New Album Reviews

Red Sammy Holy Fluorescent Light Self Release

The band name is a performing vehicle for Adam Trice and this tenth album adds to the consistently fine work he has been releasing since the debut record appeared in 2007 and brought him to media attention. The band on this album is Bruce Elliott (electric guitar), Greg Humphreys (bass, backing vocals), Kenneth Noble (drums, percussion), and Adam Trice (lead vocals, acoustic and electric guitars). The eight songs kick off with the driving beat of Getting It Over, a rocking rendition of guitar riff and reckless reverie. The following Some Days I Feel Crazy has a slower tempo that captures a loose abandon ‘Getting down with the down-and-outs, Baby I’m feeling fine.’

I Couldn’t Find A Way Home Last Night sums up the sense that feeling lost is not always the worst possible outcome to relationship woes. There is an echo of  Lou Reed in the song arrangement with the sweet lead guitar wrapping the song in a rhythmic resonance.  Yesterday the World Opened Up is a song that reflects upon what to do with feeling that old keys don’t open new locks. Ernest and Bukowski is a tip of the hat to great writers that influenced Trice over formative years and the sense of independent attitude that runs through their respective works in the fruitless search for the ‘American dream.’ The laid-back tempo and feel is very much in line with the Alt-Country songs that bands such as Uncle Tupelo spawned in the early 1990s. Don’t Know What To Say walks in similar shoes with the guitar lines highlighting a nice song dynamic.

Last Night looks at lessons learned from the passing of time and the refrain ‘but that was last year’ mirrors the reflective guitar melody and the infectious chorus. The final song is I Worry Sick About You and the easy groove  belies the concern for another in the lyric. If you want to plug into a great example of all that sounds relevant in the Americana genre these days, then a visit to Adam Trice and his Red Sammy collective is a recommended stop along the highway.

Review by Paul McGee   

Alice Di Micele Interpretations Vol 1 Alice Otter

Celebrating a career that commenced in the 1980s and one that has seen sixteen albums released by this independent artist, it is appropriate that Alice Di Micele indulges her own personal preferences for other artists songs on this new album. It is a collection of nine cover songs and a tribute to some of the songwriters that she has drawn inspiration from over her extensive career. Judging by the title of this celebration to others in song, there will be a second album along similar lines, and this initial batch of tracks feature the impressive roots style and vocal range that Alice brings to her body of work.

It could be seen as dicing with danger to interpret classic songs such as Neil Young’s Old Man and Harvest Moon. These songs have been covered on so many occasions that one has to wonder what can be brought to the table that could be viewed as either fresh or new in the renditions. Happily, Alice makes each song choice very much her own and the intimate setting of acoustic guitar and voice bring a resonance, such as Give Yourself To Love (Kate Wolf), while the impressive blues groove of Death Don’t Have No Mercy (Rev Gary Davis) highlights the extent of talent on display with a stirring version, featuring the superb guitar work of Dirk Price and Nick Kirby.

The soulful Over My Head (Christine McVie) is another fine example of appropriate song choices with warm keyboard sounds lifting the arrangement and Square One (Tom Petty) has a gentle tone to the reflective nature of the lyric. Lesser known songs such as Throw It Away (Abbey Lincoln) bring a light,  jazzy touch in the arrangement and the inclusion of a bluesy Sugaree (Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter), together with the sense of longing on The Hounds Of Winter (Sting), are examples of both the diversity and range of styles that are impressive in their construction and delivery. Taking the project as a guilty pleasure, these songs blend together into a cohesive whole and deliver a seamless progression from start to finish.

Review by Paul McGee

Lars Nagel Tomorrow Never Knows Self Release

Growing up in Stockholm and dreaming of journeys to other continents could never have prepared Lars Nagel for the reality of finding himself living in California and spending his days as both a tennis pro and a budding musician. Having played in a number of bands in earlier days, Nagel released a solo album in 2015, and followed it with another album that same year. After this burst of activity over such a short space of time, Nagel went off the media radar until an EP surfaced in 2022.

Now we are treated to a new album and a return to the original intention of building upon his prior experiences. Currently based in Atlanta, Georgia, Nagle takes the opportunity to include a number of different music genres on the ten tracks and his writing instincts deliver strong performances here. Daniel Groover,  Diane Coll and Nagel co-produced and played on the album with appearances from Sam Rountree, Tom Cheshire and Steve McPeeks on selected tracks.

Opener Years Gone By talks of leaving the past where it belongs and living in the moment. There is a nod to the Boss in the arrangement and the song includes a hint of the melody on Out In the Street from the River album. The guitar attack on Johnny Was Right is pure cow punk, with pedal steel adding to the dynamic and references to Johnny Thunders land nicely in the refrain ‘You can’t put your arms around a memory.’ The country vibe on Fool’s Way Home is a song about being stuck in addiction and doomed to repeating the same mistakes. The sad tale of broken relationships is the focus of Love Don’t Live Here Anymore with self-pity no solution to the pain. You Will Never Change is a real rocker with an urgent backbeat and plenty of blame being thrown around ‘ You blame everyone for your present and your past.’

The poignant Now That You’ve Left Me  is a song to his deceased father and the lessons imparted since childhood. The sad reality that ‘My childhood is gone, You can no longer right all of my wrongs’ goes straight to the pain and loneliness that grief brings. The gentle sway of So It Goes strips everything down to a life lived by the rules and expectations of others and the price paid for living such a lie. The addition of pedal steel and piano makes this reflective song one of the highlights.

The spoken intro to Gotta Move is not credited but it speaks of the ills in American society and a nation that has forgotten how to feel empathy is expressed in the lyrics as Nagel drives the musicians on an up-tempo song full of anger and frustration. Old Photographs is a look through the telescope to Nagel’s childhood, capturing the adventures of youth and remembering a trip to the USA with his father. The album title and final song is an instrumental piece that has plaintive pedal steel to the fore and a thoughtful ending to an album that has lots to recommend it in the sentiment and the delivery.

Review by Paul McGee

Wayward Jane The Flood Down The River

Scottish four piece Wayward Jane have been honing their unique sound from their base of Edinburgh for a few years and this third release on their own label is a beautifully produced album demonstrating their fusion of American folk, old time and English folk music with their strong Scottish influences. Across five instrumentals and seven songs, they have produced an album of soothing acoustic music, sometimes mesmerising, always soulful.

 As the title track would suggest, the theme of water infiltrates its way across quite a few of the compositions. Edinburgh Rain introduces us to the distinctive and slightly vibrato vocals of Sam Gillespie (guitar & wooden flute) in a paean to their home city, ‘full of dreams’. His acoustic guitar motif is picked up by the versatile fiddle playing of Rachel Petyt. Michael Starkey leads us into the instrumental Brokeback with his sweet claw hammer banjo playing, weaving in and out of Petyt’s superb fiddle contributions, backed by acoustic guitar and Dan Abrahams’ double bass - it would be hard to believe this music wasn’t created in Southern Appalachia. Elizabeth Cotten’s Shake Sugaree gets a sweet makeover, with Sam Gillespie on vocals again, and is another acknowledgment of their influences.

 The instrumentals Doucement and A Stone’s Throw are the only two tracks which have a distinctive Scottish flavour, thanks to the combination of wooden flute and fiddle. Michael Starkey sings lead and plays clawhammer on a cover of Little Satchel, from the North Carolinian old time fiddle player, Fred Cockerham, who was one of the best known exponents of the Round Peak style. The album closer Liberty features some fine finger picked guitar and vocals from Sam Gillespie, in the service of a plea for freedom, ‘Liberty shall be a dream/while a single soul is still unfree’. And so say all of us.

Review by Eilís Boland 

Stoll Vaughan Dream In Colour Self-Release

This album represents the Kentucky-born singer/songwriter's fifth album and one that helps to define his take on his music and output further. There is a definite link to a primary influence for Stoll, which was and is Bob Dylan. That sits alongside other influences like Townes van Zandt and John Prine. All writers have a story of their own to tell, and this album finds Stoll in engaging form. He recorded and produced the album at Iroquois Studio in Kentucky. He moved to that State with his family after living in Los Angeles for a number of years. He gathered together a set of musicians who have played with the likes of John Mellencamp, Sheryl Crow, and the Allman Betts Band. In other words, a top-notch crew to bring these songs together. The team included guitarist Duane Betts on one song, as well as Johnny Stachela's effective slide guitar on two other tracks. Mike Grosser and Dane Clark were the solid rhythm section, while John Ginty filled out the sound with his keyboard dexterity.

His songs have a cinematic quality, so it's no surprise they have appeared in True Blood, Treadstone, Shameless and The Office, showing how such varied television programmes found something in his songs to suit their different moods. Initially, he was mentored by Mellencamp’s guitarist Mike Wanchic, and this album proves he learned well. It has a solid, intense sound, topped by a voice connecting the listener with the songs, which range from the go-west story 1883 of migrating into the unknown hard-scrabble "badlands" territory, undertaken by those seeking a new start. It has a hint of a tribal beat and atmospheric guitar and keyboards. Brother James is a reminiscence of a man "raised by drunkards with no dreams." The title track affirms that life, love, dreams, and the faith one holds, all look better viewed in colour. It has an appropriate sense of reverie in the musical context.

The move Vaughan made in returning to Kentucky is at the heart of Farmer's Market. It is a song that relates to getting into a rural lifestyle and assuming the role of a farmer without becoming one. Again, the lyrics create much of the overall picture that is conjured, along with the arrangement. Closer to home and again using the keyboards to give the song its setting is Fate. It recognises fate's role in shaping how a life and attending partnership is fundamental to a well-lived life and a lasting love. Somewhat broader in context is the life on a road subtext of Just Another Day, which is what is in store for so many. 

More bluesy and with a guiding slide guitar riff is the journey across a murky territory that is a Killing Floor. Shades of John Hyatt abound, at least to these ears. It also sees him more in a Dylan phrasing mode along with that of Just Another Day, where the influence is apparent without ever becoming a mimicking process; it also has a harmonica prominent throughout. The Thick Of It has a reflectiveness that notes that we are all largely in that particular state for one reason or another.

Vaughan is another name to add to the growing list of Americana songwriting troubadours who have the ability to look at their own lives and observations and turn them into pieces of music that marry a crated lyricism with an appealing musical performance that is as colourful as it is engaging. It also underscores Vaughan's growth in each of his releases.

Review By Stephen Rapid

Bela Fleck Rhapsody In Blue Self-Release

Exactly one hundred years to the day that composer George Gershwin premiered RHAPSODY IN BLUE at Aeolian Hall in New York, seventeen-time Grammy Award winner Bela Fleck pays homage to Gershwin’s classic and timeless composition. There are many similarities between the two composers. Fleck may be best known for his masterful banjo playing, but like Gershwin, he has explored numerous musical genres over his forty-five-year performing and recording career. Gershwin died from a brain tumour at the young age of thirty-eight, and his compositions included jazz, classical and popular music. Fleck’s work in classical music includes the album PERPETUAL MOTION, a collaboration with bassist Edgar Meyer, involving classical music played on the banjo, which was awarded a Grammy as Best Classical Crossover Album. 

This five-track album includes three interpretations of the title track, a reconstruction of Gershwin’s Rialto Ripples, and a previously unrecorded track, Unidentified Piece for Banjo. Rhapsody in Blue features Eric Jacobson and the Virginia Symphony Orchestra. Rhapsody in Blue (grass) is an upbeat and spirited jam with Fleck’s My Bluegrass Heart band members Sierra Hull, Justin Moses, Mark Schatz and Bryan Sutton. Fleck’s long-time collaborators Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas and Victor Wooten joined the party for the bluesy-shaped Rhapsody in Blue(s). 

A lifetime lover of Gershwin’s work, Fleck’s interpretations breathe new life into the compositions, offering the listener an entirely different listening experience. “A piano player can play Rhapsody a lot faster than I can… but it’s going by so fast that I’m not getting it all,’’ explains Fleck on this experimental project that should appeal to both his fanbase and a wider audience who appreciate exceptional banjo playing and much more. It may even find appeal amongst some of the notoriously elitist jazz hipsters; you never know. 

Review by Declan Culliton

Morgan Lee Powers How Naïve Self-Release

For my ears, there is a fine line between what qualifies as modern country and mainstream pop music. Quite a few female artists are mastering the former, writing their own material without ever descending into the predictable and tedious. Emily Nenni, Hailey Whitters and Kaitlin Butts immediately come to mind, and this debut record from Waco, Texas-born Morgan Lee Powers, finds her following a similar path, and equally impressively. 

A graduate with a bachelor of science degree from Belmont University in Nashville, where she currently lives, the twenty-one-year-old, having completed her studies, turned her focus towards attempting to pave a career for herself in music. Writing songs from an early age and raised on country and classic rock, Powers paid her dues by playing three-hour sets on Broadway in Nashville to establish a foothold in the increasingly competitive market. She hooked up with Music Row engineer Sean Neff (Reba McEntire, Jennifer Nettles, Glen Campbell, The Doobie Brothers) to record HOW NAÏVE and his sympathetic production underscore Powers’ vocals just right. Eleven of the album’s thirteen tracks are solo writes, and Cowboy Killer, a co-write with Elizabeth Cook, also features. 

A concept album of sorts, its content works around the highs and lows, growing pains and teenage angst while growing up in a small southern town. It’s hardly an original theme, but Power follows in the footsteps of Brandy Clark in writing clever and astute songs from both personal experience and a watchful eye. 

She sets the scene with the opener, Southern Living, telling the tale of her upbringing and ambitions. Content aside, it showcases Powers’ crystal-clear vocals supported by slick fiddle and pedal steel. Teenage crushes, love won and lost, yearning to meet ‘the one’ surface on the mid-paced ballad Dear Whoever You Are and Like A Gentleman. The album’s title track - not autobiographical - reflects on blind-sighted innocence and marrying too young. Pearl Snaps, which is autobiographical, weighs up the perils of falling for someone much older than yourself.  Teenage insecurities and the darker side of social media are voiced in Hate My Mirror (‘She’s the reason I did not eat today, she makes me cry because she looks so happy, everything I ever wanted comes naturally to her’). The defiant anthem-like and previously mentioned Cowboy Killer is instantly catchy, with a driving rhythm ideally suited for a live show. Advocating cherishing life’s simple pleasures, the album bookends pragmatically with Simple Things. 

Powers’ debut album will most likely attract the attention of industry labels. With a pristine voice and the capacity to write perceptive lyrics, she ticks all the boxes for a pop/country market breakthrough. Let’s hope she gets the support to continue to write and record her own material and not be channelled into a more mainstream musical direction. If this evolves, we’re likely to be hearing a lot more from Morgan Lee Powers.

Review by Declan Culliton

The Steel Wheels Sideways Big Ring 

 Mid- to long-term plans for Virginia-based band The Steel Wheels were scuppered by Covid 19, as was the case with all artists and bands dependent on travel and touring to make a living. The pandemic was not the only upset that The Steel Wheels were confronted with, far from it. Band member Eric Brubaker’s young daughter passed away from a rare disease, and frontman Trent Wagler’s daughter experienced a mental health crisis. Not surprisingly, much of the content of SIDEWAYS, the band’s thirteenth album, deals with devastation and a reminder of the unpredictability that we face daily.  

The Steel Wheels is Trent Wagler (vocals/guitar/banjo), Jay Lap (guitar/mandolin/vocals), Eric Brubaker (fiddle/vocals), Kevin Garcia (drums/percussion/mallet keyboards), and Jeremy Darrow (bass). The recording of SIDEWAYS took place at the Great North Sound Society in Parsonsfield, Maine. Taking advantage of the first opportunity for the five band members to all play together in two years, they holed up at the venue for a week to create their latest record. The production duties were overseen by Sam Kassirer (Lake Street Drive, Josh Ritter, Langhorne Slim), renewing a relationship that worked well on the band’s well-received 2017 album, WILD AS WE CAME HERE.

In a similar vein to their musical peers, Chatham County Line, The Steel Wheels have become more experimental both musically and lyrically on recent recordings, moving on from their early acoustic incarnation and four players around a single mic. The tracks here see-saw between darkness and light, yet the compositions sit comfortably side by side. The thought-provoking title track touches on the grinding reality of dealing with a world of ongoing challenges. Two haunting instrumentals, Dissidents and Past The Breaks, also characterise the former. In contrast, Wait On You and Good Thing Now are buoyant, heartening and loaded with soaring harmonies. 

SIDEWAYS offers a broad canvas to the listener, with excursions into rock together with the band’s traditional bluegrass, folk and gospel leanings. It’s a formula that earned them a loyal and committed fanbase, and this project is another worthy addition to their impressive catalogue.

Review by Declan Culliton 

Sour Bridges Down and Out Self-Release

The fusion of bluegrass, country and rock, currently named 'browngrass,' is one of the fastest-growing music genres. Ausin-based four-piece Sour Bridges falls into that classification, and DOWN AND OUT is their fifth studio album. The band members are Pucci brothers Bill (vocals, guitar, banjo) and Matt (lead guitar, mandolin, vocals), Will Vaughan (bass) and Marc Randal Henry (drums and percussion). Also lending a hand on this record were Camille Schiess (fiddle), Trevor Nealon (keys), Zack Wiggs (pedal steel) and Jessica Pucci (vocals).

The band hooked up with co-producer Grant Eppley (Spoon, Ryan Bingham) at Hen House Recording in Austin, their main objective being to recreate the passion and verve of their live shows. They do achieve this, from the racy toe-tapping title track that opens the album to the jaunty closer A.M.Jam. They hardly draw breath in between with standout honky tonk barroom songs, A Pair Of Arms, Drinkin' All The Way Home and Scarlett Woman. 

Combining recently written songs, two of which were written the day before recording and others which had been penned ten years previously, the album showcases the band's stellar playing, clever lyrics and rousing harmonies. If the playing field is becoming overcrowded with bands jumping on the 'browngrass' wagon, Sour Bridges is most definitely up there with the pack leaders. On the evidence of this album, I can only imagine how entertaining a Sour Bridges live show would be. Hopefully, they will showcase at Americana Fest next September, and I can witness that for myself. 

Review by Declan Culliton

RED SAMMY, Alice Di Micele, Lars Nagel, Wayward Jane, Stoll Vaughan, Béla Fleck, Morgan Lee Powers Music, The Steel Wheels, and Sour Bridges

New Album Reviews

Hank Woji Highways, Gamblers, Devils and Dreams Self Release

This is the sixth release from songwriter Hank Woji who resides in Terlingua, Texas and it’s a welcome addition, given that the previous album came out in 2014. During this nine year gap Woji has continued to tour regularly in the United States, performing at festivals, theatres, clubs and house concerts both as a solo artist and in other duo and trio combinations. He also performs with a Tex-Americana Jam Band called The Hank Woji Conspiracy.

This ambitious project stretches into a double album with twenty three songs and a running time of almost two hours. There is a wealth of good music to choose from and quite a number of different music genres across these tracks. The entire album was recorded across eight different states and visited fifteen different recording studios. The musicians who contributed make for a very long list and they all add significantly to the rich tapestry that unfolds here.  Michael Mizma (drums, wood block) and Thomas Helton (bass, double bass, sousaphone), anchored the majority of tracks with their sterling performances in the rhythmic engine room. Rob Pastore (pedal steel guitar) features on four songs and Karen Mueller (autoharp, mandolin) shows her skills on a further four songs, with others such as Radoslav Lorvic (piano, Hammond B3 organ, accordion) appearing on six songs. Hank Woji contributed on acoustic and electric guitars, bass, surdo, harmonica, banjo and vocals. He wrote all the songs and four date back to 2013, with another two written in 2011 and 2006 respectively.

The first disc includes four cover songs and versions of I Ain’t Got No Home (Woody Guthrie), I’ll Be Here In the Morning (Townes Van Zandt), Sitting In Limbo (Jimmy Cliff, Guilly Bright) and Land Of Hope and Dreams (Bruce Springsteen) are all delivered with due reverence, while also displaying the real talents of Woji in stamping his own sound on such timeless classics. Whether employing a folk or a country sound or incorporating some blues and gospel into the arrangements, Woji called upon the talented studio musicians to embellish the sound and the entire project is something of a magnum opus for this singer, songwriter and musician.

I’m Gonna Hit the Number has a terrific laid-back groove that channels JJ Cale in hitting the sweet spot. The gospel warmth of Saving Grace is another superb moment with such great harmony vocals, piano and organ sound. There are road songs that deal with the journey and the ultimate destination, with Don’t Look Back, Chasin’ My Headlights and Sunny Days all laying down the need to keep hope and endurance as the ultimate goal. Indeed, the opening Don’t Look Back would comfortably fit on a Neil Young album in terms of feel.

The second disc opens with the excellent bluegrass sound of Runnin’ With the Devil and tales of a life on the run from the law. There is one cover song included and Take You Burden To the Lord and Leave It There is a classic gospel blues tune dating back to 1927 and written by Charles a Tindley. It’s one of the highlights here, among many, including the  laid-back bosa nova beat of Man In A Cave, the Mexican rhythm of El Sonador (The Dreamer), and the strong message contained in On Our Way Back Home.

There is a nod to the soulful sound of The Band on the country gospel influenced Start Building Bridges, a song of hope and of unison. The tongue-in-cheek country twang of Corporations Are People is a reminder that such organisations are not above the law, and the reggae beat of Can’t Happen Here has a similar message about ignorance and choosing not to see the truth in front of our eyes. The Devil’s At the Door is a standout song, fused with a gospel blues groove and the final song is Peace Onto You and an abiding message to love as you would want to be loved in return. Guest appearances by Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Butch Hancock and Jaimee Harris on vocals add even more spice to the whole melting pot of different sounds and this music comes highly recommended. It represents a high water mark in the career of this talented musician and one that contains a depth that will resonate with anyone who is passionate about music of the senses and the soul.

Review By  Paul McGee

James J Turner Future Meets the Past Touch The Moon

This album is a very enjoyable listen and marks the fourth solo release from Liverpool based James J Turner. A debut album arrived in 2002, titled The Believer, and was followed in 2012 by How Could We Be Wrong, before a third solo project appeared in 2016, Spirit, Soul and a Handful Of Mud. After opening his own recording studios Turner decided to focus on distributing his own music and Touch The Moon Records releases and promotes his musical activities these days. Outside of surviving the dangerous reefs of an independent solo career, Turner had originally cut his teeth as a young musician in local bands such as Lies all Lies and The Electric Morning playing a mixture of  rock/new wave music and gigging live throughout England and Europe on a very regular basis.

This latest release contains twelve songs that highlight a very positive message, coloured by a big production sound with all arrangements and songs created by Turner himself. His message is one of embracing the spirit that rests within each of us and releasing a positive energy into our daily lives. Turner is not one for embracing traditional institutions such as church and state. He questions the way in which our institutions impose conformity and sublimation in our social mores.He is a bardic druid who seeks to connect people to the natural world and also to their cultural and historical roots from the past. As a member of  the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids, Turner channels inner reflection and spiritual landscapes, incorporated in a message of concern for the environment.

The songs here focus on themes such as self-awareness, self-healing and questioning the status quo. The opening song, and album title, talks about learning from past events in order to shape future outcomes. Kalahari Rain is a driving rock song that jumps out of the speakers, while Cycle Of Life slows the pace with a more acoustic arrangement that highlights violin in the mix.  Real Change has a Celtic air laced through the melody and is a call to break free from this ‘well-oiled machine.’ Whistle and flute introduce Breaking Of the Ties which has a folky feel to a tale of progress stamping on the livelihoods of the common man.

Heaven’s Inside You has a compulsive drum and bass rhythm and a sense of Paul Weller in the delivery with violin adding colour to the arrangement and a message that all we seek is already within us. The pace slows once again on Same Old Story and a look at corporate greed in the push for profit above everything else. Such short sightedness is tackled again on Move Up to the Light with a message that eco-awareness is the solution to the over-arching corporate greed that threatens our environment.  We Won’t Live Under Fear is a call to arms and a manifesto to come together in fighting the powerful forces that dictate our daily reality.

Full credit goes to the musicians who brought this music to life in the studio. Etienne Girard (electric bass, double bass), Dave Ormsby and Mark Rice (drums, percussion), Amy Chalmers (violin, backing vocals), Chris Haigh and Neil McCartney (violin) and Vicky Mutch (cello) all contribute seamlessly across these songs. James J Turner takes all lead vocals and plays acoustic, electric guitar, mandolin, whistles and shruti. His singular vision is laudable and there is a passion that runs through his strong vocal delivery and engaging songs. To the Wild closes the album with simple acoustic guitar and whistle, and a promise to get back to simpler days when life seemed less complicated. Now, that’s a place that we can all relate to; that chance to get back to the garden of youth. Maybe this music can take you there.

Review By  Paul McGee

Malcolm MacWatt Dark Harvest Need To Know

The traditions of British folk music run deep, and the sense that it belongs exclusively in the past can hang over contemporary artists in their search for new ways to interpret old folklore and heritage. Different generations come and go, and each of us learn from listening over time to the stories of our elders. What would it take to merge modern interpretations with the old influences and to capture that sense of constancy that runs through it all? Well, Malcolm MacWatt is an artist who strives to bring together the old with the new. A multi-instrumentalist from the Scottish highlands, he has been capturing the old traditions and interlacing them with his interest in modern themes since his debut release in 2018.

This sixth album is a very absorbing look into what defines us as individuals and as a society. The theme running through the fourteen songs is one of personal reflection and the consequences of our actions in terms of universal karma. The songs reveal themselves as messengers from another place that impact upon the revolving wheel of life. Strong Is the North Wind opens the album and sings of the portents of doom, of ancient clans divided, and the way in which separation is fuelled by powerful forces that seek to rule our way of living in modern society. The plaintive harmonica is particularly atmospheric as the plea to ‘come to the polling stations and make yourselves known’ is highlighted as the only way to break the chains of oppression.

The Church and the Crown follows and has a similar message, with the restrained arrangement echoing a rueful look at the abuse of power; the combination of violin and vocal spinning a familiar tale, captured in the words ‘while the nobles and bishops grow fat on their lies.’  MacWatt entreats that ‘the poor and the workers rise up like a wave.’ The sense of injustice running through these two opening songs is palpable and it is a thread that runs through the album. Red River Woman has simple percussion and banjo, interspersed with dobro and violin, on a tale about race crimes and the murder of a First Nation girl. Harmony vocal by Shannon Hynes is very powerful in relating the sense of anger and disbelief that is captured in the arrangement.

Angeline Morrison is featured on Empire In Me and the song visits the topic of the slave trade and the dark forces that took away basic human rights from so many, coercing them into a life of incredible cruelty and depravation. The young child, born as the outcome of abuse, reflects upon the crime committed ‘So father I ask you when you look at me, Am I flesh of your flesh? Or your property?’ Nathan Bell tells the tale of Gruinard Island on the title song Dark Harvest and the local suffering caused through use of the land as a testing ground for anthrax experimentation by both the English and American governments. ‘One generation’s terrorist or political prisoner, Is the next generation’s activist or politician.’ These folk songs have all the traditional framework of tales spun from bitter experience and received memory passed down. The songs are equally as powerful in a modern context as in the times they mirror.

The traditional song Out On the Western Plains is one that I can recall being played by Rory Gallagher in the 1970s in concert, and here it is given great resonance with the guitar of Pat McManus. You can sense the ghost of Lead Belly walking through the bluesy arrangement. The tale of Brave David Tyre recounts the last man to be hanged, drawn and quartered in England, back in 1782. The Scotsman had been convicted of being a French spy and suffered his gruesome death in Portsmouth. Phil Dearing plays atmospheric piano on the song. The Nightjar’s Fall From Grace is a song that uses the nocturnal bird and it’s monotonous call as a metaphor in examining divisive ego and foolish pride and the repercussions of boastful behaviour.

Buffalo Thunder is a standout song that laments the disappearance of the vast herds that once dominated the American landscape, slaughtered to near extinction by the white man, exerting control over Native Indian tribes. It highlights some fine playing on banjo, fiddle with resonator guitar also featured. Heather and Honey sings of the compromise caused by private land ownership and the impact upon the ability of local farming communities to make a basic living ‘ I see the highlands becoming parks for a new monied clan, As people head south to the big towns and cities for jobs and a better chance.’

The longest song is The Last Bowman and it tackles the question of whether there is ever art in war. The skill involved in training an expert archer to master his craft is in stark contrast to the easy way in which anyone can pick up a gun and shoot it. ‘The alchemy of gunpowder became the atom bomb’ MacWatt sings as he plays a military tattoo on a share drum with Phil Dearing supporting on piano. Drowsy Maggie has a traditional air and a melody that harks back to past generations, with the song unveiling a tale of robbery and dire consequences for the extended family. It captures the cost of addiction with the needless loss of life caused by poor decisions taken.

The final song Semi Scotsman brings a personal touch to bookend everything and a declaration of the proud heritage to which MacWatt identifies. That sense of belonging and of pride in being part of a greater whole ‘It’s where I walk in all my hopes and dreams.’ This is a very impressive and embracing album, calling you into the message of equality and equity in all things. It comes highly recommended.      

Review By Paul McGee

Matt Blake Cheaper To Fly Self Release

The story telling singer/songwriter is releasing his second album which judging by the credits, has been in the works for some time, as it includes a dedication to the late Don Heffington, the renowned drummer who was a founder of Lone Justice and played with numerous top notch artists. He was a fundamental contributor to the recording of this album, along with other notable names likes Doug Pettibone, who produced and played guitar and pedal steel throughout the album. The other members of the team included Patrick Warren on keyboards and David Piltch on bass, along with a number of singers adding their supportive vocals to the mix.

It is, however, the warm tone of Blake’s voice that draws you into his stories. One deals with highly inclement weather that finds him holed up during a fierce snow storm in Wisconsin and dealing with that only to find another coming just behind it while he’s waiting for the sunshine! Big Snow is the opening track of the album and finds the band clearing their own path. It features a solid keyboard break to give it a lift. More internal is Help Me, which again looks at isolation and the anxiety that that can develop from that situation, even in a cityscape. The pedal steel is central to the sadness of the track’s sentiments. Ohio talks about that particular State and acknowledges that once the factories began closing down, so did the communities built around them. However, Ohio is home and its inhabitants may well love it too, the effective guitar here helping to set the tone. There is a quid pro quo in his thinking, though, as he offers to save the world if his partner can do the same for him. The song has an upbeat feel and a brief but captivating yodel from vocalist Alice Wallace.

Another solid uplifting beat underpins Things We Used To Do, which finds Blake wondering how he could forget those things, whilst at the same time hoping to do that thing for other lesser moments. Again, Pettibone adds some compelling guitar to the track. Reflections of earlier times, particularly of his high school days, is what The Bottom takes on, in this case a particular sadness that suggests something tragic unfolding in the memories. 

Matt Blake’s lyrics touch on a number of themes that effectively convey the sense of emanating from someone who has witnessed or endured the feelings contained within. Overall the collective contribution of all involved has produced an album that never fails to keep one engaged and demonstrates why he is an artist respected by his peers. There is a tenth song that closes out the album, a demo version of the title track, which provides a hint as to how he has stylised his studio time to fully realise the songs, whilst showing that its essence was there from the start. Blake has opened shows for Lucinda Williams, which in itself should indicate the character of his music (indeed she joined him on a track from his debut album). That album was released back in 2014 and, as mentioned above, for an artist like Blake it can often take time for an independent artist to be in the position to release new music. 

Blake shows his development here with CHEAPER TO FLY and how he has gathered a a team of players around him (especially Doug Pettibone, who also produced the previous album) who have done much to realise his dream. So it may be well worth your time to sample a slice of his Americana storytelling, which will hopefully give him the opportunity to be able to release material more frequently.

Review By Stephen Rapid

Lori Yates Matador Self Release

This new album from the Canadian singer/songwriter immediately sounds like an old friend. The nature of Yates’s writing and singing is delivered with an ease that is immediately appealing, but equally there is an apparent passion when she sings too. The songs are full of reminiscences of people and places that remind her of earlier times, times she may have moved on from but that she is not afraid to revisit. Indeed, the title track concerns a much loved venue that, like many, is faced with demolition - in the name of progress. The Matador is remembered by some small incidents that show how it was a meeting place for like minds as much as a place to see and play music. but the overall plea is to not tear down “the grand old matriarch of Dovercourt.” 

Yates produced the album alongside fellow musician Tim Vesely, who contributes on numerous instruments. They are joined by Steve O’Connor on keyboards, Jimmy Bowskill on mandolin, banjo and pedal steel, Michelle Josef on drums and Basil Donovan, who is a member of Blue Rodeo, alongside playing with other musicians. There is also sadness as her long-time friend, guitarist and Hey Stella stalwart David Baxter passed away during the making of the album. Their combined contribution is, however, a fitting tribute to him.

Again, her skill as a writer as much as a vocalist is evident in the nine featured songs, all written by Yates bar a new version of a song (Time After Time) that she wrote with Guy Clark at the time she released her debut album on Sony back in 1988. Since that time, Yates has largely been an independent artist, which has allowed her the freedom to develop her music in a way that suits her. That is witnessed by the consistent sound over the tracks. They are held fast by the solidness of the rhythm section, with the guitars, keyboards and steel adding the textures which provide the forward moving current that sits behind Yates vocal delivery, which is at turns tender or determined, as the songs require.

Perhaps the immediate stand out here for this writer is the song 3 Sisters, which is an atmospheric take on the elements of heartache, sorrow and teardrops that are at the heart of a melancholic plea to live a life again. It is full of a delicate pain and distant hopefulness. It has a keening quality that is delivered with an obvious intensity. Cowboy, on the other hand, offers the man in the saddle a way to come home after the lure of the midnight skies begins to fade. The sentiments of need and longing are apparent in songs like Alive, as in it’s good to be there but there is a hurt there too. Then there is the acceptance of I Loved Ya which tells of the awareness of “I know you’re waiting there for me / you’ve been waiting for the longest time” and how in the end there is also the realisation that “I’ll make my way back to you.”

These feelings suggest a person who has come to terms with the vagaries that survival throws at everyone, but also the acknowledgement that it is part of what makes us what we are. Yates is a matador facing the bull(shit) but holding her ground too. This new album is one that fans will simply adore and newfound friends and fans should search out, as it’s a testament to Yates’ talent and determination. 

Review By Stephen Rapid

Ellis Bullard Honky Tonk Ain’t Noise Pollution Feels So Good

Tagged ‘True Blue Honky Tonk Music’ on his homepage, you are not going to be in any doubt about where Ellis Bullard is coming from musically. Then the album more than justifies the tag, as a hardcore take on the past but given a modern twist in the tale. Bullard and his band are based in Texas, in Austin, and play a lot of the honky tonks there. He is something of a road warrior with a lot of gigs under his belt. He has always considered the road band he uses as much a part of the adventure, though it is his name on the albums and posters. That band backs him up to the hilt, making a collective sound built around music that folks want to listen and dance to. He translates his hard won experience and observations into songs that wouldn’t be out of place in a set by Waylon Jennings or Merle Haggard. The outlaw aspect of that lineage is alive and well in Bullard.

His debut release, from last year, was a seven track EP but now with HONKY TONK AIN’T NOISE POLLUTION he and the band have delivered a ten track collection that relates to different aspects of life - on the road and off. The pitfalls of the use of alcohol to mediate a bad relationship are outlined in Lucky You, Lucky Me, My Unlucky Ways. This is delivered, as are many of the tracks, with a dance floor dynamic that means even the hardest heartbreak can be tolerated with a little swing. We are not too far off that turf with the anguish of Prison In My Mind wherein the highway is the cause of that emotion. Further down the line, It Aint Easy Needing Green contrasts the need to make some money against the needs of a troubled planet. It features an effective interplay between guitar and harmonica.

Taking a look back at his younger days and those seemingly easier times is the subject of Young, Wild, Free, while praise for a particular combination of a preferred libation is the subject of Patron And Lime. The slower pace of Hopeless Waltz demonstrates how a slower song fits the band as much as the more uptempo material. The nature of his chosen lifestyle is outlined in Cocaine Money as in  “country music - fortune and fame making cocaine money - there ain’t no other way.” The final track is the title song that opens with a distorted vocal before hitting a solid groove and an another affirmation that this must run through the band’s blood. It is a little more edgy, rockin’ and contemporary than earlier tracks but makes a strong final statement of intent.

Sam Norris, whose steel guitar adds much to the overall sound co-produced the album with Bullard along with bassist Cole Beddingfield and the engineer Patrick Herzfeld. The other band members here were guitarists Adam Duran and Austin Roach, Kyle Ponder on drums, Jon Grossman and guest harmonica player Jonathon Tyler. They all stepped up to the plate to deliver a strong, solidly entertaining album on which Bullard has something of a classic honky tonk vocal presence that is perfectly suited to his songs and the way they have realised them here.

There is certainly no noise pollution here, that is if you are of a like minded disposition. However, some fans of a more recently-minted misbranded version that is passed off as ‘country’ may disagree, as will those who are immune to its attractions. Otherwise Ellis Bullard has made an album that will be one of the stand-outs for this coming year.

Review By Stephen Rapid

Simon Stanley Ward and the Shadows Of Doubt Rocket In the Desert Self Release

Originally formed in 2013, and with two previous albums to their name, Shadows Of Doubt are a vibrant fun loving four piece band that hail from London and play on a regular basis on the UK circuit. Simon Stanley Ward is the main songwriter and he also performs as a comedian when not burning up the roads and venues around the various local circuits that they plug into. The original band included Paul Lush (lead guitar), Neil Marsh (drums) and Geoff Easeman (bass), with Simon Stanley Ward on acoustic guitar and lead vocals. Sadly, the band lost Geoff Easeman in 2023, the tenth anniversary of the band, and the story of their close bond is captured on this album.

Geoff played on eight of the tracks included here and his parts were captured in the hospice where he was spending his final months. The other three members had recorded the basic songs in a local studio in Norwich with producer Gavin Bowers providing the magic in capturing the live feel of the sessions. Incredibly, all the songs were finished over a period of just two days. Later in the year after the passing of Geoff, a further two songs were added to the album with Geoff’s son, Richard Easeman, taking the bass and playing superbly in honour of his father. Such a moving and poignant story and one that is touched by a sprinkling of magic dust also.

Opening song I’m A Worrier has a nice calypso groove and rhythm, despite the lyrical content which describes anxiety suffered in daily living. It could also be tongue-in-cheek as it speaks of training up in the mountains ‘A dedicated scholar in fabricating fears.’ However, there is no doubting the rockabilly strut of This Ain’t It or indeed the sunny guitar pop sound of  the title track. Bigfoot Baby has a great rock and roll beat and a fun lyric to enjoy ‘Well a lot of folk will tell you that it ain't real, But try saying that out loud when you're gonna be its next meal.’ There is also some tasty guitar courtesy of Paul Lush who also plays in Danny and the Champions of the World, another fine London band.

Tony has a soulful 60s sound and the song was written for a friend during lockdown. The guitar work on Deadheading is superb  and the vocal attack has an urgency in the delivery ‘Get your knees down in the mud, Shadows of Doubt nip it in the bud.’ The clever wordplay continues on Terpsichorean Footwear which looks at dancing shoes and states ‘Like the antelope, On the African plain, I'm gonna move my feet and drive you insane,’ elsewhere urging that  ‘all the long words, you gotta look them up.’ Elsewhere Designated Driver and When September Comes hit the mark with country and rock sounds capturing the mood.

The ensemble really play with a freedom and intensity that is invigorating and the fresh sound on the album is very engaging. The final song Loving You is a folky sea shanty that is a reflection on the enduring power of love. Ward sings, plays acoustic guitar and fiddle, with Paul Lush turning in yet another standout performance on guitar and mandolin. Throughout, Neil Marsh plays superbly in the engine room alongside the bass parts of both father and son, Geoff and Richard Easeman. As a tribute to the memory of Geoff Easeman this album is superbly crafted and with Richard Easeman on bass for the final two songs, capturing the essence of his father, it is indeed the perfect homage. An excellent album and worthy of your time.

Review By Paul McGee

Corb Lund El Viejo New West

‘It’s a lot of minor keys and gambling songs, is what it is,” explains Corb Lund, reflecting on his latest album, ‘It was just a few of us in my house. No studio. No outside producer. No adults in the room. No stress.’ 

Working with members of his band, The Hurtin’ Albertans, the eleven-track album was recorded with anyout electric instruments with many of the tracks being ‘first takes.’ It follows his 2020 covers album SONGS MY FRIENDS WROTE and arguably his career finest record, AGRICULTURAL TRAGIC from 2020. The former included two songs (Montana Waltz and Road To Las Cruces) written by fellow Canadian Ian Tyson, who passed away in 2022. EL VIEJO pays tribute to Tyson, Lund's close friend and mentor. The album’s title translates as ‘The Old One,’ the nickname conferred on Tyson by fellow singer-songwriter Tom Russell. 

Very much a modern outlaw, Lund was never one to follow markets or trends. Despite never hogging the limelight, he has been the recipient of both Juno and Canadian Country Music Association Awards. EL VIEJO is typical of his practice of making music that reflects his frame of mind at any given time, putting it out there without any significant ambition in terms of shifting units. It’s a strategy that has worked well for him in the past, evidenced by the fact that he has retained the support of New West for over a decade and a half.

Lund confesses to following the lyrical style of artists like Marty Robbins, Kris Kristofferson, Bobbie Gentry, and Jerry Reed on this record. He more than achieves this with lyrics that are both articulate, good-natured and laced with black humour. A point in case are the hilarious Redneck Rehab and Old Familiar Drunken Feeling. The former is a racy and hilarious tale of hillbilly-style self-administered cold turkey. The latter is based on a true story when Lund, high as a kite having experimented with some legal edible cannabis before playing a gig, resorted to downing copious amounts of whiskey to overcome the onset of paranoia. Gambling, cheating and drinking are well represented in the opener The Cardplayer and The Game Gets Hot. Out On A Win tells the tale of the chronic, unfortunate, ageing fighter wishing to bow out on one last victory. The title track is a heartfelt tribute to Tyson, grieving his passing and acknowledging his significance.  

A master class in astute storytelling, country-edged vocals, and fine instrumentation, EL VIEJO is a worthy addition to Corb Lund’s impressive catalogue. It's no surprise; he seldom puts a foot wrong. 

Review by Declan Culliton

Chatham County Line Hiyo Yep Roc

The early career days of singing around a single microphone, acoustic instrumentation and a modern bluegrass sound are long since in the past for North Carolina roots band Chatham County Line. It is not surprising, given that they have recorded fourteen studio albums over the past two decades before the release of their latest project, HIJO. Their last album, STRANGE FASCINATION from 2020, was their final recording with founding member and banjo player Chandler Holt. His departure, together with the appointment of Rachael Moore (T-Bone Burnett, Robert Plant, Allison Krauss, Kacey Musgraves) as co-producer, has culminated in the band pushing out the boundaries with their most experimental recording to date.

Drum machines, synthesizers, percussion and copious amounts of electric guitar all play their part, which is a noticeable departure from the band's comfort zone. They have not entirely abandoned their modern bluegrass leanings, and the harmonies by the three band members, Dave Wilson, John Teer, and Greg Reading, still enthral. Acoustic guitar, mandolin, fiddle, and pedal steel also still play their part. However, they are often more innovative and enhanced in terms of tuning and employing effect pedals.

That change in sonic direction reveals itself in the opening two tracks, Right On Time and Magic. Way Down Yonder, which follows, is a sync-led murder ballad that harks back to previous eras but with a modern-day spin. The mood lightens on the gentle ballad Stone, and also in the lesser gears are a delicate version of Hank Cochran's She's Got You. The piano-led album's swan song Summerline is an excursion into jazz territory, with Wilson's rich and echoed vocals out in front of a slow rolling groove.

'Hiyo' translates as 'an exclamation to proclaim surprise.' That definition may acutely relate to how long-time fans of Chatham County Line will regard this album. It's an album that casts its spell far and wide and is, without doubt, the band's most sophisticated recording to date. Stepping into unchartered territory, Chatham County Line has bravely set aside the tried and tested with this album. I, for one, am giving it the thumbs up. It is an album that requires several listens to appreciate fully, but the rewards are well worth the time invested.  

Review by Declan Culliton

James J Turner, Malcolm MacWatt, Matt Blake, Lori Yates Music, Ellis Bullard, Simon Stanley Ward and the Shadows of Doubt, Corb Lund Chatham County Line.

New Album Reviews

The Third Mind 2 Yep Roc

'I had this crazy idea and was looking for musicians who perhaps didn't think it was so insane,' explains Dave Alvin on the formation of The Third Mind. Fascinated by the free-form recording techniques that Miles Davis and his producer Ted Macero used to craft Davis’ classic albums BITCHES BREW and JACK JOHNSON, Alvin's vision was to hand pick some great players, jam live in the studio for several days and edit the recordings to produce an album. 

The vision became a reality in 2018 when Alvin pitched the idea to long-time acquaintance and former Camper Van Beethoven bass player Victor Krummenacher, who was supportive of the concept, having previously covered some of Grateful Dead's material when he was a member of the band Cracker. On Krummenacher's recommendation, guitarist and his long-time bandmate David Immergluck (Cracker, John Hiatt, Counting Crows, Camper Van Beethoven) came on board, followed by former John Cale and Richard Thompson drummer Michael Jerome. With three accomplished vocalists, Alvin, Krummenacher and Immergluck, committed, the recruitment exercise may have ended there. Not so, and the icing on the cake was when vocalist and songwriter Jesse Sykes ('she sings like Sandy Denny meets Grace Slick' to quote Alvin) was approached and duly accepted the role as lead vocalist. They entered the studio without rehearsals or written arrangements and started jamming on some Paul Butterfield Blues Band and Roky Ericksen tracks. Out of these sessions, their debut 2020 self-titled album was born. 

THE THIRD MIND 2 reproduces the absorbing formula of that debut album with a running time of forty-six minutes covering six tracks. The opener is an eight-minute plus reconstruction of The Electric Flag's Groovin' Is Easy. Sally Go Round The Roses, a 1963 one-hit wonder all-girl group, The Jaynetts, is a multi-coloured psychedelic trip that hits the eleven-minute mark. Gene Clark's country rock classic Why Not Your Baby gets a sympathetic makeover without straying too far from the drenched emotion of the original, and they include one original track, Tall Trees. A melancholic love song written in the studio by Alvin and Sykes one afternoon, the angelic and edgy pureness of Sykes’ vocals are interrupted mid-song by a sonic explosion of screeching guitars and masterful drumming.

Completing the half-dozen tracks is a compassionate rendition of Fred Neil's A Little Bit Of Rain and a bluesy take on Paul Butterfield's In My Own Dream.

More than a sum of its parts and never descending into self-indulgence, THE THIRD MIND 2 works on many levels. Oscillating between cosmic alt-country and psychedelic blues, it ticks the boxes for lovers of extended and Grateful Dead-like trippy solos, as well as the haunting and unique vocals of Jesse Sykes. A marriage made in heaven. 

Review by Declan Culliton

Daniel Donato Reflector Retrace

Nashville native Daniel Donato’s performing career kicked off at the young age of fourteen, busking on Music City’s Lower Broadway. A few short years later, he was lead guitarist with the Don Kelley Band, playing four-hour residency sets at Robert’s Western World a mere twenty yards from where he busked, covering a treasury of honky tonk classics.   

Recognised as the most accomplished Telecaster country guitar slinger of his generation in many quarters, Donato combined that love of honky tonk with a touch of psychedelic country on his 2020 debut album, A YOUNG MAN’S COUNTRY. His latest recording treads a similar path but with a degree or two more in an experimental direction. Broadening his healthy obsession with country music and its vintage genres, REFLECTOR finds him dipping into cosmic and classic country rock alongside touches of bluegrass and traditional honky tonk. Rifling through his encyclopaedic knowledge of all things country, Donato and his chosen team of seasoned session players present the listener with over sixty-five minutes and fifteen tracks in total, which plays out like a compilation of retro tracks plucked from those genres with a ‘where did I hear that before’ vibe to them. 

Included are two killer instrumentals, Sugar Leg Rag and Locomotive #9, and other standouts are the excellent opener Lose Your Mind and the equally impressive Hi-Country, Double Exposure and Gotta Get Southbound. 

Billy Strings' remodelling of bluegrass and overlapping it with Grateful Dead-type jams has been one of the more exciting developments in country music of recent years. It has also been a masterly career move for Strings, winning over audiences of all age groups. Donato, possibly on a smaller scale, is treading a similar path. A fun listen from start to finish, often with nods in the direction of The Allman Brothers, The Marshall Tucker Band and Black Oak Arkansas, and exceptional musicianship, REFLECTOR is both a hugely satisfying album and, at over an hour long, offers plenty of bang for your bucks.

Review by Declan Culliton

Clay Parker & Jodi James Your Very Own Dream Self-Release

THE LONESOMEST SOUND THAT CAN SOUND, the debut full-length album by duo Clay Parker and Jodi James, featured prominently in our albums of the year back in 2018. Constantly on the road - they can boast of having played forty-seven States in America to date - that album was recorded in two steps over three years. They initially recorded twelve songs in an eight-hour session in Nashville and completed the recording a few years later in their hometown, Baton Rouge, with invited local artists contributing additional instrumentation to the acoustic first takes. Recorded on a shoestring, that album drew comparisons with Gillian Welch / Dave Rawlings and gained the duo a host of positive reviews. So impressed was he by the album, actor and film director Ethan Hawke cast them in his 2019 movie, Blaze, based on the life of country legend Blaze Foley.

YOUR VERY OWN DREAM follows a similar template in its written content, although musically less acoustic than its predecessor. Similarly, it was created and recorded in a number of stages. Some of the material dates back to 2020 when, during lockdown, they recorded songs acoustically in their home studio. They had recorded an entire album of songs during that productive three-date period but with touring not an option, they decided to put the recordings on hold. Two years later, they booked studio time in Fort Worth, Texas, joined by Ryan Tharp (engineer), Dave Hinson (bass), and Clint Kirby (drums), and the second phase of the recording took place. The final stage found them back in their home studio, where they completed the final recording of the eight tracks in a fourteen-hour session.

As was the case with its predecessor, loneliness and soul-searching are recurring themes and no more so than in the beautifully melancholic Nothing At All and the ill-fated love song A Matchbox Song. James takes the lead vocal on the stripped-back back Hey, Hey, Hey and equally minimalistic is the title and closing track. They’re every bit at home with the more up-tempo inclusions, Fire For The Water and Flatfoot; the latter is a particularly raucous tale of lust and intemperance.  

Rather than replicating the instrumentation of THE LONESOMEST SOUND THAT CAN SOUND, moving into unchartered territory by adding electric bass and drums on YOUR VERY OWN DREAM has worked spectacularly well, adding another string to their bow for their studio and live work. The common denominators are the unhurried melodies, delightful harmonies, and emotionally raw lyrics. The result is an album that is easy to become immersed in after a couple of spins; it certainly had that impact on me. The comparisons to Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings may be perceived as lazy or overstated, but this is classic and timeless gothic country of a similarly high standard.

Review by Declan Culliton

Anders Thomsen Antlers Self Release

After a recent EP release, Thomsen has just released this twelve track album that highlights his skills as a versatile singer, songsmith and guitarist. With his trusty regular team of bassist Chris Riser and drummer Chris Fullerton, they deliver an enjoyable and humourous set of songs that they are obviously having a bit of fun recording for wider consumption. They recorded back home in Reverend Bro Diddley’s Holy House in Savannah, Georgia, a setup that allowed them to get the best out of the process.

The first single, Internet, opens with yodel and goes on to declaim the lack of revenue his efforts garner as an independent artist when he puts his songs on the internet, something that is a pretty common experience for a vast array of musicians trying to continue to release music. Silver Lining is a bluesy workout from Thomsen, with his guitar well upfront as it is throughout the album. It is about his need to continually seek and find that silver lining. The blend of country, rockabilly, blues and more is his calling card. He also possesses a distinctive tone to his vocals that means the trio are well up for whatever the songs calls for. The life stepping up to the bar in various honky-tonks  is set out in Over Yonder. There is a roadhouse rhythm to Burn Me Up that perfectly underlines why this trio are a draw whenever they play live, with Thomsen burning up the strings. 

He also brings the tempo down a notch, with the latest liaison having a time limit before the new attraction becomes a Brand New Old Flame. There are a couple of instrumentals on offer too, Crosstown Boogie and High Sierra find the trio settling into a groove that allows them to show just what they can do in that particular element of their set. The country styling of the Making Plans is about a man who is perhaps putting something together somewhat ahead of the actuality of the possibilities. Next up is the irrationality of what many feel when a new lady steps into view, someone that he wants to get together with desperately, but who he knows that he really needs like he might need a Hole In My Head.

Lets Go On A Spree finds our protagonist once again hoping for another chance to gets things right, although the previous song might indicate that might not be the way its going to turn out! Gas On The Fire, a stand-out here, conveys the feelings of a man who realises that all he might have might simply become an another burned out relationship. However he never really gives up hope as he knows where he might find entertainment and enjoyment in meeting new faces in one of the one hundred Honky Tonks he has played and stepped into for a dance and drink or two.

That this is the work of a man who loves what he does is evident. I don’t imagine that Thomsen has the dizzy heights of fame, at his age, as his goals - though it would be nice for some of that to be available. In the meantime he continues to use his abilities to make music that pleases both himself and those who have encountered it, either live or in its recorded format. With ANTLERS, you get to take the bull by the horns.

Review By Stephen Rapid

Session Americana The Rattle and the Clatter Self Release

This album is subtitled “twenty years (so far)” and that is a very appropriate tag line for this Boston band who have been delivering consistently excellent music throughout their career. Over the time in question the changing line-up has released nine albums as they established a reputation through regular touring and a residency at the Lizard Lounge in Cambridge MA, where they performed on a weekly basis over six years. The sixteen songs featured on this collection dip into their full back catalogue and take favourite tracks from the different albums.   

Included are four songs from the Pack Up the Circus album (2015), with the title track, All For You, It’s Not Texas and You Always Hurt the One You Love featured. The latter track is a terrific cover of the Fisher/Roberts song that first appeared in the 1940s and Session Americana give the arrangement a light, jazzy bounce after a slow acoustic intro that sets things up perfectly for some harmonica, guitar and brass pizzazz. The excellent Great Shakes album (2016), features with two songs Helena and Mississippi Mud while I Can’t Get Out is also included from Diving For Gold (2009), another superb album.

The band has always collaborated with other artists along the way and there are tracks featuring female lead vocals with Trip Around the Sun (Merrie Amsterburg), and Air Running Backwards (Kris Delmhorst), adding colour to the project, while the sweetly delivered Lighthouse Light is another song that highlights the excellent musicianship across the ensemble of players. This is best seen on tracks like the traditional Boats Up the River which kicks out a real bluegrass hootenanny. Other songs include the very enjoyable Beer Town, a fitting tribute to the great invention of the alcoholic drink.

There are live songs included and they are great fun, giving a sense of how good it must be to catch the band on tour. Making Hay, Doreen and a cover of the Rodney Crowell song I Ain’t Living Long Like This are played with a real joie de vivre and I defy anyone not to get up for a quick dance around the stereo. The great news is that the band undertake a European tour in February 2024 and I can highly recommend a seat at one of their shows as a compulsory purchase. The current band comprises Dinty Child (multi instruments, vocals), Jim Fitting (harmonica, vocals), Billy Beard (drums, vocals), Ry Cavanaugh (multi instruments, vocals), Jon Bistline (bass), and Eleanor Buckland (guitar, fiddle, vocals). Their roots-based music is compelling in the performance and the varied arrangements make these tunes quite addictive.

Review by Paul McGee

Steve Yanek September Primitive

Back to 2005 the release of Across the Landscape captured the emerging talent of Steve Yanek before we had to wait until 2022 for the release of the aptly named follow-up Long Overdue. In between these years this Ohio born musician established his own recording studio and record label. Having originally fallen foul of the music industry as a younger man, he also spent time in artist management and clearly knows everything about the ups and downs of the music business from both sides of the great divide.

This time around on album number three, Steve Yanek decided on a DIY approach to the recording process and dispensed with using the musicians that had helped colour the songs on his first two albums. All these songs were written during Covid lockdown and every instrument on the recording was played by Steve himself. Quite an achievement when you consider that he also produced the project at his home studio. The songs are mostly intimate in nature and examine the need for love and relationships that endure, in addition to highlighting the need to keep a positive outlook no matter what slings and arrows get thrown in our life path. The album is dedicated to the memory of Emmitt Rhodes who died in 2020. He was a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and studio engineer who inspired Yanek over a career in music that began back in the 1960s.

The songs September and Carousel are in tribute to a lover and all that is gained from a positive relationship. The commitment involved and the devotion shown to another is also present on Catch My Fall where any doubt or uncertainty to commit are removed by learning to trust. Begin Again is about resilience and pushing on through certain barriers, with the rhythmic beat and harmonica driving the  song. I Could Use A Little Rain is another song about dealing with pressure and learning to just wash it all away.

There are strains that any relationship undergoes and the doubt and fear of losing someone that creep in. Songs like Losing You, Come Back In, and Count Every Moment try to balance the mistakes made with lessons learned and a hope for the future. Summer Days looks back at good times now gone and holds a longing for the past, whereas the sentiment on You Know It’s Right is to follow your gut and let your instincts show the path forward. That intuitive feeling and the inner voice being spun out to a slow groove with some nice saxophone in the mix.

These songs are a departure from the initial sound that won Yanek much media attention but they are equally as impressive in their arrangement and delivery on this more mellow project. An album that delves into the personal and succeeds in making it all so universal.

Review by Paul McGee

Nolan McKelvey Forward Self Release

This album is the third release from a singer songwriter who has been creating a broad palette of music for the last twenty-five years, both as a solo artist and in various bands. Hailing from Phoenix, Arizona McKelvey has played with the bluegrass groups Muskellunge and The Benders Band, in addition to other collaborations.

The album title track opens things up with a manifesto that declares the only way in life is forward, as the chorus determinedly declares ‘ We can't turn back time, don't look over your shoulder, We can leave the past behind, forward.’ The following track is Tir Na nOg which is Irish for the ‘land of the young,’ a mythical place in folklore where you can never age. The song is an ode to those who have already departed and a wish that we can all meet up again in this land of abundance.

During the Covid pandemic McKelvey lost both of his parents in quick succession and also a close family friend. The sense of absence is something that weaves through a number of these songs and Phoenix Rising looks at the fortitude to try and rise above the grief and carry on. Both Mother and Other Side are songs that are directly in reference to his mother and her illness. The former is a reality check on the fact the death is imminent and there is also a corollary to Mother Earth in the words that speak of the threat of global warming. The latter prays that both mother and son can be reunited after death has finally visited.

The song I Can’t Breathe looks at the injustice involved in police brutality and the need for society to speak out as a mass movement for change in order to be heard. Tears In the Dells (Yarnell) tells of the nineteen firefighters who died in a wildfire in Arizona in 2013.  Sweetest Dream is a song that is written for his daughter and the beautiful pedal steel playing of Ryan Stigmon heightens the slow melody as McKelvey urges a positive attitude to life and a focus on the future horizon line. The final song New House is a hope for a new beginning where everybody can come together as one under an enlightened awareness and build something that lasts.

The musicians on various tracks include; Jeff Lusby-Breault (guitars), Ron James (drums, percussion, bass, vocals), Megyn Neff (violin), Tim Kelly (dobro), Dave Desmelik (guitar), Andy Rauff (keyboards), Thomas Knoles (keyboards), Dana Colley (saxophones), Jon Rauhouse and Ryan Stigmon (pedal steel), Tim Hogan and Jon Willis (bass). McKelvey plays acoustic guitar, upright bass and sings lead vocals. He also wrote all the songs and oversaw the production on the album. It is a worthy addition to his growing catalogue of strong albums and definitely worth your time in exploring the talents of Nolan McKelvey further.

Review by Paul McGee

The Montvales Born Strangers Self-Release 

Sally Buice and Molly Rochelson’s performing careers kicked off as casual buskers in their hometown of Knoxville, Tennessee. Fast forward some years, and they can boast two studio albums as the folk duo, The Montvales. Their debut album, HEARTBREAK SUMMER CAMP, released in 2020, was a stripped-down affair featuring harmony vocals, banjo and acoustic guitar. Described by them as “A snapshot of our early twenties that hops around between sincerity and playfulness and contains adventure, longing, and lessons learned,’’ the album showcased their combined talents, both musically and lyrically. If that album oozed simplicity and joy, BORN STRANGERS is a more full-blown project. 

The recordings took place at Sean Sullivan’s Tractor Shed Studio in Nashville, Tennessee, with the production duties overseen by Mike Eli Pinto, who co-wrote and produced Emily Nenni’s 2022 album, ON THE RANCH and who is also Chris Stapleton’s hired guitar player. Rather than the skeletal approach used in their debut album, this project features a host of Nashville session players, giving the album a fuller sound than its predecessor. 

The writing is also less personal, with several songs addressing more ‘state of the nation’ topics such as climate issues (Ghost Show), gentrification (Empty Bedrooms), women’s rights (Bad Faith), and social injustice (Woman of God). However, relationship matters close to the heart are not entirely abandoned. Loneliness and lament are expressed in Through The Night and Say The Word, and the title track reflects difficult but appropriate lifestyle decisions taken and moving on, ultimately to brighter times.  

The Montvales have pushed out the boundaries and left their comfort zone with BORN STRANGERS. Leaving that secure nest and spreading their wings has yielded a most impressive suite of songs with foundations in both folk and country. 

Review by Declan Culliton

Taylor McCall Mellow War Black Powder Soul/Thirty Tigers

An indication of the high regard South Carolina native Taylor McCall is held in is his selection by Robert Plant as the support slot on Plant’s late 2023 UK tour. Further dates in the UK opening for Plant have been added for March of this year. In his later career, Plant has become heavily absorbed in American roots music, so that endorsement speaks volumes of McCall's pedigree as a singer-songwriter. 

MELLOW WAR is McCall's third studio album, following SOUTHERN HEAT (2017) and BLACK POWDER SOUL (2021). His latest project is a concept album based on an imagined collection of letters that McCall's grandfather, a Vietnam vet, might have written home during his time at war. Six of the twelve tracks are co-written with Tennessee artist Sean McConnell, who also co-produced the album with McCall. Two more are co-written with Nashville-based singer-songwriter Olivia Wolf. 

The album intro is a fifty-second recording of McCall's grandfather, Rev. Russell Owen - who also is pictured on the album's front cover - singing a hymn. Given its subject matter, it comes as little surprise that the album's material reflects the isolation, apprehension and pining of a young man enslaved and cast into precariousness. The songs amalgamate country and blues, with a side of gospel. Love lost and squandered, and opportunities lost, raise their head on Angel Falling Down, I Want You Still and Tide of Love. The McCrary Sisters provide backing vocals on Tide of Love and also on the bluesy album highlight Star of the Morning. The album closes with a co-write with Tyler Findlater, You To Blame. Featuring acoustic guitar and delicate strings (contributed by Sista Strings), it plays out like a final letter written by the author as he approaches the end of his life. It's a powerful closing statement to an album heavy on sensibility and highly personal, without ever descending into self-indulgence. 

Reviewed by Declan Culliton 

New Album Reviews

Suzy Bogguss Prayin’ For Sunshine Loyal Duchess

The career of country artist Suzy Bogguss reads like a movie script. Born in small-town Aledo, Illinois, she sang in a church choir at five years old, was crowned homecoming queen in her teens, sang and played guitar and drums in her college years, where she earned a degree in metalsmithing, before moving to Nashville in 1985 to follow her dream. That move led to the distinction of being the first female performer at Dolly Parton’s Silver Dollar City theme park (later to be re-named Dollywood) and a career that, to date, has yielded Grammy and CMA awards, an appearance at The White House and numerous songwriting credits.

Though recorded during the pandemic, PRAYIN’ FOR SUNSHINE is anything but downbeat and despairing and says so much about an artist who oozes positivity. Recorded and mixed by Bogguss’ husband of 37 years, Doug Crider, at their home studio in Franklin, remarkably, it’s her first album where she is credited on all the songs, several of which are co-writes with Doug. Her two previous albums, AMERICAN FOLK SONGBOOK (2011) and LUCKY (2014), found her recording material written by others, the latter being a collection of Merle Haggard’s songs. Her latest album finds her in buoyant form, working her delicate vocals across songs that celebrate friendship, optimism and worldly matters. 

Hardly a note or a line is wasted, from the breezy opener It All Falls Down To The River, which details some of the bitter pills about life in America, to the gentle love-ballad Can You Still See Me Like which bookends the album. The former includes soulful harmonies from the McCrary sisters, who, among numerous other friends of Bogguss’ (husband Doug, son Ben, Courtney Patton, Kelley Mickwee, Craig Smith, Jason Eskridge), contribute backing vocals on the album. The core players on the recordings were Pat Bergeson (acoustic guitar, mandolin), Chris Brown (drums, percussion), Colin Linden (electric guitar, dobro, mandolin) and Glenn Worf. Guests and close friends Chris Scruggs, Harry Stinson, Charlie Chadwick and Jimmy Wallace are all credited with contributions. Writing and playing guitar with her husband during the lockdown, which at that time was a means of passing the time for Bogguss, became the motivation to write and self-produce the album. 

The divine road song, Sunday Birmingham, is up there with anything Bogguss has written. The light-hearted, jazzy A Woman Who Cooks was written parallel to Bogguss’ first venture into the literary world with a cookery book that she recently completed. Other highlights are the jaunty country rocker Gps and Camille, written with Gretchen Peters and Matraca Berg, which tells the story of a despairing prostitute. Recalling her younger years, Paint The Town Blue pays homage to life in small-town America.

In a similar vein to her peers and kindred spirits Gretchen Peters and Rosanne Cash, Suzy Bogguss's late-career writing is very much from the heart, without any industry interference or influence. She has hit the bullseye with this delightful and thought-provoking recording by applying her charming country-edged vocals across a suite of tender and intimate songs. It’s a listen guaranteed to create a bit of sunshine even on the darkest of days.

Review by Declan Culliton

The Felice Brothers Asylum On The Hill Self-Release 

The Felice Brothers’ indifference to commerciality, trends and the business end of the music industry has always been close to the surface, and this album further emphasises that attitude. Described by Ian Felice as ‘a collection of songs about magical automobiles, various deformities of the heart and mind, red geraniums that have grown monstrously large and powerful, and other such themes,’ ASYLUM ON THE HILL arrived unannounced and independently released, via Bandcamp only on 15th December of 2023. 

The album was produced by multi-instrumentalist jazz player Nate Wood and recorded in the band’s studio/converted church in Harlemville, New York State in May of last year. Its twelve tracks more than match the excellence of their two previous records, FROM DREAM TO DUST (2021) and UNDRESS (2019), further reinforcing their mantle as the standout band legitimately representing the Americana genre. The band’s lineup, Ian and James Felice, Jesske Hume and Will Lawrence, has remained unchanged since the recording of UNDRESS, and it’s no coincidence that, in this writer’s opinion, they have recorded their finest output and excelled in the live setting over the past four years.

Music that has connections to both the present and the past, the opener Candy Gallows, with its hymn-like intro, is a surreal tale which charts a late-night ghostly graveyard encounter. The simply gorgeous title track speaks of the devastation during World War II, written from inside the four walls of an asylum (‘The papers say that Germany has invaded Poland, there’s nothing we can do but sit and pray’). Strawberry Blond, though somewhat more playful and upbeat, also harks back to yesteryear (‘Let’s do dinner and a double feature; first it’s El Dorada, then Creatures From The Black Lagoon’). When Susie Was A Skeleton is a knees-up and light-hearted romp, and they return to matters that are more burdensome on the love song on Bird Of The Wild West. James Felice takes the lead vocal on Abundance, and the horrors of war and its aftermath are expressed on the album’s closer What Will You Do Now. Skeletal and featuring only vocals and piano, it’s a fitting final statement on an album that challenges the listener to make their own interpretations of the songs. 

A stunning showcase in its lyrical content, vocal deliveries and instrumentation, had ASYLUM ON THE HILL been released earlier in 2023, it would most certainly have featured highly in my favourite albums of 2023. The good news is that there is more on the way, as the band are due to release another album later this year. Bring it on. 

Review by Declan Culliton

Diane Coll Old Ghosts Happy Fish 

‘Old Ghosts is my own journey through some old haunts. In the end, there was great healing, away from the external world and back to the internal world,’ explains Atlanta-based singer-songwriter Diane Coll, recalling the springboard that led her to write and record her second album, OLD GHOSTS. A professional mental therapist, by her admission Coll applies songwriting as a means of inner and cognitive healing.

Her recording career dates back to the 90s when she recorded CLAIRVOYANCE with the band Rosary, which she fronted. Two and a half decades later, she released her debut solo album in 2022, HAPPY FISH (and OTHER DELIGHTS), the title of which was inspired by Coll finding a goldfish in a metal pot and re-housing it in a glass fish bowl. With her appetite for songwriting truly reignited, OLD GHOSTS follows hot on the heels of that record.  

Co-produced by Coll with Grammy-nominated producer and multi-instrumentalist Daniel Groover (Macy Gray, Snoop, Col. Bruce Hampton), song titles like I Don’t Know, Slipping Away, and This Heart might suggest a challenging listen. However, the emphasis slants towards positivity and acceptance, given its inward-looking and contemplative beginnings. Coll's crystal-clear vocals are supported by sympathetic playing by Daniel Groover, who plays slide and bass guitar, keys and percussion. He also, alongside Nancy Moore and Bryan Shumate, provides backing vocals.

Described by Coll as her ‘dark night of the soul song’, Glow, Candlelight is a standout track; its gentle and relaxed vibe is replicated on both When You Fly and Before The Sun. In contrast, her more edgy and spikey side reveals itself in the semi-spoken I Don’t Know before she returns to a calmer sound on the reflective and self-cleansing closer Love Pt.11.

A meditation on life’s problems and an album filled with personal insight, OLD GHOSTS sensitively confronts anguish and fulfilment head-on. 

Review by Declan Culliton

Ray Scott Billboards & Brake Lights Self Release

A consummate practitioner of the traditions of some real country music, this album has brought Scott to a place where his music defines who he is. To get the album sounding real and authentic to the spirit of the music he loved, he worked with veteran producer Jim “Moose” Brown and a skilled set of players that included Jenee Fleenor on fiddle and mandolin and Eddie Bayers on drums. That traditional structure was the bedrock on which he built his own career. On that was imbued both heart and passion. Among his biggest direct influences was his father’s choice of music that was likely played at home when he was growing up and which sowed the seeds that have now grown. Previously, he released last year an album that took a more fun approach than on this release - WRONG SONGS: Musings From The Shallow End. It is a side of country music that has long been a part of the genre, often know as the “novelty song.” However, here we have songs that, as expressed in the opening track Ripples, consider where he is today and he comes to the realisation that he needs to take a chance on achieving his dream and making a few “ripples in the pond.”

Next up, he considers his mortality and reflects on his life at a time when his body will be lying peacefully in the back of a Long Black Cadillac. Better Than This looks inward to the distorted sense that, at time, taking ones life might seem like an option even when it really is not the answer and that he has the ability to change his life and improve it. A strong sense of reminiscence is also central to Old Roads & Old Friends, a memory of the small details that are part and parcel of what life is. More upbeat is the loving sentiment of detailing the small things that make his partner the centre of his life, and that each time he realises that I Fall In Love With You Again. The road, playing gigs and the necessity for long hours of travel and separation is covered in the title song, meeting people, hanging out but having, inevitably, to move on and continue with that routine and lifestyle. The Loner follows a similar thought process, though not always by choice.

But this is balanced by songs like Keeper which focuses on a person who is just that. The closing song I’ll See You Again is a heartfelt song relating to the loss of his father but understanding that it is a relationship that is not over.

Throughout there are some righteous steel and twangy Telecaster moments that underline the overall sentiments of the songs. All are bolstered by Scott’s deep, distinctive, warm and inviting voice which shows a progression and sense of depth that all his previous recordings and live experiences have helped to cohere into a memorable delivery. Nor should his skill as a writer be ignored, either solo or as a co-writer. On six of the thirteen tracks he is joined by other writers, which adds to the perspective of the material, allowing another viewpoint on a particular theme.

Scott is not standing still with his music and is not afraid to explore its range without ever making a song that would be considered to sit outside the parameters of traditional country music. He is a vital part of a, thankfully, growing number of performers who remain true to their heritage and are not going to be confused with either the ever expanding and often meaningless Americana label, or that which the mainstream still promotes. Ray Scott has made an album that is a testament to his life, love and literate nature, one that doesn’t need a billboard to tell you how good it is.

Review By Stephen Rapid

Reed Brake Visions and Dreams Self Release

Based in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, this four piece is made up of Davis Goode (guitar, organ), Lucas Hales (bass, banjo), Justin Hart (vocals, mandolin), and Matt Pavlick (drums). This debut album includes twelve songs that are firmly planted in the Roots music field and the organic sound is very pleasing, laced with nicely paced song arrangements that showcase the inventive interplay between the musicians. Hart takes lead vocals throughout but his delivery can get somewhat lost in the overall production at times. There is plenty of colour in the strong instrumentation but the lyrics are hard to decipher on some of the songs.

The musicians excel on tracks like Strange Courage, Savage Gulf and Dirty Field Golden highlighting strong playing on these up-tempo workouts. Elsewhere Return To Earth, Graveyard Of Ambition and Road Home show a softer, laid-back side to the band with the sweet melodies always present in the arrangements.

The album was produced by Bronson Tew at Dial Back Sound studios, Water Valley, Mississippi and he certainly brought out the creative dynamic in the band’s playing. The songs that are all written by Justin Hart, including two co-writes with Raien Emery, and on this evidence there is still plenty more gas in the tank and more to come from this group of talented musicians.

Review by Paul McGee

The Self Help Group Dream Of A Ghost Trieste

Brighton is home to this band and they formed back in 2009 when Mark Bruce sought out like-minded musicians to assist in bringing his song ideas into living colour. A debut album NOT WAVING, BUT DROWNING appeared in 2013, followed by DEAD STARS in 2015, before the band went into something of a sojourn. A number of singles and EP releases have seen the light of day in more recent times but the band remain largely undiscovered outside of their local environs.

Towards the latter part of 2023 the band released this third album and the eleven songs are beautifully conceived, delivered and wrapped in swathes of melody and sweet vocal harmony. The music reveals itself in a subtle unfurling of timeless tunes, the song meanings somewhat open to interpretation as the words form part of the overall lush canopy of sound. All in all, it’s an intriguing project and one that highlights the deeply rich talent that exists among this band of musicians. Maybe it’s something in the air in the Brighton seaside resort as the sense of joy in the playing is clearly evident in the song structures that soar and sweep around the gentle rhythms.

If you are looking for a road sign, then it may well point back to the uplifting harmonies of CSN, and  to the addictive sound of The Jayhawks. Songs like the beautiful Empty Drive and Spirit Lake share in common a celebration of the enduring connection that links us all across time, whether cataloguing a family and the changes through the years captured in photographs, or acknowledging a life that was lived  and lost in sacrifice to the wonders of nature.

Elsewhere, songs such as American Giants, William Dear and Yumi deal separately with subjects including nostalgic road trips, satanic ritual abuse and a couple who didn’t speak to each other for 20 years. There are no weak tracks on this album, and the celebratory power of A Language Of Music is balanced perfectly against the endearing Willow Tree, a love song that spans generations and closes proceeding with the message that love always endures.

The album was co-produced by Mark Bruce and Paul Pascoe at Church Road Studios in Brighton. Mark writes the songs and provides lead vocals in addition to displaying his multi-instrumental gifts across the tracks . Robert Swabey also adds guitar with Ian Bliszczak on bass and Jamie Fewings on drums. Sisters Clara Wood-Keeley and Sarah Wood-Herries sing beautiful harmony vocals and Helen Weeks (from the excellent Equatorial Group) adds inventive pedal steel guitar on a number of tracks. Strings and other soundscapes are added courtesy of other contributors and the entire listening experience is quite memorable. Definitely a band to put on your radar and this album comes highly recommended.

Review by Paul McGee

Sturt Avenue Bury Me In the Garden Self Release

This is the second full album release from a band that are based in Adelaide, South Australia. Their full length debut HOW DO YOU THINK IT SHOULD BE? appeared in 2021 and during the lockdown Bryn Snoden continued writing songs for this follow up release. The seven piece band are very adept at shaping the melodies around the nice rhythmic groove of the arrangements and on the more mellow songs the writing talents of Snoden come to the fore. The entire album revolves around break-up songs and it would be tempting to suggest that he is still not over the woman in question, despite singing about moving on and hoping for better days. Maybe broken dreams carry no lessons for the future, but I doubt it, and the question must be asked whether time is ever really wasted?

The album opens with an acoustic song Wake Me When the World Makes Any Sense and the home recording feel unveils a vulnerability, with the dread of night seeping in and sleep leaving by the door. The title track is upbeat in tempo with sweet background harmonies on a song about erasing all physical traces of a life so that only internal memories remain. Here I Am has a strong band dynamic and sings of living in the moment while looking for new beginnings. Getting past an old love is never easy and on Talk the memory of days gone by and that special feeling are in question ‘But quickly go the days, And the harder that I hold on, the faster you slip away’ – the band really shining on this track with great interplay.

Best Friend deals in the same territory and the joy of something once shared is quickly replaced by sadness ‘But you're looking to the future, And I don't fit into your plan, And if you don't see that changing, I guess that I understand.’ Co-vocal by sister Tarn Soden is very strong here as are all her vocal contributions throughout. Still In Love is another up-tempo sound before the softer Against the World delivers a slow rhythm and melody that echoes more separation blues. Perfect Afternoon has some superb guitar dynamics from John Soden before Make Do delivers another acoustic based song with horns and accordion adding to the sweet mix of instruments.

Wrong Side Of the Weekend is a standout track and the building song arrangement includes some excellent bass playing from Isaac Kerr before fluid guitar and keyboards intertwine towards a fine climax. The song Marion Bay conjures memories of childhood spent in a township in South Australia, surrounded by beaches. Sweet nostalgia.

The band is made up of Bryn Soden (lead vocals, rhythm guitar, harmonica, harmonium, additional percussion), John Soden (backing vocals, lead guitar, slide guitar), Tarn Soden (backing vocals), Bryce Lehmann (drums), Isaac Kerr (bass guitar, backing vocals), Dave Thompson (accordion, keys, backing vocals), Ollie Patterson (violin), Sophia Dennis (saxophone), Sean Helps (trumpet, trombone, flugelhorn), and additional vocal contributions from Katie Pomery and Georgy Rochow.

The album was produced by Isaac Barter, with tracks captured across different studios, in addition to on-the-road recordings. This is yet another fine addition to the growing reputation of this band and I have no doubt, given the quality of musicianship, their talent will continue to guarantee a bright career over the years ahead.

Review by Paul McGee

Josh Washam Waxhaw Drive Good Work

Josh Washam grew up in Pennsylvania and is now based in Nashville. Along with his album releases this singer songwriter is also making a reputation as a producer. This new album follows on from his 2021 release Squash Blossom and the music remains in the Folk/Americana arena that has been his favoured medium thus far.

There are ten tracks included and the playing time of just thirty minutes delivers thoughtful arrangements, played with a style and inventive élan. Washam is a multi-instrumentalist and his talent is obvious on these songs. He is supported on the project by Andrew Kahl on drums and vocals, Greg Herndon on keyboards, John Mailander on strings, and Steve Peavey on synth sounds. The album is named after a street in his neighbourhood and the overall feel is very much one of spontaneous interplay among the musicians.

Opening with the funky Keep On Workin’ the delivery is reminiscent of Little Feat and the message to keep trying hard to succeed is one that resurfaces on other songs as a theme. Accept What You Deserve seems to say that we are our own worst enemies in that we deserve what we end up with. As if we are ever in full control of what happens in the greater scheme of things. People suffer bad breaks all the time and fate and circumstance intervene in perverse ways. Josh seems to say that we settle too easily and don’t keep pushing for more.

Again, on the song When You’re Thirsty, You’re Too Late it’s suggested that thinking ahead of the curve is what separates out winners from losers. As if we can somehow be in control of the random set of circumstances that life throws our way as curve balls. Staying hydrated at all times is not easy and the dust in the throat is often a sign of honest endeavour. Beach In My Mind puts the idea of having a ‘happy place’ to retreat to in order to escape the mundane reality of everyday worries. A true gift to employ if we have the fortitude to engage the imagination in such a positive fashion. Where do I sign up please?

8:27 states that ‘everything’s right until everything’s wrong’ and maybe refers to the routine by which we all feel comforted by in daily existence? Once change is introduced then all bets are off ‘ I see the constant but where is the change?’ On Up To You the tempo changes are interesting and the musicians rise to the challenge of painting different pictures as Josh sings about making choices to steer our direction in life and not simply accepting what occurs. Lazy Ambition talks about the polar opposite in that the inertia of trying to get everything without any realistic input is more than just personal myopia.

Island has a deep groove and attitude. Definitely one to hear in a live setting with the band meeting the challenge to again switch up the tempos, great guitar rhythm and a message that no man can survive by trying to remain aloof and alone. Hard Pressed is a nice gentle instrumental tune that acts like a palate cleanser, or a ramble on a sunny afternoon. The closing track Last Time, Till the Next Time is a Country themed sweet melody of keeping your options open until the next experience presents itself in relationships, the pedal steel and piano adding nuance to the song arrangement.

Washam started his recording career as a member of the duo Natural Forces. They released a few albums before the solo projects took precedent and the decision to spread his wings has certainly worked for this singer-songwriter as his trajectory continues in an upward direction. Worth checking out, folks!

Review by Paul McGee

Adam and Amy Pope Chances Worth Taking Self Release

This is a very engaging release from husband and wife duo Adam and Amy Pope, who have been releasing music together since 2017. Prior to that Adam had played in a variety of bands and performed regularly at the famous Bluebird Cafe in Nashville. He is from North Carolina and his musical interests focus in the arena of country, rockabilly and bluegrass. Amy comes from a church background where she sang gospel and worship songs in Tennessee and her voice is beautifully textured and very expressive.

In 2015 Adam released a really excellent country album titled Story and Song and it included 14 different songs with an introductory tale before each track. It was a suitably different approach to an album and one that could have become a train wreck, but the very personable narration from Adam Pope worked really well in this case, adding context to the song meanings. Certainly worth checking out. The couple have a strong Christian faith that runs through their songwriting like a chord that connects them to the important things in life such as family, honest living and helping out your neighbour. Much of this sentiment finds its way into the lyrics and the songs are performed in a very attractive tapestry of different colours.

The eleven tracks are all very inviting and the overall production from Darin Aldridge is impressive in the bright sound and the clarity of the instrument mix. Nine of the songs are co-writes between Adam Pope and other writers, their collaborations producing some real moments of magic. A cover of Ring Of Fire (Carter/Kilgore) is also included and the slow arrangement is superbly judged to give the iconic song a greater nuance in the vocal duet and the delivery that mirrors both passion and desire. Kite and a String is a song written by mother and daughter team Robyn and Jackson Collins. It could equally be a love song between a husband and wife but the meaning can also transfer to a parent and child in wanting to live our dreams but also needing to remain grounded ‘‘Can’t touch the sky without a dream… ‘A kite can’t be a kite without a string.’

Many of the songs speak of old traditional values and Granny and Pa is such an example with sage advice passed down to the younger generation from older wisdom accumulated over years of living. Songs of love and commitment are refreshing in their delivery and You Melt Me, I’m There and Memories Worth Making are fine examples of the bond formed between husband and wife, across the years and through both good times and bad. Lord, All I Need Is You is a song of faith and of overcoming doubts and fears. Having belief and faith gives the strength to overcome every challenge.

Other songs such as This Ain’t the Gospel and Playing Patsy are a look at the other side of relationships where things don’t always work out and hard decisions lead to a time for change presenting itself. The need to break away from routine and take a vacation in the sun is captured on Alabama Coast an up-tempo number that celebrates the good things to be gained by a trip to the sunny side.  Face to Face is a standout song that looks at returning to old values like communicating with each other and realising that people are all we really need in order to get by. It is the perfect example of the simple acceptance offered on this album.

The musicianship is superb throughout with the studio musicians lifting the songs with some creative interplay between fiddle and pedal steel, the use of dobro and mandolin adding to the symmetry of the varied guitar dynamics, and occasional harmonica all blending with the subtle rhythm section. The musicians are Adam Pope (vocals and rhythm guitar), Amy Pope vocals), Darin Aldridge (vocals, mandolin, lead and rhythm guitar), David Johnson (fiddle, dobro, electric guitar, pedal steel, harmonica), Tim Surrett (bass), Tony Creasman (drums). There is also a guest appearance from Kenzie Wetz on harmony vocals for one song. Overall, the chemistry between the musicians is very evident throughout and this is a very fine album that is worthy of your time and investment.

Review by Paul McGee

Suzy Bogguss Music, The Felice Brothers, Diane Coll Music, Ray Scott, Reed Brake, The Self Help Group, Sturt Avenue, Josh Washam Adam & Amy Pope

New Album Reviews

Brown Horse Reservoir Loose

Previously a four-piece folk band formed in 2018, Brown Horse original members Emma Tovell, Nyle Holihan, Patrick Turner and Rowan Braham were joined in more recent years by Ben Auld and Phoebe Troup to complete the current six-piece. With a core sound that reaches back to an earlier time and place, the Norfolk, UK band’s debut album offers a harmonised and edgy country rock sound.

The latest signing to U.K. label Loose, the album was recorded in just four days at Sickroom Studios in rural East Anglia, the studio being a large barn-like structure surrounded by fields and wetlands. With six songwriters in the band and years of collective songwriting to dip into, the final selection yielded ten tracks, several of which had been road-tested, honed and beefed up over the last few years.  

Often reflecting an emotional and raw terrain, a dark melancholic theme casts its shadow across much of the material. Opening with the gloriously ragged Stealing Horses and closing with the quietly pulsing Called Away, they fashion a fusion of edgy alt-country and modern folk that recalls equally experimental bands like The Felice Brothers and The Wood Brothers. The sombre and brooding Paul Gilley reminisces on the often-overlooked country songwriter, whose songs Cold, Cold, Heart, and I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry were immortalised when recorded by Hank Williams. The instantly catchy Everlasting leaves the most profound impression, while the title track takes the listener on a moody cosmic journey. 

Impressively blending a hauntingly lonesome sound with doleful ballads and more up-tempo rockers, RESERVOIR is an album that doesn’t slot easily into any single genre. There is no harm there, as it’s a fiercely intense suite of songs by a collective that possesses the credentials and capacity to establish itself as one of the leading lights in the U.K. rock scene.  

Review by Declan Culliton

Glass Cabin Glass Cabin 2 Self-Release 

Although they spent their childhood and teen years living close to each other in the Catskill Mountains in upstate New York, Jess Brown and David Flint never met until they both relocated to Nashville and ended up living on the same street. Before forming Glass Cabin both enjoyed and still have successful careers in production and songwriting. Brown's writing credits include country hits for Lee Ann Womack, Sara Evans, Trisha Yearwood, Tracy Lawrence and Julie Roberts. His songs can be found on over twenty-five million CDs. Multi-instrumentalist Flint founded the country rock band Billy Montana and The Longshots, enjoyed a decade as a touring session guitarist and has produced albums by Lonestar and Addison Johnson. 

GLASS CABIN 2 follows on from their debut self-titled album from 2021. That album was fuelled by the downtime imposed on them by the pandemic, and rather than writing songs suited to the more commercial market to be recorded by others, Brown held forth on more clandestine and hard-hitting topics. Lonesome Highway described that album as 'Dreamlike songs of unease and unrest that play out like chapters from a Daniel Woodrell country noir novel.' This album is cut from a similar cloth, combining their writing, instrumentation and production skills with a collection of potent songs. Brown's grandfather's family were Appalachian miners who also ran moonshine, and his writing for Glass Cabin often explores the darker themes of those times from recollections related to him by his uncles. 

The songs more than touch on self-examination (I Wanna Live, Travelling Man, Damn Myself) and Closing Down The Bars tell of the travelling musician's never-ending slog to survive. The broody Sam Shepard Play recalls mid-career Neil Young, and the mood lightens on the piano-led/rock-tinged I Don't Mind The Rain. 

Co-produced by Brown and Flint, the former is credited as vocalist (including harmonies) and acoustic guitar, and the latter contributed all the instrumentation (guitars, bass, banjo, piano, bouzouki, keyboards, strings, lap steel, drums). Additional drums on two tracks, Closing Down The Bars and Weary Man, were played by Nashville session player Andy Hull. 

A fitting heir to its predecessor and a profoundly satisfying listen, GLASS CABIN 2 explores the subjects of pain and perseverance with a most impressive fusion of alt-country and folk. 

Review by Declan Culliton

Shirley Hurt Self-Titled Melodic

Toronto-based singer-songwriter Sophia Ruby Katz's (professional name Shirley Hurt) debut album was shaped during a six-month journey across the US and Canada in a camper van with fellow artist Harrison Forman (Zones, Hieronymus). Recorded at Joseph Shabason's (War on Drugs) studio in Toronto, the nine-track album was self-produced by Hurt. It follows the best part of a decade on the industry fringes for Hurt that included an electronic project under the title Ferrari Garden, her ambient recordings as Sifra Rifka and a number of stalled musical projects during that often-nomadic period.

Introduced by her father at a young age to post new wave artists such as Tom Tom Club, Laurie Anderson and Nina Hagen, those influences are close to the surface on MELODIC, not unlike the output of similarly minded artists such as Aldous Harding, Sharon Van Etten and Aoife Nessa Frances.  

Given her nom de plume, you would expect that her writing is directed towards self-examination. The opening lines on the album's first track, The Bells, would support this ('My life is like a koan, it's designed to make me break'). Still, elsewhere, her poignant and haunting lyrics invite multiple interpretations and are brought to life by a spacious and otherworldly soundtrack. It's not a listen that's likely to connect on the first visit, and attentive listening is the order of the day for the maximum return. The richness in Hurt's vocals and the supporting, often melancholic instrumentation unfolds on each subsequent hearing. Let Me Down Easy runs the emotional gauntlet, complete with a smoky saxophone break, and Problem Child's protagonist could be the author or an imaginary character. Other highlights are the rhythmic Empty Hands and Charioteer, a mid-tempo meditative reflection.

Settled in rural Ontario, close to family and friends, Hurt is preparing her second solo album. In the meantime, dive in and enjoy a collection of songs that refuses to be framed within any one genre.  

Review by Declan Culliton

Myriam Gendron Not So Deep As A Well Basin Rock

The New York author, poet and satirist Dorothy Parker was part of the American modernist movement that arose at the turn of the 20th century and spanned both world wars. In her role as a staff writer with Vanity Fair and Vogue she developed a media profile as an acerbic commentator on contemporary society. She also wrote for the New Yorker and Life magazine but her activities as a social activist for change and her political leanings were not always so well received at the time.

On this album, first released in 2014, Myriam Gendron, a Canadian musician, has taken some of Parker’s poems and interpreted them with musical accompaniment. The results are very rewarding and the quiet intimacy of the eleven tracks leave a lasting impression. The songs are focused upon love and the tangled relationships that can ensue from the lure of seeking out the perfect partner. Mostly the poems are somewhat caustic in their view of romantic love and the myth that it can be a panacea for everything. Ultimately, perhaps, we are destined to live alone with our thoughts and our longing, as the final song The Small Hours suggests.

Gendron is a very accomplished guitarist and her fingerstyle playing is a highlight throughout. There is percussion on two songs but it is minimal, and a quiet keyboard sound appears in the background on another, making this home recording a special moment in the timeless feel of these interpretations. Threnody is a lament and the sense of loss is palpable in the words. Solace speaks of fresh fields and new opportunities in love, no matter how great any potential pain, and Recurrence confirms that relationship breakdown is a given.

It may not be a popular notion, but moving on appears to be the default position in these poems. The title track is a beautiful instrumental piece and this reissue includes two additional songs that were not on the original album. If you enjoy Folk music played in a gently creative style and if the words of the poet Dorothy Parker resonate with you, then this is an ideal purchase.

Review by Paul McGee

Brian Kalinec The Beauty Of It All Berkalin

This album represents a third solo outing for Brian Kalinec, a Texan singer-songwriter who is the co-owner of Berkalin records, a label which is home to a number of Folk and Americana artists. In addition to his own releases Kalinec recorded an album with his friend and fellow artist Kj Reimensnyder-Wagner whom he has also toured with across Europe in recent years.

This album has fourteen songs that play out over fifty minutes and the challenge in putting so much music on a single release is not repeating yourself and over-cooking the whole project. In this case Kalinec steers clear of any such pot holes and delivers a very brightly produced album that is engaging on all levels. Producer Merel Bregante delivers a fine open sound that allows all the musicians free expression across the range of instruments that colour the song arrangements.

Bregante also plays drums and percussion on the album in addition to backing vocals and he is joined by a fine group of talented players, including Pete Wasner (grand piano, synths, fender Rhodes, accordion, Wurlitzer, Hammond b3), Rankin Peters and Mark Epstein (bass), Patterson Barrett and Dave Pearlman (pedal steel), Cody Braun (mandolin, harmonica), Michael Dorrian (acoustic and  electric guitar), Madelaine Herdeman and Dirje Childs (cello), James Rieder (chamber strings and double bass), and a number of different backing vocalists, with Sarah Pierce most featured.

The songs are very much in the arena of contemporary Folk and the title track starts things off with a reflection of living each day to the full and enjoying the moment ‘I want to feel the sunlight’s kiss as I raft upon the river, I don’t want to miss the beauty of it all.’ The album continues with Big Hearted and  a wish that we could all try to live with generosity and openness in showing each other more love ‘What if we showed up for each other, Took that chance? Showed a little love for each other, Just because we can.’

Another song titled Two Roads ponders on the different paths that people walk down on their separate life journeys. Sometimes these connect, cross over and influences each other ‘Two sides of a coin, One road leading somewhere, Another heading quickly to an end.’ Redwood Fence examines the issue of racial inequality and bigotry and the words resonate in the message ‘Just how long does it take a man to learn, That fear is just a hollow alibi.’ The theme of growing old and losing loved ones is at the centre of Fix-it Man and the need for acceptance in what life gives us along the way.

Other songs such as Next Door Stranger, Overcommitted and The Wind look internally at issues such as self-doubt, fears, the things we do for living and the little lies we tell ourselves. The final song River Of Kindness brings a strong message of optimism in these times of global warming and civil unrest, with the words ‘It’s a river of comfort, Washing over the pain, One heart to another, a hand for a brother, Ray of sun through the rain.’ Rather than think it could all be just some hippie dream there is real conviction in the positive message and a prayer for universal awakening.  This is a very accomplished album, beautifully performed by the musicians and a real achievement for Brian Kalinec to be proud of.

Review by Paul McGee

Wendy Webb Silver Lining Spooky Moon

Eleven songs and forty-plus minutes of superbly crafted music from an artist who has been releasing consistently strong music since 2003. Wendy grew up in Iowa where she learned piano and guitar before moving to Los Angeles, and later Nashville, in building her career and getting comfortable with her inner muse. Her debut, MORNING IN NEW YORK was followed by MOON ON HAVANA (2009) and EDGE OF TOWN (2011). Further releases THIS IS THE MOMENT (2015) and STEP OUT OF LINE (2017) enhanced her international reputation and led to greater awareness of her growing influence.

Now based on the island of Sanibel in Florida, Wendy lives a creative life surrounded by what inspires her and the results are evident on this beautifully realised album. Co-production by John McLane and Danny Morgan is superb and both also join Wendy as musicians. She recorded her vocals and piano parts in a live setting while McLane provided strings, horns, drums, bass, organ, accordion, electric and nylon string guitars. Morgan added his talents on bongos, acoustic guitar and percussion, with a guest appearance from Cowboy Eddie Long who played dobro on one track.

Wendy delivers heartfelt, soulful vocals on songs like Timeless Love and Rhythm Of Your Love while the Bossa nova groove of songs like Old Blue Panama and I’ve Never Been To Argentina add great colour to the texture of the album. The laid-back delivery on the seductive Jasmine Nights is a joy and the  positive message of Blue Skies On the Way is a balm to the soul in these troubled times with a strong message that only love can provide enduring hope and joy in the world, something that is also echoed in the title track, providing an upbeat reminder that ‘Love goes on and on, ever shining.’

A song in tribute to her father Children On the Blue is wrapped in a slow tempo and a sweetly soft melody reflecting on the strength of family ties across the miles and the passage of time.  Wendy’s vocal tone is beautifully warm and nuanced in delivery, at one turn echoing the resonance of Carole King and at another reflecting the joy of Norah Jones in full flight. Her talent is of course all her own and the strong musicality running through these songs is something to treasure on repeated plays. Another example of the great talent and seasoned musicality of this fine artist, Silver Lining comes highly recommended, as is the entire back catalogue of Wendy Webb.

Review by Paul McGee

John Jenkins Tuebrook Self Release

This is the eight album from Liverpool songwriter John Jenkins who has been creating consistently fine music since his debut record appeared back in 2013. He also co-hosts a local radio show that plays Americana, Country and Folk music at The Garden Party. There is no doubting the talent on display and his musical sensibilities are finely honed over years of immersing himself in the traditions of song craft and creativity.

There is a real intimacy at play here and his warm vocal tone is perfectly aligned with the sense of times past, regrets registered and hope for the future in these songs that capture the vagaries of daily living.  Tuebrook is in the North-East of Liverpool and the district has seen much change over the generations. This is a love letter to the past and the memories of youth are perfectly captured on Christopher Roberts a song to an old school friend that fell out of contact over the years. The story song 43 and Counting is both poignant and sad in capturing feelings of being left alone by a lover who has moved on to a new life. ‘And I feel so old, Silence has spread through this house and my soul.’

The gentle sway of A Child’s Sense Of Wonder is similar in tone to the Stranglers song, Golden Brown as it plays out a tale of innocence and holding back the impending weight of adulthood and lost dreams. William is a song that honours a childhood friend and his sad demise from addiction as an adult. It is a beautifully written and sensitively delivered snapshot of a past that cannot be cocooned from the colder reality of growing up and facing our differing challenges and demons.

The musicians include John Jenkins (vocals, piano), Jon Lawton (programming, bass, guitars, lap steel, percussion, keyboards), Pippa Murdie (backing vocals, guitar), Chris Howard (keyboards) and an assortment of original tape recordings from childhood that include family members and friends. The final song Mr Ford’s Hardware Store includes a recording of the infants choir at “Our Lady, Star of the Sea” School in Seaforth, Merseyside and it recalls the local corner store that had everything stacked perilously high in its inventory.

As a project, this is certainly up there alongside anything else that Jenkins has produced, even if the temptation to create a full concept album was passed over as some of the songs are not rooted in his local neighbourhood memories. Both Idaho and Passing Time are further examples of story songs that echo a similar writing style that finds a place on previous albums. She Feels Nothing examines that sense of having to go into self-protection mode in a relationship that could not deliver on dreams of wanting more.

Maybe I Just Came Along For the Ride has a sad realisation that commitment to anything comes at a price that not everyone is able to pay ‘ I was always by your side, even when you weren’t there, Maybe I just came along for the ride, Expecting you to care.’ The opening song Shadows reflects on change with the lines ‘how can I be part of something that ends in despair.’ However, much of the album is anything but downbeat, more a nostalgic visit to a past that strengthens the resolve to keep moving forward in search of new experiences and building upon the durability forged in the past.

Review by Paul McGee

Lady Apple Tree Self-Titled Self Release

This debut EP from Californian artist Haylie Hostetter was released in September last year and is just one example of the fine music that can sometimes slip between the cracks and miss out on greater media attention. The eight tracks included are beautifully arranged and delivered in a very pastoral Folk sound, wrapped in gentle melodies and sweet instrumentation. The album was produced by Will Worden at a studio in the Santa Monica canyons and a sense of idyllic isolation carries through into the sound. With just shy of thirty minutes, the songs leave an impression of wanting to hear more from this interesting musician.

There is a sense of innocence in the songs and the opener Round and Round delivers a nursery rhyme for adults with repeated lines sung on overlapping vocal harmonies to bring a depth in the delivery. The loss of innocence and corruption of youth haunts on Silver Hands even if the outcome is a new baby and life reborn. The Country feel of the title track comes courtesy of some nice pedal steel parts and the song celebrates the bountiful gifts that nature can bring in the simple joy of an apple plucked from a tree.

Flame has an addictive doo-wop feel and a swing to the tempo that celebrates the passion felt in a romance rather than the memory of having lost in love. The very enjoyable and creative use of pedal steel on the song And There She Was is memorable and the lonely feeling of leaving a lover is captured on Midnight Oil to great effect.                                 

The musicians deserve great credit for delivering such a well-constructed album and the lingering melodies stay with the listener long after making their mark. The studio players are Haylie Hostetter (lead vocals, harmony vocals, rhythm guitar, tambourine), Will Worden (acoustic guitar, harmony vocals), Connor "Catfish" Gallaher (electric guitar, pedal steel guitar, dobro), Cameron Knowler (acoustic guitar, mandolin), Casey Nunes (bass guitar), Ryan Miller (drums, percussion), Hunter Watts (backing vocals). Worthy of your time and a strong marker for more to follow from Lady Apple Tree.

Review by Paul McGee

Jesse DeNatale The Hands Of Time Blue Arrow

Album release number four in the career of this Californian singer songwriter. He has an easy way with a tune, a turn of phrase, an observation on the beauty of it all and something of a guarded acceptance for the failures that can still haunt. Overall there is an overarching sense of optimism running through and the sense of humanity is never far from the message of live and let live.

The title song is a highlight and speaks of enjoying the rollercoaster ride that we all purchase a ticket for in life’s fair ground. Streets Of Sorrow deals with the frustrations that we all can feel with the ways of the world but councils that we keep persevering, with some great guitar playing to keep us on track. The Hat Shop delivers an easy groove and some peace of mind while Station Master looks back upon a life lived as if in a dream, a goodbye to a loved one I suspect. Trying to turn back the clock and correct the mistakes of the day is partly the message in Stop The World a song which also touches upon the finality of gun violence and a search for answers.

These songs were recorded in 2022 at Bird & Egg Studio, Richmond, California and the co-production team of DeNatale and fellow musician Nino Moschella proves to be a winning team. There are fine melodies that permeate the song arrangements and the seamless playing is very enjoyable over the ten tracks included. The full line up of players is Jesse DeNatale (vocals, acoustic guitar, piano, keyboards, harmonica), Tom Heyman (electric guitar, pedal steel), Paul Olguin (bass), Nino Moschella (drums, bass, electric guitar, organ, mellotron, vibraphone, glockenspiel, backing vocals), and Alisa Rose (violin). There is a special appearance from The Zemlimsky Quartet on the final song Late September and it celebrates the seasons as a circle and a dance of the light in the world. There is much to enjoy on this album and it comes recommended for those who enjoy the craft of the seasoned songwriting.

Review by Paul McGee

Brown Horse, Glass Cabin, Shirley Hurt, Myriam Gendron, Brian Kalinec, Wendy Webb, John Jenkins Music, Lady Apple Tree, and Jesse DeNatale

New Album Reviews

Dan Bern New American Language Grand Phony

Like meeting an old friend again after many years, this album was initially released in 2001 (on the fateful day of 9/11) and is getting another deserved run out in this remastered version, some 22 years later, next month in 2024 (and on vinyl for the first time too). It was produced by the trio of Will Masisak, Colin Mahoney and Chuck Plotkin. At the time, it was placed in with the emerging Americana movement, but as with its subject, it was not without its bite and featured some hard-edged guitar alongside the more tender moments. If I remember correctly, there were comparisons to The Boss and to (reasonably obviously) Bob Dylan. However, Bern never-the-less created his own body of work through the years that has stood the test of time. 

Two of the three producers (Masisak and Colin Mahoney) were also part of the assembled band alongside Eben Grace on pedal steel, guitar and banjo (which was enough of a link back then into the roots/rock movement). There were nine others whose contributions are essential elements of the overall sound. Bern's distinctive vocal, harmonica, guitar and songwriting skills were, however, still the central core of the release. The back cover of the original CD booklet names the key six-man team as Bernstein and the International Jewish Banking Conspiracy, indicating that Bern was not a man afraid of courting controversy. That particular wording may no longer be the case on the new vinyl version.

The title track shows a seeming ambivalence to a relationship with the opening lines: "She said love, love, love is everything / I said ok, I guess, whatever." But the closing line shows a difference in attitude: "I dream mostly about love." There are also tracks that are effervescent, like Honeydoo!, even when the lyrics suggest a man scorned. Toledo and Albuquerque Lullaby are songs full of atmosphere and lyrics that evoke a place and a spiritual search. But the track that really stood out on first listen was, and still is. Black Tornado summons up an inner turmoil of moving around in a way that is a "Budweiser, Budgetel, Bukowski kind of night." By all accounts, the final track took a long time to record and capture the feeling required for Thanksgiving Day Parade. It's an epic ten-minute song and a lyrical tour de force that covers a lot of observation and insight from Bern that is both poetic and prescient with lines like "And life is like a fairy tale / every step like a dream / that keeps on getting nearer / and more and more extreme."

As its title suggests, the opening track, Sweetness, is a touch more power pop-orientated and opens the album as an inviting welcome. Alaska Highway is a somewhat rougher Neil Young-ish sound that evokes some well-known but diverse names as he travels along, wondering, "Who's goin' my way / on that great Alaska Highway." It turns out that they include Leonardo Di Capri, Eminem, Britney Spears, Keith Richards and others. Another thoughtful song that deserves a listen is God Said No, where the protagonist meets God, and he asks if he could go back in time to save Kurt Cobain, but God, well, you know what he is going to say. Equally, he asks to be allowed to go back and take out Hitler but receives the same answer and the reasons why. His final denied request is to take Jesus down from the cross. This and other tracks on the album show that perhaps his vision was different from one that was likely to find overall favour in the mainstream either then or now - despite having parallels in the work of the two iconic artists mentioned above. However, as noted at the start, it is getting an opportunity to find a new audience and remind those who have encountered his work before that Dan Bern is one of those individual artists who always gave their best to their music.

Review by Stephen Rapid

Terry Klein Leave The Light On Self Release

Primarily a singer/songwriter, Terry Klein is adept at doing what time-honoured troubadours have always done: to tell a story and get to the heart of the subject with insight and impartiality. Songs that are honest and crafted from the perspective of the individual song’s subject. These ten songs are given a wide-ranging sonic exploration, many in a subdued enhanced folk setting and others taking a more country-orientated slant without breaking a sweat. The album was produced by the noted Thomm Jutz, who himself is both an artist and a facilitator to others. Jutz also worked on Klein’s previous album, GOOD LUCK, TAKE CARE. He is an ideal producer to bring out the best for all involved in what are often short-lived studio situations. In this case, a reported six-hour session, which tends to promote intimacy, vulnerability and spontaneity, all of which are on show here.

There was a selection of musicians tasked with bringing these songs to life in the studio, including both Klein and Jutz on guitars and vocals and a deft rhythm section who were joined, when required, by pedal steel and acclaimed fiddler Tammy Rogers. It was a versatile team employed to bring Klein’s ten songs (one a co-write) to a broader listening public. Klein sat alongside those writers who, despite their craftsmanship, remain primarily outside either the mainstream or the acclaim in the indie world. Klein has received praise from other songwriters who may be considered to have a higher profile in this world, such as Rodney Crowell and Mary Gauthier - as well as by our own Declan Culliton on this site for his review of Klein’s previous album, TEX. Other names that are linked to his work, in terms of comparison, include Guy Clark and Billy Joe Shaver, and fans of both will find an affinity here.

Shimmers and Hums, in a gentle mood, immediately lets you get acquainted with Klein’s warm, slightly world-weary voice. The pedal steel glides across the landscape on Blue Hill Bay allowing the sweeping atmosphere of lonliness to pervade. It is a song that looks at a lord of his domain, which happens reflected in the song title. More touching is Wedding Day Eve, wherein advice is given, whether wanted or not, the guitar and steel adding to the thoughtfulness of the song’s sentiment. More up-tempo and punchy is This Too Shall Pass, which has an effective guitar break from Jutz. It is not too far from the work of another artist, James Mc Murtry, who is not as well-known as he should. There is a much darker side to the tale of murder, Well Enough Alone, a subject that Klien, as a trial lawyer, previously may well have had direct experience with. It’s also a song that immediately impacted this listener and features Rogers’ fiddle effectively.

Another tale of bad times is the hard luck of the man from the the fringes of society looking to scrounge some the money for a pack of cigarettes, certainly not the kind of cash needed for anything harder, that is A Dollar, Two Quarters And A Dime. Also reflective of a less positive relationship, Oh Melissa has the protagonist reaching for the cigarette again. The seemingly endless routine of the daily travel to get to and from a less than satisfactory work situation has ended, leaving a contemplation of that journey from a different frame of view than exists for him now in That Used To Be My Train. 

The details of the life of a struggling musician is told in Sky Blue LeBaron, his car and mode of transport and perhaps, on occasion, his sometime bed. It tells of once being in a band and that oft-told tale of almost being signed to a deal and achieving a long lost dream, but that is now something that is well in the rear-view mirror. The simplicity and understated acoustic articulation all the more effectively illustrates the life left for the artist now past his prime and career possibilities. Contrastingly, the closing song, Starting At Zero, co-written with Aaron Smith, relates to trying to start again and gain some new life traction. That’s certainly not the case with Klein’s fourth album, which should receive the critical response and wider recognition he has been building towards. A thoughtful and well-rounded career-best (to date) release. 

Review by Stephen Rapid

Chris Carrapetta Nothing To Lose Self Release

Twelve songs from Australian artist Carrapetta who is based in Sydney, New South Wales and releases his second solo album. He employs the talents of Dean Bennison to co-produce the album with him and they are responsible for almost all the instruments used in the recording process. The credits show Chris Carrapetta (guitars, bass, vocals, harmonica, keyboards, drums),  with Dean Bennison (drums, percussion, guitars, bass, keyboards, vocals), and Becky Bennison (backing vocals, keyboards).

The album kicks off with a nice mid-tempo tale of lost love and the questions that linger. Can You Help Me Out sets the tone for the twelve tracks with some melodic playing and interplay between guitars, keyboard and harmonica parts. Caught Out In the Rain has a message of troubled times and needing to leave town. It has some fine backing vocals from Becky Bennison and warm keyboard sounds. On Golden Light the glow of new love is in the air and the dual vocals of Carrapetta and Bennison blend perfectly as they move around the sweet melody.

A number of the tracks have an early 70s California sheen in the production and songs like I Hope It’s Not Too Late reflect on the urge to live each day like its your last. Carrapetta has a nice vocal tone that partly echoes Graham Nash and reminders of Crosby Stills and Nash do echo in the background.  The song Nothing Left To Lose continues the message of listening to your inner voice and stop trying to be all things to everybody. Peta Caswell on backing vocals and David Eaton on keyboards guest on this particular song and turn in strong performances as the sound builds towards a fine climax.

This Is Not the End speaks of taking chances and not getting trapped in familiar routine, the song arrangement bouncing along on nice guitar lines. The slow tempo of One Day At A Time reflects on a relationship challenge and seeking peace of mind. It strikes me as perhaps a personal song among the others that channel similar emotions and share in the vagaries of vulnerability and letting down your guard in order to love and grow. It’s all is summed up by the message on both Hard Times and When I Am Lonely with the reflection that all we can do is keep trying, through both good and bad experiences, and hope to have someone there by your side . Engaging music throughout and performed with polish and vitality.

Review by Paul McGee

Orit Shimoni Winnipeg Self Release   

This Canadian artist has been living the life of a free spirit for many years now, with no regular abode and just the promise of new adventures around every corner. Her musical talent is richly honed across many experiences and encounters that inform her creative process. Covid lockdown however, changed everything and forced a temporary halt in the nomadic wandering of Shimoni for an enforced period of staying still and taking stock.

With eleven albums to her impressive catalogue she embarked upon an interesting new project upon meeting a fellow musician by sheer happenstance. While considering her next move in pre-Covid Winnipeg as news of lockdowns appeared, she met Glenn Radley a local musician who offered her the chance to collaborate across a possible project with his friend Bryn Herperger. The meeting turned into collective companionship and writing new songs to create this new album. The players are Orit Shimoni (vocals, acoustic guitar, banjo), Bryn Herperger (bass, backing vocals), Glenn Radley (drums, backing vocals), Bob Cohen (additional guitars), Paul Balcain (horns), Scott Duncan (fiddle), Bart Groenendijk (keyboards). The initial tracks were recorded by the trio before additional parts and instrumentation were enhanced by remote musicians getting involved in the process of colouring the basic songs. The flexibility of remote file sharing has certainly liberated the creative process, and even if you still can’t beat the joy of playing live with fellow musicians and bouncing off each other, on this record Shimoni got to have the best of both worlds in letting the overall process inspire her. Occasionally her vocal is reminiscent to a young Lucinda Williams in the delivery, with that sweetly tired and soulful tone. Winnipeg is a love song that looks across the distance and misses a lover in another place. What Does It Matter displays a certain despondency brought on by the lockdown and thoughts about what the future may look like and Numbers is about the need to try and control our random daily lives. As if mere statistics can provide safe haven and reassurance, more likely to perhaps scare everyone half to death with doom laden messages ‘Everyone’s an expert on those stats, Wearing self-appointed expert hats.’

Bananas is a clever play on the conspiracy theories and suspicions that ran though the pandemic and those who believe that society is being controlled and manipulated by the authorities who invented the virus. When This Is All Over is another love song about getting back to someone you love once the borders reopen. Its interesting to look back with perspective on the influences and opinions that we held over the months of isolation. ‘Til then the days are long and time feels kinda strange, Like everything I’ve ever known has gone and rearranged.’

New York is a love letter to the iconic city and reflections that ‘You seemed like a movie set of yourself when I came out the station.’ Another song I Can’t Wait is the longest track included and looks at the pain of longing. The frustrations of missing a lover across the miles is reflected in the slow burn and sadly seductive vocal delivery of Shimoni ‘To stand or lie beside you in the same damn place, I can’t wait to touch your face.’  Love is a call to arms and a prayer to endure during times of deep change and loss ‘And victimhood is a lottery, And some of us will be unlucky, Staying healthy is the key, We can’t even see the enemy.’

Witness is a touching song about racial segregation and the inequality in society between different ethnic populations. No matter how we express the concept of one love there is always a deep divide under the surface, something that has returned in the aftermath of the pandemic unfortunately. When will we ever learn?

Over finishes the album with a rueful look at what makes us such a divided society, victims of our nurture and childhood. Still, we continue to hope for a better tomorrow where peace and love can truly reign ‘Cause I’ve had some ideas, You know the kind, Where everybody gets along, And no one seems to mind.’ Maybe in an ideal world,  but in the meantime we can only work to change ourselves and what lies before us every day. Another excellent collection of songs from a wandering minstrel that shows great insight into the human condition and our collective conundrums.

Review by Paul McGee

Edward Abbiati To the Light Appaloosa

This album release is a follow up to the excellent solo debut, Beat the Night, which appeared back in 2019. Abbiati was a long-time member of Lowlands, a roots-rock band that had a great run over fourteen years, and with their demise in 2018 he began to collaborate on various projects with other musicians including Chris Cacavas, Mike Brenner and Joey Huffman. On this new recording, Abiatti reunites with many old friends, including bandmates from Lowlands, to self-produce a very enjoyable album.

Starting off with Three Chords and the Truth, and a love song to his partner who has stuck with him through all the bad decisions made in his younger days ‘Three chords and the truth, The holy grail of our youth, In the end that was not enough, I got lost and mixed up.’ Now that he has found a sense of direction Nothing Left To Say looks back at a romance that was never going to work out ‘Go left and go home, Go right into the great unknown, Or we can stay right here, And for once face our fears’ - the road not taken and the choices made indeed! This band of musicians really know how to deliver a dynamic sound and they bring the songs to life in their performance. Just About Now has the addition of strings and horns to colour the driving beat and the regular bass lines of Enrico Fossati keeps everything on the money, with drum duties shared by Winston Watson (four songs) and Mattia Martini (five songs).

The one acoustic track is a memory of living in London circa 1998 and Rags tells of losing your way and waiting for something to happen in empty days. Coast Of Barcelona is a completely different tale with a big sound to accompany memories of travel and being young ‘Late at night dreams were whispered and laughter was strong, Our lives still to be made, The story could be so long.’  Hammond organ (Joey Huffman) and lap steel (Mike “Slo Mo” Brenner) adding greatly to the melody. On nine of the tracks Maurizio “Gnola” Glielmo features on electric guitars and backing vocals and his playing is a very strong feature of the album. On the up-tempo Going Downtown his playing is something that lifts the arrangement in a song about protest and Alvin Davis features on trumpet, trombone and saxophone sounds to enhance the melody ‘We all walk down these streets, But it feels like we never meet, How can we call this a promised land, With all this hate and blood on our hands.’

While a number of songs deal with looking back at the past and mistakes made, others lean towards a better future, such as One Step At a Time, To the Light and Stairs To the Stars. The closing track Love Note is a celebration of everybody in Abbiati’s life and all that they bring. With twelve players featured, it’s a big statement in sound and one that embraces love as the only way forward. Another interesting album from an artist who continues to grow and expand his vision. Worth forty minutes of your time to enjoy the songs, strong production and superb musicianship.

Review by Paul McGee

Peter Gallway Grace Street Gallway Bay

There is very little that this accomplished New York native has not experienced over his career in music. Spanning six decades, he has released close on thirty albums, whether working as a solo artist, as a duo in Hat Check Girl (with Annie Gallup), or in other collaborations such as Parker Gray with British musician Harvey Jones.  In addition Gallway has produced over fifty albums and worked with artists such as Laura Nyro, along with other special projects.

On this new release Gallway took inspiration from a solo tour of Japan earlier in the year. With just a guitar for accompaniment, Gallway has now revisited ten songs from his extensive back catalogue and has come up with alternate versions that will please his many admirers. There are six different albums included across the ten songs, going back to 1994 and 2009 to select three songs from a pair of his solo albums, choosing another song from his album with The Real Band in 2022 and dipping into the Hat Check Girl catalogue with a further five songs covering three of their albums as a duo.

The results are predictably bare and stripped back in the delivery.. There is an intimacy in the performances and once you can accept the simple approach of just guitar and voice, there is a sense of almost being in the same room witnessing the playing. The guitar of choice is a Godin 5th Avenue model and the rich and deeply resonant sound is perfect for these gentle tunes that burrow their way into your senses to bring both relaxation and sublimation. Gallway doesn’t possess a big vocal range and yet his almost spoken words carry great character. He has been called the master of free verse and there is a strong impression of the joy this musician takes from composition.

The songs were captured live in his studio which is located in Maine, and also at his home on the coast. If there is a central theme running through these ten song selections then it is that of love and its place in our lives. From the sad longing of Under Those Trees to the challenge and mystery contained in Steel Clouds and Cold, Cold Rain, Gallway seeks the answers and comes up with the conclusion that love should always be what matters, as evident on the gentle You’ve Got Your Heart. There is also the desire and habitual compulsion of It’s Deliberate to shake things up, but the abiding rule on Not This Time is to face the changes that life brings and to test yourself.

Music is the subject of Just Think Back and memories of that first song you ever heard on the radio, followed by Texas and a nod to the influence of the classic singer songwriters in that southern state. The storms of life and what may lie beyond is tackled on Nor’easter and growing up in a rural environment lends itself to living the simple life on Up In the County. The final song is Nine Bridges and a love letter to NYC and the welcome extended to immigrants on its shores as they struggle in finding a new life. One would hope that the same optimism still applies in these days of fractured living but the original song was written back in 2009 and perhaps Gallway includes it here as a reminder of who we really are as a society and to suggest an environment of care and inclusion as we face an uncertain future. This is a very timely reminder of the songwriting talents of Gallway and a worthwhile addition to any music collection.

Review by Paul McGee

C. Daniel Boling New Old Friends Berkalin

This album is the ninth release from Folk artist Boling and it turns out to be a very pleasant listen over fifteen tracks and forty-five minutes. He has an easy guitar style and the acoustic songs sit nicely into his interesting insights and tales from the experience gained in racking up more than one hundred concerts a year.

Co-produced with Jono Mason in Santa Fe, New Mexico and featuring Tom Paxton on five songs, the playing is very impressive across the ensemble of players that assisted in bringing these songs to life in the studio. Boling plays guitar and sings, while Mason adds guitar on vocals and is joined on selected tracks by Jeff Scroggins (banjo), Jason Crosby (piano), Jon Gagan (upright bass), Michael Handler (harmonica), Char Rothschild (melodica, accordion, tin whistle), Kenny Mulhollan (mandolin, upright bass), John Enges (dobro) and Bill Ward (piano).

The songs came together over zoom calls during the Covid virus lockdown and opening Get A Life is about getting off the couch and jumping back into social activities now that things have moved on. New Old Friends is a testament to the joys of reaching out to each other and forming reals bonds. Bear Spray and Barbwire is a true story of hiking in the hills and the mishaps that can occur, while This Town Has No Café is a light and breezy arrangement with a more serious message woven through the lyrics.   

There are love songs (Of You and Me and How Did You Know?), political statements (Leaving Afghanistan and Red White and Blue), old age (The Keys and We Can Still Waltz), with reflections on the pandemic captured in The Missing Years. It’s a gentle album with lots of variety and many highlights to engage the listener.

Review by Paul McGee

Wayne Brereton The Robin’s Call Self Release

This seven-song EP plays out over twenty-seven minutes and marks the debut release for an Irish singer-songwriter who brings plenty of inspiration and potential. A native of Co. Offaly and a fluent Irish speaker, Wayne has played music for most of his life and been a band member in groups such as Turas and The Cardinal Sins. He also plays with Derek Warfield and the Young Wolf Tones, but getting to grips with a solo project is a very different challenge. Happily, it’s one that Brereton rises to in some style.

Recorded at the Nutshed studio in Clara, the production by Joe Egan is very engaging and leaves plenty of space for the musicians to be heard in the clear sound. Wayne plays guitar, bass and provides lead vocals. He is joined by Trisha Mulraney (fiddle, piano, whistle), John Tobin (bodhran, bouzouki), Bernadett Moran (whistles, backing vocals) and Eva Coyle who contributes piano and vocals on The Mountains of Pomeroy.

There is a lovely Irish traditional lilt to songs like Shepherd Lad with bodhran, fiddle and tin whistle lifting the melody in a tale of young love. The Diamantina Drover is another fine example of a traditional air and a tale of emigration to Queensland, Australia, leaving a sweetheart behind. There is also a song in Irish called ‘S Cuma Grain No Sion which translates as “I don’t care for sun or snow.”

The tale of courtship and thieving, ending in arrest at the hands of the authorities, is the subject of When First Unto This Country and Come Rain Or Come Shine is a song the promises lifelong fidelity to another. Keg Of Brandy  tells of a roving life and getting older while the love of a good woman lingers in the memory. Wayne has a warm vocal tone and the playing here is quietly restrained in highlighting the fine melodies. I look forward to hearing more from this talented new artist and this is a very promising start along his chosen path.

Review by Paul McGee

Mean Mary I’d Rather Be Merry Woodrock

A talented singer songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer who started performing at the age of six, Mary James was given her stage name by the press after her debut song  Mean Mary from Alabam' went public. Despite several releases over the years she has stuck with the original performance name and it probably does her no real favours in terms of trying to predict her musical style.

However, if you have seen her perform live then you will know that her reputation as an impressive musician and personality is well earned. On this new album we are given a real sense of Christmas, even through the overall feel is not as rooted in tradition as most other seasonal offering. We have a few of the old favourites performed, such as Jingle Bells, Deck the Halls, I Saw Three Ships and God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. Not always sticking to the original arrangements, Mean Mary mixes things up to include interesting melodic twists, with banjo and other instrumentation included in the arrangements. She is joined by her brother Frank on eight of the songs, contributing vocals and 12-string guitar. Their co-writes I’d Rather Be Merry and Cardboard Box are very funny and full of mischief in the delivery.

O Holy Night and The Holly and the Ivy are two more classic Christmas inclusions and some of the other players on the project include Nomad (accordion, piano), Larry Salzman and Jon Sterckx (percussion), Oli Hayhurst (upright bass), David Larsen (bass), David Henry (cello, upright bass) and Andy Kruspe (bodhran, percussion). The most upbeat song is the version of Here We Come A-Caroling with the band in top gear as the tempo spins out into a joyful declaration of the season. The laid-back, quietly considered It Came Upon A Midnight Clear is superbly delivered with just simple guitar, piano and vocals, and the final song Ding Dong Day is soulful reflection on the big day and the conflicting emotions it can bring. A seasonal fare with much to savour and one to be dipped into on more than one occasion for optimal pleasure.

Review by Paul McGee

New Album Reviews

The Pleasures The Beginning of The End Self Release

Between them Catherine Britt and Lachlan Bryan have won several Golden Guitars (the Australian equivalents of CMA awards) and have well established careers in their native Australia in the country/Americana field, but they had never recorded together before. Enter their new joint venture, The Pleasures, with their debut album THE BEGINNING OF THE END which is somewhat of a concept album, based loosely around infidelity and breakup. Britt freely admits that the breakup of her marriage just before lockdown influenced the writing, and between them they both have had their fair share of relationships, which provided ample raw material. The songs are clearly fuelled by real life experiences, such is the passion and intensity laid bare across this sparkling eleven song collection.

Starting off quite explosively with the title track, the heavy rock vibe is a backdrop for a relationship that was doomed from the start but still proved irresistible for the two protagonists, ‘we let that fire burn freely/like sparks on turpentine’, sung by both Lachlan and Britt in harmony. Homewreckers, also sung in harmony but with a more funky bluesy groove, came from Britt’s personal experience. Whether sung in harmony, or back and forth in a conversational style, their voices are perfect together, both powerful but capable of nuance when necessary. Every Story Has Two Sides introduces that conversational device, conveying the pain and depth of feeling during the worst throes of a breakup, complete with a dirty blues backdrop. More country duet in style and sound is the sublime You Made Another Woman (Out of Me) and Mutual Friends, which explores the wider repercussions of a divorce. The band’s full sound is completed by drummer Brad Bergen and bassist Damian Cafarello, who come into their own on the early rock ‘n’ roll soundtrack of Paranoid and even more so on the electric guitar and drum led Howlin’ For My Darlin’, one of Howlin’ Wolf’s classics. Three Star Hotel wraps a country sound around the tale of a couple who meet occasionally for a casual relationship, with neither party looking for commitment.

There’s an obvious Leon Russell influence on the tale of falling for a bluffer, complete with Southern rock piano and guitar, in I Fell For It and then the record wraps up with a sparsely beautiful (acoustic guitar and two voices) version of the tragic love song Seven Spanish Angels. This record seems to have slipped under the radar on this side of the world, so do yourself a favour and check it out. It’s one of my favourites of 2023.

Review by Eilís Boland

Ian M Bailey We Live In Strange Times Kool Kat

Two standout albums released this year by American artists - Marty Stuart & His Fabolous Superlatives’ ALTITUDE and Chris Stamey’s THE GREAT ESCAPE - were to a large extent influenced by the classic 60s sound of The Byrds. Lancashire-born singer-songwriter Ian M Bailey’s latest album, WE LIVE IN STRANGE TIMES, can be added to that list. 

It’s no surprise that Bailey has released this album and his last two on the USA Kool Kat Musik label. They are market leaders in supporting lesser-known artists recording melodic and hook-driven country and power pop, and this album hits the bullseye in that genre. Bailey doesn’t stray from the musical template of his last two albums, YOU PAINT THE PICTURES (2022) and SONGS TO DREAM ALONG TO (2021), with the emphasis once more on hook-laden songs, twelve in total, that tip their hat in the direction of the classic mid-60s sound from both sides of the Atlantic. 

The aptly titled opener, The Last Chime, kicks the album off in fine style with jangly Rickenbacker and layered vocals the order of the day. Mother Nature (Giving Out Signs) and The Clock Is Ticking enter more cosmic country territory, and the instrumental She Waltzes With The Devil would have qualified as the theme tune to a Secret Agent TV series back in the day. The instantly absorbing Pray For Me recalls early Jayhawks with a melody that’s likely to remain with the listener for some time. Other instantly catchy tunes include the title track and California Desert Sundown, and the album closes with the more acoustic but not less impressive, The Moon Floats On A Cloud. 

Bailey is credited for lead and harmony vocals, six and twelve-string Rickenbacker, bass, drums and keyboards. Not quite a one-person band, he employed the services of Alan Gregson on strings, Hammond, Rhodes piano and lap steel. The writing credits are shared between Bailey and Glaswegian Daniel Wylie of Cosmic Rough Riders fame. 

With the Americana genre shifting colours and becoming virtually all-inclusive, it’s a shame that this roots/power pop genre is practically overlooked by the industry currently. But with albums of this quality still being recorded, it just takes a small amount of rummaging to track them down. If The Byrds, Gene Clark, and classic 60s pop rock your boat, you will lap this up. It’s that good. 

Review by Declan Culliton

Dori Freeman Do You Recall Blue Hens

Dori Freeman's music's beauty has consistently been its simplicity, possibly reflecting her way of life. Not attracted by Nashville's bright lights, Freeman has instead remained in rural Galax, Virginia, where she lives with her husband and fellow musician, Nicolas Falk, and their daughter. Her albums have incorporated three essential ingredients: angelic vocals, sharp melodies and uncomplicated lyrics. Her fifth studio album, DO YOU RECALL, embodies all three in every respect and finds Freeman, lyrically and musically, staying faithful to her tried and tested template. 

Rather than record in New York, where she cut her first three Teddy Thompsom-produced albums, Freeman recorded and co-produced this album with her husband Nick in their timber-framed home studio in their backyard. That 'close to home' aura comes across strongly in the material with tales of everyday life, parenting, relationships, injustices and the environmental beauty of Appalachia. Particular examples are Soup Beans Milk and Bread, They Do It's True and River Run, which collectively harbours thoughts of both survival and wrath. 

Freeman's capacity to pen no-nonsense love songs has rung true on her previous records, and the title track here is as polished and catchy as any she's written. Her long-time pal Teddy Thompson sings harmony vocals on Good Enough, and her father, Scott Freeman, is credited as a co-writer on the light-hearted tear-jerker Laundromat. An element of self-effacement, whether first-hand or notional, raises its head on the punchy Why Do I Do This To Myself?

DO YOU RECALL is an impeccable exercise in modern folk and country, without ever crisscrossing into the bland pop-country market, a path that Freeman could easily have taken throughout her career. That she hasn't is to her credit, and hopefully, she will continue to create organic and beautifully crafted music and tender, intimate songs, as she has with this gem. 

Review by Declan Culliton

Jessi Colter Edge of Forever Appalachia Record Co.

Recent years have found octogenarian country artists delivering quite an amount of quality music. Willie Nelson continues to be prolific, as does Bob Dylan. Connie Smith sounded as good as ever on THE CRY OF THE HEART in 2021, and Loretta Lynn, who sadly left us in 2022, was recording up to a year before her passing. Jessi Colter, who was eighty years old in May of this year, joined that exalted club with her latest album, EDGE OF FOREVER, her first release since PSALMS in 2017. Christened ‘The Queen of Outlaw Country’ back in the 1970s, Colter sticks to the fusion of country, rock and soul that cemented her reputation as one of the standout female artists of that time. 

Colter joined forces with Margo Price for this ten-track album and availed of the services of Price’s backing band, The Price Tags, for the recording. Price’s involvement included producer and backing vocalist, and it’s fair to say that she proved to be the perfect consort, having been a lover of Colter’s music for many years. The completion of the project was not without complications and was a possible reminder of how little has changed since Colter’s early career as a female ‘outlaw’ artist. Margo Price has suggested that sexism and possibly ageism led to difficulties in sourcing a record label to support the album. Fortunately, the Nashville label Appalachia Record Co came on board, resulting in a highly listenable and enjoyable album.

Price shares vocals with Colter on three tracks: country rockers, I Wanna Be With You, and Maybe You Should and the upbeat ballad, Lost Love Song. The gospel writer James Cleveland’s song, Can’t Nobody Do Me Like Jesus, gets a groovy and soulful reworking.

Her marriage to Waylon Jennings is represented by a song she used to share vocals with him, With Or Without You, and she opens the album with Standing On The Edge of Forever, a co-write with Waylon. Their son, Shooter Jennings, was responsible for the album’s final mix, and the standout track is also a family affair. Secret Place, a duet with her daughter Jenni Eddy Jennings, runs short of six minutes and bookends the album in fine style.  

Recently married, spiritually in a good place and recording great music, eighty is really the new sixty. Just ask Jessi Colter.

Review by Declan Culliton

Cory Grinder & The Playboy Scouts Snacks Self-Release

A late review here at Lonesome Highway HQ of an album released earlier in the year but one that nonetheless deserves to be heard. Cory Grinder's latest release with his band The Playboy Scouts (Anthony Papaleo - guitar, Tebbs Karney - pedal steel, Alex Buchanan - Bass and Bee Roberts - drums) has delivered an album of well-chosen covers that have formed part of their live set over the years. It was tracked and mixed by Jon Chips and proves to be a very enjoyable mix of songs with a cohesive style that aligns them with the overall sound that Grinder and the band have been delivering in the past. In this writer's humble opinion, it is not the only album drawn on past songs released last year but one of the best.

It opens with their deeply twangy take on Working Girl, a Conway Twitty song on the love of a person that parallels the theme of the film of the same name to some degree. Twitty also was behind If You Were Mine To Lose. Another song directly related to actual events is "travelling on the road is such a drag" Willie Nelson penned Devil In Sleeping Bag. A couple of critters show up more than once and are a noticeable influence on the band. Commander Cody, or Billy C. Farlow (as he's credited on three choices), wrote What's The Matter Now, with its loose swing affiliations, something that the other of his songs also have and show off Karney and Papaleo's interaction well. While Cravin' Your Love and Daddy's Gonna Treat You Right are, in some ways, different sides of the relationship coin in terms of approaching the subject. 

The third and again prominent artist in the band's mindset is Merle Haggard, with Seeing Eye Dog, All Of Me Belongs To You, and Silver Wings (an iconic song that rarely sounds less welcome) are all drawn from his canon. And again, as with everything else here, it sounds not so much as simply tribute but a core influence. There are other songs here that were mainly recorded by a female artist, such as Your Good Girl's Gonna Go Bad, best known by Tammy Wynette and written by Billy Sherrill and Glenn Sutton, which is delivered without irony as a cautionary message rather than a direct statement of intent. 

The Sons Of Pioneers recorded the Fred Rose song Home In San Antone in 1943, again alluding to Grinder's appreciation of western swing. Grinder, who is central to this music, gives it an emotional vocal delivery in a way that appreciates the original recordings but gives them a respect and resonance that is as current as it is considered.

The next outing will likely return to original material, and that is, as it was in the past, something to look forward to. But, in the here and now, SNACKS is a tasty addition to those bands of artists who are making traditional country, honky tonk and swing with the kind of spirit that has largely been lost or overlooked in the search for cross-over opportunities and commercial possibilities. These boys are gonna treat you right.

Review by Stephen Rapid

Drunken Hearts Reckless Ways Of Living Self Release

This band is centred around the talents of Andrew McConathy and a series of players that he invites to join him on studio projects and as members of his touring band. On the website McConathy lists the current band as himself (acoustic guitar, vocals), James Dumm (electric Guitars, vocals), Drew Packard (bass, vocals), Tyler Adams (Piano, organ, vocals) and Eric Low (drums, percussion).

However, this album was created using a different cast of musicians and the quality of the players is testament to the ability of McConathy to attract some serious hitters to share his musical vision. For many years he has been trying to shape his career as a musician to make financial sense, working day jobs and putting all his savings into trying to maintain himself and produce music that matters. His sound is that of the country heartland, with his deeply rich vocal imbuing his roots rock tales with a strong sense of grit and realism.

A number of albums and Eps arrived over the years as McConathy sought to define his sound and all the hard yards have now culminated in the release of this latest album. Dave Pahanish produced the new project and also contributed acoustic guitar, bass mellotron and percussion. He also co-wrote all the songs with McConathy with other artists contributing on two of the tracks. Some of the included musicians were Kyle Tuttle (banjo), Neil Jones (pedal steel), Jason Carter (fiddle), Lindsay Lou (vocals), Silas Herman (mandolin), Vince Herman (guitar), and Adrian Engfer (bass). McConathy also invited Dumm, Packard and Adams from his current band to join the recordings and the entire troupe of players do great justice to the songs.

Kicking off proceedings is the country swing of Never Say Goodbye, an unapologetic love song with soaring pedal steel from Neil Jones to heighten the emotion, the musicians perform with great invention throughout, never more so than on Good Graces where everything comes together in a heady mix of instrumentation and great rhythm.

Falling Stars, 100 Proof and Dark Times stand out with some great ensemble playing and tales of relationships intertwined, troubled family history, lost lovers and friends that have passed on but not forgotten. Hard living remedies offer temporary respite on Popcornin’ Percocets while Fall From Grace is a look back at youthful dreams and a romance that didn’t go the distance. The final song Eventually covers similar ground and asks ‘ did we kneel when we should have charged’ - the core message being that everything that lives and dies becomes one, flowing together at the end of it all. This is a very enjoyable album, well-produced and filled with great songs that linger and demand repeated plays.

Review by Paul McGee

Anders Jornesten Train To Montreal Self Release

Living in Stockholm during the Covid pandemic and working from home was all the motivation that Anders needed to finally start recording his songs and taking the step to expose them to the world outside his apartment window. He has been playing guitar since teenage years inspired him to learn the instrument and try to follow in the footsteps of his musical influences that include John Prine and Blaze Foley.

The nine songs featured are all performed by Anders on acoustic guitar in his home surroundings and the inspiration to follow through on his dream is justified in the simple approach to the recording. Anders sings in a voice that has both character and a lived-in quality in the plaintive delivery. The songs are personal and observational in theme covering issues and topics that were no doubt highlighted by the sense of isolation and lack of community during the Covid lockdown. Doubts and dreams, regrets and revelations, are addressed in songs like Train To Montreal, Bruises and Scars, The Last Call and A Heart Split In Two.

There is a longing in the quiet solitude of home recordings where the artist is left alone with his reflections and wishful thinking. The intimacy of such a setting can be heard in the excellent guitar technique of Anders and the way in which we are invited into his creative process. This is what the spirit of independent music is all about, an urge to create and to communicate. A worthy effort and hopefully not the last time we will hear from this singer songwriter.

Review by Paul McGee

Brooks Dixon Rhododendron Highway Self Release

This musician has been treading the boards since 2012 when he started playing in local venues around his hometown of Greenville, South Carolina, and further afield. A number of EP releases followed over the years since then and a debut album appeared in 2019, titled Pocketful Of Dreams.  Dixon now releases his follow-up album of songs, both old and new, enlisting the services of musician friends to assist in the recording process at Omnisound studios in Nashville.

Existing band members Shane Byler (drums), Jake Watson (bass) and Sara Middleton (vocals) appear on selected songs across the eleven tracks included here. They are joined by others such as Taylor McClesky, David Flint, Nathan Angelo, Chris Nole, Wayne Killius, and Dale Francis on various instruments and both Anna Stine, and Libby Rhodenbough on backing vocals.  Opening song Charleston has an old time western swing and a sweet melody with plaintive harmonica highlighting a yearning to return to that beautiful city by the ocean. Stranger’s Bed follows and speaks about a restlessness within and those inner voices that keep second guessing what is best. Midnight Shower is a song that examines choices and taking the right path; working to live or else following the dream to fulfill a passion. Needles is a reflection on addiction or illness and the time it takes for acceptance and recovery. Dixon’s vocal is rich and expressive and the backing harmonies of Sara Middleton are equally impressive. Hey Hey is a look at younger ideals and has a bluesy rhythm, with the lines ‘If there's one thing I can't understand, Why everybody talking about a promised land’ summing up the sentiment. 

The liberation in true love is at the heart of both Would You Say Yes and Married In the Mountains, while the song Store Your Treasure asks about the emphasis that we place upon our values, be they in material possessions or investing in experiences that build lasting memories. Dixon also muses over our place in the world (After All) whether home is the optimal choice (Rolling Stone), before ending with some good council to slow down and enjoy the journey (Good Conversation). This is a very strong album, with some excellent songwriting and creative playing from all involved. It comes highly recommended.

Review by Paul McGee

Nathan Seeckts Something Rare and Beautiful Self Release

This Australian singer songwriter has been making music for a number of years and building his profile outside of his native Victoria. In 2019 he played a showcase in the Bluebird Café as part of the AmericanaFest in Nashville which gained him a whole new level of recognition. A debut album The Heart Of The City appeared in that same year and Seeckts now follows this with his second release.

We are given an authentic look into what represents country music from the land Down Under. These ten songs are recorded at Union Street Studios in Melbourne and producer Roger Bergodaz captures the essence of Seeckts sound with a very engaging and impressive album. There is a depth of talent on display and the musicians highlight the strong song arrangements in their playing. Seeckts wrote all the songs and provides lead vocal and guitar. The fact that he can sound like Chris Stapleton in his vocal delivery is no bad thing either and adds a resonance to the natural gravel in his tone. The other players on the album include Sean McDonnell (guitars, backing vocals), Matt Dietrich (bass), Mark McLeod (drums, percussion), Gretta Ziller (backing vocals), Tom Brooks (pedal steel), Luke Moller (violin), Cameron Jerabek (keyboards), Charlie Woods (trumpet) and Nathaniel Sametz (saxophone).

The Wildest Thing is a mid-tempo introduction to the album and a story song about a one-night experience with a colourful lady up for damage and a good time. King Of the Room follows with a more driving rhythm and a song about people who talk at music gigs and the lyrics resonate ‘I asked you once, I asked you twice, If I have to ask again, I won’t be so nice.’ Cassette In the Tape Deck tells the tale about an old car that was owned by Nathan’s father and how much it meant to a young adolescent growing up ‘My hand out the window, My head in the clouds, Cassette in the tape deck, The music up loud.’ Although the car was sold, the memory still lingers.

No Ifs, No Doubts, No Maybes is a love song to the woman who has stood by the side of an aging musician all his life and it is very mellow and laid-back in delivery. The title track highlights a stage performer who captivates audiences with her songs and the sweet violin intertwines with the acoustic guitars to great effect. Little Church pictures a wedding day that goes horribly wrong and the pedal steel inter-play with the electric guitar adds nicely to the rhythm. Goodnight Bluebird slows things down with a fine vocal from Seeckts and a great feel to a song about a girl in the crowd at the weekly gig who sings along to all the songs and captivates the singer ‘You’re wearing the hell out of that dress.’

Measured and Wanting sings about handling rejection and coming to realise that in the end we all have to run our own race. Believe in yourself is the key message in this gentle song. I Watched You Slip Away From Me is about the loss of a loved one and the grief that ensues, with some lovely guitar parts elevating the melody. The final song End Of the Rope is another acoustic based arrangement and speaks of never giving up, finding courage and hope to carry on ‘When you get to the end of the rope, Tie a knot and try to hang on.’  Some good council to end proceedings.

The first Australian Americana honours night was held in Melbourne in 2017 as a mark of the growing roots scene in the country and the Americana Music Association was involved. Things have progressed since then and there is a building momentum for quality artists such as Nathan Seeckts. Long may it continue to grow with his music and this album is a signpost in style and substance.

Review by Paul McGee

The Pleasures, Ian M Bailey, Dori Freeman, Jessi Colter, Cory Grinder & The Playboy Scouts, Drunken Hearts, Anders Jörnesten, Brooks Dixon Nathan Seeckts

New Album Reviews

Billy Don Burns I've Seen A Lot Of Highways Black Country Rock

With a lived-in vocal and, as this album title suggests, many road miles under his belt, Arkansas-born singer-songwriter Billy Don Burns resurrects memories from a career that spans over five decades on his latest studio recording.

When asked about his road stories a few years back in an interview, Burns replied, 'I think I will pass on the road stories. Most of mine are either X-rated or incriminating.' He's certainly not short of writing ammunition, claiming to have been stabbed seventeen times, spent time in prison, battled with drug dependency and been married six times. That mind-boggling manner of living is presented in full colour in this twelve-song collection of self-written songs, and it's fair to say that he doesn't put a foot wrong from start to finish.

A classic songwriter, though one that remains somewhat under the radar, Burns' songs have been recorded by Willie Nelson, Connie Smith, Johnny Paycheck and Mel Tillis, to name a few. He has also produced albums by Paycheck (“He was not easy to work with in 1988 – the cocaine and the booze pretty much had him a lot then. However, I am not saying anything bad about him”) and Merle Haggard. The regard in which some current generation artists hold him is evidenced on this album by contributions from Shooter and Whey Jennings, Cody Jinks, and Wes Shipp. 

His failed marriages may or may not have been the prompt for both Don't Cry For Me and I Went Crazy. The former is very much in the 'good riddance' stable, and the latter is one of heartache and remorse ('I blew through a pack of Marlboro Red, trying to smoke her out of my head'). All She Put Him Through is a melodic treasure with a nod in the direction of Warren Zevon. The spoken tale, Mack Story, tells of a suicide pact fuelled by a chronic cocaine habit, interrupted by a phone call with the news of a several thousand royalty cheque ('So we got it cashed, bought ourselves a couple of eight balls and headed out in the middle of the night to California'). 

It's not all ruination and degeneracy, either. Two tracks touch on redemption and spirituality and probably define why Burns has survived his torrid lifestyle and lives to tell the tales. That's When I Knew ('I was down on my knees on the bottom with nothing and no one to turn to. He reached down and touched me, and that's when I knew') and Satan Is A Son Of a Bitch ('One of these days, Jesus is gonna kick ol' Satan's ass. It's gonna be a sight to see when good and evil clash').

Firmly rooted in the classic singer-songwriter panache of Guy Clark, John Prine and Townes Van Zant, I'VE SEEN A LOT OF HIGHWAYS is that good and one of the standout albums in that genre for me in 2023.

Review by Declan Culliton

Gram Parsons and The Fallen Angels The Last Roundup: Live from the Bijou Café in Philadelphia March 16th, 1973 Amoeba

Gram Parsons' debut solo album, GP, was released in January of 1973 on the Warner Brothers label. Despite critical acclaim from Rolling Stone journalist Bud Scoppa - and attaining legendary status for Parsons after his death - the album failed miserably in commercial terms. 

The opening dates on the tour to promote the album were shambolic and problematic. Parsons' wishes to bring Elvis's band (James Burton, Ron Tutt, Glen D. Hardin) on the road were scuppered for financial reasons. When the tour bus parked at the Bijou Café in Philadelphia, the line-up had changed from the original crew assembled by Parsons and his trusted tour manager, Phil Kaufman. Following several under-rehearsed and chaotic opening shows, they had disposed of the services of guitar player Gerry Mule and replaced him with Jock Barkley. Parsons and Emmylou Harris - her first experience on the road - were then backed by Barkley, Neil Flanz (pedal steel), Kyle Tullis (bass) and ND Smart (drums) for the remainder of the tour.

Parsons was abusing alcohol and drugs, overweight and subject to mood swings at that time. The presence of his wife Gretchen on the tour bus led to constant rows, often fuelled by the body language of Parsons and Harris on stage but also due to Gretchen's overindulgence in stimulants. A disastrous interview by Parsons and Harris with DJ Rusty Bell on KOKE-AM in Austin did little to promote either the album or the tour, and the bus and its crew continued on their travels, with the stage shows improving as the previously under-rehearsed band got their act together.

LIVE FROM THE BIJOU CAFÉ captures, warts and all, the most musically coherent period of the tour. Neil Flanz considered the show to be the best of the tour and, fortunately, sought the soundboard recording of the performance on cassette. Forty years later, the tape was acquired by Amoeba Music but was not rediscovered for ten more years when Amoeba relocated its offices.

Franz's notable pedal steel guitar holds the band together, and Parsons sometimes struggles vocally. However, his duets with Harris, particularly Love Hurts, are memorable. The magic of the GP album is also recreated on Streets of Baltimore and We'll Sweep Out The Ashes, both arrangements coming to life when Emmylou Harris' vocals kick in. Other highlights include Drug Store Truck Drivin' Man (introduced by Parsons as a song that actually made us money), the Merle Haggard-written California Cotton Fields and Sin City. The show ended in cabaret style with a rock and roll medley including Hang On Sloopy, Boney Moronie, Forty Days and Almost Grown.

Not only is this album a 'must have' for lovers of Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris, but it's also an authentic 'moment in time' by two artists who were to become household names in the future for different reasons. Six months after the recording and a month before he was due to be on the road again, Gram Parsons would die from a morphine overdose at the Joshua Tree Inn in California on September 19th 1973. Emmylou Harris' solo career would bloom in the coming decades, leading to her becoming one of the most cherished vocalists in the country and Americana genres. 

Review by Declan Culliton

Jon Dee Graham Only Dead For A Little While Strolling Bones 

Jon Dee Graham has been an intrinsic part of the Texan punk and alt-country scene since his days as a member of The Skunks and True Believers alongside Alejandro Escovedo. He has been inducted into the Austin Music Hall of Fame three times, with those bands and once as a solo artist. 

His back catalogue included thirteen solo studio albums before the release of his latest record, ONLY DEAD FOR A LITTLE WHILE, his first in seven years. Graham suffered significant trauma in that intervening period; he had a heart attack and actually died for five minutes - hence the new record's title – and had a stroke two years later.

Given the album's stimuli, it's little surprise that much of the material deals with mortality and related matters. It's a powerful affair in many respects, with Graham's lived-in gravelly vocals and driving guitar excelling on Going Back to Sweden, Where It All Went Wrong and Lazarus. His victory of life over death is celebrated on the latter ('You know we got so much in common and Lazarus just nodded his head'). There's A Ghost On The Train is a standout and strikingly evocative song with sharp lyrics that draw the listener in. Brave As Her (Marie Colvin), with its spoken lyrics, is a beautiful eulogy to the American journalist who perished in a rocket attack while working in Syria in 2012. Another highlight is the bewitching Astronaut, written by Graham's son, William Harries.

It may have taken major adversity to create ONLY DEAD FOR A LITTLE WHILE, but the result is a splendid mix of raspy air-guitar-inducing rockers and delicate and intimate ballads. The lyrics perfectly reflect the songs' moods and no more so than on the previously referenced Going Back To Sweden. Exasperated by the 'foolishness' prevailing in his country, he professes, 'Well in Sweden, Lee Hazelwood is considered The Godfather of the Cool. Aw Hell, Lee brought his horse to Sweden; Lee ain't nobody's fool.' Similarly themed, Where It All Went Wrong also considers humankind’s capacity for self-destruction.

Graham's latest album never drags its anchor. Instead, it demands to be listened to from start to finish, preferably with the volume cranked up, which I've done many times since it landed for a review. 

Review by Declan Culliton

Grey DeLisle She’s An Angel Hummingbird

A longtime favourite of mine and when I saw that this album was produced by Deke Dickerson and Eddie Glendening I had the feeling that it would be slightly different from some of her previous material. Some six previous albums have revealed a prodigious and unusual talent that veers to the more folk and acoustic side of storytelling. DeLisle has been quite eclectic in the past and had a long-time working partnership with Marvin Etzioni, with whom she worked with on several albums. She is also a sought after voice over artist and her distinctive voice is a strong pointer to that.

Here she has put together a fourteen track release that includes four co-writes alongside the other tracks she wrote solo. Her writing has always been engaging and entertaining and is none-the-less so here. The overall sound, given its producers, has a natural affinity with a twang sound that will doubtless find favour with fans of Brennen Leigh and other neo-traditionalists. Throughout there are echoes of Dolly and Loretta, which are more pronounced here than on some of Delisle’s previous recordings, all of which delineate her musical direction here. This in itself touches on more than one aspect of the music of an earlier time,  but it is done in a way that is both relevant now, as well as respectful to its sources. 

The musicians are a veritable who’s who of Austin and California players with names like the aforementioned producers, T. Jarrod Bonta, Tammy Rogers, Dave Berzansky, DJ Bonebrake, Mike Molnar and Ray Benson, alongside some other fine players, delivering a selection of songs that are both varied and vital in the way they bring the themes of love, life, death and dogs into clear focus.

The title of the opening song gives you something of an insight into the nature of her (sometimes) forceful nature. I’ll Go Back To Denver (And You Can Go The Hell) is one of a number of songs that tend to take no prisoners. Who Brought The Boots Beside Your Bed? and Quit Picking’ On Me would be other examples. There are also more tender moments like the title track, and I Really Got A Feeling is a straight up declaration of lasting love.

They sure can rock out to recharged rockabilly rhythms too, as Big Sister does, effectively using Bonta’s ivory tinkling to good effect. The clever Quit Pickin’ On Me is an appeal to her favourite guitar picker who has the tendency to name her as the subject of his “you done me wrong” songs. The Dog is as the titles indicates a song about a much loved hound who, though, creates some additional problems noting that “I cry in the driveway but don’t hit the highway ‘cause dang it I can’t leave the dog.” It features in the voice of Ray Benson, a perfect duet companion.

There is a touching tale of a boy who dreamed of the outdoor life and who had two loves, but the story of Cowboy Joe ends in tragedy. I Like The Way You Think I Think was co-written by Big Sandy and DeLisle and sounds pretty much as you would expect if you are aware of his output. So in the end, as mentioned, fourteen tracks to enjoy, and they are all good. 

De Lisle has an interesting back catalogue and though she may not be as well know or appreciated as some of her contemporaries is as deserving of your attention. Also, it goes to show, as we head to the end of a fruitful year, that there are still gems arriving and this is one of them. One of the year’s best.

Review by Stephen Rapid

Jenna Clark & The Salty Truth West To Texas Self Release

Another new name to me is Jenna Clark, a Texas based, Florida born artist who has released this eight track mini-album and it showcases an artist with both a strong voice and some adept songwriting. The opening track, This Ship Will Sail, has robust steel and guitar to set the tone, a defiant stance in the face of an ending relationship. Next up, Can’t Help That I loved Him is a highlight. It is an arresting tale of regret about an old flame who has departed but a meeting shows “that old flame keeps burning me.” It features fiddle and steel that underscore that ongoing heartache in a suitable arrangement, showing that the assembled ensemble has the undoubted talent to breathe life into the songs. More of the same permeates the next song, You Get To, which has some strident guitar demonstrating that her companion has moved on and gets to do what he wants.

Fiddle, guitar and steel all help to continue the overall theme of the lost love and heartache of many of the songs. The slow paced Bloom is another of those. Don’t You Dare Cry, tells that the protagonist was well capable of causing hurt and so shouldn’t feel hard done by when the tables are turned. There is a powerful use of trumpet as well as saxophone in the soulful More Sunrises, Clark delivering a passionate vocal that discloses she is able to tackle a number of different approaches to her songs and delivery.

Good Friends is a recognition of how much like minded people can provide a much needed friendship, which lays out the possibility of such an acquaintance benefiting both parties. The edgy, twangy duet with Mike Randall goes back and forth with the notion that Three Shots Of Whiskey can set the both if them up, at least for the short time and that they will be gone not long after their brief liaison. Reminds me a little of Danni Leigh in her earlier releases. 

Clark, it also appears, sometimes dons a blonde wig and plays Dolly Parton covers at specific shows. Now may be the time to step up and consolidate her own identity and image. On the strength of this release she would be well able to do that and has previously performed soul and blues material as well as country. There are a number of videos on her site where you can see this emerging talent as well as acquire WEST OF TEXAS without having to actually travel there.

Review by Stephen Rapid

My Sister, My BrotherTwo Self Release

Both Garrison Starr and Sean McConnell presently enjoy highly successful solo careers and their decision to join together in order to pool their abundant talents has been a real success on every front. Not that the artists themselves were ever in any doubt. Ever since writing together at a songwriting workshop some years back, both could immediately sense the magic that they created together as writers and performers.

Recording under the name of My Sister, My Brother the pair released a 5-song EP in 2020 and this follow-up album of seven songs is superbly crafted and delivers yet another seamless work that brings real reward. This accomplished songwriting duo blend their vocals to great effect and a beautiful symmetry is achieved with a strong sense of easy creativity across the project. Having toured together in pre-Covid times, there is intuitive understanding of what works and their vocal harmonies meld into moments of magic with superbly structured song arrangements throughout.

The title track brings a message of fellowship and support for one another in a soulful delivery, stating ‘All we’ve got in this old world is each other’ as a statement of strength. The more restrained Cry Me A River talks about communication in relationships and feeling apart from a loved one. The song asks for openness and an honesty that can break through the emotional barriers. The string arrangement on the song is particularly effective.

Elsewhere, the gentle acoustic feel to Maybe There Are Angels wonders if our lives are guided by unknown forces in our midst, disguised as other people. The unexplained mysteries of life that seem to turn in favour of those who believe, “I think I’ve figured out that fate and doubt are the same from different angles.” The song More Than You Could Give looks at the young experiences of a gay person growing up in a family who could not accept their child for being who they were born to be in life. It examines the lack of real understanding and love that leaves a mark into adulthood. The reflective arrangement is supported by acoustic guitars and additional piano as the song develops.

Another Life has a more upbeat tempo and channels memories of youth and carefree days that can be repeated right now, if having fun in a relationship is the key focus “You make it easy babe like it’s always been this way.”Almost There is a song about forgiveness and how it comes slowly and wrapped in painful memories. The unravelling of a relationship over time is elegantly captured in the lyric “Homemade movie of you and me, Golden days; Wish we could shout out to them - Look out, things will change.” The song Shelter is another promise of support for a loved one and a shoulder to lean upon in dark times.

Overall this another great example of the success that can be found in musical collaboration, where the combined results benefit so much from the joint input. This duo have the magic dust in their corner and no doubt will continue to mine this rich vein of gold. 

Review by Paul McGee

Luke LeBlanc Places Real Phonic

This is album number five in a building career and it’s further confirmation that Luke LeBlanc continues to grow and mature as an artist of some substance. Recent releases ONLY HUMAN (2021) and FUGUE STATE (2022) were well received and displayed  a solid momentum, while on this new release regular producer Erik Koskinen really steps up the game for all concerned. He also plays guitar on the album and other players include Eric Heywood (pedal steel), Caz Falen (bass and backing vocals), John Cleve Richardson (piano and backing vocals), Lars-Erik Larson (drums), Casey Frenz (saxophone and trumpet), and Kora Melia (violin). Recording took place at Real Phonic Studio in Cleveland, Minnesota during March of this year and the results are very persuasive.

Opening song A Place defines what follows with an easy acoustic blues woven with fiddle and pedal steel on a love song about giving it all up and the impression made is reminiscent of the great JJ Cale. No Good is another sweetly delivered melody that looks at a relationship that shouldn’t work but there are hopes to the contrary. Again the seductive combination of violin, pedal steel and an understated rhythm section delivers a fine country sound. Own It is more up-tempo in the groove and is a song about being in control of your life despite the knocks along the way. Sweet sax and guitar in the arrangement work so well in defining the attitude contained in the lyric. The song Defeated has a smooth soulful sound with sweet sax and pedal steel colouring a melody that drifts across the arrangement as LeBlanc looks to surrender fully into a relationship.

Never Met You At All is a real highlight with an easy rhythm and some sweet country violin, guitar stylings and harmonica lifting the song. Break My Wall is another song with a county cool swing to the arrangement and a look at getting to know the person behind the images and personas that we paint in our relationships. Hazy has a great lyric in “You know I wanna know when I’ll see you again, but if I ask too soon I might lose a new friend.” The subtle guitar and violin parts dove tail with the drum and bass tempo, sliding on by in a gentle reverie.

Marble Stone is an acoustic blues tune that arrives with a deep bass rhythm as LeBlanc sings about his future demise, fuelled by duelling guitars and violin that extend the song around the reflective chorus ‘They’re gonna write my name in the middle of a Marble Stone.’ The interplay is just superb among the musicians and the joy in the performance is clearly evident. Quite superb.

The final track is Right Way and a perfect conclusion to a beautifully paced album. LeBlanc relates to the love we all plug into occasionally in reaching out to another who needs direction in finding the way forward to better days. All songs are written by Luke LeBlanc and the album has a lovely feel to the arrangements the production. If LeBlanc continues at this pace of development then the sky is truly the limit.   

Review by Paul McGee

Afton Wolfe The Harvest Grandiflora

Seven songs from the talented Afton Wolfe, and a follow-up to the EP titled TWENTY THREE that was released earlier this year. Wolfe was raised in Mississippi and he continues to wear his early influences firmly on his sleeve. Both of the recordings from this year complement each other in sound and in their delivery, showcasing a depth of musicality and an interesting variety in the arrangements. For this new instalment, Wolfe has focused upon the songs written by his father-in-law, Nashville-based musician L.H. Haliburton. Good to keep it all in the family!

The studio musicians are different from those on the prior release with only Madison George (percussion) and Seth Fox (flute and saxophone) making the cut across both projects. Robin Wolfe provides harmony vocals, along with Courtney Santana, while the skills of Anthony Saddic (keyboards), Mark Robinson and Will Hammond (guitars), Anna Eyink (violin) and Erik Mendez (bass) provide the inspiration across the tracks.

Harvest is the opening song and should perhaps have closed out the album with its strong message of hope. We should embrace the rewards of the harvest in the Autumn, showing us that everything can be reaped as a just reward, even as the seasons change and we grow older. New Orleans Going Down is a heartfelt tribute to this musical heartland and the challenges that it has faced from the elements that nature unleashes upon its fragile defences in the form of flooding and hurricanes. Equally, the song Mississippi speaks of dark days and dark nights in connection with the systemic domestic issues that have haunted that great state. A genuine plea to sustain a quality of life for the inhabitants.   

Hello, Mr Wolf is the longest track here and includes a loose rhythm and off-kilter percussion that gives the song a broken quality as it looks at power-hungry politicians and rulers in the guise of wolves, ‘the dogs of the Gods.’ There is a sense of foreboding and being in the grip of predatory forces within the urban jungle that is city life. Lost Prayers is exactly that, a question to the heavens asking if anyone is really up there listening. The song seeks redemption and a reason for what has been lost and sacrificed in seeking to follow a righteous path.

On Til the River No Longer Flows we are given a statement of intent that Wolfe is in this for the long haul, searching for answers and not giving up the fight to find true meaning. The driving blues beat and the soaring guitar make this an excellent antidote to the present sorrows in this fractured world. Here To Stay is the closing song and has a simple upright piano backing a soulful vocal that channels Tom Waits in the ragged delivery. The search for a sense of home and the return of someone close haunts the track as it brings a feeling of longing.  Delta Blues, mixed with sweet Soul, and a southern R&B slow burn at the root of it all. Well worth investigation as Afton Wolfe continues to create music of both substance and real imagination.

Review by Paul McGee

Tommy Goodroad and the Highway Birds Self-Tilted Self Release

This 5-song EP was released in May and the honky-tonk sound of the collective is very polished and enjoyable. Goodroad grew up in Minnesota and these days he is based in Chicago where he has established a footing for his music career. The Highway Birds band is comprised of Nick Bates  (electric guitar, backing vocals), George Adzick (fiddle, mandolin), Peter Briggs (pedal steel), Cooper Gatzmer (electric, upright bass) and Samuel Stroup (drums). They perform as a very tight unit and the interplay is always interesting and inventive.

Goodroad released a debut album in 2021 titled SWIMMING IN THE CLAY and he has built on this with a number of singles in the intervening time. This new EP will only add to the reputation of the band as an act to seek out when they tour and the opening song Keep ‘Er Moving is a reflection of life on the road, travelling in vans, hawking gear into venues and trying to make it all work. The honky tonk sound is bright and breezy and their cover of the Cranberries song Linger is in a similar vein, giving an interesting spin on the original and kicking up further dance hall fun.

Goodbye For Good and 50 Degrees In September are both slow country songs that deal with the aftermath of failed relationships but the girl stays around on Teaching Me To Paint and brings colour to the shape of the world as love blossoms. A definite confidence booster for further releases and definitely a name to watch out for into the future.

Review by Paul McGee

Billy Don Burns, Gram Parsons Jon Dee Graham (Official) Jenna Clark My Sister, My Brother, Luke LeBlanc Afton Wolfe greydelislegriffin.com

New Album Reviews

Dean Owens Pictures Self-Release

Following his DESERT TRILOGY EPs from 2021, SINNERS SHRINE (2022) and EL TARIDITO (2023), Scottish singer songwriter Dean Owens is in a more reflective frame of mind and meditates on matters closer to home on his latest recording, PICTURES. Those three Tex-Mex-influenced recordings included collaborations with Joey Burns and John Convertino of Calexico fame. For this album, Owens worked once more with Grammy nominees and long-time musical partners in crime, Neilson Hubbard and Will Kimbrough. Hubbard produced Owens's albums, SOUTHERN WIND (2018) and INTO THE SEA (2015), and is also a member of Buffalo Blood alongside Owens, Joshua Britt, and Audrey Spillman. 

Given that the project was fashioned during the pandemic, Owens' recordings took place at Slate Room Studios in East Lothian, Scotland and Hubbard and Kimbrough's at Skinny Elephant in East Nashville. Jim Demain mastered the final recordings at Yes Master in Nashville.

As you expect, given the prevailing environment during lockdown when the material was written, the album's essence is self-examination and retrospection, with Owens giving the listener an inkling of what lay inside his head during those restless times. The dream-like opening lyrics, 'Today I flew over the old church where my sister was married, over the streets where I grew up,' written in a time of uncertainty, sets the scene for much of what follows, lyrically and in its musical content. That opening track, Hills of Home, is followed by an open-hearted and apologetic love letter titled Pure Magic. Sometime may be interpreted as a forward look to both the return of post-pandemic normality or encountering loved ones lost in another life ('The sun will shine again on you and I my friend. Sometime, sometime, someday, there'll be singing again'). 

Harking back to his younger days and Owen's treasured passion for boxing, Boxing Shorts recalls his days of donning boxing gloves in the gym. More poignantly, it identifies a childhood friend, the first to take him to the gym, but who fell into addiction and lost his life later in life ('When you get trapped in the corner cover up, sooner or later the punches have to stop'). A tale of simpler times and everyday lives is recounted in Daltry Cemetery. The historic, picturesque Edinburgh Garden cemetery dates back to the mid-19th century, and the song tells of two ordinary people, Annie and Frank. The former lives in the cemetery and maintains the graves, and the latter visits his wife’s grave on his way to see his football team play.

Mortality and loved ones passed away also raise their head on Friend and on the title track, which bookends the album. The latter, which is edged with affection and regret and no doubt autobiographical, speaks of the necessity to move on at a particular time and escape the menace of familiarity and restlessness, which can eventually lead to disorder.

On a lighter note, Great Song, complete with a whistled intro, echoes the singer songwriter's search for the epic song. To his credit, Dean Owens has written numerous songs deserving the title of greatness and continues to do so with this eleven-track record. While often directed towards self-examination, the lyrics are touching and plainly spoken, and the low-key arrangements from his partners are the perfect fit. The press release for the album mentions 'a Ronnie Lane vibe' to the album, which certainly rings true for me with this highly listenable collection of folk-rock songs.

Review by Declan Culliton

Al Backstrom Wild Colonial Boy Self-Release

A curriculum vitae that boasts touring in his mid-teens, a mainstay in the Melbourne pub rock scene for many years, a member in another life of Aussie band’s P-Tex and Bullet, and touring the US and Europe as guitarist with Jaime Wyatt, Austin Lucas, Moot Davis and MacLeaphart, is not to be sniffed at. With that lifetime dedicated to performance, it’s little surprise that Al Backstrom would eventually find the time and space to record a solo album.

Wild Colonial Boy is an Irish-Australian traditional folk ballad which tells of an escaped convict who perishes during a gunfight with the police. While the title does not reflect Backstrom’s way of life, it does dovetail with his musical and nomadic lifestyle, which currently finds him residing in Nashville, TN, and ideally located to solicit the services of his neighbours and musical acquaintances for this record. 

Backstrom more than wears his musical heart on his sleeve, blending his passion for rockabilly, power pop, and roots. The title track is a knees-up, toe-tapping ride and Don’t Even Know My Name, Puttin’ Me Down, and Analog Guy have all the hallmarks of a soundtrack from that purple period, early to mid-70s, for classic UK pub rock. One More For The Road nods toward Son Volt, and opener Through is a muscular guitar-driven affair.  Two covers are also included: fellow Australian Ruby Boots joins the party for a bustling take on Gram Parsons’ Ooh Las Vegas, which does justice to the original version and The Hoodoo Gurus Hayride To Hell gets a Charley Daniels Band-styled makeover. 

Self-produced and recorded in his home studio, multi-instrumentalist Backstrom’s impressive guitar skills shine, and his selection of contributors are A-listed players. Adam ‘Ditch’ Kurtz (Sarah Shook, Joshua Ray Walker) played pedal steel, Bruce Bouton (Garth Brooks, Ricky Skaggs) was on lap steel and last but certainly not least, Billy Contreras (George Jones, Hank 111, Crystal Gayle), whose fiddle contributions are outstanding. 

Review by Declan Culliton

Danielle Howle Current Kill Rock Stars 

Despite a recording career that spans four decades and numerous studio and live recordings, both solo and with bands Lay Quiet Awhile and Danielle Howle and the Tantrums, singer songwriter and producer Danielle Howle remains an ‘under-the-radar treasure.’ A pretty distinctive vocalist and very much a Southern storyteller, CURRENT is Howle's first studio recording in ten years. As the title suggests, it’s loaded with up-to-the-minute observations, often intense and vibrant and on other occasions, genuinely humorous.

Produced by Jeff Leonard Jnr., Howle vocals are very much out in front with, in the main, acoustic musical support from Josh Roberts (guitars), Kerry Brooks (bass), Tony Lauria (accordion) and percussion input shared by Leonard Jnr., Jim Brock and Russell Lee Padgett.

There are excursions into the woe of love lost – though with a degree of comedy (Another One), positivity in the face of anguish (The Damage Appears on The Frame), unconditional love (Keep The Light), and self-love and acceptance (While I Miss You). Seamlessly genre-hopping, she goes full-on honky tonk on I’m Alright, laid back and jazzy on How Is The Rain and strikingly gothic on the quite stunning Keep The Light. Also included is a cover - faithful to the original - of Tom Petty’s Southern Accents. 

‘I hope to make someone happy - for my music to be a blanket or a coat,’ Howle confesses about CURRENT. She more than achieves that for me with an album that embraces much of what represents modern life in southern America, beautifully articulated, carefully arranged and well worth your attention. 

Review by Declan Culliton

Bonnie Montgomery River Self-Release

Although her classical vocal training was in opera, Bonnie Montgomery's captivation with the bluegrass, southern gospel and Delta blues of her childhood have come to the fore in her recordings. Voted Outlaw Female of the Year at the Ameripolitan Awards in 2016, her latest record, RIVER showcases the Arkansas-born artist's love of country music and her capacity to create compelling country songs.

With time off from her heavy touring schedule in 2020 and suffering from near exhaustion, Montgomery's recovery process included brushing up on her piano skills and composing this often-autobiographical collection of songs. Her vocals, as you would expect, are note-perfect, and with her co-producer Kevin Skria - a member of the excellent Texas band The Broken Spokes - they set about developing the arrangements to compliment her songs. The recordings took place at Skria's Wolfe Island Recording Company studio, which he built in a farm barn in Dayton, and his input included pedal steel, drums, bass, electric guitar, piano, organ and percussion. Geoffrey Robson played bass and arranged the strings, and Whitney Rose and Jimmy Davis added harmony vocals.

The lush string-driven Countrypolitan sound of the '60s comes to mind on the title track and Half Drunk, though Music Row wouldn't have approved the forthright lyrics on the latter in those times. The smooth Connie Smith-sounding I Was Fine also harks back to that era, and Modern-Day Cowgirl's Dream lives up to its title with a more present-day country sound. Memories of the writer's grandfather unfold on the mystical Leon ('I think I saw Ole Leon; he was walking down the road where the river meets the sunset, holding his hat, and moving slow'). The cutting song, Cut Your Check, was written ten years ago while she went through a divorce and traumatic times also inspired No Way Around It, which speaks about addiction and mental illness. On an album with few, if any, lines wasted, its deepest cut is the stunning Seventeen. Telling the tale of a close friend whom Montgomery witnessed drowning, its heart-wrenching story is beautifully articulated. 

The angelic pureness of Montgomery's country-edged vocals, supported by superb playing and production, translates into a mesmerising musical journey from start to finish.  

Review by Declan Culliton 

Nora Jane Struthers Back To Cast Iron Self Release

Another album under the pandemic umbrella, but one laced with positivity and truthfulness, BACK TO CAST IRON plays out like diary entries as Virginia-born Nora Jane Struthers details the anxieties and positivity of those unsettling times. The overriding theme that the album imparts is one of combining motherhood and a professional career in the music industry, and Struthers articulates the matter with openness and tenderness. 

Currently living in Nashville, Struthers called on the services of Neilson Hubbard, as she had done on her two previous records, to produce BACK TO CAST IRON and credit is due to him for achieving a most impressive end result. Struthers possesses a classic modern country voice, and her perfect punctuation, alongside a gentle quiver, breathes life into the ten homegrown stories that unfold. Her multi-instrumentalist husband, Joe Overton, played pedal steel guitar and banjo and added backing vocals. Stephen Daly’s electric guitar work is standout, as are the contributions by Lex Price and Juan Solorzano on bass and Hubbard on keys and drums. 

Struthers opens and bookends the album with two unflinching statements: the powerful Is it Hope and the jubilant Back On The Road. The complications and anxieties associated with childbirth are not often addressed in songwriting. Still, the title track does just that, with Struthers recalling her experience as a baby-weaning mother while she and her husband worked towards their second embryo transfer. That reference to family, frequently addressed on the record, also fuels Children They Need You (All Of The Time). It’s a joy to behold, a classic country song written from the often rollercoaster demands of a mother and professional artist. She flirts with bluegrass on Trying To Get Ready, written during lockdown as she prepared for the birth of her son and the return to normality.

Nora Jane Struthers’ talent and potential have been evident since her 2010 self-titled debut album, and BACK TO CAST IRON is a career highlight. It ticks many boxes, combining Lucinda Williams-styled rawness and earthiness on some of the more raucous tracks with sweetness and melody on others that bring to mind the work of Kelly Willis - heartwarming country music of the purest kind.

Review by Declan Culliton 

Jaime Wyatt Feel Good New West 

Never one to be pigeon-holed in one genre and an Outlaw in the real sense, Jaime Wyatt's musical output has flirted with country, soul and R&B. Her 2017 record, FELONY BLUES, could be best described as 'beauty born out of chaos' and the Shooter Jennings' produced NEON CROSS from 2020, was a country edged affair that gained Wyatt a lot of love and acclaim.  

Her latest album, FEEL GOOD, is more Dusty and Bobby G than Dolly and Loretta. The album title may be good advice aimed in the direction of her queer country community or may reflect Wyatt's current state of mind. Still, her confessional lyrics on the album reference love won and lost, together with the ongoing social issues of racism, sexual inequality and gun violence. 

'I've been down and out but never fallen. Love is a place I've never known; I'd like to go, and would you take me there?' she asks in Love Is A Place. Directed at another woman and openly seeking her affection, it's a statement by an artist openly and confidently expressing her sexuality. It's immediately followed by heartbreak with the luxuriant and soulful outpouring on Hold Me One Last Time; it marries horns, gospel-like backing vocals and a ripping rhythm section. 

'I wanna show them the mountains and say, drink from the clear spring water, fresh from the mountain top… and Mother Nature is raising her voice, by hurricane, fire and wind, do you feel me?' she announces on the opener World Worth Keeping. A plea from the heart and a reaction to 'profit at all cost' society, it harks back to the late 60s - Jefferson Airplane's Revolution comes to mind - but with a modern spin. That '60s counterculture also raises its head by including a cover of Grateful Dead's Althea. The selection is a reminder of the numerous GD concerts attended by Wyatt with her late father, who was a long-time friend of founding member Bob Weir. That '60s sound is deployed throughout much of the album, emphasised by driving keys, piano and organ, credited to Joshy Soul and Josh Strauther, and brilliant guitar playing by eight-time Grammy nominee and Black Pumas member Adrian Quesada, who also produced the album. Other highlights are the nostalgic Back To The Country and Fugitive, the latter written in a Covid-induced fever. 

FEEL GOOD is noticeably more groove and melody-driven than Wyatt's previous work. Her vocals are as assured as ever, earthy and soulful, but sonically, she pushes out the boundaries spectacularly well. Making good on the promise of her previous recordings, the project reveals an artist celebrating self-assurance and brimming with confidence. She's raised the bar some distance here with a standout record that deserves to be heard by many.

Review by Declan Culliton

AC Wallin Sweet Revenge Self Release

Such a refreshing experience to plug into a second solo outing from the multi-talented A.C. Wallin. On this follow up to his 2021 debut USELESS HEART, the multi-instrumentalist plays everything on these ten tracks and delivers an album this is very engaging and enjoyable. Including various guitars, bass, 6-string banjo, programmed drums and all vocals, Wallin clearly spent a lot of time in getting the various parts down to his satisfaction in the studio. The seamless interplay of the instruments is impressive and delivers an authentic rootsy vibe in the process.

Based in Sweden, where there is a healthy country music scene, Wallin is part of a growing number of independent artists who are encouraged to create and perform. His attention to detail in the songs is very refreshing and his ability to write clever words adds character to the overall feel of this project. Road Hot kicks everything off in fine style as touring time comes around in the wake of Covid and the band need to get back in the van ‘I dug up our old stage clothes, And got us a gig in the next town over, From there we'll just keep on going, Rockin' and rollin' on.’ Gold Plated Blues follows with a great swing to the beat and a song about the secrets that we keep ‘What folks don't know, Goes on at night, Behind closed doors, And out of sight, Who's foolin' who? What's tempting you?’

In A Perfect World is rough and raw while capturing the acoustic blues of dreaming about the girl who is just out of reach ‘If you can't make it happen, Well, you sure can dream.’ The essence of People Who Call Themselves Your Friend is the reality of insincerity and falseness in others ‘They like to nestle themselves into your heart, Like some kind of invasive weed that's overtaken the garden, You'll find yourself going along, With all of their wishes, They constantly hurt you, And then ask for forgiveness.’ The guitar playing is superb in the song arrangement.

Fast-Track the Heartbreak is a tongue-in-cheek ditty with a real western swing as Wallin declares ‘I got all these memories to go through, I got all these tears to cry, No need to make the pain drag on, No need to waste more time, Can't we just fast-track the heartbreak and get to goodbye?’ This is a real country classic in the making and I can see many top-line artists wanting to cover the song. Payment Plans and Back Rent looks at the conundrum facing many musicians, whether to fix up that old guitar, buy new equipment, or just try to pay the monthly bills instead, ‘Payment plans and back rent, And you know it's just my luck, I bought a JCM 800 head, the week before the band broke up.’

What Can I Do To Help? Is a song that filters worries over global warming and feelings of being overwhelmed by it all, whereas Right Hand Man takes away all such concerns by stating that ‘ You've been making easy mistakes, You've been getting pretty sloppy lately, You need someone who got what it takes, To keep things from getting too crazy.’ The title track is another country blues swing tune that channels feelings of getting even ‘That sweet revenge won't mean nothing, It won't do a thing, so they say, Sweet revenge, I'll just try it for myself, Because I don't know if I see it that way.’

The final track Going Nowhere is another clever song that speaks of being an individual and believing in yourself always ‘I was going nowhere and I got there fast, They couldn't believe their eyes the way I hauled ass, Lightning speed the way I blew right past.’ Just about sums up A.C. Wallin in my view, intent on making a difference and enjoying the ride all along the way. Another excellent album to add to his impressive catalogue and one that you should explore at all costs.

Review by Paul McGee

Cameron Wrinkle in My Heaven Self-Release

A new Texas country singer and one of a number who are releasing these mini-albums of seven or eight tracks. This one opens with a song, I’ve Got A Thang, that initially sounds like it could easily fall into the trap of songs with superficial mentions of girls in jeans and cars. However, Wrinkle and the band’s delivery is energetic enough to make you stick with it, which proves to be a good choice. The songs show that his heart is solidly in traditional country with some 90s overtones. His voice fits the genre like a pair of well-worn boots and a cowboy hat.

Wrinkle is a co-writer of four of the songs, and the others seem well suited to his sound and country leanings. The band is right up there with him in terms of committing to the material and direction. They can handle a more melodic mid-tempo swing-styled track like The Day You Walked In, which alongside several of the songs takes the well-trodden path of heartbreak and balances with the unbridled lust of the opening track. The rest fall between those two points with titles like Takin’ This Leaving Too Far, I Wasn’t Through Loving’ You Yet, and the more regretful tale of a once “life of the party” participant who now realises that now I Can’t Take Me Anywhere. In My Heaven is a song that references the many things that fall into his definition of his own personal heaven, rather than the one that he heard in church, such as watching a sunset from a porch, not having to deal with politics, the Super Bowl, John Wayne and his grandpa who has passed away. It’s not an original concept but one that suggests that his sincerity is evident. 

The final two cuts are slightly different in tone, with steel and nylon string guitars used to help meet the need to keep a relationship Off The Record. It has a nice female harmony to help define the discretion that may be needed to achieve that. Some more hints of Western Swing underpin the final track Breakfast Of A Fool, which finishes the album with the protagonist again not wanting to set his breakfast alone. However, he is essentially the cause of that situation.

The eight songs open the career of Wrinkle as a recording artist, and it is full of promise in the George Strait style of things. In other words, strong lead vocals, a solid band with fiddle, steel and piano. No doubt, with his good looks and youthful energy, Wrinkle is doing very well on the live circuit, and this debut release will further solidify his appeal. Otherwise, it is a small slice of Texas county served up with all the right ingredients to make it a pointer for good things to come from him and his band.

Review by Stephen Rapid

CS Nielsen Better Times Kørfir 

The latest release from Danish singer/songwriter offers prime examples of his take on Americana influences he incorporates into his music. Two things are immediately apparent in listening to his deep, distinctive vocal delivery and well-crafted material - all written and sung in English. Additionally, his interesting take on Bob Nolan’s Cool Water a much-covered song written back in 1936. It closes this twelve-song set in keeping with his own songs and the album’s overall sound.

He is joined on the recordings (all tracked in Denmark) by producer, mixer and multi-instrumentalist Johnny Sage, Johannes Gissel and Michael Lund, both also adept on numerous instruments as, indeed, is Nielsen himself. Others joined in on keyboards, accordion and backing vocals to bring the necessary depth and textures that sit below Nielsen’s sonorous vocals.

Despite the number of instruments used throughout, they never overpower the songs. All are there to serve the song and its meanings. Overall, it might be considered that there is an acute sense of despair and doubt regarding where we are all heading. That is offset by the album’s title and lead song, which promises hope for all is in better times to come as envisaged by the lyric “Your voice of hope / Borne on the air / Could lift my soul / Above the clouds of despair.” 

Elsewhere, words like “Men will worship bondage and fight to keep their chains / Even make believe it’s liberty they struggle hard to gain” That song Harrowing Of Hell shows an understanding of the human population’s propensity to be its own worst enemy. There is also a strong sense of a biblical vernacular that pervades the lyrics as if Nielsen is a prophet whose role is to understand these challenging times and impart his viewpoint while also sensing the light that may be visible over the horizon, even as there is need to travel a distance to get there. Perhaps that is best witnessed in The Shepherd, a song wherein a harmonica plays over a slow beat and other sonic subtleties to create its mood and message.

But, as in all such scenarios, the overall soundscape will attract and keep one listening while lifting the soul in pure terms of the music here. Those acquainted with Nielsen’s music are unlikely to need further encouragement, and those new to checking out his distinctive approach will find it worth the effort.

Scandinavia has proved to be a rich and diverse setting for roots-based acts like Nielsen and both The Country Sound Of Harmonica Sam and the breakthrough duo First Act Kid. There is an understanding of the music of the country (USA) they draw inspiration from, but that is blended with some of their own folk and roots traditions to create something that has a broad appeal. It is often a case though, that these acts receive little attention, or less anyway, if not from America and its environs.

BETTER TIMES, in the context of this album are here, in terms of its content. It is also a timely testament to Nielsen’s talent. 

Review by Stephen Rapid

Dean Owens Danielle Howle, Bonnie Montgomery, Nora Jane Struthers, Jaime Wyatt, A.C. Wallin, Cameron Wrinkle, and CS Nielsen.

New Album Reviews

Minor Gold Self-Titled Self-Release

Breaking down the barriers between folk and country ballads, ARIA nominated band Minor Gold are Tracy McNeil and Dan Parsons. Having performed in their native Australia for over a decade, this self-titled album has brought them to the attention of music followers far beyond the borders of their homeland. My introduction to the duo was at Americana Fest earlier this year. During their tour of North America, they performed a hugely impressive showcase to a receptive crowd supporting this album at that festival.

The ten songs on the album were written during lockdown while the couple lived in a van, having relocated to Queensland from Victoria. The album was subsequently recorded in Brisbane with the production duties undertaken by Hugh Middleton, the frontman of the trio band Mid Ayr. 

The album combines Gillian Welch/Dave Rawlings styled country ballads, Lover’s Race and Tumbleweed, with other sun-kissed and laid-back melodic Laurel Canyon-fashioned songs like The River and the opener Mona Lisa. Equally impressive are the catchy and radio-friendly Way With Words and Cannonball; the latter could have been plucked from the Simon and Garfunkel songbook. 

What impressed me most at their live show was the exquisite vocal harmonies accompanying their tender and intimate songs. That angelic pureness of their combined vocals is reflected enormously on this album, supported by instrumentation that supports rather than overwhelms the songs. With a front porch ease to much of the material, Minor Gold’s debut album hits the bullseye as a timeless and charming listen.

Review by Declan Culliton

Carla Olson Have Harmony Will Travel 3 BFD/The Orchard

Los Angeles-based songwriter, performer and record producer Carla Olson has worked with many household names over a career dating back to the late 70s. Percy Sledge, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton and John Fogerty are a few that she has collaborated with, and her debut recording in 1987 was SO REBELLIOUS A LOVER, the classic duet album with former member of The Byrds, Gene Clark. This recording is the third in a series of covers albums that she has recorded and follows on from her 2022 record NIGHT COMES FALLING, where she worked with Stephen McCarthy of The Long Ryders.

Well-known songs like the Jagger/Richards, Street Fighting Man and Pete Townsend’s I Can See For Miles are included alongside lesser-known selections. Two recently written songs composed by Olson and Allan Clake of The Hollies, It Makes Me Cry and A Love That Never Blooms, also feature; the former finds Olson and Clarke impressively sharing the vocals, the latter has Shawn Barton Vach on lead vocals with Olson on harmonies. 

She’s out of the tracks in rollicking form on the guitar-driven opener In Another Land. Craig Ross (Lenny Kravitz, Broken Holmes) takes the plaudits for some epic guitar playing on the track, and that fervid pace is replicated on Face To Face and the previously noted Street Fighting Man and I Can See For Miles, which follow. Things take a more laid-back direction on the harmonised countryfied track, Stronger. A love-torn ballad written by Shawn Barton Vach, Tonya Lamm and Anne Tkach, Olson’s duet with Robert Rex Waller Jnr. more than does the song justice.

An exciting feature of the album is the inclusion of three previously unreleased live tracks, Gypsy Rider, Del Gato, both of which were included on their REBELLIOUS A LOVER record and Set You Free This Time, recorded with Gene Clarke, which date back to a recording in Nashville on May 30th 1987. Featuring only vocals and guitars by both Olson and Clarke, the vocals perfectly reflect the songs’ moods and are a reminder of the dynamic and heavenly vocals they both possessed. 

HHWT is a delightful listen that should appeal to followers of Carla Olson’s notable career and, with the fifteen minutes of input by Gene Clark, is a must for collectors of whom many consider to be the standout songwriter from The Byrds.  

Review by Declan Culliton 

Stuffy Shmitt Stealin’ Stuff Realistic

‘Expect the unexpected’ is possibly the best advice when approaching the music of the eccentric East Nashville resident Stuffy Shmitt. Following his 2020 pandemic release STUFF HAPPENS and CHERRY from earlier this year, his latest recording finds the ever-restless artist raiding the back catalogue of a diverse range of artists to reconstruct ten songs that fall into place remarkably well.

Growing up in Milwaukee in a dysfunctional and often frenzied family environment, Shmitt moved to New York and Los Angeles, and his near ‘meltdown’ has been well documented by Lonesome Highway in an interview and our previous album reviews of his work.

Now permanently residing in Nashville, which may be considered the mecca of Country and Americana music but can also boast a bohemian collective of musicians and producers, mainly living in East Nashville, that also thrive on the more experimental and abstract. Shmitt is unquestionably central to that community. 

Impossible to pigeonhole, his restless and edgy leanings have resulted in a back catalogue that shifts between rock and an occasional Americana side plate. STEALIN’ STUFF finds him in the main shifting his attention in a ‘down and dirty’ blues direction and raiding the songbooks of legendary artists. Bo Diddley’s Mona has an early Rolling Stones feel, and Lead Belly’s prison work song Take This Hammer gets a rootsy makeover. He does justice to Sam Cooke’s classic Bring It On Home To Me with his tender-hearted rendition, and his livelier take on Robert Johnson’s acoustic blues Ramblin’ On My Mind breathes new life into the song.

When Shmitt turns his attention away from the blues legends of yesteryear, things take on an entirely different backdrop and finds him toying with some unexpected selections. He sticks close to the original version of The Psychedelic Fur’s Here Come The Cowboys, less so with an acoustic take of The Del Fuegos’ I Still Want You. The pick of the crop is an outrageous and eyebrow-raising adaption of Madonna’s Like A Virgin. Bordering on the terrifying, it plays out like the soundtrack to a horror movie that is best watched with hands partially covering the face yet is hugely rewarding despite the induced terror. 

Self-produced and recorded at Wirebird Productions in Madison, Tennessee, the regular collaborators of Shmitt, Irakli Gabriel and Chris Tench (guitars) are credited. Voiceovers were added by locals The Wild Ponies (Doug and Telisha Williams), alongside the late comedian and recording artist Lord Buckley. 

Don’t expect STEALIN’ STUFF to dent the Billboard Charts or feature on your local radio station, but look no further for sheer playfulness, escapism, and a rollicking good listen.

Review by Declan Culliton

Israel Nash Ozarker Loose

Less experimental than his recordings of recent years, OZARKER is the eight-studio album from the Missouri-born artist. Currently residing in Dripping Springs, Texas, having relocated from New York in 2011, Israel Nash built a recording studio on his rural ranch where he recorded some cosmic experimental albums. A slight diversion from LIFTED (2018) and TOPAZ (2021), his latest recording is his most heartland / blue-collar rock album with ten tracks inspired by the people and events from Nash’s small-town Missouri upbringing.

Rather than write the songs in his homemade studio, seeking simplicity over complexity, Nash relocated to Wimberley, Texas, to create the bones of the album. The result is a collection of songs that examine the aspirations and often broken dreams of family, acquaintances and fictional characters often living on the margins of his home state. Some are from first-hand experience, and others from tales recounted to Nash by his mother. 

OZARKER finds Nash following the Springsteen and Petty model with guitar-driven and chorus-charged anthems. The fine title track, complete with Shalalalala’s tingling keyboards and slick guitar solo, certainly echoes Springsteen’s sound and the standout track, Roman Candle, that of Petty. The all too familiar plight of a Vietnam war veteran unable to escape the horrors of war and reintegrate into society is presented in Lost In America, and the desperation and ruination of substance abuse is addressed in Shadowland. 

Whether this venture into heartland rock signals a diversion in Nash’s musical direction or whether he returns to his more sonically exploratory style remains to be seen. Regardless, OZARKER is loaded with intensity and enthusiasm and will likely win Nash new admirers alongside his faithful fanbase.  

Review by Declan Culliton

The Country Side Of Harmonica Sam The Blue Side Of Me Sleazy

When it comes to hearing a perfect contemporary manifestation of classic country, it’s doubtful that you will find better than The Country Side Of Harmonica Sam, an ensemble  - for they are that and not just a singer and backing band - whose talent, understanding and love for the genre are apparent throughout this album as they have been, indeed, through all their releases. Though hailing from Sweden, this really hasn’t a great deal of bearing on the music they play (although that whole region has long had a strong connection with the traditional country formula, more than any others in Europe). They stand easily alongside their USA counterparts who equally share a passion for the music’s heyday. Think of the likes of Sean Burns, The Shootouts, Joshua Hedley, The Malpass Brothers, Wild Earp, Brennen Leigh or Jake Penrod; all of whom reflect back on the time when the music was inspirational and identifiable. They find an affinity in the music that imbues them, and not only in the music, but also in the clothing they choose to wear onstage and the graphics they use on their album sleeves. They offer a complete package that leaves no doubt where their hearts lie.

Penrod, who has released excellent albums in his own right, contributes a couple of the songs here that were not featured on his last releases, and show his talent has not diminished. Another writer involved is Theo Lawrence, who had a hand in five of the songs. He is a French artist who also releases his own albums and is another devotee to the form. But the longest running contributor to the band’s repertoire is Dan Englund, a talented writer who can pen songs that fit the genre’s mode well, but who himself has just formed a band called The Worried Minds to play indie-rock - obviously a versatile and adaptable writer. Harmonica Sam has always picked a number of covers to include on these recordings and this time out its material from Justin Tubb, Wayne Walker, Ben Parsons, Betty Jean Lewis, Ronnie Self and the inestimable Harlan Howard.

The album was recorded by David Carlsson in Malmo, Sweden and it again features the talented team of Peter Andersson on pedal steel, Johan Bandling Melin on lead guitar and vocals, upright bassist Ulrick Jansson (who also mixed the album with Carlsson) and Patrick Malmros on drums. They are joined by Thyme van Lassen on fiddle and Peter Barrelled on piano, to round out the recorded sound. Everyone knows what to aim for and they consistently hit the target. It is akin to taking a step back into a hallowed studio like Quonset Hut from the 1950s - but with a sound that is still as resonant today.

However, that’s all window dressing if the sound from these recordings doesn’t feel right. You can authenticate the looks and sounds but you also need the material that is still largely now, as it was then, about the finding, keeping, losing or abusing the universal emotional and physical aspects of love. The melding of complex and simple emotions are given their sense of belief by the band’s wholehearted performance and energy. Having been together for some years now, there is that instant rapport between each player that is topped by Sam’s vocal presence that is perfectly suited to each song. The band’s name comes from the fact that Sam was a noted blues singer and harmonica player for a good few years before decided to let his “country side” out on the town. There is much that is still affiliated with the blues here, as there was in a lot of early country music, and that experience shows in the way he delivers the essential humanity and belief here. He may be back to the blue side, but he’s definitely keeping it country!

Review by Stephen Rapid

The Equatorial Group Sea Self Release

Album number four in a steadily climbing career that sees the Equatorial Group continue to enhance their growing reputation. Their gently melodic sound has been quietly fashioned ever since a debut EP titled ELVIS appeared in 2017. In the same year a self-titled debut album was released, with 13 songs and a glimpse of the talent that would blossom into their dynamic interplay and engaging music. The term Americana is too widely used these days and does not always capture the essence of a specific sound or do justice to the artist. The character of Equatorial Group could best be summed up by suggesting an alternative term such as Anglicana, which mirrors the very strong sense of identity within the creative collective, something that defines this band.

Two further albums, APRICITY (2018) and FALLING SANDS (2019) followed their debut and established the band as firm favourites in their seaside town of Eastbourne and further afield. Covid put a temporary halt to their building momentum but the band didn’t just sit back and wait for the lockdown to pass. They recorded an EP of cover songs and continued to demo and create new music between August 2020 and August 2023 at various locations and rehearsal rooms around their home base. They emerged with a reset button having taken the time to create new music, visited unfinished songs and reworked ideas in their creative process.

With a stellar line up of quality musicians, this is music of real substance and deserving of a much wider audience. They paint from a palette of colours that is compelling in the creation and the delivery. Rich melodies intertwine with beautifully constructed arrangements and understated rhythm. It is a very satisfying album on many fronts with an easy flow that spreads out across these ten songs. A fine-tuned interplay between the band members elevates everything to a level that sets a high bar and delivers much of what was hinted at on previous releases. Here we have a greater maturity expressed in the woven parts and a growing understanding developed between the players.

The interpretation of songs is always something that engages the listener. The sense of some mystery and being open to meaning will often result in a different message to what generated the initial spark for the writers. These songs are full of cryptic hints into what could be contained within. Whether inhabiting a persona of imagined characters, or coming from a place of personal reflection, the joy of discovery remains a key component. The standout Liberated Steel has the lyric  ‘There are words about proportionate regret, And these are fights that we haven’t had yet, I hold your hand and pray you’ll never grow old, That’s a dream we’ve just been sold.’ The song could be about youthful dreams, idealism and naivety in equal measure. It contains a fine guitar-led song dynamic with the bass driving the arrangement forward.

Elsewhere the songs reflect interesting insights into the human condition and experiences that filter the world outside. Fire reflects on the loss of a family pet and the haunting image in the words ‘Scattered ashes in the woods, today.’ Equally the song Feet leaves a strong impression with the lines ‘ Are words on cardboard louder than opinionated men, Stand up to your fathers, Stand up with your friends.’ It’s a song that channels protest and defending what you hold to be true. Falling is a song about an absent lover and a failed relationship with distant pedal steel complimenting the guitar playing and the sense of loneliness. Final track Colourful is an older song that captures a sense of isolation and feeling separate. There is a sense of loss and of opening up to naked emotion ‘Make these lazy bones decide, Where to turn and who to turn to.. Does the song make you whole again.’

Throughout, the level of musicianship is top drawer and the cutting edge is often the lyrical guitar playing of Dave Davies, inventive and gliding across the rhythm and melody set by the other band members.  As an ensemble they work seamlessly, whether the lush keyboard sound of Twe Fox, the inventive pedal steel and guitar of Helen Weeks or the impressive engine room of Andy Tourle on bass and Neil Grimes on drums. Self- produced by the band with lead vocals shared across the songs by Helen Weeks and Dave Davies this is a worthy addition to any record collection and comes highly recommended.

Review by Paul McGee

Regina Ferguson Fortune Self Release

A debut album from Carolina native Regina Ferguson and one that makes a clear statement of intent. Currently based in Los Angeles where she developed a reputation as a singer of some note in various venues around the city, Ferguson met up with producer Matt Linesch to deliver these nine tracks that span the spectrum of traditional country, americana and radio friendly tunes. Opener Through the Pines has a pleasant melody and is a song that talks about trying to move on but getting drawn back to that home space where everything makes sense. Two Reasons looks at wanting a lover yet trying to reconcile feelings of holding back ‘ How do you know how deep a river flows if you don't dive in, How do you know how deep a heartache if you don't give in.’

American Made catalogues more relationship challenges and the doubt that creeps in ‘'I’ve been lookin' for a sign to bring me to the light, I'm fading in and out of you.’ The musicians get the opportunity to stretch out on this arrangement with some very cool electric guitar backed by warm keyboard fills, ending with simple piano. Carolinas is about a short summer romance that was fun in passing the time but never had the chance to build ‘ You told me everything there was to know on the first night, By the second night there wasn't much left to say, We just sat there with a bottle of wine, I needed company and you were just fine.’

Regina is a fine singer with a very clear vocal tone that leads from the front in these song arrangements. The studio players are excellent and the synergy between them is effortless. Many of the instrumental augmentations are nicely judged and never grandstand in terms of the song structures. The session players include Samuel Babayan (guitars), Fernando Perdomo (electric guitar), Aaron Embry (piano, Hammond b3 organ), Brett Simons (bass), Griffin Goldsmith (drums), and Ben Peeler (pedal steel, lap steel guitar).

The title song is about following your dreams and trying to make it in the big city. The music industry can be as tough as it gets, and having a self-belief is vital. There is something of Sheryl Crow in the delivery on Pearlblossom ‘Every now and then I get tired of the wrong thing baby, but it feels so right.’ Plenty to enjoy in the upbeat melodies and seasoned playing. Regina is a natural performer in her confidence and delivery, and this album will hit home with listeners who like an easy sense of having a good time and dancing to sweet country sounds with a beer and a friend.

Review by Paul McGee

Jeffrey Martin Thank God We Left the Garden Loose

It’s been a few years since the last release from Jeffrey Martin, (2017’s ONE GO AROUND), and for someone who reflects upon the pulse of these times in his intimate songs, that has been far too long away from the spotlight. Covid has come and gone in the meantime and the impact upon all our lives has been immeasurable on so many levels. If Martin pondered upon the brevity of life on his previous album and how this is no dress rehearsal, then this new release is a celebration of that fact that embracing each day is truly what matters. There is real clarity in the focus. It’s like the title of the album is really declaring that the garden of Eden is all around us if we only take the time to look and put aside our singular fears and apprehensions in daily living.

There is a deep humanity running through the music of Jeffrey Martin and it touches every corner in the quiet messages that it brings. Pondering the great questions of who are we and why are we here is at the source of these eleven songs. Recorded in a small shack in his garden, Martin had to wait until late at night for silence to prevail in the neighbourhood, the Portland suburbs dictating when there was sufficient quiet to record. It features Jeffrey on acoustic guitar and a few basic microphones, and sets a very intimate environment for this simple approach and atmospheric acoustics. John Neuman adds guitar on three of the songs in addition to co-producing the final record and it’s a great tribute to both musicians to say that they captured the essence of the songs perfectly.

There are traces of the late John Prine on the stand-out There Is A Treasure and the reflections of a life lived in the vastness of the universe, and our place in it. Elsewhere the laid back style of the song arrangements displays the lyricism of Jeffrey Martin on guitar and it lulls the listener into a recognition of the familiar with the sensitivity running through these songs. Are we not all just getting by, going the best we can and trying to grapple with fate and circumstance on a daily basis? There is an understanding here of the similarities we share and not the things that pull us apart and separate us out. Daylight speaks about a faith in the great unknown and the respite that morning can bring from the ghosts of the lonely nights. Red Station Wagon is a memory of days gone by and the lessons learned from failing a friend in need; the memories of callow youth haunting the present.

I Didn’t Know tackles the questions of family life and growing up with parents that are making the best of their situation ‘I didn’t know that they didn’t know what they were doing.’ A story that mirrors in the lives of children who are growing up and realising that their parents don’t hold all the answers. The uncharted future is captured in the lines ‘I laid in bed wondering what was already written and who gets to decide where I go.’ A powerful image of the uncertainty of life and the impermanence that informs everything. The song Garden deals with internal issues and whether anybody really knows another, feelings of loneliness rising to the surface and reflecting ‘I want to find out for certain if I’m here on purpose… ending with the message that ‘In my mind, there’s a garden.’

The final song Walking sums up the sense that we are all just passing through. Martin noting in his nocturnal reflections ‘We’ll be gone with nothing, the same way that we came, so I go out walking.’ A simple solution to the conundrum of life, live in the moment and try not to let the weight of the big questions lay too heavily upon your shoulders. A beautiful album and an essential purchase.

Review by Paul McGee

Norma MacDonald In Waves Self Release

Yet another superb album from the excellent Norma MacDonald, a singer songwriter at the height of her powers. With impressive production courtesy of Daniel Ledwell and a supporting band of musicians who turn these ten songs into real gems, this album is certainly a new peak in a career that has seen Norma release five previous albums of impressively high standards. She expands her colour palette of sound here with echoes of 60s Motown surfacing in some of the lovely harmony vocals and the lush arrangements.

The studio players include Norma (lead and backing vocals, acoustic guitar), Adam Fine (bass), Jodi Comstock (drums), Nick Maclean (electric and acoustic guitar), producer Daniel Ledwell (keyboards, mellotron, pedal steel, “electronics”), Rachel Bruch (violin), with both Carmel Mikol and Melanie Stone adding backing vocals on four songs. The musical arrangements soar across the songs and the sense of timeless reverie is perfectly captured in the beautiful vocals of Norma. Her tone is soothingly seductive and the intonation just perfect on each performance.

Co-Star is a song that lingers, with a beautiful melody and a softly wistful vocal to conjure up images of a past memory that will not leave. Blues and Greens is another example of Norma’s knowing ability to create a sense of atmosphere perfectly in her delivery. The change of gears on Eastern To Atlantic is really like a palate cleanser between main courses and is a sweetly sad acoustic ballad that surrounds a sense of longing with missing someone across the miles. Absolutely gorgeous.

Glass Flowers has a 60s feel to the song and reminded me of Dusty Springfield in the vocal inflections. Same Mistake reflects upon a failed relationship and a determination not to fall into old habits. The string arrangement is very layered and the inclusion of brass sounds gives the song a big screen soulful production. Final song Rescue Mission is a perfect coda in the laid-back tempo and the gentle melody coupled with pedal steel and subtle rhythm. This artist is deserving of much greater recognition for the consistently high musical standards she achieves and on this latest album Norma really has knocked it out of the park. One of the albums of 2023.

Review by Paul McGee

MINOR GOLD, Carla Olson, Stuffy Shmitt, Israel Nash, The Country Side of Harmonica Sam, The Equatorial Group Jeffrey Martin, Norma MacDonald Music

New Album Reviews

Restos Ain’t Dead Yet Self Release

Fans of Austin, Texas band Western Youth will be pleased to hear that five members of that popular six-piece band have resurrected themselves after a hiatus of five years and recorded a debut album under the name of Restos. That title is Spanish for ‘remains’ and the band members that feature are Graham Weber (vocals, guitars), Mark Nathan (lead guitar), Chris Spencer (bass), Sam Powell (keys) and Brian Bowe (drums). Also contributing vocals on four of the album’s ten tracks is Jaimee Harris, adding to her busy schedule having released her album, BOOMERANG TOWN earlier this year.

Very much a team effort in respect of the songwriting, there’s little wildly original on the album’s ten tracks, simply a bunch of guys laying down some high-octane rock and roll and giving off the vibe that they’re having the time of their lives doing so. The opener Wild Heart is a full-on rocker written in memory of their close friend and singer songwriter Chris Porter, who tragically lost his life in a car crash in 2016 while touring with his band, Porter and the Bluebonnet Rattlesnakes (‘Wish I could shake your hand one more time, I can’t take your place and you can’t take mine’). That unbridled pace is maintained on the pulsating Wild As The Wind and Faded Love is cut from a similar cloth, while the slower groove on the title track brings to mind the melodic sound of The Byrds, with Harris’ vocals blending sweetly with Weber’s.

Co-produced by the band and Charles Godfrey (Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Cody Jinks, Whiskey Myers, Dropkick Murphys) and recorded at Jim Eno’s (Spoon) Public Hi-Fi in Austin, Texas, AIN’T DEAD YET lives up to its title and reunites a bunch of players that simply play head down Texan rock and roll.

Review by Declan Culliton

Cruz Contreras Cosmico Cosmico

Like so many others who used the downtime imposed by the pandemic for reflection and contemplation, Cruz Contreras focus was diverted from his work with the various projects he had previously been involved with and he concentrated on writing, mixing and recording this debut solo album. A founding member of Knoxville, Tennessee band The Black Lillies, Robinella and the CCstringband, Contreras set up shop at Cider Mountain in Northern Idaho where he recorded this nine-track record under the watchful eyes of co-producers and long-time friends of Contreras, Megan McCormick (Jenny Lewis, Allison Russell, Amanda Fields) and Ethan Ballinger (Miranda Lambert, Lee Ann Womack).

Given the quality of the album and his previous projects, it comes as somewhat of a surprise to learn that Contreras confesses to a lack of artistic confidence that delayed this solo venture. Very much in cosmic country territory, Cosmico examines the life changing episodes that Contreras encountered during the past few years, from the passing of his father in 2018, his own recent marriage, the birth of his son, and the demise, temporarily or otherwise, of The Black Lillies.  

Sonically the album covers quite a lot of ground, from the relaxed to the more spacey and experimental. The title track - possibly a reminded by the writer to himself - is a melodic ballad, all the better for some slick layered vocals and an addictive groove that was embedded in my mind for some time. Similarly paced are the Leonard Cohen-sounding Separate Minds and the breezy Breaking A Habit, the latter no doubt referencing the breakup of The Black Lillies and the challenges of making a clean break with this project. On the flipside Doin’ Time finds Contreras and his crew rocking out and Call Me Crazy is a spacious affair with swirling keyboards and guitars perfectly consistent with the track’s title and sentiment. 

An album that sounds timeless and one that is not possible to pigeon hole in any one genre, COSMICO does steer away from the overcrowded car park that Americana can presently be accused of. With a perfect blend of soulful songs, deep grooves and unexpected rough edges, it’s an eyebrow-raising musical experience and a most successful solo venture by Contreras.

Review by Declan Culliton

Chris Stamey The Great Escape Schoolkids

With a curriculum vitae that includes forming the dynamic New York power pop band The dB’s, playing alongside Alex Chilton, founding the New York record label Car Records, producing albums by Whiskeytown, Alejandro Escovedo, Caitlin Cary, and releasing numerous solo albums, Chris Stamey can boast legendary status in power pop and roots music.

Enjoying a purple patch in recent years as a recording artist, THE GREAT ESCAPE is Stamey’s fifth full-length album in the past decade and with fourteen tracks featured in just under fifty-five minutes, it is packed with hook-filled songs. The final track is interestingly titled Credits, and with an instrumental version of the title track in the background, it includes a spoken-word acknowledgement by Stamey of the numerous musical contributors and others who assisted in bringing the album to fruition. Interestingly, the first player credited is pedal steel player Eric Haywood, whose playing has featured on numerous alt-country acts from Son Volt to Alejandro Escovedo. Stamey credits Haywood’s presence on stage with Escovedo - Stamey was musical director on Escovedo’s 2017 tour - as one of the prime motivators for this album.

Very much recalling the classic ‘pop meets roots’ style of the mid to late 60s when a cross-pollination of American and British modes inspired acts such as The Byrds and The Hollies, Stamey nails that electric guitar-driven sound to perfection. Tracks like The Sweetheart Of The Video and I Will Try are prime examples, the former a six-minute gem and album highlight for this writer, the latter written as a modern-day no-holes-barred wedding song. The opener and title track, complete with slick guitar breaks, hand claps and flawless harmonies, had me hitting the repeat button on the first spin and Realize, which follows, is equally impressive. A cover of Alex Chilton/Tommy Hoehn’s, She Might Look My Way, keeps faith with the original version, and he pays homage to the legendary producer Van Dyke Parks in the light-hearted The One And Only. Despite the numerous musicians and backing vocalists that Stamey called on, there remains remarkable connectivity on much of the material. Dear Friend is a heartfelt reach out to those who may be at a low point emotionally and could be a response to the sorrowful (A Prisoner Of This) Hopeless Love.

A timeless and smile-inducing album from start to finish, it includes a vast crew of contributors yet blends coherently. Rather than list those contributors, I highly recommend you check out this album and allow Chris Stamey to introduce them, one and all, as he does on the aforementioned album closer, Credits.

Reviewed by Declan Culliton 

Jason Hawk Harris Thin Places Bloodshot

 LOVE & THE DARK, the 2019 album from Jason Hawk Harris, dealt with themes of personal disarray and grief from his mother’s passing, his father’s company bankruptcy, and his own personal issues with substance abuse. Those dark and painful landscapes and recovery and rehabilitation also dominate his latest recording, THIN PLACES. ‘I wanted to explore every part of grief with this album, not just the devastating moments,’ explains Harris on this nine-track record that moves seamlessly between soul, roots and country. Eight of the tracks are originals with Warren Zevon’s Keep Me In Your Heart For A While, appropriately covered.

Harris’ musical career has been checkered. He studied classical music theory and composition and played guitar with the alt-folk band The Snow Ponies before the launch of his solo career. Currently residing in Austin, Texas, Harris recorded the album at Andy Freeman’s Studio Punch Up in Nashville.  Harris played vocals, guitars and harmonium with contributions by guest players Phil Glenn (strings, piano), Kevin Brown (drums, percussion) and Adam ‘Ditch’ Kurtz (pedal steel). Andy Freeman played bass alongside his production duties, and backing vocals are credited to Kristina Murray, Natalie Nicoles and Leeann Skoda.

The contrast in many songs reflects a ‘topsy-turvy’ mindset, possibly reflecting the highs and lows that motivated the writing. Harris navigates from the defiant and frenetic I’m Getting By to the rejoiceful So Damn Good, and from the ‘hymn-like’ Jordan And The Nile and the light-hearted Bring Out The Lilies. Despite these often-contradictory chapters, the bottom line is an album that is very much the sum of its parts and, as a result, warrants an uninterrupted listen from start to finish.

Given the backdrop that challenged Harris to tackle his demons, musically he confronts those adversities in a buoyant manner.  All in all, a hugely impressive album that requires several listens to penetrate, but it is well worth the time invested in doing so.

Reviewed by Declan Culliton

Dylan LeBlanc Coyote ATO

A welcome addition to his excellent back catalogue, COYOTE follows on from two standout recordings from the Louisiana-born artist Dylan Le Blanc. RENEGADE from 2019 and CAUTIONARY TALE from three years prior marked him as one of the most significant artists to emerge in the Americana/Alt-Country genres in the past decade.

His latest project, possibly semi-autobiographical in its gist, is a concept album built around a character who exists very much on the edge, trying to straighten himself out but caught at a crossroads between a life of petty criminality and attempted rehabilitation. The album’s compelling and melodic sound and Le Blanc’s distinct vocals stick close to the signature sound of his previous work, so why change a winning formula? Its title relates to a bizarre near ‘life or death’ experience encountered by LeBlanc. Having climbed a cliff face in Austin, Texas - no reason is given for the unusual escapade - he came face to face with a racoon being chased by a coyote. Fortunately, following a ‘stare off’; the animals departed, averting what could have been an unhappy ending.

A multi-instrumentalist, LeBlanc played electric and acoustic guitars on the album and called on some crack session players to join him in the studio. Keyboards are credited to Jim ‘Moose’ Brown (Bob Seger), Fred Eltringham (Ringo Starr, Sheryl Crow), who played drums and bass guitarist Seth Kaufman (Lana Del Rey) completed the rhythm section. The Secret Sisters added backing vocals, and the project was recorded at Fame Recording Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama.

We’re introduced to the central character Coyote in the opening and title track as he heads across the border to Mexico to set up a shady deal (‘I’m off to a new land, gonna steal a rich man’s gold, gonna take what’s mine’). Closin’ In, which follows, is a drug-fuelled reminisce of love lost or squandered. Dark Waters and Dust articulate his perilous journey and recollect his checkered past. More tender sentiments emerge on the gorgeous and standout track, No Promises Broken. Cut from a similar cloth; the protagonist considers his fortunes on the wistful Human Kind.

LeBlanc’s output has consistently brought to mind early career Neil Young and COYOTE is no exception. However, far from a pretender, this treasure chest of songs merits favourable comparison with much of Young’s work. Mirroring the author’s transition from an angry young man, who by his own admission survived a chaotic lifestyle, to a mature and ‘at peace’ thirty-something-year-old, COYOTE is DeBlanc’s most perceptive and compelling work to date, further revealing an artist on his commute to master craftsman status.  It is one of the most satisfying listens of the year for this writer and highly recommended. 

Reviewed by Declan Culliton

John Baumann Border Radio Self-Release 

Location plays a big part in the writing of John Baumann, a Texas singer-songwriter who has had cuts by mainstream artists like Kenny Chesney but has equally had his work recorded by the Randy Rogers Band. Whilst his music sits on that border between country and a more singer-songwriter aesthetic, he has previously noted the lack of something more authentically country on his song The Country Doesn’t Sound The Same from a previous album. He has a half dozen earlier releases to his name that have seen him grow as an artist along the way. The first of these, a five-track EP titled WEST TEXAS VERNACULAR, points to an interest in his home state for some time. He grew up in San Antonio but honed his talent in Austin. He has also worked with the Panhandlers (a collective of fellow writers and singers he sings and records with occasionally).

Baumann is joined here on this Dwight A Baker-produced collection by a selection of players who included the noted artist in his own right, Jedd Hughes, on electric guitar. Everyone else holds up their end too, on the nine self-written songs. Material that has a warmth in its delivery fits the location of much of the material and his vocal delivery overall. The writing details situations that, in Baumann’s hands, fall on the right side of the mainstream sense of what might be considered acceptable to radio - that is down to detail and nuance. 

Gold El Camino opens the album in a familiar cruising with a girl in the front seat car mode enthusing, “baby, let’s take a ride.” Sweeter is Reviving Engines, River Street offers the conundrum of what’s a boy to do “when there’s trouble to be found.” Opening with a hint, to these ears, of a Beatles’ song memory at the start, South Texas Tradition sets up an ongoing modus of custom and whereabouts for the album. The title track follows and is a high point and a song full of longing and landscape. It takes that often-mentioned broadcasting source as a reference to both people and place but in a way that brings you to that place and that time. 

The simplicity of the love song My Heart Belongs To You is all the better for its directness and sincerity. More up-tempo is the accolade to the energies and intentions of that regular night out that is Saturday Night Comes Once A Week; it features a short great piano break midway through. The best title of the album is up next in the sombre The Night Before The Day Of The Dead; that is the consideration of what the ramifications of such a night may mean. Equally laid back is Turning Gold, again detailing an uncertain lifestyle as someone looks to find their place and hopes to see that golden sunset offering something better. Again, Boy’s Town is about a district close to the border, where working men and military personnel can and do go to let off steam and cross the border to an area where solace may be sought in drink and prostitution.

In context, all these songs fit the sense of community and display an overall affinity with the men and women who work and find means to relax in that South Texas region. There is a certain textural quality that pervades the music that brings the listener to feel a similar sense of that location and purpose, and that is also, at times, full of hints of both melancholy and menace but does so in a way that you want to hear the songs again. And that is its strength.

Review by Stephen Rapid

Heather Lynne Horton Get Me To a Nunnery Pauper Sky

The title of Horton’s third solo album may give some clues as to the general influences running through the ten songs included here. It’s a play of words on Shakespeare’s Hamlet, during which he warns Ophelia against her female nature of fickleness and betrayal, telling her to lock herself away from all men in a nunnery, thus avoiding all contact. Horton also references the inspiration that the life of Sinead O’Connor provided to her and how her death in the final days of this album’s completion marked a huge moment. “May the world redeem her” writes Horton in the liner notes and I would rather that the world redeemed itself and embraced Sinead for all the bravery and passion that she showed in speaking out against injustice, in whatever form it presented itself.

There is an instrumental on the album that is dedicated to the memory of Lin Brehmer, the famous DJ at WXRT Chicago, who died this year after a battle with cancer. The track is titled Lin’s Never-Ending Song and it is something of a Magnum Opus for Horton, highlighting all her power on violin in the different passages that paint a colourful requiem to the memory of her friend. The instrumental could just as easily have been dedicated to Sinead O’Connor as it captures the thrilling essence of life and the vibrancy that attracts others to a belief or a cause. As the song slows in tempo and reflects upon it’s more energetic beginning, one is left to remember that the deeds we do indeed live long after we are gone.

Elsewhere the album gives many examples of the constraints suffered in trying to live with compromise in society. There are songs that touch on bigotry, misogyny, racism and abuse such as Ten Times and Call A Spade A Spade .  The subjugation of dreams in sacrifice to another is tackled on the powerful Take Off, and The Flight Of Beatrix, a good witch of love, who flies in the face of danger from angry menfolk, is another example of women being feared by the male of the species. There are songs about losing in love and All This Time observes “We’re here, But I’m alone, I wish I’d never know you.” Equally, on Six Foot the female angst is summed up by “Mom asks how I have agreed to stay, Dad said he knew I’d end up this way, I’d break both my knees if you’d hear me pray, But I won’t ask why anymore.”

There is another song titled I Don’t Like Your Children that takes aim at the Me-Generation and the push for personal gratification above all else, “I don’t like your children, You selfish, spoiled brat, Wasted generation, Who-ever taught you things like that.” The broken promises of youth run their course and we grow into the adults that we embrace. This is a very strong statement from an artist that seeks “to bring uncomfortable ideas into conversation through the medium of music.” 

In this, Horton certainly succeeds and the entire project was recorded during a mid-2022 return from Covid and completed into 2023 in both Pauper Sky Studios, and Transient Sound Studios, Chicago. The musicians joining Horton include her husband Michael McDermott, Will Kimbrough, John Deaderick Matt Thompson and Steven Gillis who contribute on an array of instruments in support of what is a very rich and ethereal sound. Co-production is by both Horton and McDermott and the vocals are layered into warm harmonies and placed high in the mix, with engaging song arrangements throughout. This is a very interesting album and one that ultimately holds a message of empowerment and strength in these challenging times.     

Review by Paul McGee

Old Californio Metaterranea Old Californio

This band hails from Pasadena in California and their sound is close to the classic Country Rock music of the 70s in terms of influence. However, this is not to try and categorise their talent too narrowly as the musicians display a range of expression that is both colourful and compelling in highlighting their songs. On this new album, their sixth since ALONG THE COSMIC GRASS appeared in 2007, there are ten songs that instantly engage this listener and deliver on all fronts. 

We witness the combined talents of Woody Aplanalp and Rich Dembowski on co-production and both musicians also contribute to the vibrant sound on a variety of guitars, bass, lap steel and both lead and harmony vocals. Long-time member Justin Smith shares drumming duties with Anthony Logerfo (three tracks) and Lon Hayes (one track), while bassist Corey McCormick appears on five tracks. With the very expressive Jon Niemann on keyboards throughout, there are further cameo appearances from Jason Chesney (vocals), Paul Lacques (lap steel), and Andres Renteria (congas).

There is a message of celebration and positivity on this album. The bright production, the lovely harmonies, the interplay across the melodies, and echoes of the Beach Boys intertwine. It’s as if Old Californio are aiming for that original hippie dream, brought into a modern context. They conjure up the past, looking back to old traditions, and also forwards into new beginnings. Psychedelic Country music borne again. The album opens with Old Kings Road a song that looks back at the El Camino Real, “The King's Highway.” A 600-mile trail that connects the 21 Spanish missions in California, from San Diego all the way to Mission San Francisco Solano in Sonoma, just north of San Francisco Bay,  ‘It’s that California sound, it’s got a mediterranean soul, And it echoes down the raveling years along the old kings road’

On the song Destining Again the band talks about the importance of the journey, and not the actual destination, stating “Like Sisyphus I gotta keep my rock, keep it rolling.” Come Undone looks at life as a continuum and includes the message ‘And though the past has passed, it’s not behind you, The soul keeps no curfew, And where you finish everything begins, And everything else starts where you end.’

The circle of existence is pondered on The Swerve and the reality of not being in control as human beings is part of Timeless Things, the process of letting go being the true answer to living. The rocking sound of The Seer recalls The Grateful Dead with a message of living in the moment. Tired For A Sea examines the superficial lives that many live, always seeking the safety of a bridge while the depths of the sea await exploration below. Taking a deep dive into yourself can only bring enlightenment and greater reward. 

Through The Days (And Past All Nights) is another message of hope, with both proportion and commitment being important measures to a balanced life. Just Like A Cloud finishes off the album with a full-on Crazy Horse workout on guitars and an end to the journey that returns to the source of it all, the energy of the absolute that endures in mother nature. A superbly crafted release that will resonate with anybody who enjoys timeless music.

Review by Paul McGee

Matthew Check Without A Throne Self Release

Once a member of Gangstagrass, a band that mix classic bluegrass and rap vocals, Check now lives in NYC, and releases this seven song EP as a follow up to his 2020 album THE CONDESA QUEEN. A few live releases followed more recently and this EP includes tracks that engage the listener. His style is reminiscent of classic 70s artists and the music includes rockers like What A Father Would Do (Absalom), country classics (Pretty Mama), and slower ballads (The Shape It Appears). There is some nice pedal steel courtesy of Thomas Bryan Eaton and piano melody from John Pahmer. Because You Can is another fine song that shows off the band in full flight and is reminiscent of CSNY in their prime.

Review by Paul McGee

Restos, Cruz Contreras, Chris Stamey, Jason Hawk Harris, Dylan LeBlanc, John Baumann, Heather Horton, Old Californio

New Album Reviews

Josh Gray Walk Alone CRS

Following on from his 2019 debut full-length album, SONGS OF THE HIGHWAY, singer songwriter Josh Gray’s latest album pursues a similar template of tales that are fuelled by personal experiences in an often-unforgiving music industry, alongside some more relaxed and heart-filled songs.

A relative latecomer to the industry, he didn’t play his first live show until age thirty-one; Gray moved to Nashville in 2015 to hone his skills and gather talented players for his backing band, the Dark Features. Building on the positive feedback for his debut album and with countless numbers of gigs under his belt to road test his new material; Gray used the crowdfunding platform to raise the funds to record this ten-track record.

Recorded at The Bomb Shelter in Nashville and self-produced by Gray, the players included his bandmates Julio Matos on bass, Jason Munday on drums, and some local big hitters contributing. Guitar wizard Sean Thompson and equally distinguished pedal steel player Brett Resnick were among those guesting.  Credit is also due to Kristin Indorato and Nikhil Dafre for the most impressive photography and design on the album’s sleeve and inner booklet.

The opening track, Radio Stations, could relate to the majority of singer songwriters attempting to survive and keep their heads above water. It’s a breezy affair lamenting the lack of opportunity to have an artist’s music played on radio and the resulting financial hurdles. It’s followed by the title track, which also addresses survival in an apathetic world, with Gray confident in his ability declaring ‘You gotta fight in this life for everything you want. What you let pass you by tomorrow returns to haunt.’ Aching pedal steel perfectly mirrors the regret of poor life choices that end with the protagonist locked up in jail on the border-sounding Cheyenne. Rage and fury fuel the protest song Money or Blood, which points its finger at the unscrupulous employer and also the lack of Government empathy.  Not all of Gray’s tales are fuelled by anger and frustration. He exhibits his sweeter nature on the love ballad She Think’s The World Of Me and on the album’s closer and standout track Building Paradise. The latter is a duet with Morgan Connors that bookends the record on a resolute and hopeful note.

WALK ALONE is the work of a profoundly emotional songwriter and has earned Gray a distribution deal with CRS in the Netherlands. That marriage will likely result in the exposure in Europe that escapes many artists in their home country. Don’t be surprised if it also opens up touring options and a dedicated fanbase on this side of the pond.

Reviewed by Declan Culliton 

Brent Cobb Southern Star Thirty Tigers

Inspired by his southern roots and recorded at Capricorn Sound Studios in his Georgia hometown, SOUTHERN STAR finds Brent Cobb incorporating the country, soul, gospel, and blues sounds from that musical hotbed.

Rather than a ‘far away hills are green’ concept, the album was written when Cobb returned to Georgia, having spent a decade in Nashville. That period earned him a Grammy nomination for his 2016 album SHINE ON A RAINY DAY, together with writing hit songs for Luke Combs, Keith Urban, Miranda Lambert and Little Big Town. SOUTHERN STAR is Cobb’s fifth album and evidence once more of his resourcefulness as a songwriter, with the ability to create more meaty material alongside the more mainstream country that gained the previously mentioned artists’ chart success.   

As well as recording in his hometown, Cobb self-produced the ten tracks on the album and hired local musicians, the only ‘out of towner’ being keyboard player Jimmy Matt Rowland. He captures the more laid-back simplicity of Southern culture to perfection in his writing. The title and opening track set the scene for his calling to return home, and Shade Tree, which bookends the album, reiterates that sense of serenity and contentedness. Elsewhere, he turns the heat up on the funk-filled Livin’ The Dream, Devil Ain’t Done and ‘On’t Know When and takes his foot off the gas on the slow burners When Country Came Back To Town and Kick The Can; the latter finds Cobb reminiscing on the passage of time from his childhood to the present. The former is a ‘thumbs up’ to the artists who kickstarted country music revival in the past decade. Name-checking many of those artists, pride of place goes to Sturgill Simpson for his input ‘But nobody sang like Brandi Carlile or wrote like Nikki Lane … but when Sturgill climbed High Top Mountain, Country came back to town.’

As a songwriter, Cobb seldom puts a foot wrong, and that’s very much the case with SOUTHERN STAR. It’s an uncomplicated and sentimental project that is as far removed from his more mainstream writing as it is from hardcore honky tonk. Given that versatility, it’s little surprise that he has opened on tours for both Chris Stapleton and Luke Combs. Best described as definitive easy listening, it’s another feather in the cap of a multi-talented artist

Reviewed by Declan Culliton

More Than A Whisper: Celebrating The Music of Nanci Griffith Rounder

Celebrating what would have been Nanci Griffith’s 70th birthday, it only seems fitting that a host of her friends and followers would gather to honour the legendary singer songwriter. This fourteen-track album does just that and is not simply a reminder of Griffith’s unquestionable talent, but equally an endorsement of the inspiration that she generated for so many others. In her liner notes, Mary Gauthier sums up the immense impact the Sequin, Texas-born singer-songwriter had on her career in simple terms ‘What Loretta did for Nanci, Nanci did for me’.

Griffith recorded over twenty albums from her 1978 debut THERE’S A LIGHT BEYOND THESE WOODS to her final studio album, INTERSECTION, in 2012. A multiple Grammy nominee, Griffith’s album OTHER VOICES, OTHER ROOMS won her a Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk album of 1994. That album was her recognition of the artists that inspired her, so it’s fitting that her vast contribution to roots and country music is similarly honoured by others on this recording.

Given the quality of the material and the artists that pay their dues to Griffith, it’s difficult to highlight the standout tracks, every one draws the listener back to the original versions while also marvelling at many of the reconstructions. However, two duets do particularly strike a chord. John Prine and Kelsey Waldon’s Love At The Five & Dime is particularly heartrending, given that it must be one of the final recordings by Prine before his untimely passing. Lyle Lovett and Kathy Mattea’s rendition of Trouble in The Fields also captures the capacity of love to offer endurance during times of impoverishment – a sentiment that rings true today over thirty-five years after it featured on Griffith’s album, LONE STAR STATE OF MIND. Other household names including Steve Earle (It’s A Hard Life Wherever You Go), Iris DeMent (Banks Of The Pontchartrain), Emmylou Harris (Love Wore A Halo) and Shawn Colvin (Outboard Plane), who grew up in the industry alongside Griffith, also contribute. A relatively younger group of artists also pay tribute. Brandy Clark’s version of Gulf Coast Highway lives up to the original version and Billy Strings joins Molly Tuttle on Listen To The Radio. The other contributors are Sarah Jarosz (You Can’t Go Home Again), Todd Snider (Ford Econoline), Ida Mae (Radio Fragile), Aaron Lee Tasjan (Late Night Grande Hotel), War and Treaty (From A Distance) and the aforementioned Mary Gauthier (More Than A Whisper).

Listening to this collection is bound to result in a revisit to the vast and absorbing back catalogue of Griffith, it certainly did for me. For younger music lovers, it’s an introduction to one of the finest voices and songwriters in roots music and an ‘every serious roots music lover should have’ album.

Review by Declan Culliton

Sean Burns Lost Country Department Store

This is a wonderful album and a career highlight for Sean Burns. Not only is the music top-notch, it is also an exploration of some of the lesser-known exponents of traditional country music released in Canada through the decades. This is a labour of love and a continuum of why many of us want to listen to country and not some semi-related lukewarm and rootless version of the same.

At the album’s heart are Burn’s vocals, which are full of passion, pain and purpose and bring that necessary connection to any country album's success. Aside from that, there are a host of musicians who are sympathetic and sincere in their understanding and talent to make this album the triumph it is. This comes about in a year that has seen many really rewarding records released that fit firmly in that hardcore country category. 

The ten songs come from a variety of writers and artists; the only one that I was readily aware of was Scotty Campbell, but they all provided Burns with a wealth of material to salute and revive. Among the players featured are Grant Siemens, who, along with Burns, produced the album, both are also members of Cord Lund’s band the Hurtin’ Albertans.  Others adding to the overall context of the album include Redd Volkaert on guitar, Mike Weber on pedal steel, Paul Weber on bass and drummer Sean O’Grady.

This music evokes an earlier time, and the nighttime townscape on the cover sums that up well too. This is all territory that Burns has undoubted knowledge of and suggests that it could be something he returns to in the future. The songs, as is expected, deal in broken hearts, beer joints and bad choices, something that can be gleaned from a quick look at some of the titles, The Final Word, Before She Made Me Crawl, Hard Times, Alone Again and Drinking’ Me Six Foot Under. It seems that the protagonists in these tales can’t get a break, but that’s beside the point, I don’t think that we’d be listening if we were expecting upbeat, positive paeans to the good life.

The overall sound, feel, and delivery make this, and similar albums, a pleasure to listen to. There is enough variety in style too to make this a contender for one of the best albums this year and an album that any honky tonk aficionado will embrace and enjoy. It is an object lesson in taking the past and giving it a future. 

Review by Stephen Rapid

Jenni Muldaur & Teddy Thompson Once More Sun

There are some who say what is the point of recording and releasing new versions of classic tracks. This album does just that with iconic duets from the catalogue of Conway and Loretta, Porter and Dolly or George and Tammy. It makes a strong case for reintroducing these songs to prospective new listeners. Both of the latter couple’s selections were previously released as four-track EP’s, and this album rounds that up to twelve selections with four more tracks from Twitty and Lynn’s memorable  duets.

Released, fittingly, by the legendary Sun Records label, this has the spontaneity associated with the sections recorded in their famous studio. It was produced by David Mansfield (who also took the helm on Thompson’s recently released MY LOVE OF COUNTRY album), and the instrumentation is largely uncomplicated, with fiddle, piano, steel guitar, bass and drums all prominent. As was the case with the original versions,  the combination of the voices is the main attraction. On that front, the duo sound perfect in harmony and both also possess distinctive voices in their own right.

The argument about covering classic songs has been aired numerous times.  Many who take that route are doing so to bring the songs and artists that they replicate to the attention of a younger audience who may not be familiar with the originals. Whether there is a market for such a venture is open to debate, but I would also suggest that the integrity of the artists here and their obvious love of the genre is beyond doubt. Both are excellent singers and don’t hold back in their delivery.

The songs are classics to a degree, and one comment I noted elsewhere was that they were lyrically perhaps a bit old-fashioned and corny, but even a song like Bobby Braddock and Race Van Hoy’s Golden Ring is a tale of the expectation of a young couple at the outset of their relationship. One that turns sour as the love doesn’t last, and the ring again turns up in a pawn shop window for the next young couple starting their own journey to view. It is not a tale that is in any way devoid of a harsh reality. Therefore, perhaps, somewhat timeless.

In the end, this collection will stand on what it offers in the here and now, and this reviewer thoroughly enjoyed it and the songs it features - once more.

Review by Stephen Rapid

Robert Rex Waller Jr See The Big Man Cry BFD/Have Harmony Will Travel

A founder member of the band I See Hawks In L.A. and a respected musician among his contemporaries, Robert Rex Waller Jr. releases his second solo project. A debut album of cover songs, FANCY FREE, appeared back in 2016 and this follow-up is produced by Carla Olson, Los Angeles-based songwriter, musician and original member of the legendary Textones. Her credits as a producer run deep and she also appears on these tracks with occasional contributions on guitar and harmony vocals. Waller continues to dip into his musical influences and the thirteen songs selected include such gems as The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore (Crewe/Gaudio) and Tougher Than the Rest (Springsteen). Also included is Gypsy Rider (Clark) and Reconsider Me (Lewis/Smith). His choices blend seamlessly together, whether with it’s in the country swing of Easy Loving (Hart) or the rocking Amanda Ruth. The  classic soul sound of I’ll Never Dance Again (Anthony/Mike) has Matt Von Roderick on trumpet and There’s No Living Without Your Loving (Kaufman/Harris) bounces out of the speakers with a big sound.

Waller does have one co-write on the sweetly melodic My Favourite Loneliness which also credits Paul Marshall, bass player with the Hawks band. There are also appearances from band-mate Paul Laques on guitar and Kaitlin Wolfberg on violin, viola and cello. Skip Edwards (Dwight Yoakam, Dave Alvin) appears on all the tracks and his rich sound on piano, keyboards and accordion adds greatly to the overall feel. However it’s the dulcet tones of Waller that dominate and his voice is like a seasoned brandy in the delivery. The songs are given great character through his vocal tone and timing, lifting the arrangements and confirming his status as a Californian treasure. A fine album.

Review by Paul McGee

Rod Picott Starlight Tour Welding Rod

Ten new songs from the erudite mind and pen of Rod Picott. His albums are always worth the wait and over recent times we have been spoilt with a succession of top-class recordings. In the last four years there has been real gold dust to be found on TELL THE TRUTH & SHAME THE DEVIL (2019), WOOD, STEEL, DUST & DREAMS (2020), and PAPER HEARTS & BROKEN ARROWS (2022). And now, a further instalment in a run that has seen the rich talents of this songwriter continue to produce some real gems. All the songs are written by Picott with four co-writes included, proof of his willingness to share the magic with others.

Kicking off with the superb Next Man In Line, we have Picott reflecting on ageing and picking at old memories “Just yesterday it was summertime, Did you get your share, did you waste your time, How does it feel to be the next man in line.” A look back on times gone by perhaps tinged with some regret. Next up is Digging Ditches which has a deep blues groove and a tension in the playing. It examines a life of manual labour and the sacrifices that the body makes in order to endure “work till you bleed that’s how you know you’re done, You gotta punish what you’re not where I come from.”

A Puncher’s Chance talks about relationships using the metaphor of a boxer’s life and the search for a love that can withstand the blows “If you are willing to go the distance with me , I’ll be in your corner whatever may be.” The song Combine sees a  farmer betting on football games in Alabama, risking the bank account in order to maintain his broken-down combine harvester through just one more crop. It captures the hard reality of surviving with a ragged elegance.

Title track Starlight Tour is about the inequity of life and the cruel way in which authority doles out a warped sense of justice. “She said he was my daddy but I ain’t so sure, He might have been just another bad night’s cure.” The song is a look at hard beginnings and struggle in the face of adversity “you can’t escape the skin you’re in, A walking reminder of another man’s sin.” Local drug dealers on Wasteland meet the needs of community dependency. It references Georgia and people lining up for Oxycotin and Fentanyl prescription cures for their pain. “If you think you’re better with your city lights, You best just stay there cause out here it’s dark at night.”

Pelican Bay, tells the lonely tale of a Vietnam Vet who is forgotten by the country he fought to defend, along with the ideals that all people matter in the American dream. His life is captured in simple imagery as his wife gets sick and dies while their daughter “went to college took a job way out of town, We don’t talk much now she’s got just got so much goin’ on.” An all too familiar story.

Homecoming Queen is about a local beauty who slipped off the track “No matter how many years go by, She still looks like 1985.”Picott observes that “everybody wants the chance to be seen.” It strikes me that Picott acknowledges the journey taken in weighing up all of life’s experiences and the price paid on arrival. Television Preacher looks at the lives of God fearing folks who want to believe in some form of redemption. However, the easy hypocrisy of seeking answers through media-fuelled solutions is not the answer. Breaking out of the stereotype is what keeps a life going and the husband in the song says he’s going for a drive and “open the door to that revival tent, Let Jesus himself find next month’s rent.”

Final song Time To Let Go Of Your Dreams is a gentle arm around the shoulder of disillusioned ideals and Picott councils “So go and make a new wish, Let it come soft as a kiss, Hold it close to your chest and there it will rest, It’s time to find a new dream.” Muted trumpet echoing the hard won wisdom of the whole album.

Rod Picott captures life’s tapestry with keenly observed insights. His characters come alive in the songs and leave a strong impression of quiet dignity with a great empathy and grace.  Produced by Neilson Hubbard, who also contributes drums and percussion, the players are Rod Picott on acoustic guitar and vocals, Juan Solorzano on various guitars, piano, trumpet and glockenspiel, and Lex Price on mandolin and bass. The playing and overall sound is stripped back to allow the character in the vocal delivery spin these tales of ordinary folks just trying to get by and looking for some deeper meaning or purpose in it all. Yet another example of the wonderful talent that enriches the lives of all who tune into the creative muse of Rod Picott.

Review by Paul McGee

Hannah Connolly From Where You Are Self Release

Initially released in 2020 and written during the Covid lockdown, this debut album from Wisconsin native Hannah Connolly is a very impressive creation. It’s almost as if these ten songs were just bursting to reveal themselves upon the world and the results are evident in the beautifully arranged melodies and the lyrics that capture so much in their longing.

Hannah lost her younger brother Cullen in a car accident caused by a drunk driver back in 2015 and the core of this album is a tribute to his life and also a reflection on grief and how it never leaves, once it has visited any of our lives. The bareness in the words, the honesty in the emotion, and the beautiful vocal delivery all come together in a compelling mix that puts this songwriter right up there with any of the current talents that are making a name on the country music circuit.

The musicians also raise a very high bar on this album with some exquisite playing, both understated and elegant in the delivery. Whether it’s the superbly aching pedal steel of Tim Fleming that haunts in the mix, or the lovely cello and violin played by Jane Kim and Phoebe Silva, or the superb musicianship of producer Jordan Rutz on a variety of instruments, from guitars, bass, drums and percussion to keyboards, accordion and backing vocals. There are also some cameo appearances on certain songs, from Eric Cannata (electric guitar), Tom Crouch (electric guitar) and Francois Comtois (drums); all adding to the impressive sound.

Hannah wrote the songs, with co-credits to Jordan Ruiz and additional writing from Eric Cannata on two songs. Her voice is an instrument of great colours; winsome, soothing and poignant in its rueful delivery. Her ability to capture emotion runs through these songs like a chord that binds everything together. Birthday opens the album and Hannah reflects upon the loss of her brother in the lines “We celebrated you today, And I miss you more than ever… ‘I’m grateful, I promise, For the years that we had.”

Other songs such as From Where You Are reflect upon a funeral and capture the essence of feeling lost and alone in grief “They say your name wrong, And I’m feeling pretty lost, I wonder what this mess looks like, From where you are.” Cullen Bay is a short instrumental played on the bagpipes by Cullen’s father, Jeff Connolly and it is beautifully delivered. Ocean (the light in everything) looks to nature as a place where solace can be found and the spirit of those who are gone can be truly felt “In the horizon, out of the silence, You are the light in everything.”

House/Home reflects upon the loss of love and the empty spaces that need to be filled ‘I remember standing there, watching birds in the morning sun, And I remember thinking, I don’t feel like anyone.’ Stay Home tackles the insecurity of new situations and trying to fit into a different life when you feel outside everything “It’s a worn out conversation, Every question insincere, While their eyes ignore my answers, To see who else is here.” Sounds familiar? Probably because we have all felt that exact emotion at some point in our own lives. Meet You There is another song that celebrates nature and the sense of quiet power in its presence ‘I’m learning to take notice, Of all that can’t be seen, Trying to find the truth beyond words, Living silent in the trees.’ On the final song The Right Words Hannah reflects upon the need for gratitude with the words “And I’m trying to be grateful, And I’m trying to smile, I’m trying to find all the beauty, But it’s taken me quite a while.”

Well, there is real beauty in this debut album and as fledgling flights go, this is as complete as anything that I’ve heard in a number of years. File under “one that got away” in the current traffic of new releases. A brand new album is due early next year, titled Shadowboxing, so my recommendation is to board this train now as it’s bound for glory.

Review by Paul McGee

Gregory Alan Isakov Appaloosa Bones Dualtone/Suitcase Town

In spiritual terms the number eight is a symbol for rebirth and transformation. Quite appropriate then that Colorado based artist Isakov should release his eight album after coming through the Covid years with a renewed perspective on everything that surrounds him. Isakov is part of a farm project called Starling Farm where they produce small-scale, bio-intensive market gardening, which produces a wide variety of vegetables, seeds and flowers. The farm is part of Community-supported agriculture that connects producers and consumers within the food system and a goal of strengthening a sense of community through local markets. All very relevant to the superb music that is based very much in the natural environment that surrounds Isakov and the inspiration that he takes from nature runs through his songs like a connecting thread.

If you are looking for a sign post along the road then the music of Isakov would travel along the route trodden by similar artists like Iron and Wine, Hiss Golden Messenger, and Bon Iver. The music is full of lovely melodies, stripped back to a very minimalistic style, where every sound has a central place in the sweetly haunting performances. Isakov performs his magic on an array of instruments, including banjo, ukulele, dobro, guitars, keyboards and understated drums. He also contributes ‘God noises’ on a number of songs and the additional ambient sounds and samples, courtesy of co-producer Andrew Berlin, add greatly to the atmosphere and warmth of the eleven tracks.

Leif Vollebekk plays atmospheric piano on six tracks and there is quite a list of other players who guest across a range of instruments that include fiddle, pedal steel, viola, violin, lap steel, and guitars. The harmony vocals are also beautifully judged and feature both Bonnie May Paine and Aoife O’Donovan. The lyrics are very much open to interpretation, Isakov planting suggested meanings rather than opting for a more defined content. Opener The Fall suggests a crisis of sorts and the title track hints at a sense of separation and feelings of anxiety. Given that Covid played a certain influence in the writing, this is no surprise and the message in other songs such as Terlingua and Sweet Heat Lightning leans toward the path of connection and the stillness of nature.

Closing track Feed Your Horses assures a loved one that all will work itself out despite feelings of restlessness and the reassurance of Silver Bell includes the lines “Finally found us some good luck, let’s see if it lasts.” An album of reflection, hope for the future and of taking stock in challenging times, Isakov continues to set impressive standards in his body of work that enrich the listening experience. Highly recommended.     

Review by Paul McGee

Josh Gray, Brent Cobb, Sean Burns, Teddy Thompson, Robert Rex Waller Jr Music, Rod Picott. Hannah Connolly Gregory Alan Isakov.

New Album Reviews

Tyler Childers Rustin' In The Rain Hickman Holler / RCA

Given his current high profile as one of the leading lights in country music to have emerged in the past half-decade, Tyler Childers can, and indeed does, do whatever he pleases. Often refreshingly outspoken - remember his outburst at The AmericanaFest Honours & Awards Show in 2018, when his acceptance speech on being awarded the Emerging Artist of The Year included a scathing attack on the Americana genre. Not afraid to speak bluntly about social issues, his 2020 record, LONG VIOLENT HISTORY, addressed issues such as racism, police brutality and civil unrest and he voiced his misgivings around religion on his 2022 album, CAN I TAKE MY HOUNDS TO HEAVEN?

RUSTIN’ IN THE RAIN, finds the Lawrence Country, Kentucky artist in a more relaxed mood. It’s a seven-track album that lasts less than thirty minutes and includes two covers, both songs often included in his live shows, Kris Kristofferson’s Help Me Make It Through The Night, and fellow Kentuckian, S.G Goodman’s Space and Time. Also included are a couple of classic country love tunes, the knockout Phone Calls and Emails - surely the first country song to include ‘emails’ in the lyrics - and the equally impressive In Your Love. The YouTube official video of the latter features a relationship between two males, further commendable evidence of Childers’ unwillingness to ‘play safe’ with his art. Also featured are two honky tonk barroom type romps with the title track and Percheron Mules and the hymn-like Luke 2:8-10.

The overall feeling you’re left with is one of an artist simply treading water and having a good time recording with his terrific backing band, The Food Stamps, alongside Erin Rae, Margo Price, S.G. Goodman, Ronnie McCoury, Jason Carter and Alan Bartram, all of whom contribute backing vocals. It may be more like an appetiser than a main course but, having said that, it’s still of a quality considerably higher than anything else being recorded under the genuine ‘country’ genre at present.

Review by Declan Culliton

Van Plating Orange Blossom Child Self-Release

Florida has been a hotbed for artists touching on all genres in popular music, with the traditional country singer Mel Tillis to the more experimental country of Gram Parsons, and from bluesman Gabriel Brown to the more mainstream rock legend Tom Petty. A native of Florida, Van Plating’s third solo album, ORANGE BLOSSOM CHILD, taps into all these genres with a project that found her digging deeply into her family history and life in rural Florida.

She’s out of the traps in full tilt with the opener and title track, stinging guitars, a driving rhythm, and fiery vocals tip their hat in the direction of Tom Petty. Equally catchy is The Heron, which features guest vocals from Elizabeth Cook, who also left rural Florida to pursue her artistic career. An instantly arresting song with a theme of homesickness and longing, The Heron borrows a chorus riff from Guns N’ Roses’ Paradise City. In fact, Cook is only one of over thirty contributors that Van Plating called upon, with The Damn Quails, Reckless Kelly and Ottoman Turks all credited.

The hymn-like Jesus Saved Me On The Radio is a slow-burning delight and she pulls no punches calling out the philanderer on the countryish Big Time Small Shot. Driven by a raging fiddle and thumping drums, there’s no happy ending in sight either on They’re Gonna Kill You Anyway. The previously mentioned Reckless Kelly provide backing vocals on the album’s standout track The Hard Way, with Van Plating’s uplifting vocal - a common thread across the album’s eleven tracks - imparting the song’s emotion to perfection.

An album that is very much 90s country in its production and instrumentation and one that explores Van Plating’s heritage, both memorable and heartrending, it’s loaded with tracks that draw the listener in and hold their attention.

Review by Declan Culliton

Scott Southworth Comin’ Round To Honky Tonk Again Flaming Tortuga

There is no doubting Southworth’s commitment to delivering country music in its most traditional and hardcore form. That he may not be as “cool” as some of his contemporaries is a wry look at some of the other recent contenders for the honky-tonk crown. In the opening title track he lists some of those he both admires and respects in the list he reels off of the newer and more established names who have acquired something of the ‘cool’ factor such as Dale Watson, Tyler Childers, Sturgill Simpson, Charlie Crockett, Jessie Daniels, Dallas Moore and Nikki Lane. But in truth he stands alongside them in music and talent and he rightly declares that “I hope you like your country real as I ain’t here to reinvent the wheel.”

From then on he evokes some of the best delivering songs that would have easily have been hits over twenty years ago but today hardly get a look in at radio. There are tracks that would easily fit an Alan Jackson album at his finest. Southworth can deliver with the best of them on equal terms both in his writing and his undoubtably fit-for-purpose vocals. There is some outright humour in Granny Used To Honky Tonk a song featuring the aforementioned Dallas More who co-wrote the song with Southworth. One of a number that have been co-written but all having that classic feel that makes you think they have been around for quite a while.

Here Comes The Night takes the night time’s affinity to cover the protagonist’s pain to be disguised by its very nature. So that he can use that time of the day to hit the bars that might help him deal with a departed partner and his resulting loneliness. That search for a lost love is the subject of the considered again in Getting Over You Again wherein there is a pattern of repeated failure. A strong vocal from Southworth shows his range and understanding of how to deliver a song. Another song is about a woman who “gets under his skin” in the most prominent way as she is the Women On My New Tattoo.

He also considers the universality of the three chords and the truth that allows that, in the right hands, the genre to be something that can and does exists outside of the States with Country No Matter What County. A conduit, in many songs that relate to degrees of heartache (and its aftermath), fit right into the honky tonk ferment of alcohol is present, front and centre, with both Drinking For Two and When The Bottle Goes Dry.

It can’t help to add that old favourite, that may no longer allowed in modern pop country realm, is the discovery of an unfaithful partner and their subsequent demise, along with the cheating partner, that is Riding Sparky Tonight. Though it is seldom delivered in such an upbeat musical setting as this tale of a man ultimate acquaintance with the electric chair.

Later we are in the realm of something much more relaxing and that is the oft referred to pastime of fishing (especially in country songs) which is what Just Fishing is all about.

Production is credited to Buddy Hyatt and it was recorded in Nashville with such celebrated and names from the credits of 90s albums such as Lonnie Wilson, Steve Hinson, Joe Spivey, Brent Mason and Dan Tyminski alongside other fine players. It is a labour of love for all concerned and is the essence of ongoing immersion in the joys of honky tonk - whoever you might be from.

Review by Stephen Rapid.

Ross Cooper Lightening Heart Self Release

It’s clear from this project that Ross Cooper is a man who has both authenticity and aptitude. A second-generation rodeo cowboy, his passion is for that music and the story songs that he writes. He is not an ‘all hat - no cattle’ kind of guy, as he makes clear in the upbeat twang setting of Everybody Wants To Be A Cowboy. He notes in that song that everybody wants the look but they don’t want the work involved with being the real thing. As a result, he has the right to both the hat and the embroidered suit as a sign of his affiliations. He is inspired by the great Texas songwriters and also the spirit of Lubbock embodied by the inspiration of storywriters like Joe Ely.

Locations are a part of his existence, at least in the songs away. Chicago is a positive reminiscence of that city while, maybe not so memorable, is the city that is the subject of Life’s Too Short To Live In Dallas. The title track, in common with a number of tracks here, takes a more reflective, gentler musical approach, that relies on some understated but emphatic ensemble playing. It is also a song that relates to a physical condition that causes him to suffer arrhythmia at often inopportune moments - such as being onstage. It is a condition he has come to terms with but undoubtedly one which affects his outlook. Sleeping With A Stranger is about a man feeling unworthy of the love of a partner that is creating a disconnect between them. Waiting For Me has an alluring melody and chorus, and is a song of hope to find that special person he wants in his life. That sense of positivity runs throughout the album’s thirteen tracks. The final song, Welcome You Back, closes the release on a high note. It’s a memorable song that has the best of all the elements coming together from the album, leaving you wanting to hear “the best he can be” again and to be welcomed back when he returns with the next step in his musical journey.

Cooper handles the production alongside Kevin Harper and Josh Serrato, who also engineered the recording, while the former added violin along with a solid group of additional musicians on guitar, bass, drums, keyboards and pedal steel. It changed what had originally been a more acoustic based idea to a more accomplished and rounded concept that allowed Copper to expand his musical vision. One that incorporated his cowboy-related experiences with something wider and more considered, allowing him to draw on all parts of his ability to tell stories based on his own life and that of others. It is a forward move from his previous album and its overall benevolent nature makes you want to get to know the man and his music more.

Review by Stephen Rapid.

Josh Travis Few Of Days & Full Of Trouble Self Release

This is the debut full-length album from the Pennsylvanian songwriter. Within it, Travis faces his own issues of loss, love and his own personal faith. The opening track Secondhand Smoke sets up the general mood, It is a solid band sound that builds on its folk roots with a striking chorus about living and loving the best life you can under difficult conditions. It also marks Travis as another writer with something to say. The ten tracks are the mark of a thoughtful writer, who penned all the material here.

Overall, there is a sense of hard-won reality in many of the topics for the material. The Only Good In Me is full of the need for acceptance which sits alongside the nefarious needs that also arise. A particular standout is Poor Johnny, which has touches of Townes van Zandt mixed with Chris Knight and openly sees the potential of Travis growth as an artist. With rock-edged guitar, it details the tale of desperation leading to poor choices and bad results.

Taking a more rural tack is The Beat Up Paint, the story of an old horse that is folky in delivery with harmonica playing its part in setting the tone of this slow-paced ballad of inevitability, but making the best of what is on offer for a run-down life. The music perfectly illustrates the song’s approach to the overlooked life of a much-loved animal. There are more acoustic moments too, such as the Opequon, a song that paints a picture again of the heartfelt memories of a life lived with friends and loved ones and the sadness of an early loss.

There are also songs, Change Of Heart and Picture Of You, that look at the need for love and its possible redemption. The description of a group of friends on a road trip and the things they got up is described in a Hot Week In August, it fairly motors along at an up-tempo pace. Chains is a description of the things that can hold a person back and the realisation of that fate. It features a strong guitar break that underscores that sentiment. The title track again picks up the tempo and marries the acoustic and electric sides of the album and again points out the overall commitment of the assembled players.

Travis produced the album with Al Torrence (who is also receiving praise for his similar duties in the new Charles Wesley Godwin album). The pair have put together a great sound and an album that has some writing to match, topped by Travis’ purposeful vocals and evolving growth as a writer since he released his debut EP several years ago. He has used the time well and this debut identifies a talent that should be marked out as one to watch out for with his future output. 

Review by Stephen Rapid

Jon Byrd All Your Mistakes Self Release

It is a pleasure to hear again the mature life-worn voice of Jon Byrd back with a full-length album. He is again accompanied by his comrade and pedal steel maestro Paul Niehaus. The album was produced with depth and skill by Joe V. McMahan, who has brought more than a hint of earlier times with the assembled players and the use of arranged strings which add an additional layer to the material, they were performed and recorded by Chris Carmichael. Alongside the above-mentioned you can add the skills of bassist Chris Donahue, percussionist Bryan Owings, Steve Conn’s keyboards and Andrea Zone on fiddle as well as McMahan own contributions on acoustic and electric guitar. Zonn also joins Shannon Wright and Amelia White on harmony vocals. Byrd adds his acoustic guitar but also self-deprecatingly describes himself as the “worst person in the band.” A comment which belies the fact the obvious focal point here is Byrd’s vocal contribution as the backing behind it. But the end results made him feel like “a million dollars.”

Golden Colorado is first up, a track written by Byrd and singer/songwriter Stephen Simmons, a song about the gold rush. There is a sense of pessimism at the heart of the relationship dissolution detailed in an openly descriptive way in (It Won’t Be Long) And I’ll Be Hating You, written by the legendary Johnny Paycheck with Aubrey Mayhew and Billy Merrin. That is also the subject matter in Why Must You Think Of Leaving about a liaison that asks that question of a partner he believes is really of the opposite viewpoint. It is a subtle soundscape with Niehaus’ steel adding to that overall mood. It was co-written with Shannon Wright and a version also appeared on his recent EP ME & PAUL. Byrd shares the writing on several of the tracks as well as including a number of songs written by others including (Now And Then) A Fool Such As I, Tom Paxton’s Woman Sensuous Woman, Ian Tyson’s Four Strong Winds. All are fitting to his vocal essence and the overall arrangements which standout throughout.

Miss Kitty’s Place is a reminiscence of the return to a location that in the past had offered some late-night solace but now, on return, a lot of things have been long closed and gone. I’ll Be Her Only One is a love song that is a wish to return to a happier and earlier time when he will again be the sole object of her desire. The interplay between the pedal steel and violin gives the backbone to the delivery. The old standard (Now And Then) A Fool Such As I closes out the album and is a throwback to his recent and regular performances with just himself and Niehaus, who plays in the older Hawaiian steel guitar style. It is a sparse but effective rendition that captures the spirit of the song’s sense of resignation.

Byrd and his team mates have produced the best album of his career with ALL YOUR MISTAKES.  It’s an album that undoubtedly will be enjoyed by punters at his regular live shows in Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge, those who are acquainted with his previous work, or those who are interested in country-styled songs with use an arranged string section.

Review by Stephen Rapid.

Tony Zamora & Tremoloco Curanda - Volume 1 Slo Poke

If you have a hankering for that Tex Mex border sound and some authentic Spanish language vocals, accordion and Cajun fiddle, then this is the right place for you. Amalgamated together as Tremoloco describe their music on their website as ‘Cantina Music.’ It’s an encompassing blend of Texas Mexican Roots Americana that also includes some straight country and even a bit of Celtic (Dixie Overland Highway) and folk and more, resulting in an enjoyable musical stew that will suit many tastes. 

They are fronted by Tony Zamora, who is the songwriter and co-producer of the album, along with band member Cougar Estrada. Both are adept on a number of instruments and they are joined by third member Roberto Rodriquez on accordion and vocals. However, it doesn’t stop there, with a further 17 players guesting on tracks recorded in sessions around Texas locations such as Austin, Houston, El Paso, and well as locations in California. So, it would seem that this has been put together over a period of time. With a number of albums already under their belt they are accomplished and seasoned musicians. They have had several different players in their ranks in the past, including our friend Rick Shea, but they often tour as a four/five piece with Willy Golden on upright steel and Jeff Paul Ross on guitar, both of whom were involved in this recording.

A hard riff sets up the drug-related tale of Mezcal, it has a business-like guitar break that has some clout. There are some penny-whistle contributions in the aforementioned Dixie Overland Highway which seems to relate, in part, to the demise of Bonny and Clyde. This is in contrast to other tracks in terms of sound and accentuates the diversity of the music here, and so it goes over the twelve tracks on the album. The Man Who Never Cries is a pure country duet between Zamora and Hannah Underwood, alongside the emphatic steel guitar of Marty Muse. The accordion is central to Más Que Nada, which has a mix of English and Spanish lyrics to enforce the mood of the fate of migrants and those who have been a part of the territory for longer than most. Harmonica opens the slow-burning unfolding tale of One Hand. The Tex Mex disposition returns with the cautionary Sunday Sinners - It has another fine guitar break and some strong harmony vocals. Things pick up a notch with Monterrey which can’t fail to make you want to dance.

What follows is a more reflective by wondering how and whether a person may be remembered in the future.100 Years features the pedal steel again to add to its atmospheric melancholy. Place is as important as time and the album closes with songs that underscore this. Firstly the Spanish language heritage of Mexicano and El Paso which sound traditional in approach and uses voices strongly on the chorus. Finally, Curandera closes the album in a cinematic and evocative formula.

Many of the tracks run past the four-minute mark but never seem overlong and throughout you are aware of the inherent talent of all those involved. Bands like The Mavericks, and in the past the Texas Tornados, as well as countless bands from the region have popularised this cross-border sound and cultural links, to these you can add the name of Tremoloco who, though new to me, made a strong impression with the sound and vision. 

Review by Stephen Rapid

Mike Spine and the Underground All Star Band  Guided By Love Self Release

This new release is laced with very good songs and falls into the Americana music camp. Spine is from Seattle, Washington and has released eleven albums over his career. The best place to discover him is on the 2018 compilation; FORAGE & GLEAN, Volumes I&II. The two volumes contain 32 songs and represent an anthology of Spine’s best songwriting and recording across the last two decades. This new album is worthwhile and contains gems like Pancho and Lefty, Part Two – an imagined follow-up to the classic Townes Van Zandt song. Other songs that resonate are Bloodless Eyes and Some Shows, which looks at the many situations in which musicians are expected to perform. Not easy to keep body and soul together as a travelling minstrel but Mike Spine is a road warrior and worthy of your time.

Review by Paul McGee

Loveflowers Golden Leaves Self Release

This Swedish americana band release a mini album with six songs that provides ample proof of their impressive sound. The band formed in 2006 and has released a number of prior albums over the years. They play live on a regular basis in Sweden and have travelled to America also in search of a wider audience. Michael Greiffe (drums, percussion, backing vocals), Leif Thörner (lead vocals, guitar, slide guitar), and Yvonne Greiffe (lead vocals, percussion, backing vocals) comprise the original trio and they are joined by Mattis Johansson (upright bass), and Robert Ljungberg (pedal steel, lap steel, guitar and mandolin) on these engaging songs.  Return My Heart is a highlight with the slow tempo building an atmosphere of regret (think Cowboy Junkies). Frozen Tears and Return My Heart are also  fine examples of the songcraft on display and the closing Final Dance is memorable with a restrained groove and a message of hope for reconciliation.

Review by Paul McGee

Tyler Childers, Van Plating, Jon Byrd, Scott Southworth, Ross Cooper, Josh Travis, tremoloco1.bandcamp.com , MIKE SPINE

John Blek Until The Rivers Run Dry We Are Rats

For his eighth studio album, Cork’s John Blek returned to work with his previous collaborator Brian Casey in his Wavefield Recordings studio in Clonakilty, where they jointly produced this 10 track project. Luxuriating in the fact that he no longer had to stay home and record and play  everything solo in his home studio (as was the case with his 2021 lockdown album, GROUNDED), Blek has gone the whole hog this time and given this album a truly lush production. He has moved quite a distance from his original image as a finger-style solo acoustic guitar folkie, but at the heart of the sound is still his song craft and the catchy melodies he wraps around those songs.

One half of the album comprises unashamedly romantic songs, to which the wall of sound production style lends itself perfectly. Opener St. John’s Eve continues the theme and sentiment of Long Strand (from 2021’s ON ETHER & AIR), ‘stayed out the whole night through/up on the hill with you’, but this time with Cathy Davey’s backing vocals, and a big strings sound courtesy of Colm Mac Con Iomaire (The Frames). Along with theses two contributors on all the tracks, Blek also calls again on jazz pianist Kit Downes, Davy Ryan on drums and programmed drums, and Chris McCarthy on bass. Co-producer Brian Casey plays guitars, Hammond organ and Mellotron. The track which also gives the album its name, ‘Til The Rivers Run Dry, is another big love song with a big production, and one of the standouts. His proposal of marriage to his muse is the inspiration for the touching Once In A While (21/07), while in Lyric & Air, he again declares his love, ‘I can’t get you out of my head/but why would I want to?’ The quintet of romance is completed by Lovelorn, where he declares that ‘I’d take a life for you/and bury the bodies too’- who could ask for more passion and commitment?

By contrast, on the other five songs, Blek explores the uncertainty of life, the anxiety and fear that can stalk our lives, especially post-pandemic. On Restless Sea, he returns to his familiar metaphors of birds and the sea. Raven’s Cry evokes bleakness and self doubt with the refrain ‘I am the raven’s cry/Hollow, dissatisfied/Empty as the earth beneath the snow/I am hollow’. Most dramatic of all is Come Undone, where the gothic, eerie atmosphere induces the feeling of being drawn into a bad dream. Chilling stuff.

The prominent use of programmed drums and Mellotron contribute to the move towards electronica that has always been present on Blek’s previous albums, but there’s a conscious move to a more chamber pop feel on this one. Perhaps some fans will miss the predominance of his English folk influenced finger style guitar playing here, but this could well be Blek’s most commercial sound to date. Being the musical chameleon that he has shown himself to be in the past, who knows what he will do next? I will be watching with interest.

Review by Eilís Boland

Margo Cilker Valley of Hearts’s Delight Loose

With the release of her debut album on hold mid-pandemic in 2020 and her freedom of movement restricted, Margo Cilker’s thoughts turned to her birthplace of Santa Clara Valley in California, previously named the Valley of Heart’s Delight, due to its extensive fruit orchards and lush lands during the first half of the 20th century. Holed up in Enterprise, Oregon (population 1940), and with her husband Forrest Van Tuyl’s days occupied working at a cattle ranch, her writing focused primarily on her years at the Santa Clara Valley, her family history in the region, long-lost teenage friends and the location’s evolution from agriculture to its current state as a commuter belt for those working for the high-tech companies now located in Silicon Valley. 

Having sent the songs to Sera Cahoone, the producer who had overseen Cilker’s debut album, POHORYLLE, her concentration shifted to promoting and touring that debut album as travel restrictions lifted and the world gradually returned to some degree of normality. Finally released in 2021, that album was greeted with open arms both in The US and in Europe, resulting in an extensive touring schedule on both sides of the pond. Equally impressed by the songs that would become VALLEY OF HEART’S DELIGHT, Cahoone booked studio time at the same studio in Vancouver, Washington, where she had previously recorded with Cilker. Over two days and with the same players that featured on POHORYLLE, they completed the eleven-track recording. Also joining in the recording were Paul Brainard (Richmond Fontaine) on pedal steel, Annie Staninec (Mary Gauthier) on fiddle and Caleb Klauder (Foghorn Stringband) on mandolin.

‘What do I do with the middle, between the coffee and the wine?’ Cilker asks on the open-hearted With The Middle. Awash with mournful pedal steel, it displays a personal unguardedness and vulnerability not evident previously in her writing. Crazy Or Died recalls lost friends and family, and in particular a close friend now homeless and lost in a haze of substance abuse and mental illness. She gets deeply into a groove that recalls the full sound of The Band on the altogether more upbeat Keep It On A Burner and I Remember Carolina. The former is a reminder of life’s often underappreciated and simple pleasures. Having left home in her late teens, the latter song fondly remembers Cilker’s nomadic lifestyle that followed, together with some childhood journeys. Less frenzied but equally impressive are the introspective ballads Beggar For Your Love and Santa Rosa. Also included is a raucous and playful cover of Ben Walden’s Steelhead Trout, before Cilker signs off with the acoustic, All Tied Together. A consideration of connections to the past and life choices taken along the way, it’s a fitting closing statement to an album with very few, if any, wasted lines.

It is a novel situation to have a second album fully written prior to the release of a debut record, but VALLEY OF HEART’S DELIGHT is more than a fitting heir to its predecessor. Combining Cilker’s crystal clear pronunciation and ‘reckoning of the soul’ lyrics, it is further substantiation of the emergence in recent years of an artist whose talents continue to blossom.

Review by Declan Culliton

Jobi Riccio Whiplash Yep Roc

‘I think most people’s late teens and early 20’s is a really difficult, confusing, and isolating time. Whiplash, the song and album, is a reflection on that’ explains Jobi Riccio, reflecting on her debut full-length album.  

The Morrison, Colorado-born singer songwriter’s album gives the listener an insight into those personal endeavours, passing from adolescence to womanhood. Her 2019 EP, STRAWBERRY WINE, found Riccio dipping her toes into the classic country music she grew up with. If that album was the introduction to a songwriter, vocalist and guitar player of immense potential, this eleven-track record is the work of an artist who has matured beyond recognition over those short few years. In this project, Riccio confronts her sexuality and character formation full-on and with no holds barred, exorcizing some past hurdles and moving forward confidently and with her head held high.

Riccio received the 2019 Lee Villiare Scholarship from the Berkeley College of Music. She was also awarded the Newport Folk Festival John Prine Fellowship earlier this year, so it’s no surprise that Yep Roc bought into that talent and signed her to their iconic label.

‘I’ve squeezed these hips into someone else’s jeans and I have said I’m sorry when I didn’t need to be,’ she notes with regret and a degree of defiance on Sweet. It’s a high-octane and fiercely intense song and the album’s standout track for me. Riccio’s ballads are every bit as measured and no more so than on the simply gorgeous love song, For Me It’s You. Also in the low gears are the opener Summer and Kinder To Myself. The former is a bittersweet affair of unforeseen rejection and the latter is a statement of intent and rebirth. The cleverly expressed title track, Whiplash, mulls over the writer’s rollercoaster and emotional voyage from adolescence to adulthood.

Combining themes of joy and sadness, WHIPLASH addresses Riccio’s life journey in a frank, confident, and unequivocal manner. A compelling blend of indie-folk and country, it hits the bullseye on all counts. Expressive songwriting, razor-sharp playing, and crystal-clear vocals all add up to a hugely impressive album and delightfully accessible listen.

Review by Declan Culliton

Victoria Bailey A Cowgirl Rides On Rock Ridge

Surrounded by music growing up, her father was a drummer in a rock band and her mother was a lover of both folk and rock, Orange County singer, songwriter, and guitarist, Victoria Bailey’s teens were spent surrounded by the sounds of The Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Cat Stevens, James Taylor and Sheryl Crow. Her inroads and passion for traditional country music came only in her late teens from playing country music bars and various music venues in L.A.  She may be a relatively latecomer to the genre and may not have the Appalachian heritage of some of her peers. However, her debut solo album, JESUS, RED WINE & PATSY CLINE, from 2020, totally embraced both the 50s and 60s Bakersfield sound of her native California.  Her latest record, A COWGIRL RIDES ON, finds her switching her attention to the old-timey, gospel, and bluegrass sound of former years.

We described that debut album at Lonesome Highway as ‘one of the year’s most impressive and dazzling country albums’ and it’s fair to say that Victoria’s latest offering falls very much into that same category.  JESUS, RED WINE & PATSY CLINE was an introduction to a silver-voiced vocalist with the skillset to pen catchy, immediately accessible and often playful songs. Victoria’s follow-up project reveals an artist maturing as a songwriter, with one foot in the present and one foot in the past.

On the opening and title track, a co-write with producer and one-time Dwight Yoakam sideman, Brian Whelan, Bailey announces, ‘She’s a drifter miles from it all, with no one around her or a place to call home.’ The song was inspired by the travel memoirs that Melissa Chapman recorded in her book, Distant Skies, which documented her horseback journey from the East to the West coast of America in the 70s. The song is a two-dimensional tale mirroring Victoria’s personal and professional journey.

Recorded live in L.A. under the watchful eye of Brian Whelan, the musicianship of the four players that contributed is wonderful, not surprising given their collective pedigrees. Whelan played guitar and backing vocals, Ted Russell Kamp was on upright bass, pedal steel and dobro is credited to Jeremy Lond, and Philip Glenn played fiddle, mandolin and banjo. The icing on the cake are the backing vocals and harmonies from Leeann Skoda.

The sonic terrain broadly reflects Victoria’s love of gospel and bluegrass, with tracks like Snake Trails, Down From The Mountain, and Sweet By And By, all sounding like resurrected treasures from the past. She also includes the traditional song Waiting At The Gate, previously recorded by Ricky Scaggs. It’s not all old-school country either, Forever, You & I is a carefully measured and tender breakup song and the album’s stand-out track for me. Equally searching is the song Sabina, which tells of the reckless adventures of a woman who openly challenges traditional gender roles.

If Victoria Bailey’s debut solo album was a pointer towards a self-assured artist with the potential to establish herself as a leading light among the younger breed of breakthrough country artists, A COWGIRL RIDES ON finds her continuing to move swiftly in that direction.

Review by Declan Culliton

Jim Lauderdale The Long and Lonesome Letting Go Sky Crunch

Just when the very unlikely scenario of Jim Lauderdale not releasing an album in 2023 seemed to becoming a reality, up pops this little gem. With thirty-five albums already in his back catalogue, and at least one album released each year, Lauderdale continues his genre-hopping voyage with THE LONG and LONESOME LETTING GO. If his 2022 record, GAME CHANGER, was his most traditional country recording in quite a while, he has returned to his love of bluegrass this time around and hooked up with the Nashville- based Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, for this album. Lauderdale has released full-on bluegrass records in the past, most notably his 1999 collaboration with the legendary Ralph Stanley and The Clinch Mountain Boys, I FEEL LIKE SINGING TODAY. If that project was a case of working with an artist that Lauderdale had admired for many years, the shoe is on the other foot on this occasion with Lauderdale taking on the role of master to a young bunch of artists who have been enthusiasts of his for many years.

The initial connection was made at MerleFest in North Carolina a few years ago when the Po’ Ramblin’ Boys invited Lauderdale to join them in their set and following a number of hook ups at various festivals, a commitment was made to record together. The twelve-track album is a combination of six co-writes by Lauderdale and Po’ Ramblin’ Boys guitarist Josh Rinkel, and co-writes between Lauderdale and bluegrass household names Becky Buller, Joe Newberry, and Jimmy Richey. Also credited as co-writers are rising bluegrass star Alex Leach and singer songwriter, Logan Ledger. The title track and first single to be released from the album was co-written with Bob Minner and features guest vocalist Del McCoury.

With this impressive lineup of writers and players, does the end product stand up to Lauderdale’s high standard? Not surprisingly, the answer is a resounding ‘yes.’ Without attempting to reinvent the wheel, Lauderdale and the players deliver an album that visits familiar country and bluegrass themes. We hear of love lost on She’s On A Different Train and That Was When We Were Together and on the flip side of the coin, She’s The Light relishes in love gained. That old devil, temptation, is to the fore on I’m Only So Good At Being Good and Darkness The Other Side Of Light and they sign off in fine style with the closer, Drop The Hammer Down.

It's fair to say that Lauderdale has rarely put a foot wrong in his extensive back catalogue and THE LONG and LONESOME LETTING GO is another album that can sit proudly side by side with his previous excursions down the bluegrass trail. 

Review by Declan Culliton

Graham Parker & The Goldtops Last Chance To Learn The Twist Stir

Very much the ‘angry young man’ in the mid to late 70s, Graham Parker’s recent work has found him in a more playful and relaxed mood. That’s not to say that he does not still approach social issues head on but, as the title of his latest album suggests, he has mellowed somewhat since his early recording years.

LAST CHANCE TO LEARN THE TWIST is his second album with his backing band, The Goldtops, following on from 2018’s CLOUD SYMBOLS. A super group of sorts, the band includes Parker’s long-time contributor Martin Belmont on guitar, Simon Edwards on bass, Jim Russell on drums, and Geraint Watkins on keyboards. Parker’s soulful signature sound frequently included a horn section and the Easy Access Orchestra takes the honours here with some smooth playing.

In fine voice and following his trademark template of blending soul, blues, and roots, Parker delivers a healthy thirteen tracks on the album, from the confessional We Did Nothing, a reflection on inactivity surrounding climate change, to the more light-hearted and friskier, The Music Of The Devil. He goes full-on reggae with Them Bugs and the autobiographical Sun Valley is a radio-friendly affair, all the better for dazzling backing vocals from the vocal duo, The Lady Bugs. He reels back the years with Wicked Wit, it’s a horn-filled and ageless delight and the laid-back Last Stretch Of The Road looks back on missed opportunities and mortality.

 It may be forty-seven years since Graham Parker broke into the new wave scene with his debut album, HOWLING WIND, followed in the same year with HEAT TREATMENT, but his latest offering includes quite a number of songs that would slot proudly into either of those collections. Swaddled in warm and rich arrangements, it’s also a reflection of an artist and his players having a really good time.

‘The music of the devil was our salvation,’ Parker confesses on the aforementioned THE MUSIC OF THE DEVIL and this record bears witness to a master craftsman who can still concoct and deliver an intoxicating mix of soulful and catchy tunes.

Review by Declan Culliton

Bobbo Byrnes October Self Release

Recorded over just two days, and using iconic studios located in Berlin (Hansa Studios) and Dublin (Windmill Lane Studios) for inspiration, the very talented Bobbo Byrnes delivers an album of great depth. Over nine songs Byrnes excels on acoustic guitar, mandolin, e-bow and vocals and both the playing and production is clean and creative. A cover version of Bowie’s Heroes is interesting and the strident playing on The Sea is very impressive. The title song October is a lovely instrumental and Too Many Miles shows off his superb guitar playing. You may already be aware of Bobbo  Byrnes as a founding member of one of Orange County’s leading americana rock bands, The Fallen Stars, with his wife Tracey. An excellent album that engages and warms the spirit.

Review by Paul McGee

Rupert Wates Elegie Bite

Yet another example of the flawless music that flows from the expressive guitar and voice of this artist. A resident of New York city for the last sixteen years, Wates was born in London and it’s his roots and influences from traditional English Folk music that are most apparent on this twelfth album release since 2005.

The eleven songs are all written by Wates and his rich vocal is complimented beautifully by his sublime guitar playing. He favours Lowden acoustic guitars and the fluid fingerstyle performance is a real joy throughout thirty-three minutes of sweetly contemplative and soothing songs. Wates is joined by Trifon Dimitrov on double bass for a number of songs and they blend seamlessly together. There is something of the ancient bard in the delivery of these songs, almost reaching back to a time of medieval tales, and the comforting combination of music and voice certainly sets the mind to rest. Song titles like Guinevere and Lady Of the Glades reference the work of English writer Sir Thomas Mallory and the poet John Keats. Elsewhere, there are nods to the inspiration provided by poets such as Tennyson and Coleridge on the songs, Across the Water and The Storm.

However, lest you think that this is all too highbrow, let me assure you that there is a deep soul at the centre of this album, one that reflects upon abiding love on (Like) Sunrise  with the lines ‘And she fills my eyes, And she warms my face, Like sunrise.’ Similarly, the song We’ll Go Dancing reflects upon a love that has grown and matured over time, ‘And though we have changed the rules of the game and little remains of the people we were, What we’ve lost has made us strong.’

There is an old wisdom at play in songs like Winter where Wates reflects, ‘When all is done, Or hearts will be calmer my friend’ and the sense that he is always open to new experiences in the book of life is captured on the song If I Ran To You where he asks ‘If I ran to you would you lead me all the way to your door.’ Another impressive addition to a body of work that bears witness to a talent of real substance.

Review by Paul McGee

Ultan Conlon The Starlight Ballroom Darksideout

There is a great sense of consistency around the release of this new album, Ultan’s fifth in a run that started with the 2009 debut, BLESS YOUR HEART. That debut included a song that featured the legendary John Martyn (Really Gone) and it laid down a marker for a career that has seen him share the stage with great artists, including Edie Reader, Jackson Browne, Shelby Lynne and Patty Griffin, among many others. However, apart from supporting such stars, Ultan Conlon has more than earned the right to stand beside any of these artists that helped to open the door for his creative talents to shine through.

Conlon’s origins are firmly rooted in Galway and his writing style is reflected in the influences that he has taken from growing up in such a rich heritage of musicality. The source of his creativity is woven into the traditions of witty discourse and wry observation of the human condition. There is a strong sense of the knowing contemplation of the human condition in these songs, almost like a barometer on the pressure points of these times.

On songs like the excellent All Sewn Up Conlon channels Roy Orbison in his crystal clear vocal delivery and warm tone. A keen observational talent is shown on Susie Gossip, a song that speaks about visiting a graveyard and one of the headstones that catches the attention. A tribute to his mother, Paradise Lane, captures innocent times and the sense of wonder that lingers in the memory of growing up in a small town environment with bigger dreams. The title track conjures memories of the old ballroom days of Irish society in the 1960s when the joy of community was celebrated in the old dancehalls of the local villages around the country. The reality of compromise is captured on Working For the Man as a mantra to getting by and paying your way ‘ there ain’t no way I’m gonna lay in bed and let my head get the better of me.’

There is great sense of nostalgia on The Old Songs that captures that feeling of  time passing by and the joy of freezing happy memories as a moment in time. Relationship challenges are tackled on the standout song Hurts Like Heaven and the second-guessing that goes with any developing commitment, ‘I go rogue and you stay quiet, We drive that love back deep inside, Where our light can’t shine and our love don’t grow.’ Conlon sings in a clear vocal tone that is very engaging and the production by David Garza is at all times in support of the songs with clear separation on the instruments and creative use of strings, played by Dave Curtis, to augment the melodies.

Rivertown channels feeling of growing up and coming to terms with a sense of the mystery that lies beyond. Perhaps the most enlightening song is The Sunday Blues, which speaks about the worry of being caught up in feelings that have no release ‘ Was it something that I said, I wish I didn’t care for anything, These days I long to forget.’ I guess that we can all live our lives worrying about what others may think. Conlon ends the song with the repeated lines ‘Heaven is a sight for sore eyes and blue skies.’  The final song is Don’t Tell Me That You Love Me, Prove It and it is a slow acoustic look the vagaries of love and the search for contentment.

My album contains no musician credits apart from a list of names that contributed - Charlie Reader, Eddi Reader, John Would, Gemma Wilson, Sebastian Steinberg, Aimee Wood and both David Garza and Ultan Conlon. The playing is beautifully understated throughout and the whole project is a real success. At the end of the day this is music in celebration of the life that we all live; the success and failure, the laughter and the tears. In Ultan Conlon’s world, knowing that he makes a difference is reward enough, and these are fine songs that make a lasting imprint.

Review by Paul McGee

New Album Reviews

The Kody Norris Show Rhinestone Revival Rebel

Jimmy Martin, the exuberant character of earlier bluegrass, is often cited when The Kody Norris Show is being discussed, and his influence on them runs well beyond the fact that the band also hail from East Tennessee. The relatively young ensemble stands out, not just for their spectacular coordinated outfits (credited to Double 8 Custom Apparel, LA) but they equally have the musical chops and stagecraft to rival the best in the business. As this second album also shows, they can write catchy new songs and reinterpret older ones from other genres with ease.

Kody Norris (guitar) himself contributed four of the twelve songs, and any of his songs could well be mistaken for established bluegrass or country numbers. He may well have written Fiddler’s Rock for the sole purpose of creating a showcase for the twin fiddling of his talented wife, Mary Rachel Nalley-Norris and their guest, Jason Barie (Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers)! Barie also contributes fiddle and backing vocals on Kody’s slow burning, broken hearts country song, Please Tell Me Why. On another new original, the catchy Baltimore I’m Leaving, we’re introduced to some inventive and almost funky banjo playing from Josiah Tyree, in a reverse of the usual ‘country boy falls for the big city lights’ affair. Josiah is also a superb vocalist, and he gets his moment on Don Sowards’ instant ear worm, I Call Her Sunshine, as well as contributing backing vocals on most of the tracks. Mary Rachel sings lead, and this time plays mandolin, on Endless Highway (covered by Alison Krauss), and backing vocals here come from none other than the wonderful Brooke Aldridge. Her husband, Darin Aldridge, produced the whole project in The Shop Studio, NC and added mandolin on that track. The true saga of the infamous NC bandit, Otto Wood, a staple of Doc Watson’s set, is given a new treatment here, with Kody taking lead vocals, with bluesy harmonica from another guest, David Johnson.

There’s lots more to enjoy here on one of the best bluegrass releases this year, complete with the usual high standard of artwork and design from Rebel Records

Review by Eilís Boland

Lillie Mae Festival Eyes S||C

Multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter, Lillie Mae is very much a ‘lifer’ in the music industry. Born into a musical family, she began performing with her sisters and brother at the age of three and, by her own admission, will be doing what she does so well most likely for the rest of her life.

Alongside playing residencies and touring with her family band, Lillie’s late teens and early twenties found her touring as part of Jack White’s bands and contributing to his early solo albums. She recorded her debut solo album, RAIN ON THE PIANO in 2015 and followed that with two albums on Jack White’s Third Man Records label, FOREVER and THEN SOME (2017) and OTHER GIRLS (2019), both of which registered impressively in the American Country and Heat charts.

Her latest project, FESTIVAL EYES, was recorded over a couple of days in Dallas. Finding herself and her band in that neck of the woods on the final date of a tour, Lillie hooked up with Dallas-based producer Beau Bedford (The Texas Gentlemen, Orville Peck, Paul Cauthen, Leah Blevins) to oversee the album.

With much of the material written during the pandemic, the recurring theme of togetherness and love is dominant. Titles like Love Is, Safe Place, Please Be With Me and Razor Love all point toward an appreciation for the most important things in life, love, peace of mind, and well-being. The latter song is a gorgeous Neil Young cover (check out the YouTube video of the song) and although not written by Lillie, the lyrics do mirror her lifestyle and mindset (‘Make a livin' like a rolling stone, on the road there’s no place like home’). The song was suggested by Bedford and coincidently Lillie’s mother’s maiden name is Razor, so the selection was a winner on a number of fronts.

The playing throughout, as you would expect from a road-tight band, is exquisite.  Lillie plays acoustic guitar and fiddle, accompanied by her brother Frank Rische (electric and acoustic guitar), husband Craig Smith (electric guitar), and sister Scarlett Rische (mandolin). The non-family members that contributed are Geoffrey Muller and Brian Zonn (bass), Aaron Goodrich (drums, percussion) and producer Beau Bedford (guitar, piano, keys).

What particularly elevates a number of the songs are the harmony vocals between Lillie and Frank. While harmonies have been a regular feature in Lillie’s work, they surpass anything she has previously recorded on the album’s closing track, Love Is.  It’s a sound that recalls the vocal experimentation that dominated The Beach Boys’ PET SOUNDS album and the album’s stand-out track. Cold June looks back on an unusually unseasonable start to the summer of lockdown and the title track, also written during the pandemic, longs for the return of normality (‘Oh, where there’s music, singing, dancing, living up the night and we’re laughing!’). Also impressive is the mid-paced dreamlike ballad, Wild and Free, co-written with Brit Taylor.

A stylistically impressive venture on all fronts, FESTIVAL EYES may not be a radical departure from Lillie Mae’s previous work, but it does include her most intimate and personal writing. 

Review by Declan Culliton

John Surge and The Haymakers Almost Time Blackbird

The debut album from John Surge and The Haymakers was YOUR WONDERFUL LIFE and it was released back in 2019. This time out they decided to try something different and headed to record in Texas and there hooked up with Tommy Detamore to produce this new offering. Surge’s longtime collaborator and guitarist, Randy Volin, joined him for the journey. Recording in a studio in Floresville in Texas over two hard-working days, there they laid down the bones of the ten tracks on the album. It is full of Surge’s love of honky-tonk, cowpunk and country dance music.

They made the most of the location and time by rounding up some top notch talent in bassist Brad Fordham, Tom Lewis on drums and Floyd Domino on piano amongst other instrumentalists, as well as having Brennen Leigh join them on harmony vocals. In the context of country themes, the majority of the songs tell us about relationships falling apart and the lessons not learned from past experiences. 

The album opens with You’re So Right and the message that it “didn’t take that long from ‘I think I love you’ to ‘I think I’m gone’.” It motors along with twang laden guitar and Detamore’s pedal steel and sets the scenario for the remaining tracks. A radio edit of the track also closes the album. Rattle Me is the effect a woman has on the man in question. Next up, Tricks Of The Trade is built around a strong chorus about those tricks being something of a series of heartbreaking tricks. Volin adds tight guitar solo to bolster things up.

Reflection is the key to the next song I Should Have Known, a dejected ballad with Domino’s piano effective in it’s tone. That contrasts with the more edgy tone of being crushed in Lesson I Never Learned. The title track has a solid groove and a solid back beat that is satisfying. Harmonica opens the riff based Big Train, a song previously recorded by a band who were a big favourite of yours truly on my early forays into cowpunk - that was Rank And File. Surge’s version adds the guest vocal of that band’s Chips Kinman to give a further seal of authenticity. All You Gotta Do has a strong classic country feel with fiddle, acoustic lead and vocal harmony giving it an additional push in the right direction - as it offers advice to the lovelorn. We go back to quieter pastures with the ballad of Sister Honeybee. It describes some of the good things that life has to offer.

Surge has made an album that fits like a pair of well worn jeans and feels the right side of retro country but also has an eye to the future and perfects his own personal vision of the music that came from the likes of the Palomino Club in its heyday in L.A. Seems like it’s almost time to listen again and make some hay in its audio sunshine.

Review by Stephen Rapid

Broken Radio Dirty Country Hausmusik

An album for those who like a bit of gravel and grit in their gothic country. DIRTY COUNTRY is the latest album from Klaus Patzak, a German musician, who spent a fair bit of time plying his trade in Austin, but hails from Landsberg. It was the town where Johnny Cash was once stationed when in the army. It must have left its mark, in some form or other, on Patzak. His music is rooted in that earlier time and the influences he heard on forces radio growing up. Those tales of songs rooted in folk, rock and country form the basis of the deep mix of music he makes now.

However it is the depth and suggested darkness of his voice that sets the scene for the songs here, all written and produced under the name of Broken Radio. This is not the music that is streamed or featured on unbroken mainstream country radio. There are the textures and effective use of late night desert twang, fiddle, pedal steel, trumpet, organ and electronics. All in all, a highly effective sonic landscape that also adds the impressive vocal contributions of Lois Walsh and Teodora Gosheva. They often evoke the classic country duets of icons of the genre in the past. From the album credits, it’s not exactly clear how many of these instruments he himself played but it would seem likely he handled the bulk, if not all, himself. Making it even more praiseworthy an effort and endeavour that was recorded back in his own studio on his own time.

But don’t think that there is nothing here that has the attractiveness of a left-field hit, for example Sweetheart Honey Baby could easily find its way onto any open-minded radio show. The vocal interaction is indeed captivating. Solitary Morning evokes its title with a guitar and steel and a more wearied but wistful tale of early morning travel. Travel is again the theme of Patzak falling for the titular Tow Truck Driving Lady when his vintage car decides to quit. But in truth there is a lot of diversification throughout, without swerving too far from its chosen highway. It shows that Broken Radio have grasped the mettle of effectively channelling a particular strain of virulent off-kilter country music.

This is the sixth release from Broken Radio and is packaged as you might expect from someone who has paid attention to detail throughout. It is recommended, if this review in any way whets your appetite and curiosity, that you visit www.brokenradio.de to see the videos that have been created for many of the songs featured here; as well as the covers of the albums and singles that have a nod to a world vision set back a few decades ago. The modes of transport and the references to place all point to Patzak being a student of those lost highways and often unforgiving landscapes. 

This is my first acquaintance with Broken Radio and it is a welcome one. Perhaps, not everyone will enjoy its essence, but for those that do it offers a set of frequently tantalising tunes that can be heard broadcasting from this broken but far from unplayable radio. 

Review by Stephen Rapid

Ryan Curtis Ain’t Ever Easy American Standard Times 

For album number two, Ryan Curtis has taken his “alt-country from the high country” sound in the direction of a tougher, rockier sound (with equal measures of blues and southern overtones). He is another exponent of the gravel-gargling vocal delivery which suits his tales of those who exist on the margins and in the backwaters of middle and small town America, in other words real life characters who inhabit these songs with doubt and hope in equal measure.

Can’t Take Back is the opening song and it has a groove over its firm backbeat and guitar and Wurlitzer laden looseness as he tells that his woman, in time honoured blues fashion, ain’t never coming back. The album then moves to a more alt country tone that reminds one of the days when alt-country was a viable sub genre. Codependent Heart is built around a guitar riff that draws you in and then expands to a final segment where the guitar lets loose. There is more introspection on Wasted Energy, wherein he decides to put that to better use and to find peace (and love) in his life. It is more reflective, as suits its title and mood.

It was this song that made me think that fans of the early releases from Ryan Bingham could find themselves with a new singer/songwriter to admire and absorb. That overall connection resurfaces over the next few tracks, for example in the country rock forcefulness of Drunk Tank and the realisation that this is not a place you want to wake up in. Adherents of Drive by Truckers sound will see a similarity here too. This Town and I Love This City offer perspectives on hard lovin’ and livin’ in locations that make it difficult to do both with any success, and lead instead to that other perennial pastime, that of drinkin’ to forget. The former is another song that hits the spot and adds to the underlying and overarching honky tonk country feel, while there is another juxtaposition with Cactus And Cocaine. It has an almost sing-along feel without ever quite getting to that point and again benefits from some emotive and twangy guitar, as he draws those two C’s into the one song. Chris Stapleton’s Good Corn Liquor moves from its initial bluegrass rendition by the Steeldrivers to something closer to Stapleton’s current modus operandi.

There is a different atmosphere to the approach of the closing track,Through The Tears, with a spoken vocal that goes in further towards raspy and uses steel guitar, vocals and more to create a descriptive sonic landscape that has the sought after cinematic outcome. It comes as an interesting finish to some of the more rough-hewn elements of the preceding tracks and allows Ryan to explore the different nuances of his music.

The album was recorded  at the famed OK theatre in Oregon, though Michigan born Ryan is now based in Boise, Idaho. He worked with engineer Bart Budwig and musicians Cooper Trail, Nevada Sowle and Tyler McFarlane and other guests including guitarist Rider Soran, all of whom have their own separate music careers, as did Ryan as a member of the more soul orientated rock band, The Weary Times.

Having gone through the rigours of lockdown which underlined the album’s title, he has emerged with an album he can be proud of and one that should find many adherents.

Review by Stephen Rapid

Hiss Golden Messenger Jump For Joy Merge

M.C. Taylor performs as Hiss Golden Messenger and, looking back over his career, says that he has lived “an outlaw life, but one that makes me happy.” For those who have followed his journey over the last sixteen years, you will know that Taylor has always worked on the fringes of what is considered mainstream, while creating music of insightful depth and country soul. He has been on a quest to discover his truth, regularly seeking to find answers to internal questions that have driven his creative muse. Now, after many albums, endless gigs and hotel rooms, airports and road trips, his current perspective comes down to “If we’re standing at some finish line of human civilisation… then I want to go out dancing.” The performance name itself is something of a contradiction in that “Hiss” conjures up a negative image and a sense of disapproval, whereas “Golden Messenger” brings the image of a heavenly visitor from on high. In a way it’s this dichotomy that perfectly captures the true essence of M.C. Taylor and his musical vision. Almost like he’s saying ‘don’t ask me for answers, I’m just looking myself and making the best of things as we go along.’

This new album was recorded at Sonic Ranch, Tornillo, Texas, by Scott Hirsch, with assistance from Mario Ramirez and it takes a new direction with upbeat rhythmic arrangements which capture plenty of joy in the playing. It also shines brightly in terms of the creative spirit that Taylor always brings to his projects. His sound is nothing if not soulful at it’s core, the music effortlessly gliding along on the impressive playing of his regular band mates, Nick Falk (drums), Alex Bingham (bass), Chris Boerner (guitars) and Sam Fribush (keyboards). They blend together so seamlessly and are a perfect example of the maxim that “the whole is better than the sum of its parts.”

We are given a jazzy New Orleans shuffle on the title song Jump For Joy and this is balanced against the sweet funky sound on Shinbone which sees Taylor talk about ‘Taking chances, If you lose it all, Can you love what’s left?’ There is an easy, gentle flow on Jesus Is Bored with a more reflective plea, ‘Please give me something to lift me up out of this darkness, Something to light my way,’ really hitting the key question on the head; is there anybody listening? Another song, the almost-Reggae groove of California King considers ‘Some prophets sing about bad things to all their Sunday sinners, They set their nets out on the shore, Try to catch the lonely surfers.’

However, it all really comes down to the message of community, as captured on the understated acoustic rhythm of My Old Friends, a song from the heart and expressing ‘But my old friends don’t mind my transgressions, May I forgive them the way I’ve been forgiven.’ It confirms that true friendship is ‘something to believe in’ and immediately we are at the essence of the album, feel the joy in what tomorrow offers and embrace the moment. For this project, Taylor decided to look back on his life journey through the alter-ego of Michael Crow, an alias that channels his memories of younger days. Songs such as 20 Years and a Nickel look at his attempts to write a successful song, ‘I am waiting, Trying to write my masterpiece… There’s no such thing as a simple song, I’m convinced of it, I should know.’ Then there is I Saw the New Day In the World with its addictive groove and optimism, while on Nu-Grape we have another soulful rhythm and the superb backing vocals of Aoife O’Donovan and Amy Helm; the lines ‘I’m just a nail in the house of the universe’ capturing the sense of wonder at all the big questions. Indeed, it is the song titled The Wondering that sums it all up with a lovely bass groove and warm keys wrapping the melody against lines such as ‘Strung out beneath the hot summer clouds, I know a place to go swimming, A place where I can be myself, When the world around me is too much.’ Yet another cracker from the pen of M.C. Taylor and an album to cherish.

Review by Paul McGee

Luluc Diamonds Community

This duo are Zoë Randell and Steve Hassett, an Australian couple who began creating music together back in 2008. This new release is the fifth album in their catalogue of what can be described as Indie Folk, with beautiful vocals and pastoral soundscapes in the sweet melodies that form an integral part of their sound. Dream-Folk is a label that has been popular of late in trying to describe a blissed-out approach to recording, with use of reverb, understated vocals and lo-fi atmospherics.

If you enjoy a sense of drifting away in your musical tastes then this is the album for you. From the opening title track Diamonds, which recounts a drive towards San Antone in Texas and learning an old Doug Sahm song, the music takes on a sense of calm. The following track Snow muses upon feelings of loneliness and missing someone with a slow drum and bass rhythm supporting a nice guitar melody that plays in the pocket. Come On Spring has a nice bounce to it and you can feel the changing seasons as Randell sings of ‘Sweet relief from everything.’

There is a wistful elegance to Moonbeam with haunting cello and pristine acoustic guitar in the mix. The use of string arrangements enhances an already beautiful song, reminiscent of Mazzy Star. The Shore uses restrained brass instrumentation and a resonant bass-line on a song that captures a longing for natural elements and a deeper love. Hooked begins with just a strummed acoustic guitar and simple bass that support the winsome vocal of Randell as she sings of ‘all the wasted chances’ and the futility of self-sacrifice in a relationship.

Sleepyhead is positively upbeat with a nice rhythm that delivers a message of love and understanding in the habits of another. There is a sad quality on Evermore with cello echoing a dream-like sense of love being perhaps a suffocating feeling. A cover of the Rolling Stones As Tears Go By is delivered in soft-focus charm but misses out on the sad distance that was explored in the Marianne Faithful interpretation of the same song. Matters conclude with a lovely song The Sky and reflections on the power of nature to deliver real awe-inspiring vistas ‘ The sun kissed the sky goodnight… give it up, give it over, that weight on your shoulder.’ A very impressive album that will delight many who look for their succour in weightless, subtle melody and ethereal vocals.

Review by Paul McGee

Paul J Bolger Beware Of Trains Pillar Stone

This interesting artist has been releasing music sporadically since the 1990s. He also has a strong interest in art and design, cartoon animation and film production, and all forms of self-expression. Originally from Waterford in Ireland, Bolger has travelled in both America and Canada and this latest album was recorded in Nashville with renowned guitarist/producer Steve Dawson at Henhouse Studios. Also featured are the talents of David Jacques on upright and electric bass (John Prine, Emmylou Harris), drummer/percussionist Jamie Dick (Rhiannon Giddens, Pam Tillis, Alison Russell) and vocalist Siobhán Maher-Kennedy (River City People, Steve Earle, Lucinda Williams). Other musicians feature on the eight tracks, including Hugh Christopher Brown, Alex Soikans, Colin Shanahan and Sarah McDermott.

If you count the 1993 release of The Moss House, then this album represents the fourth full release, following on from PJB (20200), and HARD TRUTH (2022). Throw in a couple of Eps along the way and you have plenty to entertain in the back catalogue. There is much to delight on this new album and the songs are all very well written, atmospheric in the delivery and full of personality. The quality of musicianship is a big advantage of course and Bolger can more than hold his own on acoustic guitar and lead vocals. The co-vocal with Siobhan Maher-Kennedy on Breathless is a real stand-out song, as is the spoken word delivery on Dance Where You Stand. The pedal steel of Steve Dawson and the keys of Hugh Christopher Brown really lift the latter arrangement. Heather Road is a funky workout that channels a loosely-tight groove, while Watering Hole has a dynamic blues feel, all smoky laid-back playing and slow-burn delivery. The bounce of What We Did Wrong is certainly a feelgood track and features a nice rhythmic groove that channels Buddy Holly. Eight songs in all, and an album that ticks any boxes.

Review by Paul McGee

Michael Conor Murphy Where To Now? Self Release

Wexford based, Irish songwriter,  Michael Conor Murphy, delivers thirteen songs on this album and the overarching sense is one of taking chances and making your own luck in life. Looking for a sure thing never really works out and sometimes you just have to take a shot. Otherwise, it can all boil down to time passing, chances gone by with missed opportunity. This is a follow-up release to Michael’s debut album, Ain't Asking for Nothing, which was released earlier this year.

Writing On the Wall tells of a doomed relationship ‘what did you expect, watching our slow trainwreck.’ There are portents of doom on Deep Black Water and sleeping with the Devil’s daughter can only lead to trouble. The song We Stopped channels the memory of the pandemic and the world on hold, while the message in Where To Now? is one of looking for redemption and trying to make sense of the times ‘Every year seems to put another furrow in my brow, Oh… where to now?’ There is some fine fiddle and bouzouki to enjoy on Summer Sent You and the up-tempo beat of Got My Boots On is the most rock orientated track on display here.

Hammers and Nails looks at the life of a handyman builder and the practical ways that love may find a home. There is some fine percussion, keyboard and bass lines running through the song arrangement, and something of a highlight on the album, ‘Want something fixed honey, you just have to ask, I’m a handy lover-man to have around your place.’ Small Mercies is another strong song with harmonica and sweet guitar reflecting the need to count our blessings and practice acceptance.

The album was recorded at Accipiter Nisus Studios in Piercestown, Co. Wexford and it was produced by Mick Egan, who also contributes keyboards, guitars and percussion. Other players are Richard Lee (drums), James O’Reilly (fiddle), Alice McIntyre (fiddle) and Ian Barry (bouzouki, vocals). Murphy plays guitar and harmonica, in addition to taking all lead vocals. He is also backed by local talent Imelda Keogh on vocals, and she has released some excellent music in recent years, including songs written by Michael himself. This is a worthwhile album, well performed and containing differing styles to suit all musical tastes. Contemporary and marketable.

Review by Paul McGee

The Kody Norris Show, Lillie Mae, John Surge and the Haymakers, Broken Radio, Ryan Curtis, Hiss Golden Messenger, Luluc, Paul J Bolger

New Album Reviews

Greenshine New Moon On Friday Tigerdog

Noel Shine and Mary Greene have been creating great music in their base in West Cork for quite a while, both emerging from families in Counties Clare and Waterford, respectively, who were steeped in Irish traditional and folk music, and American country, roots and folk. Thankfully, being dragged to festivals all over Ireland as a child didn’t put off their daughter, Ellie Shine, who has joined them in recent years and the trio have produced another enchanting album. Their influences are obvious, but they have developed their very own distinctive folk/Americana sound, evident on this collection of eight originals and four cover songs, all recorded in their home studio.

Mary has honed her craft as an impressive songwriter over the years and has written or cowritten all except one of the original songs here. There’s an unhurried, reassuring, ambiance emanating from the recording that is hard to resist.

Big Black Bag speaks to anyone who lies awake at night worrying - over the jazz influenced musical backdrop of dobro, electric guitar and bass, Mary’s soothing lyrics encouraging the afflicted (and who among us hasn’t been through this at some time in life?) to tie that worry up in the metaphorical big black bin bag ‘and throw it out!’. She also takes the lead vocals on the gentle love song, Bend like A Willow, and the old adage that ‘if you love them, set them free’ is her message on the title track, New Moon On Friday. As well as being the lead songwriter in the band,  Mary also plays guitars, keys and concertina, while her husband Noel is even more versatile, contributing guitars, bass, mandolin, bouzouki, whistle, Theramin, keys, banjo and harmonica. He takes the lead vocal on a cover of Springsteen’s The Mansion On The Hill, bestowing on it a very Irish feel, with his natural Irish accent and a combination of tin whistle, mandolin and pedal steel that really works, though it shouldn’t.

Ellie has a very distinctive and attractive vocal tone, with much depth but also a quiver, and she harmonises to great effect with her mother on many of the tracks. However, it is on their outstanding version of Jimmy Webb’s classic Wichita Lineman that Ellie really comes into her own.  Accompanying herself on ukulele, and with delicious pedal steel from guest David Murphy, subtle percussion from drummer Martin Leahy, and backing vocals from Mary, this version is truly sublime. And I have it on good authority that Jimmy Webb approves. The other standout song for this reviewer is Mary’s Charmed Life, wherein she inhabits the thoughts of a ghost who roams nocturnally forever after a life full of regret, the haunted gothic atmosphere suggested by Noel’s eerie whistle, acoustic guitar and mandolin, and their own ‘Birds of the Garden’ who herald the dawn, and the retreat of the ill-fated tortured soul.

Review by Eilís Boland

Paul Cowley Stroll Out West Self Release

Most surprisingly, considering his current mastery of acoustic country blues as evidenced here, Birmingham’s Paul Cowley was a latecomer to the genre, only discovering this style of music when he reached his 40’s. Clearly influenced by the likes of Lightning Hopkins, Mississippi Fred McDowell and Blind Willie McTell, Cowley’s fifth album features seven new original songs, as well as five covers.

It’s refreshing to hear a blues album where the playing is in service of the song, and well written songs at that, without the all too common clichéd subject matter and lyrics. Here, Paul Cowley shows himself to be a superb steel guitar and slide player, who thankfully doesn’t feel the need to show off. He expresses his life philosophy in songs like Whatever It Takes and World Gone Crazy, most of which are taken at a gentle walking pace. The latter is a right-up-to-date, seven minute long, plea to all of humanity to wake up to the plight of our world, where we all just ‘take, take, take’, but now ‘we need to come together/east or west/we’re all facing our biggest test’. Amen to that. Cover songs include his interpretation of Robert Johnson’s Preachin’ Blues, and a laidback and sensitive rendition of the much covered Staggerlee, mainly influenced by Mississippi John Hurt’s version. The standout cover, most unexpected, is a very different interpretation of Smokey Robinson’s classic, Tracks Of My Tears, into which Cowley breathes new life, taking it at a much slower pace and with a simple acoustic guitar accompaniment, with complementary and subtle drums, bass & electric guitar added by Pascal Ferrari.

Recorded in Cowley’s home studio in a stone barn in rural Brittany, France, the album was self produced, along with his longtime collaborator Ferrari, who also contributes bass, drums and electric guitar on some tracks. Stand out song for this reviewer is Life Is Short, an exhortation to make the most of one’s time here on earth, written in the aftermath of the passing of his father two years ago, and accompanied by simply beautiful, finger picked acoustic guitar. ‘Pass you by/Blink of an eye/And leave you wonderin’ how and why’, so you have to ‘jump right in … don’t hesitate’. I second that.

Review by Eilís Boland

Larry Sparks It’s Just Me Rebel

At 75 years of age and with his track record in music, Larry Sparks has nothing left to prove. Playing bluegrass since he was 15, joining Ralph Stanley as a Clinch Mountain Boy after Carter died tragically in 1966, going on to form his own band, The Lonesome Ramblers, and winning several IBMA awards for both his singing and his guitar playing, he has finally answered his fans requests by recording a stripped back solo album.

Still armed with his faithful 1954 Martin D28 (that he actually bought in 1967- strictly of interest to the guitar nerds!), this is a delightful collection of classic country and contemporary bluegrass songs. Kicking off with Marshal Warwick’s lonesome country ballad Long Way To Denver, it’s obvious from the start that though his voice is inevitably a little careworn, he still can imbue these songs with emotion born of sincerity. His guitar playing is also still impressive - a ‘less is more’ approach works perfectly here, allowing the songs to speak for themselves. Don’t Neglect The Rose and Great High Mountain (a gospel song written by Keith Whitley) were previously recorded by Sparks on full band albums, but they also work very well here. Harking back to earlier and simpler times is a predominant theme of the project, none more so than on the quite moving Lefty Frizzell number, Mom and Dad’s Waltz. Sweetheart is another deceptively simple country love song, but this time written specifically for Larry Sparks by a young up-and-coming Nashville-based songwriter called Wyatt McCubbin. The classic George Jones number, She Thinks I Still Care, is given a welcome outing, while another Marshal Warwick composition, Bring ‘Em On Back, is again a wistful wish for a return to earlier eras, ‘that ole stage down at The Ryman/how that stage went clacketty clack’. Closing with a recent Daniel Crabtree gospel song, we are reminded that his Christian faith continues to sustain Sparks. Self produced in his home studio, Larry is accompanied on some of the tracks by his son, Larry D, on upright bass.

Mention must also be made of the outstanding photographs and album design, yet again, by the longstanding Rebel Records label - a few of the current bluegrass labels could do with taking a leaf from their book.

My only complaint is that, at ten songs and 29 minutes, this album is too short!

Review by Eilís Boland

The Handsome Family Hollow Loose

A new album from the duo (and friends) is always a welcome event for long-time fans. So what’s changed this time out? Well, superficially not a lot in truth, in terms of the overall methodology. Yet there is a sophistication in the recording process that allows Brett to explore the sonics of their particular soundscape. It still sounds like the unique output we have come to know and love. Rennie’s still writing lyrics that only she could, while Brett brings his baritone voice and melodic arrangements into focus. There is, however, a noticeable sense of ease and an embracement of a certain mellowness within the music, that comes with age.

Brett, again, takes the helm handling the lead vocals in his, by now, distinctive baritone delivery, as well as recording and playing the bulk of the instruments featured. They are again joined by touring companions Alex McMahon on guitar and steel and Jason Toth on percussion. Both make valuable contributions to the overall fabric of the album, while Dave Gutierrez plays mandolin on The Oldest Water. Rennie adds vocal and banjo in the required places. 

The album opens with Joseph, a song that takes its title and chorus line “Come into the circle, Joseph! There’s no moon tonight” from something that Rennie screamed in her sleep one night. It may have been pretty startling at the time, but Brett thought that is was a good line, so they decided to use it as the lynchpin of the song. I can think of few acts that could make that origin story so fitting but it is, though, symptomatic of their working (asleep or awake) process. The song itself has a more dreamlike quality with an overdriven guitar sound, piano and drums adding to this sense, the latter grounding the songs to an earthly base. Two Black Shows is next up and it takes in the sometimes disturbing vision of their divided post pandemic country and the sense that nature may well be waiting to take over those often people-less locations. The keyboards are upfront for the start ofThe King Of Everything, a song that repeats its title effectively, then the guitar makes its presence over Toth’s percussion which provides a solid rhythm platform. It epitomises how, while using to their usual template, they continue to process and develop it.

“Squirrels in the basement / raccoons in the walls / centipedes with stingers” are lines that again hint at the way the natural world is re-staking its claim on civilisation, in the track Skunks. There is an earthy (or perhaps liquid) sound on the The Oldest Water, wherein the mandolin hints at an earlier folk tradition of storytelling. There is an esoteric link to the oddness of Mothballs and it is another example of Rennie’s instinctive and individual lyrical vision. It has, perhaps, a hint of Tom Waits in its voice and piano setting.

Very different in its arrangement is Shady Lake, a gentle evocation of a idyllic location. The guitars are cranked up, well in the context of this title at least, for To The Oaks. There is a ballad-like delivery for Strawberry Moon, with wistful keyboards and guitar. The next track is another highlight, with steel guitar and pleasing harmony vocals. Invisible Man reminds me of earlier albums, in some ways, and it is striking with its mid-song narration and uplifting feel. The closing track is Good Night, where again the steel is prominent over the solid drumbeat and some effective xylophone embellishments. While it is a soothing it has also something of a menacing quality, as it not only embraces a good night but also reminds that it is a time for skinwalkers, time for Santa to sharpen his claws. Sleep then peacefully, but leave one eye open. It is the duo’s openness to both light and dark that gives them room to manoeuvre, to entertain and to remind us of how far they have come and how to continue to mine a rich seam of uniqueness. There is nothing hollow about their music, but they have also created a hollow that allows us to crawl through into their world.

Review by Stephen Rapid

Zach Aaron This Lovely War Self Release

Cleveland, Texas, resident Zach Aaron’s songwriting is very much in the style of the classic singer songwriters from the Lone Star State. My first awakening to his music was his 2020 and third album, FILL DIRT WANTED, and he continues down a similar path with THIS LOVELY WAR, combining tales of tragedy, hopelessness and misfortune, often tinged with a slice of dry humour on the side. Dividing his time between his music career and a side project as a rodeo rider, Aaron’s observational skills are very much to the fore in his writing.

He kicks off proceedings with May The Iron Horse get Fed. A co-write with Kayla Ray - an excellent singer songwriter in her own right whose record, YESTERDAY AND ME, was my album of the year in 2018 - they target the steady demise of the railway network as a metaphor for the slowly declining simpler times of yesteryear and the increasing advancement of fake news.

There are barroom blues and much regret in FALL DOWN DRUNK (‘Jesus is gonna save me, if I could only get him on the phone’) and Songbird. The former brings to mind the work of Hayes Carll, while the latter is a weepy two-stepper all the more atmospheric for some doleful pedal steel. Aaron’s rodeo exploits no doubt pointed him in the direction of the Marty Robbins tale of an unlikely rider in Cowboy In A Continental Suit. He puts his foot firmly of the gas pedal and turns the heat up with Truth Is A Mirror. It’s not all whiskey and road dust either, as he opens up his heart on the tender love song, It’s You.

He closes the eight-track album with the semi-spoken Latigo Joe. It tells the tale of a roughneck convict cowboy serving life in prison, who perishes while on temporary freedom riding in a prison inmates rodeo show. Recounted in semi-spoken style, it brings to mind the classic Guy Clark song, Let Him Roll.

There are an increasing number of songwriters gaining inspiration from the Western and cowboy lifestyle of both yesteryear and today, Canadian Colter Wall being the most commercially successful. Others, less well known, like Andy Hedges and Chris Guenther, have recently released quality similarly themed albums. Although already four albums into his career, I’m adding Zach Aaron to that list of writers and performers, impressively embracing and saluting the rural American life of earlier times.

Review by Declan Cullion

Erin Rae Lighten Up & Try: Live From The Heart Thirty Tigers

Lonesome Highway’s introduction to the world of Erin Rae dates back to 2015 when she performed as a backing vocalist at Americana Fest in Nashville. We’ve followed her career closely since then, marvelling at her solo albums, SOON ENOUGH (2015), PUTTING ON AIRS (2018) and LIGHTEN UP (2022). We’ve also enjoyed her headline shows in Nashville and Germany and her performances as a backing vocalist for artists like Margo Price and Courtney Marie Andrews.

Erin’s latest recording is an altogether novel affair. The live songs on the album were recorded in the summer of 2022, after she and her band had completed a six-week tour opening for Lord Huron. They were recorded by Erin’s mother, Christie Bates, on a 1990s Panasonic cassette recorder that Erin’s dad had previously used to tape rough demos of his music. The result is a live recording in the true sense, with song introductions, background noises, and audience chatter, all left untampered. What rings true is Erin’s beautiful vocals and her road-hardened band. Featured are the majority of the songs from her then-most recent album, LIGHTEN UP, alongside a number of songs from PUTTING ON AIRS. Also included in the set is As We Go Along, from Erin’s 2019 EP LAGNIAPPE SESSION.

Particular highlights, among many, are Putting On Airs, Cosmic Sigh, Candy and Curry, which opened the set, and Bad Mind. The latter is introduced by Erin as a song about growing up in the South, surrounded by inequity and bias (‘Maybe it was just the South or the influence of my brothers, or the harsh words I heard the others throw around’).

In an era of often overproduced and gadget-enhanced playing and vocalising, this simple recording, blips and all, captures in every respect the true allure of live music, and the satisfaction and enjoyment that the live setting offers to both artists and audience alike. It’s also a reminder of why, alongside her own notable recordings, Erin Rae is in such demand as a backing vocalist both in the studio, and in the live setting.

Review by Declan Cullion

Nathan Mongol Wells From A Dark Corner State Fair

Texan Nathan Mongol Wells is the frontman of Ottoman Turks, alongside Billy Law, Paul Hinojo and Joshua Ray Walker. The latter is credited as co-producer alongside John Pedigo on FROM A DARK CORNER, Wells’ debut solo record. If getting issues off his chest, and in particular matters of the heart, was the driving force behind Wells’ solo writing, he has nailed it with these ten tracks.

An inkling of what lies in the writer’s head emerges on Taken For A Ride (‘I’m a coward, I’m a loser, I’m a serial abuser, of the thoughts and of the feelings that you try so hard to hide’) and In Years (‘We set out with it all intact, a frayed knot here and there. No knowledge of the things we lacked, each challenge like a dare’). Both are memorable efforts, drenched in pedal steel courtesy of Hank Early, alongside Wells’ broody vocals. The same disintegrating relationship raises its head on Two Heads (‘You know we’re at our best when we’re sleeping together. It’s when we awake that our problems arise’) though things do take a more light-hearted direction on the drinking (lots), Honest Drinking, and working (little), Rather Go To Hell. Echoes of John Prine surface on the acoustic album closer First Day It’s Warm, which welcomes the end of winter in Texas.

Whether FROM A DARK CORNER represents the onset of a solo career by Wells in parallel with his commitments with Ottoman Turks remains to be seen. Either way, this is a no-holds-barred album, combining country and punk sensibilities, by an artist quite prepared to lay bare his own vulnerabilities. All in all, it’s a stylistically impressive venture and well worth your investigation.

Review by Declan Culliton

Maia Sharp Reckless Thoughts Self Release

“I always want to write in a way where people will plug their own lives into the song,” says Nashville-based singer-songwriter Maia Sharp in the press release that accompanied this, her ninth, solo album.

That quality in Sharp’s writing over the past two decades is evidenced by the number of household names that have raided her treasure chest to record her songs. The Chicks, Terri Clark, Cher, Bonnie Raitt, Trisha Yearwood, and Art Garfunkel are just a snapshot of artists that have recorded Sharp’s songs.

In general, Sharp’s albums have often opened the door to reveal her personal thoughts and emotions. If her last album, 2021’s MERCY RISING, reflected on the break up of her marriage and leaving California for Nashville, this latest record plays out like an update of her present state of mind. Sharp admits that this collection of songs was challenging to write, given that she was not working her way through emotional upheaval, but the end result is every bit as satisfying and thought-provoking as any of her previous albums.

A sense of letting go of the past and taking charge unfolds in a number of songs. The bouncy opener, She’ll Let Herself Out, sets that stall out from the get-go and the mid-tempo Old Dreams, co-written with Garrison Starr, follows a similar approach of exorcising unattainable aspirations. That sense of being yourself and not attempting to live vicariously in someone else’s skin is at large in Fallen Angel. Whereas the majority of the songs live in the present, Sharp does acknowledge happier past times in California but the track that captures her present frame of mind and her wishes is Kind. A co-write with Mindy Smith and Dean Fields, it’s very much a song of its time with a simple message promoting empathy and understanding.

RECKLESS THOUGHTS will be very much on the radar of Maia Sharp’s dedicated followers, but if she’s a new name to you and you’re a lover of classic singer songwriters, you’ll lap this up.

Review by Declan Culliton

Jim Ghedi and Toby Hay Self-Titled Topic

The old traditions of English Folk are alive and well in the wonderful music created by this duo. This is their second collaborative record, following on from The Hawksworth Grove Sessions - Duets for 6 & 12 String Guitar, released in 2018. The sound created on this new release captures both space and time in restrained emotion, without a word spoken, and the results leave the listener entranced.

With Ghedi on 6-string and Hay on 12-string guitars, their combined artistry is just a joy and is reminiscent of Ghedi’s previous work, often instrumental, that explores the natural world and our relationship to it. He released A Hymn For Ancient Land (2018) and In The Furrows Of Common Place (2022) to great acclaim. Both musicians are custodians of the Folk music flame and stand beside the likes of John Martyn, Richard Thompson and Martin Simpson as masters of their craft.

The twelve tracks here are all inspired by different sources, from the poetry of Seamus Heaney to Irish harp tunes and traditional Welsh lullabies. The interplay between the two musicians is quite breathtaking and the music is always engaging, moving and magical in the delivery. Song titles such as With The Morning Hills Behind You, A Year And A Day, When The Blackthorn Blooms, Moss Flower, Bog Cotton Jig and Seasoned By The Storm, give some insight into a sense of the natural world in quiet repose.   

The production is crystal clear and recording took place last year in Giant Wafer Studios in rural mid Wales. The album was recorded live over three days and contains no edits or overdubs, just the two musicians in deep connection and complimenting each other on guitars across these timeless instrumental tunes. This is a must purchase album for anyone who respects the deep traditions of Folk music and the Roots tradition.    

Review by Paul McGee

Greenshine, Paul Cowley, Larry Sparks, The Handsome Family, Zach Aaron, Erin Rae, Nathan Mongol Wells, Maia Sharp, Jim Ghedi and Toby Hay

New Album Reviews

Joshua Ray Walker What Is It Even? Soundly

Texan Joshua Ray Walker has been busy since the release of his debut album, WISH YOU WERE HERE in 2019. Since then, he has recorded two more albums, returned to his busy touring schedule after the easing of Covid-related restrictions, and has tailed off those hectic four years with his latest and fourth full album, WHAT IS IT EVEN?

Those first three albums featured a host of unfortunate characters, some probably autobiographical, who frequented the type of honky tonks that Walker regularly played in, but he has taken an entirely different path with this recording. Digging deeply into his memory bank, he chose eleven of his favourite songs recorded by female artists, many of which he kept true to the original versions and others he rearranged.

Given his honky tonk credentials you might expect that he’d tackle some of the classic country recordings from the likes of Dolly, Loretta, or Patsy, but in reality, his selections couldn’t be further away from those artists. Instead, he tackles songs performed by The Cranberries, Sinead O’Connor, Cher, Q Lazarus, Whitney Houston, Beyoncé, and others.

The result is a mixed bag. Walker is in fine voice throughout but with some of the choices, mainly pop songs, remaining faithful to the originals (Linger, Nothing Compares To You, Coz I Love You), the results are somewhat uninspiring.

The renditions work best when Walker restructures the original songs. Sia’s Cheap Thrills is a point in case where he reinvents the pop song into a countrified and upbeat arrangement. Equally impressive is his bluegrass-themed adaptation of Beyoncé’s Halo. Lazzarus’ Goodbye Horses is less impressive, but his take on Whitney Houston’s I Wanna Dance With Somebody is arguably an improvement on the overproduced original.

‘I just wanted to make something that was fun,” Walker says. He no doubt achieved this but I’m wondering how his fan base will react to the album. Walker is a hugely talented singer, songwriter and musician and I look forward to future recordings of the standard of his first three albums, when he, hopefully returns to what he excels at.

Review by Declan Culliton

Kyle Nix & the 38’s After The Flood Vol.1 Self Release

With Turnpike Troubadours’ career path on pause due to frontman Even Felker’s marital and rehab issues, their fiddle player, Kyle Nix, launched his solo career in 2020 with his debut album, LIGHTNING ON THE MOUNTAIN.  Stellar country and roots music has often followed in the aftermath of hardship and breakups and AFTER THE FLOOD VOL.1, Nix’s second album, follows that well-worn path. His own trauma of a divorce and rehab was the catalyst for this recording. Nix dusted himself down, called on some close friends and fine players’ services, and has produced a cracking and full-on album. Those players are former American Aquarium bassist Bill Corbin, multi-instrumentalist Kevin ‘Haystack’ Foster, singer songwriter Ken Pomeroy and Nix’s fellow Turnpike Troubadours percussionist, Gabe Pearson. The production was carried out by Wes Sharon, who also previously worked on Turnpike Troubadours recordings.

The anger and rawness of Nix’s harrowing times are at the forefront of songs that contain honesty and hurt in large doses. ‘Is it too much to ask for a little slice of peace, it’s all over now so let it be,’ Nix spits out on the animated Hell & Half of Georgia. He’s equally scathing on Close The Bets (‘Close the bets, divvy up the change, she’ll get the money, I’ll get the blame’). Slightly less vitriolic but also finger-pointing is The Byrds sounding Poor Boy’s Heart and the album closes with the somewhat introspective and conciliatory Summer Plains. Other tracks of note are Nothin’ You Can Do that has Ken Pomeroy taking the lead vocal and the mid-tempo honky tonker, One More Thing.

It may be a case of ‘back to the day job’ for Nix now, with Turnpike Troubadours returning to performing and recording, but the short-lived hiatus of the band and his personal issues gave Nix the ammunition and opportunity to write and record a confessional and hugely impressive suite of songs. He has come through with flying colours in that regard, with an album that is ‘all killer and no filler’ and combines fine vocals and free and fiery playing throughout.

Review by Declan Culliton

Hannah Aldridge Dream Of America Icons Creating Art

Alabama-born Hannah Aldridge’s impressive recording back catalogue has not been easy to categorise. Is she country, alt-country, indie-folk/rock, or Americana?

Her latest album, DREAM OF AMERICA, certainly lands in the Americana pigeon hole, and its Southern Gothic style accurately represents, for me, what that genre used to depict before it expanded its borders and became a pigeonhole for many different music forms.

Aldridge has consistently excelled as a songwriter and no more so than on this latest album. Its lyrics and the orchestration that accompanies them are dark and mysterious, approaching a soundtrack to a film noir that’s not going to have a happy ending. She has dug deeply into her memory bank, reflecting on the shadier side of the South and the pressures imposed on character formation in an environment haunted by former times. The result is nine songs that explore a wide canvas of issues and events that are often hidden behind closed doors.

Written about the murder in 1947 of Elizabeth Short, aka The Black Dahlia, the opening track Dorero commends the victim rather than castigating her for what was considered unladylike behaviour by the public at that time.

‘Is that a black widow spider or a skinny young blonde that he's waiting for down by the nail salon? And is it blood on his shoulder, a little on his cheek?’ she asks on Portrait Of An Artist As A Middle Aged Man. Previously recorded by Lachlan Bryan and The Wildes, Aldridge’s treatment of the song gives it a modern-day Bobby Gentry sensibility. It’s a standout song, full of menace and mystique and at five and a half minutes, the longest track on the album.

The title track, at slightly over one minute, is the shortest one. It morphs into the piano-led albums’ tour de force, The Fall, a co-write and duet with Ben Glover. The second cover on the album is Talking Heads’ Psycho Killer, which slots perfectly into the overall theme of the record. Aldridge’s version, while not without menace, is more soulful and less threatening than the original. Her upbringing in a fundamentalist Christian environment strikes a chord in that direction with Unbeliever (‘People say you gotta give it time, So I gave it all the time I ever owned. I thought I had it coming down the line, but I was never the receiver’).

An album that catches your attention and holds it from start to finish, DREAM OF AMERICA is the boldest and most ambitious recording by Aldridge, and for me, her finest work to date.

Review by Declan Culliton

Philip Bowen Old Kanawha Self Release

There is something about this album that makes it one that will deeply resonate, for a certain listener, with its sense of empathy and understanding for family, friend and place. The themes are simple in the outlining of the sensibilities that Bowen wants to sing about. There are, for instance, two versions of the song Anymore (which reasons that they don’t make them like that anymore) which may have opened and closed the album, but in fact are placed one track apart at the end of the album’s thirteen inclusions as something of a bonus. Both work in their own right with the simplicity of the acoustic version as against the one recorded with a fuller set of musicians.

These players include Gerrod Bee, Jake Fine and Zach McCord, who all contribute some telling restrained electric guitar throughout. Other musicians include the rhythm section of Larry Shotter and Bee and Fine on bass. In other words a small, tightly focused set of contributors who also have Smith Curry on Dobro on, perhaps, the album standout track, Vampire In Appalachia - an analogy for a descending darkness in a divided country which prophesies “there’s a vampire in Appalachia and we’re running out of blood." However there is much more that captures the attention here. Other musical input comes from Joshua Howard, who plays piano on several tracks and Mike Thomas and Fine also contribute keyboards. On Vampire In Appalachia he is joined by Josiah & The Bonnevilles and for the title track of the album he shares the vocals with an old friend Charles Wesley Godwin, through whom he was introduced to the album’s producer, Jach McCord.

But central to the overall sound is Bowen’s own very accomplished use of strings (he started playing the fiddle at 4 years of age) and his acoustic guitar input. That and his resonate vocal gives these lyrics their humanity and depth. The themes are the universal struggle between beauty and decay, delight and despair, the healthy and the unwholesome; all viewed from a personal and the perceived perspective.

Bowen has established a strong online following on Instagram and TikTok from a well-received appearance on America’s Got Talent (where somewhat incongruously he covered a song by System Of A Down). Having not been exposed to these media events, I can judge Bowen purely on this debut album. Three singles have so far been released, including Sweet Honey, Vampire and Lightning Bugs, the latter is a song wherein he mentions liking The Brother Brothers, fans of whom I feel will find an affinity with Bowen’s music.

Paramount in the material is the sense of melody and arrangements, that make the songs feel timeless while simultaneously being updates of traditional themes. Better Together Again (Cora’s Song) is about togetherness and how that state is the best way to be. Every Season is a father’s affirmative message to his daughter about life’s path, while advising her never to give up on family and that the door is always open no matter what may lie ahead and the pride that’s felt in achievement.

The title track is about a place that is seen as home. Bowen, married with children, is now based in Detroit and undoubtedly has a yearning for West Virginia and the Appalachia of his roots. He is as adept at playing the fiddle as he is with his more structured performance on the violin. Though this album could be seen as a contemporary folk-oriented outing, his choice of cover song for the talent show demonstrates that he is not a purist listener or performer, but rather one grounded in his roots while ready to explore other trails. Hopefully, though, he won’t move too far from the sound he has established here. I can say here that I have listened to this album for some time since receiving it and have grown to really enjoy what it has to offer and so can only urge you to do the same.

Review by Stephen Rapid

Shane Terrell & The Stumblers Well Worn Jukebox Self Release

This is an eight track for Terrell and his band,  who play a solid mix of Texas country and touches of some red dirt hard rock. Based in Abilene, the band self produced this record of raw sounding blue-collar song writing and one song,  Thanksgiving Song, was produced in a second version by noted musician Marc Ford. It appears on the album twice, so I am assuming the file track marked “new version” is the Ford produced one. It is a similar version of the understated song, though longer than the opening take. It is an appeal to one half of a seemingly lost relationship, and shows the song in a setting that might perhaps point to an outside producer on the next release. It is the album’s stand-out song that readily sums up what this band is about.

There are guitars and organs driving the songs over the solid rhythm section and Terrell’s powerful vocal can be stadium strong as well as back-porch ready, as is required by the songs. There are versions of the songs delivered with just voice and guitar on Facebook that contrast with the mainly full fire delivery on the album. Terrell also does solo live performances,  depending on the venue, as well as those with his three-piece band on a bigger stage.

Alone In Abilene shows the way that there is a compatibility here with Terrell’s lyrical subject matter, their audience, its lifestyles and views. It is a little less upfront at the start, but still has that sense of being lost in one’s search for another. Front Door follows a similar theme of home and finding some new hope once he sees “you walk through that front door.” Self awareness is central to the other worldlyYellow Devil Living, which features some effective piano and steel, while Godamn Alone is a full force attack, with all involved giving it their best in another song that seeks that essential human contact. Midnight Romeo is about a night-time prowler looking for some solace in the later night bars. These are the songs that likely the protagonist would punch up on a bar’s well worn jukebox.

Terrell has a background in punk and rockabilly bands back in his home state of Arizona. Elements of those two genres are still influences, if somewhat buried now, with the rockier southern element a little more apparent. Perhaps the main difference from the live band to that here is the use of keyboards and occasional steel that give added texture and depth on some of the songs. They obviously have a solid following in their home state and this mini-album will doubtless enhance their standing locally, something that may well be expanded with a full album that could achieve wider recognition for Terrell and the band, if the breaks fall right in what is a highly competitive market.

Review by Stephen Rapid

Erika OlsonThis Is How I Pray Ez Come Ez Go

Kicking off with Mom Life a song about suburbia blues, car pools, school schedules and parental pressures, Erika Olson delivers a debut album of real interest. Her website states that “ I raise babies and write songs from a cosy corner of Southeast England.” That cosy corner is a small country village in East Sussex, via her birthplace of Albuquerque, New Mexico and various other life adventures in between.

Another song Hungry Little Bird could well be autobiographical as it looks at a young girl out in the world at a tender young age of seventeen and daring to make it alone. Missing the scaffolding and support of family can be a lonely road to travel and the lines ‘How on earth did it get so bad, Can’t you feel the love you have,’ tell their own story. Elsewhere the song Benefit Of the Doubt tackles peer pressure and bullying at school while feeling scared to stand up against the actions of others that you knew to be wrong.

Songs like This Is How I Pray and Wreckage suffer from the inclusion of synth percussion that dominates the mix. These tracks are more commercial in delivery and perhaps Olson had one eye on radio play when it came to the final versions that made it to the album. As contemporary folk with a commercial leaning goes, her writing is strong enough to stand alone and the over-production on certain songs does her no real favours.

Erika Olson takes all the lead vocal parts and plays acoustic guitar on the album. Producer Jonny Wright provides acoustic guitar, electric guitar, piano, bass, synth, percussion and vocals, with guests Chris Hillman on pedal steel guitar and Dan Raza contributing vocals and acoustic guitar on separate tracks.

Albuquerque Nights looks back at a younger memory when new love was in the air and the song works really well with a slow tempo and engaging vocal delivery. Equally the track As I Am points to a direction that suits Olson, with a reflective love song about changing lives and trying to keep a relationship fresh ‘Remember when nights were for whispers and dreams,  Now you find me passed out between spreadsheets and screens.’ Co-vocal on this standout song is provided by Dan Raza. This theme continues into Momma Ain’t Got No Time with a look at frazzled commitment schedules and ‘Then its, bags to pack, meals to make, Cuts and bruises to mend, Diapers to change, monsters to tame And a mound of dishes that never ends.’

Little Shoulders closes the album and is a tribute to Olson’s daughter and the hope that future generations bring ‘Sing, dance, be one with joy, Play the lost and sacred chords, Catch the moon in your wings as you soar.’ It’s a fine sentiment on which to end what is an engaging album and I have no doubt that Olson will continue to grow into her own signature sound as she continues to develop her musical direction.

Review by Paul McGee

The Rifters The Enchanted World Howlin' Dog

The dictionary states that a rifter is a crack in sea ice, but such a definition doesn’t seem to fit easily  with the superb music that this band creates. Unless you take the meaning to refer to the space between what is separated, because in such gaps lies the intuitive playing and creative flow of this music, sprung from the original source.

The Rifters Band formed in 2002 in Taos, New Mexico, and comprises Rod Taylor (guitar, mandolin, vocals), Don Richmond (guitar, mandolin, fiddle, banjo, pedal steel guitar, dobro, harmonica, vocals), and Jim Bradley (bass, vocals). Their prowess across a wide range of instruments gives a special quality to the music, which defies genre and instead, delivers a timeless beauty. The harmony vocals are the icing on the cake and with seven albums to their name, plus years of honing their craft, the Rifters musical synergy with their desert and mountain regions of the Western State is a joy to behold.

This album kicks off with The Circle, and a song about a farmer who works his land through the changing seasons, capturing the magic of nature in all its forms. Immediately the interplay between the trio is highlighted by the understated way in which each player supports the melody and in the easy flow of the harmony vocals. It sets the template for the thirteen tracks that follow, mostly celebrating the natural beauty that surrounds us, and songs such as The Greatest Mystery, At the Foot Of the Mountain and the album title The Enchanted World bear witness to the sense of wonder the we all feel when contemplating the universe.

The Perfect Dance and It’s Cause You’ve Lived both reflect on life and the lessons given, and taken, from the years of looking for a balance in all things. With elements of bluegrass, folk and country leanings the songs display a seamless quality as they unfold with musicianship of the highest standards. The eco-friendly plea of The Dollar Worth Of Mother Earth hides the frustration felt at the wasted years in denying the scientific warnings, and leaving an onus for future generations to clean up the mess. The Wonder Of You is a love song with a tex-mex feel to the melody, with pedal steel, mandolin and fiddle rising in unison and the light, jazzy arrangement on Nothing Is Free highlights the range of styles on display here.

That Lucky Old Sun reflects on earthly toils and So Many Different Things features the vocals of Eliza Gilkyson, an artist that has worked closely with Don Richmond as producer on her last three albums. At the Rail has a bluesy feel to the arrangement and the slow melody is augmented by accordion in the reflections on a life that has led to decisions that loom large. The final song is Gentle On My Mind, a bluegrass tribute to the great Glen Campbell song. It’s laced with joyful ensemble playing and again highlights the warm, embracing feeling that this music generates. Everybody can do with some Rifters inspiration in their lives these days. Don’t hesitate to surround yourself with this superbly crafted music.   

Review by Paul McGee

Marina Rocks Texcentric Self Release

Texas has turned out many excellent musicians over the decades and it continues to be a hotbed for emerging talent. Included in the potent mix of influential country styles has been Red Dirt, Tejano and Neotraditional. However, it’s in the spirit of Outlaw country that this recent release finds a space among those that were determined to break through existing boundaries. The pioneering spirit of Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Joe Ely and Steve Earle has stood the test of time and continued in the true essence of singer-songwriters such as Townes Van Zandt, whose legacy is a rich reminder of all that is special in Texas country folklore. It’s therefore appropriate that on this EP release of six songs, Marina Rocks has included a cover of the classic Townes, If I Needed You, even if her ‘rocked-up’ version is very far away from the original.

Born in Austin and with four previous solo albums to her name, Rocks certainly lives up to her surname by delivering a fine slice of Americana-fused dynamic on this EP. She has clearly been influenced by a number of genres in her earlier years, including, rock, blues and country leanings. Rocks is a very accomplished guitar player and sings with plenty of energy and attitude; if you crossed Ani di Franco with Melissa Etheridge then you get the general direction of where she is located.

While not yet ready to be anything more than an admirer of the guitar greats of Texan legend, you can hear obvious influences in her playing that suggest Stevie Ray Vaughan and Steve Miller, among others. Rocks also has a very distinctive vocal tone and her opening song Dummin’ Down doesn’t hold back on her views concerning the malaise spread by ‘fake news’ and sound-bite media miasma. Next song Willie Hole is in reference to the great man and his trusty guitar, Trigger.  Rocks has also worn a hole in her favourite Godin guitar with her strident strumming and the urgency on this track is very appropriate to the energy given off in her performances. Lloyd Maines guests on dobro.

Walking On Water is a song written by R.W. Boyd and it reflects a different side of Rocks as she slows everything down in a reflective look at the craziness that surrounds so much in these modern times. Nameless is another rhythmic ride into the media madness of wanting to stand out among the ever-hungry crowds seeking attention, ‘Everybody’s saying, Do you know my name.’   The cover version of If I Needed You is filled with a building energy, fuelled by the bass of Aden Brubeck and the drumming of Pat Menske. It delivers with a fine soulful vocal by Rocks in due reverence to the original song sentiment.

The final track is the instrumental Blue Skies that again highlights the superb guitar technique of Rocks and it is a mid-tempo arrangement that gently brings everything to a successful rest-stop along the highway. There is no doubting the talent on display here and I have a strong sense that we will continue to hear more about this interesting artist. For now, her back catalogue beckons.

Review by Paul McGee

Mapache Swinging Stars Innovative Leisure

This is album number five in a rich vein of form that highlights the combined talents of Clay Finch and Sam Blasucci. The duo are high school friends and their songwriting embraces all that is timeless in the cosmic folk creativity of Californian coastlines and hazy summer days spent in the sun. On this recording the fourteen songs run along familiar ground, the lovely melodies laced with gentle strumming, drifting pedal steel and the occasional change of pace into mid-tempo band interplay. The musicians are Sam Blasucci (electric guitar, dobro, piano), Clay Finch (acoustic, electric guitars, flute), Steve Didelot (drums), Dan Horne (bass, pedal steel), with single song appearances from Dave Rawlings (acoustic guitar), and Spencer Dunham (bass).

Across fifty two minutes the tracks entice the listener into a sense of quiet reverie and the location chosen for this beautifully blissful music no doubt set the template for all that followed. The band decamped to the Panoramic House in Stinson Beach, Marin County, California. It sounds typically idyllic for a region that naturally exudes peaceful calm and scenic ocean vistas. Producer Dan Horne has worked with the band on all their albums and by now has their unique collaborative skills harnessed in the most creative fashion. Interestingly, on this project both songwriters brought their own individual styles to the table as they now live in different locations. Not that you would notice in the seamless style that forms the glue of all their creative outpouring.

Starting off with the Spanish song Sentir, the knowledge of what can be achieved by letting the process evolve, reflects perfectly on songs like French Kiss, a tribute to the Belgium-born French film director, screenwriter, photographer, and artist, Agnès Varda. Her seminal works included films such as La Pointe Courte (1955) and Le Bonheur (1965). Elsewhere the gentle sway of What A Summer, Sammy Boy and Midnight (partly sung in Spanish), delight and defy description, as they wrap their melodies in sweet sounds. The instrumental Home Among the Swinging Stars features the lovely flute playing of Finch and the swooning pedal steel of Horne. The song Ghosts is about as mid-tempo as we get, with a nice groove to the rhythm and a vocal from Finch that is filled with a quiet angst and passion in the delivery. Encinal Canyon and Amazing are songs that engage, even while dealing with broken relationships and feelings that time has changed everything. Even if the lyrics can tend to be somewhat obscure, this doesn’t detract from the beautiful arrangements.

This is another very rewarding album from Mapache, a duo that continue to evolve their wonderful soundscapes that bring such peaceful calm and succour in these challenging times. Essential listening.

Review by Paul McGee

Joshua Ray Walker, Kyle Nix Hannah Aldridge Music, Philip Bowen Music, Shane Terrell & The Stumblers, Erika Olson, The Rifters Mapache.

New Album Reviews

Mighty Poplar Self-Titled Free Dirt

The five members of supergroup Mighty Poplar became firm friends over the years, as their paths crossed at many competitions, festivals and recording studios in the bluegrass and roots realms. Recorded live in one room in the rural Tractor Studios outside Nashville, though bluegrass is at the heart of the project this is, in essence, a folk album. The choice of songs was compiled by Andrew Marlin (Watchtower) and he takes the lead vocal on most of them, with his trademark laidback delivery, as well as playing mandolin and guitar. He is joined by two Punch Brothers: Noam Pikelny on banjo and Chris Eldridge on guitar. Then there’s a former Punch Brother but now bassist with Leftover Salmon, Greg Garrison, and fiddler extraordinaire Alex Hargreaves, who currently plays with Billy Strings.

Kicking off fittingly with a Carter Family song (popularised by Hazel Dickens and Alice Gerrard), A Distant Land to Roam, one is immediately aware that there’s no showing off here, just great ensemble playing, all in the service of the song or tune. The interpretations feel fresh and energetic. Another traditional folk song, also covered by the Carter Family, Blackjack Davy is given quite a new feel with its more uptempo rendition and swing jazz stylings. Bob Dylan’s dark tale of the perils of coal mining, North Country Blues, is another sympathetic retelling, while the oft covered Little Joe stays fairly close to Norman Blake’s version. John Hartford is remembered with Let Him Go On Mama, his tale of a pilot working on the paddle steamers on the Ohio river. The most recently penned song included comes from the pen of Martha Scanlan - Up on The Divide recounts the hardship of continuing the tradition of farming in Montana, despite the coming of the destructive mining industry. There are two tremendous instrumentals: Alex Hargreaves’ fiddle introduces the uptempo (150 beats/min!) fiddle tune Grey Eagle, although the other four musicians are well capable of matching and harmonising beautifully with him, and Kicking Up the Devil On A Holiday/Dr. Heckock’s Jig again demonstrate the supreme musicianship and offer ample opportunities to each player to shine. Leonard Cohen’s powerful Story of Isaac is perhaps even more affecting than the original, and the traditional Lovin’ Babe (newly arranged and expanded by Kristin Andreassen) is sublime.

The band’s name is affectionately stolen from a phrase used by Bill Monroe (in a recorded conversation with Doc Watson) where he explains that a particular song was “mighty pop’lar”.

Here’s hoping that Mighty Poplar Vol 2 is in the works, because Mighty Poplar are mighty pop’lar round these here parts.

Review by Eilís Boland

Laurie Jones Dark Horse Self Release

Jones recorded this album at Halo Studio in Maine, USA, her sixth in a career that goes back to a debut release in 2001. Two more albums found their way to market in the lead up to 2007, before a career break and a period of stepping back from the business and a relentless touring schedule. Jones re-emerged in 2016 with the release of The Truth About Her, closely followed in the following year by the appearance of Bridges.

This new album was ready to go in 2021 but with Covid getting in the way of a return to the touring circuit, Jones was forced to wait for the chance to rekindle her career. This European release is very welcome and the co-production of Darren Elder and Mehuman Ernst delivers a slice of classic Americana with the emphasis on the Rock side of that broad musical genre. There are nine tracks in total and they are all written by Jones, with the exception of Dazed which was created by Torin Storm Jones. The no-holds-barred approach on songs such as Light Side, No Hell and Sorry I’m Stilted lay down an impressive marker. The band dynamic is edgy and the playing has a very fresh and fulsome quality.

Quieter songs like Good Man, Letting Go and Dazed all show another side to the talent on display and the reflection on love gained and lost is the dominant theme running through the project. Opening song That Summer has a more commercial sound while the slower arrangements on Resurrecting Joan and Bombs are perfectly suited to the expressive vocal style of Jones in their delivery.

Studio engineer Kevin Billingslea contributed to the album on guitars and bass, while co-producer Elder played percussion. Jake Wertman (drums), Torin Jones (acoustic guitar), Glen Kavin (keyboards and strings), and Amy Gauthier (backing vocals) made up the impressive studio band. A very solid welcome back statement from an artist with a lot to offer. Jones may have felt like a ‘dark horse’ at certain stages of her career, but she is now definitely galloping into the light.

Review by Paul McGee

Lori McKenna 1988 CN/Thirty Tigers

Born and raised in Stoughton, Massachusetts, the place where she still lives, Lori McKenna is a much revered singer songwriter. She grew up playing in the coffee houses of the Boston Folk music scene although her frequent affiliations with Nashville have seen McKenna adopted as a Country music artist, with her gift to pen songs for others as much as for her own solo career. She has written hits for a number of artists including Tim McGraw, Reba McEntire, Little Big Town, Faith Hill, Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift and Keith Urban.

This new release marks her twelfth studio album in a star studded career that has admired McKenna’s ability to capture a song in both complex lyrical themes and sweet melodies, while framing the emotions of all who dwell in the realms of fragility and kindness. Her creative muse runs deep and her writing has been placed at the very top of the mountain where fellow writers such as Mary Chapin Carpenter, Eliza Gilkyson and Lynn Miles reside. The album title is in tribute to the year in which McKenna married her husband having first met in high school and married young. They have five children and the life they share is part of the fabric woven through this new collection of twelve songs. The themes of family, belonging, loving and losing are familiar touchstones on previous albums, but mixed here with youthful memory, reflection, longing, missed opportunities and bitter regret.

Dave Cobb, six-time Grammy Award winner, produced the album at his Nashville studio and this is the fourth time that the duo have teamed up in what has been a very rewarding partnership in a rich vein of success. Six of the songs are co-writes, including two with her sons Brian and Chris, which must have been a really empowering experience. McKenna has always been comfortable with writing with others and for many other songwriters this can often be a stumbling block. Over her career she has learned to let the process flow and the creativity never seems to be very far away from her guitar and notebook as a result.

Here we have songs of family, of friends who took wrong turns, past memories of growing up and dealing with the passage of time. Recollections that somehow encapsulate the hopes and dreams of tomorrow. These are words of experience and perspective, littered with old wisdom, sage advice and providing fuel for the journey ahead. The Old Woman In Me is a celebration of the ageing process and so beautifully observed ‘I hope some day I get to be the old woman in me.’ The next track Happy Children is reminiscent of an earlier hit that she wrote for Tim McGraw, Humble and Kind (2016). It is a guide book for life lessons that will keep another on the correct path. It’s a prayer for only good things in living. Killing Me is a co-write and features the vocals of Hillary Lindsey on a song that looks at relationship blues. The up-tempo rhythm masks the lyric ‘Tryna make you happy is killing me.’

Days Are Honey looks at riding out the difficult times in any relationship and looking for the joy ‘All that sting, All that bittersweet.’ The title song, 1988 is an open love song to her husband and their thirty five years together as a team ‘Looking back on those early days, Between playing house and praying for grace.’ One of the standout songs is Growing Up and the issues of leaving youthful memories and small town dreams in the past ‘You move on the way time does, Till something brings you right back to growing up.’ This is followed by another highlight in Wonder Drug and a tale of watching an old friend slip away under the addiction of opioids ‘Blue collar life and all its weight, I was right there and I was too late.’

Letting go of an old friend can bring the hardest pain of all, whether a family member or someone who grew up with you. The Town In Your Heart captures this emotion perfectly ‘You were tail lights on the highway, flying, Searching for something nobody ever, ever finds.’ And the chorus sums up all the hurt of separation in the lines ‘I hope I live on a road in the town in your heart.’ The very personal Letting People Down seems to be questioning what all the accolades are worth when you doubt yourself and wish for more ‘ Hold your arms out, God help the justified, I fall short, I always fall behind.’

Final song The Tunnel is another look back down the road once travelled and the ways in which our youth shapes the eventual road that we find ourselves upon. It accepts that life is unkind and that looking for the light can be hard. Finding something to aim for and to keep running towards it is the key to escaping the dark ‘ I don't know how it works or how God picks who gets to get through, It just seems like a lot of life's been mostly the tunnel for you.’

The themes explored here are what real life is made of, the joys and the disappointments, the doubts and the pain. However, running through it all is the soft touch of someone who has her hand on the wheel and is steering a steady course. Lori McKenna has delivered another superbly crafted album and one that stands alongside her best work.

Review by Paul McGee

Sam Blasucci Off My Stars Innovative Leisure

As a core member of Mapache, a band that he created with friend Clay Finch, Blasucci has seen his blend of Inde-Folk and Country-smooth sounds become a staple of the Californian Roots Rock scene since the 2017 debut. Stepping aside from the five albums released as Mapache, here we see Blasucci working with Johnny Payne, producer and songwriter (Asia), and together they recorded the twelve songs included on this debut solo album.

Recorded at Lone Palm Studios in Los Angeles, a location well-known to Mapache, a different perspective surfaced and provided Blascucci with the freedom to stretch out in the song melodies and arrangements. The use of saxophone on opener Sha La La is inspired and lends a nice soulful aspect to the sweet vocal delivery. On other songs Every Night On the Farm and Can You Teach Me? we find Blasucci on familiar territory with lingering melodies and timeless inflections, wrapped in beautiful and drifting soundscapes that prove so appealing.

There are cover versions included  and the interpretation of the Cranberries’ classic Linger sees Blasucci paying homage to the original vocal performance of Dolores O’Riordan with perhaps a more mellow delivery. Other covers of Il Mondo (Pes, Greco, Meccia, Fontana ) and Thank You (Dido, Herman) are delivered in real style, the former sung in Italian and the latter a new take on a classic hit. The tribute to his father Proud Of You is another fine moment on the album and no doubt David Blasucci (Toto) is another big fan of the broad talent that his son continues to explore on his recorded output. The easy jazz groove of final song I’m Glad delivers a gentle love song and name checks pet dog Roscoe who was the inspiration for last year’s release, Roscoe’s Dream. This is elegant music, performed in the understated manner that we have come to expect from prior albums and it comes highly recommended.

Review by Paul McGee

The Pawn Shop Saints Weeds Dollyrocker

This band has been around since 2012 and is the creation of Jeb Barry, based in Massachusetts. Over the Covid pandemic they released two albums, ORDINARY FOLKS (2020) and RIDE MY GALAXY (2022) and their sound is very much rooted in the Americana tradition of character songs and reflections on blue collar life in the USA. The band is comprised of Jeb Barry (vocals, guitars, bass, banjo, organ, harmonica), Michael O’Neill (guitars, vocals), Amy Attias (fiddle), Tony Pisano (accordion) and Josh Pisano (drums, percussion, vocals).

James is a song that channels the death of a friend and focuses on the need for everyone to think of their own place in life and how fragile it all can be. The War is written around a father/son relationship where the barriers erected over time stop real communication and any open expression of feelings. The effects of the Covid virus still linger and inform songs like The Covid Unit and Miss June, tackling the ignorance of those who thought they knew better than the medical experts and also the loneliness of those who ended up dying alone without the loving support of others. Twine is a tribute to John Prine who died of Covid complications and the lines that resonate in the song include ‘I’m still holding this life together with twine.’

This is an acoustic-based album with a confessional theme in both the writing and the delivery of these earnest songs. Memorial Day looks at the hypocrisy that surrounds such events where the loss of life is easily forgotten in the superficial act of planting remembrance flags once a year. The title track Weeds is about the demons that we all carry around with us and the tongue-in-cheek Baby Got Drunk hides the reality of those who turn to stimulants to try and ease the pain.

Final song All Girls Break Hearts is a look at the fragile nature of relationships and the dangers involved in surrendering yourself to another, the haunting fiddle of Amy Attias adding to the poignant reflection. There is no doubting Jeb Barry’s ability to write a memorable song and this collection will speak to many in terms of his honest and open rumination on the human condition.

Steve Mednick 1952 Cottage Sound

This singer songwriter has been releasing music since 2006 and is based in New Haven, Connecticut. The latest album was recorded at Cottage Sounds Studios in Middlebury and the production by Isaac Civitello is really excellent. Mednick has called upon a very talented group of musicians to bring his twelve songs to life here and their interplay is certainly impressive and vibrant. The album title appears to reference Mednick’s year of birth and the songs look at the signposts that mark the key moments along life’s path. Days spent in questioning the universe is something that we can all relate to, and even become a victim of; frozen in time and unable to grasp the significance of the great beyond.  On these songs, Mednick seeks to come up with answers that bring a degree of comfort.

On Fulton Hill Mednick sings that ‘I never gave up on love’ and the sweet harmonica brings a sense of nostalgia for times passed. There are regrets, like the song We Never Found Our Way that examines a failed relationship and Stars That Shine Like Diamonds looks to find real meaning in new love and hope for tomorrow. Opener Version Of the Truth asks whether memory is entirely selective and Lost and Found has a nice drum shuffle rhythm and a message to try and find the silver lining in the darkest cloud. The driving This Place is a return to the past and a location that brings back old memories ‘It’s been a long time since I saw her face.’

The lengthy After All These Years highlights the full range of Mednick’s vision as he delivers across an eight-section song that reflects upon his life. ‘Got rivers to cross, don’t know how many, It makes no difference to me,’ kicks the notion of ageing gracefully as Mednick resolves to keep pushing through and searching for new beginnings. The soaring guitar on Time Is A Strange Thing brings the suite to a climax and makes way for the acoustic An Extended Term which sings of wanting to stay on this mortal coil for as long as possible.   

The assembled players really shine with the superb guitar of Karl Allweier a regular highlight. Producer Issac Civitello adds drums, percussion, keyboards, guitar and vocals. There are various guests on selected songs with Brett Calabrese taking lead guitar on four songs, and both Ashley Bathgate (cello) and Eddie Seville (harmonica) adding their contributions, along with backing vocals from Falshyuyy Holos. Mednick wrote all the songs and plays guitar, piano and organ in addition to singing all the lead vocals. The final song, appropriately titled Living For Tomorrow reflects that ‘I wish I could take the years of time and bottle wisdom to store with my wine,’ a defining sentiment that captures the moment.

Mednick is a prolific writer with fourteen previous releases, including three albums since Covid struck in 2020. His music is very much in the Americana genre with plenty of roots-based rock and reflective ballads. An artist definitely worth checking out, both for his versatility and for his undoubted talent.

Todd Partridge Autumn Never Knows Self Release

This is a very enjoyable album featuring eight songs that are filled with easy melody and plenty of lyrical playing. Todd Partridge is an Iowa based artist who more than delivers on vocals, mandolin, acoustic and electric guitar and he is a member of the band King Of the Tramps since 2011.

Opening song Postcards From the Sea contains the lyric ‘Maybe love is just the silence between the good things that don’t get said’ and suddenly you pick up your attention. Next up is another insightful song Where the Highway Meets the Sky with some lovely pedal steel playing and the lines ‘well the road gets heavy and the road gets mean, we try to help each other in between, I guess we’re just walking each other home.’ It’s all about just letting the journey unfold…

The slow groove of Sioux Falls is a perfect antidote to a broken heart and the reflection that ‘a bird on a string is a bird that can’t sing, the love song that freedom can bring.’ Wood has a traditional country vibe with some nice violin parts while Lucy Brown channels early Eagles harmonies and some warm organ layers on a song that speaks of love and longing. Partridge has a sweet vocal style and he is back by Bryan Vanderpool (drums, percussion, banjo, guitar, vocals), Kathryn Severing Fox (violin, viola), Sarah Vanderpool (keyboards, organ, vocals) and Jay Foote (fender bass).

Junk Train has a lonesome guitar sound and banjo backing on a prairie song about travelling free and moving with the rhythm of a life on the wing. Blessing follows with a message of support to anyone who needs that sense of a friend in their corner ‘May there always be a road and a hand for you to hold… a blanket to keep you warm when you get old.’ Final song Sorrow leaves the feeling that Partridge is saying goodbye to a close friend, perhaps a family member, whose time has come. It’s a sombre end to what is a celebratory album but perhaps the real message is that life has many ups and downs and the key is trying the ‘seize the day.’ A very impressive album and one that delivers plenty of memorable moments.

Review by Paul McGee

Dan Tuffy and Song Crew Country Star Smoked

Australian artist Dan Tuffy has two previous solo albums to his name, SONGS FROM DAN (2016) and LETTERS OF GOLD (2020). Tuffy has made his home in the Netherlands for the last twenty five years and on this album he has called on some excellent local players in multi-instrumentalist Madelief van Vlijmen, (aka Madlife), guitarist and pedal steel player Stefan Wolfs, and drummer and percussionist Mischa Porte. They prove to be a very dextrous trio in the studio and the interplay on these nine songs is both intuitive and sensitive. They are joined by Zlaya Loud who produced the album and who contributes synthesizers and electronics, plus Michael Turner on two tracks with Matt Walker on another; both providing additional colour on drums, drones, guitars, keyboards, and electro sounds.

There is a loose, chilled, quality to the arrangements that is both considered and effective. The overall impression is of a very self assured and talented artist who has a particular vision of how his music should be represented. The album doesn’t outlive its stay, clocking in at just over the half hour mark and there is plenty of variety across the songs. Life lessons from ‘never pick up the telephone in a strange woman’s house’ to ‘always leave your shirt on at the table’  are dispensed on Don’t Smoke In Bed and could be right out of the John Martyn Folk songbook with strummed guitars and an easy rhythm.  Firetails brings a different hue, with restrained percussion, tinkling piano and a rich memory of fiches and bird migration.

Home Sweet Sunshine is an acoustic essay on the dangers of family strife and excessive drinking, double bass, keys and brushed drums setting the atmosphere. Tuffy targets social issues on Where Does the Money Go which is a diatribe on the evils of power in the wrong hands and the lie of the trickle down economy with lines like ‘They ripped the trees out across the big valley, to build estates for the walking dead.’ Justified anger and well-aimed at the political masters of greed.

Polecat shimmers with a slow burn tempo in a tale of someone living off the grid and making a living from used car parts and whatever comes down the track. Some very tasty guitar and restrained keyboard sounds adding to the groove. There are echoes of Leonard Cohen on Silver Morning, with the husky spoken vocal of Tuffy particularly effective in the delivery . The track Venom and Mud  has Tuffy examining his relationships and contemplating that ‘ain’t nobody getting nowhere digging up each other’s dirt.’ If all we do is carry grudges, then everything just gets worse as we get older, ‘you gotta swim through the venom and the mud to get things done these days.’ Amen to that…

Man Of Feeling is a highlight and the jazz-like flow to the guitar and bass melody is balanced against fuzz guitar and keyboard explorations. Tuffy plays with the dynamic across the arrangement, lifting the tempo and reflecting on our collective  journey. Final track Up A Tree is an acoustic folk song and a meditative piece that brings a sense of calm to all the distraction and disconnection. An Interesting album and worthy of your time.

Review by Paul McGee

The Golden Roses Coverage From Signal Hill Self Release

The joyful sound of this band is quite infectious and over two prior albums the Golden Roses has proven their obvious talent, something that can be witnessed on a regular basis in their local Austin, Texas honky-tonks and dancehalls. They are a real treasure and comprise John Mutchler (vocals, guitar), Heather Rae Johnson (vocals, fiddle), Troy Wilson (bass, backing vocals), Shawnee Rose (drums), and Tony Rincon (pedal steel). The band has a very strong work ethic that has honed their skills over numerous gigs and rehearsals On this 4-song EP they have tipped their collective hat at the great songs that have inspired so many in the country music genre over the decades.

We have cover versions of Amarillo Highway (Terry Allen), Willin’ (Lowell George) and Pancho and Lefty (Townes Van Zandt). As always, the playing is addictive and the spirit within this band shines through in bursts of great interplay, especially the flight of pedal steel and fiddle, intertwined with twanging guitar sounds. Each song is given the Roses stamp in the arrangement but still stays true to the original. We also get a Roses original on the addictive Feelin’ Single, Seein’ Double with superb lead vocal delivered by Heather Rae Johnson.

The band also released a tribute to Jerry Jeff Walker with the song Jaded Lover and a new single titled New Pal has also recently seen the light of day. Texas two steppin’ into a bright future is what awaits all who discover this hidden jewel. They no doubt kick up a storm in a live setting and if you want to get some idea of their celebratory sound then visit the website and click on the live song Top Shelf Whiskey & Cold Lone Star Beer. Energising, exciting and invigorating! “WE PLAY, Y’ALL DANCE!”

Review by Paul McGee

Mighty Poplar, Laurie Jones Music , Lori McKenna, The Pawn Shop Saints, Steve Mednick, Todd Partridge (King Of The Tramps), Dan Tuffy & Song Crew, and The Golden Roses

New Album Reviews

Jason Eady Mississippi Old Guitar

Texas-based singer songwriter Jason Eady’s excellent 2012 release, AM COUNTY HEAVEN, was my introduction to the talented wordsmith and it’s fair to say that his subsequent five albums, prior to the release of MISSISSIPPI, lived up to the standard of that fine album.

His last record from 2021, THE PASSAGE OF TIME, was a particularly personal affair. Written in the main during lockdown, it reflected on matters close to the heart, both past and present. Eady’s latest album is equally nostalgic, with the writer looking back at the music and events that initially drew him into the world of songwriting and performance. It’s a project that he had been contemplating working on for a number of years, capturing the Mississippi sounds and styles that surrounded him as a young man. Certain tracks in his previous work did do as much, but he’s gone the full hog on this occasion with a full album, ten tracks in total, of what he namechecks ‘the ‘Mississippi groove.’ Recorded live, including the harmony vocals, at The Finishing School, Austin, Texas, the production was overseen by Band of Heathens member, Gordy Quist.

Eady’s opening lines on the album are, ‘Way down in Mississippi, I got the music in my bones. I’ll take you there if you want to come with me, I’m gonna go back home.’ Fusing gospel and blues and loaded with handclaps and harmonies, that song, Way Down in Mississippi, is a snapshot of what follows. Those handclaps and harmonies, courtesy of Kelley Mickwee and Eady’s wife, Courtney Patton, are also equally well placed on Wayside.  Two co-writes with the like-minded Adam Hood are included, the funky Burn It Down and the swampy-blues Mile Over 45. The former echoes the mood of J.J. Cale, the latter is from Tony Joe White territory.

Eady is on record explaining that whereas his concentration as a songwriter is typically lyric-driven, his intention with this album was to replicate the sounds that surrounded him and were so dear to him as a child and young adult. Musically, and indeed lyrically, he expresses those dynamics confidently and with aplomb on MISSISSIPPI, shifting between blues, gospel, and swamp rock, without ever sounding self-indulgent. It may be a slight departure from Eady’s previous work, but it’s a worthy companion to his most impressive back catalogue of albums.

Review by Declan Culliton

Erin Viancourt Won’t Die This Way Late August

‘Erin is a badass with every possible skill one needs to make it in this business. The perfect debut artist for Late August Records,’ announced Cody Jinks when he made Erin Viancourt the first signing to his label. Encouraging words indeed from the Music Row Independent Artist of The Year in 2023, who had the most radio spins for an independent artist last year. Jinks has also sold over two million albums and has over two and a half million monthly followers on Spotify.

Regardless of talent, extreme patience and nerve are just two of the many virtues required by artists moving to Nashville to further their careers. The term ‘ten-year town’ is anything but throwaway and there is little guarantee of triumph for those brave enough to dedicate a decade of their young lives in pursuit of their goals.  Like many of her peers, Cleveland, Ohio-raised Erin Viancourt was writing songs from her teenage years and headed to Nashville after high school to make her mark in the industry. Her debut full album, WON’T DIE THIS WAY, is the result of her song writing over a decade, coupled with numerous live appearances and much of the record’s material reflect on that journey. Earning opening slots for Travis Tritt and Cody Jinks in 2021 raised her profile significantly and the signing to Late August Records has been the icing on the cake.

Alongside the skillset to write thought-provoking songs, Viancourt’s vocals display the optimum measures of twang, power, and control across the thirteen tracks on the album. She navigates her way from the classic country sound of yesteryear (B24, Old Time Melody, Beautiful Night For Goodbye), to the cream of modern country (Cheap Paradise, Straight Down The Barrel). She’s also equally as comfortable with her foot full on the throttle as she is with songs in the lower gears. The raucous Should Have Known Better is a Brandi Carlisle-type rocking anthem, tailor-made for the live setting and she slows things down a number of notches of the tender songs Pray and Who Taught You To Love.

No other artist has established themselves at the level Cody Jinks has while ignoring the industry movers and shakers and concentrating on self-promotion. His mentoring and guiding of Viancourt will be essential in her career development and this impressive debut recording is, without doubt, the launching pad for bigger and better things. Watch this space.

Review by Declan Culliton

Caitlin Canty Quiet Flame Self-Release

Another album that was delayed initially by the tornado that hit East Nashville in March 2020 and the pandemic which immediately followed, QUIET FLAME is the tenth studio recording by the Proctor, Vermont-born artist, Caitlin Canty. A further holdup, but in this case a joyous one, was the birth of her first child. Those delays put on pause the momentum that her 2015 album RECKLESS SKYLINE generated. That album earned Canty terrific reviews, positioning her very much in the ‘next best thing’ in Americana circles. Having said that, given her tendency for self-management and promotion, it’s debatable as to how that accolade actually sat with her. 

Unlike her previous albums, with this recording Canty adopted an entirely acoustic arrangement for the eleven songs that deliberate and dwell on issues such as character formation, resolve, and working with the cards you were dealt. The absence of electric instruments and drums allows Canty’s clear vocals, and the carefully observed and detailed tales in the songs, to take pride of place. That’s not to say that the instrumentation is lost in the mix, quite the contrary in fact. Her studio band, which featured four-time Grammy winner Sarah Jarosz (mandolin, banjo, vocals), Brittany Haas (fiddle), Paul Kowert (bass), and Canty’s husband Noam Pikelny (banjo), all contribute to the delightfully unhurried and often calming compilation of songs. The production was overseen by Chris Eldridge (Punch Brothers) and the tracks were recorded live over a four-day period at The Tractor Shed in Nashville. The warmth of the final mix plays out like an intimate live recording, an outcome that both Canty and Eldridge no doubt intended.

‘Gonna take my time in the middle of the road,’ announces Canty on Blue Sky Moon’s opening track. It’s a statement of intent mirrored in the fluid and unhurried pace of the album, as the writer reappraises the traumatic and exacting recent years. The backbone of the material is a newfound enthusiasm and acceptance of things both in and out of our control. References to the environment and nature are communicated in that opener and appear again on a number of other tracks. Canty is in splendid voice throughout, and in particular on the spell-binding Silver Sunset. It’s an intoxicating and emotive song that sits comfortably alongside Gillian Welch’s finest. She does pick the tempo up in Odds of Getting Even and Pull the Moon but it’s the slow burners, the title track included, that especially stand out.

Announcing the material from the album at the release launch at The Station Inn in Nashville, Canty admitted, ‘I stepped off the wheel for a while and now it’s test-the-waters time again. If you feel like hearing it, it’s there for you. But I’m not trying to convince anyone to love me anymore.’ On the contrary, QUIET FLAME should more than satisfy her admirers, and if her music is new to you, this is a delightful introduction and engaging listen from start to finish that more than merits your attention.  

Review by Declan Culliton

Rick Hornyak Dandelion Self Release

This album opens with some melodic rock and shows Hornyak versed in a mix of roots heartland rock, indie pop sensibilities and broad Americana. This is his second release and finds him in the production chair. His previous album MARIGOLD (released in 2011) featured fine players, such as Lloyd Maines and members of Robert Earl Keen’s band, he has again reached out to local musicians who have played with him live and Cindy Cashdollar returns to play steel as she did on the previous outing. Paul LeMond is a key player here on guitars, keyboards and vocals. Brad Johnson also plays a similar role on keyboards and accordion. The rhythm section is Ann Marie Harrop and Scott Matthews on bass and drums respectively and it’s rounded out by Danny G’s vocals. It was recorded over a period of time in a number of studios in Texas.

Hornyak supplies acoustic and electric guitars as well as the lead vocals and the songs. It opens in an inviting way with the melodic riff fuelled Shades Of Grey. This sets you up for the further nine tracks, which explore different aspects of Hornyak’s musical muse. Keyboards give Never Know Why a different approach with a strong repeated title chorus and a cutting rock guitar solo. There are songs here that look at the more positive sides of life like The Other Side and Drift Away, both are heart felt looks at the love and the sometime struggle it is to find it, themes that Hornyak doesn’t shy away from, looking as much at his own situation as the observations of others.

Continental Queen is a reference to a a recently lost lady who often inhabited the Continental Club to enjoy the ambience of the legendary venue. It features some steel guitar from Cashdollar in an affectionate and unhurried way. Taking a similarly easy pace is The Struggle With Destiny, which considers just that and how the world is both a big picture topic as well as one that has an immediate effect on one’s own situation.

There are moments when they amp up the guitar drive, such as in the appropriate discussion about Devil’s Daughter. These songs reveal Hornyak’s earlier, more metal influenced, past. Then again he mixes the sense of a ballad with the piano and with some guitar, blending different aspects of his vision on Wait For The Night, where the former steelworker, and many others in a similar lifestyle, look to the possibilities that exist as the day fades to night.

There are, as mentioned, a number of influences at work here but Hornyak brings them together with his overall arrangements and production values. The general feel is easily classifiable as Americana despite, or because of, its approach to blending these formats. Maybe not one for the honky-tonk fraternity, but redolent of an artist who is quietly seeking his own place for his personal journey. In doing so he will find those who will discover much to enjoy in his, often unhurried, music.

Review by Stephen Rapid

Tommy Stinson’s Cowboys In The Campfire Wronger Iceauk

The former Replacements, Bash & Pop, and sometime Guns & Roses musician has just released an album that is somewhat different from what those previous liaisons might suggest, though there are a couple of songs that have a degree of both bash and pop at their core. The album, his third solo outing, opens with the ukulele and brass elements of Here We Go Again, a song that perhaps acknowledges that he and his partner in campfire tales, Chris Roberts, are here and ready for action, though perhaps with a lesser approach than the big sound big arena shows that might have previously been the case. Roberts was something of a hired sideman but had worked with Stinson on some of his previous releases.

That’s It has more of that firepower and drive over its concise statement of intent that has elements of punk and hardcore country in it. The song Mr Wrong is again a short ode to a partner finding some solace and lasting time with the next partner. I’m personally immediately reminded of Squeeze in the next song, Schemes. Maybe that comparison is just mine, but it shows the sense of adventure that both bring to the album.

This is Stinson’s third solo album, but first in partnership with Roberts, which has seen them take a more contemplative approach to the sessions. Much more in the cow-punk direction, both sonically and lyrically, is Fall Apart Together, which has a relaxed twangy heart in its acceptance of a way to deal with life, if only for a short time. There is an awareness of the problems that divide America and the rest of the world in the way the lyrics of Hey Man calls out some of these issues.

We Ain’t again has that ‘cow-punk’ heritage and sound, with strong harmonies and some shit-kicking guitar. The acoustic guitars of Karma’s Bitch are again dealing with the darker moments. It is twangy in its look at how things can so easily go from bad to worse. There is a less defined sound, perhaps, on Souls, but it has some impassioned singing and telling guitar in the mix.

The album closes with Dream that is full of hope for the future and ends what is an album that rewards repeated playing, and shows the combination of Stinson and Roberts is one that will hopefully lead to some further collaborations. It would seem that the duo and their collaborators, such as X bassist John Doe’s adding vocal back-up on four tracks and Christine Smith’s production (she did half the album’s recording), lay the ground for this to happen in the future.

It is an album that has been widely well-received and seen as a likely candidate for the best album to bear Tommy Stinson’s name. There is a lot that is right about WRONGER and it is one that his fans can explore to discover its worth.

Review by Stephen Rapid

Water Tower Live From Los Angeles Self Release

Originally known as The Water Tower Bucket Boys and founded by Kenny Feinstein in Portland, Oregon in 2005, the latest iteration of the band developed when Feinstein moved to Los Angeles in 2018. Often in a state of flux when it comes to line up, the one constant is the irrepressible Feinstein, as he continues his creative goal to produce a high energy mash-up of his musical influences, which include old time, bluegrass, punk and jam band. Their irreverent take on string band roots music is thankfully underpinned by incredible prowess on multiple instruments, including acoustic guitars, banjos, mandolin and upright bass.

This new album was, incredibly, recorded in Palomino Studios in less than a day, in an attempt to capture their raw energy as they came off the back of a tour. LIVE FROM LOS ANGELES achieves this in spades, with fifteen tracks in all, and is a perfect introduction to the band for all who may be seeing them for the first time in their upcoming tour of Britain and Ireland.

This record features a bunch of traditional folk and old time songs, such as Reuben’s Train, Cotton Eyed Joe, Stay All Night, Lonesome Road Blues and Lester Flatt’s My Little Girl From Tennessee, all performed at breakneck speed and inducing a desire to get up and dance. The majority of the songs, however, are originals, mainly from the pen of Kenny Feinstein himself. California Love is a love song to the city of LA, perhaps the first cow punk rap about that town, name checking neighbourhoods like Compton and Watts, complete with grooving dual banjos and soulful harmonies! In George Washington, they take a humourous look at doomsday scenarios, after all ‘we’re all gonna die someday, and be forgotten’. When Feinstein first arrived in LA, he took to busking all day near an AM PM (a convenience store chain), and the song AM PM recounts many of his experiences there. Skante Warrior refers to a mythical character that can develop from addiction to crystal meth, and Mary Jane just might be a love song to something other than a woman of the same name. This reviewer particularly enjoyed Radio, an homage to one of life’s necessities, music radio.

The band’s current lineup is completed by Tommy Drinkard (banjo and guitar) and Jesse Blue Eades, a prodigy on bass, who brings a jazz influence into the heady mix. Don’t miss their tour, if you’re within reach of any of the venues.

Review by Eilís Boland

Edie Carey The Veil Self Release

Quite how this artist has escaped the attention of Lonesome Highway until now will have to remain one of those mysteries that linger in the ether. Edie Carey is a singer-songwriter and Folk/Roots artist who delivers her beautifully emotive music with literate lyricism and a deeply human touch. From her Boston beginnings, Carey has seen her music career blossom across time spent in New York, Europe and currently as a resident of Colorado Springs with her young family.  While studying at Colombia University in New York Carey began her interest in becoming a musician while attending concerts on campus and listening to artists like Bonnie Raitt and Shawn Colvin. A year spent in Italy saw her busking her own fledgling songs and when she returned to America, Carey released a debut album The Falling Places in 1998.

This new release marks the eleventh album in the career of this highly erudite and impressive songwriter and her talent is reflected in her engaging vocal prowess and empathic guitar playing. Carey sings in a beautifully warm tone and the rich texture of her melodies is particularly captivating, inviting the listener into a safe place of tonal colour and quiet calm.  Produced by Scott Wiley (Bonnie Raitt, Ryan Adams, Elliott Smith) at the June Audio Recording Studios in Provo, Utah, the assembled musicians that form the core studio band include the talents of Wylie himself (various keyboards and guitars), Paul Jacobsen (guitars, vocals), John Standish (piano), Stuart Maxfield (guitars, bass, viola, vocals) and Aaron Anderson (drums).

There are quite a few additional guests who contribute on various tracks, including Rose Cousins, Sarah Sample, and Megan Burtt on backing vocals. Other appearances worthy of attention are Stuart Wheeler (string arrangements), Sam Cardon (Hammond B3, Dolceola),Chad Truman (Hammond B3), Mai Bloomfield (cello, backing vocals), Cassie Olsen (cello), Emily Brown (viola), Aaron Ashton (violin), Rebecca Moench (violin), and Ryan Tilby (upright bass).

The twelve songs delve deeply into personal relationships and the sensitive territory covered is at once familiar in the recognition of places that we have all been. There is a comfort in the sharing that makes the various paths we may take seem to eventually arrive at a common destination. Carey’s soulful voice adds a real emotional punch to reflections on life, love, marriage and the challenges of parenthood. There is real intelligence and contemplation at play here, as Carey seeks to explore her vulnerability in the search for meaningful communication and a sense of belonging.

The album title song, The Veil, looks at the fragility of life from the perspective of the love of a parent, the arrival of new life in the world, and a car accident which almost took everything away. The theme of the veil runs through many of the songs, whether as a symbol of religious significance, of modesty and humility, in wedding ceremonies and mourning rituals, or of mystery and the thin line that separates the known world from that of the deep beyond. Carey muses ‘We thought that we could catch the moon, In the window of the way back.’ With these opening lines the album begins to reveal itself and considers the passage of time, the events that shape us and which can dictate our lives.

It would be easy to assume that every song is written from personal life lessons but there is a perspective that Carey uses to reflect the experiences of others in her songs which leaves it up to the listener to decide. That ability to inhabit a character in order to illustrate an emotion is a real gift and bears witness to the empathy and sensitivity that is at the core of this artist’s talents. A number of the songs no doubt draw on personal experience but the true gift here is in taking the personal and making it universal.

The Old Me is a song that looks at isolation in relationships, at what once was and the fear of verbalising frustrated feelings. Such a keenly observed portrait of loneliness. Equally The Chain looks at the challenge of keeping a relationship from sinking under. ‘Your broken language benediction, This unspoken false competition, When will we ever lay our armour down?’ – the walls we erect and the insecurities we all struggle to overcome. The Teacher looks to parenthood doubts and whether we are doing the right thing. Carey offers good counsel to be easy on yourself ‘I know those voices and all their lies, Maybe it’s time we set them all on fire.’

I Know This is written in tribute to the front-line workers during the pandemic. Those medical angels and service heroes who risked their lives on a daily basis in the care of others. Georgia is another tribute song, this time to the lasting memory of Georgia O’Keeffe painter and the "Mother of American modernism", who died in 1986. Carey reflects on her life and asks ‘I wonder, Georgia, Were you ever lonely? The silence spilling out, Endlessly before you.’

All That Space is a song written from the perspective of a woman who has lost her identity and craves freedom in a relationship in order to try and recapture her old self. The suffocation of routine pulling on everything ‘I gotta hold the wheel now, I need you to let me drive.’ Another song Who I Was highlights younger scars and the cracks that break relationships apart. There is a sense of rueful regret and also an anger in the reflections that are mirrored in the song dynamic, an angry band workout against a frustration in the lyric that raises past mistakes ‘Starved myself for what? Bargained with a God I didn’t trust, There was nothing that I didn’t try.’

This album is the essence of contemporary folk music today, mature, open, beautifully performed and delivered with such knowing and compassionate grace. A powerful display of talent and in my top albums of the year so far.

Review by Paul McGee

Sam Burton Dear Departed Partisan

A debut album, I Can Go with You, appeared in 2020 and heralded the arrival of this musician and songwriter from Salt Lake City.  Burton was also part of a local shoegaze band The Circulars in addition to joining the psyche-folk trio SYLVIE for their superb 2022 debut album.  This new solo project has the production magic of Jonathan Wilson (Father John Misty, Angel Olsen, Dawes, Margo Price) as a key influence throughout.

In the absence of any musician credits, I have to assume that Wilson and Burton are the key players on these ten songs of love and loss. There is an unhurried, languid quality and atmosphere to the vocal delivery and the lush string arrangements. A gentle album delivered in such a timeless fashion that the listener feels like part of a dream state. The melodic swell of strings lifts the relaxed and liquorice delivery of Burton to perfection. It could be 1960s dream folk and it could be stoned reverie on a sunny afternoon in the hills of some far-away place.

Burton has recently been moving around the greater Los Angeles area, including a period spent writing in a cabin in northern California. ‘The mirror of the world it is no friend of mine’ he sings on My Love and you get the sense that Burton is seeking to return to a simpler place post-Covid where he can plug into something real again. The pastoral qualities are perfect for the sense of letting go that walks the line here with lonely echoes of rueful nostalgia. The overall sound is so seductive and somewhat reminiscent of the great Jimmy Webb . I just wish that Burton had another gear that he could shift into occasionally as the similarity across the ten songs can appear repetitive. However, it is a very pleasing listening experience overall even if song titles such as I Don’t Blame You, Coming Down On Me and Empty Handed do hint at a broken heart in need of mending.

Review by Paul McGee

Lukas Nelson and PTOR Sticks and Stones 6ACE/Thirty Tigers

Since their formation back in 2008 Promise Of the Real (PTOR) has comprised Lukas Nelson (lead vocals, guitar), Anthony LoGerfo (drums, percussion), Corey McCormick (bass guitar, vocals), Logan Metz (keyboards, lap steel, guitar, harmonica, vocals), and Tato Melgar (percussion). Through constant gigging they have grown in status to being the chosen backing band of Neil Young from 2015 to 2019. Nelson also co-produced the music for the film, A Star Is Born, writing songs with Lady Gaga, and PTOR appeared in the film as Bradley Cooper's band. Nelson won a BAFTA Award for Best Original Music and a Grammy Award for Best Compilation Soundtrack.

When you add in the formative years spent learning music under the guiding hand and watchful eye of father Willie Nelson then the fact that Lukas Nelson delivers this eight studio album in some style is really no surprise. The band sound is so tightly honed after years on the road and the studio setting of Chateau Oblivion is an appropriate location for this fun romp through the twelve tracks included. Self-produced by the band, the album has plenty of tongue-in-cheek lyrics and the songs are a real slice of country cool and clever arrangements. The honky tonk groove of Every Time I Drink is typical of the dynamic here with a loose piano boogie circling around the sharp guitar motifs. The theme of getting wasted is repeated on tracks like the title, Sticks and Stones, ‘Sometimes when I’m uninspired, I take a hit to get me higher.’ Similarly, the excellent Alcohallelujah talks about ‘Sunday funday, Headache Monday’ and ‘Day drinkin’ trying to float, I can’t even drive the boat.’

More Than Frends features Lainey Wilson on co-vocal and some nicely rounded playing as the couple seek to leave friendship behind and go for the next step in their relationship. Ladder Of Love is a rockabilly workout that highlights the great band playing again while Wrong House is a song about arriving drunk at the door of a neighbour ‘Simple weekend on the town, Woke up naked on the ground.’

Icarus reminds me of a Buddy Holly song in the rhythm and vocal tones with a message about time to settle down and start producing grandkids for the parents. On the song Overpass Lukas sounds so like his father with the vocal and this is only to be expected on various tracks with the apple never falling far from the tree. Although Willie has a very distinctive guitar style I’m thinking that Lukas has probably got the drop on him when it comes to lyrical playing; his fluent guitar is really superb throughout the album and especially on this song.

The fast pace takes a break on Lying, a gentle acoustic song that speaks of a longing to be with the one you love. Lukas sings this one with such easy charm and a clarity in the delivery.  The easy theme continues on Four Winds and a melody that reminds me of Glen Campbell in his day, harmonica and lap steel adding to the rich textures. The View ends things with a simple love song about staying home with loved ones and leaving the road behind.

This is an album of celebration for the little things and for communicating with each other. There is a real sense of the band having fun and relaxing into these fine songs, never more so than on If I Didn’t Love You where the lyric says ‘Why did I call, When you were just thinkin’ of me? It’s simple serendipity, that’s all.’ No doubt that this is a band of musical brothers who dial into each other on the right wavelength and who know how to produce excellent music that is endearing in its veiled simplicity. A superb outing.

Review by Paul McGee

Jason Eady, Erin Viancourt, Caitlin Canty, Rick Hornyak, Tommy Stinson, Water Tower, Edie Carey, Sam Burton, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real.

New Album Reviews

West Texas Exiles Volume 1 Floating Mesa

This 6 track EP introduces the West Texas Exiles to an unsuspecting world. They lay out their stall on the opener Exile, which finds them planning a return to West Texas, ‘Out here tryin’ to outrun my fate/While I still got my boots on my feet’. The five band members mostly hail from Lubbock, Amarillo and El Paso in West Texas, but came together in Austin, where they play in various bands and naturally gravitated towards each other. Being from Texas, their sound is, as you would expect, country rock with the emphasis squarely on the rock. Comprising three songwriters - Colin Gilmore (son of Jimmy Dale and a solo artist in his own right), Marco Gutierrez and Daniel Davis, along with bass player/producer Eric Harrison and power drummer Trinidad Leal - between them they have the musical chops and the vocal abilities to carry off their excellent original songs. There’s a fun live feel to the production on these tracks and I suspect it is in the live shows that they really come into their own.

Hotel Tomorrow and New Moon Foe deal with fear/anxiety and depression, although always holding on to hope for the future, and all expressed in an upbeat melodious riot of guitars, keys, bass and drums. In Sweet LA they demonstrate a softer side, probably the closest they get to an almost bluegrassy/country ballad, a song of regret for a lost love, with lush harmonies, accordion and Colin Gilmore’s mandolin. The anthemic Monday Night finds them revelling in ‘working on their best bad habits’ and ’buzzin’ like that open sign’, all contributing to the impression of a ‘good time being had by all’.

The artwork on the album really impresses also, with its stylised snakes and roses.

Not surprisingly, WTXE have been touring constantly since they formed barely a year ago, and they will be showcasing at the Americana Festival in Nashville this year. I look forward to Volume 2. Ones to watch!

Review by Eilís Boland

Doug Levitt Edge of Everywhere Self Release

Doug Levitt’s debut album has been a long time coming. Twelve years and 120,000 miles traversing the US on the ubiquitous Greyhound buses has yielded this monumental album among other things, including BBC documentaries (one in 2018 and more to come later in 2023) and countless interviews on major US and British TV news programmes.

Produced by Trina Shoemaker (Emmylou, Brandi Carlile) in Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, each of the twelve songs depicts the story of one of the many characters that Levitt got to know on those interminable journeys cross country. Greyhound buses transport almost exclusively those on the margins of life, the poor, the ex-cons, the homeless, the addicted. It was a strange place to find a ‘privileged white boy’, originally from DC, a former Cornell and LSE graduate and a Fulbright scholar, who became a London based foreign correspondent in his former life. Deciding to dedicate his life to music, Levitt almost accidentally embarked on his odyssey, playing his songs in prisons, at VAs (veterans’ hospitals) and shelters. The enforced camaraderie that developed between the long distance travellers on the Greyhound buses allowed Levitt to hear the stories behind the random faces, the stories he tells with an empathy that leaps out of each track, many of them told verbatim, as he heard them.

There’s Susie who’s in her early 60s, and ‘can’t get no rest on 40 West’, driving big trucks for a living. She left her job in the Air Force years ago to look after her young son, who needed her more. ‘Long haul trips from the Gulf/18 wheels and the miles they feel like the years that roll’.

And Ellis, in Born In West Virginia, a veteran who returned home from war to feel like a stranger in his own country. Then there’s Hector, an agricultural truck driver living in El Centro, a border town in Southern California, who is wracked with guilt. Run It All Back recounts the story of how his son  is accidentally shot, and Hector blames himself because they were living in a bad area, and he ‘would give anything to run it all back’.

Through time, Levitt began to realise that he too was running - from the traumatic memories of his father’s suicide when Levitt was just 16. In Highway Signs he acknowledges that ‘I didn’t know then how those stories spoke to me…It’s a tale of so many others/just threaded through me’.

The whole album is bathed in a soothing Americana soundscape, expertly curated by Shoemaker, allowing Levitt’s tender and simultaneously strong vocals to shine through.

Explore all the songs here yourself, check out the documentaries and videos, and if you’re lucky you might even catch Levitt playing Cambridge Folk Festival at the end of July.

Review by Eilís Boland

Beth Bombara It All Goes Up Black Mesa

‘I never set out to be a lead singer, I wasn’t comfortable being in the spotlight like that’, confesses the Grand Rapid, Michigan artist Beth Bombara in the press release that accompanied this album. The encouragement to reconsider this came from the numerous fellow musicians that Bombara played with over a career that found her playing guitar, bass and percussion in a number of bands over the years. Fortunately, she heeded that advice and IT ALL GOES UP is her sixth full album, the last being the first-class EVERGREEN from 2019, which drew comparisons with Aimee Mann from ourselves at Lonesome Highway.

Her latest project, despite having been written during the dark days of the pandemic, finds Bombara in a more upbeat and optimistic headspace, without abandoning the blueprint that worked so well on its predecessor. The songs - ten in total - were written on an old classical guitar that she rediscovered stored in a closet for many years. Four were co-written with co-producer Kit Hamon, who also played bass guitar, percussion, synthesizer and added backing vocals.

Bombara’s buoyant temperament is particularly to the fore on the jaunty Tom Pettyesque Everything I Wanted. It’s the liveliest track on the album, the remaining songs being generally mid-paced with the emphasis on the carefully observed detail in the writing. Many of these songs reflect the environment they were conceived in, with references to slowing down and living in the moment (Moment, Fade) and yearning for a return to normality in the prayer-like gorgeous ballad, Lonely Walls. Overtones of loneliness and separation surface on Carry The Weight, followed by more cheerful and romantic sentiments on Electricity.

IT ALL GOES UP is not a radical departure from Bombara’s previous record, EVERGREEN. Unhurried and intimate, understandable given the period when the songs were written, it offers a most impressive batch of songs expressed with vocals that articulate both vulnerability and optimism in equal doses.

Review by Declan Culliton

Brigid O’Neill The Truth and Other Stories Self Release

We go back to 2002 to find this artist’s debut album, INLAND SAILOR. Based in Northern Ireland, Brigid O’Neill seemed to take a break from her career until a new EP of songs arrived in 2014. Another album, TOUCHSTONE appeared in 2017, followed by a further run of singles and another EP, all of which led to the release of this latest album, recorded at Skinny Elephant studios in Nashville.

The producer is the much vaunted Nielsen Hubbard and he has called upon some top musicians to bring these eleven songs to life. We are treated to the silky playing talents of  Will Kimbrough and Doug Lancio (guitars), Dan Mitchell (piano, organ and flugelhorn), Eamon McLoughlin (fiddle), Dean Marold (bass), with Neilson Hubbard also contributing drums and percussion.

Lead vocals are provided by Brigid O’Neill and she also called upon a number of musician friends to join her on backing vocals, including Siobhan Maher Kennedy, Cormac Neeson, Matt McGinn, Amy Montgomery and again, Neilson Hubbard. The album is a really pleasant listening experience with O’Neill’s voice complemented by the nuanced and interpretive playing of the gathered musicians. Her vocal tone is warm and her phrasing is full of subtle expression.

Starting with the commercial sound of Live A Little Lie Oh and the sing-along chorus, the song is both catchy and memorable for the bright production and separation on all the instruments. Definitely a radio-friendly single in the making. The mood changes dramatically on the next song Easy which is a sad, slow melody that captures the pain that a lot of people keep hidden under the façade of a brave face. ‘We see him in the local bar, he’s always on his own, He says he has more time to think when he drinks alone.’ The message is one that says ultimately, we are all alone as we go through life, looking for connection and a sense of safe harbour.

The easy melody of Ask Me In A Year features some fine guitar and piano interplay in a song about taking time to find yourself.  There is a real traditional Country sound on Prayers with some superb guitar, fiddle and mandolin interplay. Similarly, You’re Not Gonna Leave Me Honey has that Country twang of banjo, fiddle and acoustic guitar, reflecting a tale of tangled love. Messy Path slows it all down with another classic Country sound that channels the memory of Kitty Wells and a tale of heartbreak in the game of love. Again, the wonderful understated playing is just perfect for the sentiment in the song.

Leaving is a more poignant look at domestic abuse and the decision taken to accept the reality that something that’s broken cannot always be glued back together. Take A Day has a sweet arrangement and the message that sometimes what you have in life is more than enough. The slow jazz groove of Midweek Magic Club is another interesting departure and the sultry vocal and noír feel to the music dangles the promise of hidden pleasures that lie in store.

Amelia looks at a new life in the world and the joy of love, hope and the infinite possibility that a baby brings. The final song Pilot’s Weather is the ideal way to bring everything home with a lovely arrangement that includes some beautiful flugelhorn courtesy of Dan Mitchell, strummed guitars and a message to always follow your own instincts when looking for your own path. This is a very impressive album from a very talented Irish artist who has written some excellent songs and assembled an elite band of wonderful musicians to bring her vision to reality. Highly recommended.

Review by Paul McGee

Bonny Doon Let There Be Music Anti-

This is the third release from a trio that was formed in  Detroit, Michigan. The band consists of Jake Kmiecik (drums), Bill Lennox (guitar, vocals) and Bobby Colombo (guitar, vocals). Although the musicians now reside in different parts of America, they still retain their love of creating music together and despite recent setbacks, including illness and hold ups in their creative process due to touring commitments as the backing band for Waxahatchee (songwriter Katie Crutchfield), three friends have produced a very exciting new album.

The blissed out sound of Maybe Today typifies their sweetly undulating melodies and harmonies with additional piano courtesy of Michael Malis. His contributions on keyboards cannot be understated as the song structures are brought to living colour by some understated layering and up-tempo dynamics. It is the twin song-writing talents and guitar prowess of Colombo and Lennox that drives the creative process but the drumming and percussion of Kmiecik anchors everything in order for these gentle sounds to take flight.

It could be California in the 1960s with everyone wearing flowers in their hair, such is the sense of space and time on these tracks. Fine Afternoon is an example with its easy melody and light arrangement –  however it masks the lines ‘That I’m always searching for the thing that’s right under my nose, That I’m looking for a rainbow while I’m pissing in a pot of gold.’ Dreaming of a better tomorrow while today continues to unravel.

The theme of being close to falling apart at the seams is never far away in the underlying sentiment even though there is also a river of hope running through the soul of these songs. The title track has the lines ‘ Let there be kindness, Let there be fun, Let there be lightness, In everyone.’ Also, in the song San Francisco that sense of inclusion surfaces with ‘Everybody’s waiting, Everybody’s got a dream, Everybody’s looking for what they’ve never seen.’   

However, on the song You Can’t Stay the Same the clock is ticking on life and there is still so much to be achieved ‘No matter how you play the game, No matter what you try to tame, No matter how you run from change, You can’t stay the same.’ The music has a timeless quality to it, despite the message that change is inevitable and the production by the band and Brian Fox is flawless. A very enticing and engaging album.

Review by Paul McGee

Jeff Larson It’ll Never Happen Again Melody Place

This 6-track EP is in tribute to the great songwriting talent of Tim Hardin, the famous musician and composer who died at the young age of thirty nine. Tim Hardin had many highlights during a career that included a Woodstock appearance and many accolades, including a tribute from Bob Dylan, who was inspired by Hardin’s songs.

Jeff Larsson has been releasing music the 1990s and his honeyed vocal tone has always been a standout feature across a discography that includes many fine albums. In 2000 he released a forty-three track compilation of his work up to that date, which is the perfect place to start if you are new to his music. He grew up in San Francisco and has collaborated with Gerry Beckley, a founding member of the band America, in previous years. Indeed, this project was suggested and produced by Beckley, who also plays a number of instruments on the six chosen tracks. Included are the great hit songs Reason To Believe and If I Were A Carpenter both of which have been covered by numerous artists over time. Perhaps less well known are the other songs , It'll Never Happen Again, Don't Make Promises, Misty Roses and How Can We Hang On To A Dream.

On this tribute, Misty Roses is given a light Bossa Nova arrangement that works particularly well and It’ll Never Happen Again has a jazz-tinged slow groove, with Rick Braun (trumpet) and Jonathan Zwartz (bass) providing key contributions to the lovely melody. How Can We Hang On To A Dream includes Matt Beckley (backwards electric guitar), Jim Hoke (flute), Austin Hoke (cello) and Kristin Weber (violin), string arrangement by Gerry Beckley and the beautiful timeless vocal of Jeff Larson bringing everything to a perfect conclusion.

Across these songs Jeff Larson contributes lead vocals and acoustic guitar while Gerry Beckley juggles piano, acoustic and electric guitars, organ, accordion, strings bass, drums, supported by the additional talents of Joachim Cooder (electric mbira, drums, percussion), and Matt Combs (mandola, fiddle). The EP was recorded at studios in Sydney, Australia and Southern California. There is definitely room to turn this into a fully-fledged album release, given the amount of quality material to draw from, but for now this is a very tasty sampler and worthy of your attention.

Review by Paul McGee

Bill Price Kicking Angels Grass Magoops

Four songs and nineteen minutes of music on this EP from a very talented singer songwriter based in Indianapolis, Indiana.  This is his most recent project and past releases have all celebrated the dedication that Price has to the creative process. He is also a successful graphic designer and creates all his own album cover artwork.

All four songs deal with the abuse of power and question the short-sighted focus on the need for self-promotion above all else. The welfare of the common man gets pushed down the line and in the overall order of things, counts for little. Produced at The Lodge Recording Studios in Indianapolis, the songs are very much alive and engaging. The vocal style of Price reminds me of Tom Petty and his righteous anger comes to the fore on the first song Kicking Angels with the observation that ‘Angels don’t dream small, We know wings trump walls.’  A nice lyrical segue. Political hubris and spin will not convince everyone of apparent sincerity and all that is false in the kingdom of the blind.

50 Miles From Nowhere follows the core theme with an attack on winning at all costs ‘they think that he’s made history by the wars that he has won, but a man’s name will be weighed by every deed he’s done.’ Be Nice Or Get Out has a nice string introduction before electric guitars come into the arrangement and lay down a rocking groove that includes some nice slide guitar and harmony vocals in the middle eight section. Again, a message of the need for tolerance if we are all to progress as an enlightened race.  Final song Bringing Down the Sun is a dreamy song with flugelhorn and cello mixed with some sweet electric guitar lines. A very interesting EP and one that will have me reaching out to other recording from this accomplished artist.

Review by Paul McGee

Malcolm Holcombe Bits and Pieces Proper

North Carolina native and prolific songwriter Malcolm Holcombe has seen it all and done more than most in a career that has spanned close on thirty years. His craft has been lauded by many of his contemporaries in Roots music circles and comparisons have been made to both John Prine and Tom Waits. Of course, there is really nobody to compare to the unique spirit and talent of Malcolm Holcombe. When it comes to authenticity then this man is the real deal. Who was it that said “comparison is the thief of joy,” - perhaps Teddy Roosevelt was onto something back then?

On this new release, Holcombe is joined by multi-instrumentalist Jared Taylor who has been a regular collaborator over the years, playing regularly with him and producing a number of prior albums. Holcombe sings with an authentic rasp in his vocal, as if he’s so fed up with all that he sees surrounding him, that he just has to spit out the bad taste in his mouth. These thirteen songs were written during 2021 and they portray various aspects of his world view, often portrayed through characters in different life situations. The power of observation in something that Holcombe has in common with all the great songwriters and if there is a little bit of himself in many of the song characters, then all the better for the perspective.

Holcombe sings of people on the edge of normality, the fringe of what counts as acceptable; the dealers, gamblers, hustlers, thieves and down-at-heels in society. Holcombe also trains his sights on the powerful enclaves that dictate the lives of those who survive by doing what they must; the politicians and businessmen whose only god is avarice and the accumulation of wealth. In this sense, he represents a modern-day Woody Guthrie, with a righteous anger and a wake-up call to those who deal in causing misery.

On Conscience Of Man he declares ‘I will not hide from the words of justice, I will not join the cries of liars, I will not keep my heart from climbing from the dust I swallowed behind.’ Equally, on Rubbin’ Elbows he takes a swipe at social climbers and those who seek entry to the club of easy living, ‘Woncha grease my palm, Slap me on the back, Meet my younger sister and kiss my ass.’

On this album, Holcombe’s eighteenth, I have the impression that the process is every bit as important as the end product. In 2022, Holcombe was diagnosed with cancer and he decided to enter the studio with his friend to get these songs recorded. Holcombe was at home in Echo Mountain studios, Ashville, NC and the therapeutic gains for the musicians in the playing process no doubt brought a sense of acceptance and calm to the battle faced against illness. The song, The Wind Doesn’t Know You, touches on the concept of time passing with the lines, ‘It’s an everyday battle wakin’ up in the morning, With the rattle and the hustles of the cars, and the warnin’ of the pressure every measure of the clock ticking forward.’

The interplay between the two musicians is incredible and really kicks up a storm when they are in full flight. There is great clarity and space on the production, which Jared Taylor shared with Brian Brinkerhoff. Holcombe has a fascinating guitar style that mixes fingerstyle picking with percussive elements that colour the playing. If you check out some of his Shed Shows on social media then you will be able to witness the true essence of this national treasure. He even plays some of these shows with a visible nasal cannula, attached to a mobile oxygen canister, while he was still in recovery. Happily, the news is positive and Holcombe is now in remission.

This is acoustic blues, mixed with plenty of roots leanings in folk music traditions and beyond. Long may this gritty survivor keep holding up a mirror to modern society and maintain a necessary presence in our lives. Do yourself a favour and purchase this essential and vibrant music.

Review by Paul McGee

Andrew Hawkey Hindsight Mole Lodge

This collection is sub titled ‘ Andrew Hawkey at 80 - A Fifty Year Overview.’ The album cover art leaves much to be desired, but that apart, we are given a total of seventeen songs to celebrate a talent that flourished from London to rural Wales, mainly in the late 1960s through to the 1980s. Indeed, thirteen of the tracks included here cover that period, with the opening five taken from early cassette recordings. It brought me back to my own youth, hearing tape hiss again, and although the songs themselves possess an innocent quality to the lyrics and a fragile sound, it left me wondering if such an authentic approach ultimately serves the end product?

No doubt, Andrew Hawkey moved in very worthy circles back then and played with numerous talented musicians. His guitar playing is certainly very expressive and while mainly falling into the acoustic arena, his ability on other instruments is featured as the collection develops to include harmonica, electric guitar, and keyboards. Hawkey spent two decades playing in a blues band, Pat Grover’s Blues Zeros, represented here by a singular track dating back to 1994, with a cover of Sonny Boy Williamson’s classic Help Me.  A temporary sojourn in France followed the disbandment of this band, together with the closure of the Cambria Arts music venue which was run by Hawkey. Indeed over his career, Hawkey has worn many hats, from solo artist and writer, to promoter and producer.

It is a diverse collection which reflects the many twists and turns that fate threw his way, with a number of different genres influencing the choices, from acoustic folk to blues and rock with side projects including writing for films. An instrumental track Desert Moon channels a Mark Knopfler style and the sultry vocals of Jane Gilbert on Take Me highlight a suggestive, sexy performance over a repeating keyboard melody. A song that leaves little to the imagination.

In 2015, after a break of many years, Hawkey released a solo album, What Did I Come Up Here For? He followed this with another solo project in 2020 and the release of Long Story Short. The final three songs represent where Hawkey now finds himself with Spirit representing his singer-songwriter origins and a nice acoustic based melody that looks at a message of both contentment and peace. A reworking of opening track Between Two Horizons follows and yields a much more engaging version with a look back down the path and a reflective vocal performance. The project ends on a short instrumental Just the Sky featuring simple harmonica and guitar in a brief contemplation on what has passed and what the future may hold.

As with any such anthology, there are uneven parts that stop the natural flow across the songs but then again the true spirit of any such collection is to show the artist in all the various forms and configurations of his career. The journey has been a long one and the information booklet included contains well researched notes at every stage, highlighting many of the local bands that inspired and influenced along the way. Not for everyone, but the easy representation of folk, Americana and blues will appeal to those who have grown up with a knowledge of Andrew Hawkey and his music.

Review by Paul McGee

West Texas Exiles, Doug Levitt, Beth Bombara, Brigid O'Neill Music, Bonny Doon, Jeff Larson Music, Malcolm Holcombe