This album features the songs of Sara Hickman, a declared Official State Musician of Texas, who has used that platform to reach out to Texas-based musicians to produce this double CD to benefit and publicize the Theatre Action Project. TAP's aim is to bring arts into the classroom as funding for arts education had been cut in Texas. As with any such project featuring such a diverse range of acts, styles and musics not everyone is likely to like all the tracks here. But by the same token there's bound to be something here for everyone. There is folk, rock, blues, country, soul and everything in between. The album opens in style with the venerable Willie Nelson delivering Simply, his memorable voice and guitar over a string quartet backing. False Pretenses is sung by (Wagoneer) Monte Warden and Colin Boyd on a Everly's style duet.Tiny Movies is a synth sound based rendition by Gretchen Peters and Rob Halverson that may be different to some people perception of what she usually does. After The Fall is from Colin Gilmore and his band. Last Night Was A Big Rain is a solo performance from the Old 97s frontman. Eye Of The Storm by Elizabeth Wills shows off her strong vocals and there are a lot of striking female vocalists who are featured throughout the album. However all of these recordings also highlight the songwriting skills of Sara Hickman (and her occasional co-writers) and how they are open to such wide ranging interpretations and influences. It's In The Water by the Djembabes, as the name suggests has a world music feel which adds to the overall diversity on offer. Robert Earl Keen closes out the first disc with a bluesy Under The Sycamore Tree. Disc 2 will have different highlights for different listeners. For this particular listener it was Jimmy LaFave on Standing Ground, Comfort's Sigh from the ever distinctive Flatlanders. The guitar and vocal Joy from Ana Egge, a sultry No Name For Love by Darden Smith, Jess Klein's ghostly The One, Ruthie Foster's late night soul on Look At It This Way and Middle Of A Little Country Road from multi-instrumentalist Matt The Electrician. With 38 tracks it serves as a sampler of the diversity of current Texas-based music. It's largely music that falls outside of the more recognized country or blues directions that Texas is renowned for but it highlights the diversity of music in the State as well as a worthy cause and a equally talented songwriter. www.theatreactionproject.org
Josh Harty 'Nowhere' Magnolia
The first thing that hits you is Harty's world weary voice on Whiskey & Morphine as song that talks of self-destruction and sets the tone for what is to come. This 7 track mini-album follows in the same vein with Harty voice and songs featuring simple and subtle backings under his voice and guitar delivery. Harty draws you into his songs and you are a part of his world. Yesterday's mandolin and accordion add to the sense of melancholy that pervades these songs. There is sparse honesty that Harty brings to these songs which includes a compelling live version of Richard Thompson's 1952 Vincent Black Lightning that shows his voice and guitar skills are equally convincing on his choice of covers as they are on his own material. Though it is a short album it has the effect of making you want to hear more of Harty.
Reviews by Stephen Rapid
Rod Picott 'Welding Burns' Self-Release
As the title suggests Rod Picott gets under the skin of the working man. He sees the ingrained dirt, he feels their need to work and understands their despair when they, for whatever reason, can't. On his latest album he has assembled a group of working men, musical craftsmen (and women) to bring these songs to life. They live and they breathe. They also make a strong testament about people and place and the times we live in. How values have changed and much that is decent has been lost. Picott's gift is to take us into this world and make us welcome through his memorable songs and his world weary but hopeful voice. Picott has produced the album with David Henry who plays B3 organ and mandolin on the album alongside such gifted team players as Will Kimbrough, Paul Griffith, Lorne Rall and Amanda Shires on fiddle and vocals. The songs flow and they make you feel good, from the title song's evocation of a father's life and how it follows through to further generations. Then there's 410 another tale of where unemployment might lead in more desperate times. But, of course, alongside the songs of blue collar days there are those of lonesome nights and lost chances. Songs like Jealous Heart and Still I Want You Bad tell of disfunction, distance and deep feelings. The album closes with hen My Running Is Through a promise to someday settle down. But when your making music this good one can only hope that it won't be for a longtime yet. Picott's fans mention him along side Woody Gutrhrie and Bruce Springsteen and his ethos is well placed beside such illustrious names. But in the end it comes down to the work you put in and Rod Picott has toiled well and Welding Burns should soon be making its mark on any listener's heart with its rooted, real and soulful Americana.
Fearing & White 'Fearing & White' Lowden Proud
This duo of Irishmen, one from the North and one from the South, have been friends for some time but this is the first project together. They are both know in their own right with a track record of some nineteen solo albums between them prior to this collaboration. Both have distinctive voices which blend well and give the album its focus and heart. It's lifeblood is the songs that the duo have written together. These songs incorporate rock, roots-rock, folk and pop flavours which gives the album a interesting diversity. Let Love Be Your Direction has a anthemic chorus that is a plea for love and is delivered against a background of electric and acoustic guitar. Elsewhere they're joined by drummer Ray Farrugia and become a regular trio with Fearing on guitar and White on bass. Other songs look back at relationships that, for one reason or another, have faltered and become a cause for reflection. These are songs written by men who have lived some live and observed more. They're not storytellers in the traditional sense but rather leave spaces for the individual listener to insert their own experience and to relate to the songs. Beyond that even if the songs were sung in a different language the music on over here gives you much to admire. Under The Silver Sky is an driving song with some textured resophonic guitar from Fearing while others like Faithful Heart again comes down to the two voices and guitars. This is an album that has not suffered from over-production or excess adornment. The duo's production focuses on the songs, the voices and just the right amount of instrumentation to give them melody and memory. The are moments here that remind you of other music but never taking you away from the mood created by these two men's obvious enjoyment of their jointly-created journey.
Old Sledge 'Don't Let Your Deal Go Down' Self-Release
The sleeve notes on this album makes it clear that Old Sledge need to make this music. Music drawn from across the ages from countless old 78s, from different times, different places but not necessarily from a different set of needs. They are young enough to have been raised on different music genres but have been drawn back to this old-time aggregation of country and blues forms. The bring enthusiasm and energy and no little skill to their delivery of these often timeless songs. The trio blend their voices but both Chance McCoy and Sabra Guzmán take lead vocals on the songs, the latter brings a plaintiveness and purpose to the songs she sings while the former sings with conviction and clarity. The songs including some instrumentals with Ben Townsend's banjo to the fore draw from a wide repertoire of songs. These include the title track written by Fiddlin' John Carson, Roscoe Holcomb's Boat's Up The River, Danville Girl from Doc Boggs and a slew of traditional songs like Deep Elum Blues and St. James Infirmary. Old Sledge deliver their old-time music for modern times with an understanding and intent. The bass of Jake Hopping rounds out the quartet of players who are the players who created this life-affirming album. There are a lot of bands out there drawn to this style of music, some are better than others, though all are committed to breathing new life into old songs. Old Sledge skill is in the spirit they bring to these tunes, that a strong sense of where these songs came from and where they need to go now. That in itself is something to applaud, as is this convincing album.
Reviews by Stephen Rapid
Ted Russell Kamp 'Get Back To The Land' Pomo
The spirit of spirited California country rock pervades this new album from multi-instrumentalist Kamp, who also happens to play bass for Shooter Jennings. There is much to admire here and Kamp can run from the country styled ballad of (Down At The) 7th Heaven which uses brass and steel to heighten the atmosphere to the more brass stylings on Aces & Eights. The opening track California Wildflower is one of the album highlights with a strong vocal and a jangeling guitar riff that is almost power-pop in tone but it rips along at a rate of knots and introduces you to the breath of Kamp's talent not only as a player but also as a songwriter and as the album's producer. As well as a core band Kamp features a host of guests on a wide range of additional instruments that give the album depth and texture. Kamp, obviously enjoys the co-writing experience as he has written all this songs with a number of writing partners. Which means that though Kamp is the central figure here and totally in control he allows the influence of others to add to the overall direction that the songs take on the album. Time Is A Joker opens what is styled Side Two on the album in a heavier mode and it features some tasty guitar licks. This contrasts with the title track which follows. It has a sense of buoyancy and theme of getting back to more solid core values in life. Right As Rain again has a impassioned vocal from Kamp with a little grit in his delivery that the song, about coming to terms with a break-up, requires. There is a level of funkiness in the music as well with brass, Hammond organ and upfront bass colouring the songs. Then there are songs like Half Hearted that are built around a solid uptempo rhythm and are steeped in pedal steel which affirm Kamp's country side. This is an album that doesn't look back, it knows where its come from but is moving forward and marks a high-point of Ted Russell Kamp's solo career to date.
Lake Street Dive Signature Sounds
This album opens with a song that seems full of summer. It features trumpet and an effervescent vocal. Described as a "free country band" there is more here that veers towards a poppy jazz and soul feel that may not appeal to hardened country connoisseurs. The most prominent element here is Rachael Price's strong vocal presence. Behind that the trio of acoustic bass, drums and guitar/trumpet of Bridget Kearney, Michael Kearny and Mike Olson reveal a tightly focused musical bed that might well find favour with those who follow some of the more soulful singers that are out there today. There are a number of guest players and singers involved too but it is the quartet who core of the band sound. There is an undoubted talent on display here but one that will have to find it's audience in the more open minded of those who explore the fringes of roots music rather than those looking for something with a more obvious country connection. Lake Street Drive have recorded this album using analog technology to capture the essence of the music. If songs like Elijah got some radio play it may well expand on their audience as there are many who would clearly enjoy the sound that Lake Street Dive have developed and it would not be that big a leap to suggest that those who enjoy Amy Winehouse and her ilk would find something to savour here. As for the "free country" reference well it's a free country and you can decide for yourselves, though to these ears the closing track My Speed comes closest to that possible association.
Buxter Hoot'n Self-Released
This San Francisco based band are a young band who use a variety of musical sources and references to create their songs from. The end result is this third album that can loosely tie itself to a wider Americana brief with songs like Out The Door which has an early electric Dylan/Band feel but equally brings to mind certain indie rock/pop sensibilities. The quartet work as a unit to give the songs a strong presence. Singer/guitarist Vince Dewald is the main songwriter with contributions from two other members. The production by the band and Greg Magers is solid. As you listen a number of aural associations come to mind but not so strongly as to suggest any singular influences, rather they bring a full rounded sound to each song. The bands two main singers Vince Dewald and Melissa Merrill are both featured on particular songs and have the voices to deliver the songs and do them justice. Those songs cover a range of themes from the social inquiry of Chief Justice Shepard, an album highlight, which questions a outmoded value and judgement system, and does so with a late 60s swirl. While Cover Band details the feels of watching a band play rock 'n' roll covers and hear a song that stays in the memory and inspires. Something that many of us may have experienced at one time or another. They at times can take on a more bluesy rock side as with the song Spill Some Juice Me also they can be more reflective side with songs like In The Morning, a mid-paced piano led song that finds a man looking for forgiveness and fortitude in the morning after a night of gambling with his money and his relationship. The final track, fittingly titled Curtain is an atmospheric, sound collage that suggest different times. Buxter Hoot'n though, as a band, are a product of their times and the music they have heard and are, while delivering nothing particularly new, are, at the very least, capable of creating some strong songs and playing that, doubtless, gives them a sound that they can build their home audience on.
Reviews by Stephen Rapid
David Serby 'Poor Man's Poem' Self-Release
For this album Serby has moved from the honky-tonk of his previous albums to a more folk-based acoustic sound. He seems right at home here as he did in the honky-tonks. Again he works with producer Edward Tree, who plays a variety of instruments throughout, to produce a textured set of original songs that not only are more relevant to these times but also to earlier troubled times. Serby songs place him at events and feeling emotions of outlaws, outsiders and out-of-timers. The songs feel real and Serby sings them with heart and conviction over a rich acoustic arrangements. The songs take in the exploits of gunfighters, gold miners, honest and dishonest working men and displaced Civil War soldiers as well as poor men dreaming of love and better times. That these song have a resonance in an age of greed, celebrity and, on the other side of the coin, hardened times. There is much sympathy in these songs for those exploited in the past and for the times they lived and the problems that they face and often overcame. In the telling their relevance to the here and now is underscored. For instance Silver Creek talks of a wounded soldier's life after returning severely wounded from the Civil War to find menial work and loss of dignity. Dignity is crucial to the core of Serby's understanding of the human condition and a song like Silver Creek has an unspoken continuity with the wounded returning from current arenas of conflict. Those who enjoyed some of Dave Alvin's more acoustic folk based albums should enjoy this album. It is an album that extends Serby's range and his solid body of Americana music that should be enjoyed for what it is - and that is simply some very fine music.
The Wilders 'Self-Titled' Free Dirt
The latest album from this quartet continues their reputation as a band able to deliver songs in any number of categories from bluegrass to honky-tonk. This time out the bulk of the album has been produced by the band's guitarist Phil Wade. A multi-instrumentalist Wade has done a fine job of conveying their versatility and strengths. These include fiddler Betse Ellis - that she is credited with playing violin, viola as well as fiddle emphasizes this point. Nate Gawron is the band's bassist, electric and acoustic and is also responsible for 5 of the albums thirteen songs. Ellis contributed four and singer/guitarist Ike Sheldon wrote two. Sheldon is a striking vocalist who sings these songs with depth and emotion that round out the quartet's unit strengths. They're joined on the album also by drummer Tucker Slough and on a couple of occasions by Sarah Carpenter on vocals. With their own multi-instrumemntal skills they add layers of textures to these songs that cover a lot of ground from Ellis' fiddle led instrumentals to songs that connect strongly and will undoubtably form a core of their impressive live shows. The Wilders are one of those bands that succeed and deliver on recording and on stage. They play from the heart, they play the music they love and they experience live and they write about it. They can play with restarin as on Patrick Frazier's Pat's 25 as easily as they can rock out as they do with Sheldon's L.A. a tale of the that city's seamy side. Ellis' sings her life on the road tale Things They Say About Home and again shows that these songs come from their troubadour lives and loves. Take a walk on the Wilder side.
Rory Ellis 'Perfectly Damaged' Self-Released
An Australian roots singer who is at the core of these album as writer, singer, producer, player and label president. He has a rich, deep, resonant voice and gives these songs their focus. The music has touches of blues, country, folk and rock often within the same song. This is the singer/songwriters 5th studio release and furthers his exploration of life as it is lived and observed by Ellis. Again nothing here is troubling the frontiers of roots rock but it makes for a very enjoyable experience that fans of such artist as Ray Wylie Hubbard might well enjoy. It is rugged, ragged and rough-cut and it rocks. This is the kind of music that rarely get an outing on radio outside of particular specialist shows but if it did it would find a wider appreciative audience. His songs tackle subjects that include corporate condescension (Skeleton Hill), current means of meeting (PC Love), cocaine (The Gift), greed (The Gravey Train) and two-faced bad attitudes (Street Angle, House Devil). He can also look inward as he does on his songs Flesh And Bone where he writes about his two autistic twin boys. This he does with compassion and understanding. The music is as robust as Eillis' voice, the gravel in his voice is equally matched by the gravel in the music. Which runs from rock hard to righteous introspection. There is no doubting the appeal of Rory Ellis and that those who encounter his music, live or recorded, will find a artist true to himself and his music. That's when the damage will have been done.
Eliza Lynn 'Together' Civility
Lynn is an interpreter of songs and plays with a small core of acoustic musicians in a folk, bluegrass inclined sound that suit Lynn's clear voice. The best know of these songs is her reading of the Tia Sellers, Mark Sanders oft covered song I Hope You Dance. It's stripped down setting emphasizes the simple aims that are at the core of the songs expressed wish of better time. The remainder of the 9 songs also include Life Is Like A River written by Doc Watson, Van Morrison's When The Leaves Come Falling Down and the traditional Shenandoah. The instrumentation is guitar, banjo, dobro, mandolin and fiddle with lots of harmony vocals. Nothing new or unusual just a good honest lo-key delivery of some well chosen songs that suit Lynn's voice well. Sit Down Servant has the pure voices of Lynn and Alia Clary without any other instrumentation and again reminds of what an emotive element the human voice can be. Given the tight musical unit involved they manage to ring the changes across the songs from the aforementioned acapella delivery to the gentle lapsteel of their take on the Van Morrison song to traditional setting for Shenandoah. Nothing then that breaks any rules or barriers bur rather this album comes down to basics. A good voice, delivering good songs over some good playing. Music doesn't always have to be much more when it is removed from expectation and extraneous embellishment.
Reviews by Stephen Rapid
Ben Glover 'Before The Birds' Self-Release
The Northern Ireland singer/songwriter now spends the majority of his time in Nashville. This move has paid off on his latest album, third album. Produced by Neilson Hubbard in Nashville it highlights Glover's intimate style of writing and ever assured vocal skill. The musicians here, as you'd expect, are totally in synch with the songs and play there part well, delivering a tasty slice of roots orientated music that is prevalent on the fringes of Music City, if sadly not on the airwaves. Hubbard is joined by a full band who include Eamon McLaughlin on violin and some effective backing vocals from Kaci Bolls. But it's the songs that most albums are about and these are among the best Glover has yet committed to recording. Trick Of The Light opens the album and is soon followed by other songs that seek to define the minutiae of human relationships. A perennial pursuit of the songwriter and one with endless possibilities for perspicuousness. Almost Home delights in ending a journey while Song Of A Caged Bird Signing talks of a restlessness and the need to move on from difficult times and decisions. The album moves between those two reference points of melancholy and manifest good times. Before The Birds is an album that conjures a mood that is best sustained over it's ten tracks, rather than pointing to any single track, though the subtle restraint of the closing song At The Car Park has a haunting quality that last after the album has finished. A new song, yet to be recorded, played at a recent gig points to the fact that Glover is growing and moving forward as a songwriter, but for now this album is a more than satisfactory insight into the music of a talent singer/songwriter who has the ability to capture a mood and moment that will resonate with the attentive listener who will be rewarded for that involvement.
Willie Heath Neal 'Out On The Highway' Chicken Ranch
For his latest album Willie Heath Neal has been produced by Legendry Shack*Shakers lynchpins Mark Robertson and JD Wilkes. The result is the best album to date that has energy, attitude and heart. As you might expect from the producers there are some full on songs but there are also mid-tempo songs like Porter's Blues built around a solid drum beat, twangy guitar and rounded organ tones that highlight the versatility of the songs and Neal's and richly veined voice. Something that the next song Something's Wrong With The Radio shows well with it's honky-tonk piano tone. Both producers are also involved on the playing side alongside Heath's own band and guests like Amanda Shires on fiddle. The majority of the songs are originals with some interesting covers like ZZ Top's She's A Heartbreaker given a run for its money. Glenn Danzig's Attitude has loads and links to punk rock past. The high-energy speeded delivery of the Bill Fries/Chip Davis' The Classifieds is fun, frantic and fulsome. Alabama Highway, from the pen of Steve Young is delivered in Neal's best baritone and fits the mood of movement and the miles of myriad motels. Outlaw Song uses that contentious word and what it might represent in country music and its environs. But here Neal seems more entitled to consider himself an outsider to the country mainstream that most having been on the fringes for a hell of a long time. One can only hope that Out On The Highway will bring him some warranted attention for what is a life-affirming and honest album that hits all the right notes for those who seeks some authentic attitude and like their music to recognize its past traditions but to be very much of the here and now.
Barbara Nesbitt 'The Bees' Self-Release
From the opening seconds of the first song you know your listening to a singer with a powerful voice. Then a few tracks in you know that she's no slouch in the songwriting department either. The title track has bee-like sounds and predominant banjo while there are also songs that rock out more, like Losin' Time. Produced and recorded in San Diego, California by Jeff Berkley, it has a fine cast of players including Doug Pettibone and Mike Spurgat on guitars, Dennis Caplinger on fiddle, banjo, mandolin and more. They play it straight down the line on the country heartbreak of Good For Something. Nesbitt has the kind of voice that readily conveys emotion without moving into the oversung, over-emotive stance of many of today's divas tend to deliver in their vocal performances. Though Nesbitt could easily give many a major label signing a run for their money. This second album from Nesbitt confirms her as a talented all rounder, who like a lot of her contemporaries, needs some exposure to draw a wider audience to her work other than she might get through touring. Give In starts out slow and stripped down before Doug Pettipone's pedal steel adds a layer of atmosphere to the songs sense of defeat. Quicksand has a rootsier dobro, banjo and fiddle sound with Nesbitt's voice still front and centre. The album closes with its only cover, a take on Boudleaux Bryant's Like Strangers, a harmony duet with drummer Bill Coomes that shows another direction that Nesbitt could take, with its less strident vocal it makes a perfect end to the album and shows yet again how much music exists out there that is only looking to connect to a wider audience who would find themselves captivated my music such as this if the opportunity to connect came about.
Dan Krikorian 'Windsor Blue' Self-Release
The influences that are inherent in Krikorian are common to many contemporary songwriters. Their musical stew includes folk, soul, country, gospel and blues - an amalgam of American roots music tempered with a little of that mix reflected back from this side of the pond with, usually, Bob Dylan, The Band and Van Morrison as touchstones. Aritist who in their own careers have touched on all, or many, of those genres. Dan Krikorian wants to connect with people through his music and with this album there is a sense of upbeat approachability that goes some way to doing that. There's nothing here that hasn't been heard before but that doesn't effect the bottom line that it comes down to the songs and Krikorian's song ain't half bad. From the soulful positivity, brass-like enhancement on New York City Day through the pedal steel permeated Isabelle. Goodbye Waltz showcases a voice that warmth and ability and a set of musicians who serve these songs well. They include co-producer Shawn Nourse (I See Hawks In L.A.) on drums, Mike Teague and Bob Boulding on guitars as well as Chris Lawrence on pedal steel. The title song is a strong song with good harmonies and some fine fiddle playing giving it an attractive pop/folk feel. Elsewhere Krikorian delivers his songs with a strong sense of where to find the positivity in life and with a enduring outlook. That these songs have an underlying sense of melody makes them all the more effective in their intent. This is Krikorian's third album but my first encounter with him and it argues well for his work in the future. If you like your music like sunlight coming through your kitchen window then this album could well be something that would appeal. Like many independent artists it's very difficult for someone like Krikorian to connect with a larger audience as these music has largely been moved to the margins of mainstream radio. Windor Blue however, like it's cover is a attractive water-coloured album that will reward those who take the trouble to listen.