Ewan McLennan
Don't you love it when you come across music that is new to you and you find that it delights and excites you? I'm always chuffed when I stumble on a folk-nugget.
I felt like that the first time I heard and the evening I was walking through San Diego and heard the music of what would later become spooling out of a hotel room on the California air.
A listener emailed me to say I should listen to , a young Scottish singer and guitarist. So I did.
Comparisons are terrible and often used by bad journalists as a lazy way out of having to think. Well I thunk and thunk and the only way I can describe McLennan is as coming from the same stable as and , while at the same time being truly original. Ìý
His voice is clear and strong with an appealing vibrato and his feeling for the narrative is strong and consistent. This is what the Irish call "the pure drop".
I'm going to be playing him on the programme in the weeks to come.Ìý Meanwhile, check out his website - I'm sure you'll like him.
Comment number 1.
At 15th Oct 2009, gerrymainst wrote:Yes I do agree I love to hear new music some recommendations to you are Ger wolfe from cork and Bray Vista from Bray (surprise )co Wicklow maybe they are a bit too country for yo
ur show but Ger wolfe has a new cd out
Complain about this comment (Comment number 1)
Comment number 2.
At 17th Oct 2009, EnglishFolkfan wrote:Well Mike, there is quite a strong Folk scene in Leeds and Yorkshire, as I'm sure you are aware, with lots of exciting new and established talent.
A BrightYoungFolk review of Ewan's cd here:
and he is doing a Live Set, ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio Manchester on 26 Oct 2009 at 20:00.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 2)
Comment number 3.
At 21st Oct 2009, JoeGBradford wrote:A friend recommended I book Ewan for my music venue in West Yorkshire (Raggalds Acoustic) and when I checked him out immediately and booked him just as quick. Looking forward to seeing him there in February, though the Topic Folk Club also featured him a few weeks ago and he was excellent. He appeared in a double header evening with Andi Neate who is a superb singer and her new CD is excellent. Be good to hear her on the show too Mike. Try the track 'Tails from the Circus' - lovely!
Joe Grint
Complain about this comment (Comment number 3)
Comment number 4.
At 22nd Oct 2009, ChrisLBradford wrote:As well as a fine musician and singer Ewan is a amicable bloke to boot.
Ewan is doing a free slot as part of the Raise Your Banner's festival in Bradford on Saturday 6th of November. As well as Ewan there is lots of other northern folk playing for free.
Details of the festival are at:-
Complain about this comment (Comment number 4)
Comment number 5.
At 13th Aug 2010, U14583353 wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 5)
Comment number 6.
At 21st Sep 2010, Paul Adams wrote:I have to confess that after 35 years in the business and over 240 albums it takes a lot to make me sit up and take note, particularly as I've become a bit jaded over recent months, but I have to agree with everything Mike Harding says and thank him for putting me and Ewan in contact with each other. Superb music and a really good person to work with. Along with Lizzie Nunnery, Tom Kitching & Gren Bartley, Joe Topping, the Urban Folk Quartet and Suntrap the whole thing is getting exciting again with some good new people who have a variety of approaches.
Enjoy the music,
Paul Adams
Fellside Recordings
Complain about this comment (Comment number 6)