She looked at him and he felt a spark...

Following last week's Roddy Woomble post I was sent a few links to things by a couple of promotions and management companies, asking me to have a listen, see if there is anything I liked. I spend a hideous amount of time scouting around the internet looking for things I like the sound of. And truth be told I've heard some fucking awful shit lately. I mean worse than the angst filled teenage crap I used to write when I was 14, fat, and nowhere near funny enough.
I blame "nu-folk", we weathered the "nu-metal" and the "nu-rave" storms, and now, in a world where everything has been done before, folk is apparently the next victim. There is a new vogue for pop songs, ballads, sung with an acoustic guitar under the banner of folk. And frankly most of it is bloody awful. However, one thing I was sent by a management company stood out last week.
Dan Wilde hailing from Blackpool (of all the gin-joints) is clearly well versed in his folk and blues heritage. There is a very Irish singer-song writer sound about his music, and love it or hate it, it works. His songs would not sound out of place with the likes of Damien Rice and although less ethereal than James Vincent McMorrow I can't help but feel that with time he will get there.
Go check out his website and have a listen on Spotify
but most of all make sure you check out his beautiful version of His Bobness' Simple Twist of Fate.

This version is taken from Younger Than That Now a collection of Bob Dylan songs covered by various artists in celebration of Dylan's 70th Birthday. It is magnificent.

Leaving Without Gold

I LOVE Roddy Woomble. LOVE LOVE LOVE. I've seen Idlewild more times than I care to remember, they played in Woolaton Park in 2002 when I was a teenager. I had seen Idlewild before then, but hearing American English sung in the pouring rain on an otherwise glorious sunny day will stay with me as one of my all time favorite live experiences. Any way. I digress. I just wanted to flag up the video from Woomble's latest offering:
Leaving Without Gold.


This single is out now to download, but personally I would just go out and get the wonderful new album The Impossible Song and Other Songs from your local friendly record vendor. You will not regret it! Generally more mellow than Idlewild's offerings, Woomble's solo endeavours are no less beautiful, and his roots in folk music increasingly apparent. Woomble is first and foremost a poet. I was once told by friends that they thought he would have remained a poet, but music was his way of bringing his poetry to a wider audience. This is poetry in motion, and it is utterly captivating.