Emily Barker - Fields

Australian folk artist Emily Barker and her band The Red Clay Halo will release their new single 'Fields of June' on August 13th 2012 with the independent label Xtra Mile Recordings. Emily has teamed up with fellow Xtra Mile artist Frank Turner to create this fantastic contemporary folk murder ballad.

The accompanying video is directed by Kieran Short and in the style of a black and white speeded up silent movie. The band and Frank are wearing old-fashioned dress and the story shows Emily burying Frank alive before having tea and playing music with the other musicians. The song itself has a richly classic folk sound with its use of strings, and is complemented well by a more modern sounding vocal from Emily and Frank. The lyrics are arranged in a traditional style but the words are also contemporary. All in all, this track is wonderfully innovative; embodying the often forgotten sounds of the past with mainstream music culture.

Emily's second studio album 'Despite the Snow' was highly praised among music buffs and the opening track even served as the theme tune for TV crime thriller series 'Wallander' starring Kenneth Branagh. This feat won her and composer Martin Phipps a BAFTA Award for best soundtrack.

UK DATES:
22 JUL - Folk by the Oak, Hatfield House
27 JUL - Camp Bestival, Lulworth Castle, Dorset
17 AUG - Beautiful Days, Devon
22 AUG - Apple Store, Covent Garden, London
23 AUG - Castle Park Old Town Festival, Leicester
25 AUG - Solfest, Cumbria
26 AUG - Towersey Festival, Oxfordshire
9 SEP - Bestival, Isle of Wight
21 NOV - Union Chapel, London (with special guests Chris T-T and Jonny Kearney & Lucy Farrell)