New Album Reviews

John Blek On Ether & Air Warr

Prolific singer songwriter, and one of Ireland’s best kept secrets, Corkonian John Blek has launched his latest album, the completion of a quartet of work that he began when he was ill in 2016. Dubbed the Catharsis project, each of the four albums is based on one of the four classical elements; water, earth, fire and air. This album was completed in 2019, but Blek held back on the release so that he could tour the album, to give it the momentum he felt it deserves. As someone who loves touring, he found that delay frustrating but he has come back to gigging with his usual passion and humour.

Returning again to record in Brian Casey’s West Cork Wavefield Recordings studio, the album is another tour de force in Blek’s already impressive portfolio. Casey co-produces and plays bass, organ, synth, piano and percussion. As well as Blek’s own guitar, banjo and lead vocals, Kit Downes is ever present and ever impressive on piano. 

The twin themes of birds and and the sea are used in Cormorant to express the loneliness of separation or space (ether & air) between us and our loved ones. The protagonist is a fisherman who must leave his pregnant wife ashore for many months, and he’s counting down the lonely days and nights until the simple refrain can be fulfilled, ‘cast off, take me back, cormorant’. Known for his collaborations, Blek brought on board Scotland’s Kris Drever on guitar here, Lea Miklody contributes cello and, combined with Kit Downes’ piano, there’s a decidedly retro feel to the arrangement here which calls to mind ‘70s country/folk ballads. Drever is also on hand to play guitar and contribute backing vocals on Forest Strong, when Blek switches to banjo for this folky metaphorical expression of the steadfastness of collaboration, even if one element goes astray - ‘the tree is weak when stood alone, the forest strong when wild winds blow’. In Flight demonstrates Blek’s folk credentials, with his superb finger picking (heavily influenced as he is by his hero Bert Jansch) and interplay with delicate piano and cello on another avian themed observation of loss, ‘Who drew the feathers on your skin? Lines so delicate and thin … floating on ether and air’. Simply beautiful.

Northern Sky is a truly epic cinematic sweep of a song based on ‘the Troubles’ in Northern Ireland, perhaps influenced by his many successful gigs in that part of the country. He carries off the difficult feat of remaining impartial and non-judgemental, all the while producing a powerful emotive piece, conveyed with the help of a heavy bass and drum beat, dramatic piano chords and echoed layers. ‘Living in a border town the blood is thicker than the water flowing underground. There’ll be no shelter in the shadow of the flags’

Long Strand is a reminiscence of staying up all night on a beach, watching the fire’s embers fading as the sun comes up, ‘long nights on long strand, the white noise of the waves shifting the sand’. Empty Days is used as an opportunity for another collaboration, this time with violinist  Cheyenne Mize (Bonny Prince Billy) who also lends ethereal backing vocals to another bitter sweet evocation of separation.

Luckily for his growing legion of fans in Ireland and Europe, John Blek has several album’s worth of material ready to put down, when time permits. This one will keep us more than satisfied in the meantime.

Review by Eilís Boland 

Margo Cilker Pohorylle Loose

The title of the debut album from California born singer songwriter Margo Cilker is the brand name of a Spanish manufacturer of backpacks. The selection of POHORYLLE as the album title would appear to stem from the time spent by Cilker in the Basque region of Spain and a reflection of her nomadic lifestyle of recent years.  Those years found the inquisitorial artist constantly travelling across the world, drawing inspiration from the various geographical environments she encountered. The inevitable isolation of the touring musician also feeds into a number of the album’s songs.

With the songs for the album developed and primed for recording, Cilker sought out a producer to transform the material into the distinct sound she had in mind. That search brought her to the door of singer songwriter Sera Cahoone, whose recent albums, co-produced with John Morgan Askew, captured the precise sound that Cilker was striving for. Cahoone gathered a crack team of players for the recording, which included seasoned players such as Jenny Conlee (The Decemberists) on keys, Jason Kardong (Sera Cahoone, Son Volt) on pedal steel, Rebecca Young (Lindsey Fuller, Jesse Sykes) on bass, Mirabai Peart (Joanna Newsom) on strings, Kelly Pratt (Beirut) on horns, and the album’s engineer John Morgan Askew (Neko Case, Laura Gibson) on an array of other instruments.

Despite that ‘A’ list of players and the extent of the instrumentation employed on the album, the resulting sound is very much uncluttered, with Cilker’s vocals, articulating her unfolding tales, very much out front. Tehachapi takes its name from a small town in Kern County, California, and includes references to an unfulfilled romance. It’s driven by a horn-filled dynamic backbeat behind Cilker’s considered lyrics (‘Told you I was willin’, but you heard struggling,’Tell me how does a girl with a family like yours end up so desperate?’). Matters of the heart also surface on Broken Arm in Oregon.

The tour de force on the album is the stunning closing track Wine In The World, which finds Cilker’s recollections shift from the past to the present.  Memorable and also more troubled retrospections surface in the song, including time spent with a lover, her grandfather’s passing, immortality, and her insatiable wanderlust. Large doses of pedal steel courtesy of Jason Kardong are the perfect accompaniment to Cilker’s disciplined vocal delivery on the song.

A sense of freedom and non-confinement is captured on The River, the first single taken from the album. Elsewhere, Cilker considers where different life choices might have led her on Brother, Taxman, Preacher, while once more addressing her restfulness on the beautiful brooding ballad Chester’s (‘I’ve made my bed on the side of the road’).

POHORYLLE serves up a potent and thought-provoking collection of songs, all recounted with vocals that are rich in emotion from an artist well worth your attention.   

Review by Declan Culliton

Mose Wilson Self-Titled Self Release

 I came across Mose Wilson earlier this year when he was credited as the co - producer on a most impressive album from Hannah Juanita, titled HARDLINER. Wilson also played guitar and bass on that fine collection of genuine country songs. Further research revealed a lifetime in music for the artist who was born and reared in Cowan, Tennessee, ninety miles south of Nashville.

 Wilson’s background includes singing in his local Church of Christ at the age of five. That church does not allow any instrumentation during service, resulting in him performing old country songs acapella style. He relocated to Nashville at the age of eighteen, spending three years in Music City, fronting Mose Wilson and West King String Band.  His next move was to Florida’s Gulf Coast with his band Hotel Oscar, who toured regularly, playing musical styles that varied from straight country to blues, and soul to rock. Currently residing back in Nashville, Wilson has graced the stages of all the regular honky joints in Music City, including Robert’s Western World and Dee’s Cocktail Lounge.

 This self-titled album is a blast of traditional country, filled with two - steppers and waltzes. Reminding himself of the acclaimed Nashville songwriter Harlan Howard’s quote that ‘only an idiot takes longer than 3 minutes to tell a story’, the eleven tracks are delivered in under thirty-five minutes. He called on the cream of Nashville’s session players to join him at Compass Records Studio on Music Row for the recording, which he co-produced with Matt Coles (Josh Turner, Blake Shelton, Dan & Shay). Dennis Crouch (Robert Plant, Elton John, Allison Krauss) played bass and Grammy nominated and Grand Ole Opry regular, Trey Hensley, was his guitarist of choice. Miles Miller, who drums for Sturgill Simpson, also features, alongside fiddle player Casey Driscoll and pedal steel player Dan Dugmore, who was previously a member of Linda Ronstadt’s band as well as an A-list session player.

 Collectively, and with Wilson’s versatile vocal deliveries, they breathe classic country vibes on an album that is most certainly ‘all killer and no filler’. Striking the perfect balance between upbeat two - steppers and more relaxed country ballads, knees up songs such as Louisiana Two Step and Don’t Need You are nestled alongside the less muscular Arkansas and the tear jerkers I’m Blue and Burnin’ Memory. The bluegrass flavoured Cornered showcases the calibre of the players and the album also includes some quality Countrypolitan with This Time It’s You.

 Wilson’s debut album is classic upbeat country fare. With gloriously uncluttered playing, Wilson’s slightly weather-beaten vocals, and songs forged from traditional and contemporary country roots, it’s up there with the best country album I’ve heard this year.  Well worth checking out. 

Review by Declan Culliton

Starry Eyed And Laughing Bells of Lightning Aurora

Over forty-five years since their last recording and eight years since the recording of the first songs for BELLS OF LIGHTNING commenced, the latest album from Starry Eyed And Laughing finally gets its release. Having started writing songs with the band’s bass player Iain Whitmore in 2013, an illness to Tony Poole, when he contracted polymyalgia, delayed the completion of the album. This was a further stroke of misfortune and a continuation of the bad breaks that the band seemed dogged with in their earlier days.

Their mishaps included Poole being electrocuted on stage at Atlanta on the first gig of their 1975 U.S. tour and the band being stuck in Boston for three days due to flooding on the same tour. The final catastrophe that was visited on them was the folding of their management company, which finally derailed the band.  The advent of punk rock in the mid-‘70s did not help their cause either, rendering their twangy country rock unfashionable.

The song writing on this album includes six of the eleven tracks being credited to Poole, four to Whitmore, and one co-write. Lead vocals are also shared, Whitmore plays bass and acoustic guitar, with all other instruments played by Poole. Set Me Free From This Lost Highway, the opening track, signposts the album’s direction from the word go. Groovy bass lines, gorgeous harmony vocals, and Poole’s trademark Rickenbacker offer a mouth-watering introduction and that standard is matched on the ten tracks that follow.

Interestingly, the album includes reconnections from their early days. Dreamyard Angels revisits incidents from the 1975 U.S. tour, with references to Poole’s electrocution and being joined on stage by The Flying Burrito Brothers. The song also includes lyrics written by Poole the day after his hospitalisation. The days stranded in flooded Boston are addressed on Three Days Running. Faith and Hope and Charity alludes to the band rise and fall and eventual demise when arriving back in the U.K to a bankrupt management company. Other high points, both heavily influenced by The Byrds, include The Girl In A Gene Clark Song and I See My Rider, before they sign off with the spacey and psychedelic Love Still Speaks Your Name.

Hopefully BELLS OF LIGHTNING - the title is taken from The Byrds’ Chimes of Freedom - will expand the band’s cult status and bring them to the attention of a wider audience.  The Byrds may have effectively set the template for the musical direction of Starry Eyed And Laughing from the outset and this album, laden with hooks, jangle and twang, is like unearthing a previously unreleased recording from The Byrds. A great listen from start to finish, rather than putting closure on the incredible history of Starry Eyed And Laughing, it could actually relaunch their career. Let’s hope so. 

Review by Declan Culliton

The Wild Feathers Alvarado New West

With four studio albums, one live album and tours supporting Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, and Bob Seger, Nashville based alt-rockers The Wild Feathers have been signed to New West Records and have released their strongest album to date. The five-piece band’s members are Joel King, Ricky Young, Taylor Burns, Ben Dumas and Brett Moore.

ALVARADO is very much a pandemic conceived album. Following the cancellation of a tour supporting Blackberry Smoke, they holed up in a small cabin in VanLeer, Tennessee and recorded fourteen songs in just four days. Twelve of those songs make up this self-produced southern country rock flavoured record, which was recorded at that small cabin, using the limited resources available to them. The minor final touches were applied by Joel King in his home studio in Madison, Tennessee. Their objective, production wise, was to recreate the band’s live sound, which they have achieved hands down.  The recording limitations are far from evident on the final product, which blends driving, hook filled power pop (Ain’t Looking, Side Street Shakedown) with less muscular but equally impressive delights (Get Out Of My Way, Over The Edge, Off Your Shoulders), each of which bring to mind The Jayhawks at their most melodic.

The title track Alvarado was originally written for the band’s self-titled debut album back in 2013. Left on the shelf since then, they felt that it was best suited to open this album and it does so with some impact, setting the bar at a high level for the tracks that follow. It’s a relaxed rocker loaded with sweet harmonies and driven guitar riffs and breaks.

The only poser I’m left with after numerous spins of this album, is how these guys are still slightly under the radar. Possibly, with New West in their corner, ALVARADO will be their breakthrough record.

Review by Declan Culliton

Laura Nyro Trees Of the Ages / Go Find the Moon Omnivore

Where do we draw that invisible line between genre fluid music and intuitive genius that defies all categorisation? Very few artists have that special gift to rise above the media noise that attempts to place their creative muse in a neat little box.

Laura Nyro was one of those artists; someone who always walked that line. Her musical vision flowed through her playing and her writing, with fearless risks taken in self-expression and individualistic creativity of the music she heard in her head. The song arrangements could be somewhat idiosyncratic, very much Nyro’s own personal stamp. Her timing and note patterns on piano were rooted in jazz and soul, plus a healthy amount of improvisation and flights of fancy. One thing however, her enduring brilliance always shone through.

The twenty-one songs featured here were all taken from 1994 live concerts, recorded on a tour of Japan. The album runs  just over one hour and includes six covers of old standards that Nyro often added into her set lists A very eclectic mix of choices, all of which show the diverse span of Nyro’s interests and influences. Included in this concert were, Dedicated To the One I Love (Pauling/Bass),  Ooh Baby Baby (Robinson/Moore); Walk On By (Bacharach/David), Let It Be Me (Bécaud, Curtis, Delanoë), Oh Yeah, Maybe Baby (Spector, Hunter) and The Wind (Edwards, Brown, Strong).

As always, Nyro stamps her own personality on each one, transforming the arrangements and melodies to suit her interpretation of the feel and mood. Her piano playing is always subtle, understated and supporting that beautiful voice that just exudes soul in a passionate channelling of the blues. Her musicality was without doubt a standard that few female artists could aspire to; that tone and unique vision to create her own sound.

Accompanied by the superb harmony vocals of Diane Wilson, Diane Garisto and Dian Sorrell, we can only wonder at the power created; with Nyro on just piano and vocals, in addition to providing all the harmony arrangements. The absence of any band only heightens the performance levels with such a stripped-back purity.

 Many female artists followed in her footsteps, from Carole King to Joni Mitchell, but few had that singular spark that heightened the live performance in space and time. The album, Walk the Dog and Light the Light, is featured with eight songs, having just been released back in ‘94, and A Woman’s World; Louise’s Church; Lite A Flame; To A Child; The Descent Of Luna Rose; Art Of Love; Broken Rainbow and the title track, form the core of this live set. There are also renditions of My Innocence, blending into Sophia, both taken from successive albums, Nested and Mother’s Spiritual from the 1980s.  Wedding Bell Blues, together with And When I Die, first appeared on her debut album from 1967, More Than A New Discovery. 

Emmie (Eli and the Thirteenth Confession), Trees Of the Ages (Mother’s Spiritual) are also featured in such a wide representation of her material across the years. The harmony singing steals the day, delivering pure soul and beautiful voices raised in praise of a higher force that runs through these songs. It stands as another terrific example of the talent that was lost when she died and for those who had the privilege of catching Nyro in a live setting, these concert tour highlights will bring a tear to the eye. Timeless.

Laura Nyro Go Find the Moon Omnivore

These are rough demos that have surfaced from the studio vaults and they are taken from an early session with producer, Milt Okun. We hear Laura in conversation, asked by her producer if she knew any songs that aren’t her own! Okum seems disappointed that she only knows snatches of other artist’s work and then settles for one more of her own – pure gold and an insight into record industry patriarchy that you just couldn’t make up! 

This was an audition tape recorded in 1966 when Nyro was only eighteen years old. It’s a fascinating glimpse of a young artist on the threshold, an unknown talent - even if Okun did eventually produce her debut album. Not to be both captured and enthralled by the pure soul and jazz-based blues that poured forth when Laura sang, beggars belief… Some of the songs made it to official releases over succeeding years (And When I Die; Luckie; Lazy Susan), while others were never officially recorded (Enough Of You; In and Out; Go Find the Moon), yet the vitality of her voice, the odd phrasings of her delivery and individualistic piano playing, are all present, even at this tender age. 

It is only sixteen minutes in length but it gives a unique insight into the talent that was about to emerge, as Nyro released a body of work that is still held in high esteem today. She died, age 49, in 1997, from ovarian cancer; the same disease that had taken her mother at the same age. A tragedy for all and who knows what further heights Nyro may have achieved. This release and others like it over the years bear testament to her lingering memory.  

Reviews by Paul McGee

Garrett Heath Kingdom Come Self Release

This new release from singer song-writer Garrett Heath is a very interesting collection of songs and proof of an undisputed talent. Heath lives in rural Knox, Pennsylvania and this album was created in his recording studio, Okiejoke Audio Sound. The nine tracks run over thirty-four minutes of understated playing , gentle melody and lyrics that display a spiritual leaning.

The messages of hope and love across these songs appear to come from a place of peace and belief in what lies above and beyond this mortal coil. Heath has faith in the distance and in looking for reasons to believe in the enduring message that love always conquers hate. 

In the title track, Kingdom Come, he sings, ‘We’re all looking for hope in all this pain,’ and the empathy with everyman is plain. We all must suffer the days of rain and stormy weather, in order to come into the sunshine. Equally, with, The Feast, Heath sings of leaving excessive pride behind and losing the urge to fight, ‘But only love puts the fear in your enemy’s eyes, Leave your guns at the door, you don’t need ‘em no more.’ 

Heath uses his spiritual message well and never beats the listener over the head, even if there are references to the mercy of God and, as a divine entity, King of all kings. The song, When God Had a Son, says ‘He told us the world would hate us like it hated him,’ not so sure where this is referenced in the Bible, however the sentiment is to look towards the light and to live in loving awareness. Indeed, the track, Epilogue: A Light, speaks of this very image and states, ‘ There’s a light, hidden deep inside you and me.’

The message in the opening song, You’ll Find Me, is to look for love and grace in all that surrounds us and to embrace the joys we find in each other. Two tracks, Wait For Mercy and Rise Up From Your Sleep, address the issues of belief in yourself and in living a worthy life. The music is beautifully 

restrained, circling around acoustic-based songs, lifted by harmonica and guitars that complement the gentle vocal delivery of Heath and leaving plenty of space in the arrangements.

Production credits are simple… all production, instrumentation, engineering, and mixing was delivered by Heath, with mastering by Pete Lyman at Infrasonic Sound in Nashville. This singer songwriter is well worth investigation and has delivered a very strong album.

Review by Paul McGee

Imelda Kehoe Blue Sky Dreaming Thoroughbred

A second album from Irish based musician and song writer Imelda Kehoe is always worth waiting for. Her debut release, How To Be Human, was released back in 2018 and this latest offering  was recorded between Windmill Lane Recording Studios, Dublin and The Orchard Recording Studios, Wexford. Trying to bring everything together during a pandemic cannot be easy, especially when there are a number of different musical friends and an array of great talent to bring to the project.

Collaborating with a core band that includes Michael Egan (Lead and Rhythm Guitar), Declan Cosgrove (Piano), Lee Byrne (Bass), James O’Sullivan (Fiddle & Guitar) and Sean O’Leary (Drums); Kehoe also decided to call upon some of her international music contacts. Contributing key parts from remote destinations are; Hugo Iglesias (bass and drums, 3 tracks); Dakota Holden (pedal steel); Horacio Valdivieso (classical and electric guitar, 5 tracks); Hugo Lee (saxophone); Meredith Moore (French horn); Sarah Mallock (electric violin). Rick Curran provided all string section parts and the entire album was overseen by producers Darragh Nolan and Brendan Carthy, David Redfearn and Michael Egan, across the two studios. 

The production is light and full of sweet separation on all instruments, making the listening experience one of quiet relaxation. The fact that these twelve songs came together across the continents and in different studio locations is a tribute to all involved, with a seamless sound and gentle, understated performances to support the lovely melodies. Kehoe is very adept vocal phrasing and knows exactly when to hold back and when to elevate a tune with her beautiful vocal delivery. She sits right into the pocket with these stellar musicians and the track, Is That All, gives a perfect example of the harmonious space shared by these players, with an extended violin solo really adding great energy to the melody. 

Kehoe slots into a contemporary Folk category but she also presents plenty of other genre jumping off points; such as the very sweet and easy, trad sound of The Bird Song or the slow sweep of Homeland, an instrumental piece, plucked straight from the mists of the Irish landscape, complete with lush orchestration and meditative violin. Beautifully delivered and a stand out among a number of excellent songs.  Everything I Don’t Know has a simple acoustic guitar arrangement and highlights the pure vocal of Kehoe as she soars on harmony parts and delivers a wistful melodic performance.    

Other songs include a cover version of Walk Away Renee (Brown, Calilli, Sansone), the classic song from the 60s, also covered by The Four Tops. Kehoe interprets the song in a slow thoughtful arrangement that brings out the heartbreak in the words and delivers a fine rendition. The title track, Blue Sky Baby, is another terrific song, a real taste of sweetly sad longing wrapped in a restrained piano and violin delivery, that builds in harmony with subtle strings. The pedal steel playing on Thirty Miles West Of Denver is another high point, adding a layer of regret to the words and soft melody of the song.

All in all, this is a very confident return from Imelda Kehoe, displaying a greater maturity, and the overall feel and warmth of the performance and production point to high quality standards throughout.  

Review by Paul McGee

Bridget Rian Talking To Ghosts Self Release

This is a debut 4-track release from a young artist, based in Nashville, who brings her talents to The Smoakstack studios and benefits from the uncluttered production of Paul Moak. Rian has a sweet  vocal tone and she delivers a confident performance across these mid-tempo tracks that deal with emotional issues of the head and heart.

She plays acoustic guitar, in addition to vocal duties, and she is joined by local musicians, Ethan Luck (bass, guitar, lap steel), Caleb Crosby (drums, vibraphone), Kris Donegan (electric guitars, lap steel) and producer Paul Moak on piano, B3, mellotron, acoustic guitars and backing vocals.

The song arrangements are perfectly suited to Rians’ gentle delivery and opening track, Type Of Girl, speaks about female empowerment and being able to say “No,” when confronted with a delicate situation; ‘Maybe I’m stupid to think that you’re the one, When all the signs are telling me to get up and run.’ 

Pontiac Vibe is a song that recalls a car accident that the song writer came across one night, and the thoughts about who the driver was, have lingered with her; ‘Sitting at a green light with the doors open, A red Pontiac vibe from Michigan, Blue lights shining through the night, White sheet on the driver's side.’ 

Trailer Park Cemetery is a slow tempo song about wanting to be buried in a place of your own choosing; ‘​I don’t want peace and quiet, It’s overrated anyway, I’ll take loud voices, Over silence any day, I don’t ask for much, Just wanna pick where my body lays.’ Interesting subject matter for a song. The music is excellent with strummed acoustic guitars and atmospheric lap steel giving the song added depth.

Final track, Funeral, is a regret at the passing of a close friend and missing the funeral. It’s a touching reflection on the helplessness of such situations and the pain that always lingers; ‘ I’ve been working all damn day, Praying that I won’t see your face, In strangers that pass by me, And in thoughts that won’t seem to fade.’ 

This lady can write a song, and no doubting the talent that is on display here. I thought of Kacey Musgraves and the fledgling start to her career. Like Kacey,  Bridget Rian started writing her own songs at a young age (eleven years) and her NYC upbringing has given her the belief to take her talents down to Nashville in search of her dreams. I have a quiet feeling that we will be hearing much more from this undoubted talent and I wish her “Bonne Chance” in her ongoing development as a music artist.

Review by Paul McGee

New Album Reviews

Fayen From Here On Out Just For The Records

Here at Lonesome Highway we’ve been following the emergence of Nordicana in recent years, and now we have the pleasure of reviewing the debut EP from another new duo, Fayen, out of Trondheim, Norway. Fayen are Anne-Grethe Nyhaug and her partner, Goran Bogstrand. Having met eleven years ago through playing in a traditional bluegrass band, their sound has since evolved to a more acoustic Americana, influenced as they are by the likes of Alison Krauss and by country music generally, but also by their native folk music and by 60s pop.

Meander Love opens with gentle fiddle and mandolin chords, before one is swept away by the beauty of Anne-Grethe’s vocals. Goran supplies backing vocals and guitar, while the sublime  pedal steel playing is by Bjorn Ola Ramfjord Johansen. Encouragement for the broken hearted was the inspiration for A Good Ending, which again starts quietly and builds slowly to the refrain, emphasised by Fritz Flamo Eidsvaag on bass, ‘A good ending is well within your distance, lost love isn’t lost life …. (you will find) somebody more like you’. The gorgeous fiddle playing of Oyvind Smidt harmonises with Hans Martin Storrosten on mandolin on the lead riff. 

There’s a subtle banjo interplaying with mandolin and guitar behind Anne-Grethe’s sweet soaring vocals in another beautiful ballad, Dark Horse - ‘A sea of white horses, but a dark horse can win’. The dreamy Hummingbird is another song of encouragement, ‘When the choice is made they’ll see, Who you are and who you want to be’, building gradually with echoey layered vocals until the  humming bird flies away. Woe Be, tending towards a more country sound, is a warning against religious fundamentalism.

Fayen have achieved their aim to achieve a ‘live’ sound in the studio, with the atmospheric production here. There’s a cute photo of a young Anne-Grethe in a white cowboy hat on the front cover. The 5 track EP is a promising teaser for what I hope will be a full album in the not too distant future. Ones to watch.

Review by Eilís Boland 

Ferguson’s Farewell The Irish Connection Self Release

Bluegrass and country songwriter Gary Ferguson has decided to hang up his guitar case, at least where international touring is concerned. Having visited Ireland for tours since 2005, he has marked the retirement by releasing this collection of twelve songs, cowritten with various friends that he has made here along the way.

 Prominent among these friends, and on the album, are Co. Down couple Colin Henry (dobro) and his wife Janet (vocals and guitar). Colin wrote the beautiful closing instrumental track Ferguson’s Farewell, and contributes his stellar dobro playing to most of the songs in this collection, gifting it a coherence, despite the diversity of artists involved. Janet does here what she does best, lending her angelic voice and talent in cowriting and singing the wistful heartache ballad, Broken Wing.

Most suited to that ‘winding down at night’ kind of mood, most of the songs are taken at a sedentary pace. Bucking that trend is the only bluegrass ballad, Ballad of Benny Freeman, co-written and well performed here by Donna Murray. This, like most of the tracks, was recorded and produced at her husband Joe Murray’s Sessions In The House studio in Castledawson, N Ireland.

Meath’s Gillian Tuite contributes the well crafted and heartfelt Who I Am Today, while Charlie McGettigan’s Gettin’ Old’ should come with a ‘grandparental advisory’ warning for lyrics which could not be played on the radio!

Roy Thompson, a singer songwriter from Kildare, contributes one of the standout songs To Say So Long, which was recorded and produced by the great Frankie Lane, who also plays pedal steel and keys while Gary Ferguson adds the backing vocals. 

Worth checking out.

Review by Eilís Boland

Gary Hector National Trash Self-Release

Former frontman with rock and roll bands Oddfellows Local and Jointpop, Trinidad and Tobago resident Gary Hector launches his solo career with NATIONAL TRASH. Jointpop supported both Blue Oyster Cult and Kansas, they also played shows at the legendary punk venue CBGB’s in New York.  Hector’s influences include the classic country legends Buck Owens and Hank Williams, alongside The Stones, The Clash, Bob Dylan and Bob Marley.

Recorded and mastered at Champion Sounds Studio (St Ann’s, Trinidad) and Heinrich Maneuver Productions (Nashville, Tennessee), NATIONAL TRASH pays tribute to those artists that have shaped Hector’s musical career.

Opener Today I Ride Alone takes its title from Hector’s decision to sever his ties with his previous bands and to launch his newfound as a solo artist. It’s graced with ghostly pedal steel guitar courtesy of Nashville session player John Henrich, whose work features on a number of the thirteen tracks on the album. Henrich’s contribution, together with backing vocals by Nikki Nelson, were recorded remotely in Nashville. Nelson’s cultured contributions, tic tacking with Hector’s weathered voice, work best on Former Gang Leader, Nashville Dreaming and Mercy Me. Elsewhere, the pick of the crop is the title track and the full-on honky tonker Searching For Jimmy Crime.

Trinidad and Tobago may be the home of Calypso music but Hector, tongue in cheek, namechecks his musical styling, which is a blend of country and rock, as Trinicana.

Review by Declan Culliton

Sara Trunzo Cabin Fever Dream Self Release

A five track EP inspired by both personal encounters and astute observations, CABIN FEVER DREAM follows Maine - based singer songwriter Sara Trunzo’s 2019 DIRIGO ATTITUDE album, which featured contributions from Mary Gauthier and Darrell Scott. The lead single from that album, Food and Medicine, earned Trunzo 1st Prize at The Maine Songwriting Associations contest.

She recounts time spent honing her craft in Music City on Nashville Time. It’s an upbeat and catchy tune with nods to the frustrations and demands by those many artists struggling for a break in an overcrowded market.  (‘pilgrim poets praying for a rhyme, now we’re on Nashville time’).  

The aching Kind Bone revisits the bare elements of break up and rejection. The stigmas, pressures, and sacrifices faced by so many trying to make ends meet on little more than minimum wage is expressed on I Work Saturdays. The album culminates with Liberty Tool, which stretches to over five minutes and is a simple but beautifully constructed country ballad with a Nanci Griffith type quality to it.  The catalysts for the song are Trunzo’s Maine neighbours and homesteaders, with the song title  taken from the name of an esteemed tool and antique shop in Waldo Country, Maine. 

Trunzo gathered quite an impressive team together to record the album at Sound Emporium in Nashville.  Producer Rachel Moore, who previously worked with T. Bone Burnett, Robert Plant and Alison Kraus, was at the controls.  The musicians that feature include Dave Cohen (Reba McEntire, Wynonna Judd) who played keys and Adam Ollendorff (Kacy Musgraves, Keb’ Mo’) on pedal steel. Bass was handled by Lex Price (k.d. Lang, Neko Case), guitars came courtesy of Kris Donegan (Lee Brice, Molly Tuttle) and drums were by Jamie Dick (Lake Street Dive, Allison Russell).  Backing vocals were provided by the silver-tongued Tiffany Williams, perfectly complementing Trunzo’s high pitched deliveries.

A new name to me, I was hooked by Trunzo’s quirky vocal from the first spin, prior to even considering her lyrics. Like many of her peers, she turned to songwriting, and in particular country songs, by way of articulating and expressing grief, frustration and exasperation.  She does that in a most impressive manner in this suite of songs which are loaded with truly touching lyrics and provide a glimpse of an unquestionably talented artist.

Review by Declan Culliton

Asleep At The Wheel Half A Hundred Years Home

Very few bands can boast longevity lasting fifty years and still standing and in the case of Asleep At The Wheel, still swinging. From a modest start on a farm in Paw Paw, West Virginia, founding members Ray Benson, Lee Roy Preston and Lucky Oceans (Reuben Gosfield) sowed the seeds for what was to become, and still remains, an extraordinary career. Those early days found them opening for acts such as Alice Cooper and Hot Tuna, prior to migrating to Texas via California on the recommendation of Willie Nelson.

Very much square pegs in round holes, the band consisted of long-haired hippy types and most certainly not who you’d expect to be playing western swing and honky tonk in those times.  However, that was their music of choice and over the past five decades they have, under the stewardship of Ray Benson, continued to champion those music genres, despite the ever-changing music forms and modes that became popular during those times.

The band leader to this day remains Ray Benson. He has overseen over a hundred musicians that have come and gone for various reasons, but his role of caretaker of the band’s core sound is as steadfast as ever.

HALF A HUNDRED YEARS is a celebration of the band’s vocation and many of the musicians that have contributed to their journey.  It contains nineteen tracks: eleven are new songs featuring original band members, five more are old songs performed by current band members, another three are previously recorded tracks that were never released, and the remaining track features the current lineup with two previous female members. It does not get any more democratic than that and Benson’s greatest challenge was attempting to accommodate as many previous band members as possible.

The current line-up is fronted by Benson on vocals and guitar alongside fiddle wizard Katie Shore, who also shares lead vocals.  The other players are drummer David Sanger, mandolinist and fiddler Dennis Ludiker, keyboard player Conor Forsyth, Josh Hoag on bass and saxophonist Joey Colarusso. This seven-piece combination is as strong as the band have ever been and tracks such as The Photo and I Do What I Must are evidence of their ability to honky tonk and swing

The artists that guest on this album are a pointer to how revered Benson and his musical vision with Asleep At The Wheel are in country music circles. Industry royalty such as Emmylou Harris, Lyle Lovett, George Strait, Lee Ann Womack, Bill Kirchen, and Benson’s close friend Willie Nelson, all lend a hand.

With the quality on offer across the nineteen tracks, it’s difficult to select individual standout songs, one just flows seamlessly into the next notwithstanding the different times and locations that the recordings took place. Their signature song, Take Me Back To Tulsa, originally from the pens of Bob Wills and Tommy Duncan, is certainly a highlight, with contributions from George Strait and Willie Nelson. There You Go Again, a duet with Lyle Lovett, is also a gem, and the jazzy title track from the original lineup, recalling the band’s five decades existence, is a fun filled blast. Bill Kirchen tic tacs lyrics with Benson on one of the recent recordings, Word To The Wise. It’s a song to put a smile on your face but one that also includes some killer playing from the current band.

The final track, The Road Will Hold Me Tonight, is a previously unreleased track that features vocal contributions from Emmylou Harris and Willie Nelson. It’s a fitting finale to a splendid album that weighs in at sixty-seven minutes. A ‘must have’ for fans of this incredible musical institution, it could also prove to be an invaluable introduction for newcomers to Asleep At The Wheel. Essential listening.

Review by Declan Culliton

Side Pony Lucky Break Mule Kick

Anyone who witnessed a Side Pony stream during the dark days when live music was taboo would have been struck by the duo’s capacity to switch, at the drop of a hat, between humorous chat and innuendo to drop-dead gorgeous ballads and up-tempo power poppy country tunes.   

THE TRASHCANNON ALBUM, released last year by Caitlin Cannon and much loved at Lonesome Highway, was a standout album, which dealt with some deeply intimate personal issues. The subject matter may have been at times disturbing, but the song writing and delivery were packed with slick language and catchy hooks that drew the listener in from the outset. Alice Wallace, Cannon’s partner in Side Pony, set out her stall as an emerging rootsy West Coast country queen with INTO THE BLUE, her fourth album which was released in 2019.

Fuelled by a meeting at a songwriter’s round in 2018, the couple soon spotted that they could create a lot more than sweet harmonies and vowed to knuckle down and work on some co-writes. LUCK BREAK is the result of that pact and it’s filled with tunes that twang and swing in all the right places and are often accompanied by some wicked humour.

The album is a blend of some standout ballads, which drift between country and dreamy pop, together with some stomping hook filled anthems. The powerhouse opener Bad Ideas is typical of the latter, a ‘morning after the night before’ hangover song of remorse and guilt. The simply gorgeous All I Have Is Want displays their talent at writing and voicing slow burning mournful country ballads

The whimsical Heels is a slice of 70’s country and a declaration that in a male dominated industry, these ladies won’t be bowing down to anyone. At one stage during lockdown, their aforementioned live streams featured them donning mermaid tails and Under The Surface reflects that escapade, with both Daryl Hannah and Shamu name checked in the song. They bookend the album with a comical reflection on that period when the world stood still with All The Time In The World (‘be careful what you wish for because it might just come true … I got all the time in the world and no one to spend it with…and now my favourite person is the Amazon delivery man’).

With contrasting vocal styles and musical backstories, LUCKY BREAK could have been an ungainly car crash. On the contrary, it works spectacularly well, imparting easy on the ear songs that tap into the personalities and artistic strengths of both artists. I can’t think of any other band presenting their art in such a carefree and fun filled manner, while also creating music with the maximum levels of verve and gust.

Review by Declan Culliton

The Royal Hounds A Whole Lot Of Nothin’ Self Release

The new album from The Royal Hounds continues, in the main, from where their last album 2019 LOW CLASS SONGS FOR HIGH CLASS PEOPLE left off, with a smorgasbord or fuel-injected rockabilly, roots rock and classic country. The latter is perhaps given a larger part in the overall sound here than previously. Given that the pandemic limited their gigging options, it gave founder and bassist Scott Hinds the time to reflect on where the band stood at that point in time and allowed him to concentrate on some new material for this album. The end result is ten songs from Hinds, two instrumentals from guitarist Matheus Canteri and one from the trio, which now includes new drummer Nathan Place. The trio all bring their different insights and inputs to help add some progression and diversify to their sound. It was produced by the band and recorded in Nashville, where they currently have regular weekly slots in both of the Lower Broadway honky tonks in Robert’s Western World and Layla’s.

In order to get the best from the album, the band, who co-produced the album, brought in some guests to round out the sound, giving it a depth that works so well in these recorded versions of the songs. Eddie Lange added pedal steel, Rory Hoffman played organ and accordion. While fiddle and some backing vocals were added by Aaron Till. The former two also appeared on the band’s last album. At times listening to this enjoyable album, I am reminded of early BR5-49. In other words, the music is delivered with care and attention and not a little humour and overall sense of fun.

Cheap Drunk opens the album with a hot riff and a confession of misplaced love for alcohol. I Just Can’t Two Step has our proponent heading for the dance floor, even if he admits to two left feet, while the band play an effective sense of swing. In fact, the playing from the bands and guests is a delight throughout, with a sense of purpose, precision and pleasure. Pickin’ In The Graveyard even has a short solo from both Place and Hinds showing off their respective skills.

With the overall energy, it might be easy to overlook the lyrical content that Hinds has brought to the material. Perhaps this is best evidenced by the Christmas song in which Kris Kristofferson helps a distressed Santa to do his job. Krismastofferson intertwines the songwriter history and life with the festive needs of the season. A wish to get on with life is expressed by noting that while that person is still on the planet that they are wished well, but ultimately the message is given in the song title, I Hope You Go To Hell. Door #3 and Corn Fritters are the two aforementioned instrumentals that underline Canteri’s talent on six strings. In The Rickety Pines has a somewhat different feel, with its chorus vocal arrangement and overall drive.

Somewhat old school in style is the bad relationship situation outlined in Invitation To Be Lonely and an “invite to join me in misery.” Even though the music, with its fiddle contribution, is the opposite of the sentiment expressed. The distinctive aromas of a beer gardens festivities are summed up in Bring Out The Barrel Of Beer, emphasised by the prominent accordion and chorus. The Jukebox Is Broken is slow-paced lament using the metaphor of disrepair with that of an equally broken relationship. It also emphasizes the versatility of Hinds’ vocals. The album ends with a short blues riff and a variation on its perennial theme. Clocking in at overviewed 40 mins there is much to enjoy from this workman-like band, who have grown with this album and that is a whole lot of something worth havin’.

Review by Stephen Rapid

Jr. Gone Wild Still Got The Jacket Stoney Plain

This Canadian quartet are back recording after a hiatus, following their decision to call it a day back in 1995. They subsequently began to play together again in 2013. Their musical direction predates the current Americana scene with their take on the alt. country/cowpunk and power pop sound, which is built around energy, strong riffs and catchy melodies. The current band consists of guitarist/vocalist Mike McDonald, lead guitarist Steve Loree and Dave Brown on bass. The quartet is completed by the addition of drummer Quinton Herbert who joined after the passing of previous member Larry Shelast.

As often happens in these scenarios, they agreed to play some shows in 2013, which led to more shows, new material and to this album, with its tongue-in-cheek title of STILL GOT THE JACKET. They indeed have those garments along with the attitude and the musical chops to make this a welcome return and resumption of their particular modus operandi. The album opens with Girl In The Crowd and then runs through some fifteen other songs. Obviously, they want to take this opportunity to show what they can do with the new material they had recorded. Standouts include What Can You Do? which sits alongside their take on Paul Revere and The Raiders song Him Or Me (What’s It Gonna Be?), a song also previously given a strong reading by The Flamin’ Groovies. Old And Ugly is a comment on getting older. Behind The Wheel highlights, along with many of the songs here, their vocal propensity, as well as their playing ability. While the song Cool For My Kids (Good Looking’ For My Wife) speaks of an attitude of mind which is reflective of their career. Southern Cross and Five Million Songs equally impress on a number of levels. However, if any one track was to get highlighted as an example of their strengths, I’d suggest perhaps that The She’s Gone To California To Finds Herself Blues, would convince anyone who has a penchant for their attitude and approach.  

It is heartening when an act like Jr. Gone Wild decides to give it another go, but don’t just fall back on older songs. Instead, they set out to pick up the baton and take it further. That they still sound pretty much as they have done in the past, is testament to the fact they got it pretty much right back then, even if major commercial success eluded them at the time. It more than likely that won’t arrive now either, I doubt that that was the aim here. They have achieved what they set to do here, and for that, they should be proud of that. They have earned the right to keep their jackets hanging on their respective coat hooks, and this album shows that they are not the only hooks that they have to offer.

Review by Stephen Rapid

Andrew Leahey & The Homestead  American Static Vol. 1 Mule Kick 

This new release is part of a projected double album set, with the second part due for release next year. The band have been described as roots-rock, though that may be better outlined with the rock part first. Leahey and the band owe a debt to Tom Petty’s long career, as they relate to a number of different aspects of that late illustrious performer’s catalogue. Although Nashville-based Leahey’s sound does seem more universal. This is his third album with the band and it is an accomplished piece of power-rock that looks back to the 80s, as much as it does to today’s scene.

Leahey is a notable guitarist who also regularly performs in Elizabeth Cook’s band, along with other acts. But his heart may well lie with these layers of polished guitars that cement his overall sound. As the sole writer and the man whose name is most prominent, it is likely that this is the music he wants mostly to present to the world. To help him achieve that, he has had the album produced and mixed by Jon Estes, who seems the perfect partner to achieve what they set out to do together. It has a sound that is confident and is most likely to gain a wider acceptance from a number of different formats.  While there are many tracks that seem a little more mainstream there are others such as Good At Gone, which has a slightly more rootsy sound and a nuanced vocal approach. This offers a slightly different view of the music but sits easily alongside the rest of the tracks here.  

He has been joined here by band members Jay Dmuchowski (guitars) and Dan Holmes (drums), as well as Estes on bass and a whole range of other instruments as well as string arrangements, to achieve that bigger picture. Also joining in on the action are a number of guests, adding guitars and violin to particular tracks. 

Keep The Car Running is an exercise in the catchiness of power pop’s core values, something akin to the work of the illustrious Cheap Trick. The closing song My Avalanche, takes a more piano-based approach that recalls a time when such outings were de rigour, however it also offers some reflection on his own perspective. The pandemic allowed Leahey the time to concentrate on the writing of enough material for the two volumes. The title echoes his feeling that the inactivity and the isolation of that period made him feel ‘static’ in his situation. But with this release, and a general opening within the music industry, it appears to be drawing to a  close and he now has this music to promote. It is also a time, and an opportunity, to establish himself in his own right and image. 

Review by Stephen Rapid 

New Album Reviews

Moot Davis Seven Cities Of Gold Self Release

From the opening moments of this album it seems that Moot Davis will again divide opinion about his musical direction. Those of us who were able to easily accommodate, and indeed love, the mix of rock, rockabilly and country on his last album HIERACHY OF CROWS are happy to get aquainted with this new set of songs, which takes the template of that album and improves on it. Again it is co-produced by Blake Oswald and Jody Sappington, alongside Davis. They give Davis an upfront and centre platform to deliver these songs, which feature perhaps his best vocal performances to date. Here he has a confidence and swagger that has its antecedents in Dwight Yoakam, with a touch of Jagger swagger on the side.

Having listened to the album several times now, it feels like something special and for those who connect all the reference points from the past it points a way to a future. Now I may sound somewhat hypocritical here, as in the past I have not been overly enamoured by acts who, in their live performances, veer towards overblown metal overtures rather than tapping into something slightly more primal and rockin’. That all three producers are also here as players may have something to do with the cohesive sound that easily slips from one mode to the next.

Joining them are guitarist Bill Corvino, Gary Morse on steel, electric sitar and guitar as well as dobro and banjo, additional guitarist and vocalists Al Backstrom and Dean Edwards, as well as LA scene stalwart Skip Edwards on B3. The album was recorded in Los Angeles and draws form that city’s deep musical roots and branches.

While Davis is the main songwriter, here he is joined on some of the material by co-writers Ted Russell Kamp and Katie Garnett, as well as Oswald. The one cover of a well know song is a vibrant and very different take on Willie Nelson’s Crazy, built around a prominent 12 string guitar sound that takes you right back to the 80s while sounding anything but a simple retread.  There is not a song out of place here and all add up to very engaging listen from start to finish even, though there may be some who will find the darker sentiment of the final break-up song Annunaki War Bride not exactly to their taste. However, its mix of Theremin electronics and electric guitars is hard to ignore and a makes it a memorable way to close the album.

Hey Hey opens the proceedings with B3 and a song that has an innate catchiness (as do many of the songs) and a 60s sense of adventure. Lassoed And Lost follows, its pedal steel driving the song into Palamino territory. The pace is slowed down for the ballad Turn In The Wind And Burn, which has banjo prominent, to set the tone for a tale of a drifting lover that marks a perfect counterpoint to the more forceful material. The title track sounds like would easily fit as a theme for a quirky adventure movie. Lonely Road details just that - a man trying to find his place and his direction in life. California is a plea to a friend for a return from that perhaps not so golden State to something more grounded. Travel is central to Interstate Girl, a love song to long distance romance. Again the B3 and guitar are familiar but intertwine to give the track its focus. Lone Radio Star leans towards a harder edged sound that sounds like it should have been a big hit a few years ago, and should be again.

This new album from Davis reinforces his talent as both writer and singer. He is making the music that he hears in his head, and that it is not simply the solid traditional sounding country of his early albums shows that he is happy to broaden out his sonic template, and to bring those who have followed him from those first steps along with him. Those who don’t want to keep pace with Moot Davis will miss out on these nuggets of gold that mine a rich seam of his individual take on vision and its virtuosity.

Review by Stephen Rapid

Katie Mae & The Lubrication Yellow Medicine Hills Self Release

Arizona native and a high school maths teacher by day, YELLOW MEDICINE HILLS is a five track EP by Katie Mae and her band, The Lubrication. Katie’s music journey follows a similar path to many others that eventually find themselves in the alt-country/Americana genre.  Describing her sound as ‘interpretive country and alt-western’, her ‘go to’ music in her younger years was punk, but her early attempts to start a punk band were thwarted when she failed to attract any other musicians to join her. She gravitated towards open mic sessions, which kicked off her career as a solo artist. She now fronts both The Lubrication and psychedelic punk band Chzbrgr Panic.

This album follows their 2020 EP HAZY ANGEL and in a similar, but possibly more forceful vein, it delivers a suite of raw and dark songs presented by Katie’s gritty vocals, that twang and crack in all the right places. She’s not holding back lyrically either, the bluesy breakup track Ain’t Tryin’ echoes Lucinda Williams’ Changed The Locks in both the lyrics and its delivery. The title track finds her layered drawled vocals in front of some aching pedal steel. It’s laden with catchy hooks and equally striking is the laid back and gloriously loose Say When.

If you like your country left of centre, plaintively sad vocals and slick playing, track this album down and give it a spin. You won’t be disappointed.

Review by Declan Culliton

Noel McKay Blue, Blue, Blue Self Release

 Texan singer songwriter Noel Mc Kay should be known to readers of Lonesome Highway from his work with musical partner and an artist much loved by us, Brennen Leigh, together with his solo back catalogue. Originally a member of the duo The McKay Brothers, they came to the attention of Guy Clark back in 1993, which resulted in a number of co-writes by Noel and that legendary songsmith.

Clark’s Grammy winning album MY FAVOURITE PICTURE OF YOU, included the song El Coyote, one of those co-writes, and another, Flying And Falling, features among the twelve tracks on BLUE, BLUE, BLUE. This song came about following an actual accident which resulted in a stay in a hospital emergency room for Clark and it typifies the pair’s ability to turn near tragedy into a light-hearted song. Equally humorous is the closing track You Outta Write A Song About That. The idea for this song emerged from the numerous approaches McKay has encountered by punters after a show suggesting ideas for songs he should write.

Sleeping In My Car recalls sleeping in car parks, washing in gas stations and often been moved on by the police, when at a low point in his career. When This Town Was Cool is delivered with a semi-spoken intro, telling the tale of old timers, with purple tinted glasses, recounting how much better things were back in the good old days.  A co-write with Brennen Leigh, who adds backing vocals, Real Cowboy takes a light hearted poke at the plastic cowboy that moved into his hometown of Bandera, Texas (‘a real cowboy lost his ranch to the banker, a fake cowboy owns them big oil tanker). Lurlene is a toe tapping rocker, written with another Lonesome Highway favourite, Becky Warren. Its inspiration came from McKay’s grandmother, who worked in a women’s Texas apparel store back in the day, despite the protestations of her husband, who felt he had sufficient means to support them both.

The 50 Loneliest Places In The Nation could have been plucked from the Glen Campbell songbook. The bones of the song came to McKay in a dream, where he imagined encountering Roger Miller singing the chorus. Upon waking, he reached for his guitar and recorded the song onto his phone.

There is a noticeable tenderness embedded in many of the tracks on BLUE, BLUE, BLUE but particularly on the tear jerker title track of lost love and break up. In essence, the album recalls the work of the classic singer songwriters that have prompted McKay’s three-decade career.  Guy Clark and Dave Olney, both pals of his and sadly departed, come to mind while listening to this polished set of songs.

Review by Declan Culliton

Tony Kamel Back Down Home The Next Waltz

 The latest album produced by Bruce Robison and released on his The Next Waltz label is a debut solo recording from Tony Kamel. A member of the Grammy nominated four-piece bluegrass outfit Wood and Wire, Kamel was a late comer as a career musician, having not performed professionally until 2012, when he joined that Austin based quartet.

 With an eagle eye for talent in the country music genre and particularly supportive of local Texan emerging acts, Robison had been encouraging Kamel to write and record a solo album for a number of years. That finally came to pass when BACK DOWN HOME was recorded over a few days at The Bunker Studio in Lockhart Studios. The result is a laid-back suite of songs that sounds like a collection of talented players having a lot of fun in the studio. Those players that sat in with Kamel were Noah Jeffries on fiddle and mandolin, Bill Whitbeck on bass and Geoff Queen who added pedal steel, slide guitar, dobro and mandolin. Backing vocals were provided by Kelley Mickwee, Alice Spencer and Kevin Russell, all members of Austin band Shinyribs.  Bruce Robison and Dominic Fisher also added their vocals to the mix.

 Trying to make sense of the world we currently live in, Amen is a ‘call to arms’ to stay positive despite the uncertainty caused by the pandemic. It’s an upbeat opener with tingling piano, lap steel and horns breathing life into a song that brings to mind Kamel’s fellow Texan, Hayes Carl. From that opening track to the equally hopeful old timey closer Change, you’re treated to a treasure chest of songs that flow seamlessly from each to the next. That final track features Kamel’s vocals supported only by a single haunting fiddle and harmony vocals. More up-tempo and easy on the ear are the J.J.Cale sounding Slow On The Gulf and Let It Slide, the latter finds him showcasing his bluegrass roots. He’s equally comfortable working an old-time country tune with Johnny Law and the horn drenched Heat is a swampy and bluesy romp.

 BACK DOWN HOME is simply a fun listen from start to end. Kamel’s expressive vocals, the stellar playing and slick vocal harmonies point towards a group of people having a fine time. The album title suggests comfortable and familiar surroundings, Kamel and his cohorts appear to have precisely found that spot at The Bunker Studios.

Review by Declan Culliton

Danny George Wilson Another Place Loose

The title of Danny George Wilson’s second solo album could refer to the changed world as we now know it or simply to the town of Lewes in Sussex which entered his universe pre- Covid. The front man with Danny and The Champions of The World, and the now disbanded Grand Drive, and a member of Bennett, Wilson, Poole, became the co-owner of Union Music Store in Lewes along with his fellow partner in crime and music critic Del Day, whose previous life in the industry included PR and promotional work. The store has earned a lofty reputation as an invaluable source for a range of diverse and specialist albums, shifting from jazz to folk and Americana to Indie, fuelled by its owners’ eclectic musical tastes and interests.

It also resulted in Wilson’s introduction to local studio wizard Hamish Benjamin, a young man obsessed with the challenge of experimentation and blending lo-fi and hi-fi with traditional electric guitar, often couched behind harmonised vocals. What kicked off as idle chat in the shop soon developed into a lot more. Their discussions led to Wilson providing Benjamin and his multi-instrumentalist friend Henry Garratt with a number of songs, many of which were conceived during his commute between London and Lewes. Following on, Wilson found himself in Hamish’s Somewhere Studio where, alongside Garratt, the album started to take shape. Others that guested on the recording were Wynntown Marshals pedal steel player Iain Sloan, East Nashville via Australia chanteuse Emma Swift, Gerry Love from Teenage Fanclub and none other than Jeff Tweedy of Wilco fame.

What is instantly striking about the album is how far removed the sound is from Wilson’s usual comfort zone. His trademark soulful roots sound has been replaced by an altogether more gritty and liberating one, which, for some reason, brought Neil Young’s SLEEPS WITH ANGELS to mind. If you’re expecting crystal clear lyrics in front of a silky-smooth production, you’re in for a surprise. This is gloriously muddy, often crowded and grungy - just check out the track I Wanna Tell You - and the perfect result of a combination of inputs coming from different directions.

Other tracks that populate a similar universe are Can You Feel Me and the driving Giving Away Too Much, the latter which would not have been out of place on a late 70’s album from the post punk band Magazine. Not surprisingly and no doubt at Wilson’s insistence, he sought room for a more typical Danny and The Champs number and the title track occupies that space with a melody laden track that’s most likely going to feature on his setlists going forward. He also draws breath on the gorgeously melodic ballad I Would Be In Love (Anyway), sharing the vocals with the aforementioned and sweet voiced Emma Swift and he remains in the same lilting space with Inbetween The Love, which swiftly follows.

No doubt Danny will return to his trusted and well-loved smooth soulful sound with his Champions of The World in the future. In the meantime, this wonderfully experimental album connects a fine vocalist and songwriter with a pair, in Benjamin and Garratt, that recognised a duskier side to Wilson’s songs and thrived in the task of intensifying them. Unlike previous albums from Wilson, you won’t be dancing around to this on a Saturday night. However, pop the headphones on, pour yourself a glass of what you fancy and you’re in for a treat.

Review by Declan Culliton

Jeremy Pinnell Goodbye L.A. SofaBurn Records

 The third album from Jeremy Pinnell finds him instilling a more rocky edge to his country outpourings than have surfaced on his previous recordings. His confessional debut album OH/KY, struck a nerve with its personal tales of painful demons and hard living. Recorded in 2015 it was followed two years later by the somewhat more relaxed TIES OF BLOOD AND AFFECTION. With his weather-worn vocals, multiple tattoos, carefree demeanour and classic country tunes, Pinnell painted a portrait of an authentic modern-day outlaw artist.  He also earned a reputation as one of the hardest working in the genre, constantly on the road and playing six nights most weeks with his trusted band. GOODBYE L.A. was written on the road by Pinnell and the tracks had already been recorded at Sam’s Place in Austin Texas, when Covid hit. With his financial lifeline severed, the completion of the album was put on hold until now.

Having been impressed by the production on Nikki Lane’s HIGHWAY QUEEN album, Pinnell called on Jonathan Tyler to oversee the recording for this album. Intending to draw Pinnell out of his comfort zone, Tyler succeeds in putting down a lusher sound, without entirely deserting the trademark rawness and ruggedness of the album’s predecessors.

With most of the songs written while touring, it’s no surprise that quite a few dwell on the strains that life on the road can put on relationships, particularly when the financial rewards very seldom equal the toils that the touring musician endures. Big Ol’ Good, Night Time Eagle and Doing My Best all fall into this category. Attempts to seek out an alternative career path surface on Wanna Do Something, the end result being a return to his artistic career and an acceptance of who he is. Those life choices taken by Pinnell and his band also come to bear on Fighting Man. 

Having overcome substance abuse in the past and carved out a successful career as a working musician, the title track speaks volumes of the good place Pinnell presently inhabits. In the song he makes reference to the aspiration by Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys that ‘I wish they all were California girls’ by replying ‘he ain’ t seen my woman with the long hair and curls. She might kill you in the night, she might love you in the day, but she’s a good woman who knows how to stay’.

The previously referenced Big Ol’ Good opens the album and signposts its direction from the word go. There’s less honky tonk and more muscle and bluster on offer here than on Pinnell’s previous albums. However, the country flavours remain, as does the confident swagger of a tunesmith of unlimited talent.

Review by Declan Culliton

Bob Bradshaw The Ghost Light Fluke

A most enjoyable album from Boston based singer, Bob Bradshaw. He was born in Ireland and went travelling at a young age before arriving in America and working his way to a Berklee College of Music graduation back in 2009. His recorded output has been very steady, gaining much praise for the assured song-writing and an observational style of reflecting the world around him. In the promotional notes received, Bradshaw says that “I write to create, to imagine, and every track on this album is its own little world.” 

Bradshaw contributes on vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, plus national resonator guitar across these eleven excellent tracks, joined by an array of talent that includes; James Rohr on Hammond B-3 organ, keyboards and vocals; both Dave Brophy and Mike Connors on drums and percussion;  Andrew Stern on electric and slide guitar; Andy Santospago on electric guitar, pedal steel and vocals; Dave Shrewsbury on Hammond B-3 Organ;  Zachariah Hickman, Joe McMahon, Ed Lucie, Dave Westner,  John Sheeran  and Scoop McGuire, all on bass (various songs); Annalise Emerick, Brit Connors and Mark Lipman on backing vocals; Mike De Niro on vibes; Chad Manning on fiddle and Francisco Martinez Herrera on bandoneon concertina.

I mention all of these musicians because, whether they contribute in a live studio setting, or remotely; whether on just one track or on multiple songs – they all add such great colour and nuance to the entire project. The playing is seamless throughout, with the  production duties shared around the studio in what is a very collaborative effort. Dave Brophy does feature on a number of production credits and he also provided “additional instruments,” – left open to the imagination. Credit also to David Westner for recording and mixing on various tracks.

Bradshaw also comments that “I want to tell stories with room for exploration and interpretation. I want people to bring themselves into the songs as much as possible.“ He succeeds impressively well  across an array of styles and the pacing of the album is quite perfect, always engaging and keeping the interest. Whether it’s the gypsy violin on Blue, very atmospheric and playful, or the flowing sound of the bandoneon concertina on Sideways, the overall atmosphere is one of sweetly addictive melodies. The bluesy, rockabilly sound of 21st Century Blues is a strong workout in rhythm and tempo with mentions of guns, media and storms, all reminding me of Rockpile at their height. 

The soulful groove of She’s Gone For Good is probably the most commercial song included, reminiscent of Hall and Oates, with added ingredients. Gone captures a man on the run, staying ahead of trouble and formidable females. Dream is just that, a mellow slide into sweet melody and an afternoon of reverie and the accomplished playing is as impressive as the virtuosity displayed throughout. A really fine album.

Review by Paul McGee

John McDonough Second Chances Self Release

This album was completed during the moths of Covid lockdown and it is an acoustic reworking of songs from two previous releases, Surrounding Colours (2016) and Dreams and Imagination (2014). The ten tracks chosen all focus on the need for human connection and the basic urge that we all share in wanting to be loved.

McDonough co-produced the album with Kevin Butler, whom he has worked with before, and the simple, unplugged approach to the arrangements lends a refreshingly open feel to the project. Assisted by the talented Kris Farrow on acoustic lead guitar, the melodies are lifted by the playing of Steve Burna (cello) and Niamh Fahy (violin, viola) on a number of tracks. Cody Rathmell adds backing vocals and the sweetly clear delivery from McDonough, on both guitar and voice is a real treat.

Six songs from the 2016 release, Surrounding Colours, include the message to celebrate nature and all its gifts (The Place Where I Belong), a loving tribute to a partner (Your Love Sets Me Free) and a song that looks at the plight of refugees, forced to flee and looking for new beginnings (Nowhere Else To Run). This last song references the Rhine and appears to be focused on a Jewish family running from the Germany of the Second World War. However, it is just as relevant in the current crisis of immigrants who are forced to flee from countries further East, in search of safety and support.

The four songs taken from the Dreams and Imagination album include the beautiful testament of love to a new born baby, You Don’t Know This, with its message of undying devotion. The love song, I’m Home, is a look at returning from the road to a safe place of comfort, while the message in Planes Fly Too Low channels new beginnings, the chance to be reborn and a warning against getting stuck by ‘still trying to change the past.’ 

McDonough brings a very engaging presence to these reworked acoustic songs and the feeling around these stripped-down versions is one of insight and warmth. 

Review by Paul McGee

Dylan Blackthorn Small Flames Self Release

This debut release from Austin musician Dylan Blackthorn is something of a unique listen. Playing both ukulele and accordion, his singular songs revolve around a sense of breaking out from the norms, living with a freedom and questioning what we are told at every turn. Blackthorn uses his accordion as a lead instrument which delivers interesting results. Often viewed as an instrument to provide rhythmic accompaniment, outside of specific genres, this approach highlights its versatility and it certainly delivers atmospheric melody to all of the tracks here. And there are plenty, with the album containing thirteen songs, playing out over sixty-two minutes.

The musicians embellish the arrangements with a combination of fiddle, flute, tin whistle, xylophone, guitar, musical saw, percussion and plenty of backing vocals. Adding to the splendid fiddle playing of  Dr. $ick (Squirrel Nut Zippers), is the sweetly floating flute of Samantha Blackthorn and the excellent Tom Crail on bass and ever-present tuba. It is the tuba that grounds all of these songs, allowing the other musicians to play around the basic tempo and add different colours to the melodies. Many of the songs have a ramshackle feel to the arrangements, with a loose groove, yet working magically into a cohesive sound. Think New Orleans street-jazz, coupled with tango and waltz, as part of some vaudeville circus show. 

There is mention of Morpheus, God of dreams and sleep (Silver Halo Blues), of Tarot as a way of ordering life decisions (Ten Of Wands), of maintaining a sense of wonder (Float) and the gothic imagery of songs like Starry Secrets and Rule Of Three. On the track, Folk Magick, Blackthorn speaks about “Mr. Money Devil” with the imagery of money as the evil ringmaster at life’s big top.  

Blackthorn states that the album ‘is dedicated to that subtle spiritual experience of candlelight that sparks warmth, hearth, home, ritual, creativity and new growth from within us all.’ There is a lot to recommend this almost-punk approach to Folk music and the array of sounds lend a real sense of challenge and reward to the listener.

Review by Paul McGee

New Album Reviews

Danny Burns Hurricane Bonfire

Born in Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal and spending his childhood between there and New York, Burns has spent most of his adult life playing music in the US. Influenced by both his native Irish folk music and the music of his adopted homeland, there’s an obvious vein of Celtic blood running through his Americana sound. Now based in Nashville, he has called on many well known roots artists to help him realise his vision for HURRICANE, only his second album since his well received 2019 official debut, NORTH COUNTRY. Penning five of the six songs on this EP and producing it himself, Burns shows that he has learned more than a thing or two in his 20 years in the music business. While the overall sound has a definite hint of bluegrass, there are enough other influences here to help it to appeal to a wider audience, perhaps mining the same hills as Sam Bush and Alison Krauss.

Tim O’Brien provides the harmony vocals on the title track, a powerful declaration of love led by Burns’ rich vocals and underlined by the wonderful Matt Menefee on banjo, Josh Metheny on dobro, and Eamon McLoughlin on fiddle. The production here is a very full sound that really works, thankfully allowing other Nashville stalwarts like Jerry Roe (drums), Byron House (bass) and Jef Linsenmeier (keys) to make their contributions count throughout. Dan Tyminski’s familiar acoustic guitar playing opens another powerful track, Trouble, closely followed by the prominent dobro of Jerry Douglas, vying for attention with Eamon McLoughlin again on fiddle. Here, Aubrie Sellers (daughter of Lee Ann Womack) provides the backing vocals.

 Many Moons Ago is a moving gentle folk ballad, recounting the story of the financial help given to the Irish by the Choctaw Nation during the Irish potato famine in the nineteenth century, a connection indeed that has continued to the present day. Scott Vestal does his usual standout job on banjo here and and the inspired choice of Sarah Jarosz on harmony vocals and octave mandolin makes the song a perfect slice of Celticana.

Dobro is again an important part of the overall sound on Frontline, another power ballad, and on Golden, where the mighty Sam Bush lends his fiddle, mandolin and vocals.

The cover song is of Steve Earle’s Mercenary Song and features the man himself on one verse, and on bouzouki. The song is given a jaunty ‘Tex Mex meets Irish diddley-eye’ treatment, which veers too close to Galway Girl for this reviewer! Overall, though, this EP is highly recommended and I look forward to a full length offering from Danny Burns soon.

Review by Eilís Boland 

Legendary Shack-Shakers Cockadoodledeux Alternative Tentacles

Since my first encounter with Th’ Legendary ShackShakers, live and recorded, I have been hooked by the intensity, diversity, perversity, musicality and sheer entertainment that the band, in its many forms, has delivered. The man who has held the banner high for this band is its founder and central figure, Col. JD Wilkes. Something of a renaissance man, he is a singer, harmonica and banjo player, songwriter, artist, author and director. He performs all these tasks with a skill and insight that adds a depth often missing in those engaged in such wide endeavours. My first recorded encounter was the 2003 Bloodshot release COCKADOODLEDON’T, though I subsequently heard them in a live rough and ready demos set, LOWER BROAD LO FI, that came out later. Those recordings feature Chris Scruggs who, alongside other alumni, makes an appearance here alongside the current line up of Garey Siperko, Fuller Condon and Preston Corn. These include Mark Robertson, Rod Hamdallah and Brett Whitacre. Robertson was an integral member for their memorable appearance at the Kilkenny Rhythm and Roots Festival and also on subsequent visits to these shores.The list of players who have passed through the ranks is listed in the liner notes, and includes some 18 plus musicians. So again kudos to Wilkes for keeping the flame alive and still delivering the goods.

The album opens with a cover of the western theme Rawhide, written by Ned Washington and Dimitri Tiomkin who, it is entirely possible, may never have seen a cow in real life. However it sets up the tone for the remaining tracks. They are a mix of covers and (as is usually the case) original songs penned by Wilkes. Those songs are Tickle Your Innards, They Won’t let Me Forget, Godforsaken Town, U-Can-Be-A-Star, Port Arthur Boys, Secret Mountain, Triple Timer, I Told You So, Farewell Ye Rovin’ Eyed Girls and Punk Rock Retirement Plan.

There are numerous guest appearances that broaden out the ShackShakers sonic country and western palate, which make for some enjoyable contributions to the overall sound. “Hillbilly” Bob Prather, Miranda Ceara Rix-Hayes and label owner Jello Biafra all add vocals while Jack Martin, Micah Hulscher, Patrick Carrico, Dr Ted Borodofsky, Jim Caugill and Rebecca Stout all have walk-on parts that bring some additional authenticity to the material. Again, it is Wilkes who is directing and producing the album and delivering something special that caps the band’s 25 years as a unit.

Wilkes has deliberately brought in some of the veteran Kentucky musicians, who were there at the start, to work with the newer players and the mix works well. They recorded in Paducah, Kentucky and that is a location very important to Wilkes, a musical historian himself who has a deep understanding of the music that originated from that region.

There is an underlying degree of humour in many of the songs, like from his own Punk Rock Retirement Plan wherein the retireee has “put collar back on the hound” and swapped “Johnny Cash for Johnny Rotten and Johnny Horton for Johnny Ramone.” Then there’s the Harlan Howard and Bobby Braddock penned I Don’t Remember Loving You- ‘Don’t tell me that you ain’t gonna smile, as well as tapping your feet and singing along’.

Ultimately this album is a superb summation of the singular imagination and drive of JD Wilkes and the many musicians who have accompanied him under the ShackShakers banner. This is understandably less frantic and intense than earlier recordings, yet that does nothing to detract from the achievement here in marrying the old with the new, the shack and the shakers. One for the ages.

Review by Stephen Rapid

Matt Patershuk An Honest Effort  Black Hen

In his bio it states that Patershuk loves words as much as he does music and also that his Grandfather said that “God loves a trier.” Which on the surface may not fill you with too much confidence for the album presented here. However, as the saying goes “this is not his first rodeo.” He has four previous albums to his credit, so as a “trier” he seems to be succeeding on a number of levels. Not least is having the noted producer Steve Dawson at the desk, with all his audio skills and multi-instrumentalist ability. Then add to that Fats Kaplan, Jeremy Holmes, Gary Craig as well as Patershuk’s vocal and musical contributions and the harmony vocals of Keri Latimer and you have the makings of a pretty decent album.

The one thing that Patershuk doesn’t do is short songs. He spreads his observations and tales with songs that run mostly from over four minutes to one clocking in over six minutes. This in effect sets up a listening experience that has the sense of not being rushed. The songs are mid to slow paced slices of Canadiana. Johanna presents a woman who likes to be lost and find herself there. The longest track Jupiter The Flying Horse is set in a travelling circus show. The shortest track Turn The Radio Up celebrates things heard and seen and welcome in middle age. More aware of how a relationship can be difficult and hard to escape is the subject of Sunny. Stay With Me, by way of contrast, wants things to continue despite the inevitable problems. It has a harmony vocal that enhances the mood and positivity of the song and some neat harmonica from Kaplan. 

Somewhat deeper in theme is The 2nd Law Of Thermodynamics, though the song has simple banjo and Weissenborn guitar setting that works well. Clever Hans is about an unwanted but very smart horse. Perhaps the most specific song here is Shane McGowan, a tribute to the celebrated singer and Pogues frontman and noting that he “has a brand new smile” but also that the new teeth can also pick up the radio”

The album title pretty much sums up the overall nature of this recording. But in reality, it is more than honest. It is open, understated, heartfelt and largely acoustic in its musical direction, with voice and often a single instrument leading the way. This is very evident in the final song Upright. It is once again in the careful production hands of Steve Dawson and released on his independent Black Hen label. A sure sign of integrity and something of interest. Not that everyone will immediately fall for this album. Though anyone who loves carefully thought out roots music will find something here to savour on what is likely Patershuk’s best album to date and his fans will welcome its truthful tales of relatable folks.

Review by Stephen Rapid

The Felice Brothers From Dreams To Dust Yep Roc

Seventeen albums into a career that kicked off in 2005 with their debut album IANTOWN, the Catskill Mountain band’s line up has had a number of personnel changes over that sixteen-year period. The current band consists of original founding members and brothers Ian (guitar and lead vocalist) and James Felice (multi-instrumentalist and vocals), bass player Jesske Hume and drummer Will Lawrence.  Also featured on this self-produced album are trumpet player Nathanial Walcott and Mike Mogis on pedal steel. Having witnessed them perform on numerous occasions, the most recent being in early 2020 when they were touring their excellent 2019 album UNDRESS, I’m of the opinion that this present four-piece format is their most formidable.

Forever straying from the conventional - their self-titled album was recorded in a chicken coop - on this occasion they recorded the album in a small one room church in Harlemville, New York. Built in 1873 and in poor repair, the church was acquired and renovated by Ian Felice. The location proved to be perfectly suited to an album of strikingly evocative songs that address both social and political concerns.

FROM DREAMS TO DUST, as the title implies, finds Ian Felice’s writing at its most creative.  It follows the band’s tried and trusted template of pairing thunderously frenetic songs with beautifully constructed and measured ballads. The streams of consciousness style writing, often akin to a jigsaw puzzle with a few pieces missing, challenges the listener to explore the characters and episodes within the songs. Those name checked on the album range from John Wayne to Kurt Cobain, Jean Claude Van Damme to Peter Fonda and Francis of Assisi to Barney Rubble. We hear of Helen and The Sherriff leaving behind their old lives and fleeing in a ‘doomed’ Corvette on the opener Jazz On The Autobahn, which suggests that an impending catastrophe awaits. It’s a powerful opener with heavy percussion and raging horns and one that no doubt will be a feature in their live shows going forward. They maintain a similar pace on To-Do List which follows and to a lesser degree on Celebrity X, the latter aiming daggers at the world of shallow and over exposed so called ‘celebrities.’

Particularly striking and eloquent are a number of songs recited in the spoken word by Ian. Be At Rest, a requiem for a departed Mr. Felice, tells of an ‘owner of two ill-fitting suits…never once named employee of the month and avoider of eye contact. ‘Also delivered in the spoken word, they close the album on a hopeful note with the hymn like We Shall Live Again. Offering a glimmer of hope for the future, (‘from Francis of Assisi to the fans of AC/DC, we shall live again’).

For this writer, YONDER IS THE CLOCK, released in 2009, is The Felice Brothers’ masterpiece. They have certainly matched the brilliance of that album here and, after a few more plays, I’m quite likely to come to the conclusion that they have surpassed it.

Review by Declan Culliton

The Sundogs Embroidered Rose Self Release

Formed by brothers Lee and Will Haraway in Atlanta, Georgia in the early 2000’s, The Sundogs’ harmony drenched sound exquisitely blends power pop with melodic country, bringing to mind both The Jayhawks and Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers. The Tom Petty comparisons actually resulted in the band performing an annual tribute show to Petty each December since 2008.

However, they’re far more than a covers band and EMBROIDERED ROSE, their fifth studio recording, is a ten-track set of polished songs, intricately arranged and consistently pleasing on the ear from start to finish. 

Written and recorded during the pandemic, the songs were penned by the two brothers and Jon Harris. The standout track All Of This had me hitting the repeat button on a number of occasions. Gorgeous harmonies, drenched in pedal steel and with killer guitar breaks, it recalls Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young at their finest. The trippy Space & Time is also soothing on the senses, deeply melodic and perfectly executed. 

Despite the unsure times in which it was penned, its optimism and hopefulness shine through. The same can be said of the buoyant opening track Love Will Lead Us Through. In fact, that optimism is very much on the agenda across the whole album. The dreamlike The Sundog wouldn’t have been out of place on the soundtrack of Easy Rider and that musical era is also recalled on the album’s title track. They sign off with the raucous Full Speed Ahead, bringing closure to a hugely impressive listen.

Lovers of the late 1960’s and early 70’s sound will lap this up, I certainly did.

Review by Declan Culliton

Megan & Shane Daughter Of Country Self Release

 Husband and wife Megan and Shane Baskerville’s first date was at a Motorhead concert at First Avenue in Minneapolis and, as their romance blossomed, they formed a ska band and eventually opened a School of Rock franchise in Arizona.  In a previous life Shane had toured with a number of punk bands while Megan was a student of bluegrass, having grown up with a passion and love for country music. That passion was more than a fleeting allure, but instead a method of dealing with a dysfunctional upbringing, where she was raised by a deserted and wayward mother. She confesses to adopting Patsy Cline as a mother figure during her teens, by way of escapism. She opens the title track on the album with the powerful lines, ‘I’m a daughter of country, she raised my whole life, ‘cuz my momma was out getting stoned. My daddy he left us to find his new wife, Patsy kept me from being alone’.

With a lot of collective baggage on board, what better way to unload that baggage than record a county album. DAUGHTER OF COUNTRY is exactly what a genuine country album should be, confronting real life issues and tribulations by creating songs around them. They brought producer Bob Hoag (Courtney Marie Andrews, Gin Blossoms) on board and recorded the nine tracks at Flying Blanket Recording in Mesa, Arizona. Songs that catalogue loss and regret include the title track and Scars (This one’s when I lost that little baby, Lord how I cried and I cried), both of which feature a powerhouse vocal delivery by Megan. Equally notable are her vocals on the bluesy Oh Lord, which recall the wonderful Shelby Lynn. Shane takes the lead vocal on Leaving It All Up To You and the reflective closing track Taken This Long. The latter recalls his survival from an illness that nearly took his life (Said I didn’t have long, six months to live. But I knew in my heart I had more to give).  Sweet harmonies and layered vocals combine on the First Aid Kit sounding Little Birds.

Hoag’s production manages to create a charming and cohesive sound on an album that explores a number of tortured personal issues. With a sound that’s at the crossroads between modern country and heartland rock, DAUGHTER OF COUNTRY presents the listener with an affecting collection of songs well worth your attention.

Review by Declan Culliton

Sturt Avenue How Do You Think It Should Be? Self Release

This is a debut album from Australian band Sturt Avenue and a very fine collection of songs it proves to be. Eleven tracks over forty-two minutes of well-crafted arrangements that linger gently in the memory. The collective is made up of three family members and a few friends from the Adelaide suburbs around Sturt Avenue, where they grew up.

Kicking off with the nice flow of Cannery Row and a song about waking up with regrets over the night before, an aching head and questions about why this pattern keeps repeating. Bell Curve Blues looks at the sacrifice of working mundane day jobs in order to be able to meet the bills and come home to the girl that you love. Over Everything deals with the black dog of depression and the lack of purpose in getting through another day.  A Few Simple Lines is a sweetly played love song with nice harmony vocals from Bryn Soden, Tarn Soden and Katie Pomery.  

Childhood memories are revisited in Waiting, the lines ‘Don't think I didn't see your small sad smile, The kind that doesn't really reach your eyes, When I told you everything would be alright.’  It’s a reflection on all those youthful days of dreaming about the future and wanting to get out into the world.

Lions is a song about regret and looking back at the way life wears down the burning fire of optimistic youth. It’s a pessimistic view of the world, but contains the hope that we can all be reborn and become lions again. Sirens looks at feeling lonely and lost in the alienation of big city lights, ‘Drink for the ghosts of all the friends we left behind, Sing for the silence that is eating me alive, The hungry beast creeps ever closer every night, You’re gonna get what’s coming to you - and so will I.’ 

The sense of disillusion that runs through a number of these songs is lifted by the craving for things to get better; with Nowhere Town we are given the lines, ‘But by the creek, wild roses grow, And through the fields the hot wind blows, This ugly place is still my home, The only one I have ever known.’ Equally, Flowers On the Sill is a song that looks for the little things, ‘Live quiet, live light, live long, Plant the seeds of brighter futures in the garden, give them love and make them strong.’

Falling is the longest song on the album and has some great guitar parts that heighten the emotion of a troubled romance, ‘But falling in love, Was a rope around your neck, And when you put your head in the stove, Tell me what did you expect? Final track, Stay, is a profession of love to bring everything full circle. The hope that passion will endure and that it is enough to weather all the storms of life. 

Bryce Lehmann (drums), Isaak Kerr (bass, vocals) and Dave Thompson (keyboards), provide a solid bedrock for these gentle songs and the fine lead vocals by Bryn Soden are augmented by his prowess on  acoustic and electric guitar, ukulele, harmonica, harmonium, toy piano and additional percussion. John Soden contributes on electric guitar, slide guitar and backing vocals and there are also the talents of Ollie Patterson on violin and Sean Helps on flugelhorn to add to the overall sound.

Patrick Lockwood mixed the album with Bryn Soden and it certainly comes across as a real labour of love. The songs evolved over a number of years and the final results point to a bright future for this band of family and friends. Worth your time.

Review by Paul McGee

Joe Stamm Band Midwest Town Self Release

A second release from Joe Stamm and his fine band of brothers. They formed in 2013 and developed a strong work ethic, playing live around their home state of Illinois. Led by the striking vocals and guitar of Stamm, the core band consists of Dave Glover on lead guitar, Bruce Moser on bass, harmonica and percussion and Tim Fiers on drums. They provide the bedrock of the sound and are joined in the studio by Blaine Johnson on swirling B3 organ, Scotty Sanders on superb slide guitar and Jonathan Brown on piano. All the players lift these song arrangements and instil a really dynamic element in their ensemble playing. Perry Coleman, Angie Primm & Tania Hancheroff provide classy background vocals and their voices swell in the overall mix, adding some extra punch. 

Stamm describes the band sound as Black Dirt Country Rock “a nod to our Midwestern roots, as well as the Red Dirt music scene, which has had a big influence on our music.”  The new album certainly builds upon the momentum of the debut release, THE GOOD AND THE CROOKED (the High and the Horny), which was released two years ago. To these ears, it’s a good helping of countryrock, with elements of blues and honky tonk mixed in. Tracks like Drink Enough (For the Town To Talk) and Speed Trap have the band in full-on attack mode as they burn up the rhythm and rock with some superb guitar driven honky tonk swing.

Hope It Turns Out and Catchin’ My Breath are two slower tracks that show another side to the band. Mostly, the songs fall into the category of everyday middle America, with a list of characters that represent the everyman in our cities and towns. There are long distance truckers (Pocketful Of Quarters), Vietnam Vets (Empty Places), a drugs runner (High Road Home) and an old rodeo rider (Bull Rider). 

The final track, Catchin’ My Breath,  is a solo acoustic performance and deals with life on the road for Stamm and his dreams of getting back home. He is a fine lyricist and these songs are very authentic in their construction and delivery. In the number, Bull Rodeo, he sings, ‘  Another small town, another few bucks, If this is the dream, I ain't dreamin' enough.’ These lines could equally be identified with the long-distance trucker, the rodeo rider or the road weary musician – all keeping body and soul together as the commitments in life continue to challenge.

There are three bonus tracks on the download I received, including a tribute to the late John Prine (Goodbye John). Another strong statement from a quality songwriter and a band that really knows how to deliver when it comes to dynamic performance. Highly recommended.

Review by Paul McGee

Dar Williams I’ll Meet You Here Renew

Album number twelve in a long and distinguished career, Williams continues to reign at the top of the folk pyramid when it comes to songs from the heart and of social conscience. The album cover has a photograph of Williams, adrift on a floating platform, surrounded by water. One could read into the symbolism as being ‘all at sea,’ but I suggest that such a conclusion is all too simple. Williams is a very literate writer and her words have deep resonance. She is ever the thinker, observing our lives from the perspective of her own and never afraid to open up to the honesty within and the truth that comes forth.

That deck on the water is a raft that connects who she was to the woman that she now has become. As she stands to face the challenges of the modern world, in all her true glory and spirit, she looks at what is around her and charts her own course. It may be six years since the last release but Williams never stops honing her skill-set. Whether this is through the music workshops that she holds or the books that she writes, she continues to stand for all that is good in the craft od song writing.

Interestingly, there is a cover song included on this album, something that Williams seldom does. Sullivan Lane (Gandalf Murphy) is about finding kindred spirits and sharing the closeness of a group that get your essence – inclusion and acceptance. These are the themes that run through the ten songs and they resonate with an openness that bears plenty of rewards for the listener. 

One song is taken from her debut album, You’re Aging Well, and its inclusion is the clock turning full circle, as the now-older Williams looks at her life and the journey travelled. "I'm so glad that you finally made it here, With the things you know now, that only time could tell, Looking back, seeing far, landing right where we are.”

Elsewhere we are treated to musings on time in the guise of an ally (Time, Be My Friend), the frustrations of having new talent unrecognised and unrewarded (You Give It All Away), the power of enduring friendship (Let the Wind Blow), discrimination and small-town attitudes (Little Town), young college rebels trying to change the world (Berkeley), the future of our planet and the energy of our next generations to effect positive change (Today and Every Day), a paean to love and learning to accept yourself first (I Never Knew) and staying optimistic and hopeful while you dream of tomorrow (Magical Thinking).

If indeed, life is about meeting everything face on and not backing down from a challenge, then Dar Williams is certainly someone that you want on your side as you stride forward. Her writing remains as relevant today as it has always been; a steadying hand on the rudder and a voice in your ear that says “keep going, everything will work out and listen to your heart.”  This album is a strong statement that this lady is not for turning. Her music resonates with both depth and heart and she remains one of the premiere songwriters of our day. 

Review by Paul McGee

New Album Reviews

Ronan Gallagher Time Waits For No One Modal Citizen

Ronan Gallagher is a man in a hurry. The Leitrim man only came to learning guitar and creating music in his mid-life and this second album comes hot on the heels of his 2019 debut record, ALWAYS BROKE NEVER BROKEN. ‘Life is out there waiting, live it while you can’, from the title track, is the overriding theme of this record, perhaps partly fuelled by Gallagher’s recent medical issues. Over the eleven original songs, there’s hardly any let up from the manic opening pace, and Donegal producer Marc Geagan has chosen a large cast of local musicians to imbibe the album with a Celtic americana sound.

The aforementioned Time Waits For No One is a country meets rock ‘n roll rollercoaster ride, with an insistent back beat from drummer Michael Christie, the interplay of Damien McGeehan’s fiddle and Seanan Brennan’s mandolin, and layers of electric guitar licks from various players complementing Gallagher’s gritty vocals. The pace continues on Out of my Head, the electric organ (Enda Ferriter) and some killer harmonica (Sean Debney) giving the song of heartbreak a blues rock feel. Another song of longing, The World is an Empty Place, continues the disillusionment theme, as does the mid-paced rock n’ soul road song, Looking For Something.

Miss You is quite a departure - the tongue in cheek woefully mournful country blues (think Hank Williams at his most depressed) features some fabulously over the top backing vocals from Farah Bogle, and the wonderful Richard Nelson’s pedal steel playing.

Liberty is another manic country rock message, expressing Gallagher’s disillusionment with politics and capitalism, and is a call for environmental rescue, with a ripping Albert Lee style guitar  solo from local legend Johnny Gallagher (no relation). More highlighting of impending environmental disaster is expressed in the powerfully apocalyptic The World is Burning, with a notable contribution from Rory Corbett on 5 string banjo. The Argumental Man tells us that ‘he won’t back down, he won’t conform’ and ‘he’s doing what he can’, clearly an autobiographical message, backed up here by horns and electric organ. Live Life To The Full ends on a positive and hopeful note.

The striking cover art features a small terrier gazing up into a galaxy of stars - as quirky as the album itself. Check it out.

Review by Eilís Boland 

Tim Grimm Gone Cavalier

The latest release from Tim Grimm continues his recent musical path with thoughtful, lyrical songs of life recorded in a restrained setting and for the most part built around Grimm’s vocal warmth and intimacy. This is inherently central to the opening song A Dream, which is about remembering a girl from faraway. That song is followed by the similarly themed Carry Us Away - wherein Grimm announces that he “will search within you for a thing we’ll never find,” offering that feeling of companionship even when apart. Both of these are imbued with an understated naturalness. Cadillac Hearse is more up-tempo, with bass, guitar and mandolin and it has a humour about the delivery of a baby and the car in question - a story told well. 25 Trees reminds me a little of Sam Baker with its description of location and literature. But overall, it’s Grimm’s show - with his well-observed and compassionate songs of family, friendship and fulfilment, providing the lynchpin for the album.

Family is important with Connor Grimm, Jackson Grimm, Jan Lucas-Grimm, all playing on the album, alongside the likes of guitarist Jason Wilber, Diederik van Wassenaer who adds violin and strings, to name but a couple of the other fine plates featured here. Susan Lindfors Taylor adds harmony vocals on his take on Eric Taylor’s Joseph Cross. It is an astute and sympathetic story of a Native American boy raised on a mission and under pressure to move away from his culture. Gone is a tribute, in part, to John Prine and his being gone though “there’s hope in knowing everywhere some people know the words” to his songs. It is the song that has the added touchstone of Jason Wilber’s contribution. Grimm also praises his lost contemporaries Michael Smith, Eric Taylor and David Olney in Dreaming Of King Lear, all of whom are company he could easily sit and share songs with. Coming full circle, the album closes with a reprise of the opening track A Dream. It seems to complete the circle to takes back the basic beauty that can exist alongside the more iniquitous times that we live through.

This is folk music pure and simple. It doesn’t need a prefix to allow it to be something else. It is born of voice, guitar and imagination. Something that Tim Grimm has used to deliver his songs since his debut HEARTLAND at the end of the 90s. As an aside, Grimm visits Ireland regularly as a host and tour guide and likely his travels inform who he is. The album deals, at times, with those who are gone but Grimm is definitely with us here and now.

Review by Stephen Rapid

Nathan Bell Red, White And American Blues Need To Know

There’s no doubting that Bell’s concerns here relate to the state of his nation, his own state of mind and a declaration he needed to make. The songs were written, in the main, in 2019 and things have not got much better since then. The subtitle of the album “It Couldn’t Happen Here” is a reference to novel by Sinclair Lewis from 1935, which posited the theory that American could become in thrall to fascism. Reality bites. The songs written at the time of the impeachment of a President include American Gun, American Blues, Wrong Man For The Job, songs that make a direct reference to troubled times. Other songs here include Retread Cadillac, his tribute to Lightin’ Hopkins. While he reflects on family ties and some of the good things that can transpire in A Lucky Man, he reflects on having “ a pocket full of dreams, but I tossed them all / had a few good friends until I lost them all.”

Throughout, Bell sings with conviction though mixed with the experience of doubt. He has a voice that you can believe in. Musically there is, not unnaturally, a larger slice of a blues folk axis to the sound, built around a solid rhythm section (Alvino Bennett and Frank Swart). The keyboards are from John Deaderick, while Reverend Crow values the harmonica. Bell handles the main guitar duties as well as vocals. His is ably joined on the album for some songs by the distinctive voices of Regina McCrary, Patty Griffin and Aubrie Sellers. All are artists themselves who know a good song when they hear it.

Running On The Razor holds nothing back on its depiction of those living off the grid and doing as much damage to themselves as they did to those they picked on. They “thought that it was funny / that they lived outside the law / and did it on government money.” In three lines Bell says a lot about  what life can be for a segment of society that has fallen through the cracks. Zensuit’s Samadhi Blues and Monday Monday have the blues running though them, with wah-wah guitar and gospel grabbing keyboards. 

Too Each Of Us (A Shadow) is a simpler evocation of love amidst a certain desperation. Effective in its simplicity of delivery, it conveys the raw emotion of need. Folding Money closes out the album and Bell adjusts his voice to suit the song, which is built over a restrained, effective backing that heightens the mood of uncertainty. Brian Brinkerhoff and Frank Swart’s production heightens the sense of unease, while giving the sound a sturdiness that feeds in to the intensity of these songs. This is something that continues to happen, then and now.

Review by Stephen Rapid

John Wort Hannam Long Haul Black Hen

The John Wort Hannam pictured on this album cover looks like a man who might have some life experiences to impart. That indeed is the case on LONG HAUL, wherein, over several songs, he states that he is taking a look at the bigger picture and what it shows us. Produced by Canadian roots music stalwart Steve Dawson, it has a warm, aged but not always rosy view of live, love and the pursuit of happiness (or something that might pass for that). The title track is the introductory affirmation of his stance taken, obviously, in later life, that it is now not “all about the chase / not the finish line / but babe that ain’t the case / no not this time.” There is also a lot of love expressed throughout in such songs as Wonderful Things, as well as the opposite side of the coin in Beautiful Mess, where the spoils of a relationship are divided “keep the Lou Reed record and the god-damn cat,” while acknowledging that they had loved each other with their beautiful mess.

Old Friend is a testament to the life of a long-time friend and partner in crime, what they got up to and how the memories are both sad and good. Hurry Up Kid is about waiting for a birth to happen “hurry up kid … I quit smoking … your Mama is showing / boy she’s glowing.” Hannam is an observer in the wings for these, essentially, small town vignettes of how we all deal with the cards dealt to us. In this case without bitterness but rather with to learn. Meat Draw is about a “small town legion Friday night meat draw” that has the observation that can only come from being there,“there’s an old gal in the corner / showing off her legs / but the old boys just ignore her / they came for bacon and eggs.” There are a couple of solid country moments in here that fit in the overall scheme with the pedal steel on Beautiful Mess and Young At Heart. The former a delightful duet with Keri Latimer. Elsewhere the folk/roots axis of the songs are perfectly delivered by the producer and players, including the contributions of multi-instrumentalists Fats Kaplin, keyboardist Chris Gestrin and Dawson own multi-guitar skills. They all bring enough variation to the tracks in that they never seem samey but rather mines a richer seam of Canadian life.

However, obviously, all this requires the focal point of Hannam’s rich wordsmithing and his aged, warm vocals. It fits and feels like a pair of well worn and loved jeans. Perhaps the title and the sentiment expressed in the closing song Young At Heart best sum up John Wort Hannam’s philosophy and outlook in say “may you die young at heart at a ripe old age.” There’s something of old wisdom in that saying. It’s a heartfelt and sincere wish that brings to close the latest album from the Lethbridge based performer who is undoubtedly in it for the long haul himself. Enjoy the journey.

Review by Stephen Rapid

Kashena Sampson Time Machine Self Release

The fortunes of Kashena Sampson had already hit a career low point prior to the pandemic.  The tornado that hit East Nashville in March 2020 destroyed the iconic music venue The Basement East, cutting off her income stream and her means of financing her artistic career. With her bartending employment cut off overnight and the onset of Covid-19 soon afterwards, Sampson faced both financial and emotional ruin.

Her album TIME MACHINE had been recorded in February 2019, but with her financial stream severed, she had lost the means of funding its release. Thankfully her fortunes eventually improved, giving her the wherewithal to release the album.

Prior to relocating to Nashville in 2015, Sampson had spent a number of seasons on cruise ships, performing cover songs and eventually including some self-written songs in her repertoire. Encouraged by the positive feedback from her audience she bravely headed to Nashville, where she soon became a part of the burgeoning songwriting scene in East Nashville, alongside other like-minded female songwriters such as Erin Rae, Mary Bragg and Kyshona Armstrong. Co-writes with each of these artists feature on TIME MACHINE, as does a song written with her sister Jolana Sampson. Many of the recordings coming from that music community features material deeply personal and often harrowingly painful, and this album follows a similar theme.

The survival and struggles of artists, particularly those who may feel somewhat insecure, can have a devastating effect on the individual and Sampson confronts these issues head on. From The Outside considers the rollercoaster highs and lows of that chosen career, from the sold out shows to the financial burdens and isolation.  Titles such as Alone And In Love Again and The Black Sea, recall dark times and dysfunctional relationships and they also showcase Sampson’s remarkable vocal range. The latter features a powerful, almost operatic, vocal performance, the former a breezy country folk presentation.  It’s not all trouble and strife, the raunchy and full-blooded Whole Lot Better hints at a rebirth and while the title track recollects childhood innocence and rebellious adolescence, it also suggests a resilience and positivity going forward.  

The production duties on TIME MACHINE were overseen by Jon Estes. The producer and multi-instrumentalist also added bass, piano, cello and organ, alongside guitarist Jeremy Fetzer, drummer Jon Radford. Jon Estes’ wife Elizabeth contributed strings.      

An album that points to some deeply fervent soul searching by Sampson, you’re left with the impression of a cleansing and exorcism of darker times in the writer’s past and of acceptance and positivity going forward. On the strength of this most impressive recording, it’s no surprise that she is an integral part of that hugely talented group of female singer songwriters in the East Nashville musical community.

Review by Declan Culliton

Stuffy Shmitt More Stuff Happens Deluxe Edition Self Release

One of the my most played albums of the year, STUFF HAPPENS, from the idiosyncratic Stuffy Shmitt featured in our review section back in February of this year. It made an immediate impact, to say the least, with its stockpile of raging rockers alongside smooth ballads, which found the author digging into the memory vaults and recalling incidents and characters from his explosive past.

Settled and reinvigorated in East Nashville, following a near self-destructive existence in New York, Stuffy hooked up with producer Brett Ryan Stewart and multi-instrumentalist Chris Tench to record the album at Stewart’s studio in Franklin, Tennessee.  What also followed were some striking videos to promote a number of the songs, filmed by the talented husband and wife duo Ahana Kaye and Iraki Gabriel.

The deluxe edition features an additional four tracks alongside the eleven from the original recording. Three of them are re-recordings of It’s Ok, Scratchin’ At The Cat and Sleeping On The Wet Spot, while the fourth, Sunglasses, is a live recording. I have no intention of reviewing the album track by track here, readers can check out the review from 14th February. Suffice to say that the tracks, from the minimalist The Last Song to the fully blown It’s Ok and She’s Come Unglued sound every bit as vital as they did when I originally reviewed the album.

The purpose here is to remind people to check out what is one of best suites of songs I’ve come across this year and a masterclass in grungy Americana.

Review by Declan Culliton

Riddy Arman Self Titled La Honda

Growing up in rural Ohio and leaving that environment to work as a travelling ranch hand, Riddy Arman’s country and western music is every bit as authentic as her lifestyle. Signed to La Honda Records, she joins like minded label mates and storytellers Colter Wall and Vincent Neil Emerson. In common with both artists, her songs read like poetry and are heart on sleeve musical memoirs of past experiences.

With her exquisite articulation and her ability to expertly stretch syllables in her deliveries, she draws the listener into her musings from the word go. The album is a collection of brooding ballads, nine in total, and was recorded at Portland, Oregon’s Mississippi Studio. Producer Bronson Tew (Dom Flemons, Jimbo Mathus, Jerry Joseph) ensures that Arman’s vocals are always out front and enriched by some fine playing that never distracts from her storytelling.

Spirits, Angels, Or Lies tells of her father’s passing and while on his deathbed, his hallucination of a visit from Johnny Cash. It’s a striking opener to the album, with vocals that perfectly convey the message within the song. Equally evocative and vivid is Barbed Wire, which paints a picture of the often-lonesome existence of the ranch hand. That lifestyle is also echoed in the contemplative Herding Song and the heartbreak of a failed relationship is recounted on Half A Heart Keychain. She ramps it up a few notches on Too Late To Write A Love Song before bookending the album with only vocal and acoustic guitar on the soul-searching Problems Of My Own. Also featured is a cover of Kris Kristofferson’s Help Me Through The Night which, although in keeping with the thread of the album, lacks the punch and impact of the self-written material.

An artist new to me, Arman’s songs succeed with flying colours in lifting the veil on personal and often difficult issues close to her heart. They also reveal her commitment to the agrarian lifestyle, without attempting to glamorise it in any way.  An extremely impressive debut recording from an artist that I’ll be following closely going forward.

Review by Declan Culliton

Kevin Daniel Been Here Before Self Release

This is a break up album that dwells upon the hurt and the pain that stays after two lovers have separated. It certainly seems to be based in personal experience and all twelve tracks revolve around this central theme of trying to move on but still being haunted by the memories of both pleasure and pain. Kevin Daniel sings with a bluesy vocal tone that adds real authenticity to these songs of love and loss. It’s roots-based Americana with blues-tinged ballads and steamy rockers, sitting alongside a few numbers that reflect a Country leaning. 

Two separate studios were used during the recording process with Jonathon Clayton (guitar), Steve Olonsky (keyboards), Keith Harry (bass) and Logan Jayne (drums) playing on six tracks, recorded at Echo Mountain Studios in Asheville, North Carolina. Separately, Jon Ledeau (guitar), Billy Pearson (bass), Renee Hikari (drums) and Brian Mitchell (keyboards) appear on four songs, recorded in Brooklyn, NYC. 

Both ensembles play really well together and there is no sense of separation from the overall soulful feel of the album... Daniel produced the entire project, with some help on individual songs and there are contributions from other guests who either sing or play on various tracks. The vocal talents of Ashlee Joy Hardee, Margo Valientie and Sean Walsh appear, either on co-vocals or harmony and they enrich the sound with their talents.

The first two tracks jump out in real style, with Single In the Centre showing the bluesy side to Daniel as he laments his cheating lover and Don’t See the Light bringing a more rock-based attack with some nice keyboard and guitar breaks. The soulful element to Daniel’s vocals highlights the pain in knowing that your lover is gone. Lovemares is a vocal interlude of less than one minute, with the acapella voices sharing the frustration and fear of not being able to sleep with memories flooding every waking moment in the dark. Later on, there is a further song, Lovemares Part II, which arrives as a fully-fledged country song with Daniel feeling still haunted by the separation and not sleeping. The terrific pedal steel playing of Neal Rosenthall is a real highlight. Horizons is another country song with Daniel again feeling lost and lonely, ‘Life Is change and change is suffering, Spreading love is the only way to grow.’ Margo Valiente on harmony vocals, with Erica Mancini on accordion colouring the arrangement.

One Hand On the Bible is a rocky number that examines the dichotomy between wanting to live a good life and slipping into bad habits again. Guitar and keyboards lift the arrangement and Ashlee Joy Hardee joins Daniel on vocals to turn in a stellar performance. Sorrow Laden Song is similar with and easy blues groove and the warm keyboard sounds reflecting the difficulty that Daniel is having in moving on. Similarly, the final song, Dial Up Pain, is a bluesy tune that still sees the ache in separation and the bitterness at the cost and price of love. 

Build It All is a folk song that Daniel delivers on acoustic guitar and vocals. It questions whether doing thing differently, with hindsight, would have made any difference. ‘Ain’t nothing in this world you cannot leave or lose, A life worth livings means a broken heart, Build it all to watch it fall apart.’

Me, No Myself and I, is a song that delivers an easy groove to both regret and sad memories while also looking at the good and bad sides of love. ‘Two people can never know each other till one is gone.’ A sentiment that is hard to agree with perhaps; or maybe it hides an unwanted truth? Daniel is heading back to North Carolina with a heavy heart. 

It is a fine album in many ways. The playing and the production are excellent even if the subject matter doesn’t really change across the twelve tracks. After all, there is only so much heartache that a guy can take…! 

Review by Paul McGee

Tekla Waterfield & Jeff Fielder Trouble In Time Self Release

Seattle based singer songwriter, Tekla Waterfield, has released this superbly crafted album of nine songs and the talent on display is very impressive indeed. The sound is very stripped back with plenty of space in the recording, which allows the music to linger and land gently on the senses.

Her husband, Jeff Fielder, produced the album and his multi-instrumentalist skills are very much to the fore. He has played with a number of renowned artists, including Mark Lanegan, Amy Ray and the Indigo Girls. Tekla plays guitar and sings lead vocals in a sweetly sensitive style with Jeff adding guitars, drums, bass and backing vocals on these understated and warm arrangements. The melodies are grounded by the subtle playing of Keith Lowe on five tracks, with upright bass and bowed bass setting the groove. The easy flow of Trouble In Time is a perfect example of the soulful delivery that Tekla delivers and the layered harmonies are quite superb. Equally, the gentle Better Days has a restrained tempo that gives room for the creative playing of Jeff to take flight around the melody.

No Justice, No Peace is a song that speaks against the inequality that society imposes on those of us who are born into a different skin or a separate ethnic group. Let There Be opens the album with a message of hope  and a prayer sent out for future generations to make good all of the mistakes made by their forebearers. Again, some very creative guitar parts from Jeff and multi-tracked vocals to bring a sense of calm. Through the Falls has a slow, bluesy feel to the rhythm and the whispered vocals of Tekla are both intimate and wistful in the delivery.

In addition to creating her own music, Tekla also runs an entertainment and media public relations business that helps fellow artists connect with a wider audience. Her company is called, For The Story Press, and I can only wish her success in her endeavours to bring quality music out into the light.

Tekla has two previous albums, THIS NIGHTLIFE IS WEARING ON ME (2015) and THE CURTAIN FALLS (2018). I look forward to discovering both of these and I recommend that you also take a dive into this entertaining and enriching music.

Review by Paul McGee

New Album Reviews

Charley Crockett Music City USA Son of Davy/Thirty Tigers

“They better watch out in country music because I'm just getting started, brother.”

These were the defiant parting words from Charley Crockett when we interviewed him in 2020 at the height of the pandemic and after the release of his excellent album WELCOME TO HARD TIMES. That album, written in 2019 and pre-pandemic, reflected a period of serious personal challenges for Crockett, culminating in life-threatening open-heart surgery from which he has thankfully fully recovered.

True to his word, he has cemented his reputation as one of the most prolific writers in the country music genre. MUSIC CITY USA is Charley Crockett’s second release of 2021, having earlier this year released CHARLEY CROCKETT SINGS JAMES HAND, which was a tribute to the much-loved country singer who passed away in 2020. His latest release is a double album, gifting the listener with sixteen tracks that branch off from traditional country to bluesy infused honky tonkers and horn backed country soul.

The nomadic songsmith describes his take on country music as ‘Gulf and Western’, which precisely outlines his talent to trigger the sound of country music from bygone eras while also sounding contemporary and original. His back story could be a movie script, having survived homelessness, open heart surgery, run-ins with the law and record label rejection.  Twenty years into a musical career that kicked off as a seventeen-year-old busker, Crockett has built his career as an independent artist, dealing with the cut throat industry on his own terms rather than at the behest of a record label suit. MUSIC CITY USA took less than eight weeks to write and record and the songs offer personal reflections on relationships, both of the heart and with his chosen line of work.

Soulful horn drenched songs such as I Need Your Love, This Foolish Game and I Won’t’ Cry sit comfortably alongside some classic country tracks. ‘’ I shouldn’t have come here in the first place, the folk in here don’t like my kind’, he recalls on the title track and later tells of being locked up in Nashville on the track Muddy Waters. Both are standout tracks, delivered in his distinctive semi spoken drawl, which combine pain and confusion in equal measures.  Surviving and moving on come to pass on Just So You Know and the Buddy Holly sounding Lies And Regret offers an upbeat tempo beside some down beat lyrics. The World Just Broke My Heart reflects the current state of uncertainty at large. He signs off with Skip A Rope, which was recorded back in 1967 by a like minded country artist, Henson Cargill.

The album title may point in the direction of Nashville but Crockett explains that it refers to ‘’any street corner where I put the damn guitar case down to make money’’. It’s also a statement of survival and worldliness in an unrewarding industry and due reward for an independent artist that continues to grow in stature. Talent alone is no guarantee of survival in the current crowded marketplace, though Crockett has endless amounts of that. However, coupled with hard graft, awareness of his market and a constant flow of new material, he continues to be a major player in the underground country music scene. A highly recommended album and by the sound of things we’ll be hearing more from him in the not too distant future, as he reckons he has already written the material for two more albums.

Review by Declan Culliton

Sierra Ferrell Long Time Coming Rounder

Having spent a number of years as a travelling musician, busking, playing at street corners and honky tonks and just about anywhere that she could, small town West Virginian Sierra Ferrell settled in New Orleans for a while prior to relocating to Nashville. Tapping into the bohemian musical community in East Nashville, she soon found herself on stage at the legendary Honky Tonk Tuesday Nights at American Legion 82. Those performances brought her to the attention of Rounder Records, who wasted no time in signing her to the label on the strength of her dynamic live shows.

Describing herself as having ‘a country heart but a jazz mind’, LONG TIME COMING, her debut release on the Rounder label, is a treasure chest of traditional country, western swing, bluegrass, crossover jazzy roots and border influenced songs. Apparently, Sturgill Simpson was so impressed by her live shows that he offered to produce this album. Instead, Rounder Records hired Stu Hibberd and ten-time Grammy winner Gary Paczosa to co-produce the album. They also surrounded her with a host of top players for the recordings at Southern Ground and Minutia studios in Nashville. Jerry Douglas, Tim O’Brien, Chris Scruggs, Sarah Jarosz, Billy Strings and Dennis Crouch all feature and their combined talents behind Ferrell’s dazzling vocals shine brightly on the twelve tracks.

Those twelve tracks shift seamlessly between musical modes and genres. Jazzy and New Orleans’ influenced offerings The Sea, Why’d Ya Do It and At The End Of The Rainbow nestle comfortably alongside old timey gems Jeremiah, Bells Of Every Chapel and West Virginia Waltz. She’s equally at home belting out honky tonkers such as In Dreams and Far Away Across The Sea is Tex-Mex at its finest.

 The album title literally describes the arrival of an artist whose reputation as a vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter has been expanding over the past number of years. This current chapter in her musical voyage is one of ‘being in the right place at the right time’ to merit the attention of one of the premier record labels supporting roots artists. It’s also most likely the launching pad for one of the leading lights amongst the newcomers to the Americana orbit and one that we will be hearing lots more from in the coming years.

Review by Declan Culliton

Jason Eady The Passage Of Time Self Release

My initial introduction to Texas based singer songwriter Jason Eady was his superb 2012 album AM COUNTRY HEAVEN.  It made an instant impact which sent me checking out his back catalogue and tracking down his three previous releases. THE PASSAGE OF TIME is his eighth full length album and like its predecessors it’s packed with thought provoking and carefully measured songs. Over half of these songs were composed over a three-day period at the height of the pandemic in August 2020. The prevailing circumstances and uncertainty at that time stirred his thought process to the extent that he literally locked himself in his bedroom for three days and wrote.

Reflections on both the past and present emerge on Nothing On You and French Summer Sun. The former is the album’s opening track and reads like an ode to a loved one, possibly his wife Courtney Patton, who is also a singer songwriter who contributes backing vocals on the album and also gets a co-write credit on the track Saturday Night.  French Summer Sun tells the powerful tale of Eady visiting the beach where his grandfather fought in and survived The Battle of Anzio in Italy during World War II. The spoken verses in the song draw the listener’s attention instantly as Eady reflects on how his grandfather’s survival ultimately led to his own inception. Less solemn is the aforementioned and possibly somewhat autobiographical Saturday Night, where the writer recalls early career gigs in empty rooms. Back To Normal considers the eventual return to times post pandemic, (‘What do we do when we get back to normal, and we find we’re somewhere we ain’t ever been’). Words regrettably not expressed in former times are considered on My Best Friend before the album closes with the title track which contemplates the aging process in confessional terms.

The album was recorded at The Finishing School in Austin where Eady surrounded himself with tried and trusted musicians with whom he had previously worked. Noah Jeffries plays fiddle, Geoff Queen is on pedal steel and dobro, Mark Williams plays bass, and drums are by Brian Ferguson. Backing vocals are courtesy of Courtney Patton and Jamie Lin Wilson. The production is credited to Gordy Quist of Band Of Heathens fame, who draws the best out of every player without ever competing with Eady’s introspective vocal deliveries. 

In a similar vein to songsmiths such as Guy Clark, Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard, all of whom were hugely influential in his career, Eady possesses an acute attention to detail and a worldliness in his writing. Those attributes shine brightly on this wonderful batch of songs from a dedicated flame carrier for the classic singer songwriter genre.

Review by Declan Culliton

Dori Freeman Ten Thousand Roses Blue Hens Music

Twenty seconds into the first track Get You Off My Mind and before Dori Freeman’s vocals kicks in, you could be forgiven for checking the album sleeve to establish that you’re actually listening to the fourth album from the small town of Galax, Virginia native. The grungy intro to that track signposts a somewhat more experimental musical direction from her previous recordings.

The musical orientation may be a contrast from her previous albums but her instantly recognisable alto vocalising remains out front. Equally striking are her carefully considered lyrics which combine pain, confusion and empathy in equal measures. The songs on this album consider a range of topics including female emancipation, self-examination and her rural surroundings.

Having previously engaged Teddy Thompson to work the studio controls, she looked closer to home on this occasion. Husband Nicholas Falk undertook the production on the album, together with adding percussion. The husband-and-wife team were joined by a host of cracking players which included Eli Wildman on guitar and mandolin, Victor Furtado on banjo, Sam Fribush on piano and keys, Eric Robertson on guitar and bass and Aaron Lipp, who also played bass and banjo.

The ten tracks that make up the album were composed during the pandemic and unlike many of her peers, who recorded skeletal albums during lockdown, Dori gathered this team of skilled players and recorded the album live in the studio. The only remote addition was Logan Ledger’s vocals on the classic heart melting country duet Walk Away.

The Storm, which addresses unfaithfulness in a relationship, presents a lavish sound, cleverly layered vocals and a rousing chorus. Dori is very much an independent spirit and defiant in the face of any challenge. I had the great pleasure of witnessing her silencing a rudely talkative crowd when she played before Rodney Crowell in Nashville, by launching a capella into Ain’t Nobody from her debut album. She spotlights this feistiness on the sprightly I Am, reminding us in the opening lines, ‘I ain’t a good girl though everybody thinks I am, I got a mind as dirty as the bottom of a coffee can’. Equally autobiographical is the simply gorgeous Appalachian, where she sings proudly and sublimely of her heritage. The full on I Wanted To is as grungy and seedy as she’s ever recorded and she’s also calling the shots on the jaunty title track. Sounding like a companion giving sage advice to a close friend, she hits high notes well above most singers’ ranges on Nobody Nothing.

Songs that snap, crackle and pop, TEN THOUSAND ROSES is another triumph from an artist that is Americana with a capital ‘A’, both in her musical output and everyday lifestyle. The third generation in a musical family, Dori’s dad, Scott Freeman, and grandfather, Willard Gayheart, are also both musicians.  The album is born out of a small-town rural environment rather than at the behest of a record label. Likewise, it’s one that marks another exciting chapter in the musical output of a classic vocalist and distinctive artist who continues to make music on her own terms. It’s also one of the best I’ve heard this year.

Review by Declan Culliton

JR Harbridge Long Black River Mob Acoustic

This singer songwriter releases his second album and it is a very enjoyable package of ten songs, perfect for anyone who enjoys Americana based rhythm and groove. Harbridge is based in England but his sound is very much steeped in the influences of American Country Rock with radio friendly melodies and engaging arrangements. 

There is a great sense of easy confidence and freedom in the playing with the core players, Pete Larkin (organ, piano, Wurlitzer, mellotron) and Mark Bates (drums) supporting Harbridge (acoustic and electric guitars, bass, harmonica, percussion) across songs. The tracks focus mainly on relationship issues and letting our experiences change us with the times. A number of guest players add to individual tracks, with Thomas Mapes (bass on three songs) and both Nick Clarke and Paul Scott Connop each contributing electric guitar to individual tracks.

All songs are written by Harbridge, with one co-write, with the confident vocal style bringing a sweet tone to the arrangements. These are all very listenable songs, structured with melody and punch. The organ sound of Larkin elevates a number of the arrangements, along with the guitar work and songs like Wrong Side Of the Fight and Break the Spell look inward and seek to bring change and turn-around situations that are in need to redress. 

Love songs, like Sunshine Not Rain and When the Sun Doesn’t Shine, show understanding and commitment while the slow groove to Open the Door and We don’t Talk About It bring a different dynamic to the album. We Don’t Like It is a protest song and a call to effect change, while Side By Side carries a similar message about community, fighting for ideals and spreading the message that love conquers all. 

The title track has the band playing a slow burning Blues against a backdrop of fearing a lonely death and has some great guitar riffs. You Saved Me Twice references a loved one who has passed on but still leaves a strong influence and memory. The backing vocals on Side By Side are provided by the Facebook/Instagram friends of Harbridge and quite an interesting departure. Quite how he captured their collective voices is something of a mystery. It sums up the album in many ways, with a sense of inclusion, a strong band collaboration and some very enjoyable music along the way.  

Review by Paul McGee

The Allman Brothers Band Down In Texas ’71/Live At Great Woods 1991 Self-Release

One of the great pleasures in reviewing music for Lonesome Highway is when a package arrives with unexpected treats from one of your favourite bands. It was a happy week when I opened a package that contained two separate live concerts from the legendary Allman Brothers, a band that were formed in Florida back in 1969. Their sound incorporated elements of different musical genres and the merging of Blues, Country, Jazz and Rock has made them untouchable among their peers over many years. The band went through many personnel changes over the five decades that they reigned, but never dropped the high standards or the quality of the musicianship.

Last year, I reviewed their famous live concert from 2005 at the Warner Theatre, PA and it had long been considered by the band themselves as ‘one that got away.’ Luckily, most of their concerts have been recorded, if not always by the band themselves, and a superb document of the show was released in 2020. 

I have to admit that the Down In Texas ’71 CD that I now received is a strong statement of their prowess, although much shorter at only half the length (still, sixty minutes of prime playing), plus there is a thirteen-minute interview with a very bored sounding Duane Allman and Berry Oakley that is archival gold! 

The original band are all here, barely two years after they formed, with Duane and Greg Allman joined by Dickey Betts, Berry Oakley, Jaimoe, Butch Trucks and a special guest appearance by Juicy Carter on saxophone for six of the nine tracks that are included. There are killer versions of Statesboro Blues (Blind Willie McTell) and Stormy Monday (T Bone Walker), plus an incomplete rendition of In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed. The track, Hot ‘Lanta, gives the band creative licence to stretch out and the gloves really come off on the fifteen minute, You Don’t Love Me (Willie Cobbs).

The second live recording I received was on DVD (remember those?) and I was so pleased to have further proof of the bands’ continued quality, all of twenty years later, when they played this gig at the Great Woods Centre in Massachusetts. It captures ninety minutes of the 1991 concert and includes the aforementioned Statesboro Blues and an incredible version of In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed. So glad that this was reissued as it still has original band members, Greg Allman, Dickey Betts, Butch Trucks and Jaimoe, who were joined by the superb Warren Haynes on guitar and vocals, Allen Woody on bass and Marc Quiñones on congas and percussion. There are lengthy versions of Jessica and Whipping Post, together with Midnight Rider and End Of the Line. 

One of the joys in listening to a jam band is that the tracks are nearly always played differently, with interpretations and flights into the unknown, freely allowed by the players on any given night. There is a mini acoustic also in the set and the DVD has uninterrupted concert footage, with all the band interviews that appeared on the original VHS version removed. A cover version of Hoochie Coochie Man (Willie Dixon) is also included and the overall sound quality is top drawer, with the energy of the night, in front of twenty thousand fans, perfectly captured. An exciting duo of live releases from a band who never get old, despite the years that pass.

Review by Paul McGee

Will Graefe Marine Life 11A

The band, Okkervil River, has been described as falling into either folk rock or alternative country. Take your pick when it comes to defining music that is often beyond genre and having its own unique sound. Will Graefe plays guitar in Okkervil River, in addition to collaborating with many other artists across a variety of different projects. Safe to say that he knows his way around the highs and lows of being a professional musician. Equally, when it comes to the world of relationships, things can be as tricky as trying to collaborate on a new album where you hope for both inspiration and real commitment.

This new solo release from Will Graefe succeeds superbly well in the lush production and the lovely melodies that drift along in a wash of sonorous, dreamlike Folktronica. The ten tracks chart the sad decline in a personal relationship that Graefe experienced in the lead up to Covid lockdown in early 2020. The way in which he decided to deal with the hurt and pain of losing a lover, was to pour his energies into creating the songs that appear here. The music is beautifully delivered and belies the message in the lyrics of trying to find a way through all the recrimination and the upset caused.

Will Graefe brings his A-game to the studio and in addition to producing the album, stars on vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, bass, piano, keyboards, programming and MIDI. Benjamin Lazar Davis joins him on keyboards, pump organ, samples and additional production.

There are key contributions from Katie Von Schleicher (vocals on three tracks), Shahzad Ismailly (Moog synth), Ricardo Dias Gomes (keyboards, synth), Jason Burger, Jeremy Gustin and Marshall Vore (drums), Adam Brisbin (bass, Nashville guitar), Ryan Dugre (tenor guitar), Aaron Kruziki (woodwinds) and Dan Lead (pedal steel). It all blends and flows so seamlessly that you simply fall under the spell of the collaboration as a whole.

The gentle vocal tone of Graefe is often multi-tracked and layered to great effect and tracks like Almost Morning, All the Ways, Green and Gold establish the high quality of sonically rich sound as they look at both failing to connect and walking away from the relationship; how it felt wrong from the start, with a lack of honesty and yet, still not sure what happened, in the autumn of their feelings.

Dead Reckoner and Coral Court Hotel look at how one can lose their way and any sense of ballast to keep things on an even keel. Moving on is painful, the hurt remains and letting go of blame takes time. There are two instrumental tracks, Bathing Griever and Neowise Griever, the former using pedal steel to great effect and giving the sense of love washing away with the running water at the close; the latter a more acoustic, reflective sense of memory. Run Away and Honey Boy are songs that further deepen the fear that we are in self-denial, shutting down emotions and not wanting to accept that we can never really know someone fully. We are all actors who like to hide.

The final song, Run To You, still harbours some hope for common ground and the sense that the next steps on the journey are still halting and uncertain. This is an album that bears rich rewards and wraps the listener in a world where both the pleasure and pain of being human are intertwined.

Review by Paul McGee

The Odd Birds Better Days Self-Release

This is a six-track release from a musical duo who have been gigging in the state of California for the last ten years. Playing live is the best way to hone your skills and to get those harmony vocals watertight. That is just what we are given on this debut EP, nicely played and performed songs that leave a positive impression.

Ron Grigsby plays a range of guitars, both acoustic and electric, bass, piano and harmonica. His music partner, Jennifer Moraca, joins on vocals and plays acoustic guitar. Her vocal is very powerful, with a warm tone, most evident on a fine cover version of Willin’ (Lowell George). Grigsby takes co-vocals on their self-penned songs, Better Get Outta Town, Jenny-Lynn (won’t you come home) and Fly. The harmonies are very pleasant and lead the song melodies with an easy style. 

The relaxed arrangements are evidence that this duo can continue to move forward and build upon their reputation. Jennifer takes the lead on the memorable Better Days and again lifts the song with her vocal prowess. The final track is a cover of the classic, Return Of the Grievous Angel (Gram Parsons/Tom Browne) with Grigsby leading the vocal and Moraca harmonising to great effect. They are joined by Bobbo Byrnes, who adds bass, lead guitar and organ on two tracks, and Matt Froehlich who contributes on drums and percussion. All songs were written by Grigsby/Moraca, apart from the two covers and production was handled in fine style by Bobbo Byrnes.    

Review by Paul McGee

Anthony Wilkerson Silver Self-Release

In June 2020, this artist released a seven-song EP, I Should Feel Heartache. It was an appropriate title for the times and song titles like The Last Trip and The Hand You’re Dealt reflected the mood of Covid lockdown. 

Earlier this year, Wilkerson returned with a four-track EP, Silver, with all the essential tasks handled by himself; from the song-writing to the recording, mixing & mastering. He also played all the instruments, with the exception of one track, on which Elza Goodlow guested on guitar. 

Wilkerson sings with an expressive vocal style and these four songs focus on the travails of love and the wrestle with heartache. What A Mess kicks off the trouble of having lost at the saloon of love and The Sorrow I Had, follows, with the blues getting bigger and his thirst matching the pain. 

Magic Woman looks for respite in the potions of a mysterious lady who lives in the woods and can cure all heartache. No doubt it worked, as the final song, Dollar, has the hero with a good woman who deserves the best and the couple now leaving the drudgery of working for a dime and heading out for hills, breaking the chains and living free.   

It’s a short visit with a musician who has plenty more to offer. Perhaps last year’s EP would have made a nice addition to the four tracks here and a full album to represent the talent on show.

Review by Paul McGee

New Album Reviews

HANK & ELLA with the Fine Country Band Good At Being Lonely Self Release

Infused with Californian optimism and sunny vibes, the second album from this Santa Cruz country band had me drawn in from the very first play. Subsequent listens have confirmed it to be a wonderful slice of country and honky tonk, comprised of thirteen original welcome ‘ear worms’ from the pen of Henry ‘Hank’ Warde. The Good Old Days Are Now sums up the philosophy of Hank and co - citing Willie, Hank W and George Jones, they exhort us to live in the moment and to make the most of the hand one has been dealt in life. That optimism informs all the songs here, whether they be the typical country themes of loneliness and heartbreak or the celebrations of true love.

The four core band members of Hank (acoustic guitar and lead vocals), his wife Ella (fiddle and harmonies), Meghan Leslie (bass and harmonies) and her partner, Poncho Lefty (electric guitar) came together a decade ago as bluegrass players, and that influence is still evident in the overall sound. However, they mainly pay homage to the Bakersfield and Nashville sounds of vintage country music. That sound is rounded out here by the fine contributions of pedal steel player Uncle Dave Magram and Marty Carpenter on drums.

Opening track Down By The Waterline is an extremely catchy song of wistful optimism, with Hank’s vocal wrapped in a blanket of fiddle, electric guitar, and pedal steel, yet never smothered by them. The project was recorded in the Wardes’ home studio and the sparkling production is down to bassist Meghan Leslie and Vince Sanchez. I particularly like the way that the fiddle is given equal prominence as the guitars, something that’s unusual in current country music but it really works here. The production is uncluttered, with room for all the individual instruments to shine. 

Only Lucky When It Rains gives thanks to rainy weather for a rare chance to stay in with one’s love - clearly written by a Californian rather than an Irishman! Elsewhere though the themes are universal: Who Needs Eyes, Riding On Easy and River Of Love (with a Texas Swing feel) explore the intensity of love; while Double Vision and No Happy Hour detail the aftermath of a broken heart. Another memorable song, given a country rock treatment here, Time Is Slipping Away From Me very accurately portrays how one perceives time differently with age. 

Check out all the above and even more on this highly recommended record and, while you’re at it, their debut album is equally worth investing in.

Review by Eilís Boland 

Elijah Ocean Born Blue Self Release

One quick listen to this album and you will know which flag that Ocean sails under. It is a solid immersion in the classic stylings of honky-tonk, with all the necessary themes. It follows on from a number of previous albums which have increasingly moved towards this release.  Ocean handles the production duties as well as composing all the songs that have touches of Bakersfield and beyond in the references to the music that emerged from the west cost over time, from the 60s to the early 90s. Indeed when you see the name of top session guitarist Brent Mason and Dwight Yoakam’s keyboard/guitar player Brian Whelan in the credits, the pointers are there. However these guests only appear on a couple of tracks and the remaining songs feature a well-honed team of other players who get things just right. Whelan was originally signed up to produce the whole album, but Ocean was not totally in sync with the results and decided to take over the helm himself. Given the results, that seems to have paid off.

There are twelve fine songs included here, performed with an honest passion and integrity. He’s not reinventing the wheel, instead concentrating on honing his music from the, reportedly, more Americana stance of his earlier work to something that will leave you in no doubt where his heart lies, at this point in his career. The subject matter of these songs is equally timeless, with love, disconsolation, cheating, break-up and divorce at the (broken) heart of each track. The titles give a clue as to which song relates to which emotion: from Livin’ To Love You, The Long Haul through to Honky Tonk Hole, The Ice Machine, The Writing On The Wall and Let’s Call It A Night.

All of these songs are testament to a writer who has learned well through his previous musical and life experiences and carefully honed his words and melodies to a consistency that is the mark of a maturing artist, happy to evolve his music without trying to court radio. It should come naturally and undoubtedly these songs would be well received if they did get wider exposure. Those Telecaster licks, smooth steel, fiddle and accordion all deliver embellishments that draw you into the songs and add a sense of timelessness, as well as referencing a specific period of real country music. This is an album that not only has that emotional empathy that country music should have, but also points you to the dance floor or, at least, some solid toe-tapping moments. 

Elijah Ocean joins the ranks of those men and women who are making unashamed country music, on their own terms, for a discerning audience that is growing month by month, and long may that continue to be the case. Some will change and evolve and move beyond the boundaries of what’s considered to be country music (in a traditional sense) but there seems to be a new wave of artists ready to step up to the microphone. Watch, listen and enjoy.

Review by Stephen Rapid

Matthew Austin Hunt 11 Edgewater

Given the title, it’s easy to see that this is the impressive second solo album from Texas-based singer/songwriter Matthew Austin Hunt. However the title 11 is as much about the duality that exists within most people, as it is also, conveniently, his first release since his self titled debut. Normally a member of the Fighting Texas Aggie Band in his native Texas, Hunt has been around the music business for some time. It is something that has run through his family, going back to receiving his first guitar from his grandfather, and being influenced by the record collections and musical loves of both his grandfather and father. In terms of his developing writing skills, he acknowledges the likes of Robert Earl Keen through to Jackson Browne as influences. That equates to a country influenced sound that looks beyond the honky-tonks to a broader contemporary roots rock process similar in outlook, if not always in sound, to the likes of Jason Isbell and Sturgill Simpson.

The song that opens the album is Free. Here, Hunt takes on a persona to deliver the song about personal freedom, or lack of it, considering the different aspects of what it is to be free and how that might be seen. In the realisation of this viewpoint and thinking, Things I Find has effective pedal steel and guitar and follows on from the opening song’s concept of perceiving things from different angles while still looking forward, to finding more about his life and the lives of those he meets. Each of these songs expands, in one way or another, from the character whose overall perspective these lyrics elucidate. This process is always tempered by Hunt’s own experiences and journey through life to date. Going Home deals with the good feeling that is associated with returning to that place of happier memories and extended family. By way of contrast Drink You Off My Mind is a more singular emotion, a bar-room bemoaning about drinking to forget an unsuccessful romantic encounter - something that is not an uncommon theme in roots and country songs. The accordion of Healin’ Time adds a welcome variation to overall sound, with its border atmosphere and celebration of tequila and temptation.

Overall there is plenty to like about this album which sits at a well though out place that has folk, country and more uptempo roots rockin’ sensibilities, all adeptly handled by Hunt, both vocally and musically. The production by Derek Hames, who is also a multi-instrument contributor the album alongside Will Van Horn’s steel guitar, Ellen Story on fiddle and mandolin, John Shelton’s guitars, Roberto Rodriguez 111’s accordion and a solid rhythm section. All of these players add much to the songs and doubtless enjoyed the process that built upon Hunt’s song writing and lead vocals. This second album of original material has shown him to be a name to add to the list of promising and purposeful performers from Texas and beyond, who continue in the tradition of those artists who inspired them. The future then is free.

Review by Stephen Rapid

Son Volt Electro Melodier Transmit Sound/Thirty Tigers

The cancellation of a tour which was to mark 25 years since the release of their seminal debut album TRACE offered Jay Farrar the time and thought process for ELECTRO MELODIER, Son Volt’s tenth studio album. Jay Farrar may be the only original member of the band formed in 1994 following the acrimonious break up of Uncle Tupelo, but their core sound remains the same, fronted by Farrar distinctive and stellar vocals.

The current line up alongside Farrar features Mark Spencer (piano, organ, acoustic slide, lap steel, backing vocals), Andrew DuPlantis (bass, backing vocals), Chris Frame (guitar) and Mark Patterson (drums, percussion). Whereas Jeff Tweedy, his partner in crime in Uncle Tupelo, went down a somewhat indie rock route with Wilco, Farrar has remained closer to the alt-country sound of the ground breaking Uncle Tupelo.

ELECTRIC MELODIER’S title is taken from the names of two vintage amplifiers dating back to the 1950’s and follows the politically charged UNION, which was released in 2019. That album was fiercely critical of the Trump administration and although the latest album touches on broader issues, tracks such as the bruising Living In The U.S.A and the stripped back bluesy War On Misery, reiterate Farrar’s exasperation with social issues close to home and further afield. (“I wanted politics to take a back seat this time, but it always seems to find a way back in there.” admits Farrar). Similarly, The Globe is a call to arms for a universal fight for equality.

Elsewhere Laura Cantrell adds her sweet vocals behind Farrar’s drawling delivery on the standout Diamonds and Cigarettes and it’s business as usual with the trademark driving Son Volt sound surfacing on Someday Is Now and Reverie. Further highlights emerge on the optimistic and broodily melodic Arkey Blue. ‘’It’s alright the worst will soon be over, let the rhythm rise’’ announces Farrar in the song, stretching each syllable to its limit to make his point.

This latest album finds Farrar and his band at the top of their game. Songs of unease and indeed unrest never sounded better on an album that packs an equally hefty punch to that of their classic AMERICAN CENTRAL DUST from 2009.

Review by Declan Culliton

Choctaw Ridge New Fables Of The American South 1968–1973 Ace Records

When Bobby Gentry sang of that ‘third of June, sleepy, dusty Delta day’ in her 1967 single Ode To Billie Joe, she could hardly have imagined the impact that song, with its deep, dark and unsettling overtones, would have. 

The country music lords in Nashville may have been initially dismissive of murky tales and shady characters from Tallahatchie Bridge, but this southern noir classic opened doors for a host of songwriters and singers, both male and female, and mainly from the southern States.  That song from Gentry only entered the Billboard country charts after it had topped the pop charts and by doing so compelled the conservative music industry movers and shakers in Nashville to sit up and take notice.  From it emerged a succession of classic songs, more often than not penned by songwriters that composed rather than performed. There was no shortage of singers to record the songs and many who charted them became household names as a result of that purple patch from 1968 – 1973.

Lee Hazlewood, Jerry Reed, Charlie Rich, Waylon Jennings, Kenny Rogers, Glen Campbell, Billie Jo Spears, all of whom became hugely successful country artists, grasped the songs presented to them with open arms and made them their own. Others such as Dolly Parton, Tom T Hall and Tony Joe White, composed their own similarly themed songs and also cemented eminently decorated careers. Somewhat lesser celebrated singer songwriters who blossomed during this era included Jeannie C Riley, Hoyt Axton, Nat Stuckey, Rob Galbraith, Ed Bruce and John Hartford. Michael Nesmith, becoming increasingly frustrated by the manufactured image imposed on him in the hugely successful cartoon pop band The Monkees, extracted himself from that band to pursue his preferred musical direction with the country rock outfit First National Band. 

Ace Records pay homage to these singers and songwriters on this excellent compilation album which celebrates the golden era of progressive pop country from the late 60’s to early 70’s, prior to the arrival of what became known as outlaw country. It’s also a reminder, if needed, of some of the outstanding writing and performances that followed that original Bobby Gentry four Grammy winning record. The twenty-four tracks on offer read like a series of Tennessee Williams’ short stories, often as dark as the deep waters of the Tallahatchie river and seldom presenting happy endings.

Tom T Hall sings of a miserable existence in an orphanage on Strawberry Farms and both eternal and young love, infidelity and domestic abuse feature on Four Shades Of Love, courtesy of Henson Cargill. The House Song, by Lee Hazlewood, details a tragic family break up and heartache emerges once more when Hazlewood is joined by Suzi Jane Hokom on the duet Alone. The taboo subject, at that time, of pregnancy outside wedlock, is tackled by Dolly Parton on the self-write Down From Dover and a Korean War veteran, returning from battle and scarred physically and emotionally, fills the lines of the Mel Tillis written classic Ruby Don’t Take Your Love To Town, performed by Kenny Rogers & The First Edition. These songs referenced are simply a snapshot from an album of perfectly tailored songs, both topical and unflinchingly honest.  It’s a ‘must buy’ for any discerning lover of country or indeed Americana music, but be warned, it’s also likely to empty your wallet as you get drawn into the shady world of southern noir and seek out other recordings by many of the artists featured.

Hats off to Ace Records for this enthralling musical journey. Let’s hope there are further volumes in the pipeline, rewarding a new generation of listeners with some ageless and classic songs that fully deserve to be rediscovered.

Review by Declan Culliton

Mikaela Finne Time Stands Still Self Release

 Dubbed ‘The Outlaw Queen of Finland’, Mikaela Finne is another name to add to the growing list of artists in the mushrooming Nordicana genre. Born and reared in Finland, where her music of choice was heavy metal in her younger years, she currently resides in Stockholm, Sweden, where her latest album was recorded. Her crossover to country and roots music was fuelled by her father’s passion for all things Dolly and Creedence.

 Producer and session drummer Brady Blade has worked with a host of household names in country and roots music including Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle, Buddy and Julie Miller and Patty Griffin. Given that Blade also lives in Stockholm, he was an obvious choice to get on board for the production duties and they recorded the album over a week in the studio during November 2020. Joined by a host of local session players, they also called on the services of the decorated pedal steel player Al Perkins to add his magic to the recording.

 The combination of Finne’s nasally twang and the support of those players has resulted in a suite of songs with a very raw and live feel. An ode to the collection of female artists recording what they want, rather than what the market might demand, she puts her cards on the table on both Outlaw Women and the swinging opener What If. As you might expect she also includes a few lovin’ and leavin’ numbers. The textbook country ballad We Both Wanted Forever (But Got For Now) is simply vocals and acoustic guitar, only embellished with bass and drums as the story reaches its conclusion. She’s moving on from a relationship that has lost steam in the catchy You Put Your Fire Out and her classic vibrato voice is put to good use on the melancholy title track. The latter is a highlight on an album that delivers melodious country flavours on some perfectly tailored songs. 

Review by Declan Culliton

Steve Dawson At The Bottom Of A Canyon In The Branches Of A Tree Pravda

The soulful vocals of Steve Dawson formed a lasting impression on the music aficionados of the Chicago alternative scene in the early 1990s. His band, Dolly Varden, included his wife, the very talented Diane Christiansen, and they released six albums up to 2013. Since then, Dawson has released a few solo albums, collaborated on other projects and produced a variety of albums from his home studio, Kernel Sound Emporium, in Chicago. 

This new album is another solo offering and it was completed during lockdown at home. Self-produced and containing fourteen songs, all written by Dawson, this is quite an achievement in both depth and vision. The writing seems to come from a personal place and many of the tracks speak of childhood memories, looking back to find clues to moving forward and reminiscing on what shapes a life.

Dawson played a range of instruments for the album, including all guitars, bass, drums, various keyboards, lap steel, dulcimer, accordion and harmonium. He still sings as sweetly as ever, with a resonance in his delivery that is very capturing. Alton Smith contributes piano on two songs, Michael Miles plays banjo on another and Diane Christiansen adds vocals on one track in addition to creating the cover art. 

She Knew appears to reference his Mother and the life lessons learned from listening to her advice, ‘honey, you always worry too much.’ The message of enduring friendship in Hard Time Friend is a sanctuary from the cold world that cares little for the concerns of the individual, ‘here we are tired and obscured, Pulling the weight of the centuries, My hand reaching for yours.’ The need for connection is all too clear from these songs and it’s a theme that continues through the album.

On the title track, Dawson sings, ‘I am stunned by the cruelty, I am trying to be kind, To undo the damage left behind.’ The song conjures up an early memory of Dawson and his sister swinging on a large branch and channels childhood as innocence lost. Equally, I Will Never Stop Being Sorry, seems to capture another painful memory and family loss. The lines ‘But who are the ghosts, who plot and who plan? Who stomp ‘round the room with their sacks full of sand,’ paint an all-too real image of being haunted by the past. There is the thought in Forgiveness Is Nothing Like I Thought It Would Be that ‘There’s no choir of angels, no surprise epiphany, But I can wish you well out on your island in the sea.’ Resolving to let go of the past and the weight that holds us down is perhaps the best response to the feeling of being trapped by memories?

In, The Spaces In Between, Dawson says that ‘Life’s too short and it takes too long, Years fly by and the days drag on.’ The dichotomy of these thoughts only goes to highlight the dilemma of being in the present but consumed by the past. This is a brave album, bare in the writing with lovely melodies to soothe as the song arrangements lure you into an easy state of relaxation. A really impressive album and one that should feature in any discerning collectors list.

Review by Paul McGee

Charles Ellsworth Honeysuckle Summer Burro Borracho

Based in Brooklyn, New York and with a number of previous releases, this talented singer-songwriter delivers his latest slice of Americana. With plenty of insightful lyrics, these eight songs are very well produced by Joe Reinhart at Headroom Studios in Philadelphia and delivered by a group of musicians that include Jared Schapker on bass, Blake Suben on drums, Mike Brennan on pedal/lap steel, Nate Vaeth on piano/organ and Lucy Stone on backing vocals. They all support Ellsworth’s vision and play with a great understanding and groove on the song arrangements.

The title, Honeysuckle Summer, crops up in the song, Miami AZ, which is a look back at small town romance and a girl and boy striking out for something bigger. The reference to Miami in this song refers to a town in Gila County, Arizona, the state where Ellsworth grew up before moving to the big city lights.

Opening song, Gripping Onto Water, speaks of father issues, employer greed and unrequited love. It could have its roots in personal experience but equally it’s the song of everyman growing up in small town conservatism and limited opportunity. Equally, the song, Max and Geraldine, looks at a couple, teenage sweethearts, who now struggle to pay their bills in the middle of health issues. White Cross On the Highway looks at a life spent on the road and long-distance love. Perhaps, another personal reflection, with a sense of time running down; maybe a slice of personal regret, ‘Oh, this highway’s like a graveyard, For the lives I could have lived.’ 

Blessed is a song that hits home with commentary on the bankrupt morality in the USA. The hypocrisy and the Vaseline-smeared image of ‘The Land of the Free.’ Also, the song, Blood In the Halls, is an anti-gun lobby view of school shootings and punches out an anger that is palpable in the arrangement. Laundromat is a song that looks at the vicissitudes of life, the knowledge that love comes and goes and above all, to believe in yourself.  

Final track, Trouble, is perhaps a view of our collective Covid fears and speaks of ‘Living in the past and worried about the future.’ Also, Ellsworth sums it all up in the final lines of the song, ‘Be right here, right now and remember to breathe.’

This is a superb album, coming from a personal space, filled with lots of great moments and well worth your time. 

Review by Paul McGee

James McMurtry The Horses And The Hounds New West

When approaching a new album from this much-revered songsmith of hard-earned experience, it’s important to bear in mind that James has built a career based on observation. His gift in holding up many mirrors to the people from which he draws inspiration, is truly inspiring, and it continues to shine on this latest release. Of course, taking a character-based approach does not mean that his songs are exclusively about others, and despite his protestations, there is a hint of personal perspective that is bound to form part of the writing. Just how much of the former, or the latter, is the chalk line that will be drawn by the listener, but don’t take the opinions expressed in the lyrics on a too literal basis.

On this, his tenth studio album, James has taken a look at more of the cross section of life that passes by his finely tuned intelligence and wit. Again, taking his fictional approach and injecting it with truisms and keenly observed insight. James can often come across as pretty stoic but he has a dry sense of humour that reveals his sense of fun.

Vaquero is a song that James has written in dedication to the memory of Bill Witliff, a screenwriter, author and photographer who was a close friend of his father, renowned writer Larry McMurtry (R.I.P.). Witliff worked on the Lonesome Dove mini-series for tv in 1989, which was an interpretation of the great novel, written by Larry McMurtry and published in 1985. 

Decent Man is a tale about a small rancher, on his last legs, who takes his frustrations out on a close friend and spends the rest of his days confronting his moment of madness. The travails of a long-distance relationship is tackled in What’s The Matter, with a touring musician trying to keep the lid on his challenges back home with a disaffected wife, ‘we’re nearly twenty years older, and it’s not like we thought it’d be, we never talked this over, you can’t lay it all on me.’ The twin guitar attack of Charlie Sexton and Dave Grissom driving the rhythm on a wave of high tempo energy.

Ft. Walton Wake-Up Call, is a cleverly worded tale of disillusioned honeymooners suffering the hotel blues and trying to get out of Florida during lockdown. It’s such a witty song with the frustrations manifest in the lines, ‘she’s camped in the shower and she won’t come out, and I don’t have a clue what that’s about.’ 

Canola Fields visits the past, reflected through memories of an old crush and how it’s never too late to try and relive an old dream. Lines like, ‘we all drifted away with the days getting shorter, seeking our place in the greater scheme, kids and careers and a vague sense of order, busting apart at the seams,’ capture the wonderful imagery in picturing the lost years of adolescence and growing up into adulthood.

Operation Never Mind is a scathing attack on foreign policy and modern military warfare as a PR exercise, with the KBR at the hub of spinning the whole policy of divide and conquer. They provide logistical support to the U.S. military and lines such as, ‘we just go on about our business, drop the kids off at the mall, play the Black Ops on the laptop, and don’t make too big a fuss about it all’ really nail the apathy and the ignorance of the American general public to the real truth behind the covert warmongering. 

If It Don’t Bleed highlights the differences between the values of today with those of years gone by; when nobody got very upset about the ‘small stuff’ and had a philosophy of live and let live. The song character also muses, I’m near enough to Jesus as I ever want to get, seeking salvation isn’t part of my general plan.’ No self-righteous hypocrisy going on with this older generation dude! The title track is a co-write with guitarist Dave Grissom and looks at a man on the run, a runaway who is running out of options, in his life choices and his relationships. 

The final track, Blackberry Winter, references Virginia Wolfe with images of both rocks and rivers, which is the way that she took her life. It mirrors a modern couple who are having relationship difficulties. The impact of progress on rural communities is tackled on the song, Jackie, where the female farmer/trucker does whatever she can to keep up with her financial commitments and constraints. Her worn-down attempts to keep everything together leading to a cruel end.

There are three co-writes on the album, something of a departure, as James tends to write alone. The remaining seven songs are self-penned and the album was recorded with producer Ross Hogarth at Jackson Browne’s Groovemaster studio in Santa Monica, California. Using a stellar cast of musicians, the album is testament to the prodigious talent that continues to set the bar very high for any aspiring songwriter who seeks to learn how this wizard continues to conjure up the magic.

Review by Paul McGee      

New Album Reviews

Chris J Norwood I Am Not Cool State Fair

 In the opening prologue Norwood tells us quite why he is not cool. “I am not cool, I don’t play rock ’n’ roll / I am just a man trying to sing what I know / I am just a man trying to sing what I know / there’s only two kinds of music what’s true and what ain’t.” Well, he does sings about what he knows and what’s true, but as for not playing rock ’n’ roll, that may depend on your definition of the up-tempo guitar-driven song The Final Girl that follows it. Norwood is one of the two electric guitar players listed in the credits, the other being co-producer (with Norwood) Guillermo Murillo. The rhythm section of Steve Moore and Randall Marsow, aptly deliver the bass and drums respectively. His wife Carrie Norwood completes the line-up on background vocals - a contribution that is notable on many tracks. Listening to the album there also appears to be some other instruments (steel and dobro) in the mix too.

There is a poignancy to the story of Good Guy With A Gun, one of the albums obvious highlights. It tells of a father doing the best he could with his lot but who liked to keep and fire some rounds from his gun. Then, giving in to the pressures of his existence, turns it on himself. In Norwood’s case it is based on personal experience and therefore all the more tragic and layered with realism. The title track in its full song take elaborates on the prologue version both lyrically and musically. There is sense of vulnerability and openness to Norwood’s reading of this statement of his being in which he opts for truth and honesty in a sometimes cruel and often cynical world. There is a range of self-effacement in Norwood’s writing revealing that his “uncoolness” is, in fact, something to savour in his outlook and identity.

There is restraint to Creature of Bad Habits, which has steel guitar under the acoustic guitar voice, allowing the words and mood the space to float freely. In a similar vein but from a very different perspective is the closing track I Wrote You A Song, which is an unashamed declaration of love for his wife Carrie. Leaving Louisiana Behind has a full sound with a determined rhythm under pinning its road travel theme and of returning home.  

Another song that seems more personal insight and that has a nice jaunty country feel with its dobro and handclaps is Grandpa Was a Farmer. There is a John v Jane interplay in I Need You (To Quit Breaking My Heart) between the Norwood’s (Chris and Carrie) - or their later egos - to declare their need for each other but also the notion that that need is also tearing them apart. A relationship is central to Love And Mercy and it allows that ‘home is home’ wherever they are at a particular time. It relates to the nomadic touring lifestyle that this Dallas native and partner had in the past.

I had never previously come across Norwood but enjoyed this album. It may be a little difficult to pin down with its influences but, in this case, Americana seems an appropriate shelf to put it on, though a seasoned listener might detect several different influences that go into creating Norwood’s serious but often smile inducing songcraft. If you let the album speak for itself, I think you will find it pretty cool, if not, being uncool has its own merits.

Review by Stephen Rapid

Summer Dean Bad Romantic Self Release

The old adage of ‘following your dream’ comes to mind with this debut full album from rural Texan Summer Dean. Abandoning a ten-year career as an elementary teacher she bravely packed away the school books, dusted down her guitar and, togged out head to toe in denim, headed out on her musical adventure.

BAD ROMANTIC - the title says it all – tells her tale in her own forthright words from the opener Picket Fence. Unashamedly free of commitments and a free spirit, she announces on that song, ‘I’m all alone, a woman on her own, writing songs with no baby and no vows’. Further confirmation of her current status comes across on her signature song Blue Jean Country Queen and the Glenn Barber written Yes Ma’am He Found Me In A Honky Tonk, which is delivered in unapologetic style.

Dean put down a marker of where she was coming from with her six track 2016 EP UNLADYLIKE. An impressive suite of country songs, it earmarked her as ‘one to watch’. She followed that recording by booking herself shows at bars and dancehall and honing her act, sharing stages with Marty Stuart, Mike & The Moonpies, Asleep at the Wheel and Colter Wall.  Fast forward five years from that debut EP to BAD ROMANTIC and her hard work has paid dividends. Dean here comes across as hugely more confident and rebellious with an entirely more muscular sound and the songs to match. She pours her heart and soul into each and every track and is complemented by a bunch of players that appear to be having every bit as much fun as she herself is.  

Sharing the mic with Colter Wall was inspired, their duet You’re Lucky She’s Lonely is a delight. Other familiar names that lent a hand are Whitney Rose and Bonnie Montgomery, who both added harmony vocals and Robert Ellis, who plays piano on Dear Caroline. Elsewhere the atmospheric title track is a classic country ballad, bringing to mind the many equally moving border songs from her fellow Texan, Joe Ely. Her plea for ‘real’ country music Hey Mister, could be directed towards the lords on Music Row and she slips in the obligatory lovin’ and leavin’ song with the upbeat Three Timin’ Game.

Aside from Dean’s raw and natural vocalising and the wonderful players that support her, the greatest compliment I can pay the album is that it’s a fun listen that had me smiling from start to finish. I can’t think of any other female artist currently as outlaw as Summer Dean. With the swagger of Waylon and the attitude of Hag, this lady is the business. A late comer to her newly chosen career, let’s hope the fire she’s ignited continues to rage going forward.

Review by Declan Culliton

Leah Blevins First Time Feeling Crabtree

 Kentucky born chanteuse Leah Blevins is blessed with a voice that lands somewhere between the quintessential country vocals of Dolly Parton and the soulful trilling of Dusty Springfield.  With a childhood upbringing surrounded by gospel music at church and classic country at home, she incorporates both in FIRST TIME FEELING but on her own terms, pouring her heart and soul into each and every one of the ten tracks. 

An inspired move by Blevins was calling on outlaw country artist Paul Cauthen to produce the album. With a similar upbringing to her own, Cauthen’s career, both as a recording artist and producer, has found him pushing out the boundaries with his bespoke amalgam of country, soul and blues. Blevins follows a similar musical path on her debut album, with the bones of the material and much of the album’s thread finding her lifting the veil on past personal troubles. Currently residing in Nashville, she describes the album as “a timestamp of my twenties”, recalling individuals encountered and situations lived through.

Those familiar with Cauthen’s work will recognise his stamp firmly planted on both the raucous opening track Afraid and the funky soulful stomp Magnolias.  Blevin revisits her gospel influenced childhood on both Believe and Mountain and showcases her vocal versatility on the classic countrypolitan Beautiful Disaster. The super catchy power poppy First Time Feeling recalls Aimee Mann and Clutter is unadulterated country soul, both emphasising how difficult it is to shoehorn Blevins into any particular genre. 

Notwithstanding her exceptional vocal talents, Blevins displays the flair to create songs that draw the listener in with their candour. With a family tree that includes grandparents, aunts and uncles performing in a touring gospel group, Leah Blevins is proudly following that family tradition. It will be interesting to note what musical direction she pursues going forward, but it’s fair to say that with her incredible voice, her musical horizons are limitless.

Review by Declan Culliton

Karen Jonas Summer Songs EP/Gumballs (Poetry Collection) Self-Release

It only seems like yesterday when we reviewed and loved Karen Jonas’s last album THE SOUTHWEST SKY AND OTHER DREAMS, which was followed earlier this year by her streamed standout performance at Americanafest UK. That album, released in 2020, and her remote performance at the festival, copper fastened our opinion of an artist that continues to improve with her subsequent recordings and has the stage presence to do her music justice in the live setting.  Her kinship with long time guitarist Tim Bray, both on stage and in the studio, brings to mind a similar dynamic that exists between another Lonesome Highway favourite Eilen Jewell and her axeman Jerry Miller.

Jonas’ latest project is a four track EP titled SUMMER SONGS, which combines three self-written songs accompanied by a reworking of Don Henley’s The Boys of Summer. In addition to the EP, she is also launching a deeply personal collection of poems titled GUMBALLS. Incredibly, the poetry - thirty poems of sixty written by her are included - emerged from a week’s feverish writing in January of this year. The subject matter often marks difficult life chapters, with prose as painful as a wound not quite healed as yet. An embarrassing scolding from her father (Sit Up and Act Like a Lady), religious guilt (A Terrible Catholic, Swallow It), divorce (Marriage Counselling Dropout), and infidelity (Two Men At Once) are a sample of her confessions, which give the reader an insight into the minor detail as well as the big picture.

During the writing process Karen was reminded of songs previously semi composed by her, which she reconnected with and updated. Given her frame of mind, not surprisingly a somewhat melancholic mood prevails. She opens with the Don Henley classic, remaining true to the original but it’s on her three self-penned songs that her light shines brightest. They take place at a somewhat slower pace than that opening track, highlighting her sultry vocal styling on both the soulful Summer’s Hard For Love and the bluesy Thunder On The Batter. The final track, Summer Moon, is melancholic and stripped back to the bone, a solo performance of vocal and acoustic guitar.

Another tantalising flavour of what Kelly Jonas is capable of, SUMMER SONGS suggests an artist who is every bit as comfortable crooning soulful ballads as she is launching country and roots numbers.  GUMBALLS is also well worth the purchase, it’s simply wonderful and an indication of a fearless and reborn artist with so much to offer and lots to say.

Review by Declan Culliton

Kayla Ray Songs of Extreme Isolation, Economic Crisis and Other Funny Things Self-Release

One of the most prolific performers during lockdown, the honeyed vocalist and astute songwriter Kayla Ray’s remote streams were a breath of fresh air, feeding punters starved of live events. Juggling between shows that featured cover songs, self writes, gospel and other selected themes, her confident and humour filled presentations put her splendid voice and skilled guitar playing on display.

A favourite album of 2018 at Lonesome Highway, YESTERDAY & ME was a compilation of strikingly evocative songs that ranged from country ballads to full-on honky tonkers. Understandably, given the resources available to her, this latest recording is an altogether different affair. Like many others, she found herself in uncharted territory during the past twelve months. By way of a reaction to the positive feedback of her live streams, she has recorded a selection of her songs on the aptly titled SONGS OF EXTREME ISOLATION, ECONOMIC CRISIS AND OTHER FUNNY THINGS. Armed with her ‘made for country’ voice, an acoustic guitar, a dobro and little else, she recreates the ambience of those live streams across eight tracks.

The songs touch on isolation (Brand New Way), optimism (Tree Of Life), nostalgia (May The Iron Horse Get Fed) and sly humour (Quarantine Can Bong). She raises the tempo on the upbeat protest song If Freedom Is What We’re After and sweet melancholic pedal steel enlivens both The Losing End and Good Enough For Me. An old head on young shoulders, the common denominator across the songs is Kayla’s capacity to timelessly trigger the sound of country music from bygone eras, while also sounding as fresh as morning dew.

It remains a mystery to me, and indeed a travesty, that Kayla Ray is not yet a household name in the country/Americana genre. This addition to her catalogue is further confirmation of her skill as a songwriter and also that she is the possessor of a voice that weaves, dips and twangs in all the right places. If you’re familiar with her music, this album is probably already on your radar. If she’s a new name to you, do track this album down and check out her outstanding back catalogue.

Review by Declan Culliton

Clint Morgan Troublemaker Lost Cause

Coming in just short of the hour, this album is a chocolate box of different flavours and hidden treats. Starting with the great band dynamic on Hangman Woman, with funky groove, guitar and piano excelling; we are then given the soulful Go Down, Moses, a traditional song given a fresh new take with the McCrary sisters (Ann and Regina) excelling on harmony vocals. The blues kick in with a vengeance on Ain’t That the Blues, with jazzy New Orleans piano from Kevin McKendree and mean harmonica from Bob Corritore. Wonderful, vibrant production from Morgan and McKendree helps of course, as this album delivers on all fronts. 

There are the wonderful skills of Doug Lancio (baritone and slide guitar), David Santos and Tom Pell (various bass), Kevin McKendree (acoustic and electric guitar, piano, Hammond organ, Rhodes electric piano and percussion). Jim Hoke contributes on saxophones, with Kenneth Blevind on drums and Jimmy Stewart on fiddle. Wendy Moten sings background vocals and John Del Toro Richardson guests on guitar and vocals (Hurricane Harvey), plus there are star appearances from Watermelon Slim and Bob Margolin (The Cover Of the Living Blues) and Kinky Freedman (Somebody Put A Walmart On the Farm).

There is a great cover version of the Johnny Cash classic, Big River, with a nod to the Ray Charles hit, ‘What I’d Say’ included in the chorus lines. There is a Mark Knopfler guitar sound on Echoes, with atmospheric cello (Austin Hoke) and oboe (Robby Shankle), that pays tribute to the ties that bind family together and to ageing with dignity. 

It’s Rough Out Here has a driving beat with spoken vocals and a mean groove laid down by twin guitar and keyboard attack. A song borne of frustration, with even a plea from God falling on deaf ears, ‘I gave you a book, Have you read it lately?’ There is a great Chuck Berry feel to the song ‘She Take My Money’ with more barrelhouse piano and horns dishing out the drama, ‘My honey take my money, She think that I’m a cash machine.’ Superbly delivered and a stand out track.

Too Rich To Sing the Blues is a tongue-in-cheek song about wealth not being the root to happiness in life, ‘I can sing like Lightnin’ Hopkins, But I spend like Howard Hughes.’ There are also name checks to Wille Dixon, Little Walter, Pinetop Perkins, Robert Johnson, Elmore James, Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker, as the guitar solo mirrors the best BB King groove you will hear, apart from the man himself. Such a clever song, followed by the equally impressive Hurricane Harvey that slows everything down to an atmospheric slow glide, with swapped vocals between Morgan and Richardson. 

The Kinky Freedman cameo on Somebody Put A Walmart On the Farm is another highlight with lines such as ‘There’s a self-service express mart in what used to be the barn’ and ‘The front porch is right around aisle number three.’ Again, the band excelling on a Dr John styled groove and backing vocals to wrap around the beat. Stirring stuff. Freedman also does a nice bonus track version of The Cover Of the Living Blues, a send up of the ‘Cover Of the Rolling Stone’ classic written by Shel Silverstein. This is an album that celebrates life, having a good time and just letting your feet do the dancing. A joy from start to finish.

Review by Paul McGee

Craig Cardiff All This Time Running True North

This Canadian artist has proven himself to be both talented and versatile across a career that has seen multiple releases in his home country. He is not well known on European shores and more is the pity. Kicking off with the title track, All This Time Running, you are immediately struck by his sense of melody and easy way with words, ‘The head is a light, The heart is a compass.’. 

The album has eleven tracks and they play out across thirty-five minutes, with six bonus tracks that deliver a further twenty-plus minutes of quality music (two tracks from the main album are given alternate takes). Of those six bonus tracks, a cover version of Peter Gabriel’s Don’t Give Up is included but lacks some of the emotion that carried the original to such media acclaim and is perhaps just a bit too ‘clean’ in the production. Both Ymir, BC and Dirty Old Town are further proof of the honeyed vocal prowess of Cardiff and the confidence with which he leads these songs home.

Cardiff writes all the songs and gives production duties over to Steven Ryan and David Campbell, both of whom play on the album. Indeed, there are quite a number of contributors in the studio and a count of seventeen different players gives some idea of the scale and scope included here. Horn arrangements are muted and introduced for the first time on Yellowknife, Equally the string parts (arranged by David Campbell) are subtle in the mix and introduced on Wyoming.  The acoustic sound of songs like Fire, Fire, Fire and Greyhound, SK are fine examples of the interplay between musicians with banjo, acoustic guitar, double bass and mandolin bringing great colour to the songs. 

Another track, Wrong Place, Wrong Time, follows a similar path and the inclusion of clarinet and soft strings add greatly to the melodic swing and the wistful vocal delivery. Flugelhorn and trumpet, piano and keyboards/synths all find room in the arrangements, never sounding cluttered, even on bigger production numbers such as Moon and the celebratory Bryant Park. 

Nick Roy contributes quite an impressive array of wind instruments (eight in total), in addition to working on all horn arrangements with Cardiff. The easy sway of The American is a change of direction with violin, viola and cello providing a sweet counterbalance to the rhythm, that echoes Adam Duritz (Counting Crows) in the vocal delivery. These are gentle songs that make for a very enjoyable listen. Certainly, an album that hits all the right targets and comes highly recommended.

Review by Paul McGee

Danny and The Champions of the World Los Campeones en Vivo Loose

Danny and the Champions of the World were formed in London in 2007 by Danny George Wilson. He started his musical journey in the band, Grand Drive, who released a number of critically acclaimed albums around the turn of the millennium, before borrowing the name from a novel by Roald Dahl and forming his current band. He has also released two solo albums (one this year), in addition to his work with the Champs. They now have a back catalogue of six studio albums, all of which have been released on Loose Music in England. They also released a live album, Live Champs! (2014) and now follow it up this year with another live offering, Los Campeones en Vivo, recorded in Northern Spain during a tour in March, 2018 last. The title translates as ‘Live Champions’ and that is just what they are.

Their line up on this record is Danny George Wilson (lead vocals, acoustic and electric guitar), Chris Clarke (bass guitar, vocals & percussion), Steve Brookes (drums and percussion), Paul Lush (electric guitar), Henry Senior (pedal steel) and Thomas Collison (keyboards and vocals) and it is a stirring, vibrant glimpse at the power they possess when playing together in this tightest of units. 

It’s seventeen tracks with a running time of one hundred minutes plus – quite an experience on headphones with air guitars regularly accompanied by frenzied dancing around my desk. Their sound is right out of the Americana songbook, hook-laden arrangements, exciting guitar riffing and full of dramatic peaks as the music rises and falls in tandem with the energy levels expended on the night. Danny has enough soulful gravel in his vocal to add a layer of lived-in smoky tones to these songs. Springsteen meets Son Volt and the collective power is quite addictive.

The Brilliant Light album from 2017 is the most represented here, as would be expected, with ten of the tracks taken from it. A further two tracks are played from each of the albums What Kind Of Love (2015), Hearts and Arrows (2011), Stay True (2013) and one track is from Streets Of Our Time (2009). There are extended band workouts and the longest tracks, Let the Water Wash Over You, Brothers In the Night, Gotta Get Things Right In My Life and That Old Space Rocket all carry an exuberant energy and swagger, with a great band dynamic at play.

The production mix and separation are top drawer and the spirit of the Allman Brothers was walking tall with these impressive musicians as they displayed their collective talents across the stages of Europe. It is a document of the pre-Covid times and hopefully it will not be too long before Danny and the Champs return to the boards and are kicking up a lot of dust again. One of the best live albums you will ever hear!

Review by Paul McGee

Luke LeBlanc Only Human Self Release

This is the first full album release by Luke, using his actual name, with his two previous releases appearing under the performance name of Little Diamonds. There was an EP back in 2018, Time On My Hands, leading up to these ten songs that have been written over recent times.

All the tracks have a great band sound, with, Driving, setting it all off; a song for the road and getting lost in new experiences, pulling into different towns and the enjoyment of being anonymous. The Way It Goes has a really catchy melody and lovely violin runs from Kerri Joy. The acoustic, stripped back sound on Same Blues acts as the perfect vehicle to grandstand the subtle touch on guitar and the wry lyrics that LeBlanc conjures up, ‘Driving at midnight gets me lonesome, I didn’t know love until I had some, She didn’t like my occupation, It was a drive-away situation.’

Lowry Avenue is about owning a record store that no-one frequents anymore and wondering about selling up, with a nice Steve Miller vibe to the vocal and song arrangement. Too Early Gone has some subtle interplay and a gentle look at the death of a close friend and trying to make sense of a senseless situation. Water has LeBlanc promising to ‘take the dark away’ and ‘making promises I can’t keep’ in trying to express his love for a sweetheart. All very nicely wrapped up in a mid-tempo rhythm that dovetails around pedal steel and keyboard sounds. The title track, Only Human, is a slow ballad, considered and heart-felt, as LeBlanc wrestles with his inability to make the world feel the love and positivity that he wishes for all. Some atmospheric piano and harmonica set against organ swells and a dreamy arrangement. Good Time Gone and Oh My Lordy both continue the high standards with the first, a gentle lilting melody and a song about pending heartbreak, the latter, a bluesy workout about focusing too much on material success and not being able to negotiate matters of the heart. 

These ten songs are all written by the very talented LeBlanc (with two co-writes) and it’s a really enjoyable experience across thirty -plus minutes of sweetly sounding melodies. LeBlanc plays guitar, organ, piano, harmonica and sings in a really engaging vocal style that colours the songs very nicely. He is joined by co-producer Erik Koskinen on electric and pedal steel guitar, plus bass. John Cleve Richardson adds piano, organ and vocals with Kerri Joy playing violin and singing, together with Erin Bekkers on drums.

Everything comes to a satisfactory conclusion on Nothing To Lose and the central message of this album, keep moving on and learning from life, leave the heartache and the pain in search for fair weather and happier times to come. ‘Think I’m gonna drive to the river tonight, see if I can make my tired mind right, watch that river flow, listen to the wind blow, try to learn something new.’ 

Amen to all of that, move on and stay positive. Luke LeBlanc is well on his journey to becoming a very well-known singer-songwriter of some talent, positive proof of his continued maturity as he takes his next steps. A real keeper.

Review by Paul McGee

New Album Reviews

Amanda Cook Narrowing The Gap Mountain Fever

Amanda Cook up and moved herself and her family from their native Florida to the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia a couple of years ago, in order to be better geographically placed to survive as a touring bluegrass band. That courage and determination seems to have paid off as she releases her excellent fourth solo album, recorded with her stellar touring band in her record label’s Virginia studio. Co-produced by Cook herself along with Aaron Ramsey, the album is a collection of ten hard driving bluegrass songs, all relatively new compositions but recorded with a healthy reverence for the tradition.

Kicking off with a high tempo train song, Get On Board, from the pen of Vida Wakeman (Jeff & Vida) and Darrell Hayes, the joyful energy expressed here is carried though the whole project. As well as singing lead in her standout vocal, Cook has co-written (with Thomm Jutz) another train song Lonesome Leaving Train, which tells the tragic tale of a bride who is stood up on the train platform. Fiddler George Mason, who spent many years in Nashville with some of the top country  bands, demonstrates his chops everywhere but particularly here, where he expresses the acute  heartache through his sensitive playing. Banjoist Carolyne Van Lierop-Boone has been with Amanda since the band’s inception and her banjo playing is as good as it gets. However, she is also a talented songwriter, contributing three songs including West Virginia Coal, a co-write with her husband and now fellow band member, Troy Boone. She also wrote the one gospel number, Light In This World and co-wrote, with her band leader, the nostalgic My Used To Be Blue Ridge Mountain Home. Thomm Jutz gets another cut with the tear jerker It Ain’t Over Till It’s Over, whose gentle pace is a welcome contrast on this mostly high energy record. There’s a strong interpretation of Tim O’Brien’s When You Come Back Down, which will be very familiar to Nickel Creek fans. Another standout song is Brink Brinkman’s barnstormer, Burning Down The Mountain, a dramatically recounted tale of revenge which rises to a crescendo with the help of George Mason’s soaring fiddle and Carolyne Van Lierop-Boone’s driving banjo.

Recommended.

Postscript: On a sad note, the band’s guitar player Aaron ‘Frosty’ Foster, who also played on this recording, passed away suddenly earlier this year.

Review by Eilís Boland 

Christina Alden & Alex Patterson Hunter Self Release

Another happy result of pandemic lockdown, the enforced ‘rest’ allowed English duo Christina Alden and Alex Patterson to concentrate on a long planned first duo album, which they ably recorded in the basement of their home in Norwich city. The singer-songwriter couple are better known as part of the folk trio Alden Patterson & Dashwood, who have toured extensively in Britain and Europe. While not strictly an Americana sound, there is enough of a similarity with American old time and folk music, including Christina’s 5 string banjo playing, that it affords me an excuse to review this excellent record.

Securely rooted in the natural world, the title track Hunter recounts the touching relationship between the usually solitary Brown Bear and Grey Wolf, which was discovered by a Finnish photographer. Christina is the lead singer and her rich clear vocals are harmonised intuitively and sensitively by Alex. It’s an intuition that develops through much time spent together - the two have been creating music together for seven years. Alex, as well as recording and production duties, plays fiddle, viola, cello, guitar and shruti box. Christina contributes guitar and sometimes banjo.

The link between humans and nature is a strong theme on this collection - check out The Fox Song, The Greenland Shark and Reed Cutting. Land Corridors is an appeal to human beings to protect and restore the essential passageways used by wildlife to traverse between woodland and field - they have been obliterated by our relentless drive towards industrialisation and suburban development. An Irish/American connection arises with the song Brooklyn, inspired by Colm Toibin’s novel, wherein the conflicting feelings of homesickness and hopeful anticipation accompany all emigrants on their journey - a universal experience, undoubtedly. 

Recording at home at their leisure has lent an intimacy and simplicity to the album’s sound. This is carried through to the striking linocut artwork,created by Christina, presented on suitably ecofriendly recycled cardboard, and accompanied by detailed liner notes.

Review by Eilís Boland 

Jackson Browne Downhill From Everywhere Inside 

Over five decades of creative output, Jackson Browne has always been able to articulate the hopes and dreams, fears and vulnerabilities across the generations. Indeed, back in 1972 when he sung about ‘Waiting here for Everyman, Make it on your own if you think you can, If you see somewhere to go, I understand’ – he was reflecting the need for each individual to find their own way and their own answers to life’s mystery. Whether looking into personal matters of the heart or political issues of the head, Browne always speaks with an openness and an honesty that reflects his own doubts and uncertainties. Taking the universal and making it personal is a singular talent and a gift that he has shared from the outset. Whether campaigning for political reform, environmental change, justice for the disadvantaged or the end to conflict in third world countries; Browne has always tried to be true to himself and to mirror what he sees around him.

This new album, his eighteenth official release and his first in six years, is perfectly timed to deliver music of the highest quality and some potent messages for those of us who are open to listen. The young songwriter who wrote Running On Empty and stated, ‘I don't even know what I'm hoping to find, Running into the sun but I'm running behind’ - is still seeking out meaning in all of the good and bad that we create upon this earth. He is still open, reflecting, never judging, asking key questions and looking for some source of solace for the soul.

Opening track, Still Looking For Something, says it right from heart in the lines ‘Gonna keep my options open – even though I’m hoping, For something I can hold up to the light.’  Another track, A Human Touch, is a co-write, used in a documentary film about Aids (‘5B’), where Browne is joined by Leslie Mendelson on co-vocal to beautifully capture the essence of reaching out to others and to community with lines such as ‘Everybody gets lonely, Feel like it’s all too much, Reaching out for some connection.’ Still the traveller on a path to self-awareness but not forgetting to bring ‘everyman’ along for the journey.

The joy of living, coupled with social injustice, is captured on the song, Love Is Love, inspired by the people on the island of Haiti. Sadly, the issues touched upon are reflected in the news recently and the assassination of their president, Jovenel Moise. 

The title track, Downhill From Everywhere, is a plea to look at the continued damage that our materialism is causing to the oceans of the world. We are surrounded by water on this planet, with approximately seventy-one percent of the Earth's surface covered by water. In listing any number of images from our modern cities (the mall, the hospital, the church), Browne cleverly then turns the focus on news media and politicians, together with some of the agencies that control the flow of wealth (‘Downhill from the Russian doll’), all while posing the ultimate question, ‘Do you think of the ocean as yours? Do you think about it at all?

The Dreamer is a protest against the strict immigration laws in the United States that would deport a section of society who helped build and support the very infrastructure that is now turning on them. ‘We don’t see half the people around us, But we see enemies who surround us, And the walls that we’ve built between us, Keep us prisoners of our fear.’ This theme of waking up to the real issues of the day is followed on the superbly crafted track, Until Justice Is Real, and the thought that, ‘Ain’t on your TV, Ain’t on your phone, You want the truth, you got to find it on your own.’ 

This track also revisits the theme of “time” and our use of the allotted number of days we are given. On the album, The Pretender, Browne looked at “time” as a fuse burning down. On the album, Time the Conqueror, he looked again and mused that, ‘Time may heal all wounds, But time will steal you blind, Time the wheel, time the conqueror.’ On this new song, Browne reflects on ‘Time rolling away, time like a river, time like a train, Time like a fuse burning shorter every day.’ Again, his core message is aimed at ‘everyman’ in all these songs and summed up with the lines, ‘Look to each other and you’ll find it in yourself.’

In the song, A Little Too Soon To Say, Browne still holds out a light for mankind in our search for enlightened actions and when, perhaps, his youthful dreaming can finally find a place of rest. The search is what brings meaning after all and the journey is best not travelled alone, ‘Searching the horizon for what we can’t quite see, When all we ever needed, Has been there all along inside of you and me.’

Did I mention the music? Produced by Browne himself and calling on many of the elite players who have graced his music over the decades, there are many key contributions to the arrangements that reflect the beautiful melodies and harmony singing. The album is just shy of fifty minutes and the ten songs are all superbly crafted, with ensemble playing this is quite simply top of the scale in the delivery.

Using the talents of Mauricio Lewak (drums), Bob Glaub (bass), Jeff Young (Hammond organ), Val McCallum (guitars) and Greg Leisz (guitar, pedal steel) as the core musicians on most of the ten songs, Browne also calls upon old friends like Russ Kunkel (drums), Mark Goldenberg (electric guitar) and Waddy Wachtel (electric guitar), among many others, for cameo appearances. 

However, it is always the engagingly warm vocal tone of Browne himself that wins the day, sounding as resonant as ever. His singing both touches and inspires. Along with the seductively beautiful vocals of both Alethia Mills and Chavonne Stewart, Greg Leisz shines as the player to lift an arrangement to new heights, almost a look back down the path to those contributions from David Lindley all those years ago. The lyrical interplay and the potent words are fashioned for our times and the calypso sound and samba beat of tracks like A Song For Barcelona and the island sunshine of Love Is Love are a real joy.

Browne sums up a career in music on Song For Barcelona, a tribute to the city and its zest for life, where he often visits and which he credits with recharging his batteries and reviving his appetite. He looks at connection and people who gather there to celebrate life, love and adventure. The dreamer in Browne is still out there, looking for answers and just over the next turn in the road, ever vigilant and ever aware of the need to keep searching. He remains a beacon of light among songwriters and this album is yet another testament to his enduring influence and vision.

Review by Paul McGee

Sean McConnell A Horrible Beautiful Dream Self Release

For those who are new to the music of Sean McConnell, then a real treat lies in store. Ever since his debut album appeared in 2000, he has been releasing music of real quality and this seventh album is no exception. Following on from the critically acclaimed, Secondhand Smoke, from 2019, McConnell continues to ask questions of the world that surrounds him. Observations about relationships, the ideals of truth and justice and the way we increasingly look to material success for some kind of temporary acknowledgement.

He has written songs for other artists over many years, mainly while involved with publishing company Warner-Chappell, where a diverse list of names like Little Big Town, Brad Paisley, Meat Loaf, Martina McBride, Tim McGraw and the hit TV shoe Nashville were just some that benefited from his talents. 

The new album was produced by McConnell in his studio, Silent Desert, which sits on his farm just outside of Nashville. Having moved to the city for college, he subsequently married and stayed there in order to focus more on his career. During the Covid lockdown he also turned his talents to production and worked with some local artists on albums that reached completion over the last year. 

On the cover of this latest release, A HORRIBLE BEAUTIFUL DREAM, there is a light aircraft sitting in the middle of a field, about to take off and staring down the eye of an approaching hurricane. It is an appropriate image for the song content that awaits the listener with many reflecting the past eighteen months of fear and uncertainty that we have all lived through.

McConnell found himself reflecting on everything during the Covid lockdown, from the big questions of our mortality to the smaller issues that surround community and caring for our neighbour in times of uncertainty. The black and white view of the world that so 

many espouse as the singular way they stay in control of their lives has suddenly plunged into many different shades of grey, including the daily decisions we make in bringing meaning to our routines and rituals.

Family clearly is at the centre of his concerns and songs like Price Of Love has McConnell seeking advice and solace from his mother as he grapples with the issues of keeping his wife and daughter safe. The Wonder Years is a song that questions the tired old image of liberty and justice for all, as reflected in the Statue of Liberty, asking where the sense of equality disappeared to in our race towards the mighty dollar. Another song, I Built You Up, looks at the price of fantasising about celebrity and looking to fame as a dubious solution to all our personal issues. The McCrary Sisters lend their talents to the backing harmonies and deliver a deeply soulful Gospel sound. 

Self-doubt surfaces on songs, Used To Think I Knew and Nothing Anymore, with his confidence knocked in the face of Covid and fear of the unknown. On the lighter side, The Thirteenth Apostle is a fun look at what might have been the real support behind the disciples as they followed Jesus (‘I get the water, I wash the clothes… and I make my own bathtub gin’).

I Still Believe In You is a song that reflects upon the love for his wife and when all else is subject to question and review, there is comfort in family, ‘Nothing is easy now, not like it was bеfore, I built my world around something not there anymore, And when it all fell down I found it was never true, Don’t know what I believe but I still believe in you.’

Getting Somewhere examines his relationship with his father and the advice given over the years. As The Curtain Came Down considers the final gig before Covid lockdown and how much he would have embraced and savoured the moment if the future was known then. What The Hell Is Wrong With Me is a song that tackles youthful issues of fear and self-doubt, summed up in the lines ‘Guess I’ve always had a monster underneath my bed, Every house is haunted when the ghost is in your head.’

Remember You’re Here stands as a testament to the one strength that we can all draw upon and that is the constancy of hope. Belief that we can endure in this world and calm the doubts, ‘Oh, you’ve gotta laugh at it, Oh, you’ve gotta scream, What a horrible, beautiful dream.’

The standout track, Leave A Light On, sums up for the care that McConnell feels for another, and indeed a promise that we could all use in our daily lives; ‘I’ll leave the light on to find your way home, And when your battle is over and done, I’ll be right here, yeah, my love’s like the sun, Hard to see from where you are, but never gone.’

The production on the album is flawless with McConnell playing a number of the instruments and singing in his sweetly soulful and warm vocal tenor. There are a number of guest musicians, including Garrison Starr, who sings on four tracks, plus vocal contributions from The Wood Brothers, Audra Mae, Natalie Hemby, Fancy Hagood and the great Dan Tyminski. His musical friend, Ben Alleman, plays keyboards and organ on almost every track and there are other fine appearances from Billy Justineau on piano (two songs), Caleb Elliott on cello (two songs) and Kimi Samson on violin.

This is a richly rewarding album and a very generous fifty minutes of great song-writing and sensitively delivered musicianship. Definitely one of the highlights for me this year.

Review by Paul McGee

Georgia English Pain and Power Self Release

This is the third full album release from a singer-songwriter who grew up in San Francisco and who now lives in Nashville. She has built a strong reputation as an artist of some talent on the concert circuit and also from her two prior albums and now finds her creative muse in the launch of an illustrated album. Both book of illustrations and fourteen tracks of music are meant to be experienced together to properly immerse yourself in the listening process and to fully appreciate the project in its completed form. A brave venture and one that is potentially fraught with problems, running the gauntlet of misinterpretation, to lack of proper regard for the innovative steps taken.

I’m pleased to say that the vision which conjured up this interesting fusion of two worlds; that of books and music, has been more than justified. The overall impression on completing the journey with Georgia across forty-five minutes is one of due respect and not a little wonder at the talent on display. In addition to being a very gifted illustrative artist, her song-writing prowess is right up there with the best that I have heard this year.

Opening track, Starring In A Play, is a self-reflective look at how fragile we all can be and how we are all actors on this stage of life. Her sweet vocal perfectly wrapped around the slow groove and the delicate melody. The next song, Houseplant, could not be further removed and shows the quirkier, off-beat nature of Georgia as she carries on a stilted conversation with a newly acquired house plant.  It’s a placebo against the brutal reality of the daily tv news and something that she can control by watering and keeping it alive.

America follows and it has a resigned slow melody as a lament to all that is wrong with aspects of American society and some of her skewed values. There is an air of sad acceptance in the vocal delivery, a yearning, with so much wrong when you look behind the curtain.

One Of the People is a song that looks to forgive others, to let go of self-doubt, wanting acceptance and to embrace self-belief. Opening lines, ‘If I could do anything, I’d learn how to forgive,’ gives the feeling of a young innocent who has suffered trauma. This is continued on the next song, Fourteen, with the sense of being socially awkward and self-conscious, a certain vulnerability in the words, ‘And I am so afraid that I don’t have what it takes, To be somebody with something to give.’ Searingly honest emotions and all the more laudable for baring her soul.

Messed You Up is a song about communing with the vastness of Nature and shifting focus by seeing your place in the universe and just how small and insignificant it all seems in the face of such beauty. Choices In Hell is about going through feelings of darkness and just persevering until you come out the other side. ‘Tried meditation and ketamine, Yeah I’ll try anything once, To watch something dissolve in me.’ Such a great lyric and musical accompaniment here as the self-realisation that we can heal ourselves becomes clear.

The next track,Who, lightens the load with a poppy vibe and a bouncy arrangement that aims some well-directed blows at the hypocrisy and racism of the former president of the USA.  The track, Where Are You Now? examines trauma and shame, breaking it down into bite-size chunks, looking to spit it out and come out of a cycle of self-blame and negative thinking. ‘Do you know your voice, Can you hear your grief, Can you smell the flowers bloom, On your childhood street.’ 

Whatever It Takes is such a naked song, opening up the wounds of a younger self and seeking to heal and move beyond, living in the moment and hoping for a sense of acceptance. ‘Protection’s not protection, when it’s from the truth, You don’t owe redemption when we’re talking about abuse.’ Powerful honesty and the gentle melody belies the feelings of anger and frustration.

Maybe Me is about feeling your worth, learning how to breathe and move forward into a new beginning. ‘Finding faith in our shared humanity’ sings Georgia, as this phase of redemption begins to take hold. It is followed by Springtime In the Suburbs which takes a wry swipe at middle America in all its conservative lack of empathy. Statue Of Jesus is a really clever piece of writing that dissects similar issues and the need to deny and hide from the racism that permeates their safe little enclaves. Barricaded in their privilege and victim to suspicion and fear.

Power You Possess brings the song cycle to full circle and surrenders the past to the future. The scars that heal and the strength that is gained from self-empowerment. It’s quite a ride, rollercoaster twists and turns, some respite in gentler waters and a way to rise above all the waves that tossed you on the storms of life. The music is played by Josh Preston (of Me and the Machine Records), who also co-produced with Georgia and his gentle touch on the arrangements is a key component to the success of this project.

The booklet is very attractive and engaging, with the lyrics woven into the colourful artwork. The design and layout are by Lisa Preston and the entire visual experience is both stimulating and worthy of your full attention.

The whole journey is based upon the ancient, Hero’s Journey tradition, also known as the mono myth. Typically, the story tells of a hero who embarks on an adventure, is victorious in a decisive crisis and comes home transformed by the experience. The album song cycle follows this in three sections; Departure, Initiation and Return. It’s the archetypical tale of redemption. I cannot praise this creative work of real substance any more than urging you to purchase it from Georgia on her website at;  https://www.georgiaenglishmusic.com/shop. You won’t be disappointed.

Review by Paul McGee

Mike And The Moonpies One To Grow Prairie Rose 

Hailed in many quarters as one of the premier live acts currently in country music, Mike and The Moonpies’ talents were never simply limited to their blistering live shows. Their studio output has been equally impressive and despite their heavy touring schedule, has yielded eight album releases since 2010.

 Frontman Mike Harmeier’s devotion to the country music genre has resulted in a series of experimental recordings since the somewhat autobiographical Steak Night at the Prairie Rose in 2018. They crossed the pond to the famous Abbey Road Studio in London the following year to record, in the company of The London Philharmonic Orchestra, Cheap Silver & Solid Country Gold. That project paid homage to the rich Countrypolitan/Nashville Sound of the 1960’s. Twelve months later saw the release of Touch of You: The Lost Songs of Gary Stewart, which offered a tribute to the artist christened ‘the king of honky tonk’ by Rolling Stone magazine in the mid-70’s.

Harmeier fronts the band, playing guitar together with lead vocals and The Moonpies are Zach Moulton on steel guitar, Omar Oyoque on bass, Caitlin Rutherford plays lead guitar and drums are by Kyle Ponder. Individually these guys are top players and collectively, as anyone that has witnessed their live shows, they are telepathic, no doubt sharpened by years of playing together. Guest on their latest album, ONE TO GROW, are Shooter Jennings, John Carbone, Nate Coon and David Percefull.

This latest album features a collection of co-writes by Harmeier and Adam Odor, who also handled the production duties. With a sound that’s robust and bulletproof from start to finish, Odor’s production once more captures precisely what the band are all about. It’s a concept album which details the plight and ambitions, often unfulfilled, of an average working man approaching mid-life and attempting to balance a life of ‘living in the moment’ alongside his family duties. It may or may not mirror a path that Harmeier could very well have travelled, with songs that depict a disappearing American dream.

Johnny Paycheck is an artist that has been hugely inspirational to Harmeier and his band and the bustling and cleverly titled Paycheck to Paycheck, the first single from the album, opens the album in fine style and sets the stall for what follows. More muscular than their previous two recordings, the album grabs your attention from that first track and doesn’t let go. Harmeier’s songwriting has long since moved on from the ‘someone did someone wrong’ type of country song and he invests genuine feelings in the sensibilities of these songs, which read like chapters from a Steinbeck novel.

The simple lifestyle, once available to the blue-collar worker, but becoming increasingly unattainable to many, is expressed on Rainy Day. Those dreams have all but disappeared by the time we get to Social Drinker, where memories of good times and live music with fellow drinkers are replaced by solitary drinking and destitution. Broken families and siblings separated by divorce surface on Brother, where the protagonist searches for his long lost and wayward brother. Matters close to home also surface on the deeply melodic One To Grow On and the equally catchy and funky The Vain.

The stories end with Burn Out, a rollicking track that, like many of the preceding tracks, features two lead guitars and pedal steel gloriously combining rather than competing. It’s a fitting finale to a cracking album that gifts Mike and The Moonpies with some more worthy ammunition for their live shows.

Make no mistake, these guys are the real deal and have been robust pillars of the Texas country music scene for a decade.  This gem could very well be the one that gains them considerably more international acclaim. In a year that continues to produce a stream of excellent albums in the country genre, ONE TO GROW  is most certainly up there with the cream of the crop.

Review by Declan Culliton

Connie Smith Cry Of The Heart Fat Possum

‘There’s really only three real female singers: Streisand, Ronstadt, and Connie Smith. The rest of us are only pretending.’

A big statement indeed from Dolly Parton and one that emphasises the regard in which country singer extraordinaire Connie Smith is held.

CRY OF THE HEART is Smith’s first studio recording in a decade since LONG LINE OF HEARTACHES back in 2011 and is produced by Smith alongside her husband and country legend in his own right, Marty Stuart. With a performing career that spans five decades and almost forty albums in her back catalogue, the eleven tracks that feature find her in splendid form, with her distinguished vocal styling defying her advancing years. It’s remarkable to consider that she made her chart debut with Once A Day, which topped the charts as far back as 1964.

The album features two of the husband and wife co-writes (Spare Me No Truth Tonight and Here Comes My Baby Back Again), a song composed on a tour bus by Stuart and Harry Stinson (Look Out Heart) and eight carefully chosen covers.

The common denominators, notwithstanding her splendid vocal deliveries, are the fine musicianship and the sympathetic production. Fifteen players contributed including Stuart’s Fabulous Superlatives partners in crime, Kenny Vaughan, Harry Stinson, Paul Martin and Chris Scruggs.

Smith’s back catalogue includes over seventy songs written by Dallas Frazier over the years and he is featured here with I Just Don’t Believe Me Anymore. Sung with a confident swagger, it’s the type of song that she has the capacity to make her own, an ageless country tale of lovin’ and leavin,’ laced with twangy vocals and guitars on top of perfectly placed harmonies. Every bit as much a tear jerker is the heartbreaker and album opener A Million And One. It’s classic mid-60’s countrypolitan laced with strings and is confirmation of Smith’s accolade as the Queen of Broken Hearts. The Kitty Wells classic recording All The Time, written by Pam Tillis, sounds as fresh as ever and gets a similarly lush treatment and I’m Not Over You is another classic heartbreaker.

Merle Haggard’s Jesus Take A Hold is the closing track on the album. Previously recorded by Smith fifty years ago, its message is as significant today as ever. Her latest rendition is more stripped back and pleading, a cry for empathy and compassion in these topsy turvy times. It’s also a fitting final statement in a suite of uplifting and fine songs from one of the finest country voices of our times.

Review by Declan Culliton

Ward Hayden and The Outliers Free Country Self-Release

As I listened to this album, I was reminded of some of the bands I heard in the 2000’s, so it was unsurprising when I read that Ward Hayden and The Outliers had previously been known as Girls, Guns and Glory. I have several of the band’s albums of in my collection, from 2008’s INVERTED VALENTINE and others, including GOOD LUCK released in 2014, which was also produced by the man at the helm of this album, the hard-working Eric “Roscoe” Ambel. Throughout their work to date the mainstay and only continuous member is Ward Hayden, who was the main writer and lead singer. So, it makes sense that when it was decided to ditch the previous moniker (for fairly obvious reasons), that he should have his name out front. This is their second release under that name, with the previous album being CAN’T JUDGE A BOOK. Only drummer Josh Kiggans appears to have survived from those previous G, G and G line-ups. The remaining members are now completed by bassist Greg Hall and Cody Nilsen on guitars and pedal steel.

With Ambel’s production this is a potent team who play catchy rock infused country roots. The opening song Nothin’ To Do powers along with energy that sets the tone for the album. The baritone guitar that opens has a Shelly Johnson disturbing Twin Peaks pretext, which delves into a man and the town he lives in and some darker consequences. Both these songs and those that follow show that there is a depth and deftness to Hayden’s writing. His lyrics deal with commitment, as in I’d Die For You a song that reminds me? vocally, to some degree, of Dwight Yoakam’s delivery. Yet Hayden’s voice is his own and one that has gained confidence and emotion since he started out. There is a pragmatism in Sometimes You Gotta Leave and the need to make a difficult decision. There is a spoken intro (and outro) to the twang and steel of the country stylings of Middle Man, which understands what it takes to admit mistakes. There is a wider outlook of the world in All Gone Mad, while Bad Time To Quit Drinking takes the perennial theme of excess and alcohol and the reasons why it becomes a crutch and a hard one to throw away. Irregardless has a bounce that belies its message of remembering when ‘country was country’, among other changing scenarios. The final two songs round off a very satisfying album. Indiana has another vibrant vocal performance which perfectly reflects the edge of restlessness his wish to never again to return to that particular while listing many of the other town, cities and States which he would gladly revisit.  It is an understated performance all round and all the more effective for it. There as is intended heaviness and aggressive edge to When The Hammer Falls, a warning to be prepared for what may be coming around the bend. It also addresses what life should teach us and helps us to avoid making the same, sometime inevitable, mistakes.

The band from Boston, Massachusetts have gained respect locally and in 2011, under their previous guise, won that area’s Americana Artist of the Year award. This album proves that they have continued to make music that has a relevance and a future, without compromising its core sound. The previous album contained covers like The Ballad Of Ira Hayes and (What’s So Funny “Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding, but this time out they have featured original songs that reflect these times, morals and choices. A simple pleasure that is open to anyone who wants to listen as, after all, it’s a free country (well as regards this music at least).

Review by Stephen Rapid

Ross Adams Escaping Southern Heat Self Release

North Carolina artist Ross Adams ups his game on this his third album by bringing in the 400 Unit to act as his backing band. An admirer of the work of Jason Isbell, he met the band backstage at a concert. After starting a friendship with the band’s bassist Jimbo Hart, they decided to record this new album in Muscle Shoals, Alabama at the East Avalon Recorders studio. Hart brought in his band mates: Chad Gamble on drums, Derry Deborja on keyboards and Sadler Vaden on guitar, alongside Adams, to round out the team, along with Whit Wright on pedal steel guitar and Joshua Hedley on fiddle and backing vocals, a role he shared with Tesha Hill. Dana Bee played and also did string arrangements. Those acquainted with Isbell’s work will know how proficient a team these players are. Ross brought in some new songs he’d written and the band ran through them in the studio, allowing a small number of takes to capture the essence of each song and then selecting the best.

This will largely be tagged as Americana with touches of roots rock, folk-pop, roadhouse country and Southern soulful influences, all delivered with verve. Ross is a writer who takes on the role of the songs subject that offers a viewpoint which tells their individual story. The lyrics deal with hard scrabble relationships, small town locations, big city divisions and those who are often left behind as the world around them moves on. The title track visits the assassination of Martin Luther King and many subsequent incidents of systemic racism. He considers the continuation of those issues today from those days of civil right marches and the often unrealised possibilities that were considered then. Teach Me How To Mourn is another song that looks at the plight of a forgotten veteran, who has been trying to deal with unresolved issues, brought about by the plight of a thin forgotten solider (and many others) . The relationship in Wilted Roses has been strained for some time but the writer still wonders if it is possible to save it. 30 Days brings some country twang and pedal steel to a song of a guy looking to find a June to his Johnny. Even when realising that his habits and consumption are not? in the way of making this a possibility, he remains hopeful it can be achieved. In fact, there isn’t a song that feels out of place or not worth being a part of the overall concept of the album.

To all these songs Ross brings an effective and emotional vocal delivery that is full of compassion, as well as some anger, which is the focal point of the humanity in the songs. He has thought about the best way to tell these stories and to bring the characters into focus. For that Ross shows himself to be an artist of intent and intuition. The end result is an album that does what it should do. Musically it sounds good and feels right and the songs have depth and deliberation; so, it should not escape your attention.

Review by Stephen Rapid 

New Album Reviews

Michelle and Jason Hannan Cheater’s Waltz Waiting For Lester

This husband and wife duo have released a number of records under the band name of Michelle Hannan & One Blue Night, as well as a couple of solo releases. Their previous collection, released last year, was titled YOU CAN GO HOME: The Quarantine Sessions and that speaks for itself. They are back now with this new album that has band mate and pedal steel guitar player Howard Parker’s name on the cover alongside theirs. He does sterling work here, adding additional emotion and fluidity to the album’s fairly straight country direction.

It is a concept album largely written by Jason, Michelle and some other co-writers. Jason also produced, mixed and mastered the undertaking. Not only that but as a multi-instrumentalist he played everything other than the accordion on one track and fiddle on another, not forgetting his vocal contribution sharing the lead and harmony vocals with Michelle. The primary acknowledged inspiration was Willie Nelson’s REDHEADED STRANGER. It tells the story of a luckless woman who, after previous failed relationships, encounters a stranger in a bar. In the end the tale follows from infatuation, to heartache and then to something much darker.

So let’s join our protagonist as she takes stock of her life of broken one night stands and a surfeit of alcohol fulled dreams. Nothing Left To Lose just about sums up her thinking as she enters yet another bar room and sees the possibility in another equally lonely person. Michelle takes the lead vocal and sings in a clear voice that conveys the dilemma. Before I Met You switches focus to the smooth talking of the man in question. It is full of promises and a false sense of “right man, right time”. It is an older song, one of the few songs not written by the team, previously recorded by Carl Smith among others. Here Jason takes the lead, backed vocally by Michelle and Parker. What follows is a thoughtful instrumental Loren’s Lament (written by Parker) that sums up a nagging sense of doubt that this may not be all it seems once again.

By track four the rot is setting in and in Here We Are In December “everything is cold and grey.” The title track follows and again Jason takes the lead to enunciate this male’s propensity for philandering, something he can’t seem to shake “ …the old cheater’s waltz / It’s the only song I’ve ever know.” However, on the other side there is a swift realisation that this is going downhill fast, even when its hard to admit, as is expressed in If You Won’t Say It’s Over. But old habits die hard and it’s not long before he’s back in the game for Livin’ On Barroom Time.

Everything I’ve Got’s In Tennessee takes things to the point of murder and a shallow grave. The murderess then hits the road, as the traditional song Leaning On The Everlasting Arms marks a point in time and purpose, before an awareness of what has occurred and the reasons play on her mind, much too late to change what has happened. Eddie Adcock’s song The Sentence is an appropriate choice where she is sentenced and will be setting out on “… a voyage that I’ll never return.” The title track is reprised before the song cycle closes with a (mainly) vocal rendition of the traditional song Feel My Time Ain’t Long. 

Throughout, the performances are strongly centred and evocative of traditional country to the degree that if you were told that this was a release from several decades ago it wouldn’t be too surprising. The sound however is both fresh and fulfilled and deserving of compliments for the accomplishment of putting it together as an enjoyable body of music.

Review by Stephen Rapid

The Bean Pickers Union Greatest Picks Self Release

The name here to remember is Chuck Melchin, who is the head honcho of the Bean Pickers Union and this album, as its title suggests, is Melchin’s pick of tracks he has recorded under the band name through 15 years of music making. That includes choices from three albums, an EP and an additional four songs produced for this collection. As well as coming from a diverse set of time periods, it also covers a wide range of roots rock from acoustic picking, meaningful ballads through to full on alt-country rock and a lot in between. All of which makes for a varied listen from which its very diversity will both appeal or perhaps confuse, as the playing time for these eighteen songs clocks in at over an hour. 

The opening song 16 Pounds Of Mary is a guitar-driven song about getting away with a certain amount of drugs to help on the journey. Next up, there is a very different feel to the desert Tucson-style arrangement and Spanish guitar of Burning Sky. Reaper opens with the crackle of a needle on vinyl for an acoustic blues tale of friendship and fate. Move along to I’m So Sorry and we have a lively apology, delivered with Telecaster twang and cowpunk energy. Another song, Tranquility, has brushed drums and banjo as its core in a song of seeking calmness, that picks up its pace as it progresses. Philemon is a atmospheric song with lap steel adding a highly effective ache to the story, searching for something to survive the end of a world that never happened after all. Grittier in tone, with organ and guitar distortion, is Independence Day. Another of Melchin’s tales of blue collar, small towns and hard scrabble existence,songs that balance hope and hopelessness, redemption and regret. Perhaps one of the most effective is the song of a returning veteran and the ongoing problems he encounters, and its effects on those around him. The words in Warrior are matched by the hard-edged telling guitar riffs that underline the subject’s loss and despair, and so it is through one strong song after another.

These are all held together by the power in Melchin’s voice and his lyrical awareness. The overall umbrella of Americana may well cover the different aspects of what exists in this collection. But there is throughout an intimacy that indicates the humanity at the heart of his words and arrangements. Not that one should undermine the various contributions of the other 22 players involved with these recordings. Different hands have also helped with the production duties, yet there is a consistency of vision throughout, something that marks out a performer more focused on the music than on fame. It may also explain why I have not encountered The Bean Pickers Union previously.

Greatest Picks is then something of a worthy primer for the released work under that collective banner. Much to admire. The four recently home studio recorded bonus tracks indicate that Melchin is far from finished in his endeavours and collaborations. A good time to join the Union.

Review by Stephen Rapid

Bard Edrington V Two Days In Terlingua Self Release

The title of this album pretty much gives you the basis of the recordings. Edrington V assembled five like-minded players in a church in Terlingua, Texas on March 1st and 2nd in 2020 to lay these songs down in an acoustically interesting live setting. One of those players was Bill Palmer, who had played bass on a track on the last Hoth Brothers album and on Edrington V’s last solo outing, ESPADÍN. His brother Jim here joins him on drums to provide a solid and inventive rhythm section. Add Karina Wilson on vocals, viola and violin (she also played on the last solo album) and Alex McMahon’s pedal steel, guitar and banjo, as well as Zoe Wilcox, another associate, on vocals and you have a team who are intuitive and inspired. It is however Edrington’s vocal presence that is central to the songs, all of which he had a hand in writing either solo or with others, bar one written by Mabel Edrington (Dog Tags 1942).

There was also a pretty open policy here to allow the material to find its place. The players worked without headphones or any obstructions to seeing each other in real time. That means the music can be acoustically based or it can utilise something closer to an electric guitar fulled ambient soundscape across twelve songs and a running time of just over 55 minutes. However, I never felt it outstayed its welcome and engaged throughout. This is essentially down to the group of players and their commitment to capturing something special in a unique location and timeframe that doesn’t allow the participators to overthink the process, but rather to capture the music in the moment.

From the opening Ramblin’ Kind Edrington’s voice has the necessary emotional resonance to draw you into the lyrics and to feel embedded within the music. Many are story songs that lay out a tale of hardship and high jinks. One of the best of these is Property Lines, where the electric guitar sets a tone that mixes with the violin to create a tension that brings the story to life. From then on the material covers as much ground as it can from the strangeness of Strange Ballon through to the folky old time backdrop of Dog Tags 1942. There are many moments were you are taken with the interaction of the musicians to bring the song to a slightly unexpected place, although from very early on that particular place seems natural and fundamental. The lineage of old time traditions and Appalachian narratives are the starting point, but Edrington allows the songs the be as relevant to today as they may be to the past. The ups and downs that life brings get equal prominence and consideration. There seems to be little judgement of the people who inhabit these songs, rather Edrington allows the song to reveal this as the account unfolds.

Bill Palmer also engineered and mixed the album and suggested the hundred year old church as a location. The end result adds to Edrington’s cannon of his solo and Hoth Brothers recordings and may be easily considered something special that celebrates the collective spirit and contributions of all involved, for whom the music is the message. It also marks Edrington as a musician who can celebrate life in all its ragged glory, as well as the nature which surrounds it. These songs are as much about place as they are about people and so it may be high time you spent some time in Terlingua, or someplace similar, as well as with this particular album.

Review by Stephen Rapid

Our Band Bright As You Wavy Glass

A husband-and-wife duo, New York based Our Band features first generation Russian - American and classically trained pianist Sasha Papernik and North Carolina born multi-instrumentalist Justin Poindexter. Their debut album BRIGHT AS YOU showcases their musical prowess together with their striking harmony vocals, across thirteen tracks that explore the roots of American music, with nods towards country, folk and contemporary. Their comprehensive skills both vocally and instrumentally rewarded them an extensive tour of Europe pre-pandemic, where they performed in Germany, Poland and Estonia as ambassadors of American music, at the behest of the U.S. State Department.

Lazy comparisons have been made with The Civil Wars, mostly fuelled by the couple’s physical appearance somewhat matching that of Joy Williams and John Paul White, who broke up back in 2014. Musically the duo cover quite a number of bases and, with a host of guest musicians, do so with aplomb. They drift effortlessly from the breezy poppy opener Priscilla to their take on the traditional song Wildwood Flower/ Wildflowers.  Painting, inspired by the French artist Toulouse Lautrec, recalls Simon and Garfunkel and the tender love ballad More Than A Feeling features harmony vocals that both caress and soothe. The country ballad Roads That Rise (Gayle’s Song) sounds like a long-lost song from the past that has re-entered your horizon.  The joy of parenthood inspired the catchy Hazel, written after the birth of their first child and they close the album with the prayer like I Find My Peace.

Intricately arranged and beautifully produced, BRIGHT AS YOU offers a polished set of songs, all delivered by inimitable vocalising and most impressive musicianship. It’s also very radio friendly and will appeal to a broad range of listeners. So, don’t be surprised if a number of these tunes are streaming from your favourite radio station in the near future.

Review by Declan Culliton

Nobody’s Girl Self-Titled Lucky Hound Music

An eleven-track album of melody laden songs that lands somewhere between folk and power pop, NOBODY’s GIRL is the debut full - length album from the three-piece band of the same name.

The members are accomplished recording artists in their own right. Austin singer songwriters BettySoo, Grace Pettis and Rebecca Loebe formed the band as a side project and recorded their EP WATERLINE in 2018. They toured extensively for almost two years both in America and Europe, before recording this album at Lucky Hound Studios in Texas Hill County in September 2019.

As was the case with WATERLINE, they engaged Grammy winning producer Michael Ramos (Kris Kristofferson, Patty Griffin, Paul Simon, John Mellencamp) to oversee the recording and also contribute keyboards and percussion. Other players on the album read like a who’s who of talented Austin session players including bassist Glenn Fukunaga and drummers J.J.Johnson and Conrad Choucroun. Celebrated guitarist Charlie Sexton, David Grissom and David Pulkingham all contribute.

Without ever attempting to reinvent the wheel, the trio have recorded a collection of intricately arranged, easy on the ear and hook laden songs with the emphasis on their honeyed harmonies. Standouts include The Promised Land, which totally captures their gorgeous vocal talents, the crunchy opener Kansas and the dreamy pop ballad The Morning After.

A slick affair from start to finish, NOBODY’S GIRL will no doubt further enhance the reputation of this gifted three piece.

Review by Declan Culliton

Robert Jon and The Wreck Shine A Light On Me Brother Robert Jon Music /CRS

Based in Orange County, California and ten years on the road, Robert Jon and The Wreck’s fifth album finds the five-piece band in fine form. Sticking with their core sound, SHINE A LIGHT ON ME BROTHER navigates its way around the key elements of classic Southern rock with rasping vocals, swirling keyboards, razor sharp guitar licks and a rhythm section that has Muscle Shoals stamped all over it.

The band members are Robert Jon Burrison (lead vocals, guitar), Andrew Espantman (vocals, drums), Steve Maggiora (vocals, keys), Henry James Schneekluth (vocals, lead guitar), Warren Murrel (vocals, bass) and the self-produced album was recorded at Sonic Groove Studios, Burbank, California.

They burst into life with the opening and title track. A throwback to the early 1970’s, its groove recalls the sound perfected by The Stones on EXILE ON MAIN STREET. It signposts the sound of the album and is matched by similarly pulverising rockers Ain’t No Young Love Song, Movin’ and Radio. They do take a breather mid album with three less muscular brooding ballads. Slowing things down somewhat with Chicago, they follow with the mournful and gorgeous Hurricane and the laid back and gloriously loose Desert Sun.

These guys continue to produce music that begs to be performed live and with a tour of Europe scheduled for the autumn, you’re well advised to check out their dates.  If the sounds from The Black Crowes, The Allman Brothers and Black Oak Arkansas float your board, strap on your life jacket and get on board SHINE A LIGHT ON ME BROTHER. Satisfaction guaranteed.

Review by Declan Culliton

Dallas Burrow Self-Titled Self-Release

SOUTHERN WIND, the 2019 release from Dallas Burrow, was my introduction to the Texan singer songwriter. That album articulated the somewhat nomadic and often traumatic lifestyle of a young man who appeared to be finding his way out of an emotional wilderness.  This self-titled album is a continuation of that journey. If that previous recording was a closing chapter on a potentially self-destructive existence, the new songs find Burrow nestled in a settled and contented life style, buoyed by sobriety, love and fatherhood.

The songs are mostly slower in pace than on his previous album, which is not surprising given their backstory. Burrow’s vocals are distinct, upfront and perfectly convey the messages within the songs. He’s got a story to tell and he wants you to listen intently. 

His new found devotion kicks the album off with the gorgeous country ballad Country Girl (‘I love my country girl in all four seasons, on different days for different reasons’). The autobiographical content continues with American Dream, which lauds the simple yet central constituents of personal contentment. Like the opening track it is catchy as hell, lyrically sharp and holds the listeners attention, also displaying some seriously impassioned personal soul searching.

The spirituality that accompanied his sobriety is articulated on both Holy Grail and  Easter Sunday. Both songs, in prayer like fashion, contemplate previous misdemeanours and the triumph of leaving the hell raising days behind for a more fulfilling existence. ‘Keep on Trying’, he advocates on the song of the same name. Complete with soaring guitar solo, it’s a kick back to the classic pop sound of the mid 60’s. He returns to his country roots with the swampy Born Down In Texas. It’s a reflection of the country blues Burrow has been dishing out in his side project El Saddle, a collection of friends from different bands that get together to perform.

Touring the southwest with Charley Crockett resulted in an introduction to Bruce Robison, who, impressed by the storytelling songs of his fellow Texan, offered his assistance in producing the album. Interestingly the last of the fifteen tracks on the album is a conversation with Bruce Robson. This bonus track tells the tale of their meeting and the analog recording process that followed, which was initially nerve - wracking for Burrow.  

Quite a departure from his previous recordings, it’s not surprising that Burrow opted to self-title the album. He pours his heart and soul into each and every track, on an album that is very much a personal homecoming and re-birth for the writer.

Review by Declan Culliton

The Outlaw Orchestra Powercut Voodoo Queen

A British band who mix a little bit of roots rock into a gumbo of cajun and country music. This is their fourth release and it has quite a vibrant sound across the eight tracks. In reality, it’s six tracks as the mini album (twenty-two minutes) is bookended by a simulated radio broadcast from imaginary American station 982.5 which experiences a power outage, just as the band are due to play live in the studio.

As all good DJ’s would do, the band are asked to play acoustic and over the six songs they demonstrate their serious chops with some dynamic arrangements. There is the reworked Send Some Whiskey Home and Chicken Fried Snake from their last release, Pantomime Villians (2020), with the joys of cooking placed against the relationship woes of a woman who cannot be predicted.

Back To Georgia, taken from an EP released in 2018 is a high tempo song that highlights the tight playing among the band members with David Roux (guitars and lead vocals), Ryan Smith (drums, percussion, vocals) and Pete Briley (banjo, lap steel and vocals) impressing at every turn. Got It Made is a slower melody and a love song to the girl that has changed the ways of the singer, while God Knows, was another track on that 2018 EP and speaks about the Lord coming down to a house party to ask that they keep the noise down.

Some great lap steel from Briley and a new song that opens the proceedings, Rattlesnake Sour is a drinking song about lining up a series of shots and just playing the music nice and loud. There are some additional vocals from Trish Burke Manser and the idea of the radio show is something different, with tuning fade in on the dial and fade out to the weather, after the band has saved the day with an unplugged tour de force. It’s all very engaging and fun to listen to – the American sound is definitely authentic and one would never guess that they hail from Southampton in the UK.

Review by Paul McGee

Graber Gryass Late Bloom Self Release

Having played music for most of his life in various combos and styles, Michael Graber decided to record his first solo album to mark his first half century on the planet. Even though he hails from Memphis, Tennessee (known as the home of blues and soul) he has chosen bluegrass - or more specifically a looser, jam band, new grass version of that genre - as his vehicle. He pulled in a total of fourteen local musicians to create a fun album comprised of twelve of his original songs. Despite the excellent musicianship here, these guys don’t take themselves too seriously and the result is an enjoyable run through the gamut of life experiences, with many an unexpected twist and turn!

Devil’s Got Your Name ‘tattooed on his arm, in the same damn place as mine’ recounts the sad tale of a man whose wife cheated not only on him, but also on the devil, which they both discovered when drinking in the same bar. In a similar vein, the hapless protagonist in Fool Living Wrong ‘stares in from the cold at the house that he built’, which she now shares with her new husband.

Graber uses a variety of non-bluegrass instruments, along with the expected guitars, banjo, mandolin etc to stretch the musical palette - when did you last hear a bouzouki, a harmonium, a jug or an erhu (a ‘Chinese fiddle’) on a bluegrass record? Equally, the attractive artwork would not suggest ‘bluegrass’ at first glance.

When The Water’s this Low is a rather disconcerting tale of four guys paddling a canoe who unfortunately stray into the breeding grounds of cottonmouth snakes, with dire consequences. I think this song actually gave me nightmares! Michael Graber claims that this is based on a true story, except for the fatal ending. Less frightening is the country blues Drinking 40s (very large bottles of beer, I believe) where much alcohol is consumed in response to a broken heart. The bawdy lyrics are suitably accompanied by off-kilter guitar, mandolin and dobro playing - one senses that much fun was had during the recording. Another hint at what might be to come on the next album is the trippy A Fable, opening with a 12-string guitar and progressing to an altogether psychedelic dream-like experience. Marijuana makes the case for the health benefits of that plant, especially now that it has been legalised in many US states. The traditional bluegrass/country theme of yearning for home, however, features in the two closing numbers Forgotten What I Call Home and Oaks & Pines, but listen out for the twist in the end. A most enjoyable album.

Review by Eilís Boland 

New Album Reviews

 Jesse Daniel Beyond These Walls Die True

It is a very heart-warming thing to find an artist who is committed to his music, while still exploring the parameters of a particular genre. For Jesse Daniel that happens to be traditional country music. Working again with producer Tommy Detamore, they have delivered an album rich in tone and refreshing in sound. This time out though there is a shift of emphasis and there is a move towards the border and a Tex-Mex sound, with accordion featuring prominently on some songs, which are lyrically rooted in that area. On El Trabajador (The Worker) Daniel is joined by the Mavericks head honcho Raul Malo for a Spanish language duet on which Daniel more than holds up his end against the might Malo. All of which is a way of saying that he has grown as a vocalist and his delivery here is paramount.

His back story is one of overcoming some troubled and testing times which have resulted in a depth to his writing and experiences, that translates to something that is real and believable. The opening song Clayton Is A Cowboy is a tale of a rodeo bull rider who lives life to the full, until he reaches a life changing situation. It is rich in detail and features Detamore’s dobro and some fine guitar picking which gives an indication of the shift in the musical platform to something which  has a strong rhythm section, that drive many of the songs, but there is a little less of the twanging guitar and pedal steel. Although the next song Looking Back does feature all these things as well as some telling electric 12 string guitar, which conjures a different set of influences. It also highlights the vocals of Jodi Lyford, an essential part of the overall sound and a perfect vocal foil for Daniel. Lyford is also involved with the writing on a numbers of songs on the album, giving a rounded perspective on the topics of the material.

There are twelve tracks here in total and to these ears there’s not a misstep among them. It plays out as a complete package and a damn good one. He celebrates the simple things in life and lists many of them in Simple Things which include “country music on my radio.” There is a sense of ease in the ways these songs are delivered that says something about the confidence that Daniel has gained since his self-titled debut album released in 2018. He also writes about the joys of fishing in Drop A Line (Out Here On The Water). Angel On The Ground takes us back to the honky-tonk and the captivation of the singer’s attention by a woman he meets there. There is a wider perspective in Living In The Great Divide which considers the way that people from the same, or similar backgrounds, are often at odds with each other. It delivers the message with an uplifting beat, twang and a sense of hope that things can resolve themselves. Grey is a stripped back song that opens with impassioned voice and guitar that regrets a life that is slowly fading into that indeterminate colour. It features an effective violin break underlining the sense of loss. He returns to a full-on Tex-Mex sound with accordion and verses in Spanish on Sonando Contigo, a tale of a relationship that has been broken and lost. It is another highlight on an album full of them. The closing track I’ll Be Around Again has been described as bluegrass a song built around the flat picking guitar of John Carroll, Detamore’s dobro and the fiddle of Hank Singer. It offers another aspect of Daniel’s music and closes the album advising us to stay true to our plan and once more highlights the power of Daniel and Lyford’s vocal partnership.

This album will doubtless be seen as one of the albums of the year in its genre. It is already up there for this reviewer. It joins a number of new releases that honour and explore a true understanding for the heritage of country music. That is something to praise and duly applaud.

Review by Stephen Rapid

I See Hawks In L.A. On Our Way Self Release

Looks like we’re on our way to another addition to the band’s already lauded musical cannon with this, their 10th album release. This well established Californian band has been building on their country rock background for quite some time now and exploring elements of that state’s varied musical heritage. As with pretty much everyone who was placed in a lockdown situation, the band had to write and record under all the limitations and opportunities that situation presented. But, happily, this set of new songs sounds no less impressive for all that and is very much in line with their previous albums.

The core members of Rob Waller, Paul Lacques, Paul Marshall and Victoria Jacobs worked on the eleven songs individually, or in various combinations. The next step, after getting the initial recordings down, was to bring in some appropriate guests to enhance the songs. Two notable collaborations are Radio Keeps Me On The Ground that features James and Ed from fellow Californian combo Great Willow (the latter also adding organ to another track) and then Double Nought Spy Car join them for the extended closing eight minute plus How You Gonna Know?  The former is a harmony-laden sing along that offers a thumbs up to the way that radio was something of a lifeline for many. The other song takes an extended groove that collages voices and sounds to ask that in these strange times what and who can be trusted and how you gonna know the truth? The use of synth and wah-wahed guitar over the bass and drum bedrock all add to a slightly unsettling psychedelic sense of displacement and distorted vision. The end result is a band moving forward and delivering something different than might be expected, but something that offers an open door for the band and its next steps without abandoning those alt-country elements for which they are noted. 

The humour and insight that I See Hawks In L.A. are know for is readily apparent throughout the album, as are their vocal and musical skills. Might Have Been Me features Dave Zirbel’s uplifting pedal steel which sets the tone for the song and he does on the other two tracks that he features on. There is a distinct 60’s feel to the title track with its Rickenbacker guitar motif and it also highlights the band’s melodic and poppier side. Know Just What To Do opens with Brantley Kearns abrasive fiddle over some ambient noise before letting the softer side of the song surface. Mississippi Gas Station Blues is one of those gritty blues workouts with a semi-talking vocal from Waller than has similarities in approach to Dave Alvin.

Waller handles most of the lead vocals here with a weathered voice, while Jacobs takes the lead on two tracks. Her song Kensington Market I think is about the famed much-missed London multi-shop emporium. Appropriately it has, again, a 60’s rock feel with 12-string guitar and folky harmonies as well as what sounds like some squiggly keyboards interludes. The second track she features on is the aforementioned recent single Radio Keeps Me On The Ground (Slight Return), joining Waller and Great Willow to give the songs its strong vocal presence. Kentucky Jesus tells of a disillusioned vet. In Geronimo, which is about the famed Native American leader, there is again a more apparent alt-country feel. Stealing and If I Move round out this album with thoughtful lyrics and sold affirmations of the fact that I See Hawks In L.A. are a highly visible presence who ably continue the rich history of California’s rock, country and psychedelic influences. It should also keep them on the way to more fulfilling trip.

Review by Stephen Rapid

Gary Gibson Ain ’t Through Honky Tonkin’ Yet True Country

It’s a labour of love for us at Lonesome Highway tracking down genuine classic country music from artists previously unknown to us and unearthing great albums by folks that often get very little media exposure. The latest artist and album ticking that box is North Carolina born Gary Gibson with his recent release AIN’T THROUGH HONKY TONKIN’ YET. 

Currently residing in Nashville, like many other artists from North Carolina, his early days were filled with a combination of fishing for bass and writing songs, before eventually moving to Music City to pursue a career as a singer songwriter. The move was fuelled by a career that included opening for Mel McDaniel, Charlie Daniels and Billy Joe Royal. It did not take long for Gibson to establish himself as one of the standout honky tonk acts on Broadway, playing in a number of bars such as Legends Corner, The Wheel and The Stage.

AIN’T THROUGH HONKY TONKIN’ YET closes out with an acoustic and hopefully not autobiographical song titled Wasn’t’ Meant To Be. It’s a familiar tale of the artist whose dreams of stardom in Music City never materialise, leaving him playing to empty bars twenty years into his career.  You’d hate that to be the case with Gibson, given the quality of music on offer on the preceding twelve tracks. Other than that final track, the sound is very much in keeping with what you’d expect to hear in the type of hardcore honky tonk hideouts that populate the majority of the album’s songs.

As you would expect, drinkin’, leavin’ and lovin’ are all affairs that regularly raise their heads. Classic dance floor gems include the ripping I Ain’t Through Honky Tonking Yet, Granny’s At That Honky Tonk Again and Roll On Big Mama. Although laced with humour, all three contain supercharged playing from a stellar collection of players, behind Gibson’s potent country drawl. Alongside those originals he includes a number of traditional classics that, no doubt, feature in his live set. He’s joined by Martha Martin for a fine version of the Melba Montgomery written We Must Have Been Out Of Our Minds and equally does justice to Glenn Sutton’s What Made Milwaukee Famous.

Although peppered with up-tempo tunes, the album contains more than two stepping and tongue in cheek dance songs. The Bottle is a powerful three and a half minutes, both in its content and Gibson’s delivery and will surely be covered by one of the current commercial country mainstream artists. A graphic and potent song, it’s made for country radio and with any justice should contribute to the writer’s pension pot. It may also bring this most talented artist to the attention of the major record labels. 

Review by Declan Culliton

The Divorcees Drop Of Blood Self-Release

Canadian award-winning Americana/roots band The Divorcees have been touring and recording for almost sixteen years and DROP OF BLOOD is their fifth studio recording. It finds them reunited with founder member Jason Haywood, who, together with Alex Madsen, Denis ‘Turtle’ Arsenault, Shawn Thomas and Kevin Macintyre, make up the five-piece combo. It’s business as usual on the album, where they stick to their winning format that has served them well to date. Unlike the succession of breakthrough artists from Canada that have hit the ground running in recent years in the Americana genre, The Divorcees’ sound is closer to Austin, Texas than their native homeland.

They kick off the album with a short instrumental track that’s drenched in pedal steel, titled Caledonia Mountain. For lovers of pedal steel, the track captures your attention from the get go and the same instrument features strongly on many of the eleven songs that follow. Losing Hand is a guitar driven rocker, the type of sound that Dave Edmunds’ Rockpile thrived on and the title track, which is surely one of the album highlights, recalls the songwriting talents and driving melody of their fellow Canadian Kathleen Edwards. Their signature sound is very much in evidence on the country roots twangers Drinkin’ In The Afternoon, Making the Scene and The Other Side Of The Blue.

If groups like Reckless Kelly and Mike & The Moonpies float your boat, then DROP OF BLOOD is for you. Given their touring history, I can only imagine that their live shows would be equally as lively as those two bands.  An act entirely conducive to sweaty honky tonks and entertaining beer swilling punters, DROP OF BLOOD is a no nonsense and uncomplicated album, well worth your attention.

Review by Declan Culliton

GLEN CAMPBELL Live From The Troubadour Big Machine

Artists such as Lou Reed, U2, Paul Westerberg, The Foo Fighters and Green Day are not names that immediately spring to mind when considering the music of Glen Campbell. However, the Arkansas born legend, who passed away in August of 2017, included songs written by them all in his legendary show at The Troubadour on West Hollywood’s Sunset Strip in August 20008.

Of course, Campbell also found room for his three Grammy Award winning songs Gentle On My Mind, Wichita Lineman and By The Time I Get To Phoenix on a setlist that was a reminder of the hugely diverse musical journey of the artist, which included session playing, acting and TV host alongside his successful singer songwriter career.

By Campbell’s side on stage were four family members: daughters Ashley and Debby added backing vocals, his third daughter Shannon played acoustic guitar and his son Cal was on drums. He was also joined by a host of session players including members of Jane’s Addiction, Danzig, Beck and Jellyfish. There’s so much to savour in the mixed bag of cover songs on the album, some of which remain true to the original versions (U2’s All I Want Is You and Sing from Travis) and others that get a slight country makeover (Tom Petty’s Walls and Green Day’s Good Riddance (I Hope You Had The Time Of Your Life). He also premieres a previously unrecorded John Lennon song, Grow Old With Me, presented to him by Yoko Ono. Sticking close to the tempo of The Velvet Underground’s Jesus, the song sounds as if it was written for him. ‘This is a heck of a song, I call it my Foo Fighters song’ he announces, before launching into the set closer, a rousing version of Times Like These. Of course, the three previously mentioned Grammy winners are all included in what must have been a memorable experience for those lucky enough to have been at The Troubadour to witness this exceptional concert.

It’s the last full show of Campbell’s career that was filmed and this album catches the warmth of the performance, together with the excellence of the material both in his vocal deliveries and the musicianship that accompanies it.  More than just simply a live album, the recording is testimony to the charismatic powers of Campbell. It finds him doing what he loves best, singing, playing guitar and entertaining the audience, with family members on stage with him. The album captures all that and much more on a quite stunning and beautiful fifty-eight minutes of entertainment. An essential purchase.

Review by Declan Culliton

Mike Ross The Clovis Limit - Tennessee Transition Taller

Is the Clovis Limit a reference from a science fiction novel by William Gibson (The Peripheral), or does it refer to a tribe of hunter-gatherers who first settled the Americas in the years BC? It doesn’t really matter which interpretation you favour, as much like Mike Ross himself, the creativity that has been unleashed through this project, now in its third iteration, is well worth the journey either way.

The initial Clovis Limit recording was released back in 2019 when Mike Ross decided to bring his many talents to the table in a real tour de force of Blues/Roots music that left a deep impression on all who we fortunate enough to find it.  Not content with the acclaim that the album received, Ross decided to revisit the project last year and reworked all the arrangements into a harder, Rock oriented direction, complete with driving guitar, synth treatments and plenty of high energy sonics.

Scoring a hat trick is something that any footballer will strive to achieve and a real highlight in a career; equally in a musical setting, Mike Ross has decided to aim for that same goal and pushes his art towards that special feeling of hitting the sweet spot. The Clovis Limit, part three, is given the Delta Blues treatment as Ross uses his Covid experience to lay down some wicked solo performances in search of that creative centre, sought out by all musicians who truly want to live inside the moment of finding true essence.

Despite all the attendant influences which may arise when listening to the music of Mike Ross, his deep respect for the blues is ever present and the obvious emotion and feel with which he performs pays fitting tribute to all those mentors who have gone before. With just solo guitar and impassioned vocals, Ross delivers an irresistible, engaging album of thirteen tracks, never dropping the pace for an instant and fully absorbing the listener.

There are four tracks taken from each of the Part One and Part Two original Clovis Limit recordings. Driftwood, Grow In Your Garden, Young Man and Blow Away, all from Part One, sounding suitably earthy and None Of Your Business, Don’t Say A Word, Leviathan and The Only Place You Ever Take Me Is Down, from Part Two, all compliment what goes before and sit equally at home in these deeply resonant surroundings.

Another track, Fixing To Die, is from a debut album released in 2014, Spindrift. An alternative version of Young Man is included in the bonus tracks, this one given the sub-header of ‘Paris transition.’ Ross has also included three Delta blues standards, which are favourite tunes, with Shake ‘Em On Down (Bukka White), Screamin’and Hollerin’ the Blues (Charlie Patton) and Statesboro Blues (Blind Willie McTell), bringing home the message, loud and clear, that everything started with acoustic blues. 

The guitar prowess of Ross is really quite something to experience in this stripped-back setting, with all the songs, over forty-plus minutes, flowing by in an entertaining romp through this excellent material. Played with conviction and adding a new coat of paint to the original song structures, Ross displays clear evidence of his creative muse on these elemental versions. 

Review by Paul McGee

Afton Wolfe Kings For Sale Grandiflora

This album burns with personality on every track as Afton Wolfe, the genre-bending ringmaster of rhythm n’ blues and country soul, delivers a really strong statement of intent. For forty-three minutes these nine tracks bring you to a place where the music dances with a deep resonance and invites you to come along for the ride.

Mississippi is home to Wolfe and his back story is peppered with wrong turns, cul de sacs, bad decisions taken, addiction and redemption. With a creative spirit that is spread across the southern states, the influences lean toward a sound that touches on many genres, including his exploration into both New Orleans jazz-tinged grooves and roots based soulful shuffles, in a joyful experience across a variety of sounds that deliver a rich tapestry.

There is a horn section on three tracks; pedal steel and piano on others, harmonica and clarinet, French horn and violin; all played with precision and beauty. Wolfe can sound like Tom Waits on a few of these arrangements and his vocal inflection adds richly to the mix. The County Blues of Carpenter is a terrific example of the worldly weary tone at play, ‘you said you thought you kinda loved me.  something I don’t think I could help. Now you’re drunk at my bar with another homeless Nashville rock star, And I wish you’d just go somewhere else.’ As an examination of a fractured relationship, it is right up there.

Dirty Girl has a New Orleans jazzy arrangement with trombone, trumpet and saxophone interspersing with harmonica, piano and rhythm section, as the guitar sound weaves about. Channelling a Tom Waits persona as the friends recount a session around the bars and clubs of Mississippi. About My Falling looks at the waste of hedonistic pursuits and councils about calling a halt; ‘and I’d like to think that my falling, is just a natural decline in my mobility, but that would excuse me from my own scrutiny, so that this might go on into perpetuity.’ 

Cemetery Blues is a terrific electric slow burn with strutting guitars, courtesy of Wolfe and Wess Floyd, plus Seymour and Strangroom holding down the rhythm with a nasty beat that allows the vocal growl full vent. The upright bass that fuels the song arrangement on Mrs. Ernst’s Piano is right out of the Tom Waits songbook and the clarinet of Seth Fox sets the mood just right. It’s got a ragtime feel and tells of racial segregation in a changing America, with a piano teacher trying to simply educate the children in the middle of the whole experience. 

Fault Lines is a standout track with pedal steel from Adam Kurtz, Rebecca Weiner Tompkins on violin, Wolfe playing piano and Kristen Englenz on French horn, all creating the reflective mood of facing yourself and moving forward; ‘You break a promise that you never made at all, San Andreas, hell, I guess it’s not your fault.’

Steel Wires has a great vocal performance from Wolfe, all frustrated anger at the way a relationship turned, with hints of cheating in the words; ‘Light your cigars and stare at my wife. Drink your poison. Enjoy my life.’ The mix of the clarinet, saxophone and flute, violin and piano, all combining into a ramshackle, loose and easy rhythm, slipping into laid back grooves. Final song, O’ Magnolia, is a tribute to the state of Mississippi as it changes the official flag into that of the state flower. Accept the past and move on; “O’ Magnolia, you are not just the crimes of you fathers, And until you forgive yourself, you will never know all your wealth.” Piano and organ from Ben Babylon, guitar from Cary Hudson and the congregation choir lifting the arrangement with a plea “Unlock the chains you’ve kept, Your mighty hills and trees and rivers behind, And be free. O’ Magnolia.” A fitting end to an album that resonates with a quiet passion in embracing the real feeling and emotion of a musician who delivers an excellent full-length debut.

Review by Paul McGee

Maria Muldaur with Tuba Skinny Let’s Get Happy Together Stony Plain

There is something so refreshing behind the sound of vintage jazz echoing over the airwaves. It reminds you of days gone by, perhaps the slower pace of life, more innocent dreams and a glorious era of glamour and largesse.

You are back in the 1920’s with all the trimmings; silent movies, Flapper dresses with string pearls, feather boas, Gatsby era, cloche hats and the sweet sounds of Jazzy Blues... Street band Tuba Skinny join Maria Muldaur on this project and over twelve tracks they bring a broad smile with infectious playing and a great sense of fun that is hard to escape. Tuba, trombone and washboard lay down the rhythm and twin guitars mix seamlessly with 6-string banjo to lift the melody in these addictive tunes – coronet, clarinet and the sweetly placed phrasing of Muldaur bring the icing on the cake. 

Songs like the title track, Let’s Get Happy Together, Swing You Sinners, I Like You Best Of All, Got the South In My Soul and Big City Blues; all capture the mood of the time and deliver superbly arranged and played ensemble pieces that strut and soar.  

Over forty minutes you can lose yourself in a soundtrack of the times, music of the cities and the emerging societies before World War Two changed so much and took away the passion for life that this era created. The freedom of the times is captured so well on these tunes and for anyone who likes their Roots music with a little bit of swing and sparkle them this is for you. I challenge you not to cut a rug and dance!

Review by Paul McGee

Mary Hott with the Carpenter Ants Devil In the Hills Self Release

This is a very worthy recording and one that brings a stark sense of history in the stories of abuse and crimes against the poor and migrant workers in the coal mining industry which developed in the West Virginia mountains. Over the years, from 1890 to 1954, the mining companies and their army of guards ruled with a reign of terror. Stories of severe beatings, hangings, shootings and rape have been handed down by elderly people who had lived and worked in these mines. These memories are captured quite movingly in the story songs that revolve around the Whipple Company Store that was active in Fayette County, West Virginia. Mine owners fought with workers to keep out unionism and to divide and conquer, culminating in the Battle of Blair Mountain, the largest insurrection in the history of the USA. It was fought over a five-day period in 1921 by 10,000 coal miners.  

Mary Hott brings these tales to life with a passionate vocal performance across eleven tracks and her upbringing in the small West Virginia town of Paw Paw, gives full authenticity and gravitas to the songs. She enlisted the talents of The Carpenter Ants to assist her in telling these harrowing tales and their reputation as a band of high quality is very evident on these Gospel based, Roots songs; all of which make their mark in both an entertaining and insightful way.

The members of the Carpenter Ants are Michael Lipton (guitar), Ted Harrison (bass), Jupie Little (drums) and Charlie Tee (vocals). Hott also asked Ammed Solomon (percussion) and Julie Adams (vocals), to contribute, along with Gospel piano master Randy Gilkey. The project was produced by Don Dixon and Michael Lipton, who also contributes on vocals, guitar, saxophone, omnichord and guit-banjo. All of these talented musicians add to the dynamic and the songs are mainly written by Mary Hott. The exceptions are a traditional rendition of the Blair Mountain Ballad, a fine version of Life’s Railway To Heaven (a Gospel Hymn) and a deeply soulful, Take Me Home, Country Roads, bringing out the true essence of a song that was such a runaway hit for John Denver. 

Annabelle Lee documents the lives of “comfort girls” aged between twelve and eighteen, who were trafficked into the mining towns to satisfy the needs of single mine workers who craved release from their frustrations and hard lives. The corruption of innocence continues with Room Of Lost Souls and a tale of boys, as young as eight years old, having to take the place of their dead fathers in the mines or the family home would be taken from the widow and surviving children. The Gospel Blues groove of this track is deeply resonant and is followed by the wonderful guitar driven dynamic of Take the Esau, all taut with tension and an anger behind a song that looks at the proud families that would not sell out their principles to the company men. The price paid just being too much. 

The Spot recounts the tales from a roadside tavern where workers used to blow off steam, with heavy drinking, fighting and games of Russian roulette. They Built A Railroad is the track that captures the spirit of the recording best, with the lines ‘They carried coal from our mountains, They carried our wealth, our legacy. And when the miners stood for their union, they met with crimes against humanity.’ The title track is a slow Blues, burning with passion of all the untold stories that welled up inside of the workers and their families over the years, the anguish and the prison into which they locked themselves. 

This is a soulful shout to the heavens on their behalf, with the biting electric guitar parts reminding that a Devil was always walking through these lives at the same time. Rise Up WV is a call to break the code of silence that has prevailed over the atrocities of these times and asks that full disclosure be received in order to free the victims from their past. Now, thanks to Mary Hott, the people whose stories are told can finally have some sense of release against the incarceration they suffered, both above and below ground. A fine album, filled with great music and more importantly, a message that we all need to heed.

Review by Paul McGee

New Album Reviews

Rick Fines Solar Powered Too Self Release

New to us in Lonesome Highway, Juno nominated singer-songwriter Rick Fines has been spreading the gospel of folk blues throughout his native Ontario and further afield for thirty years. With his trademark gnarled vocals reminiscent of a young John Hiatt, this latest album was recorded in a diy set up of solar panels and golf cart batteries in a little cabin in the North Kawartha woods, not far from his Peterborough home. Six of the tracks were retained in their raw original state, while Fines and co-producer Alec Fraser took the remaining six back to the studio and added further instrumentation and vocals courtesy of various friends who are well-known on the Toronto music scene.

Once heard never forgotten, the lonesome call of the loon is the inspiration for the exquisitely executed One Lone Loon, a slow ballad of heartache accompanied by some searing harmonising harmonica playing from Roly Platt and Jimmy Bowskill on pedal steel. Laundry on the Line is equally affecting, where Fines shows empathy for both parties in the tale of a wife who finds the courage to walk out of a marriage after many years of unfulfillment. Further examples of Fines’ songwriting skills are evident in the country blues of Below the Surface where again no embellishments are needed beyond his vocals and guitar. Utilising the downtime of lockdown, Fines took the opportunity to do some co-writing with the likes of Matt Andersen, Grainne Ryan and PJ Thomas. The only cover song is a full band tex mex flavoured rendition of Jesse Winchester’s That’s What Makes You Strong. Fundamental Nature was appropriately recorded in the wood with just vocals, resonator guitar and Fines foot tapping as he celebrates nature from the ‘hummingbird buzzing in my ear’ to the cuckoo who is ‘joyful, intimate and boundless’.

Special mention must be made of the cover artwork (crows on a high nelly bike!) by Stevi Kittleson. Check it out.

Review by Eilis Boland

John Shipe The Beast Is Back Involushun

To fully appreciate this impressive double album from Oregon’s John Shipe, you need to be aware of his backstory: he has spent the last ten years away from the music business while coming to terms with alcoholism. Now, don’t run a mile having heard this … while at times it is not an easy listen, it is certainly a rewarding one. And, of course, there is more to the man than just this one fact, as many of the songs here demonstrate. Ranging across the gamut of Americana musically, the predominant sound is folk rock meets country. Split into two halves entitled ‘Hagiography’ and ‘Involution’ (which sent me scurrying to the dictionary!) several of the eighteen songs deal with the guilt of the pain caused to his loved ones during his addiction.

That pain is especially palpable on Frozen, stripped back to just Shipe’s vocals and acoustic guitar: ‘here we are, nowhere to go, can’t give, can’t receive’, essentially describing his relationship with his wife during the lowest point. My Daughter, My Love is equally visceral in relaying the gulf that has arisen between him and his daughter, who has ‘put up a wall’ between them. ‘I pulled you into this world with my own two hands’, he tells her over a simple piano accompaniment and echoey strings, ‘but I’m stronger and can wait longer than you can know’. Cosmic Repo Blues is a strident country blues in which he details how he is paying the price for past demeanours, with unsettling steel slide guitar and a long discordant outro emphasising the mood. 

Redemption is approaching in Involution and Just A Man, where past failings are being acknowledged and self acceptance is creeping in. The outstanding ballad Love Ain’t Easy is a moving thank you to his wife for sticking with him throughout, and is also notable for the harmony vocals of jazz singer Halle Loren and the pedal steel of Bryan Daste. 

Thankfully, Shipe hasn’t lost his social conscience during these tough years, as demonstrated in Thoughts and Prayers (a critique of the hypocrisy and platitudes offered by politicians as a response to gun violence) and J. Edgar Hoover. Joined by a large band of accomplished musicians on bass, percussion, horns, organ, guitars and backing vocals and all ably produced by Tyler Fortier, this is a record well worth checking out.

Review by Eilis Boland

Hannah Juanita Hardliner Self-Release

 A throwback to a bygone era, the American Legion Post 82 on Gallatin Pike, Nashville, has proved to be an inspirational venue for artists, both local and visiting from overseas, who love their country old timey and traditional. Hannah Juanita was raised less than two hundred miles from Nashville in Chattanooga, but was living in  Mount Rainer in Washington State, prior to packing her suitcases and moving to Music City. The relocation was fuelled by the lure of the Honky Tonk Tuesday Nights at that now legendary venue, together with her resolution to forge a career as a performer and recording artist.

As the album title implies, Juanita is no wallflower, far from it. Song titles such as Grudge To The Grave, Our Love Is Done and I’m Gonna Leave You suggest a lady with a lot to get off her chest and in a hurry to do so. She’s blessed with a voice that’s tailor made for old school country, it is honey coated and twangy in equal doses but also has a hint of menace, giving the ambience of an ice queen rather than the sweet girl next door.  

There’s more than a nod to Loretta Lynn on the lively opener Call Yourself My Man and equally on the aforementioned two stepping Our Love Is Done. Horns and accordion grace the border influenced Love Like Yours and she confesses to a less than fruitful romantic same sex rendezvous on Green Eyes. She looks over her shoulder on the autobiographical swinger Ramblin’ Gal, before signing off with the stripped back acoustic Hard Hearted Woman.

Juanita co-produced the album alongside fellow honky tonker Mose Wilson and Chris Weisbecker and called on some top players to contribute. Wilson, coupled with production duties, plays guitar and bass, Ryan Elwell (Soccer Mommy, Pat Reedy) is on drums and pedal steel players Neil Jones (American Aquarium) and Daniel Haymore both feature.

HARDLINER is essentially a ‘breaking free’ and re-birth collection of country songs. Wearing her heart on her sleeve, Juanita banishes the demons of bad relationships and poor life choices as she settles into a new beginning. She’s established herself as a member of the growing community of artists in Nashville keeping real country music alive and kicking. Check out her shows at American Legion Post 82 and other honky tonk bars on your next trip to Music City, I know I will. In the meantime, feast your ears on this fine batch of country songs.

Review by Declan Culliton

Olivia Harms Rhinestone Cowgirl Self-Release

Country singer and songwriter Olivia Harms may be a new name to readers, but they would, no doubt, be familiar with her mother, the decorated artist Joni Harms. Joni released fourteen albums between 1985 and 2016, including the 2014 release OREGON TO IRELAND, which was recorded with The Sheerin Family Band in Moate, Co. Westmeath.

Born on a farm in Canby, Oregon, Olivia Harms exposure from childhood to both the agricultural way of life, coupled with accompanying her mother to numerous shows, has given her a clear vision of the career paths available to her.

She followed in the family’s farming tradition by earning a bachelor’s degree in agricultural business management from Oregon State University, in parallel with her career as a singer songwriter. On the strength of her second album RHINESTONE COWGIRL, it’s fair to say that she can leave the degree certificate in the picture frame and put a career in agriculture on hold.

Given her upbringing, it’s no surprise to learn that she was gifted with her first guitar at the age of six and was piecing together her own songs from an early age. She recorded her debut album in Nashville at the age of sixteen and in 2019 released an album of cover songs with her mother, titled OUR FAVOURITES. Olivia started working on this new album in the same year, choosing Nashville based songwriter and producer D. Scott Miller to handle the production duties. Choosing ten songs from her extensive catalogue, they overcame two schedule postponements due to Covid-19, to eventually complete the recording in May 2020.

No shrinking violet, the lyrics throughout point towards an individual very much in control and more than able to fight her own corner. She kicks off with the sassy Hey There Cowboy, calling the shots on a possible suitor. She continues on the ‘man trail’ on the following track Neon Blue. Laced with stinging pedal steel and guitar breaks, it’s the type of song that early career Carlene Carter topped the charts with.

The album’s high point is I Don’t Need You (But I Want You).  It’s simply gorgeous, a classic country love ballad, bringing to mind the musical direction Ashley Munroe was locked into on her standout album THE ROSE. Bakersfield could have been a mite fawning with its Buck and Haggard namechecks, but she rises above that with clever lyrics and a killer melody.  Aching pedal steel and fiddles enrich Just Like Yesterday, a song that could have been specifically written for George Jones to record back in the day. She enters Glen Campbell territory on the slick breakup song Goodbye. Not content with leaving behind sunken and unfulfilled dreams, the song documents the determination of its protagonist - possibly autobiographical - to succeed in her chosen career despite the lack of support from an ex- boyfriend.

Regular readers of Lonesome Highway will be aware of our devotion to what we consider to be genuine country music, alongside our aversion to what is currently churned out on mainstream country radio stations. RHINESTONE COWGIRL ticks the former box with flying colours and surely, given radio play, would offer listeners a gateway to the world of genuine country music, rather than the synthesiser and drum machine driven sounds, currently masquerading as country on the airwaves.

All in all, this album delivers all the key elements of traditional country, while also presenting a modern slant of the genre. Weeping pedal steel guitar and blazing fiddles do impress throughout, but the real winner are Olivia’s crystalline vocals that dip, soar and quiver in all the right places, on a batch of extremely well written songs. Don’t just take my word for it, track down a copy yourself. You won’t be disappointed.

Review by Declan Culliton

The Lucky Ones Self-Titled Self Release

Whilst I can’t claim any sort of deep knowledge of bluegrass and old time music, on occasion an album comes onto my radar and hits the target. This is true of the debut release of the Canadian band The Lucky Ones. They are based in the Yukon area and play acoustic music with an obvious energy and conviction. The five piece are led by vocalist and guitarist JD McCallen. He is joined in the vocal department by fellow guitarists Ian Smith and Ryan James West. West is also the band’s mandolinist.  Then Kieran Poile plays fiddle and Jerome Belanger is the double bassist. There are also some guests on vocal and additional piano. Collectively they are credited with writing all of the material here and while it is neither unique in theme or style, they manage a freshness whilst easily fitting into the overall genre patterns.

The opening song Fool’s Gold immediately gets the feet tapping and shows that here is a set of players who mean business. Waiting On A Paycheque makes me think that it could have easily been a track on the O Brother soundtrack. It is a tale that elaborates on the plight of the man waiting for his next work payment to arrive, and how he needs to survive and thrive till that happens. There is a historic feel to the songs. The Old 98 has a similar theme of cash on the bar for every round requested from a hard-worn miner still working at the titular mine. There is deeper thoughtfulness in Everybody Dance, where the sense of relationships seems tentative and also tender.

Lifestyles are at the heart of Since The Farm Got Sold and how generations of workers on the land can deal with a multitude of problems placed in their path to prevent use of their land. The melody here is very reminiscent of a number of songs but it powers along at a pace. Softer and simpler is the approach taken in Wish, where the melancholic and desperate theme is of longing and regret and features a striking vocal from McCallen. More upbeat in tempo if not mood is evidenced in Drunken Goodnight.

The music draws on history and tradition and is steeped in landscape, community and a strong sense of family. There is then also the factor that being a band from the Yukon means a certain isolation and independence. Just getting to play a gig out of the area means a drive of several hours. But there are compensations and, doubtless, the comradeship within the band counts for a lot, as does the locality and the support the band receive from it. But again this music has now a universality that means it is as readily accessible and understandable here in Ireland as it is in Canada, Czechoslovakia or Norway. It also comes in a well designed sleeve which is indicative of the commitment that they have to their music.

Review by Stephen Rapid

John McTigue III It’s About Time  Mc3

Seasoned session players are a talented bunch who are often playing in a variety of styles to suit the particular artist that they are accompanying. So it’s no surprise that drummer McTigue III does that here on this album released under his own name. He has though, more often than not, been associated with county and Americana performers. The list on his website of those he has played with is testament to his talent and appeal.  Now here with IT’S ABOUT TIME he displays that diversity on a selection of tracks, some with guest vocalists, others instrumental. The album opens with Deep Ellum Blues, a song written by Joe and Bob Shelton, and one that features the vocals of one of the more under-appreciated artist living in Nashville, namely Greg Garing, whose tenure there goes back to the very early days of the resurgence of Lower Broadway. Garing also sings on his co-written song Store Bought Liquor. His voice is as distinctive as ever and steeped in ageless honky-tonk, authentic country and rockabilly. It sounds like it could have been recorded back in the late 50’s. Garing’s final vocal is on the classic Ashes Of Love, his delivery emphasising the true heartache of the song.

The producers of this varied collection are McTigue and Kenny Vaughan, both masters of their chosen instruments who also have an understanding of how to add authenticity to their production. The other guest vocalist is the equally vital Tim Carroll. He sings and plays guitar on his two self-written contributions, Keeping Time and Talking to God. The former has a blues/rock sound while the latter is a full-on punky workout that rocks out hard by the end. Very different to Garing’s contributions but equally worth their place here on this release.

From then on it’s about the mood and attitude of the instrumental from Stockholm written by the two producers and sounding like its missing from the soundtrack of a 60’s spy drama. It is one of four tracks that Vaughan plays guitar on. The others are the tracks that feature Greg Garing. These alone show the versatility of his playing. Starbuck (Buckaroo) is an obvious tribute to Buck Owens’ guitarist, Don Rich. Though the guitarist on the track is uncredited, it sounds very much like Vaughan. Luceat Lux Vestra is a McTigue written piece that is something of a showpiece for his undoubted percussion mastery. Billy Contreras adds multiple violins into the rhythmic platform. The version of Chopin’s Étude No 4 is subtle and understated and highlights Contreras again but this time on mandolin. String Quartet No. 3 written again by McTigue features the Tosca String Quartet and it has the feel of a film score contribution and shows that McTigue has the ability to step out behind the drum kit and to orchestrate something that is quite evocative. The other song is The Whale Song, a co-write between McTigue and Ron Blakley. It’s built into a rhythmic pattern and then layered with Blakely’s pedal steel guitar, though here the instrument is played in a more atmospheric style which conjures up effectively the large marine mammal moving through the sea and waves.

This may be too diverse an album to attract wide mainstream attention but it is undoubtedly an interesting and rewarding set of songs and far more wide-ranging than one might expect from a musician more widely know for his sideman skills. But it’s also perhaps about time that he made this individual statement and it is in one worth giving the space to be listened to.

Review by Stephen Rapid

Jesse Brewster The Lonely Pines Crooked Prairie

Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Jesse Brewster has been making music since his debut album appeared back in 2004. He is a very talented multi-instrumentalist who also has many side projects and interests, including music producer and teacher. This latest release follows on from The Simpleness Of Things, an EP that surfaced in 2018, and these ten excellent songs reflect a Roots sound with a leaning towards mid-tempo arrangements, full of sweet melody and atmospheric playing.

Opening track, Let’s Run Away, kicks everything off with a bright dynamic sound and a plea to strike out, into the unknown, until the shimmering images of the coast appear in the distance. Kicking and Screaming has a similar theme and the telling lyric ‘Got to go where we’re not wanted, to find where we belong.’ So, life on the road in one sense, but balanced by the message in other songs, such as the feeling of family and surviving the stormy weather in Southern, a slow acoustic ballad, with Close To Home also highlighting that feeling of belonging and bonding together.

Another song, So Much Good Right Here, has a bluesy groove and a message not to take anything for granted.  The slow waltz of Bitter Pill looks at a former lover and her new life, having moved on and leaving a sense of frustration with the lover that is left behind. Equally, No One To Blame, is an easy melody that has an anxious partner feeling down on his luck, waiting for a positive sign.

The ideal of a dream lover is explored in Woman In My Mind; ‘She’s the one that I’m hoping I never find, She’d never be that perfect woman in my mind.’ The song, Follow It Down, looks at the search for creativity and is a more commercial sound that examines the tricks that the mind can play on the writing process. The final track, Amber Kinney, is a ballad that highlights marital abuse and the need for escape, with some superb violin and mandolin leading the haunting melody.

Jesse Brewster is a very expressive singer-songwriter and his warm vocal tone is perfectly in tune with these well-crafted songs about living through the vagaries of life and love. A very enjoyable thirty-five minutes of your time.  

Review by Paul McGee

John Smith The Fray Thirty Tigers

English Folk music often gets a bad press as being outdated and irrelevant in the modern world, but quality music always finds a way to surface. Gone are the days of suitably bearded poets in heavy woollen jumpers, making ‘serious’ music in meaningful ways, across the damp back rooms of our cities. Once society moved into the ‘me-culture’ - deep introspection had no place at the table set for hedonistic pleasure. However, the times in which we now live have brought with them the deep need for renewed connection and community.

This is a very soulful and heartfelt release from an artist who knows all about life as a travelling minstrel. John Smith is a singer-songwriter and guitar player of some serious talent and has trodden many stages since his debut album appeared back in 2006. Since then, his reputation has grown to the point where he is considered as one of the brightest lights on the circuit and until the Covid lockdown, regularly in demand. Here, during long days of sitting home, Smith has created an album that shines perspective on life and love, the need to reach out for empathy and understanding and to hold out for what is real. Produced by Sam Lakeman, who also adds percussion, and calling on the talents of Jason Rebello (piano), Marcus Hamblett (horns), Emma Gattrill (clarinet and bass clarinet), John Smith delivers on acoustic and electric guitars, lap steel and vocals, an album that is both honest and open in the creation and completion.

Opening with Friends and a message that real connection endures over both time and the miles travelled. It’s as close to a commercial sound as John Smith gets, with its radio-friendly chorus and handclap arrangement. Hold On is just that, a plea to keep moving forward and to share both good and bad times together, ‘Took me a minute to see, When we’re open-hearted, Whatever happens, We’ll be fine.’ The smoky quality in Smith’s delivery includes a vulnerability that adds great character to his soulful tone.

Sanctuary is a song that looks at unfulfilled romance and the feeling of something not fully concluded, ‘I watched you run like crazy, Chasing all those dreams, I tried to follow close, But I ran out of steam.’ A memory or an imagined dalliance? Smith writes all the songs here, including seven co-writes, leading to the strong sense of collaboration that runs through the arrangements and the superbly crafted playing. 

Deserving, channels a memory of the late, great John Martyn, whom Smith toured with in the early days. The rhythm and slap-technique on the guitar strings is beautifully executed and the harmony vocals of both Sarah Jaroz and Courtney Hartman are a real treat. A slow groove that flows gracefully and builds into a fine crescendo. 

The Best Of Me is another gem, all wrapped up in jazzy tones, with Ben Nicholls on double bass and a special guest appearance from the legendary Bill Frisell on electric guitar. It’s like a delicate flower, opening up to the realisation of what true love means, ‘I lay beside you in the dark, With just the beating of your heart, I know the best of me is here with you.’ Equally, Just As You Are is another love song that promises enduring commitment and a deep sense of belonging - superbly delivered along with the lovely vocals of Jessica Staveley-Taylor.

Other guests include The Milk Carton Kids, who provide additional vocals on the title track, The Fray, a song that reflects upon a career that passes in a blur of bright lights and busy days, with barely enough time to draw breath; ‘ I’ll wait for the lights to fade out, And walk into the fray, We all end up there anyway.’ 

Star-Crossed Lovers has a beautiful co-vocal with Lisa Hannigan and looks at the difficulty in maintaining a relationship through challenging times, ‘It’s been a crazy year, where do I begin? Would you allow me to confess my sins, And take me gently for the state I’m in?’

It’s very much a contemporary Folk sound and this sixth studio album has Smith playing at the top of his game, putting down a strong marker for continued success into the future and delivering on all his early promise as most likely to succeed. Well worth investigation.  

Review by Paul McGee

David John Morris Monastic Love Songs Hinterground 

We all search for meaning in this life. Whether we look for gratification in the material world and career success, or whether we seek answers from within, the journey is very much one of personal preference. David John Morris has chosen to focus on his inner path and his spiritual leanings have led to the ten songs included here, all composed during a period of time spent in a Buddhist monastery in Nova Scotia. Morris has now been ordained as a Buddhist monk and his musings on the human spirit, both inner and outer perspectives, coupled with a deep reverence for the eternal beauty contained in nature, form the bedrock of this very enjoyable, self-reflective album.

Morris sings with a hushed vocal style that is reminiscent of Lloyd Cole and is always quietly intimate, even in moments where it appears clipped in tone. As a member of the musical collective that is Red River Dialect, Morris has been recording music since 2010 when he released a duo recording with his friend Simon Drinkwater under the band name. Several releases have followed, ten in total, across EPs and albums both, with the fluid nature of band membership not taking anything away from the reputation earned in English Folk circles. 

We now find Morris in solo mode; Folk influences sharply honed and having sought the assistance of two key players to help colour these gentle song arrangements. Thierry Amar (God Speed You Black Emperor) and Thor Harris (The Swans) arrived at Hotel2Tango studios in Montreal to join with Thaye Chosang (the Buddhist name that Morris now uses) and over the course of a day, recorded together. Their understated playing on double bass (Amar), drums, harmonium, vibes (Harris) and Morris/Chosang on guitars and vocals, brings a sense of calm, where the song melodies infuse an atmosphere of reflected lightness. Other players contributed on individual songs, with Tom Relleen (buchla synth), Catrin Vincent (piano), Coral Rose (cello) and Jimmy Robertson (tambourine) adding their separate parts.

All songs were written by Morris except for one, a cover of the traditional Rosemary Lane, which tells the tale of the seduction of a domestic servant by a sailor, who leaves her pregnant and alone. Certainly not a choice in keeping with the search for something deeper within, the theme which permeates the songs that Morris has delivered.  If it does seem at odds with the overall message of loving awareness, perhaps it stands alone as a stark reminder that we are the master of our own decisions and the way in which we allow the vicissitudes of life to shape us.

Elsewhere, the opening song, New Safe, deals with letting go of anxiety, fears and ego, with the imagery of emotions we hide away in a safe, securely protected by a code and locked tight. The greater universal message of selfless living is captured on Rhododendron, with lines like ‘Through my senses, doorways open. I've been taking, now I'll learn to give.’ Also, on the track, Skeleton Key, where the secret to open many doors comes from the old self being able to accept the new; I'm in the bardo of becoming. Old self died, New self not yet born.’

 It’s all about trusting in the undulating energy that fuels all things. ‘Remember there is no need to strive’ sings Morris as he seeks the union with nature and his inner self. If you view Nature itself as a living, sentient being, then the energy it gives provides all that is required to live openly together in this garden of Eden. This is the message on Gone Beyond, which speaks of; ‘There is a mind so vast, That it has surpassed, All of the hopes, all of the fears. It is already here.’

Purple Gold refers to an old friendship, memories of younger days and meeting up again some years later. Earth and Air seems to reflect an earlier urge to break free and move away from a relationship, while Steadfast deals with a more recent tension between two people, with the message to stop trying so hard to bridge the distance; ‘Tensions rose and tethers slowly frayed, Didn't realise they were starting to braid.’

Circus Wagon is perhaps the most nakedly honest song, with questions around the fallibility of man and the failings of patriarchal Buddhist community leaders to deliver on the principles that they espouse to put into practice in their daily lives; ‘I asked for freedom, And freedom came. Broke the wheels of praise and blame. Circus wagon fell apart, I thought this was my chariot.’

The final song, Inner Smile, is a sentiment of inner joy and written for Hollis, one of the teachers that Morris studied under. It captures the essence of a smile and how it can change the attitude we take in perceiving the world. Morris realised his spiritual calling on a visit to Ireland back in 2015 and a deep resonance felt on visiting the remote island of Skellig Michael. More a giant rock than an island, the experience moved Morris to seek out a life of trying to understand the inner world of being and leave aside the hunt for material affirmation. Whether this search for perfection, in essence, must be flawed, as we are essentially imperfect beings, is something that we can all ponder. However, by aspiring to be a part of a greater ‘whole’ then the path to some enlightenment must lie ahead in the distance… An honest and memorable recording that engages with a hypnotic quality, if you are open to letting the message and the music in.  

Review by Paul McGee

New Album Reviews

Dave Richardson Palms to Pines Self Release

Massachusetts singer-songwriter Dave Richardson’s last album CARRY ME ALONG was among my favourites of 2018, so I received this latest one with some trepidation. I am relieved and happy to report that this recording does not disappoint and that the songs have already become akin to ‘old friends’.

On the folkier side of Lonesome Highway’s roster of album reviews, Richardson hangs out along with the Club Passim crowd based in Boston, Massachusetts. The title track sets the scene for the album’s themes - no matter how appealing the grass on the other side (in this case, a trip from the colder east coast to the alluring sunny California) home is always best. 

Nature is referenced throughout this enchanting collection, from the joys of sitting alone in his Garden House, comparing his love to the sweetness of maple syrup in Honey Leaf (de rigeur for all New Englanders after all!) and the cycle of life being reflected in planting and growing in And Maybe. Once again, Richardson chooses Dan Cardinal (Darlingside, Lula Wiles, Tony Trishka) to coproduce and the result is a beautifully sparse and simple sound that favours the lyrics and subject matter. Richardson’s vocals and expert fingerpicking acoustic guitar skills are complemented by the ‘barely there’ percussion of Ariel Bernstein once again, the acoustic bass playing of Grace Ward and the exquisite cello playing of Valerie Thompson. The final piece of the completed work is the addition of backing vocals from Lauren Balthrop and Emily Moran, who both contributed their vocal parts remotely.

Highlights include Keep Trying, wherein Richardson goes a long way towards explaining to this decidedly extrovert reviewer what it feels like to be an introvert: ‘Sometimes you’ll find me sitting alone, close to the action, watching it happen … but I’m always glad I came, and I’m gonna try harder’. Apology To Mouse (Recently Deceased) is reminiscent of his ode to a dead giant squid from the last album, although in this case, there is somewhat less sympathy forthcoming for the unfortunate rodent who picked the wrong home to invade. The touching My Friends is a simple vocals and guitar tribute to, and a celebration of, his musician compadres - ‘We will sing until the embers burn out’. Long may that fire burn.

Review by Eilís Boland 

The Flatlanders Treasure Of Love Rack ‘Em Records

Yet another recording that would not have seen the light of day were it not for the pandemic, the bones of TREASURE OF LOVE came about nearly ten years ago when the threesome recorded songs at Joe Ely’s Spur Studios in Austin. Ely and his Flatlander colleagues Jimmy Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock, had been at that studio recording songs for other projects and in their spare time put down the basics that make up the tracks on this album. Those tracks included self-written material that featured regularly in their live shows, some favourite cover songs and a few new songs. With time on their hands last year, they decided to flesh out those recordings and finalise the album.

Very much at the forefront of the Texas 1970’s music scene, the three carved out successful solo careers, while also setting the time aside to record and tour as The Flatlanders. Inspired by the writing of Townes Van Zandt (they nicknamed him The Patron Saint of The Flatlanders), the album includes a remake of Zandt’s Snowin’ On Raton, a song that features regularly at their live shws. Other well-chosen covers that impress include Give My Love To Rose, with Hancock’s vocal sounding every bit as convincing as the original from Johnny Cash. Ely is given the lead vocal honours on the Hancock - written Ramblin’ Man and Gilmore leads out on the Everly Brothers’ Long Time Gone. Elsewhere, Leon Russell’s She Smiles Like A River gets a country makeover and The Ballad Of Honest Sam is dispatched with as much vocal twang as Paul Siebel’s original.

They called on Lloyd Maines to assist with the production alongside Joe Ely’s wife, Sharon. The end result is a fine collection of songs that lives and breathes all that is to love about the trio. It’s an album to savour in one listen, from the ripping Butch Hancock written opener Moanin’ of the Midnight Train to the country blues of Sitting On Top Of The World, which brings this splendid album to a fitting conclusion.

It’s no surprise that these three high school friends are honoured by a plaque on Lubbock’s West Texas Walk of Fame alongside legends Waylon Jennings, Buddy Holly and Roy Orbison and this album is a reminder of their collective talents. Hard edged Americana with a capital A and presented by a collection of players that sound as if they’re having the time of their lives in the studio, TREASURE OF LOVE is an essential purchase for any discerning lover of roots music.

Review by Declan Culliton

Lara Hope & The Ark-Tones Here To Tell The Tale Sower Records

On first listen to this album, it’s no surprise to learn that Lara Hope won the Ameripolitan Music Award for Best Female Rockabilly Artist in 2017. Not strictly a rockabilly band only, Lara Hope & The Ark -Tones’ HERE TO TELL THE TALE finds them equally at home churning out country rockers, pop infused blues and melodic ballads, as they are filling dance floors with snappy rock and roll tunes.

Hope’s apprenticeship found her playing in punk bands, prior heading down the rockabilly road with Lara Hope & The Champtones, who morphed into the current band in 2012. That line up finds Lara on vocals and rhythm guitar, Eddie Rio on lead guitar, Matt Goldpaugh on bass and Jeremy Boniello on drums. Studio guests on this album include Hayden Cummings (sax), Rosio Rion Porco (fiddle and cello) and Bobcat Arkham (baritone guitar).

Two albums followed : 2014’s LUCK MAKER and 2017’s LOVE YOU TO LIFE, both very much reflecting their high energy rock and roll live shows. Although the latest recording finds them somewhat broadening their horizons with eleven original songs built around Hope’s impressive vocals, it never abandons their full-on rockabilly tone. They’re out of the starter blocks at pace with the full on twanger Let’s Go, which is matched with the equally steamy Some Advice. Likewise, the jaunty Stop, Drop and Roll is a dance floor filler, before they draw breath with the more relaxed It’s A Crime and the jazzy The Art Of Asking, both evidence of their resourcefulness outside their traditional musical comfort zone.

A scorching stockpile of rockabilly, Western Swing and rock ‘n’ roll, HERE TO TELL THE TALE does justice to a combo that manages to recreate their live sound on this very enjoyable, and very danceable album.

Review by Declan Culliton

Rodney Crowell Triage Thirty Tigers 

Although conceived during a period of political, social and environmental upheaval, TRIAGE, the latest album from Rodney Crowell, circumvents the anger and exasperation that have fuelled many albums from his contemporaries in recent times. Had a younger Crowell sat down with pen and paper to create this album, the result would no doubt have been somewhat different, most likely finding him spitting fire. The passing years have progressively found his writing more controlled, with the cogent messages in his songs well-reasoned without ever being preachy.

Recent recordings have found the Texan to be in a particularly reflective frame of mind and this album continues on that path and is probably his most personal to date.  Looking for answers to the topsy turvy times we live in, the album deals the listener a chapter of songs whose themes consistently address love and restoration. 

While many of the songs had been completed pre-pandemic, the enforced quarantine found Crowell re-writing a number of them alongside penning the remainder in isolation. He also re-entered the studio, masked up, to re-record the vocals on many of the songs.

As you would expect, the musicianship is top drawer. Pre-pandemic, Crowell had been joined in the studio by a host of musical friends, under the watchful eye of producer Dan Kobler. Among them were Steuart Smith (guitar), Larry Klein (bass), John Jarvis (piano) and Jerry Roe (drums). Eamon Mc Loughlin and David Henry added strings and harmony vocals came from Ruth Moody, John Paul White and Tanya Hancheroff. Other contributors engaged remotely later, including John Leventhal and Greg Morrow.

The opening line from the title track ‘I think I know what love is’ addresses the theme of universal love, which is a recurring topic in each and every song on the album. ‘The girl on the street was once someone’s daughter’ he later reminds us on the tale of the out of luck addict he encountered begging in San Francisco on the Girl On The Street. After a one-minute semi-spoken confessional intro, the opening track Don’t Leave Me Now bursts into life. It’s a heartfelt admission of a past indiscretion and a plea for forgiveness. Transient Global Amnesia Blues was hastily written following a temporary loss of memory for Crowell which led to a short-term hospitalisation. It’s expressed in spoken lyrics, inspired by the frightening health scare and the relief brought on by his recovery. A beautifully crafted song, it recalls the late David Olney’s epic Jerusalem Tomorrow. The simple country ballad One Little Bird is bursting with melody and is fuelled by memories of good and bad times and thoughts of mortality.  The most politically charged track is Something Has To Change, a song written some years ago by Crowell but one that was left in the slow cooker. Ironically, the sentiment expressed still remains relevant. Adding no little dynamism to the song are some unexpected killer saxophone bursts. 

He closes the album with the self-portrait and hymn like This Body Isn’t All There Is To Who I Am. It’s a positive note to finish with and a reminder that redemption and liberation are never unattainable. It’s also a statement by Crowell of his current state of mind and a fitting album closer.

Review by Declan Culliton

Bill and the Belles Happy Again Ditty Boom

With a sound that recalls the vocal harmonies of The Ronettes, the country swing of The Hot Club of Cowtown and the retro vaudeville of Manhattan Transfer, Bill and the Belles comprises founder Kris Truelsen on guitar, Andrew Small on bass, Helena Hunt on banjo and Kalia Yeagle on fiddle.

Produced by Teddy Thompson, the eleven track HAPPY AGAIN fuses old time country and Western Swing with a bit of Motown on the side. It’s also very much a divorce album, with all songs composed by Truelsen following his marriage breakdown. (“One of the darkest times of my life turned out to be one of the most creative,” he notes “I realised, ‘‘My life is chaos. I need to write about this shit.’’). Despite the subject matter, the songs are more often than not laced with humour and innuendo. They also offer a timeless free and easy style, sounding like an album you discovered in your elderly aunt’s attic.  

You are left in no doubt about Truelsen’s drift from the word go with the opener Happy Again (I’ll Never Be). Crisp lead vocals, doo wop harmonies and plucked banjo unite on the tale of lost love and woe. On a similar vein Blue So Blue laments unrequited love with weeping fiddle and brisk upright bass. They raise the tempo on the toe -tappers Taking Back My Yesterday and The Corn Shuckin’ Song before bookending the album with the mournful Good Friends Are Hard To Find.

Notwithstanding the unfortunate circumstances that triggered the album, it gifts the listener a breezy summer sound that would hit the spot in any season. 

Review by Declan Culliton

Johanna Samuels Excelsior! Basin Rock

This is an interesting debut release from Los Angeles artist, Johanna Samuels, who delivers songs that are laced with cryptic lyrics and soft, dreamy arrangements that lull the listener into a sense of easy reverie. Her band consists of Harrison Whitford on guitars, Garret Lang on bass and Sean Mullins on drums and they deliver as a unit on all fronts throughout.

Having your songs open to interpretation is perfectly fine of course, and we can all take what we hear from the words. Sonny seems to be about a failed relationship with tell-tale lines like ‘I want to be alone, More than I want to be alone with you.’ Looking back at someone who was caught up in different priorities; ‘I did not think about you, I thought about loyalty; It means make money and fuck the rest. Every now and again, I get a heavy feeling in my chest’

Nature’s Way has such a sweet melody but hides the meaning of the song that deals with being put down and taken for granted, ‘Most people say it's nature's way, That I give and that you take. What will it be, My Love, today? It's getting hard for me to say.’ High Tide For One is concerned with a relationship breakdown and feeling frustrated by the lack of communication, ‘And I don't wanna talk to you, Even if you get time to, I just don't need more work to do, It's no help being sorry.’

All Is Fine picks up the tempo and breaks into a sweet melody with some great keyboard parts from Samuels. The lyric speaks of moving on and not having to share space with the same person anymore, ‘All is fine, Sometimes I even keep what's mine so, Take your time, I'm already gone.’ The Middle has some nice pedal steel and keyboard sounds as things return to a slow pace and a drift across more relationship musings where the individuals don’t want to work out their problems, ‘And you said you didn't want me near.’ 

Similarly, Close To the Vest, is centred around keeping guard of emotions and not being too open with laying yourself bare, ‘And I thank you for reminding me to, Play close to the vest.’ Song For Sid is about the struggles of a friendship with a fellow musician and the lines, ‘Oh all the things that we take, Say you love me like the money you make,’ tell their own story.

Julie is another slow melody around a toxic relationship where, ‘You're breaking me, Julie, I do the best that I can; But you always find something, That you must reprimand.’ Again, in the song, Less Of You, we are treated to the musing that ‘And I rarely think about you, And when I do, I couldn't think less of you.’ Also, the focus of divisive pride comes to the surface with, ‘Since you're always thinking of you - I don't have to.’ So, some great written lines interspersed between the catchy melodies and the fine music that is created. 

The last song, Cathy, is just Samuels and her piano, a beautifully judged performance and the regret of leaving precious feelings behind, ‘It's so funny how the days will just pass by, How I can heal enough to love, And something gorgeous had to die.’

Ultimately, this is an album laced with emotions, of moving on and growing up. From youthful dreaming and wishing for certain outcomes; all the way through to the grim reality of actual experience. The world gets cold and not everybody processes the need to keep reaching out instead of deciding to retreat and hide away. I sense that these are very personal songs to Samuels and her strong musicality is certainly very evident throughout these thirty-six minutes of soothing melodies. 

Samuels called upon a number of female friends to add vocal harmonies and address the gender balance. When you can reach out to Courtney Marie Andrews (two tracks), Hannah Read (two tracks), Olivia Kaplan (two tracks), AO Gerber (four tracks), Hannah Cohen and Louise Florence (one track), then the life lessons learned through these tracks seem a little easier to reflect upon. This album leaves you feeling that there is so much more to follow from this talented artist.

Review by  Paul McGee

Melody Duncan Wolf Song Self Release

This is a debut album from multi-instrumentalist, Melody Duncan, an artist who comes from a musical family and who has written, performed, recorded, and produced this entire project from her home base in Atlanta, Georgia. Quite an impressive achievement and displaying a quiet confidence in her abilities to deliver work of substance. Melody did call upon the talents of Josh Reynolds (Little Big Town) for the mastering process, but apart from this we are given a completely formed DIY package.

Prelude opens the album with layered vocals, raised in sweet harmony, offering such an inviting welcome. The title track, Wolf Song, follows and examines the excitement and fear that accompanies change and embracing risk. Duncan has an interesting vocal inflection to complement her excellent skills on a number of instruments. She has a rich tone in her delivery and there is a hint of a Patty Griffin influence in the singing style. However, comparison is lazy and the thief of joy, so let’s just move along. 

Cardinal uses the species of bird as a metaphor in looking at a relationship ‘You may have sung your song, But if you think you’re keeping me, I don’t fly the way the wind blows, There’s other ways to be free.’ Some impressive whistling also on this track by Melody.

Dear Friend asks why we feel the urge to be continually questioning and searching for answers, while Lonely deals with a sense of isolation and depressive thoughts, ‘Such a matter of the head that really messes with my heart.’ Again, there is whistling, as an added touch, this time lending an almost-Morricone tone to proceedings.

Reunion is a song about past problems, getting sober, learning how to accept who you are and reach out for love and connection. Edward, is a song that has an interesting jazz-like arrangement but is obscure lyrically and just don’t seem to land properly. There are others that carry superbly arranged melodies, like Paper and Campfire, and there is no doubting the talent of Melody Duncan on this debut project and I see a future that is bright.

The final track, Rain Storm, is a field recording, or sound effects, of rain - running for almost five minutes. It’s not the best choice to end an album, leaving an unfinished sense to the record. It just seems like a missed opportunity to finish on a stronger note.

Review by  Paul McGee

Steven John Birks Along The Tracks Self Release 

Contemporary singer-songwriter Steven John Birks delivers ten songs with an earthy vocal delivery and impressive harmonica playing on his second release. It follows his 2018 debut, Long Time Comin’ Round and there is a similar Folk/Roots feel throughout the entire project, which was written, recorded, mixed and mastered by Birks himself. If that was not impressive enough, he also plays all the instruments, which include acoustic guitar, harmonica, percussion and tambourine. 

There is an appealing acoustic blues sound on the title track that opens the album and on songs like, I Will Rise and When the Whistle Blows, the topic of war is highlighted and the struggle, not only to   survive the fighting and the trauma, but to also endure. 

Dreamcatcher sings about the power of dreams and the potential to spark our imaginations to conjure up positive changes. Ship Of Fools looks at the way in which we are all caught up in our routines, habits and impulses. Is it our destiny to simply repeat the mistakes of the past?

There and Back Again is about the nine-to-five drudgery of work and the self-imposed prisons we make. The story song, The Curse Of Matilda, is a tale of abuse between master and servant, unwanted pregnancy and a gypsy curse. Beware, all ye who take this path!

The album winds down with Keepin’ On, a song about living through the obstacles and pushing ahead, followed by Waiting For the Moment, another message for those who need to keep focus in challenging times. These are nicely played songs, delivered with a strong self-belief and a talent for self-produced creativity, at a time when we all can do with examples of hope and inspiration. 

Review by Paul McGee

A.C. Wallin Useless Heart Self Release

Since 2004 the critically acclaimed Swedish blues/country duo, Wallin-Jison, has been releasing a number of quality albums. Singer/songwriter A.C. Wallin has now decided to create this debut solo project and the ten tracks are very much rooted in his personal experiences, covering such ground as growing up in a small town, moving to the big city, relationship lessons, lost friends and different roads taken, before coming full circle with a closing song about enduring connection.

It Happened To Us is a song that charts the breakdown in a relationship and the title track, Useless Heart, follows – internal anger at not being open enough to let down those emotional walls; ‘Well I know you can't be trusted, 'cause you're nothin' but a coward, And you don't have the nerve, to let down your guard, To open up and show someone who you really are, That's too tough for you, useless heart.’ Disarming honesty in the writing and the sentiment.

Tape Deck Car Stereo is a memory from childhood and car journeys with his father, enjoying his company and the bonding experience; ‘Nothin' but white lines and the red light on the dash, Old time country music like angels from the past.’ It captures the innocence of youth in a gentle arrangement and melody.

The playing is very stripped back and engaging, with Wallin playing all the instruments; guitars, 6-string banjo, bass and drums. He is very skilled at getting the right mood on each track to convey the message with easy blues and roots influences displaying nice melodies and sweet sounds. 

Thin Walls is about having a crush on your next-door neighbour, only to find that she is involved with someone else; if walls could talk indeed. A song about unrequited feelings. Along the Way is a song to his daughter and about being there to guide her as she grows, ‘Trust yourself, Don't be afraid, I'll be with you, Every day, Along the way.’ Again, the song arrangement is wrapped in a sweet melody and a gentle groove.

Back On the Job is a bluesy song that deals with trying to make money for yourself, rather than returning to a dead-end job that was creating a self-imposed prison. Letters In A Box, on the other hand, is a song that recounts a teenage flirtation with a wild girl and the eventual spinning out of the tale into adulthood, where they are in the same Supermarket queue, some twenty years later, but don’t engage.  Fearlessly is a more up-tempo song and deals with loving your partner openly and ignoring any nagging self-doubt that threatens to surface.

Small Town Stuff is a look back at wayward adolescence and the silly things that get balanced against growing up and maturity; ‘A friend of mine was crazy but always good with his fists, 'Cause he had to fight his daddy, like his daddy fought his.’ 

Final track, If You Need A Friend, has an easy melody and a message that you are never alone; ‘Someone to turn to in the night, Someone to listen, To give you advice, To guide through the darkness, Like a beacon of light.’ We could all use a true friend like that in life.

AC Wallin gives us a look through the letter box and into the room where he keeps his memories and wishes. It’s an interesting thirty minutes of your time and a very worthwhile listen. I will leave the last word to the artist; “These songs are all about people that are in - or have passed through - my life. But ultimately, in one way or another, I guess they are all about me." 

Review by  Paul McGee

New Album Reviews

Wild Earp & The Free For Alls Dyin’ for Easy Livin’  Western Myth

I suspect that this particular outfit don’t take it too seriously, even though they are serious about what they produce. Under the leadership of Earp, they deliver songs that are well played, produced and persuasive. The Chicago combo have a little of that town’s insurgent country in their makeup, alongside some rockabilly, western swing and more, all of which creates an enjoyable set of spirited song supplication. Earp takes the producer chair and is the writer and co-writer of several of the songs along with contributions from guitarist Jed Taylor and one from bassist Charlie Malave. George Hurden also adds guitar and mandolin, while Sean Hughes plays piano and Alan Maniacek is the drummer. Earp also takes the lead vocals on several tracks where he is joined by ‘Sweet Sassy Molassey’ Moore on harmony. Moore also takes the lead on a number of the songs. This gives the album a variety that maximises the band’s potential. There are others involved on the musician side including Robert Daniels and Brian Wilkie on pedal steel, Felipe Tobar and Jess McIntosh on fiddle and Hope Arthur on accordion. Many of these also have nick names that remind me a little of early Hank Wangford and indeed the band’s overall tongue-in-cheekness and musical path is not dissimilar, even though they are decades and continents apart.

This time out they bring a new set of twelve songs for public consideration which should  garner them a positive opinion from those who like their country and western delivered with aplomb and style. These are the inevitable tales of heartache, hell-raising, hope and helplessness. The band honed their trade in the clubs of Chicago and took their notion of a ‘free for all’ gathering of musicians to something more solidly purposeful. There are also themes that derive from the lifestyle they had prior to the current enforced layoff. I Wanna Go concisely sums up that feeling of getting out here and delivering their music to a ready and waiting audience. They want to break their new boots in and get back into their van again and to experience that collective band on the road closeness. Perhaps another key track in that line of thinking is Living’ The Life where Earp outlines his current feelings about this life and times ’”cause this glamorous life’s a little light on the glamour … or his doctor’s advice that “son, you’d better slow down this train / take it easy on the drinkin’ and absolutely no cocaine / I said, “doc, even if you’d support it, ain’t no way I could afford it.” Lyrics that reveal the sense of humour as well as the far from perfect lifestyle of a working musician, who travels from venue to venue to keep body and soul together. In Step On It he reflects on being something of a man who makes the wrong choices and is beginning to learn from his mistakes and impulses. It also highlights Earp’s vocal strengths. Moore’s vocal ability is maybe best shown in Two ’Til Midnight, an intimate tale of a couple not being able to stay together, a kind of classic country weeper for modern times.

Throughout the album there is an upbeatness that has the toe’s tapping and the song’s engaging in a way that makes a connection on a number of different levels. The open song and first choice for a single Ain’t It A Shame (When Your Horse Goes Lame) is a perfect introduction to the band and their tight sound. It is about the way that expectations and hopes can be thwarted by reality, when one is least expecting it. Wild Earp has conceived a look that is not out of line with that of the wild west figure that immediately springs to mind when you hear the name and likewise the Free For Alls also dress to impress. There is no mistaking the musical affiliation and intention and DYIN’ FOR EASY LIVIN’ fulfils its mission to update and at the same time be a part of a living tradition that has always managed to cover the different aspects and inadequate way we deal with them. That this is doing so in such an appealing way is all credit to these guys and girl, who show us that while we might all be looking for an easy living, it takes a fair bit of work to pull off. A tip of the hat to Earp and his outlaws for doing it their way.

Review by Stephen Rapid

Stuart Smith The Sun EP Vol.2 Illnoise

As the title proclaims, this EP was recorded at 706 Union Avenue in Memphis - the home of the legendary Sun Studios. As the cover denotes this is volume two, however neither his debut album WAR HORSE nor the previous volume one made it to our review desk. Smith, growing up, was fascinated by the music that came from that important studio and he finally got the opportunity to stand and record where numerous legends did before him.

There is a presence captured in the recording, although the recording is largely just voice and acoustic guitar and could in that light have been recorded anywhere. There is an electric guitar on Wait By The Window and a harmonium on one other track. But just being there gave Smith a special feeling haunted by the ghosts of many of the icons who has also stood in front of the microphones there. This is especially true on the one cover here which is his take onTownes Van Zandt’s classic Waitin’ Round To Die. The remaining five compositions are his own, with one, the opening song Josephine, being a co-write with William Fitzsimmons.

The recordings have a certain sense of melancholy which is emphasised by the simplicity of the vocal delivery that seems ensconced in the timeless echo and lyrical downbeat themes such as A Long Goodbye and Always & Never. But the bottom line is I enjoyed this short introduction to Smith’s world, as it serves as a reminder that there are always artists out there that are worth discovering. Hopefully the sun will continue to shine on him and his work going forward.

Review by Stephen Rapid

Malcolm Holcombe Tricks Of The Trade Need To Know/Proper

By this stage in his career, I reckon that those who are drawn to Malcolm Holcombe’s idiosyncratic take on Appalachian dirt folk and blues are already fans. His catalogue contains some seventeen albums, fifteen of which have been released since the start of the 2000’s. His respect among his peers has never diminished and he has always attracted players who understand the wisdom of his words. This album was produced by Brian Brinkerhoff and Dave Roe. Roe also handles the bass duties and is joined on most tracks by his son Jerry on drums. Long-time supporter Jared Tyler is also back here. Add to that backing vocals and contributions from Mary Gauthier and Jaimee Harris and some cello from Ron de la Vega (on Lenora Cynthia) and you have a a set of players willing to do justice to Holcombe’s often deliberately opaque writing. Equally, though, other tracks lay out tales of hard times and hardened hearts. Your Kin would be an example of this, where a family have to face the unpalatable truth wherein “the cops take away your children.” What is also a pleasant surprise is the melodic catchiness of Misery Loves Company, which belies its lyrics of a bar-room’s neon darkness of the psyche. The closing song Shakey Ground is another song that gets its melody and chorus firmly embedded in your head. Elsewhere in Higher Ground he notes that he has the “ freedom to choose / I got freedom to loose.”, suggesting  that the path that we all get to chose is as much a choice as it is a destiny.

He has been described as a songwriter’s songwriter, with many of his contemporaries recognising his skill in that department. Equally he has a rough-hewn baritone voice that has the grit of a dirt road and the pain of experience. Behind his own deep inhabitation of his songs the assembled players are indispensable to Holcombe deliver wherein the voice, words and music create something more powerful than the individual components involved. There is a lyric booklet included, which is a help and although it is not difficult to make out the words, it is possibly a little harder to completely understand his meaning in every song or phrase.

Never-the-less this is perhaps one of the best sounding collections of songs that Holcombe has recorded to date and is, while maybe the word ‘enjoyable’ may not be the right term, a testament to a very unique performer and his talent as storyteller, whose music always leaves its mark on the listener. He is prolific in his output compared to some of those he first appeared alongside back in 1994 with his first album and long may he continue to adds his vision to this uncertain world.

Review by Stephen Rapid.

Erik Shicotte Miss’ry Pacific Black Country Rock 

 Recent years have seen a resurgence of what used to be tagged back in the day, as ‘Country and Western’ music. What is encouraging is both the quality of the product and the age profile of the torch carriers that have dug deeply into the musical archives for inspiration. Colter Wall, Charley Crockett and more recently Vincent Neil Emerson have been leading the charge and with considerable success.

Erik Shicotte is another artist travelling in a similar musical direction. With a booming baritone voice and songs written from personal experiences, he doesn’t put a foot wrong on this six-track mini album. An ironworker by trade, his days are filled constructing fire training towers and his evenings are often spent writing songs in motel rooms. With that lifestyle you’d expect songs about trucks, trains, highways and hardened blue collar workers and that’s exactly what is on offer here.

The title track pays homage to the Missouri Pacific Railroad, one of the first railroads in America west of the Mississippi river. It’s a lively opener with Shicotte’s billowing baritone surrounded by raging fiddles and lively pedal steel. The country waltz Kansas City, which follows, is a weepy ballad mourning love lost. Elsewhere, the honky tonkin’ and defiant Die Like A Man gives caution the two fingers and Flint has Waylon stamped all over it. It tells a tale of staying on a straight road despite the distractions and temptations. His existence as a transient steel worker, possibly autobiographical with a degree of embellishment, surfaces on Niners. Laced with sly humour, harmonica and pedal steel it’s a pointer to a writer that has a number of tricks up his sleeve.  The sixth track Silver revisits the themes of self-doubt and survival.

With a powerful voice that adds gravitas to some fine songs, credit must also be given to the quality players that joined Shicotte in the studio. No stranger to Lonesome Highway and an accomplished recording artist in her own right, Miss Tess plays bass. Pedal steel and electric guitars come courtesy of the multi-instrumentalist Patrick Lyons. Nate Leath contributes fiddle, harmonica is played by Jake Groves and percussion by Aaron Goodrich.

If you’re reading this review it’s likely that real country music appeals to you and you may not have previously heard of Erik Shicotte. I’d highly recommend that you check this album out and if there’s any justice, you should be hearing a lot more about him going forward.

Review by Declan Culliton

John Murry The Stars Are God’s Bullet Holes Submarine Cat 

Tupelo, Mississippi born John Murry’s third full album is another chapter from his eccentric lyrical and musical diaries. In a similar vein to THE GRACELESS AGE from 2013 and A SHORT HISTORY OF DECAY which followed five years later, the listener is advised to set time aside to drill into the often-impassioned wordplay on offer and the deviant sonic structures that surround them. Each subsequent revisit of Murry’s latest offering is likely to unearth previously unnoticed musical thrills. Furthermore, each visit will most likely promote conflicting interpretations and messages to the listener’s initial understandings.

Murry’s choice of producers on each of his three albums has been opportune. The late Tim Mooney, of American Music Club fame, created the optimum sonic backdrop to Murray’s confessional debut album.  He then sought out Cowboy Junkies’ Michael Timmins to produce the second album, powered by a painful divorce. This time around Murry knocked on the door of John Parish. It was an inspired choice in hindsight, as Parish most certainly ‘gets’ Murry and where he’s coming from. Parish is a producer and artist that can take huge credit for the thriving musical career of P.J. Harvey, having worked on seven of her albums and co-written two. Unlike many producers, he does not work to a set formula. Instead, he forges individualistic musical nuances that define the artist he’s working with. Murray is on record noting his wonderment at Parrish’s ability to build the songs from what Murry considered to be meagre beginnings.   

THE STARS ARE GOD’S BULLET HOLES finds the adopted Irishman in a more sanguine mood than previously, although one shouldn’t expect balloons and bunting. We are talking dark grey here, rather than the jet-black tenor of his two earlier full albums.  The songs often appear to be exhausted, raw and unfinished. They’re often infused with scratchy guitars and mottled electronics, working alongside Murry’s intense and sometimes layered vocals. It all works spectacularly well.  A fitting contribution are Nadine Khouri’s backing vocals on a number of tracks. Her murmurings act as involuntary support for Murray, something akin to a colleague joining a marathon runner for the last mile, as he struggles for the finish line. This particularly comes to light on the Ones + Zeros and Perfume & Decay. The former finds Khouri’s vocals bookending a song that kicks off in a defiant mood but ends in surrender. The latter, recalling past and lost love, alleges torture and self-despair (‘who will remember to place flowers on my grave after this world explodes?’) with Khouri’s whispered backing vocals akin to a cue to Murray from the wings.

The album’s opener Oscar Wilde Came Here To Make Fun Of You is loaded with streams of consciousness, flirting between self- questioning (‘Oscar Wilde came here to make fun of you /to dress well and play bridge/ so why the hell can't I do the same’) and exasperation (‘lock me up in Clerkenwell prison, I'll blow a hole right through it’). Although both questioning and self-searching, I Refuse To Believe - You Could Love Me kicks off like a distant relative to The Undertones Here Comes The Summer. It’s as close to radio friendly as Murray has ever been, even if the lyrics (‘this is my last dance; this is my final prayer’) dampen down the snappy melody. The ruminative Di Kreuster finds the writer reflecting on his adoptive family. Surprisingly, despite the thorny subject matter, (‘I know I'm not what you bargained for…. I'm a one night stand you can throw me out in the morning’), it’s as mellow as Murray has ever recorded, with Joe Harvey Whyte’s pacifying pedal steel alongside vocals which are soaked in disquiet.

Those familiar with Murry’s live shows, and in particular his solo shows, will be more than aware of his knack of plucking the most unlikely songs out of the air to cover. He’s done it once more here with Duran Duran’s Ordinary World. It really shouldn’t work but, surprisingly, it does and spectacularly so. 

Following the unique THE GRACELESS AGE was an almost impossible task. Having just about manoeuvred the difficult second album syndrome with A SHORT HISTORY, Murry has come out with guns blazing this time. He has also - with considerable input from Parish - shaped his most powerful album to date, and by some distance. Despite the plaudits, name checks and cult following, John Murry has, to date, achieved only ‘big in his own backyard’ status. This intriguing eleven track gem could, and should, earn him considerably greater recognition.

Review by Declan Culliton

Shaye Zadravec Now And Then CRS

Alberta, Canada singer songwriter Shaye Zadravec follows her 2018 EP release NORWAY with her first full album titled NOW AND THEN. Essentially an interpreter of songs penned by others, the album is a collection of ten tracks reworked by her and, more often than not, sympathetic to the original recordings.

What makes the album stand head and shoulders above many cover albums is Zadravec’s stunning vocals. Her working of Windfall is a note perfect version of Jay Farrar’s opening track from Son Volt’s debut album TRACE. It’s also the first track on the album and had me hitting the repeat button on first play. And it gets better. Rosanne Cash covered and made her own the Jesse Winchester song Biloxi on her 2014 triple Grammy Award winner THE RIVER AND THE THREAD. Zadravec remains true to that version here with a disciplined, delicate and equally striking rendition. It would be challenging to maintain the standard of both those opening songs but she seldom lets her guard down on the remaining songs.

Selecting a song to cover from renowned Canadian singer songwriter Ian Tyson could have directed her towards his masterpiece Four Strong Winds. Instead, she invited Tyson into the studio to record his Christmas song Silver Bell, which includes the famed writer of the song on backing vocals. Zadravec’s crystalline vocals and accompanying weeping pedal steel guitar are the perfect match and are combined to fine effect on the Lynn Miles penned Night Drive and the Pat Mc Laughlin and Lawrence Russell Brown co-write The Whispering Wind. The latter was previously recorded by country singer Mandy Barnett and its inclusion finds Zadravec more than comfortable in the role of country songstress. 

Paul Westerberg’s Skyway gets a gentle workover without straying too far from the original and she signs off with the haunting East Longview Serenade. It lasts slightly over one and a half minutes and features haunting vocalising alongside some more aching pedal steel.

NOW AND THEN showcases Zadravec as a dedicated flame carrier and interpreter of some classic songs. Her versions are a mouth-watering flavour of what she is vocally capable of. In former decades, artists such as Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris carved hugely successful careers recording the work of other songwriters. In today’s overcrowded market, Zadravec may need to follow this album with some more self-penned material in order to raise her profile. In the meantime, track this album down, slip on the headphones, put your feet up and have a listen. Satisfaction guaranteed.

Review by Declan Culliton

Jesse Terry When We Wander Self Release

The songs on this album were all written prior to the onset of Covid-19 and the new reality that followed during 2020. With a release date already set, Terry took the decision to hold back on all media activity, as the timing didn’t feel quite right. In the year that has followed, we have all sought inspiration and motivation in many places and none more relevant than through music, which can lift the spirit and deliver solace. As a sanctuary to ease our restless or troubled minds, we need look no further than these twelve tracks, with the impressive Jesse Terry providing his own balm for the soul. Releasing this album in 2021 makes great sense as the music speaks to the current space where we all look for a sense of connection and community.

Recorded at Skinny Elephant studios in Nashville, the superb musicianship that delivers the rich texture of these songs is very impressive, especially when you learn that the entire project was recorded live in the studio. The interplay between the assembled players is just wonderful and one can only imagine how inspiring it was to be present in the room for all concerned. The production by Neilson Hubbard is so bright and airy, with the spaces between the playing as much an integral part of the whole fresh and buoyant sound. 

Opening song, When We Wander, was written for the previous life that Jesse Terry spent in touring on the road. He had been gigging continuously across America, joined by his wife Jess, prior to lockdown, with a lifestyle spent on the move and bringing its own spirit of freedom. However, the arrival of his beautiful daughter, Lily, has led to change in the plan and a schedule that has now been focused upon home performing and online streaming as the new Covid lockdown rules also brought change and delivered a new perspective. 

A look at the past is also part of Hymn Of A Summer Night, where memories of youthful days are recalled; the band excelling on the melody and elevating the song to great heights. Hanging the Stars has a more commercial sound and a nice rhythm, with violin, guitars and piano working off the fluid backbeat. If I Were the Moon slows things down with a thoughtful ballad, acoustic guitar dovetailing with pedal steel and violin, on a love song that celebrates the harmony between two lovers. 

Strangers In Our Town has a great arrangement and a sweet sound, with a look at the joys of returning home after a prolonged time away. Ghost Stories appears to be a personal song that looks at Terry’s past, before meeting his wife Jess, when he felt partly formed, wondering if he would ever meet the one to make him complete.

Little Fires tackles the doubts and fears that can lurk just below the surface, ready to ignite if not controlled. ‘It’s all just chemistry and faulty circuitry.’ Again, wrapped in some superb musical interplay. The band dynamic on Pretty Good Hand is a complete joy, an addictive beat and melody allowing violin and pedal steel to add subtle nuance to the arrangement. Just Out Of Sight is a slow song that soothes and suggests that we look for the unexpected and the magical in living.  

Terry has a very warm vocal tone in his delivery and he produces quite an impressive performance in colouring these songs and setting the different moods. The harmonies, provided by Liz Longley and Mia Rose Lynne are an added benefit and they both support the songs with an understated elegance with their superb vocals.

Is There An Answer deals with the big question around world wars and the basic need for man to create division on the planet. The acoustic feel of In Spite Of You is an anti-establishment song that asks why there is never enough Government support for younger generations who need social assistance, direction and guidance in growing into adulthood. Similarly, Innocent Ones is a theme surrounding trust and developing some sense of balance in becoming a parent. Great band dynamic again and some superb guitar parts by Will Kimbrough. 

Album number seven and one that benefits from the growing confidence and maturity of this artist who is becoming a real presence in the song-writing pantheon. The assembled players are Jesse Terry (acoustic guitar, lead vocals), Neilson Hubbard (drums), Eamon McLoughlin (violin, viola), Will Kimbrough (electric and acoustic guitars, mandolin), Juan Solorzano (lap steel, electric & acoustic guitars), Dean Marold (electric and upright bass), Josh Kaler (pedal steel), Danny Mitchell (piano and harmonies), Mia Rose Lynne and Liz Longley (harmonies). 

This is well worth your time and money. A superb achievement and one of the strongest releases this year.

Review by Paul McGee

Hiss Golden Messenger Quietly Blowing It Self Release

Mike (MC) Taylor started his band in 2007 and in the intervening fourteen years, has released some of the most eclectic, interesting and memorable music of these times. And, we can all agree, the last year that we have experienced has never been more challenging. So, please welcome MC Taylor to the room – his room, at home, during lockdown. 

Out of the routine that has been his reality for so many years; the frequent touring, nomadic life on the road, anonymous hotel rooms and airports. It has been a time to reflect and to reboot. Taylor says “I went looking for peace,” in the promo sheets that announce this new album, following in the footsteps of the wonderful TERMS OF SURRENDER from 2019. Well, peace comes dropping slow, to quote WB Yeats, and the self-analysis and inner-quest that has always been a part of this gifted songwriters’ creative muse, continues to ask the hard and interesting questions. It’s as if the search is the most important thing from which to shape our life lessons and not any conclusions reached at the end of the journey.

So, eleven quietly addictive gems, across thirty-eight minutes of superbly crafted music. The album is written, arranged, and produced by Taylor and it delivers what is a real highlight in his career to date. Co-founder and friend, Scott Hirsch, plays some beautiful lap steel guitar and synthesizer, while Josh Kaufman contributes on acoustic/electric guitars and mandolin, with Devonne Harris on piano, Hammond organ, Wurlitzer, clavinet - all contributing superbly to a sound that is both soothing and soulful. 

There is also the subtle and steady groove on these gentle musings, laid down by the duo of Alex Bingham on bass and synthesizer and Matt McCaughan on drums, percussion and synthesizer. Other credits for Brevan Hampden (drums), with contributions from Chris Boerner on electric guitar and both Stuart Bogie and Matt Douglas on saxophones. Mention too, for both Sonyia Turneron, vocals and James Wallace on piano. There are also guest appearances from the great Buddy Miller on guitar and Zach Williams of The Lone Bellow on vocals.

The title song states; ‘You gotta let someone in, That’s all that’ll save you.’  In a way, this is the key component that is shared across these tracks, a message of connection and humanity, running through everything and grounding the whole perspective. Mighty Dollar takes aim at the greed and infatuation with wealth that cripples our way of life, with the message ‘Poor man loses and the rich man wins.’ If It Comes In the Morning has more of that soulful sound which is very much the abiding influence across these eleven tracks, similarly on, It Will If We Let It and Glory Strums (loneliness of the long-distance runner); all loose and flowing with the vocal tone of Taylor elevating everything. There are some fine harmonica sounds on selected tracks and the warm keyboards of Harris weave their magic into the melodies and arrangements throughout. On Painting Houses, there is the despair of just surviving and getting by, ‘Time’s creeping past the quarter moon, If it takes forever, I guess we’ll be there soon, And still you hum that old tune, I Don’t Wanna Talk About It.

However, the ultimate optimism of the album shines through and the final song, Sanctuary, looks for the blue sky above; ‘Feeling bad, Feeling blue /Can’t get out of my own mind / But I know how to sing about it.’ 

Hope is the central theme that binds us together in these challenging times and this album is a testament to those who strive to seek better days ahead. A real cracker!

Review by Paul McGee

Brigitte DeMeyer Seeker BDM 

If you are new to the music of Brigitte DeMeyer, then a real treat lies in store. If you already know her previous output then this album, number eight, shines brightly as one of her most cohesive works to date.

DeMeyer has been releasing vibrant music ever since her debut album surfaced back in 2000. With this new release, the nuance, tone and personality in her vocals have never sounded better as she delivers a real tour de force across ten songs that run just short of the thirty-five- minute mark. The musicianship is sublime and such stellar playing makes such a rich tapestry for soulful blues, jazzy tones, slow-burn rhythm and sweetly salted grooves.

This is a great example of the power in simple arrangements, letting the songs breathe and not getting in the way of the spaces in between the notes. Produced by Jano Rix of The Wood Brothers, a multi-instrumentalist who has worked on two previous releases, and augmented by Ted Pecchio (acoustic bass/electric bass), Kris Donegan (acoustic/electric guitar), JP Ruggieri (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, pedal steel guitar), Alfreda McCrary (harmony and background vocals), Oliver Wood (electric guitar, harmony vocals), Chris Wood (upright bass and electric bass), Viktor Krauss (upright bass/electric bass), the sense of time standing still is always to the fore as these songs weave their way into your consciousness. Imagine that sunny day, lounging in your hammock and sipping an iced tea, as these addictive sounds wash over you.

Whether it’s the classy slow groove of opener, All the Blue, or the easy, jazzy tone of Ain’t No Mister, the organic feel to the melody is infectious. The slow blues slide of Cat Man Do and Salt Of the Earth sit snugly side-by-side with the acoustic rhythm of Already In and the easy tone of the title track, Seeker, with DeMeyer singing about her continuing search for new horizons and opportunity. The wonderful Louisiana just drips atmosphere and New Orleans piano blues, with Roots and Wings and Bones another cool blues, slow groove -a song written for her son.

DeMeyer recently moved away from Nashville and returned to her original home of California and a number of these songs reference the need for change and in believing that you have the strength to continually shape character out of experience. The album title really sums it all up nicely, with the realisation that “often, art comes from struggle” and with this release DeMeyer raises the quality of her art to a whole new level. A standout album and certainly one of the year’s most vital purchases.

Review by Paul McGee

Dylan LeBlanc Pastimes ATO Records

Ten years into a career that has yielded four celebrated albums, Dylan LeBlanc gives a thumbs up to some of the artists that have inspired his career with PASTIMES, a six track EP of particularly well chosen cover versions. 

Far from randomly chosen, each song had a deeply personal significance for the artist, recalling specific moments or incidents as a boy and into his teenage years. Followers of Dylan’s distinctive sound won’t be surprised to find a Buffalo Springfield song on the album. A band that hugely influenced his musical trajectory, on the first spin of Expecting To Fly, you could be forgiven for assuming the lead vocal was taken by Neil Young. While not straying too far from the original, Dylan manages to impose his own stamp on the song, giving it a fuller and more dramatic dynamic.  

Memories as a child of accompanying his father to hear him play at smoky dive bars in Muscle Shoals led him to J.J. Cale’s songbook and the smouldering bluesy Sensitive Guy. Even earlier childhood memories of his grandfather singing and playing guitar to Glen Campbell’s Easy On My Mind motivated its inclusion. Led Zeppelin’s Going To California was a song played regularly at coffee shop shows by a teenage Dylan, often to attract the attention of the fairer sex and its assured acoustic version recall those days. If that song was a mating call, he also acknowledges the artists that opened his eyes to the art of storytelling as a means of songwriting. Unsurprisingly, a Bob Dylan selection features in the form of Blind Willie Mc Tell which appeared on Dylan’s THE BOOTLEG SESSIONS Volumes 1 – 3. The final song is a reworking of Play With Fire, which was the B-side of The Rolling Stones single The Last Time from 1965. The song is transformed into something even greater by the addition of strings, awarding it a richer styling than the original.

Recorded live at Fame Recording Studios in Muscle Shoals, PASTIMES is a tantalising flavour of the music that channelled the young Dylan down a musical path. It is also a most pleasing listen while we await the next instalment of original material from an artist that has so much to offer.  

Review by Declan Culliton 

Jim Keller By No Means Continental Record Services

The four-decade career of Jim Keller has included roles in every corner of the music industry. The co-founder of San Francisco rock band Tommy Tutone back in 1978, the subsequent years have found Keller working in publishing, management and production, alongside writing, performing and recording.

Very much a cult figure on the New York music scene, his shows at The Lakeside Lounge and The Rockwood Music Hall often feature visiting musicians and local players joining him on stage.  BY NO MEANS is his fourth solo recording, seven years after the release of HEAVEN CAN WAIT (2014).

The album was co-produced by Mitchell Froom (Los Lobos, Suzanna Vega, Randy Newman) and David Boucher (Randy Newman, The Indigo Girls, Andrew Bird), Froom also features on keyboards.  Keller also surrounded himself with an ace bunch of musicians in the studio. David Hidalgo of Los Lobos fame plays guitar, and bass guitar comes from Bob Glaub, whose previous employers include Bob Dylan, Steve Miller and John Lennon. Michael Urbano, who contributes drums can also name check some big hitters that he has played behind, John Hiatt and Sheryl Crowe for starters. Also joining the party was Vonda Shepard, who adds backing vocals on Wild Love.

Collectively they create a tantalising flavour of blues fused roots songs delivered by Keller’s inimitable weather-beaten vocals.  Leonard Cohen’s Tower Of Song is recalled on the gorgeous Maria Come Home. The distinctive New Orleans’s vibe surfaces on Easy Rider and even more so on Mistakes. The latter’s vocal delivery nods in the direction of Chuck Prophet. The muscular Don’t Get Me Started includes an amount of sly humour alongside addictive bass and drum beats.

Career wise, Keller manages successfully to keep several balls in the air. He channels elements of those life experiences into songs that never attempt to overwhelm the listener and, on the contrary, draw his audience in from the get go. He achieves that and much more on this hugely enjoyable album.

Review by Declan Culliton 

Jenny Don't and the Spurs Fire on the Ridge Self Release

 It’s a wonder that FIRE ON THE RIDGE, the third full album from Portland’s Jenny Don’t and The Spurs, ever saw the light of day. Vocal cord surgery and a pandemic are not what you would expect to encounter when preparing to record, but the onset of both resulted in the album being recorded over a period of two years.

Following successful surgery, Jenny’s vocals, a big feature in the band’s sound, are back to their finest. The band self-reference their output as Western Outlaw Garage and the album shifts between country twangers (Restless Moon, California Cowboy), fully blown rockabillies (Train Ticket, She’s Not The One) and blazing border romps (Queen Of The Desert, Johnny Vagabond, Fire On The Ridge).

The band were formed when Jenny, who had been fronting her own band and playing solo shows in Portland, hooked up with members of the garage rock band Pierced Arrows and punk band Problems. That marriage of punk sentiment and aching country subtlety is all over the album, blending Jenny’s bruised and tender lyrics with players who can let rip in places and yet also master the art of unfussy two step country elsewhere.

Very much a touring band who spend a lot of the year on the road, they have infused that live sound and energy into FIRE ON THE RIDGE. It also sounds very much like a good time was had by all during the recording, by a band that deserves to reach a wide audience.

Review by Declan Culliton 

Rose City Band Earth Trip Thrill Jockey

Another album that may not have seen the light of day had it not been for the pandemic, Rose City Band is essentially a vehicle for Ripley Johnson to record his own music, divorced from his other life as a member of San Francisco experimental psychedelic rock bands Wooden Shjips and Moon Duo.

Given the times that the material was written, it’s little surprise that much of the sentiment dwells on the loss of freedom but also delights in the return of life’s simple pleasures, too often denied to the touring musician.

There’s a marked simplicity to Earth Trip, often alluding to a return to childhood, less complicated times and casting away responsibilities. That relaxed and laid-back feel kicks in from the opener Silver Roses with Johnson’s chilled vocals cloaked in delicate pedal steel guitar. Even when the pace is picked up somewhat on Ramblin’ With The Day, as the title implies, Johnson is still in cruise control. Similar sentiments emerge in the country blues World Is Turning with nods to J.J. Cale, another artist that liked his sound free and easy.  The shimmering Rabbit is psychedelic nirvana, carrying the listener along with every floating note and lyric. Likewise, the closer Dawn Patrol soothes and calms, bringing to mind early career Israel Nash.

There’s so much to enjoy on EARTH TRIP.  The songs manage to express both sadness and vulnerability, yet optimism is always close to the surface.  However, the real winner is the telepathic understanding between Johnson’s vocals and guitar, coupled with Barry Walker’s subtle pedal steel. The combination of these subtleties presents a deeply melodic and calming listening experience. Highly recommended.

Review by Declan Culliton 

Martha Fields Headed South Continental Record Services

An artist that, in normal times, divides her time between her native Texas and her adopted second home in the South of France, HEADED SOUTH was written and recorded by Martha Fields in France during lockdown. Self-produced, the finishing touches were applied by Sean Sullivan, who mixed the album at Butcher Shoppe Studios in Nashville.

Born into a family soaked in the music of Appalachia, Fields’ 2016 politically charged release SOUTHERN WHITE LIES, paid homage to the music of her childhood. It was essentially an unplugged affair, inspired by her childhood memories of fiddles, guitars and banjos accompanying numerous singers on the family front porch in Wayne County. DANCING SHADOWS, which followed two years later, returned to her core sound, which slides smoothly between country, blues and high energy rock & roll. That same template is applied to her latest recording.

Field’s is renowned for her thunderous live shows with her dynamic band of merry men. Those players are Manu Bertrand on dobro, banjo, mandolin, guitar, Urbain Lambert on guitar, Olivier Leclerc on violin, Serge Samyn on bass and fiddle and Denis Bielsa on drums. They combine to bring that high level energy and passion into the studio with HEADED SOUTH. The musical chemistry of players very much on the same page and supporting Fields’ gutsy vocals are showcased across the twelve tracks. A particular standout is the swinging, country meets rock and roll, Lavada’s Lounge, but she’s equally impressive on the more relaxed title track and the similarly paced Yellow Roses. As on her previous recordings, a few genres melt together on this album and Death Rattle and High Shelf Mama represent the bluesy aspect of her repertoire.

HEADED SOUTH mirrors precisely what Martha Fields is all about. A collection of musicians firing on all cylinders, fronted by an intense vocal execution, it further whets the appetite for a return to fun music like this in a live setting. Bring it on!

Review by Declan Culliton 

K.C. Jones Queen Of The Inbetweens Free Dirt

This is the debut release from singer/songwriter and fiddler Kelli Jones, who also is a member of roots/Cajun bands Feufollet and T’Monde. For this album the singer moves between the elements of Cajun, country, indie, Appalachian folk and psychedelic music with ease and authority. It’s something that comes more naturally to a musician based in Lafayette, Louisiana, than it might in other more genre defined areas.  She underlines this sentiment when she says that she had an obsession with Gene Clark’s No Other album, as well as some Janis Ian and a “little too much T-Rex.” Though like all her other influences that have merged into a vision that Jones makes her own.

She brought noted musician/producer Joel Savoy to helm the project, which was recorded in Savoy’s studio with some talented music from the locality to join her in the album’s creation. Chris Stafford on pedal steel and electric guitars, bassist Trey Boudreaux and to complete the rhythm section Jim Kolacek. They then created a rich “quilt of an album” as Jones describes it. She has recorded songs that are at times raw but with a confidence that allows for individual interpretation.

The album opens with a guitar riff that is both familiar and engaging. That track Beginnings And Ends is the perfect opener to the diversity displayed throughout. It has a strong feel of the 60s with the guitar, keyboard and vocal identity considering the often uncertain paths that life takes us on. It is followed by Heat Rises, the current single, which has some slow burning pedal steel to emphasise the lyrics hope for a spark from what may have be a a dying ember of a relationship. I’ve Got Time is about that feeling that there will always be time to do those things we promise ourselves and that we will eventually do. Again, the pedal steel is prominent in an understated way below the appealing electric guitar. Jones’ vocals are the emotional centre of the songs, with a certain vulnerability yet hidden strength. There are a number of harmony vocals throughout that add to the overall context and texture of the songs. Something on display through these ten self-written tales.

Overall, the album is affirmation of the broad palette that Jones and her team have chosen to place these songs in. A rewarding three quarters of an hour that hints at several possibilities for the future whilst, here and now, showing that Jones’ solo debut release is a strong opening statement that many should enjoy.

Review by Stephen Rapid.

Jon Byrd Me & Paul Self Release

A self-described “real country singer” who has brought these songs on this EP out in a stripped form that is justifiably perfect, with Byrd’s gut-string guitar and his notable tenor voice, backed only by the highly effective ambience of Paul Neihaus’ high lonesome pedal steel guitar. 

These are songs full of life and character, from the story of Junior And Lloyd, who ran a business as bootleggers and their separate way of dealing with that life, its dangers and its money making possibilities. I’ll Be Her Only One and Why Must You Think Of Leaving offer differing perspectives on relationships. Neither exactly have happy endings and the steel guitar cries as much as the participants in the songs might. The former offers some kind of understanding of two being of the same kind of off-the-line walkers. The latter is about wanting to do one thing but having to do another, to make a move on.

The songs comprise a number of co-writes between Byrd and Shannon Wright (…Leaving) and Kevin Gordon (…Only One). The final song has an element of blues within its exhortation to come to someone who hopefully understands in J.J. Cale’s Dont Go To Strangers. The remaining songs is a cover of the Louvin Brothers’ Cash On The Barrelhead, where the judge places a fine on the culprit for his offence. Either the cash is placed where it should be or it’s thirty days in the can, as they don’t quite trust this particular offender to be around for too long. Niehaus’ steel on this track takes on a more 50’s upright steel feel which is ideally suited to the mood and era of the original recording.

These two fine musicians make a perfect partnership and there is much to enjoy on this short outing (under twenty minutes playing time) - but it is time well spent.

Review by Stephen Rapid.

Esquela A Sign From God Livestock

Call it roots rock or even cowpunk, but there’s no denying the energy that emanates from these grooves. Esquela is a band fronted by John “Chico” Finn who is the lead vocalist and chief songwriter in the band . Their latest release was recorded during the current pandemic and featured the musicians working remotely under the guidance of Eric “Roscoe” Ambel - no better man for the job. His credentials and feel for this music are evident from many productions he has overseen from his Evie’s Terrace home studio in Brooklyn. The songs were accumulated since the band’s last outing CANIS MAJOR was released back in 2015. Finn sent guitar and vocal recordings to Ambel to get the project off the blocks and the end results turned out to be what may be the band’s best effort to date. Everyone seems focused and happy to be making music. Finn shared the lead vocals throughout with Becca Frame and the two work well together, something that is doubtless the result of the time they have spent working in the studio and on the road together.

The opening song Not In My Backyard (Nimby), like many of the lyrics here, has a serious theme of wanting something to be changed, as long as it’s not happening near them. The song opens with Frame’s voice before Finn joins in. I can’t help but be reminded of Ireland’s The Golden Horde in the vocals, something of a second cousin to the Horde’s duet with Maria McKee on Friends In Time. As well as the catchy chorus there are some compelling guitar riffs to help it along. From there on the songs come thick and fast, all making the best use of the component parts to deliver a highly enjoyable album that rocks in all the right places. There is humour here as well, as in the worries that are prominent in not knowing how to deal with very First World Problems - broken sunglasses, stolen phones, not knowing your wi-fi password and so on. It makes a point but does so in a self-depreciating yet forceful way and ends with a little throwback reference to the Sex Postols. The rhythm section of bassist Keith Christopher and Mike Ricciardi are solid and synced throughout, which considering that they recorded separately is acknowledgement of their skills.

Kudos though must go to the collective guitar skills of Ambel, Brain Shafer and Matt Woodin, who kick up some noise throughout and bring electricity to these songs. There are other guest players here who all bring something to the show too. There’s the tale of a character in very shady Three Finger Joe “a deputy sheriff who ran the show in Ohio.” Or the oft-ask question of a troublesome personality that is framed by What’s Your Problem?, before deciding that enough is enough.

The final track takes a different approach, using a poem of Konstantin Simonov and music from Frame and Shafer to close the album in a more contemplative mood. It delivers an effective end to the album’s more up-tempo and animated performances. This is one of those albums that effortlessly convinces but the truth is it is usually born out of hard work and hard thinking. Esquela have made their announcement that they are back and they are again ready to rock.

Review by Stephen Rapid.

Emily Duff Razor Blade Smile Mr. Mudshow

Here’s another release that emanates from the New York, Brooklyn community. This is singer/songwriter Emily Duff’s latest album. The lady we have here is a veteran of the roots scene with her songs of hard times and tough love. Duff has some seventeen previous releases available from Bandcamp. But this album may well be the best place to start. Duff is a writer who is honest and forthright in her writing. There are a number of songs that have an immediate impact including the title track, Another Goodbye and Go Fast Don’t Die - pretty solid advice overall.

The project has nuances and light and shade throughout, from the accordion of Charlie Giordano (who also adds keyboards), used to set the mood for Feelin’ Alright, to the bluesy tone of Don’t Hang The Moon wherein she confides to a partner that “you never asked for nothin’ and nothin’ all I gave you.” The song is built around how expectations can set up something in a relationship that can never be reached. There is still a tenderness to this observation that allows the vulnerability in Duff’s voice to come through. Something that is at the heart of the message that anger and arguments should never be left to fester. Indeed, she sings with conviction in Angry To Bed noting that conflict is no way to leave bad feeling unresolved before attempting to sleep. There is some endearing electric 12 string guitar in the song’s make-up too. That brings us to the production host, who is non-other than Eric “Roscoe” Ambel and who again brings the best out of the artist and songs. It was recorded in Brooklyn, New York City with Keith Christopher, Phil Cimino - the bedrock rhythm section. There are pedal steel contributions from Cody Nilsen and additional vocals from Ambel and Mary Lee Kortes.

I have seen comparisons to Lucinda Williams but that really is in the fact that they both know their own minds and how they want their music to be heard. Duff is likely never going to get the breaks that she, like many other artists, deserve. That is not down to lack of quality, but rather that many artists never get enough exposure, (if they even want it), to have a chance to reach a wider audience. I get the feeling that at this point in her career Duff is happy being able to put out the albums that she wants to without supervision or interference. 

The album ends with a country-esque ballad Nicotine & Waiting that delivers one of the most heartfelt vocal performances on the album. The accordion and pedal steel are perfectly poised to allow the lyrical message of how hanging around and smoking are not perhaps the best ways to wait for the homecoming of a lover, while noting that it is often what we don’t say to each other that tells the underlying story. Emily Duff has heart and soul, can write and sing with the best of them and deserves your consideration and I’m sure she’d be happy to see you regardless of how you might interpret her smile and welcome.

Review by Stephen Rapid.

New Album Reviews

John R. Miller Depreciated Rounder

 It has taken John R. Miller far longer than it should have to get his music directed towards a wide audience. Quitting school early and spending fifteen years on the road as a bass player for The Hackensaw Boys, J.P. Harris and Sierra Ferrell, together with drinking to excess, his life was spiralling out of control. Relocating to Nashville in 2017, kicking the bottle and concentrating on writing and performing his own material, has given him a new lease of life and DEPRECIATED is the upshot of those life changing adjustments.

 Like so many artists that eventually find their sweet spot in ‘real’ country music, Miller served his apprenticeship fronting a punk band, in his case, at the ripe age of 14 years old.  He then progressed to street busking before being hired as a touring bass player, before finally taking control as a recording artist in his own right.

 He made an immediate impact on Lonesome Highway at Americana Fest in 2019, his performance leaving me scratching my head as to how this guy was not signed up to a label and recording. It was therefore with much anticipation that I learned that the West Virginian had packed his bags for Nashville, was signed to Rounder Records and that his debut album was on the way.

 Well, it has arrived and it more than lives up to expectations. The album lands somewhere between the laid-back country bluesy coolness of J.J. Cale (Borrowed Time, Looking Over My Shoulder), the swampy story telling of Tony Joe White (Motors Fried) and the classic songwriting of Guy Clark (Back and Forth). The songs read like diary entries from Miller’s exploits, both physical and emotional, as he drifted through life.

 His punk sensibilities of former days surface both lyrically and sonically on Old Dance Floor. It’s a raw and urgent guitar driven song delivered with a grainy lived-in vocal that had me hitting the repeat button on first play. The breakup of a long-term relationship is addressed on the broody Shenandoah Shakedown, painting evocative scenes of breakdown and chaos.       

Miller does not put a foot wrong on DEPRECIATED. It’s both a personal triumph and the emergence of an artist that you’ll hopefully be hearing a lot more from in the coming years. Highly recommended.

Review by Declan Culliton

Vincent Neil Emerson Self-Titled La Honda / Thirty Tigers

“It took a guy from Canada bringing me on tour for people to actually start paying attention. Before that it was a grind like anything else just trying to make a living.”

 So says Vincent Neil Emerson, a twenty - something East Texan of Choctaw-Apache descent, commenting on his self-titled album, which follows his 2019 debut album FRIED CHICKEN and EVIL WOMEN (great title!).

 The Canadian referred to is Colter Wall, who invited Emerson to open for him on tour. That exposure, together with support slots for Charley Crockett and Turnpike Troubadours, elevated Emerson from unknown status to ‘one to watch’. Reinforcing that potential was Rodney Crowell’s enthusiasm and readiness to produce this album. No doubt he flagged Emerson as a student of his own music and the styling of his comrades of yesteryear, Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark.

 Emerson, in a similar vein to Colter Wall, is the possessor of mature voice and road weary stories that belie his years. The material confronts a broad spectrum of topics and memories. He kicks off the album with one of those narratives, the tale of the road whacked artist, possibly autobiographical, heading home in Texas Moon. The stoty of a nomadic alcoholic, longing for the simple pleasures of home, is disclosed on Rippin’ Wild. He confronts his father’s suicide and the subsequent family collateral damage on the sombre Learnin’ To Drown. The displacement by the government of his ancestors from their land in the 1960’s is detailed in The Ballad of the Choctaw-Apache.

 The ten songs on the album grapple between light and darkness and the powerful songwriting is matched by Emerson’s articulation, which displays a frankness and self-assurance that draws the listener in to each and every song. The musicianship, performed by session players engaged by Rodney Crowell, is also thrilling, complementing the songs with raging and delicate fiddles and acoustic guitars to match the songs’ subject matter.

 A glimpse of the unquestionable talent of Vincent Neil Emerson, this suite of songs should be a career launching pad for an artist proudly following in the footsteps of his revered Texan songwriting legends. 

Review by Declan Culliton

John Hiatt and The Jerry Douglas Band Leftover Feelings New West

The birthplace of The Nashville Sound, as well as the room where Elvis Presley, Waylon Jennings, Dolly Parton, the Everly Brothers, Chet Atkins and numerous others recorded, RCA Studio B was the chosen location for this collaboration between John Hiatt, one of the most revered songwriters of the past five decades and the equally celebrated multi-instrumentalist Jerry Douglas. It’s a marriage that very nearly did not happen. A tornado which struck Nashville weeks prior to the scheduled date for the recording was followed shortly afterwards by the arrival of Covid-19, leaving their plans in disarray.

Fortunately, in October 2020, they were able to schedule four days at the studio and the couple, together with The Jerry Douglas Band, working to a tight timeline, recorded the eleven tracks that feature on LEFTOVER FEELINGS. Surprisingly, despite releasing over thirty studio albums, it was Hiatt’s first visit to Studio B, which still has an ‘x’ taped on the floor where Elvis Presley, who had a huge influence on teenage John Hiatt, used to position himself while being recorded.

The album kicks off with the snappy Long Black Electric Cadillac, with Hiatt’s weather-beaten vocals in front of, as you would expect, quality playing from Douglas and his band. The players consisted of Mike Seal on guitars, Daniel Kimbro on bass, Christian Sedelmyer on strings, Carmella Ramsey on backing vocals and Douglas on various stringed instruments.

Following the environmentally friendly titled up-tempo opener, things are generally taken at a more relaxed pace, with Hiatt providing the lyrics and giving Douglas a free hand to bring those words and stories to life. In fact, only Keen Rambler matches the tempo of the opening track.

Some of those songs visit dark moments and memories for Hiatt. He recalls the suicide of his older brother, at the age of twenty-one, on the touching Light of The Burning Son. It’s a heartfelt remembrance of the tragedy and its devastation on the family. It’s also the first time Hiatt has revisited the subject in his writing. As you might expect, the musical arrangement that supports the vocals are fittingly sympathetic. His former drinking and drugging days are evoked on the bluesy Mississippi Phone Booth. He dips into his back catalogue on the electric blues toe tapper Little Goodnight and All The Lilacs In Ohio, which previously was cut on his 2001 album THE TIKI BAR IS OPEN, gets a bluegrass makeover. Other notable inclusions are the stripped back Buddy Boy which features a gorgeous string arrangement and the rootsy nostalgic Sweet Dreams, which closes the album, bringing to mind the John Prine penned Glory Of True Love.

LEFTOVER FEELINGS follows Hiatt’s terrific 2018 release THE ECLIPSE SESSIONS and is a pointer to yet another senior statesman in the industry that has no intention of drawing the curtains on a career that has gifted us with so much. Hallelujah for that!

Review by Declan Culliton

Tylor & The Train Robbers Non-Typical Find Self Release

Having lost their touring lifeline which generated over two hundred shows a year, Boise, ID roots band Tylor & The Train Robbers put their time in lockdown to good use. Their third album NON - TYPICAL FIND was written and recorded during this period and they also continued to play live through their regular virtual shows on the Patreon platform.

Having self-produced their first two albums, they reached out to Cody Braun of Reckless Kelly to do the honors on this occasion. It seemed a shrewd choice, given the similarities both in structure and sound of both bands.  Reckless Kelly is also a tight, rockin’ roots band, constantly on the road and fronted by brothers Cody and Willy Braun.  Tylor & The Train Robbers are also very much a family band, originally formed by Tylor Ketchum and his brother Jason Bushman. Another brother Tommy subsequently joined and to complete the family involvement, Tylor married Jennifer Pisano, the daughter of the band’s guitar player Johnny ‘Shoes’ Pisano, effectively elevating ‘Shoes’ to a family member.  While not officially a band member, Jennifer adds backing vocals on the album.  

Without the option of road testing the songs, they entered the studio with the material fully written. Under the watchful eye of Cody Braun, who adds fiddle and mandolin on the album, the songs were constructed by the family members, with the addition of a few guest musicians who played pedal steel, banjo and cello.

 The album features eleven lyric driven roots songs, mostly written by Ketchum, with subject matter ranging from human remains being discovered by a friend while out hunting (Non-Typical Find) to a tender ode to his wife (Jenny Lynn). They’re also equally at home with the laid-back country numbers (Lemonade, These Eyes) as they are with the foot heavier on the pedals on the rockier ones (This Town, Staring Down The North).

All in all, the album delivers an open-ended collection of songs that sit very comfortably alongside each other.

Review by Declan Culliton

Tony Joe White Smoke From The Chimney Easy Eye

Tony Joe White, or The Swamp Fox, as he was affectionately nicknamed, passed away in 2018, leaving behind a back catalogue that consisted of almost thirty albums. His last studio recording, BAD MOUTHIN’ was released around the time of his passing and was considered to be the final chapter of story songs from the prolific singer songwriter. Few would have anticipated the emergence of this posthumous album three years later.

White’s son Jody, discovered a library of songs on numerous tapes recorded by his father over the years. The songs that were to become SMOKE FROM THE CHIMNEY were collected on four reels, and given that they were written at various stages of his career, it may be that White intended them to feature on an album at some stage. Jody, quite innocently, sent the track Smoke From The Chimney to long-time friend Dan Auerbach, who immediately reached out for more material. The end result is this exceptional recording. 

Targeted in his early career by his label Monument Records as an Elvis lookalike and soundalike, much of his output at that time was cover versions and middle of the road country soul singles. However, his discovery of The Maestro Boomerang Wah pedal, brought a totally new dimension to his core sound, leading to his christening as the ‘godfather of swamp rock’.

Auerbach has managed to create a seamless transition from White’s acoustic recordings to the full-blown sound on the album. Gathering the cream of Memphis and Nashville session players around him, he has given some of the songs the ‘swamp’ treatment and others a more country soul flavour.

Recorded at Easy Eye Sound in Nashville, the players that Auerbach gathered included White’s fellow Louisiana born Billy Sandford on guitar and Memphis big hitters Bobby Wood (keyboards) and Gene ‘Bubba’ Chrisman (drums).

The title track gets a soulful Memphis makeover, complete with horn section. Boot Money and Scary Stories are unadulterated Louisiana blues stomps and Bubba Jones is a nod in the direction of Bobby Gentry, an artist that hugely influenced White’s story telling songwriting. The dreamy love song Del Rio, You’re Making Me Cry showcases Billy Sanford’s acoustic guitar skills, alongside Paul Franklin’s ghostly pedal steel guitar. Although White described his music as ‘more a soul sound than anything else, I certainly hope so, because I sure hate country and western’, his recordings included some classic country rock. Auerbach acknowledges this with his breath-taking treatment of Someone Is Crying, which brings to mind Neil Young’s epic Pocahontas, before signing off with the sweeping ballad Billy.

Alongside being a technical triumph and a tribute to an avant - garde artist, SMOKE FROM THE CHIMNEY is musical chemistry which does justice to a wonderful writer and vocalist.

Review by Declan Culliton 

The Hello Darlins Go By Feel Self Release

Canadian musical collective The Hello Darlins is the coming together of a number of Alberta based session players. Grown out of a two-piece band featuring vocalist Candace Lacina and keyboard player Mike Little, the band have recorded their debut album titled GO BY FEEL. A Juno nominated songwriter, Candace Lacina has also provided backing vocals for a number recordings from artists such as Shania Twain and Charlie Major. Mike Little has enjoyed an equally impressive musical career, playing keyboards with B.B. King, Long John Baldry and The Rankin Family, to name but a few.

For this album, they invited a number of players from a range of musical backgrounds into the studio. The impressive list of musicians includes Dave and Joey Landreth (The Bros.Landreth), Murray Pulver (Crash Test Dummies), Russell Broom (Jann Arden), Clayton Bellamy (The Road Hammers), Matt Andersen (Buddy Guy, Little Feat, Greg Allman), Russell Broom (Ian Tyson, Jann Arden) and finally renowned fiddle player and instructor Shane Guse. 

Very much targeting the Americana market, the eleven tracks on the album offer the listener an amalgam of roots, bluegrass, country and gospel, with all three often featuring on an individual track.  Ballads such as Aberdeen and Prayer For A Sparrow are typical examples, both benefiting from imposing harmony vocals. They do let their hair down on the rousing Mountain Time and Smokin’ Gun but elsewhere the emphasis is directed towards more slow rolling and less muscular grooves on the radio friendly Lonely In Las Vegas and Still Waters.

The instrumentation and vocals are of the highest standard throughout, not surprising given the pedigree of the players. What began as a casual meeting of musical minds for Candace Lacina and Mike Little has developed into a very marketable production that ticks all the boxes for a commercial breakthrough. Watch this space.

Review by Declan Culliton

Dean Owens – The Desert Trilogy EP’s – Vol.2 & 3. Sand & Blood/Ghosts Songboy

SINNER’S SHRINE, the forthcoming album by Edinburgh’s Dean Owens, is scheduled for release later this year. The recording sessions for the album took place at WaveLab Studios in Tucson, Arizona, where Dean was joined in the studio by Tex-Mex indies Joey Burns and John Convertino of Calexico fame and other notables.

THE DESERT TRILOGY EP’s Vol.1,2 and 3 include songs from the sessions for that album, together with songs recorded remotely with John Convertino and other guest players. Each volume also features a track which will be included on the forthcoming album. We reviewed Vol.1, THE BURNING HEART, on its release back in March of this year and it is followed by two equally impressive recordings to complete the trilogy.

Land of the Hummingbird opens the second volume and is a co-write with another desert dweller, Gabriel Sullivan (Giant Sand, XIXA). It also features the stunning vocals of Guatemalan singer songwriter Gaby Moreno, whose atmospheric contribution, sung in Spanish, was recorded from her home in New York. She Was a Raven, which bookends this volume, is an alternative take on the same song which, on this occasion, gets a less Tex-Mex and a more rock - fused treatment. Continuing on the border and desert themed sonics and inspired by a character from a novel, Dolina, with its lush and rich instrumentation, practically transfers the scorching sun and sands into your living room. 

Ashes And Dust could be the closing song on a Spaghetti Western movie as the credits roll after the final bloodshot battle. It touches on darkness and light, life and death, danger and chaos. A truly international endeavour, it was recorded by Dean in Pencaitland, Scotland with contributions from El Paso, (John Convertino - drums), Tucson (Naim Amor - guitars) and Berlin (Martin Wenk - trumpet).

GHOSTS, the final volume, offers four more tales of longing, escapism and the spirits that subsist along the desert’s borders. The Hopeless Ghosts, is a standout track, visiting lost love, missed opportunities and a drifting unsettled existence. Contributions from Jacob Valenzuela on trumpet and Paul Niehaus on pedal steel elevate the song to another level and backing vocals are courtesy of Grant-Lee Phillips. The passage of time, as witnessed by a ninety-three-year-old barber, Angel Degadillo, is the backdrop to Mother Road. With his barber shop located in the town of Seligman, Arizona on Route 66, his life story is considered and thoughtfully recounted.  Closer to home and delivered acoustically is Even When I’m Gone. It features vocals, nylon string guitar and little else but Dean whistling. It’s a simple love song which contemplates mortality and relationships that live on beyond our passing. Unrelated but with a similar theme of dying, GHOSTS closes with The End. A grisly murder ballad, it details the final thoughts of the protagonist as he awaits his final and fatal retribution.

Dean Owens continues to be one of the most interesting and innovative artists in Americana circles residing outside America. Despite a hefty workload and output both as a solo artist and the numerous collaborations he is involved in, the quality never suffers. It’s fair to say that THE DESERT TRILOGY EPs equal his most impressive work to date and are a pointer to what we can expect on the release of SINNER’S SHINE later in the year. To  repeat and expand on my observation in the review of Vol.1, the artwork and packaging are by far the most striking of any album I’ve laid my hands on this year. Hats off to all involved in this splendid project.

Review by Declan Culliton

Peter Bruntnell Journey To The Sun Domestico

Written and recorded at his home in Devon, JOURNEY TO THE SUN is very much a product of enforced confinement, from the artist described by Rolling Stone as “one of England's best kept musical secrets”.  To complete the ‘hands on’ package, the majority of the instruments were played by Peter Bruntnell, with only some keyboards added by mastering engineer Peter Linnane, and pedal steel on Dharma Liar, courtesy of his often-touring player and Wynntown Marshals’ member, Iain Sloan.

With time on his hands in the absence of live shows, some degree of musical experimentation took hold, in particular the acquisition by Bruntnell of a new synthesizer and also a bouzouki, both of which feature on the recording. It’s not the first time that he has used synthesizer, his 2011 album BLACK MOUNTAIN U.F.O. was equally exploratory, with the use of synths and strings.  He puts his new toys to good effect on the album, particularly on the two instrumentals The Antwerp Effect and Moon Committee.

Saying that, although tracks such as You’d Make A Great Widow and Lucifer Morning Star are laced with synch overtones, the album remains vintage Bruntnell. Quite a dark sentiment often pervades, covering the emotional baggage and the social environment that was at large during the time of the songs’ conception.To that end the album is somewhat more introspective than his excellent 2019 release KING OF MADRID. 

The gentle opener Dandelion, with its minimalist approach, sounds and reads like a preface for what is to follow. It hints at the album’s direction, touching on mortality, anxiety and remorse. The aforementioned You’d Make A Great Widow is simply a blast. A Syd Barrett type sixty second configured intro merges into close on six minutes of hook laden power pop that soothes like a warm summer breeze.  He picks the pace up somewhat on Runaway Car which offers a rockier edge than much of the album’s material.  The album’s delicate closer Mutha reflects on the importance of living in the moment, the passage of time and cherishing the ones we love.

A stunning showcase, JOURNEY TO THE SUN more than mirrors the lofty heights of KING OF MADRID, which was a worthy recipient of album of the year at Lonesome Highway in 2019. More restrained and brooding than its predecessor, it’s very much an album of its time and another ‘must have’ Bruntnell album for any serious collector of fine music.

Review by Declan Culliton

Joana Serrat Hardcore From The Heart Loose

Released in 2017, DRIPPING SPRINGS found Catalan artist Joana Serrat expanding her musical horizons. The album was named after the small town in Texas, close to where it was recorded under the watchful eye of Israel Nash, whose production skills and experimentation gave the recording a gloriously layered sound. Joana has stuck with a parallel musical template on HARDCORE FROM THE HEART and the end result is equally impressive.

She returned once more to Texas for the recording. On this occasion the location was Redwood Studio in Denton, which is run by Midlake band members McKenzie Smith and Joey McClellan, who both feature on the album, playing guitars and drums respectively. Other musicians that contributed are Aaron McClellan on bass, Jesse Chandler on keys and Eric Swanson on pedal steel. Joana’s brother, Toni Serrat, also makes an appearance on drums. Joana chose Grammy winner Ted Young to oversee production. Young has worked with Israel Nash for a number of years and his previous employers include Kurt Vile, The Rolling Stones, The Gaslight Anthem and Sonic Youth. 

Collectively they combine flawlessly to breathe life into Joana’s lush soaring vocals and deeply felt lyrics. Those lyrics often reveal quite painful and personal retrospections of unfulfilled promises and infidelities. Challenging issues they may be, but the songs are delivered joyously and with no small amount of positivity. They range from lightly rock tinged anthems (Easy, Pictures) to excursions into more chilled introspective territory (Hotel Room, Summer Never Ends). The highlight of the ten tracks for this writer is the spellbinding How To Make You Love Me. An intoxicatingly layered sonic voyage, it simply bombards the senses. Not far behind in the quality stakes is the similarity bewitching Demons. 

The aforementioned Pictures, already released as a single, advocates living in the moment without distraction from minor issues. It’s sage advice and a theme that resurfaces on an album by an artist who seems to grow in maturity, both as a writer and vocalist, on each subsequent recording. Well worth your investigation.   

Review by Declan Culliton

New Album Reviews

Curtis McMurtry Toothless Messiah Self Release

Those who like a challenge from their music should seek out this fourth album from Austin’s Curtis McMurtry (and yes, he’s the son of singer-songwriter James and grandson of Larry, the Pulitzer Prize winning novelist). A full on exploration and forewarning of the dangers of authoritarianism, this does not make for an easy listen, but its rewards grow in proportion to the time spent in its company.

Written exclusively on banjo and banjolele, those percussive instruments are perfectly balanced throughout the recording by the cello playing and backing vocals of long-term collaborator Diana Burgess. It’s no surprise then to realise that she and McMurtry are partners in life as well as in music collaboration. Muted horns are liberally used to great effect to help convey menace in this socio-political commentary, and Mike Meadows on percussion goes heavy and persistent on the bass drum, adding to the atmosphere of foreboding.

Praise Caesar tells the dictator story from the perspective of a sycophantic follower - ‘I guard you like a dog’, and the ominous atmosphere is palpable. That same atmosphere informs Lion on A Leash ‘they want a winner, not a saint’ and ‘our weapons demand to be used’, the leader exhorts his followers. Although Trump appears to be the obvious target of McMurtry’s warnings, he sees it as being about the bigger picture, around the world and throughout history. Power corrupts, he reminds us, but he aims to inform us from a variety of perspectives. The mildly skeptic are given a voice in You Need Me To Betray You - ‘My teachers taught me not to trust my teachers’ while the protagonist in the menacing Around My Neck is a former follower who now sees reality.

Evan Kaspar’s pedal steel must be mentioned in particular for contributing to the sinister and dystopian musical landscape of Dinosaurs, a stark reminder to not repeat the mistakes of history.

The short but intense album, a combination of songs, instrumentals and spoken word pieces does end on a somewhat positive note (thankfully!), with Flowers Through The Stone - ‘to the fire we surrender ... from the ashes we return’.

Review by Eilís Boland

Two Cent Revival Demons Self Release

The man behind the moniker is Matt Jones, a New York City and Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter, who has combined a myriad of different influences into his writing and music. He is an adept storyteller who has recorded this new album with producer Dan Devine and a group of musicians who give each song its own identity, some of which reflect his influences in a slightly more obvious way, while on others he performs tracks that  are more his own thing.

Perhaps because he was adopted from Brazil by parents who raised him in Texas before his move to the East Coast, Jones’ music is a reflection of those people and places he has encountered along his journey. His last release under this name was in 2011. Since then, he has been working on these songs, which move from the confessional to the complications inherent in the human race. These are delivered with thoughtfulness and consideration.

Jones has a variable voice that has a baritone edge that bends to suit the mood and structure on the saxophone led closing track Violin. The opening song and single Crow relies on some subtle ensemble playing from the bass and drum combination of Tom Welsch and Davine. Brian Axford adds much overall with his keyboard skills, while on guitar Elijah Tucker makes his presence felt throughout. There’s a certain desert ambience applied to the song that may be a reminder of the Giant Sand/Calexico ethos. Without the benefit of a lyric sheet the songs have to speak for themselves. Candy is a “why does a girl like you like a guy like me.” It opens with ominous bass and drums that herald an obsessiveness of mind that develops into a keyboard jam which underlines the dark nature of the song. In a more laid-back setting Happy Hell and the more forceful It Look Like Blood makes the Nick Cave comparisons more apparent with its Biblical connotations and the dualism of light and dark.

The upbeat Julia, musically and lyrically, is by way of contrast and makes an unashamed assessment of love. Guerrilla Love has twangy guitar, a solid beat, some saloon piano and a story to tell. Another track that has an energy, an edge, an attraction and a touch of the Attractions is Never See The Bullet - life never lets you see what might hit you at any time. It is also a reminder that we often head for a different place with the realisation that we are all being used to some degree, even if we are not sure in which way. Likewise, the song shifts between reflection and rebellion.

Those two seemingly opposing attitudes might be a pretty good way to sum up the diversity that DEMONS offers to the world. My two cents is that this, while it may flirt with the fringes of Americana, is an album that marks the arrival of another name to add to a growing list of artists who are developing in to something a little bit special.

Review by Stephen Rapid

Rod Picott Wood, Steel, Dust & Dreams Welding Rod

This latest release from Rod Picott is a limited double CD of songs that Picott has written through the years with his good buddy and fellow master songwriter Slaid Cleaves. So, this collection is Picott’s rerecording of songs that they have written together. In his notes he talks of the different backgrounds the two writers come from, but how their common interest in observing and understanding their fellow man has served them well as thoughtful and evocative writers. When we look for the writers with the skills to measure up to the likes of Guy Clark and John Prine, these two are likely candidates. Though their work differs in many ways to those lost and loved icons, it has the same degree of pursuit of the art of telling a story in the best way to chase the magic of creating great songs.

The material, in the main, has come from the albums released under their individual names on preceding recordings. Some of the songs included here have never made it to the public previously. Overall, they are delivered in a stripped-down setting with voice and guitar front and centre. Picott possesses an aged and evocative delivery that is entirely right for this material. However, there are other players here who add touches that bring much to the songs under the guidance of producer Neilson Hubbard, who is also the percussionist here and is joined by guitarists Matt Mauch and Will Kimbrough. Both also provide the harmony vocals on some tracks. Lex Price is the final component adding bass and mandolin. All of these have appeared on some of Picott’s previous albums and are players, therefore, that he is comfortable recording with.

However, aside from the work of these fine musicians, there is no doubt that the words matter and over these twenty-six tracks there’s much to savour in the detail. Here are just a couple of examples to illustrate that point: “I don’t need to read the news or the tea leaves to understand / That this world’s been shaved by a drunken barber’s hand.” Taken from the song Drunken Barber’s Hand it is an obviously poetic way of saying how much is wrong with the way we live today and the people who effect the way we exist. Then there is the simplicity of Primer Gray, a song about the love of cars, their maintenance and the intertwined relationships of family. Words that manage to reveal much about a life in those short verses. “I pulled the engine with a block and chain / got the oil pump in just before the rain / in the gravel drive there’s a Pontiac / come the weekend I’m down at the track.”

Of course, aside from this particular project, their partnership and perception, both writers work with others as well as on their own. As a result, there is no lack of maintaining the high lyrical standard in that capacity either. Rather this is something of a summation of friendship and the shared love of creating something special in song. While this may not be the ideal starting place for anyone unacquainted with Picott’s writing craft and voice, it will be a welcome addition to anyone who considers themselves a fan of either writer, but of Picott in particular. 

Review by Stephen Rapid

Holly Macve Not The Girl Modern Sky

GOLDEN EAGLE, the 2017 debut album from Holly Macve, certainly struck a chord with us at Lonesome Highway. That album was a snapshot of the huge potential of the young Galway born artist with her distinctive and stylish quavering vocal delivery and well-constructed songs. Country, old time, blues and jazz influences all emerged on that album, fuelled by an early exposure to Hank Williams, Big Bill Broonzy and Billie Holiday, courtesy of her mother’s record collection. The songs were quite skeletal, a fusion of the Brighton based artists vision of country noir. That musical landscape is revisited on NOT THE GIRL, although on an altogether larger scale both vocally and instrumentally.

The stunning Be My Friend, the first single from the album, was released a few months back and its surreal and dreamlike treatment offered a sneak preview of a more sophisticated and full-blown sound. On a similar theme, she probes for lasting love on the emotive Eye Of The Storm. Both tracks find Macve pushing out the boundaries without leaving behind the notable gothic template of the album’s predecessor. The arrangements are also more intricate and the subject matter even darker this time around. A case in point is the misty opener Bird and the grisly murder ballad Behind The Flowers. The latter features musician, producer and founder member of The Coral, Bill Ryder-Jones on guitar. He also guests on the soaring and quite exquisite You Can Do Better. Other notables that contribute include Fiona Brice (John Grant, Placebo), whose string arrangements add depth to many of the compositions, particularly on the evocative slow burner Little Lonely Heart. Equally essential in fashioning Macve’s thrilling sound is pedal steel guitarist C.J. Hillman.

Two albums into her career, Macve has created musical landscapes that call to mind artists as diverse as Bobby Gentry and P.J. Harvey and bands equally varied from The Velvet Underground to Mazzy Star. She has also passed the difficult second album syndrome with flying colours, with a body of work that is delivered with a confident swagger and that blends all the key elements of classic panoramic alt-country noir.    

Review by Declan Culliton

Volk Cashville Romanus

 With a sound self-described as ‘equal parts rock-roaring, twanging, honky tonking, acid-tripping, American-ing, and spaghetti western-ing’, it’s no surprise that CASHVILLE, the explosive debut full album from VOLK, offers the listener a multiplicity of sounds to take on board.

 A musical marriage that came about following an open mic session in a brothel cum bar in Berlin, Volk is Chris Lowe on guitar and vocals, alongside Eleot Reich on drums and vocals. That early encounter in 2013 found the duo performing acoustic folk songs, quite a distance from the sonic eruption that they deliver on CASHVILLE. Leaving Berlin for Nashville in 2016, on arrival they loaded the van and hit the road, honing their skills and developing their cowpunk savviness in any dive bar that would book them.

The album explodes into action with the opener Welcome To Cashville with raging guitars, thumping drums and shared vocals, landing somewhere between The White Stripes and AC/DC. They seldom take their foot off the gas on the eleven tracks that follow, only slipping down the gears slightly mid album with Old Palestine and the closer Simple Western Song. Elsewhere it’s an onslaught on the senses with bruisers Honey Bee, Snake Farm and the toe tapping bluesy Yorkshire Girl.

 A comparison with the The White Stripes may be a little obvious, but VOLK do display similar energy levels, intensity and spiritedness that would, no doubt, come across even more strikingly in the live setting. In medieval Germany the term Volk was a reference to a large crowd or army. On the strength of this album, I expect it might also describe the growing fan base that this powerful recording could spawn.

Review by Declan Culliton

Rachel Baiman Cycles Signature Sound 

A masterly violin and banjo player, Nashville resident Rachael Baiman’s 2017 album SHAME also exhibited her skills as a songwriter, with a particular emphasis on social and political issues. Alongside her solo work, the Chicago born artist also performs with fiddle player Christian Sedelmyer in the acoustic duo 10 String Symphony. Her third solo recording CYCLES finds her contemplating matters closer to home, with the bulk of the songs created from both personal and family happenings.

Those events recalled are often achingly sorrowful. The opening and title track confronts the loss of a baby suffered late in pregnancy by her sister-in-law and the trauma that such an event sets in motion.  Her own rejection is confronted on Hope It Hurts, where she comes to terms with being unceremoniously and unexpectedly dropped by her booking agent. No Good Time For Dying finds her fondly recollecting her grandmother, an independent soul finally overwhelmed by the passing years, which forced her to end her days in a nursing home. She is joined on backing vocals by Melbourne based singer songwriter Dan Parsons on Ships In The Night. The song considers the artist’s dilemma of personal freedom to pursue their vocation alongside the need for emotional and spiritual support. Young Love explores the various stages of a relationship, from the starry-eyed beginnings to the more challenging undercurrents that inevitably follow.

Less personal are the socially conscious Wyoming Wildflowers and Rust Belt Fields. The former contrasts the beauty and tranquillity of that landscape, set against an horrific murderous white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.  The latter, a cover of the powerful Slaid Cleaves/Rod Picott song, bemoans the creation of ghost towns in the Midwest due to outsourcing and globalisation. It tells an all too familiar tale of the demise of industrial employment, which paid a decent wage and supported so many American towns both socially and economically.

As you would expect the instrumentation is impeccable throughout with Baiman’s fiddle, violin and acoustic guitar playing augmented by a host of session players. However, it’s her maturity as a writer that shines through with her tales of troubled times catching your attention and holding it. 

CYCLES is a worthy follow up to SHAME.  It’s also an album for the slow cooker, so don’t expect to connect with the songs on first listen. They do, however, reveal themselves on repeated plays to be the work of a seriously mature wordsmith as well as a gifted musician. 

Review by Declan Culliton

The Green Line Travelers Baker’s Bog Blowout Ella Ruth Instutet

Sweden has become a ‘go to’ destination for many touring Americana and country music acts in recent years, with artists such as J.P. Harris, Tyler Childers and Whitney Rose all playing the Nordic country. Together with having a thriving support base for traditional country music, Sweden has also got its own homegrown roster of artists and bands. First Aid Kit are now a household name and The Country Sound of Harmonica Sam are making a well-deserved breakthrough. The Swedes have also adopted American Doug Seegers as one of their own, following his appearance on a Swedish TV show in 2014.

Another act from that part of the world giving the thumbs up to classic old style country honky tonk is The Green Line Travelers. A five-piece combo from Stockholm, they consist of David Ritschard on lead vocals, Agnes Odén on fiddle, Daniel Björkander on lead guitar, Anders Höjlund on upright bass and Fabian Ris Lundblad on drums. Pedal steel player Daniel Wigstrand also guests on BAKER’S BOG BLOWOUT. The band borrows its title from a subway in their native city and their album is a delight from start to finish, delivering toe tapping originals alongside a number of well-suited cover songs. 

The original songs include the album’s standout track Honky Tonk Saturday Night, which features Nashville’s Kristina Murray sharing honeyed vocals with drummer Fabian. It stands shoulder to shoulder with any classic country duet. The rocking Honky Tonk Tuesday Night is most likely a thumbs up to the weekly Tuesday night honky tonk sessions at the American Legion in East Nashville. Other originals that impress are the classic old timey Pretend Girlfriend and the rockabilly Last Last Time.

As you would expect, the album also delivers on ‘the tears in your beer’ front.  Connie Smith’s The Hurtin’s All Over and Conway Twitty’s This Time I’ve Hurt Her (More Than She Loves Me) are both included with treatments that are sympathetic to the original versions.  

The Green Line Travelers don’t attempt to reinvent the wheel and BAKER’S BOG BLOWOUT is simply no-nonsense old-school country, providing a glimpse of a band dedicated to that genre and wearing their heart on their sleeves. If you like your country super twangy, this one’s for you.

Review by Declan Culliton

The Accidentals Time Out (Session One) Self Release

A five track EP born out of quarantine finds three-piece band The Accidentals collaborating with a number of established songwriters. Their world seemed to fall apart in March 2020 when, following a successful twenty-three date tour, they were on the road to perform at SXSW in Austin, Texas.  What promised to be the perfect opportunity to further showcase their talents was aborted when they learned that the festival was cancelled and they had to turn their van around and head back to Nashville.

The Accidentals are multi-instrumentalists Savannah Buist and Katie Larson, whose friendship dates back to high school in Traverse City, Michigan. The female fronted band also includes third member Michael Dause, who plays drums. TIME OUT (SESSION ONE) follows their highly acclaimed debut album ODYSSEY released in 2018. Alongside their band duties the members host master classes and workshops for music students. Buist and Larson are also in high demand for their stringed instrumental skills by numerous artists and bands in Nashville.
With their committed work ethic, it’s not surprising that they took full advantage of the Covid-19 enforced lockdown to record this album. Furthermore, on the realisation that others would also have time on their hands, they reached out to a host of respected songwriters to collaborate with. The result is an introspective set of songs that drift between folk and country, beautifully harmonised and performed, bringing to mind the music of Nickel Creek. The songs were composed via numerous Zoom calls starting with the opening track Wildfire, written with Kim Richey. The spirited anthem All Shall Be Well, was penned with Mary Gauthier and Jamie Harris. Two harmonised voices and two acoustic guitars feature on the song, which is the most stripped back of the five tracks. Dar Williams, whom they had opened a show for early in their career, came on board for the fuller sounding Night Train.  A series of weekly remote writing sessions with folk legend Tom Paxton yielded Anyway. Written at the lowest point of the pandemic, its lyrics reflect fear, the unknown and the ongoing loss of life. The final song Might As Well Be Gold was composed pre-pandemic and is a co-write with celebrated songwriter and recording artist Maia Sharp. It’s an optimistic and hugely catchy inclusion, beautifully orchestrated.

All in all, a most enjoyable listen by a team of young musicians, hugely gifted, totally committed and with the world at their feet.

Review by Declan Culliton

The Deep Dark Woods Changing Faces Six Shooter

The album title CHANGING FACES may be a reflection of the moving parts of The Deep Dark Woods as much as it may be a reference to the band’s frontman Ryan Boldt’s relocation from the rural prairies of Saskatchewan to his current residence on the east coast of Canada. Line-up changes may be regular but the musical landscapes brought to pass by Boldt remain absorbing. The band’s seventh album has a particular emphasis on alt-folk, moving some distance from the band’s more Americana sound on their earlier releases. It’s a path that Boldt has travelled more frequently on the band’s more recent work and one that featured exclusively on his debut solo album THE BROADSIDE BALLADS in 2014. That recording was Boldt’s rendition of traditional American, Irish and U.K. folk songs. On this occasion he has created his own similarly themed songs, laced with bruised and tender lyrics and brought to life by some fine musicians.

Boldt has acted as a father figure and chaperone to Kacy (Anderson) and Clayton (Linthicum), bringing them along as a support act and also band members since their teen years. The talented duo feature prominently on the album, collaborating on six of the eight tracks. Clayton plays bass, pedal steel, cello and various guitars with Kacy contributing violin, acoustic guitar and angelic backing vocals. The duo’s input is particularly striking on the perfectly tailored and standout track In The Meadow. It offers a sound that brings to mind the finest Richard Thompson has to offer and is packed with left of centre folky diversions. Cello, harmonica and harmonium, (both courtesy of Geoff Hillhorst) and percussion by Mike Silverman, all work hand in glove with Boldt’s well defined vocals. How Could I Ever Be Single Again? also impresses with its classic English folk sound and romantic heartbreak also surfaces on the Nick Drake like Everything Reminds Me. Closing the album is the slightly more acoustic Yarrow, which Deep Dark Woods fans will recognise as the title of their 2017 released album. 

Recorded at The Sugar Shack in London and Ghetto Box Studios in Saskatoon, six of the eight songs were written by Boldt, with the previously mentioned In The Meadow co-written with Clayton. The final song is the Hungarian folk song Anathea, previously recorded by both Judy Collins and Joni Mitchell

CHANGING FACES places Boldt very much in his comfort zone and doing what he does best. His folk sensibilities emerge with flying colours on a suite of songs that lean heavily on dark gothic themes, missed opportunities and previous romances.

Review by Declan Culliton

New Album Reviews

Paul Handyside Loveless Town Self Release

This is the fourth solo album from an artist who describes his sound as Folk/Roots and has been refining his music since his debut release, back in 2007. An experienced musician since the heady pop days of the eighties, Handyside calls on his regular go-to musical buddies, both David Porthouse and Rob Tickell, ever-presents on all his solo albums to date. Indeed, it is Tickell who produces and engineers the entire project and brings to life these gentle songs that mainly focus on affairs of the heart, the need for love and the hopes of finding connection with others.

Title track, Loveless Town, has some atmospheric lap steel playing from Tickell that wraps around the expressive vocal delivery of Handyside and the standard is set regarding the rest of the album. ‘Love wears a hopeless crown and fits like it should, Wherever you come from you’re still going down, Looking for love in a loveless town.’ A fine example of the song writing craft on offer throughout.

Light Of My Life is a sensitive love song to a partner and a wish to be saved by the love of a good woman, superb guitar interplay and the message that ‘Give me one last roll of the dice, be the light of my life.’ Tracks such as Deepest Love and New Frontier are honest love songs and have a restrained delivery that highlights the mood and the sentiment.

Not in my Name, is a protest against the self-appointed business, political and religious bullies who try and dictate how our lives should unfold, ‘Whatever you’re playing, I’m not a part of your game.’ It’s a little bit Bluegrass and a little bit Folk, crossing hands across the ocean between UK and USA. Another song that hits hard is the salutary tale of Hartley Pit Catastrophe. A coal mining accident in Northumberland, England, in 1862, which resulted in the deaths of 204 men and children. Sung in his native Newcastle accent, it is a heartfelt Folk song, performed with passion and righteous frustration. The disaster resulted in a change in British law that required all collieries to have at least two independent means of escape. 

Only You is another love song but with a harder edge in the great guitar lines that enhance the message; one that could be aimed at a higher power, as much as a partner in life, ‘For this lost cause that St. Jude won’t avow, only you can save me now.’

Lord, Show Yourself, however, is an angry plea to display some sign that He actually exists and to intervene in the continuous failings of Man – the self-righteous hypocrites who dare to pretend they know better, ‘And to the preacher in his fervour who fuels the non-believer in us all.’ 

Other tracks, like Lonesome Touch and Don’t Let Your Heart Be A Hotel, are focused on the harder side of love, where parting leaves regrets into the future and where an open, gentle soul can be abused by uncaring lovers who are selfish and cold.  

Final track, Someone Like You, sums up the abiding emotions and message on the album, with the lines, ‘When I don’t know who to turn to and all my trust is gone, You will give me hope to still believe and faith to carry on.’ It’s this abiding message of hope, in both a love that can endure and in community, that repeats; the belief that we can lift each other up, in finding purpose in it all. 

Paul Handyside puts in a real stellar performance throughout, on vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, piano, Fender Rhodes, organ, harmonium, harmonica and percussion. His musical friends are equally as influential with Rob Tickell on dobro, lap steel, weissenborn, electric guitar, bass guitar, percussion, backing vocal, joined by David Porthouse on double bass, melodeon, banjo, percussion, backing vocal. A very impressive album, beautifully delivered and performed. One that wraps itself around the listener with sensitively played music of real quality.

Review by Paul McGee

The Imaginaries Self-Titled Self Release

The Gospel Blues of opener, Revival, has an attractive slide guitar sound running through the melody with organ swells adding to the dynamic. It’s a song about renewal and highlights the vocal prowess of Maggie McClure and Shane Henry. It’s a great opening sound but one that this duo doesn’t revisit on the remaining tracks that are included here.

This debut album was recorded at the legendary Muscle Sholes studio in Alabama and calls upon some heavyweight players in the form of Dave Hood, Kelvin Holly, Shona Tucker, Rob Humphreys and NC Thurman. Based in Oklahoma, this duo has had individual success prior to releasing these songs under the name of The Imaginaries. The couple have worked at building careers over many years and experienced success as live performers and in having song placements in various tv and film projects, in addition to advertising media. 

Their leanings are towards the commercial side of the music business and are apparent with radio friendly songs like There Will Come A Day, with soaring chorus and Geronimo, with a big production sound and a message about holding your nerve when taking risks. This is balanced against the Folksier sounds on tracks like Thinking ‘Bout You and Trust Falling With You, a pair of back-to-back love songs that also talk of staying strong and the joy of jumping into a relationship. One Life is another song that looks at enduring companionship, with restrained playing supporting a nice melody on keys, piano and guitar. ‘You are not alone in all you’re going through’ and ‘Put yesterday behind us, tomorrow is up ahead’ give the sentiment involved on this gently delivered song. Blue Sky carries a similar message and returns to a more commercial song arrangement.

McClure plays keyboards, piano and sings in a sweetly toned voice, while Henty contributes on guitar and a vocal that dove tails superbly with McClure, his strong delivery laying the bedrock for McClure to harmonise around. Enough Of You has a more Rock oriented vibe with some fine guitar riffing and is a departure from the rest of the album’s direction, mostly aimed at the commercial market.

I note that these songs were further worked on by adding the keyboard skills of Chad Copelin and Dan Walker, back home in Oklahoma. The harmonies and sweet melodies are very appealing, but I just wonder if some of the sonics err on the side of being over-produced and too crisply clean? 

Final track,You Remind Me, is a nice message of trust and acceptance in another; a gentle melody that glides along on some understated ensemble playing, in my view, the direction that best suits this duo in their next recording activities.

Review by Paul McGee

Folks Like Them Our Places Self Release

This is a father and son, Allen and Chris Kave, and the duo deliver a traditional Country sound that is very expressive and warmly engaging. Both been recording and performing music for many years now and have released a couple of prior EP’s before this full length, twelve song, debut. The music is well produced and arranged with Nashville music veterans Chip Hardy and Rod Lewis at The 515 Studio in Nashville. The songs cover the entire range of emotions from looking back at paths taken, youthful memories, mistakes made, love gained and lost, wisdom from those who have lived longer on the earth and who bring the gifts of perspective in their life lessons. The vocals are strong and sung with great personality, balanced perfectly by the variety of instruments in the mix, with piano, dobro, pedal steel, violin, mandolin, guitars, all adding great range and variation.

The twelve songs play out over forty-plus minutes and deal with the simple pleasure of conversation and a beer (Don’t Need A Thing), learning life lessons (When You’re Called), reflections on father/son relationships (I Needed That / Eight A.M. / Daddy’s Garden), death and what gets left behind (When I Pass / Empty Church) and standing on the shoulders of those who went before over the generations (Fog On the Mountain). 

There is also a relationship song, Home Again, that mirrors a house renovation with a renewal of connection, ‘Please take the time to find what the years tried to hide, Look underneath there’s more to me than meets the eye.’ There is a song that deals with Alzheimer’s disease, Bits Of Time, and is a standout track with ‘I feel so alone when you can’t remember my name, And your thoughts skip like the dusty records we used to play,’ summing up the sentiment perfectly. 

There is the story song, Motel Six, and a look at shady deals, money and guns, murder most foul. The River Still Flows is a simple song about time alone, fishing and some solitary peace. Rod Lewis on bass and Tim Grogan on drums is the rhythm section on all songs and compliment the talents of Allen and Chris Kave throughout. The other players on the album were not available at the time of review but they flavour the songs with additional touches and the whole project is a great success.

Review by Paul McGee

Red Idle Rejects Ink and Nicotine Oak Honest

This band are based in Cincinnati, Ohio and formed in 2014. A debut album, Where the Lonely Reside, arrived in 2015, announcing the band to the listening public and starting a run of two further albums, in 2018 (ROOM WITH A VIEW) and 2019 (GENUS AMERICANAS). Their Country/Folk sound is rooted in the music of deep traditions, but they also have the ability to rock out when the dynamic requires a change of mood and tempo.

Way Down Deep In the Jar is a good time opener with some great guitar driven rhythm and a song about having one too many when playing music but getting high on the feeling created. Blind Leading the Blind is another great workout, reminiscent of a countrified Cheap Trick arrangement, again with jangling guitars and a great rhythm section.  

The album title and centrepiece, Ink and Nicotine, contains a three-track section, that runs over seventeen minutes and looks at the plight suffered by the miners of days gone by in Kentucky, where exploitation of the poorer classes and dangerous manual labour were the order of the day and abused.  Jumping to modern times, when the mines eventually bowed to progress and closed, they were replaced by opioid addiction in the rural towns where the lack of jobs for the youth continues to leave deep scars and occupy the need for a healthier way to live. The songs featured are Tradition, The Moon Ain’t Right, Abraham and Love and Dust. The fiddle playing of Justin Bridges is prominent across this section of songs and gives a reflective feel to the tunes, aided by the arresting vocals of Grace Bowling.

Underground is a fine example of the band dynamic with some superb guitar riffing on a track that takes an angry look at the war between the sexes. More rock-based than any other track included here, it shows the versatility of the band. Shades Of Blue continues in a Country groove with a look at a stalling relationship that is stuck in gear. It’s a brightly arranged song and the following track, Our Courtyard Tiles, has the sound going in the direction of rockabilly with the words, ‘These tiles we tread hold love between the crevasses and cracks unseen.’ A message to enduring love, despite the ups and downs of any relationship, again driven by some great guitar melodies.

Final track, Carved In Stone, has a similar theme and looks at love over the generations with the commitment to stay the course and forever honour the old family traditions. This is a fine collection of songs, superbly performed and plenty to engage for everyone. The full band is made up of Jeff Boling (electric guitar), Grace Bowling (keyboards and vocals), Steve Bowling (acoustic guitar and vocals), Daniel Parker Ferguson (bass guitar), Derek Johnson (drums) and Kurt Kaufman (guitar and percussion).

Review by Paul McGee

Deborah Henriksson So Far DHP 

With the release of her debut album, SIMPLE GIFTS, back in 2007, Deborah Henriksson announced herself with a mix of different influences in her sound. Blending folk leanings with the original Celtic airs, this artist has built a consistent body of work over the succeeding four albums and years of putting in the hard miles of live performance across Europe and America. So much so, that we now have a retrospective package of twenty-six songs, including four alternate/extended versions, of her most popular tracks.

Based in Sweden, Henriksson played a series of outdoor concerts last year for senior facilities and nursing homes in lockdown, showing a great commitment to community in these challenging times. She has chosen a varied collection of songs on this compilation and they create an easy stream of gentle melody and refined vocal delivery. The mix of different styles, including pop and Americana, is somewhat typical of a lot of contemporary folk releases these days, with varied instrumentation and diffuse influences included. A cover of the Clannad song, Harry’s Game, is a prime example, with lush arrangement and layered vocals. Following on from the more rootsy sound of, In Time, it sits into a space where you wonder what is coming next. Similarly, Calling, is a track that wears its Celtic connection lightly and overall, the  songs are infused with the mix of flutes, harps and synthesizer generated sounds, blended with guitar and percussion in a fusion that is very enjoyable. 

There is no information regarding the musicians who play on this retrospective or indeed, production credits, so while enjoying the ninety-five minutes of varying sounds, including songs like Share This Moment, Shine, Ae Fond Kiss (Robert Burns), Always Near, A Woman’s Heart (Eleanor McEvoy), Evangeline and Trains, the overall sense of no real signature sound for this clearly talented performer remains.

Review by Paul McGee

Lindsay Ellyn Queen of Nothing Hail Mary/Queue

The debut album from New Jersey born Lindsay Ellyn follows a pattern of recordings reflecting on unfortunate life choices and regret that have arrived in the past twelve months at Lonesome Highway for review. No doubt the lockdown during 2020 gave many artists the time and space for reflection, together with the subject matter for their recordings.

Currently residing in Nashville, Ellyn is employed as a copywriter for a creative agency and that skillset at wordplay is very much in evidence across this album’s ten tracks. Rather than maudlin and overly sentimental, much of the material reflects light-heartedly on loss and life’s low points. The writing is matched by slick and striking melodies, no more so than on the jangly opener Dirty Fingers and the confessional and self-deprecating Pettyesque title track.

The heavy hitting is done by the melodies but the lyrics are equally impressive without attempting to be overly clever. She details her tales, often of woe, but seldom overly reprehensible. Carefree times house sharing are recalled on Hard To Forget and the album highlight Raising Hell is instantly catchy, sounding like Elizabeth Cook at her most brazen. Unease and unrest are set aside on the thunderous gospel anthem Glory, Glory.

‘I know about making mistakes, I know how it feels to miss your shot,’ Ellyn accepts on the title track Queen of Nothing. However, rather than a body of work composed at a low point in her career, you’re left with the impression that the album is an acceptance without remorse of the past and acts as a cleansing springboard from an artist currently quite happy in her own skin.

Review by Declan Culliton

The Accidentals Time Out (Session One) Self Release

A five track EP born out of quarantine finds three-piece band The Accidentals collaborating with a number of established songwriters. Their world seemed to fall apart in March 2020 when, following a successful twenty-three date tour, they were on the road to perform at SXSW in Austin, Texas.  What promised to be the perfect opportunity to further showcase their talents was aborted when they learned that the festival was cancelled and they had to turn their van around and head back to Nashville.

The Accidentals are multi-instrumentalists Savannah Buist and Katie Larson, whose friendship dates back to high school in Traverse City, Michigan. The female fronted band also includes third member Michael Dause, who plays drums. TIME OUT (SESSION ONE) follows their highly acclaimed debut album ODYSSEY released in 2018. Alongside their band duties the members host master classes and workshops for music students. Buist and Larson are also in high demand for their stringed instrumental skills by numerous artists and bands in Nashville.

With their committed work ethic, it’s not surprising that they took full advantage of the Covid-19 enforced lockdown to record this album. Furthermore, on the realisation that others would also have time on their hands, they reached out to a host of respected songwriters to collaborate with. The result is an introspective set of songs that drift between folk and country, beautifully harmonised and performed, bringing to mind the music of Nickel Creek. The songs were composed via numerous Zoom calls starting with the opening track Wildfire, written with Kim Richey. The spirited anthem All Shall Be Well, was penned with Mary Gauthier and Jamie Harris. Two harmonised voices and two acoustic guitars feature on the song, which is the most stripped back of the five tracks. Dar Williams, whom they had opened a show for early in their career, came on board for the fuller sounding Night Train.  A series of weekly remote writing sessions with folk legend Tom Paxton yielded Anyway. Written at the lowest point of the pandemic, its lyrics reflect fear, the unknown and the ongoing loss of life. The final song Might As Well Be Gold was composed pre-pandemic and is a co-write with celebrated songwriter and recording artist Maia Sharp. It’s an optimistic and hugely catchy inclusion, beautifully orchestrated.

All in all, a most enjoyable listen by a team of young musicians, hugely gifted, totally committed and with the world at their feet.

Review by Declan Culliton

Nate Fredrick Different Shade Of Blue Wanda Recordings/Queue Records

Some artists do their writing while on tour, others head for a cabin in the mountains for the peace and solitude they require for inspiration. Missourian Nate Fredrick’s time and place came about through a near tragedy. While running away from the police with a friend one night, Fredrick inadvertently fell off a cliff. He fortunately survived the incident but his injuries necessitated a two-year recuperation. He used the downtime during this period to hone his craft, write songs and gain the confidence to consider that a career as a musician was worth pursuing.

Relocating to Nashville in 2015, Fredrick wrote over one hundred songs in his first two years living there. Eleven of those songs appear on DIFFERENT SHADE OF BLUE. With a style that sits comfortably on the fence between country and blues, his sound is bullseye Americana and this debut album ticks all the right boxes.

Opening track Be The One is a bluesy and breezy affair echoing a young Van Morrison. The chilled country ballad Love Someone is a hard-edged heartland country affair. Paducah, the first single taken from the album, is an easy on the ear track. It’s the name of a town in Kentucky, midway between Nashville and Springfield, Missouri, that Fredrick passed every weekend on his trips home. The Dreamer is a light hearted anecdote of a teenager’s infatuation with an older woman, it’s also a classic honky tonk song.  Love lost surfaces on All Over You Again, Forget Ever Loving Me and the ultra-catchy title track.

Recorded at Farmland Studios in Nashville with David Dorn (Hootie and The Blowfish, Maddie and Tae) at the controls and a host of skilled players contributing, DIFFERENT SHADE OF BLUE finds Fredrick pouring his heart and soul into a fine collection of songs.

Review by Declan Culliton

Toler Gibson The Days Before Rocket Girl

The opening song Dead End Lady on this ten-track album perfectly sets the scene for what’s to follow. Gentle and tender harmony vocals, recounting the tale of an unfortunate drifter, are backed by weeping pedal steel that immediately draws you into the song. Those well-matched vocals and distinctive pedal steel are a recurring feature on the melody laden songs that follow.

Gavin Toler and Kenneth Gibson have previously paid their dues in a number of bands including Old Gold, Furry Things, Bell Gardens and Winter Flowers. They both also previously performed solo.  Mountain dwellers based in Idyllwild, California, the pair recruited drummer Charlie Woodburn and pedal steel player Drew Manne and expanded from their duo format to create the four-piece Toler Gibson. 

Their musical tones and textures offer a sound that lands in the country rock genre, though with more emphasis on country than rock. It’s also a sound quite different to what many of their peers are doing, giving the impression of a band creating music on their own terms, without any external browbeating. The Murder Will Fly is a throwback to the late 1960’s and the type of song that you might expect to hear on a movie soundtrack from that era. The trippy Mountain Room and No Time Too Soon similarly recall the sounds from that era. They also enter fully fledged country territory on Firewater and dip their toes into old timey with Next Time We Meet, which offers a vocal styling that is somewhat more than spoken word yet not quite fully voiced crooning. That delivery is repeated in the quirky but very listenable I Want A Dog.

There’s something simple yet addictive about THE DAYS BEFORE that drew me back in for repeated listens. You’re never quite sure if some of the topics visited, such as domestic disaffection, are tongue in cheek whereas others dealing with empty lives and regrettable life choices, leave you in no doubt. Either way, it’s an album that never attempts to overwhelm the listener and one that I connected with on first play. It’s also one that I will most certainly continue to visit going forward. 

Review by Declan Culliton

New Music Reviews

Crys Matthews Change Makers Self Release

Creating music for the past ten years, Washington DC resident Crys Matthews has released a powerhouse of an album that leaves one in no doubt as to her views on the acute need for social justice and humanity in her beloved USA. But unlike most of her like-minded campaigners, she manages to do so with a level of positivity and hope that is truly uplifting. From the opener Exactly Where You Are “no us and them, just me and you” to the closing Hope Revolution she attempts to reunite “we the people” by emphasising their similarities over their differences. Possessed of a powerful voice, Matthews draws on soul, folk, country and pop influences to realise her twelve empowering anthems. She’s aided by the uncluttered production values of Mark Williams (also contributing guitars) and by calling on the veteran folk/grass duo of Marcy Marxer (mandolin) and Cathy Fink (banjo) to help her to musically illustrate her vision. Ben Tufts on drums anchors them all and Wes Lanich on keys emphasises the soul vibe.

In For The Women With Steel In Their Bones, Matthews pays tribute to “the ones with titanium skin” and appeals that we teach “all little boys to respect and believe women”. Amen.

Another highlight is the upbeat acoustic guitar-driven Time Machine where she reminds Americans that “we are a nation of immigration but oh how quickly we forget” and there is “a new kind of trail of tears”. As a black lesbian woman she is acutely aware of homophobia, racism and misogyny but she still manages to believe that love will conquer all.

The well designed digipak is illustrated with photos of Matthews at the Lincoln Memorial. Highly recommended and already added to my Best of 2021 list.

Review by Eilís Boland 

J.P. Harris Don’t You Marry No Railroad Man Free Dirt

In a move that seems appropriate to these straitened times, J.P. Harris has made an album of stripped back old-time music that consists of nothing more than claw-hammer banjo and his ageless vocal delivery. Producer Chance McCoy joins him on fiddle and backing vocals. The two had, in the past, toured together and created a lasting brotherhood, bonded by the music they listened to and played. Music that came from an earlier time but sent echoes right through to this present day. 

As his main non-musical work as a carpenter, the opening song and oft-recorded House Carpenter may have a special meaning for Harris. It is also not the only song on the album that relates to this means of creative employment. Likewise the professions is referenced inThe Little Carpenter, a song that was learned from a John Lomax field recording from 1933. Although Harris misplaced the original cassette on which he had encountered a version of the song, he was able to remember the tune if not all the words, some of which he had to improvise for his version. It is a slow mournful droning lament that is very heavy-hearted in overall delivery. By way of contrast Otto Wood is a “bandit ballad” which is a lively tale of lucky escapades and misadventures that is matched by the pace of the  music. Wild Bill Jones is likewise the tale of an outlaw that was again a song learned from another version, but one that in the recording revealed a variation that worked for this, its final, second take. Closer To The Mill (Going To California) is another song heard over time and adapted to the duo’s delivery. The title comes from a line in Mole In The Ground where the protagonist wishes he was a mole in the ground or a lizard in the spring (in the later case to hear a woman sing) as well as delivering the advice to never marry a railroad man, as he would kill you if he could and drink the blood as if it were wine. It is a traditional song that today may seem to contain something an archaic folk tale logic something that one encounters with the inherent story that has passed down through the ages from a much earlier era and source. Yet these tales seems to translate  to a ready understanding of their meaning and metaphors.

Harris tells these traditional story-songs in a way that is as enduring as it is relevant. He notes that prior to his involvement in the classic country mode that was the focus of his band the Tough Choices, this was the world in which Harris had been immersed and after they had finished touring and the electric guitars and amps stored away, it was the banjo that was then his instrument of choice. So, when the opportunity came about during this enforced lockdown, he went to West Virginia and while there helped McCoy set up a studio in an old sharecropper’s shack where they recorded this material. Old time, old values, old friends and an old honesty in the songs and performances.

As with all of J.P. Harris’ music it is a case of following one’s heart and making the music that feels right at that time. Something he has always done despite any prevailing trends and fashions. It has, in that sense, a pureness that is intuitive and is the measure of the man.

Review by Stephen Rapid

Dave Clancy The Path Self Release

This is a debut album from Galway musician, singer-songwriter and session player, Dave Clancy. He has been a part of the creative music scene in Ireland over a number of years now and his experience in knowing what he wants from a song arrangement is very evident on this very impressive solo outing.

Clancy has been able to call on the many talents of musician friends that he has met over his career to date. Included are Noelie McDonnell, Nicola Joyce and Noriana Kennedy (The Whileaways) on guitar and backing vocals, together with Matthew Berrill (Irish Memory Orchestra) on clarinet, flute and saxophone, Will Merrigan on Double Bass, Fergal Scahill (We Banjo3) on Fiddle, Tom Portman on dobro, Gerry Paul on electric guitar, Shane O'Donovan on drums, Pauline Scanlon (Lumiere, Sharon Shannon) on vocals. Clancy is front and centre on all the tracks, adding acoustic and electric guitar, piano, pedal steel and superb vocals to elevate the experience.

There are drums used on two tracks, (Shane O’Donovan), with the remaining eight songs delivering gentle, sensitive playing; all wrapped in an easy, laid-back style. The production and engineering duties are handled by old music friends of Clancy. Both Liam Caffrey and Eamon Brady, who helped shape some of the original versions of these songs in their infancy, wrap the arrangements in soft colours and hues throughout. Brady also contributes on selected tracks, with some piano and synth bass, plus Wurlitzer and bouzouki, to elevate the overall sound.

Opener, Sunrise, sets the tone with some superbly understated interplay between the musicians and the warm vocal delivery of Clancy. The melody drifts along on a beautiful lilt and a reflective concern, ‘Where are we going now,’ - a look, perhaps, at where a relationship is heading; although it could equally be a cry for clarity in these challenging times we are experiencing and the lack of direction felt.

They’re Leaving follows and the soothing vocal tone belies the message of loss; barren country towns where the youth face the reality of leaving in search of bigger dreams. A tale of migration to the cities and away from those left behind, missing their daily presence. Title track, The Path, follows in a similar vein, with some atmospheric pedal steel, linking with clarinet and flute, to sooth the spirit and give reassurance, ‘Something tells me, We will find our way.’

The River Clare has another gentle arrangement with dobro and violin adding bright tones and a message to ‘cast our fears away’ and learn to dream again. Don’t Try To Hide Your Tears Away is a song that introduces drums for the first time and the sway of piano, with pedal steel and sweet harmony vocals, delivers another lovely melody. 

The Welcome speaks of ‘A candle in the window,’ with the acoustic guitar and dobro parts a real highlight. Some fine playing also, from Willie Merrigan on double bass, always supporting the songs in a simple yet tuneful style and Pauline Scanlon sharing vocal harmonies with Clancy. All I Ever Knew is a standout among all these excellent songs; a love song to a hometown that is beautifully delivered and an evocative homily to the past and the carefree days of youth.

Be Yourself is a pep talk to banish self-doubt and to move forward, with lines like ‘You have to be yourself, although you may feel blue’ and ‘Your heart will keep you true’ pointing the way. Clarinet and dobro playing off each other as the troubles of the past melt away on the positive message. Surrender is another highlight with some tasteful piano and saxophone parts ‘the wine we once drank is from some other time, And the time we once spent is forever on my mind’ – what a great couplet to capture that feeling and a place that is so familiar - we’ve all been there.

The final song, Hold On, is another tender message to stay true to your feelings. The clarinet and saxophone adding to the acoustic guitar in a melody that celebrates the gift of childhood in all its innocence and bright optimism.   Folk music with a distinctly Irish twist, these songs have come to fruition over a few years and the time spent has been well worth the tender loving care shown. This is a fully rounded album, filled with great song-writing, musicianship of the highest order and, most importantly, a real authentic mood and feel. As a vibrant young Irish artist, this points towards a very bright future.

Review by  Paul McGee

Turner Cody and the Soldiers Of Love Friends In High Places Capitane 

New York City is where Turner Cody called home, the place from which his artistic inspiration evolved, stretching back to the late 90s and presiding over the fourteen albums that have been released over this time. Cody has seen his East Village indie ethos develop and grow, into a more nuanced approach to music making, and the many interests and influences that have coloured his creative muse now find their way into this new album.

Cody introduces the talents of the Soldiers Of Love, the band of Belgian singer songwriter Nicolas Michaux, who also produces the project. They played a few shows together, back in 2017, and enjoyed the experience so much that it developed into a full European tour during 2018. 

Turner Cody delivers a clear, unhurried vocal in a reflective mood, as the songs unveil themselves. There is the regret of The Beginning and wanting to return to something now lost. Lonely Days In Hollywood is just that, a reflection of days spent in isolation. The Four Thousand Dollar Days hints at better times when money was no object and life was lived high on the crest of a wave. Perhaps the character in Boozing and Losing has seen it all crumble down to dust, now living rough and aimlessly drifting.

On a separate note, Mr Wrong appears to be a bounty hunter song where someone is tracking a wanted man – of course that man could very well be the writer of the song, in search of his own identity, buried deep within? Telling Stories is a look at the little white lies that we all tell each other, just to keep on believing that we make a difference, as opposed to simply ignoring each other every day as we pass along in our busy lives. Self-delusion in order to endure? 

Love In Vain follows a different path in speaking of unrequited feelings and what gets lost. Similarly, Nothing But Regrets, looks at ‘A lifetime of living, with nothing but regrets.’ 

On the other hand, What I Tell You, is a song about domestic bliss - a love song about being home and feeling happy in the company of another. The final track, Drink A Toast In Heaven, hints at the enduring power of love beyond the thin fabric of life, to pull back that curtain and keep a weather eye on those whom we love. The title track, Friends In High Places, sums it all up really with the lines, ‘I’m short on tomorrow and I’m long on yesterday’ with a focus on the past running through these songs; however, one can look forward to tomorrow with renewed optimism and a fresh beginning.

There is an understated approach to these eleven songs, with very fluid musicianship among the players who display a great understanding of the song dynamic and exactly what is required. At just thirty-five minutes long, this is the perfect album to chill out with, either in the car or just listening at home after a busy day. It’s a good companion that delivers some sweet music. Cody is now living in St Louis with his family and if you want to catch up with his back catalogue, then I recommend two compilations; SIXTY SEASONS (2000 – 2005) and the other, THE GREAT SHADOW (2000 – 2017), but this fine album is also a great place to get acquainted. 

Review by  Paul McGee

Annie Keating Bristol County Tides Self Release

This Brooklyn based musician, performer and teacher has been very active since 2004, when her debut album surfaced. Before taking up music on a full-time basis, Keating was involved in non-profit education at various levels, something that she still maintains as a passion today. She has been delivering consistently strong albums over the years and her relative lack of widespread media attention remains something of a mystery. Now, on her eight full release, plus a couple of EPs and a ‘Best Of’ collection in 2018, we find Keating in reflective mood since her last outing in 2016. 

She retreated to her Mother’s home in Bristol County, Massachusetts with her family during the pandemic lockdown, taking time to look at her life and pouring her meditations and reflections into these songs. Over a five-month period, Keating wrote the fifteen tracks that are included on the album and, no doubt, a few more besides. The running of some fifty-four minutes demands quite a commitment from the listener, unless you are already an admirer, in which case this is no real imposition at all.

These are songs all about spending quiet time with family, slowing down and connecting with the simple pleasures - boat trips, walks by the river, drives in the country. The gentle, acoustic feel of a number of these songs show the contemplative nature of days and time spent in quiet reflection. Looking at the past and trying to learn lessons into the future (Nobody Knows), resolve to keep going in life’s journey (Blue Moon Tides) and being kind to yourself when doubt beckons (Half Mast). 

There are also some fine examples of the power of the studio musicians that Keating called upon, with their restrained playing and stellar musicianship a real highlight on songs like Third Street, Marigold, High Tide and Hank’s Saloon, where letting your hair down and going for sweet oblivion is as good a cure as anything, during these challenging times. Lucky 13 is another example of the musicians in full flow, a deep groove that echoes the sense of having a good time and just being in the moment.

Keating covers both the personal and the universal in her themes and recalling days gone by, she delivers songs that evoke feelings of nostalgia for the past and gratitude for all that she holds dear.  There are also hints of a broken relationship in these songs, with perhaps the Covid-19 lockdown providing the backdrop to escape a difficult situation, time for quiet contemplation and to rediscover what is important, as a way to move forward. 

The core band is comprised of Richard Hammond on bass, Steve Williams on drums, Todd Caldwell on organ, piano and melodica, with Teddy Kumpel on, 6 and 12 string acoustic guitar, electric guitar, baritone guitar, bass, banjo, mandolin, percussion, backing vocals. Kumpel also produced the album and there are guest appearances from an additional seven musicians across various tracks.

There are a few songs that reference a friend made along this sojourn, someone who helped get perspective on everything and support the process of renewal. Tracks such as Kindred Spirit, Kindness and Song For A Friend all look towards connection and ‘Trying not to worry about not having plans.’ The use of pedal steel on two of these songs evokes the sense of the glow of friendship over time and in not being broken by life experiences.

The song, Doris, is a warm tribute to her beautiful Mother, who ‘Came to New York in 1959, an immigrant with a bright and brave smile.’  Bittersweet is a heartfelt goodbye to Bristol County and the community of friends that helped Keating through her months of new beginnings. It’s a sad song for the leaving, but also one of hope for the time to come, ‘It will not be goodbye, just the ending of a time, Salty sweet smiles and fish caught on the line.’ 

It would have been an appropriate way to end the album but Keating adds a further two songs that reference a broken relationship and the chance to rebuild from the damage suffered. Both, Shades Of Blue and Goodbye seem to come from a personal space and lines like ‘I’d seal the lid on you so tight, and walk away so I just might, Not feel these shades of blue today,’ plus the sense of loss, ‘Days of sadness that I walked through, Now I’ll try to wish you well, Will you think of me on occasion? Maybe smile to yourself.’

Perhaps the abiding message can be taken from the final track and the words, ‘Hope for kindness and connection, Try to stay clear of the doubts, There’s a little light now on the inside, Not going to let it burn out.’ This is a really strong statement from a consummate artist who returns with another shining example of her song-writing talents. And it is well worth the wait.

Review by  Paul McGee

Naomi in Blue An Experiment Self Release

An award-winning humanitarian journalist, Naomi Larsson has released a four track EP which lands somewhere between experimental folk and psychedelic rock. Her writing career in 2020 earned her listings in Forbes ‘thirty under thirty’, having also been shortlisted for an Amnesty Media Award. As a musician, she was a regular solo performer prior to Covid - 19 lockdown and fronted the house band at Jambalaya’s Honky Tonk Thursdays at The Betsy in Trotwood, London.

With those live performances shelved throughout the best part of 2020, Naomi concentrated on recording these four songs, engaging Andrew Harwood, who produced and engineered the album at Reservoir Studios. The co-producer was Joe Harvey Whyte, who also contributed pedal steel and the mastering was undertaken at Abbey Studios by Miles Showell (The Beatles, Eric Clapton, Underworld, The Sugarbabes).

Both Drunk Again and the title track enter Jesse Sykes and The Sweet Thereafter territory.  Haunting pedal steel guitar adds to the atmosphere of self-loathing and mortification on the former, while the latter would not be out of place on a neo-noir David Lynch movie soundtrack. More conventional is the acoustic folk-tinged Homeless Man, a wistful and lyrically poetic new British folk song, complete with imposing layered vocals and acoustic guitar. The seductive and melancholic final track Bottom Of My Glass is quintessential British folk-rock but with a fetching edginess to it.

It remains to be seen if AN EXPERIMENT is a launching pad for Larsson’s recording career or a distraction from her day job. Either way, it’s a most impressive and beautifully produced introduction to a multi-talented individual.

Review by Declan Culliton

Shannon Mc Nally The Waylon Sessions Compass

The musical career of Shannon Mc Nally as a performer and songwriter reads like a ‘who’s who’ of Americana, Roots and Blues music. Her early journey found her opening for Ryan Adams, Stevie Nicks, John Mellencamp and Son Volt, while she began to establish herself as a headline artist. Appearances on Letterman, Leno and Conan soon followed, as she cemented her reputation as a prolific and talented songwriter.

SMALL TOWN TALK, released in 2013, was her seventh studio album since she began recording 2002. It was a musical collaboration with Dr. John and a tribute to her long-time friend Bob Charles, who is a native Cajun and the king of swamp pop rhythm and blues. That project may have given her a further appetite to visit the songbooks of her musical heroes, leading to this recording.

It’s not an understatement to suggest that THE WAYLON SESSIONS was a labour of love for the New York born Mc Nally. In a similar vein to Jennings, she has always been a fiercely independent and free-spirited artist. A leading light in the male dominated Outlaw country movement most popular in the 1970’s and 80’s, it may come as a surprise to find Jennings’ back catalogue being explored by a female artist. However, on the contrary, the feminine representation of the songs by Mc Nally does not in any way diminish their muscle or indeed their messages. It may be sacrilege to suggest that some of her reconstructions improve on the originals, but a few spins of Mama Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys, aided by the all-star band she gathered around her, leaves the listener in little doubt as to how well these cover versions work.

Those masterly players included Kenny Vaughan on guitar, Bukka Allen on keyboards, Chris Scruggs on bass, Derek Mixon on drums and Fred Newell on pedal steel. Guest appearances were also made by Buddy Miller, Jessi Coulter, Rodney Crowell and Lukas Nelson. The tracks were recorded live over a five-day period and any listener unfamiliar with Jennings’ war chest could be forgiven for assuming that the songs were written by Mc Nally. As a single mother and divorcee, she makes her own of songs such as I’ve Always Been Crazy and Black Rose. She finds room for rapid fire selections (I’m A Ramblin Man, Only Daddy That’ll Walk The Line) alongside the more considered ballads (Help Me Make It Through The Night, We Had It All). A duet with Lukas Nelson, You Show Me Yours And I’ll Show You Mine, also features. Rodney Crowell joins the party on I Ain’t Living Long Like This, singing a verse from the song he wrote with Waylon back in 1979.

Mc Nally bookends the thirteen songs with Waltz Me To Heaven. It’s a tasteful and fitting conclusion to what is a sublime delve into the songbook of one of country music’s finest songwriters. I’ve no doubt Waylon is looking down and tipping his hat.

Review by Declan Culliton

Jack Ingram Miranda Lambert Jon Randall The Marfa Tapes Vanner/RCA

Located in the high desert of the Trans-Pecos in far West Texas, Marfa has been a preferred location for Texans Jack Ingram, Miranda Lambert and Jon Randall to seek isolation and inspiration, resulting in some of their finest songwriting in recent years.

The ACM Song of the Year Tin Man, which featured on Lambert’s 2016 album THE WEIGHT OF THE WORLD, was written by the trio at Marfa in 2015.  They returned to the same location on this occasion, not only to write but also to record the material they collectively fashioned. The three Grammy Award winners spent a five-day retreat in November 2020, writing and recording the material for THE MARFA TAPES. With the exception of a couple of the fifteen tracks, such as Tin Man and Tequila Does, the songs were written and recorded outdoors over those five days. Recorded in single takes, the album is very much a ‘fly on the wall’ experience for the listener, capturing the rawness, intimacy and magic of the songs, which were constructed around a campfire with the aid of three voices, two microphones, acoustic guitars and little else but nature’s surrounding elements.  

One of the highlights of the project is the opportunity to hear Lambert in such a stripped back environment. She has been voted Vocalist of the Year in nine successive years by the ACM and her contributions on the album are a reminder of her vocal finesse. That aside, Lambert is also an exceptional songwriter, one of the finest of her generation of new country artists. Unfortunately, her writing has often been overshadowed by the pop country treatment which has, at times, overwhelmed much of her output. 

THE MARFA TAPES captures the three artists at their most relaxed, laughing at and with each other and most of all, enjoying themselves. Lambert takes centre stage, providing powerful lead vocals on Geraldene and Two Steps Down To Texas. The latter, which pays homage to the dance halls in Austin, sounds as if it was recorded late at night after the cocktails had been finished and includes laughter, hand claps, whoops and the whistling wind in the background. She also leads out on the gorgeous Waxahachie and the aptly titled The Wind’s Just Gonna Blow. The trio dampen down the campfire with the closing track Amazing Grace - West Texas. It’s a tender and fitting recognition to the guiding light that inspired the project. 

Ironically, given the typical work schedules of the three, the recordings might not have been brought to life without the pandemic. Given its raw condition, the outcome is an album that works spectacularly well and although Ingram and Randall deserve the kudos and credit for their input, the real winner is the unguarded performance from Lambert. Let’s hope it gives her the hunger to further pursue some more roots based output.

Review by Declan Culliton

Peter Doran Voices Self Release

 The fifth album release by Peter Doran finds the Mullingar, Westmeath native sticking with the template that has served him well in his musical career to date. It’s a sound that embraces the best elements of folk music, delivering a well-constructed and considered suite of songs, ten in total, on his latest recording. His career path has served him well to date, resulting in headline shows locally, across Europe and in New York.

VOICES was recorded at Arthouse Studio in Co. Kildare, where Doran was joined by multi-instrumentalist Lenny Cahill, whose contributions include piano, bass, organ and drums. Harmony vocals come courtesy of Portland, Oregon singer songwriter Haley Heynderickx and frontman from Irish indie band The Prayer Boat, Emmett Tinley.

Doran recalls his musical mentor Vinny Baker on Blue Mountains. It was the first song he wrote when he acquired Baker’s acoustic guitar, following his friend’s passing away. It features that guitar alongside Doran and Heynderickx’ vocals and tells a tale of a mythical paradise nestled deep in the Blue Mountains. The opening track Slow is the most up-tempo track on offer, with the remaining songs more stripped back.  

Childhood acquaintances are recollected in None The Wiser and the life journeys, often unexpected, that we navigate. Similarly contemplative is Dark Days which features imposing strings courtesy of Mary Barnecutt and Gerard Toal. Both songs are reflective of the gentle pace and consistency of an album from the deft wordsmith.

Review by Declan Culliton

New Album Reviews

Rylan Brooks If Wishes Were Horses Self Release

Nate Rylan and Chris Brooks formed this duo when they started writing together, having met as long-distance commercial drivers. Their sound is, as a result, something of  a full throttle sound that has its roots in the 70s but also has a nod to 90s country. A slice of rowdy roadhouse rock is evidenced by the opening salvo of Abilene and Hands Off. Easy Street looks at a place where you can hang out if your expectations are on the low side. Then things get a little more country with One Time Woman, Milan and the mediative thoughts expressed in the title track. Theirs is a mix of road stories and relationships, no doubt inspired by the many hours spent looking through a windshield and the motels and bars that they frequented on these trips. The whistled intro to Keeping My Distance adds some atmosphere and the pedal steel creates the ambience that makes this track an immediate stand-out and shows that these guys can travel on more than one route down the highways of life - a life that threw them together with some ladies whose needs were not always what they were able to offer, or wanted to offer. She Loved That Cocaine (more than she loved me) depicts one such encounter. The mid-tempo I Let You Down (Again) is an admission of repeated indiscretions despite wanting to get it right.

Their debut album was released in 2018. It was titled HALF WILD and the cover of that album showed the humorous content that is a part of their outlook. Rylan co-produced that album in Philadelphia. This time out they took a big step forward and recorded the album in Nashville with a producer who understood what they needed to move to the next level. Dean Miller was the man behind the desk and he rounded up some of the best players around to help out. These included Steve Hinson on pedal steel, guitarists Guthrie Trapp and Michael Spiggs and drummer Eddie Bayers. But it is the vocals of the duo which holds the project together. They range from rough-edged songs like Abeline to the more nuanced If Wishes Were Horses and the harmonies of Milan. The lead vocals are largely handled by Brooks but the duo are the key element here in the writing and delivery of the album’s ten cuts.

By their own accounts, the influences on their listening radar range from all the usual suspects of Haggard, Jennings, Bare and Paycheck to Kristofferson, Tom T Hall and through to Dale Watson and a whole lot more. They provide the groundwork that these guys are building from with their music. It has the substance and sincerity of some of the best elements of blue collar country and shows that the duo are ready for the ride.

Review by Stephen Rapid

The Brother Brothers Calla Lily Compass

There is a long list of music produced by brothers who use their sibling blood harmonies as the key element in their sound. Alongside that there are a number of acts who have been influenced by, and have appropriated elements of that sound for their endeavours. Twin brothers David and Adam Moss are exploring their family and musical bond after each working separately on different projects. For this, their second full album, they have begun to develop their sound with producer Ryan Hadlock. But apart from these divine harmonies they are also very accomplished musicians in their own right. David features on guitar, cello, piano and percussion while Adam plays fiddle and keyboards as well as percussion and guitar. They are joined by the rhythm section of Dave Speranza on bass and drummer Brian Kantor, who also adds some vibraphone. Both also add their vocals to the mix. Additionally there are keyboards and electric guitar from Wayne Horvitz and Mike Robinson respectively. 

The brothers handle the writing of these songs together with the exception of one song Waiting For A Star To Fall which is a co-write with Taylor Ashton. It is also a layered, expressive song that has the underlying melancholy of enforced loneliness while awaiting something to end that state of mind and is one of the stand-out tracks on the album.

On The Road Again seems like a fairly obvious reaction to the enforced epidemic non-activity, by wishing to get out on the road and play. Sorrow, given its sentiment and title, takes the downbeat line “that it’s the only thing that cares for me” and is conveyed appropriately. The Road Runner Song seems more outgoing and has a beat to drive its humour along but also has a restlessness at its centre. Seein’ Double is a country song that make good use of the electric guitar and the humorous lyrical play on the word “double”- as sort of follow up from their song Notary Public from their debut TUGBOATS EP. There is also a short violin and cello instrumental, A Popuito Doina, that is as evocative as it is brief.

So alongside the vocals par excellence and the undoubted musicianship they can also craft a meaningful lyric. In Circles they sum up a time and place with “hand to mouth living’s no way to get laid in this town / love is like a war when you can’t pick a side”, all of which makes these brothers worth the listen, and overall their chamber-folk/country is a worthy continuation of those close harmony duos. Comparisons with two particular famous duos come up all the time, yet while that’s a valid consideration the Brother Brothers are not in thrall to anyone other than to their own muse. There is a gentleness overall here that is restrained yet has its obvious strengths. This is an album that puts Adam and Davis on the road that they have defined again.

Review by Stephen Rapid

Chillemi With Woman Taxi Gauche

When a press release mentions Lee Hazlewood, Roy Orbison and Nick Cave, this undoubtedly might spark some interest in the music of the artist involved. And indeed, the album WITH WOMAN has hints of these artists to some degree, but I would see it as the kind of music you would hear in a club scene in an episode of Twin Peaks. It is principally the work of Brian Chillemi who plays the twang-fuelled, reverbed guitar and whose voice is an effective element in the sound, without quite having the gravity of the voices of the aforementioned singers - as yet anyway. He is aided here by Kyle Avallone’s organ, bass, guitar and drum machine contributions. The latter is not one of those fancy programmable pieces with sampled drums, but rather one of those old school time-keepers that used to come as part of an early electronic keyboard or the button-pressing rhythm machine favoured by the late 60s lounge or wedding reception players. Adam Amaram adds all sorts of percussion instruments and Nasa Hadizadeh joins Chillemi on vocals for the final track Evil Eye.

That they are based in Los Angeles should come as no surprise. Overall there’s a slightly unreal, moody and unsettling quality to the sound that still has the ability to draw you in to its dark but accessible recesses. Chillemi apparently was  previously based in New York where he was a member of the band Organs and Junk Boys which had different musical directions to the music that now bears his own name. He is also a film maker with a love of vintage noir, among other influences. All of these elements, no doubt, have a bearing on the somewhat cinematic nature of the music presented here.

The opening song Neon Bride has an accompanying video that appropriately features Giselle DaMier who played Sandie in the Twin Peaks TV series. He previously released another track (Friend) from the album and both easily lodge themselves into your memory, as do the other nine tracks here which all make for an interesting and arresting body of work. The big guitar, vintage keyboards, drum machine and vocal delivery create a distinctly retro feel that ensures this sound is different enough to stand out in these days of polished production techniques

Describing Chillemi’s music as a ‘dark alt-country’ might be the best tag, if you happen to need one. These tales of love, lust and longing may appear stark at first listen but soon reveal something that is redolent with sonic hooks and a certain calculated strangeness that is both organic and captivating. Here Chillemi asks you to enter his world of found dreams and augmented musical reality and it is one that is inventive and inviting.

Review by Stephen Rapid

The Golden Roses Devil’s In the Details Self Release

A second album from this excellent band who are based in Austin, Texas and who wear their influences proudly on their sleeves. When you mix a blend of Western Swing, Honky Tonk, traditional Country and Red Dirt Outlaw, then what you come up with are these twelve songs, brimming with wonderful playing and plenty of fun filled attitude.

Recorded at Yellow Dog studios in Wimberley, Texas, the album was produced by Adam Odor and all songs were written by frontman, John Mutchler (vocals, guitar). He is joined by the formidable and talented Heather Rae Johnson (fiddle, vocals), Troy Wilson (bass) and Shawnee Rose (drums). There is a guest appearance from Zachary Moulton (pedal steel) and his expressive playing across most of the tracks is particularly impressive. The playing is really tight and yet, there is a loose feel to the swing and tempo that shows just how comfortable these musicians are with each other. The band call their sound, “Texas Country music,” a description that covers much of what can be expected from growing up with a rich heritage in Country music, but The Golden Roses deliver so much more in their collective; attitude and a strong work ethic will get you far. As they sing on Sawed Off and Hauled Off, a song about life on the road, ‘Where we goin’ next? I don’t know, Wherever it is, we’re gonna give em’ a show.’ 

There is plenty of due reverence to the old standards but their strong contemporary influence in the symmetry of fiddle, pedal steel and twanging guitar adds an extra layer to the performance. Drums and bass anchor the sound with fine swagger and drive the engine room that stokes up these welcome flames. There is also a guest appearance from Mike Harmeier of Mike and the Moonpies on vocals, another quality Austin outfit who have close ties with the Roses.

The opening track, When I’m Gone, kicks things off in style with a great swinging tempo and a hope that estranged family members will come visit the graveside of an exiled father.  San Antonio By Sundown follows with a sweet melody and the message that there is only one girl in the world for the disillusioned and weary traveller, ‘I’ll either find her waiting or I’ll find a cold and empty home.’ The band interplay highlighted by the fine vocal tone of John Mutchler, who delivers in a clear and strong vocal throughout. 

The easy tempo and jangling guitar of Song I Can’t Write is a nicely paced track about mistakes made along the way, time in jail, friends lost and folks who were wronged. There is a similar theme to No Guitars In Prison, with its message about paying for your crimes and the things that must be forsaken. The fun of Song About My Cowboy Hat is a true tale of Mutchler’s hat being stolen at a gig while they played onstage. It leaves with a warning to all hat thieves ‘The eyes of Texas are upon you.’ There is a terrific Honky Tonk rhythm on other tracks like, Going Going Gone and Boy From the East, Gal from the West, a song about how Mutchler met his wife.

There is traditional Country feel on the title track, Devil’s In the Details, with a slow melody enhanced by both pedal steel and violin lifting the song. Laughing At Myself is another traditional workout that ruminates on the dubious benefits of turning forty; some nice guitar and drum parts to provide the backdrop. 

The final track, This Old House is a tale about the memories that are held within the walls of the old family home and a melody that would have fitted perfectly onto a classic George Jones record in times gone by. Smell the Roses is another fine example of traditional Country and a fitting invitation to come and sample the very engaging and energising music of this superb band. Another real gem and highly recommended.

Review by  Paul McGee

Josh Washam Squash Blossom Self Release

Originally from the Philadelphia area, this talented singer-songwriter graduated from the Berklee College of Music, before moving to Nashville ten years ago. His approach to music as a qualified producer and engineer is also embellished by his talents as a multi-instrumentalist and this is the third full-length album of a developing career.

Supported by a cast that includes John Wood (drums), Will Cafaro (bass), Steve Peavey (pedal steel, dobro, fiddle, mandocello, concertina), Jeff Adamczyk (organ, keys on four tracks), and Nick Pankey (backing vocals on four tracks), this is a fine example of the high-quality music that is out there, trying to break through to a wider listenership. Commercial radio is no longer the influence that it once was for a developing artist and searching for new outlets has become an increasing challenge in an over-crowded marketplace. However, Josh Washam ticks all the boxes and this is a very interesting new release that highlights his creativity.  

Don’t Cost Nothing is a rumination on writing songs, the sense of being in the present, whether taking a walk or just holding hands with the one you love; pedal steel and guitars mixing with mandocello on a very enjoyable opening tune.  The easy groove continues with Good Work! and a funky rhythm, all about getting your hands dirty; feeling good in committing to a tough job well done. Some great guitar and organ sounds fill out a compelling backbeat. 

Nothing Is Like It Used To Be is a musing on the changing times that are an intrinsic part of growing and learning each day; to just try living your own life, because nobody can ever walk in your shoes. Dream On is a bluesy song that looks at the joys of dreaming and sleeping, and the benefits of not remembering the contents, with some great interplay, as piano and dobro add colours to the arrangement. Record Night is about staying home to enjoy time with your girl and playing whatever takes the mood. Again, some fine ensemble playing with violin and a fine guitar break, augmented by some dynamic drumming that pushes the rhythm. 

Grin ‘n’ Bear It has a rock groove and warm organ melody on a track that says sometimes you have to just stand up and take what life throws at you. Rhyme And Reason is a slow melody that reflects on the need to keep working towards your dreams; with violin, mandocello and acoustic guitar mirroring the pain involved in the process, ‘It takes a bit of hard paddling, to get to a dream.’

San Diego is a love letter to the big city and a goodbye to a small hometown, a need to move on and become a laid-back, tanned, beach bum. Time Transpires has a gentle acoustic guitar opening and is a song about getting back to basics, ‘win or lose, you don’t get to choose, Life is just what happens to you.’ Excellent pedal steel supporting the fine fingerpicking style of Washam. 

Final track, Sweet 100s, is a tale of picking and eating cherry tomatoes, watching the world pass by and enjoying the moment – just where we came in at the start of the album.

All songs are written by Washam and with a running time just shy of thirty minutes, it’s a great example of turning out engaging, concise songs that are full of personality and fine musicianship.

Review by  Paul McGee

Evans McRae Only Skin Self Release

This collaboration is a welcome addition to the respective careers of both artists, Lowri Evans and Tom McRae. Both are already successful solo artists, so it gives great hope to everyone who is an aspiring songwriter to learn that this duo met at a song writing retreat. Given their combined talents and experience in the music industry it is proof positive that everyday is a school day and that you are never fully formed as a songwriter – always open to learning more or refining their current approach.

The songs sound bright and alive with a great production job done by McRae; the arrangements full of inventive playing and a guitar sound with real edge. From a solo career that began with the release of his debut album in 2000, McRae has been feted for his superb craftmanship and song-writing prowess across a number of albums, both studio and live, together with other collaborations and work commissioned for tv and theatre.

Lowri Evans has been producing music with her partner Lee Mason for a number of years, both full length releases and EP’s, singing both in English and her native Welsh tongue. Her debut arrived in 2007 and she hasn’t slowed down since, displaying a strong work ethic and an unquenching desire to keep growing as an artist. There are quite a few players on this album and without individual details giving who plays what, it would be guesses at best. Suffice to say that all involved do themselves proud on a project that crackles with wonderful playing and production quality. 

Say What You Mean is about loneliness, a breakdown in communication between lovers. Gentle arrangement with piano and guitar with Evans taking lead vocal before being joined by McRae in a duet that is gently haunting.

Only Skin is another look at relationships with both voices delivering fine harmony performances. A slow bluesy number that looks below the surface to examine real emotion hidden from outward view. The hint of horns in the arrangement and a distant lap steel echoing the mood. 

Careful lifts the tempo with a nice drum rhythm that stays in the pocket and allows some fine bass playing to drive the atmospheric arrangement that is a tension infused look at a devious lover.

High and Lonesome follows with a nicely laid-back feel to the delivery and some sweet interplay, shared vocals between Evans and McRae, adding to the lovely string arrangement and piano motif. Love’s A Loaded Gun is piano and vocal declaring the regret of an old flame that has gone out. The expressive vocal of Evans resonating before McRae comes in on the call and answer duet, showing both sides of the same hurt. A terrific song.

Sleep With One Eye Open takes things up a notch with co-vocals in an arrangement that is more commercial, with a bigger production and a backing vocal posse that push the angst - guitar solo peaking with the sense of foreboding. Hold On is a restrained acoustic performance with piano playing out the message to stay strong and endure the hard times that fall into our path. 

Welsh choir, Ar Ól Tr, on Merry Christmas My Darling (Drink Up) add both an uplifting quality with plenty of atmospheric voices in a celebration of being alive and in the present and enjoying good company. Another great co-vocal performance from Evans and McRae also.

Stays the Same has a nice swing to the arrangement and a harmonica adding to the drum shuffle and pedal steel, trumpet and backing vocals giving a little Morricone edge to the sound. There is a restrained grace to songs like Eddie, a personal memory of a lost friend or confidante. Lowri really has the voice of an angel, at one turn sweet and subtle, at another a powerhouse of emotion. Final song, Just Falls Apart, tells of frustration and anger at a God who waits, looking on and not caring enough to intervene in the worldly woe that he oversees, ‘Let the child you made take on all the strain, While you raise a stone and take your aim.’

A superbly crafted album with some real quality in the songs and their delivery; beautifully performed and extremely impressive. A real keeper. 

Review by  Paul McGee

McKain Lakey Somewhere Self Release 

With a musical style that embraces the new as passionately as it values the past, the somewhat nomadic McKain Lakey wears her heart on her sleeve on this eleven-track album. It’s the first full length album from this gifted musician, who plays banjo, fiddle, electric guitar and acoustic guitar (handmade by her) and is the possessor of the vocal skills to match.

The album was recorded at Crackle & Pop! Studio in Ballard, Washington. Rather than engaging a producer with a track record of working old time country albums, she sought out Seattle’s finest Johnny Sangster to do the honours. His history includes producing and engineering cutting edge acts such as Mudhoney, The Posies and Supersuckers, as well as serving as a touring guitarist and keyboard player with Neko Case. He captured Lakey’s vocals and playing live to tape, combining them with the free-flowing contribution by her studio rhythm section. 

She’s equally at home hip shaking on the soulful Movies Treated You Better as she is swinging on the Cajun flavoured number Crush on You. The jazzy Decibel Jezebel also stands out, all the better for a ripping saxophone solo by Jane Covert-Bowlds. Elsewhere, the more relaxed Microscope is simply gorgeous, sounding like a forgotten classic song that you haven’t heard in decades. That chilled side of her arsenal repeats on the haunting banjo lead love ballad Begin Again before she dons her Stetson on the pedal steel kissed honky tonker Queer As Fuck.

A habitual traveller, McKain Lakey’s wayfaring has brought her into contact with musical lineage from traditional folk and old time Country to Dixieland and Zydeco. SOMEWHERE is a celebration of these multiple traditions by a fiercely devoted artist, who oozes a musical worldliness which is both refreshing and intoxicating.

Some noticeable parallels can be drawn between this album and the work of Alynda Segarra and her vehicle Hurrah For The Riff Raff. If that comparison excites you, this album is right up your street and one that will bombard your senses on a number of fronts.  

Review by Declan Culliton

Ashley Monroe Rosegold Thirty Tigers

“I’ll never not be ‘twangy country girl, but ‘twangy country girl’ can write other styles of music as well,” announces Ashley Monroe on the release of her fifth solo album ROSEGOLD. It’s her most experimental recording to date and finds her replacing the honky tonk sound of her earlier work with synthesized echoes and electrified drum beats. The sole reminder of her previous albums are her heavenly vocals, delivered layer upon layer on this occasion.

Despite recording albums that stand shoulder to shoulder with those from the finest female country acts in recent decades, commercial success has somewhat evaded her. LIKE A ROSE from 2013 was particularly striking and in previous decades would have been a career launcher, leading to sweeping industry recognition. Her countrypolitan crossover album SPARROW, released in 2018, would undoubtedly have been a huge seller in the 1960’s. Instead, it made little impact, resulting in Warner Music dropping her from their roster. That rejection may have been the motivation to dust herself down and like her colleagues Miranda Lambert and Angaleena Presley in their side project Pistol Annies, be more market driven with this recording. Either way, ROSEGOLD, finds her deserting her roots and country leanings and heading down a heavily synthesised poppy/R&B orientated path.

Recording the album on a ‘song by song’ basis, she invited a number of writers and collaborators, all of whom could boast previously commercially successful track records. Big hitters such as Nathan Chapman (Taylor Swift, Lady A), Mikey Reaves (Maren Morris), Jake Mitchell (Ashley Mc Bride, Luke Bryan) and Jordan Reynolds (Maddie & Tae, Dan + Shay) all made contributions.

The drum beat and distorted vocals on Siren are an early pointer to the album’s direction and much of the album, for this listener, suffers from over production. There are a number of highpoints on the album, not least the gorgeous Til’ It Breaks, although I’d like to hear the song stripped back minus the drum beats. The least cluttered and piano led track Flying impresses, as does the dreamlike Gold. Wearing her heart on her sleeve, I Mean It is a heartfelt love song and she bookends the album with the aptly titled The New Me.

Ashley Monroe has more than paid her dues in Nashville and deserves the commercial success that ROSEGOLD will most likely deliver. It’s an album very much in the ‘here and now’ of what is being recorded under the country music banner in Nashville. It also places her in the market with successful female crossover pop/country artists such as Maren Morris, Miranda Lambert and Kelsey Ballerini. Unfortunately, it also probably closes the door on her returning to the roots and twang of her early recordings, following in the footsteps of a number of gifted country artists who were compelled to ditch their country leanings in favour of a more radio friendly musical direction.

Review by Declan Culliton

Maia Sharp Mercy Rising Crooked Crown

An indication of Maia Sharp’s talent as a songwriter can be found in the list of household names that have recorded her songs. Cher, The Chicks, Art Garfunkel, Bonnie Raitt and Trisha Yearwood have all dipped into her songbook and chosen songs to include on their albums. A prolific songwriter, MERCY RISING is the eight release from Sharp whose debut solo album HARDLY GLAMOUR surfaced in 1997.

The album’s recording began at Joshua Grange’s Resistor Studios in Nashville following Maia Sharp’s relocation to Music City from Los Angeles. A player and engineer that has worked with Lucinda Williams, Lera Lynn, Sheryl Crow and Conor Oberst, Grange tracked guitar alongside Ross Mc Reynolds on drums and Will Honaker on bass. The recording was completed at Sharp’s home studio where she added acoustic guitar, keys and vocals.

The album was born out of her move to Nashville at the beginning of 2019 and the upheaval experienced over the past twenty-four months are captured on the twelve songs. A tornado, a bombing downtown and Covid-19 were not her expected welcome when she decided to start a new life in Music City. The material is often directed towards self-examination, as Sharp assesses the present and lets go of the past.

The style is classic singer songwriter combining crafty ballads with excursions into country with Whatever We Are and radio friendly pop with the catchy Backburner. Fractured relationships, possibly imagined but more likely lived, emerge on Nice Girl and Not Your Friend.  The title track is a plea for normality and empathy, from both a personal and general aspect and is very much a song of its time.

A prolific wordsmith and wonderful vocalist, it’s not surprising that Maia Sharp’s songbook has been raided by a host of artists. No doubt MERCY RISING includes tracks that will also feature on recordings by others in the future. In the meantime, tune in and visit this most eloquent suite of songs.

Review by Declan Culliton