YORK folk musician Joshua Burnell will release his third studio album, The Road To Horn Fair, on the Misted Valley Records via Proper Records on February 15 next year.

Joshua's six-piece band will launch his follow-up to May 2018's Songs From The Seasons at Pocklington Arts Centre on November 21 as part their first national tour of England.

"Although the official release date is next February, pre-orders will be dispatched to arrive in November in line with the album launch event at Pocklington and to give time to those who wish to purchase copies as Christmas presents," says Joshua.

"For those who pre-order, an accompanying bonus CD, The Snickleway To Horn Fair, will be hand printed, assembled and sent out, along with your order, as a special thank-you. Please note, The Snickleway To Horn Fair will not be available once The Road To Horn Fair is released."

Previous album Songs From The Seasons featured 14 highlights from Burnell's Seasons Project, wherein he recorded his arrangement of a folk song or tune every week for a year.

York Press:

 American illustrator Randy Asplund's cover artwork for Joshua Burnell's new album

For The Road To Horn Fair, he started the recording sessions in November 2015, not long after his debut, Into the Green, was recorded. "The new album is a product of the time when I was first developing a keen interest in the English folk canon, and it juxtaposes the delicacy of that canon with the rawness of the early 1970s' hard rock movement," says Joshua.

"It features my arrangements of ten traditional songs and tunes, lovingly rocked up to 11, and the cover art is by American illustrator Randy Asplund, who specialises in the authentic medieval and renaissance style, mixing his own natural-based inks and painting directly on to vellum."

Last year, Burnell and his band won The Great British Folk Festival audience poll for favourite act by an overwhelming majority, also receiving the Highly Commended honour for Best Performing Artist at the York Culture Awards, in a year when he played to audiences of 2,000-plus on three consecutive nights at the Pyroconcerts de Talloires in the French Alps.

Looking forward to November 21's 8pm launch, Joshua says: "Momentum is starting to build fast and the event at Pocklington Arts Centre promises to be an historic night for the band as we launch the new album and the tour. We'll be sharing some material from The Road To Horn Fair ahead of its release, along with some favourites from Into the Green and Songs From The Seasons."

Tickets are on sale at £8 at pocklingtonartscentre.co.uk or on 01759 301547 and the support act will be York singer-songwriter Rachel Croft.

Before the launch, Burnell and his band will play Whitby's Musicport Festival on October 21. Next year, he has booked shows at Kardomah94, Hull, on March 23, and Oporto, Leeds, on April 17.