Bobby Dove Fortune Teller New Motor
Five years after the release of Bobby Dove’s album HOPELESS ROMANTIC, the Montreal- born trans/non-binary artist’s foot is firmly on the classic country pedal with this twelve-track record. Co-produced by Aaron Goldstein (Cowboy Junkies, Kathleen Edwards, Daniel Romero, Zachery Lucky) and Dove, the recordings took place at Gold Standard Recorders in Toronto, Ontario.
Dove wrote ten of the songs; the other two are Did I Speak Too Soon, a co-write and duet with Jim Lauderdale, and the Blaze Foley-written If I Could Only Fly, which bookends the album.
There is real weight behind the record's songs. Dove’s passionate vocals are supported by exceptional playing. Alison Corbell shines on violin, and Burke Carroll and Aaron Goldstein contribute pedal steel. Other talented musicians include Justine Fischer (electric bass), Nichol Robertson (electric guitar, banjo, mandolin), Thomas Hammerton (piano, organ, accordion), and Dani Nash (drums).
“Am I just a fortune teller makin’ shit up as I go along/ tellin’ folks what they want to hear in a lonesome country song’’ opens the album. Taken from the song and album title, Fortune Teller, it’s a light-hearted and modest confession, especially considering the depth of the songwriting elsewhere. There’s nothing ‘made or trumped up’ about tracks like Leaving Manitoba or Trans Canadian Blues. The former is Dove’s reflection on unrequited love, told with tearjerking intimacy. The latter lays bare the torturous life of a travelling musician. Emotional contours are also at play in Salam; Corbett’s whispering violin beautifully enriches the song; it’s simply spellbinding. Crocodile Road and This Time are pro-forma country songs. The inclusion of Dreamt I Met John Prine and Billie Holiday finds Dove paying homage to artists who fuelled their creative juices.
HOPELESS ROMANTIC (2021) introduced an artist steeped in traditional country music. With FORTUNE TELLER, Dove raises that bar, offering a hugely impressive collection of classic country songs.
Declan Culliton
Rachel Brooke This One’s For You Self Release
Never one to follow trends, Rachel Brooke has steadfastly immersed herself in country music since her childhood, when she played in her family band. Her professional career followed a brief stint in an all-girl punk band, and she carried that edge into her early solo albums, which blended country and gothic blues. That individuality earned Brooke the Ameripolitan Outlaw Country award in 2023, acknowledging her contribution to country music, far removed from the mainstream crossover pop dominating the industry.
After a five-year break from recording, during which Brooke struggled with her mental health, she returned to the studio in 2025 with enough material for three albums. Deliberately stripped back lonesome country songs were the order of the day in SINGS SAD SONGS, which was released that year. By contrast, Brooke’s latest album is a full-on classic country affair, often self-deprecating and tongue-in-cheek. One look at the image of a beaming Brooks on the album’s cover is an instant signal that she has parked her ‘sad songs’ on this occasion in favour of a playful, upbeat project. The album’s title also suggests that Brooke may possibly be ‘mirror gazing’ and addressing herself as she moves forward, somewhat invigorated. Either way, the ten -track album is old-school country of the highest order, laced with pedal steel, banjo and fiddle, built around Brooke’s infectious vocals.
She sets out her stall with the opening and self-critical track I Chose Poorly (‘’I’m a walking talking Hank Williams song/Bad bets and new regrets only/You want to get to know me? I’ll make it one short story”). The twangy semi-spoken When Dub Gets The Crud follows. Peppered with clever wordplay and no end of humour, it tells the tale of a larger-than-life character often debilitated by the ‘crud.’ That wittiness works equally well in The Real Pretender, which is an accurate observation on today’s music industry, from first-hand experience.
Setting aside humour, earnest and heartfelt songs include the gorgeous border-influenced country tearjerker Currently The Fool and the barroom lament, The One That Got Away. The draw of leaving behind small town living (“Blueberry picking, bluegrass in the kitchen/Years go by but time stops ticking”), starry-eyed and in search of fame and fortune, is no stranger in country songwriting, and Brooke takes her turn in The Battle Of Bald Hill. Fond memories of carefree and youthful escapades are ‘reality checked’ by anxiety and concern (‘’And a young woman’s beauty only lasts so long/But as the years go by, I write better songs?/When I grow cold and old tell me, will anybody listen”).
Deliberations on heartache, melancholy and humour have always been the backbone of country music songwriting, and Brooke embraces all three in her latest album. It should appeal not only to lovers of her back catalogue but also to a much wider audience of traditional country music fans. Hopefully, that exposure will elevate Brooks from her current ‘cult’ status to a household name in the ever-growing traditional country music movement.
Declan Culliton
Florence Dore Hold That Spark Propellor
HIGHWAYS & ROCKETSHIPS, the 2022 album by singer-songwriter, musician, academic and teacher Florence Dore, was one of our albums of the year at Lonesome Highway. Her latest effort doesn’t stray far from the formula that worked so well on that recording. Razor-sharp wordplay, driving rhythm section and screeching guitars are once more the order of the day across twelve tracks that range from full-on rockers to more relaxed ballads.
Unlike many of her peers who uprooted from their hometowns to relocate to Nashville, Dore now lives in North Carolina, having grown up in Nashville, where her father taught at Vanderbilt. Dividing her time between teaching at the University of North Carolina, songwriting and performing, Dore’s musical contributors and backing bands have included a host of well-known players over the years. The only consistent player has been Dore’s husband, Will Rigby (The dB’s, Steve Earle), and for this record he is joined by a number of contributors. Include are Jason Wilber (John Prine), Chris Masterson (The Wallflowers, Steve Earle & the Dukes), Mitch Easter (R.E.M., The Baseball Project, Alex Chilton, Wilco, Drive-By Truckers), Libby Rodenbough (Mipso), Robert Sledge (Ben Folds Five), Kelly Pratt (Father John Misty), Eleanor Whitmore (Elvis Costello, Steve Earle & the Dukes), and her sister Bonnie Whitmore (Hayes Carll, John Moreland).
No doubt born out of personal experience, Dore’s frustration at witnessing academics with inflated egos competing against each other like school children (‘’ How many words does it take to say what you mean/ Twelve great minds and twelve ways to fuck it up”) worked its way into the song Twelve Great Minds (Department Meeting). It’s one of several full-on inclusions on the album.
Trippy guitar, cello, sitar, and Dore’s vocal harmonies with Eleanor Whitmore’s vocals unite impeccably in Butterflies. A tale of distressing loss, sonically it plays out like a mid-60s acid-induced psychedelic hallucination. A vulnerable character daydreaming her way through modern-day America is revealed in the punchy Can’t Come Down. Archetypal Dore peppy rockers include Sunset Road and Superstar. The former details a woman escaping a bad relationship, the latter follows the trail of a ‘wannabe’ not quite as talented as he likes to think he is.
The quieter moments work as well. The title track is a heartfelt, horn-filled song and a reaction to Dore’s daughter leaving home for college, and to the sadness and pride that accompany such an event, while the acoustic track The One I Need explores unreciprocated love and longing for companionship.
A powerful crooner and as a songwriter not known for hiding too much, Dore must be heralded as the coolest teacher on campus by her college students, and rightly so. If, like me, you considered HIGHWAYS & ROCKETSHIPS a career highlight which Dore was unlikely to equal, well, she’s achieved that and more with this gem.
Declan Culliton
Dale Watson Unwanted 40 Below
It is easy to forget the contribution that Dale Watson has made to country music (the real thing, not some ersatz media version) since his debut release in 1995 (the first of some 28 albums listed online). At the start, Watson may have hoped that a major label deal might have come his way, but that wasn’t to be despite some close calls, so he continues to release independently. This has given him the freedom to release the music he wants to, when he wants to and in the musical variation of his ‘Ameripolitan', a descriptor he uses for his award show for the kind of music he and other believers make, as he feels that ‘country music’ as a format has been hi-jacked and was coming to mean something very different from what it had meant to him.
The title of this album then is something of a reference to himself and other similarly-minded performers. But one listen to this new release will let you know that, while times might have changed in recent years, Watson and his music have remained true to himself and his long-time fan base. The opening song here is Waylon, Willie And Whiskey, a tribute to both the artists mentioned and to the alcohol that fuels that passion. It clearly uses titles from those artists' catalogues as well as recognisable riffs from their songs. It shows that Watson has retained all the factors that made him standout as a performer who has remained authentic to his vision that has been evident since his debut album.
This is apparent as one listens to the twelve self-produced tracks on offer here. He is again backed by his Lonestars band with guest contributions from such as Asleep At The Wheel’s Katie Shore and pianist Matt Hubbard and his partner, Celine Lee. The material runs from the plea to If You Really Love Me (Outlive Me), a notion that I think some of those in a long-term relationship may endorse, while on the same track he emphasises that if you want to win or maintain that kind of relationship then that is laid out in You Gotta Try Harder. Just Yesterday is another sign that Watson has found lasting love, after some previous tragedy and loss.
Looking back to earlier and perceived better times is the theme of the standout song What The Hell Happen To The Cadillac? There is also a plea that many would agree with in Don’t Let the Honky Tonks Go, given a workout suited to those hallowed hangouts, with its phased Telecaster sound. In something of a classic duet mode is You’ve Got My Heart, Celine Lee sharing the mic on the back and forth lyric that expounds love again. As with past recordings, he utilises individual touches of different aspects and eras of the classic country sound which he has always loved, even if the term itself has been devalued almost to the point of extinction in the recent manifestations of the mainstream. That is one of the reasons he tried to distance himself from the term, but it is one that is most appropriate here by the standards of the music played under that banner since the late 40s onwards. All those touchstones and artist he holds dear.
Throughout you see how well Watson’s vocal has grown and matured, making it, in some ways, the lead instrument here, though there is no doubting the contributions of all involved. He may feel, as the title implies, unwanted but I think he has his place in the hearts of many true believers. He is more than welcome there.
Stephen Rapid
Matthew Payne Better Times Self Release
Sometimes, on first listen, it is the voice and the lyrics that draw you into an album. You soon become a part of the performer’s world and worldview. With Matthew Payne, a singer/songwriter I had not encountered previously, the simple delivery of the opening song was enough to make you want to hear more. That was the title track, with a simple stripped down but effective arrangement with guitar and pedal steel providing the atmosphere to the pervading sense of hard times and seeking the better times of the title. This is not what can be described as easy listening in terms of detailing the life and times of many of these forgotten places and people who exist pretty much everywhere and, also, in the outline of a person’s own struggle. Something that this couplet suggests “Tryin’ to give my love and not take it back / Tryin’ to lift it up above the weight of the past … I’m tryin’ to have faith in what I believe / Tryin’ to believe better times come from these.”
Over the album, the majority of the songs are arranged in a similar stripped back fashion, a sound that relies a lot on the vocal, guitar and writing skills of Payne. However, on occasions he is joined by James Stevens, his co-producer, on harmony vocals and percussion and by the subtle aura provided by Marty Muse’s pedal steel and the bass of Kevin Smith. Their contribution is effective when it is employed as on Heartsick, a song in which he tells of growing up in Drippin’ Springs, Texas, and how one's hometown can change, and the dilemma exists as to the draw of that small town and the notion of being unable to return. Again this bigger sound seems right for that big predicament.
From then on the songs tell of travel, of leaving and moving on and trying to find some sense of oneself. That also appears in Adilena, where the heartbreak of lost or misunderstood relationships is apparent. “O Adilena, what’s gone is surely gone / cause I can hold you here with me in a thousand ways but one.” Another one of Payne’s personal recollections and one that hints at his own past and his passage to this particular place is clear in the sadness in My Father’s Son “You know my father never found what he wanted / never done what he wished he’d done / never reconciled with his own demons / I wish I weren’t my father’s son.” A poignant song that is one of the album’s best.
It is one part of the writing that signals Payne as a worthy addition to the annals of the great Texas (and beyond) writers, who can bare their soul in a way that is real, authentic and necessary. He has previously released an EP prior to this debut album, but offers enough to justify that conjecture and make Payne a person of interest who is likely to go on the develop his craft and his identity. There are times when one is reminded of some those stalwart singer/songwriters of yore who went on to develop their talent, perhaps because the nature of the singer and guitar format takes them all back to a similar platform, especially in a live setting. One hopes that there are better times ahead for Matthew Payne on a number of different levels, yet this album represents a very good place for him to build upon.
Stephen Rapid
Adam Klein with Adam Poulson Live at Leesta Vall Sound Recordings Self Release
As the album cover image suggests this is a live to lathe vinyl that features some material from Klein’s previous albums, alongside some new material. So what you get are Klein’s own songs in a stripped down acoustic arrangement, similar to a live show. The one outside song is his version of John Hiatt’s Feels Like Rain.
The sound throughout, despite what may be considered as very old-school recording technology, is clear and precise and captures the nature of the recording process that allows for no overdubs. The mastering by Damon Moon is the only chance to affect the sound. Klein has had a number of previous albums prior to this current release (which was recorded in 2019) that are testament to his singer/songwriter skills. Important to the overall feel and spirit of the material is the skillful fiddle playing of Adam Poulson, his slightly mournful sound suits the songs well. I am, personally, reminded of the playing of Scarlet Rivera with Bob Dylan. It has a similar emotional tone and range, to these ears.
The songs are varied, from the opening testament of Burnin’ Love that illustrates how a passion can progress from warmth to an overheated destructive intensity all too easily. But much is covered here, including the political climate in Nicaragua in Faithful Brigade, though there is still awareness of the personal element at play, a subject he returns to again in Patron Saint’s Day. It finishes the album with a spoken thank you and a sound that feels like an old 78rpm single from a century ago. Closer to home, the destructive nature of the work that went on and goes on in coal mimes is apparent in the thought of Black Lung Blues.
A sense of that crossover of personal conviction and closely-held hopefullness and inherent love runs throughout the album. It offers a more incisive look at these songs and a reminder of a performance in a live setting. It is a testament to two skilled musicians in sync and expressing the humanity of their music.
Stephen Rapid
Brock Davis Nothing Lasts Forever Raintown
Ever since a debut release back in 1996, Brock Davis has been mining the emotions of the heart and the American heartland. His songs reflect the everyday and the everyman; the challenges faced and the strength required to keep believing in a better tomorrow. Davis produced this album in Nashville, with his regular aide-de-camp Zach Allen, and the core musicians on the project are all players that have appeared on the last two albums. Continuity is a key element here as the songs have a lived-in feel in the delivery that can only be achieved by an ensemble that knows intuitively where to go in the build of the arrangement.
There is always an element of the confessional and the personal that threads through the songs of Brock Davis. Couple this with observant story-telling and you capture the emotional barometer of those who can relate to the messages contained therein. Internal conflicts are masked by the external daily battle for survival, and the instinct is to push personal feelings down so deep that they become supressed in a fog of self-delusion.
There are love songs like All Of You and My Beautiful Bride; others that look at the stark reality of relationship breakdown such as I’m Glad You Left Me and the bad timing of circumstance with Nowhere Near Ready. Youthful hedonism is captured on the vibrant Laughin’ Till It Hurt and there is perspective in the wisdom gained from maturity on both Nothing Lasts Forever and Make Your Own Change. Workplace harassment and bullying is dealt with on I’ll Be Your Alibi and the sweet taste of revenge. The real value in living is captured on two songs of gratitude, with both Miracle On the Hudson and Christmas (going home) bringing strong messages that being alive is the true reward.
The song Till the Morning Comes is a poignant look at a cancer victim’s decision to quit treatment in favour of a better quality of life in their final days. Davis himself only recently survived a cancer diagnosis so the song really hits home in the delivery.
Daddy’s Girl is another heartbreaker, channelling the frustrations of a daughter who just wants the acceptance and love of a parent, and the final song A Daughter is a spoken word reflection of a shock family revelation that suddenly introduced an unknown sibling to the household dynamic. This is a very impressive album, played with real conviction by all involved, and the rootsy feel to the songwriting is both authentic and honestly delivered. An excellent piece of work all round.
Paul McGee
Great Lake Swimmers Caught Light Harbour
Album number nine from the Canadian collective who never fail to deliver beautifully honed and sensitively constructed music to please. One More Dance Around the Sun brings into play the signature sweet vocal of Dekker as he emotes on daily life and the importance in keeping nature as our constant. The presence of our environment is always there, reminding that we are all part of a greater whole ‘If I could get to the edge of it, Turn it over and figure it out, Cut through the fog, cut through all of it.’
Wrong, Wrong, Wrong is a song about disappointment, confiding in a friend, and the way that we struggle to try and do the right thing all the time ‘And I can’t afford therapy, And I don’t expect your sympathy, I’m not trying to make you feel bad for me, But the truth is, I’m barely hanging on.’ Some lovely pedal steel colours and highlights this melody. On For You To Come Round we get a treatise on expectation and holding out hope – the longing for something to turn up that can ease our doubts and fears ‘I guess some things just have to be endured to be believed, The weight of all the knowing, at first glance, hard to conceive.’
Youth Not Wasted is a standout moment with understated instrumentation reflecting the insight gained from adulthood when looking back to years now passed by ‘And it’s getting later now, The streetlights are starting to come on, All that living needs somewhere to go, Exploding out head-on into the great big world.’ Sweet mandolin plays along with piano and a sense of longing. Endless Detours is a song that suggests distracted thoughts pulling at our attention, and Running Out Of Time looks at the way in which humans continue to destroy the habitat for trinkets such as profit and power. There is a psychedelic groove on this song that is very 60s and very addictive as it unfolds.
Jump to the excellent title track Caught Light and the atmospherics in a song that contains lyrics that hint at being temporarily side-tracked, or being taken by a moment in time. Sometimes the lyrics can appear a little obtuse, which of course leaves plenty of room for listener interpretation. And maybe this is the true essence of great songwriting, where the original intent becomes less important in the meaning it brings to others. Sometimes the mystery of life can appear in such momentary flashes of capturing an emotion, or a sudden feeling that arises.
The song that captures the sense of distance and separation from others is A Distant Star and the reality of trying to capture that magic of creating something for others ‘ I am a distant star, Far from where you are, Pulling strings on this old guitar.’ As the album winds down we are given The Fledgling Jay and a song about the cruelty involved in nature where a hawk attacks a Jaybird nest in search of prey. The sacrifice of the mother for her young. The final song is a note to a family member or long-time friend to get back in contact as the years unfurl and on All the Best Dekker sings ‘I’ve been thinking lots about what you said, The last time we spoke, About how we got all the punchlines, Now we just need the jokes.’
The album features Tony Dekker (acoustic guitars, vocals), Darcy Yates(bass), Jim Bowskill (electric guitars, pedal steel, mandolin, bouzouki, banjo, fiddle, upright bass, backing vocals), Steve O’Connor (piano, harmonium, Wurlitzer, electric piano, Hammond B3 organ), Gary Craig (drums, percussion), Colleen Brown (backing vocals). Production and engineering were handled by a combination of Darcy Yates (Bahamas) and Jimmy Bowskill (Blue Rodeo), the latter shining brightly throughout on an array of instruments. The album was recorded in just a few days and the spontaneous feel of the music bears this out. It’s one of the most rewarding releases from Great Lake Swimmers, among a very impressive back-catalogue. Definitely one to treasure.
Paul McGee
Sugarfoot Cosmic Norse Americana Proper
Back in 2012 this band released a debut album in their home country and it started a very interesting journey to this present release. Founding duo Øyvind Holm and Hogne Galåen decided to put together a list of fellow musicians that they would like to perform with, and four of the contacted names agreed not only to begin collaborating, but their individual parts were recorded remotely from backing tracks provided. None of the additional players had met in putting down their individual parts, and this led to an inspired approach in recording the debut album.
Even Granås, Thomas Henriksen, Bent Sæther, and Roar Øien, have all since formed the other core members of Sugarfoot and this new album is a compilation of the first five albums that were released over the time period between 2012 and 2019. The official release has ten tracks selected across these various albums, with the CD release containing a further two bonus tracks, including an almost-fifteen minute jam on Santa Ana (Hats off to Shakey). The Nordic music scene is very strong and Norway has embraced Country music to a greater extent than some of it’s neighbours, with Finland and Sweden perhaps leaning more towards Hard Rock and Metal in overall tastes. However, the close ties of Norwegian Folk music and traditional Country music have long been established with emigration playing a role in the trends that were adopted over the decades.
On this compilation we are treated to a fine sampling of what is commonly called Cosmic Country music and the influence of bands such as Buffalo Springfield, The Byrds and The Grateful Dead are clearly evident. Also prominent in the song arrangements are the superb harmony vocals of the band, something that recently led to Mike Scott of The Waterboys featuring the band on a recent album, plus inviting them to support his Waterboys tour as the opening act. A nice break to be given and a perfect segue into this resume of their back catalogue.
Of the selected tracks, the opener lays down the classic sound with references to Joshua Tree and the Mojave Desert in the lyrics, and the band laying down an impressive sound on Tiger Rider. The superb playing by guest musician Øyvind Smidt on violin and mandolin is a feature on Flatfoot Willie as is the slide guitar of Alexander Pettersen. The harmony vocals on All Dried Up are classic CSNY territory with some nice guitar lines on a slow burn song. On Dolphin Hotel we are in the territory of Neil Young for atmospheric guitar effects and a building melody.
Where pop music stops and psychedelic rock takes over is a meeting point where nobody can ever pinpoint and it is somewhat incongruous to always seek comparisons. This is fine music to the ears and that is all that should really matter. The creative experimentation on Changing Times has some superb bass playing and big keyboard sounds, while Ego In A Bag shows a softer side to the band with an acoustic number featuring the impressive Ida Jenshus on dual-lead vocals, and some nice harmonica and pedal steel effects.
The original band consists of Hogne Galåen (guitars, vocals), Even Granås (drums), Thomas Henriksen (keyboards), Øyvind Holm (guitars, vocals), Bent Sæther (bass), and Roar Øien (pedal steel). This is a really enjoyable retrospective and a testament to the enduring talents of this excellent band.
Paul McGee