Twisted Folk returns with another stellar line up for 2010, and unlike previous years, this time it’s a double bill from the USA with the singularly talented and critically lauded Nashville resident Caitlin Rose and newcomers from Minneapolis Peter Wolf Crier. Having spent the last five years making a name for itself for representing the best in modern folk as well as pushing the boundaries of the genre, there’s no denying Twisted Folks’ credentials with previous artists including such luminaries as Nina Nastasia, Jeffrey Lewis, Howe Gelb, Jose Gonzalez, Vetiver and Vashti Bunyan, among many others.
Caitlin Rose released her debut album ‘Own Side Now’ last month to much excitement, achieving Albums of the Week in The Sunday Times, The Independent, Independent on Sunday and The Evening Standard, as well as top marks in everywhere from the NME to The Sun and Uncut.
Although steeped in the country tradition, Caitlin’s music is not constrained by that heritage. Her confessional style and wry observations place her very much in the 21st Century, but it is her heart rending honesty, lyrical prowess and her dextrous delivery of said lyrics that sets her apart from her peers. Nothing shows this better than one of the albums many highlights ‘For the Rabbits’ an epic saccharine-free, strings soaked (arranged by Jordan Lehning) ballad depicting a fractured relationship where she laments “Why is your love like rubber, he said / Or gum stuck under my shoe? / Leaving it there to avoid the risk of / Making a mess out of you”.
Live, Caitlin is in a whole experience again. Not only is she very witty and deft, her voice will pierce the coldest of hearts. The Independent and The Guardian both scored her recent performance at The Slaughtered Lamb 4/5, with the latter referring to her as a “rare and prodigious talent”. Not to mention her last minute promotion to headline slot on Big Top stage at End of the Road last weekend to replace the flat-on-back Steve Mason.
Praise for Caitlin Rose:
“Confident, adventurous, eclectic and fun, this is a stunning debut”
‘Album of the Week’ 5/5 The Sunday Times
“The best thing to come out of anywhere for a very long time”
‘Album of the Week’ Independent on Sunday
“Never mind one to watch, here’s one to hear”
‘Album of the Week’ 4/5 Evening Standard
“For fans of Emmylou Harris and Gillian Welch, this debut will be like catnip”
‘Album of the Week’ 4/5 The Independent
“The 21 year old with the bell-clear vocals scarcely puts a foot wrong” 4/5 Uncut
“Her debut proper more than lives up to expectations… lovely stuff” 4/5 Q
“Own Side Now is a beautifully-wrought emotional rollercoaster” 4/5 The Sun
“Her voice is as sweet as Saturday night whisky and rings as clear as a Sunday church bell”
4/5 Daily Mirror
“The vulnerability in Caitlin’s voice chimes as true as the clink of a quarter in an old jukebox” 8/10 NME
Peter Wolf Crier is the Minneapolis-based duo of Peter Pisano and Brian Moen. The album was born on a single summer night when Pisano felt a torrent of creativity after what had felt, to him, like an interminably long dry spell. He shared the songs with Moen, and over the months that followed, at Moen’s home, these rough-hewed tunes became what they are now: a confident collection of songs, but deceptive in that their very guts still reflect the thoughts of a man in transition.
Pisano’s is not a new songwriting voice. He is best known for being part of the Wars of 1812, an ascendant Wisconsin-bred quartet. Their first album together, Status Quo Ante Bellum, was more than just an album. It was relocation and aspiration and Pisano’s lyrical Eden. As the Wars went on hiatus, Pisano continued to hone his craft, keeping his days full as a teacher at a small private school while fine-tuning, at night, the songs that would soon become Inter-Be. Feeling confident in the songs, Pisano approached Moen, a seasoned drummer and engineer best known for his involvement in Laarks and Amateur Love. After being asked to add some percussive elements, Moen added his thundering drum rolls and perfectly timed fills. So was born the partnership that is Peter Wolf Crier.
Praise For Peter Wolf Crier
“They flesh out the scrappy, back-porch feel with harmonies, wide-ranging drums and analogue keyboards that lend a comforting, aged feel. Pisano weaves myriad strands, from Crutch & Crane’s ’70s soft rock bounce over striped ’50s skiffle veneer and Lion’s dizzy synth-pop to a luminous ‘For Now’.” Mojo
“Pisano is a strong songwriter who skillfully layers his material to ensure its glory grows with repeated listens. At once haunting and comforting, Inter-Be heralds a major talent” The Skinny
“A deeply thoughtful collection of songs. Although firmly resident in the folk expanse, the imposing beats and gently augmenting keyboard interjections take it to a higher plain and provide for an uplifting and engaging album.” Clash
“Peter Wolf Crier have crafted a compellingly dramatic debut album, filled with both integrity and inventiveness. Inter-Be reflects the bold first steps of a band coming together out of the ashes of writers block and failed projects, while delivering a solid statement that their moment has indeed arrived.”
The Line Of Best Fit
“Inter-Be is ambient at times (‘Lion’) and more bluesy (‘Saturday Night’) at others, emphasized with the plucky guitar that gives the songs a bucolic element (‘Demo 01’). But mostly it’s a chord and a beat. And for the most part, they’re all that’s needed.” Music OMH
The Twisted Folk Tour will take place across the UK in November.
Mon 15 Nov Brighton Komedia £10 www.komedia.co.uk 0845 2938480
Tue 16 Nov London XOYO £10 www.twistedfolk.com
Wed 17 Nov Leeds Brudenell £8-£10 www.brudenellsocialclub.co.uk 0113 8455570
Thu 18 Nov Reading South Street £10 www.readingarts.com 0118 9606060
Fri 19 Nov Bristol Fleece £10 www.thefleece.co.uk 0117 9299008
Sun 21 Nov Newcastle Cluny £8-£9 www.ticketweb.co.uk 0191 2304474
Mon 22 Nov Leicester Musician £8 www.themusicianpub.co.uk