The Folk Today Project gives us The Reason For Living

The Folk Today Project gives us The Reason For Living

As the world continues to turn in a whirlwind of faux folk, one Wellington outfit is about to knock it off its axis. The Folk Today Project is reviving the concept of folk music that comments on society.

The Folk Today Project kicks off their campaign of music with meaning, designed to spark debate, with the song ‘The Reason For Living’.

On first listen, it’s a catchy little ditty that’ll have you humming along with the chorus. But really tune in, and it’s a cleverly crafted response to a new age social phenomenon of big city people preferring to live alone. (Almost 50 percent of United States adults are single. And this "living alone" trend is emerging in New Zealand.)

Dedicated to putting the message back into a genre that once triggered revolutions and helped to end wars, The Folk Today Project is made up of a mysterious and talented bunch of musicians, many of whom prefer to work under the cloak of secrecy. But it can be revealed that former software writer (now songwriter), Neil Pharazyn is the scribe behind ‘The Reason For Living’; while Bill Hickman is the voice that brings the collective’s first single to life.

Hickman has brought his intensity and grit to everything from hard rock bands to Celtic folksters. He's worked with artists like Phoenix Foundation percussionist Will Ricketts. His vocals have featured on records by The Shot Band and Eb & Sparrow. He also has a solo EP, GHOST OF SMOKE.

Arranger and bass player, Andrew Laking, is a formally-trained musician with substantial international experience in acoustic music. He toured the world for 10 years with folk groupGráda and has two solo albums and a CD and book of songs about Wellington (THE EMPIRE CITY – released earlier this year) to his name.

Drawn together by a desire to bring the fundamental principle of folk music, singing about how we live, right up to the minute, The Folk Today Project says: “There are issues big and small, that are often in our faces today, such as school bullying, hanging out versus dating, mobile phone obsession, gay marriage… you can probably suggest more.”

First single, ‘The Reason For Living’ is accompanied by an impressive video, produced byWaka Attewell and shot at Avalon Studios. Attewell is a legend in the New Zealand film industry, winning awards for his cinematography and direction and with his work on projects of importance to all New Zealanders – including racial issues, mountain expeditions, the Rainbow Warrior and Gallipoli.

Watch the video for ‘The Reason For Living’ here.

So, have a listen, and most importantly listen closely. Welcome back to folk music with a message.

LINKS:

Website - www.thefolktodayproject.com

Video on YouTube

Buy on iTunes here

Buy on Google Play here

Listen at Apple Music here

Listen at Spotify here

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/thefolktodayproject/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/TheFolkToday

References:
"Almost 50 percent of United States adults are single" - New York University Professor Eric Klinenberghttp://nyti.ms/1JgpS2A.

"In New Zealand, single-person households are the fastest-growing type" - Recent Listener magazine article "Village People"
http://www.listener.co.nz/current-affairs/socialissues-current-affairs/village-people-2/

ENDS

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