Barra Beach Cottages

26/08/2024

A track from my new album, My Lucky Charm is being played on the Cambridge 105 Radio Station tonight. It is an honour to be included amongst the others on the show.

Tune in if you get the chance. :-)

https://www.birnamcdshop.com/product/andrew-j-newall-4/

https://www.andrewjnewallwebsite.com/

Dear all,

Strummers & Dreamers will go out on Cambridge 105 Radio this evening 7-9pm UK time.

Listen live via the website: https://cambridge105.co.uk/

The show is repeated the following Sunday at 2pm and the podcast is available via the Cambridge 105 Radio website (search in “On demand”)

My own podcast will go up on Mixcloud on or around Thursday 29th

https://www.mixcloud.com/StrummersandDreamers/

Tracklist
01 Chapel Porth Beach - Martyn Joseph
02 Folkzone - Alan Prosser
03 My lucky charm - Andrew J Newall
04 Aragon Mill - Peggy Seeger
05 Go to work on Monday - John McCutcheon
06 Were you there - George Mann
07 Baptized by the blaze - India Ramey
08 Monday morning - One Adam One
09 Next train outta here - Tomorrow Bird
10 The Lakes of Pontchartrain - Paul Brady
11 The Galway shawl - Dervish feat. Steve Earle
12 The Rose of Roscrae - Maura O’Connell
13 Spencer the Rover - John Martyn
14 Second sight - Fraser Fifield
15 Cover me - 19th Street Band
16 Beautiful deletion - Stevie Jones & The Wildfires
17 Fast forward - Legendary 10 Seconds
18 Dressing up the truth - John Jenkins
19 You - Matt Hall
20 Felton Lonnin - Camus
21 The trapeze sw***er - Iron & Wine

Andrew J Newall is a song writer and music producer who writes songs that people want to talk about and share. His work covers many genres but is routed in Modern Folk. As a music performer each song is a short story in the telling. His back catalogue reflects how this artist has grown and developed...

21/08/2024

I was sent a link to the second review of my album 'My Lucky Charm'. This time its from Dai Jeffries of 'Folking.Com' It is a good review but I will let you make up your own mind.

If you want to judge for yourself click on to the links below.

https://www.birnamcdshop.com/product/andrew-j-newall-4/

https://open.spotify.com/album/6kj6obYXXTVHdeZ0vRK56m...

I have posted the review in full:

Andrew J. Newall: My Lucky Charm. Album Review.

This is a true story. Andrew J. Newall is quite explicit about that. My Lucky Charm is the soundtrack of a musical drama based on the life of Andrew’s mother Catherine, a complex story which actually begins in Donegal in 1881. Fortunately, the album includes a booklet which expands on the music – although I did feel the need to draw up a family tree as an aide-memoir – and the album title comes from the name that Catherine’s grandmother gave her.

The music and songs are composed by Andrew and performed by him and Sandy Jones at the Foundry Music Lab in Motherwell. Who does what and how isn’t made clear but they create music which is perfect for film, television or theatre without the over-the-top elements that tend to exemplify the genre. Remarkably they also provides accompaniments which suit the songs perfectly but, and here’s the interesting thing, if you strip away the lyrics you have a very listenable suite of music.

Other lead vocals are supplied by Sophie Innes, Frances Murphy, Terry O’Neill and Emma Mitchie and Catherine’s own story-telling links the whole piece together.

Catherine’s life was an eventful one: two families brought together; a dreadful mining accident, a world war, the break-up of a marriage and locations as far apart as Orkney and Dagenham. That said, this is the story of ordinary people, the social history of a particular period overlaid with personal ups and downs.

The songs highlight a number of events in Catherine’s life, notably the break-up of her parents’ marriage involving her moving from London to Scotland where she settled. The bigger songs are the lovely ‘The Piper Played’, ‘The Shores Of Scapa Flow’ and the trilogy of ‘Don’t Hate Me’, ‘Let It Go’ and ‘On My Feet Again’ which detail the trauma of the separation. Others, such as ‘New Shoes’ and ‘Driving Rain’ seem minor in comparison but give a very personal perspective to the story.

But for Andrew’s assurance you might think My Lucky Charm was a work of dramatic fiction. There is no indication that it might be presented on stage – it wouldn’t be easy but well worth the effort.

Dai Jeffries

The latest album from singer/songwriter Andrew J. Newall. My Lucky Charm tells the story of Andrew’s mother, her formative years, and how the events of World War Two impacted upon her. This is a true story of two families brought together by love, but torn apart by war.

16/08/2024

David and John are featuring my album 'My Lucky Charm' tomorrow morning. Tune in I am sure it will be a great show.

'Join us this Saturday Morning at 10am for the latest Garden Party Radio Show on Vintage Radio Birkenhead for the very best in Americana, Country, Folk, and local music.

Link to Vintage Radio HERE or Ask Alexa for Vintage Radio Birkenhead

Repeat show on Wednesdays at 4pm

Previous shows found HERE

This week’s show features music from Andrew j Newall.

16/08/2024

I received the first review of my album 'My Lucky Charm.' today. The review beautifully captures what Sandy Jones (FML) and I set out to achieve when we produced the album. It is a great review. My thanks to Ian D Hall of 'Liverpool Sound and Vision.'

If you want to judge for yourself click on to the links below.

https://www.birnamcdshop.com/product/andrew-j-newall-4/

https://open.spotify.com/album/6kj6obYXXTVHdeZ0vRK56m?si=KmOha-9nT56VWu0dnsRS0w

I have posted the review in full:

Andrew J. Newall: My Lucky Charm. Album Review.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10

We tend to think of the concept album as one that can be seminal, gargantuan in its outlook, full bodied in say the realms of Pink Floyd, Green Day, Jethro Tull, The Who, and even the magnificent aspirations of the smooth voice from R ‘n’ B and Soul’s Marvin Gaye in his undeniable classic What’s Going On, but we forget that at times the concept is more than just an anthem, a set of songs placed together to rock a stadium and declare, almost punk like, of the disaffection and destruction of a human soul in a theatrical sense, but it is also a celebration of an oral tradition; a bringing together the life of someone not in the public eye but one who is just as every bit the hero or heroine deserving a tale.

Andrew J. Newall has once again teamed up Sandy Jones of Foundry Music Lab and in his brand-new album, My Lucky Charm, the sense, the power, the commitment to the concept is not only alive and well, but it also flourishes; like a field of flowers after a perfect rainfall, it blooms with a silky finish that glistens in the rays of the returning sun.

The music and the oral history that is saluted with honour to the memory of family, the blending of songs that detail a life, a movement, a shared responsibility to the belief of continuance and the forces that bring families together, and the wars that split them apart; it is in this that Andrew J. Newall, along with excellent contributions from musicians Sophie Innes, Frances Murphy, Terry O’Neill, and Emma Mitchie, explores the depth of the dynamic that led to him, with thanks to his mother’s oral storytelling, the history of what came to be.

Across tracks and instances such as A Step Away, The Shores Of Scapa Flow, On My Feet Again, New Shoes, the sublime Skipping On The Tracks, and The White School, the imagery placed before the listener is intensely hypnotic, a play within a musical within a sphere of charm; lucky or not, it is a journey of experience, and passionately, awesomely, produced.

A terrifically balanced recording, one of truth that flows and enjoyed, a testament to the art of the concept album.

Ian D. Hall

05/07/2024

I have been working on a radio drama over the last three years. The peace and quiet of Barra gave me the time and space to write much of it. It is based upon the stories my mother told me in the last years of her life. It is a true story about two families caught up in World War Two and a young girl brought up from London to live in Scotland. The sound track is due out in July and the CD's will be available from the 12th July. If anyone would like a copy PM me. In the meantime I have attached a taste of the album.

18/03/2024

A few weeks ago I posted a video in support of the single I am releasing on the 29th March. The song is called the Bars of Castlebay. It will be on the usual streaming platforms. I have attached another extract from the video for the song. If you enjoy it please share. Many thanks Andy

24/02/2024

I am playing with the Undecided Brew on the 15th March at the Renfrew Ferry, Glasgow. We are supporting Hotel Caledonia. For any Eagles fans you will know this band are an excellent tribute band. I have been given some tickets which will enable free entry. Normally it costs £17. Anyway if anyone wants them PM me and I will leave the tickets at the door with your name on them. It will need to be first come first served.... Andy

12/11/2023

After six eventful and rewarding years we have decided to close the business. We would like to thank all the guests who stayed with us over that time and particularly those who enjoyed our cottages so much you came back year after year. It was a nice feeling making new friends.

Tapadh leat

28/03/2023

A small taste of yesterday🙂

28/03/2023

Glorious day yesterday at the cottages. Making the final touches.

22/03/2023

Cottage 2 🙂

22/03/2023

Cottage 1 😁

22/03/2023

Back at the cottages. All looking good for the start of the season. It was blowing a gale this morning but bright sunshine now 😁

16/01/2023

Woke up to find it had been snowing. It doesn’t last here. Unlikely I will be building a snowman. 🙂

15/01/2023

I was mesmerised 🙂

15/01/2023

15/01/2023

Impressive seas yesterday. The view from the cottages.

08/01/2023

Heading to Barra…. The long way round!!

06/11/2022

We would like to thank our guests this year for their lovely comments. We have updated our web site to reflect many of the kind words. You can find them in the 'Review' section of the site.

https://www.barrabeachcottages.co.uk

Thank you for choosing Barra Beach Cottages.

Love

Morag and Andy

Plan your next break away to either one of our beautiful self-catering holiday cottages in Tangasdale. Call our friendly team for more information.

29/10/2022

12/06/2022

Hypnotic Seas at the cottages yesterday!!

12/06/2022

I’ve been trying to build up my steps recently. A sort of keep fit drive! It’s been rather wet and windy of late, so much so the wind was slowing me down. The weather shouldn’t prevent you from doing what you want to do though. Just make sure you have the right clothes for the occasion. On Friday my walk took me up to Bolnabodach and to the remains of the Black Houses. It’s well worth the trip. The events of 1851 linger on. The then owner of Barra, Colonel John Gordon, who was incidentally one of the richest men in Scotland at the time, decided that some of the ‘redundant population’ of Barra, should be shipped to Quebec. In August that year 450 people were put on the ‘Admiral’ and forced to relocate to Canada. Bolnabodach was emptied and the homes destroyed. I took some photographs on the walk I thought I would share. I ended my walk at the new community tea room in Northbay. Well worth a visit.

20/05/2022

In March this year Sandy and I converted Cottage 2 - Solas - into a make shift recording studio. We wanted to prove to ourselves that during the quiet season we could use the cottages as a venue for artists interested in getting some peace and quiet to concentrate on their creativity. I have attached an example of what we came up with.

02/04/2022

I plan to put a bench on this spot this year. Somewhere just to sit and feel the stresses of life wash away.

31/03/2022

I was finishing off the fencing today. Amazing how the weather can change in 15 mins. Bright sunshine, hailstorm back to bright sunshine.

31/03/2022

Final preparations. All looking good 😊

27/03/2022

Sunrise on Barra

20/03/2022

Putting Barra Beach Cottages to an alternative use. 👌

19/03/2022

I am back at cottage 1 - Sonus - another glorious day on Barra. Change of use this time. Rather than a holiday home we have converted the cottage to a recording studio. Over the next five days we will tray and capture some tunes. Very inspirational setting.

08/03/2022

Barra never ceases to keep you interested!!! Impressive storm today.