The
Acoustic Affair Compilation Album Volume One
Available from all good stores and by download, it was released in May 2006.
Featuring 12 of the best performers who have featured in the Acoustic Affair programme: James Grant, Karine Polwart, The River Detectives, Clive Gregson, Carol Laula, Unkle Bob, Sophie Bankroft, Benny Gallacher, Karen Casey, Kieran Docherty, No.1 Son and Sporting Hero.
Samples of each of the 12 tracks can be played below, click the left or right arrow to select different tracks which are in the same order as the listings below...
Please click on the artist links for bio's of thier work on the album;
1. James Grant: I'll comb the tangles from your
hair
2. Karine Polwart: Holy Moses
3. The River Detectives: Cape Town to Glasgow
4. Clive Gregson and Jaqueline Sharpe: Antidote
5. Carol Laula: Whispering Hurricane
6. Unkle Bob: Brighter
7. Sophie Bancroft: Hot and Cold
8. Benny Gallagher: The Salt of Her Tears
9. Karen Casey: Bright Winters Day
10. Kieran Docherty: Fall from Grace
11. No.1 Son: Event of the Season
12. Sporting Hero: Everything Begins, Everything
Ends
| James Grant - I’ll Comb The Tangles From Your Hair | |
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| Grant’s poetic lyrics don’t squander a syllable... mojo |
His latest release "Holy Love", an album upon which James Grant further explores his immense talent and seals his now well established reputation as one of the best songwriters in the country, was released to acclaim in 2005.James began his career in the early 80's when he formed "Friends Again" with Chris Thompson (The Bathers). Although relatively short-lived, their influence was huge, helping to define the emerging sound of the Scottish bands that followed them. However it was in "Love and Money" that James found more widespread recognition; four albums, several hit singles, silver discs and a world-wide following soon fell into place. | |
website: www.james-grant.com | |
| Karine Polwart - Holy Moses | |
|---|---|
| Her wealth of experience has given her writing a satisfying depth and rounded wisdom... the times |
Karine Polwart established herself at the forefront of the UK folk-roots scene after scooping three prizes at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in February 2005. Like its prize wining predecessor Faultlines, her second albumScribbled in Chalk (released on Shoeshine Records, April 10th 2006) resonates with folk roots influences but its incisively intelligent lyricsand liberal borrowing from indie and alt-country gave it a resolutely contemporary sensibility. By telling stories, painting pictures and posing questions, Karine succeeds in her aim to communicate profoundly personal and quietly political messages without posturing and with plenty of room for individual interpretation. Her humanity and sense of justice, as well as her warmth and wit, shine through. | |
website: www.karinepolwart.com | www.shoeshine.co.uk | |
| The River Detectives - Cape Town to Glasgow | |
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| I’ve always been a great admirer of The River Detectives, and just like a finewine, these guys get better and better... Billy Sloan, (Radio Clyde DJ & Sunday Mail) |
Sam Correy and Dan O’Neill first appeared on the radar in 1989 when they signed to the Warner Brothers label and released their debut album, “Saturday Night, Sunday Morning“. The album spawned four singles including the smash top 40 hit, “Chains“. Nationwide tours and a frenzy of media followed pushing their album up to silver in the UK and launching a career that would see them establish a national and international fan base. After more than a decade of extensive world-wide touring, the duo return with their inspired new album “King of the Ghost Train Ride”,recorded with players from Van Morisson’s backing band. Their brand of acoustic based, melodic folk pop is simply timeless. | |
website: www.riverdetectives.com | |
| Clive Gregson & Jaqueline Sharpe - Antidote | |
|---|---|
| More musical expertise than is usually good for one man... Time Out |
Founder leader of Any Trouble, Clive Gregson’s musical career has spanned 25 years and is still going strong. Most recently a member of Nanci Griffith’s Full Moon Orchestra, and the writer of her radio hit ‘I Love This Town’, Clive has written more than 250 songs. Aswell as his own performances with Any Trouble, Gregson & Collister and as a solo artist,Clive’s songs have been sung by many artists including Kim Carnes, Fairport Convention, Claire Martin and Norma Waterson. Described by Mary Chapin Carpenter as one of her all time favourite songwriters, he can be delicate, intimate, down to earth, incredibly talented and frankly a joy to have perform. In 2006 he began a new professional liaison with Wiltshire singer Jacqueline Sharp, whose mesmerising voice joins him on this recording. | |
website: www.clivegregson.com | |
| Carol Laula - Whispering Hurricane | |
|---|---|
| Laula’s songs deal with strength and adversity - especially from the modern woman’s perspective on a personalised yet universal level... Q Magazine |
Her latest release, Kitchen Stories is a stripped back acoustic record showcasing Laula’s immense vocal talents and takes us on an intimate journey from the backstreets of Mexico to the faraway shores of Lewis through textured instrumentation. From her rise in 1990’s with her independant single “Standing Proud” which was chosen to represent Glasgow in its year of culture, Carol’s reputation has grown internationallythrough touring across Europe and the US, one highlight being a performance at New York’s Carnegie Hall alongside Mary Chapin Carpenter and Sarah McLaughlin. | |
website: www.carollaula.com | |
| Unkle Bob - Brighter | |
|---|---|
| The Bob have a singer who sounds like Nick Drake whispering secrets in Ray Davies ear... The Scotsman Pop |
Influenced by the mighty songwriters of the early 1970’s like Nick Drake, Van Morrison, Tim Buckley, Cat Stevens, John Martin and David Bowie, Unkle Bob are 21st century songsmiths. While they can sit quite convincingly as the acoustic Radiohead meets Carole King, their intense performances recall both Damien Rice and the Shins. Their appeal undoubtedly crosses boundries between indie rock, and folk, and the band continue to confuse and impressin equal measures as their music develops and evolves. Having taken a year out to develop their sound and write their debut album, to be released early 2006, they return with a raft of impressive new songs. | |
website: www.unklebob.com | |
| Sophie Bancroft - Hot and Cold | |
|---|---|
| Echoes along the way range from Peggy Lee to Joan Armatrading, Alison Kraus to Bjork in a boldly achieved balance of the classic to the contemporary... Sunday Herald |
With a strong musical backround from her renowned jazz family, she is now established in her own right as one of the most exciting female talents on Scotland’s jazz scene. This last year has seen her build on previous successes with her third solo release (Hot and Cold), sell-out shows across the country, rave press reviews and prime-time radio play, all of which has sparked quite a buzz within the music industry and beyond. Her music is a deliciously sexy mix of many influences, combining her seductive voice with captivating lyrics which leave audience members simply spellbound. | |
website: www.sophiebancroft.com | |
| Benny Gallagher - The Salt of Her Tears | |
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One half of hit makers and blue chip songwriters
Gallagher & Lyle, Benny began his career as a staff writer with
Apple, the Beatles Music Publishing Co, and on record he has worked
with Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Pete Townsend, Ronnie Wood, Georgie
Fame, Elkie Brooks, and Fairport Convention. Between the songwriting
visits to Nashville he has toured Australia, the middle and far
east, Europe andU.K, as bassist and vocalist with the Manfreds and
Dennis Locorriere (the voice of Doctor Hook). His songs have been
reworked by renowned artists such as Art Garfunkel, Bryan Ferry,
Don Williams, Garth Brooks and Paul Simon. Salt of Her Tears has
been taken from his forthcoming album set to be released later | |
website: | |
| Karen Casey - Bright Winters Day | |
|---|---|
| The most soulful singer to emerge in Irish traditional music in the past decade... The Herald |
Formerly a frontline attraction with the Irish/ American band Solas, she has long been regarded as one of Ireland's most enchanting singers. Her third solo album, Chasing the Sun, was released in 2005 and is a wonderfully eloquent, moving exercise in bridge-building as Casey traces old and new connections between musical traditions and eras, spanning both the Irish Sea and the Atlantic. There is an air of intimate understatement and a rare powerful beauty in her vocals that makes you feel that she is sharing confidences not just with anyone but only with you. | |
website: www.karencasey.com | |
| Kieran Docherty - Fall from Grace | |
|---|---|
| The most soulful singer to emerge in Irish traditional music in the past decade... The Herald |
Kieran released his debut album "Expectations" through River records in November 2005, the culmination of two years of writing and performing. It cements a growing reputation built from notable performances around Scotland, from The Lemon Tree to Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall, and a recent appearance at Celtic Connections 2006, alongside James Grant and Carol Laula. Influenced by a range of songwriters, including Roddy Frame, Neil Finn and Ryan Adams, Kierans’ brand of acoustica draws on country, pop and folk traditions to great effect. | |
website: www.kierandocherty.com | |
| No.1 Son - Event of the Season | |
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| The most soulful singer to emerge in Irish traditional music in the past decade... The Herald |
Former singer and songwriter with Greenock based SneakAttack Tigers, Paul McLaughlin aka No.1 Son has taken timeout over the last two years to write a solo album. The independant launch of this release took place in the ABC in Glasgow where he played to a sold-out crowd. Performances at the Tron Theatre, Celtic Connections and the Arches have since followed as well as a growing buzz in the music industry. A mix of acoustic and pop influences with a strong focus on contemporary songwriting. | |
website: www.myspace.com/no1sontheband | |
| Sporting Hero - Everything Begins, Everything Ends | |
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Without warning our Hero appeared in 2004, armed with a beard and a guitar, by the bonnie banks of Glasgow City. "Who are you?" they asked. "Sporting Hero" came the reply. "I'm here to sing and play, if you'll have me," and have him they did, shoving him onto a stage at T in the Park for his first gig! | |
website: www.myspace.com/sportinghero | |
The Acoustic Affair would like to thank the artists who have appeared in our programmes, everyone who supports the event and the venues; Tron, the Arches, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, ABC, and St Andrews in the Square. Special thanks goes to Neil Murray, Jim Davison, Neil Thomson, ProSound Services, and Vertical Records for supporting the album.
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