The Southern Fold

BIO

'After finally making an overdue return to the live circuit last year (2024), they dropped single 'Nothing to Fear', which showcased their tuneful knack of combining sweet HamSandwich-type vocal harmonies with the folky storytelling of Jason Isbell.

Hot Press Magazine 

The brainchild of Emlyn Holden, The Southern Fold was formed in Kilkenny in 2014 and, following the release of their mini album A TRUE ASCENSION FROM THE WAYWARD PATH in 2016, they released their debut full-length album BIBLE FEAR three years later. Well received in press circles, the album established the band as an archetypal Gothic country outfit, with Holden’s dark lyrics straying from damnation to salvation and fusing melancholy with religious frustration. With Holden sharing vocals with Laura Hand, comparisons to The Handsome Family and collaborations with Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan came to mind.

Since that debut record, the lineup has changed, with only two original members remaining in the current band: Holden and bass player Brian McGrath, formerly of the popular but now defunct Kilkenny group The Midnight Union Band. Holden’s new vocal partner Madeleine Leclézio was recommended by the band’s guitarist Stephen Doohan (Blackbird and Crow), who, with Leclézio, was a student at BIMM Music Institute in Dublin. The fifth band member, Dara Doyle, plays drums.

BENEATH THE BLAZE OF THE BURNING SUN finds the band in a more experimental mood than its predecessor, without straying too far from the dark, moody and atmospheric undertones of their previous work. Holden and Leclézio’s vocals are faultless throughout the album, and no more so than on Before the Fall. Capturing unease and unrest, it’s both haunting and unsettling (“For so long I’ve loved her and I promised to forever more/But life has lived so long since we began/Oh, the summer sun has turned winter rain/The sky from blue to clouds of grey”) but equally melodic to the extent that it should attract radio play.

The Sacred & Saving Light opens with over two minutes of percussion and cello before Holden and Leclézio’s vocals kick in with a mystic tale of regret and remorse (“Last of the lovers shook his head and solemnly exhaled /Right down to the barest bones of his final will and wake /And a Sunday morning lingers on/Like a fairweather live-in friendly song”). Like a parent welcoming home a wayward child with open arms, Nothing to Fear unfolds a thread of forgiveness and support.

Darker than midnight and dripping with ghostly atmosphere, My Opened Mind runs over the eight-minute mark. It’s an intoxicating affair, combining Holden’s weather voice with Leclézio's ghostly backing vocals, hazy guitar, hypnotic bass, and cello.

A totally unexpected, quirky and inspired inclusion is One More Time. The song could have been plucked from Marlene Dietrich’s songbook, with Leclézio taking a sultry lead vocal, joined by cello, flugelhorn and a delightful trombone break in what is best described as classic 1930s cabaret.

Undoubtedly one of Ireland’s best-kept musical secrets, if there’s any justice, BENEATH THE BLAZE OF THE BURNING SUN should introduce The Southern Fold to a wider audience both at home and overseas, alongside their local devoted fan base.

Declan Culliton

Lonesome Highway 

“‘Nothing to Fear’ stands as a testament to The Southern Fold’s artistry and musical prowess. With its enchanting melodies and beautiful lyrics, the single offers a glimpse into their captivating world, leaving listeners eagerly anticipating their forthcoming album. As they continue to push boundaries and captivate audiences, The Southern Fold solidifies their position as one of Ireland’s most intriguing musical acts.”

Saoirse Murphy – Pure M Zine