🎼Folks and Strokes Music Review.🎶
Updated: Jun 10, 2020
Hi there my Folkloire's.
For years I had seen a real struggle for the musical artist who stayed away from the main stream side of music, Myself included, and I felt there were so many amazing artists from around the world, lurking in the shadows of the Big artists now day's backed by the Four main record companies.
With their lies, throwing their money around at every corner, buying up all the radio slots and tv slots, and sticking their artist's right in the public's face, telling you how great they are and there for leaving the Real indie artist out in the cold.
If you heard an Artist on the radio constantly being played through out the day, you would think..
"They must be amazing!! Wouldn't you.?
But sadly that is not always the case, Gone are the days of the hoarseness poetic geniuses like the Dylan's of the world, Or the dark pain struck Lyric masters like Lennon with a real back story and real life thoughts.
We would be lucky to get an artist who's lyrics had not been spit out by Microsoft's WORD'S auto correct.? or all their music written and played for them by the same group of session musicians or worse still and in many cases, by a computer app.
Music for me, has gone too robotic with no life. It also seems to me that Artists are not getting signed by merit anymore, but if they have a pretty face and have a bit of a following.... Hay..."Please sign here" and off they go. The reality is, some don't even deserve to be there and after a few years dry up and disappear because they were FAKE to start with and SOME end up as reality stars on some crappy Tv show. Yay..They really did want to play music for the rest of their lives... NOT.
So last year I decided, enough was enough and that I was going to bring Real music back into peoples lives, Individuals or bands that I feel really have a talent, that should not be in the shadows anymore.
So I created Folks and Strokes, http://bit.ly/Folksandstrokesspotifyplaylist And on this #blog each week, I will be taking a different #artist from the playlist and delve into their #story , Breaking down their #art,
An insight from from one #musicalartist to another, a collection of REAL music, REAL stories, REAL passion from #upandcomingartists from around the world, The #Realmusicalartist for the REAL #musiclovers of the world.
Meet Some Of The Folks And Strokes Artists Past and Present ↓
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Music Reviews, Artists past and presently on Our #folksandstrokesplaylist.
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10th June 2020
The art of finding these wonders among us, artist's that touch us inside spiritually.Â
Finding them is the key here on the #folksandstrokes Music Network, as they don’t really get a look in, hidden within the Billion dollar industry that is the music business.Â
But folks, Thankfully I can see a change happening and a new music industry arise.
Being formed out of the ashes, where the indie artist's are finding a voice and this seems to be on the up.
We also love being there at the start of some of these artist's musical journies, which leads me to our next review.
This young lady.
Cat Lennon ( what a striking familiar second name)
Is a lyricist and singer, who, hails from and grew up in Limerick/Ireland, but was born in East Sussex in England.
It seems that her brush with Ireland and the countries many poets throughout history, has had a lasting effect on Cat. As this ladies lyrics to me are stunning, and show us a glimpse of who she may become as an aspiring songwriter.
Her music, Is a picture still in the making, and her colours she still needs to find. Â
But that is not what is on display here.
Her voice and lyrics are, and she really knows how to use them well. With the right guidance, I believe she will finally find her way.
Her track PYRE this weeks feature on the #folksandstrokes play list
Which can be found here ⇣
Is a crafty play on words, one would think about a love affair of hurt and deceit.
I really like her choice of words on this track, which shows how as a lyricist, she can tell a story in her own words.
Though her presence on #spotify is still in its infancy with a couple of tracks, More of her work can be found on other places and believe me, well worth checking out.
So I strongly believe we will be hearing a lot more from this Artist.
One to keep an ear to the ground for, Introducing
Cat Lennon.
As always, Please show this REAL artist your support.
Spotify Cat Lennon Spotify link
Soundcloud Cat Lennon Soundcloud
Youtube Cat Lennon Youtube link
Thank you
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5th January 2020
A new year, brings a new thought.
As we head into the new year, as always, I find myself conjuring up them end of yearly thought’s. Thoughts I had through the past year, that some what got my artistic juices flowing . I can most definitely hear music changing for the good of man. Folk who know me, know I am very verbal when it comes to how I think the music business is heading, if we allow it to.
I love all music, but come on sometimes those that are in the charts don't deserve to be there.
So its in this thinking that others may think me like a mad man. Lol
But its my passion both as a musical Artist myself and as someone who feels they have their finger on the pulse of what #realmusic stands for.Â
We are running into our third year here at #folksandstrokes and the best part of my job here, is finding and listening to new amazing artists, from around the world and I am so humble to get that experience, to actually really listen to their work.
Which brings us to our new artist review this week.
Magnus Josefsson I have known about for a while and have came across his music on many different lists I had the pleasure to have been involved with.
This right here, is what it means to be a seasoned player, you can hear it through his music that he knows exactly how to say it with taste, through his works.
From a music apprenticeship that most of us #Realmusicians obtain, for him it was obtained by working with many artists and touring with his bands through out Russia and Europe.Â
And as a producer, this Swedish born Musical artist, who now hails along the many rivers of Vienna can create an atmosphere, that is sure to grab any sensitive ear and also leads their musical taste buds into any given story.
His song, Long Way Around The Sea which is featured on the #folksandstrokes play list is so beautifully produced, I love the light airiness about it.Â
It’s backdrop, just pushes the boundaries, its foundation set for that simply put, but effective single acoustic guitar brought to the front.
And with the female and his male vocal zoned into a space as one, this to me is a tune.Â
Though, his #Spotify page just gives us a glimpse of his mind, I most certainly look forward to hearing more work from him going into the new year.Â
The Years have been kind to this Producing Musical Artist Introducing
Magnus Josefsson
As always, Please show this REAL artist your support.
Home page. https://www.instagram.com/magnusjosefssonmusic/
Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/pg/magnusjosefssonmusic
Spotify Magnus Josefsson on Spotify
Soundcloud Magnus Josefsson Soundcloud
Youtube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCry1oEdOiIwohFFcqUK0j_A
Thank you
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7th of December 2019
The Main Stream Music Industry don't seem to want us Indie's So, Do we really need them.?
Every single person that is involved or touched by music, whether it be a song writer, musician, sound engineer, Blogger, Even the guy hanging from his ladder screaming for help as he is trying to wash the studio windows, whoever. All true #musiclovers
They will tell you, That music is a personal thing. A personal choice folk make.
We all have, a personal taste.
Our favorite artists we delve into, on the downside we also have Music that has touched us in a unexpected way, little gems we don't dare to mention to others.
The inner secrets that we secretly dance to in front of a mirror, until we turn around to find a Wally with a mobile phone raised in our direction, followed by the dreaded words.
Now, that's just been shared to snap chat...
Noooooooo !!
But that is the beauty of it all, that beautiful universal language that we all call music.
Every Artist hits folk differently, Yet.? The so called captains of the music industry now days, still feel the need to tell us what we should be listening to and believe it's about the magic of fairy dust. That fairy dust being the algorithm.
What happens then is, Those little gems that come our way get lost.
But here at #folksandstrokes we love them gem's as if they were our own.
The Oaspm , though I am not sure what the name stands for or if is linked with the band Oaspm of the same name, maybe our good friend Jason can explain it a little later on for us.
One thing I most definitely am sure of and my partners here at folks and strokes agree is, this music really moves you.
It moves you in a way that it just leave's you wanting to hear more, in an intriguing way.
like you find yourself in a darkness searching and walking towards that sound you hear in the distance.. to find your way home.
It grabs you and in researching this musical artist, I was somewhat taken back by the fact this multi instrumentalist and budding sound engineer of over 25 years,
Does not seem to have released many tracks, though I did find from his sound cloud that there were more tracks there which he partnered with other artists to produce.
But, We want more, God Dam it..
The vocals on Hillbilly Propaganda, Wow.... they blew me away, I have to admit.
At first hand, the singer reminded me of an early Mark Boland of famed T-rex, credit where it is well and truly due.
And the whole song's production, from that beautifully licking toned guitar to the strummed banjo which can be heard on one of our Playlist's
Here ⇣
Just pulls you into a big bear hug that makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside. The lyrics are well written too, no short cuts taken there and sung really really well, I believed every word.
And its in hearing songs like this, that makes me love what I do here at F.A.S. and being a producing musician myself, I am glad to see others still take making music seriously.
Jason, Knows what he is doing and knows how to find that right mood within a track and is one to keep an eye on in the near future, for we will get out of that darkness with this music.
Don't believe me.? Take a listen for yourself, Introducing The OASPM.
As always, Please show this REAL artist your support.
Home page.
Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/theOASPM/
Spotify The OASPM spotify page
Soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/the-oaspm
Youtube https://www.youtube.com/user/OASPM
Thank you
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30th of October 2019
When I started playing music, It seems like a different time now, but things where completely different. The music for one had more life to it , and most Real #musiclovers will agree that that is the biggest change.
Now it feels forced, it could be that its just a feeling I have being a musician and songwriter, but its real and a lot of the young listeners don't have that realism to this.
They have grown accustomed to excepting, crap over produced ,over compressed sounds, with no real lyrical concepts.
And its up to the real songwriter of the world to re educate them folk.
The world is an amazing fish bowl, with many wonders and tribulations, but the new age songwriter seems to miss that fact and they don't seem to know how to ,really write a song, Do they.?
Instead they just repeat the same lyrics over and over, pushing out the same beats,same chord structures (if there are some) and that is now what they call music.
Here at folks and strokes, we want to help that struggle and help songwriters to educate once more to what it takes to inspire within songwriting.
Which brings me to our next reviewed songwriter, here at #folksandstrokes
I really like this guy and within his flow, you can really feel he has lived and knows what songwriting is about.
Gerr Walsh, though he is calling himself an Indie-folk-pop Artist, Pop is every thing he is not.
Pop music now days is a mess, but this guy ain't, with his neatly pressed check shirts, he really has what it takes to get his words across.
He is another one of Ireland's Hidden treasures and with this Dubliner , you get a carefully crafted image through his acoustic heart felt folk, told through beautiful lyrics.
Gerr knows how to take his acoustic for a walk during his stories of life and love and some of his music, for certain brings me to the thoughts of what it would have been like during the early days of Frank Sinatra and Perry Como.
He is An absolute wonderful listen from the start.
His Latest release, an Ep called
A listen is a must, and a track called Ships from it can be found on the #folksandstrokesplaylist .
It's a slow waltz Jazzy paradigm through time, Folky at its core. But with a swing that has a bite to it. Which to me, bares witness to the sound of Nora Jones.
I can see from his work to date, that now he has started his story with grace, his musical journey will become ageless. A New age Crooner for our time. Introducing with pleasure Gerr Walsh
As always, Please show this REAL artist your support.
Home page. http://gerrwalshmusic.ie
Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/GerrWalsh/
Spotify Gerr Walsh Music Spotify
Soundcloud
Youtube Gerr Walsh Music youtube
Thank you
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28th June 2019
With the changes within the music business, which is in full swing now, there are other changes happening, which I am most interested in. #musiclovers of the world are realizing that the so called music industry had been lying to them for many years.
Gone are the days when a record company would approach a band or an original Artist with original music , and say... Hay, I like what you are doing. Maybe with a little help we can develop you future. No..........Not anymore.
And when I talk about originality, Basically I mean someone who is not afraid to try new things through their work. Think of the later Beatles, In my eyes the real Beatles music. They were not afraid to try, new and obscure methods to create new sound.
Instead we had got, Tailor made artists, with tailor made music that they felt would sell to the masses and in a way they were right on the money for a while.
But like all things, If you are going to hire the same writers to write your artist's songs (because most cant write their own) and the same producers to produce them, Like a dried up kettle after a while of boiling, its going to run out of steam, and Gladly for #indie artists like myself and others from around the world, mainstream is starting to loose its steam.
Now the music listener are turning to the #real songwriters again, which in turn is making the record companies scared to the fact they have teamed up with #spotify and #Deezer to try and quench an #indieartist breaking through, when the indie artist is fighting back and trying to make it a level playing field.
Which leads me on to Our next featured Artist here at #folksandstrokes.
Ray Scully is an Indie Artist from Tallaght in Dublin, who is not afraid to step out from the norm and remains after so many years of gigging all over Europe, still doing the music he believes to be true to his nature and a good nature at that.
I had the pleasure to have met him on a couple of occasions over the years, through an open mic night we were both performing at, where he had took a lend of my music stand (Don't worry he gave it back). In return he had asked me to support him on one of his own open mic nights in a cafe in Dublin.
What I liked, and still to this day remember about Ray Scully in first meeting him, was how polite he is and a really well crafted performer both through his own work and through his cover versions where he finds himself in reinvention.
His Album Lets Blow this Town which went straight into number 12 in the Itunes Charts, is an album he co wrote with a friend of his and is a Folkloire and sometimes Rocky step through his back catalog, in which his gritty vocal tells stories of life's cruel intentions and he tells his truths well.
His Latest release, a song called The Unbridled Man which can be found on the #folksandstrokesplaylist .
Is an upbeat Folky Indie song, With just enough Acoustic guitar to make it a real winner. It's melodies have you drawn into a corner you just don't want out of, until the song finishes but then you just want to step back in again. I really like this one and is one to check out.
This singer/Songwriter from tallaght'fornia as its now known by some in Ireland, is a guy who wears his music on his sleeve where his heart should be, as his passion is his music and his music is from his heart.
Its a pleasure to introduce Ray Scully.
As always, Please show this REAL artist your support.
Home page.
Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/RayScullyMusic/
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/artist/5wDLvD23XFQZ41Uyj7XsDF?si=NUQDoJ5mQZO4ZWNFU7z6ZA
Soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/ray-scully3
Youtube https://www.youtube.com/user/RayScullymusic
Thank you
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June 9th 2019
What.?.......... With so many Bands and Artist's sounding the same out in this New highlight they are now calling the New music industry, it most certainly is a moment to let my breath go here at #folksandstrokes to hear someone finally not caring about being mainstream for the four BIG out for money makers and just writing how they feel and at the same time remaining original with their music.
Which brings me to this Duo called The Twin Oaks, they are made up of guitarist and multi instrumentalist Thomas Boute and the unique vocals and the percussion of Vincent Bartier.
Not to be confused with the American band of the same name. These guys hail from Lille in France, I've never been there, but it sure sounds like a nice place.
I really like these guys, Each song has its own little beauty attached to it.
For me, The Twin Oaks are a cross of Folk matched with a blend of country and blues, with some really interesting features within their compositions. Vincent's guitar work is really nice and being a guitarist myself I can really appreciate this and Thomas's vocals fit the songs well and draw you into their stories, and with their debut album With Our Own Hands. This album has been put together really well and the mix is spot on the mark when it comes to sound. A really good mix for any afternoon drive.
Their song Seasaw Motion which can be found here on the #spotify folks and strokes playlist which they start in their native tongue, is a moderate country blues number, I really love the groove behind this one and its chord changes, one to check out.
I feel The Twin Oaks are only starting to get their sound together, from what they seem to have released to date.
But they are very talented individuals and can write songs well together, and seem to spark off each idea.
I can see a big future for them both.
My only downfall, from researching these guys, is that I would have liked to see a bit more online presence from them. It saddens me to see so many indie artists out there, making it harder for themselves to get noticed.
It's bad enough they share a name with someone else, but as far I could see they just have a Facebook page and Spotify,Itunes etc and I would love to see more from these folks.
Other than that Folks, you just check them out, you wont be disappointed.
I introduce to you The Twin Oaks.
As always, Please show this REAL artist your support.
Home page.
Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/twinoaks59/
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/artist/1SEeS4AlvvxgAwmfH4zHiW?si=c9NBgFraSVW-j2db3aMaAA
Soundcloud
Youtube
Thank you