And so it begins. Over the next three weeks I’ll be listening to around 150 songs as a judge for the Glastonbury Emerging Talent competition. There are around 40 other music writers like me busy looking over their spread sheet and plugging themselves into Soundcloud and Youtube. We have some tough choices ahead and can only select three each to go on to a longlist of 120 tracks. Of these just eight will go through to the live final at Pilton Working Men’s Club, near to the Glastonbury Festival site, in April. As I plough through I’ll keep you updated and give some deserved publicity to the acts that have stood out for me so far. For more information about this excellent contest, click here.
Dana Immanuel
Having previously played in a bluegrass band I have a built in love for the banjo. Step forward stellar banjo player and songwriter Dana Immanuel and her excellently titled tracks, Motherfucking Whore and Rock Bottom. She doesn’t just have great song titles, the songs are great too as she joins the likes of Southern Tenant Folk Union and Blueflint in breathing new life into the ancient folk and bluegrass genres. Fans of Martha Wainwright will particularly like Dana.
Letters to Fiesta
Little synths, stadium sized sounds from this Manchester-based four piece. There’s epic qualities oozing out of this band, thanks to the build up they create within each song but also in their star turn, singer Anna-Louisa Etherington. The Guardian and others have already compared her to Kate Bush and I can see why. Her voice is stunning and would be a joy to hear ringing out over the hills of central Somerset this June. Here’s the excellent Vampires, one of the tracks they sent in.
Greta Isaac
If the judges are minded to find another Bridie Jackson and the Arbour, the winners of last year’s Emerging Talent Contest, they may have found their artist with Greta Isaac. Of the two tracks submitted Oh Babe is my favourite, especially as it looks from the video like she’s drafted in League of Gentleman’s Reece Shearsmith on ukelele. Her understated guitar playing seems to perfectly accompany her superb, traditional folk voice.
Garnets
Over in the indie music section of my list I feared a deluge of Oasis-a-likes. Its surprising how many male dominated bands still like to sound like the tired old Manchester act. Luckily I couldn’t be more wrong. There’ a mass of invention in the indie acts I’ve heard so far and the track Misty’s Ocean by ambient indie-pop outfit Garnets has been one of my favourites so far. Very relaxing, like I’m floating right out to sea, only to hurriedly paddle back to listen to more of their competitors. Perhaps it is all a plan to distract me?
Garnets – Misty’s Ocean from The Blind Club on Vimeo.
by Joe Lepper
Related Posts
