Folk Buddies

Forget the Radio 2 folk awards; never mind the Hugo; here arethe 2016 Montpelier Station Awards for the nicest folk moments oflast year, voted by a panel of blogger and podcaster living atAndrew's house 

Bristol's most enthusiastic folk talk show is back with Andrew talking to himself about Luke Jackson, Martyn Joseph, Chris Wood, Gaz Brookfield and Blackbeard's Tea Party

The Folk Buddies are emotionally drained because "Walk the Line" is such a moving film and also whisky. So they carry on talking about Johnny Cash's songs. Andrew like the one about great military defeats; Clarrie likes the one about sweet shops; but oddly enough they both like the one about hangovers.

The Folk Buddies leave their guns at home as they walk the line into a burning ring of fire and watch two movies about the life of Johnny Cash -- "Walk the Line" (the serious one) and "Walk Hard" (the funny one.) No one does the joke about Bob Hope and Steve Jobs. A Johnny Cash Playlist

There's an intermission during the Folkbuddies Folk Film Festival during which ice cream and popcorn can be purchased. Andrew reviews some gigs, and reveals his folkiest moment of the year so far. 

The Folkbuddies decide to spend a few weeks reviewing their collection of folk-theme movies. This week they are watch History of Future Folk, Morris: A Life With Bells on, and A Mighty Wind.  Red wine becomes involved. 

Dogs; cats; bulls; blacksmiths; bantam cocks; ladys' bottoms and Jesus.   All bickering is suspended as Andrew and Clarrie talk about Jake Thackray: the best, the very best of all English poet singers.   Listen to some of his songs right here.

In which the Folkbuddies listen to music, watch morris dancing, eat food, and nearly get punched by a famous film director. 

Yes...it's the highlight of the folkbuddies year...The annual awards for the the best folk music of 2014, chosen by a committee of bloggers and podcasters living near Montpelier Station. 

It is still 2015. Andrew and Clarrie are still listening to last year's stack of CDs. They unexpectedly agree about Maz O'Connor, and predictably agree about Martin and Eliza Carthy, Bellowhead, and O'Hooley and Tidow. They say they aren't going to have the same argument about Luke Jackson they did last time, and then do. Andrew says "Hang on..." too often. GUARANTEED PENGUIN FREE. 

Andrew is all by himself. He talks about Circus of Boom, Hobo Jones, Chris Wood, and other great gigs that he has been to. By himself. INTRODUCING: Penguin Buddy. WARNING: May contain poetry

Andrew has been to hear Ushti Baba, Calico Jack, a big celebration of Bob Copper at Cecil Sharp House, and some youngster name Luke Jackson. Clarrie isn't around, so he get's to pontificate without interruptions. 

It is the year 2015 AD. Two Folk Buddies take off their space helmets, jump out of their jet cars, switch off their personal communication devices, and look back on some of the music they were listening to in 2014.

Mulled wine; mulled cider; kittens; mince pies in the shape of Christmas trees; terrible, terrible Christmas records: these are a few of the Folkbuddies favourite things. Caution: May contain singing Playlist (naughty) Playlist (nice)

The Folk Buddies have been to some gigs. They talk about them. PLUS: Andrew's nephew explains Mumford and Sons.    Play List. 

The Folk Buddies continue their autumnal ruminations about folk, fairy tales and feminism. They turn their attention to contemporary faerie-influenced bands like Heg and the Wolf Chorus and the Emily Portman Trio. This leads to an unprecedented outbreak of unanimity.   As ever, a play list.

It is quite literally Halloween, so the folk buddies  decide to have an in depth scholarly discussion about Tam Lin. They end up bickerig about who they love more, Sandy Denny or Maddy Prior.  There's a playlist and everything. 

In an orgy of topicality the folkbuddies turn their musical eye north of Hadrian's wall, to Scotland! Home of Dick Gaughan, Karine Polwart and even some artists whose names we can pronounce. Listeners are warned that Andrew eats Haribo throughout.

As autumn settles upon the UK like a wet rag, let this twenty six minute bucket of podcast offcuts be the kindling that lights the fire of laughter in your hearts or something I don't know.

The epic conclusion of the Folk Battles saga. Families torn apart, vows that can never be taken back, Eurovision. That sort of thing. 

In the second instalment of our Folk Battle, things take a more serious turn as we discuss the role of archaic language in creating emotional distance. Trigger warning for discussion of sexual assault.

A long time ago, on a dining room table far away, the folk buddies prepared for each other a playlist of 'their' folk music. They swapped, and then they listened, and then they talked and talked and TALKED. 

Flat foods! Incest! Drugs! A philosophical argument about what constitutes a 'camper van'! All this plus Eliza Carthy  and Martin Simpson at the 2014 Village Pump Folk Festival.

Andrew and Clarrie don't agree about Tommy McCarthy, the Anti Capitalist Road Show and Other Things. 

Nudity! Electrical Danger! Mumford and/or Son! All this and more in Andrew's wet and messy 2014 Glastonbury audio diary. No Clarrie, though. She stayed at home and played X-Box.

Dolphins! Shipwrecks! Pirates, and... Scaffolders? Pour a rum and tip your prostitute, it's sea shanties week and a Folk Buddies favourite has encountered difficult second album syndrome.

In preparation for next week's coverage of the Black Swan Folk Festival, Clarrie and Andrew get into the wayback machine and return with an unreleased episode from this time last year. 

In this episode Andrew and Clarrie ask 'which is more important, intent or interpretation?'  Warning: Contains language and opinions.

The Folk Buddies visit Bristol Folk Festival 2014, the festival that nearly wasn't. It's bells & hankies agogo with Jim Moray & Fairport Convention as Clarrie broods about being too skint to see Lucy Ward and Rilstone manages not to describe R.S.V.P as 'kind of a klezmer ska band'

Andrew disses the queen, Clarrie has strong views on the entertainment value of dams and the Mermaid Avenue sessions. Both of them forget that St George's Hill is in Surrey. All in all it's an eventful St George's Day in Folk Buddy Towers.

Andrew thought the leaden winter would bring him down forever, but now his naked ears are tortured by the Sirens sweetly singing. Clarrie isn't in this one, so contents herself with references to sub-par Cream songs. Special Guest Appearance By STEVE.

This week on Folk Buddies: Clarrie hates sincerity and collaborating with the Axis forces during WWII. Andrew reads the rugged poetry of the outdoorsman. Everyone giggles at leaflets about VD.  Recorded during cold season, so heavy breathing throughout.

Join us as, through the power of Future Radio, we travel back through time to 2013 where a select group of folk numpties have just seen Ewan Mclennan play the three sugar loaves.

Join us, as for the first time, Bristol's prestigious MONTY awards are presented live on the future radio.

"You there boy, what podcast is this?" "Why it's the Folk Buddies Bumper Xmas Special sir." "Have they still got that mulled wine in the shop?" "The 3.99 microwave filth?" "Fetch it, and a shiny sixpence for your trouble!" "Please stop talking to me." 

In this found footage style episode, Andrew takes advantage of Clarrie's temporary absence to showcase some local venues.

In this super spooky Halloween spectacular Clarrie and Andrew discuss Bright Phoebus and The Wickerman, explore the science of box wine, and use the word hauntology. A LOT.

Through the power of radio, we travel back in time to May, where Clarrie and Andrew have just been to an Alasdair Roberts concert.

As demand for a more reasonably sized podcast grows, Clarrie and Andrew release this mixed bag of witterings covering everything from opera to coffee shops and clocking in at well under half an hour.

In this episode, recorded entirely on location at the Village Pump Festival in Trowbridge, Clarrie outs herself as sickly and Andrew tells the Worst. Joke. Ever. Also featuring special guest star: Tim the roadie.

With Clarrie out of the picture for a few weeks due to illness, Andrew steps into the breach with an account of his solo adventures at the Hatfield Folk Festival.

Another artist themed episode from the Folk Buddies, as Andrew tries to convince an understandably skeptical Clarrie that Luke Jackson is folk music's second coming.  A big thank you to Luke Jackson himself, who very kindly gave permission for his music to be used in full. Go and buy his albums:  http://lukepauljackson.com/ Spotify playlist: http://open.spotify.com/user/critical_miss/playlist/22njGoak0zCPVAnwbMF1fG

Andrew goes to the Priddy folk festival, where he describes everything as 'kind of gypsy, klezmer-ish'.  (This podcast was recorded using very basic equipment, so the sound quality is poor and the editing is almost non-existent. Stick with us, we'll be back to exquisitely produced nonsense next week).

In this, Chris Wood themed, episode: Andrew and Clarrie are bitten by some radioactive alcohol and turn into a conservative vicar and an angry lefty stereotype respectively. Then they argue about stuff for ninety minutes.  There's a review of a Chris Wood gig in there somewhere.   I know it's actually 'Janet', by the way. As ever, a spotify playlist for this episode can be found here: http://open.spotify.com/user/critical_miss/playlist/0MM6vyHk7ZTlgHcq0ujdNh

Did you enjoy the Glastonbury special, but think it could have been longer? Missed the balance and knob jokes only Clarrie can provide? YOU ARE IN LUCK. The Extended Glastonbury features over 70 MINUTES of extra content. And Clarrie.

In this episode: Andrew goes to the world famous 'hippy convention' Glastonbury. Where a lady gives him free beer, he fails to get a dirty joke, and his mind is blown by the existence of cosplay.  Clarrie doesn't.

This took me, like, an hour.

In this, very special, episode of Folk Buddies about the dangers of no-alcohol: everybody forgets to turn their 'phones off again, Andrew insults the entirety of Guildford, and our hosts considers duelling for the honour of an anti-folk damsel. Meanwhile, with an eye to mainstream popularity and a spin off podcast, Clarrie subtly introduces the topic of Nana Mouskouri. As usual, a spotify playlist for this episode can be found here: http://open.spotify.com/user/critical_miss/playlist/5A262cSmZdl1x7NtMTqJx3

In this, much shorter, podcast: Andrew and Clarrie discuss Jackie Oates, disagree about the definition of a lullaby, discover a shared parental affection for the Andrews Sisters and ask how *do* you pronounce Dick Gaughan?  Also they forget to turn their phones off, and Clarrie casually tosses out the word 'ossified' like it ain't no thing. And then it just stops. (As usual, a spotify playlist for this episode can be found here: http://open.spotify.com/user/critical_miss/playlist/4LqbfU0xoSQGeEdpfFfwzT  (Oh, and it turns out that we were both kind of right about Twinkle Twinkle Little Star:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twinkle_Twinkle_Little_Star))