The Underground of Happiness

Invigorating collection of folk treatments of songs either featured or referenced in the plays of William Shakespeare , an album put together to mark the Shakespeare Jubilee in 2016. The variety of shades over the course of the set is impressive; the ominous vocal drone of Dead Rat Orchestra singing ‘Bonnie Sweet Robin is to the greenwood gone’; the plaintiff vocal canons of Stornoway on ‘Eibhlín a riún’; the wonderful courtly atmosphere of ‘Caleno custure me’ as arranged by Alasdair Roberts & Gordon Ferries ; Thomas Truax putting ‘Greensleeves’ through his particular surrealist vision, all chiming music boxes, whirrs and scratches; the primal drone and irrepressible vocal lilt of Kirsty Law . Sweet sweet music for Shakespeare fans and everyone else too.

Spring is here The grass is ris I wonder where the birdies is... Governments are falling like skittles this weather. As usual, pop music has its own soundtrack to world events. Try turning down the volume of your favourite news channel and turning up some of this UOH playlist instead. It might just turn your world upside-down. *All albums below, unless otherwise stated. John Stammers - John Stammers (Wonderful Sound) Gorgeous folk-blues hybrid from the Manchester native, built around fingerpicked acoustic guitar and a smoky, unassuming voice. For fans of Nick Drake or (especially) Bert Jansch. As usual, the beauty is in the detail - the keening cello of Idle I'm , muted trumpet set against mournful pedal steel on Here again , the one-note violin chorus of The fridge . Plaintiff and heartfelt, a beautiful addition to the canon of modern English folk music. A Lazarus Soul - Through a window in the sunshine room (Intent to Supply Records) Authentically downbeat album of el...

Thomas Truax is a mad genius. He makes his own instruments. If you don't believe me, go here to find out more - http://www.thomastruax.com/instruments.html . He's also just released the first in a series of monthly journals for 2011, a song called January egg race dream . It's available to download for free here. January Egg Race Dream by Thomas Truax It's got a strolling, slightly sinister, atmosphere with a voiceover by Thomas and it all sounds quite like something from a David Lynch film. Which is appropriate, because Thomas' last album was called Songs from the films of David Lynch . I spoke to Thomas when he played in Cork around the middle of 2009, when that album came out. You can listen below. He's charming, he walks through the audience when he plays, he's met David Lynch and the great man admired his shoes. Listen on. Thomas Truax UOH Interview Podcast by underground of happiness