There are many different subtle shades that are all covered by the “singer/songwriter” label. No matter which nuanced little subcategory may take your fancy, Manchester based artist Scott Lloyd is sure to deliver what you’re looking for with his new EP. ‘In The Garden’, with its fleshed-out indie sound, hints of harmonica and nostalgia driven lyrics, is reminiscent of Billy Bragg and comes across as quintessentially British. The irresistible melody of ‘Four Cities’ is textbook Billy Joel, the bright, heartwarming ‘Lavender’ brings to mind John Denver with its rich lyrical imagery, and ‘Wild Flower’ sees Scott stepping into darker, alternative territory. It’s on ‘Cornish Coast’ however where everything comes together and we see Scott at his very best. It’s the kind of song that could equally be the soundtrack of a bright new dawn, eagerly ushering in whatever adventure awaits on the horizon, or of a forlorn longing for summers long since passed. Scott’s honest and uncompromising songwriting has exceeded my expectations and his music is sure to be a rewarding listen for indie folk fans.
Scott Lloyd’s latest EP In The Garden is out 9th March for fans of Jake Bugg, Dry The River and Tom Odell
Ed Sheeran – Divide
The Desert Line – You and the Earth, You and the Sea
With their debut EP The Line, Cornish quartet Haunt The Woods made it immediately apparent that they are one of the most exciting new acts in the country. Combining rustic folk, imposing prog proficiency, and the raw, unbridled passion of artists such as Jeff Buckley, I’d struggle to conceive of a better combination of sounds if I tried! With a panache for pastoral vibes, an ear for detail, and a simply spine-tingling delivery, naturally I just had to chat with them about their new release: 
Belwood Music has found plenty of new favourites over the past couple of years. One act that has certainly earned a place in our hall of fame is former Bottleman Billy Bibby and his new band The Wry Smiles. Post-Catfish he has maintained his high standard of songwriting and has made an assured and promising start to his solo career. Billy was our first ever interviewee and his track ‘Are You Ready?’ found its way into our top ten songs of the year. All that has been missing was the chance to see the lads in action up on stage. I caught up with them at The Leopard to see if they could keep up their high standard for the eager Yorkshire crowd. 
These days singer/songwriters are ten-a-penny, but the best among them, those that genuinely move you and earn a place in your heart, are worth their weight in gold. Conor Owen, better known by his moniker Ren, is set to be one of the finest new acts to emerge this year. His debut EP is one of the most assured and affecting collections of songs you could hope to come across. I caught up with him to talk about the release:
Yes, the rumours are true, Foo Fighters are returning to Worthy Farm. The band announced the news at a secret intimate gig in Frome in Somerset, which they broadcast globally via a livestream. This follows after they had to pull out of their 2015 headline slot due to Dave Grohl’s broken leg, with Florence + the Machine filling the slot. The Foo Fighters will be joining fellow headliners Radiohead on the Pyramid Stage this summer, with the third and final headline act still yet to be announced.
Holy Holy – Paint
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