Tag Archives: folk

Interviews & Features

Yonah: ‘I think the scene now is defined as more “indie rock” but there’s still folks doing the thing! I think the scene now is defined as more “indie rock” but there’s still folks doing the thing!’ 

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The incredible indie rocker Yonah released his massive debut album today! Ahead of it, we sat and had a quick chat about it, the scene in New York and his touring plans! Check it all out below!

How would you describe your current sound?

I’d describe it as a reflection of my current taste, which is everchanging. My record Bird of Miraclesis rooted in my first major influences, which were mostly folk/indie rock music, but I like to think of my sound as something I can experiment with and mold from project to project.

How did someone from Manhattan get into writing this style? It’s not typically something I’d associate with the area as an outsider! 

I have to give credit to my mother for this one! I grew up listening to two records until I got my first digital device when I was 11. We had an old Subaru Outback that my great grandmother used, and we would listen to a perpetual rotation of Bob Dylan’s The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan and Billy Joel’s Songs in The Attic. When I started playing guitar, my only reference for chords/style was Dylan. I’d also have to disagree slightly that New York is not the typical scene for this music–my major influences come from Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, and Elliot Smith, who are all artists that spent a significant amount of time in New York. I think the scene now is defined as more “indie rock” but there’s still folks doing the thing! 

The album is out at the end of the month, it seems to have some quite heavy themes, right? 

Yes indeed! I think writing about the songs is heavier than the actual process. I didn’t really conceptualize the weight of what I was writing about until after looking at the songs in hindsight. It’s about death and god and identity. Arguably the top tier heavy topics of this lifetime!

What went into the decision to release an album over another EP or standalone singles? 

I had a concept and I really didn’t want to bend to “the norm.” I understand it’s a risk but catalogue depth and vision is important to me. I prefer to test something I am truly proud of than run a bunch of tests. At this point I’ve also been working on a bunch of new music and have a ton of stuff I’m super excited to release following this record. I think I also just needed to do something substantial to mark this time of my life. It’s really an ode to much of my past and it would feel wrong to wait longer to talk about it.

Do you have a favourite track on the album, and why?

My favorite track varies between 2-3 songs but if I had to choose one it would be “Bugs Blood.” It was the first song I wrote for the album and, in a sense, it laid the foundation for the entire project. It’s about feeling small as a bug in the eyes of god, and it is my most religious song I’ve written. It also ended up being a pretty hard song to produce as we had to experiment with how “intimate” the record version should be. I had played this song mostly myself and a guitar until bringing it to Harper James (producer), and it became a holy puzzle to solve. In the end I’m pretty stoked about how it turned out.

Is more writing still going on in the background?

Always, it never stops, haha! I am addicted to working on new material and it’s a problem. I have the entire follow up record demos ready and I am compiling a bunch of single options/collaborations with new producers. 

Do you have a busy live year planned to promote the album?

To be honest I couldn’t tell you what is in store other than for April. I’m hosting a house show for an early listen to the record and playing a show the night it releases. What comes next will be planned after. It is difficult for my brain to plan more than a couple shows at a time independently as I like to make my shows as intentional as possible. I’d like to start touring as soon as possible but for now the focus is local.

Any plans/hopes to come to the UK for a show or two?

Huge hopes, unfortunately nay plans. If someone can get me a gig I’d be there in a jiffy (DM’s wide open)!

What is the current scene like in NYC for this style of music? 

I think the major breakout act in the city is from Hudson Freeman’s project. When his album came out it helped me feel like this style of music doesn’t exist in a total vacuum. There are artists and bands that I really dig in the city that I think are somewhat close to my vibe, such as Babe City, Robert Leslie, Ken Park, and Mer Marcum. It’s not the most straightforward sonic reference but I think my music lives somewhere in the in-between.

Do you have a dream tour lineup you’d want to be a part of? Any artists you’d want to support or friends you’ll bring with you?

YES. I am deeply in love with the band Babe City in New York. Recently a buddy of mine showed me their music and I fell in love. I really hope to play with them. I also recently made a friend by the name of Arin Reedy who makes the most beautiful music and I think it would be so fun to collaborate or tour together. Big dream tour would be to open for Big Thief or Adrianne Lenker, Cameron Winter, or MJ Lenderman.

If you could have written one song from history, what would it have been and why?

Wowow, I love this question. Probably “I’m On Fire” by Bruce Springsteen. Every time I listen to this song I think to myself “wait, I am on fire. I’ve been on fire. And I would’ve been even more on fire in the 80’s.” I like the idea of making a revolutionary song.

Reviews

Patience to Play: Two Ways Home Knock it Out of the Park with Album Two!

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The incredible Anglo-Austrian duo are set to release their highly anticipated sophomore album tomorrow! Featuring a lot of the singles they’ve put out over the last few years, it’s a real celebration of where they pair are in 2026, as well as a hint of where they are headed with some new songs smattered in for good measure. We’re big fans of the pair here at Overtone, even chatting to them last year and getting some hints of this. So, to say we’re hyped that it’s finally here is an understatement. Let’s dive right in!

The title track opens things up perfectly; a hauntingly beautiful acoustic guitar riff that soon has Lewis’ vocals fitting incredibly over the top. Isabella soon harmonises perfectly too, it all building up fantastically to an almost Southern rock sound. The drums and other instrumentation coming in for the chorus was a fantastic choice, adding some great dynamics to it, and makes it feel effortlessly massive. The particular blend of folk, country and rock is awesome and is pretty uniquely their own. Heck, the bridge is phenomenal, giving off elements of the Who in the drums, Slash in the subtle lead guitars, and yet the vocals still firmly ground in Two Ways Home. It’s an absolutely amazing choice for an album opener, and is a definite early highlight!

‘Waiting on Luck’ is a song I’ve loved since first got into them a couple of years ago. It was a fantastic single back in 2022, once again showcasing the bands mesmerising harmonies, and a bit softer a side to them. Isabella kinda takes the lead vocally this time, but the pair do a fantastic job of always showcasing each other’s talents and working together flawlessly. That chorus is also incredible, and has been stuck in my head periodically since I very first heard it! Even though it’s been out a while, it’s a track that I can’t seem to ever get enough of; simple and soft-rock-infused-country, but is so damn good. So far, two for two on excellent songs! And, acoustically (track 13), it was certainly a standout to me when we saw them at The Long Road last year!

The first new track on the album, ‘Room for Love’, is just as good as the previous two tracks! It definitely keeps the soft rock-like vibe to it, the blues edge to it almost giving it a Lenny Kravitz feel to it. However, by the time the chorus hits, the massive harmonies and big-band-instrumentation, it definitely brings in their country-adjacent sound too. It’s all so good, the instrumentation being as much of a high point as the vocals in this track. That riff through the bridge is awesome, and I love the touch of the chatter and keys behind it, making it a real feel-good moment. I’m coming across as a fangirl already, but this is another great track! It’s all fantastic so far!

We get both the full band and the acoustic version of ‘Polaroid Kids’ on this release. While both are similar, they still channel different energies, and it’s well worth checking both out. Heck, after multiple spins of both, I’m still not sure which I like more! The stripped-back nature of the acoustic one focuses more on the lyrics and the harmonies, but the emotion in the full band is palpable. I do have to say I think the spoken word bit fits better with the electric, in this writers humble opinion. However, as I said, both are excellent. They’re anthemic, ballad-like songs and the electric one breaks up the flow of the album perfectly to that point. And, lyrically, it’s maybe my favourite track on the album.

The most radio-country track here, ‘Feet on the Asphalt’, is a great, upbeat, track not too far removed from something like Russel Dickerson or Thomas Rhett. It’s catchy as anything and infused with enough rock to keep it high-energy. And, once again, the vocal harmonies are like only TWH can do, grounding the track to them despite it being a different feel again. I love the playfulness between the pairs vocal delivery in this track keeping it light and catchy throughout. You guessed it, it’s another amazing track, and one that easily makes our playlist!

‘Medicine Man’ is a more blues/rock based country bangers. It feels a touch darker than most on the release, and almost gives off ‘Wanted Dead or Alive’ vibes. And, it has one of the best choruses on the album! We also get a previously-unheard acoustic version of it to close out the album, pushing it much father into the country category in the best way. It takes on more of a Hank Jr vibe to it, the two tracks being so different in sound but both being excellent in their own right.

The following few tracks, ‘She Keeps Time Like a Casino’, ‘Hot Rain’ and ‘Signals in the Smoke’ are all slower songs, much more country-ballad territory. All are excellent songs in their own right, and even though they are one-after-another, it doesn’t feel like the momentum of the release drops at all, most likely due to the high quality. I like ‘Hot Rain’ building to more of a rock ballad by the end, the distorted guitars and soloing adding so much depth to the sound. It’s probably my favourite track of the few, but none of them are bad by any stretch!

‘Hear a Heartbreak’ has more of a soul feel to it, the steady plod and vocal delivery being more akin to Rag’n’Bone or Hozier. It has a fun bounce, energy and swagger to it, and once again when both of their voices entwine together, it’s phenomenal! And it still has enough of their unique brand of rock edge to it to keep it succinct to the album too, a true testament to their writing talents. It’s yet another major album highlight on a release packed full of them!

Meanwhile, ‘Colder Water’ is a straight up Western track, and I am all for it! It’s like I was trapped somewhere between an Eastwood and a Tarantino movie, it was awesome! It’s catchy, and packed full of some fun melodies from both the vocals and the instrumentation. Then you have the last non-acoustic track on the album, ‘Slower Kind of Love’. Honestly, it kinda bridges the gap rather perfectly, having plenty of acoustic elements to it while also having some great drumming for the choruses. It all builds perfectly to the massive bridge and crescendo too, the track being put together excellently. It’s another track I’m a little obsessed with, honestly, and yet another high point of the album!

Overall: This is an amazing album! It explores just about every avenue of country, folk and blues music across its runtime, being long but not feeling like it at all. It’s such an easy listen that goes by in a flash, somehow still leaving me wanting more! Every song is as good as the last, and it’s the perfect showcase of their recent output. If you are in any way into any of the genres named, do yourself a favour and check this out, you won’t be disappointed!

The Score: 9/10

Interviews & Features

Matthew C Whitaker: ‘It is sentimental, yet understated!’

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We chatted to the incredible Matthew C Whitaker the it her day about his latest solo album, current UK tour and future plans with HENGE. Check it all out below!

Is there a certain story or theme around Songs for the Weary, or is it more each track is its own, individual thing?

The lyrics are not necessarily linked by a theme. Rather, the eight gentle songs that make up Songs for the Weary are threaded together sonically and through a shared mood, a lightness of touch, a soothing whistfulness…

It’s been ten years since your last solo album — what prompted a return to this project now?

I am always making lists of the songs that I haven’t yet recorded and dreaming up albums out of the material. This never stopped during the decade between solo albums. My first album, The Man with the Anvil Hat, came out in 2016 just as HENGE were on the cusp of going full time. Four albums of cosmic, rave-infused prog rock and a tour schedule of 100+ shows per year soon followed.

Then 2020/2021 came with all of its cancelled plans, so I approached my dear friend and neighbour Alan Keary (who makes his own music under the name Shunya). He is a brilliant producer and string arranger/player. When I showed him the list of songs on the latest album I had dreamed up, he got really excited about putting string arrangements on them. And so we cracked on…

How does writing your solo work differ from working on stuff like HENGE?

It’s not actually as different as it might seem. Nearly all of my songs start with chords or groove and end with lyrics as the last element to be added. The pmusic is often highly developed in the middle of this process. This is partly because I find writing lyrics to be the hardest part, so I need to be sure the music is good enough before I go to the trouble… combined with a little procrastination around the most toilsome part of the job.

The main difference in the process is that there is usually a longer period of research for HENGE lyrics, as the songs often have scientific subject matter.

Do you have a favourite track on Songs for the Weary?

Yes, I think “Mind How You Go” is my favourite song on the album. It is written from the perspective of a worried mother as her loved ones embark on a car journey in icy, foggy weather. The simple elegance of the melody and loving concern in the lyrics are set against an extremely sparse arrangement. It is sentimental, yet understated. I am particularly happy with how it sounds on the record.

Is solo writing still going on after the release? Or is it back to focusing on HENGE or other projects for a bit?

Yes, I am always knocking around musical ideas. I have a couple of guitars hanging on the wall of my living room (one of them — a ¾-size antique Italian classical guitar — makes a cameo on the front of the album cover). So I only have to pluck one off its stand and see if anything comes out.

That said, there is always some HENGE going on. I also manage the band, so there is a constant slew of emails to answer. Between starting Songs for the Weary and releasing it, we released the HENGE album Alpha Test 4 and wrote/recorded/released and toured Journey to Voltus B.

My solo stuff has to fit around HENGE, not the other way around. So these solo albums might take a bit longer to make it from conception to release. However, I think it’s healthy to have contrasting musical projects running in parallel. I can always find a few hours to work on solo ideas.

You’re right in the middle of your UK tour to support the album — how’s it gone so far?

It has been wonderful!

As Alan was so deeply involved in the album, we decided to tour the record as a duo, with Alan playing an opening set of his Shunya material.

I wasn’t sure how many people would turn up to the shows, but so far each one has either been sold out or packed out. The audiences have struck the perfect balance between being attentive and up for the craic.

Do you have a Busy year planned for after the tour?

Yes, HENGE are touring Europe in the spring and then we have a very busy festival season. Plans are shaping up for the autumn but that is all top secret!

Do you have a dream tour lineup you’d want to be a part of? Anyone you’d want to support or friends you’d want to bring along?

It would be great to tour my solo show with a full band including a string quartet. With HENGE I’d love to open for The Prodigy.

If you could have written one song from history, what would it be and why?

Sorry to be boring but I don’t really think about this kind of question. I wouldn’t want to write someone else’s song. They have their songs and I have mine. I’m happy with that.

Reviews

Of Ghosts and Gods: How Does Sons of Town Hall’s Second Offering Match up to Their Debut?

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The Transatlantic folk duo of David Berkeley and Ben Parker are set to release their highly anticipated sophomore album tomorrow. I honestly hadn’t known them before a couple of weeks ago when I got emailed about this release, but since then have become a big fan. Their sound and writing style is so unique, hooking me in from my very first listen. I got the chance to interview the pair about the release, and it has only gotten me more hyped for it. Almost all of it has been dropped as singles over the last couple of years, but I am incredibly interested to hear how it all fits together as a release. Without further ado, let’s dive right into this, shall we?

‘Gods’ starts the release off incredibly, with a beautiful piano melody. The strings building in behind it gradually add another fantastic layer, immediately taking the listener on a journey. And then, after a bit, some incredible choir vocals add to it, the layering being utterly phenomenal. It’s feels like it crescendos around the two minute mark, dropping back to the piano and this time a guitar, the layers building back up masterfully for the tracks conclusion. Honestly, it gave me goosebumps and immediately drew emotion out of me. I’m not sure if that’s because we typically don’t cover this sort of style, but I was wrapped up and washed away in the album immediately from this track alone. It’s the perfect way to set up an album like this. Beautiful, well put together, and full of emotion.

The beautiful vibes continue excellent with ‘How to Build a Boat’. The acoustic guitar chord progression setting things up perfectly, and the harmonised vocals coming in over the top of it sounded amazing. The layering of the vocals is incredible too, with the main hook continuing on while a verse line comes in over the top. It keeps its catchy edge and fits together like two jigsaw pieces. The vocals join together again for the massive chorus, it being just as catchy as the other part, a melody sure to be stuck in my head for days to come! The strings once again coming in for the chorus is amazing too, adding just another layer of greatness on top of the rest. It all combines together perfectly to make something truly epic and grandiose, and I loved every second of it. This is a massive early highlight, and a track that very easily makes our playlist!

The simple acoustic-and-vocal combo continues perfectly through the opening of ‘Wild Winds’. It sounds gorgeous, and the lyrics here are phenomenal, packed full of feeling and emotion and being such good storytelling. And just adding that second vocal on for the chorus was a great call, making it feel bigger while still keeping that simplicity and feel. The rest of the instrumentation doesn’t come in until the bridge, feeling more than earned as the percussion and horns come in, adding to everything fantastically. When the multi-layers vocals came in over it all it once again gave me goosebumps. And, just as quickly as they came in, they were gone again, dropping back to the simple guitar and vocals. This is yet another phenomenal track, and one that I’ll definitely be revisiting plenty! What a first quarter of the album!

‘The Lion’s Paw’ and ‘Whalebone’ both start in a similar way to ‘…Winds’, stripped back to just one instrument and vocals. Both build up similarly to the previous track too, reaching grand levels of instrumentation by the mid-point. However, the latter does feel a little different, the almost haunting vocals in the opening and bridge giving it a vaguely ritualistic feel. It also has one of the biggest, gradualist builds of the album, it reaching huge heights by the end. It’s a true testament to the duo’s songwriting and producing skill, and sounds absolutely brilliant. The heightening pace of the guitar is also amazing, giving it a real sense of urgency building more and more. It’s yet another high point of the album for me, on an album so far jam packed with them. DAMN.

We then reach a run of the album’s recent singles, ‘The Rocky Shores of England’, ‘Antarctica’ and ‘Sirens’. The former was my introduction to the band and has remained a mainstay of my music listening for the last few weeks now. It’s yet another perfectly encapsulates what the band is about and their style, and was a fantastic choice for a lead single. It also has some of the best lyrics on the album, truly touching. Meanwhile, the latter is a quirky, female-vocal-featuring track that I’ve already gushed about plenty. However, it’s a track I have listened to a few times, and is entrancingly beautiful. Then you have ‘Antarctica’, and what another incredible highlight! Starting low, it builds steadily into something truly special by the end. It’s an uplifting track from a lyrical standpoint, and the instrumentation reflects that perfectly. It was another goosebump-inducing track, and is honestly incredible. The multiple-vocals were so powerful. I’d arguably have closed the album with it, it’s that grandiose. But yeah, check this out ASAP, it’s maybe my favourite track on the album!

The final few tracks, from ‘New Orleans’ to ‘Ghosts’, are all amazing tracks in their own right. They follow a similar structure and vibe as the others on the album, so didn’t want to repeat myself over and over, but know that they are all great and worth spinning. I especially love the simple instrumental closer, it bringing the album full circle perfectly: I love that the album is bookended by its two title tracks. The duo take the listener on such a journey, and really don’t let you go until the end. It is well worth listening through the album in full at least once, as you really get to appreciate each track in its entirety and how they fit into one another!

Overall: This is an absolutely fantastic release! I’d expected to like it heading in, but wasn’t expecting to be blown away quite this much! Every track is great, while some I am legitimately obsessed with! And it all flows together so perfectly, too. The pair are amazing songwriters, and have crafted something so beautiful and special with this release. From the vocals to the lyrics to the arrangements, it’s all incredible. It won’t be for everyone, but if you have made it this far you must be at least a little interested, and I can’t recommend checking this out enough!

The Score: 9/10

P.S. shoutout to the cover art, which is truly stunning!

Features, Reviews

Cam and Amélie Farren Rock the O2 Institute!

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This is one we’ve been waiting for for a while! We booked tickets all the way back in August when it was announced, we have been excited ever since. We hadn’t seen the country megastar since The Long Road a few years back, but then she honestly put on one of the best sets I’d ever seen, so we snapped up tickets as soon as we could; there was no way we were missing her. Plus, the downstairs of the Institute is such a quirky little room that always has some really great sound, especially when it’s full like it was the other night, so we were surely in for a good time!

I wasn’t actually really familiar with Amélie at all heading into this, bar a track or two I’d checked out in the days prior. Honestly though, she blew me away here, and certainly has a new fan in me! She was the perfect mix of folk-country, rock and 90s/early 2000s pop. There was everything from Alanis Morissette to The Cranberries to Paula Cole to Ingrid Andress. All the sounds blended together perfectly, and her great vocals and amazing lyric writing also added so much to that. Her songwriting skills are fantastic, and it’s easy to see why she was paired up with Cam for this tour. And, kudos to her for going up on stage on her own in front of a packed out crowd, playing all her own music and using a track for the other instruments; when supporting a full band that is no easy feat! However, that is my only one vague negative(ish): I’d have loved to have seen this with a full band. I completely get the logistical and sadly now financial nightmare of having a band on tour with you, but I can only imagine her songs somehow being even better with instruments performed live, and I feel like she could have been able to do more without having to focus on the backing as much. Still, it’s a minor gripe as it was still a great set, and she won a lot of the crowd over pretty quick into it! Definitely one to keep an eye on!

After a short break, the headliner soon took the stage! I have to say right off the bat that ‘Slow Down’ was one of the most unexpectedly perfect set openers I’ve ever heard. It was simple yet so damn effective, setting the tone of the evening fantastically with the chilled-yet-poignant vibe and the killer harmonies. From there, we got a full whistle-stop tour of her fantastic new album; all the highs and painfully lows. Whether it’s slower, melancholic numbers like ‘Everblue’ or ‘Hallelujah’ or the lighter later numbers like ‘Kill the Guru!’ and ‘Look at the Pretty Girls!’, Cam and her band really took the crowd on a journey. Heck, we even got the beautiful lullaby she wrote for her sister/daughter, ‘Meet you By the River’, a touching, memorable moment of the set that I may have shed a tear over. Leaving out only two from the release (damn I would have loved ‘Wherever You Are’), it was awesome to hear so much love given to her new release. ‘Alchemy’ was another big highlight, as was ‘Kill the Guru!’.

Then we reached the back third of the set and she busted out the very best of her greatest hits. From bangers off her debut like ‘Mayday’ and ‘Hungover on Heartache’ to massive single ‘Til There’s Nothing Left’ and even a version of ‘AMERICAN REQUIEM’, the song she wrote for Beyoncé, it was all awesome. The two late-stage highlights had to be her big hits, though. ‘Diane’ is the perfect live track, whipping the crowd up into a frenzy as they sung along to every word. Then you have the emotion-filled ‘Burning House’, her breakout song and a track that the audience hung on every note of. Having seen both live before, I find it hard to believe either will get old, as I loved them both here, too! And that’s not even mentioning the tear-jerking, beautiful encore of ‘Village’ a song that will never not reduce me to tears, and when done so beautifully live I don’t even mind!

And hell, we haven’t even talked about her band, yet! On top of Cam’s incredible performance, all three of her band-mates also played their asses off throughout. Be it drums or multiple guitars or keys, as well as the absolutely stunning, powerful harmonies, they were all so good. Also, playing a cheeky bit of ‘Crazy Train’ during a big song-ending solo while in Birmingham was a master stroke, I hear you Simon! They all complimented Cam perfectly, who really put her all into the performance. A true storyteller, she’s perfectly introduce each song as it was coming up, giving it some backstory as well as being so endearing and comical, holding the crowd in the palm of her hand throughout. And, on top of that, she is a criminally underrated vocalist, singing hear heart out through her entire set, it sometimes sounding somehow even better than on track. As much as I enjoyed her the other year, knowing more of her stuff this time made it even more special!

So, there you have it, folks. An amazing night of live Americana and country music, performed by two incredible artists! Amélie warmed the crowd up perfectly, while Cam put on every bit as incredible a show as I was expecting heading in. I can’t recommend either artist enough, either on track or live, so check them out as soon as you possibly can. As much as we’ve literally just seen her and just had a new album from her, I am already ready for more Cam, that’s how good she truly is! It’ll surely be a night we won’t soon forget!

Interviews & Features

Sons of Town Hall: ‘It is an uncanny, almost magical collaboration!’

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We chatted to the awesome Americana/folk duo about their sound, upcoming album and touring plans! Check it all out below!

How would you describe your sound?

It’s a mix of British and American folk influences–put Nick Drake and John Martyn in a crock pot with Bob Dylan and Simon and Garfunkel and you get close. 

Quite an interesting name for a band, given that both parties are from seemingly different worlds. How did it come about?

We wanted to name ourselves after a boat that had crossed the Atlantic, given that we’re from England and America. We stumbled upon the story of a man named Poppa Neutrino who built a raft of junk called The Son of Town Hall (because those words were carved into a piece of wood toward the bow).  We studied the man and became increasingly fascinated by his story, which we incorporated into the mythic world we created for ourselves.

The single drops next week, what can you tell me about it? Is there a certain story around the track? 

There are stories behind all our tracks, many of them are found in the podcast Madmen Cross the Water. Sirens recasts the Greek myth onto the American frontier and plays upon the idea of mirages and false hopes, which all too often lead the weary, desperate traveler astray.  More generally, though, it’s a song about looking for some kind of comfort and kindness in the world, wherever that can be found.

It is part of a wider release, Of Ghosts and Gods, releasing at the start of next month. How does the track fit into that? Is it all of a similar vein in terms of sound and story, or is it more focused per individual track? 

Sirens is unique in that it features the Canadian trio The Pairs singing the part of the sirens in the choruses. So sonically, this song stands out a bit as no other track features any other vocalists. But the production is similar. There is a gorgeous string quartet on this track who play on much of the album. And conceptually, this song is very much part of the album’s story cycle, which follows the two protagonists around the world in adventure after adventure, managing to maintain their optimism and friendship no matter the trial or the setback. 

What is the writing process like for the band?

We have a great deal of respect for each other’s gifts as a writer and trust in the other’s artistry. Often one of us has the start, but as we sit together and begin play and sing, the song very quickly transforms into something that sounds like us. It is an uncanny, almost magical collaboration, which I think can be sensed simply in the blend of our voices, which makes the writing process move very quickly once an idea is there.

Do you have a favourite track on the upcoming album?

That’s like choosing between children! It’s a tough one. ‘Antarctica’ is one of the more epic numbers on the album. At the start of it, you’d have no idea how soaring the song was going to end up. The production is a metaphor for the message of the song, which is about believing in a dream despite the odds and obstacles. Every great journey begins with a single step, as they say, and so too with this song, as it starts plaintively in unison and ends with strings and brass and percussion and lots of voices. I think the song is particularly relevant at this moment where so many feel unhappy with how the world is and want to be able to believe in something bigger and better. Our project creates a space for that.

Had quite the busy year of touring already in the leadup to the release, right? Does the business continue throughout the year? 

Pretty much, yes. We’ve been getting more and more offers to play. The issue now is how to honour them all!

Any plans to play the UK again any time in the future?

Yes, we have a string of dates in June that we’re very much looking forward to.

What brought the idea for doing a podcast around?

Our show has always merged storytelling and song. And the stories we’ve created aren’t the typical singer-songwriter earnestly telling you how they wrote this or that song. We take audiences to New Orleans and talk about working in the circus or describe the storms at sea that nearly killed us. We’ve always been interested in how far we could take a tale. During Covid, we were unable to tour and so we began writing more elaborate versions of the stories, which ultimately became the podcast. If you see us in concert, I think you’ll find the pod to be a really beautiful way of going deeper into the fiction and turning us, ironically, into more real characters.

Do you have a dream tour lineup you’d want to be a part of? Anyone you’d want to support or friends you want to bring along with you? 

If Tom Waits asked us to jump on his bus, we wouldn’t hesitate!

If you could have written one song from history, what would it be and why? 

We love so many songs. But we’re pretty happy with how all of them turned out. We’re more interested in continuing to craft our music together and push the performing genre in as interesting and moving a way as we can.

Reviews

We Mean It, Man!: The Album to Push Gogol Bordello Back to the Top?

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The gypsy punk pioneers are back with their 10th studio album that dropped just today! Being their first release since 2022, as well as myself being a big fan of the band and style in general, meant there was no way I wasn’t giving this my full attention. I’ve been hyped for it for a while, and the singles so far have been great! Without further ado, let’s dive in!

The title track opens things up fantastically, an almost tribal chant leading a surprisingly heavy riff. The fiddle still adds plenty of folk elements to it, though the production is massive and the futuristic voice hints at something bigger. The verse is great and the chorus, while simple, is infectiously catchy and will go down a storm live with the call-and-response vocals. Speaking of the vocals, the lyrics are fantastic, calling out the current climate of the world in perfect punk fashion. And, instrumentally, everyone is working their ass off, crafting something perfectly chaotic and punky and folky and heavy all in the best ways. This is ‘gypsy punk’ at its very finest, and an excellent way to open the album!

The pace slows a little with ‘Life is Possible Again’, having a slight post-punk/industrial feel with the heavy emphasis on drums. The backing vocals are a big highlight of the track, making so much of it feel massive and so very catchy. It definitely has more of a pop-vibe to it than the heavier previous track, but both feel distinctly Gogol Bordello; doing their own thing in a way only they can. I love that they really let the instruments do the talking too, everyone getting a chance to shine throughout each track. Another incredible song, and a big early high point!

‘No Time for Idiots’ keeps the steadier pace of the last track but definitely ups the punk and the folk vibes. The whole track seems to build up to and around that incredible chorus, clearly written to be played to huge crowds around the world. It again feels more radio-friendly a track, maybe because it just made me want to dance throughout! It’s a simple track but a damn fun one, and one I am desperate to see live!

Single and ridiculously titled ‘Hater Liquidator’ feels very Gogol, and I mean that as the uttermost of compliments! It almost has a halloween-esque feeling with the opening riff, immediately setting things off in a quirky direction. Then we get the fun, polka verse and the pure punk chorus, some ‘la’s over the top of the melody after for good measure. And once again, the backing vocals putting emphasis on a few lines in the verses, as well as jumping in in the choruses, make it all feel massive, really feeling like the big gang of a band it is. It drops down for a great little bridge, only making the chorus feel even bigger when it builds back up to it. It’s an incredibly fun song and it’s easy to see why it was picked as a single. It’s one that easily makes our playlist!

‘Boiling Point’ is one of three tracks on the album to feature a guest. All of them are amazing songs, and completely different, complimenting the features perfectly. ‘Boiling Point’ is a slower, acoustic number, having elements of dark folk as well as the traditional Ukranian sound they do so well. And, Grace Bergere’s vocal harmonies were honestly beautiful throughout it. Meanwhile ‘From Boyarka to Boyaca’ features its guest Puzzled Panther a little more prominently, here getting some awesome solo vocal lines. The pace of the track is a bit up and down, the dynamics being fantastic.

Finally, album closer ‘Solidarity’, is an epic, electronica-infused track, and Bernard Sumner adds so much with his vocals. It’s an incredible track made in… well… solidarity… with Eugene’s home nation, and it’s hard not to feel the emotion with every word. It honestly gave me goosebumps, and how this isn’t an absolutely massive track is beyond me. It felt different to the rest of the album too, though that may have been Nick Launay’s mix. All three are incredible tracks, but yeah, the latter is definitely a huge highlight of the album as a whole, and one I would urge anyone to check out. It also closes the album on suitably grandiose fashion!

Back to the band’s solo stuff, ‘Ignition’ is glorious Europop-infused gypsy punk. It’s yet another damn fun track. Then you have the likes of ‘Mystics’ and ‘State of Shock’ are massive, almost metal-infused songs. The violin is a big focus of both, which was excellent, and almost made the latter feel like a Bond song at times. It also gave vague Biffy vibes; two very different styles, I know! All are great songs in their own right, but also fit in with the theme and vibe of the album pretty perfectly!

The other two tracks on the album, ‘We did Good…’ and ‘Crayons’ are also bangers, honestly. Again, they very much keep up the gypsy punk vibe the band are known for, but both feel different in their own right. And, both are a lot of fun, while also having pretty fantastic, emotion-filled lyrics. While both are more ‘album-tracks’, they are not to be skipped, and definitely help to make this album one to listen to from front to back if and when you get the chance.

Overall: This is an excellent release! Every song is amazing, while some I’d honestly put up there with the bands best. And, as an album as a whole, it matches up alongside Super Taranta! or even Gypsy Punks itself. It’s a lot of fun and blends together every influence the band has into a fantastic melting pot of punk, polka and rock, much like the band themselves. I’ll certainly be spinning this a lot moving forward, and is a must-listen for anyone even slightly interested!

The Score: 9/10

Interviews & Features

Eye of Melian: ‘In this age, I feel like connection is something that can never be emphasised enough!’

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We sat down to chat to the wonderful Martijn and Johanna of symphonic band Eye of Melian ahead of the release of their brand new album this coming Friday. Check out us talking about it and their touring plans below!

How would you describe your sound?

Johanna: I think we have created a new genre. It’s a combination of symphonic music, Hollywood music score, combined with ethereal pop music. That’s what it is in my mind!

The new album is out soon now! How does it compare to your debut?

Martijn: Yep, February 20th! I think with the first album we really established like… ‘what are we going to do?’, you know? Discovering yourself as a music entity. The second album, you can walk deeper into the forest, so to speak. You’ve discovered the forest and now you can go down deeper alleys and run. That’s the big difference, I think the second album deepens that sound; makes it a bit more happy, a bit more sweet, more contrast. It’s been a wonderful process making this album, very organic.

What’s the songwriting process like for you guys?

Martijn: I wish we could say we have a garage where we can all chip in together on a weekend, but that’s not how it’s going! How it starts is I simply start playing piano and I just play away what I feel like. It sounds a little flat, but it’s actually very pure, you really play what’s in your heart. I let myself be lead by the music, and it grows from there. Then I give what I’ve got to the rest of the team. We’re really blessed, I think we have a dream team, everyone has exactly the same idea of what it is that you need. There’s so much faith and respect and trust for each other so it’s really like Christmas to give the songs away and unpack what comes back. I’m never nervous, it’s always excitement!

It goes to Mikko for the arranging and orchestral stuff. I do some already but he can do it way more refined than I can! Robin writes lyrics and of course Johanna sings and plays violin, and also does vocal arrangements! I have melody lines they sometimes follow but sometimes they’ll have their own melody lines or alterations. It’s a very organic process and I love it!

Do you take a different approach to writing for Eye of Melian compared to your other work?

Martijn: Yeah, it feels very different! This is vacation! I love writing for Delain, I’m writing for Delain right now, but it’s a different animal, I really have to come up with more. Imagine two dogs; you have a German shepherd and you have a golden retriever. Eye of Melian’s more of the retriever, I just let the dog do its thing and I follow it. Then you have the Shepherd who’s like ‘I wanna go out, let me run!’. They both have their charm but are very different!

Is there a theme running through the album or is it more separate stories?

Johanna: I would say each are individual tracks, but they all fall under the umbrella of ‘forest of forgetting’. That’s the essence that wraps them all together! It’s tapping into your souls, the serenity that’s in there underneath all the worry and the noise of the world.

I Know you have a release show and then a tour after. It’s a lot of theatres as opposed to rock venues, right?

Johanna: Yeah! I used to be a solo artist for 10 years, a pop career, so those venues are really familiar to me, my home base. For me it feels very familiar, but for you Martijn I hear that it’s different.

Martijn: It’s new! It’s very different. I think this type of music really fits well in theatres; you can sit down and allow yourself to float away with the music. I’m very excited for this new experience. And I’m very happy that Johanna knows this scene, it comes very natural!

It’s your second run of shows, right? You did some last year too?

Johanna: Yes, we started out actually with a few support shows for my other band, Auri. One show in Finland and three in Europe. It was a wonderful way to get our feet in the water, y’know! Also, I think we’re still at the starting stages, trying to figure everything out. There’s a lot of novelty still, but it’s a wonderful journey we’re all very excited about. We can’t wait to see where it goes. But some things you learn along the way as you start doing it!

It must be cool to be able to bring these songs to life on stage, too!

Johanna: That’s what I’m most looking forward to, for sure!

What can people expect from an Eye of Melian show?

Martijn: It sounds a little bit hippy, but I hope we have a really wonderful exchange of energy. When we see people enjoy the music, that gives us energy as well. We hope people will experience the music in a really intense way. Johanna sings but she also plays violin. We have piano, we have Kai Hahto (Nightwish/Wintersun) on percussion for the upcoming shows. For the release show in the Netherlands Troy will join us, who is also I’m Johanna’s other band. There are so many connections happening musically that are really exciting. I hope people will enjoy the ride and, together with us, discover what we can do by taking this on the road.

I was curious to see how much of a band you were bringing with. I imagine you can’t tour with a whole orchestra all the time!

Martijn: That’s the big dream! But we have to start somewhere, so we have some orchestral parts on tracks, but we also play a lot of stuff too! Mikko will play the keys, I have my piano, we have acoustic guitars and backing vocals and Robin and also Johanna’s brother will join us onstage for backing vocals. The vocals are there and we tried to build it up. But eventually, an orchestra would be the best!

It sounds like an almost family ordeal though which is great, getting people from bands you’ve known for years involved!

Johanna: It is like a family, and that’s the best thing for me about all this. It’s so heart-connected, and that’s the sort of energy we want to bring to the audiences.

Have you got a busy rest of the year planned after the tour?

Martijn: Well, this is our second album but it also feels like the first as our first album was more like trying out the water. We just signed a deal with an international agent, as well as a Dutch theatre agent, so we’re also working on theatre shows for next year. Hopefully we can do festivals too. We would love to tour everywhere, but we’re going to see what’s possible. We will be on the road much more, that’s for sure!

Fingers crossed we can get a UK show at some point!

Martijn: Absolutely! We both love touring the UK!

Johanna: It’s like my second home, there!

Do you have a dream tour lineup you’d want the band to be a part of?

Martijn: Good question! What do you think, Johanna? Hans Zimmer, maybe?

Johanna: Oh, that would be amazing! Really any composer gurus who are out there touring at the moment, I think that would be the ultimate dream! But just to share this experience with kindred spirits, people who feel like family to you, is what is most important to me! Making indelible memories with the people that you love! And also connecting with the audience through the music and getting to meet the people out there in the world. In this age, I feel like connection is something that can never be emphasised enough. Things seem so fragmented, awful things are happening in the world, so to hold onto that connection that we’re all part of this universe, all part of this magical planet earth that we get to breath a few breaths on and then continue on our journey in another form, is truly special. Remember what truly matters in this world.

Reviews

Another Year Older: Larry Fleet’s Best Album Yet?

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The incredible Larry Fleet is set to release his highly anticipated new album this coming Friday. His unique brand of folky, soul-filled country music is awesome. We’re big fans of him here at Overtone, but on track and live, and have been waiting rather impatiently for this for a while! Let’s dive right in!

‘More of That’ opens things up in perfectly chilled-out fashion. His amazing country-soul sound shines through perfectly with the acoustic instrumentation and his powerful vocals. The positivity through the track is awesome too, and very much up Larry’s street in terms of theming. The chorus, while still fairly simple, is a bit bigger in terms of instrumentation, and incredibly catchy. There’s a slight hint of southern rock to the track too, especially when they drums kick in a bit more in the chorus and second verse. And we get some awesome little lead guitar licks throughout too, always catching my ear. It’s an amazing song in its own right, and the perfect way to open an album like this!

The steady, acoustic-folk pace continues through ‘Baseball on the Radio’. A simple verse builds perfectly into another huge chorus, designed to be played to huge festival crowds. It’s beautiful, and once again just fantastic, feel good music. Fleet is such a great storyteller, and really makes you live in each moment with him on tracks like this. Lyrically it’s fantastic, and his vocals are as smooth as butter. It’s impossible not to love it, and it’s another great song. One easily for the playlist!

‘Hotel Bible’ and ‘5:25’ continue the same style of slower, simple acoustic-country. Both are great songs, with the latter even being a big highlight of mine. However, both are pretty similar and it’s hard not to group them together, especially if I don’t want this review to run for ages and be me gushing like a fangirl throughout!

‘If These Walls Could Talk’ picks up not only the pace, but also the rock and the soul again. The organ was a nice touch, adding even more depth to the song, and the drums keeping a steady pace throughout for the guitars to play off was great. And, it once again builds to an awesome chorus, maybe my favourite on the album! It gives off vibes of everyone from Drake White to War & Treaty, and I can’t get enough. Some awesome guitars run through the bridge and the final chorus too, once again adding so much to the sound. Another massive highlight track, and one of my favourites he may have ever done!

Other tracks like ‘Both Sides of the Fence’, ‘Another Year Older’ and ‘If I Still Was’ are more typically steady Larry Fleet songs, packed full of beautiful vocals and some really thought-provoking lyrics. Whether it’s mourning the passing of a loved one or the differences between us all, or being newly sober, it’s all done in such an insanely relatable way. Larry has somehow become an even better songwriter and lyricist than he was before, and it makes every single song on this release stand out, even when some have pretty similar vibes and pacing.

Meanwhile, ‘Whole Lotta Little Things’ and ‘Drunk Advice’ are more rockier numbers. It’s very much Southern rock, and on the slower side of it, but the change of pace was nice after a few folkier numbers. The soul is still very much present in both tracks too, which I always love from him. The latter here is another big highlight for me, but both are awesome tracks in their own right! Definitely worth checking them out if you like the more southern side of country!

The closer, ‘American Made’, feels like a culmination of everything before it. A slightly higher pace, some rocky instrumentation, yet plenty of folk and powerful lyrics and delivery, too. Oh, and it’s yet another phenomenal chorus. It’s another song up there with one of my favourites from the guy! It’s a great way to cap off the album too, showing off everything he does so well!

Overall: This is an awesome release! It’s exactly what I expected from Larry from a sound and a quality perspective, and he once again knocked it out of the park. Every song is amazing and really gives the listener an insight into his life and the music that inspires him, while there are more than a couple of massive highlights! If you are at all a fan of Larry or his particular blend of country music, this is an absolute must for you. It’s easily up there with his previous three albums, and the perfect follow-up to Somewhere in the South. I’ll definitely be spinning this plenty in the coming weeks!

The Score: 9/10

Interviews & Features

UUHAI: ‘Mongolia gives us roots and authenticity. Europe gives us reach and opportunity!’

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We had the absolute pleasure of chatting to the mastermind behind the Mongolian metal band, Otgonbaatar Damba, about the bands recently released debut album, and tour with the ever-amazing Nanowar of Steel. Check it out below!

How did you come up with your sound? It seems rather unique even with a few bands coming out with a vaguely similar style!

For us, the sound of UUHAI did not come from trying to invent something “unique.” It came naturally from who we are.

We grew up with traditional Mongolian music, throat singing, morin khuur, and the sounds of nature, and at the same time we discovered rock and metal and felt the power of heavy rhythm and distortion. When we started UUHAI, we simply brought these two worlds together. This is our natural musical language.

Our band leader and producer, Ombo, had been carrying this idea for many years before UUHAI was formed. He wanted to express Mongolian spirit through modern heavy music, not as a concept or experiment, but as something honest and alive. Once the full lineup came together, with traditional musicians and rock players in the same room, the sound began to shape itself.

Even if there are other bands exploring similar directions, every group carries its own history, energy, and emotions. UUHAI’s sound comes from our connection to the land, our respect for tradition, and our experience of the modern world. That combination is what makes it feel different.

How would you compare UUHAI to Hurd? Is it a different approach to writing between the bands? 

Yes, it is a very different approach. Hurd played a huge role in shaping Ombo, our producer and leader, as a musician. He joined Hurd as a drummer at a young age, and that experience helped him grow inside the music industry, understand songwriting, stage performance, and composition. Hurd was an important school for him, both musically and personally.

UUHAI comes from a different place. With Hurd, the focus was classic heavy metal songwriting and performance. With UUHAI, the starting point is cultural expression. The writing process begins with Mongolian spirit, traditional melodies, throat singing, and rhythm, and then the rock elements are built around that. It is less about following metal structures and more about telling stories through sound.

So while Hurd was essential for development and experience, UUHAI is about identity and purpose. It is not just another band project. It is a way to carry Mongolian culture onto the global stage through heavy music.

The album has been out a few days now, it seems to have gone down well! Is there a particular story through it? Or is each individual track its own tale and theme? 

Thank you, we are really grateful for the warm response so far.

Human Herds is designed as a complete journey rather than just a collection of separate songs. Each track has its own story and emotion, but together they form one larger narrative about humanity, nature, history, and responsibility.

Some songs draw directly from Mongolian tradition, rituals, and landscapes. Others reflect on modern life and the choices people make today. Tracks like “Uuhai” and “Secret History of the Mongols” connect us to our roots and ancestors, while songs like “Human Herds” and “Dracula” speak more about the present world and human behavior. So every song can stand on its own, but when you listen from start to finish, you hear a wider story about where we come from, where we are now, and where we might be going. That journey is the heart of the album.

Is there more writing going on already?

Yes, creativity does not stop just because an album is released!

We are already sharing ideas on the road, recording small melodies on our phones, and talking about new concepts between shows. Touring gives us fresh inspiration every day, through new places, new people, and new experiences.

There is no pressure or fixed direction yet. Right now, our main focus is bringing Human Herds to life on stage. But at the same time, new music is slowly beginning to take shape. We prefer to let it grow naturally and honestly, just like UUHAI did from the beginning.

You are currently out on tour to support the album, how’s it gone so far. You guys and Nanowar seem like a surprisingly good fit! 

So far, the tour has been an incredible experience for us.

Every night we meet new audiences, many of whom are hearing Mongolian throat singing and morin khuur for the first time, and the response has been very warm. Seeing people from different countries connect with our music, chant “Uuhai” with us, and share that energy makes every long travel day worth it.

Touring with Nanowar of Steel has been a great surprise in the best way. Even though their approach is more humorous and ours is more spiritual and cultural, the contrast actually works very well. Their fans are open minded, and our audiences enjoy their fun energy. Backstage, there is a lot of respect, laughter, and mutual support. It feels less like two separate bands and more like one traveling community.

Overall, the tour has confirmed something important for us: music really has no borders. Different styles, cultures, and personalities can come together on one stage, and that shared experience is powerful.

Do you have a busy year planned after the tour?

Yes, it is shaping up to be a very busy year.

After this tour, we will continue promoting Human Herds while preparing for more live shows and festivals. There are already discussions about additional touring in different regions, and we are very open to new opportunities worldwide. At the same time, we will begin slowly developing new music, taking inspiration from everything we experience on the road.

So it will be a balance between performing, traveling, creating, and staying connected to home. It is busy, but it is exactly the kind of life we dreamed of for UUHAI.

What’s the scene like back home compared to Europe?

The scene back home is much smaller and more intimate compared to Europe. In Mongolia, there are passionate fans and talented musicians, but fewer venues, fewer shows, and limited infrastructure for rock and metal. Concerts do not happen very often, and most bands work independently, driven mainly by love for music rather than industry support. When shows do happen, they feel very personal, because everyone knows each other.

In Europe, the difference is scale. There are many festivals, dedicated venues, and a long history of live music culture. Audiences are larger, touring is more organized, and there is a strong network supporting bands on the road.

Both have their own beauty. Mongolia gives us roots and authenticity. Europe gives us reach and opportunity. For UUHAI, bringing those two worlds together is part of the journey.

Do you have a dream tour lineup you’d want to be a part of? 

Of course, like any band, we dream big. For us, a dream tour lineup would bring together artists from different cultures and heavy music backgrounds, bands that carry strong identity and emotion in their sound. We would love to share stages with groups that respect tradition while pushing modern metal forward, whether they come from Europe, Asia, the Americas, or anywhere else.

More than specific names, our real dream is a tour where music becomes a cultural exchange. Different styles, different histories, one stage. If UUHAI can be part of something like that, where audiences discover new sounds and artists learn from each other, that would already be perfect for us.