New Album Reviews

David Hope … and the sea Tourbo

Written in the aftermath of the death of his father, to whom he was very close, David Hope’s fifth studio album is inevitably a deeply personal affair. At times a difficult listen, it expresses with words and music the depth of feeling that follows the passing of a loved one. This is, after all, a universal experience, and one which Hope articulates with no holds barred.

In World Stopped Turning, the rawness of grief is palpable, Hope’s deep vocals almost drowned at times by deep fuzzy distorted electric guitars, along with high pitched spiky guitar shrieks. Visceral stuff. Raised on the Atlantic seaboard of Co. Clare in the West of Ireland, nautical references abound throughout the album and, of course, the album title is a nod to Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea. In the title track, Hope identifies at times with Hemingway’s tragic hero, and at times with the fish. ‘Empty days of endless sails/No current for to pull me back’. He’s floundering too in the more uptempo and powerful Burning Question, with thumping bass drum and catchy guitar riffs expressing the living nightmare, and deep depression is the backdrop for No One to Listen, ‘a bleak and bloody tide … are you losing your mind?’

Hope returned to producer and percussionist Christian Best in Monique Studios in Cork to realise his vision for the project and the choice has paid off. Best (whose regular gig is with Mick Flannery) used a team of seasoned musicians, including Swiss upright bass player and vocalist Steffi Hess, a very impressive Kealan Kenny on guitars, Darragh Keary on keys, as well as Hope himself on acoustic guitar. Moon and Back is a touching acoustic guitar and piano ballad, again referencing loss and saying goodbye but this time with acceptance. Tom Waits is channelled in the edgy Death and Taxes, Hope’s deep growling vocals, Kenny’s persistent jaggy guitar, Best’s thumping bass drums, and Keary’s piano magically transport you back to Heart Attack and Vine territory.

There’s a respite from mourning briefly in Whiskey Mornings, a lament about hangovers, but the sombre mood is lifted finally by the beautiful Lover’s Leap (Coast of Clare). Sounding like a tourist board advertisement, it is Hope’s love song to one of his favourite places.

Jenny Mongan’s striking cover artwork depicts David in a small boat, possibly about to be overwhelmed by a tsunami, with nothing but an umbrella for protection. Let’s hope the music carries him through safely.

Review by Eilís  Boland

Rob Heron & The Tea Pad Orchestra The Party’s Over Tea Pad

This latest album from Rob Heron and his crew is a veritable confluence of swing, country, blues, soul and rock ’n’ roll influences which are, in the main, corralled into Heron’s original songs. The production, which has an authentic retro glide into the future sound, was handled by Heron, the orchestra and John Martindale, who also recorded, mixed and mastered the set.

The band, Tom Cronin, Colin Nicholson, Ted Harbot and Paul Archibold were joined by a further six, mainly brass players, to round out the sound. One that while undoubtedly retro in style, has a lot to recommend it to a current discerning audience that is in tune with its direction and style. Overall, this approach means that listeners may well find favour with certain sounds that immediately appeal. That is the case with this listener, for the faux-western soundtrack configured approach of The Horse That You Rode In On. My Salad Days, complete with yodelling, is one of a number of songs that cautiously recognise the passing of time. Snip Snap Snout is an accordion-driven romp that has the energy to burn over an insistent snare drum rhythm. Trouble Is, written by Paul Weber, is a heartfelt ballad that harks back to the 50s with a nice touch of country-style guitar and piano, and is delivered with a confident vocal from Heron. The up-tempo A Call To Mother’s Arm has a chorus and Celtic-tinged melody that is appealing while balanced against a sense of foreboding about being in battle.

The title track includes harmonica, which serves to accentuate a certain jaunty realisation that time has moved on and the late-night antics of yore may not cut the ice as one gets that much older and perhaps wiser. There is a 60s feel to Dilly Dally Sally that would have fitted easily into the set of a beat group of that era, while Remind Me Tomorrow with its prominent sax, turns the dial back a few years. Right To Roam is a song which is about seeking independence whilst at the same time wanting to be at the place called home.

The final track The Doctor Told Me has a mix of Newcastle/New Orleans nights, offers its warning about over indulgence, though it’s a warning you feel is going to be ignored. Rob Heron & The Tea Pad Orchestra hail from all around the British Isles but are based in Newcastle and have made inroads as a live and recording act that has been continually increasing their fan base. This, their fifth album, finds them maturing as a collective unit and coming to terms with growing older and growing their diverse efficaciousness as they continue to realise that the party may be over, in some respects, but the need to keep the home fires burning is not diminished. Doing all this in style and with humour (as witnessed in the cover art) is their way.

Review by Stephen Rapid 

Sam Platts & The Plainsmen West Side Self Release

San Platts and The Plainsmen are based in Montana. Platts grew up in Wyoming and both locations were formative in shaping the music that he and the band now play. Their motto is “western music that swings” and they live up to that with the release of this album. The Plainsmen are Lilly Platts on violin, J Kane on bass and Bill Dwyer on electric guitar. Bill also produced the album which is delivered with a real affection for the music from the past while well aware of their place in the current alliance of bands fuelling the growth of their roots.

Platts can also pen a pretty authentic song that sits easily alongside the traditional arrangements and the lone cover they have included. Let’s take that album closing track first; a cover of Pinto Bennett’s You Cared Enough To Lie is a fitting tribute to the Idaho musician’s staunchly time-honoured output. It is also a good song and well worth the inclusion. After that listeners, especially those who have a penchant for western songs, both in the cowboy and swing versions, will enjoy Whoopee Ti Yi Yo and the more blues associated Saint James Infirmary Blues. Both are given effective arrangements that fit the quartet’s talents, with Dwyer’s confident guitar and Lilly Platts violin obvious important elements of the sound. They sit over Kane’s foundation of double bass and Sam Platt’s arch-top rhythm guitar. The absence of percussion is largely unnoticed throughout the recording.

Platts has a rich voice that is ably backed by harmony vocals from the band to give that part of the sound a variety of overall tones. There are eight original compositions from Platts that often relate to a lifestyle that is likely to be appreciated by those facing similar issues and ambitions. If You Haven’t Met The Wolf tells of a shared living standard that faces a hard truth and that “you ain’t a friend of mine if you haven’t done your time on the poverty line.” This theme is also central to The High Cost Of Low Living. The title track has the oft-considered notion that the grass may be greener on the other side, in a tale of trying to please a partner who is not convinced. Just In Time is also about a relationship that is uncertain. It delivers this with a strong melody, making the message of “it’s the right time to leave” more appealing. Canadian Line is the story of a rocker who has found peace of mind working and living off the land. While I Can’t Stay Out Of The Bars laments the magnetic pull of those alcohol-serving establishments but reasons that they are the only place where he can forget what he needs to forget.

Overall, a thoroughly enjoyable album that will appeal to their followers as well as to fans of such similarly-mined, but suitably different combos, such as The Hot Club Of Cowtown. An album that, indeed, lives up to its motto and one that deserves to be heard outside of the plains of Montana.  

Review by Stephen Rapid 

The Prescriptions Time Apart Single Lock

Nashville-based three-piece band The Prescriptions turned quite a few heads in 2019 with the arrival of their debut album HOLLYWOOD GOLD, which led to invitations to appear at SXSW and Jason Isbell’s Shoals Fest.  Singer and guitarist Hays Ragsdale is the band’s songwriter and the other players are Parker McAnnally on bass and drummer John Wood. Infused with a combination of raw power pop and late 60s country rock, the album was a pointer towards a young band with a confident swagger about themselves and inspired by music from bygone eras.

Using the extended time available to them during the pandemic has resulted in a more probing record this time around. HOLLYWOOD GOLD was somewhat of a multi-genre affair, skipping between power pop and late-60s country rock. Their latest offering continues with the former but crosses over into more experimental rock. Employing two producers on TIME APART has yielded noteworthy results in this regard. They recorded in both Nashville with Brendan Benson (The Raconteurs) at the controls and in Alabama with Ben Tanner, the former Alabama Shakes keyboard player. Rather than effecting an inconsistent outcome, the shifting modes across the eleven tracks on the album work spectacularly well.  

They’re out of the blocks at a rapid pace with the guitar driven April Blossoms, followed swiftly by Long Past Tonight and Love is Red. In classic power pop form, the latter two both sign off around the two-and-a-half-minute mark.  In contrast Fire Moon, the album’s stand out track for me, rambles on gloriously for twice that length. With echoes of Radiohead, it is one of three tracks on the record that suggests a maturing and evolving band finding its sweet spot. The other two songs of a similar persuasion are the spacey On Satellite and the contemplative Baby Be Nice. Other songs that leave a lasting impression are the jangly I Might Try and hook-filled Not The Issue.

Mixing creativity with grungy energy, The Prescriptions have more than made good on the promise on their debut album with TIME APART. In fact, they have taken a massive step forward and hit the jackpot with a body of work that will particularly appeal to fans of Big Star and Nada Surf.

Review by Declan Culliton

The Stubborn Lovers Come A Reckoning Self Release

 Portland, Oregon-based three- piece band The Stubborn Lovers consist of singer and guitarist Mandy Allan, New Jersey-born songwriter and bass player Jenny Taylor and drummer Michael ‘Pearl’ Nelson. Formed over ten years ago, the band has honed its act by touring extensively and released their debut album MOTHER ROAD in 2018.

 With a combination of roots and rock with a little country on the side, their core sound is what might have been christened alt-country in former decades. Their strongest point is their three-part vocal harmonies, which work spectacularly well on the Jayhawks sounding Counting Feathers on a Sparrow’s Wing (great title!), which, ironically, was written for their previous album but didn’t make the final cut.  Two break-up songs follow in quick succession, the hook filled You Take Tacoma, I’ll Take My Chances and Gramercy, apparently both relating to the same relationship.  

 They dip into country territory with the road song Jamestown Highway/Get On Board and Midnight Motion is no-nonsense classic rock with background chanting borrowed from The Stones’ Sympathy For The Devil. Coincidentally, or possibly not, ‘rolling stones’ are included in the lyrics. Saving the best for last, Cottonwood Run bookends the album in fine style. Running for six and a half minutes it was inspired by Taylor’s grandmother’s ancestral home in a former tobacco plantation in North Carolina. Revisiting the thorny truths and realities of slavery in the South and backed by a driving rhythm section, the song bombards the senses with vocals that combine both pain and anger.

 Well-crafted songs with predominantly dark nuances are most definitely to the fore on COME A RECKONING. It’s a body of work well word digesting song by song, by a writer never seeking an easy option. Check it out and see for yourself.

Review by Declan Culliton

Ian M Bailey You Paint The Pictures Kool Kat

Following on from his excellent 2021 album, SONGS TO DREAM ALONG TO, Manchester resident Ian M Bailey’s latest release, YOU PAINT THE PICTURES, remains true to the formula that worked so well on that record. Striking melodies, sweet harmonies, lots of jangle and twang, and hook-laden songs, are the order of the day once more.

As was the case with its predecessor, Bailey hooked up with ex-Cosmic Rough Riders member Daniel Wylie to co-write the eleven songs that feature.  Produced by Bailey and recorded at his Small Space Studios, he contributed twelve-string Rickenbacker, bass, drums and keys, with strings and pedal steel played by Alan Gregson (Badly Drawn Boy, Angie Palmer, Cornershop).

Comparisons to the sun-kissed West Coast sounds of the 60s may be obvious but the quality on offer here stands shoulder to shoulder with many of the acts that galvanised Bailey’s devotion to both that genre and Brit-pop of the same decade. The country/ folky grooves of I Don’t Want To Start Again, Sitting In Silence and Change Is Easy have Gene Clark’s stamp all over them. I Wanted The Sun To Sun and Hey Little Girl recall the sound that Bailey’s fellow Mancunians The Hollies were playing on Top Of The Pops in the mid-60s and he also includes a ‘Doors like’ instrumental with the organ- driven The Year Of The Tiger. 

YOU PAINT THE PICTURE is Byrds-type classic pop country, rather than what seeps out of Nashville these days under the same banner. There is little wildly original or innovative here, simply an artist that knows exactly what he is good at and has perfected and packaged that sound on a hugely enjoyable suite of songs. An album to brighten up any dark winter’s day. 

Review by Declan Culliton

Jim Keller Spark & Flame Continental Record Services

The co-founder of San Francisco rock band Tommy Tutone back in 1978, Jim Keller follows on from the release of his 2021 album, BY NO MEANS, with another combination of blues, roots and rock with SPARK & FLAME.

Since relocating to New York from San Francisco, Keller’s parallel occupation has included the management of composer and pianist Phillip Glass’s career as director of Dunvagan Music Publishers. He returned to recording in 2005 with the release of IN MY POCKET and his latest recording is his fifth solo project.

Produced by Adam Minkoff and recorded at GB’s Juke Joint in Long Island, the album’s twelve songs were co-written by Keller and Byron Isaacs (The Lumineers, Lost Leaders). The selection of composer and multi-instrumentalist Minkoff as producer has resulted in a richer and fuller sound than on Keller’s recent work. Joining Keller in the studio were a host of New York’s top players, many of who regularly join him on stage for his live shows.

The title track is a gloriously upbeat Tom Petty meets The Byrds inclusion and Keller heads south for the New Orleans-influenced Tower Of Love and When You’re Rock. The opening track Falling Down contains an infectious melody that remained with me for quite a while after a few spins and ‘Till the Water Drinks my Bones, complete with a background chorus, also impresses. In contrast to many of the multi-layer tracks, Keller bookends the album with the acoustic Even Angels Have to Fall. With a spoken delivery, it’s a moving elegy on fatherhood and a fitting closer to an album that does not slot easily into any one genre. It’s also Keller’s most ambitious and impressive solo recording to date. 

Review by Declan Culliton

Pug Johnson & The Hounds Throwed Off and Glad Self Release

Beaumont, Texas country music rabble-rousers Pug Johnson and The Hounds get my vote for album title of the year with their debut full record, THROWED OFF and GLAD. The quality of the twelve songs on the album is equally impressive, with Johnson’s gritty honky tonk vocals backed by gilt-edged playing.

However, don’t expect any ‘somebody done somebody wrong’ country songs. The songwriting explores an altogether darker side, though at times in a light-hearted way. What you get is humour (Poncho, Buffalo Coin), numerous intoxicant references (Ode To The Weed Man, One Hand on My Whiskey, Cocaine Street Blues, Sex, Drugs, and Rock ’n’ Roll) and classic Texas country tunes (the Jimmie Rodgers standard, T for Texas, and Country Song). The latter includes backing vocals from fellow Texan, Sage Elmore.

The title track that opens the album sets the scene perfectly for what’s to follow. Johnson’s Texas drawl kicks in after an extended intro, as if he’s finishing his whiskey before joining the band on stage. The author’s personal journey is addressed in the slow-burning ballad Angel, and the rockier Miss You All, which grapples with mental illness, is a powerful inclusion. The album includes three songs that appeared on the EP, EXTENDED PLAY, from earlier in the year, and much of the material was written by Johnson while he was residing in Nashville prior to returning to his home State.

Another case of having to scratch beneath the surface to unearth some country gems that have been released this year, THROWED OFF and GLAD is packed with wicked humour, full of pace, swing and twang, and also offers the listeners some memorable songs, often dealing with thorny matters. No doubt suitably honed from performing at honky tonks and dancehalls in their home state, make no mistake Pug Johnson & The Hounds ‘talk the talk and walk the walk’ in fine style on this highly enjoyable record. If Texas outlaw country rocks your boat, you’re going to love this.

Review by Declan Culliton

Kenny Foster Somewhere In Middle America Self Release

‘Worry not for tomorrow, for today has enough trouble of its own,’ were the parting words from Nashville-based singer-songwriter Kenny Foster when we spoke with him after the release of his album DEEP CUTS in 2017.

Sage words indeed from the artist from Joplin in southwest Missouri, given what we’ve gone through in recent years. Foster transferred from Missouri State University to Belmont University in Nashville, to complete his studies in philosophy and American culture, and further his music career. That move took place fourteen years ago and Foster’s early years in Nashville found him working in the marketing divisions of both CMT and MTV before releasing his debut full-length album, FOR NOW, in 2008.

Foster’s latest recording, SOMEWHERE IN MIDDLE AMERICA, finds him working once more with Grammy award winner Mitch Dane, who also produced his 2017 album DEEP CUTS. Over a dozen musicians, including Sierra Hull (mandolin), Josh Matheny (dobro, lap steel), Charlie Lowell (piano, accordion), and Liz Longley (backing vocals), contributed to the recordings at Sputnik Sound studios in Nashville.

The material finds Foster in a nostalgic mood, recalling the simplicity and contentment of growing up in small-town America alongside the struggle for survival for those who, unlike Foster, chose to remain in towns whose core industries have not survived in recent decades. The songs unfold like chapters in a book, and the title track opens the album, introducing what is to follow. Poor Kids, which follows, is a ‘down memory lane’ remembrance of uncomplicated childhood times. Good For Growin’ Up follows a similar subject matter, with the writer’s reflections on the ‘For Sale’ sign appearing on the family home. Dreams Change is a heartfelt love song of contentment and fulfilment, most likely directed towards Foster’s wife. Other standout tracks are the autobiographical and introspective For What It’s Worth and  The Same. The latter is the album’s closing chapter and details insightful advice given by a father to his son to take chances and spread his wings, leaving the listener pondering if it mirrors a conversation the writer had with his own father.

Foster’s core sound lands between roots and rock, without crossing over to formula- driven pop country. Well-written songs are supported by topflight playing and production on an album that may very well considerably raise Foster’s profile.

A mention is also warranted of the album’s most impressive cover design, liner notes and photography. Whereas quite a number of releases in recent times, driven by the dominance of downloads over physical product, offer little by way of discerning artwork, it’s refreshing to receive a physical CD so strikingly packaged.

Review by Declan Culliton

New Album Reviews

Velcro Dog  Misanthropology Westergaard

Velcro Dog is the nom de plume of Trodheim based Norwegian artist Tony Gonzales, known in his native land as a member of several bands including Barren Womb and Twin Serpent. This, his first recorded solo project, developed during lockdown (no surprise there) and is a sparse, stripped down affair, which he aptly describes as ‘fjord noir’. Comprising ten well crafted personal songs, sung in his haunting vocal style, accompanied mainly by his fingerpicked acoustic guitar, it is an introspective look into Gonzales’ thoughts on human fragility and his own particular struggle with depression. Enhanced by occasional droning backing vocals, harmonica, bass, clarinet and banjo, the overall sound veers towards folk blues.

Kicking off with Belated Birthday Blues, the listener is introduced to Gonzales’ cynical reflections on mankind - ‘can’t find meaning where there is none/so feed me to the pigs when I am done’. The pig reference continues in the inexplicably titled Shave A Pig, Call It A Ham, which explores the ending of a friendship, ‘it must get lonely up on that cross you’ve made’.

By way of explanation, a ‘Velcro dog’ is a perfect description of the sort of dog that is ultraclingy with its owner (as a cat person, I find this a perplexing relationship!). Continuing the companion animal analogy, Cone Of Shame describes the blackness of depression. ‘The water feels nice/but I can’t swim’ but he is lucky and ‘soft hands grab hold/pull me out of this gloom’. Post Post Haste is a timely lament for the environmental damage we have all committed.

Thankfully there is some light at the end of the tunnel. In Reader’s Block, the protagonist is ‘far away from home/too drunk to use the phone’ but he’s coming home to redeem himself, with the repeated reassuring refrain ‘just a stumble/not a fall, just a stumble/still standing tall’. The nearest Gonzales gets to an out and out love song is his tribute to his girlfriend and their shared love of a particular footwear brand in Head Over High-Tops.

Strong enough to show his vulnerability with this debut collection, in a recent interview Tony Gonzales describes this collection as ‘stark, monochromatic, Nordic and raw’. I second that.

Review by Eilís Boland

Louis Brennan Love Island Self Release

Where are the poets and the folk singers when we need them? The Woody Guthries and the Billy Braggs seem thin on the ground right now and they’ve never been needed more.

London-based Irishman Louis Joseph Brennan felt compelled to attempt to fill that void with the writing and eventual release of his second album, LOVE ISLAND. We live in challenging times which Brennan is not prepared to ignore, calling out the multiple elephants in the room, all the while suffusing the difficult subjects in a soundtrack of beautifully realised Americana. Recorded in the renowned Rockfield Studios in Wales and mixed and mastered in Abbey Road Studios, Brennan wrote and produced the whole project.

In God Is Dead, he starts as he means to go on, a diatribe on the seemingly recent disillusionment with religion, with the ‘God shaped hole’ in all humans now being filled with the technologically driven obsession with social media. ‘So let us rejoice/Under the all seeing eye/ Just click on the link … It seems we can’t bear the thought/ That we’re all here alone’. The Post-Truth Blues uses a soothing bossa nova 70s backdrop to emphasise the surrealism of the lyrical content, a white male Caucasian boldly declares his indifference to the inequalities in the world, ‘Oh I know just how my coffee’s grown/That Chinese children made my phone’, all just conspiracies designed to make him feel guilty, but he’ll ‘just get a second opinion that supports (his) views’. No regrets. The Nobel Prize covers similar ground, this time perhaps there’s an orange hue to the narcissist Caucasian male protagonist, who can’t understand why he hasn’t yet won the accolade. Perhaps most cutting of all is Cruel Britannia, sung to that well known tune, but here used as the backdrop to a searing critique of Brennan’s adopted home. Post-Brexit Britain’s racism (‘And I can’t put a roof over my childrens’ heads/Unless my skin is brown’), colonialism (’built the railways/Freed the slaves’) and extreme right nationalism (’They shouldn’t come over here/Looking for somebody to blame’) are expressed by a subject who no doubt is a regular reader of the Daily Fail.

Ably backed by the superb musicianship of Joe Harvey-White (pedal steel, lap steel, electric guitar), Ned Cartwright (keyboards), Laurence Saywood (bass), and Chris Jones (percussion), Brennan’s resonant baritone dominates the sound. He is heard at his best on the title track, a piano ballad describing the pain of the break-up of two reality tv stars, in the full glare of the public. Fake love makes fake news, but the dark themes are made bearable by Brennan’s dark humour. We’re back to more bossa nova for the sarcastic Leftover Meat, and My Favourite Disguise uses the brass trio of Rhys Taylor, Joanna Bartlett and Helen Whitemore in a tale of, essentially, turning a blind eye in order to survive life. The closing track, Naked And Afraid, explores a post-apocalyptic nightmare, the strings of The Mavron Quartet contributing to the dissonance but ultimately building to a possibility of hope, ‘Hold On To Something’ limps out the repeated refrain.

An essential album for our times.

Review by Eilís Boland

Matt Hillyer Glorieta State Fair

Back in 2014, when still fronting Eleven Hundred Springs, Hillyer released a solo album IF THESE OLD BONES COULD TALK. This served as an outlet for material that didn’t fit the band ethos of the time. He is releasing the second outing under his own name which continues that theme, but also includes songs that would be familiar to fans of his former band of over twenty years. He has John Pedigo producing the album (from the band The O’s and who has also worked with the Old 97’s). Work on the album began before the band played their last dates and a new team was assembled to record. These included the core team of James Driscoll, Arjuna Contreras, Chad Stockslager, Able Casillas, Heather Stalling and Lloyd Maines.

The album opens with the title track’s tale of escaping and travelling to find a way to come to terms with life and a love. Next up an immediate highlight that has a great 90s feel, a mix of revitalising the pure pop tones of Buddy Holly 50’s invention and melodic clarity. I could listen to a whole album of this but Hillyer has other things he wants to tell us. These are also well worth giving time to; such as the weeping, sweeping, pedal steel drenched sadness of Just Passing Through. 

That contrasts with the kick up the dust roots rock of Dirty Little Secrets, Holding Fast and the wisdom of having learned that in life, in many ways, It’s All About The Ride. All detail the trails and travails that are part and parcel of keeping one’s head above water and having to “straighten up and fly right.” A touch of heading for the border (though it could be several different borders) is given its sense of place with the accordion in Diablo Motel.

But in may ways Hillyer has an understanding of the lot of the Ordinary Man: A song that has at its heart an understanding of how dreams can change and ambitions become something different when a man places the love of his family, and the need to provide for them, at the centre of the unrelenting things he needs to achieve. It is not a viewpoint often expressed, as it doesn’t condemn but understands.

These songs show that Hillyer should be considered a songwriter worth listening to, and aside from that he has created an album that makes the best of this material in a way that any country roots follower as well as Eleven Hundred Springs fans will readily appreciate. The material, with a couple of co-writes, shows that he is continuing to hone his craft, and in the company of these assembled players, they all do justice to it. 

Review by Stephen Rapid 

Various Artists Live Forever - A Tribute To Billy Joe Shaver New West

Compilation albums are dependent on a number of factors including the artists chosen, the quality of the songs and the commitment of the performers involved. This is equally true of a tribute album with the added factor of doing justice to the person receiving the tribute. In this case the material is exceptional, the artist choice is interesting and the integrity of the production is solid. Its producers are Charile Sexton and Freddy Fletcher and both were committed to the project.

So from the top you get Willie Nelson with Lucinda Williams covering the song that delivers the title, as well as Shaver’s understanding that his song will live beyond him. I’m Gonna Live Forever is delivered in a way that Shaver would have approved of and reminds of his essential intrinsic understanding of his role in life. Next up another pairing, this time Ryan Bingham with Nikki Lane, who add an element of rock to the proceedings that fits Ride Me Down Easy, with both voices having an edge that adds grit to the message.

The voice of Rodney Crowell brings much to the table, with its hard-fought wisdom delivery of Old Five And Dimers Like Me. After the strident tones of the previous tracks, its acoustic low-key approach is perfectly realised. I’m Just An Old Chunk Of Coal (But I’m Gonna Be A Diamond Some Day) has a sassy and vibrant feel with acoustic instruments well to the fore and Miranda Lambert’s voice clear and confident. Edie Brickell takes a similar acoustic led route with I Couldn’t Be Me Without You, a love song that Shaver was equally adept at writing with some genuine feeling. Without his soul band, Nathaniel Rateliff returns to earlier with a countrified take on You Asked Me To that sits behind his robust tone.

Willy The Wandering Gypsy And Me is a standout with George Strait giving a understated traditional country reading, one with a powerful vocal that delivers the song’s story with depth, reminding you why he is rated so highly by many and the material is just right for him. Given a rendering that reflects Amanda Shires’ own work, Honky Tonk Heroes has an opening that is held in check until the band and Jason Isbell kick in, taking it to a higher level with harmonica well to the fore in the mix. These days it would appear Steve Earle is happy doing tribute covers, but Ain’t No God In Mexico suits his voice and his perceived outlaw persona. The next pairing is full of a promise that is delivered, given that Margo Price’s recent releases have veered awards a broader rock sound. Joined on vocals by Joshua Hedley, it is soulful with a sweet guitar break, as well as pleasing steel and keyboard playing. 

Willie Nelson is back with the customary harmonica and trusty Trigger interludes that allude to the title’s mode of transport in Georgia On A Fast Train. It has a nice jazzy swing that feels just right for the theme. The album closes with Allison Russell taking Tramp On Your Street, with her voice front and centre, to a nighttime soulful place with guitar and keyboards adding some poignancy to the song’s message that calls for understanding.

As with such an album there are undoubted favourites that each listener will find, but it has a largely balanced placing that works as an overall album, that pays tribute to the truth and wisdom that was Billy Joe Shaver and that‘s what any such work should do. These songs, with any justice, will live forever.

Review by Stephen Rapid 

Smoke Fairies Singles Year Seven

There is a brooding quality to these eighteen tracks. The atmospheric thrust of the material conjures images of gothic dalliances with the darker side of our natures in the enticing melodies and arrangements. A Folk sound that echoes the past in the clear vocal harmonies of Katherine Blamire and Jessica Davies, opening with their original single Living With Ghosts. Since that debut in 2008 the women have gone on to blaze a trail and build a formidable reputation across a number of stellar releases.

All their singles are included on this project, including both Gastown and River Song, fan favourites and unavailable since their original release back in 2009 on the Third Man record label, as a double A-side with Jack White guesting on drums and guitar. The haunting Eclipse Them All is balanced with the lighter stroke of We’ve Seen Birds and the thrust of Shadow Inversions is in contrast with the nervous energy on Disconnect. The guitar-driven beat on Elevator shows how their sound has evolved and taken on a harder edge before the final song No Matter How This Goes, Just Make Sure That You’re Kind harks back to earlier days with a pastoral feel in the message that we are our own best ambassadors when we reach out to others in kindness.

This compilation is very timely and not only captures the career arc of two very talented artists, but also points the way for the next chapter in their evolving career as Smoke Fairies – hard to catch and pin down but all the better for the experience. One to savour.    

Review by Paul McGee

The White Buffalo Year Of The Dark Horse Snakefarm

‘My forthcoming album is a sonic and lyrical journey of one lunar year in one man’s life. Four seasons in twelve songs loosely based on my twisted truths and adventures’ announced Jake Smith (The White Buffalo) in advance of the release of his eight studio album YEAR OF THE DARK HORSE. The concept album is also the subject of an art film of the same title, featuring four directors each representing three of the album’s twelve tracks.

Smith also describes YEAR OF THE DARK HORSE as his ‘headphones album’, which is a departure from his previously released and more acoustic-based Americana albums. The twelve individual storylines represent the writer’s frame of mind throughout the four seasons, in unison with a painfully failed relationship that raises its head frantically across the album.

White employed Jay Joyce to produce the album and collectively the final product is very much a genre-hopping experience. Recorded at the converted Baptist Church that now houses Neon Cross Studio in East Nashville, Smith was joined in the studio by his touring partners Christopher Hoffee (keyboards, guitar, bass) and Matt Lynott (drums)

Fusing the Jacques Brel-sounding vaudeville She Don’t Know That I Lie, Jeff Lynne style futuristic pop Donna and Love Will Never Come/Spring Song, with echoes of Nick Cave, could amount to musical chaos. On the contrary, the diversity works spectacularly well and soothing ballads such as Am I Still A Child and C’mon Come Up Come Out sit comfortably alongside those tracks of a rockier persuasion. The album’s reflective closer Life Goes On is a fitting finale, willing its author to leave behind more turbulent times and move on the life’s next chapter.

YEAR OF THE DARK HORSE is an album that doesn’t slot easily into any single genre, from an artist that ignores conformity and consistently does very much as he pleases. The end result is a fiercely intense and wonderfully brooding listening experience.

Review by Declan Culliton

Caitlin Rose Cazimi Missing Piece

Catapulted onto centre stage at a young age, Nashville artist Caitlin Rose appeared to have the world at her feet following the release of her debut album, DEAD FLOWERS in 2008 and OWN SIDE NOW, which followed two years later.  Regular comparisons with Linda Ronstadt and Patsy Cline emerged and Time magazine reviewer Claire Suddath ranked that second album in the top ten releases of that year. Things may have appeared to have been rosy in the garden but the adoration and the manipulation of the music industry were not sitting easily with Rose.

Her third studio album THE STAND IN - which included a number of co-writes - appeared in 2013 and charted well in both the US Country and US Heat charts. It contained themes of lost romances and heartache; in hindsight, it was most likely a pointer to Rose’s fragile state of mind at that time. No studio output has surfaced since then until now, and even if the writing for material on CAZIMI commenced in 2014, Rose chose not to record in the intervening years for various undocumented reasons. She credits co-producer and long-time friend Jordan Lehning (Andrew Combs, Caroline Spence, Rodney Crowell, Alison Krauss, Silver Seas) for the re-gained confidence and direction that lead her to commence the recording of CAZIMI in February 2020. Surrounding her with familiar faces at Nashville’s Sound Emporium Studios, they spent a week working on material from Rose’s early career demos, as well as recordings that she previously made with Daniel Romano and Justin Young of The Vaccines, as a starting point for what was to become CAZIMI. The onset of the pandemic, which followed, delayed the release of the album but also afforded Rose and Lehning additional time to perfect the recordings.

The sentiments contained in THE STAND IN aren’t far from the surface on CAZIMI, not surprising given that much of the material was conceived not long after the release of that album. However, textured stories promoting survival over submission suggest an artist in a more contented headspace on this recording. The other notable departure from her earlier albums finds Rose abandoning her country leanings, giving rise to a full-on indie/pop offering. She excels on the jaunty Nobody’s Sweetheart, complete with a rousing guitar break.  It is top-notch power pop, matched to the same degree by Black Obsidian. Gemini Moon isn’t far behind either in the quality stakes and Modern Dancing reflects on wasted relationships and repeated mistakes (‘It’s a different face, but it’s always the same set of eyes’). Getting It Right, written with Courtney Marie Andrews, broaches rehabilitation with realism and hopefulness.  Carried Away is somewhat more laid back, with a simple backing melody possibly borrowed from The Velvet Underground and ALL Right (Baby’s Got A Way) and Blameless are reminders of Rose’s capacity to both pen and vocalise stunningly beautiful ballads.

A web search for Rose will bring you to Wikipedia, where she is described as ‘a country singer and songwriter from Nashville.’ I’m not sure if that narrative ever sat well with Rose and simply may have been the direction that the industry was pointing her in. Similar to artists such as Lera Lynn, Carson McHone and Jade Jackson, who were touted as ‘new women of country,’ after their early recordings, you’re left with the lasting impression that this recording, in the indie/pop territory, is closer to Rose’s comfort zone. Her initial foray into a musical career was as lead singer with Nashville indie band Save Macauley, and that seems to be where her heart is. Either way, Rose’s return to the studio is a triumph and even if CAZIMI may lose her some of her former fan base it’s likely to gain her a host of new admirers. Welcome back.

Review by Declan Culliton

Miko Marks Feel Like Going Home Redtone

Country music has not always been the most welcoming home for black women. Despite the fact that it’s over fifty years since Linda Martell became the first black female artist to gain mainstream commercial success, and the first black female artist to perform on the Grand Ole Opry, the floodgates have been anything but open since then. Artists that became household names in other genres, like Tina Turner, Etta James and The Supremes, have all recorded country music during their careers but concentrated on, or were directed by their labels, into soul or rhythm and blues, rather than country. Fortunately, and not before its time, the tide seems to be slowly turning.

Country music radio has been in the past, and continues to be, less than supportive when it comes to female artists in general. When it comes to black female artists, a study in recent years unearthed that .03 percent of all songs on country radio stations from 2002 to 2020 were by black women.  Perhaps the all-embracing Americana genre has helped, but recent years have seen a noticeable growth in talented black female artists making their deserved breakthrough. The profiles of Allison Russell, Rhiannon Giddens, Adia Victoria and Yola, to name but a few, have risen substantially.

Miko Marks certainly deserves to be added to that list. Support slots to both Tedeschi Trucks Band and Ron Hope have helped introduce her to an audience that otherwise might not be familiar with her music and Marks has been named by CMT in the Next Women of Country Class of 2022. It could be argued, and would be by this writer, that very many of the artists championed by CMT, both male and female, fall short of what can be classified as ‘real country’ and often represent mainstream pop/country crossover. Having said that, it is refreshing to learn that Marks has deservedly achieved that accolade and FEEL LIKE GOING HOME stands shoulder to shoulder with the best efforts from her colleagues in the NWOCC of 2022, regardless of genre or classification.

With a core sound that is closer to Memphis than Nashville, FEEL LIKE COMING HOME arrives twelve months after the release of her previous full-length record OUR COUNTRY. The latter was her first release in thirteen years, in the main fuelled by the response to her two previous recordings FREEWAY BOUND (2005) and IT FEELS GOOD (2007). ‘I recorded two projects that were well-received, but I wasn’t,” she explained on the release of OUR COUNTRY. ‘That was hard for me to swallow. That’s why it’s taken me 13 years to do another album.’ Ironically, that recording was less traditional country and more expansive genre-wise than her earlier albums.  The positive reviews from big hitters like The Wall Street Journal for OUR COUNTRY (‘a genre and industry defying mission’) and NPR (‘a multi-layered experience’) helped to create the momentum for her latest project. Both of those assessments could also accurately describe Marks’ latest album. Over eleven tracks and forty-seven minutes she blends country, gospel, blues, soul and rock, pouring her heart and soul into each and every one of them.

The possessor of a voice that is powerful yet frail, bluesy and soulful, Marks and her backing band The Resurrectors offer hopefulness and optimism on the countryish One More Night and the gospel anthem Deliver Me. Less pacey but equally impressive are the impassioned The Good Life and Lay Your Burdens Down, proving that Marks is equally adept at both explosive and more subdued vocal deliveries. Those vocals, together with the production and musicianship, are faultless, on an album that is bound to increase its author’s profile by some measure.

‘Been a long time waiting and I’ve got a long way to go’ Marks announces on the opening and prayer-like title track.  However, the lasting impression one is left with is that she has arrived home musically, lyrically, and spiritually, and won’t be leaving this space for some time to come. 

Review by Declan Culliton

Gabe Lee The Hometown Kid Torrez Music

‘I woke up in a hotel room, went looking for something to do. Whole place shut down, but I'm wide open. I packed up in a minute flat, you tell the county I’m coming back to haunt all those hills I grew up rolling,’ Gabe Lee announces on the opening track, Wide Open, from his third studio album. Whether or not the album’s tales are entirely autobiographical or observational is irrelevant, that statement is a signpost towards the lyrical content on THE HOMETOWN KID, which finds Lee digging into the high points, expectations and struggles of the average man in the street.

The son of Taiwanese immigrants, Gabe Lee grew up in Nashville with wide musical influences that ranged from his mother’s gospel hymns that she performed in church to the country music of his hometown. THE HOMETOWN KID, his third studio album, offers the listener a suite of songs, twelve in total, that combine heartland rock (Wide Open), gospel-tinged ballads (Never Rained Again) and soulful country tunes (Longer I Run - Hammer Down).

He opens his heart on a failed relationship on Lucky Stars (‘Thank God for this guitar, not everyone survives a broken heart’), and regret also emerges on Kinda Man (‘Still think I coulda gone pro, well if only I'd have learned to cut my reckless ways’).

The possessor of the capacity to create songs that vividly represent modern American life, if you’re unfamiliar with Gabe Lee’s work, THE HOMETOWN KID is an exciting gateway into his music. I was reminded on a number of occasions of the similarity in many ways with the writing style of Jason Isbell, on an album that traverses a number of musical genres. Well-written songs and vocals that deliver a lovely listening experience, this album is quality groove-driven Americana. 

Review by Declan Culliton

New Album Reviews

Melissa Carper Ramblin’ Soul Thirty Tigers

Texan singer-songwriter and upright bass impresario, Melissa Carper, most certainly cannot be accused of inactivity. A member of two bands, Sad Daddy and Buffalo Gals, she also enjoys a solo career, together with regularly performing with Brennen Leigh and Kelly Willis, trading songs on stage as a trio. She is also no stranger to the studio and her latest project, RAMBLIN’ SOUL, follows hot on the heels of her 2021 release DADDY’S COUNTRY GOLD.

The title of her latest album reflects the post-Covid freedom as Carper reflects on getting back to doing what is closest to her heart - travelling, meeting up with like-minded friends and performing to live audiences. Though not straying too far from the formula of her last recording, RAMBLIN’ SOUL finds her in a somewhat more upbeat mood, with thirteen tracks that breeze between old-timey, jazz-infused swing and country.

From the autobiographical opener to the Brennen Leigh cover, Hanging On To You, which bookends the album, Carper treats the listener to a stockpile of songs that truly captures the shifting colours of country and roots music over the past six decades. The return to touring and playing to live audiences may have been the catalyst for the album but, interestingly, a number of the songs had been written or part written over the past decade and earlier, which is an indication in itself of Carper’s proficiency as a songwriter.  The touching soulful ballad Ain’t A Day Goes By recalls the passing of her parents within a year of each other, her brother’s struggles with mental health issues, and losing her beloved dog, Betty. The more recently written song, That’s My Only Regret, is a fine country shuffle and she forays into gospel folk with the Odetta-written Hit or Miss. Following on from the song My Old Chevy Van which featured on DADDY’S GOLD, she continues to pay homage to the motors that faithfully transported her on her musical touring travels with 1980 Dodge Van. Boxers On Backwards is laced with wicked humour and a reminder that fortune often does favour the brave.

Sticking with the same production team of Andrija Tokic and Dennis Crouch, who worked with her on DADDY’S COUNTRY GOLD, the credits read like a ‘who’s who’ of some of the most respected players in Nashville. Crouch played bass, and guitars and pedal steel were by Chris Scruggs. Also featured are John Pahmer (organ and piano), Matty Meyer (drums), Billy Contreras (fiddle), Rory Hoffman (clarinet, piano, nylon string guitar), and Wes Langlois (guitars). Sierra Ferrell and Larry Marrs provided harmony vocals, and backing vocals are credited to the trio of Kyshona Armstrong, Maureen Murphy and Nickie Conley.

A member of her family’s travelling band from a young age, Carper has remained steadfastly loyal to the music that inspired her over the years, refusing to modernise or remodel the purity of those genres so close to her heart. Unashamedly nostalgic, there is an undisputed quality and consistency throughout RAMBLIN’ SOUL, reaffirming that Melissa Carper is unlikely to ever radically shift in style. Amen to that.

Review by Declan Culliton

Rich Hopkins & Luminarios Exiled On Mabel Street Blue Rose

I have to admit that I’ve been a big fan of Rich Hopkins’ music since discovering his EL OUTRO LADO / THE OTHER SIDE album in 2010. It has been very much ‘business as usual’ with each subsequent album that Hopkins and his Luminarios have released since then.  Thumping drums, soaring guitars, hoarse vocals – sometimes spoken, more often sung – songs that often exceed the five-minute mark on albums that approached one hour in duration, have all been the norm.  Behind that formula are well-constructed and thoughtful songs, which often draw attention to the under privileged and unfortunate, and are seldom judgemental.

There has always been a glorious looseness about Hopkins’ music, which, despite his low profile, has earned him the accolade of ‘godfather of desert rock’. That unpretentiousness is repeated on EXILED ON MABEL STREET, creating the impression that Hopkins and his wife and co-writer Lisa Novak simply entered the studio with his latest Luminarios line up, cranked up the guitars and recorded live to tape.

Stand out songs Friend Of The Shooter from BURIED TREASURE (2012) and El Outro Lado / The Other Side (2010), from the aforementioned album of the same name, dealt with gun violence and immigration respectively, without ever attempting to sensationalise. His latest offering includes a similarly powerful track, Prodigal Son. A true story based on Hopkins’ encounter with an individual on the streets of Austin, Texas, it addresses mental illness and homelessness (‘The blanket I gave him can’t cover his mistakes’). Taking the album title from a street in Tucson, Arizona, close to where Hopkins resides, a jangly guitar introduces the opening track A Message Of Hope, with the writer recounting fatherly advice advocating forgiveness and tolerance. High-pitched feedback surrounds Novak as she takes the lead vocal on the chilling track Break Through. Other selections of note are Hopkins’ ode to his estranged biological mother Josephine and the confessional I Wouldn’t Listen to Me, before he signs off with Bataan Death March.  An instrumental track recalling the horrendous treatment of prisoners of war by the Japanese army in 1942, it bookends the album on a powerful note, with a backing track of marching boots and a Hopkins recital of The Lord’s Prayer adding intensity to the elegy.

‘Some say I’m like an old dog, but I can learn new tricks,’ claims Hopkins on Count On Me, a love song dedicated to Novak. On the strength of this album and his back catalogue, Hopkins is doing just fine digging into his memory vaults and consistently delivering records packed with grungy energy.

Review by Declan Culliton

The Great Divide Providence Self Release

When we reviewed Mike McClure’s ninth solo recording, LOOKING UP, back in 2020, we hardly envisaged that he would be hooking up once more with his former band colleagues in The Great Divide. Parting ways back in 2003 - McClure freely admits that his appetite for booze and drugs was a major contributing factor - the band left behind a legacy as one of the most influential bands on the Red Dirt music scene of the time, with five cracking albums while McClure was on board. He was replaced by singer Micah Aills after his departure, but the band disbanded in 2005 after the release of their album UNDER YOUR OWN SUN that year.

Older, wiser and with McClure in an altogether better place (‘I have a new lens of sobriety to look through, and I’m coming from a place of healing, forgiveness and rebirth’), PROVIDENCE finds the band in fine form and certainly matching the quality of their early work. The songwriting often chronicles McClure’s memories since leaving the band back in 2003 and up to the present. The album opens with Wrong Is Overrated, which reads like a confession or admission of guilt by McClure for his part in breaking ties with the band. With a Son Volt/Byrds vibe’ it’s a standout track and confirmation of the collective prowess of the band.

It’s not all foot fully on the gas either, I Can Breathe Again, which follows, is a splendid love song that channels rebirth and rejuvenation and the reggae tinged Slippin’ Away recognises the passing of time and the value of living in the moment. There are many other high points worth noting, particularly My Sweet Lily and Infinite Line. The former is a heartfelt ode to a loved one and the latter is a full-on Rolling Stones sounding belter.

It may be the best part of two decades since McClure’s departure, but his return signals ‘business as usual.’ Alongside original members Kelley Green (bass), Scotte Lester (rhythm guitar), his brother JJ Lester (drums) and newer recruit Bruce Conway (keyboards), McClure and his bandmates don’t stray far from their comfort zone with an unflinchingly honest and often powerful suite of songs. 

Review by Declan Culliton

Jeffrey Halford And The Healers Soul Crusade CRS

There is a lot happening in Jeffrey Halford’s latest album SOUL CRUSADE and despite my first impression from the record’s title, it is anything but restricted to the soul genre. Instead, the eleven tracks feature a crisscross between blues, roots, gospel, country and folk and soul, very much like a meeting of the musical outputs of Dr. John and Chuck Prophet.

Halford has been treading the boards for over three decades by now and his current partners in crime, Adam Rossi, Mike Anderson and Aaron Halford, are his backing band, The Healers. They are joined by a host of guest musicians on SOUL CRUSADE and collectively deliver an album loaded with intensity and fervour.

No doubt the aforementioned Mac Rebennack and Chuck Prophet would have been proud to include the funk-drenched tracks Pie Eyed Poet’s Plea and Take It Slow on any of their recordings. In contrast, Wandering Kind and Pescadero are less pacey roots-tinged efforts. The latter is a classic road song bringing to mind sun-drenched freewheeling trips along the Mexican border. The uplifting gospel anthem Walk To The River not only showcases the musicianship of Halford and his crew, but also the eloquent background vocals of Hannah Halford. The rampant bluesy rocker Devil has a mid-career Rolling Stones stamp to it and they sign off with Sad Sinking Feeling, with a nod in the direction of Neil Young’s Harvest Moon, bringing closure to an album that is easy to get totally immersed in after a couple of plays.

Review by Declan Culliton

Tobias Berblinger The Luckiest Hippie Alive Ten Dollar

This album was originally released in 2018 but is getting a new release as it has just been released in vinyl format and in a remastered CD/digital format. Berblinger is a musician and illustrator/designer with a love of the more cosmic side of California country, alongside an affinity for the Texas troubadours Guy Clark, Townes van Zandt and Blaze Foley. His original material falls between these two primary influences. Nor is he without a sense of humour as evidenced by the album title and songs such as My Boots Have Been Drinking, wherein he asks for forgiveness from the people and places the errant footwear took him to. A similar sense of unworthiness continues with the lively toe-tapping beat of Blade Of Grass, with some tasty guitar from Chris Cook.

There are three covers included in the ten tracks. The first of these is his take on the Commander Cody classic, Seeds And Stems (Again), a choice that suggests certain substances may be involved in the overall scheme of things! As with Drinking, and other tracks, it benefits from the harmony vocals of Mariya May. The title track pretty much sums up a tale of misadventure and a freewheeling attitude, wherein he wonders “I don’t know what I done right but the sun is shining on me.” The story is worth following to see how this streak of luck unfolds, again some tasty guitar is delivered.

There is that overriding feeling that these songs define a hippie lifestyle combined with some enjoyable country music, and some more considered folk outings like It Ain’t Right with flute and soft harmonies from Annie Perkins. However, we are back in the arms of the honky tonk for the hapless ‘drowning of one’s sorrows’ tale that is the self-explanatory Heartaches, Hard Times And Hard Drinking. Divisions continues with an acoustic guitar tendency that works, while the final two tracks are again covers with Crawl Back To You coming from the repertoire of the late and lamented Blaze Foley. It is here given a treatment that is admirably fitting with its source. The final song is a version of the equally revered Gene Clark’s Polly Come Home, which has again a blend of an underlying folk feel, emphasised by the flute which is sitting easily alongside the pedal steel and it has an appropriately impassioned vocal from Berblinger.

Mo Douglas produced the album alongside Berblinger and he also played acoustic guitar, lead guitar, bass and rhythm guitar on numerous tracks. The duo bring a varied and layered sound throughout that was bolstered by the contributions of the other musicians, who included Jesse Cunningham’s pedal steel contributions to half a dozen of the tracks.

Given the way the world has turned since the original release in 2018, it makes sense to place it again before a possible wider audience. It has an easy freewheeling feeling that should find favour with those looking for something that most definitely sits outside the mainstream. I doubt this is the last we will hear from Berblinger and one can hope he will continue to produce new music in this unfashionable fashion.

Review by Stephen Rapid

Luke LeBlanc Fugue State Self Release

Minnesota native Luke LeBlanc returns with his fourth album release, written during lockdown and reflecting on the  state of things as he perceives them to be right now. If Covid brought any insights or lessons perhaps it was to look inwards in our search for answers, and to slow down the relentless rush of external commitments. There is a lingering feeling of time wasted in chasing some material illusion of happiness and success.

However, rather than finding ourselves in a fugue state, I like to think that more clarity has evolved from our scrambling in the dark and that a greater awareness has replaced the urge to look to others for our self validation. Have we lost our identity and our collective awareness? LeBlanc seems to think so and he attempts to make sense of his feelings around the current social challenges, post Covid.

Real Phonic Studio in Cleveland, Minnesota was the location for recording and from November 2021 to July 2022, the musicians focused their energies on developing the eleven songs included here. Produced and engineered by Erik Koskinen, who also plays electric guitar, bass, banjo, and keyboards, FUGUE STATE features John Cleve Richardson on keyboards and backing vocals, Ryan Young (Trampled by Turtles) on violin, Eric Heywood (Son Volt, Jayhawks) on pedal steel, Casey Frensz on saxophone and Erin Bekkers on drums.

Three of the players appeared on the previous album, ONLY HUMAN, and the contributions of Erin Bekkers, John Cleve Richardson and Erik Koskinen go a long way to creating the intimate sound of the recording and the bed rock upon which the other studio musicians can gel together. The interplay is superb throughout and the light production touch of Koskinen is very impressive. Certainly, a great advert for the approach of letting the quality of the song melodies breathe for themselves.

Maybe the outbreak of the Covid pandemic and the global economic recession that has ensued make us realise just how disconnected we have become despite our abundance of smartphones and social media. The isolation and loneliness felt by people during the last two years has left an indelible mark and on songs like When I Walk With You and Soothes Me we are reminded that personal connection and real communication are what remain as the cornerstones of collective recovery. LeBlanc displays a keen sense of trying to make it all seem worth the struggle.

The love song Now seems to be a reflection and understanding of parenting and the lessons learned in growing up. On the song Down Low there is a message that the process of slowing down brings its own reward, a theme that he also explores on tracks like Still, Walking Days and Take Your Mind Off It. Not allowing worry to cripple you is something that we can all try to practice in these times of change and the final track sums up the journey that LeBlanc has been on. Long Way To Go sings of the progress made and the challenge that still lies out ahead. With all these feelings of vulnerability I have the sense that LeBlanc is coming into his own and cruising along the fast lane to greater success.

Review by Paul McGee

Field Guide Field Guide Birthday Cake

Dylan MacDonald returns with a new album, his third release in the last two years. Field guide is his performing name and MacDonald has also released two Eps and a number of singles since 2019. This new release highlights a very self-assured musician, adept at penning reflective tunes that are wrapped in enticing melodies.

MacDonald has a richly toned vocal and the delivery is a mixture of just the right combination of wistful longing and knowing experience. These ten songs fall right into the basket of americana and roots sounds with the instrumentation delivering an impressive balance that enhances the arrangements. Recorded in a variety of locations and studios, the self-production of MacDonald is assured and uncluttered, giving the songs room to breath in the mix. The musicians that came together include the core trio of MacDonald (guitars, bass, vocals, Wurlitzer, B3, synths), Matt Kelly (pedal steel) and  Olivier Fairfield (drums). They are joined on specific tracks by Tom Dobrzanski (Wurlitzer), Kris Ulrich (Moog) and Leif Vollebekk (bass).

The gentle strum of Goddess and Leave You Lonely typify the easy flow of the music that paints different colours on other tracks like Remember When and Worst Of Ways. The track In Love Now speaks of wanting to make a relationship work, ‘I wanna go through the days more slowly, I wanna talk to you more gently.’

Similarly, on You Could Be Free the message is one of ‘If I cannot give you what you need, Take all your things and be free.’ Past mistakes are referenced on For Sure and Cracked Open is another look at how a relationship can be framed. Worst Of Ways has a more up-tempo arrangement and it unfolds around a fine guitar motif and subtle drumming. Wishing Well gives thanks for all the positive things that populate MacDonald’s life, while the message in Looking Back refers to living in the moment and not getting stuck in the past. Based on this fine collection of songs, the career trajectory for FIELD GUIDE is only going in one direction – accelerating forward and at a steady pace.

Review by Paul McGee

StevieRay Latham Hinterland Self Release

This fine artist has been creating his music over the last decade and has released a series of EPs that reflect an ongoing maturity and burgeoning talent. On this latest EP we are treated to four songs and the gentle, reflective sounds come across as strongly representative of where Latham finds his creative muse right now. Written during a period at home in Devon, having contacted the Covid virus, the songs have a directness that makes for an enjoyable and interesting listen.

Latham kicks off the EP with the reflective Let Me Inside accompanied by acoustic and understated electric guitar. The song looks at the essence of relationships and what keeps us apart while wishing for the glue that can bind us together.

Old Friends opens with an acoustic guitar and builds into a fine arrangement that questions friendship and being open with the truth. Nice keyboards and understated percussion support the song dynamic and the image of loss hangs heavily as Latham brings his sad tale of missed communications to an inevitable conclusion.

Fugitive has a nice tempo and a melody that echoes the words of frustration, regret and worldly woes that are mirrored in the haunting keyboard parts. It hints at a relationship breakdown but could also mirror the inner thoughts of a self-critical mind.

No Way Out is the final song and has a sparse arrangement around a message of being trapped in a dilemma, whether mental or physical, brought on by negative feelings. It could be a post Brexit plea for greater inclusion as we move forward, but Latham comes across more as a dismayed musician who feels the weight of uninspired leadership and limited options.

As always, the music is both interesting and rewarding, giving the listener plenty to digest while enjoying the superb musicianship at play.

Review by Paul McGee

The Welcome Wagon Esther Asthmatic Kitty

This band is comprised of husband and wife duo, Vito and Monique Aiuto. He is a pastor at the Resurrection Presbyterian Church in Brooklyn, New York and Monique has worked as a preschool teacher. Together, they have been releasing music since their 2008 debut, produced by Sufjan Stevens and released on his Asthmatic Kitty label. This new release is album number four and sees the couple in perfect harmony, both in their enthralling vocal delivery and their focus upon spreading the word of the bible in their lyrics. The references to religion may be off putting to many but when the message is one of simple acceptance and caring for each other, then it transcends any specific dogma and transfers into a universal message. Love and belief in a better way of living are the fuel that drives us after all, no matter what religious persuasion you identify with.

The album title refers to the enduring influence of Monique’s grandmother, Esther. Her voice opens the project with readings from scripture on Isiah, California and she also makes an appearance on a further song, Matthew 7/7.  The beautiful vocals and sweetly melodic song arrangements are all delivered with a style that lingers after the ten tracks have come and gone. Nothing ventures too far from the central theme of  serving the song with a less is more discipline. Two songs stand out, with Knocking On the Door Of Love and Consolation Blues heightening the experience that is both captivating and charming. The spoken part in Noble Tree is wrapped in lush keyboard and guitar sounds and I Know You Know is a song that engages and takes the certainty of trusting in another as a comfort. In the absence of playing credits I can only offer a general round of applause for all involved. The musicians deliver with understated grace and the playing is superbly consistent.

Review by Paul McGee

New Album Releases

Tiffany Williams All Those Days Of Drinking Dust Self Release

Tiffany Williams was already an award winning fiction writer and an English teacher, but she moved to Nashville a few short years ago to satisfy her longstanding strong desire to be a songwriter. Initially she couldn’t even contemplate performing her own songs, such was her self consciousness, but eventually she got a lucky break, and her special vocal talents have now become apparent to all on this, her debut album.

The title track, All Those Days Of Drinking Dust, proudly proclaims her family heritage of eastern Kentucky coal mining, but also details the horrors of such a heritage. Her father, grandfather and great grandfather were all coalminers and she feels guilty at what they suffered, ‘all those nights of feelin’ that he couldn’t breathe/all to give a different life to us’.

Despite the attractive folksy cover art, the rest of the songs, all penned by Williams herself, deal with standard themes such as love, relationships and self worth. The pace is generally gentle and slow, and that probably enhances one’s appreciation of her rich sultry voice. She has chosen producer, and fellow Kentuckian, Duane Lundy (Joe Pug, The Lumineers) to realise her chosen sound, which tends towards the slick side of Americana. The production features electric guitars (J Tom Hnatow) and drums (Tripp Bratton), as well acoustic guitars (Justin Craig), fiddle (Ellie Miller) and banjo (Taylor Shuck).

On No Bottom, she proclaims that she would do things differently if she got her time again, especially in one particular love relationship. Know Your Worth, is a straight down the line song of female empowerment, encouraging women to be strong and like her ‘to tune out all the noise that I don’t need’, the uptempo banjo driven tune being quite a contrast on a generally more contemplative paced recording. There’s a country duet with another Kentuckian, novelist Silas House, who is also a music journalist and an activist against mountaintop removal mining. On When I Come Back Around, his baritone complements her sweet vocals perfectly.

The standout song for this reviewer is the pedal steel laden slowburner Wanted it To Be, where it emerges that the protagonist knows that her lover wants to be with another woman, but that despite this, she herself is prepared to accept being second best. A complicated scenario on what is otherwise a collection of well constructed straightforward songs.

Review by Eilís Boland

Jake Penrod Million Dollar Cowboy Papaw

In the past Jake Penrod has shown an affinity with the music of Hank Williams Sr and was for a time working in a one-man performance show of Hank’s music - something that one can easily see why listening to this album (and, perhaps, even more so on the CDs of Hank’s music he recorded in 2009). Since then, he has released CLOSER TO ME in 2013 and OUT OF CONTROL in 2016. This current album was started in the following year but finally gets it release this year. It is without doubt one of the year’s highlights in terms of a contemporary take of traditional country mores.

Two particular tracks can be seen as compass points on the album; the opening If You’ll Be Mine allows a more concurrent feel while Little Mama sounding like it could have come from the repertoire of Hank Sr. However, Penrod is not about mimicking any one his influences, rather he has distilled their essence to create his identity and own path. He is, though, of course not the only artist currently recording their individual take on traditional sounding music that is kept relevant today by maintaining a positive link with the past but looking to the future. This is something to savour given that, in recent times, what has been, and continues to be, sold as country music is to many listeners far from what they would recognise or as “real-deal” country music.

Penrod shows that he is not only an exemplary musician (playing drums, piano, bass, harmonica, electric, acoustic and steel guitar) but that he also wrote the songs (bar two) and produced the album. That shows a level of commitment and understanding of how he wanted the music to be recorded. Those two tracks are equally considered by their choices - the late great James Hand’s In The Corner, At The Table, By The Jukebox and a cross-fertilised take on the Bobby Braddock/Curly Putman written George Jones recorded classic He Stopped Loving Her Today, which he decided should to be done as if Waylon Jennings was recording it. It features some of the additional players who contribute to the album including bassist Kevin Smith, Austin bedrock drummer Tom Lewis, guitarist Chris Reeves with steel guitar from James Shelton. Both add a footnote to the album’s original songs and so rounds it off as a complete package that shows how far Penrod has come since his last release.

Blues For Company is a slow, mournful song that shows that Penrod is a vocalist well capable of imparting some real emotion in his delivery. Equally introspective is Better Than Being Alone which again has a bed of steel (guitar) to rest its weary head on. There is the requisite sense of sadness, heartbreak and dis-harmony in the relationships Penrod writes about here, that for most fans of something approaching hard country, know that despite the music itself is indeed uplifting and illuminating. There are few, if any weak spots here, and many other top-notch inclusions including the well-sung So Goodbye or the honky-tonk ready (and able) Erasing You, I Bet She Hasn’t Cried or Have You Ever Been A Fool.

Million dollar moments and memories abound on this album, which will be at the top of the lists for the best of 2022 for those lucky enough to have encountered it and it is definitely worth seeking it out and savouring. What Jake Penrod does next will be of great interest as his skill and talent could be developed in a number of different ways but here’s hoping he keeps it, as they saying goes, country.

Review by Stephen Rapid

Teague Brothers Band Love & War Self Release

There is a unity to the sound that this band delivers in its country/folk/rock amalgamation, which is why the John Teague fronted band uses the ‘brothers’ part of their name to signify something akin to, but different from, a sibling alliance. It signifies, as defined by a commitment to a work ethic, that Teague works on a small ranch and runs a construction company as well as fronting this band. With a previous album and EP under their belt, they have taken things up a notch with this new album. Co-produced by Scott Farrs and Christopher Reynolds and recorded in Lubbock, Texas, it is a prime example of what has come to define contemporary Texas roots music.

The band; Teague, guitarist Kyle Villarreal, A.J. Hoffman on fiddle and a rhythm section of Ryan Cobb and Jeremy Hall, all obviously committed to giving their best performances on these Teague written songs that touch on a number of lyrical themes. Many relate to relationships and how tricky they can be. “Eggshells don't make good enough flooring” being one line in Love & War that sets the tone for a song that concludes that “there’s no love without war.” Last Thing You Heard takes revenge to its unnerving conclusion with the protagonist being “the last thing you saw, the last thing you heard.”

Pipeliner is about a man whose job is laying oil pipelines and his struggle to hold a bond together while keeping to the unrelenting work commitment and trying to also keep committed to those close to him. Moscoto Wine (written with Matthew Teague) similiarly finds the confusion of knowing that “there's days that I wish you were home / and there's days that I'm glad that you're gone.” This doubt and self-seeking sense of purpose seems to underline the thinking for much of the material. In January there is a recognition that things can change and that the new person in his life could be the “first line in chapter two.”

From the opening I Found Trouble you are aware that this band is not about to take prisoners, by aligning its lyrical stance to an equally robust musical platform, which has Teague’s strong lead vocals and harmonies over the propulsive bedrock of bass and drums, topped by some engaging guitar and fiddle performances. Throughout, the band equally know how to take their collective foot off the pedal on the emotive introspection of some of the tracks, such as These Days and again for the more uptempo Pretty Ugly. There is a balance here that works and keeps things interesting and aligned.

This album, independently produced, promoted and performed is an example of why Texas has been a fertile ground for the conjunction of numerous influences and styles that, here, meld in a cohesive album that is, no doubt, equally reflective of the band’s live sound and appeal.  

Review by Stephen Rapid

Wesley Hanna Brand New Love Potion Self Release

Another name to add to the list of traditionally-minded Texas country troubadours. Hanna has a voice that immediately strikes you as fit for purpose as a country music singer. It has all the required resonance that you require to be convinced of the level of authenticity. There are ten tracks here that come from Hanna himself and they are good examples of songs that tell a story and take you places. Well Digger’s Lament tells of the life of those who work, meaning they end up missing a large part of their non-working life. It has a more acoustic delivery with the dobro and harmony vocals adding a certain folkiness, heard again in Concho Pearl, a love song. These are nicely balanced with the hardwood floor-fillers like the opening title track, or Back To The Honky Tonks which has a great opening lyric that tells so much about the life style of the protagonist. “Talking on the phone to some decent lawyer, he said I need to get my affairs in order, had I not had any affairs at all I probably wouldn’t have to be giving him a call.” Several locations in the Lone Star State are visited in the journey detailed in Texas Road Trip. There is some slow sweeping steel on the intimate songThe Waltz. 

Another example of Hanna’s vocal adeptness is highlighted in the song Sundown Kid, with some fine guitar too from Newcomb. The somewhat different direction of Gulf Coast Moon, drawing on the gulf and western sound is, while not a highlight, a diversion.The oft referenced old school phase about ‘creeks not rising’ turns up in Creek Don’t Rise, which has a harder edge than other tracks but shows Hanna can rock when required. It again is surpassed by other tracks here but offers another possibility in terms of sound. The songs that relate more to the honky tonk attitude are the focal points here but the fact that, for a number of tracks, he explores some other options shows that Hanna is exploring what works for him. 

Hanna is based in Fort Worth in Texas and plays the bars, honky-tonks and fairs in the region. So this album can only do him a lot of good and raise his profile a notch or two. I listened several times and was also impressed with the sound of the album so I checked the details and was not unsurprised to find the talents of Scrappy Jud Newcomb on bass and guitar, Lloyd Maines on pedal steel and dobro, the keyboards of Bukka Allen and the fiddle of Brian Beken, added to the drumming of producer and engineer Pat Manske, who has made this sound as good as it does. Pauline Reese adds harmony vocals behind Hanna’s to complete the picture. All this means it takes a few listens to fully take in the words and the stories which are, as one might expect, tales of hearts won, heartbreaks, honky-tonks and highways.

It is always a pleasure to discover a new album and artist who surpasses expectations with an all a powerful musical potion, one that’s easy to love.

Review by Stephen Rapid 

Grey DeLisle Borrowed Regional

Such a pleasure to have this lady back recording. Two distinguished albums in 2004 and 2005 on Sugar Hill, IRON FLOWERS and THE GRACEFUL GHOST, respectively brought her critical acclaim, as did her 2002 debut, HOMEWRECKER. Since then DeLisle took the time out to raise a family and to remarry, but she now has found the time to return with this album of wide ranging covers with interesting and, at times, some perhaps less than obvious covers - but then again maybe not, considering the scope of her output. 

None more so than the opening take on Roger Water’s Another Brick In The Wall, which contains its anger gracefully and features strings that have been arranged by Tammy Rogers (one of the arrangers featured on the album, alongside Eric Gorfain and Sasha Matson). It also use horns, arranged and performed by David Ralicke. This is alongside DeLisle on vocals and autoharp, Murry Hammond on acoustic guitar, Jonah Tolchin on electric lead guitar and Marvin Etzioni on mandocello and drums. Etzioni also returns to the production chair, as he had done with the three previous releases.

It lets you know that what will follow will be equally interesting and diverse. Alongside the choices there are a couple of songs written by Etzioni (Borrowed And Blue) and DeLisle with Etzioni (You Are The Light - a song covered by Lone Justice) and also included is Valentine, written by her ex-husband Murry Hammond. The latter has gentle forcefulness relating to the nature of love and loss.

Of the other tracks the eclectic picks are, perhaps, best exemplified by versions of You Only Live Twice, which features The Satellite 4, and the Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell classic Georgia On My Mind. The latter is graced by an understated and considered vocal over the sensitive arrangement of strings and Mickey Raphael’s harmonica. The former give a cinemascopic delivery, with the quartet of players hitting the right tone with electric guitars, bass and drums in what is an effective reimagining of the theme, that seems more like a Mediterranean romance than a spy thriller - though maybe the combination of the two would be equally suitable.

Calvary is given a slightly jazzy New Orleans feel with Ralicke’s trumpet, trombone and bass sax added to the atmosphere of the crucifixion tale. Another notable version is that of Julie Miller’s All My Tears, another song tinged with melancholic religious overtones. A bonus track has been taken from the 2004 compilation Beautiful Dreamer: The Songs Of Stephen Foster - Willie We Have Missed You, again featuring Etzioni alongside Greg Leisz on pedal steel. It fits with the overall concept of the songs and arrangements, which sees this collection highlighting, as does her previous recordings, the timelessness and uniqueness of the distinctive vision of DeLisle and Etzioni, something that anyone acquainted with those releases will, no doubt, wish to hear as much as I did. 

Review by Stephen Rapid

Various Artists A Tribute To Johnny Cash - Vol 3 Hillgrass Bluebilly

Compilation albums can often be something of a mixed bag, with some tracks getting the balance right between giving the song an individual twist and making a fairly straight ahead copy of the original. They can also afford the opportunity to listen to an act you may not have been acquainted with previously. A lot also has to do with the curator of the compilation and the artists chosen to feature. In my collection, I probably have more Johnny Cash tributes than for any other artist. The songs are often well know from Cash’s unique delivery, whether they were written by him or not.

Here we have a selection of sixteen cuts that range from Public Enemy’s Chuck D’s version of Man In Black, featuring Bob Log III through to (new to me) South Filthy or Willy Tea Taylor. None-the-less the album, collectively, keeps one’s interest and the ear attuned. Ten Pole Polecats are featured back to back on two hard edged takes of Redemption and Big River,  the latter more of a punkabilly-inspired account, while the girlish voice of Amanda Jo Williams gives a different gendered, small town perspective to Country Trash. 

Ballad Of A Teenage Queen, written by ‘Cowboy’ Jack Clement, a tale of seeking fame and realising it may not be what it was thought to be, is given a run-out by RestavRant. The version of Nick Lowe’s The Beast In Me by Delaney Davidson is not that far from the author’s own recording, though the vocal delivery favours Cash’s darker tone. Darren Hoff and The Hard Times give the opening track, There You Go, a sense of purpose that suits its place in opening the album - it has an agreeable roots/garage country/rock energy. Let The Train Blow The Whistle When I Go, by Tom VandenAvond, channels early Dylan. While Austin Lucas’ raw version of Tennessee Stud brings it back to the soil, with just his voice and guitar. The closing track on the album is Charlie Parr covering Were You There When They Crucified My Lord has a gospel feel, with Parr adding harmony vocal to his bittersweet take on the religious side of Cash’s output through the years.

In a similar mode, but full of fervour and with an anguished overtone, is the stripped back vocal, guitar and fiddle of Give My Love To Rose by Willy Tea Taylor. The banjo-infused ‘anger is an energy’ of Apache Tears by Los Duggans is full on in a good way, with an expansive rock guitar solo to boot. Wreck Of The Old 97 by Left Lane Cruiser is cruising in James McMurtry territory. Straight A’s In Love is another example of Cash’s influence on the ‘three chords and the truth’ punk leaning bands. More twangy by far, with echoes of Luther Perkins, is Karen Jonas’ rendering of Understand Your Man, which has a touch of June Carter’s sassiness. As you may expect, the late James Hand is pretty true to form and honest in his rendering of Get Rhythm, that has the feel of Sun era Johnny Cash down to a T. 

There is undoubtedly a rhythm to this record which is not towards the polished end of the spectrum, but rather it has a raw passion and purpose that pays tribute to an iconic individual whose body of work should not be forgotten. The fourth volume of this series (as visualised on the cover) will be a tribute to R.L. Burnside and will be equally varied and valuable as a measure of the magnetism and majesty of both performers.

Review by Stephen Rapid

Native Harrow Old Kind Of Magic Loose

Currently residing in rural Sussex, having moved to the U.K. from Pennsylvania via Brighton, OLD KIND OF MAGIC is the fifth full-length album from musical and life partners, Devin Tuel and Stephen Harms. A classically trained vocalist and ballerina, Tuel’s vocals have regularly, and deservedly, drawn comparisons with Sandy Denny and Joni Mitchell. Combining that gift alongside multi-instrumentalist Harms, and Tuel’s wherewithal to pen ageless folk songs, is a potent recipe and one that works spectacularly on this album.

OLD KIND OF MAGIC follows their 2020 release, CLOSENESS, and is focussed very much on the strength and intimacy of their relationship. Crashing waves and cawing seagulls, recorded during a field trip to Brighton beach, introduce the album’s opener, Song For Joan. With every word perfectly expressed, it paves the way, both vocally and instrumentally, for what follows.

For me, the album’s tour de force is the quite stunning and hypnotic six-minute love ballad, Heart of Love, described by Tuel as ‘a song that slowly drifted its way to me and sunk in deep, it sings of the passion in soulmate love. The deep love that you may search the world over for’. With an enthralling vocal performance by Tuel, delightfully understated guitar work by Harms and pedal steel by Joe Harvey Whyte, the track has had me hitting the repeat button more than once. Long Long Road, awash with strings courtesy of Georgina Leach, brings to mind Nick Drake and the organ lead As It Goes, which also features Leach, has a distinctly 60s vibe. Magic Eyes, which follows, is a throwback to the same decade, with echoed vocals and fuzzy distorted finger picked acoustic guitar. Not adverse to crossing folk with modern jazz, Used To Be Free ticks that particular box and shades of Sandy Denny are to the fore on the title track.

Self-produced by Native Harrow, OLD KING OF MAGIC is brimming with gorgeous vocals that perfectly convey the messages within the songs. With one song tumbling effortlessly into the next, the music flows freely throughout from Harms, long-time collaborator Alex Hall, Georgina Leach and Joe Harvey White. With magic both old and new in abundance, this contemporary alt-folk record is another superlative effort from Tuel and Harms.

Review by Declan Culliton

Joseph Shipp Free, For a While Self Release

‘I’m an American man, whatever that means’ sings Nashville -based singer songwriter Joseph Shipp on his debut album FREE, FOR A WHILE, which is based upon the writer’s relocation to Tennessee after having lived in the Bay Area of San Francisco for six years. Very much a pandemic album, Shipp’s intention of a family holiday in 2020 was scuppered for obvious reasons, leaving him with time and disposable income, which he redirected into purchasing home recording equipment. Originally envisioned as a solo undertaking, as the songs developed Shipp decided to call on the services of old friend, Grammy nominated and multi-instrumentalist Andrew Sovine (Ashley McBryde, Jaime Wyatt, Ian Noe, Kelsey Waldon) to co-produce the album. The resulting eleven-track record was recorded at Sovine’s home studio, The Back Room in Savannah, Georgia.

An accomplished and award-winning graphic designer and photographer - he grew up in a small town in Tennessee where his parents ran a photography business - Shipp and his wife moved to East Nashville to start a family in 2016 and he continues to work remotely in graphic design with his San Francisco colleagues.

With a vocal style that lands somewhere between Dylan and Conor Oberst, the album navigates its way around a variety of personal emotions. Brooding ballads such as Rest, Assured and American Man sit comfortably alongside more experimental and, for this writer, standout tracks Only The Moon and Dod. The latter two account for twelve minutes of the album’s total playtime. Following in the footsteps of Bonny Light Horseman, who included a selection of traditional folk songs from the book FOLKSONGS OF BRITAIN AND IRELAND on their debut album, a reworking of the love lost ballad Green Grows The Laurel is also included.

An album of many moods and definitely one for the slow cooker, FREE, FOR A WHILE is a potent serving of contemporary American roots music dealing with the challenges and plights of parenthood, separation, and uncertainty. It’s also an album that reveals more and more to the listener with each subsequent visit.

Review by Declan Culliton

Sylvie Self-Titled Full Time Hobby

This project is the brainchild of musician Ben Schwab and was inspired in part by his father, John Schwab who had a 70s band called Mad Anthony. Their debut album fell victim of a record deal that never happened and all these years later, son Ben has taken the essence of the songs he unearthed to create a superb album. The album title is taken from the song released by Matthews Southern Comfort back in 1970 and Schwab pays tribute to the easy flow of the melody while adding swathes of beautiful pedal steel and gentle keyboard swells. The ethereal music continues across the seven songs included here and the running time of twenty-eight minutes just leaves the listener wanting more. The sweet melodies drift along and land in the sweet spot where inspiration meets talent.  

Further Down the Road  and Falls On Me feature the alluring vocals of Marina Allen while the retro arrangement of Shooting Star features the sweet tone of Ben Schwab and a sound that reminds me of Mojave 3 meets Gram Parsons. 50/50 features an old recording of Ben’s father, John Schwab speaking about a song that he was working on and the instrumental that follows the spoken part is just beautiful and conjures up passing days of youthful memory.

Final song Stealing Time is a paean to the old Californian sounds of Lauren Canyon and the close harmonies are so perfectly judged against the easy cadence and wistful vocal of Sam Burton. The use of pedal steel throughout the record is wonderful with Conor Gallagher excelling. He is joined by Sam Kauffman Skloff on drums and JJ Kirkpatrick on horns, but it is the overarching talents of Ben Schwab that shine through on all the tracks. Playing an array of instruments he draws upon the experience gained over years of honing his craft in bands like Drugdealer and Golden Daze. This is certainly a rich reward and the timeless music comes highly recommended.  

 Coda - The original songs of John Schwab that had lain idle in a forgotten part of memory until rediscovered by Ben are now in the process of finally gaining a release. Ben is acting as producer on the reworked songs, all these years later.

Review by Paul McGee

New Album Reviews

I Draw Slow Self-Titled Compass

With this being only their fifth album since they formed in 2008 (from the ashes of the much missed old time/bluegrass band Prison Love), I Draw Slow demonstrate why they are probably Ireland’s best exponents of the fusion of Celtic and American music. The core band composition of siblings Dave (guitar, vocals) and Louise Holden (vocals), along with Konrad Liddy (bass), Adrian Hart (fiddle) and Colin Derham (clawhammer banjo) has remained stable from the start, which probably contributes to the ever evolving progression of their sound towards something quite unique. Influenced by loss and tragedy over the recent couple of years, the songwriting of the two Holdens is darker than before, sometimes obscure, but always worth investing in. The sound too has moved on, with wider musical influences more to the fore.

We’re taken right back to the 60s/70s Laurel Canyon sound in About a Bird in an Airport and Copenhagen Interpretation. In the former, the unfortunate trapped bullfinch is a metaphor for the feeling of trying to extricate oneself from a complicated and smothering relationship, with the protagonist checking through security in an attempt to find escape, but ‘I swore when I left you last time/it would be the last time I’d ever leave, If I change my mind I can always find you/left of the devil, right of the deep blue sea.’ As well as co-producing with the siblings, Adrian Hart really comes into his own here on this acoustic track with his soaring fiddle wor evoking perfectly the frantic escape efforts of the trapped subject. The soundscape in Copenhagen Interpretation is even more deliciously lush, thanks in part to guest Kate Ellis (Crash Ensemble) on cello, interplaying with the acoustic guitar, banjo and fiddle, building up delicately then descending in cascades to an abrupt ending. The song, influenced by Orwell, explores the duplicity of political language, ‘yesterday you were the snake, the ladder/who are you today?’

Dearly contemplates the past through rose coloured glasses, musing that perhaps this is the best way to view it, with the repeated refrain ‘Dearly/Sincerely/Forgetfully yours’, guest Greg Felton on piano adding a delicate layer to the guitar and banjo soundtrack.

Louise Holden takes the lead vocal on all of the songs, her gorgeous voice reminiscent sometimes of the late Dolores O’Riordan, but perhaps even sweeter. As well as backing vocals from her brother, they are joined on several tracks by the ‘Choir’ of Michelle O’Rourke and Siobhra Quinlan,  including on Dublin Bay, Christmas Day (another musing on a long relationship) and on Bring Out Your Dead. We go to New Orleans for the bluesy Trouble, with horns here (and on several other songs) courtesy of Bill Blackmore and Colm O’Hara.

The album ends with two evocations of first love. A Chuid den Tsaol (with an English translation in the lyrics booklet) tells of the tentative longings of a young person attempting to communicate the depth of her love for an unsuspecting other, accompanied simply by acoustic guitar, cello and beautiful double stop fiddle playing that could only be Irish (even though Adrian Hart is actually a Yorkshire man!). Leisureplex recalls, with excruciating attention to detail, the intense awkwardness of first love, which eventually fizzles out as life moves on.

Nashville’s Compass record label recognised the potential of this band over five years ago when they signed them up. Spend some time with this record and you will understand why.

Review by Eilís Boland

Emily Nennie On The Ranch Normaltown /New West

Boasting all the key components that tick the ‘modern but real’ country music box for me, Emily Nennie’s second full-length album, ON THE RANCH, is a particularly slick slice of honky tonk honed tunes. Flawless production (hats off to Mike Eli for that), impeccable playing throughout, Nennie’s classic nasally vocal purr, and some great songs, all amount to a really accomplished presentation.

Firstly, a bit of background about the currently Nashville-based artist. Born and raised in California, she was introduced at an early age to the music of Patsy Cline, Hank Williams, Willie Nelson, and Jessi Coulter by her mother, and John Coltrane and James Brown by her father. Despite attending Columbia College and majoring in audio engineering, her early exposure to country music had sown the seeds for her favoured vocation and, like scores of others, she headed to Nashville to follow her dream. She didn’t waste any time in Music City, quickly finding herself on the hallowed stage at Robert’s Western World on Broadway, before independently releasing her debut album, HELL OF A WOMAN, in 2017. Steeped in a classic country vibe, that pedal steel laced album was followed by her four-track EP, LONG GAME, in 2020.

Being written while working on a ranch in Colorado - producer Mike Eli’s wife was already working there – has given her latest album an additional country and western vibe. Although, and to her credit, Nennie does not profess to be a genuine cowgirl, admitting that her duties were confined to serving meals, child minding and playing music weekly for guests at the ranch. She confesses her rural limitations on the title track (‘Well to be true, I really wasn’t much use, once the truck got to gettin’ loose, I was playin with a cattle dog’). Notwithstanding her admission, the album is packed with bona fide country songs from the word go. Opening the ten-track album in fine style is Can Chaser. Giving the thumbs up to a barrel racing rodeo queen, it sets out the primary full-on honky tonk sound that dominates much of the album. True to form she also includes a few tearjerkers, with Leavin’ and Matches ticking that box and she’s more defiant on Gates Of Hell where she gives the two fingers to a former beau.

She does stray off the page with a mildly countryfied cover of Abba’s Does Your Mother Know. In fairness, it’s not the car crash it could have been but, for me anyway, it falls way below the quality of her self-written material. She closes the record on a positive note with the chirpy Get On With It (‘Get up off your good intentions, get on with it’).

Given the exceptional playing on the album, a mention of the musicians is warranted. Producer Mike Eli also played guitar, Alex Lyon was on bass, drums and percussion are credited to Bradford Dobbs, and Eddy Dunlap played pedal steel and dobro.

All in all, ON THE RANCH finds Nenni ‘talking the talk and walking the walk’ as impressively as any country record I’ve heard this year. It’s yet another fine album coming from the growing number of female artists who are delivering traditional country music without the bells, whistles, drum beats and auto-tunes that dominates so much of the music currently coming out of Music Row. Nenni has been nominated at the upcoming Ameripolitan Awards in the Female Outlaw Artists of the Year category and has recently toured with like-minded artists, Charley Crockett and Kelsey Waldon. If there’s any justice, that exposure and this refreshing album should substantially raise the profile of this silver-voiced vocalist way beyond Nashville. Have a listen and make your own mind up. I expect that you’ll love what you hear, I most certainly did.

Review by Declan Culliton

Sterling Drake Highway 200 Orchard

Previously a published songwriter in Nashville, Sterling Drake’s six-track EP follows hot on the heels of where he left off with his previous recording, ROLL THE DICE, from 2021.

‘I always strive to create country music that is relatable, something you’d want to listen to in the feed truck,’ notes Drake about his recordings. I’m unable to confirm if that is the case, but I can verify that the album sounds fine to me playing in my VW Golf. Fiercely devoted to vintage country, his sound shifts between traditional country and western swing.

He kicks off HIGHWAY 200 with a fine reworking of the classic traditional song In The Pines, sticking closer to the countrified version recorded by Loretta Lynn than the blues rendition by Lead Belly. Next up is the title track and first single from the EP. It’s a standout track, portraying the harsh yet cherished sentiments of life as a rancher in Montana. With razor-sharp playing and a vocal to match, it doffs its cap in the direction of Merle Haggard during his late 60s purple patch. Elsewhere he goes full-on western swing with the light-hearted Bad Looks Good On You and Stuck In The Saddle is a country and western cowboy lament.

If you like your country super twangy, time-honoured, and circling back to the 60s and beyond, you’re bound to enjoy this album. Produced by Drake and Chris Weisbecker, it features dobro and pedal steel by Ryan Stigmon, and bass guitar by Gabe Tonon. Drake takes lead vocals and guitar, and Weisbecker plays drums.

HIGHWAY 200 is not going to dent the country charts or feature in what is peddled  on most country radio stations, no surprise there. But it is typical of the many artists that are currently writing and recording premium country music, even if you have to often scratch beneath the surface to find them.

Review by Declan Culliton

Alex Williams Waging Peace Lightning Rod Records

'Waging Peace' is just about trying to make peace with yourself,’ explains Alex Williams, commenting on his latest twelve-track album of modern country outlaw.

To date, the Indiana-born and raised Williams’ career reads like a film script. Although relatively inexperienced at the time, the bearded, long-haired baritone, scored a major record deal with Big Machine Records and recorded his debut album, BETTER THAN MYSELF in 2017.

The possessor of a winged ‘W’ tattoo on his arm in honour of Waylon Jennings, Williams was perceived by many as the latest torch carrier in the Outlaw country genre, and one of the artists most likely to revive that tradition and introduce it to a more mainstream audience, something similar to what Jamey Johnson had achieved a decade earlier. However, not having toured prior to the release of that album, life on the road subsequently led Williams down a path of excess and recklessness. ‘Never saw the devil ‘till I went out on the road,’ he remarks on the title track, an admission of his pattern of emulating the darker side of his musical heroes Waylon and Merle’s behaviour back in the day.

Fortunately, and prior to total burnout, Williams recognised the futility and diminishing returns of those few years, and WAGING PEACE is an account of his personal grapple between righteousness and devilishness during that time.  He puts his cards on the table on the album’s opener and lead single No Reservation. It’s a full-on gritty southern rocker, detailing the struggles in searching for inner peace and coping with the lures and temptations of life on the road.  That big sound is repeated on Fire and Conspiracy. In contrast, tracks such as The Vice, Rock Bottom and The Struggle are self-explanatory country ballads, loaded with twang and deadly pedal steel (credit to the legendary Danny Dugmore for that) behind William’s grainy vocals. Old Before My Time is a whimsical and self-deprecating song (‘I’m at the tail end of my twenties and I’m singing songs from 1969’) and The Best Thing hints at a lot of Merle Haggard cramming.

The production is outstanding, courtesy of Grammy winner Ben Fowler (Lynyrd Skynyrd, Sara Evans, Rascal Flatt), on an album divided between themes of light and darkness, blazing anthem rockers, and more considered country tunes. It’s the ideal mix for a touring act and one, no doubt, that will raise Williams’ profile further and find him busy on the festival circuit in the coming year. Watch this space, this guy is back in the saddle and going places.

Review by Declan Culliton

Bonny Light Horseman Rolling Golden Holy ‎ 37d03d

The self-titled album by Bonny Light Horseman from 2020 suggested a one-off project by three artists with somewhat varying backgrounds, accompanied by a dozen other friends and fellow musicians. A singer songwriter and composer (Anais Mitchell), a producer and multi-instrumentalist (Josh Kaufman) and an indie pop/folk band leader and soundtrack composer (Eric D. Johnson), put their collective comfort zones to one side to create what became a Grammy-nominated collection of charming folk songs. The featured songs were reconstructions of traditional folk songs, many of which dated back centuries.

That debut recording may have remained a one-off meeting of minds, given their collective workloads and side projects. On the contrary, it appears to have aroused a desire to explore similar musical and lyrical concepts, resulting in the ten self-written songs embodied in ROLLING GOLDEN HOLY.

On this occasion the trio only called on two others to participate in the recording, J.T. Bates played drums and Mike Lewis contributed bass guitar and saxophone. Whereas the songs remain true to the template of its predecessor, they have strayed from the classic U.K. folk inspirations of that album, resulting in songs that remain fundamentally folk, but to a certain degree more Americanised, typified by the charming California, with its tale of pressing on to pastures new. Mitchell may be perceived as the frontperson, given that she takes the lead vocal on the majority of the songs. However, the contribution of her bandmates is immense.  Kaufman’s guitar work in particular is striking, as are Johnson’s smooth harmonies and the suitably understated arrangements throughout.

Although they had begun working on some of the compositions soon after the release of the debut album, the ten compositions were completed in the spring of 2021 when the trio and their respective families, free from their busy work schedules, assembled in upstate New York to finalise the songs. The end product is a contemporary exploration into the common folk themes of love lost and yearned for, hopefulness and death.

Johnson takes the lead vocal on the wartime ballad Someone To Weep For Me and shares vocals with Mitchell on the gorgeous Exile. The former finds its author pleading to be remembered with dignity after his passing. The latter is an ode to a loving relationship and the realisation that it is not everlasting. Equally impressive are the powerful love song Comrade Sweetheart and the banjo-led Sweetbread. They sign off with Cold Rain and Snow. Complete with three-part harmonies it’s akin to a late 60s ‘hippy anthem’, bursting with radiant love and positiveness.

ROLLING GOLDEN HOLY opens a door to a charming array of songs whose groundwork and themes may be stimulated from previous times but are presented in a timeless manner by three like-minded artists. Tune in and prepare to be mesmerised.

Review by Declan Culliton

Chris Canterbury Quaalude Lullabies Rancho Deluxe

‘The truth doesn’t care if you choose it, a heart only breaks when you use it,’ announces Chris Canterbury on QUAALUDE LULLABIES’ opening track, The Devil, The Dealer, & Me. The lines are pointers for what is to follow on an album that deals head on with thorny issues such as mental illness, substance abuse, and addiction.

Growing up in a small town in Haynesville, Louisiana, and born into a standard blue-collar working-class family, Canterbury, like numerous artists before him, chose a wayward and honky tonk lifestyle, abandoning the advice indoctrinated in the Southern Baptist sermons that featured heavily during his younger days.

A self-produced project, he describes this collection of songs as ‘loose like a box of bedroom demo tapes, but cohesive enough to stand on its own.’ A succession of confessional tales, the album is anything but an easy listen. With lyrics as painful as an open wound, the closing track Back On The Pills leaves a lasting impression of a life journey where impending doom is never far from the surface. Tracks such as Fall Apart and Felt The Same are slow-burning stories, rich in both detail and content, reflecting on the isolation and harsh reality of the solo travelling musician. The album’s only cover is the Will Kimbrough penned Yellow Mama. The last-minute declaration of a singer as he awaits execution by way of an Alabama electric chair, it mirrors the hopelessness and prayerful nature of Canterbury’s self-written inclusions. The pedal steel laced love song Sweet Maria does offer temporary respite from the painful content of its accompanying tracks and whereas much of the material is stripped back, the fuller sound of Heartache For Hire enters Jamey Johnson’s THE LONESOME SONG territory.

Canterbury’s plain-spoken tales are painted in vivid detail throughout QUAALUDE LULLABIES. It’s anything but a Saturday night listen, simply a brutally forthright and honest testimony of self-destruction and isolation, representing quandaries that have challenged artists for many decades. It certainly captured and held my attention from the outset, as it will, no doubt, for any lover of classic country singer songwriting.

Review by Declan Culliton

Parker Twomey All This Life Self Release

Those familiar with the country soul wildcat Paul Cauthen will no doubt recognise the name Parker Twomey. Touring with Cauthen since the tender age of eighteen, Twomey has played keyboards and contributed backing vocals in Cauthen’s band for the past three years. A multi-instrumentalist and songwriter who has been writing songs since childhood, his introduction to band life was courtesy of his father who included him in his gigs at ten years of age.  Attending Booker T. Washington High School in his youth, after classes Twomey’s afternoons were spent at Modern Electric Sound Recorders, working as a general dog’s body, an exercise that eventually led to assisting engineers and producers, and learning that side of the industry first hand.

Twomey’s debut album ALL THIS LIFE plays out like an old head on young shoulders. Still in his early twenties, the album reveals more grief and broken relationships than you’d expect from one of that age. Maybe that direction is more in keeping with traditional country storytelling than actual personal experience, but the title track and album opener sets that agenda from the outset. That rationale continues on the heartrending lost love song Baby, It’s Harder Way Now. It’s the standout track on the album, showcasing Twomey’s wistful vocals and the masterly group of players that joined him in the studio. Those musicians included co-producers Matt Pence (drums) and Beau Bedford (piano, mellotron, strings), together with Charley Wiles (slide guitar), and Scott Lee (bass). A fleeting encounter while on the road is recounted on Lines of Wilderness and Loving You Too Easy expresses further yearning for intimacy and companionship (‘there’s this place that I’ve seen but never been, like on the covers of postcards’). Notwithstanding the longing and angst throughout, the album does close on an optimistic note as the writer looks forward to brighter times with Family.

With arrangements that more than complement Twomey’s vocals - the strings are particularly imposing -ALL THIS LIFE is a delightful listen from an artist that touches on the grinding reality of attempting to combine his love of touring with an equally burning desire to find love and attachment. He articulates those sentiments exceptionally well with these richly constructed country songs.

Review by Declan Culliton

David Adam Byrnes Keep Up With A Cowgirl Reviver

This album follows up after NEON TOWN, the most recent album from the Arkansas native, who then located to Nashville to write songs, which turned out to have to follow the current formula of  “bro-country.” But after a writing deal failed to happen as intended, Byrnes moved to the Fort Worth area of Texas, and his music soon took on the sound of the country music that they listen to and dance to down that way. He had regional hits and racked up a lot of streams and gained social media followers, as well as those who caught his shows in person.

This new collection is packed with songs that fit with country themes of relationships both good and bad, alcohol, working late, cowboy and cowgirls and his adopted State. This is reflected in titles like One Honky Tonk Town, Too Much Texas, Like I’m Elvis, Past My Bud Time, A Shot Or Two and Better Love Next Time. All are delivered with the kind of vocal resonance and attitude that fit right in with his heroes such as George Strait, Mark Chestnut and Keith Whitley and contemporaries such as Aaron Watson and Cody Johnson. 

The production and playing serves to achieve a cohesive, modern yet solidly straight down the line country sound, with fiddle, steel and big guitars that is so popular in Texas but is again finding a foothold in the mainstream these days. As an additional incentive, the album has four of the full throttle songs repeated in acoustic version, which gives an insight into how Byrnes may have presented these songs as demos, or in an in-the-round setting. They show his solid vocal and songwriting in its most stripped back form. Though I imagine most will prefer his full band versions, it is an insight into his down to earth methodology.

An album that is a perfect example of good time country that will have the dancers on the floor and the drinkers raising the glasses.

Review by Stephen Rapid

Ragland Guardian Self Release

This album could readily be described as Americana in the sense it was conceived some time back. Contemporary takes on country music that are not tied to any particular sound or retro style, but instead explore through the writing many of the emotional pretexts that incorporate the light and the dark, the love and the heartbreak, those ups and downs that are part and parcel of the everyday and beyond. 

The vocalist and songwriter is Autumn Ragland and this is her fourth release under that name. The writing is shared with Sam Cox who with Ragland co-wrote the material, co-produced along with Hank Early (a member of the Turnpike Troubadours) - who adds steel guitar - and Javan Long. Ragland and Cox also play guitars, drums, keyboards and harmonica, while Long also shares the drum chair.

This tight, focused and emphatic combo take a considered approach to each song, which are often different but made cohesive by Ragland’s vocal delivery, which is central to the sound. The songs take themes that many can relate to, often hinted at by such titles as Couch Surfing, I’m Not Mad, I Just Miss You, I Think I love You Too Much, Guns in The House and Throwing MY Life Away, which features Sunny Sweeney on harmony vocals.

These are, as mentioned, not the type of songs that fit neatly into a pop-country or honky tonk pigeon hole. They find their own level that is, perhaps, floating between and above both. For instance, Remember Me has a sound that could find itself gaining plays on a number of different stations. It is a contemplation on one’s place, while also wondering what the memories of those who follow one might be. It does so in a way that may well trigger a similar response in the listener, as perhaps will some of the more confrontational lyrics. Ones that confront as in Throwing My Life Away, where Ragland sums up a relationship and lifestyle with the words “I been working my ass off and people still think I’m throwing my life away … If I say too much or I don’t smile enough he’ll call me a bitch anyway.” This is delivered with evocative pedal steel and a strong melody, and shows why Ragland have musically and lyrically moved up a notch with this album.

Review by Stephen Rapid

New Album Reviews

The Slocan Ramblers Up The Hill And Through The Fog Self Release

Out of loss and hardship can emerge great art, and this is exactly what has happened in the case of this fourth glorious album from Toronto progressive bluegrass band, the Slocan Ramblers. In 2020, they were on the pig’s back - a Juno nomination in 2019 was followed by the accolade of Momentum Band of 2020 from the IBMA. And then the world fell apart for touring musicians, with the pandemic enforced cessation of touring. Add to that the loss of close family members by two of the band, and the stepping back of their bass player to family commitments.

Despite this the three band members - Frank Evans (banjo), Adrian Gross (mandolin, mandola) and Darryl Poulenc (guitar) - threw themselves into quarantined frenetic practising on their instruments and crafting new songs. The result: one of the must-have records of the year.

Kicking off with the Frank Evan’s penned I Don’t Know ‘what she sees in me’, it’s obvious from the start that this album is going to be an uplifting experience, despite the raw emotion fuelling much of it. Guest bassist, Charles James, equals the other three in phenomenal musicianship and his funky string-bending opening behind Darryl Poulson’s hooky guitar riff and Adrian Gross’s lead mandolin sets a high standard. Poulson’s You said Goodbye initially sounds like a lighthearted, fast paced breakup song. However, it is actually a joyful tribute to his brother, who passed away during this time, ‘I wish I could turn back time’ and ‘We’ll see you again some time’ are interspersed with frenetic solos from each of the band.

There are three impressive instrumental tunes, Harefoot’s Retreat and Snow Owl from the pen of Adrian Gross and probably the best train instrumental ever written, Frank Evans’ Platform Four.

Gross’s father also passed away around this time, and he recounts taking his chair down to the river to sit with his feet in the water, playing and writing in an attempt to make sense of it all. The  resulting songs, Bury My Troubles (an upbeat barnstormer) and The River Roaming Song (with more than a nod to John Hartford, with its whimsical poppy sound but always ‘coming back home to you’) are clearly cathartic.

Showing that their influences stray far beyond bluegrass, they include a storming version of Tom Petty/Jeff Lynne’s A Mind With A Heart of Its Own, proving that acoustic bass and handclaps can substitute perfectly for drums, and in the right hands a mandolin and banjo can equal lead and rhythm electric guitar any day.

The future is bright for bluegrass in the hands of progressive inventive players and songwriters like these guys.

Review by Eilís Boland

Michael James Wheeler Roll Another Dime Pacific

The lengthy journey leading to the first full-length solo album from Nashville-based Michael James Wheeler merits a chapter or review by itself.

A player in a variety of bands, both self-formed and as a hired player - he was a member of a number of bluegrass bands including Chris Henry & The Hardcore Grass and Crying Wolf - Wheeler had also been writing songs for a number of years, yet lacking the confidence to record them under his own name. His first experience of working his songs solo to a live audience came about during a three-week backpacking voyage around Ireland in 2009, where he performed impromptu in local pubs. On his return to his homeland, and on the advice of fellow songwriter Delaney Davidson, he signed up for a songwriting festival in Wisconsin, which whetted his appetite to abandon his nomadic musical career path and concentrate on an independent solo career.

Fast forward a number of years and Wheeler can boast a recording output of two EPs and this most recent album ROLL ANOTHER DIME, together with prestigious support slots for James Taylor and Jackson Browne, Nikki Lane, Tyler Childers, and Kelsey Waldon.

The recording process for this release was a stop/start affair. It had commenced in 2017 as a self-produced project at a church in Kenosha County, Wisconsin, before the intervention of Rob Eaton Snr., best known as the guitarist with the renowned Grateful Dead tribute band, Dark Star Orchestra. On hearing of the intended recording, Eaton offered his services as producer and engineer on the album. That connection stemmed from Wheeler’s friendship with Eaton’s son Rob Eaton Jnr., with whom Wheeler had started his first band while still in school. The end result is a ten-track album of Americana-styled tunes, produced by Eaton Snr., with all guitar playing by Eaton Jnr.

There’s plenty going on here, mirroring an artist that has dipped his toes in numerous musical genres, and given that the material was written over an extended period.  The album crisscrosses between country blues (Bring The Blues), country rock (Bottle In The Carriage), folk (Cruisin’ For A Bruisin’), and heartland rock (Disco Boy). The gospel-like album closer You’re My Salvation, written by Wheeler’s close friend Pat MacDonald at the age of sixteen, features Sierra Ferrell on backing vocals.

Wheeler is already working on another album, and it will be interesting to see what direction heads in next time around. In the meantime, ROLL ANOTHER DIME signals the arrival of an artist that we’re likely to be hearing much more about in the years to come. 

Review by Declan Culliton 

Michael Paul Lawson Love Songs For Loners Self Release

Recorded in five days at Ken Coomer’s Cartoon Moon Recording Studio in East Nashville, LOVE SONG FOR LOVERS is Texan Michael Paul Lawson’s sophomore album, following on from his debut album from 2019, SOME FIGHTS YOU’LL NEVER WIN.

Alongside production duties, Coomer, formerly of Uncle Tupelo and Wilco, played drums and was joined by studio players Billy Mercer (Ryan Adams, Lucinda Williams) on bass and Laur Joamets (Sturgill Simpson, Drivin’N’Cryin’) on guitars. Presented as eight short stories, and possibly digging deeply into his personal memory vaults, Lawson’s chapters visit topics such as a free-floating and uncommitted liaison (The One Before The One), aging and barely surviving in a wracked small town (The Snow), the inability to take on a meaningful relationship (Baltimore), and the drifter hopelessly striving for direction and purpose (Varick Street).

As you may glean, the subject matter is anything but upbeat, more like a cry for help, laced with ambivalence and crushed optimism. Notwithstanding the doom and gloom, it’s a powerful listen, made all the more convincing by Lawson’s fine baritone vocals. Traversing faultlessly between traditional and alt-country, the confessional opener I Know Where I’m Going Tonight is classic barroom country and he puts his foot on the gas with the crunching 849. 

‘Hell, I don’t know where I’m going in life, but I know where I’m going tonight,’ sings Lawson on that opening track. That precisely sums up the sentiments expressed throughout LOVE SONGS FOR LONERS. Notwithstanding the melancholic mood that prevails from start to finish, it’s an intoxicating listen that packs a heavy punch, combining achingly sorrowful vocals with intricate arrangements.  

 Review by Declan Culliton

Jeremy Nail Behind The Headlights Self Release

Austin-based artist Jeremy Nail’s back catalogue, prior to the release of BEHIND THE HEADLIGHTS, comprises four albums dating back to his debut record LETTER in 2007 through to his LIVE OAK recording in 2018. The common denominator across this body of work is Nail’s proficiency in addressing his personal journey with impassioned lyrics and unpretentious melodies. His 2016 recording MY MOUNTAIN, produced by Alejandro Escovedo, detailed his struggle and eventual recovery from cancer that resulted in the amputation of his left leg. 

His latest offering features twelve songs, written in the main during that forlorn and uncertain period of lockdown. While loneliness and isolation are deeply rooted throughout, there is also a sense of resilience and acceptance, as articulated by Nail in the album’s press release, ‘The overall statement I want my music to make is simple: that you don’t have to be anything else but you’.

Co-produced by Nail and Pat Manske, the recording took place at The Zone in Dripping Springs, Texas. Nail played guitars, mandolin and resonator.  Drums, percussion and loops are credited to Manske and a host of other artists contributed including Bukka Allen on keyboards and synthesizer and Gregg White on upright and electric bass. Shannon McNally adds backing vocals on a number of tracks, adding her weight to the particularly breathtaking All This Time, which brings to mind Son Volt’s Jay Farrar’s solo work on TERROIR BLUES.

The title track, with its moody synths and driving bass, is as radio-friendly as Nail has ever been and he fondly remembers his deceased stepfather on Try As I Might, drawing comparisons between their struggles with mental illness. The enchanting piano-led Silent War, beautifully decorated by strings, enters Radiohead territory. Other tracks that impress are the heavily synthesized Something More and Endless Plain, which bookends the album and urges the listener to embrace oneself and continue to exist as best as you can in a messed-up world.

A somewhat melancholic mood has prevailed across much of Nail’s work and BEHIND THE HEADLIGHTS is no exception. However, it’s a profoundly engaging listen that sounds better after each subsequent spin and is undoubtedly Nail’s most impressive outing to date. 

Review by Declan Culliton

Ashley McBryde Lindeville Warner Music

From time-to-time albums come about by chance, a casual studio jam captured ending up as a valued recording perhaps or a live performance archived and released many years later to critical acclaim,

Ashley McBryde’s latest recording is a point in case. What started off as a random songwriting week in a rural cabin outside Nashville, grew legs and has culminated in a thirteen-song album of material composed by McBryde and a number of like-minded writers. An eagle-eyed observer, McBryde’s songs have often focused on the minor detail of small-town America and its characters and nuances, so it’s little surprise that she hooked up with Brandy Clark, an artist very much on the same wavelength, to co-write a number of the songs featured here. The other participants that worked on the songs are Caylee Hammack, Aaron Raitiere, Nicolette Hayford, Connie Harrington and Benjy Davis, the common denominator being their collective talent of creating compelling stories from what may appear to be everyday mundane events.   

‘We stayed in Tennessee in this little house close to a lake. It was eight bottles of tequila, two cartons of cigarettes, one kitchen table and six individuals out of their minds,’ explains McBryde, who delegated the production duties to John Osborne of The Brothers Osborne, a first role at the controls for him. The album’s title is McBryde’s recognition of songwriter Dennis Linde, a prolific Nashville-based writer whose compositions were recorded by Elvis Presley (Burning Love), Garth Brooks (Callin’ Baton Rouge), and The Dixie Chicks (Goodbye Earl), to name but a few.

I have to admit to being somewhat apprehensive when a large collection of songwriters are credited on a record, fearing the ‘too many cooks’ syndrome and finding that compromise can often result in blandness. Those concerns were well and truly ousted on the first spin of LINDEVILLE, from the hilarious opener Brenda Put Your Bra On to the tender title track that closes the album. Included are three quick-fire portraits of typical small-town establishments, all written solely by McBryde. Ronnie’s Pawn Shop (31 secs), Forkem Family Funeral Home (31 secs) and Dandelion Diner (27 secs) all succeed in painting vivid landscapes in a ridiculously short time and with few lyrics. Raitiere takes the lead vocal on Jesus Jenny, telling of an ‘off the rails’ wild cat, (‘Titties popping out your turtleneck, you’re riding around in your red corvette, getting all the wrong kinds of respect’). Raising the temperature a significant number of notches, The Girl In The Picture is typical ‘full on’ McBryde, before she dons her Stetson and cowgirl boots on the twang laden, and lyrically slick Brandy Clark co-write, If These Dogs Could Talk. (‘There’s a three-legged beagle who lays there spread eagle on the driveway outside Patti’s trailer. He looks like he’s sleepin’ but he knows she’s dealin’ and that she’s been bonin’ the neighbour’). Benjy Davis takes the spoken vocal on Gospel Night At The Strip Club and a raucous cover of Phil Everly’s When Will I Be Loved also features.

There’s an overload of groove and wicked humour at large on LINDEVILLE. Reminiscent of Miranda Lambert’s collaboration with Jon Randall and Jack Ingram, THE MARFA TAPES from 2021, what kicked off as a fun songwriting week with well- matched writers, has captured the mood of those carefree days of creativity, resulting in arguably McBryde’s strongest recording to date. 

Review by Declan Culliton

Will Payne Harrison Tioga Titan Self Release

This album is named after a town in Louisiana where Will Payne Harrison hopes to become a titan of country music, if only in that small town. Well, personally, I think he deserves a bigger audience than might be offered there. Either way, he has made a good sounding album. He set the ground with a couple of previous albums and an EP. The title song is a wry, tongue in cheek look at being the biggest fish in the smallest of ponds.

The album was produced by Harrison in Nashville using some understanding players to bring to fruition his take on classic country fused with some swamp-infused Louisiana pop and rock. But he not only produced, he also recorded, mixed and mastered it. So you can be assured that this album sounds the way he wanted it to. Added to that, he played guitars, bass and keyboards and also the substantial fact that he wrote all the songs, apart from a favourite song of mine and that is Uncle Boudreaux Went To Texas from the pen of the fine singer/songwriter Ben De La Cour. It, as it should, takes a different emotional tone from the original, to bring the truth to an oft-told and  usually unbelieved story.

Nor can we underestimate Harrison’s writing, which is steeped in the traditions of country, a sense of a life lived in a down-to-earth fashion that is deep in heartbreak, low-self esteem, love found and love lost. So we have tears, we have beers, leers, sneers and fears. Pretty Little Dancer is a feisty fiddle and steel floor filler. Goodbye Sweetheart shows that Harrison has the vocal chops to deliver a slower song and get the kiss-off message across. His subject matter however can take on more serious topics, such as unconditional love for a young daughter in Despite my Sin and Simple Truths. The latter details some of the other good things life can offer up.

On the other hand, The Way characterises a person who only wishes to do good and to be a good listener. More cautionary and underscored with some twangy guitar is Don’t Drink Well Whiskey In The Lonestar State where the subject is happily advised to drink whatever is on offer but to stay away from the titular beverage in Texas. 

Lover’s Arms takes us once more down the path of detailing how he cannot be in that the place he wants to be (his lover’s arms) for a number of reasons - some nice pedal steel here too. The title track is a slow, bluesy riff with saxophone adding some grit and soulful swampiness to the mood of self deception and swagger. Broadway Lights is an ode to a lover, taken at a slow pace that gives a deeper sense of the song’s essential uncertainty.

Ten songs that make for a rewarding album and the coming of age for Harrison as an artist to be heard back there in Tioga and any place that good music can be appreciated.

Review by Stephen Rapid

The Williams Brothers Memories To Burn  Regional

Perhaps a forgotten manifestation of the sibling harmonies of such acts as The Louvins through to the Everly Brothers and up to such contemporary duos as The Delevantes, The Brother Brothers, The Secret Sisters and especially The Cactus Blossoms, comes this very enjoyable album recorded by twins Andrew and David Williams, nephews of crooner Andy Williams. Back in the day between 1987 and 1993 they recorded three albums for Warner Brothers that had a modicum of success, with one single Can’t Cry Hard Enough cracking the US Top 50 singles chart and spawning a lot of covers and airplay.

This album was recorded live on 2-track tape back in 1995 but is only now seeing the light of day. It features the superb harmonies of the brothers in Andrew’s studio, with Andrew on guitar and a crack team of players including producer Marvin Etzioni playing bass, joined by fellow Lone Justice player, the late Don Heffington, on drums and the superlative steel guitar of Greg Leisz.

The album is mostly a selection of covers, all of which suit the sound of the five participants, including two songs from the pen of Robbie Fulks with Tears Only Run One Way and the more macabre She Took A Lot Of Pills (And Died), Dave Davie’s wonderful Death Of A Clown, and a very different take on Iris DeMent’s Let The Mystery Be. Piney Wood Hills was written by Buffy Sainte-Marie. Four of the songs, Cryin’ And Lyin’, You Can’t Hurt Me, Unanswered Prayers and Memories To Burn were written by Etzioni, who shows himself to be a fine writer. There is one song written by the brothers, which is She’s Got That Look In Her Eyes.

One wonders then whether this was released at the time, though I suspect that back then it would have got lost in the search for new bolder sounds, rather than ones that have something of a timeless, though undoubtedly retrospective origins. In many ways it is a sound that is as current as any and more pleasing than many. It prompts the question whether this is a release that may convince the Williams Brothers to go back into the studio or what other archival material they may have. 

Whatever the answer, they have given us these memories to burn into ours.

Review by Stephen Rapid

The Cactus Blossoms If Not For You (The Bob Dylan Songs Vol. 1) Walkie Talkie

Given the subtitle, this would suggest a series of releases that may eventually feature as a full length album. The overall sound seems to be closer on first listen to the style of some of their earlier releases, rather then their most recent ONE DAY album. But in truth, it reflects the band’s steady development of a broader palette. It has something of the sparseness of touch, while retaining the added depth of keyboards and succinct arrangements that were associated with the last album, which was also released this year.

Brothers Jack Torrey and Page Burkam had, obviously, a wide range of material to chose from, but the four chosen songs offer a perfect introduction to their sibling rich harmonies and stylistic viewpoint. The title song opens the short set with piano and guitar and gives the song a different perspective from the original but one that, while it recognises a sense of retro influence, sounds current and very much a part of the Cactus Blossoms present oeuvre. The other song choices include To Ramona and Tell Me That It Isn’t True, which have lyrics that refer to relationships in one way or another, though with a sense of uncertainty. The fourth choice, Went To See The Gypsy, tells something of a different tale with a sense of the mysterious.

All the songs come from early Bob Dylan albums from ’64, 69 and ’70. That in this instance makes perfect sense for the brothers and if there are additional volumes it may be that the songs will be chosen from later albums. Whatever that next release may be it is a welcome one, as The Cactus Blossoms offer a glimpse into a past and a future, both filled with harmony and honesty.

Review by Stephen Rapid. 

This Lonesome Paradise Nightshades Standard Times

While I don’t think this album will be to everyone’s taste, it still manages to be a captivating take on what we may as well call gothic dark-country western noir. Though operating under the band name above, it is a project headed by vocalist and composer E. Ray Bechard. He co-produced the album with Taylor Kirk (of Timbre Timbre), recording in Goat Mountain Studios in California using solar power, which in itself is far from the norm in many different ways.

There they assembled a team to realise this vision, that incorporates lonesome rivers, strange drifters, moonlight tragedy and funeral skies, all of which are, in fact, titles of songs on the album. The sound is underpinned by the effective use of the charged, atmospheric, retro sounding electric guitar sound of Bechard, Taylor Kirk and George Cessna. The latter is the son of Slim Cessna and has also played in Auto Club. He additionally fronts his own band The Snakes, both live and on record. Dean Shakked play bass, with the rhythm section completed by Kirk and Tory Chappel. Engineer and mixer Bart Budwig also adds the occasional, but highly effective, brass.

The opening track Scorpion Song sets the tone with Bechard’s languid, at times Nick Cave-like, tone which features some lonesome trumpet, keyboards, percussion, night jazz guitar and desolate whistling. Over the next ten tracks we are given variations on this sound and theme that may, to some, feel too similar in mood, but in fact creates an atmosphere that is tangible.

In Dreams is a long way away from Roy Orbison but creates its own sense of illusion and imagination. The guitar has a desert twang that is matched by the vocal melody to create that sparse sensory ambience. This forms a balance between some dark lyrical dissertations and lighter touches that, in the instance of a song like Blue For You, balances the female backing vocal against Bechard’s melodic vocal and some incisive guitar playing.

I was immediately taken with NIGHTSHADES, from its first moments to its final ones. It is undoubtedly a thoughtful, off-the-grid, out of town journey on less-traveled highways, desert motels with big moons, dark skies and roadside crosses, which in itself will be a recommendation for some. If so, this will be a small indication of paradise.

Review by Stephen Rapid 

New Album Reviews

Blake Brown and the American Dust Choir Don’t Look Back Self Release

This five-track EP follows the release of a debut album (2018) and a follow up EP (2019). Originally from Denver, Colorado this talented musician/songwriter took stock during Covid and put his energies during lockdown into creating these sweet sounds. A period spent in Nashville is always good for the soul and Brown decided to hook up with renowned producer Ken Coomer (Uncle Tupelo/Wilco). The results are quietly accomplished with a laid-back feel to the song arrangements. The understated playing is skilful as the melodies seep into the consciousness and leave quite an impression.

With Tiffany Brown (keyboards, piano, vocals), Blake dove-tails perfectly with his wife on both vocals and guitar; their harmony vocals adding another level to their gentle sound. They are joined by producer Ken Coomer (drums), Scotty Huff (bass) and Sam Wilson (guitar, pedal steel). The songs were recorded at Cartoon Moon Studios in East Nashville and the sense of keeping a perspective on everything that was happening around Covid is never far from the surface.

Opener, Head In the Clouds is a pep talk to keep a positive attitude and to retain your sense of self, ‘Keep your head in the clouds, Keep your feet on the ground.’ Good advice for the perplexed to never lose sight of your dreams.  The second song, Hold On, mines similar territory and speaks of keeping your spirits high, even if the feeling is one of time ticking away.

Rearview is a song about new beginnings, packing the car and heading out for another adventure. Leaving town can be bittersweet but not if you are sharing a common dream and never looking back. Hopefully Two Ghosts which follows, is not the actual result of the lovers adventure as it tells of two people who no longer share that dream and who have lost the will to fight for each other ‘I don’t even ask where you’re going’ sings Tiffany in an arresting co-vocal, with Blake answering ‘It’s no place we haven’t been before.’

Final song Wait For Me is a plea to keep a relationship vibrant, despite the distances between two people – can long-distance love endure over the miles? In the case of this husband and wife, there is a clear bond that is manifest in the music that they play together. Whether inviting friends to share their musical vision or simply performing as a duo, both Blake and Tiffany have forged a path that is increasingly leading towards greater success.

Review by Paul McGee

KB Bayley Flatlands Self Release

There is a space that we can try to occupy where time stands still. Some get it through a gentle evening stroll, others through quiet contemplation. However, should the spirit visit you through the medium of music then your sense of place doesn’t matter as the timeless nature of being in the moment captures you.

For all the rich gifts that have been bestowed upon KB Bayley, the Weissenborn guitar is his weapon of choice. The deep resonance and simple power of the instrument is best captured on the standout song, The L&N Don’t Stop Here Anymore, originally penned in 1965 by Jean Ritchie as a tribute to the Louisville and Nashville Railroad that used to be called “The Old Reliable.”

Another deeply felt cover is the tribute to the late Kelly Joe Phelps on his song The Black Crow Keeps On Flying, with its prophesies of doom, fear of darkening skies and the sense of an unknown presence… There are two further cover songs on this second album by Bayley, the gorgeous ode to pure love, Johnsburg, Illinois (Tom Waits) and the enduring mystery of it all, captured on final song, Maybe It’s Time (Jason Isbell).

The other six songs are all written by Bayley and they capture his impressive fingerstyle guitar prowess as various renditions of acoustic blues are woven into the arrangements. The title track is a reflective look at lost love and Driftwood Avenue is a look back at early days, old memories and friends remembered. Gavin Thomas contributes atmospheric harmonica on this song and also on the equally immersive Year Zero, a song that speaks of new beginnings and starting over.

With such stripped-down songs, there is a tendency to veer towards a feeling of melancholy. However, Bayley tends to point as much at a knowing understanding and message of hope, despite all the fall out of bitter experience. Time Machine wants to capture a moment and freeze the feeling of being in love, but then we are faced with the possibility that a special someone has passed on in the song, World Without You ‘Everything is different in a world of all those things you left behind, everything you had, apart from time.’

This is another testament to the sublime guitar playing of Bayley and his vocal carries a resignation in the sweet delivery that has you wishing for a happy ending to this journey through the past, the ghosts in our heads and the dreams of tomorrow. Well worth your time.

Review by Paul McGee

Jake Blount The New Faith Smithsonian Folkways

This musical artist is a keeper of the flame. Paying due reverence to all that have gone before, Blount mines the deep seams of traditional Black music and finds a rich vein of inspiration with which to point forward to future directions.

The album is conceptual in nature, split into three separate Psalm sections, each of which contains four tracks… Basing it somewhere in a dystopian future where the earth has been rendered useless by the forces of climate change, we are equally plunged back onto the past of the black struggle to overcome slavery and contrasting feelings of despair and hopefulness that walked with generations on the freedom road.

Starting out with a deferential bow to the past, we are introduced to a rendition of the old Gospel standard, Take Me To the Water, mixed with a prayer, recounting the actions of ancestors who succeed in destroying much of the abundance offered by nature in their greed and thirst for material gains. We are plunged into the spiritual essence of the sacrifice and suffering of both the past and present in the ongoing search for freedom to live unencumbered lives.

Traditional banjo and fiddle are mixed with rap verse and handclaps on Downward Road and the hypnotic rhythm gives the sense of frustration inherent in the attempt to make sense of this new world. Didn’t It Rain looks at struggles to assert independence and to move towards higher ground and a more enlightened understanding. It’s both heartfelt and soulful and leaves an impression of Tom Waits conversing with Solomon Burke as two sides of the RnB canon.

Section two of the album tells of the journey undertaken by the survivors of the apocalypse and their journey towards a new utopia. People die, twenty-seven in all, to a combination of storms, disease and hanging, the small band of survivors finding and settling on an island. Death and a path to Heaven feature in the following three songs, Death Have Mercy, City Called Heaven and They Are Waiting For Me, the fragility of life explored in a combination of frustration (Rapper, Demeanour), soulful praise for the afterlife and the hope inspired in meeting loved ones again beyond the veil.

The concept is very much the singular vision of Blount. He plays all the instruments on some songs, focusing on vocals and banjo, fiddle and guitar on other arrangements. He mixes old standards into the songs, using segments of field recordings by Alan Lomax, Son House, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Mahalia Jackson and enslaved Africans in Jamaica in 1688.

The jazz inflected rhythms, strings and percussive handclaps feature regularly as the album songs unfold towards an ending which asks that we don’t, Give Up the World, and another strong performance from rapper, Demeanor. The reflection that the earth once had to be born, or brought into existence, gives the message that life will persist and the resilience shown by humans will always endure.

It’s a brave departure in terms of establishing a modern Folk expression for African American history.  The message is universal in theme and the urge to break the chains that bind will always compel the human spirit to move in a  forward direction. The Gospel sources in many of these songs deliver a message that not only echoes the past, but points to the real depth of spirituality that runs through us all.  It’s country blues, social commentary, and rap entwined with the poetry of anger and resilience.

Label, Smithsonian Folkways, stands for supporting cultural diversity and musical heritage. Blount himself is dedicated to extensive research of Black and Indigenous mountain music and he reflects own experience as an LGBTQ activist in his roots inspired creativity. Certainly, an album that leaves a lasting impression.

Review by Paul McGee

Florence Dore Highways & Rocketships Propellor Sound

Confession time first. I was totally unaware of Florence Dore or her music prior to witnessing the Nashville-born and North Carolina-based artist’s blistering live set at Dee’s Cocktail Lounge in Nashville during AmericanaFest 2022. That dynamic performance was discharged with outright confidence and no end of wit by Dore and a killer three-piece band. As her act progressed, the penny dropped as to who her band members were. Her drummer and husband, Will Rigby, was a founding member of the ace power poppers The DB’s, as well as being Steve Earle’s drummer for many years.  Her bass player Gene Holder, was also a member of that New York combo and completing the line up was Mark Spencer, a long-time member of Son Volt and whose guitar and pedal contributions to their 2009 album, AMERICAN CENTRAL DUST, was a major factor in that album being an all-time favourite of mine.

On completion of their set, Dore presented me with a copy of the album for review, and I was left wondering if the studio versions would match the intensity, gusto, and infectious enthusiasm of what I had just witnessed. The answer is a resounding yes with a capital Y.

Firstly, a Ladybird version of Dore’s intriguing back story: Her previous album, PERFECT CITY, dates back to 2002 and in the intervening decades she excelled academically, earning a PhD in English at The University of California at Berkeley, fellowships at New York University, and is a member of the Steering Committee for Post45, which is a group of scholars that have been working on American Literature and Culture since 1945. She also found time to host a conference at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, write a book and, most importantly, raise a child with her husband.

It's hardly any wonder that it has taken Dore over two decades to return to the studio and put down the ten tracks that make up HIGHWAYS AND ROCKETSHIPS. Her core sound falls somewhere between the striking melody of Sheryl Crow and the rawness and attitude of Kathleen Edwards. The title track kicks off proceedings at full pace and is followed by the gloriously loose and smouldering Sweet To Me, complete with swirling guitars, perfectly positioned behind Dore’s grained vocals. The brooding Cut The Spotlight, could be Aimee Mann covering The Velvet Underground and the raunchy Rebel Debutante, one of many standout tracks, tells a tale of the demise of an individual born with a silver spoon in her mouth.  Thundercloud (Fucking With Your Heart), as the title would imply, is aimed at an unfaithful Romeo.

She signs off with And The Lady Goes, which includes the line ‘meteor comes in ruin, leaves its crater in the ground,’ which pretty well sums up the blistering head-on impact of this reservoir of jaw-dropping tunes.  

Each year unearths previously unknown exceptional artists to us all at Lonesome Highway, it’s one of the joys of our enterprise. For this writer, Florence Dore is most certainly one of the discoveries of 2022.

Review by Declan Culliton

Adam Hood Bad Days Better Soundly

With a musical repertoire that lands somewhere between country and southern blues, the Opelika, Alabama born artist Adam Hood has been recording albums for over two decades, starting with his debut release 21 TO ENTER in 2002. During that period, he has toured with a host of artists including Miranda Lambert, Todd Snider, Leon Russell, and Pat Green. The aforementioned Miranda Lambert is somewhat responsible for Hood’s standing as both a songwriter and performer, having stumbled upon him performing solo in a near-empty dance hall in Texas. Hugely impressed by his performance, she put him in contact with her producer Frank Liddell, who signed Hood to his publishing company Carnival Music, which resulted in him having his songs recorded by Lambert, Little Big Town, Anderson East, Whiskey Myers, and Lee Ann Womack.

Hood’s status amongst his peers is further acknowledged by the contributors on BAD DAYS BETTER.  Backing vocals are added by both Lambert and Texan singer songwriter Courtney Patton, and his studio band for this album was Blackberry Smoke. Completing the input of luminaries was Brent Cobb, who handled the production duties at Capricorn Studios in Macon, Georgia.

Whereas the record’s opener, with its upbeat declaration, is laid back acoustic blues, Hood’s country leanings are represented on Harder Stuff and Low Road, complete with vocal contributions from Lambert and Patton respectably.  Both the country and blues genres blend seamlessly into southern rock on the album’s other eight tracks, with Business With Jesus and Livin’ Don’t Give A Damn being particularly standout selections.

There is an honesty and realism embedded in Hood’s lyrics throughout, akin to a middle-aged man looking over his shoulder with some degree of regret, but with an inherent positivity going forward. With those razor-sharp lyrics and contributing musicians that rise to the occasion, there’s much to savour on an album that is well worth your investigation.  

Review by Declan Culliton

Courtney Patton Electrostatic Self Release

I find it incredible that Texan Courtney Patton’s profile still remains somewhat understated, given the quality of her writing and honeyed vocals. My initial introduction to her was by way of her solo acoustic performance at Americanafest a number of years back, when she appeared in the back yard of The Groove Record store on Calvin Avenue. Her recorded output from her debut album TRIGGERING A FLOOD from 2013, up to her 2018 release WHAT IT’S LIKE TO FLY ALONE, reinforced my opinion of an artist who should be a household name in roots and country music.

Married to fellow singer songwriter Jason Eady, she divides her time between her art, touring and raising their family. Those familiar with Patton would no doubt have tuned into her Sequestered Songwriters live streams during Covid, when she and Eady invited a number of their close friends, including Jamie Lin Wilson, Cody Jinks and Suzy Bogguss, to entertain us during those dark and uncertain times.

Her latest recording finds Patton stretching her musical horizons while continuing to take things at her customary relaxed pace. Her writing and vocals are as formidable as ever but the melodies and musical contributions reflect more universal influences, with more soulful (Night Like the Old Days), bluesy (Do You Feel Love, Dog Getting Blues), and often jazzy (So Flies The Crow) overtones on display than on her back catalogue. That’s not to say that she’s abandoned her country roots, tracks such as Hold Fast, This Heart, and the title track, more than adequately see to that.

Sharing the production duties with her husband and Gordy Quist of Band of Heathens fame, she invited a host of seasoned players to join in the fun. Her regular partner in crime, Jamie Lin Wilson, adds vocals, as does Kelley Mickwee, a fellow band member of Jamie’s in The Trishas. Geoff Queen (Kelly Willis, Reckless Kelly) plays guitar and pedal steel, piano and keyboards are by Trevor Nealon (Rodney Crowell, Jack Ingram), Heather Stalling (Old 97’s) plays fiddle, the bass is by Naj Conklin (John Dee Graham, Jason Eady) and Richard Millsap (George Strait, John Fogerty) plays drums. Each play their part in complementing Patton’s perfectly paced vocals throughout.

A tantalising flavour of what Patton is capable of, ELECTRSTATIC may very well be the album that results in her reaching a wider audience. If this is your gateway into her music, savour the pleasure of sitting back with your headphones on and enjoying these ten tracks, and don’t forget to pass the word on.

Review by Declan Culliton

John Fullbright The Liar Blue Dirt

A decade ago, with a Grammy nomination under his belt for his debut studio album FROM THE GROUND UP, Oklahoma born and raised John Fullbright was hailed as the most likely to reach dizzy industry levels amongst the many singer songwriters being pigeonholed in the Americana classification.  However, the intervening years, prior to the release of this album, yielded only one recording in the equally impressive SONGS from 2014.

An introverted individual - the album’s cover image speaks volumes in this regard - and one that appears to balk at rather than cherish the prospect of fame, you’re left with the impression of an artist most content behind a piano, playing his full-hearted songs in isolation, rather than performing to rooms full of adoring fans. ‘So, I drink this gin and I take these pills, just because I don’t have social skills,’ claims Fulbright on Social Skills, which is possibly more literal than tongue-in-cheek.

Whether the eight-year gap between THE LIAR and its predecessor was due to striving for perfection or otherwise on his part, the resulting twelve songs are a reminder of the intensity and fervour that he possesses as a writer and musician. The intervening years between albums found him relocating from small town Bearden (population 136), 80 miles north to Tulsa and immersing himself in the local music scene there, both as a solo performer, and fronting and playing in bands. To that end, his latest album does represent a collective rather than solo presentation, with the musical chemistry provided by a host of fellow Okies and close friends including Stephen Lee, Paul Wilkes, Jesse Aycock, Aaron Boehler and Paddy Ryan. That sense of musical community is reflected in the gloriously loose playing on the album as well as Fulbright’s depiction of the recording process as ‘just like playing music in Tulsa. Everybody kind of does whatever they do, and it works.’

As if to introduce himself to an audience unfamiliar with his work, he begins business with Bearden 1645. Not surprisingly piano-led, it’s an autobiographical account of his fascination with the piano from an early age and the comfort and escape that it presented him (‘I found that if you’re feeling down it can help you. If you’re feeling lost it can ground you and if you can’t say it you don’t have to’). Far from an acoustic ballad, the band kick in mid-song, a pointer towards what is to feature on many of the eleven tracks that follow. Paranoid Heart, both lyrically and musically calls to mind early career Warren Zevon. Fullright’s capacity to display anguish, truthfulness and reliance all in one song comes into play in the prayer like title track, even if the sentiment is unlikely to be preached in any substance or alcohol abuse recovery programme (‘God grant me whiskey and I promise I'll be good. They say you help the needy, I think it's understood’). Tenderness and forgiveness surface in the gently seductive Lucky and a sense of impending doom is never far from the surface on the thunderous Poster Child.

Bolder than his previous albums and a deeply satisfying listen, THE LIAR endorses Fullbright as one of the most astute writers of his time. With zero misfires and loaded with emotional honesty, it’s a body of work well worth investing in.

Review by Declan Culliton

The Wynntown Marshals Big Ideas Wynntown

Edinburgh, Scotland-based band The Wynntown Marshals have, over fifteen years and four albums, created their own unique brand of roots music. It’s not difficult to pinpoint their influences, each of their recordings has traces of Son Volt, Springsteen, and closer to home, Teenage Fanclub. Their fusion of country-influenced power pop is a throwback to the burgeoning U.K. pub rock scene of the early 70s, when bands like Brinsley Schwarz, Bees Make Honey and Clover ruled the roost and played weekly residencies to packed music pubs.

It's very much business as usual on BIG IDEAS, with the current line-up of key songwriter Keith Benzie (guitars, vocals), David McKee (bass, vocals), Ali Petrie (keyboards, piano), Iain Sloan (guitars, pedal steel, backing vocals), and Brendan O’Brien (drums, percussion) recreating their hallmark sound, sometimes laid back and other times with driving rhythms.  The production and engineering were overseen by Andrew Taylor, and the project initially kicked off in 2018. Line-up changes and the pandemic delayed the completion until this year.

Navigating its way across a number of emotions, the title track addresses the increasing quandaries associated with dependence on social media. Lovelorn despair is visited on the tuneful Keys Found In The Snow and the chirpy opener and stand-out track, New Millennium, is laced with cut throat energy.  Bookending the album on a somewhat gloomy yet pragmatic note is the less animated but equally stirring Full Moon, Fallow Heart, (‘Nothing in the world is ever perfect, really think I like things that way’).

Fifteen years into their career and with a number of changes in personnel, The Wynntown Marshals remain the flag bearers for Americana in the U.K, further evidenced by this highly enjoyable album.

Review by Declan Culliton

Caleb Caudle Forsythia Soundly

Reading the liner notes that accompany Caleb Caudle’s latest album, you’re left in little doubt that the North-Carolina born singer songwriter has poured his heart and soul into this ten-track recording. The list of contributors reads like a ‘who’s who’ of Nashville’s finest bluegrass players, with household names like Jerry Douglas (dobro, lap steel), Sam Bush (mandolin, fiddle) and Dennis Crouch (bass) all credited, together with Forrest Cashion (organ), Fred Eltringham (percussion) and backing vocalists Elizabeth Cook, Carlene Carter and Sarah Peasall McGuffey. Caudle carried out all the he guitar duties throughout.

Written during that period of universal bewilderment and uncertainty and with his income stream amputated, Caudle approached the song writing on the basis that it may very well have been his final recording, not surprisingly resulting in songs that gave thought to his innermost retrospections, and his appreciation of the simple beauties that surround us. Much of the material took shape on his daily hikes in the mountains of Stokes County, North Carolina, where Caudle and his wife took refuge during the lockdown.

The production was overseen by John Carter Cash, who gathered all those Nashville- based musicians at the legendary Cash Cabin post-pandemic to work on the arrangements for the songs. Working with that talented crew, it’s little wonder that the playing is top-notch, integrated in every respect with Caudle’s chilled vocal deliveries. Snatches of J.J. Cale can be identified in the spirited Texas Tea. In contrast, the slightly slower paced I Don’t Fit In may reflect on a disturbing period in the author’s existence, a sentiment which may also be mirrored on the track Crazy Wayne. More relaxed episodes are recollected on Whirligigs. A co-write with Brennen Leigh, it revives memories of the simple things in life, such as Caudle’s elderly uncle working the fields on his tractor.

In choosing a flowering plant as the title of the album, Caudle draws a line in the sand from a period of often unfulfilling life choices to a regained energy and rebirth. Another album conceived under the pandemic umbrella, FORSYTHIA presents the listener with a comforting suite of well-constructed and perfectly executed songs. 

Review by Declan Culliton

New Album Reviews

Charlie Sutton Trout Takes Chuckwagon

Now please don’t scroll on when I tell you that this album is based on the subject of fishing, because, even though I am a non-fisher, I have totally fallen under the spell of this gorgeous eight song EP and I want you to hear it too. Multi instrumentalist Charlie Sutton, through the medium of country/blues/folk songs about one of his favourite pastimes, takes the listener on an exploration of family, the cycles of life, nature and simplicity in his latest self-produced recording, TROUT TAKES. Casting off with Fishin’ Hole, the grooving country blues eases you into the simple delights and contentment to be enjoyed in a day’s fishing, augmented by the pedal steel and dobro playing of Dave Manion (Eilen Jewell). There’s a nonchalance about Sutton’s delivery that serves to emphasise the laid back nature of this collection. Take Just A Man, wherein we find Sutton in a reflective mode, adding piano, acoustic guitar (and there’s Manion’s pedal steel again) in a meditation on where he is in life currently.

Telling stories from the animal’s perspective has always been part of Sutton’s repertoire, and here he continues this to comical effect in the amusing One Eyed Trout, ‘I’m a sad sad case, even try to get caught/‘Cos it’s better to be wanted than it is to be forgot’, the hapless fish with the ‘mouth full of hooks’ relates on another laid back offering, the groove established by the drums of Jason Beek and interspersed with the plaintive harmonica and steel bodied guitar playing of Sutton. The inevitable ‘one that got away’ is described in Chrome Ghost, a fascinating tale of an episode on his native Idaho’s Clearwater River, which goes some way towards explaining to the sceptic why fishing is so addictive. Sutton recently explained that there’s a rhythm to fly fishing that he finds therapeutic and meditative. He expresses this ‘being in the moment’ feeling very well throughout the album and especially on Fisherman’s Dream, where you will probably find yourself drifting away with him before you know it. As well as the aforementioned Dave Manion and Jason Beek, Sutton is also joined throughout by his other long term collaborator, Drew Myers, on bass.

The album is dedicated to his late grandfather, Chuck Sutton, whose spirit inhabits the songs, and  for whom the closing song The Patriarch is written. Chuck was responsible for starting Charlie’s love of fishing when he was a boy, and Charlie in turn is passing this down the generations, as witnessed in Flat Rock River, sung with his son, Roscoe. The cover art is fascinating, too, with a photo of a wood carving by Chuck and quirky line drawings (both found and original) of fish related paraphernalia.

Did I mention that this has already joined my ‘best of 2022’ collection?

Review by Eilís Boland

Pat Burgess The Song Box Self Release

A veteran of the roots music scene in Ireland for over four decades, Pat Burgess has been writing and performing Americana music long before the genre earned that title.

Founding member and lead singer with The Rye River Band, THE SONG BOX is Burgess’ debut solo album, having previously recorded albums with that band. The album takes its title from his trusted guitar, one with which he has written all his songs and which was purchased in 1974 for the princely sum of fifty-five pounds. Alongside being Burgess’ favourite instrument, it was also played by both Mick Jagger and Ronnie Wood, when they stayed with the Guinness family in Leixlip, Co. Kildare in the 1980s.

Included on the album are eleven original songs penned by Burgess and his arrangement of the traditional song Bridget Mulligan. The styles shift from the rock and roll of opener Buddy, to the border country and western The Ballad Of Old Boone, and the folk ballad Love to You. Classic singer songwriter songs such as The Quay and Years End also impress.

No doubt a labour of love for Burgess, THE SONG BOX was recorded at Poppyhill Studios, Co. Kildare between April 2019 and December 2021. It features contributions from a host of Irish musicians including Rye River Band members Pat Sweeney, Paddy Faughan, and is a proud celebration of how vital music has been in the lifetime of Burgess.

The Rye River Band remain regular Saturday night performers at the famous Brazen Head Pub in Dublin. Pop along next time you’re in town and no doubt material from this charming album will appear on the setlist.   

Review by Declan Culliton

Dillon Vanders Wildfires Self Release

Debut eight track release from the Long Beach native, who makes the best use of the California location for inspiration and to bring in the talents of well know locals to help create the music. The producers are Michael Dumas (an experienced producer engineer who has worked with artists as diverse as Dwight Yoakam and John Mayall) and, artist in her own right, and fellow Long Beach resident Shayna Adler. Add to that Greg Leisz on electric and pedal steel guitars and Al Bonhomme also on guitars as part of the noted team of players. It was recorded in the Los Angeles studio owned by former Doors guitarist, Robbie Krieger.

Vanders has a rasp to his voice and a set of songs that are observational and personal. Overall, the tone is a mix of folk, pop and 70s country, but comes out made for the now rather than for a sense of retro revision. I read that he has worked in the cannabis industry in his home state, something that doubtless has seeped into his consciousness on occasions. He is a reported fan of Simon & Garfunkel and Joni Mitchell, as well as some classic country storytelling.

The album flows along at a pace that never drags and it keeps you listening. There are a number of songs that work very well such as the dirty edged Russian River Blues, a track that Vanders’s vocal grit helps to give additional texture to the more rock oriented sound. Softer in sound but no less effective is Racing In Circles, with Leisz’s steel gliding behind the vocal. A ballad of searching and finding a fiery relationship that is Wildfires gives the influences, mentioned above, a place to emerge into something solid. For Peat’s Sake has a slightly more 70s country rock feel. with banjo prominent. Truth And Lies has, again, more of that California feel to it that is pleasing to the ear. The final track of this, what I suppose is a,  mini album is a fine track to finish on. Paradise is an uptempo track with effective twangy guitar on a song that calls for a closeness on the day he goes to meet his maker, so that the lyric has a darker tone than the music. An interesting debut for Vanders. that opens a number of possibilities for him for future releases.  

Review by Stephen Rapid

Alex Key Neon Signs And Stained Glass Self Release

All the signs are that Alex Key loves his new traditionalist country but also reaches back further for his inspiration. His mother Karen acts a co-producer (with Alex), as well as his manager, and that suggests he was reared on the real deal and this is the foundation of this latest excellent (mini) album release.

Key pens all of the eight tracks here and the titles tell their own story, from the bar-room living of the title through such forlorn fables as Tell Me Something I Don’t Know, Tomorrow I’ll Be Over You  or the restlessness of the wandering hand-for-hire in Can’t Love The Leaving Out Of A Cowboy. Everything Must Go fits neatly into any number of country songs, dealing with selling all the things that are directly related to a failed relationship.

He opens the album with Turn Anywhere Into A Honky Tonk using the philosophy that you can turn any place, anywhere, anytime into an environment conducive to some good music, good times and good libations.The Good Life is an uptempo positive song that was de rigueur for radio play by any of those hat wearing dudes back in the 90s. The North Carolina native sure knows how to get the best out of these songs, down to employing some of Nashville’s A-Team players, many of whom I’d bet played on the albums of some of his influences. It is an album that one can easily point to as an example of what is undoubtably country music, devoid of the current trends towards pop, hip-hop or any other unwelcome (in the main) deviation. In order to process you need to know the rules and this is something that Key does.

He has a voice totally suited to what he does, both in terms of his singing as well as his attitude. He handles the ballads as easily as he does the uptempo songs. That fact is writ large in the neon signs that symbolically hover above the album. The stained glass side of the title is again a reference to the Saturday night and Sunday morning contradictions in the music, as well as cleverly referencing the driving vessel used the night before.

One has to hope that next time out there may be a ten or twelve track set of songs, as all the signs are that this independent artist is poised for a bigger breakthrough. Although the music has that pre millennium sound, it is just as relevant today for many. That next step is key for Key, but here the foundations have been laid for many a cowboy boot to dance upon.

Review by Stephen Rapid. 

Anders Thomsen Seven Songs  Copperhead

As the title denotes, this is another mini-album release. This time it is from a former member of the very entertaining alt-country outfit, The Ex-Husbands trio, that also included Mark Miller who went on to play with BR5-49’s Chuck Mead. This time out, Thomsen mixes his country with some blues and rock. His talent as a guitar player is evidenced on the tracks. He is joined by bassist Rachael Shan and drummer Chris Fullerton.

The album opens with a much repeated theme of I Don’t Like The Liquor but I’m sure you can guess the next line? It’s a hillbilly honky workout that is fun. Somewhere in the same district is Money Honey, wherein our hero convinces us that he ain’t in love with his girl’s money but rather with her soul. Big, Fine Woman is one of those old school blues/rock songs that has plenty of double entendres to contend with. The slow Show Some Mercy, which closes the album, shows that aside from the rousing bar-room tracks he can easily handle the emotion of a slow, heartfelt, soul infused ballad. Thomsen wrote all the material and shows that there are a number of tangents he could develop on a full length release.

Thomsen has a seasoned voice that has been shaped by many a night in a smokey bar, singing and playing his heart out. And play he does throughout the album, which features some very tasty picking that shows his talent here on record and undoubtedly is intensified during a live performance. Thomsen seems one of those performers who needs to do what he does, regardless of the possible rewards. Those come in doing it, and doing it the way he wants to.

Review by Stephen Rapid

Skinny Dyck Palace Waiting Self Release

The euphemistically subtitled The Latest Song Hits From … suggest that Mr Ryan Dyck, a Canadian musician and pedal steel player, knows that while the hits keep a coming, that they may not be actually be going anywhere bigtime! But there are bound to be enough of us out in listener land who will appreciate his concerted efforts. Produced by veteran player Billy Horton and The Juicebox Kid, in studios in Texas and Alberta, and utilising some stalwart players, makes it a step up from his previous release GET TO KNOW LONESOME, which was produced on a portable Tascam recorder and came out in 2020.

The music is steeped again in retro inspired traditional country. One song (a bonus track added to the originally intended six track version - yet another of these, often too short, mini-album confections) is Be A lIttle Quieter, written by Porter Wagoner and sounding that it could have easily been released as cover at the time it came out first, which believe me, is no bad thing. Much of the rest of the album takes a similar route and root. The remaining tracks are written by Dyck - two with Michael Granzow. All underline his old school country obsession that prevailed at the time he recorded these songs, which is obviously the start point but, as with a number of his contemporaries, this is used as a base to create something new from something old. A case in point, Ripe There On The Vine again sounds like a Wagoner inspired creation with its blend of old Telecaster riffs, deep baritone guitar and wholesome steel guitar. It also shows that Dyck’s voice is both effective and diverting.  

That process has given us some great material with Hey Who’s Counting?, Jackson Hole, In On The Upswing to name three more tracks which resonate. The latter was also a single from the album and contains the lyrical reference to the title. It has some baritone guitar and also great steel that is both effective and engaging as the song creeps up on you. There is much to return to here that will grow with each play, underlining that an understanding of the form and the talent to deliver it in such a entertaining fashion is worth more than hits (in the acknowledged sense) and rather that it hits home in an alt.vintage way. Like some, Dyck may move on to different styles, eras and visions but it is hoped there is more of this to come our way first. We’ll be waiting.

Review by Stephen Rapid

The Mystix Tru Vine Mystix Eyes

Album number eight from a band who continue to create music that engages and entertains. Formed in 2002 by Jo Lily and Bobby B Keyes, the early albums were a welcome addiction with an eclectic mix of country influenced swamp rock, blues roots and americana sounds. This new record is full of personality, from the unique vocals of Lily to the fine ensemble of players that include many notable guest musicians. The core band is Jo Lily ( vocals, acoustic guitar), Bobby B Keyes (guitar), Stu Kimball (guitar), Neal Pawley (guitar), Marty Ballou (bass) and Marco Giovinoo (drums).

Lily has a voice that reminds me of Roger Chapman (Family, Streetwalkers) with a raspy vibrato and a soulful delivery. It certainly adds great character to these songs and the fine guitar playing heightens the experience with an atmospheric edge. The project delivers songs that include personal demons, dealing with lost love and down-on-your-luck laments.

Opening with Satisfy You and a slow menacing groove that teases, the arrangement builds with guitars and organ fuelling the dramatic interplay. It lays down a real marker of what is to follow on this very impressive album.

Lifetime Worth Of Blues is a sensual delve into the pot of heartbreak that epitomises the blues genre. Up Jumped the Devil has a wicked drum shuffle and a pulsing bass line that underpins the guitar and organ layers of sonic attack. Lily singing like his life is on the line and wringing great dynamics from the arrangement. A standout.

I Guess I Lose is another terrific song, all slow burn and regret as Lily sings of losing in the game of love. Again, a great band execution delivers a very convincing country inflected blues. The easy groove of Midnight In Mississippi is another addictive track and the understated guitar riff warms the soul.

On it goes, with hardly a weak track and Sugar Baby reminds me of the deepest Muddy Waters workouts, with superb guitar and banjo interplay underpinning the passionate vocals of Lily. Devil Try To Steal My Joy is a prime example of the band tucked into a deep groove and Lily laying down his vocal licks on top of the dangerously cool ensemble playing.

My Epitaph includes clarinet, trumpet and trombone in a slight departure from the other tracks, and the country sound of Which Side Of Heartache ’22 is a perfect song for the great Willie Nelson to cover.

Change My Mind has some mean harmonica parts from Jerry Portnoy, one of thirteen guest players on the album. Other guests include the impressive talents of Luther Dickinson (North Mississippi Allstars), Doug Lancio (Bob Dylan, John Hiatt), Duke Levine (Shawn Colvin, Bonnie Raitt), Spooner Oldham (Aretha Franklin, Muscle Shoals house band), and many others…

Without having credits as to who played on what track, it is hard to identify all the parts that come together to make up this very impressive whole. However, across forty-plus minutes the eleven songs are an example of this band at the height of their powers. They have certainly made records that come close to matching the peaks of this one, but they certainly have not made a better album. A real keeper and one of my albums of the year so far.

Review by Paul McGee

Beth Nielsen Chapman Crazy Town Cooking Vinyl

When we look at some of the classic female singer-songwriters over the years, we can draw a direct line from Carole King all the way through the time line that links Mary Chapin Carpenter to Dar Williams, and Shawn Colvin to Patty Griffin. The baton passes regularly as each adds to the musical legacy that endures and inspires. Beth Nielsen Chapman deserves her place at this table with her consistently high standards giving her entry to such an exclusive club.

This album, her first in four years, delivers the expected high points and also includes a few curve balls as Beth experiments a little with her sound. All Around the World opens the album and has a very commercial sound with a sing-along chorus and squarely aimed at radio play. Not that she needs such validation across a career that has seen increasing plaudits bestowed upon her song writing and her skills at absorbing and defining the inner emotions of living on this crazy spinning globe together.

Her reputation grew initially out of deep personal loss and classic songs like Sand and Water, Emily, Years and The Moment You Were Mine, helping to define her signature sound. Of course, Beth is as renowned for the songs she has written for others in a long list that includes Faith Hill, Trisha Yearwood, Martina McBride, Tanya Tucker, Beth Midler, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson.

Put A Woman In Charge is a plea to see some common sense in our race to destroy the planet through a combination of divisive ego and foolish pride displayed by our (mostly) male rulers. Beth has a manifesto, delivered in the lines ‘Time has come, We’ve got to turn this world around, Call the mothers call the daughters, We need the sisters of Mercy now.’ Again, a commercial sound with an up-tempo beat.

Hey Girl (We Can Deal With It) is a call to arms to mobilise against all the barriers put in the way of female empowerment. The bright song arrangement masking the very pertinent message of ‘Hey girl, ya gotta give it time, It’ll be fine, We can deal with it.’ Again, classic economy of words that deliver such a potent punch.

4Leaf Clover has a nice soulful groove and a song that celebrates the attraction between the sexes, all sweet flirtation and sultry promises. Dancing With the Past has yet another commercial arrangement, reminiscent of early Sheryl Crow and it carries a message the living in the moment is where real contentment lies, ‘I surrender to the big ‘don’t know’ And the back and forth, and the ebb and flow.’

The Truth is one of only two songs written solely by Beth. It speaks of living a righteous life and sticking to fundamental principles. The truth will always win out in the end. The up-tempo arrangement on The Universe is a stand-out track with some superbly observed words to describe our confusion in the midst of all our mass communication techniques that ironically leave us all feeling a disconnect:  ‘All the whacked-out wonders of the modern world, Criss-crossed high tech telephone lines, Wound all ‘round our beautiful mother earth, Great big ball of electrical twine.’

Elsewhere, the wonderful reflection on the song Time perhaps sums up the unique talents displayed by this song-writing beacon: ‘Time is a river It goes by so fast, You can’t catch the future, Or get back the past.’ Dare I suggest, timeless in its message and delivery, and typical Beth Nielsen Chapman.

The Edge is the other self-penned track and it gently reflects upon the past and the struggle to reconcile old memories with living in the present: ‘ Beyond the borders of polite excuses, My pride is useless, that’s where the truth is, Out here on the edge of how I feel.’  Such sad sentiment and sense of forgiveness all wrapped up in these wise words.

Pocket Of My Past is a song about moving forward and leaving the mistakes of the past back where they belong. It’s almost a post-Covid song for those who feel disenfranchised. It has a nice arrangement that delivers an infectious groove and subtle horn sound that blends with the backing vocals.

Everywhere We Go delivers a sassy up-tempo beat with some sweet guitar and keyboard runs mixing with the harmonica parts. Walk You To Heaven is classic Beth, a song that offers hope for the future and the message that we are never alone once we reach out a hand: ‘On the road that’ll walk you to heaven, There are mountains and valleys to cross, Take comfort and hope cause the angels, Will find you whenever you’re lost.’

The message of hope always leads the way towards the shore in Beth’s work and this new album is a strong statement that the lady is not slipping quietly away, she’s just been gathering the powers in order to reappear upon our collective consciousness. An album that is well worth your time.

Review by Paul McGee

Mama’s Broke Narrow Line Free Dirt

Believe it or not, living out of a suitcase (or that should probably read ‘backpack’) is a chosen way of life for Canadians Lisa Maria and Amy Lou Keeler, who make up Mama’s Broke.

Having spent the last eight years constantly touring in their native country as well as across the US, Europe and even Asia, the influences they have absorbed inform their eclectic sound and lyrics deeply. This, their second album, is a gorgeous rich tapestry of folk influences from Nova Scotia, Ireland, England, Eastern Europe and the Appalachians, melding together to produce an intense, almost gothic, experience, one that grows with each listen.

Launching with Just Pick One, their philosophy that life is hard, but you chose a path and you will prevail, is introduced through their close vocal harmonies, Amy Lou’s guitar and Lisa’s clawhammer banjo (and enhanced by Joe Grass on exquisite dobro on this particular track). Next up is a musical triptych: their two sweet and expressive voices a capella and ‘in the round’ on the uplifting ‘Oh Sun’ runs into fiddle led instrumentals Pale Light and Forgetting Reel, with Eastern Europe and Klezmer influences very evident. Celtic influences dominate on the ballad Between The Briar & The Rose, a lament for a broken love affair. ‘Do right man, but not right now’ echoes Gillian Welch, who is a clear musical influence, and the love is unrequited, ‘don’t you wanna be my burden/I can carry you’. How It Ends explores a love that went sour, and is the most lyrically accessible song on the album.

Elsewhere, the listener has to work to decipher the dense, metaphorical lyrics which, like the instrumentation, are a truly collaborative effort. The title track, Narrow Lines, conveys the duo’s sadness at the creation of walls and barriers between and within nations, something that they have witnessed first hand on their travels. Most chilling is God’s Little Boy, where the protagonist is a terrorist fuelled by religious dogma ‘through the eyes of your father and the voice of your creator/You made your decision, you got a holy vision/Now you move with grace and deadly precision’. The short a capella October’s Lament was quite shocking to this reviewer until I learned from a recent interview that it is not actually about suicide but, in fact, expresses how Keeler felt when she got sober. Phew.

Co-produced with Bill Garrett in Montreal, this collection of reflective and contemplative songs, with its sparse but beautiful instrumentation, will greatly reward those who like their music to challenge them. I predict it may end up as a favourite for you, as it has for me.

Review by Eilís Boland

New Album Reviews

Derek Hoke Electric Mountain 3Sirens

Nashville resident Derek Hoke impacted the local underground music scene since moving there from Florence, South Carolina almost twenty years ago. Together with his recording and performing career, Hoke is the founder of the $2 Tuesday at 5 Spot in East Nashville, hosting and introducing scores of acts at that fabled venue, many of whom made their maiden appearances there before becoming household names in the Americana music genre.

Far from limiting himself to the role of MC, Hoke’s latest recording follows on from his 2017 album, the somewhat prophetically titled BRING ON THE FLOOD. Whereas that recording was Hoke’s thoughts on the unfolding political and environmental landscapes facing his country - emphasised by tracks like Love Don’t Live Around Here and When The Darkness Comes - his latest offering is altogether more bullish.

A self-taught musician, Hoke served his time playing sports bars and the like in South Carolina before moving to Music City and becoming a key player in the bohemian East Nashville musical community. As a result, contributors to his earlier recordings included like-minded neighbours Robyn Hitchcock, Jason Isbell, Luther Dickinson, Elizabeth Cook, and Aaron Lee Tasjan. Guests on this latest album include both Lillie Mae and Thayer Serrano.

Like many of his musical peers, his arrival in Nashville was anything but glamourous, he describes the experience in his own words: ‘In a weird sense, the biggest thing I ever did was make that decision to come here with my car and a mattress; to figure it out and to write some songs that I was proud of.’

On ELECTRIC MOUNTAIN, Hoke cruises from the relaxed to the more frenetic.  Standout tracks are the swirling Novocaine, co-written with the album’s producer Dex Green (Elvis Costello, Aaron Lee Tasjan, Allison Russell), and the mellow crescendo hitter and album opener, Wild and Free. The autobiographical and ZZ Top sounding Hush Your Mouth is a commentary on the new kids arriving in town, soon to accept that they’re only in the halfpenny place, relative to the talent surrounding them in Nashville. Say You Will is a laid-back country rock ballad recalling the sound of the early 70s and Hoke closes with On Top Of The Mountain, advising caution on the road to perceived stardom or in his own words ‘be careful what you wish for.’

Making music that blends together classic rock and roots, fans of Jonathan Wilson and Aaron Lee Tasjan will instantly connect with ELECTRIC MOUNTAIN, I certainly did.  

Review by Declan Culliton 

Amy Ray If It All Goes South Daemon

Georgia-born Amy Ray’s artistic origins date back to her high school days in Atlanta, when she and her childhood friend Emily Sailers formed Indigo Girls. That combination has recorded fourteen studio albums and three live albums to date and established them as career activists, both politically and environmentally.

Ray’s solo career has yielded six solo studio albums, the last being the exceptional HOLLER, released in 2018 and one that this writer regularly returns to. She has seldom been at a loss in attracting contributors to her recordings and the guests on this album include Brandi Carlile, Natalie Hemby and Allison Russell (vocals), Alison Brown (fiddle), Phil Cook (vocals and keys). and Sarah Jarosz (vocals and mandolin).

Recorded live to tape at Nashville’s Sound Emporium with Brian Speister at the controls, the final mix was by Bobby Tis from Tedeschi Trucks Band. Ray’s work has repeatedly found her drilling into issues such as racism, homophobia, and exploitation and those themes reappear across the ten tracks on IF IT ALL GOES SOUTH. 

The desolation and demise affecting much of rural America are considered on the powerful They Won’t Have Me. ‘I sit in diners with all the old men and they talk of work cause it’s all they ever did,’ sings Ray, followed by spiralling guitar work from her long-time ‘go-to’ guitarist Jeff Fielder. Some of Ray’s regular players that feature on the album are Daniel Walker (keys), Matt Smith (pedal steel), Adrian Carter (fiddle), Kerry Brooks (bass), and Jim Brock (drums). They are in fine form throughout and no more so than on the spirited opener, Joy Train and the gorgeously nostalgic and soulful Subway.

Recalling the inherent racism of her childhood, Ray is joined on vocals by Allison Russell for the impassioned Tear It Down (‘Tear it down, tear it down, that ragged cross of race. The stone and the ore beaten into monuments, that rose out of hate). Environmental suicide is addressed on the swinging Cowboys and Pirates (‘All these beaches are crawling with fools breaking Mama’s rules, if we don’t clean our shit up soon it’s all gonna go boom.’).

A creative fire that continues to burn, Ray’s work has consistently questioned and explored the darker side of her beloved American South. She does so with great aplomb once more with IF IT ALL GOES SOUTH, resulting in an album of fiercely intense songs nestled comfortably alongside emotional and introspective ballads.

Review by Declan Culliton 

Charley Crockett The Man From Waco Son Of Davy/Thirty Tigers

‘Everybody was telling me, ‘Go right, go right, go right, I went left. I had to hold on to what has gotten me this far.’ Sage words from an artist that has controlled his own musical destiny with great rewards and ignored the traditional career path under the control and thumbs of industry moguls. It has also resulted in eleven studio albums over the past seven years, from an artist who lives and breathes country music.

Somewhat ironically, Texan Charley Crockett was awarded the accolade of ‘Emerging Act of The Year’ at the Americana Award Show in 2021, despite having carved out his own career path since his debut album in 2015, with steadily growing album sales and sell-out tours both in the U.S., the U.K., and in Europe.

What started off as a demo session with his band The Blue Drifters at Bruce Robison’s Bunker Studio outside Austin, developed into this fifteen-track record that maintains Crockett’s prolific output of quality, self-titled, Gulf and Western music. It’s his second album this year, following in the footsteps of the excellent LIL’ G.L. PRESENTS JUKEBOX CHARLEY. Playing live in the studio with his regular players on his latest project, such was Crockett’s satisfaction with the takes that they were elevated from demos to masters, not surprisingly given the quality of the end product.

The piano-led instrumental opening track creates images of spaghetti western, dusty, small-town barrooms. It’s also a pointer toward the album’s direction, with tracks Cowboy Candy, Horse Thief Mesa, and the jazzy Trinity River being particularly cinematic. As you’d expect Crockett also includes a few ‘tears in your beer’ compositions, with Time of the Cottonwood Tree and Odessa. Other high points include the title track, complete with its Morricone-styled arrangements, the murder ballad July Jackson, and the sardonic Name On A Billboard, which takes a barbed dig at the industry movers and shakers. The characters that populate the songs may be fictional or closer to home. Either way, with killer arrangements that are suitably understated and Crockett’s pristine vocals, THE MAN FROM WACO is another chapter from an artist that has fully blossomed in recent years. 

In splendid voice throughout and telling his tales with his trademark semi-spoken lyrical style, Crockett’s songs are brimful of texture and detail. He can also take credit for introducing his kind of old-time country and western to an audience not previously exposed to a genre that isn’t currently considered hip or trendy. Hugely enjoyable from start to finish.

Review by Declan Culliton 

Triggers & Slips What Do You Feed Your Darkness? Self Release

A band who to these ears appears to bridge the gap between some hardcore country, rock and folk influences - something they do it with some style. They are fronted by Morgan Snow, who wrote the majority of the songs here bar one, a co-write with Ashlee K Thomas, and two cover songs, one of which will be familiar to many (and is their latest single), a take on Dwight Yoakam’s It Won’t Hurt. It stands alongside Dwight’s version and doesn’t let the song down. The band name refers to the twin attributes of living that may be described as motivation and mistake.

They hail from Salt Lake City in Utah and have developed a scene for themselves there. The band and guests (there are nine musician credits on the album) have put together an album that is the sum of its parts and shows Triggers and Slips to be worthy of wider attention. As the title suggests, they don’t shy away from the darker sides of life and liaisons. The title track is the final song here and is largely delivered acoustically, showing off Snow’s stalwart voice and its capacity for conveying emotion. The song is prefaced by the uncredited unaccompanied I Could Be The Rain written by Utah Phillips (though he is credited with writing the song). It is a somewhat down beat end to the album, but one that adds a sense of reality to the direction of the recordings, and reflects the thoughts of a person who has not faced down some of these issues himself and has lived to tell the tale.

Family vs Business (a previous single) opens the album and details how, if the two are set against each other, there is usually one winner and it’s not the family. True Love may be something that can be found but is all too easily lost by “doing it wrong.” The song makes good use of Greg Midgley’ piano and Muskrat Jone’s pedal steel. I Didn’t Mean To is full of regret but regret delivered in an alluring fashion, with the band again in fine upbeat form. That subject is once again central to Return To Me, a country weeper that pleas for a return to help stabilise a relationship. Fatalism is what is shaping Going Nowhere, which is where the song takes us, with the realisation that that may be the best place to be. The lines of Done With Debbie reveal that the use of crystals, pendulums, talons and feathers have revealed nothing and too much and it is time to move on.

There is a nice change of vocal delivery on You Did It To Me Again, where Snow is joined by an equally powerful contribution from Lilly Winwood, that fits solidly into the classic country duet mode. There is an atmospheric intro to Future Variation, showing again that Snow is a crafted lyric writer with the lines “Patterns of decision / Consequences of our youth / Can build us up, tear us down / Some we didn't even choose”, giving an insight into how patterns and random options can lay a path down that is difficult to escape from.

Produced by the band and Mike Sasich, it is the work of a team fronted by a writer who have all done their best to create something they are happy and proud of. It is, but also, above that, it is a damn good listen.

Review by Stephen Rapid

Sunny Sweeney Married Alone Aunt Daddy/Thirty Tigers

Straight up this is a strong contender for one of the albums of the year and another great album from Sweeney. I was lucky enough to pick up a copy of her independently released HEARTBREAKER HALL OF FAME before it was picked up by Big Machine - a move I thought would bring her music to a wider audience, but for whatever reason, that didn’t quite work out as planned. Neither did the follow up release - also on another major label. Both helped confirm that Sweeney is a damn fine singer and songwriter, something which she went on to prove on three further independently produced releases.

Now she is back with this brand new collection of songs, some relating to a recent marriage break-up, and others just taking a strong and independent attitude to life and relationships that take no prisoners. Sweeney here picks some like-minded partners to co-write with, all of whom are likely to have a similar sensibility regarding the perspective that comes with their shared life experiences. 

Lori McKenna joins her on the writing of four tracks, while others such as Brennen Leigh and Galen Griffin also bring their talents. However, it is not a one-sided viewpoint because songs written with the likes of Buddy Owens and Monty Holmes balance the gender credits. There are also a couple of songs that meant a lot to Sweeney, such as the title track, Married Alone, which made a strong impact on her when she first heard the song. She recently had gone through a divorce and the words of the Hannah Blaylock/Josh Morningstar/Autumn McEntire song hit home. Fool Like Me, the other song she didn’t have a hand in, is by Walyon Payne and Kendell Marvel. Both fit easily alongside the other songs that are rife with humour, respect, reasonable assumptions and a willingness to try to work this out when a partnership is in difficulties. In other words, some reality music for real times.

The lyrical content is only one aspect of the album’s strengths, for throughout Sweeney’s vocals are measured and meaningful. They bring the characters to life over the thrilling production of Paul Cauthen and Beau Bedford, creating a perfect reflection of what country should be these days. There is enough here that relates back to the earlier traditional aspects of her output, as well as the music she grew up with, while allowing the process to move forward and be perfectly suited to any current  directions that country music needs to grow towards.

The title song has a perfectly suited contribution from Vince Gill that makes it worthy of its status as title song. She is also joined by Cauthen for A Song Can’t Fix Everything - one that will resonate with any (country) music lover, knowing that it is indeed a fact but recognising that power that is often inherent in the music.

Bedford heads the team of players who are excellent throughout, with steel, fiddle and guitars (including contributions from her touring partner Harley Husbands) all bringing textures that leave no one in doubt that they are listening to a sound that is essentially country to the core. There is also an additional vital contribution from the backing vocalists who include Regina McCrary and Jim Lauderdale, as well as some of her co-writers. 

There is not a weak song among the twelve tracks, something that makes this special and also marks out Sunny Sweeney as one of the very best practitioners of her generation in the genre.

Review by Stephen Rapid. 

Laura Benitez and the Heartache California Centuries Copperhead

Album number four from the always engaging Benitez, a California-based artist who has grown with each release. She delivers a self-written and self-produced album that features several players who have recorded with her in the past. All commit to delivering the best performance they can and indeed the results show that they did.

The heart of this is Benitez, whose clarion clear voice, melodic song structures and lyrical deftness are apparent throughout. She and the band recorded in Oakland California and there are moments that remind of such fellow artists from the region as Rosie Flores and Heather Myles. Yet Benitez is an equal to these fellow artists (both of whom have not had a release in a number of years) and her own last release was back in 2018 with WITH ALL ITS THORNS. So it clearly is not that easy, as an independent artist, to bring out a new album. Especially one that is going to enhance a reputation and build on their audience.

Kudos then to Bob Spector on guitar and Dave Zirbel and Ian Sutton (who share the pedal steel duties) along with a solid rhythm section of Steve Pearson and bassist Russell Kiel and some additional guests, all of whom help to bring out the full collective sound on the tracks. They have retained the country connection but also add a certain soupçon of rock ’n’ roll to the mix, all with a California sensibility.  

Bad Things opens the album in foot-tapping style and immediately lets you know Benitez is in command here, with her voice upfront and up to scratch. While steel is there prominently, the next song has some keyboard action on a tale about hanging around waiting on someone else, as she knows that I’m The One. Are You Using Your Heart is an opportunist bar-room exchange given a Bakersfield beat and ambience with a classic delivery. Relationship reckonings are often related to a time, place or piece of clothing as in Plaid Shirt, where she considers that his next in line may have a different wardrobe in mind. That kind of acceptance of the possibilities is also key to Let The Chips Fall, A Love Like Yours and Gaslight (We Shouldn’t Talk About It) wherein the likelihood to change things would require some open, but unlikely, dialogue. Though each has a slightly different perspective and end result, Benitez gives each a place to be. In All Songs she recognises that, like life, “all songs must come to an end.” God Willing And The Creek Don’t Rise takes that Hank Snr. expression in a positive sense and plays it as a uptempo and jaunty acoustic workout, showing that this crew can do a bluegrass tune as well as anyone.

The album ends with a statement of fact, self-worth and positivity in I’m With The Band. It ends pretty much as it began, with an engagement that is fully realised and delivered with the obvious sense of joy in making a new album, one that should be appreciated across the board. 

Review by Stephen Rapid

Robin Lane Dirt Road To Heaven Red On Red

This arrived in as a recommendation from a friend and it indeed proved to be a very welcome reintroduction to Robin Lane. I had encountered in the past when she recorded an album with her Boston based band, The Chartbusters, who released their debut on Warner Bros back at the start of the 80s. IMITATION LIFE, the second album, was the one I heard back then. Since then, she has been involved with a number of projects (Songbird Sings) and released some solo albums, so it is good to hear some new music released this year and to report that it is a very enjoyable album. She has embraced a more roots/country rock/ Americana sound that is in time with her still strong but mature vocal style. Her writing deals with the kind of needs and relationships that make sense in this later period of any person’s life, as time passes and perspectives can change.

There are elements of hard country, roots rock and 12 string guitar-infused Byrdian style country, all of which gives these eleven tracks a sense of familiarity, yet with a consistent freshness thanks to Lane’s songwriting and distinctive delivery. Some of the material are co-writes, while others are written solo. The musicians on the album include John Pfister (bass and harmony vocals), Asa Brebner (banjo), Margot Ouellet (accordion), Suzi Metro (lap steel), Russell Chudnofsky, Drew Townson, Milton Reder and Pat Wallace on guitars.

There are some obvious standouts on the album, for this reviewer, which include the drum and banjo interplay of Woman Like That, about a person who is not all she might seems to be “She'd call me in the middle of the night and ask me for advice / What I didn't realize then, that woman wasn't nice.” There’s a great beat and singalong chorus to Hard Life, which recognises that fact but also that you have to get on with it. Faded Leaves has great harmony vocals that lift the song at the right moments, as it warns of the changes that happen and that winter comes on fast and that summer never lasts.

More country in style are Last Cute Minute where you have to take advantage when you can, and Rodeo Clown where the realisation for the central character was that she “never was much with lariat / I was more like a rodeo clown.” There are some moments of twangin’ guitar that appeal on the latter. There’s an almost Johnny Cash style riff to the train song Love Song’s Refrain. The album closes with Sunshine Blue Skies, where the Rickenbacker again jangles out the melodies and the hopeful forward look on life that is affirmative.

Everyone here acquits themselves with a sense of purpose and realises their parts with a certain passion. Robin Lane continues to be a force to be reckoned with musically and with her goals in life. There may be a dirt road that leads us to heaven, but here is some music that will help you along the way.

Review by Stephen Rapid

Jay Byrd At Home Again Triad

This is the debut solo album from ex-South Rail member, Jay Byrd. He previously released a solo album, Busy Day, in 2003 as Jason Byrd, and he followed this with an EP, Waste/Hoping, in 2011. With his former band, South Rail, he released three EP's between 2013 and 2018. In addition, Byrd has appeared on numerous recordings of other songwriters and musicians.

This album was recorded during Covid restrictions and features Byrd on an array of instruments, including guitars, vocals, bass, mandolin, lyre harp, and organ. He co-produced the album with Kerry Brooks, who also contributes bass on four tracks. Tim Haney plays drums and he is joined on various tracks by Chad Barger (keyboards, Mellotron, string arrangements), Gary Greene (percussion), Becky Warren (harmonies), and Piano Pace (harmony).

We are transported back in time on opening track, Daydream Daze. It is all sweet guitar melodies and easy rhythm, drifting along with a gentle flow. It reminds me of the sadly missed Neal Casal in so many ways. The title track, At Home Again, explores similar territory with a fine guitar sound and piano accompaniment. Just two examples of what turns out to be a very impressive album, with plenty to enjoy across the ten songs included. This is Roots music to ease the spirit and soothe the soul. There is a sense of belonging in the songs and their sentiments; enjoying life and all that you are given.

Byrd has a sweet vocal tone to complement his guitar talents and the project gives the sense of really enjoying the creation of mellow sounds and reflecting upon the easy passage of the days. I Should Know has some beautiful twin guitar tracking as the arrangement lifts and the song reaches a peak. Anna Lynn has an acoustic arrangement, guitar and mandolin highlighting the melody and a song about remembering youthful times and a friend who wanted to break through in her attempts at success in the music business.

There really is so much to enjoy; the lush harmonies on Nobody Knows (Who You Are) are almost Beatle-esque in the delivery ; Days Roll By is reminiscent of Crosby, Stills and Nash with the easy acoustic arrangement and both vocals and mandolin adding a pleasing layer; Losers Like Me, with the reflective guitar interplay and sense of forgiveness; Have Mercy, with a soulful delivery and slow groove, all topped off with some lovely guitar lines from Byrd.

There is a real elegance to this album, a timeless quality and one of my favourite discoveries of the year so far. Highly recommended.

Review by Paul McGee

Steve Yanek Long Overdue Primitive

This is the second album that Steve Yanek has released on his own record label. The original debut, Across the Landscape, recorded in 2005, only received a European release last year. This aptly titled follow-up, LONG OVERDUE, now arrives courtesy of our friends in Sweden, HEMIFRÅN, the artist promotion and marketing company.

Yanek is making up for lost time as a performer, having seen his career fall victim to industry machinations in the past. On his debut record, he assembled some serious talent with guitarist Jeff Pevar (David Crosby), drummer Rod Morgenstein (Dixie Dregs), and now-deceased keyboard player, T. Lavitz (Dixie Dregs) all contributing their skills.

On this new record, there are tracks left over from those original sessions, and Yanek includes three songs that feature this line-up, together with Dave Livolsi on bass, who also played on the debut release. The rich sound of Long Overdue, Like Now and You Move Me, show the great chemistry these players enjoyed in the studio together and the tracks fit seamlessly into the more recent songs, which are all written by Yanek.

Production duties on the new album are again ably performed by Pavar, who also impresses on acoustic and electric guitars, bass, lap steel, and drums. Interestingly, Yanek limits his musical input this time around, with credits for acoustic guitar and piano on separate tracks only, although he provides all lead vocals, with assistance from  Larry Kennedy (two songs) and Inger Nova Jorgensen (two songs). Elsewhere, Bill Payne (Little Feat) plays piano on three tracks and Kenny Aronoff (John Fogerty) contributes drums on four tracks.

Yanek has a very warm vocal tone and his songs look at personal feelings and frustrations, both in relationships and the world outside his window. On the track All the Sorrow, he pens an apology to his partner for being less than he should have been in their relationship and in On Your Side, he reasons that ‘There’s so much hurt out in the world, Baby, it ain’t all just falling on you.’ The beautiful About This Time, blends Italian steel guitar with resonator guitar in a reflection on love lost, with the lines, ‘’And calling it quits right now, Never entered my mind, But I don’t know about this time.’

Tired Of This Attitude is a look at the lack of empathy in society, and the victims that are too easily discarded by a system and an attitude that doesn’t care, ‘If you look real close you can see the pain, Of another life going down the drain.’ The guitars chime and the melodies are very easy on the ear, with gentle arrangements and warm sounds. Another track, Throw Me Down A Line, is a plea for understanding and a little grace, ‘Lies are easy, Once you lose your soul, We’re all slaves, We get bought and sold.’ The lyrical guitar playing of Yanek brings it all to a very satisfactory conclusion on the final acoustic, Goodbye, a sad refrain on what proves to be an impressively strong album

Review by Paul McGee

New Album Reviews

Derek Senn The Big Five - O Self Release

I don’t know about you but I thought I didn’t want to hear another song about Covid/quarantine/the pandemic, and then Derek Senn’s new album arrives and I’m happy to be drawn in, thanks to his eloquence, humanity and, above all, humour. There’s lots more to digest and enjoy though in the fourteen songs here (thirteen self penned and one cover), recorded once again with producer Damon Castillo in Laurel Lane Studios in Senn’s hometown of San Luis Obispo, California.

There are the short vignettes like Big in Britain, a hilarious fictional account of a solo tour that crisscrosses the UK erratically - ‘who put this tour together?/Me myself and I’ because ‘they like my Americana more than the Americanos’. The longer title track is a hilarious account of life as Senn turns 50, with his long-suffering family doing duty on backing vocals, as he lists the inevitable downsides of ageing, including giving up ‘meat alcohol and/pretty much everything that brings me joy/what’s for dinner oh boy more soy’. I feel his pain! The Vasectomy Waltz is equally amusing, and - public health warning - he leaves no holds barred in his attention to the gory details. So graphic is it that I am unable to quote any lyrics!

Maybe it’s because he’s getting older, but this album has more overtly politically charged songs than previously. Zeitgeist is a gentle satire on the two common types of voters in middle America - ‘a fair trade single origin queer living in Portland Oregon’ versus the ex-army prison guard who ‘hates the welfare state hence the Trump Pence sign on my fence’. On the short but incisive Addis Ababa, Senn compares the not very different scenarios of the depressing post-war fall out for two foot soldiers, one in Ethiopia and one in Ohio. Sequoia Tree laments (from the ancient tree’s perspective) the authorities’ bickering over environmental issues and fears ultimately that ‘if polite society fails and the park ranger bails/they’ll kill me and mill me they’ll fell me and sell me’. The musical backdrop of guitar, bass (Castillo) and drums (Jason Slota) jumps up a couple of gears for the angry Texas Legislators, written before the controversial Supreme Court decision on abortion, but leaving the listener in no doubt as to where Senn’s sympathies lie, ‘sounds like mullarkey from the patriarchy’ being one of the more benign lines.

The four quarantine-inspired gems vary from the funky science of Viruses Get Viruses, to reality biting in Quarantine, the John Prine referencing love song Trickle Down To Thee and the entertaining, tongue in cheek (I think?) Don’t Shut Down My Surfbreak.

Highly recommended.

Review by Eilís Boland

The Local Honeys Self-titled La Honda

Although this is not the first record from the Kentucky duo, Linda Jean Stokely (guitar and harmonium) and Montana Hobbs (banjo), they say that it is ‘the first time we’ve actively gotten to express who we are and where we’re from’. Fiercely proud of their home state, the influence of Kentucky - both musically and culturally - is all over this wonderful album, which is a rootsy country recording with strong folk leanings. They called on their fellow Kentuckian friend, Jesse Wells (Grammy nominated producer, and member of Tyler Childers’ band, the Food Stamps) to co-produce and the rest of the Food Stamps came in as players: Josh Nolan on guitars, Rod Elkins on drums and Craig Burletic on upright bass.

Each of the ten original songs is a delight. Last Mule In the Holler opens with some surreptitiously recorded dialogue from Hobbs’ father, Monte, about the subject of the song, The Red Rooster. Hobbs used to show mules and this infamous boy became a World Champion under her care, but he sure was a stubborn character, as the song affectionately details. Linda Jean Stokely contributes the harrowing Dead Horses, recalling some of the horses she has lost, and progressing to lamenting the current horse welfare crisis in the Southern Appalachians, where horses are being abandoned and are dying of starvation, thanks to poverty. If you haven’t guessed by now, equines are another huge theme on this album, and this is artfully reflected in the album design, with black & white photography of the duo and some of their horses, as well as lots of photos from the studio and a lyrics sheet.

The storytelling continues with The Ballad of Frank & Billy Buck, based on the true life tale of the grizzly murder of the elderly Frank and his unfortunate dog, Billy Buck, by some wayward youths who Frank had tried to help.

Stokley’s love of the Lonesome Dove series of novels by Larry McMurtry yields two songs; Dear Woodrow is given a retro Western Swing sound, helped by the addition of trumpet from guest Will Philips, while Dumbass, Nebraska also features horses heavily!  Better Than I Deserve is a tribute to Hobbs’ grandfather, who led a fascinating life, truncated tragically by war.

Closeness to nature and a rural upbringing probably fuelled much of the earthy writing and themes on this album, none more so than on Stokely’s Throw Me In The Thicket ‘when I die’, a quote from her mother in earlier years which shocked Stokely at the time. However, she has now come around to agreeing with her mother’s philosophy, ‘let the earth reclaim my body/Let the worms devour my insides’. In the banjo-led If I Could Quit, Hobbs directly details the all too real opioid addiction that is rife in the Appalachians, ‘Crushing pills with coffee cups in a cigarette cellophane/Well I don’t trust no one to treat me and my pain’.

The only cover song is a hauntingly moving, eerily gothic version of local folk hero Jean Ritchie’s The L & N Don’t Stop Here Anymore, a classic song that chillingly calls attention to the dark legacy of strip mining in Kentucky.

A definite inclusion in my favourite records of 2022!

Review by Eilís Boland

Dead Horses Brady Street Self Release

Taking their name as a tribute to a close friend who passed away following chronic opioid abuse, the Milwaukee, Wisconsin duo Sarah Vos and Dan Wolff, together with a number of like-minded musicians, make up the band Dead Horses. BRADY STREET is their fourth full album, two of which were produced by Ken Coomer, who was a drummer with both Uncle Tupelo and Wilco in previous lives. Their last album, MY MOTHER THE MOON, released in 2018, earned the band numerous positive reviews, with Vos’ vocals being compared to that of both Neko Case and Caitlin Canty.

Vos describes this album as ‘a coming-of-age record, both musically and thematically.’ Its title is taken from the name of the colourful and vibrant street in Milwaukee, renowned for its lively nightlife. Landing somewhere in the space between indie and folk, the album often addresses its author’s personal journey. Sarah Vos writes the songs, delivers them with her distinctive vocal style, and plays guitar.  Dan Wolff complements her vocals with atmospheric acoustic and upright bass. The arrangements are generally sparse, with drums being the only other instrument featured.

The opener and title track Brady Street captures the album’s overall mood. Exploring present day America and the challenges it poses, themes that emerge include sexuality (You Are Who You Need To Be), anxiety (Ok Kid), and regret (All I Ever Wanted To Be). Recorded live, the serene acoustic track Bird Over the Train speaks of liberation and escape, and the breezy and upbeat album highlight, It’s All Good, reminds us that darkness is always followed by brightness. A further prompt in the direction of positivity and rebirth, they sign off with the reflective rocker Days Grow Longer.

Broadly the sonic terrain here is indie folk. Bemoaning a world of ongoing problems and combining themes of joy and sadness, BRADY STREET will particularly and justifiably appeal to lovers of Anais Mitchell and The Cowboy Junkies.

Review by Declan Culliton 

Will Hoge Wings On My Shoes Self Release

Readers of a particular vintage will recall that prior to the emergence of Americana and the subsequent scores of subgenres in contemporary music, we simply had rock and roll, pop, blues, folk, country, and jazz.  And it didn’t take a science degree to place whatever you were listening to into one of these categories. You’re likely to find this album from Will Hoge in the Americana section of your favourite independent record store, but in essence WINGS ON MY SHOES, in a similar vein to Hoge’s previous eleven albums, is simply, in old speak, a rock and roll album, and a particularly good one at that.

Recreating the dynamic sound of his live shows, Hoge and his band, Thom Donovan (guitar), Christopher Griffiths (bass), and Allen Jones (drums), holed up for a week at Nashville's Sound Emporium Studios and recorded these self-produced ten tracks live on the studio floor.

Hoge has long since perfected the art of mixing standout rockers with more relaxed power ballads and he repeats that winning formula here. Thumping drums and bass lines, alongside crunching guitars and Hoge’s throaty vocals kick in from the word go on the opener John Prine’s Cadillac. Born from a sighting of Prine grooving to music in his car, it possesses a powerful drive and melody that instantly lands in your memory bank and is likely to be replaying there for some time. The foot is also full on the pedal with All I Can Take and the jangly power poppy It’s Just You. Less animated but every bit as impressive are Queenie, which finds Hoge paying homage to his grandmother and the reflective Birmingham. The mid-tempo Dead Man’s Hand channels bullish expectation, desperation and eventual tragedy.

Touching on the grinding reality of broken dreams, real-life drama, and life’s ongoing challenges, Hoge and his comrades have delivered a suite of songs that sit comfortably alongside each other and warrant playing uninterruptedly from start to finish.

Review by Declan Culliton 

Freedy Johnston Back On The Road To You Forty Below

A much lauded songwriter and singer (Rolling Stone’s 1994 Songwriter Of The Year for the song Bad Reputation), Johnson has made some excellent albums in the past while working with a variety of major and indie labels and he has more than a dozen albums to his credit under his own name. He has just released this new album and it is well up to the standard of his previous best. Melodic, understated indie (power) pop with strong choruses and making use, as he has always done, of the best and most sympathetic sideman available to him. On this occasion, the production and mixing was handled by Eric Corne and the musicians include the rhythm section of Dusty Wakeman and David Raven, Doug Pettibone on lead and steel guitar and Sasha Smith on keyboards. In other words, some of California’s best roots musicians. Add to that some strings from Stevie Blacke on two tracks and the harmony vocals on a track each from Aimee Mann, Susan Cowsill and Susanna Hoffs and you have a formidable team, topped by Johnson’s lead and harmony vocals, songs, rhythm guitar.

The ten new songs are all written by Johnston and are centered around relationships. The opening title song repeats the title as an affirmation of a continuing situation. The next song up, There Goes A Brooklyn Girl, is another ambigious situation “There goes my baby / I just told her that's she's my number one / And she went ‘maybe’.” Madeline’s Eye is a standout, built around a strong riff and vocal chorus to portray a somewhat one-sided uncertain bond “Looking in Madeline's heart / … I see the problem right from the start.” These are observations from a man who has absorbed the ongoing interactions between the sexes. The remaining tracks follow a similar pattern of deftly written songs that marry the words ands melodies to string arrangements. 

So Trying To Move On, The Power Of Love (another song that seeks to define that emotion and title) “See, if you've been around the universe / You know that everything runs on love,” That’s Life takes a view of life from a more grown up perspective, offering guidelines and practical advice “But it's way past time for you kids to be in bed / I better hear nothing when I shut off this light / Hey, that's life.” There are upbeat songs sitting alongside the more reflective songs that again contemplate age, love and the the barriers that may arise to being together.

Any Freedy Johnson fan, or simply a lover of this kind of dexterous writing will find pleasure here.  A songwriter who continues to write because there is an inner need to put pen to paper (and there are a number of them who to continue to do so). But in the end, it is good to be back on the road with Mr. Johnson at the wheel.

Review by Stephen Rapid. 

Martha Spencer Wonderland Self Release

With a background in acoustic mountain music and Appalachian music in her home in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Martha Spencer has just released a second album that has an attractive quirkiness to it. She has been influenced by such old-time icons as Hazel Dickens and Alice Gerrard, as well as by the diverse nature of Dolly Parton’s career, which itself included country and bluegrass as staples. There is a similarity in the the way her words recall the early music of Parton and the way it details a simple, yet satisfying, approach to life, even if it was one lived sometimes with hardship and difficulty but also, often, with love. She was a member of a number of bands such as the Blue Ridge Girls and Whitetop Mountain Band (who have several albums to their credit) and is a multi-instrumentalist (banjo, guitar, mandolin, upright bass, dulcimer and fiddle). So being immersed in many aspects of traditional music, as well as that being played by contemporary artists, she was well placed to produce this album with Wesley Easter.

As this album comes out under her own name and is a mix of original songs and public domain and cover songs, it manages to cover several side roads down from the mountain. Whilst I am aware of some of these songs, others of the outside material choices are like original songs. Of the known songs, Summer Wine, the often recorded duet, is given an interesting treatment that is well served by Kyle Dean Smith’s baritone vocal, which contrast well with the higher register of Spencer’s own voice. Also here are versions of Walking In Jerusalem and Wind And Rain, both given treatments that fit well with the new material.

These songs include the title song, which gives the listener a pretty fair idea of Spencer’s credentials, on through Rags Over Riches, You’ve Rambled Too Long, Young Rover and Yodeland - which is a little yodel, as the title would have you expect. All of these songs feel like they could have come from the old-time mountain music songbooks from many years ago, yet also seem well placed to be heard now.

Throughout the album, Spencer makes good use of harmony and duet vocals to bring an extra dimension to the songs. Fellow vocalists include Jonathan Ferrell, Jamie Collins, Dudley Connell, as well as the Legendary Ingramettes, Alice Gerrard and Luke Bell (an outstanding artist who recently unfortunately passed away). The playing is equally effective and pared back to essential contributions, that allow the songs to breath and tell their tales.

Whilst not being a particularly constant listener to bluegrass and old-time music, the occasional album catches the attention and draws you to its heart. I also feel that Spencer could (and perhaps should) make a straight country album. All the ingredients are here, in fact several of the songs could easily be recognised as such. The fact is that Spencer is an all round artist and entertainer, steeped in the music that emanated from her birthplace and it is in her soul. A wonderland of story and music that travels from there to a place that has resonance, well beyond the wind and rain there, to many other places.

Review by Stephen Rapid

Brian WilloughbyTwiddly Bits Cabritunes

Nineteen instrumental tracks can be considered something of a challenge. Perhaps, even an endurance test, especially if the artist is someone that is not internationally recognised, or featured regularly on the radio waves. Happily, nothing could be further from any such assumptions made when it comes to the very talented Brian Willoughby.

The information booklet that accompanies this elegantly packaged release contains a centre page spread of eighteen guitars, all of which were used in the recording process. The tunes are varied, taking in reflective melodies (Clara’s Theme), country influenced rhythms (Busterchops), blues phrasings (Kitesurfing) and an occasional rocky vibe (Red Steel Tracks) thrown in for good measure.

Brian is a very lyrical instrumentalist with an elegance and light touch across the frets, coupled with a lovely tone in his playing style. Never more so than on the beautiful Narrow Waterfall which captures all the gentle harmony of fluid movement contained in both water and beautiful melodic music. Another lovely arrangement is Buenos Suenos (good dreams), a tribute to the enduring memory of Nanci Griffith, an artist whom Brian played with on a number of occasions.

Brian uses keyboards to colour the instrumental arrangements on a number of the tracks, together with some very understated drumming parts by Dennis Bryon, bodhran by Niall Quinn, and whistle by Danny McGreevy.  The very talented Cathryn Craig provides acoustic rhythm guitar on a further six tracks and their gently observed interplay is a delight on numbers such as White Stratosphere, The Point and Uisce Beatha.

Glenarm 1949 is a track written for Brian’s birthplace and he uses an e-bow to great effect to mirror a  guitar sound that reminds me of the harmonics created by Brian May at his best. In other places (Peace Pipe), the easy fretboard technique calls to mind Mark Knopfler in the delivery and captures Brian’s ability to soar and compliment the rhythm with a less-is-more approach on solo runs.

Brian was a member of the wonderful Strawbs, darlings of the English Folk Rock circuit during the 1960s and into the 70s; and still performing to this day. He also played with Mary Hopkin at the start of her fame when first signed to the Beatles, Apple Records label.

Dunavil Beach is a timeless piece that reflects the gentle pull of nature, the sea and a soft breeze to take away your cares. The album ends with a fine guitar work-out on She Rang Our Bell, deep bass and percussion driving the beat, while the harmonics and interplay soar and swoop to dramatic effect.

This is a very fine collection of music that highlights a master of his craft over fifty- three magical minutes of impressive performance. Visit http://www.craigandwilloughby.com/index.htm for a full list of all releases by Cathyrn and Brian. Well worth your investment.

Review by Paul McGee

Jeff Finlin Soul On the Line Continental Song City

It’s been a few years since we last heard some new music from this well-travelled troubadour. Indeed, it was 2017 when his last collection, Guru In the Girl, was released and that album was co-produced by both Jeff and multi-talented musician/producer, BJ Baartmans, in Boxmeer, Holland. The duo played most of the instruments on what was a very atmospheric, laid-back, reflective groove of a record.

So, five years later, I’m happy to see Jeff returning, with ten new tracks and a focus on a bigger band sound. Recorded in Fort Collins, Colorado and produced by Jeff, who also wrote all the songs, this is a guitar driven project with a trio of  Joe V McMahan, Eben Grace, and Eric Straumanis providing the impressive electric guitar sounds; ably supported in the engine room by Taylor Tesler (bass) and Finlin himself, who contributes on drums, piano, acoustic and electric guitar, percussion and vocals. Add in the accordion and horns of Brian Keller and you have the ingredients for an album that really cuts loose.

Starting with the title track, a big production number, the horn sounds add a soulful groove, and Finlin announces his return as a born-again rocker. Wondering What Went Wrong is another full sonic attack that includes an engaging horn sound to reflect the band dynamic. Bardo Time slows the pace on an interesting arrangement, with reference to the Tibetan phrase that means the period between dying and rebirth. It gives a sense of how Finlin was feeling during the Covid lockdown days. The addition of harmonica on the track is particularly effective.

The sassy attitude continues with a stripped-down, Springsteen-sounding, The Great Divide, with Finlin providing a fine vocal that channels a street-cool persona and a less-is-more strut; reflecting the easy flow of a rhythm n’ blues groove.

Turn This Cadillac Around is a standout, all small- town American getaway and a rebel attitude in breaking away from the confining reality of rural cul-de-sacs. It’s movie screen imagery, dust on the highway, greasy breakfast joints and sleazy late-night diners reflected in the delivery.

Misery Man is another fine song, with a Tom Petty sounding workout and a sharp band delivery, before the slow groove of Tennessee Rain introduces a John Hiatt dynamic to colour the laid-back arrangement and a message of love in vain. My favourite track on this album, the restrained, rhythm complements the song message perfectly.

Round In the Circle is a reflection on repeating the same mistakes and not growing from the experiences, ‘ And it’s one step up and two steps down my friend, Our big old hearts hung out to dry in the wind.’ Written In the Stars is a slow melody that reflects on relationships and impressions that linger, maybe everything is predestined and our paths are indeed fated to follow our specified fates.

Final song, Hearts On High, shows Finlin reflecting on the transience of beauty and the stillness of inner reflection. There is a peace in letting the personal walls come down. Thirty-eight minutes of thoughts from an experienced songsmith. Album number fourteen and no sign of hanging up the guitar yet. His books on Yoga and addiction recovery are also out there, along with three books of prose.  It’s a very solid return with some excellent musicianship on display. Consistently colourful in many ways, the sum is definitely a reflection of the parts, some great dynamics and a considered assurance.

Review by Paul McGee

Concrete Prairie Self-Titled Good Deeds

Ten songs from a band who are based in the beautiful city of Bath, England. Their sound is a mix of traditional Folk influences and a modern take on what could be dubbed “Anglo-cana.” The group comprises Joe Faulkner (lead vocals, guitar, harmonica), Adam Greeves (vocals , guitar, mandolin, harmonica), Dan Burrows (vocals, bass, banjo), Georgia Browne (fiddle), and Tom Hartley (drums).

This debut album was produced by John Reynolds (Peter Gabriel, U2), giving some justification to the media attention that this band is gathering. No doubt they have had to endure the occasional comparison to Mumford and Sons, if only because they too are based in England, but their colour palette runs to deeper hues and shades.

Kicking things off with Picking Up Pieces,  the album opens with a blending of fiddle and harmonica into a sweet melody that looks at the role that new parenthood brings, ‘Take my hand and we’ll dance through the darkness, When it falls.’

The gorgeous melody on I Wish You Well has the band playing in sweet unison, the brushed drumming very much in the pocket and nudging the song arrangement to increasing heights, ‘Time is borrowed, And time can be cruel, If there’s time for tomorrow, I wish you well, Annabelle.’

Bury My Blues is a nice jaunty work-out with Bluegrass leanings in the arrangement. Lyrical fiddle again to the fore, but hiding a message that references self-harm and facing the darkness by taking one day at a time. Hard Times follows and also refers to dark days and a foreboding sense of danger. The arrangement is suitably edgy with electric guitar expressing the pain of self-doubt and uncertainty.

Day By Day has another light and bright sound, with a message that living for the moment brings fair reward and worrying about what may unfold is a waste of energy and time, ‘When this old world’s in such a damn hurry, I leave behind my woes and worries.’ People Forget is a song about the painful topic of addiction, with an accusing finger pointed at a parent who let the family down, ‘You stole my youth, stretched the truth, It’s too little and it’s too late, The very least you could do is stand by your mistakes.’

Time To Kill revolves around a knife crime and the killing resulting in crossing over to the dark side. ‘The pinnacle of criminal is where seeds are sown, In the dark, in the wild, wild rain, I’m the devil’s disciple now.’ Fiddle soars throughout and there is some atmospheric electric guitar too.

Wine On My Mind is a song that tackles alcoholism and the refuge that addiction gives, albeit temporary in relief. It is well written and stark in imagery. There is great drumming and fiddle to drive this song and the lyric ‘Wine, whiskey, cocaine and gin, Picked my poison and let it win.’

Winter Town is about loneliness in a seaside town and the high price paid for being stuck in a rut. The song has a bleak ending and the reflection that ‘He’s a summer guy in a washed-out winter town.’

The final track, The Devil Dealt the Deck, is a song about getting bad breaks and trying to reconcile what fate decrees, ‘ If the devil’s in the details, Where do I stand? I’m never going to make it to the promised land.' Although a lot of the subject matter leans towards the darker side of our nature, focusing on the negatives in life doesn’t mean that you can’t see beyond the pain – it takes the darkness of night in order to clearly see the stars after all…

The engaging fiddle of Georgia Browne adds an extra edge throughout, and this proves to be a very interesting debut album, filled with inventive playing and tight song arrangements, strong song-writing and a real sense of the dynamic required to propel the band forward.  An album that is well worth your attention.

Review by Paul McGee

New Album Reviews

Jim Lauderdale Game Changer Sky Crunch

Once again Jim Lauderdale proves himself to be an artist who defines the original definition of Americana - a blend of country, bluegrass, country-soul, and country rock. For this, his thirty-fifth album proves he is either a natural talent or persistent. The truth is in both. Despite many changes from a number of major labels through to the top-notch indies, Lauderdale has consistently produced the goods. There is a thought that maybe fewer releases would give him an opportunity to put the best songs onto a smaller selection. Given that he is, first and foremost, a songwriter, that notion flies against the way that he thinks and works. There is also the added factor that Lauderdale tours a lot and his fans have come to expect a new album each time he goes on the road. Now by releasing material on his own imprint, he is calling the shots without anyone looking over his shoulder.

That this new release is a consistently good showcase is a testament to his ethos. Other than his undoubted melodic skills as a writer, his distinctive and maturing vocal style is something that many would envy. He is able to phrase his lyrics in a manner that has strong echoes of his heroes and musical icons that shaped his direction. Yet the end result is most definitely Jim Lauderdale. 

He has co-produced the album with Jay Weaver, who also plays bass here, as he has done on many previous albums.  Which is a good time to mention that Lauderdale also hand picks the musicians for his recordings. This is equally true this time out with Kenny Vaughan, Chris Scruggs, Rush Pahl, and other fine players among the many credits alongside background vocalists Lillie Mae and Frank Rische. There are twelve new songs and several immediately deserve a place on that enlarging “best of” list, including That Kind Of Live (That Kind Of Day), Wishbone, Friends Again (with a nifty Telecaster guitar riff) or We’re All We Got, a co-write with Mary Gauthier and Jaimee Harris. As with other songs here, there is a realistic observation of the kind of relationships which, while they may not have the fire of passion of youth, but instead come with an acceptance of what is a real possibility of connection. Lauderdale has largely always written about the pursuit of love and has done so from both a down-to-earth attitude as well as one tinged with a romantic oversight.

This is one of Lauderdale’s recordings that sits more into the solid classic country mode, doing so in an old-school way with some great touches of Buck and Bakersfield in the mix. To be this rewarding at this stage of his career is proof of an enduring talent that, while he has never reached the commercial heights that he, no doubt, hoped for when he started out, has continued to do what he loves and thrives on. He hasn’t changed his game at all here with GAME CHANGER, just built upon what he has always done so well.

Review by Stephen Rapid.

Randy Huston Tines Life These Outside Circle

First off and you are taken by Huston’s deep and patinated baritone voice. He is a working cowboy as well as a singer/songwriter and has a ranch in New Mexico, where he breeds livestock and, in his youth, broke horses and worked the rodeo circuit. He is a recognised contributor to the cowboy music arena - one which now has a number of contemporary artists who are popularising the songs and lifestyle. He has been awarded number of times for his music by the Academy of Western Artists. This is his latest album and the first I have heard, yet he seems like an old friend and the music is a welcome recognition of his talents - and those of the musicians involved in its delivery. These include Danny Parks on electric and acoustic guitars, Larry Paxton on upright bass, Eamon McLoughlin on fiddle and mandolin, and Mike Rojas on keyboards. Huston takes the credit for writing eleven of the fourteen titles and co-wrote the other three. The album was recorded in Nashville and the sound is therefore top notch.

In the main, the songs deal with subjects and issues that would relate to a working cowboy and those who associate with that lifestyle. So, there is a love of the land, his country, and companionship, at the core of Huston’s writing. The title track offers that when times are tough, we all pull together and that in times like these it is important to realise that good times are likely to come again, even if those hard times are not easy to understand. Ride Of My Life is about taking to the saddle for the titular event. Can’t Pick Your Family, surmises that you can pick your apples in the orchard, but you can’t pick your family. The Storms Go To Die and I Am The Storm choose different metaphors. The former sees the power of nature in its rawness that permits a possible apocalyptic event, while the latter sees the storm as a force, not of nature, but of aggressive intention. The Way Of The Cowboy is a summation of the life and history of the cowboy and the horses they rode and the hard nature of the work - yet one that is the way they want to live. It is reprised at the end of the album to emphasise the simplicity of the lifestyle. The Hands That Held The Child is a more poignant look at how a child can do service for the country and also honours the loss of that life that can happen in the process.

These days it seems there are a lot more authentic singer/songwriters who are following in the trail of the likes of Ian Tyson, Don Edwards, Chris Ledoux, Wylie Gustafson, and such female exponents as Joni Harms, through to more current exponents like Colter Wall. It is a growing sub-genre that has gained a number of listeners in recent times while managing to avoid becoming a plaything of the marketing moguls as they can’t get a handle on its directness, sense of authenticity, and, perhaps, its limitations (to them) in the larger marketplace. This is not an album that will change your mind if you’re not a fan, but otherwise, saddle up and listen and enjoy the ride.

Review by Stephen Rapid

Nick Nace The Harder Stuff North/South

Rather than licking his wounds, Canadian Nick Nace put the enforced shutdown and subsequent quarantine of 2020 to good use. Abandoning Nashville, where he currently resides, he crossed the border back to family and friends in Canada and spent the time composing the ten tracks on his latest album THE HARDER STUFF.

Despite the album being conceived during a pandemic, it’s anything but a pandemic album, and more a reflection of everyday events. The only song that may be pandemic inspired is There’s No Music In Music City. It reads like an observation by Nace, reflecting on a vibrant city becoming a ghost town practically overnight. Alternatively, it may be a cryptic statement on the endless stream of conveyor belt pop/country drivel so popular with the music hierarchy in Nashville. 

Relationships, either real or imagined, crop up regularly on the album. Soured romance is visited on the album’s highlight for me, Someday Is Too Far Away. It’s a raunchy killer track that sounds like it was plucked from Warren Zevon’s BAD LUCK STREAK IN DANCING SCHOOL. Childhood crushes and memories surface on Little Kid and The Skin Of Our Teeth considers the ups and downs of a present-day partnership. Elsewhere, we hear of two misfits, meeting by chance and destined for harm’s way on The Piece That Fits. The title track is an instantly catchy Willie Nelson country ballad, laced with pedal steel, and the album’s closer Last Call offers a hauntingly potent serving of fascination and allurement.

Produced by Steven Cooper, contributing were a host of Nashville-based musicians, many of whom feature regularly in reviews at Lonesome Highway, and many who are accomplished singer songwriters in their own right. John Calvin Abney played accordion, Jon Lathan was on guitar, Todd Bolden played bass and drums were contributed by Erin Nelson. Also lending a hand were Megan Palmer (fiddle), John Henry Trinko (keyboards, accordion), and Owen Beverly (organ).

A compelling blend of songs that sit comfortably alongside each other, THE HARDER STUFF is an impressive collection of textured stories notably brought to song. Well worth your investigation.

Review by Declan Culliton

Mariel Buckley Everywhere I Used to Be Birthday Cake

Continuing the seemingly endless stream of talented roots artists emerging from Canada, EVERYWHERE I USED TO BE is the second full length record from Marial Buckley. Her debut album DRIVING IN THE DARK (2018), earned her the Roots Artist of The Year (Western Canadian Music Awards, 2019), resulting in her picking up a cool $100,000.

Less than a minute into the opening track, Neon Blue, I was reminded of Buckley’s fellow Canadian, the wonderful Kathleen Edwards, and that comparison remained with me throughout what is a first-rate stockpile of songs. Her writing style is not unlike that of Edwards, focusing on life’s complexities, personal anguish, and life choices. The added reality of growing up as a queer woman is no easy station and much of the material finds Buckley coming to terms with issues that confronted her during her earlier years. Explaining the motivation behind the album, she confesses ‘I wrote this album for losers and underdogs. I want every outsider and lost soul to feel seen and safe with these songs.’

On an album filled with textured stories about survival, Buckley revisits less than happy days, filled with excesses and confusion, on Hate This Town. As you would expect there is plenty of lost love and pain also.  Love Ain’t Enough simply aches (‘Thought I saw you in the back of my car, you were combing your hair in the mirror, I was falling apart.’), all the more hauntingly lonesome by the inclusion of some delicate pedal steel. In a similar vein, Going Nowhere is a mid-tempo reflection on a relationship that has run its course. The powerful closing track Let You Down may also have been conceived from that same association.

Very much an exorcism by Buckley of past trauma, bad relationships, and addiction, EVERYWHERE I USED TO BE is courageous, thought provoking, and often breath-taking. Buckley more than touches on the grinding reality and torture often faced by gay people and the perilous paths that can follow. Backed by some exceptionally talented players, producer Marcus Paquin (The Barr Brothers, Arcade Fire, The National, The Weather Station), gets the perfect balance between their playing and Buckley’s warm vocals. The end product is a fiercely intense and hugely impressive album, that I’ll be returning to regularly in the coming weeks and months. 

Review by Declan Culliton

Wade Bowen Somewhere Between The Secret And The Truth Bowen Sounds

Even prior to the arrival of Covid, Texan singer songwriter Wade Bowen was reaching near burnout. Vocal surgery in 2018 was followed by writer’s block, leaving him disillusioned and at a loss, having previously enjoyed approaching two decades of chart-reaching albums and successful tours.

The enforced shutdown and absence of touring offered Bowen the opportunity to regroup and consider where he was musically and in what direction he wanted to go when normality returned. Of his five previous albums, three were duets with Randy Rogers, including HOLD MY BEER VOL.1, from 2015, which charted at #4 in the U.S. Country charts. Bowen also recorded THEN SING MY SOUL; SONGS FOR MY MOTHER, a solo album of gospel songs in 2016. Going back to basics and calling on a number of old and trusted friends to assist him in both the writing and playing on his latest album, Bowen has fashioned what is arguably his strongest record to date.

In a recent interview with Lonesome Highway, Bowen made reference to the development of Zoom being one of the positives to emerge from the pandemic, citing the capacity it presented him to co-write with artists and friends like Lori McKenna and Eric Paslay, as a major feature of this album. He also, for the first time, took complete control of the production duties and called on old and trusted pals Tom Bukovac and Jedd Hughes to play guitars on the album and Chad Cromwell to play drums.

Nineties country was dominated by the mega commercial and more mainstream sounds of Garth Brooks, Shania Twain, and Brooks & Dunn. However, it also was a decade when more traditional and edgy country music emerged, from artists like Joe Diffie, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Patty Loveless, Marty Stuart, and Vince Gill. SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THE SECRET AND THE TRUTH more than reflects the 90s sound of the latter grouping.

Bowen showcases his rockier sound on no-nonsense tracks like Everything Has Your Memory, She’s Driving Me Crazy, and Honky Tonk Road, all three of which sound tailor made for the live setting. Equally listenable, when Bowen takes his foot off the gas, is A Beautiful World, which features McKenna on backing vocals and also the mid-tempo title track. The standout track for me introduces a superstar from that 90s decade. Bowen approached his long-time hero Vince Gill, asking him if he would contribute to the song he co-wrote with McKenna, A Guitar, A Singer and A Song.  Gill obliged, singing a verse and adding an acoustic guitar solo on a song that is most likely to feature on Bowen’s setlists for quite a while, going forward.

Entering his third decade as a recording artist, Bowen has gone back to first principles with SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THE SECRET AND THE TRUTH. The outcome is an album where simplicity is often its strongest point on a most satisfying and uplifting listen from start to finish.

Review by Declan Culliton

Jeff Tuohy Hudson Delta Self Release

There is a quality to this record that reminds me of the big, soulful sound of Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, and that same energy runs through the impressive performance of Tuohy and his band of brothers.  With a really strong vocal delivery, Tuohy lays down a marker on opener, Funeral Party, a catchy, soulful rhythm with a big production sound and brass arrangement.  He hits the message home with Love’s A Game, another larger-than-life brass sound and the full-on backing singers add great street cred to the song… Drunk Twice Today, has some nice pedal steel and piano, highlighting the addictive groove. The Devil’s In New Orleans is a Dr John celebratory stomp with an impassioned vocal that channels Tom Waits. Lay Your Body Down has an inventive country sound while the deep groove of Murder In A Dancehall is big, bold and dangerous. Old Roads has radio hit pasted all over it and would certainly make a strong contender for current-day country music commercial stations with a big vocal and pedal steel lifting the song arrangement .

Everything is slowed down  on the superbly crafted Hear Me Out, a song that would grace any soul session, all muted horns, sweet guitar lines and warm keys supporting a stylish vocal performance. The joy of the record is the ability of Tuohy to switch moods and change lanes into a different vibe, highlighted on All My Friends Are Getting Married (I’m Just Getting Stoned); an authentic slice of heartland Americana, all swagger with pedal steel, keys and electric guitar dynamics. Again, we switch to an Irish trad influence with the Pogues-inspired, Sea Of Galilee, a racous sea shanty that would certainly get the pints flowing in the 11th Street bar, East village, New York.  Another highlight.

The final song, Click, Boom, Click is a tribute to the nostalgic sound of the roaring 20’s and the ragtime jazz feel of clarinet, piano, and sax really swing. All in all, a beast of a record that demands to be heard. Impressive in its range and scale, Tuohy has delivered a really strong statement of his musical depth and vision.     

Review by Paul McGee

Sean Thompson’s Weird Ears Self-Titled  Curation

Despite the self-deprecating title, this is music that will appeal to the many, rather than the few who, perhaps, seek out quirky-sounding album names. A veteran of the Nashville scene, Thompson has played in a number of different bands, most recently finding a role as the primary foil for the talented Erin Rae. He speaks of ‘always wanting to make something that feels alive’ and that is exactly what is delivered here, with eleven songs that sparkle with great spirit, energy and invention.

Kicking off the album is the great band sound of New Trailway Boogie with twin guitar harmonies and room for a few solos in an arrangement that is reminiscent of The Allman Brothers in the overall groove. The following track, Saturday Drive, has some superb pedal steel to augment the tight rhythm section and again allows for guitars to harmonize and solo around the song structure. Impressive in every aspect.

The mood changes on the mellow, Before the Flowers Bloom, a song that suggests the enduring legacy of JJ Cale in the restrained playing and easy flow; guitars, fiddle and pedal steel lifting the sense of harmony. The superb band dynamic is again captured on, Instrumental Health, a laid-back chance for all the players to dovetail around a central rhythm and create a sweet melody.

The traditional country sound of, Sad Old Singer, conjures up the easy rhythm, with fiddle and pedal steel intertwined, while the more rock-based groove of, Alley Scrappers, highlights the sense of threat in the lyric, ‘This world ain’t no place to be alone.’ Again, some great guitar riffing on this track.

Proceedings wind down with the joyous, Put YR Weird Ears, and the chorus line, ‘What’s there to do anyway, but boogie all your troubles away.’ Finishing on the psychedelic country sound of the final track, Head To the Smokies, gives that special feeling of being embraced by mother nature and absorbing all the quiet calm of rural surroundings. This is a really enjoyable album and one that promises great things from Sean Thompson as a self-styled solo artist – weird title and all!

Review by Paul McGee

The A’s Fruit Psychic Hotline

Offbeat and quirky are words that could be used here. There is a scattered elegance to the ten songs however and their very individualistic delivery. The harmony vocals of Amelia Meath and Alexandra Sauser-Monnig are very idiosyncratic and interesting, full of invention and complex patterns in certain moments, while gently understated in others.

Swing and Turn Jubilee reminds me very much of the wonderful Roche Sisters who reigned supreme during the 1980s. In fact, this track is a traditional American bluegrass song from the 1950s, and the following, Wedding Dress, is an Appalachian folk song, also covered by Peggy Seeger.

Why I’m Grieving is a fine example of the duo in all their pomp, with their unaccompanied singing, and vocal histrionics that pitch and trill, before returning to the central melody. The gentle lullaby, Go To Sleep My Darling Baby, has some great yodeling parts in the arrangement, simple acoustic guitar as accompaniment, later joined by acoustic bass and twinkling piano.

Copper Kettle and Buckeye Jim are two more traditional songs, the former with a lonely saxophone part and the latter with a back-porch, crickets and frogs-at-night feel to the easy sway of the guitar and light percussive sounds. It really is a joy from start to finish, gently tickling a funny bone, or simply plugging into that deep reservoir within us that reflects upon our human condition. Well worth investigation.

Review by Paul McGee

Joselyn and Don Seeds & Bones Paintbrush

This interesting duo return with a 5-track EP to build upon the critical success of debut album, SOAR, which was released in 2020 last. The formula has not changed and the special dynamic that both musicians create is as powerful and compelling as ever. With Joselyn Wilkinson (lead and background vocals, tenor ukulele, djembe), and Don Barrozo (background vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, bass, keyboards, percussion, horns, cigar box slide guitar, accordion), in the driving seat, these five songs roll by all too quickly and leave the listener wanting more.

Deep Down is a slow burn with atmospheric vocals from Joselyn, sweetly soulful in tone and telling the story of the spirit of Nature, quietly powerful and waiting for the time to reclaim her rightful place, ‘You can cover me with concrete, build a city on my bones, But I could bring it crumbling down if I let you hear my moans.’ If Covid lockdown proved anything it was the dawning of the realization that paradise already surrounds us if we can just slow down and appreciate its beauty.

Give Up the Ghost follows, and is a song about our legacy of hate and may allude to the Civil War and the slavery issues that continue to foster race crimes in American cities to this day. ‘I wasn’t there for the worst of it, but I still feel the hurt of it, When hate has no home, it’s gonna give up the ghost.’ Another soulful delivery from Joselyn as she continues to use her powerful vocals to great effect.

The title track is about leaving down old burdens and moving on. The partly spoken vocals tell of dreams for a better tomorrow. The skeleton that we build upon on our journey and the seeds that we try and plant for the world we leave behind… ‘Is there room for the promise that I must keep, I may not see the harvest, but my children will reap.’

Stay is a superb song that examines relationships and the benefit in sticking it out through the hard times, ‘It’s easier to walk away, The hardest part is knowing when to stay.’ Familiarity either breeds contempt, or content – the choice is not always black and white.

Light A Spark is another song about hope for the future – a Post-Covid anthem to get back living life to the full, ‘I wanna spread my arms open, I wanna shake the dust off my heart, If this rusty part is not broken, maybe we can light a spark.’

A very engaging set of songs from two artists who dovetail so naturally together. Such interesting, inviting music, and so elegantly delivered.

Review by Paul McGee

New Album Reviews

Mean Mary Portrait of a Woman Part 1 Wood Rock

Mary James has been known professionally as ‘Mean Mary’ since the age of six when she wrote her first song, Mean Mary from Alabam. Her life story to date reads like something from a novel, being brought up in a big Floridian family with unconventional nomadic parents, but always with music at its core.  She played banjo, fiddle and guitar and performed live and on radio shows as a child, mostly with her brother Frank, who was equally accomplished both musically and academically. Later they performed their duo show on horseback, then spent several years in LA, performing on tv and in films. After a serious car accident as an adult, Mary’s vocal cords were severely damaged, to the extent that she was told she’d never sing again, but her by now legendary determination and perseverance won out, and she eventually regained her distinctive, rich, deep vocals.

Her latest album finds Mary in hearty singing voice, her powerful vocals matched by her prowess on her signature black Deering Crossfire electric banjo. Difficult to categorise, because there really is no one who sounds just like her, her self penned songs loosely fall into the folk category, but there’s a stridency about her material that suggests she might be really be a rock performer at heart. Numbers like Cranberry Gown (with a big nod to the Irish ballad The Star of the County Down), No Man’s Land and Old Banjo explore facing up to adversity. Both producing and writing or co-writing all the songs herself, Mary keeps it in the family by having brother Frank join her on 12-string guitar on five of the eleven tracks, and she co-writes six of those tracks with her mother, Jean. Like novelist Jean, Mary became a successful writer (of mystery novels) while she was recuperating from the car accident, and there’s more than a hint of drama and theatre in many of the songs here. Bette, Come Back recounts the melodramatic frantic tale of the missing companion, only to end with an unexpected twist.

Being a touring musician (and often a woman touring alone) was the inspiration for the interesting Bridge Out, a long dramatic story she performs as a duet with Frank; and for the most affecting Big Tour Bus. Of course she doesn’t have that bus nor the ‘driver named Gus’, instead she’s ‘Livin’ the dream, with 500 miles of road in between … exiting the bar with her pepper spray gun, for another sleep in my car night’. There are also two instrumentals, and the record finishes on an unexpected hopeful note with the love song, Clouds Roll By. Worth checking out.

Review by Eilís Boland

Grits & Gravy Stringband Ain’t Nothin’ But A Thing Self Release

Probably the best known and most active collective flying the flag for American Old Time music in Ireland, Grits & Gravy Stringband have released their first record. Self produced and recorded in Cork’s Shawsome Studios, it’s a fifteen track collection of standards (and some lesser known tunes) from the vast cannon of the genre. There’s never been anything other than a small following for the music in Ireland, which is barely known here, despite the fact that the music has its roots partly in the traditional Irish, Scottish and English tradition brought to the Americas by the settlers of the 18th and 19th centuries. Also known as ‘old timey’ or ‘mountain music’, it has many similarities with our own indigenous traditional tunes. Initially fiddle and banjo led, nowadays the music is often bolstered by the presence of upright bass, guitar, mandolin and dobro.

The tunes here are led by the superb twin fiddling of Ian Knepper and Caolán Keogh. Ben Keogh (father of Caolán and formerly one third of the much missed Dublin trio, The Rough Deal Stringband) plays open backed frailing banjo and sings, Siona Knepper plays bass and fiddle and Camilla Monroe plays guitar. A rowdy and lively music that is most at home in all night sessions encouraging social interaction, the mostly fast paced tunes here are no exception. Names like Boys them Buzzards are Flying and Farmer’s Daughter belie the rural origins of the music. Doc Watson popularised the well known Shady Grove, but here it’s given a more traditional treatment by Ben Keogh in his awe-inspiring ‘high lonesome’ vocals. Another highlight is his rendition of the heartbreaking Ain’t No Ash Will Burn, while Síona and Camilla have fun singing on I Will Never Marry. Ten of the tracks are instrumentals and be warned that dancing will be hard to resist!

Colin Derham has hit the mark with his exquisite album artwork, which is based on line drawings of the tools of the trade of a fiddle maker, complete with a sepia photo of the band. Recommended.

[Footnote: since the album was recorded (2020), Síona Knepper tragically passed away in July 2022 from an aggressive cancer. We extend our sympathies to her husband, Ian, and their young daughter, as well as to the band and her wider circle. Síona was a well known and popular musician and educator in Cork and her legacy will live on in the many lives she touched]

Review by Eilís Boland

Carter Felker Even The Happy Ones Are Sad Self Release

It seems that much of this second album from Carter Felker originates in a task that his partner Amy Nelson set him: to put a bunch of his saddest lyrics, against type, to some upbeat melodies. The album’s title reflects that this, as an overall set of songs, fits that overall theme. The lyrics, however, are often tales of misadventure as much as sadness. Equally they are not without a certain amount of humour to balance that darker tone. The opening song Ski Mask is the tale of a man who takes his roommate’s gun in order to rob a local credit union. Set to a shuffle beat you can dance to, it doesn’t work out too well in its ill considered aim to change his life for the better and maybe get his woman back. Party Pooper deals with exactly that, a man who decides he has better things to do other than party. Nothing But Net tells of a tall basketball player who’s has an injury which sidelines his hopes in that direction, and it has some nice steel playing to enhance it musically. Francine is a murder ballad that details the events leading to that moment and was the first of the songs to fit the brief. It is indeed as dark as it can get, yet set against a lively attractive tune. Ain’t Got Time For That lists the many things, both good and bad, that are to be avoided or placed on hold to just go about one’s day to day business. The final song, The Legend, might be considered a tribute to Prine’s inspiration, as much as summarising the life of a would be troubadour. 

Felker has said that he agrees with the Tom Waits’ credo, which finds the telling of terrible things set to beautiful melodies an interesting way to process that negativity. John Prine is again a touchstone for Felker as he feels that Prine was the reason he does what he now does. He has performed Prine’s songs many times and has absorbed some of his penchant for writing thoughtful, likeable, character studies. 

The album was produced by JJ Mayo and Pat Palarday, both of whom are among the featured musicians, Mayo playing guitar, keyboards and pedal steel as well as drums and Palarday contributes keyboards. Felker adds acoustic guitar and obviously lead vocals, something that he does effectively throughout the album.  

While the album title is mirrored in much of the material here, this is an album that will help Felker’s reputation as one of the new exponents of folk and traditional country music storytelling in his native Calgary, Canada and beyond. It has its antecedents in the 60s and 70s singer/songwriter era but works in the context of today’s broad musical alliances as well as anyone out there trying to find their place in a much crowed marketplace.

Review by Stephen Rapid

John Anderson Something Borrowed Something New: A Tribute to John Anderson Easy Eye Sound

Switching from his love of rock and roll to country music at the age of fifteen, John Anderson moved from his hometown of Apopka, Florida to Nashville, where he launched his career by playing local clubs at night while working a variety of day jobs. Since the release of his first single I’ve Got a Feelin’ (Somebody’s Been Stealin’) in 1977, he has reached the number one spot with five singles on the Billboard Country Charts and has recorded over twenty studio albums, the most commercially successful being SEMINOLE WIND, released in 1992. 

Anderson suffered a medical emergency prior to the pandemic and while recovering was contacted by Dan Auerbach of Black Keys fame, who coaxed Anderson back into the studio and produced his 2020 album, YEARS. Enthused by that project, Auerbach invited a host of artists to feature on this tribute album and, unsurprisingly, each and every one of them agreed to collaborate, a pointer toward the regard in which Anderson is held. Artists that have come to the fore in recent years such as Tyler Childers, Sierra Ferrell and Luke Combs are joined by industry legends like the late John Prine, Del Mc Coury, Gillian Welch, and Jamey Johnson. 

Released on Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound label, the collection includes eleven of Anderson’s songs performed by some of the most celebrated artists in country and roots music, together with, what is believed to be the final recording by John Prine, who opens the album with a stellar version of 1959. With so many riches, it’s a challenge to highlight the standout tracks, such is the quality on offer here. Luke Combs’ version of Seminole Wind is a crescendo hitter and is simply stunning. Two female artists are included and both excel, Sierra Ferrell performs Years and Ashley McBryde’s version of Straight Tequila Night sounds as if it was written for her to perform. Jamey Johnson’s gravelly vocal is well suited to I’m Just An Old Chunk Of Coal (But I’m Going To Be A Diamond One Day) and Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings slow things down with a tender presentation of I Just Came Home To Count The Memories.

The remaining contributions are by Sturgill Simpson (When It Comes To You), Brent Cobb (Wild And Blue), Nathaniel Rateliff (Low Dog Blues), Eric Church (Mississippi Moon), Del McCoury (Would You Catch A Falling Star) and Brothers Osborne (You Can’t Judge A Book By It’s Cover).

With adaptations that remain true to the original versions and stellar playing and production, this is a deeply satisfying listen from start to finish. It’s also a ‘must have’ for lovers of country music and will have listeners, as it did with myself, revisiting the back catalogue of this legendary artist.

Review by Declan Culliton

Andrew Combs Sundays Loose

Written and recorded in 2021, at a time when the Nashville based singer songwriter Andrew Combs was coming to terms with and recovering from a mental breakdown, SUNDAYS is an eleven-track collection of songs directed towards self-examination, composed during that period of personal illness and while facing an uncertain pandemic locked world.

The album takes its title from the recording process which found Combs and his collaborators, Jordan Lehning and Dominic Billet, entering the studio each Sunday, recording songs that Combs had written the previous week. Quite a departure from his two previous full length studio albums, CANYONS OF MY MIND (2017) and IDEAL MAN (2019), Combs has discarded the lush and melodic sound of those most impressive recordings, preferring a more stripped back and considered approach this time around.

Living up to its title, the album was co-produced by Combs and Lehning (Rodney Crowell, Caroline Spence, Caitlin Rose), and recorded in mono, which contributes to the chilled and easy-going Sunday morning vibe to the songs. Mid-tempo mediative tracks such as (God) less, Truth and Love, and See Me, have a first take feel to them, as the author reflects on his current circumstances. ‘We are capable of such a mess, but God still lives on in godlessness,’ Combs announces on the former and album opening track. Those words bookmark the theme contained throughout, one of reappraisal, acceptance and rebirth.

Accusation and blame rather than taking personal responsibility are considered on Mark of the Man and the gorgeous The Ship impeccably explores the pursuit of release and recovery. Another album highpoint is Anna Please, which was apparently inspired by the Ingmar Bergman film ‘Cries and Whispers’, and has shades of Steely Dan at their most laid back. Combs says his goodbyes with the closer Shall We Go. A shanty like song, it was inspired by the Samuel Beckett play, ‘Waiting For Godot’.  

SUNDAYS is a reminder and reflection on the mental turmoil and fragility faced by many artists in a career that is very often unforgiving and unrewarding. It’s also a powerfully emotive and forthright album by an artist who, based on his back catalogue, should be a household name in singer songwriter circles. Let’s hope it has also been a healing and restorative project for Combs. It can be a difficult listen at times and may catch lovers of Combs’ previous work off guard, but repeated listens, with the liner notes at hand, reveal a cache of impassioned and lyrically astute compositions. 

Review by Declan Culliton

Monica Taylor Trains, Rivers & Trails Horton

Her distinctive vocal style and the Cimmaron River, which flows close to her home in Oklahoma, resulted in Monica Taylor being christened ‘The Cimarron Songbird’ by fellow singer songwriters, Jimmy La Fave and Bob Childers. TRAINS, RIVERS & TRAILS is Monica Taylor’s third solo album and she is also a member of the Western Swing trio The Cherokee Maidens, alongside Robin Lynn Macy and Jennifer Pettersen.

With Cherokee Indian heritage and Scottish roots, Taylor is very much a country girl at heart and her deep love of natural beauty, which has surrounded her since childhood, is very much evident on this recording. “I’ve always wanted to put out an album of songs about rivers and old dirt roads,” she explains and across the eleven tracks that feature on the new album, she pays homage to all three with a free and easy style.

Co-produced by Taylor and her husband Travis Fite, fellow Okies John Fullbright, and Jared Tyler are among a host of players that joined them in the studio. Together with her self-written songs, Taylor includes a few well-chosen covers such as The Ballad of Easy Rider and Gentle on My Mind, both of which maintain the album’s core theme of travel and freedom. She shares vocals with John Fullbright and tips her hat in the direction of another Oklahoma native, Woody Guthrie, with an upbeat rendition of Minor Key.

Opening with the lively The Sound Of A Train and closing with the gentle Ocoee Love Song, there’s a consistent ambience throughout the album. Taylor’s vocals are effortless and relaxed and she’s surrounded by players whose arrangements more than complement those vocals. She recalls her great-great grandmother’s relocation to Oklahoma in the early 1800s by way of ethnic cleansing on the sorrowful Salty Tears.  Upbeat toe tappers Down In Louisiana and Train Take Me Away are hook laden delights and other highlights include the more rueful Just Came In To Say Goodbye.

An album that addresses Taylor’s visionary personal journey since childhood, it captures the mood of carefree and fun filled times together with more solemn matters. All in all, a most impressive and highly enjoyable listen.

Review by Declan Culliton

Mike Brookfield Built To Last Golden Rule

Based in Dublin, this fine guitar player originally learned his craft while playing in various bands across Liverpool, London and Manchester, taking in the best that each city had to offer, in honing his skills. All these capitals boast a deep musical legacy over the years and Brookfield has been a willing student. His creative output has resulted in four previous solo albums and many slots playing with famous artists, together with a role as a music coordinator on Ireland’s leading television station, RTE.

His music has previously leant towards a blues rock sound, however, on this new album Brookfield has moved in new territories, without veering too far away from the original source that gained him such a respected reputation. It’s definitely a more commercial sound and who can blame him for wanting to try out the mainstream in search of wider recognition.

The ten tracks are certainly dressed to impress, and Brookfield displays his sense for a catchy rhythm and melody with opener, Delirium Town, setting the pace with a great band dynamic. Every track is recorded with an energy that sparks and with Paul Moore (bass) and Dave McClune (drums) providing the stellar rhythm section, we are treated to the skilful playing of Paul Eades (keyboards) and the guitar histrionics of Brookfield to ignite the flame. Grainne Brookfield provides engaging backing vocals throughout and raises the arrangements to new levels with her harmonies.

Speedway has a prominent guitar tone driving the melody and sees Brookfield cutting loose, even if the middle section, with counter rhythm guitar sounds, does not sit as easily in the final mix. The more laid-back groove of Workin’ On You Baby has a salsa styled, shuffle drum beat that gives the arrangement an atmospheric lift. East Village Vinyl Queen follows with a more commercial sound and a radio-friendly groove.

Dunkirk Spirit is a call-out to those who ignore the need to come together in times of trouble and challenge. Community has never been more important than in these days of post Covid fallout and ongoing social constraints. A Life Lived For Others is a look at the frustrations in rearing a family, the difficulties and the pull towards walking a negative path. Looking for the joy in things is the only possible release and focusing on the needs of others ahead of yourself.

Nothin’ To Sing But The Blues has a nice tempo and is a chance for Mike to showcase his excellent guitar technique and tone. He is a very lyrical player and never allows his natural feel to be lost in the band dynamic. Snatched It From My Hand is another commercial sounding track that rolls along on a bright and breezy melody despite the dark lyrics about rampant property development, and other examples of greed. Kiss Me Deadly strides along powerful melody lines with the band driving home the rhythm and closing song, Built To Last has sweet harmonies from Mike and Grainne colouring the acoustic guitar and gentle percussion.

A very solid return from this gifted musician and an enjoyable listening experience. The production is very bright and clean, just like the album artwork which delivers sharp images that highlight a confident Mike Brookfield and his Stratocaster guitar. A man that is ready for all that the future has in store.

Review by Paul McGee

Paul Kelly Time Cooking Vinyl

Another very timely reminder from this accomplished Australian singer songwriter who has always remained at the forefront of artists who developed their craft in Australia. He has released a huge volume of albums, including a number of previous “Best Of” collections. Perhaps his greatest output in this sense was, “The A to Z Recordings (2004-2010),” a 106-track, eight-CD boxed set. Kelly toured this concept, as a new idea for live performance, in 2011, and I was privileged to see him play this set, over four nights, in Dublin’s Sugar Club with his nephew Dan Kelly on guitar accompaniment. It was an incredible performance to witness, and each show had a different set list, each night. Quite stunning in both construct and delivery.

This new compilation is a look at a selection of songs taken from the vaults of past recordings, and Kelly has selected thirty songs to represent his journey across fourteen releases, highlighting that his creative output has always remained at the highest levels of quality and excellence. There is one new song, Back To the Future, and ten of the featured songs are taken from three specific albums, WAYS AND MEANS (2004 - four songs), NOTHING BUT A DREAM (2001 - three songs) and SPRING AND FALL (2012 - three songs).  There are a number of live tracks, six in all, taken from various concerts recorded over the years and those who are already acquainted with Kelly’s music will happily recognise songs like, When I First Met Your Ma; Love Never Runs On Time; From Little Things Big Things Grow; Winter Coat; Deeper Water and How To Make Gravy. He even turns Shakespeare’s words into song on, Sonnet 60, sounding ever profound in the Nick Cave-like delivery.

As a theme, Time, is something that we all dwell upon, at one stage or another, as the years come and go. Kelly has always grappled with this concept and the fear of wasting this precious commodity, whether in love or in terms of musical journey. He finds himself in a rich vein of form right now and further releases are expected later this year. If you want to play catch up on his glittering career, then this compilation is the perfect starting place.

Review by Paul McGee

Ever More Nest Out Here Now Parish Road

The name, Ever More Nest, is the performance moniker of Kelcy Mae. She hails from the Mississippi Delta and her music is fused with the deep rhythms of the region and that special insight that coming from the lands of the bible belt bestows upon an artist. All the songs echo and reflect a shimmer of both dark and light, perhaps captured best in the twilight melancholy of the vocal delivery, at once sweetly sensitive, and always reflectively tinged with a knowing sadness.

This is her second album and the eleven new songs bear the sure touch of producer, Neilson Hubbard, who also contributes on drums, percussion, piano and vocals. He is joined by the superb talents of Will Kimbrough (guitars, banjo, mandolin), Dean Marold (bass guitar), and Fats Kaplin (pedal steel, violin, viola). Such intuitive players and always sensitive to the needs of each song; never over playing and always providing the appropriate touch to raise the song arrangements to new heights. The gorgeous melody of the title track is a prime example, with all the players very much in unison and delivering a sublime example of the joys contained here. Kelcy Wilburn (Kelcy Mae), contributes on vocals and guitar and her singular talent is clearly evident on songs such as Alone Tonight, with its gentle sway and a prayer to find solace, ‘And if you want to save me, Let your hands be light.’

Equally, the confessional theme of Wishing Well is a reflection on alcohol abuse and personal demons. It sounds more like self-punishment than any sense of a release; ‘I’ll never give up on that love that we held, And I’ll never stop drinking from this old wishing well.’ The song, Hymn, is a look at the world through the eyes of a girl growing into a woman and letting go of youthful dreams, while the opening track, Out Loud, has a celebratory feel of coming out of the darkness into a bright new day, with Lucy Cordts whistling, highlighting that sense of hopefulness. There is a touch of Natalie Merchant to the vocal tone on, What’s Gone Is Gone, a real highlight among the many gems here. Again, great ensemble playing from these gifted players, and a great dynamic in the arrangement.

The winsome sound of pedal steel on, Almost Home, is complimented by the mandolin and subtle guitar accompaniment, with the lead vocals drifting out across the lovely melody. Another personal song, This Cloud, tackles the issue of self-doubt and feelings of vulnerability, in coming to terms with who you are and growing into your own spirit. The final song, All I Want, is a statement of pushing to break down walls and letting others inside.

A lot of this album plays out like a “dear diary” entry but it is far from the adolescent scribbles of teenage angst. Instead, we are given entry to the world of a mature woman coming to terms with her own identity looking back to the past in order to gain valuable insights for the future and remaining vulnerable while the transformation evolves. Another very impressive release.

Review by Paul McGee

New Album Reviews

Hannah Read & Michael Starkey Cross The Rolling Water Hudson 

Hannah Read started playing traditional fiddle as a child on the remote Scottish Isle of Eigg, when she divided her early years between there and Edinburgh. In love with traditional and folk music, and later classically trained, she was also heavily influenced by her father’s eclectic music collection that comprised everything from African music to Americana. She went on to study fiddle and guitar at Berklee, where she was a room mate of Sarah Jarosz. She now continues to be immersed in old time and stringband music in Brooklyn, NY but met Edinburgh based clawhammer banjo player, Michael Starkey, on a visit home in 2019. Although they had never played together before, the pair hit it off musically, culminating in the Scottish recording of this lovely old time fiddle and banjo duet album in 2020.

Sounding like they’ve been playing together for years, this is a collection of eleven old and new instrumentals and two songs. Starkey’s two original compositions, the jaunty banjo led Blue River and the guitar based Leonard’s Blues blend seamlessly with the older tunes. Read brings an original slow waltz, Waltz de la Funguy (there must be a good story behind that one) and they encourage spirited barn dancing on fiery numbers like Charleston, North Missouri Wagoner and Old Kentucky Whiskey. Their choice of tunes are not the obvious old timey standards, and they acknowledge their sources in the attractively designed digipak. Read switches to guitar for a beautiful rendition of Anais Mitchell’s Shenandoah, her sweet breathy vocal being the perfect instrument to express the pain of unrequited love. They reprieve the song again later as an instrumental. The sentiment of Allen Reynold’s (via Doc Watson) Ready For The Times To Get Better will not be lost on any listener in the current climate, again sung superbly by Read, with backing vocals from Starkey.

Recommended, both for existing devotees of old time music, but also as an introduction for the curious.

Review by Eilís Boland

Long Way Home A Few Favorites Self Release

Long Way Home are a transatlantic duo who have made County Cork their home, luckily for the roots music fraternity in Ireland. Kylie Kay Anderson was raised in Utah, USA where she was introduced to music at young age by her father. Eventually choosing the mandolin as her main instrument, she progressed to studying on the ETSU (East Tennessee State University) Bluegrass, Old-Time and Country Music Studies degree course. Meanwhile in Drenthe, The Netherlands, a young Owen Schinkel quickly became hooked on bluegrass after first hearing it as a teen, picked up a dobro and ‘hasn’t put it down since’. This led him to enrol at ETSU (having been awarded a scholarship there) on the same sought after course as Kylie Kay. After completing their studies, the two relocated to Cork where they are enjoying continuing to pursue their musical interests, promoting bluegrass and roots music and absorbing many other influences.

This 4 track EP is a calling card for their sound, with well chosen early country and bluegrass songs which clearly reflect their influences. Flatt & Scruggs recorded the first version of I’ll Go Steppin’ Too in 1953, and here it allows Owen to showcase his undoubted prowess on dobro (resonator guitar), while he harmonises with Kylie Kay’s lead vocals on the uptempo tale of ‘if you can go out on the town, then so can I’. Cry Cry Darlin’ was a staple slow waltz in Bill Monroe’s repertoire in the early days of bluegrass, and here Long Way Home perform it as a ‘call and response’ song, with some tender mandolin fills from Kylie Kay. A song recorded by Webb Pierce in 1953, Walkin’ The Dog gets the duo treatment, with Kylie Kay on guitar backing up Owen’s lead vocals and dobro breaks. Finally, the Carter Family’s Will You Miss Me? is sung by Owen, with Kylie Kay’s alto vocals perfectly complementing his. I hope this short EP is a harbinger of more recordings to come from this talented pair, who are really just at the start of their musical journey. Some new compositions would be very welcome next time!

Review by Eilís  Boland

The Lucky Ones Slow Dance, Square Dance, Barn Dance  Self Release

The Canadian band’s previous eponymous debut album set out their credentials for vibrant old-time/folk and bluegrass music that is built upon with this new release which, as the title predicts, is very much aimed at the barroom dance floor. To help further that sense of energy, the album was recorded in the Anglican Church Cathedral in the region of the Ta’an Kwach’an First Nation in Canada’s Yukon Territory. The songs on the album are largely original and feature the four band members, with some six additional musicians adding to the general ambience of the occasion.

All of the songs have the air of older, traditional storytelling songs. This allows various members to take the lead vocal, with others joining in on the harmony and choruses as required. If the inner sleeve collaged image of the players is anything to go by, the assembled players had a good time getting the music across to live audiences as well as for the recording. It’s acoustic music with guitars, upright bass, banjo, mandolin, accordion and fiddle to the fore in a group context that also allow the individuals to shine. The end results are as rewarding for the listener as for the band. 

The opening song Kate And Dan is a tale of two characters who take what they need in a trail of robbery and retribution, as their lifestyle ends without either life or any particular style. This is followed by a jaunty instrumental Broken Bow Stomp that is forceful in intent. The iron road gets a run out on Goodbye Train, a song about taking a consort away. Keno City Love Song recalls John Prine in its overall tone and lyrics, which are reminiscent of the great man’s work - but in a good way. A romance that relates to alcohol is set on a barstool in Fifth Of You. Another solid but melancholy tale is that of the now buried Jake - this one’s a slow dance. In a similar frame of mind but a different context is Bones. More positive is My Gal Is Good To Me which relates just that feeling to the album’s closing song. There’s a seemingly outlying connection to these isles, or perhaps its more universal, in Red The Skies which connects the sky colour and potential climate to the good fortune (or perhaps misfortune) of those who look that way before venturing out.

The band consist of Ian Smith, JD McCallen, Ryan James West and Kieran Poole but they are ably joined by the guests here who give added resonance to the tenor of the tracks. No matter which dance you want to take, The Lucky Ones sound like a good dancing partner here. 

Review by Stephen Rapid. 

Luther Black and the Cold Hard Facts Moment of Truth Wire & Wood

There is something of Bob Dylan’s early band recordings acting as a reference point in this new set of songs from the band fronted by Rick Wagner, who wrote all the songs bar the cover of the aforementioned Mr Dylan’s Most Of The Time. Wagner has a suitable soupçon of grit to his voice that feels appropriate for this set of songs’ search for meaning, love and life enforced wisdom. Many of these songs were written during lockdown and that, in some ways, allowed for an inward looking album of more personalised writing. Wagner also produced the album and played many of the instruments and then, within the protocol of lockdown, added a major contribution from band member Matt Wissler on guitar, mandolin and vocals. He also got others to add to the songs, including guests such as Will Rigby on drums and Andy Riedal on pedal steel for one particular song, among others providing percussion, backing vocals and violin.

There is a certain melancholy and air of restraint pervading the album overall. Very few of the tracks are uptempo and most are built around a bedrock of acoustic guitars and subtle rhythms. The final track Heartbreak Lullaby had its genesis when Wagner was playing his guitar contemplating the recent death of John Prine. Prine is one of many influences and touchstones to the writing that includes the likes of those iconic writes as Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt as well as Ray Wylie Hubbard, acknowledged as a major inspiration and, doubtless, Blaze Foley should get a mention here too as Wagner has called his publishing company Drunken Angel Music. I also hear, to these ears, a comparison to the work of the much underrated Elliot Murphy.

The album opens with a short atmospheric instrumental America’s Moment (there is a second soundscape later with The Pilgrim’s Plight), which leads straight into Long Way To Go, a working man’s story of carrying on carrying on in a search for some truth in that existence. From there on there are many moments (of truth) to savour in the understated delivery of the assembled team which, as producer, Wagner in the recording situation was able to monitor and mix. There are many songs that have a strong likeability factor including Before I Stop Loving You, Take Me Back, and Alamo Way which has a nice use of the guitar and backing vocals of Brandi Thompson and Dina Regine. Others like Hold On To Your Dreams have a featured violin that adds to its sense of retrospection. 

These songs are pretty much Wagner’s reflection of a particular time and place and his use of The Cold Hard Facts brings out a sense of that, with implicit adherence to its vision of that truth. 

Review by Stephen Rapid

The Vandoliers Self-Titled Self Release

The pandemic was not the only catastrophe that landed on the doorstep of the Texan band The Vandoliers in 2020. Signed to Bloodshot Records in 2019, they released FOREVER, their third album and their first album on that label, and had recorded the material for this self-titled album in 2020, which was also to be supported by Bloodshot. Everything was looking rosy in the garden, supporting slots with Flogging Molly, The Turnpike Troubadours and Lucero and a scheduled tour of Europe all pointed towards a band very much in the ascendency. However, the pandemic and the demise of Bloodshot left them without a label, off the road, and with the material recorded for an album that was to see the light of day in 2020. Left with two choices, to either throw in the towel or regroup and create their own record label, they chose the latter.

Frontman and songwriter Joshua Fleming also became a father in late 2020, and, as he confessed to Lonesome Highway in a recent interview, he ‘grew up a bit more during that period.’ Returning to the studio with additional material, they put the finishing touches to an album that unequivocally defines The Vandoliers, blending soaring ‘in-your-face’ rockers with a few forays into less breakneck raucous numbers.

Describing themselves simply as a Texas band, they recall the cowpunk sound of the late 70s and early 80s, with nods in the direction of Meat Puppets and Jason & The Scorchers. With a history of playing in punk bands, Fleming and his bandmates, bassist Mark Moncrieff, drummer Trey Alfaro, fiddler Travis Curry, electric guitarist Dustin Fleming, and multi-instrumentalist Cory Graves, fully recreate the energy and verve of their live shows on the album.

They’re out of the blocks in fine style with opener The Lighthouse and Every Saturday Night, which follows, perfectly exemplifies their core sound and spark. Equally dramatic is the fiddle led and first single from the album, Howlin’, another example of the band’s capacity to create songs that are tailor-made for the live stage. Tingling piano introduces the swinging rockabilly vibe of I Hope Your Heartache’s A Big Hit, before they close out with the twanging country toned Wise Country Friday Night.

A giant leap forward from their previous recordings, the album entirely nails where The Vandoliers are coming from. It’s also a huge statement from a tight-fit and  fearlessly hard-working band that deserves all the success that they are inevitably going to achieve going forward. Check it out and make sure you get to see these guys on stage if they’re passing your way.

Review by Declan Culliton

Andrew Duhon Emerald Blue Self Release

The fourth album from Grammy-nominated singer songwriter Andrew Duhon combines his memoirs of travelling solo on the Pacific Northwest and his homelife in New Orleans. An artist that can boast a number of strings to his bow, Duhon performs solo, with his band The Andrew Duhon Trio, and is also the brainchild behind New Orleans’ BreakFest, the Sunday morning pre-jazz music and breakfast event of Jazz Fest.

Arriving nine years after his last recording THE MOORINGS, his latest project is an eleven-track group of very ‘easy on the ear’ songs. That’s not to suggest that Duhon’s songwriting is anywhere approaching lightweight. On the contrary, his songs deeply explore life’s continuing challenges and the search for a perfectly balanced lifestyle, while remaining true to oneself and one’s loved ones.

The opener Promised Land considers and questions these concerns, setting the theme for what’s to follow. Lost love and the sorrow of breaking up are articulated on the stripped back Southpaw and the soulful Diggin’ Deep Down recalls past and often unwise life choices and rehabilitation.

Other highlights include the title track, Slow Down, and the closer As Good As It Gets. Alongside Duhon, who plays electric and acoustic guitars, are Dan Walker on keys and accordion, and Jano Rix on drums and percussion.  They all contribute to an album that offers a comforting suite of soothing tracks from an artist who directs himself towards self-examination for inspiration.   

Review by Declan Culliton

Jordi Baizan The Love In You Berkalin

On this third album, Texan songwriter Jordi Baizan sticks closely to the formula that made his last outing, Free and Fine (2019), such a success. He again uses the production team of Walt Wilkins and Ron Flynt, recording at Jumping Dog studios in Austin. It’s a wise choice to also ask Chip Dolan to return to the same studios and his contributions on piano, wurlitzer and electric keyboards are a key ingredient in the relaxed melodies that permeate these eleven songs. Co-producer Ron Flynt also adds B3 organ, harmonium, and bass on two songs, plus piano on another. Bart De Win also returns on accordion for one song and both Tina and Walt Wilkins contribute harmony vocals.

The new rhythm section of John Chipman (drums, percussion) and Harmoni Kelley (bass), sit quietly in the pocket and support the songs in an understated way throughout. Particularly striking is the track, Looking For A Heart, a poignant tale of a donor whose early death gives life to another in need; beautifully observed and gently delivered. The Way Of the World is a considered tribute to a child and the manner in which a life is formed and directed. The memory of being asked to help a homeless man on the street is honestly captured, as the parent chooses to not act on the humanity shown by the child in asking for a kindness to be shown. We all make our choices in the moment.

Fathers also feature in the song, A New World, along with a sense of hope for the future . A look towards the new generations and the legacy left behind by those who tried to find a better way, and a sense of passing the baton along the line.

Similarly, the closing song, Take Your Time, is sung to a baby in the womb and the message that the arrival of a new life in the world will be both a joy and a chance to bring more loving awareness to the world. Baizan has a sweetly alluring vocal and the sensitive ensemble playing make this album a very pleasant listening experience. Much to recommend and another step forward in this artist’s career.

Review by Paul McGee

Kaurna Cronin Harsh Beauties Self Release

This Australian artist has delivered album number seven and his music has been described as the sound of contemporary Australian folk music.  Cronin is a globally-recognised performer with a strong touring ethic, and in 2021 he was awarded Artist Of The Year at the Australian Folk Music Awards.

During the two years of Covid shutdowns, with live music no longer a possibility, Cronin has had time to recalibrate and assess where he finds himself in the current scheme of things. He has always been very environmentally and socially aware in his lyrics; something that he continues to highlight, but there has been a shift in the musical vista. There is a big production sound on this album, with bassist Kiah Gossner at the control desk.

Gone are the use of synthesizers that featured on ALOFT IN BLUE (2020), only to be replaced by both  electric violin, courtesy of Frank Giles, and rich organ melodies, with both Dave McEvoy and Matt Morison featuring. Recording took place at two different studios, and Cronin wrote all the eleven songs, ably supported by his regular core group of musicians - Tom Kneebone (electric guitars), Kiah Gossner (bass), Kyrie Anderson (drums, percussion), and Matt Morison (organ, piano). These accomplished players are joined, this time around, by Dave McEvoy (organ, piano), Frank Giles (violin), Stuart Patterson (saxophone), and backing vocals are provided by a mix of Lauren Henderson, Alana Jagt, Kaurna Cronin and Ryan Martin-John, across the various tracks.

The sonic sound is impressive and the musicianship is of a high standard, but the overall feeling is that of a more commercial sound, leaning almost in the direction of contemporary bands like, The Killers. There is no doubting the sincerity of Cronin as he examines some of the issues of our times, and the inclusion of a few relationship songs gives a balance to any fear of over-indulging in social analysis. One song that is suitably different, Why Do You Love Lizzie? questions the Australian leaning towards Queen Elizabeth and the British Empire. Australia is still a constitutional monarchy so there are lingering issues regarding the Queen of England and potentially her role as head of state.

Elsewhere, there are songs that examine relationships, such as Never Said, or One Day Away From You, where life on the road has the writer missing the comforts of home pleasures  including a very inventive use of both bottles and a cutlery drawer as percussive sounds by Kyrie Anderson on this track. Equally, I Write the Songs and If the First Time Was the Last Time, both channel personal feelings and the distance that can develop between us, both at an emotional and a physical level.

Our Way is a message that love endures and that we should capture the moment in what lies all around us. A similar message is imparted in the song, As It Comes, As It Goes, where Cronin reflects on holding no regrets, living these days we are given and enjoying the ride. There is frustration on songs like Unknown, where Government indifference seems to fuel a sense of anger. Global environmental concerns are tackled on Keep Me By the Rock, where the fragility of the planet hangs in the balance right now. The speed at which we live and the over-production and over-consumption in society are caught up in the song, Sideways, although the cryptic nature of Cronin’s words and use of language can, of course, lead to other interpretations of what is being said or, indeed, tackled in the song interpretations here.

Finishing on the song, The Hardest Part, is perhaps not the most upbeat way to close the album. Cronin sings of inevitable failure and the loss that will occur among our loved ones in witnessing an upheaval of global proportions, ‘Is it time to make a change? To concede to all the people it was easier to blame, All the indecision, among all the many fails - Forgive me now.’

Always an interesting artist and continually pushing his career into new directions, Kaurna Cronin holds as much in common with other Australian bands, such as Midnight Oil, as he does with the modern pressures of remaining relevant in an ever-demanding world of sonic vistas with hooks, soundbites and commercial considerations.

Review by Paul McGee

Andrew Tuttle Fleeting Adventure Basin Rock

When I reviewed Andrew Tuttle’s previous album, in 2020, I stated that “he produces music that is both hypnotic and soothing, mixing with elements of electronic sound and symbiotic instruments that weave into air and space.” On this, his fifth full album, Tuttle explores a very similar soundscape with the creative genius that is seldom bestowed upon us mere mortals and rarely illustrated with such unique vision.

Written during the constraints of the recent pandemic, Tuttle decided to channel all of the inner feelings that he was experiencing and turn them into musical lullabies to the soul. The beautiful sway of this music brings a soothing balm to our troubled times, while also providing a meditative calm in which we can all simply breathe out and relax our troubled minds.

Using a new set of musical contemporaries, Tuttle calls upon no fewer that fifteen different artists to contribute their parts to what is a completely satisfying whole. He does call upon both Chuck Johnson (pedal steel) and Tony Dupe (cello, viols, double bass) from the previous album, Alexandra. However, their essential inclusion is limited to just a single track in each case. No matter how many digital music files were flying across the world in random patterns, it is the overarching vision of Tuttle who pulls all these disparate strands together from his home studio in Brisbane, Australia.

There are seven tracks that run over forty minutes and their abstract titles belie the true beauty that is contained within. The opening, Overnight’s A Weekend, includes a wash of electronic soundscapes, banjo, violin, guitars and sax in an ethereal mix that conjures up a balmy night in all its quiet glory. The hint of a trip to new undiscovered lands is also in the air.

Elsewhere, the simple pedal steel, acoustic guitar and gentle pulses of New Breakfast Habit are  hypnotic while the fuller sound of Next Week, Pending adds banjo to the same mix of instruments and create an impression of a car journey, the movement implied in the momentum of the interplay and the sense of looking towards new horizons. And that is just what this uniquely radiant music asks that we do – look forward to new vistas where the music explored is borne of a creativity not easily explained in traditional terms.

Tuttle uses the found sounds of nature on the track, There’s Always A Crow, and his abilities to create brooding, haunting atmospherics on Freeway Flex, are as much down to his interest in signal processing; creating digital effects from audio waveform data; as they are from wanting to instil the sheer joy of pure sound in the listener.

On the track, Filtering, we are treated to a heady mix of many instruments coming together in an understated delivery of musical magic; with electronic promptings merging with banjo, harp, accordion, piano, violin, pump organ, dobro, double bass, cello, viola and saxophone. Blissful.

If we are to accept the genre fluidity of such an innovative artist, then there are no boundaries to music that simply excites and soothes in equal measure. The new frontier for contemporary folk music has been breached and  the fusion of electronic creations and gentle melodies has been delivered to take us into a new space where anything is possible.

Review by Paul McGee

New Album Reviews

Michelle Rivers Chasing Somewhere Self Release

It’s more customary for budding singer songwriters and artists to abandon their rural homelands and head to Nashville to follow their dreams rather than the route chosen by Michelle Rivers. Growing up in Leipers Fork, Tennessee, music surrounded her as a child, mainly because her singer songwriter and multi-instrumentalist father, David Piland, had a home studio that was regularly frequented by Nashville songwriters. Michelle studied music at Belmont University in Nashville but was somewhat overawed by the competitive edge in the industry there and transferred to Baylor University in Waco Texas. Having completed college and seeking a slower-paced lifestyle, Rivers relocated to a small town in northwest Montana. Inspired by the surrounding countryside and the calmer way of life, she recorded her debut album BREATHING ON EMBERS in 2016.

There’s a lot on offer, both in quantity and quality, on her latest album CHASING SOMEWHERE. Kicking in at three minutes short of an hour and with fifteen tracks, it suggests an artist very happy in her own skin. The album also leaves an impression of an artist that served her musical apprenticeship in the company of some stellar writers and players.

The modern bluegrass album opener Going West is awash with fiddle, banjo and mandolin, all placed effectively behind River’s vocals. The standout tracks are Last Cowboy, with its nod in the direction of Nanci Griffith, and the border ballad Gone, which features Al Perkins on aching pedal steel. Buy Myself A Job is an honest reflection on the indeterminate life of so many artists (‘This kind of life, you gotta love it or leave it. If you’ve got a gift from above, you better use it’). Set In My Ways was locked in my memory bank after two spins. Beautifully melodic, it mirrors Mary Chapin Carpenter at her best.

As well as Rivers’ honeyed country voice and clever writing, there’s so much else to savour on this album. She’s backed by a bunch of killer players including Grammy winner Barry Bales on upright bass, CMA musician of the year Jenee Fleenor on fiddle and the previously noted Al Perkins on pedal steel, all of whom inject life into a bunch of highly listenable songs.

A new artist to me, Michelle Rivers is one that I’ll be keeping a watchful eye out for going forward. 

Review by Declan Culliton

Kelsey Waldon No Regular Dog Oh Boy

Born and raised in the small town of Monkey’s Eyebrow, Kentucky, country singer songwriter Kelsey Waldon currently resides in East Nashville, where she is very much central to that burgeoning community of like-minded and hugely gifted female artists.  A pointer towards Waldon’s mastery was evident in 2019 when she was signed to the late John Prine’s Oh Boy Records label, the first signing to the label in eighteen years.  NO REGULAR DOG is her second recording for the label, following on from the release of WHITE NOISE/WHITE LINES in 2019.

Possessing a vocal that is as country and natural as it gets, Waldon’s writing has traditionally been from the heart, detailing personal struggle and adversity, rather than formulaic Music Row conveyor belt ditties. Her albums have been like diary entries, giving consideration to what she was dealing with at that given time, both mentally and financially, and in essence, surviving in an industry and city that takes no prisoners. I’VE GOT A WAY, released on her independent label Monkey’s Eyebrows in 2016, reflected on many of those obstacles. Tracks like Dirty Old Town, False King and the Gosdin Brothers’ There Must Be Someone, spoke of isolation, shady industry types, and the constant stereotyping that female artists have to endure.

Fast forward six years and NO REGULAR DOG finds her in an altogether more chilled and untroubled frame of mind. She’s even written a love song - a first if I’m not mistaken - titled Simple As Love, a further pointer to her present well-being. She calls to mind the passing of her close friend John Prine on Season’s Ending, the first song she wrote following his death, and the fiddle-driven waltz You Can’t Ever Tell earned its title from an often-used expression by her father. The semi-autobiographical and hugely melodic Sweet Little Girl tells of the struggles of seeking out the proper life choices and she reiterates her present mind space on the perky Peace Alone. Truthfully, there isn’t a weak track or moment across the eleven tracks that feature on the album and, in a year that continues to gift us with excellent albums, it’s up there with the best that I’ve heard this year.

Recorded at Dave’s Room Studio in Los Angeles, Waldon called on Shooter Jennings to oversee the production duties. In a similar vein to his work on Jaime Wyatt’s NEON CROSS (2020) and Brandi Carlisle’s IN THESE SILENT DAYS, he affects an exquisite balance between Waldon’s delightful drawl and the supporting musicians. Those players included her regular touring band members Brett Resnick (pedal steel), Alec Newman (bass) and Nate Felty (drums). Jennings played piano, organ and synths, and Doug Pettibone and Aubrey Richmond guested on guitar and fiddle.

Waldon, very much to her credit, has steadfastly remained unapologetically country, unlike other artists that switch genres, either by way of experimentation or external pressures. Using her art as a mechanism to make sense of her personal predicaments and the modern world, lyrically she treads a similar path to her idol and fellow Kentuckian, Loretta Lynn. As the music market seems to be slowly but surely opening its doors once more to real country music, Waldon is up there at the head of the queue.  
‘A prisoner of my mental cages, my own worst enemy…… Nothin’ worth doing don’t come without a price, better hold on tight, it’s gonna be a long ride,’ Waldon muses on the title track. She’s most certainly riding tall in the saddle on NO REGULAR DOG, confirming her status as a pedigree country artist and joining her fellow Kentuckian’s Sturgill Simpson and Tyler Childers, as one of the most vital artists to emerge from that southeastern State in decades.

Review by Declan Culliton

The Sadies Colder Streams Yep Roc

With sixteen releases since their debut album PRECIOUS MOMENTS in 1998, Canadian band The Sadies have created a sound very much of their own. Landing somewhere between country twang, surf pop, and 60s garage and psychedelia, their reputation as one of the consistently exciting live acts in roots music is universal.

COLDER STREAMS is the final recording with founding member Dallas Good, who passed away tragically at the age of forty-eight, from heart failure in February of this year. Dallas was vocalist and guitarist with the band alongside his multi-instrumentalist brother Travis, who adds vocals together with fiddle, banjo, mandolin, and guitars. The other band members are Sean Dean on bass and drummer Mike Belitsky.

Always willing to collaborate and invite others on board, their albums and live shows have found them working alongside a host of like-minded artists, from Blue Rodeo to John Doe, and Neko Case to Kelly Hogan. For the recording of COLDER STREAMS, they invited Richard Reed Parry of Arcade Fire fame, Jon Spencer (Jon Spencer Blues Explosion), and Michael Dubue (Socalled, Mika Posen, The Acorn) along to the party while also recruiting the Good parents, Margaret and Bruce, on backing vocals and autoharp respectively.  The production duties were handled by Reed Parry and he flawlessly recreates the band’s trademark live sound in the studio.

They’re in particularly fine form on Message To Belial and More Alone, complete with trademark harmonies and twangy guitars. The former recalls The Byrds, the latter a slice of 60s psychedelic power pop. By contrast, they slip down the gears on the more mellow All The Good and You Should Be Worried, before turning the heat full on again with the hook-filled Better Yet and Ginger Moon. They sign off with the ‘spaghetti western meets acid trip’ instrumental End Credits. It’s a fitting finale to an album loaded with killer tracks that match, if not surpass, their best work.

Prior to his passing Dallas Good, somewhat tongue in cheek, proclaimed ‘COLDER STREAMS is by, far, the best record that has ever been made by anyone, ever.’ It’s such a tragedy that Dallas isn’t around to savour and tour the album.

COLDER STREAMS is a musical journey that you really need to hop on to. Simply exquisite.

Review by Declan Culliton

Greensky Bluegrass Stress Dreams Big Blue Zoo

If you’re new to Idaho’s Greensky Bluegrass, think of them as a rock ‘n’ roll band, using bluegrass instruments in a non-traditional way. Together for over 20 years, touring relentlessly throughout the US, the abrupt onset of the pandemic allowed them ample relaxation time to individually prepare their eighth studio album, until they got the chance to meet up in person in the studio. The result is a double album of thirteen original songs, each averaging over 5 minutes long, as befits a jam band whose stock-in-trade is taking their material on the road and improvising. No strangers to darkness in their material, this album finds them, like everyone of us, searching for meaning in the current upheaval, and they ultimately find consolation through resilience.

Paul Hoffman (mandolin) expresses his frustration at being forced to stay off the road in his song Until I Sing, with the refrain ‘And I feel worthless, without a purpose, until I can sing for you’. Equally in Screams, he ‘needs your screams in my ears, something real I can feel’, expressing the frustrations of lockdown and the absence of their relentless touring schedule. Worry For You is closer to bluegrass in its sound and expresses Hoffman’s socially driven concerns for the violent protests in his country.

Because there are no drums, Mike Devol on bass keeps the rhythm faithful, along with mandolin chops from Hoffman. Devol, who up until now had never written any songs, to the bands’ surprise brought four impressive songs to the project. His eight minute epic, the title track Stress Dreams, emerged from bad dreams he was having at the time, partly due to touring stress but also because he was a new father, and the sleep disruption that can cause. From interesting mandolin chord progressions and harmonising dobro, the music ebbs and flows dramatically, backed up with some fine piano playing from regular collaborator Holly Bowling.

Anders Beck, whose dobro and reso-guitar playing takes the place of a rock band’s lead guitar solos, contributes Monument, where he explores the shock of the pandemic (‘you can build a castle but it crumbles to a cave’) but ultimately he reckons we’ll be okay (‘and look at all we’ve learned, from lessons never wanted’). Guitarist Dave Bruzza brings the interesting, languid Streetlight, where he mourns the dissolution of his marriage, ‘love ain’t a diamond you find in the rough, love is just love, barely enough’. And he gets to play the only drums on the record!

The album finishes with two upbeat and hopeful tracks: Hoffman’s Grow Together is a love song to his wife, renewing their love after the recent birth of their daughter; and Mike Devol’s Reasons To Stay is also a touching love song. The heavy duty vinyl double album has a gatefold sleeve and  ample photos, information and a lyric sheet, just like in the old days. Recommended.

Review by Eilís Boland

Julie Jurgens Appointed Tasks Butterbean

This album was created during the constraints of Covid lockdown which limited any real opportunity for musicians to meet and gather in a live setting. Instead, Jurgens retreated to her basement studio in Chicago and worked on the twelve tracks that make up this release. She grew up in rural Illinois and her challenging childhood experiences have found their way into the fabric of these songs. The confessional nature of her song-writing is a worthy attempt to put to rest a lot of the lingering ghosts of those times and her songs  touch upon issues such as  loss, trauma, neglect, and abuse. However, there is also love, perseverance and the strength of will to survive and rise above all the challenges faced.

Produced by her partner, Charlie Crane, the album is a mixture of light and shade as different musical influences colour the songs. There are the horn sounds on opening track, Once Was Mine, and the up-tempo arrangement of Thief , with nice harmonica and a pulsing drum beat behind the jangling guitars. Similarly, the bright sound of Bottle In the Way is very catchy with some warm organ and sax sounds. The understated pedal steel on the title track, Appointed Tasks, is very nicely interwoven into the gentle melody and sweet vocal tone of Jurgens.

A Whole has a nice acoustic swing and a love letter to the uncertainty of relationships and the urge to just keep working at the messy parts.  Left Behind looks at childhood keepsakes and the price paid for unhappy memories, again highlighted by some sweetly sad pedal steel parts.

A highlight is the intensely personal song, Object. It speaks of a trauma suffered and the lyrics capture a stark reminder, ‘You said you loved me in the cold light of dawn, But I am not a person -- just an object to be acted upon.’    The following song, Hero, is equally powerful – a tribute to her mother and a fine arrangement with accordion, harmonica and pedal steel intertwined in the melody -  ‘ She was my mother, And she was a girl, She was a poet, Lost to the world.’

Open Door is about rekindling a relationship where poor communication has been the victim of circumstance, with muted trumpet playing behind the acoustic guitar of Jurgens. Final track, No Constellation, is a love song to the future and wrapped in gentle woodwind sounds, ‘So let’s go, there’s a hell of a universe next door, And I’m sure that you are the one, That I’ve been waiting for.’ These twelve songs are very engaging and Julie Jurgens is an interesting talent that is certainly worth your attention.

Review by Paul McGee

Brock Davis A Song Waiting To Be Sung Raintown

This singer-songwriter grew up near Vancouver and now lives in Santa Cruz, California. Having stepped away from the music industry for a number of years, Davis raised a family and was CEO in a high tech start up. He has now returned to his passion for making music and Davis recorded this album at Ronnie’s Place Studio in Nashville, where a number of experienced players joined him in creating this impressive collection of thirteen songs. The musicians harmonise together in perfect unison and whether it’s a rock-based workout like I Can’t Get Close Enough To You or a tender acoustic balled like Your One and Only Life, the ensemble delivers with some style. There are angry songs, like All Free,  that rail against the injustice and racial prejudice in society, while I Choose Love, is a slow song that examines a relationship break up that ends in a divorce and regret about where everything turned bad.

There are soulful backing vocals on We Will Rise and they are complimented by the big sound of a Hammond B3 organ. Bullets and Blood looks at the struggles of trying to maintain a gay relationship when the world seems against you at every turn. An excellent song and one that tackles an important issue, despite our protestations that we live in more enlightened times.

Two love songs are played in succession, and Second Time Around has an easy melody, while Bet On Love is more up-tempo and another album highlight. Marking Time and Any Lie also delve into the area of relationships and what it can take to make things work out. Through all these personal songs runs a steady message of hope and optimism above any sense of letting setbacks win the day. The band are superb and the production by Davis is very engaging.   

The musicians are Pat McGrath (acoustic guitar, mandolin), Justin Ostrander (electric guitar), Duncan Mullins (bass), Marcus Finnie (drums),  Michael Hicks (B3 organ, piano) and both Russ Dahl and Scotty Sanders on pedal steel. The excellent backing vocals are provided by Kyla Jade, Blair Whitlow, Grant Vogelfanger, Matt Dame, Kristin K Smith, and Tania Hancheroff. A strong return for Brock Davis and this album is both enjoyable and absorbing.

Review by Paul McGee

Jo Schornikow Altar Keeled Scales

The area of indie-folk has been one of those side-bars that people like to speak about, but nobody seems willing to define with any degree of certainty. The ambient feel of the music here, swathed in layers of keyboard, synth and reverb is anything but folk music for the new generation and could be viewed more as a glimpse into the electronic world of dream-like inner musings.

Jo Schornikow was based in Melbourne, before moving to Nashville, and her take on personal relationships and dislocation is the dominant theme running through this, her third release. Whether it’s ruminating on the significance of spotting a raven on a drive home and seeing it as a sign of impending doom (Visions); or self-sabotaging a relationship by always giving in to another (Comeback), Schornikow seems to view the world either with rueful nostalgia and/or anxious expectancy. Dark thoughts and imaginings are also captured on Spiders, an unnerving song that carries a menacing undertone.

Lose Yr Love and Patient appear to be similar in theme; about wanting the return of a lover and wishing for a different outcome than what came to pass. In the track, Plaster, she sings ‘Now for every failure, My heart it is my jailor, Sending me back to Australia.’ A tale of unrequited love perhaps?

Two more songs Wrong About You and Semper Tigris deal with the similar regret of letting someone go and wanting to change the situation. The title track, Altar, is a message to an old lover, ‘Never did see the colours start to fade, Though after all it’s just an altar I made, Just candles and sand and smoke rising, It’s still warm but you’re not there anymore.’

All these songs of regret and self-searching could be simple musings on the human condition – or, if taken as personal, probably one of the most naked break-up album released in recent times. If one was this unlucky in love, then it’s time to enter a Buddhist monastery and contemplate the true purpose of it all. Life is messy but you have to love yourself first.

Review by Paul McGee

Mapache Roscoe’s Dream Innovative Leisure

When you name your band after a raccoon and your third album proper is based around the concept of a dog’s dreams; then you better be able to come up with some plausible excuses and/or serious reasons. There is definitely a quirky side to this band that is comprised of Clay Finch and Sam Blasucci. Born and raised in Glendale, California, this duo major in sweetly arresting harmonies and a sound that falls into the basket of cosmic, West Coast folky pop music. Their sound is generally light and breezy and an expression of their individuality and willingness to explore different influences.

The album is populated with random sounds, like a dog’s bark, a seal’s cry or a deck of cards being shuffled. There are also three songs in Spanish and a strong sense of early Crosby, Stills and Nash in the closely woven harmonies. Songs like Polishing A Band, The Garden and Light My Fire drip with the imagery of Californian sunshine on a bright summer’s day. “Farmer” Dave Scher (Beachwood Sparks), contributes some tasty pedal steel on a few tracks also, Tell Him, Love Can’t Hold Me and Tend Your Garden.

There is a great fuzz-guitar sound on Pearl To the Swine and the acoustic guitar interplay between Finch and Blasucci is both intuitive and inventive at all turns. The cover version of Bo Diddley classic, Diana, is a really inviting rockabilly workout and very bright in the delivery, with some very creative electric guitar. Equally, on the short instrumental, Far Out Of Earshot and the gentle, Feel So Young, you can almost see the musicians gently jamming on a beach porch, strumming quietly in the soft breeze and enjoying the moment.

The eighteen tracks run to fifty-one minutes, making this a somewhat challenging listen in one sitting. It definitely could have done with some prudent trimming but overall, this is a strong album with plenty to enjoy among the wide variety of sweet sounds.

Review by Paul McGee

Loes van Schaijk All I Ever Really Seem To Say Self Release

Originally from the Netherlands, this singer-songwriter, now based in Prague, releases her debut solo album. Loes van Schaijk has previously been part of groups such as Waterflow, Red Herring, and Lucy & the Man. In more recent times she has played with a new project, the folk trio, Loes and the Acoustic Engineers. She also performs as a duo with Honza Bartošek, a member of the same band. Loes plays guitar, bass, and bódhran and sings in both a sweet and adept vocal tone.  Her music spans both bluegrass and folk in style and there are also touches of a more traditional sound on songs like Oh My Lovely/The Gun Sermon.

There is a really bright flow to these songs and the inclusion of guitar, mandolin and violin (Ondra Kozák), dobro (Radek Vankát), banjo (Petr Brandejs), bouzouki (Arthur Deighton), all augment the melodies with superb musicianship. Additional violin and whistles are provided by Joram Peeters and bandmate, Honza Bartošek, contributes violin and harmony vocals on a number of songs also.

Further Away is a song about Alzheimer’s disease and the upset it causes when someone so physically close can still be so distant. Madison is a lovely instrumental with the dual acoustic guitars of Loes, and the talented Ondra Kozák, intertwining superbly. The folk sound of The Wind and the Water is very engaging and there is a great tempo to the guitar rhythms on Simon Says, reminding me of early Ani DiFranco as an influence. There is a fine bluegrass swing to The Cactus Connection, with the twin dueling of banjo and fiddle really sparking the tune. The album was recorded at Studio Ataman in the Czech Republic and production duties were shared by Loes van Schaijk and Ondra Kozák. Plenty here to appeal to music lovers and some superb musicianship to enjoy.    

Review by Paul McGee

New Album Reviews

The Broken Spokes Where I Went Wrong Self Release

Over the last few months, there have been a number of releases that undoubtedly are worthy of the ‘hard-core country’ label accreditation. Houston’s The Broken Spokes are one such band and this album, WHERE I WENT WRONG, is testament to that. The ten track album is a mix of classic honky tonk songs and tailored originals that recall BR5-49 or Red Meat at their best. Their own compositions sit easily beside their version of the much covered Drivin’ Nails In My Coffin, written by Jerry Irby and perhaps best know from Ernest Tubb’s rendition, while Honky Tonkitis from Carl Butler, and the Mel Tillis co-write Honky Tonk Song, complete the trio of classic on-brand covers. 

The band are comprised of singer and songwriter Brent McLennan and guitarist Josh Artall, the band’s chief writers, and both fulfil their roles in the band with undeniable distinction. They are joined by the equally talented Ellen Story on fiddle and the rhythm section of Lawerence Cevallos and Gus Alvarado. The line up is completed by the major contribution from Kevin Skrla on pedal steel and as the album’s producer. He and the team nail the sound, feel and the sentiment of classic country, but also add a contemporary edge that gives it room to grow and manoeuvre. 

This is emphasised by the original songs including one written by former Eleven Hundred Springs’ Matt Hillyer and co-writer Larry Hooper. Someday Not Today is a fitting choice, alongside the opening salvo of the title song and All I Hear You Say from McLennan and Artall. These songs are short, concise and on the nail. But most of all, from the first notes, you just know that this is an album that will make you smile, tap your feet and appreciate who the Broken Spokes are, and how enjoyable this album is on many fronts. It never outstays its welcome, but equally never wastes a second of its playing time in losing focus of creating the kind of music that the band and its audience are looking for - to dance to, to listen to or to drink to. This is a combo that has honed its intentions in the honky tonks and dance halls of Texas, well before ever entering the studio. Their previous self-titled release came out in 2016 and they have grown and learned much since that time.

They also understand something of the graphic sensibility that comes with being such a band and the cover of the album, with its tearful John Wayne graphic, makes it a stand-out release, and sees it join some other fine releases that came out this year. Perhaps the Broken Spokes should consider the subtitle of the next album to be “where we went right”, because this album is an affirmation of doing everything right, from the vocals and instrumentation through to the original compositions and outside song choices. 

Review by Stephen Rapid

The Brother Brothers Cover To Cover Compass 

This time out Adam and David Moss have brought their considerable musical talents and their superior sibling harmonies to bear on a series of covers; as the title of the album suggests. The 12 songs feature such renowned writers as Jackson Browne, James Taylor and Tom T. Hall, alongside such diverse choices as songs from Lennon/McCartney, Hoagy Carmichael and Tom Waits.

The brothers produced the album and, aside from their usual contributions and that of drummer Matty Meyer, they added the occasional contributions from the talents of Alison Brown (banjo), Ryan Scott (guitar, organ), Michael Rinne (bass) and Jeff Picker (bass and acoustic lead guitar). The vocal side of things was bolstered by Michaela Anne, Rachael and Emily Price and Sarah Jarosz, all adding harmony vocals (while the latter also played mandolin on one track).

As we have come to expect from the Brother Brothers, the mood is calm and soothing in the main, closer perhaps to Simon & Garfunkel than other possible comparisons. Not that any such resemblance really matters, given the material’s effectiveness within its own context.

Overall enjoyment of the album may depend on familiarity and the overall appeal of their version, as against the original or a version recorded by another artist. For instance, the opening Tom T. Hall written That’s How I Got To Memphis has been covered by many, and I have a particular fondness for the Buddy Miller take, but given the very different take here it is a great song well done. Another highlight that works, while not being a million miles away from Richard Thompson’s rendition, is Waltzing For Dreamers. Again, their choices have been to pick songs that are grounded in melody and lyricism. You Can Close Your Eyes from James Taylor perfectly fits the sentiment of the song and the approach taken with it. By way of contrast, If You Ain’t Got Love is a more uptempo call for adulation and nicely uses it rhythms to drive the sentiment. Hoagy Carmichael’s I Get Along Without You Very (Except Sometimes) sounds like it belongs in a different place and, though it is faultlessly delivered a cappella, is not my favourite song here. More sombre, in many ways, is Tom Waits’ Flower’s Grave which uses cello and fiddle to emphasise the notion of sadness. It is obviously very different from Waits’ version, but is equally effective in realising its sentiment.

The arrangement for The Beatles I Will bears a relationship with some of that band’s more baroque recordings. Likewise the vision of Feelin’ Good Again translates with ease from Robert Earl Keen’s songs of the Texas troubadour, complete with prominent banjo from Alison Browne. All of which proves that those who have previously been enamoured with the music of the duo will enjoy this (allowing for a track or two) and it may introduce others to the strong original material and concordant delivery.

Review by Stephen Rapid. 

Bill Scorzari The Crosswinds Of Kansas Self Release

Is the music of Bill Scorzari something of an acquired taste? His raspy, sand-blasted voice will not, perhaps, have universal appeal but the answer to that question is that his music is well worth acquiring. His voice is the essential heart of his music and of this album as it delivers his thoughtful, crafted lyrics in a way very few others could. It’s the voice of someone who brings a variety of experienced life stories into focus and one that draws you into the heart of each song.

Scorzari has a very able and creative collaborator in co-producer Neilson Hubbard. The two helm this recording with a clarity of vision and a sense of purpose. This means that the songs are embraced by a rich and diverse musical accompaniment, all grounded in the subtle rhythm section of Hubbard on drums and percussion and Michael Rinne on upright and electric bass. Some twenty plus additional instruments and percussion elements are employed, as befitting the songs’ requirements. 

It is the kind of music that envelopes you. You are perfectly aware of the narration of the songs, whose lyrics allow for individual interpretation and introspection, something that tends to bring you closer to its heart with frequent listening. In the accompanying lyric book, the lyrics are laid out in prose style, which tends to emphasise their narrative style. On that point, there has been a lot of care put into this release (a 16 page full colour booklet and a fold-out digi-pak cover featuring the design and artwork of Anna Berman), all of which makes this something more intrinsic in value than a download.

Another element here is bringing in the sounds and language of the Navajo people in the song Tryin’, Tryin’, Tryin’, Tryin’, for which Scorzari has had his lyrics translated. The song has both atmosphere and meaning in its lament for a people, their place and surrounding nature. The Native American flute is also included (with a Tibetan Singing Bowl Bell) in Inside My Heart, adding a dimension that is inclusive of other cultures as much as taking in the landscape of Scorzari’s immediate surroundings.

There are thirteen songs and a playing time of over an hour, though nothing seems to be superfluous in the process. Like his previous albums, there is much to embrace here with this new recording, which is a step forward for his music and for himself. Those unacquainted with his output, but who may be fans of such individual artists as Malcolm Holcombe or Sam Baker, would be advised to have a listen as the crosswinds of Kansas are blowing strong and true.

Review by Stephen Rapid

Rod Picott Paper Hearts and Broken Arrows Welding Rod

It could just be a marriage made in heaven; the pairing of Rod Picott and Neilson Hubbard. The decision to call upon the many talents of Hubbard is a master stroke here, and his superbly crafted production suits the reflective playing and words of Picott just perfectly. Hubbard also contributes piano, percussion and harmony vocals, along with the impressive Juan Solodzano (pedal steel, slide guitar), Lex Price (bass, tenor guitar), and Evan Hutchins (drums). It’s a tight-knit unit and the interplay is gently sublime, with Picott sounding both fragile and born again on acoustic guitar and suitably worn-but-knowing vocals. All twelve songs are written by Picott, including four co-writes, and, over forty-plus minutes, we are treated to a real look behind the curtain of this musical troubadour.

Picott was born in New Hampshire, raised in Maine and has lived in Nashville for twenty-five years. Over this time, he has released fourteen albums, written two books of poetry, published a volume of short stories and had his music feature on both television and film projects. By any definition, a successful career as a professional musician, and proof positive that we are dealing with a singer songwriter of some gravitas. For every Springsteen who climbs the ladder to world acclaim, there is a Rod Picott, every bit as adapt and as insightful, but destined to walk in the lesser glare of such spotlights. From his early years as a construction worker, Picott has successfully captured the story songs of everyman, from the blue- collar worker to the lost souls and underdogs who never find their true direction. His vulnerable empathy has always been a strength and his desire to endure his greatest asset, as he continues to create music of a consistently high standard.

This album compares to his best, right up there with the highs of Welding Burns (2011) and Stray Dogs (2002). In the last few years, he has continued in a rich vein of creativity and delivered a trio of albums that sit proudly in his overall body of work, namely; Out Past the Wires (2017), Tell the Truth & Shame the Devil (2019), and Wood, Steel, Dust & Dreams (2020), an album written with friend and fellow musical traveller, Slaid Cleaves. Again, all three releases include the sure touch of Neilson Hubbard in their creation.

Indeed, this new release features two songs that were co-written with Cleaves, and the twelve tracks show a very stripped-down and sparce sound; highlighting Picott at his most reflective self.  There are story songs, such as Frankie Lee, where Picott adopts the persona of an outlaw on the run from the electric chair, and Washington County, a tale of poverty and trying to stay above the bread line; every bit as good as Springsteen might have penned… Revenuer, is another tale, channelling a moonshine bootlegger, protecting his way of living from the prying eyes of Government officials. Dirty T-Shirt lightens the mood with a dream fantasy, and a deeply infectious groove, observing our desires and our primal urges for gratification.

Sonny Liston, reflects on the legacy of the world heavyweight champion and the sad tale of a broken childhood, the stigma of mob connections, fights thrown for money and the decline into hard drugs that eventually took his life.  There is also a rumination on family ties and values in the song, Mark Of Your Father, while feelings of loneliness and contemplating a solitary life are highlighted on songs such as, Lover, Mona Lisa and Valentine’s Day – summed up in the lines, ‘You used to hold me, but I held you back, Somewhere the train slipped from the track.’

There is always hope, of course, and Picott never strays too far away from what keeps us grounded and battling through the self-doubt. Through the Dark, looks at our strength to endure and come out smiling; ‘We can’t fight a storm, But we can wait it out.’

Equally the hope of closing song, Make Your Own Light, is a resolve to look within, to be your own spirit guide and to balance the good with the bad. Rod Picott is something of a hidden treasure and like all things that lie waiting to be discovered by a greater audience, well worthy of the effort.

Review by Paul McGee

Steve Dawson and the Telescope Three Phantom Threshold Black Hen

This is an album made in celebration of the pedal steel musical instrument. Across elven tracks and some forty-seven minutes, Steve Dawson creates a thread that links all of the ways in which this unique instrument can colour and augment a song arrangement. Usually, pedal steel is used in a supporting role to the song arrangement, but here, it is given centre stage in order to highlight its charm and versatility.

The lack of any vocals is something of a drawback on many instrumental albums, where the overall dynamic can suffer without the use of voice harmonics to add feel and tone. However, on this impressive album, there are no such concerns, with the superb production and the interesting variety in these ensemble-based arrangements. All the studio musicians are given the space to stretch out in their playing and in their individual interpretation around the song structures and melodies.

In many ways, Phantom Threshold, continues the theme that was created on Telescope, Steve Dawson’s first pedal steel-based instrumental album (2008). Only Chris Gestrin on a variety of keyboards remains from the original studio musicians who played on that album, and his abilities across synthesizers, clavinet, wurlitzer, hammond organ, mellotron, moog, pump organ, farfisa and piano, is quite something. The rest of the band, (The Telescope 3),is comprised of Jeremy Holmes (bass), and Jay Bellerose (drums/percussion).

The improvisation and the interplay across all the tracks is very impressive, and with Steve’s unique ability to vary the mood on the arrangements, we are treated to a really satisfying feast of rich sounds. Dawson is known for his impressive collection of unusual instruments and he certainly gets many of his favourite toys out on this new album, his second release this year, marking his versatility as an innovative artist and producer. Here, we are given an insight into his talent at play, on an array of instruments, including pedal steel, acoustic and electric guitars, mandotar, marxophone, national steel guitar, national tricone, baritone guitars, mellotron, ukulele and weissenborn lap slide guitar.

Recorded at Steve’s Nashville studios, The Henhouse, with additional remote parts captured at various other locations, Steve displays his wonderful guitar technique on the closing track, Whirlwind, a solo piece that leaves no doubt about his musicality. Equally, the short track, Burnt End, has Steve channelling images of lonely prairies and open spaces as he delivers a haunting solo performance on pedal steel. Outside of these two tracks the remainder of the album is a real celebration of powerful ensemble performance. Tripledream is a highlight with the slow, dreamy arrangement, reminiscent of a Ry Cooder soundtrack, complete with some tasty cornet playing from guest, Daniel Lapp. He also contributes on violin to opening track, Cozy Corner, something of a synth layered tip-of-the- hat to the use of pedal steel in other musical genres.

Fats Kaplin also guests, and plays fiddle and banjo on the title track, which has a slow tempo and brushed drums setting the mood. Kaplin also shows his versatility by adding accordion on The Waters Rise, and a fine example of how the pedal steel can intertwine with the rich sound of accordion. That’s How It Goes In the Relax Lounge is another dreamy arrangement, with a gentle sway and a Bossa Nova beat. While the funky bass and keyboards on the blues-based, Ol’ Brushy, includes some nice moments where the musicians let go and jam a little.

All tracks are written by Steve Dawson, except for a co-write with Fats Kaplin (The Waters Rise), and a cover of the Beach Boys song, You Still Believe In Me (Brian Wilson and Tony Asher).  Once again, a very accomplished album from a very gifted musician and someone who merits inclusion in every discerning music collection.

Review by Paul McGee

The North Star Band Then and Now Self Release

This double album is a real joy and one that should gain the band some traction in a career that has seen many highs and lows. The album is split between a ‘Then’ and a ‘Now’ divide; the first disc containing ten songs that were recorded back in the period 1976-1982, when the band were in their infancy. The second disc brings everything into a current perspective, with a consistent creativity highlighted across a further ten tracks.

Are they the band that time forgot? Perhaps a consideration, but listening to this vibrant music, it’s as if the years are rolled back to the time when the members all shared a common hope for a future with some true direction and optimism. These early songs are very reminiscent of the country rock movement of the time, with the playing right up there with established acts such as The Flying Burrito Bothers and, perhaps, early Eagles. The harmony vocals and gentle guitar and piano lines on tracks like You’re Not the One To Blame and Where Does That Get You To, reminiscent of the time, with classic pedal steel and soaring guitar lifting the song arrangements and reminiscent of other talented artists that defined the genre, such as Blue Rodeo and the Souther-Hillman-Furay Band.

The combined playing of Al Johnson on harmonica and Lou Hagler on piano, is augmented by the pedal steel of Jay Jessup on the track, I Shouldn’t Act This Way. Another track, Emergency, brings together this heady time, captured by a real band workout and the soaring tempo bringing a real sense of fun. There is banjo and fiddle on the bluegrass influenced, Crow Don’t Crow,  which celebrates all that is good about playing together in an ensemble that knits as tightly together as this group.

The second disc celebrates their current sound, augmented by more modern studio techniques and equipment. The same musicians are present, and their collective talents have not been diminished over time. Starting with the country groove of Brown Shoe Willy, and the tale of a Louisiana man who wrestled alligators, the scene is set for a real jam session with the band hitting new peaks of ensemble playing. The bigger production on these ten songs is very infectious and would blow away most of what you will hear on commercial country radio stations these days. The easy flow of Whistle Blow is a look back down the track of classic country and a song that George Jones could have taken and turned into a real classic. The heady stomp of both What Goes Up and Goose Creek are both reminiscent of all that remains relevant in real country music – sweet harmonies wrapped in an organic groove and that sense of time standing still.

The rhythm section of David Watt Besley (bass, vocals) and Paul Goldstein (drums) are a constant across both recordings and they gently push the groove with concentrated creativity, with Jay Jessup on pedal steel, mandolin and electric guitar lifting the arrangements into a new space. The closing track, Yes I Do, brings everything to a satisfactory close with a dynamic band arrangement and all players immersed in the deep rhythm and soaring melody. Celebratory music, and if you never got on board with this terrific band of musicians in the past, now is the time to jump in and enjoy the ride.

Review by Paul McGee

The Damn Quails Clouding Up Your City Self Release

Whereas the pandemic created total disruption to artists’ and bands’ recording and touring schedules, trials and tribulations knocked on the door of Okie band The Damn Quails long before the word coronavirus became universal. Confronted with legal battles with their management and label 598 Recordings, numerous line-up changes, addiction issues, and the disappearance of their tour manager following a nervous breakdown, it’s a miracle that the band has resurfaced to record only their third album in twenty years.

Produced by fellow Okie John Calvin Abney, the album was originally to be released as a solo project by Byron White, before his co-founding member of The Damn Quails Gabe Marshall gave his blessing for the album to be credited to the band. Recorded at Cardinal Song Studio in Oklahoma City over a four-day period, alongside Calvin Abney, who played a range of instruments, was Kevin ‘Haystack’ Foster on pedal steel guitar, fiddle and guitar, Byron White on guitars, Johnny Carlton on bass, and Walton McMurry on drums. Kierston White, Ben Mc Kenzie, Chris Jones and Jamie Lin Wilson all contributed backing vocals.

Championing The Red Dirt sound of Oklahoma, the eleven tracks are a potent serving of songs that land somewhere between country rock and Americana. Calvin Abney’s production achieves the live sound that previously generated a large and enthusiastic following for the band. Explaining the recording Abney noted, “The process for recording a song was pretty simple but extremely effective. Gather the band around the piano in the tracking room, spend five or ten minutes running through the basics and working out any kinks, and then Trepagnier would hit record and we’d start playing.”

That arrangement is particularly successful on the stirring ballad Harm’s Way and the lively opener Monsters. The title track, presumably an account of a typical touring day for the band (past or present?), is a chaotic delight and they showcase their capacity to serve up impassioned country tunes on Mile By Mile and the border sounding Golden Sands of Leyte.

Hopefully, the tide has turned for The Damn Quails and they can continue to realise their full potential as a force to be seriously reckoned with, particularly on the live circuit. CLOUDING UP YOUR CITY will be welcomed with open arms by the band’s loyal following and, no doubt will bring many more punters on board. 

Review by Declan Culliton

Willi Carlisle Peculiar, Missouri Free Dirt

This twelve-track album from poet and folk singer Willi Carlisle is a collection of tales detailing the plights of the impoverished and unsettled. Although the characters are unconnected, their common hallmark is one of travelling on seemingly endless journeys.

The songs are performed by Carlisle in traditional, semi-spoken, and fully vocalised format and include characters both from the present day and yesteryear. Vanlife details the life of a nomadic drifter, living in his Dodge Ram cargo van (‘Now I’m peein’ in bottles and eatin’ from cans, but you can’t call me homeless, cause I live in my van’). We hear of the closet homosexual, raked with confusion and guilt, on Life On The Fence and a border cowboy points his finger at the water companies on Este Mundo, citing the unavailability of water for his crops and the resulting dependency on rainwater. The title track, which kicks in at close to seven minutes, is a spoken poem relating to the small Missouri town, but in essence it depicts the transitional modern lifestyle in innumerable American towns. Elsewhere, Carlisle throws away any inhibitions and bashfulness on the defiant I Won’t Be Afraid Any More, which features duo Ordinary Elephant on backing vocals.

Far from conventional, Carlisle follows a similar path to his hero Utah Phillips, promoting and empathising with the underprivileged and disadvantaged. Far from a Saturday night listen and an album as peculiar in content as it is in title, Carlisle’s modus operandi will appeal most to lovers of like-minded folk poets, Todd Snider and Minton Sparks. Spotlighting an artist very much doing as he pleases, PECULIAR MISSOURI is an album that requires plenty of time to appreciate it fully. Still, that time invested will yield numerous high points. 

Review by Declan Culliton

Damien Jurado Reggae Film Star Maraqopa

This self-produced album is the eighteenth studio recording from prolific singer songwriter Damien Jurado and his second recording on his own Maraqopa Records label. A master of understatement, Jurado’s work demands diligent attention, with each listen unfolding previously unnoticed nuances.

This is very much the case on the low-key twelve-track album REGGAE FILM STAR. From the gorgeous opener Roger, where an aging man considers his life journey, to the closing track (possibly concerning the same individual?), Gork Meets The Desert Monster, its tales and characters are atypical and thought provoking.

Jurado’s output has included numerous songs featuring on movie soundtracks and this collection, unsurprisingly given its title, is cinematic in its content. Presented through the eyes of what appear to be support actors, their anxieties and feelings unfold in a series of connected scenes.

It’s very much a low-key affair, though it contains a number of upbeat and poppy tunes, particularly Day Of The Robot and Taped In Front Of A Live Audience. Others that impress are the ‘stream of consciousness’ Meeting Eddie Smith and the instantly arresting and contemplative standout song, What Happened To Paul Sand.

For the recording, Jurado was joined once more by multi-instrumentalist Josh Gordon and his regular engineer Alex Bush, at Sonikwire in Irvine, California. It’s very much business as usual for Jurado and an album that will, no doubt, be treasured by his supporters and one well worth a visit for fans of lo-fi indie folk who may not be familiar with his work. 

Review by Declan Culliton



New Album Reviews

Michael Shaw He Rode On Wolfhard

There’s a lot to like on this debut traditional country album from Michael Shaw. Firstly, there’s his interesting back story. Raised in the Appalachian mountains, after finishing college Shaw forsake a conventional career and followed his love of wild places by working for a decade in the Western Montana Rockies. He spent the summers as a wilderness ranger and the harsh winters looking after horses, usually in isolation. That isolation and wildness inspired his songwriting, and also afforded him the time to indulge his creative drive.

Next, there’s his inspired choice of Grant Siemens (Corb Lund’s guitarist) as co-producer (also contributing lead guitar), who helped Shaw to achieve the sound he was looking for, ‘the feel and warmth of my favourite albums from the ‘60s and ‘70s’. Recorded live to tape in Manitoba, Siemens called some of the best country musicians into the studio and they achieved exactly what Shaw wanted.

Then there’s Shaw’s great ear for a tune - I found myself humming along after only a few listens.

Kicking off with Bad Honky Tonker, a ‘full on’ uptempo blast of swaggering honky tonk that sets the tone for the album, Siemens’ guitar playing is matched by outstanding fiddle playing of Jeremy Pinner (The Wailin’ Jennys, The Duhks). The protagonist tells us that he ‘likes his women fast.. it takes more than one to satisfy me, two’s more like it but I’d rather have three’. Clichés abound here and in the next song, Outlaw’s Refuge, a hard drinking song about whiskey and shotguns, and we learn that the outlaw ‘got back on the bottle and every whore in town’. Cowboy Boots And A Little Country Dress continues in the same vein, and even though Shaw’s vocal range is limited, he yodels here very well indeed. Notwithstanding the crude sentiments, this is another superb piece of music, with manic rock ‘n roll meeting classic country in a frenzied raucous celebration. Shot Down is another rip roarin’ honky tonkin’ classic, a tour de force from all the players, especially steel player Robbie Turner (Waylon Jennings). In Stick A Fork In It, a tale of walking away from a ten year relationship, there’s more superb guitar work from Siemens, and the immortal lines from Shaw that ‘after ten long years of tryin’ to please her, I’d get more love from a walk in freezer’. In true country fashion, there’s much hankering after the past in Like They Used To, with more delicious pedal steel. The true story of the infamous Tennessee moonshiner, the late ‘Popcorn’ Sutton who took his own life in 2009 rather than go to jail, inspired Light Of The Moon, rounded out by the impressive Marc Arnold on organ. This segues into the closing title track, a beautiful slow contemplation of running from the past, running from something, ‘never turnin’ back’, the mood evoked effectively particularly by drummer John McTigue III (Emmylou, Rodney Crowell). Shaw dedicates this to his close friend, Colin Patrick McKnight, who died tragically.

So, clichés or not? Shaw claims that everything in his ten original songs is rooted in truth, so who am I to argue? And, like the Bad Honky Tonker that he is, he probably ‘don’t give a damn’!

Review by Eilís Boland

The Odd Birds Tremolo Heart Self Release

Following on from their six-track EP (Better Days), released just last year, Ron Grigsby and Jennifer Moraca return with an album that both engages the listener and delivers plenty of nice moments. Recorded during the Covid pandemic, the album is focused around the message of connection, both lost and found. The sense of having let something go and the hope that the future may hold renewed optimism for new beginnings.

This project sees the same line up of musicians used on last year’s release, and they return to pick up from where they left off. Grigsby shines on a variety of guitars, both acoustic and electric, plus vocals; while his partner, Moraca, contributes on additional guitars and shares vocals. Matt Froehlich (drums), Bobbo Byrnes (lead guitar and bass guitar), also add their skills in service to the songs. There are three cover versions included this time around; Wichita Lineman (Jimmy Webb), A Song For You (Gram Parsons) and Today I Started Loving You Again (Merle Haggard). All are performed to a high standard and the remaining seven songs are written by Grigsby/Moraca. Production duties are ably handled by Bobo Byrnes and there are additional appearances from Matt Tonge (upright bass), Tracy Byrnes (bass guitar) and Georgina Hennessy (violin) on selected tracks.  

Opening songs, Alright Now and Another One Like You, reflect on lost romance and the need to fill the space with both reflection on lessons learned while looking forward with the perspective gained. The harmony vocals are very engaging, with both Grigsby and Moraca complimenting each other’s range. Moraca in particular delivers with her soaring power and mezzo-soprano vocal. Better At War is a stand-out track with a sombre message; ‘Why are we getting better at war, And losing everything we’re fighting for.’ The angry lead guitar break summing up the frustration as the message hits home. The final song, The Water’s Edge, has the duo playing in unison on acoustic guitars and delivering a message of quiet calm and encouragement. A fine album and one that comes recommended to those who enjoy their roots/folk music performed with both conviction and proficiency.

Review by Paul McGee

The Wardens Sold Out At the Ironwood Self Release

Opening with the Tex Mex swing of The Code, an ode to the cowboy legends of the open prairies, with guitars, bass and accordion merging into the sweet harmony vocals, you just know that this album is going to deliver…

The Wardens are the real deal, a trio comprised of Scott Ward (fingerstyle guitar), Bradley Bischoff (guitar, bass) and Ray Schmidt (bass, mandolin, guitar), who had day-jobs as environmental custodians, patrolling Banff national park in Alberta, Canada on horseback, staying in remote cabins and also curating the music of the area. The song, Shining Mountains, captures the essence of their love for what they do, highlighting the natural beauty that surrounds them in nature.   

There are songs about the return of wolves to the parkland ( Timber Wolf Reprise), a mountain rescue legend, Tim Auger (Thousand Rescues), celebrated mountain man, Bill Peyto (The Legend Of Wild Bill), and the natural, snowbound wonder that is the Rogers Pass, in Glacier National Park, on the sublime instrumental (Selkirk Snow). 

On the title track, Sold Out At the Ironwood, there is a terrific tribute to the song-writing legend of Tom Russell, with the band in full flow as they dove-tail around the melody and the lyrics that name- check so many of his songs in such a clever fashion. The legendary Ironwood venue in Calgary was suffering financial challenges during the pandemic before an online fundraiser and a mini-festival raised much needed funds to keep it from having to close.

There are key contributions on various tracks from both Mike Little on accordion and Scott Duncan on fiddle, both of whom add great nuance to the ensemble playing. In addition, producer Russell Broom contributes on selected guitars, banjo and percussion…

It’s fitting that the last two songs on the album are in a live setting and that they celebrate the organic sound of these musicians. The first is a tribute to the memory of Neil Colgan, (a fellow warden), who died in 1979 and wrote a touching letter to his parents from a remote region of Banff Park. Final song, Supper On the Trail, is a great way to end the album, with a light-hearted look at the food fare available on the trail, as the wardens try to keep themselves fed in creative style. Scott Duncan on fiddle showcasing his talents again.

The song-writing is very democratic with each of the main band members, Scott, Bradley and Ray, penning four songs each. A perfect example of sharing the spotlight on this most enjoyable album of superbly delivered country songs.

Review by Paul McGee

Stephen Doster Over the Red Sea Faw

This self-produced fourth solo album from Austin-based songwriter and guitarist, Stephen Doster, was recorded at his studio base, EAR Studio (East Austin Recording). He is an accomplished musician and producer who has worked with numerous other artists and has credits on over sixty records. In 2016, he was inducted into the Texas Music Legends Hall of Fame.

He is joined by Chris Searles (drums/percussion), Sam Pankey (upright and electric bass), Jon Grossman (organ, piano, vibraphone), Rich Brotherton (guitar, cittern, vocals), Brian Standefer (cello), Sam Jeffrey (flugelhorn), Andrea Magee (penny whistle, bodhran, vocals), Seela (vocals) and JM Stevens (vocals). All eleven songs are written by Doster, who takes the lead on both guitar and vocals.

Highlights include, A Better World, written in memory of Heather Hyer, a Charlottesville woman who was killed in 2017  at a protest rally for "Unite the Right" in the city. The Sweet Life and We’ll Still Have Today both look at living for the moment and having an appreciation for the happy times and the growing realisation that paradise is all around us. There are songs about visiting London (When I Cross the Divide) and travelling in Ireland (The Singing Bus Driver). The Rooster Crows has some nice twin-acoustic guitar harmonising and final track, Black Cat’s Stroll, highlights the dextrous playing of Doster as he brings matters to a sweet conclusion with an instrumental that is both reflective and relaxing. Certainly, an artist that is worth further investigation.

Review by Paul McGee

Scott Martin Corner Of the World Self Release

Austin-based singer-songwriter Scott Martin releases his second solo album and it proves to be a very enjoyable and worthy project. Co-produced by Martin and the multi-instrumental talents of Michael Henchman (guitars, keyboards, bass, bass, drums, percussion), who resides in Vancouver, Washington; lockdown proved no barrier to the rich talent displayed by this creative duo.

Martin shines on acoustic guitar and piano, in addition to overseeing drum programming and orchestration. However, it is his silky vocal tone that really captures the day and delivers a very subtle trick of the light, in bringing these ten songs to full bloom. His warm and comforting voice is front and centre in the production, along with his impressive fingerstyle guitar technique.  In a time when that old term, singer-songwriter, has become somewhat passe, Martin is here to regain some of that higher ground and to shake the dust off that faded canvas.

His songs are reflective and heartfelt. One More Beautiful Day is a perfect example, a love song that emerges from sharing a moment on a walk with his partner and a memory that lingers. We Dance Together, is similarly a statement that we are stronger when we share our love and communicate across the distances that often separate us – the superb Rose Winters on vocal duet. Martin is also joined by Ed Berghoff (guitar, dobro, mandolin), and a coterie of additional players on specific tracks; Bart de Win ( electric piano), Joao Martins (hurdy gurdy), Pete Damore (banjo), Scott Laningham (drums), T. Scott Martin (pedal steel), David Swartz (upright bass).

The Absence Of Angels showcases the talents of Martin, Swartz, Berghoff, Damone and Henchman as they intertwine around the melody in a display of bluegrass-influenced creativity. Can’t Stop This Train, one of four co-writes, is a slower, bluesy arrangement with acoustic guitar and dobro playing off each other and creating an atmospheric groove.  This is a very enjoyable album and well worth your listening time.

Review by Paul McGee

S.G. Goodman Teeth Marks Verve Forecast/UMG

OLD TIME FEELING, the 2020 debut album from S.G. Goodman, was cultivated in the potent country music state of Western Kentucky where she was raised, kicking off her love of music by singing in church choirs from an early age. The love of her homeland flowed through much of that album, despite its history of rejecting Goodman’s LGBTQ community.

The songs on TEETH MARKS, there are eleven in total, touch on that rejection but also cast a wider net over affairs of the heart, social inequality, and opioid abuse.  With Goodman’s capacity to fuse raw indie-folk with punked-up rockers, TEETH MARKS is a kaleidoscope of both. She opens with the title track, a tale of ‘love at first sight’ ending in rejection and reduced to a one-night stand. Connecting tracks, You Were Someone I Loved and its predecessor If You Were Someone a Loved, feature a mourning mother burying her son following a drug overdose. The mood changes with the upbeat and cheerful Heart Of It and then rocks out on the fiercely intensive and Patti Smith sounding All My Love Is Coming Back To Me.

The album’s tour de force is the six-and-a-half-minute anthem, Work Until I Die (‘you make me more rich, no, it won’t be you, pennies for your time and crumbs to chew’).  A discourse on the plight of working classes, it’s a monster of a song with nods towards The B52’s at their most raucous.

Recorded at Chase Park Transduction Studio in Athens, Georgia, the album was co-produced by Goodman, Drew Vandenberg, Matthew Rowan, and Kate Haldrup.

Goodman has the unique ability to set your pulse racing one minute and stop you in your tracks the next minute. That is the recurring theme on TEETH MARKS, an album that encompasses Appalachian folk and garage rock flawlessly, from an artist not afraid to broaden her horizons.

Review by Declan Culliton

The Early Mays Prettiest Blue Self Release

A five-track EP, PRETTIEST BLUE is an introduction to the stripped-back traditional music created and delivered by Pittsburgh-based Appalachian duo Emily Pinkerton and Ellen Gozion. Their career backgrounds might not be an obvious pointer to the recording of ancient traditional music. Ellen is a pianist with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and Emily various enterprises include performing in a chamber piece Rounder Songs, teaching songwriting, and performing Chilean folk music both in the U.S. and in Chile.

The five songs on the album include the murder ballad The Ballad of Johnny Fall, where an abused wife is saved from the intended murder of her husband when he is killed by a train while walking on railway tracks. Beautifully atmospheric it features banjo, cello and vocals, as the tale unfolds of young infatuation and love, leading to abuse and eventual death. Their version of Carter Family’s Bury Me Under The Weeping Willow brings to mind The Louvin Brothers’ classic harmony vocals and A.P. Carter’s is also represented on the closing track My Home Across The Blue Ridge Mountains.  Also included are the traditional instrumental Shakin’ Down The Acorns and the self-write banjo-led On A Dying’ Day. A haunting song of redemption and rebirth, the latter features Ellen on harmonium and Emily on cello.

Carefully measured and refined, PRETTIEST BLUE is deep-rooted in ancient folk music, and with sparse instrumentation and fitting vocals, is a most calming and meditative listen.

Review by Declan Culliton

Lera Lynn Something More Than Love Icons Creating Evil Art

Never one to remain rooted in one particular genre, Lera Lynn’s back catalogue is like a coat of many colours. A career that kick-started in the indie rock scene of Athens, Georgia, was followed by her debut recording HAVE YOU MET LERA LYNN? in 2012, which suggested that she would travel down the ‘country queen’ musical path. Subsequent diversions led to Lynn working with Rosanne Cash and T-Bone Burnett, creating music for the second season of True Detective, the TV drama where she also made her acting debut. Her 2016 release RESISTOR took a more indie rock direction and she followed that album two years later with PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS, which featured a number of her Nashville neighbours, both co-writing and contributing. ON MY OWN from 2020, was written, performed, produced and recorded entirely by Lynn.

The common denominator across her seven albums has been her ability to pen fine songs and deliver them with her distinctive smoky vocals.   Commenting on her latest project, SOMETHING MORE THAN LOVE, Lynn observes, ‘My fans have come to expect a new experience with each new album. I think people are ready for this sound and this energy. I certainly am.”

Written during the pandemic and shortly after the birth of Lynn and her partner Todd Lombardo’s (Kathleen Edwards, Kacey Musgraves) first child, the interconnected songs lay bare Lynn’s coming to terms with postpartum depression, as she adjusted to the early stages of motherhood. The resulting ten tracks navigate the full range of emotions, from insecurity and trepidation to recovery and renewal.

Produced by Lombardo, the vast majority of the instrumentation was performed by Lynn and him, the only additions being Ian Fitchuk on drums, Robby Handley on bass and cello parts by Nat Smith.

The lush power-poppy opener Illusion sets the scene with Lynn asking ‘Love, is this love, is this illusion taking over me?’ The title track oozes love and connectivity from early self-questioning, (‘how could I, how could I deny you?’), to adoration (‘formula of stardust, you’re a perfect figure, a golden lion’). Synths and echoed layered vocals are awash on the You Are Not On Your Own and I’m Your Kamikaze, the third single from the album, is pop toying with indie. The more hushed Cog In The Machine explores the inevitability of being drawn into a somewhat humdrum routine by personal circumstances. Other high points are the soulful Black River and the art-pop closer Eye In The Sky.

Though in essence an album addressing the emotional baggage of early motherhood, SOMETHING MORE THAN LOVE is also Lynn’s most modern pop-oriented recording to date. It’s strikingly good in that regard and is likely to attract a wider listening audience, given the deserved exposure. Have a listen yourself and make your own mind up. 

Review by Declan Culliton 

The Barlow New Year, Old Me Self Release  

HORSESHOE LOUNGE, released last year by four-piece band The Barlow, was a no-frills action-packed album of, what they describe as, Colorado country. Blending outlaw and Southern rock, it introduced me to a working band that would be the perfect Saturday night live act for a lively knees-up.

They haven’t wasted any time following up on that album and their third studio recording, NEW YEAR, OLD ME, doesn’t stray too far from their tried and trusted musical template. 2021 found them on the road touring HORSESHOE LOUNGE and supporting like-minded country acts such as Mike and the Moonpies, Jaime Wyatt, Cody Canada and the Departed, and Micky and The Motor Cars. The material for this latest album was written while on that tour and recorded at Evergroove Studio, E Square Studio, and Brogly Studio between December 2021 and March 2022.  Like its predecessor, the songs are drawn from the band’s personal experiences, so tales of love found and lost, and road life, dominate.

The band is made up of Shea Boynton on guitar and lead vocals, Brad Johnson on guitar and vocals, Troy Scoope on bass and vocals, and Ben Richter on drums and vocals. Guesting on the album are Ben Waligoske on pedal steel, Andy Schneider on keyboards, and Dan Hochhalter on fiddle.

Mile Marker Blues signposts the album’s direction from the word go. It’s a rootsy affair with some great pedal steel and guitar breaks in the right places, behind Boynton’s grained vocals. Bad Ol’ Days, with hints of Jason Isbell, is a highlight, as is the chunky guitar riff driven Without Emotion. The title track, as the name implies, is the band doing what they do best, delivering no nonsense country rock ‘n’ roll.

A more than fitting heir to its two predecessors, NEW YEAR, OLD ME is a groove-driven affair and a splendid fusion of outlaw country and Southern rock. Laced with catchy hooks and toe-tappers, compliments of a bunch of like-minded players, this is a prime example of music without a hint of ego. 

Review by Declan Culliton

New Album Reviews

Steve Hammond Honky Tonk Record Club No.1  Lorco

A totally new name to me from a musician who has released numerous albums (some 36 releases are listed on his Bandcamp site) covering various musical genres. Does that make this honky-tonk oriented album any less valid? The answer to that, judging from its content, is no. While it covers other influences, and tracks like Someday Mother could equal sit on a power-pop album, from the get go we are in a world of twang and pedal steel. I’ll Return The Key is a relationship gone wrong song, as befits the format. Next up, the tale of a workin’ man and his blue collar white-line life is alluded to in Workin’ On A Highway. It features some unusual backing vocals that add to the overall enjoyment of the song, which is a standout in terms of delivery and melodic structure, and would have fitted in on one of Dwight Yoakam’s early albums.

The songs are all from Hammond, with the exception of a countrified version of The Jesus and Mary Chain song Halfway To Crazy, which fits right into the album’s oeuvre with energy and twang. The aim here is to create a contemporary honky tonk song that honours its past but seeks to have a future, and all Hammond’s other influences no doubt help him to achieve that. That he is producer, engineer, writer and performer/main musician here (guitars, bass, drums, keyboards and lap steel) shows that he has a clear idea of what he wants to achieve with his music and has the ability to do so. This is done to essentially capture his vision rather than to have a hit record and cross over to the mainstream. He deserves both but given the nature of the mainstream it is unlikely to happen. However, one suspects that that won’t affect this outfit one iota.

Having listened to this album now numerous times there is hardly a track that I would want to skip over and there are numerous highlights here alongside those mentioned, such as Fever Dream, Glass Of Wine or the ‘if looks could kill’ narrative of the bitter ballad, The Knife Behind Your Eyes, to name just three more.

Another thing to note is that Hammond vocally draws from some of the honky tonk stalwarts of the past with some stylised vocal inflections that border on the classic yodel, showing that he knows this sources to a degree that many a mainstream artist would not. 

Once again a new name comes to the fore and you realise that there are so many musicians out there who can so easily be missed. This is one that I would advise against missing. Hopefully there will be a No 2 to follow up on this in the near future. This honky tonkitis is catching.

Review by Stephen Rapid.

The Western Express Lunatics, Lovers & Poets Self Release

This Austin based outfit consists of singer and songwriter Stephen Castillo and his partner Phill Brush, both are natives of Houston, Texas but separately made their way to Austin where they met and formed the band. It is very much a creative partnership in which Castillo leads the band, is the songwriter and lead vocalist while Brush is the man taking care of the business, additionally playing upright bass with the band in its early days, and he does so on one track, Last Apology, on the debut release.

The album is produced by John Evans, an artist in his own right with several albums to his name, who does a sterling job of realising the excellent music on offer here. Evans brings in some members of his own band to lend a hand, notably drummer Patrick Herzfeld who also engineered, mixed and mastered the album in Austin’s Signal Hill Studios. Evans brings his guitar and bass playing skills to the sessions too, alongside those of Scott Davis, who also contributes keyboards and accordion. Add to that the fine fiddle playing of Dennis Ludiker, who has been associated in recent times with Asleep At The Wheel (amongst others performers), while Geoff Queen adds pedal steel to Trust Me, You Can’t Trust Me. All are part of the Austin music community, with all the multi-genre roots that that city thrives on.

The album is dedicated to the sadly departed Austin heroes, James Hand and Broken Spoke founder James White. That alone gives a hint as to the band’s direction and influences that range from Hank Williams Sr to later traditional stalwarts like Alan Jackson, but also taking in bluegrass and ranchera along the way. The results are impressive and stand on their own merits, with a set of strongly realised and crafted songs.

The first track on the album (Honky Tonk Saints) was written by Castillo in homage to the likes of Kitty Wells and Lefty Frizzell, but the more recent passing of those to whom the album is dedicated seemed to give it a more timely and appropriate meaning. It is the perfect introduction to Castillo’s characteristic vocal. It is written about those luckless folk who inhabit the honky tonks and bars, where “the brokenhearted are never alone / they raise a glass and sing along”. Flower Of The Rio Grande, the first single off the album, is the tale of an undeniable love for a girl from south of the border. It is again a memorable melody, as is You, Me and The Neon, a walk into a neon lit space that illuminates another possible liaison. 

The tempo kicks up the dust for the warning of the unreliable and dishonest man who is the subject of Trust Me, You Can’t Trust Me. More contemplative with some heightened atmosphere and more of that border feel is the dark tale of Leyenda, a song with suggestions of murderous intent. In Lovin’ You For Awhile there is more than a hint of the Pete Anderson produced work of Dwight Yoakam. It is set to a dance floor rumba rhythm and uses the accordion for an additional Tex-Mex ambience. Dipping into the past of old sad country songs again is Last Apology, which laments the unforeseen break-ups. Finding solace in the emptying of the bottle may ultimately lead to a blank feeling inside, which is what Emptying Me takes on board. The final track Quesadilla Mamacita was written in response to a request to write a song about this corn based Mexican tortilla. It is full of befitting textures and is flavoursome as the food - as long as you don’t try for a share.

There is plenty to share here on this album that brings The Western Express’ name into focus as one of the best new names from Austin, who play it right and play it real. Recommended for lovers, poets and the occasional lunatic.

Review by Stephen Rapid

Dave Vargo Crooked Miles Self Release

A new album from the creative talent of Dave Vargo is always something worth waiting for.  Having graduated from Berklee College of Music in Boston he has developed a solid audience through regular touring and session playing. This included a You Tube/Facebook presence during the Covid lockdowns around a concept of “Two for Tuesday” performing a few songs and inviting guests to join the party. His sound is very much from the Americana songbook, and this third album builds upon the success of Burning Through (2016), Spaces in Between (2019).

It’s focus is around the real scenarios of daily life and the emotions and feelings that arise. Back Then looks back at memories formed and whether you can ever really inhabit that sense of place that once existed. Equally, You’ll Know, speaks about those moments when self-awareness dawns and the path ahead suddenly becomes clear. The playing on the album is really nicely balanced across the production and the ensemble consists of Dave Vargo (guitars, vocals), Tim Pannella (drums, percussion), Dan Haase (bass), Erik Romero (organ), Kim Boyko (backing vocals), and Sahara Moon (backing vocals on Fault Lines). Dave co-produced with Tim Pannella, who also engineered, mixed and mastered the tracks and who lays down an easy rhythmic drum groove on which to create the melodies. There is a nice tone to the lead vocals and Vargo certainly takes control of the overall direction that the songs take. Fault Lines is a slow burn, reflective song that wonders about directions taken and whether the decisions were the correct ones. Some sweet guitar lines colour the melody and the sense of something lost along the way.

All songs were written by Vargo, with only one co-write credited, and the easy flow of the band brings to mind a live feel to the twelve tracks. Nobody’s Fault is another highlight and a great example of the players being right in the pocket of the groove. Empty Space deals with being lonely and missing  someone’s presence. “So much harder to pass the day and fill the empty space, I can smell the ghost of you that still haunts every place, I see your face.” The beautiful guitar lines on She Would display the fluency of Dave Vargo on his chosen instrument and there are really no weak songs on this album. The entire experience leaves you wanting more – always a good sign of strong content and compelling performance.

Review by Paul McGee

The Celtic Duo The Celtic Duo Self Release

This debut album from duo, Jonas Liljestrom and Emil Pernblad, is steeped in the traditions of Celtic folk music. From their home in Gothenburg, Sweden, this accomplished duo has been making music together for many years, dating back to 1990 when they formed the band, Celtic Connections. After a successful five-year run, the band decided to split, but Jonas and Emil continued to maintain contact, despite walking different paths. Jonas qualified with a masters degree in ethnomusicology and Emil immersed himself in the flamenco music culture of Spain. Bands came and went, before the duo started working again in 2010 as part of a group playing gypsy music - leading to the present, and their debut album release (both musicians currently play in five different groups)…

The folk traditions of Brittany, Ireland, Scotland and Wales are explored and played with an élan and a joy that is completely hypnotic and infectious. Their ability to weave together and to soar in the musical arrangements is very impressive and with Jonas contributing on fiddle, percussion and vocals; together with Emil on bouzouki and guitar, the interplay is quite spectacular. These old songs are given a contemporary feel in the structures and the addition of piano (Greg McDermott) and flugelhorn (Johan Asplund), add an extra colour on selected tracks. Of the twelve songs, five have vocals included and all tracks explore the influence of native folk music and narrative. There are  Welsh love songs (Llangollen Market), Irish laments (Spancil Hill), Scottish/Irish jigs (Haste To the Wedding/ The Priest In His Boots/ Off She Goes), Australian folk songs (Streets Of Forbes), and the wonderful flow of both Neil Gow’s Lament… and Captain O’Kane/The Battle Of Aughrim, where these superbly gifted musicians really take flight.   

Roots music contains both folk and world musical forms as intrinsic parts of the whole mosaic. Celtic music has always celebrated the culture of Northern Europe and despite many hybrids over the years, the purity of the folk roots has always shone through. This album is a worthy addition to this tradition.

Review by Paul McGee

Josh Johnston Reasons To Fly Self Release

This is very fine example of the local talent currently available on the Irish music scene. Josh has been involved with all aspects of music for many years now and along with his duties as organist at the Dublin Unitarian Church, his compositions have always been worthy of the time spent in their creation and delivery.

Whether the sweet soul sound of, (I Save You) Lodi, with the big horn section and the lyrical guitar of Brian Hogan; or the more considered and measured blues of Is it Still Called Love?, Josh has probably delivered the most cohesive album of his expansive career so far. Employing quite a stellar cast of musicians, fifteen in total on the liner notes, the superb co-production from Josh and Anthony Gibney is both bright and beautifully judged. Written largely during the Covid pandemic, Josh has released a really big statement of a record.

There is the reflective atmosphere on Melt Into the Room and the steady rhythm laid down by David Hingerty and Brian Hogan on Darkness By Your Head.  Or the atmospheric Hammond organ of Scott Flanigan on Mrs Gogo, mixed perfectly with the expressive piano playing of Johnston. Savour the superbly timed playing of Marco Francescangeli on saxophones and clarinet, and the trumpet and flugelhorn of Bill Blackmore. Indulge in the creative violin and cello parts throughout .

Josh co-wrote six of the songs (four with Doug Kinch) and his own composition, He Is Here, has an interesting take on watching yourself from the side-line, ruminating over the past and the people we once were, still part of us in the present. The title track references a road trip taken and the reasons to leave a current situation behind. “Hopes and dreams, new directions, there is always a reason to fly.”

Two cover songs are included, Mountaineering (Ronan Swift) and Strange Weirdos (Loudon Wainwright 111). Both fit snugly into the eclectic mix of influences and songs that highlight the versatility of this, Johnston’s sixth solo outing.  A worthy effort and impressively delivered by all involved. Take a well-earned bow, Mr Johnston.

Review by Paul McGee

Millpond Moon Sweeter Than Wine Tikopea

This seven-piece band are based in Norway and this is their third album. The creative hub is the partnership shared by Rune Hauge and Kjersti Misje. This talented duo share lead vocals and their easy tone combines to create a rich tapestry to wrap around the song melodies. Hauge writes all the songs and they focus on relationships in all sorts of different colours; from the woes felt in Just Before Dawn, to the sweet memories recalled from the past on Memory Lane. The interplay is quite superb between these talented musicians, highlighted especially on the excellent Memory Lane.

I’ll Do Anything To See You Smile and Fallen On Strange Times continue this relationship theme, with the band playing in an understated manner, full of gentle restraint and sweet harmonising across their instruments;  Andy Leftwich (mandolin and fiddle), Jeff Taylor (Accordion), Rob Ickes (dobro), Kenny Malone (percussion), Mark Fain (Bass), and with Rune Hauge (Guitars and vocal), together with Kjersti Misje (guitar, vocals), heightening everything in the arrangements. Bil VornDick assisted in both engineering and mixing from his Nashville studios and Millpond Moon produced, also using studios in Norway and Spain on their travels.

Don’t Ever Make That Right is a song that tackles domestic abuse and it is finely judged in the playing. The obvious pleasure that this ensemble gets from coming together to play music is captured in the song, All My Life, and it captures perfectly the magic that is clearly present. ‘When the lights go down, I got the best seat in town, Everybody goes with the flow, Brings back memories from long ago.’ I couldn’t have put it better myself. Well worth further investigation.

Review by Paul McGee

The Rosellys On The Porch Clubhouse

Hertfordshire, England band The Rosellys, have been performing and releasing quality roots music for over a decade and a half. Very much a family affair, the band is fronted by life partners Rebecca and Simon Roselly, who play fiddles, guitar and banjos, as well as vocals. The remaining band members are Simon’s father Allan Kelly on pedal steel and accordion, and father and son Matt and George Kirby, who play bass and drums respectively. The latest family addition on their fifth studio album, ON THE PORCH, is baby Robyn Roselly, who makes her studio debut with a giggling intro on the song Lafayette Louisiana.

The album was co-produced by the Rosellys and Ron Rogers (T’Pau) and recorded at Up Lane Recordings in the Monmouth Hills in Wales. It offers fourteen tracks in all, blending country ballads, alongside mid and up-tempo rootsy numbers. They’re out of the traps at lightning speed with the fiddle-driven opener You Ain’t Gotta Go Home and the sprightly title track is equally toe tapping material. Other standouts include the banjo-led River Wye, the breezy and melodic radio friendly Night and Day and the equally easy on the ear Don’t Pull Away, which showcases Rebecca’s impressive vocal range. A further highlight is the calming and spellbinding Firefly. Also included is the nostalgic Camden Town, which recalls the early courtship days of Rebecca and Simon in that multi-cultural London district.

Impressively packaged and with full liner notes, ON THE PORCH is a gentle reminder of the quality of roots music close to home and further substantiation that it matters not where your roots are when you have the gift to write, perform and record strong material. An exercise in keeping things simple and to the point, The Rosellys’ latest recording does just that with a stylish collection of hook-driven roots songs, well worth checking out.

Review by Declan Culliton

Ken Yates Cerulean Soundly

CERULEAN is the fourth album by Ontario-born artist Ken Yates, a winner of two Canadian Folk Music Awards in 2017.  The press release accompanying the album makes comparisons with Big Thief and The War On Drugs, which accurately describes the low-key indie folk material on this eleven-track album.

Produced by Jim Bryson (Kathleen Edwards, Howe Gelb, Lynn Miles), Yates invited a number of female artists to contribute backing vocals on five of the tracks. As a result, his composed vocals are joined by Kathleen Edwards (The Big One), Stephanie Lambring (Don’t Mean To Wake You), Katie Pruitt (Consolation Prize), Liz Longley (Good Things), and Caroline Marie Brooks (Honest Light).

Lyrically, the album reflects Yates’s mindset at a time when he was grieving the passing of his mother, alongside the uncertainty of the near future, with Covid dictating people’s movement and career plans. Those concerns are articulated in the opening tracks, The Big One and The Future is Dead, the former bringing to mind the work of Sufjan Stevens. Yates appears to express his emotions in chronological order across the album with the near despair of the early tracks evolving into hope on the track Honest Life and eventually to acceptance on the title track, which bookends the album.

“This is the first time that I’ve made a record where I feel like the songs were going to be written whether I wanted to release an album or not,” explains Yates. Fortunately, his inner thoughts and the healing process derived from the songs have been shared on an album that manages to capture and hold the listener’s attention. CERULEAN is very much a suite of songs that needs to be listened to, uninterrupted, from start to finish.

Review by Declan Culliton

Chastity Brown Sing To The Walls Red House/Compass

Minneapolis-based Chastity Brown’s initial introduction to music was playing saxophone and drums in church in Union City, Tennessee, where she was born and raised. Her professional recording career kicked off in 2007 with the release of her debut album, DO THE BEST YOU CAN, and she has subsequently recorded six more albums including her latest SING TO THE WALLS.

Written at home in South Minneapolis during a period of isolation during the pandemic, Brown describes the album as ‘a love album, in a way I didn’t plan on.’ Be that as it may but its content is often fuelled by frustrations arising from matters close to home. The riots that occurred a few blocks from her home following the murder of George Floyd in 2020 certainly colours the material, although Brown’s response is one of hopefulness and positivity rather than outright anger.

‘Does this black woman have too much power? Would it go down sweetly if I sang softer?’, Brown asks defiantly on Golden. Elsewhere she pours her heart out on the delightful title track (‘I will sing to those walls, hope it gets through, and I will sing to your scars, they need healing too’). The similarly paced soulful and hypnotic Like The Sun also impresses and Back Seat yearns for carefree days and liberty. Sharon Van Etten contributes backing vocals on the spellbinding album closer Gertrude.

Co-produced by Brown with both Brady Blade and Greg Schutte, the recordings took place in both Stockholm, Sweden, and Minneapolis. A treasure chest of modern soul, gospel/funk, and R’n’B, SING TO THE WALLS presents the listener with textured stories about survival and optimism at a time of extreme challenges.

Review by Declan Culliton

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Sarah McQuaid The St Buryan Sessions Self Release

This is the sixth solo album by singer-songwriter Sarah McQuaid, and was recorded near to her Cornwall home in a local church. Covid lockdown had seen her touring plans disrupted, so like many other artists, Sarah took the decision to use the time creatively and revisited her earlier albums in order to reinterpret a selection of her most popular songs. Choosing a live setting, with no audience present to give encouragement and feedback, was a brave move. However, the album was made possible by a crowdfunding campaign, so in a way the project already had the blessing of Sarah’s core fan-base.

Before moving to Cornwall, in 2007, Sarah lived and worked in Dublin as a music journalist. Having seen the business from both sides of the fence has proven to be a powerful ally, and her writing reflects her life experiences in the fifteen tracks that are highlighted here.

It’s a moment, captured in time, made special in the empty atmospherics of an old church building, with the walls seemingly reflecting the self-searching of the singer through these songs above life, love human-frailty and the magic of nature, time passing, and trying to grasp it all. An accomplished musician and song writer, her skills on piano, acoustic and electric guitar are highlighted by this singular performance.

A particularly affecting cover of the jazz standard, Autumn Leaves, (Kosma/Prévert), is a stand out song while another cover, Rabbit Hills (Michael Chapman), is beautifully performed on piano with the lyrics of lost love hanging poignantly in the air. It’s a tribute to the recently departed and much revered musician, producer and songwriter. Indeed, her last studio album, released in 2018, was produced by Michael Chapman and six of the songs included here are from that recording, If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous.

This live look-back through the looking glass was produced by Martin Stansbury who enhances the performance with his understated ability to serve the songs and provide plenty of room for Sarah to shine. He very creatively includes both loops and tap delays from the mixing desk as Sarah was performing the superb Derby Cathedral, and If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous.

The opening song, Sweetness and Pain, performed acappella, is a mellow introduction to what follows, with the unaccompanied, unhurried delivery that mirrors the dichotomy of sunshine and rain as a metaphor for life. Equally, Last Song, is a lovely reflection of childhood memories and Sarah’s mother; the experience now reborn through her own child.

Well worth your time and a fine example of the talent that is thriving on the UK Folk circuit at the moment.

Review by Paul McGee

Blue Fish Diamond Frozen Stars On the Night Self Release

Formed in 2016 by Jim Murphy, Blue Fish Diamond have released their second album and describe their sound as ‘indie folk.’ They may well take their name from the Blue Diamond Angelfish and the inspiration gained from its beauty and elegance is reflected in the sweet melodies created by this seven-piece Irish ensemble.

Free is the opening song and asks for sweetness in life to be discovered once again – perhaps a plea for a return to normality after two years of Covid lockdown? Morning Star is another look for guidance in these restless times and for the light of tomorrow to be revealed on our chosen path. It’s a paean to nature to show the way through the fog of confusion. Both songs are mid-tempo arrangements with gentle melodies and nice interplay among the musicians; Laura Ryder (piano, Hammond organ), Alex McDonald (electric, baritone and nylon  guitars, dobro), Shay Sweeney (drums) and Ronan Quinn (bass).

Song For Love is another easy melody, with strings arranged by Cormac Curran, as the love song plays out on a wave of pleasing piano and restrained timbre. Alive Again channels the mystery of life that surrounds us daily; the magic in the small details, all of which can help us feel alive in the moment, if we just observe the beauty and simplicity of mother nature. Another renewal song after the dark tunnel of Covid, and a sweet sound.

The Devil Beguiled has the band in sway to a song that warns of falling to the charms of a deceitful force, reckless misfortune awaits… Sunshine In My Brain tells of waking from darkness and looking to live in the moment. Again, there are beautiful strings to embellish the sound and the talents of Lynda O’Connor (first violin), Paul O’Hanlon (second violin), Beth McNinch (viola), Gerald Peregrine (cello) add both depth and colour to the song.

The string ensemble appear for the third time on Blue Eyes and lift everything with their sensitive playing. The song looks to belief and trying to save a relationship from falling by the wayside, whereas Do You Wonder looks at the perspective gained by experience and living different lives; the secret perhaps in the participation and moving ever forward. Some nice nylon guitar provided by Alex McDonald and sweet backing vocals from duo Ella Ryan and Matilda O’Mahony. Indeed, Matilda appears on every one of the ten tracks and her lovely voice is a great addition. Ella provides vocals on three songs and her contribution sits nicely into the overall harmonies.

Lady Marguerite is a tribute to Jim’s beautiful wife and his love is evident from the sentiment of the song. The final track, Secret Bill, brings everything together with a live, on the floor, band recording and the happy tale of a colourful character who lives on the local hillside.

Jim Murphy provides all the lead vocals and also contributes on acoustic and rhythm guitars. His relaxed delivery and warm vocal tone is very pleasant and adds to the easy nature of these songs; all written by Jim and recorded at various studio locations, including Orphan Recording, Hellfire Studio and Strongroom Studios.   Additional musicians are Gavin Glass (synth, mandolin, programmed drums), Joe Walters (French horn and trumpet), with all engineering and production credits to Gavin Glass and additional input from Peter Ashmore and Ross Fortune.

Blue Fish Diamond represent the quality of hidden talent that exists in the Irish music industry and with lockdowns now hopefully a thing of the past, it’s time for Jim Murphy and his merry band of musicians to gather some momentum in their career. They certainly have the talent required and I wish them well on their journey.

Review by Paul McGee

Dave Desmelik Clues Of My Existence Self Release

This is an impressive album from a musician who has been releasing consistently strong music since 1999. Now well into double-figures when it comes to his independent recordings, CLUES OF MYEXISTENCE, is as strong an album as Dave Desmelik has ever released. With superbly crafted musicianship throughout, these nine songs are a real joy to explore.

Based in North Carolina, Desmelik has employed the talents of some old friends from his early recordings, namely Brad Bays (guitars, vocals), Nolan McKelvey (upright bass, vocals) and Ron James (drums, percussion). Their sense of rhythm and timing is an essential building block upon which much of the album revolves. The superb Steve Mayone is also enlisted and he adds an array of guitars, lap steel and vocals on a few songs. There are other cameo appearances, with Ryan Stigman highlighted for his wonderfully creative pedal steel playing and David Phillips adding a twin guitar sound to opener, What If?, straight out of the Allman Brothers school of beautifully honed riffs.

Desmelik brings a beautifully judged balance to the production and the fact that the album was created during lockdown at various locations, with the players all contributing remotely, is a real credit to all involved. There is some seriously impressive playing here, with Desmelik taking the lead on guitars, ukulele, keyboards and vocals. His craft is finely honed over the years and he plays in a very fluent style. The songs are all about personal issues and reflections, such as living life as well as we can (Sun Dog); self-doubt and uncertainty (Sabotage); the price paid for religious dogma (The Farce), or the decision to stick tight to friendship through all weathers (Revealed).

Both Rain Love and Vision Speaks are highlights, the former a plea to hold on and advice for the vulnerable; the latter a gentle melody that reaches out to the process of letting go; ‘In the dark of the night, lonely vessel sails, On an ocean deep, say good-bye.’

There are many questions contained in these songs, some are self-evident and others take a little more reflection before providing possible solutions. Or, perhaps, answers are not always what is required – life is messy and the devil is in the details. A superb example of all that is good in Roots/Americana music today.

Review by Paul McGee

Merle Jagger Trash Talking Guitars Self Release

This trio, fronted by Mark Christian, are a whole bunch of fun with their energised take on twang laden country tales and ranch rock, with some swinging blues thrown in for good measure. It will keep the toes tapping to the beat of the hot rhythm section of Johnny Ray and Nick Zingraf, on drums and bass respectively. They run through a set of mostly original songs written or co-written by Christian, who also produced the album, alongside playing guitars, bass and banjo and delivering all the vocals. Previously he had performed some instrumental jams and released an album of that nature in RANCHO LOS ANGELES. However, for this new outing Christian decided to add vocals to the venture and the results speak for themselves. The album’s final track, an instrumental, Ranch Rock Revival gives you a pretty good idea of how that amalgamation sounded. It is also a testament to Christian’s fretboard skills and a fitting way to finish the album.

Other than a fiery take on Bill Monroe’s Blue Moon Of Kentucky, the rest of the material is original. It was written, or co-written, by Christian. It was recorded in California with some different engineers in the sundry studios, though some might recognise the name of Michael Dumas, who worked in an engineering capacity with Pete Anderson and Dwight Yoakam. In terms of sound, it might be considered a Californian take on the Texas music of Jesse Dayton. I think fans of the latter might feel at home here.

The lyrics tend to centre on bad and broken relationships, as befits the country side of the equation, with titles that give the game away like Hurt By Love, Broken Home Yard Sale and Another Bar To Cry In. Reckless, which opens the proceedings, starts with an acoustic guitar before the band kicks in behind Christian’s effective, world-weary, edgy lead vocals. It lets us know that his blues have not been the same since the object of his desire has departed. He also throws some banjo into the fray. 

TRASH TALKING GUITARS is the kind of music you may have encountered at any time since the 90s, but it’s something to enjoy at any time. It is not going to tax the brain but will provide a deal of cerebral pleasure nonetheless in Christian’s playing throughout. There are some extended guitar moments which are a joy, such as with the “get the hell out of Dodge” sentiment of Run Johnny Run, that strangely reminded me of some of the music recorded by the Pink Fairies.

I have enjoyed my first encounter with the band named for the iconic guitarist Merle Travis and the lead singing kingpin of a certain renowned rock band. Both of these characters are built into the band’s DNA, though I think it is the inspiration of the former that is foremost. Either way can enjoy the conversation.

Review by Stephen Rapid.

Doug Collins & The Receptionists Too Late At Night Self Release

A pleasing mix of country, soulful swing, roots-orientated melodic pop, amongst other influences. Not that this doesn’t allow Collins and his band to create their own identity for the music they generate over, now, four albums. It is often conducive to toe-tapping and is equally full of memorable choruses, that show the Minnesota outfit has continued to evolve since they released their last album. Collins is joined again by Charley Varley (bass and vocals) and Billy Dankert (drums and vocals). These pair are the foundation of the music, which is embellished by Randy Broughten’s pedal steel (he has also played with other local notables, including The Cactus Blossoms) and Collins’ lead vocals and guitar. It was decided by Collins that they would keep the process tight and only work with the band and forgo additional players this time out.

They recorded the album in Minneapolis’ Uptown Sound Studio with Rob Genadek at the desk, and the self contained foursome covers all the required bases, allowing the album to sound complete in every respect. It retains a live and tightly focused sound that suits the process well. The sensation of finally playing together as a band after an enforced layoff added a energy that has been captured. 

Style has been a central element in Collins’ presentation as a live showman and he also brings that element to his songwriting and to the ten songs here on the new release: There’s the old style country of Drinkin’ Again; the slow, sad, vocally enriched Stay The Same; the Spanish guitar intro’d Mexico MO, which sees a discussion based not on the country south of the border but the one they never been to, located in their home state; the ardent and sad memories of the slow-paced Mama’s Shoes; the upbeat, offbeat and gone and best forgotten relationship of the downright catchy Wish I Still Cared; followed by another highlight One Thing In Common (which turns out that the ‘one thing’ is the same lady), which also has an effective steel break. 

Next up, we are all enjoying a very pleasant Sunday Afternoon, or at least one that was had in earlier times. Dixon has a more downbeat edge but also a steady, sturdy beat. The next song Three Waves considers the three phases of a heartbreak and how they come and go. Finally we have to end up with the Hardest Part, that once again emphasises the tightness of these four players, putting their hearts into all these songs and bringing out the best in each of them, enhancing their deserved status as one of the Twin Cities’ (and beyond) finest outfits in the American/Roots scene. It’s never too late (day or night) to appreciate them.

Review by Stephen Rapid

Alex Miller Miller Time Billy Jam

Once referred to as ‘little Hank’, Alex Miller looks even younger than his 19 years on the cover of this album. However, in keeping with his 6’5”, he walks tall in his delivery of traditional country. His music is a throwback to the age and sound of classic “New Traditionalists” such as Randy Travis and Keith Whitley, as well as having some hints of iconic influences like Merle Haggard, amongst others. However, the former American Idol contestant has more than enough pointers that suggest his take on the music will only continue to grow with age and further life experiences. He grew up in Lancaster, Kentucky and listened to country music from an early age - something that was no doubt natural to him. He was once dubbed ‘Little Hank’ as he often performed the songs of Williams Snr to positive response at the age of seven.

One thing though is that Miller wont to be mistaken for a burgeoning ‘outlaw’ (at this stage in his career at any rate). He looks and sounds clean-cut and is God fearing. His parents split up when he was seven and this may well have given him personal insight into some of the lyrical content of heartbreak and breakdowns. However, there is an equal measure of songs that have good-times and girls at their core.

Veteran songwriter/producer Jerry Salley helms this project and brings his experienced writer role to bear, co-writing several songs with Miller which are often highlights of the album, including Breaking The Bank, Through With You, I’m Done, Girls Must Be Clumsy (which has the follow up explanatory line of “because they’re falling for me”) Miller however has a solo contribution here, I’m Over You, So Get Over Me, that indicates that he can only develop that side of his emerging talent. He also adds some covers such as Freeborn Man (a much covered song by such diverse acts as Jimmy Martin, Tony Rice and Paul Revere and The Raiders), a somewhat sentimental tribute to servicemen and women with Boys In Uniform and the album stand-out, the swing styled and infectious Don’t Let The Barn Door Hit Ya. To close the album they have chosen the Hank Williams’ gospel song I’m Gonna Sing where he is joined, to good vocal effect, by The Oak Ridge Boys. Some of these songs may be a bit too mainstream for those of the hardcore honky-tonk persuasion, but are reflective of his viewpoint and lifestyle at this point.

Credit is due also to the assembled players, may of whom were around the studios as A Team players for that new traditionalist phase. These include such seasoned players as guitarist Brent Mason and steel player Mike Johnson. All of this, however, is given its validity by the rich baritone of Miller’s voice. This is a somewhat safe initial step into the arena of country, but one that will gain him exposure. Hopefully this exposure will point him in the right direction, away from the negative aspects of mainstream industry. So, at this juncture, we are far from calling time on Alex Miller and waiting to see where his next moves take him. For now, this album introduces an artist who has had wide exposure through a talent show and delivers his first album after that fact. It will do him a lot of good and underline his commitment to a direction is undeniably country in content.

Review by Stephen Rapid

Hank Williams Jr. Rich White Honky Blues Easy Eye

I have to admit that the fifty-fourth studio recording from Hank Williams Jr. caught me on the hop. I expected a predictable late-career Southern rock album, instead, the larger-than-life character’s latest recording is full-on North Mississippi Hill Country Blues.

The only son of Hank Williams, and father to Shelton Williams (better known as Hank III) and Holly Williams, pursued an early career covering his father’s songs and style with a large degree of success. However, when he became disillusioned with that direction and changed course into country and outlaw rock in the mid-70s, he became a superstar.

His latest offering is a conscious recognition of the music that initially inspired both his father and indeed himself. Hank Snr’s first guitar lessons in Alabama were courtesy of black blues player Rufus ‘Tee-Tot’ Payne. Recorded under Hank Jnr. alter ego ‘Thunderhead Hawkins’, the twelve-track album is a collection of stripped down and razor-sharp blues tracks performed by Hank and a host of killer players. Not surprisingly the production was carried out by Dan Auerbach, whose devotion to that precise blues sound led to the formation of his band, The Black Keys.  Recorded live over three days at Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound studio in Nashville, the band included Kenny Brown on guitar, Eric Deaton on bass, and drummer Kinney Kimbrough (son of blues legend Junior Kimbrough).

‘That Hank Williams, he knew what he was talking about,’’ claims Hank Jnr. in the title track that also namechecks Bo Diddley, Jimmy Reed, Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland, Lightnin’ Hopkins, and John Lee Hooker. Other highlights include the aforementioned Lightnin’ Hopkins’ My Starter Won’t Start and Short Haired Woman, and a remodelling of Muddy Waters’ Rock Me Baby. Ironically, or otherwise, the album closes with the gospel hymn Jesus, Won’t You Come By Here which is one of the few selections that is not stuffed with particularly politically incorrect lyrics and F-bombs.

No doubt recorded for personal pleasure rather than aimed at a commercial market, RICH WHITE HONKY BLUES plays out like a jam session by high-spirited friends inviting you into their world for forty-five minutes. Track it down and have a listen, it’s not anything that hasn’t been done before but - despite the questionable lyrics - is smile inducing from start to finish.  

Review by Declan Culliton

Stacy Antonel Always The Outsider Self Release

Raised in Ocean Beach, San Diego, Stacy Antonel’s early passion for music was closer to R&B and pop than the refreshing fusion of country and jazz on her hugely enjoyable debut full-length recording, ALWAYS THE OUTSIDER. As a teenager, she studied classical piano and her transition into honky tonk did not materialise until she moved to Buenos Aires after finishing college. The initial spark was ignited when she responded to an ad seeking a singer that sounded like June Carter Cash. A successful audition led to several jingles which were aired on MTV and Jeep in Latin America. That taster for classic country was followed by the acquisition of numerous country albums in a budget store, drawing her hook, line and sinker into the genre.

Fast forward a few years and now rechristened the Ginger Cowgirl, she had relocated to Nashville and recorded her debut EP at RCA Studio C in 2017. That recording, not surprisingly titled GINGER COWGIRL, featured five original tracks and a cover of the Willie Nelson classic Crazy.

Though most certainly rooted in classic country, ALWAYS THE OUTSIDER also mirrors Antonel’s passion for jazz and R’n’B. The recordings for the eleven tracks were divided between Singing Serpent Studios in San Diego and Trace Horse Recording Studio in Nashville. The possessor of a hugely impressive vocal range, Antonel gathered together some industry big hitters to work with her on the album. The production duties were overseen by Ben Moore (Hot Snakes, Burt Bacharach) and Doug Pettibone (Lucinda Williams, Michelle Shocked) and flat picker Paul Sgroi on guitars, Joe Reed (Merle Haggard, Keb' Mo') on bass, and Eddie Lange (Joshua Hedley, Josh Turner, Jeannie Seely) on pedal steel, all played essential roles in providing the musical backdrop to a record that is very much the sum of its parts.

A throwback to a previous era when the country and jazz genres were a familiar partnership, Texas Lasts Forever and Planetary Heartache are country ragtime delights. The title track is a catchy country gem with heaps of hooks and melody. The album includes a number of ‘love lost’ tunes including Heartbroken Tomorrow, which showcases some stunning guitar playing. The album’s tour de force, Karmic Chord, is also a breakup song. Beautifully delivered, the vocals dip, soar and quiver impressively, brimming with emotion and heartache. She takes a swipe at the obstacle course an artist has to endure, no doubt fuelled from her days as Ginger Cowboy, on Better Late Than Never ‘Rude crowd, upper class, sing the song, just make em dance. Strong cologne, bad requests, just smile at the rich old men.’  

All in all, Antonel’s talents have fully blossomed on an album that refashions honky tonk and swing in a striking manner. It’s a giant leap forward from her GINGER COWGIRL EP and one that should reverse the sentiment expressed in the album’s title.

Review by Declan Culliton

Pharis and Jason Romero Tell ‘Em You Were Gold Smithsonian Folkways  

Recorded over a six-day period in their converted barn in Horsefly, British Colombia, TELL ‘EM YOU WERE GOLD is the eighth studio recording from the husband and wife team Pharis and Jason Romero. With a sound that is rooted in old-time folk music, the duo are multiple Juno Award winners.  Their lifestyle reflects a couple steeped in traditional music influences. Together with songwriting, performing and raising their two children, they also build handcrafted banjos which are marketed through their company, J.Romero Banjos.  Their creations can be found in the possession of Jerry Douglas, Martin Simpson, and Ricky Skaggs, to name but a few.

On this recording Jason plays no fewer than seven different banjos, effortlessly switching from clawhammer to rhythmic fingerstyle.  Pharis also plays banjo and guitar, and they share vocals on the albums.  Guests that join them on this recording include Grace Forrest and Trent Freeman (fiddle), Marc Jenkins (pedal steel), Patrick Metzger (bass) and John Reischman (mandolin).

Transporting the listener to an altogether different era with superb playing and dreamlike harmonies that bring to mind the Gillian Welch and David Rawlings partnership, the album’s sixteen tracks are divided equally between instrumentals and full songs. The highlights of the latter are Sour Cream, Cannot Change It All, and Rolling Mills, the instrumental standouts being Cold Creek Shout, Pale Morning, and The Dose.

Despite being their eighth studio recording and Pharis and Jason Romero being the recipients of numerous awards, the album is their first on a record label.  Being released on the non-profit label Smithsonian Folkways Recordings will no doubt introduce a host of new listeners to the hypnotic and bewitching music created by this talented duo. With the Americana bubble bursting at the seams and accommodating endless sub-genres, TELL ‘EM YOU WERE GOLD is solid gold Americana with a capital A.

Review by Declan Culliton

Latest Album Reviews

Michael McDermott St Paul’s Boulevard Pauper Sky

Emerging from lockdown with a new album is a release for Michael McDermott in many ways. A celebration of life in all its various guises, ST PAUL’S BOULEVARD in many ways removes him from comparisons, as it is a strong affirmation that he is his own man with his own vision. That is something that he and co-producer Steven Gillis have realised throughout the album’s fifteen songs that run over one hour. There are songs that have a more immediate appeal than others and the opening song Anam Cara, the title track, and Our Little Secret, with its appealing guitar interjections, directly show that McDermott is on track again. Sick Of This Town covers the frustration of feeling the walls around you, both big and small, beginning to cave in. There is something of a theme (if not a complete concept) here that considers a person’s place in a world that may not be welcoming or even understood, but where they lived, loved, lost faith, or languished. 

There is undoubtedly a big sound throughout that takes his music to a new level, particularly for those who have witnessed the raw power of McDermott live and solo. Here he employs the skills of his selected players, including a sterling rhythm section of Gillis and bassist Matt Thompson, which proves to be the bedrock to build from. He is again joined by his partner in life Heather Lynn Horton on violin and vocals, and Vijay Tellis-Nayak adds piano and organ. To this close-knit team, there are the additional skill contributions of John Deaderick and Danny Mitchell on keyboards and the massed guitar power of David Grissom and Will Kimbrough on guitars - he also adds banjo and mandolin to a couple of tracks.

That’s the team who back McDermott’s passionate performances on vocal, guitar, and piano. He draws on the pain and pleasures he has encountered in a life in music that went from the highs of his early major-label career to the other highs and definite lows that followed and brought him to some despair and addiction. However, that is in the past and here, while not ignoring those hard times, he celebrates much of which is good in his life and nourishes his undoubted spirit, despite what is a dark and desperate world.

The track Marlowe is a tribute the Raymond Chandler’s noir private eye, Phillip Marlowe. It fits his persona well and is given a setting that recalls the best of heartland rock. Over the years and many albums, McDermott has carved his niche in rock’s hall of fame. Maybe not to the degree that others have, but that’s not the fault of his talent, work effort, or passion, rather it is the nature of an industry that often writes off those who don’t immediately hit the media heights. However, I don’t think that particularly plays on McDermott’s mind these days. His aim is to love those close to him and to continue to write and perform his songs. To simply do the best he can.

This album is full of examples of that craft and is a rewarding listen. Aside from the aforementioned songs, there is the graceful title track, the escapist but determined rock of Pack The Car, the chorus rooted All That We Have Lost, the folk-infused hopefulness of Peace, Love And Brilliant Colors, or the eternal beauty of Paris. This album is one of character as well as being full of characters. St Paul’s Boulevard, or someplace similar, exists in a lot of cities and a lot of minds as well as on this album. It is a place worth visiting.

Review by Stephen Rapid

Matt York Gently Used Self Release

An example of time well spent in pandemic purgatory, this is album number four from Boston based country/Americana artist, Matt York. During that period he recorded the eleven songs featured here. He recorded them at Boston’s Bitch Kitty Studios and then added the various musicians’ contributions remotely, in the main. These included telling contributions from Joshua Hedley on fiddle, guitarist Taylor Hollingsworth, Dillon Warnek on piano and pedal steel guitarist Spencer Cullum Jr. They are all used gently and otherwise to being York’s songs to life. And crucially that’s the key factor - the strength of the material - there is proof enough of the robustness of the songs with a number of immediate highlights that will please the listener from the first hearing.

The opening track If You Want Love is a straight up tale of love heading out the door and the wish for it to return. The interplay between steel, fiddle and guitar is vibrant and overlapping and creates a texture of tenacity. This matched by the exuberant guitar riff of the power-pop flavoured I Know You Love Me. These are, in turn, matched by the softer considerations of Baby Doll, Strong Feelings, Word On The Street and the title track. These songs all have their origin in the perennial themes of love, loss, foolhardiness and despondency, often drawn from the personal as well as from the writer’s ability to place himself at the heart of these very real emotions - both positive and negative. 

Producer Thomas Wenzl draws all these elements together with York’s vocal prowess and utilises backing vocals to further enhance the expressiveness of the lead vocal. The assembled players all contribute to the fortitude of the songs, with the aforementioned fiddle, guitar, piano and steel accentuating the perturbation and gratification that each song seems to seek to illuminate.

This is York’s fourth album and he has excelled himself by joining the dots between Austin, Nashville and Boston, drawing on elements of each’s alt-country/roots rock scenes in creating this album. There has been a lot of music created over the last couple of years of, often, self-imposed isolation. Some has been, at times, intensely introspective or wildly exuberant. Here York has struck a balance that never brings the process into a negative space, but rather enlightens the process with some sterling performances from all. There is much to commend about this album and much to simply enjoy. On the inner sleeve York wears a t-shirt that reads ‘Listen to Townes Van Zandt’. Wise words from a songwriter that has himself been listening - and learning.  

Review by Stephen Rapid.

Morgan Toney First Flight Ishkode

Young Morgan Toney was first struck by the power of music as a child, as he sat on the floor of his great-uncle’s home in Cape Breton Island and watched a Phil Collins DVD! He moved on from improvising with pots and pans to learning the First Nations drum and the songs of his native First Nations tribe, the Mi’kmaq, who are indigenous to Canada’s Atlantic Provinces. Next he took up the fiddle, and after realising that he had an aptitude for the instrument, he discovered that his  great-grandfather had been a renowned Mi’kmaq fiddler. Fast forward just a few years and 22 year old Toney has produced a stunning debut album, steeped in the traditions of his native people but also heavily influenced by the more recent fiddle tradition in Nova Scotia, which was brought over through the forced migration of the Scots (the Highland Clearances, etc) during the 18th and 19th centuries.

Opening with just his voice (singing both in English and in the Mi’kmaq language) and a hand drum accompaniment, Kwana Li is a 1:30 precursor to nine tracks, both songs and instrumentals, mostly written by Toney. One of the exceptions is the first single, Ko’jua, an important ancient traditional chant that is over 500 years old. Here Toney puts it to music as an upbeat rousing combination of fiddle, drums, electric bass, acoustic guitar and voices. The droning style of the indigenous chant is combined with the lilting style of the Scottish fiddling. Equally mesmerising is Mi’kmaq Honour Song, another important chant/dance from the tradition, which makes it difficult to resist the imperative to dance. Ashley MacIsaac, the award winning fiddler from the Cape Breton Island family of musicians, guests with a solo on Msit No’kmaq (All Of my Relations), another homage to the importance of the teachings of the tribe, respecting nature and the earth.

Many of the songs are sung in English, or in a mixture of English and Mi’kmaq, making them more accessible to non-tribespeople like myself! Only 4% of the 170,000 natives speak the language and Toney has now become a fluent speaker. His goal with his music is to share the teachings of his tribe in order to bring hope. He does not shun the difficult question of the treatment of the First Nations peoples in Canada, where racism and violence has been visited upon them. In The Colour Red (co-written with his producer, Keith Mullins) he highlights the cases of the missing and murdered indigenous women.

The utter pride that he feels for his roots permeates this album, which has been released on a new label, Ishkode, which is run by two indigenous women. They see it as an exciting opportunity to finally get the music of indigenous artists heard, where previously they felt silenced. Not surprisingly, Morgan Toney won two East Coast Music Awards in Canada this year. This is great drivin’ music, y’all, and I urge you to seek it out.

Review by Eilís Boland

Hot Club of Cowtown Wild Kingdom The Last Music Co.

Celebrating an incredible 25th year in existence (in this line up), Hot Club of Cowtown have just re-released their 11th album, to coincide with a resumption of touring. From the spectacular technicolour of the cover photo, depicting the trio surrounded by exotic and domestic animals and plants, it’s clear that they have lost none of their enthusiasm for making music. Comprising mainly original songs, this record was way overdue, especially since their last few albums have been homages to some of their influences - Bob Wills, Stephane Grappelli, Bob Hope etc. Elana James is the de facto band leader, known for her virtuoso violin playing, rich vocals and sunny disposition. She met Whit Smith (guitars and vocals) in NYC 28 years ago and they hit it off musically. Upright bassist Jake Erwin joined them in 2003, after they had relocated to Austin.

Steeped in Western Swing, gipsy jazz and country music, their unique sound, virtuoso playing and spectacular live shows are now legendary, and this record continues that legacy.

James contributes seven new songs, ranging from the whimsy of My Candy to the romantic Tall Tall Ship and High Up On The Mountain. On Before The Time of Men she imagines the beauty of the world from the viewpoint of a ‘beautiful white stallion’ ruling the high plateau, ‘spirit of the mountains, the prairie and the steppe’, no doubt a metaphor for how the world would have been before recent environmental destruction. She is at her wittiest best, though, in the hilarious Near Mrs., a list song of twenty five near misses with would be suitors (including ‘the guy from INXS’!).

Whit Smith takes the lead vocals on his four original compositions, continuing the retro feel of the band sound with his vintage guitar and jazz stylings. On Billy The Kid he vividly captures the moment when that fugitive is shot down by Pat Garrett, and the life reminiscences that could have flashed before him as he died. Rodeo Blues allows James another opportunity to indulge her love of horses in the tongue-in-cheek tale of how she fell in love with the rodeo ‘pick up man’ when she was thrown off.

The three cover songs include a simply perfect version of the classic How High The Moon.

Co-produced by Lloyd Maines and the band themselves, this collection should whet your appetite until you can catch them live again.

Review by Eilís Boland

Corb Lund Songs My Friends Wrote New West

As you will gather from its title, Canadian country and western singer-songwriter Corb Lund’s eleventh studio album features tracks written by friends and highly respected songwriters. A project that Lund has had on the back burner for many years, the enforced period off the road in recent times afforded him the time and motivation to complete the album.

Lund’s last studio recording AGRICUTURAL TRAGIC from 2020 was a career highlight and the previous year he released his first covers recording, which was an EP titled COVER YOUR TRACKS. On that occasion, he selected a diverse range of songs written by AC/DC, Billy Joel, Marty Robbins, and Lee Hazlewood. Also represented on that recording were songs by Hayes Carll and Ian Tyson, both of whom feature twice on his latest venture. A close ally of Lund, Hayes Carll shared the songwriting credits for Bible On The Dash - check out the hilarious YouTube video - on Lund’s 2012 album CABIN FEVER.

Two upbeat rockers, Highway 87 and Little Rock, from the pen of Carll, are recreated this time around. The selections from country-folk legend and fellow Canadian Ian Tyson’s songbook are the gorgeous ballads Montana Waltz and Road To Las Cruces, both stylishly performed by Lund and his backing band, The Hurtin’ Albertans. Fellow countrymen of Lund, Mike Plume and Fred Eaglesmith, are also represented. Plume’s Big American Headliner is given a full-on treatment, complete with screeching guitar breaks and Eaglesmith’s classic Spookin’ The Horses remains true to the original.

Texan John Evans’ rockabilly and high octane Pasa-Get-Down-Dena is an instant toe-tapper and Lund honours the eccentric Todd Snider with the album closer Age Like Wine, which is delivered with similar vocal styling to the original version. Completing the ten-track collection are Tom Russell’s Blue Wing and Geoff Berner’s That’s What Keeps the Rent Down, Baby.

Loaded with memorable tunes, SONGS MY FRIENDS WROTE is another ‘must have’ album by an artist that seldom fails to deliver. It also had me revisiting the back catalogues of many of the wonderful artists that Lund pays homage to.

Review by Declan Culliton

Elizabeth Cook Balls Thirty Tigers

Listening to the fifteenth-anniversary reissue of Elizabeth Cook’s BALLS is a reminder, if that was needed, of the difficulties encountered by female artists and in particular those recording genuine country albums. At the outset, the album was to be released on a major label but would not have seen the light of day had David Marcus of Thirty Tigers not funded the recording, after the original label pulled the plug at the last minute.

Like Kitty Wells in the early 50s and Loretta Lynn a decade later, Cook raises issues on the album that remarkably still remained taboo for radio exposure at the time, resulting in the lead single, a co-write with Australian country singer Melinda Schneider, Sometimes It Takes Balls To Be a Woman, being systematically banned by radio stations in the U.S. Ironically, the song was nominated as Song of the Year at the Americana Music Awards.

The daughter of a hillbilly singer and a moonshiner, the Wildwood, Florida-born Cook moved to Nashville in 1996 to take up a position with the corporate finance company Price Waterhouse Coopers. Following her music career dream, she was awarded a publishing deal, worked on her songwriting skills, and released three albums between 2000 and 2004, prior to BALLS landing in 2007. With a ‘to die for’ country voice and the ability to craft intelligent and insightful songs, BALLS and its predecessor THE SIDE OF THE MOON, were both classic modern country albums.

The Rodney Crowell produced BALLS visited a range of topics, from the opener Times Are Tough In Rock ‘N’ Roll to Mama’s Prayers, written as a Mother’s Day present to her mom, who used to bring homemade chicken and dumplings to the studio during recordings. A stunning cover of The Velvet Underground’s Sunday Morning drew high praise from its author Lou Reed and Rest Your Weary Mind is a duet with Bobby Bare Jr. Down Girl features vocal contributions from Nanci Griffith and Rodney Crowell.  Despite the quality of the album, it only reached No.72 on the country Charts, whereas ironically, its successors, WELDER, and EXODUS OF VENUS, both less country than BALLS, were commercially more successful.

An independent spirit and a fighter, Cook has overcome some personal and substance abuse issues, currently hosts her own radio show on Sirius XM and continues to record compelling music. BALLS was a noble effort in keeping real country music alive and kicking at the time of its release, only to be overshadowed by the more commercially acceptable recordings by artists such as Carrie Underwood, Toby Keith, and Brooks and Dunn. Blessed with an ear for a tune and a dazzling voice, Cook served up an album loaded with killer songs that sound every bit as fresh today as they did back in 2007.

Review by Declan Culliton

Ric Robertson Carolina Child Free Dirt

This is the second album from a singer-songwriter who has been a member of LUCIUS in a past life, before releasing his debut solo album in 2018. A further EP has led to this follow up record. The ten tracks are very engaging with plenty of variety and inventive playing.  Dan Molad (also of LUCIUS), produced the album and there are plenty of musician buddies that help out in the studio, including Oliver Wood of The Wood Brothers. The sound is varied but sways in the direction of Americana, if you must have a signpost.

Getting Over Our Love is a song about what gets left behind in a broken relationship, the fragile ego of what we need in order to keep believing we are of value, ‘Do you think of me when I think of you, Or are you out there with somebody else getting over our love?’

Harmless Feeling has a slow Country style and looks at dreaming of another girl, while in a relationship with someone else. That nagging doubt that all is not really well and that you should follow what your thoughts and emotions are bringing up. Carolina Child, the title track, is a song about a free spirit that won’t be tamed, but there is the threat of a crash and burn, with the realisation that, ‘everybody’s in this thing alone, running with no place to go.’

Sycamore Hill is a light jazz groove that doesn’t take itself too seriously and has some recorded street sounds to set the tone. Thinkin’ About You is a cleverly worded song that Robertson delivers with confidence and some degree of street cool – the inventive guitar and quirky rhythm mirroring the piano parts and a lyric that bemoans a lost lover. Anna Rose has a touch of Paul Simon in the arrangement and the delivery, some nice restrained playing and an easy tempo. It’s a call to a former girlfriend to stop self-harming and return home, something that the singer in My Love Never Sleeps wants for his own peace of mind – nice guitar from Robertson and a plea to return home. I Don’t Mind has a bluesy, Dr John style to the arrangement, piano, organ and saxophone sounds flirting around the rhythm and great harmony singing from Gina Leslie. Robertson is based in New Orleans and this stand-out track really shows his influences in the sassy delivery.

Rollin’ River is a soulful gospel workout that has the band in full flow and the album includes the many talents of the following list of players; Sam Fribush (organ. Piano, synth, Wurlitzer), Nick Falk (drums, percussion) and Dan Molad (drums and synth),  Oliver Wood (slide guitar), Nate Leath (fiddle), Eddie Barbash (saxophone), Pete Lalish (guitar), Kai Welch (synth, vocals) and a number of guest vocalists, including Gina Leslie, Dori Freeman, Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig (of LUCIUS), Logan Ledger, and Cameron Scoggins.

Robertson wrote all the songs, including three co-writes, with the exception of two tracks, My Love Never Sleeps and Rollin’ River. The final song, Julie, is a nice snapshot of capturing the emotion of a special memory. Ric Robertson has a lot going for him based on the evidence of this release. The songs have both character and colour and I look forward to watching his career continue to grow.   

Review by Paul McGee

Audrey Spillman Neon Dream Self Release

The beautiful sound of Will Kimbrough’s haunting guitar that opens this album is the perfect introduction to what awaits on the nine songs that comprise this new release. The plaintive atmosphere created, plays out a timeless tale of driving to the desert and witnessing the starry night skies - revelling in the love shared between two people on a road trip. Austin Motel is that opening track and it was one of three hotels that inspired Audrey Spillman during the recording of the album, the other two located and resting in California… After one previous album and a few EPs from this talented artist, we are treated to a work of real substance, beautifully delivered by all involved

A sultry version of the Gershwin classic, Summertime, fits really well too, with atmospheric trumpet adding to the texture and tone. Here, Audrey delivers the perfect vocal, both worldly and yearning. With the following track, Blue Yonder, spinning out another lyrical guitar master-class from Kimbrough, the melody and the  freedom of the open road calling towards a new beginning; you can almost feel yourself in the open-top car.

Never Gonna Give You Up is a love song from Audrey to her husband, sung against a mid-tempo beat that stretches out into a sweet interplay between the musicians, keyboards, trumpet, and guitar lifting the easy rhythm. Red Balloon, captures a childhood memory of Spillman with her father. It contains both the innocence of youth and the inevitable pull towards adulthood and leaving behind the safety of family. Quite superb.

White River reflects upon the Cherokee Indians who were displaced from their original lands and who created settlements on White River, Arkansas in 1785. It has a haunting melody and Audrey sings of the pain and forbearance endured with an elegant restraint.

The album was produced by her husband, Neilson Hubbard and recorded in Nashville, at Skinny Elephants Studios. The stellar line-up of players includes; Will Kimbrough (acoustic, electric guitars, bass), Dan Mitchell (keyboard bass, piano, organ, horn), Neilson Hubbard (drums, acoustic guitar), with harmony vocals on selected tracks provided by; Maddie Alldredge, Neilson Hubbard, Dan Mitchell and Garrison Starr.

With musicians of this quality, it’s hard not to hit a home run, and Audrey certainly delivers. On Breakthrough, with the band let loose to rock it up, a statement is made about the strength in having self-belief and pushing beyond obstacles.

As we wind down, the gentle acoustic Little Light Of Mine is a song for Audrey’s child and a heartfelt message that her deep love will always be there. Again, the interplay is sublime. The final song, Go On and Fly, is a tribute to her stepmother who died of cancer, and Audrey does justice to her memory, ‘Peaceful words and loving arms, To keep you safe and whole, To wash away the burdens of the hurts you’ve had to hold.’

In the album notes, Audrey states that “I want to create an intimacy with the listener by creating an emotive space. That is the theme that runs through this album for me.” This reviewer couldn’t agree more with this sentiment and the album is a real delight to experience from start to finish. I highly recommend this music to you and I look forward to the next project that this superb artist puts her talents towards.

Review by Paul McGee

Orit Shimoni Loren Ipsum Self Release

When we hear the term, D.I.Y. we think of independent artists, furrowing away in solitary isolation. In terms of a musical career these days, it can also be the push to establish a common network, whereby a fledgling career can be maintained on a local circuit and perhaps grown, in this cottage industry.

I think it safe to say that Orit Shimoni wrote the book on D.I.Y existence and the way in which a nomadic lifestyle can be put to good purpose.  With a debut 2006 release under the performing name of Little Birdie, we saw the emergence of this talented singer-songwriter, and she had three further releases between 2009 and 2012 with her self-written, heartfelt songs. That last album under the name of Little Birdie, was a brave and unaccompanied project, aptly named Bare Bones. At this stage, Shimoni had been living for two years without any home as she travelled by public transportation, across Canada and Europe, engaging with people and playing in any type of venue that would have her.

On permanent tour, the self-managed troubadour released five further albums, using her own name, between 2014 and 2018, at different studios across the continents, as this prolific artist continued her musical adventures.

2020 saw the suitcase warrior deliver an album, Strange and Beautiful Things, before Covid played a part in her being forced into a semi-permanent abode for some months during lockdown. Orit decided to revisit her song-books and produced this wonderful recording from an apartment that she rented in Winnipeg. Using very basic equipment, a lap top and a cheap microphone, she decided to record these eleven songs in a single sitting as a keepsake of what she was feeling during this time of uncertainty and dread in the world. The title of the album, Lorem Ipsum, translates as ‘Pain Itself.’

In the opening songs that pain is evident as Shimoni wrestles with the evil and hatred in the world, asking for respite and perhaps a deep snow to turn everything quiet and white. The need to put others down and to take away joy seems to be a basic urge in mankind and not the loving awareness that we all aspire towards wanting. Both, All Comes ‘Round Again and America pose these questions and thoughts.

Maybe Tomorrow is a Covid lockdown song where the motivation to do anything is replaced by a general apathy and a fear about what is going on outside the room that Shimoni occupies, ‘The whole damn world’s broken and I’m so full of fright.’ With, All My Sins, the questions about whether we live decent lives, surface in the face of those who do selfless acts in the world. Wanting to be free is one thing but the inequity of the world continues, ‘Why we cannot get ourselves together is just something I’ll never understand.’

My Flying Shoes sings of that very freedom and the need to be wild and out there in the world, untethered. Dear Maria is a highlight and captures the agony of a mother who has given away her baby at birth and who now wants to reach out to make contact and explain why. It takes the form of a letter that the mother cannot finish and the pain of watching her daughter in her life from a hidden vantage point.  Smithereens tells of a terrorist attack that is brutal in its randomness, while impacting innocent lives for no possible gain.

Draw Me A Picture is a song that wishes cartoon characters could inhabit the real violence done to each other in the world; so that we would never really die, but just bounce back like screen characters and live to experience the next day. Horse speaks about animal cruelty and the reality of making animals do our bidding instead of letting them live naturally and run free. Again, it’s a parody for the freedom that Shimoni wants to protect and enjoy – to be free of the dictates of others. Sing Back To Me is a song about communication and wanting to reach out to another, ‘If you reach back to me, all these storms we can weather.’

Shimoni is a free spirit who values the things in her life that are authentic and real to her. Given her prolific output and her thirst for new growth and experiences, it will not be very long until we hear from her creative muse again.

Review by Paul McGee

Latest Album Reviews

Daniel Meade Down You Go From The Top

Like a lot of musicians whose trade was curtailed during the Covid lockdown, Daniel Meade recorded some new songs at home. As with all his previous work, they showcase a talented singer/songwriter performing in a stripped back recording process that is none-the-less full of rich detail, such as the violin on the tender love song If I Didn’t Have You which sits comfortably under his guitar playing. He also adds some harmony vocals to enhance the overall solidity of the song. The opening track Fixing Quicksand utilises piano and harmony vocals in a similar fashion, adding texture to the simplicity of the song’s sense of the futility of trying to understand how a relationship works.

Meade, of late, has released a couple of albums that aim for a bigger and somewhat more electric sound with a good deal of success, but here we find him looking inward in a somewhat more contemplative manner. The title song seems on the surface to advance the feeling of sadness and emptiness associated with an isolated existence, but has a buoyancy that offers something brighter than the lyric might suggest. Meade has written six of the songs on the album and included two cover songs, including a folk-styled interpretation of the Bros song, When Will I Be Famous, with an alternative  interpretation of the lyrics that ends up being less assertive and more questioning. His friend and colleague Lloyd Reid joins him for Cocaine Jane, a song that pretty much sums up a past lifetime and attendant misdemeanours.

The second cover comes from the pen of Mark May, written a quarter of a century ago when he was a member of Glasgow band, The Pedestrians. He died at a young age and this song is a tribute to him, adding a sense of nostalgia, as both Daniel and his brother Raymond played with the band as teenagers. Will You Still Love Me When It Rains? has some delicate piano to underline its poignancy, a song that has a harsh sense of reality and an awareness of the uncertainty that often creeps into the psyche in a relationship. “How can I miss you if you won’t go away?” has the perception of a person deeply in love but always afraid that they may not deserve that love. The album closes with Little Birds, another message to a loved one with the song being a little message flying home to the person in question. 

One can only applaud Meade’s insight and invention, his toughness and tenderness that comes from his heart, as well as his ability as a musician to give these the depth that makes them rewarding and appealing and not just some throwaway lockdown missives done to pass the time. Listening to these recordings is time well spent.

Review by Stephen Rapid.

Silver Lake 66 The Space Between Us Self Release

Bun E. Carlos is the opening salvo on this roots rockin’, somewhat bluesy and countrified third outing from the duo Silver Lake 66. Something of a paean to the female half of this duo and the album’s drummer Maria Francis, it was penned by partner Jeff Overbo and uses the title of Cheap Trick’s former drummer. Each tends to take the lead vocals on the songs they wrote. The title song has a nice California country sound that shows that Francis is as capable a singer as she is a versatile percussionist. 

The album follows in the long-established tradition of some of the finest male/female partnerships in Americana and the the three songs that Overbo takes the lead vocals on serve as a nice contrast to those of Francis. They co-produced the album with Bryan Daste, who also adds background vocals and pedal steel guitar on certain tracks. They also bring in guests to add keyboards, bass, strings, saxophone and trumpet, the latter played by Portland music scene stalwart, Paul Brainard, who played with Richmond Fontaine.

Relief is a gutsy plea for some of the same, with Francis at her most blues motivated. Easier has a more Americana sound that is subtle and piano-led and marks the strength, as do other tracks, of the collective ability on show on the album. The dobro and bass used in When You Fall has a different feel again, using the two voices on alternate verses before the two join together for the chorus, which overall emphasises the caring nature of the song’s lyric.

There is something of a Southern feel to Take Some More Of These, with the B3 keyboard sound behind the solid guitar riffs.  Sweet Compassion uses the keyboards again to set the tone with the melodic guitar for the slow paced mood of the soft-hearted nature of the lyrics. Much more back in the roots/country vein is Blue Sky and it works well again, with its steel guitar and danceable rhythm section behind the robust vocal.

The closing song is summed up by its title I’ll Sing The Blues. It is again more thoughtful in its use of a restrained arrangement which features a string section that highlights the emotion of the song.

This is Silver Lake 66’s third album and it continues a trajectory that, while it won’t make them household names in the current climate, serves to show their overall commitment and accomplishments and how regional acts are sometimes ignored despite the quality of their output.

Review by Stephen Rapid

Shawn Williams Wallowin’ In The Night Self Release

The trials and tribulations of a man always on the prowl sets the tone for this album with the opening Someone Else, a combination of lyrical nouse, driving rhythm and gritty guitar. Williams continues the relationship theme with Buzzed, where she wants to have her partner come on over, given that she is feeling the “buzz” for them to be there, which opens on a low key acoustic guitar before the scene shifts gear to a greater full-band intensity, befitting the candid carnal nature of the title. Overall the album offers a perfect combination (story songwise) of broken hearts, hell-bound hedonism, hung over mornings and moments of something approaching happiness.

Williams handles the production duties and pushes her band of New Orleans-based musicians into the darker corners of her reality with skill and empathy, for the thrill and turpitude of light nights, dark streets and the pursuit of something to keep her. That band includes Dr John guitarist John Fohl, keyboard player Casey McAllister and the Iguanas rhythm section, to which she adds contributions from Dave Easley on pedal steel and Lynn Drury on harmony vocals.

Don’t Go is an emphatic plea for a best friend to stay and not move away to Texas. It uses the pedal steel to good effect to highlight the sadness that might follow. Its classic country affiliations make it a fine diversion from the more charged, energised tracks. The mid-tempo tale of being let down in love despite a strong sense of that emotion in Everything You Stood For has again some turbulent guitar that stands out, giving life to a sense of agitation within a liaison. Throughout, the guitar playing of John Fohl and, on occasion, Casey McAllister are the backbone of the songs, with driving riffs and hardened edges that allow Williams to deliver some incisive and emotive vocals. McAllister’s keyboards are also an important texture in the overall soundscape.

Rare Form has two sections in the song that goes from a sombre mood to something that sounds more hopeful and countrified by the end of the number. Towards the latter half of the album there are two more notable songs in If You’re Gonna Leave where she asks the protagonist to go with some immediacy, not drawing out the inevitable end. Take Me Home on the surface seems to be at the other end of a hook-up, where there is a wish to start a journey no matter where it might end up, as long as she is taken home. Again it is notable for the vocal prowess and slight understatement that allows the material to breathe life into its heart. It is an album that has grown with each listen, as that allows the focus to change and sharpen and get better acquainted with William’s artistic vision and lyrical storytelling.

There is a feeling that Williams, like her namesake Lucinda, has picked up on her mantle for delivering female-based perception and attitude in the Americana sphere, something that can only get better as time goes along, and age and experience are further brought to bear on her already impressively honed skills. 

Review by Stephen Rapid

Michaela Anne Oh To Be That Free Yep Roc

There is a fine line for female artists between earning household name status in ‘country’ music circles and the many arguably equally talented artists who somehow just don’t get the exposure and radio play that their talent deserves.  The ‘industry’ appears to limit the number of available places at the top table for female artists and those seats are currently occupied by industry favourites like Miranda Lambert, Kacey Musgraves and Maren Morris. Though undoubtedly gifted, their product is crossover radio-friendly pop music, with the exception of Lambert whose output does include an element of country.  

If you dig a little deeper there are numerous women recording quality music with elements of both traditional and modern country. One such artist is Brooklyn born Michaela Anne, whose splendid 2018 album DESERT DOVE, was an end of year favourite of ours at Lonesome Highway.

Moving to Nashville in 2014 to enjoy a more laid-back lifestyle, Anne lives in a rural setting close to Percy Priest Lake, twelve miles from the hustle and bustle of downtown Nashville, with her musician husband Aaron Shafer-Haiss and their young daughter. OH TO BE THAT FREE is her fourth studio recording and her second on the Yep Roc label. Her last album DESERT DOVE, was recorded over the course of several weeks in San Clemente, California, with a host of top-drawer players. If that project was planned and executed in military like fashion, her latest suite of songs is considerably more spontaneous and a reaction to a number of traumatic and life changing events that Anne was presented with.

"These songs became healers, almost as if I’d written them as letters to my future self.” explains Anne. While pregnant and expecting her first child, her world was turned upside down when her mother suffered a haemorrhagic stroke, leaving her paralysed. The latter stages of her pregnancy found Anne at her mother’s bedside in hospital singing the songs that feature on her latest album to her, unaware if her mother would ever be able to speak or walk again. The resulting twelve songs combine themes of sadness, insecurity and brutal reflection.

She sets her stall out from the word go with the fiercely forthright and unfeigned I’m Only Human. We’re reminded of the value of cherishing those dear to us on Good People and the worth of those treasured relationships on the bittersweet ballad Trees. The nostalgic title track recalls the simple childhood pleasures and their innocence and she also digs deeply into the memory bank on Chasing Days.  Other tracks that also leave a lasting memory are If Only You Knew and Who You Are, before she signs off with It’s Just A Feeling, which acts as a reminder that despite the unpredictable circumstances that may visit us, there is, invariably, light at the end of the tunnel.

Michaela Anne’s output has been and continues to be, a blend of modern country and 60s styled countrypolitan. An astute writer and the possessor of a beautiful voice, perhaps her resistance to travel down the ‘pop country’ road may reduce her album sales.  It should not, given the quality of this recording. Readers familiar with her output will no doubt have OH TO BE THAT FREE on pre-order, others are strongly advised to check out this album and dip into Anne’s back catalogue. The challenge of writing the album at a low point in her being has yielded another gem and one that, like its predecessor, is more than likely to feature in this writer’s favourite recordings of 2022.  

Review by Declan Culliton

Nicki Bluhm Avondale Drive Compass

The early career recordings of Nicki Bluhm and her backing band The Gramblers were steeped in late 60s West Coast influences and, given Bluhm’s striking bluesy vocals, raised comparisons with Jefferson Airplane. Following the breakup of The Gramblers in 2015 and a subsequent divorce, Bluhm relocated to East Nashville and wrote her debut solo album, To Rise You Gotta Fall. Recorded at Sam Phillips Recording Studios in Memphis with Matt Ross-Spang overseeing the production, the album was released in 2018.  A fusion of Bluhm’s West Coast origins, the bohemian sound of her newfound home, and the album’s recording location, it offered a mixture of soul, country, and rhythm and blues. The content pointed very much toward open wounds not yet healed, with titles such as I Hate You, You Stopped Loving Me (I Can’t Stop Loving You) and Something Really Mean.

Fast forward four years and AVONDALE DRIVE finds Bluhm in an altogether more positive and forbearing mood. Gone are those despairing song titles, replaced by more unwavering banners such as Learn To Love Myself, Love To Spare, and Leaving Me (Is The Loving Thing To Do).

Bluhm’s prime gift is her incredible voice and it’s put to good use on the radio friendly opener Learn To Love Myself. Poppy and soulful, it would slot comfortably between The Ronettes and The Supremes on a mid-60s jukebox. Similarly, Love To Spare, a co-write with A.J. Croce, recalls Smokey Robinson’s Tears Of A Clown, and pays homage to the classic soulful sound from the same era. Easy on the ear and with each song tumbling effortlessly into the next, Sweet Surrender and the twangy Fool’s Gold also impress, the former being the album’s highlight for me. Wheels Rolling stirs up memories of Bluhm’s early career Grambler days and she speaks out for survivors of sexual assault on Mother’s Daughter.

Produced by Jesse Noah Wilson, the album features a host of impressive contributors including Erin Rae, Oliver Slick, Karl Denson, James Pennebaker, Jay Bellerose, Jen Condos, and A.J. Croce.  It also signals the rebirth, with maximum verve and gusto, of an artist equally adept at imparting soothing soulful ballads as she is cutting loose on well-crafted up-tempo tunes. 

Review by Declan Culliton

Mary Gauthier Dark Enough To See The Stars Thirty Tigers

‘It was high time I chased down some joyful songs and I’m happy that I lived long enough to do that authentically and from the heart,’ confessed Mary Gauthier when Lonesome Highway spoke with her recently, in advance of the release of her latest collection of heartfelt songs titled DARK ENOUGH TO SEE THE STARS.

A latecomer to her vocation Gauthier’s output has been soul searching ever since she released her debut album DIXIE KITCHEN in 1997 at the age of thirty-five. Opening old wounds and addressing ones not yet fully healed, her songs have visited failed relationships, drug and alcohol abuse, and the search for her birth mother. She has also shared the pain of others in her work, most notably on her Grammy-nominated RIFLES & ROSARY BEADS (2018). Arising out of her work with the Songwriting With Soldiers project, that recording was co-written with U.S. war veterans and their families and highlighted the trauma and lack of support for a body of people who served their country heroically.

DARK ENOUGH TO SEE THE STARS finds the Louisiana-born artist giving thought to and reflecting on the personal highs and lows of recent years. It’s essentially a joyous album, evidenced by the first three songs. ‘I was stranded, shipwrecked, side-lined on the shore, you wrapped your arms around me, now I look for love no more,’ she declares joyfully on the opener Fall Apart World. She further expands on those good times with Amsterdam.  Having been signed to a Dutch record label early in her career Gauthier wrote the best part of her early albums in Amsterdam. An unplanned stopover in that city with her partner Jaimee Harris created the script for the piano -led song which simply radiates love and contentment.

Elsewhere the record mourns the passing of beloved artists and close friends in the past few years. Artists that inspired her chosen career calling, such as John Prine, Dave Olney and Nanci Griffith, provided the forethought for the songs How Could You Be Gone and Til I See You Again. The title track, a co-write with Beth Neilsen Chapman, unlike the remaining songs on the album, was written a number of years ago prior to the pandemic. It’s a bittersweet tale that mourns the loss of treasured friends but is also a reminder that the love given by these friends is everlasting.

Gauthier invited the same players and producer who worked on RIFLES & ROSARY BEADS to join her in the studio. Neilson Hubbard is credited with the production duties and also played drums. The other players included Kris Donegan (guitar), Michael Rinne (bass), and Danny Mitchell (piano). Also contributing were Fats Kaplin and both Allison Moorer and Jaimee Harris, who added backing vocals.

It's no understatement for this writer that Mary Gauthier has not recorded anything close to a weak album over the past twenty-five years and a dozen releases. Soothing on the senses, DARK ENOUGH TO SEE THE STARS is another delight and one that I will certainly be returning to on a regular basis in the coming weeks and months. 

Review by Declan Culliton

Dana Gavanski When It Comes Full Time Hobby

This album sits into the firelight of the Folktronica camp, echoing the movement of inde-Folk and going into new corners of expression. A follow up to her 2020 debut, Gavanski sticks to the same ethereal sound and somewhat quirky arrangements; this time out using a different team to produce the studio results. A good example is the song, The Day Unfolds, with its staggered tempo and use of saxophone and guitar sounds to create a sense of being somehow dislocated. Equally, the keyboard motif on Indigo Highway builds into a full band percussive groove with bass lines prominent and Gavanski singing of her place in the scheme of things – somewhat reminiscent of fellow Canadian Jane Siberry at the height of her craft.

The album was recorded in London with James Howard at the Total Refreshment Centre, which seems an appropriate name, given that Gavanski underwent some issues with her voice in recent times. The good news is that she is singing like a songbird, as evidenced on the lightly-trippy track, Lisa. The song, The Reaper, is as close as we get to  focusing on those negative pandemic days, however, with a hypnotic bass loop and angelic harmonies, the song is anything but. Indeed, the synth/keyboard swells are similar in sound to the debut release and the new album title doesn’t focus on Covid songs, as one might think on first encounter. The final song, Knowing To Trust, begins with some experimental guitar sounds before Gavanski’s lovely vocal kicks into gear and lifts everything to a place of gentle calm.

The project was created and delivered by Gavanski, who wrote all nine songs and the players involved were;  Dana Gavanski (vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, Wurlitzer, synths), James Howard (electric guitar, synths, piano, bass, Wurlitzer). The duo were joined by Dimitrios Ntontis (piano, electric guitar, synths) on six tracks; Ursula Russell (drums and percussion) on eight tracks, Thomas Broda (drums,  percussion) one track; Dan Leavers (saxophone) one track,  and Charlie Stock (violin, viola) on three tracks.

Gavanski had her tour plans for the debut album completely ruined by the virus outbreak in early 2020 and she certainly has used her creative energies well in the intervening period. This new release is an album that reveals hidden depths on repeated listening, and one that adds to the growing reputation of this innovative artist.

Review by Paul McGee

Bobby Allison/ Gerry Spehar Delta Man Self Release

This duo have been performing since the 1970s when they were a big deal in separate bands on the local Denver music circuit. They toured together and tried the Nashville scene in the 1980s after their respective bands broke up, recorded music of real lasting quality and always kept in touch as lifelong friends. Many of those songs feature on this retrospective.

While Spehar took a break from life as a full-time musician to raise his family in Los Angeles, Allison continued to deliver his songs and settled into life near New Orleans. They regularly met however, continued their collaborating and writing, and this album is not only a celebration of their friendship but also of their talents over the years.

The fifteen songs included here bring a story from former days and a story behind pretty much every track. Information on where and when a song was written and the different players who have graced the recordings over time. There are some recent tracks also and lead vocals are taken in turn, with Spehar singing on seven songs and Allison taking the microphone on eight more. They share lead vocals on the superb, Train, Train, Train and guest, Lisa McKenzie, takes co-vocals with Allison on the equally fine, The Good Life.

Different studios were used in order to bring this project together and the old songs were given a new coat of paint and rearranged by a team of trusted friends, including Allison and Spehar themselves, at various studios in Nashville, L.A., Kansas City and Pass Christian, New Orleans.

The music is infectious, from the great Rockabilly sound of, Bubba Billy Boom Boom and Me, and Rockin’ On A Country Dance Floor to the Blues influenced title song, Delta Man. The Rock sound of Twenty-five Miles to Brady is in contrast to the quiet tempo of Here In The Pass, and the Honky Tonk groove of Bite the Bullet is nicely balanced by the easy jazz vibe of Just Relax, with Cousin Dan (clarinet, sax) and Denny Osburn (trumpet and trombone) setting the atmosphere.  Kinda Like Love sounds like early Eagles and sits nicely against the  RnB vibe of Money, with the swamp- bluesy atmosphere on Eye Of the Needle set perfectly with the traditional Country melody of River, and some superb guitar parts from Rick Plant.

Paul Lacques, Paul Marshall and Shawn Nourse (I See Hawks In LA) all contribute, as does George Marinelli (Bonnie Raitt) and Pete Wasner (Vince Gill). The list of others who contributed, both in the past and on the recent makeover, are too many to mention but credit goes to all involved in this hugely enjoyable project. The cover of the album has a youthful Allison and Spehar smiling optimistically for the camera, while the back photo has the two in more recent times, Allison in a wheelchair but smiling broadly beside his great friend, Spehar. It says all you need to know about the fellowship that music brings and this album is testament to their longevity.

Review by Paul McGee

Lilli Lewis Americana Red Hot

This is a big production record from an artist who is sometimes called the "Folk Rock Diva." Lewis was born in Athens, Georgia and released her debut album in 2007. Her talents have seen her record with jazz musicians in New Orleans and also led to some Opera-based projects. Lewis has also been vocal on racial, gender, and LGBTQ equity in Americana music.

This release is her eighth album and the thirteen tracks run for just short of an hour. A very generous offering to her admirers and the music contains many different influences and genres. Lewis has been quoted as saying, "Country and Americana share space with the profound legacies of entrepreneurial female artists like Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith." It is this observation from Lewis that best sums up the spirit of this album and the songs include the seven tracks that appeared on the My American Heart Red+ Blue EP that first surfaced back in 2021. This is Country Soul and so much more; the breadth and depth of the record, a real tribute to the talent that Lewis can harness in delivering a work of enduring quality.

On the beautifully delivered, What If It Were You, she brings a message of the pain in the world, whether it’s a family displaced as refugees or a natural disaster that brings death to entire villages. She speaks of her own mother leaving an abusive relationship and her strength to carry on, asking ‘What If It Were You?’ The empathy and love that we require to heal shines through the song as it does on other tracks like, One Shoe and Wednesday’s Child, highlighting inequality and poverty in a prayer for a more equitable society for all.

The hope displayed in songs like, A Healing Inside and Everyday, make positive statements for renewal and rebirth. Lewis sings on My American Heart, ‘We’re in a difficult conversation, One that might go on for years, But in this difficult conversation, I want you to know I can see you, Know I can hear you, Know I still pray for you, With my American heart.’

The album was co-produced by Lilli Lewis and Mark Bingham and the list of musicians credited runs to a total of twenty plus… It strikes me as an important statement of these time; the need to come together and to share in the awareness that we are all born into time and space to do the best we can and to enrich each other. I will leave the last words to Lilli Lewis, taken from the song, Wrecking Ball; ‘What I want is peace for my brother, Peace for his mind, Peace for my sister, Peace for humankind.’

Review by Paul McGee