The Folk Ups aren't afraid to mix it up on EP Shelby [Review]

Published: 
Listen to this article
Chris Gillett |
Published: 
Comment

Latest Articles

Tatler to give fans 50% ticket refund for Messi’s Hong Kong no-show by May

An intense smell from a rare corpse flower attracts visitors in San Francisco

Hong Kong grocery chain DCH goes out of business after 39 years

Hong Kong logs coldest start to March since 2016

Icelandic peninsula sees fourth volcanic eruption since December

The Folk Ups may be going their separate ways for university, but they leave us with the aptly titled EP, Shelby, (named after their ingenious bass drum/suitcase invention), available for free on their Bandcamp page.

Opener Come & Go sees the duo at their most incisive, as they switch between bluegrass choruses and indie-folk verses in the style of The Lumineers. The use of harmonica, slide guitar, hand claps, whistling and constantly changing tempos show the band’s fearlessness in experimenting with new sounds and textures, and Ryan Harling’s voice at its most theatrical.

Harling is in full control of his voice on tearjerker Lunar Lullaby, which features a beautifully melodic banjo tune, and a moving cello line. Jasmine Kelly’s vocals are soothing at the EP’s emotional peak: “My dear, you’ll have saved me, now we are free.”

The Folk Ups try something different yet again on For Your Eyes Only. The Lantau Singers choir add a dreamy nostalgia, while Harling, singing: “Home is a skin that you can’t outgrow/ And I say well what does that mean?”, shows his humorous side.

Their debut was brilliant, but Shelby is even better, with the band really breaking into their stride. If it proves one thing, their last three shows at the end of the month will be unmissable.

 

Sign up for the YP Teachers Newsletter
Get updates for teachers sent directly to your inbox
By registering, you agree to our T&C and Privacy Policy
Comment