Kenny Anderson, also known as King Creosote hails from Fife, Scotland. He was one of the founders of The Fence Collective a loose knit group of folks who would release music and put on events in their little corner of the world. I was fortunate enough to be also living in Fife at the time and managed to attended several Fence Collective gigs, so it was with a feeling of nostalgia I went along to The Fire Station to review King Creosote 20 years on.
The Often Herd transcend the traditional boundaries of bluegrass music. Although they might resemble an American string band, complete with driving energy, tight vocal harmonies and dazzling instrumental interplay, their vibrant, transatlantic sound is deeply coloured by their surroundings; the striking natural and industrial landscapes of Northern England.
In February I had seen Jack Francis open for Ferris and Sylvester at Independent, Sunderland. I was impressed, then I listened to his album Early Retirement and that first impression went up a level. He’s excellent live and the album comes highly recommended. It’s a mix of folk, alt country and soul - as Jack says ‘Its about dedicating yourself to something you really believe in, only to find it’s causing you irreversible harm.'
DownByTheRiver 