17 / Best Dress On / Black and Blue / Pastel Coloured Sea / Realise / Midnight Blues / Deadweight to Disappear / That Secret War / Uniform Days / Davey / Good Morning Blue / Long Time Later

Kontiki Suite>Open Up and Smile

Frankie Teardrop>These Are the Days

FAT NORTHERNER RECORDS

The third in the DIGITAL NORTHERNER series of compilation albums, VOLUME 3 sees the Fat Northerner label collecting together some of the best and brightest acts of the North-West UK music scene.

A more downbeat and subdued collection of music than previous releases may have showcased, VOLUME 3 has a definite folk tinge to proceedings; the gorgeous likes of Denis Jones, Isobel Hayworth and Kait DeVoy delivering tender acoustic laments guaranteed to soothe the soul, Isobel Heyworth's BEST DRESS ON in particular standing out as a magical and truly special slice of majestic downbeat folk.  Aron Paul's DEADWEIGHT TO DISAPPEAR continues on in the same musical vein; a tenderly fingerpicked acoustic guitar and mournful sounding cello playing out beneath her ghostly vocals, a hauntingly beautiful moment.

UNIFORM DAYS from Sara Lowes is another delicately pitched affair, a song that finds the superb middle ground between Aimee Mann and Joanna Newsom whilst Josephine Oniyama's DAVEY is skittery folk full of delicate drum patterns and gentle guitar strokes.  The gorgeous LONG TIME LATER from Rachel Kichenside is another standout moment, the female singer/songwriter singing in a swooning croon that recalls both Nerina Pallot and Joni Mitchell.

Whilst DIGITAL NORTHERNER VOLUME 3 may show a more downbeat and subdued side to the labels musical output, this is a collection that is none the less essential and invigorating as previous releases.  With the likes of Sara Lowes, Rachel Kichenside and Isobel Heyworth all standing out as new acts that leave you desperate to hear more, DIGITAL NORTHERNER VOLUME 3 is a collection that beguiles and intrigues.

Fat Northerner’s third release in their series of download only compilation albums focuses on the thriving North West singer-songwriter scene. Bringing together a host of hugely promising newcomers such as Josephine Onimaya, Steph Grant and Liz Green alongside more established Northern artists like Bone-Box, Sara Lowes and Stickboy, the quality remains impeccable throughout it’s 14 track length, and the album is a perfect document of this regions passion for traditional songcraft.

Denis Jones opens proceedings with the sublime 17. A dark, brooding acoustic number taken from his debut album Humdrum Virtue, 17 echoes the quieter moments of Radiohead’s Hail to the Thief, whilst Jones’s deeply melancholic vocal style is reminiscent of the bleaker side of Turin Brakes back catalogue.

Track 3, Mancunian troubador Stickboy’s Black and Blue, is undoubtedly one of the albums highlights. Recorded at home in his bedroom - presumably with Ray Davies and Gram Parsons in attendance – the track is a perfect transatlantic distillation of the distinctly English pop of the Kinks, and the americana of pioneers like The Band and contemporary practitioners such as Sparklehorse. Stickboy’s self-financed collection of demos, Odd Little Moments, was an instant sell out in his home town of Manchester.

The stunning Midnight Blues introduces the utterly bewitching countryblues of Liz Green, and forms the centrepiece of this collection at track 6. Whilst Liz’s vocal style is undeniably familiar, it is also somehow totally unique. Favourable comparisons have been made to Jazz and country greats such as Billie Holiday, Nina Simone and Peggy Lee but Liz’s songs are also evocative of the deeper roots of black American music, with the influence of the spiritual songs of the 1920’s as prevalent in her output as the earliest blues recordings of Charlie Patton and Robert Johnson. With a 7” single due for release this year on Manchester’s Humble Soul label and a set opening the pyramid stage at this years Glastonbury Festival, this promises to be a big year for Liz Green.

With two critically adored albums for Fat Northerner already under their belt, Manchester’s Bone-Box are one of the leading lights of the North West’s alt-country scene. Narrated with typically sardonic Mancunian wit by frontman Jay Taylor, That Secret War is a tantalising glimpse into their mariachi-soundtracked underworld, and is a taster for the unique blend of Northern lyrical grit and Calexico style Americana to be found on their latest album Death of a Prize Fighter.

Sara Lowes, keyboard player and backing vocalist for The Earlies and sometime collaborator with King Creosote and Jim Noir, steps to the fore on track 9 with the beautiful piano-led ballad Uniform Days. Penned and played by Sara herself, accompanied by Semay Wu on violin, the song is set to be the launchpad for a career in the limelight for this well established, unsung player on the North West scene.

Frankie Teardrop close the album with the bizarre These are the days. Like entering the bar in From Dusk til Dawn to find Marty Robbins fronting the Grateful Dead, this is a unique slice of latino influenced country rock, with it’s acid-soaked tongue planted firmly in its cheek.

Digital Northerner 3 is available now to download from www.fatnortherner.com and is essential listening for fans of contemporary folk, soul, blues and country.

DIGITAL NORTHERNER: VERSION 1.0

Iron Weed>Down To My Grave

Earl>Regret

Slims>Get Up

Evenhand>My Wall

Blue Avenger>Do The Right Thing

Rebbeca>Fortune For The Flame

The Argonauts>1/4.2.7

Evenhand>Boost

Earl>Risky

Slims>Eyeball Man

Chimes>Intercontinental Girl / Blue Avenger>Risky Remix

DIGITAL NORTHERNER VOLUME 2 (Fat Northerner Records>2006)

Ironweed>Swim Like Whales

The Future>Fifteen Seconds To Fire

The Clerks>The Dissidents

Earl>What Are You Waitin' For

Shmoo>Opposites Attract

The Future>Ward X

Tommy Walker III>Ream

Tarentum>Oink

Shmoo>She Machine

Moth HiFi>Dogs On A Lead

Worm Is Green>First Robot View

DIGITAL NORTHERNER VOLUME 3 (Fat Northerner Records>2007)

Denis Jones>17

Isobel Heyworth>Best Dress On

Stickboy>Black and Blue

Kait DeVoy>Pastel Coloured Sea

Mark Wilson>Realise

Liz Green>Midnight Blues

Aron Paul>Deadweight to Disappear

Bone-box>That Secret War

Sara Lowes>Uniform Days

Josephine Oniyama>Davey

Steph Grant>Good Morning Blue

Rachel Kichenside>Long Time Later

Kontiki Suite>Open Up and Smile

Frankie Teardrop>These Are the Days

Fat Northerner>www.fatnortherner.com