Reviews By Paul McGee

John Neilson  Tomorrow comes the Spring  Lounge Side 

On his two previous releases, If By Chance (2005) and 4^TH Street Sessions (2011), John Neilson writes songs that are honest, pure, and from the heart. Neilson now lives in Austin, Texas and has quickly made a reputation as a singer-songwriter of real talent who has already had success with his songs finding their way to both TV & film soundtracks.

Jim Wirt produced this record and also plays a variety of instruments on the 11 tracks. The arrangements are varied, with the opener Fall coming out of the blocks at a real driving pace, only to be followed by Lights of Los Angeles, a slow burner that is full of atmosphere sung with a weary vocal delivery, reminiscent of early Steve Earle.

Shape I’m In, Coming Home and Take a Shot are all examples of Nielson’s impressive musical variety and the production is both sharp and full of colour. End of the Road and Walk Away point to a future that will continue to fast track this artist with an acoustic guitar and a hope for wider recognition.

Grant Dermody  Sun Might Shine On Me  Self Release

Harmonica virtuoso Grant Dermody is firmly based in the blues with two previous solo releases, Crossing That River (2003) and Lay Down My Burden (2010), plus numerous guest slots on other artists’ releases, including Jim Page and Eric Bibb.  As a lifelong student of the harmonica and acoustic blues, Grant’s latest release delivers 15 tracks that include traditional arrangements mixed with original songs and covers, all displaying his pioneering approach and a commitment to the timeless traditions of the blues.

Beyond the blues, Grant is also passionate about old-time music. He sees the harmonica as the most vibrant instrument connecting the mouth and the power of the breath in a pure way that no other musical instrument can achieve. Playing with five other musicians on drums, guitar, piano banjo, mandolin, Dobro and fiddle sees this release capture the true essence of organic music and the joys of self-expression.

It is unfair to single out any specific tracks, but the groove of Easy Down and the laid back tempo of Sun Might Shine take some beating. Traditional tunes, Reuben’s Train and Sail Away Ladies are wonderful examples of what can be achieved by this talented ensemble. At the end of the day it is the joy throughout the project that leaves you feeling uplifted. Compelling.

Vincent Cross A Town Called Normal  Self Release

 Cross was born in Dublin, raised in Australia and is now based in New York City. With one previous release, Home Away from Home (2008), he could not be accused of being prolific, but his second album has now been unveiled. On 12 tracks Vincent Cross displays a strong playing style on guitar, mandolin and harmonica, supported by a variety of musicians who colour the songs with a light touch on bass, banjo and occasional drums. His style is very much folk-based and the lyrics appear to be of a personal nature with many of the themes visiting the past (Childish Things), regrets (Cursed), lack of brotherhood (A Town Called Normal) and the need to keep personal demons down (Walking on the Outside).

Relationships are focussed on in tracks like Trouble Being There, that looks at a broken situation where one partner cannot commit. My Love and Wrack & Ruin display a questioning of the loyalty involved in staying together and the changing feelings that we all have. The closing track, Sometimes, asks whether it is better to take the road you are on or to go back again; perhaps the answer to the question lies in the knowledge that you can never really go back. This is a solid release that boasts strong arrangements and excellent musicianship.      

The Slocan Ramblers Coffee Creek Self Release

 This is a bluegrass band from Toronto, Canada that has been together for 4 years and made their debut, Shaking down the Acorns, in 2013. This new release was recorded in a live-in-the-studio setting and captures the energy of the band’s live performances. The four musicians are certainly very talented and display their dextrous abilities on banjos, guitars, mandolin and acoustic bass.

All music is arranged by the band and there is a sense of listening to old standards which speaks volumes for the craft and care taken in putting these 13 tracks together into a cohesive whole.  The singing style of Frank Evans adds to this sense of tradition and sounds like it comes from a body much older than his. Pastures of Plenty/Honey Babe and Galilee are instantly rewarding with Elk River and Angeline close on their heels. The instrumentals Lone Pine, The Back 40 and April’s Waltz are a delight; however all the songs bounce out of the speakers and leave a smile as they finish.

Harmonies are vital in bluegrass and the music is elevated by these four voices in unison. If you are a fan of this genre, then the Slocan Ramblers are a welcome addition to the new ranks of musicians who are breaking through.

Dave Desmelik We Don’t Want a Dying Flame Self Release

This is the ninth solo release from Desmelik, an independent artist who performs, records and writes for the genuine love of the song-writing craft and the therapeutic value that it brings. Based in North Carolina, this fine singer-songwriter/ instrumentalist has produced a collection of heartfelt songs, full of emotion, from the opening instrumental Hyper Fatigue to the rueful warning of Destruction and the fear that we ‘are digging our own graves’ in the way we abuse the environment.  

L-I-F-E is another instrumental that has a background of children laughing and talking and the impact is really effective against the gentle strum of an acoustic guitar.  Red Collar and Two Gifts are both further examples of this seasoned musician’s excellent guitar virtuosity.

On the 13 tracks included here, the gentle arrangements (Sand Toe) are followed by insightful perspective;  ‘drown yourself in drinking and wait for what comes next’ / ‘you make your excuses, you make your own bed’ in On the Clock . Desmelik is a prime example of the endless stream of talent that is creating vibrant and vital music that needs greater exposure. 

Paper Moon Shiners Self-titled Self Release

This duo from Austin, Texas specialize in vintage songs and originals inspired by American music from the early twentieth century. Their old time sensibility and vaudeville arrangements command attention and the 12 songs included on this debut release come alive with  blues, vintage jazz, swing, ragtime, Americana roots and folk.

Elena Antinelli sings like she means every last vocal inflection and trill, while her musical and life partner, Frank Meyer, adds plenty of character with his gravel voice and easy playing style on guitar, Dobro, ukulele and steel body resonator guitar. Their music is a step back in time to the days of Prohibition and juke joints with plenty of character and colourful delivery in Who’s that Knockin’? (Trad), Come on in My Kitchen (Robert Johnson) and Carolina Moon (Joe Burke & Benny Davis) stealing the spotlight. However the seven songs written by this unique duo can stand up against such competition with both Space and Same Thang particularly prominent. 

Brock Zeman Pulling Your Sword out of The Devil’s Back Busted Flat 

This is the 11^th release from Ottawa Valley singer-songwriter Brock Zeman. His songs are very much in the contemporary country arena of storytelling narratives and a sound that is based on strong song hooks and great melody.  This is a self-produced effort and comes across with a swagger and a strut in the ten songs featured. The observations and words are the sure sign of a mature artist who has found his groove and the musicians that are employed here really play their part in what is a very impressive collection. Blair Hogan on guitar, organ, piano, and mandolin is a real virtuoso and fills out the sound in an understated manner but always right on the money. Brock Zeman is no slouch either when it comes to playing around the song tempos and his guitar work is supported by synth pads and sequencing. He sings with a voice that is full of character and personality.

The song-writing road is littered with lots of bodies, but this level of talent is on a fast-track to increased exposure, should he decide to start gigging outside of his Canadian territory. There are no weak tracks here and the subject matter shifts from relationship reflections (Don’t Think About You Anymore, Little Details) to musing on the lives we lead (Walking in the Dark, Some Things Stay). Many of the tunes are catchy enough to fit nicely on radio (Sweat, Drop Your Bucket, Dead Man’s Shoes) but an artist like this is too far under the radar to get that type of attention. More is the pity as the quality of music here deserves an international audience.

The track Ten Year Fight is a movie script all rolled up into five minutes of sublime storytelling, whether sourced from reality or imagination. It visits a broken relationship through the eyes of the writer who sees the father of his past lover and reflects on the bumps along their road which led to damage for all concerned. It is a wonderful song and beautifully constructed. The title song gives early notice of the talent at play here with lyrics such as ‘I live in a house of ghosts that just won’t let me be; I let them in myself and now they just won’t leave’. I cannot recommend this artist highly enough and wish I had been graced by his music long before now. 

Eight O’Five Jive  Too Many Men  Red Rudy Too Tunes

Jump blues and retro swing are alive and well as long as bands such as Eight O’Five Jive continue to hold a torch for the classic era of the late 1940s to the late 1950s, when jump jive defined an exciting era of music and dance. What defines the Eight O’Five Jive sound is the tight ensemble playing of Patrick Mosser (Sax), Duane Spencer (Drums), Andy Scheinman (Guitar), Bill Bois (Bass) and Lee Shropshire on vocals.

There are nine songs from the past that are reworked into the band’s sound, which is based around the great rhythm section and the duelling sax and guitar breaks that allow Lee Shropshire to sing on top of the arrangements with a strong vocal and plenty of wry humour. Titles such as Have Mercy Baby, You Was Right Baby, Market Place and Drunk give a sense of the ‘dust yourself down and get on with life’ attitude that prevails here. Misery Loves Company, written by Lee herself,  stands shoulder to shoulder with the timeless originals as does her second song, Young Enough To Be My Son.

Eight O’Five Jive redefines this essential genre and helps to keep it alive and vibrant. It stands as wonderful music for dinner and cocktails, eminently suitable for lively dance lovers and delightfully immune to passing time.

Reviews By Stephen Rapid

The Rizdales  Blue Ain’t the Word: A Tribute to the Music of Ray Price - Self Release 

Canadian band the Rizdales have made  a wonderful tribute for the singer many consider to be arguably country music’s finest vocalist. Price’s passing has been largely ignored in mainstream Nashville, which makes this collection doubly better. What is even more rewarding is that the Rizdales have not attempted to duplicate his sound, rather they take some of his better known as well as some lesser known songs and recorded them as if they were their own songs, giving them the Rizdales honky-tonk treatment. Tara and Tom Dunphy are the band’s mainstays and they are joined by Steven Crew on drums, Blair Heddle on guitars and Oscar Macedo on upright bass with Burke Carroll on steel guitar and Michael Bonnell on piano among the musical guests. This is essentially the same team who made their last album, the equally worth hearing, How the Marriage Ended.

There is no doubting their love of Ray Price, and traditional country in general, and they bring songs from the early, more honky-tonk, part of Price’s career which fit easily alongside later countrypolitan hits like For the Good Times and Night Life. And they do so with great energy and style. The Dunphys share the vocal leads and this give some of the songs an unusual female perspective. Both Tom and Tara excel in the vocal department and considering that they are inviting direct comparison to a master,  give highly credible performances, as does the assembled team of musicians. Again the decision to record them with their sound is part of what makes the album work not only as a tribute but as a piece in its own right.

The playing is tight and effective and Tara is also a fine fiddle player as well as vocalist, while Tom holds his own on acoustic guitar. All of which makes the Rizdales a band who keep a notable tradition alive and bring some fresh energy to something more timeless.

The fourteen songs include such strong numbers as Bill Anderson’s City Lights,  the Kris Kristofferson classic For the Good Times and My Shoes Keep Walking Back To You written by Bob Wills and Lee Ross. These are songs that were well crafted and have more than stood the test of time. The Dunphys are the producers and directors here and have made an album will doubtless be rank as one of the best tributes around. Maybe blue ain’t the word; “hot” may be a better one.

Sam Lewis Waiting On You - Brash

There is a t-shirt on Lewis’ site that says, above and below his name, the words ‘country’ and ‘soul’ which, in so many ways, sums up the direction that Sam Lewis is heading. Both Leon Russell and Willie Nelson have been cited as a reference points and Lewis has said that he sees himself following the path of observational troubadours like John Prine and Fred Eaglesmith, an interesting combination. With his second album Lewis finds himself in good company who help him on the way to achieving his vision of that classic combination.

Producer Oliver Wood, Wood Brothers band, helmed a 3 day live-in-the-studio session at Southern Ground Studios in Nashville.  Players such as Mickey Raphael, Darrell Scott, Kenny Vaughan, Will Kimbrough and the McCrary Sisters all took part in the recording. The songs, the voice and the aspirations were all Lewis’. He has a warm, full voice which is effortlessly comfortable in the place he finds himself. Lewis fronts the band with authority and while his voice may not yet be immediately identifiable, it is quality. There is a relaxed feel across the grooves, which, given the nature of the recording may not be how Lewis felt, but it didn’t let it show in his assured delivery.

The songs have a confessional aspect that is exemplified in Love Me Again or in the heavier beat of Things Will Never Be The Same. Place is the subject, in one way or the other, in Texas and Virginia Avenue. The former is a salutary piece that features Raphael’s emotive harmonica. The latter is a folk song that reminisces about growing up. It is stripped back to voice and resonator and acoustic guitar and underscores the strength of Lewis’ songwriting and voice by bringing it back to a simple place that gives the song great resonance. The twelve song album closes with I’m Coming Home, a song that starts with the same stripped back approach but slowly builds up by adding piano over the rhythm section of JT Cure and Derek Mixon before finishing with testifying background vocals reinforcing the sentiment of the title and the both spiritual and geographic nature of that promise. Whether full on or back to basics Waiting On You is a tasty album to enjoy at length and Lewis is an artist who gives you so much to savour. 

Tom Van Stockum Self-Titled - Self Release

Growing up playing in his father’s band in Louisville, Kentucky gave Tom Van Stockum a taste for the likes of J. D. Crowe as well as for the wordsmith magic of such craftsmen as John Prine. Now based in New York, Van Stockum has released his debut EP, six song original songs that have a harder edge than his initial influences might suggest.

The traditional sounding ’Til the Ohio Don’t Flow is a strong song that considers that the  protagonist will persist until he achieves his objectives or the titular river ceases its function. He is nicely balanced on the song vocally by his wife Brittany. Other songs that are notable are Closer to the Ground, an uptempo guitar-driven tale of a high flying lady. The sound is an Americana blend of alt, folk, rock and roots, nothing that you haven’t heard before but delivered with enough heart to make it worth hearing in its own right.

Van Stockum covers all this and more on the tracks here, but manages to make it all sound cohesive and captivating. The band of players that join him give him solid support with some brass added by Peter Ecklund to good effect as required. This is a real foundation of bass and drums with both piano and guitar adding to the overall detail of the individual song structures. Producer Alex P. Wernquest gives the sound a robust clarity that serves the music well. Von Stockum is a part of a thriving DIY scene that is making music to be heard but, perhaps, more crucially, for their own satisfaction (and sanity). Everyone who makes music wants it to be heard but if it doesn’t come from within then we can usually do without.

This six song set has enough variety that it allows Van Stockum plenty of scope to develop his songs and sound. There are a couple of stand-out here that indicate that he is a performer who will develop and hone his influences and writing as he play more shows and gains the life experiences that will filter into his songs to give them a sense of unvarnished truth - with three chords or even more. In the end Tom Van Stockum has made an impressiver first mark on his way to reaching a wider world.

Martha L. Healy Better Days - Self Release

Glasgow girl goes to Nashville and records an album. That’s the story of Better Days. Healy grew up listening to Dolly Parton, Patsy Cline and the blues/rock tones of Bonnie Raitt and the Eagles. She absorbed those sources of inspiration and a whole lot more, I’m sure, while others around her were into the pop and rap of the day. She obviously learned from these acts and soon began writing her own songs and has a credit on seven of the eleven songs here. Phil Ferns, a fellow Glaswegian and the album’s executive producer, co-wrote some with her and two on his own. Too Much Vodka is one of the more buoyant tracks, a ‘girlfriends get wild’ type of song. By way of contrast there is the more acoustic setting of Nobody’s Dead, a mandolin and fiddle-based song about being apart from a loved one.

The influences mentioned above neglect to include her Celtic influences, which are very apparent in the song Burtonport which is a tribute to her family. The CD booklet includes pictures of a visit there and a picture of her grandparents’ wedding, as well as a photo of her own. These show a sense of family and location and could easily have come from a country and Irish album. It is also the closest her voice moves away from more universal phrasing on the other songs.

You can’t discount that she has a strong voice and inhabits these songs which touch on several aspects of a broad country palate. The album was mostly recorded in Nashville with bassist David Spicher. He has played with a range of artists such as Lorrie Morgan at the Grand Ole Opry and Sarah Gayle Meech in a Lower Broadway club. Spicher has brought in some like minded players who gave the music the range that it requires from Buddy Spicher’s fiddle to Tommy Hannum’s pedal steel. Some additional recording also took place in Glasgow including keyboards, banjo, fiddle and backing vocal overdubs. Songs like the title track, which has harmonica and Cajun tinges has an upbeat feel. The declaration of fidelity in The Lovin’ Kind, has an accordion which takes the song to an altogether different place.

Healy joins the growing number of artists making credible country music of many hues in the UK and Ireland. She is writing her own songs, exploring the music she makes and makes sure what she records sounds the way she wants to which is to be applauded. Where her ambitions are going to depend on circumstances that are not always under her control, but on the strength of Better Days she has a future, but a limited one perhaps. However doing it the way she wants will lead to better days and already has, if the smile on her face on the cover is anything to go by.

Light Over There Self Titled - Self Release

This is the debut five track release for an Irish American duo, Aileen Henderson and Rex Habeman, who stuck up a friendship and began this recording project via the internet. The backing tracks were recorded in the U.S. and the vocal track in Ireland. The producers for each part were John Richardson and Ray Diamond. Henderson and Habeman has written all five songs. The sound is roots rock with solid bass and drums, over which either takes the lead vocal and the middle is filled with keyboard, mandolin and rockin’ guitar; witness She Cries to You. There is a strong sense of melody that has seen comparison with Fleetwood Mac. This is not surprising as Habeman has a rock background.

Perhaps more surprising is that they will meet in person for the first time to prepare for the first gigs together. For all that, it sounds cohesive and when they join together vocally, as in I Ain’t that Bad, you sense that a common goal has been achieved and that it is a testament to how distance and age is no real barrier to making music these days.

The song Where Memories Live deals with dementia, something that was personal to Habeman as a close relation suffered from Alzheimers. The music overall is focused roots rock that never overwhelms the vocals but is far removed from the acoustic guitar bedroom demos that Henderson had posted on her YouTube channel.

All in all this is an auspicious start that could lead to interesting things on a full album recorded when both are together in the studio. The combination of different backgrounds, age and experiences could well create something vital. For now these five songs are enough to be going on with and to warrant further investigation and illumination.

Bumper Jacksons Too Big World  - Self Release

The first song, Coffee Mama, opens in 30’s jazz style with clarinet and trombone prominent and then the steel guitar takes us to the dance halls of 50s. This mix of jazz, country and more, is neither new or unique, but the way it is delivered here is justified by the exuberance with which it is played by the band. The vocals are ably handled by the two vocalists, Jess Eliot Myhre and Chris Ousley. Both have a presence which holds your attention and give the songs both focus and gravitas. The songs are a mix of traditional and well chosen covers. The “and more” comment is readily apparent in the version of Satan, Your Kingdom Must Come Down, which opens with a dynamic vocal from Myhre over a syncopated rhythm and trombone, only to be offset by an off-kilter, but oh so right bluesy guitar solo!

Bumper Jacksons (which also includes Alex Lacquement on upright bass, Brian Priebe on trombone, Dan Cohen playing suitcase percussion and Dave Hadley on pedal steel) are a forceful, inventive combo who balance the quieter songs with up-tempo, old-timey exhilaration. Adventure Story, I learned I was Wrong and Jubilee all dial it down to slow, soulful mediations. The latter with the two voices in duet mode has some effective fiddle playing (from guest Anna Roberts Gevalt) that sets it more as a folk ballad that the jazz inflections of some of the other material. The include a healthy 16 tracks and a near hour running time, but because there is such a wide ranging approach to style and tempo the album never overstays it’s welcome.

The final track is from the pen of singer and guitarist Chris Ousley and show that their original songs can fit with the other, older material. This is something that will enable them to develop as a band and tailor their sound with their own songs. Hell is Hot is a goodtime New Orleans styled slice of fun that caps off an entertaining and heartwarming album. The band are currently based in the Washington DC area, which has had a thriving roots scene for some time now. They have made their mark there, winning music awards. But they deserve a wider recognition and as the likes of Pokey Lafarge make international inroads, the Bumper Jacksons might find the world big but also quite appreciative. 

The Grahams Glory Bound - 12 South

The Grahams are a husband and wife duo who have been making music together since their teens. This, their second album, is a lively and dynamic set of songs written by the duo with Bryan McCann. It was produced by Wes Sharon and recorded in a studio in Norman, Oklahoma with a set of musicians that included the producer on bass as well as the likes of Byron Berline on fiddle and mandolin, John Fulbright on piano and Ryan Engleman on guitar and pedal steel. Sharon has previously worked with notable artists John Fulbright and Parker Millsap. He has delivered a concise, big sounding album of country roots music that centres around the duo’s vocals and memorable songs. Alyssa Graham has a particularly forceful and assertive vocal that has both power and passion and is the perfect focal point for their music. Douglas Graham handles the back-up vocals and harmonies, alongside Camille Harp, as well as playing guitar and Dobro.

The end result is one that immediately appeals as a strong slice of Americana that won’t fail to get toes tapping and engage the listener. Just listen to Kansas City with it’s driving fiddle and twangy guitar or the opening song Glory Bound with it’s reflection of time of misspent youth. Not that they can’t take their collective foots off the throttle when required, as on the more acoustic sounding (and suggestive) Biscuits.  Blow Wind Blow is a song which fits the general theme of travel and times gone by, and with having to deal with the consequences of earlier actions. It is a particularly poignant consideration of the sometimes debilitating effects of loneliness.

The Grahams have delivered a set of songs that will, doubtless, find favour with a varied set of listeners, as there are many memorable moments. The lasting impression is of the duo’s vocal prowess and their well-constructed material They have also been involved in a new documentary, directed by the Mississippi Allstars’ Cody Dickinson, titled Rattle The Hocks (a trailer can be viewed online on their website); it follows their train travels and the influence of that mode of transport on American roots music. In their current endeavours they appear to be moving on down a very productive and pleasing line. 

Reviews by Paul McGee

Casey Weston Young Heart - Self Release

Nashville-based singer-songwriter Casey Weston is originally from Naples, Florida where she played the coffee shop and honkytonk open mic circuit to learn the ropes and hone her craft. Her sound is based in commercial country with a strong Dixie Chicks and Shania Twain influence.

The eight co-writes here are evenly split between slow melodies and energetic pop-inspired grooves. With a self-titled debut EP followed by an album Find the Moon, this artist is on a fast track to radio friendly country hitsville and there is no reason why she shouldn’t get there. Never Come Back has hit single written all over it and falls into Carrie Underwood territory. Little Bit of Everything is another strong contender for radio and Lock & Key is the most accomplished song here. The production is impressive on all tracks, with bright arrangements and room for the vocals to shine through. Watch this artist grow.

Erik Sitbon and the Ghost Band - Self Release

With four previous releases, Erik Sitbon produces music that is a mixture of rock and country. He formed the Ghost Band in 2012 and the six-piece went on to release Lost and Found. A double album, Acoustic Sessions/ Electric Sessions released that year as was Back to the Roots – a Great Sun Session was recorded in the legendary Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee. In 2013, the double album received two CMA Awards France for  Best Male Artist  and  Best French Country Music album.

Despite his French origins, songs like My Demon Down, Your Lies, Mary Go Round, Down the River and Back to the Roots are decent examples of the genre and could comfortably hold their own on other country releases.

Annie Gallup Ghost - Gallway Bay

Ghost is the tenth solo recording in a career that has seen Annie Gallup achieve huge recognition among her peers for her song-writing and authentic playing. With this release she has chosen a  string band which includes Gabe Witcher on fiddle, and David West  on Dobro and mandolin, Peter Gallway on string bass/ backing vocals and Anna Abbey on backing vocals.

Gallup’s recent releases include Little Five Points which Annie calls "conversations in a quiet room" and Weather a prior to that. A project that features Annie's voice with a string quartet and award winning composer Asia Mei. Annie has been on the road performing throughout North America since 1994, touring solo and as the duo, Hat Check Girl, with Peter Gallway.

The 11 songs featured here are a tribute to the versatility and dexterous playing of the ensemble. The ‘less is more’ approach adds an authentic air to the recording process and titles such as Diamond Ring, Battle of Brooklyn, Raised By Wolves and West Memphis Arkansas sound like old standards from years gone by. There is a beautiful arrangement of the Davey MacLean classic Caledonia and the track A Loves B is a clever insight on the dynamic of a love triangle and cheating as a compulsion. Sounding not unlike Emmylou, the vocal delivery of Annie Gallup is always engaging and on Weapon of Choice she delivers a haunting performance. Impressive.

Jami Lynn  Fall is a Good Time to Die - Self Release

This is an acoustic introduction to the landscapes, animals, and people that inhabit the South Dakota plains and the Black Hills. Jami Lynn is a real treasure and a very accomplished musician and her music has been described as plainsfolk. Her previous releases include Dreamers, Sodbusters and Cluck & Croon. She began performing folk and bluegrass music at the age of thirteen and by the age of sixteen was writing her own music. She has an awareness of her deep connection to the landscape and culture of the Upper Midwest.

Tracks like Red Fox, Wolf, Coyote why ya Lookin’ so Thin? and God Out on the Plains are full of understated beauty with lots of space in the arrangements. The musicians adding their talents to the album, apart from  Jami  on vocals, banjo and guitar, are Dalton Coffey, Dobro, mandolin and guitar and Andrew Reinartz on upright bass with Eddie Faris playing mandolin on Red Fox.

The playing is just a joy to hear as the musicians come together and solo on top of the melodies in a restrained dynamic that heightens the tunes. Jami sings beautifully in a very clear and strong voice and this has to be one of the best American folk releases of the year, with not a weak track among the 10 on offer here

Vanish Valley  Queen of the Concert - Self release

With two previous releases under the belt, Get Good and eponymous debut Vanish Valley return with a cohesive release of twelve tracks that deliver a melodic, psychedelic folk-rock groove. This LA based 4-piece deserve kudos in the fact that the tracks were recorded in just 6 days and the live feel to the arrangements gives the tracks an immediate and vibrant quality. Singer/guitarist Andrew McAllister is the main influence, but he is well supported by Alex Owen on guitar and keyboards, Guy Christiano on bass and drummer Daniel Goldblatt.

Recorded with Grammy Award winning Engineer David Bianco (Bob Dylan/Tom Petty/Teenage Fan Club), the new album has a sound that is not a million miles removed from the Cars meets early Counting Crows. McAllister’s hoarse vocal style makes for an entertaining listen with tracks like Lookout Mountain, Golden Tape and Drifter’s Eyes providing upbeat workouts. Harmonica is used with great effect by McAllister and the track Cowboy Store has a nice contemporary country style to it. The title song is a fine acoustic reflective slice of Americana to end proceedings with.

Richard Schumacher   I’ll be Honest Withya - Self release 

There is a strong Johnny Cash quality to the vocal delivery of Richard Schumacher, a singer-songwriter from Southern California. This is his debut release and employs the considerable talents of a handful of LA's top country session players.  They encouraged Richard to enter a recording studio having seen him at local talent nights and open mic invites for many years. Of the nine musicians used here, the ensemble playing is of a high standard with the production by Chad Watson perfectly capturing the mood of these country blues songs.

Chad Watson has a key influence on proceedings, not just as producer, but with contributions on bass, guitar, piano, mandolin and trombone. The electric guitar work of Vern Monnet is also very prominent, especially on Cattle Drivers and the very tasty Lady on the Platform. There is a nice groove to the overall sound with plenty of references to drinking;  Melancholy Whiskey, which boasts some nice harmonica and slide guitar, Twelve Years Down, Occasionally Sober, The Party’s Over, Too Late For the Lovin’ and This Town’s Gone to Hell. Perhaps this indicates some dubious recreational habits but they certainly have not had a detrimental effect on the music.

D.R. Roberts  Down and Out in Gospel Oak -  Self Release

Down and Out in Gospel Oak is the debut album from UK singer/songwriter and multi- instrumentalist D.R. Roberts. There is a hint of a young David Bowie in his vocal delivery and the opening  Heavy Weather Girl has an Albert Hammond influenced guitar melody (It Never Rains in California).

This is English contemporary music that borders on folk,  with some nice guitar work, especially on Calm on the Other Side and the closing title track. The piano based Beach Roses and Fifteen Years deal with loss and the disappointment of shattered dreams while the feel of The Dragging Yourself Down Blues and Knocking on the Door of the Deaf hint at former struggles to make a mark in the music business, while keeping a sense of self from eroding.  Down and Out in Gospel Oak is musically sound and hints at greater things to come.

Reviews by Sandy Harsch

Alan Jackson 'Angels and Alcohol'- ACR/EMI

As you would expect from the combination of Alan Jackson and long time producer Keith Steagall, Angels and Alcohol sounds wonderful. The production is precise and Jackson’s voice is both warm and pitch perfect and shows no signs of aging. The musicians are excellent, particularly Brent Mason and JT Corenflos on lead guitars, Bobby Terry on acoustic guitar and banjo, Paul Franklin on pedal steel and Hoot Hester and Larry Franklin on twin fiddles. There is a decidedly more acoustic flavour than in Jackson’s previous straight country albums, probably resulting from his recent acoustic bluegrass album.

Jackson has long been a traditionalist and this stance is reinforced by a 1989 mission statement quote which is printed on the back of the CD booklet. Indeed, there are no loops, rapping or bro country on Angels and Alcohol. What it features is not ‘retro’ music, it is straightforward country of a kind major artists in Nashville haven’t sung for years as they try to keep up with radio’s artificial demands.

The 10 songs, 7 by Jackson himself with 3 outside songs, one of which is from Jackson’s nephew and wife, songwriting team Adam and Shannon Wright, are straight ahead country. The album opener, You Can Always come Home, is a father’s bittersweet advice to a child leaving home, something Jackson knows well as his 3 daughters are that age. The second song, You never Know is a raver with amazing guitar playing from (I think) Brent Mason, gorgeous steel from Paul Franklin and great lyrics and story line – so good it might have been written by Chuck Berry. The title track is mid-tempo with downbeat cautionary lyrics and a rueful spoken piece at the end. I Leave a Light On is a wonderful classic country weeper, superbly done, while Mexico, Tequila and Me is fun, with a sly American Pie reference in the lyrics.

I’m a long time Alan Jackson fan and so am probably biased, but this is a really good album. There are drawbacks; for me the album sags a bit in the middle with 3 mid-tempo rather ordinary songs. The outside songs are not as strong as Jackson’s own writing and I couldn’t warm to Troy Jones and Greg Becker’s When God Paints which is very like Dolly Parton’s God’s Coloring Book, but not as good. However these are very small drawbacks to a great dose of real country. 

Kacey Musgraves 'Pageant Material'- Mercury

This is Musgraves’ second major label album and is as distinctive and pleasing as her first one, Same Trailer Different Park. While the first album caused shock waves in Nashville (drug use! same sex affection!), the songs were not only well-written, but wouldn’t have caused a raised eyebrow outside the Nashville city limits. What was overlooked in the fuss over content in the first album was Ms Musgraves’ innate musicality and great voice, both of which feature bitgtime in Pageant Material.

Many of Kacey’s songs seem more personal this time, particularly Dime Store Cowgirl,This Town (which features a spoken clip of her grandmother) and the title track Pageant Material. They are sharply observed tales of the dynamics of a small town upbringing and life. Late to the Party by contrast is an out-and-out gentle love song reflecting on the merits of a private two person party’s being far better than a real party.

Biscuits, Miserable and Family is Family are more like Merry Go ‘Round and Follow Your Arrow from the first album, wry and ironic truisms that reinforce Musgraves’ position as one of the finest lyricists working in modern country music. Her duet with Willie Nelson on his Are you Sure? is a lovely acoustic workout, but why is it a ‘hidden track’, something I loathe.

Pageant Material is again produced by Musgraves, Luke Laird, and Shane MacAnally. Laird is among the excellent players - as is the wonderful Charlie Worsham on acoustic guitar, banjo and guitalele. The album features plenty of pedal steel, guitar, banjo and gorgeous strings, well arranged by Jordan Lehning. 

Kacey’s heroines are Dolly Parton and Loretta Lynn and either of them would be proud to have come out with an album this good. She wants to ‘write good songs – good country songs’ and Pageant Material is full of them, perfectly presented and sung. Kacey may not have been pageant material in her childhood in Texas, but in modern country she is a winner all the way.

Amy Black 'The Muscle Shoals Sessions' - Reuben

With this album, Amy’s fifth, she returns to her family’s roots in Alabama. A preacher’s daughter, Black was born and raised in the south until her father was posted to a church in Boston where Amy finished her education and went in to marketing. Musically she started out with the Red Clay Rascals and wended her way through the various strands of Americana, discovering a true gift for songwriting as she went. Her songs are country with a strong woman’s edge, taking on topics that mainstream country avoids; broken relationships, suicide and divorce. Things aren’t always grim in Amy’s world with jaunty songs like Cat’s in the Kitchen which makes me laugh out loud every time I hear it.

The Muscle Shoals Sessions is nine covers and only three of Amy’s songs, unlike most of her earlier albums which lean towards her own songs. But my goodness, what cover versions; Sam Cooke’s Bring it on Home, a great reading of Bob Dylan’s You Gotta Serve Somebody, Arthur Alexander’s You Better Move On, two Dan Penn songs, Mel & Tim’s Starting All Over Again, Mississippi Fred McDowell’s You Gotta Move (also covered by the Rolling Stones on Sticky Fingers) and the Black Keys’ Tighten Up, all of which sound great. Amy’s own three songs Get to Me, Please Don’t Give up on Me and Woman on Fire stand up well in such amazing company with Woman on Fire the absolute standout. A real mover, it is a fabulous live showpiece.

The band features Spooner Oldham on Wurlitzer and organ, Will Kimbrough on guitars and the McCrary Sisters on backing vocals as well as a hot brass and reed section and they are superlative throughout as is Amy. This is definitely her album and displays her talents in the canon of country soul, following easily in the footsteps of Tony Joe White, Bobbie Gentry and Larry Jon Wilson.

Amy is packing up her home and career and moving to Nashville to make a living in music. Having seen her live at Johnny D’s in Somerville at her combination ‘Goodbye to Boston/Muscle Shoals Session album launch’ she certainly has the goods to make it. I can only wish her the very best of luck and thank her for this excellent album.

Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams 'Self Titled'- Red House

This album is a very long time coming…and it is well worth the wait, although it took a lot of listening to come to that conclusion. Larry Campbell is a string wizard; guitars acoustic and electric, mandolin, bouzouki, fiddle, banjo and pedal steel, he is probably best known for his work as a Dylan sideman and for producing and playing on Levon Helm’s three Grammy-winning albums. His wife Teresa Williams has one of the best, most magnetic voices around. To say that the Tennessee born singer is a great country singer is to unfairly limit her.

Campbell has written 8 of the 11 songs on the album and they range from the lovely, sultry opening duet Surrender to Love through the uptempo Bad Luck Charm with Larry on lead vocals to Teresa’s tour-de-force, the lush, slow Another One More Time. And that is just the first 3 songs! Her singing is perfect, Amy Helm joins them on harmony vocals on three songs and Byron Isaac’s bass and Justin Guip’s drums are spot on throughout.

On first listen my favourite track was the Louvin’s You’re Running Wild the recording of which must go back a few years as Levon is on drums, but my current favourite changes each time I listen to the album. There are two other cover songs; one is a rocking gospel cover of the Reverend Gary Davis’ Keep your Lamp trimmed and Burning which truly sounds as if it could convert any stray sinners who hear it. The Grateful Dead’s Attic’s of My Life closes the album.

The production is exactly right and Bill Payne’s piano contributions are sparse but well placed. The cover is gorgeous and low key. This is a wonderful album, perfectly made and inherently musical. More please.

Reviews by Stephen Rapid

Greg Trooper 'Live at the Rock Room' - 52 Shakes

This is a man who lives up to his name. Trooper has been plying his trade long before his first release in 1992. This is his third live set and will be familiar to anyone who has caught his live show in recent times. He is joined her by Chip Dolan on keyboards and accordion and Jack Saunders on upright bass; both add backing vocals and give the recording some added presence. As with all his albums and shows Trooper’s essential warmth and humour come across through his music. He has honed his writing and vocal skills through the years and both are something to be reckoned with.

There are 14 songs taken from various parts of his career, but with a majority from his last studio album Incident on Willow Street. There are touches of the darker moments in life like Broken Man or The Land of No Forgiveness and a poignancy that evokes empathy without wasting energy. Even when he takes on these subjects, he does so in a way that offers some insight into why a person is in that place. While songwriters aim for that level of perception, few can achieve it consistently throughout a body of work as Trooper has.

As a lyricist Trooper has worked towards a standard of writing that is economic in its story telling. He gets a story across in a set of words that are without any waste and are backed by  strong melodic arrangements. In other words Trooper is a keeper and this collection reminds you why. Intimate and incisive, this set from the Rock Room will make you feel as appreciative as the audience did on the night.

Martin Harley and Daniel Kimbro 'Live At Southern Ground' Del Mundo

An exponent of lap-style slide guitar, Martin Harley is the main vocalist and writer here. He is joined by Daniel Kimbro on upright bass and backing vocals. The result has both atmosphere and astuteness. It is a simple enough set up, with the duo playing live in Southern Ground Studio in Nashville, so it’s about the skill of the players and the strength of the songs. Both are good, an honest, simple and direct setting that was made to represent how Harley had been performing live recently.

We are lucky enough to have, here in Ireland, at least two excellent similarly styled guitar players; NC Lawlor and Clive Barnes. So we’ve heard how expressive an instrument the guitar is when played in this style. It is so here with songs which touch on blues, folk and various roots associations. There is a trio of covers as well as original songs. Goodnight Irene is arranged as a slow blues and is very effective as a new look at the traditional song. His interpretation of Tom Waits’ Chocolate Jesus has an appropriate angst with some dexterous slide. Blind Willie Johnson’s Nobody’s Fault but Mine has an essential understanding of how one can take the wrong path in life and Harley’s voice is full of the pain of that understanding.

Throughout Harley matches the emotion of his voice with that of his playing. Daniel Kimbo adds additional depth to the performances on what is a very accomplished album, full of light and shade. The closing song, the uptempo Love in the Afternoon closes the album with a sense of the uplifting, life affirming moments that life can bring. For this album Harley has stripped his sound back and shown that he can more than hold his own in a variety of musical settings.

Dan Gallardo 'Hickory'- Clubhouse

From the opening moments of the first song , Down in the Valley, you know you’re into something good. The fiddle, Dobro and mandolin sit over a solid rhythm section topped by a strong vocal from Gallardo. This is as fine a blend of acoustic and electric roots music as you might wish. Gallardo’s songs are linear stories that speak of people, places and personal relationship politics. The album was produced, engineered and mixed by David Pinkston, who also appears as one of the guitarist as well as adding pedal steel. He and Gallardo have surrounded them with a tight and attentive set of musicians who, in the guest category, include Rob Ickes, Guthrie Trapp, Randall Bramblett and Mickey Raphael with a set of players who likely constitute regular contributors to Gallardo’s music; they usually work under the name How Far West.

There is a variety of moods and sounds to be found here from the sax in Midnight Sound that has a feel of a late night reflection. Banks of the Mississippi and Ophelia, We Cry (Ode to Levon Helm) should not displease fans of the fabled drummer and his former band. The North Dakota Blues is a standout, a pacy song that deals with the story of a gun toting gang who roamed that territory in the days before the west was entirely free of wildness. A Cup of Rain is much sadder and features some subtle piano and pedal steel which underline the sentiment. Angel on the Dance Floor has a beat in keeping with the song’s self-explanatory title. Another song touched with a certain sadness is This Time which uses Raphael’s harmonica to good effect with the pedal steel and guitar. The closing song of the thirteen (lucky for this listener) Pearls, is another set of lyrics that seems to dwell on the unhappy reality of some false expectations and making the best of what comes. 

Despite the at times, sorrowful nature of some of the lyrics, the album is an uplifting and rewarding collection of Americana related tunes that finds Dan Gallardo, on his fifth album, at the top of his game. He deservedly garners more of the critical praise he has received for his previous albums and, given it’s release on Clubhouse, this part of the world should find him gaining new fans here too.

Reviews by Stephen Rapid

John Coinman 'Already Are' - Cavalier

The latest album from the Tucson, Arizona based singer/songwriter finds him in a rockier mode than of late in his solo work, or in his collaboration with Kevin Costner and Modern West. For this album, Coinman has assembled a tight band that includes Teddy Morgan on guitar and vocals and Neil Harry on pedal steel as well as Brandy Zdan on harmony vocals. The album was produced by Morgan and Coinman and has a tough exterior that rocks, while the songs reveal some thoughts about love and inner strength. In That’s What You do For Fame he muses on his own path and the moves made in pursuit of the elusive dream. Then by way of contrast the song Oklahoma City looks at the city and how the atrocious bombing there still affects many who had a direct connection to the devastation. Trusted Friend values real friendship while As She Fades Away with My Love watches love and friendship dissipating and fading.

Coinman has written all these songs with Kostner, bassist Blair Forward and Morgan or on his own. Both of the latter two have played on previous Conman albums. The words bring sets of different feelings to the surface and, while the overall sound is more roots rock, there are moments of reflection like the closing Hey Man What About You, where band is still there, bringing a quite power to the song. There are times when one is reminded of music from the 60s through 80s, but it feels like it is made for now, rather than an exercise in recreating something. The central element here is Coinman’s voice, which has the strength of someone who has lived life and learned what his voice is and what it is for. There is a little grit in there that adds an edge. 

Although its Coinman’s name above the door, this feels like a band and he gets the support from the assembled players that gives the songs their drive. There are underlying hooks and choruses here that make the songs memorable, from the opening title cut with its repeating guitar motif through Sky Full of You, which also has a strong guitar part under Coinman’s characterful vocals. While this music is treading a well worn path, its strengths are not in its originality, but in the way these performances deliver on many fronts and give the listener something to bite on. Already Are is a fine album.

Ed Dupas 'A Good American Life' - Mackinaw Harvest

Dupas is a heartland troubadour who recorded this album in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It was produced by Michael Crittenden, who also plays guitar on the album. Crittenden is  part of a solid, satisfying band with pedal steel and keyboards adding to the mid-western sound. The album was mixed by John Keene, noted for his work with R.E.M. and others. It takes the basic of Dupas’ guitar songs and adds layers of blue collar attitude to these song of hard life and heartache; themes that would be familiar to fans of Mellencamp, Springsteen, Earle and others who explore the dark hues of the urban/rural divide.

Dupas has a warm baritone voice that has presence and personality. The twelve songs are all written by Dupas, with Crittenden co-writing With Love You Never Know. Although Texas born, Dupas lives in Michigan and has been playing music since his teens. This is his debut album and it is a good start that shows his potential and ability. He takes his observations and understanding of everyday lives and put them into songs like the title song, Whiskey Bones, Home in Time, This Old Town and Until Blue Comes Around, songs that explore emotion and the everyday, everyman experience.

There a sense of irony in A Good American Life that contrasts what that could be and what it actually is. Flag is another song that seems to espouse an attitude, but highlights the flag as central to different feelings and different reasons for its use. Train takes you on a journey “where there ain’t no coming back” - we run on life’s rails. You Don’t Get to Explain details the way that one person’s mistakes often have lasting effects on others. The album’s final statement is one that declares our physical need for love. Without You is an acoustic song that asks for understanding while considering the unthinkable. 

There are a number of artists whose records I could easily file along side this, artists such as Chris Knight. This kind of music is not about changing the rules, it is more about delivering an honest statement of how one sees life from a particular viewpoint. In that light, Ed Dupas’ songs are truthful and delivered with a real emotion that rings true; made not for profit, but for merit. These songs have muscle and grit and the playing throughout is full of nuances that underline the songs’ storylines. Dupas should be considered as a worthy addition to those troubadours of truth and decay whose songs both resonate and reward.

Adam Hill 'Old Paint' - Self Release

An accomplished musician, Adam Hill has played many different genres of music and has played bass with a number of different bands. He is also a contemporary composer and not someone who dwells on his past music as he takes the folk/roots path on this acoustic-based album. 

In the way that many traditional songs are transformed by being passed down in live performance, Hill has re-imagined these songs by adding some new lyrics and melodic changes. Like the album cover photograph, which could be seen as an abstract landscape but is in fact rusted metal, Hill has taken something old and seen it in a new light. When people gather to play, they often sing a half-remembered version of a classic with some made up lyrics and different chords. This is a similar process except here Hill has gone about (re)arranging these songs with a more considered approach. The album sleeve notes that these songs began as “everyone’s” but were remade by Hill.The songs, many familiar, include The Cuckoo, Cindy, Three Hundred Miles, Rye Whiskey, Down By the Riverside and Goodbye Old Paint.

Given his skills, the assumption is that Hill plays all the instruments on the album  as there is no one else credited other than vocalist Stephanie Lines. And Hill is a vocalist capable of giving these songs the focus they need to work. The arrangements have enough layers to make them worthy of repeated listening. Hill has been inventive in how he approaches the sound. In one case he ‘deconstructed’ a guitar to create the sound of a dulcimer using chopsticks and paper clips. 

Hill has a sensitivity that understands the source material and makes it contemporary, rather than simply replaying it. This then is a fresh coat of paint on venerable structures and a really enjoyable experience for roots music fans everywhere.

Jon Chi 'Another Rising Sun' - Self Release

Chi takes a mix of influences which are a blend of rock, blues, folk, roots and gospel which give hints of Tom Petty and the Grateful Dead’s broad approach to American music. The songs are written, produced and recorded by Chi, other than his version of The Battle is Over (But the War Goes On) (a song previously associated with Levon Helm) and they tell of his upbringing and journey. Killer from Our Hometown is about s a man who went from school bully to something far more sinister and is delivered with a strong vocal backing that helps set a brooding tone for the tale. The title song has a more bluesy approach and it highlights Chi’s rounded vocal which is written with enough space to let the music flow. 

One More Shot at the Light builds slowly, with the band coming in and with organ and vocals adding much to a gospel feel which enhances the title. Alvarado has a longing for other places, since left, with a sensitive vocal that is in keeping with a longing for this missed place. Throughout, the band gives an accomplished performance that can move from a mid-tempo rocker to something more subtle. The writing shows thought and variation that balances well between lighter and darker themes. While it is not overtly roots sounding, it tends towards that end of the spectrum. The closing song The End of the Road has some fine slide guitar and closes the album in a nice soulful, sweeping mode that underlines the overall quality of Chi’s music.

Reviews by Paul McGee

Hat Check Girl 'At 2 in the Morning'- Gallway Bay

Hat Check Girl is collaboration between veteran songwriters Annie Gallup and Peter Gallway and is their fifth recording. These 11 songs highlight deeply literate songwriting and a mature knowledge of the craft. Stripped down and bare, the intimacy of the recording comes across as truly authentic.

Annie sings and plays guitars, banjo, dobro, and lap steel. She has ten releases to her name and her finely honed playing and writing skills are always strongly evident. Peter is featured on vocals, acoustic and electric guitars. He has released more than a dozen recordings. As a producer he’s been involved in over fifty albums and other projects.

These are songs of understated connection; connection with each other, with our inner selves, with our darker sides, but ultimately with the untold regrets and hidden memories that we keep locked away. There is not a weak song on this recording and it contains some spine-tingling moments of magic when the two musicians spark off each other with restrained guitar interplay.

Steel Clouds and Cold Cold Rain is written in tribute to Joni Mitchell and reflects her life perfectly. Texas is refers to the great song-writers from that state who have graced our lives. Tornados Sound Like Trains is a haunting insight into our different life experience and Coal Black Pony explores the complexities in trying to understand someone intimately.

Leaving is a wonderfully realised song that covers the full range of emotions experienced in relationships and the inevitable urge for self- blame. Coda: Remember is an absolute master class in song-writing, incorporating key parts of other songs on this release and blending the individual parts into a cohesive whole. Many delights await the listener and this release goes to the top of my favourites for 2015. It is simply superb.

Jen Starsinic 'The Flood and the Fire'- Dangerous You

This debut release from Nashville-based Jen Starsinic arrives as one of the biggest surprises of 2015. The eleven songs are all self-penned and show a depth and maturity that is rare in a new artist. Produced by Brady Custis, and including some excellent studio musicians, the sound is both old world and gentle.

Jen sings very sweetly and there is a plaintive tone to her voice that gives the songs an added feeling of reflective self-examination. The lyrics are clever and self-contained, with the players capturing the warmth of the songs perfectly in their playing. Piano, banjo, pedal steel, fiddle, cello and guitars blend seamlessly into an atmosphere of soothing melody.

Stay deals with a spinster who has been afraid of commitment her whole life and the frustration caused by a lack of trust. It is a beautifully arranged song and full of compassion. Since You’ve Come Around is a song of lost relationships, where the flame has died. Ragdolls contemplates the same theme of lost love but with a decidedly darker outcome. Dive a Little Deeper is a plea to surrender to the forces at play in a romance. This is music which satisfies the soul and raises the spirits.