New Music 2015 - Part 32 - Samantha Crain - Under Branch & Thorn & Tree

Today is Record Store Day 2015 on both sides of the Atlantic. The press will be covering that on all levels without the shadow of a doubt. I will leave them to it, at least for now, in favour of the tenets that underpin it.

There would be none of this without the independently-minded artists and the labels, venues, festivals and stores that support them, and hopefully the mutual benefit they derive from that. It takes a certain mentality for all of this to exist, let alone thrive. I decided to choose one artist to represent all of this. From the many possibilities it is Samantha Crain.
I first heard about her a couple of years ago, although I forget quite how, but last summer I saw her play twice at festivals.
She is a story-telling songwriter above anything else and that scenario often works best in an intimate live setting. Here she is playing the Tipi stage at End Of The Road Festival 2014.

She releases her fourth studio album 'Under Branch & Thorn & Tree' this coming summer on Ramseur Records in North America and Full Time Hobby Records in the UK.
This recent interview, first published in the Tulsa Voice (OK, USA), is too interesting to miss out on.

New Music 2014 - Part 4 - Smoke Fairies

I'm not sure that I have ever tried to write two posts on-line simultaneously but I see no reason why not to try it.
The Smoke Fairies self-titled forthcoming third album, released on 14 April by Full Time Hobby Records on DL (various file formats) to vinyl (but perhaps not cassette) just as you might wish.

Beyond that I can't tell you much other than to say that I have almost all of their previous LPs, EPs and none of them have disappointed.
I can't remember how I first came to know of them but the first time I saw them live was at Latitude Festival 2009 on the Thursday evening and a performance (in a marquee, fortunately) that was interrupted by a truly epic thunderstorm.  I shall look at the ghosts of festivals long gone and try and find some pictures.

This is the only remotely usable one from Latitude 2009 - Katherine Blamire on guitar.

On the Garden Stage at End of The Road Festival 2010 the sun was shining and all this explains, at least in part, why I wish to see them play live once again.

Jessica Davies playing slide guitar.