it ; keeping the bear away and warming up my throat. But I digress…
And what a surprise! I was supposed to witness a one man show. Not only did the evening promise to be one of the best in this place full of history, when the presenter announced to the hundred or so audience that two folk magicians would take turns to offer us a memorable evening: Fraser Anderson and Paul Tiernan! Yes!
For almost a year I constantly have been missing out on the inevitable ‘Private Folk Sessions’ offered by this Pyrenean neighbour (Mr Anderson and his family chose to settle in Ariège)… and here we were, getting double compensation by two doses of excellent whiskey’s: Irish and Scottish!
For almost a year I constantly have been missing out on the inevitable ‘Private Folk Sessions’ offered by this Pyrenean neighbour (Mr Anderson and his family chose to settle in Ariège)… and here we were, getting double compensation by two doses of excellent whiskey’s: Irish and Scottish!
Nearly 2 metres tall -or is it my admiration that made him look gigantic?- the Scotsman opens the first set under a scattered applause by a timorous crowd. The voice is there, even more spellbinding than on his first 2 albums. It’s undoubtedly the most important istrument of this storyteller. It takes us so high. What a delectation! But not without taking into account his dexterity on the chords. Rhythmic as well as melodic, he handles his guitar with virtuosity, which offers his words a magnificent support anchored in the pure folk tradition, but allowing himself some dazzling forays tending to the blues and jazz. 45 minutes and a fistful of songs later, just as the audience was getting warmed up, the set of this tall bearded man was already completed.
A set of such intensity and variety that to this day it leaves me speechless, still enchanted by the magic. A mere two tracks of his previous albums were played, so the evening was dedicated to his forthcoming album, that should be released in the Autumn. What a density, what an anthology of dazzling tracks. This album will be a monument and I will take a bet on it, a masterpiece even. I’m not minimizing the quality of his first two, merely enunciating. It’s simply realizing what a huge talent this is!
A 15 minute break offered us the chance to congratulate the artist, whose kindness and availability undoubtedly surpass his ability to handle Voltaire’s language. I just had to put down a negative point of critique! Thereafter we rejoined the public for the second set, the one of Paul Tiernan.
It’s my friend Colby Stead that, nearly 4 years ago, made me discover the album ‘Belle‘ by this enchanting Irishman. To those who are not familiar with the music of Paul Tiernan, I dare to make a comparison with Paul McCartney’s melody talent enhanced by a real ability to carry us away. To charm us, Paul chooses to open up with the ballad ‘Breakfast in Bed’, also the first track on his latest album ‘Earthquakes start with little cracks’. Soft notes perfumed by the Mediterranean, vocally accompanied by Fraser Anderson… magic time! Follows ‘Cracks in the pavement’ and ‘Skinny’. Even if the accents are more electric than the ones by Anderson, Tiernan offers us a magical trip into the very heart of his emotions. Once again, way too short, even when considering the encore.
I can’t but truly advise you to discover or listen again to these two phenomena, and to offer you the space to enjoy one of these fabulous voyages.
Artists : Fraser Anderson / Paul Tiernan
Where to buy ? cdbaby.com : Anderson / Tiernan
More appetizers ? Anderson / Tiernan
Where to buy ? cdbaby.com : Anderson / Tiernan
More appetizers ? Anderson / Tiernan
Ante Scriptum : I’m currently deleting all audio files posted on this site before 2009. It’s seems that our little place on the web is consuming to much bandwidth… Jumping from a post to another, it’s always tempting to visit every artist website and check what’s new ! This is the reason that land me on Trappers Cabin brand new website.
“- Hey What Time is it ?”
“- Shhhh I can’t hear the radio ”
“- In the deep dark woods of the North Georgia Mountains there’s only one man you’ve got to hear : Trappers Cabin !”
Not yet familiar to this jingle ? Connect this page and grab your first episode !
But if Trappers Cabin website is reduced to this single show counting 5 episodes so far, there’s a brand new myspace page where four brand new tracks (as far as I know) are published. Immerse yourself in this mix of 1970′s british psychedelic with tones of folk ! Awesome. Hope an album will be soon released !!!
Artist : Trappers Cabin.
Benjamin Francis Leftwich by http://www.photographybypip.co.uk/
I landed on Benjamin Francis Leftwich myspace page while listening to his song “More than Letters”definitely one of the most brilliant track on the Communion compilation record.
Benjamin Francis Leftwich is a 20 year old talented english songwriter from York. He’s first EP “A Million Miles Out” will be released in the early days of this fall produced by Ian Grimble (Manic Street Preachers, Travis, Texas). It will be followed by a full length on March 2011. Yes, I know, I’m not late on this one… but pay attention to the following songs, and I guess you’ll add those two dates on your own calendar.
Atlas Hands (demo) – Benjamin Francis Leftwich [2:40m]: Play Now | Play in Popup
More Than Letters – Benjamin Francis Leftwich [4:14m]: Play Now | Play in Popup
Artist : Benjamin Francis Leftwich.
Photography :
Who else to enjoy ? Andy Whittle
I’m not sure but I guess that except from that one track from Emily Loizeau, I’ve never found the opportunity to post (about?) a single french lyrics song. To renew this prowess – i’m a bit shameful – I needed to pick a track from this huge canadian pond, a band from Quebec : Auguste !
They’ve just released on May 6th, their first eponymous ep ; a too short 4 beautiful compositions high on emotions. Born from the ashes of a previous band (August and me) using english compositions, frontman Sébastien Pomerleau finally chose his mother tongue to cover some addictive melodies and delicate arrangements.
En Attendant la Pluie – Auguste: Play Now | Play in Popup
Band : Auguste myspace / facebook
Where to buy ? Où acheter : cdbaby.com
Just a quick reminder ! Geordie has just published an amazing playlist once again this monday for The Lonesome Drifter weekly radio show broadcasted via radio23.org from 20.00 to 22.00 (GMT). Check the list here and you’ll see some of our favorites, and as usual some brand new tunes and artists to discover. Tune in !
It’s been almost a full year – shame on me – since I’ve started to write down this draft about English songwriter Pete Roe while discovering his 2009 Ep entitled Animals and this very catchy eastern folk tune : ”The Devil’s Dancefloor”. This Devil’s Dancefloor is a masterpiece composition which fully deserve its title and 12 months later it’s still ranking high on my playlists.
With the same amazing melody know-how than a Kele Goodwin or a Fraser Anderson, Pete Roe is distillating his stories through delicate melodies. Prospeller is first full length album is a great appetizer, but i’m still starving ! And here’s a new opportunity to taste Peter Roe songwriting with the release on June 7th of his new 4 tracks EP : The Merry-Go-Round, on Communion Records – founded by by Ben Lovett (Mumford and Sons), Kevin Jones (Cherbourg).
Enjoy this first track !
Artist : Pete Roe
Label : Communion Records
