AUK’s EP Round-Up – October 2025

So here we are in October, and the weather has finally turned autumnal. The gold and rustic leaves that for many weeks had adorned the trees that line the many streets and parks in my neighbourhood now crunch and rustle beneath my boots as I huddle against a breeze that nips with a faint scent of the Arctic and cling to a watery sun already too close to the horizon. But, never fear, instead of wallowing in the onset of darker evenings, let’s lose ourselves in this month’s bumper edition of the EPs Round-Up, where we have another rich and varied mix that spans the genre we love to call americana. So without further ado, let us begin.

We will start this month with an artist who has taken the last 18 months by storm, with a highly acclaimed debut album, successful UK-wide tours, as well as several festival appearances. The artist is, of course, singer-songwriter and self-styled travelling troubadour, Sorrel Nation, who has a new five-track EP entitled “Live and Acoustic”. Recorded in ‘The Roondhoose’ at TPot Studios, near Perth in Scotland, back in March of this year, the five tracks are made up of three self-penned songs from the debut album “Lost En Route”, along with two previously unrecorded cover versions that have been a regular part of Nation’s set list this year. By intent, the EP offers up a vastly stripped-back and raw interpretation of the songs that first appeared with a full-band arrangement, Nation’s vocals and acoustic guitar, accompanied here by just Sam Anderson on acoustic guitar and backing vocals, along with Theo Holder on Cello and backing vocals. What’s lost from the original recording is more than compensated by the purity and intimacy of these uncluttered arrangements, enabling the songs to breathe as the narrative and Nation’s exquisite vocals take centre stage. Of the three originals, possibly ‘Old Man’ benefits the most from the sparse recording, though ‘Living Free’ and ‘The Way The Wind Blows’ both reveal a different ambience from the album version. Probably of greatest interest are the two astutely chosen cover versions with a stunning rendition of Gillian Welch and David Rawlings ‘North Country’, where Nation completely inhabits the narrative, while the EP closes with a cover of the Jefferson Airplane’s classic ‘White Rabbit’ that instantly transports the listener back to 1967, Nation’s vocals displaying all the intensity and controlled power Of Grace Slick in her pomp. This is a wonderful EP, one that should help contribute to Nation’s reputation as one of the hottest names on the americana circuit, and comes highly recommended.

Next up, we have Illinois native Dan Hubbard and his new six-track EP entitled “Vol 1: Letting Go”. With a twenty-year career and nine studio albums behind him, singer-songwriter Hubbard has toured extensively across the United States, sharing the stage with countless national acts, building a strong reputation for his compelling conversational storytelling, combined with his vibrant and emotional vocals. With his previous albums being deeply rooted in americana influences, this latest release finds Hubbard deliberately mining a more eclectic mix of sounds and genres. That said, the opening number, ‘Remember’, stays close to the fold, with a definite flavour of Van Morrison during his “Tupelo Honey” period, augmented by a multi-layered production which wonderfully blends a full horn section with violin and cello, all propelled by a traditional electric rhythm section. Add to this Hubbard’s delightful, soulful vocal delivery, and you have one truly beautiful song. From here, things do change, with both ‘Sad Eyes’ and ‘Bind Up’ offering a far sparser arrangement, experimenting with drum samples, that finds the song inhabiting a greater commercial landscape, but lacks the warmth and the organic feel of the opening track. Fourth track ‘Open Up’ is stronger, the narrative more empowered and urgent, the delivery more impassioned, and the arrangement broader, and though there’s a simplistic quality to the closing song ‘These Waters’, the personal nature of the narrative and the intensity of Hubbard’s delivery mark it out as another highlight on an EP, that finds him bravely stepping away from his comfort zone and exploring new sounds.

Following on, we have Foxbridge and their debut five-track EP entitled “Uncrossing The Stars”. Foxbridge are a musical union of Emily Ellicott and Justin Capps, a duo whose sound emerges from two distinct musical cultures, with Ellicott’s traditional English charm combining with Capp’s American heritage. The duo began their partnership in 2019, officially forming Foxbridge in 2022 and garnering a reputation for their compelling live performances and their thoughtful songwriting, capturing the attention of radio stations, including ‘BBC Music Introducing’. Their rising reputation was solidified when ‘Fatea’s Showcase Sessions’ spotlighted them among “the best rising names across the acoustic spectrum”. The five songs that make up the EP find the duo mining a similar musical landscape to the Civil Wars, though Plum Hall is probably a closer comparison, geographically as well as musically, using their exquisite harmonies to weave their americana roots with contemporary indie and folk elements. The Opening track, ‘X Marks The Spot’, finds some delightful harmonica accompanying the swagger of the vocal delivery on a song that confronts some difficult truths of victim and perpetrator, while ‘Firelight’, with its narrative nod to Bruce Springsteen, highlights the power of Ellicott’s vocals. The high-drama and heartaching beauty of ‘Sirens Used To Sing’ sees Capps’ voice take centre stage, while personal favourite ‘Die On The Vine’ again find the duo intertwining their vocals against the strong, thoughtful message of the narrative. For a debut offering, “Uncrossing The Stars” is an excellent EP that should see the duo’s career continue on an upward trajectory.

Austin-based folk and americana artist Sean Keel has a new three-track EP entitled “Everyone Shrugged”, released on the Swedish label ‘Icons Creating Evil Art.’ Now in his sixties, this longtime University of Texas professor is well known in the world of research mathematics, and in addition has also written poetry, short stories and even a sword and sorcery novel. However, it wasn’t until his forties that he started playing the guitar, and another decade before he began to write songs, making three folk/jazz albums with his family band, Bill the Pony, and one album of folk/country music. All self-released, and all in complete obscurity. On the suggestion of a music friend, he chose to have his following record produced by a professional, and, surprised by the results, sent the first mix to his current label, who were suitably impressed. The rest, as they say, is history with the release of the album “Dry Scary Blue” at the end of 2022, followed by “Ferels Welcome” last year. This new release is the fourth in a collection of five EPs leading up to the release of Keel’s new solo album, set for release in November. The three tracks here once again find him working with multi-instrumentalist Gabriel Rhodes, helping to bring his timeworn vocals and stark poetic storytelling into focus. The first two tracks, the title track plus ‘Just What You’d Do’, are part of the same story, set at a funeral, with just Keel’s vocals and a minimalistic guitar accompanying the opening number that offers up little more than the bare bones of a song, and yet effortlessly captures the ambience of the occasion. The second, a remake of a song from Keel’s family band, Bill the Pony, reveals a greater sense of colour thanks to the addition of a scattering of piano chords, which exudes a Tom Waits vibe. Closing number ‘While We Were Young’ encapsulates much of what Keel’s about, where his gritty, world-weary narratives deal directly with the harsh realities of life, along with basic fundamental truths. No sugarcoating, no silver linings, just the cold, hard facts, seen through the eyes of one who understands the point of the struggle. Keel’s vocal delivery may be a required taste for some, but the sagacious nature of his poetry continues to reveal hidden depths with each repeated listen.

Liverpool-born and Leeds-based folk artist Rhiannon Hope has released her debut, four-track EP, entitled “All Things, Rising And Returning”. Having helmed her way to Leeds from Liverpool, Hope has quickly found her footing in the grassroots of Yorkshire’s folk scene. Along the way, she has assembled a unique and eclectic mix of multi-instrumentalists, who together have helped create the textured, jazz-influenced folk soundscapes, drawing influence from Ella Fitzgerald to Aldous Harding, that serve as a foundation for Hope’s distinctive narratives, full of bittersweet experiences of womanhood, identity, and the working class. The title track opens proceedings, where Hope pairs her strong, swirling vocals with the gentle whirr of an accordion, evoking all the title’s ethereality. The melodic intimacy of the EPs lead single, ‘B.B.’, follows, with softly picked strings forming a musical tapestry around Hope’s enchanting harmonies as she examines her place in the world, whilst the muscular heft of ‘Indulge’ allows Hope to expand her vocal prowess. The closing number ‘Toothpaste’ is a live recording from Hyde Park Book Club, in Leeds, which finds her exploring a similar soundscape to Laura Marling, atmospherically as well as vocally. As well as her talents as a singer-songwriter and musician, Hope has also embroidered the cover art for both the single and the EP, with the desire for the whole experience to be as tactile as possible. In today’s world, where media headlines change with the blink of an eye, Hope’s songs encourage us to slow down and lose ourselves, both in the moment and in the distinctly unique music she creates.

Next, we head to Scotland, and the six-track debut EP entitled “One More Thing” from the duo Midnight Wild. Comprising Douglas Simpson and Sarah Treanor, the duo describes their music as alternative folk and has seen its stock continue to rise since performing at Celtic Connections at the beginning of the year, with sold-out shows through July and a first festival appearance in August. The six songs on this EP are a culmination of a year of songwriting together, which draws on their experiences of life’s journey and all its struggles, changes, and hopes. Opening number ‘Silence Within Me’ is one of two tracks already released as a single, and a perfect indication of the duo’s craft and musical direction, as Simpson’s lead vocals are quickly joined by Treanor’s, their harmonies interwoven to create a natural sense of calm. This ambience is supported by the sparse arrangement of the piano and single-note picked acoustic guitar, which collectively becomes the perfect conduit for a narrative intent on reminding us that in this busy world, love is found in the silence and simplicity. The second single, ‘Night Wandering’, is another highlight that again impresses with exquisite harmonies, while the hauntingly atmospheric title track that closes proceedings leans closer to the country’s folk traditions. With “One More Thing”, Midnight Wild have delivered an EP that more than holds its own amongst the high quality of singer-songwriters to emerge from Scotland in recent years.

Now we travel to Denmark’s capital, Copenhagen, and a five-track EP entitled “Is There An Encore?” from he is tall (deliberately all lowercase). Despite the name, he is tall, is not actually that tall at all, but is in fact the pseudonym for Trolls Thorkild Sørensen, originally from the small town of Märslet, near Aarhus, who made the brave decision to move to the capital and enhance his chances of making it as an artist in 2022. Since then, he has released a debut EP “It’s Always Been You” whilst securing the support slot for such luminaries as Tyler Childers, Brandy Clark, The Divine Comedy and Lera Lynn. This new EP finds he is tall working with renowned producers Alexander Grandjean and Wes Hutchinson (Norah Jones, Mavis Staples), who create a subtle soundscape to the low-fi minimalistic approach of the songs, still allowing the vocals and narrative to dominate, but now offering more colour and variation. All five tracks here are a delight, from the gentle embrace of the opening number ‘Hide Tonight’ that hints at Bon Iver, during his “For Emma, Forever Ago” period, to the infectious rhythms of ‘Waterboy‘. There’s some delightful acoustic guitar playing accompanying ‘Lemonade’ while a strummed guitar lifts the pace, supplying the perfect conduit for the quirky narrative of ‘I Miss You America’. The EP concludes with the reflective ‘Rendsburg High Bridge’ where the storyline revolves around the EPs title, craving more time, a few more moments with the ones we love. “To rewind, just one more time. Is there a second chance? Is there an encore? With the quality on show here, I for one definitely hope so, and this EP comes highly recommended.

Next up, we have something that is guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Norwegian supergroup Silver Lining has just released a new four-track EP entitled “Four Little Songs”, which sees the band temporarily step away from writing their own material and, for the first time in their ten-year existence, preferring instead to record a handful of their favourite covers. Here at AUK, we have long been admirers of this quartet, which first came together when two emerging Oslo bands, The Northern Belle and Rattlers, came together to perform Gillian Welch’s “Soul Journey” album, which proved such a success that they just kept on going. The Welch connection is cemented here with two songs from her catalogue, including ‘One Little Song’, which lends its name to the EP, and ‘Make Me A Pallet On Your Floor’, the old American folk tune with added lyrics by Welch, beautifully sung here by Halvor Falck Johansen. The other two covers here include a sublime rendition of Jason Isbell’s, classic love song ‘If We Were Vampires’ performed as a duet with some quite exquisite harmonies from Stine Andreassen and Live Miranda Solberg, while the co-write between Waxahatchee and M.J. Lenderman ‘Right Back To It’ receives a warm, folky interpretation with some delightful pedal steel that could have come straight from Jerry Douglas. It’s fair to say that most readers will be more than familiar with the original version of these songs; however, in the hands of one of Scandinavia’s finest acts, they take on a new life, and, with almost everything this quartet releases, comes highly recommended.

So we’ve finally reached the point where I reveal the winners of ‘October’s EP Round-Up’, and this month it goes to The Rogue Embers and their six-track EP entitled “Aint Got Nothin”. This five-piece country rock band from Derbyshire, UK, consists of Katy Marsden on vocals and guitar, Danny Wyer, vocals and guitar, Josh Barrow, drums and vocals, Marina Chambers on violin, and John Grisswell on bass. Rooted in the blues and soaked in americana soul, the EP marks a new chapter for the band, both musically and lyrically, blending smoky barroom anthems with deeply personal songwriting. Produced by Jay Dean and recorded at Dubrek studios in Derby, these six songs encapsulate all the passion and energy of the band’s live performances, which have quickly made them a fan favourite wherever they’ve played. The opening number, ‘Good To You’, captures much of the band’s sound, where the vocals of Marsden and Wyer, continuously dovetail, intertwine and yet remain constantly distinct, while Chambers’ delightful violin playing supplements all the colour and emotion, all propelled by a rhythm section that provides the perfect conduit, underpinning the infectious beat that runs through each track. Other highlights include the title track, and ‘Bye Bye City Boy’ where Marsden’s vocals excel, delivered with lashings of swagger while Wyers’ guitar and Chambers’ violin spark off each other with all the authentic intensity of an Austin City bar-band. Possible favourite is ‘Tangled In You’, where the pace momentarily eases, as Wyer and Marsden share lead vocals, bouncing off each other while Chambers’ emotive violin cuts like a switchblade. With “Ainy Got Nothin”, The Rogue Embers have well and truly announced themselves to the broader americana music community, which should see their trajectory continue on an upward curve and comes highly recommended.