The Magpie Arc – Gil Brenton

When progressive rock became a movement in the seventies it threatened, for a time, to get its claws into many different forms of music, possessing as it did a limitless potential now that other genre structures could be submerged by this new evolution. But it did not take too many years for Prog to become a dirty word, and anyone left with a soft spot for those pushing the envelope away from DIY simplicity had to keep their fondness buried, laughing it off as a guilty pleasure. Even the folk world in the aftermath of punk’s pretension bursting, prowess sandblasting of the landscape was reticent to admit it ever danced a progressive dance. But back in the early days of Fairport Convention and Jethro Tull the folk and classically minded evolving rock world were happy bedfellows. So much so that, there has long been a sense that there is unfinished business there ripe for further investigation. All it needs is a band with a feel for the music, the chops to push it forward and a taste for electrical energy igniting a sound that is traditionally acoustic. Step forward The Magpie Arc.

They are no newcomers to the scene, but neither is the back catalogue prior to this second album especially deep. What has been evident from the start is their capacity for ambitious, boundary pushing music that leans into a combination prog, rock, and folk without restriction from any. The thirteen minute introductory title track lays the Magpie Arc cards on the table with an energy that is pensive and brooding, the ringing of a solitary bell suggests drama ahead and the jagged, angry guitar slashes that follow conjure thoughts of Black Sabbath more than any ear-fingering folky. In fact, the most direct traditional reference point is the expressive voice of singer Nancy Kerr, whose delivery has more than a hint of the olde-England about it whilst navigating the ‘Gil Brenton’ narrative with engaging authority. With its roots in a 19^thcentury Scottish Ballad, the stories retelling of marital infidelities and a nobleman’s child’s identity, is extremely well suited to the punch and sway of the forceful music it is wrapped around. That is why this album and what the band do in general works so well, because when they rock, they rock hard and they have now succeeded in capturing this strength on record. ‘The Burning Of Auchindoun’ positively throbs along to tremolo guitar waves worthy of the early 1990s indie-dance brigade whilst ‘Thou Shall Not Kill’ is vibrating from the heat of the classic, dark rock ballad buttons it is pushing.

If the band are indeed resurrecting the ploughing of a field that had been left to languish for a number of years, they have always been keen to revisit this old ground accompanied by those whose footprints remain from before. Previously they had a long-standing member in Martin Simpson, who was a delight in concert cutting loose in a voltage enhanced fashion, but this new records closing number, ‘The Mantle,’ features a brace of heavy-duty names in Maddy Prior from Steeleye Span plus Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull. Respectively they bring backing vocals and some energetic lead flute to the table, but it speaks volumes for what a monumental number ‘The Mantle’ is that the big names are only a side note to the overall appeal. Simply put, it is already one of the finest recordings in the entire folk-rock canon and, even though its sound is in no way retro, neither do the classic albums of Tull or Fairport appear dated either and therefore, it has fashioned a rather timeless place for itself alongside some acclaimed peers. At the end of the day, ‘Gil Brenton’ is a consistently strong album across all seven tracks that for all its references to past eras, has more than enough conviction and serious intent to fully warrant its place in the modern musical conversation.

Danny Neill

You can buy a physical copy of ‘Gil Brenton’ by The Magpie Arc via this link: https://themagpiearc.com/

The track ‘The Mantle’ appears on our latest ‘new releases’ Mixcloud show here: https://www.mixcloud.com/dannyneill714/fruit-tree-records-fresh-juice-2026-vol-1/

Music Mixes

New Mix: Fruit Tree Records – Sixties Garage Vol. 1

As far as this site is concerned, the world of record collecting and crate digging does not get more exciting and as frequently rewarding as it does when exploring the genre known as Garage Rock. Especially the original explosion heard in mid-1960s sounds rising out of the US, the UK and beyond. Much like Northern Soul of course, no one was categorizing these records at the time, they were a world wide manifestation of the musical revolution in the wake of The Beatles and Rolling Stones beat music energy whereby doors of creativity were kicked open for anyone with an electric guitar to crank up with friends in an actual garage. But the best thing for me with these (mostly) 45s is that, ever since the genre was shaped by the first Nuggets compilation back in the early seventies, the well has never totally dried up; to this day there are still killer, previously little known, garage tracks from the sixties belatedly rising to the surface. So this series of the Fruit Tree Records music mixes will be an appreciation of the classics and the rarities, all played together in a number of ongoing bumper fun episodes, of which this is the first. Dig it!

Tracks – Fruit Tree Records – Sixties Garage Vol. 1

‘Till The End Of The Day – The Kinks https://www.discogs.com/release/541882-The-Kinks-Till-The-End-Of-The-Day

Writing On The Wall – The Five Canadians https://www.discogs.com/release/3560954-The-Five-Canadians-Writing-On-The-Wall-Goodnight

My Friend Jack – The Smoke https://www.discogs.com/release/1380455-The-Smoke-My-Friend-Jack

Voices Green And Purple – The Bees https://www.discogs.com/release/1088018-The-Bees-Voices-Green-And-Purple

Come On Back – The Crying Shames https://www.discogs.com/release/1457228-Paul-And-Ritchie-And-The-Crying-Shames-September-In-The-Rain

I Can’t Do It – The E-Types https://www.discogs.com/release/7154070-The-E-Types-I-Cant-Do-It-Long-Before

Try To Understand – The Seeds https://www.discogs.com/release/8889538-The-Seeds-The-Other-Place-Try-To-Understand

Wanted Dead Or Alive – The Rogues https://www.discogs.com/release/10952958-The-Rogues-Wanted-Dead-or-Alive-One-Day

Beaver Patrol – Wild Knights https://www.discogs.com/release/9289647-The-Wild-Knights-Tossin-Turnin

Come In It’s All For Free – Eagle https://www.discogs.com/master/705697-Eagle-Kickin-It-Back-To-You

You’ll Never Do It Baby – The Pretty Things https://www.discogs.com/release/4104424-The-Pretty-Things-Get-The-Picture

Father’s Name Is Dad – The Fire https://www.discogs.com/release/1064073-The-Fire-Fathers-Name-Is-Dad

Grounded – The Syn https://www.discogs.com/release/1090656-The-Syn-Created-By-Clive

All I Want Is You – Shadden & The King Lears https://www.discogs.com/release/4854036-Shadden-And-The-King-Lears-Come-Back-When-You-Grow-Up-All-I-Want-Is-You

Tried To Hide – The 13th Floor Elevators https://www.discogs.com/release/11432206-The-13th-Floor-Elevators-The-Psychedelic-Sounds-Of-The-13th-Floor-Elevators

Bad Little Woman – The Wheels https://www.discogs.com/release/1862721-The-Wheels-Bad-Little-Woman

If You Still Want Me – The Four Fifths https://www.discogs.com/release/31574500-The-Four-Fifths-If-You-Still-Want-Me-Have-You-Ever-Loved-A-Girl

High And Mighty – The Society https://www.discogs.com/release/5600721-The-Society-High-And-Mighty

Little Girl Little Boy – Odyssey https://www.discogs.com/release/4508183-The-Odyssey-Little-Orphan-Annie-Little-Girl-Little-Boy

Need A Little Lovin – Foggy Notions https://www.discogs.com/release/9650215-The-Foggy-Notions-Need-A-Little-Lovin-Take-Me-Back-And-Hold-Me

Fortune Teller – The Downliners Sect https://www.discogs.com/release/3122156-Downliners-Sect-The-Rock-Sects-In

Fresh Juice

Fresh Juice 2nd March 2026

Radhika – Starry Eyes

There is some heavy duty indie royalty backing on this recent single from Radhika released via Glass Modern. It features the unmistakable talents of Gerard Love, formerly of Teenage Fanclub and Lightships as well as Mitch Mitchell, previously in The Pastels. If those names conjure thoughts of floating dream pop then you are not far off the mark but that alone does not impress what a thing of melodic wondrousness this track is. It is from forthcoming album ‘Cine Pop’ and of the tune Radhika says: “I was looking through some old black and white pictures with my grandmother Soma and she said in a soft voice “I miss my mother.” This gentle intergenerational exchange was the starting point for ‘Starry Eyes.'” Get yourself a copy of this single via the link: https://glassmodern.bandcamp.com/album/starry-eyes

Shakey Graves – When The Love Is New

Shakey Graves is the performing identity of Alejandro Rose-Garcia who is both playing live regularly and releasing new music in what feels like an ever evolving artistic progression. He may have first got some recognition as a rough hewn disciple to the rootsy Americana grain of blues and folk but there is an increasing textural depth to the music he puts out. This latest release with its accompanying self directed video is a great example, yes it may well have a deceptively simple framework but the sound is dynamic and the sonics have a range to them worthy of the cinema. The further he goes, the more questions he raises about who and what Shakey Graves really is, be it experimental work, solo looping, full band improvising or mixed media, this is a journey that continues to fascinate. Several Shakey Graves titles can be explored and purchased via the link: https://amzn.to/4aKW019

Juni Habel – Stand So Still

Music does not need to nail definitive answers to the mast to be meaningful or evocative. With that in mind, it is very relatable that Juni says of this track that she does not think “this song ever decided whether standing still is good or bad. And I don’t know myself!” What we do know is that this is a timeless gem of a song that has a natural grace to it as it captures a moment of stillness and thought. This is a song that is set to appear on the Norwegian singer-songwriters forthcoming third album ‘Evergreen In Your Mind,’ anticipated to be one of the years strongest acoustic-folk leaning albums; Juni has enjoyed time well spent finely crafting this follow up to 2023’s ‘Carvings’ LP. You can get yourself a copy of the album (when it’s released on 10th April via Basin Rock) via this link https://amzn.to/4aY8Szx and this track can also be heard as the closing number in the Fruit Tree Records latest ‘New Releases’ Mixcloud mix right here: https://fruit-tree-records.com/2026/02/24/new-mix-fruit-tree-records-fresh-juice-2026-vol-1/

Henri Herbert – American Psycho

Always a thrill to present new music from this artist, who is seen and heard here attacking the piano with his own composition ‘American Psycho.’ In a past life Henri was part of the hard rocking vintage renegades The Jim Jones Revue but since that band dissolved this former child of Essex and France relocated to the US and immersed himself in the countries roots music scene. Nowadays, Henri is one of the top purveyors of that infectious, pounding boogie-woogie sound and he releases music on his own HH Records label. Catch him live if you can and head this was for downloads of his albums and recordings: https://amzn.to/40DTvrm

Clementine March – Powder Keg

Released on PRAH Recordings, this is the title track from a new album by Clementine March that builds on the artists Art-Pop style incorporating elements of chamber pop and a hint of the maverick in the unpredictable structures and changes. All of that can be heard in this one track actually, as wind instruments and strings appear to propel the song into the stratosphere following the more pastoral psychedelics heard in the opening. There is a tension between the quieter moments and the tougher textures throughout the album while the names of other collaborators (Alabaster dePlume, Naima Bock and Katy J Pearson) stand as strong indicators to the kind of single-minded artist we are enjoying here. There are physical formats of the LP available, find out more here: https://clementinemarch.bandcamp.com/album/powder-keg

Cosmic Tones Research Trio – High On Flutes

If the Juni Habel song managed to evoke the stillness of its title, so too does this mesmeric instrumental leave an appropriately flute-centred impression on the listener. This is spiritual jazz par-excellence from three US multi-instrumentalists and in fact the live clip below continues into a full set recorded at Het Stadsklooster (Utrecht) during Le Guess Who? Festival 2025 for VPRO Vrije. Theirs is a sound that thrives on a slow building approach, there is both a cosmic and organic feel to the vibes and whilst Alice Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders are very obvious comparison points, the Cosmic Tones Research Trio are very much their own entity making work that flows out of their individualist DNA. Further investigation is strongly recommended and you can get a copy of their self titled debut here: https://amzn.to/4sn04ur

Monthly Playlists

March 2026 Playlist

A new documentary film about Paul McCartney’s post-Beatles years and specifically his band Wings has just been released. ‘Man On The Run’ is, for any Beatles obsessive which I do regard myself as, an essential and welcome addition to the wide array of in-depth film studies relating to the band and its members solo careers. The fact is, with John Lennon’s life being well represented on film with more than one release in the last year alone utilising hours of TV show, home movie, concert and news footage he left behind and George Harrison receiving the Martin Scorsese treatment on ‘Living In The Material World,’ Paul McCartney has been comparatively lacking in the appreciative biographical cinema experience stakes. This is no doubt partially down to the ongoing forward momentum of his career, Paul has shown no sign of slowing or retiring the creative side of his endeavors, even as the McCartney live experience has increasingly focused on Beatles material in the last three decades.

So, having given ‘Man On The Run’ an initial viewing, my takeaway reactions are that there is much to like in the production of this piece. Firstly, the on-screen images are entirely monopolized by period relevant footage and photos, you occasionally get a snippet of Paul himself during an on-camera interview but other than that, the film is devoid of the talking heads shots that are standard in these kind of pictures. Yes, there are spoken contributions from people like Mick Jagger and Chrissie Hynde, but they are never seen, and neither are members of Wings who are heard via archive interview excerpts, but it all makes for an engaging experience that feels like the main characters offering a firsthand commentary while we watch the events unfold. And lest we forget, at the core of this story is a band who were one of the biggest of the decade in the seventies and so performance clips, live shots and music videos are all in plentiful supply. The home movie finds do feature some gold dust, in particular a section where we catch Paul alone at home breaking away from the piano to take a phone call from someone hoping to speak to Linda; he has fun at the callers’ expense disguising his identity with a just about convincing enough Irish accent.

Secondly, I was appreciative of how the film avoided some obvious pitfalls. It would have been so tempting for the makers to focus purely on Wings and detach the context from Paul’s previous band. But the fact is Wings were formed in reaction to The Beatles, especially the live experiences Paul hungered for that his former fab partners definitively did not, and they existed in the mop-tops shadow. Then there were the legal disputes that led to John and Paul’s initial solo LP’s often sounding like a bitter spat played out in song for the benefit of the public. And even when those hostilities subsided as the other Beatles realized that Paul had called correctly in his suspicions about Allen Klein, the sense that the former writing team of Lennon and McCartney were keeping an ear out for each other’s new work is addressed and substantiated. Sean Ono Lennon tells at one point of the ‘McCartney’ album in his father’s record collection being very heavily played. Later still, as 1980 brings about a fatigued stepping away from the Wings project, McCartney himself recalls how John had heard ‘Coming Up’ and been inspired to get back in the studio to revive his own career, which had been put on ice since 1975.

Thirdly, this documentary is not a flowery Paul McCartney promo feature, it keeps the occasionally harsher reality of his experiences in the frame. The voice of early years Wings guitarist Henry McCullough opines that Paul’s intention for the group to be an even-handed recreation of the Beatles set up was always an idealistic ambition never likely to be realized. The often-downright nasty sniping from sections of the press and fellow musicians about Linda’s place in the band, treatment aimed at her perceived lack of musical ability that amounted to bullying, is not glossed over and neither are Paul’s brushes with the law following drug related arrests. But best of all is how the film does not indulge in an oft-repeated, self-inflicted McCartney trope of pretending that all the genius things he is credited for were the result of a happy accident. In fact, when two members of Wings quit with pointed complaints about wages before the recording of ‘Band On The Run’ we catch a glimpse of a far more ruthless Macca that he rarely allows sight of. He can be heard retaliating to the whining with the candid reasoning that if they wanted to earn more money, they should do some writing like he does, before confiding that the departures were at least partly the motivation behind the writing of what would become the bands one undisputed classic album.

So, a good weighty documentary then, very highly recommended. This month’s seventy-five track playlist opens with a small selection from the film and then takes you on a wavy 4-5 hour audio journey beginning with a Beatle and ending at Beethoven.

Old Fruit

Old Fruit 27th February 2026

Joan As Police Woman – Anyone

Prompted by the news that Joan Wasser, in her performing guise of Joan As Police Woman, is going to be celebrating the twentieth anniversary of her ‘Real Life’ album, this weeks Old Fruit revisits that and five other notable records from 2006. To mark the occasion Joan has recorded and filmed new re-worked versions of songs from the record, including the beautiful ‘Anyone’ which today is rightly regarded as a classic. The celebrations will be accompanied by a tour later this year and if this new rendition should whet your appetite for further Joan’ exploration you can get on her case via the label Reveal Records and investigate more here: https://www.revealrecords.co.uk/

Cat Power – Lived In Bars

Here is another long established US artist who is going to be celebrating twenty years since the release of her classic ‘The Greatest’ album with a tour. Cat Power (real name Chan Marshall) emerged out of the 1990s indie scene and initially played with more of a lo-fi, alternative-blues kind of sound but by 2006, with confidence growing and artistic expressiveness sufficiently flexed, she issued the record that absolutely lived up to its name within her catalogue. The thing that she really nailed here was an authentic southern soul sound which, in tandem with Chan’s aching and bruised vocals, made for a set of songs that hit their mark with total conviction. Get yourself a copy of the album here: https://amzn.to/4bcXK3b

M Ward – Right In The Head

Here is a stand out track from M Ward that appeared on his 2006 album ‘Post War,’ released on Merge Records. It marked a sonic evolution for Ward being his first record recorded with a full band, broadening the songwriter’s palette beyond the intimate, lo‑fi textures of his earlier work. His sound by then was a mix of acoustic folk, blues, and dusty Americana whilst he was also able to entice contributions from collaborators like Neko Case. The nostalgia-tinged production he would go on to be acclaimed for was hitting its stride in 2006 and further deep listening of the mans music is strongly recommended, so why not start here with ‘Post War’ https://amzn.to/4bbWWvw

Camera Obscura – Lloyd I’m Ready To Be Heartbroken

Taken from their 2006 album ‘Let’s Get Out Of This Country,’ this song was actually the opening track and it marked the high water mark in the bands career, in accessible pop terms at least. This demonstrated a turning point too for the band, similar to that taken by fellow Scots Belle And Sebastian when they also moved away from the twee, bookish indie of their earlier days into a sound that was far more comfortable in big production and a lush widescreen pop sheen. It certainly endured as well, this is a song that still gets regular airplay (especially on 6 Music) to this day and quite rightly so; you can pick up the album on CD right here: https://amzn.to/40xfO1N

The Decemberists – Yankee Bayonet (I Will Be Home Then)

The Decemberists 2006 album ‘The Crane Wife’ was an important one for them in that it sharpened their profile in the music world as a band capable of building long form song-based suites that could also produce a US folk-rock sound identifiably their own. This song especially shone with that balance of accessibility and ambition: a melodic, immediate tune that still carries the band’s signature narrative complexity. This live clip from a few years later is nice because it features Colin Meloy’s original lead vocal partner from the album recording, Laura Veirs, reprising her role on stage. The album is well worth checking out too and can be found via this link: https://amzn.to/4tZtC2M

Victorian English Gentleman’s Club – Ban The Gin

We conclude this edition with the only act this week who do not appear to still be active. The band did remain an underground cult favourite for a few years after releasing a debut album in 2006 and are fondly remembered by people who were following their label Fantastic Plastic Records or the Cardiff scene at the time. However, despite releasing a few more albums over the next ten years it would appear they quietly called it a day some time around 2016. Nevertheless, the VEGC burned bright for a while and certainly ignited a scene suddenly awash with Arctic Monkeys soundalikes with their unique and adventurous brand of Art-Pop. You can find a copy of their debut this way: https://www.discogs.com/master/208739-The-Victorian-English-Gentlemens-Club-The-Victorian-English-Gentlemens-Club

Music Mixes

New Mix: Fruit Tree Records – Fresh Juice 2026 Vol.1

Welcome to this new music mix, the first of many in an ongoing series of mixes that will highlight some of the latest releases being spun today at Fruit Tree Records. Get straight into the sounds with this Mixcloud link then check out the purchase and pre-order information in the tracklisting that follows:

Tracks – Fruit Tree Records – Fresh Juice 2026 Vol. 1

Today’s Gonna Be Our Day – The Molotovs https://amzn.to/4salRoV /

Heidi Fleiss – Ginger Molasses https://www.gingermolasses.com/

Hit In The Face – White Rose Motor Oil https://whiterosemotoroil.bandcamp.com/

The Mantle – Magpie Arc https://themagpiearc.bandcamp.com/

Hurricane – Katherine Priddy https://amzn.to/4kVxayU (for Amazon exclusive signed CD!)

You Get The Feeling – Squeeze https://amzn.to/4s8WAeW (2CD & Blu-Ray Limited Amazon pre-order)

Circles – Greazy Alice https://greazyalice.bandcamp.com/

World’s Gone Wrong – Lucinda Williams https://amzn.to/4tTDGKE

Alpha Centauri – Marta Del Grandi https://amzn.to/3MsrDmR

Xanadu – Laptop https://www.laptoptheband.com/

Put The Bucket Down – Peter Gabriel https://amzn.to/4rxIfbL

WAP (What A Predicament) – The Claypool Lennon Delirium https://amzn.to/3ZTvso4

You’re My Patient Now – The Wave Pictures https://amzn.to/4aQ5ozl

Yard Loup – Craven Faults https://cravenfaults.bandcamp.com/

Stand So Still – Juni Habel https://amzn.to/3ZPQ3JY

Fresh Juice

Fresh Juice 23rd February 2026

Laptop – Xanadu

This summery, laid back new single has the potential to join the ranks of the great misinterpretations in music. Like the many who failed to notice that ‘Born In The USA’ was damning, or that ‘Every Breath You Take’ was basically a stalker song, so too some might miss that ‘Xanadu’ is far from the colourful ode to an exotic holiday destination it initially appears as. The tune is a duet between the bands frontman Jesse Hartman and Nevis vocalist Anna Hadeed that has enough sunshine and sand in the production to deceptively masquerade as a sunshine pop hit with an ambient nod to Jamaican chill. But, as is depicted in the video, this is actually throwing a grenade at the materialistic idea of happiness being found in consumerism. Originally formed in the late 1990s, Laptop released three albums of arch, synth leaning art pop on Island Records before disappearing from view for a while, but they return revitalised with Jesse now joined by his son Charlie. They have a forthcoming album called ‘On This Planet’ and you can check them out more here: https://laptoptheband.bandcamp.com/

Hudson Freeman – I’m Most Me

Sometimes when new music is raining down on you there will be a chance discovery unaccompanied by fanfare or hype that stands out simply by virtue of being very, very good. So, that very thing happened with this song, captured as a live performance on the GoodNoise channel. There is nothing in Hudson’s presentation that grabs you, he has a pretty unassuming look, but as soon as he plays ‘I’m Most Me’ the thing that stands out a mile is that it is the work of a sensitive and tuned in songwriter. He is at one with his instrument as both lyrically and sonically he plugs into the exact feeling the number is trying to convey. Add to that some hot guitar abrasions and it adds up to a quiet eruption of music in the lo-fi Americana style. Hudson has focused more on the intimacy of singer-songwriting post pandemic, but you cannot fail to detect something raging under the surface. Find out more here: https://hudsonfreeman.com/

Kevin Morby – Javelin

Following a totally fresh discovery I move onto an artist who has been a firm favourite for at least ten or fifteen years at this point. Kevin Morby is dependably excellent with his releases too, having settled on an alternative folk-rock sound that whilst referencing Lou Reed, Wilco or Jonathan Richman textures is always unmistakably his own. He has recently announced a forthcoming new album called ‘Little Wide Open’ from which ‘Javelin’ is a rather promising taster. Kevin has described the record as his most personal and vulnerable yet although, by the sounds of this song, that does not mean he has lost any of his energy and musical thrust. Aaron Dessner of The National produces and by the sounds of things is leaving a welcome amount of space in the production for the performance to express as only Morby can. The full album is coming in May but for now you can get the song here: https://amzn.to/4qV05Et

Jill Scott – Beautiful People

The Roots have long been one of the best acts on the rap scene, not just because in tandem with their beats and mixing they are a super tight live unit but also because of the strength of their collaborations. Soul singer Jill Scott broke through in music in the late nineties after working with the band, amongst others, then really made her mark with a strong solo debut in 2000 that fused the rap and nu-soul styles of the day with an authentic retro texture marking her territory as the real soul deal. She has kept her quality high, possibly by not overkilling on the releases as this is her first new music in ten years, but whenever the three time Grammy winner puts out something new it has always been worth hearing. The new album is out now, called ‘To Whom It May Concern,’ you can grab a copy here: https://amzn.to/4rxeY1b

Mitski – I’ll Change For You

Mitski is another artist about whom you can say if there is new music in the pipeline, it would be wrong not to check it out for she delivers consistently. There is a perception that she belongs in the mainstream pop world but if that is the case, it is a pop avenue that I am happy to send you down because the music has depth, eloquence and range. There is also a maverick unpredictability to her, after all, the surprising support act she picked for a recent tour was the equally unique and out-there folk singer Richard Dawson. The new album ‘Nothing’s About To Happen To Me’ is more narrative driven and is available February 27th on Dead Oceans; for purchasing just follow the link: https://amzn.to/4c51Viz

India Bourne & The Big Skirts – Lava

To conclude this week, a lovely and mesmerising live clip featuring India Bourne. There is something so beautiful about a choir of voices, producing a sound with both volume and punch but devoid of the clinical tuning in modern recording standards, the human element of a choir with all its built in natural variables makes for a sound that is raw and alive. India is a classically trained cellist who was a long time member of Ben Howard’s band alongside her own Tender Central project, but she also moonlights as a vocal coach and for the past ten years, a choir leader of The Big Skirts. For further exploration into her warm, experimental sounds head this way: https://tendercentral.bandcamp.com/album/the-garden

Old Fruit

Old Fruit 20th February 2026

Jake Thackray – Lah Di Dah

This week’s voyage into the archives is focusing on a niche collection of song writer’s who can bring a smile and a laugh to their audiences faces without specifically being a comedy act. Instead they are both observant and delightfully mischievous in their portraiture of the everyday life around them. They have an eye for the ridiculous, the pretentious and the grandeur that folk shield themselves in but have a lightness of touch when translating these details into song. They can play it for laughs in tandem with composing a beautiful, memorable song without resorting to being straight gag merchants or comic impressionists. Some of the selections this week, the first two in particular, are naturals in front of the TV camera as they have the gift of audience communication and can command a television studio as much as a concert stage. Jake was a UK TV regular some fifty years ago and does in fact preface his song about upper class aspirational types with some gentle jokes. The songs are his strength though and there are many more like this, I strongly recommend this 1967 – 1976 retrospective as a place to start https://amzn.to/4cK5o6e

Loudon Wainwright III – The Doctor

Loudon was one of the many singer songwriter’s labelled as a ‘new Dylan’ in the early seventies but the reality of his act has always been a long shot away from the Bob turf. For starters, Loudon has always been transparent when writing about his personal life, sometimes to the apparent annoyance of his children, in a way that Dylan generally avoids or disguises. Secondly, he has always been comfortable with playing it for laughs in the same moments he is punching you in the face with a hard truth. Finally, Wainwright will think nothing of setting up a song in concert or on a radio session with a long spoken, explanatory, introduction; something the monosyllabic onstage Bob will rarely do these days. Loudon’s career is long and distinguished at this point, here he is in the early 1990s with a song from that years ‘History’ album, which can be purchased here: https://www.discogs.com/release/2986342-Loudon-Wainwright-III-History

Tom Lehrer – We Will All Go Together When We Go

Here is a master satirist from the fifties who only got his hands dirty in music for a relatively short period, regarding himself as a mathematician first and a performer almost by accident. As the political events of the sixties unfolded he claimed to find them hard to satirize, sensing that he would merely be stating the obvious. That said, of the artists featured so far he is definitely the most overtly comedic and his wit could be as razor sharp as his wordplay could be biting. You can sample his recorded output easily enough, this being one of a few CD retrospectives available: https://amzn.to/4qStT4N

Randy Newman – My Life Is Good

Here is one America’s most acclaimed and consistently rewarding song writer’s who has found rich potential for his music in many films and soundtracks. Something that jumps out from this live clip is how musically eloquent he is, the way he dances around the piano firing off little dramatic musical intervals to build the drama around those incredible lyrics is worthy of the musical theatre. Anyone who enjoys the previous artists ability to be both funny and poignant in the same breath will surely find much to love in Newman’s work. Take this as a fantastic example, the singer playfully mocking the financial elite who believe their wealth elevates them above basic humanitarianism. The original recording appeared on his 1983 LP ‘Trouble In Paradise,’ an album that recently enjoyed the expanded deluxe edition treatment: https://amzn.to/4aschb5

Jonathan Richman – Vampire Girl

Not an act who is intentionally soliciting for laughs in the slightest, at least not that he would ever admit. Jonathan’s whole schtick has been built around playing on his wide eyed innocence, then following through with that in both writing and performance thus unlocking a career of a wholly unique stripe. He favours the stripped back simplicity of early rock ‘n’ roll and sings without a trace of cynicism or irony. The humour in his work is warm and gentle whilst his live sets are a primitive delight that cannot fail to entertain. ‘Vampire Girl’ is available on this 2002 ‘best of’ compilation which can be purchased via the link: https://amzn.to/4aFeVsL

Half Man Half Biscuit – 24 Hour Garage People

Half Man Half Biscuit are arguably the definitive example of an indie band who could not be described as a comedy act but are routinely hilarious in their writing nevertheless. The band have always been a vehicle for the writing of Nigel Blackwell, a musician whose work is keenly observed and littered with UK specific pop culture, indie rock and football references. The music always packs a primitive guitar band punch forming a canvas for Nigel to spray paint his observations, take downs and dry social send ups on. The song in this live clip tells of a hilariously dour encounter with a late night petrol station attendant which the singer extends brilliantly with a freeform riff in the middle. It originally appeared on the album ‘Trouble Over Bridgewater’ which can be purchased here: https://amzn.to/3Oqcnay

Fresh Juice

Fresh Juice 16th February 2026

Cat Clyde – Man’s World

I have featured Cat Clyde in Fresh Juice in previous years but some artists are worth returning to again and again. It was the ‘Down Rounder’ record from 2023 and a blistering set at the End Of The Road festival that originally caught my ear, although that was actually her third long playing release having put a well received debut out in 2017. Over the years many have praised her ability to put a fresh spin on an old sound but I do not see things through such a retro lens. For me, the rocking country music that Cat delivers is raw and alive, very much a legitimate part of the 2026 landscape and I am excited to hear more of her vintage modernistic flavours when the new ‘Mud Blood Bone’ album is released on 13th March; you can pre-order that right away here: https://i.concordrecords.com/catclyde

GENA – Lead It Up

This is the latest single from the duo of Liv.e and Karriem Riggins who are about to release, on 27th February via Lex Records, a new album called ‘The Pleasure Is Yours.’ It is one of the most hotly anticipated records scheduled for the opening weeks of 2026 and this promo film tells you exactly why. These are subtle soulful sounds with a jazz flare and a cutting edge that could leave you bloodied and bruised. Just listen to those savage waves of distortion that tear it up as the song enters its finale. This is only one side of the sound GENA produce, flip things over and there are strong R&B and hip-hop elements as part of the cocktail too. This video film was directed by Cam Hicks and stars Liv.e, Karriem, Errol Chatman and Aijani Payne. Get your hands on this by visiting https://lexrecords.com/

Spencer Cullum – Rowan Tree

There are many acts around today who pull inspiration from the warm analogue sounds produced by British folk bands during the late sixties and early seventies. Sprinkled with a little acid guitar magic, buzzing with the throb of electricity against a deep traditional song structure and propelled by an organic rhythm section, it remains a sound that, the more it is repurposed for the present moment, moves way beyond the evocation of an era into an increasing timeless realm. Spencer and his various collaborators across different projects has proved himself to be one of the best, so it is fantastic to welcome ‘Spencer Cullum’s Coin Collection 3,’ the concluding album of the ‘Coin Collection’ trilogy out on 27th March via Full Time Hobby. You can pre-order and reserve your copy via this link: https://spencercullum.ffm.to/cc3

Courtney Barnett ft. Waxahatchee – Site Unseen

This is a pairing that makes perfect sense on paper and is proving to be extremely fruitful in practice too. Courtney has been keeping that slacker, grunge energy, shot through with a little Lou Reed streetwise cool and wit, alive for more than ten years now whilst Waxahatchee has been responsible for some of the truly essential modern country sounds to come out of the US in the 21st century. She (real name Katie Crutchfield) appears with Courtney singing a high harmony part on this, a taster single from Barnett’s forthcoming ‘Creature Of Habit’ album which is due for release on 27th March. Get yourself a pre-order of the vinyl by following the link: https://cbmusic.lnk.to/CreatureOfHabit

John Andrews & The Yawns – Something To Be Said

Time for a bit of chilled reflection with this suitably laid back number, it comes from a modestly titled album arriving on 3rd April called ‘Streetsweeper.’ Like our previous artist, John Andrews has been on the scene for a good ten years or more now and, through his various connections in the indie rock world, has a growing reputation as a fine purveyor of vintage sounds and a classicists hand at song composition. The Yawns were initially an imaginary band as John played most of the instruments on his recordings himself but, gradually, he has evolved to the point we find him at today, capturing the authentic live sound of musicians cooking together in a room (albeit in a very relaxed manner). You can pre-order the album today via the link: https://earthlibraries.com/

The Claypool Lennon Delirium – WAP (What A Predicament)

I am sure they will not thank me for saying it but there is some real Beatle Juice bleeding into the kaleidoscopic audio of this new track. Of all the Beatles next generation, it is frequently Sean Ono Lennon that seems to be the most plugged in creatively and who so often delivers the goods. This is the band he formed with the Primus bassist and vocalist Les Claypool who have more recently expanded to include Joao Nogueria on keyboards and Paulo Baldi on drums. Once more for this weeks Fresh Juice, they are an act that have been around for about ten years and continue to evolve and stay relevant, this new music refining the ‘progadelic’ notion coined by Lennon in an effort to describe the bands music. Keep up with their new recordings and live dates here: https://theclaypoollennondelirium.com

Old Fruit

Old Fruit 13th February 2026

Leonard Cohen & Sonny Rollins – Who By Fire

This week’s journey through some vintage musical selections has a theme of unlikely or, as is the case with all six choices, very welcome collaborations. It was spurred by my chance encounter with our opening offering, a 1989 TV collaboration between a song writing icon and a free jazz legend. The programme which brought this pairing about was called ‘Night Music,’ hosted by David Sanborn and Jools Holland, a show well known for its matching of bright lights from seemingly opposite ends of the musical spectrum. This was an especially inspired pairing, as Rollins in tandem with Cohen’s backing singers and the Was (Not Was) band transformed the poets meditation on the fragility of life into a spiritual prayer of some considerable, freeform and exuberant, force. Best of all, behind that solemn face, you can easily detect Leonard’s delight in this transformative interpretation of one of his strongest works.

Nick Cave (with Toots Thielemans & Charlie Haden) – Hey Joe

‘Night Music’ was a new discovery to me and it turns out that pulling together unusual, first time, collaborators for live performances was one of its specialities. It was curated by Hal Willner and other intriguing sounding pairings included Conway Twitty with the Residents, Lou Reed & John Cale alongside Harry Connick Jr and Miles Davis (more on him in a bit) playing with the Red Hot Chili Peppers. For my other ‘Night Music’ pick today I have gone for this Nick Cave rendition of the sixties classic ‘Hey Joe’ because, once again, it speaks to oceans of untapped potential in the marrying up of deep singer-songwriters and the cutting edge of the bebop jazz world. Charlie Haden is a celebrated double bassist and composer who, among many other landmark appearances, had played on the 1959 ground breaker by Ornette Coleman, ‘The Shape Of Jazz To Come.’ And if that were not enough it also features the man routinely titled ‘the best harmonica player in the world’ Toots Thielemans and a very early televised sighting of Nick Cave playing with his long time band mate Mick Harvey.

Amy Winehouse & Paul Weller – Don’t Go To Strangers

This one is from the days when Jools Holland’s ‘Hootenanny’ on New Years Eve still had the capacity to delightedly overwhelm with its musical guests and match ups. Taken from the 2006 edition and capturing Amy at the end of a year that regrettably would prove to be the peak of her powers before they were tragically cut short. Together these two real-deal performers covered ‘I Heard It Through The Grapevine’ in addition to this sympathetic rendition of a song originally heard in 1954 by The Orioles. It gave Amy a chance to once again flex the jazz stylings she had been known for when breaking through only a few years before and Paul an opportunity to prove what a jazz-soul connoisseur he is at heart. It is wholly understandable when watching back that this should be one of the all-time great appearances on the long running show and one that many frequently refer back to.

Anne Briggs & Bert Jansch – Go Your Way My Love

I include this one simply because any filmed appearance by the reclusive, legendary folk singer Anne Briggs is a super rare thing and to be treasured. She recorded a pair of albums during her time as an active artist in the sixties and early seventies, both highly regarded and influential to all leading names in folk these past fifty years and beyond, even bands like Led Zeppelin were indebted to her. But she retreated from public view permanently in the early seventies never to re-appear, save for this short, soon to be terminated, moment at the start of the nineties when she briefly indulged requests with an occasional appearance. One of those is here where she was filmed with guitar legend Bert Jansch at the old ‘Howff’ Folk Club on The Royal Mile, Edinburgh, for the 1992 BAFTA nominated music film documentary ‘Acoustic Routes.’

Miles Davis & John Coltrane – So What

Not strictly a double billing because John Coltrane was a part of Miles Davis first famous quintet from 1955 onwards and then, by the time Miles was laying down his ‘Kind Of Blue’ masterpiece in 1959, Coltrane was a long established and vital member of the group that, by then, was a sextet. This is of course the opening track from that classic album which also boasted a jazz heavyweight line up in the other players, featuring Cannonball Adderley on alto sax, Bill Evans and Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass and Jimmy Cobb on drums. In any other genre more would be made of two legends in the form appearing side by side like this on a record that, still today, is regarded as one of the greatest in the music’s history. Jazz can be more about respecting the music as much as the stars but still, for anyone that finds it an impenetrable genre I would point them to ‘So What’ and say just go from there. If something as timeless and wonderful as this does not pull you in, then get yourself another interest, music is not for you!

David Bowie & David Gilmour – Comfortably Numb

From a 2006 show at the Royal Albert Hall when David Gilmour was touring in support of his recent superb return to form solo album, ‘On An Island.’ Bowie had been out of the spotlight for a couple of years by this point following a health scare that prematurely terminated his ‘Reality’ tour. Little did we know at the time that his gentle return to public view in 2006 was not a step back into full time activity but instead the prelude to a final decade spent entirely out of the spotlight (save for the two late album releases prior to his death). It is of course understandable after the onstage trauma he had been through if he was reluctant to put himself in that situation again so, therefore, we are fortunate that this occasion was captured on film. If nothing else it shows the power of the man that he could, as near as possible, turn arguably David Gilmour’s signature Pink Floyd contribution into a David Bowie song for one night. Not that Gilmour did not step up and stamp his mark on it by the end too, both were on dazzling top form for sure.