WolfSong – download release 1st May, CD release 22nd May 2020
1.The Old Straight Track
2. Reynardine
3. Litha
4. Calling
5. Silver Lady
6. Gaia Dreaming
7. Child of Green
8. Black Dog Rides Tonight
9. Gather In
10. Gaia
11. Bastet
12. Freyja’s Embers
13. WolfSong
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PRESS RELEASE
WolfSong is the second solo album from singer/songwriter Carys and builds upon her already impressive repertoire of styles and influences. Most of the tracks here are self penned and many are magical vignettes thanks to Carys’s unique storytelling style. The songs, and indeed the whole album, have a magical flavour. Carys tells enthralling stories through her songs of enchanted and forgotten worlds, of love, betrayal, mysticism and even a touch of terror.
With synths and rhythms added throughout by David Wright, sterling guitar from Andrew ‘Spud’ Sinclair on ‘The Old Straight Track’, and added whistle and violin from Sophie Watson and Mim MacMahon respectively, WolfSong is a stunning and unique album that avoids categorisation – its just great music!
The CD is packaged in a eco-friendly digi-pack; and the download version contains a special 16 page booklet containing artwork hand-drawn by Carys especially for the album.
“Wonderfully inventive, totally organic, beautifully mysterious and teasingly enticing, Carys has brought to the table something that will utterly transfix and entertain you with every song sung and each composition played”. One World Radio.
REVIEW
Following on the back of her last successful album ‘A Different Kind Of Normal’, Carys is back with a new release entitled WolfSong. There can be no doubt that folk music is making somewhat of a comeback as a genre these days, this renascence is highlighted further with the release of this new offering, one which is most agreeable and incredibly listenable.
WolfSong is a 13 track collection of compositions, and has many stand out offerings along its journey, the opener being a great place to start and called ‘The Old Straight Track’. The Mike-Oldfield-esque guitar (played by Andrew ’Spud’ Sinclair of Steeleye Span) and the constant onward movement from the vocals and percussion is a superb starting point to begin with.
There are ballads a plenty and ‘Reynardine’ is fine example of the delicacy of the vocals of Carys. This at times gave a little Kate Bush feel to the proceedings, while tracks like Silver Lady manifest a tale told well by the artist, one that utilizes a fine array of musicality along the way.
There is also a little mystery built into the weave as well with probably my personal favourite of them all, with the dark and classic ‘Black Dog Rides Tonight’, you can picture this perfectly, almost to Hounds of the Baskerville proportions, clever percussion and vocals that created such a wonderful narrative that was so easy to follow, and with such drama.
WolfSong
is a very agreeable album indeed, an release packed with charming compositions like ‘Gather In’, ‘Freyja’s Embers’, and of course the title track and the last composition off the album WolfSong, a mantra that is a story book all of its own, but performed with style and such class, and one that takes the listener along with it with ease.
WolfSong by Carys is a further step in the right direction for the artist; she is proving herself to be a singer of supreme story telling ability, and the pieces she sings are chapters weaved into a tapestry of sound, song and enchantment, once you have pressed play on this recording, it will be near on impossible to pull yourself away from it until its final conclusion. A riveting album indeed.
Steve Sheppard, One World Radio
A Different Kind Of Normal – released 30th April 2018
1. Siren Call (2:14)
2. Welcome Home (4:08)
3. Rewritten (3:34)
4. Face the Raven (3:32)
5. The Sentinel (2:20)
6. Charm (3:48)
7. The Piper (3:50)
8. 13 (2:54)
9. Sir Dominick’s Bargain (4:52)
10. The Promise (4:48)
11. Fountains of Hope (4:20)
12. Beating the Streetlights Home (2:56)
13. Apocalypse Dreams (9:42)
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PRESS RELEASE
Carys is a singer songwriter with an enthusiastic and evocative stage presence displaying a natural charm that has won her many admirers; not only within the folk scene, but also far beyond it. Her first solo album ‘A Different Kind Of Normal’ certainly reflects that, with its roots firmly in folk, but also dipping into rock, pop and even a little electronica.
The title describes Carys perfectly because she has Asperger syndrome. She realised a long time ago that her mind has a unique way of producing some interesting songs. So it’s no surprise that ‘A Different Kind Of Normal’ is chocabloc full of varied and thought provoking lyrics and musical ideas covering several genres, but imbued with the unique musical and vocal style of Carys.
Most of the tracks on ‘A Different Kind Of Normal’ are self penned and the album features numerous guest musicians including Rick Kemp, Mike Briggs and Triangle, with David Wright adding his input on rhythms, keys/synths and strings.
Carys is a unique talent, beautifully interpreting her songs with a creative verve and enthusiasm that is sure to enchant, entrance and entertain in equal measure.
REVIEWS
Every now and again an album comes along that surprises. and A Different Kind Of Normal by Carys is such an album. Some of you may have heard of UK folk singer Carys through her ambient vocal work with UK synthesist David Wright, in particular the 2017 album ‘Prophecy’.
‘A Different Kind Of Normal’ is Carys’s debut solo album, although she’s joined by several guest musicians, including David Wright. The album has its feet firmly in folk rock territory, but it also ventures into prog rock with a little synth work thrown in for good measure.
But A Different Kind Of Normal is about Cary’s wonderful voice and her excellent songs, and believe me, there are some great song on this album. From unaccompanied, like the opening ‘Sirens Call’, through nicely arranged plaintive ballads like ‘Welcome Home” to all out rock with ‘The Promise’. the album is full of surprises. The clever “13” in which Carys tells us, with wonderful lyricism, what it’s like to be in her head, and the clever ‘Streetlights’ and the epic progressive 10 minute ‘Apocalypse Dreams’, there is just so much on offer here to enjoy.
What I like is the variety and also the fact that this really is an album that crosses folk, rock and progressive boundaries.
Way to go Carys, I’m now a fan and look forward to the next album.
Richard S. (via Amazon)
I’m loving this album….
Carys sound is rooted in folk music but she expands & involves other themes & sounds into her intimate compositions…A strong & direct vocalist but with a warmth & fragility that will keep you pressing the play button again & again. I’m sure this will be an AD Music best seller xxx ~ Steve Orchard
This is a beautiful album! So beautiful and thoughtful, and I am so thankful for everybody who helped behind the scenes to make this all possible! Such a sweet voice, and truly one of my favorites ~ Joe Myers (USA)
The musical gifts that the release A Different Kind Of Normal by Carys offers are far reaching and deeply fascinating; this all-encompassing release has literally something for everyone. She is indeed well known on the folk circuit and this album has compositions that have their roots firmly established in that camp, but this collection of intriguing songs would find themselves homes in the new age and Celtic genres with ease.
Carys has a unique voice, one that seems to float like a spirit on the misty waters of time, like the tracks Face the Raven and Siren Call, which have wonderfully deep energies about their constructions.
The mystical mood
continues with tracks like The Sentinel and the haunting The Piper, then the unpredictable nature of the album comes to the fore with more commercial pop offerings like 13, the lyrics really need to be listened to on this piece. Then we slide into the composition Sir Dominick’s Bargain where a truly sumptuous folk pop track can be found, and then my personal favourite, the almost light rock styled song Fountains of Hope, which contains some of the finest guitar you’re likely to hear.
Carys’s style is unique and to finish with an almost 10 minute opus would seem at first to be ambitious, but once listened to intently, it is simply delightful to listen to and was in fact the great grandstand to leave the album with. Apocalypse Dreams is like the folk equivalent of Suppers Ready and Stairway to Heaven rolled into one; another absolute favourite of mine.
A Different Kind Of Normal by Carys is an album filled with surprises, a beautiful production quality, with classy arrangements packed with thirteen fresh and exciting new songs that will be doorways to new dimensions of music that will fill you with wonders at every turn, inviting you into a realm of musical enchantment like never before.
Steve Sheppard, One World Radio