Katherine Priddy – ‘These Frightening Machines’ album review: An emotive folk odyssey
Folk music is rarely afforded a huge degree of mainstream attention, particularly within the modern musical realm, and yet, going back decades, the United Kingdom has been producing a steady stream of utterly incredible folk musicians, including Birmingham’s Katherine Priddy, whose newly unveiled record, These Frightening Machines, reflects the past and present of folk expression.
The Skinny: On the face of the Cooking Vinyl-released LP, These Frightening Machines is an incredibly cutting-edge, contemporary offering, with Priddy’s songwriting beautifully reflecting the mood, attitude, and anger of our present time. Along with that contemporary lyricism and social reality, the album is supported by a distinctly modern approach to the folk realm, injected with electronic influences and a vast range of different instrumentation, which helps to keep the tracklisting fresh throughout.
Nevertheless, you don’t need to dig too far into the record to hear the clear-as-day influences of figures from folk music’s past. Adept at uniting the 21st century with the kind of golden age folk which is still so beloved, the record is indebted to British folk royalty like Vashti Bunyan and Nick Drake – the latter of whom Priddy has previously recorded cover versions of.
These influences help to add a timeless quality to These Frightening Machines, allowing Priddy to toe the ever-elusive line between modern innovation and the kind of appeal that isn’t likely to go out of date anytime soon.
Although it is undeniably Priddy’s voice and expectedly poetic songwriting that form the backbone of this album, the performer is backed up by collaborators in the form of Torres and Richard Walters, who add an invaluable new layer to the record in the form of duets on ‘Madeline’ and ‘I’m Always Willing’.
Another key collaborator on the record is its producer, Rob Ellis, whose work on the album feels essential without ever bordering on being overbearing.
The Verdict: With the long-awaited emergence of the spring sunshine, Priddy’s gentle folk stylings feel particularly suited to the season, as does – unfortunately – her sense of realism and activism encased within the lyricism of the album, which feel particularly relevant in the wake of recent world events.
Standout Track: ‘Frightening Machines’
Release Date: March 6th, 2026 | Producer: Rob Ellis | Label: Cooking Vinyl
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