Category Archives: Sam Brookes Reviews

George O’Brien has a touch of Will Young about him according to one of the audience at the Vane Tempest Sessions. If they mean the Home Counties-twang he sometimes makes when hitting high notes then yes, we can hear it. That’s not the sound of Will Young, though, it’s Daniel…

This Thursday, Sheffield gets its own dose of London folk delivered from the up and coming Sam Brookes. His single In Weeks feels like a delightful crossover of bluegrass American country and something essentially English. He delivers a soaring folk sound, with beautifully delicate finger-picking guitar, and his sharp, rich…

* * * There are so many young troubadours out there called Sam, I’m getting confused: Sam Carter, Sam Sallon, Sam Lee, Sam Walter… and now Sam Brookes. I’m happy to report that Brookes can hold his own against all namesakes. After leaving school he qualified as a gilder in…

When Ray Davies dubs you, at only 24 years old, “absolutely amazing” you should know you’re onto a good thing. For Sam Brookes who first picked up a guitar at the age of 12 in the workshop where his father renovated old guitars; listening to the likes of Bert Jansch,…

Breaking Act Who is he? A singer-songwriter from Bath, Brookes is timing his run nicely: a folk troubadour whose work has clear echoes of John Martyn and more recently, Laura Marling, Noah and The Whale and Mumford & Sons. His beautiful self-titled debut album arrive on the same tide that…

Sam Brookes soon to be released debut album has been greatly anticipated by fans of London based Brookes. The folk singer songwriter and acoustic guitarist has been recognised by music producers since his original band The Volt, won MTV’s ‘Get Seen Get Heard’ talent contest. When I first watch Sam…

3* Folk-rooted debut from wistful young troubadour. Offering introspective song-writing of the kind you might find in a festival tent at 1pm on a Sunday, the debut album from 24-year-old gilder Sam Brookes is a pleasant enough meander through acoustic folk-blues melancholy. His influences are impeccable – Tim Buckley, Ber…

3* First from this Bracknell nouveau folkie Formerly a member of indie-rock hopefuls The Volt, 24-year-old Brookes relocated to London a couple of years ago to reinvent himself as an acoustic singer-songwriter. What sets him apart from dozens of nouveau folksy types playing suburban pubs is his voice – a…