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Ok, so first off I must iterate the fact that this particular run down is in no particular order, nor is it a definitive list of the best British record labels of all time (as if such a breakdown could ever be truly quantified). It is simply a list of some personal favourites within the British...MORE>>

You may not be familiar with Sam Sallon. To be truthful, not a huge number of people are, but the good people at the Exposure Music Awards have taken tentative measures to ensure Mr. Sallon be inducted into the public consciousness, post-hast, having recently presented him with ‘Best Folk song’ at their 2009 awards ceremony.

Quite an achievement considering the young Mr. Sallon has not yet released a debut album, merely an EP, upon which the EMA’s favoured ‘You May Not Mean To Hurt Me But You Do’ appears.

With such an impressive accolade being bestowed upon an artist in such an embryonic, formative stage within his career it’s safe to say EMA have a great deal of faith invested in Sam Sallon, faith which, if Mr. Sallon’s management undertake the proper logistic proceedings, could prove to be extremely justified.

Whilst Sam’s recorded output may be somewhat limited, his live outings have seen him support many prominent artists in many prestigious venues, through which a true ‘word of mouth’ phenomena has occurred providing Mr. Sallon with unprecedented popularity upon the live circuit. An act which has seen the young troubadour come to nationwide acclaim, with his debut EP, ‘Give’, becoming available through all major record stores throughout the UK.

With Folk music continually regaining a firm foot hold within the public consciousness, and appealing to an increasingly younger audience, the light, inoffensive pop-folk of Sam Sallon will unquestionably be adopted as one of the heavyweight industry hitters over the following 12 months.

Following in the classic Folk archetype, Sallon evokes a classic vignette of heartbreak & tenderness with You May Not Mean To Hurt Me But You Do. Sallon’s voice drifts effortlessly between tenor & soprano, meandering with the understated orchestration to create a sentiment that has a universal level of understanding which underpins it. This air of classicism is contrasted by an undeniable sense of modernity, creating an interesting, dynamic listening experience; a young voice, uncomplicated musicality & time-honoured subject matter.

As to whether such a track deserved the accolade of ‘Best Folk song’ seems an area for conjecture. Whilst there is nothing wrong with Sallon’s nascent output, it doesn’t yield the ‘kick-to- the- stomach’, ‘shot-to-the-heart’, wrenching reflex of much folk music, with it’s gravel road, saw-mill sense of honesty.

Sallon may prove to be, when artistic maturity is reached, to be as important an artist as the Exposure Music Awards have heralded him as. Only time will tell.