The fertility rituals of the Blackheath Morris Men
“You’re never more than 20 feet from a Morris dancer in London!”
ByFolk music
Mumford & Sons are more than just banjos and waistcoats
The band may have moved on aesthetically from the 2010s, but the music remains electrifying
By
In defence of cabaret-style seated gigs
There’s something about crowding round tables at a concert that conjures conversational magic.
By
Paul Brady’s songs of conflict
The Northern Irish songwriter – Bob Dylan’s “secret hero” – on making morally complex music in the time of the…
By
Richard Dawson’s songs of England
On his new album The End of the Middle, the cult singer explores a nation defined by loss and alcoholism,…
By
Motherhood is full of agony, but its songs are deemed “nice”
I’d always shied away from writing sentimental songs about having babies for fear of seeming too soppy.
By
Laura Marling’s songs of experience
As the singer showcased her new album Patterns in Repeat at Hackney Church, the parallels across her work – and…
By
Rediscovering the bright lights
An old album and a Pet Shop Boys gig remind me of music’s power to refresh memories and forge new…
By
Revisiting Richard and Linda Thompson’s folk-rock masterpiece
Fifty years on, I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight retains a spartan beauty – and a feeling of…
By Bridget St John and the power of folk memory
At a magical gig in east London, I feel transported to Greenwich Village in the Sixties.
By
First Aid Kit: “We realised constant touring was not a good way to live”
Johanna and Klara Söderberg on making music as sisters, the side effects of ambition, and taking a break from live…
By
Are football songs the new folk music?
From the trumpet blasts in “Sweet Caroline” to the many chants based on the tune of “Vindaloo” – sports songs…
By
How Shirley Collins became an icon of English folk
The singer’s updated memoir is a charming, idiosyncratic evocation of her journey from postwar Hastings to the music scenes of…
By