STOCKFISCH SFR357.8099 STEVE FOLK DEPARTURE 2022

Steve Folk has a heart of gold that although sometimes pained and crushingly fragile, it’s one that beats with emblazoned love and gentle compassion.

For "Departure", Folk’s fifth album, the riverboat dwelling songwriter and rising artist delivers an enchanting album and undoubted career highlight bringing together some songs from his past and some brand new recordings. Folk runs through these eleven thoughtful vignettes is a rare ability to magnify personal matters of the heart whilst communicating everyday themes and universal sentiment to a listener without judgement.

For the album Folk has assembled a small band of musicians who expertly and deftly add colour and hue to these songs, bringing them alive and enhancing their charm. A particular mention for Ian Melrose, whose carefully crafted guitar and dobro playing is a real joy in itself.

A troubadour in every sense of the word, Folk has spent the last number of years travelling back and forth to mainland Europe, where he has become a much-loved performer on the house concert scene. His dry, deadpan delivery and candid persona has endeared himself to a growing audience of music lovers. The ‘what you see is what you get’ honesty holds Folk in good standing and makes his songs all the more needed - and cherished - in this mad and crazy world. "Departure" is a beautiful reminder that we need to cherish what we have here around us in the present whilst it’s here.