New Album Reviews

Holly Macve Wonderland Loving Memory 

‘This time, I will not follow anything other than my heart, red ribbons and velvet, no man will ever leave my world dark,’ announces Holly Macve in the opening lines of her third album. The defiant words are taken from the title track of the Galway, Ireland-born and Yorkshire-raised artist’s latest album as she moves on from a long-term relationship. That ordeal, coupled with a motor accident which could have been fatal but fortunately resulted in only minor bruising, gave Macve substantial ammunition for her latest record.

Our initial introduction to Macve was her appearance at the Kilkenny Roots Festival in 2017, a renowned platform for emerging folk, roots and indie artists, where she impressively showcased material from her debut album, GOLDEN EAGLE. That album was followed by NOT THE GIRL in 2021. For this writer, those two records draw comparisons with a diverse range of artists and bands, from Bobby Gentry to P.J. Harvey and Mazzy Star to The Velvet Underground. 

Like many artists, Macve uses the songwriting medium to open and explore wounds that are not yet fully healed and address issues from former and current times by exorcising them. A point in case is the quite stunning Beauty Queen, where she addresses being taken advantage of by an older man and, though blameless, the guilt and hurt it unfairly bestowed on her. San Fran Honey speaks of a ‘dodged-bullet relationship’, mercifully avoided.

As is the case throughout the album’s twelve songs, the arrangements are sublime. They range from luscious strings complementing Macve's vocals (Best Of Your Heart, Suburban House, Colour Them Gold) to piano and key-led ballads (1995, To Be Loved).

Macve has quite a unique vocal styling that quivers, ebbs, and flows flawlessly - Lana Del Rey described her as ‘one of the most beautiful singing voices in the world.’ That compliment led to Del Rey sharing vocals on the album’s track Suburban House (over twelve million Spotify plays to date), a contribution that should deservedly introduce Macve to a broader audience.

WONDERLAND is an enchanting gateway into the mind of an artist whose haunting and lonesome songs are often beautifully communicated and whose talents have fully blossomed on this album.

Declan Culliton

Ray Charles - Modern Sounds in Country And Western Music, Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music Vol. 2, Country & Western Meets Rhythm & Blues, Crying Time and Best of Country & Western Compilation Tangerine

Ray Charles, an artist who presented a treasure chest of country songs to literally millions of music lovers with his 1962 album, MODERN SOUNDS in COUNTRY AND WESTERN MUSIC, significantly elevated the profile of country music at that time. His influence, particularly on the Nashville Countrypolitan sound, drew listeners (who may otherwise have considered country music crude) into the more mainstream direction that popular music coming out of Nashville was going. The album’s title may be misleading, which was possibly the intention of ABC-Paramount Records at the time to promote country music to a broader audience. It’s hardly a reflection of Country and Western music in the true sense per se and more of a selection of country, western swing, and folk tunes. 

The songs are presented in a very listenable format, with Charles’ classic vocal tones supported by a large band, including string and horn sections. There is as much R&B, pop, and jazz as country in the mix, with Charles putting his stamp on classic songs penned by Hank Williams (You Win Again, Hey Good Lookin’), Don Gibson (I Can’t Stop Loving You), and Eddy Arnold & Cindy Walker (You Don’t Know Me) and Eddy Arnold & Zake Clements (Just A Little Lovin’).  

Given the commercial success that the album enjoyed, Volume 2 followed hot on its heels in the same year. The format was the same with versions of what were to become classic songs, including You Are My Sunshine written by Jimmie Davis and Charles Mitchell and again tapping into the Don Gibson (Oh, Lonesome Me and Don’t Tell Me Your Troubles) and Hank Williams (Your Cheating Heart) songbooks. Both albums were gold sellers, with Vol.1 topping the U.S. Charts and Vol.2 reaching the No.2 spot, a testament to the enduring appeal of Charles' music.

Continuing his musical journey, Ray Charles released COUNTRY & WESTERN MEETS RHYTHM & BLUES in 1965, marking the first recording in his own RPM International recording studio. The album, following the format of his earlier successes, featured standout renditions of Buck Owens’ Together Again and Bill Monroe’s Blue Moon Of Kentucky, further solidifying Charles' influence on the music industry. 

CRYING TIME was released the following year and won a Grammy for Best Rhythm and Blues Solo Vocal Performance. Let’s Go Get Stoned, from the album, had been recorded the previous year by The Coasters and hit the top spot for Charles on the Billboard charts.

BEST OF COUNTRY & WESTERN is a new compilation of tracks selected from the albums of that purple patch of recordings from 1962 to 1966. It may be the best starting point for those unfamiliar with Charles’ interpretations of some iconic songs. But be warned: once this compilation has whetted your appetite, you are most likely to dive in and seek out the other four albums. 

Declan Culliton

Bronwyn Keith-Hynes I Built A World Sugar Petunia

Grammy winner and IBMA Fiddle Player of the Year in 2021 and 2022, Charlottesville native Bronwyn Keith-Hynes invited guests Sarah Jarosz, Chris Eldridge, and Tim O'Brien to add vocals to her stunning fiddle playing on her 2020 album FIDDLER'S PASTIME. This time, and taking a leaf out of Alison Krauss' book, Bronwyn takes the lead vocal and musical arranger role on I BUILD A WORLD by adding her voice alongside her stunning instrumentation. As was the case with her debut album, she is joined by a host of household names in the bluegrass and country genres, who contribute an array of instruments and backing vocals. 

Like a musical journey through time, the album is a delightful mix of old-time, country and bluegrass arrangements. An example is the song Trip Around The Sun written by Al Anderson, Stephen Bruton, and Sharon Vaughn. With backing vocals by Dierks Bentley, it is a simply gorgeous country ballad. On the other hand, Scotty's Hoedown will please the bluegrass purists; it showcases Bronwyn's extraordinary fiddle playing from start to finish and features Scott Vestal's slick banjo. 

Molly Tuttle and Sam Bush add their voices to album opener Can't Live Without Love, and Bronwyn is joined on harmony vocals by Dudley Connell on Will You Ever Be Mine. Brit Taylor takes the guest backing vocalist spot on Answers. Peter Rowan's mournful immigration song, Angel Island, is beautifully covered and further enhanced by Jerry Douglas' dobro contribution. Fellow fiddle player, Bronwyn's new husband and Del McCoury band member Jason Carter joins her on fiddle on the Don Gibson-written Don't Tell Me Your Troubles and on the title track that closes the album. 

I BUILT A WALL boasts a star-studded list of contributors, but the plaudits must go to Bronwyn Keith-Hynes. Her talents truly shine here; her playing is a joy to behold, and she can now add vocals as an instrument that caps off her undisputed talents. A mesmerising journey from the outset and an album to put a smile on your face, whether you are a die-hard bluegrass or a country music lover. 

Declan Culliton

Mindy Smith Quiet Town Compass

Mindy Smith boasts a honeyed voice that immediately draws the listener into her songs. As is the case with her latest album, she matches that with her capacity to write well-constructed and heartfelt material. Twelve years after the release of her last self-titled album in 2012, she returns with an eleven-track record titled QUIET TOWN.

Smith's personal journey is intricately woven into the fabric of this album. Raised by adoptive parents in Long Island, she connected with her birth family in 2014, based in the Blue Ridge/Appalachian Mountain district. This late-life discovery resonates in several tracks, particularly the duet and co-write with Daniel Tashian, Hour Of My Departure.

Recorded at Skinny Elephant Recording Studio in Smith's East Nashville neighbourhood, the production duties were overseen by Neilson Hubbard, who, alongside a host of Nashville session players contributed to the recording. Megan McCormick (electric guitar), Juan Solorzano (acoustic guitar, pedal steel), Will Kimbrough (electric guitar), Lex Price (bass), and Danny Mitchell (piano, horns) are all credited with breathing life into Smith's songs.

The album's title track has a tinge of sadness and appreciation. Recalling how Nashville has changed quite dramatically in recent years, Smith expresses her gratitude for the city's more laid-back vibe in former times while lamenting how commercialised and tourist-driven it has become ('There goes another plane roaring over our heads. Yeah, I miss the days when we lived in a quiet town where people walked how they talked and they meant when they said, you got a friend you can count on').

Other tracks that leave a lasting impression are the empathetic I'd Rather Be a Bridge and the strikingly beautiful Jericho, reminiscent of Bobby Gentry's style. Farther Than We Should Have, a collaboration with Natalie Hemby and K.S. Rhoads, also resonates with its message of positivity and resilience.

A profoundly personal and instantly rewarding listen, QUIET TOWN hopefully serves as the springboard for more recordings from a hugely talented artist. 

Declan Culliton  

West Of Texas Hot Motel Nights Pleasant Valley Ranch

The latest album from Jerry Zinn and his team continues his mission to create original music that is steeped in heartbreak and honky tonk memories. It is also marinated in alcohol allegiances, as befits the life of a habitual loser in love. Zinn has co-produced with another stalwart of the Californian scene, Ted Russell Kamp. Other names, also noted on many a similar recording set-up, include James Mitchell, Jeremy Long on guitars, pedal steel piano and more besides, Ryan Posner on bass and drummer Kevin Brown.  Add to that Phil Glenn on fiddle and contributions from Kamp himself. all topped off by Zinn’s vocals and acoustic guitar. He is in fine voice delivering the songs with an adeptness that shows a growing maturity in that department.

Jerry Zinn also had a hand in writing all the songs, either alone or with co-writers Teri Joyce and Kamp. From the word go, you can immerse yourself in a vibrant retelling of tales of disrepute and despair, all told with relish, reason and resolution while being steeped in the kind of arrangements that might have you dancing the hardwood floor with tears in your heart.

Wall Of Memories opens by letting us know that he no longer enjoys the memories he has ‘stacked from ceiling to floor.’ He has taken the blame for how things worked out. Steel and baritone guitar bolster the sterling opening song that sets the mood for what follows, a sound that Zinn is undoubtedly happy to explore even while others seem keen to move on from this particular style of music. However there are many who are glad to hear him remain true to his particular vision. The sense of regret continues with I Can Almost Taste The Whiskey, a song that recalls the lips of a lost love that feels sweet still.

The deep bass line that wanders through I Only Listen To Heartbreak Songs has echoes of Merle Haggard and shows how Zinn has absorbed the truth of classic country to create something that stands up on its own merits too. There is an upbeat swing to I’m Doin’ Time, facing up to a long period of loneliness while denying that the reason for his particular demeanour is that he’s using the same tactics to leave another. That feeling of pain is inherent in I Hate The World Again, a song that lets its understated arrangement and ardent vocal tell it true. However, in the energetic recall that is Get Back In Here, he celebrates continuing a current desire. 

Zinn again proves his worth as a vocalist with 15% More Of Your Love, that sees him looking for that little bit more from a relationship. It also emphasises just how good this band works in the studio. They offer a broad palate of arrangements that touch on many bases without losing any sense of coherence and clarity. Throughout the vocal prowess and that of the individual players shines out on many occasions, really deserving a band name on the cover.

I’ll Ask Gin is a standout here that is a little more cinematic in its range, with simple effective guitar underscoring an interesting string arrangement. It proves how West Of Texas as a unit have developed a sound that is both varied and vibrant. We are back to the bar stool again for Whiskey, Wine & Empty Bottles as he tries to drink those bad memories away - once again. Perhaps saving the best for last (or at least one of the album’s standouts) is the closing ballad Tell Me, a song written well before this album was recorded and it therefore shows Zinn’s devotion to a sound that can be taken as nothing else than country music. Music free from the recent dilutions and deviations of a traditional form, rather one that relishes adherence to the icons that inspired his love, such as the aforementioned Haggard alongside the likes of George Jones and Buck Owens. They were individualistic artists who mixed pleasure and pain as a reflection of the life and hard times they witnessed, yet they turned it all into a music that had a wide, conscientious appeal that was a means of escape as much as anything.

But in this world there is also a space for humour and humanity. West Of Texas aim to take their place on that venerable list of those who made this music what it has been and should be.

Stephen Rapid

Don Merckle Same Devil New Skin Self Release

This is the fourth album from an artist who has been recording and performing since his debut appeared in 2014. His songs are based in the rich tradition of heartland roots with plenty of references to death, devils, ghosts and murder.

Covered In Dirt is a great opening track with the band immediately settling into the groove on a song about finding an entity risen in the fields and coming back to life. It’s got great delivery and a wry sense of humour. Die In the Country is another dark tale about being claimed by the devil for past sins committed ‘If I die in the country, Don’t come looking for no ghost, Cuz my soul went low, To that fiery glow, Now I’m chained to a whipping post.’

The Ballad Of A Dead Man is very atmospheric with great trumpet from Mark Rapp giving a lilting tex-mex feel to proceedings. Monster In These Hills  again warns of impending doom if you dare to enter the woods and valleys that frame murder mountain. Monsters and demons lurk in the shadows and the grisly fate that awaits is never worth the curiosity, or the risk involved. There are very effective horns on the track and the vocals of Desiree Richardson and Lindsay Hollar are very haunting.

The title track is a story song of the outlaw life and the price that has to be paid ‘All the madness in these lands, All the blood on these hands, And the ground is thirsty for more.’ The foreboding feel on Cabin In the Woods sends a warning out to keep your distance and to be scared ‘When the wind blows slow, You can hear the trees grow, Around the cabin…in the deep, dark woods. ‘

Call the Lightning runs along at a fast pace and the words resonate ‘Call the lightning down, Let’s see what all this talk is worth, You cast the first stone, I’ll break the first bone, We’ll see which god answers first.’ Murders In This Town has a slow groove that again deals with our fascination with death ‘So, don’t come over tonight, I can’t believe the things I’ve seen, So many murders in this town, I can hardly breathe.’ The album ends with the longest track The Devil Showed Me His Hand and the song builds with a spoken vocal and warm keyboards joining with laid-back percussion and subtle saxophone ‘I can give you fortune, Even a little fame, No one cares cuz it ain’t about the prayers, But do you have some skin in the game.’

The players on the album are all worthy of a mention as they perform so seamlessly together and Don Merckle(vocals, acoustic and electric guitar), Evan Simmons (drums, percussion), Moses Andrews III (bass, keyboards organ), Zach Bingham(lead electric and acoustic Guitar), Mark Rapp (trumpet), Chris Bussell (saxophone , flute), Desiree Richardson (backing vocals), Lindsay Hollar (backing vocals), and Danny Morgan (mysterious whistling), provide all the sparks.

The devil is in the detail and often we find ourselves looking for some tantalizing dark deeds and ghostly happenings. This album contains plenty of that country noir/folk horror feel, with songs and themes that will excite.

Paul McGee

Jeff Evans Porkestra Willow Pillow Self Release

Atlanta, Georgia is home to Jeff Evans and he has been a regular on the local music scene there for many years. He formed the band Chickens and Pigs for a run that included nine album releases and their signature country blues sound is something that also surfaces on this solo release.

The six tracks vary in dynamic and the rich sound was captured at an old house that is called East Atlanta Recording Studio. There is a nice live feel to the music and Evans handles all the guitar parts in addition to providing lead vocals. The title track has a driving beat and the psychedelic guitar histrionics of Evans are very reminiscent of 60s jam band influences. As a contrast Happy Earthquake is a tale about a road journey that doesn’t quite go to plan; the country swing of the song sitting nicely into the upbeat groove.

Flavor Is Power starts with an acoustic guitar strum and both Tracy Clark and Celeste Conway Smith  add some nice backing vocals on a song about a girl that stirs the senses and the attention of Evans ‘You can’t taste the strawberries without getting all tangled up in the vines.’  On I’m Going To Town we have a country shuffle to a tune about having a good time and breaking out with the ladies. There is a nice guitar break in the song that trips along on an easy melody. Lars Nagle guests on guitar and the understated drumming of Sandra Senn is nicely judged.

Mirror, Absorbent delivers a dreamy groove and somewhat obscure lyrics about driving to the airport with a girl that is leaving for Japan. Opening song Time Wrinkle perhaps best sums up the quirky nature of these songs with a bluesy number in celebration of the female form and it has some sweet slide guitar ‘she says time ain’t got nothing on you, no ransom note.’

Evans co-produced the songs with Sean McPherson, who adds bass guitar on three tracks and there is also the inventive drumming of Sandra Senn to enjoy throughout. An interesting debut solo project and no doubt there will be more projects to follow from the creative mind and pen of this artist.

Paul McGee

Jim Patton and Sherry Brokus Harbourtowne Berkalin

This duo has been creating music together since 2008. Their output has been very steady over the intervening years with four releases that culminated in a compilation, Collection 2008​-​2018. Since that album, the duo has released a further two studio albums and a live EP, which now have led to this current project of twelve Folk-based tunes that bring plenty of enjoyment.

Patton and Brokus first met back in 1980s Baltimore when both fronted the band Edge City. They went on to release a number of albums and as the new century brought a different focus they eventually decided to establish themselves as a duo. These songs are well written and recorded by long-time ally Ron Flynt at Jumping Dog Studio in Austin Texas, home to the couple these days. The arrangements are kept refreshingly open and uncluttered and the musicians that are involved all play their roles with an easy charm.

Ron Flynt provides bass, keyboards, harmonica, acoustic guitar and backing vocals. Jim Patton plays acoustic guitar and provides lead vocals, with Sherry Brokus supporting on percussion and vocals. Rich Brotherton plays acoustic guitars and mandolin, Warren Hood plays fiddle, John Bush provides percussion and Betty Soo appears on backing vocals also. Jim Patton wrote all the songs including seven co-writes and the themes are very much what you would expect to find in daily life .

Just Doesn’t Work Anymore is a comment on the planned obsolescence of so many things in these modern times, and When You Win the Lottery speaks of using a sudden windfall for good purpose rather than just blowing everything on having an endless party. Back In the Storm is a look at the cost of hurricane season in the USA, with the subject of the song trying to meet regular bills against the need to provide a decent quality of life. The Juggler is about a lost soul who doesn’t seem to fit into regular society, while songs Sally Brown and Never Going Back make reference to previous love that has now departed and become a past memory.

The title track Harbourtowne is a fictitious place where bright lights and fun awaits, and colourful living can start for a kid who is escaping a rural town upbringing.

Until the Fire Is Gone is a song that reflects upon past experiences, mistakes made, lessons learned and a perspective on getting older; nice fiddle and strummed guitars give the arrangement a certain poignancy. Missing You is another song of reflection and references an old friend who has now passed on. The piano and fiddle on Start Again set the melody on a song that speaks of every end as a new beginning ‘Don’t look back over your shoulder, Once you learn to start again.’

So, a mixture of character-based songs and some personal reflection on times past. Overall it’s an album worth investigating if only for the superb musicianship and the fine song composition.

Paul McGee

Laura Marling Patterns In Repeat Chrysalis/Partisan

Songwriter Laura Marling has always displayed a singular spirit. From the early influence of her parents; her mother a music teacher, and her father ran a recording studio, Marling struck out for independence at the tender age of sixteen, moving to London and the freedom to experience a big city.

At age eighteen she released her debut album and it was nominated for the 2008 Mercury Music Prize. Marling spent the next decade building upon this initial success and a further five albums were released to increasing media acclaim and further nominations for the Mercury Music Prize, plus a Grammy Award. Far from falling into the music machine and trying to satisfy all the impossible demands that it places upon such a strong creative muse, Marling stepped away temporarily and listened to her own internal song.

Song For Our Daughter appeared in 2020, three years after her previous album Semper Femina, which had explored the power of femininity in various forms. The title was something that was prophetic in that it spoke to an imaginary child and reflected the inspiration that Marling took from Maya Angelou's book, Letter to My Daughter. Now, four years on from that last release, we have yet another example of the rich creative talent that runs through the core of Laura Marling. It is a gently subdued project with no drums and a restrained approach on the eleven songs that never breakaway from the sweetly reflective atmosphere. The fact that Marling has now become a mother runs throughout the album and permeates all corners of the recording.

Strings are provided by multi-instrumentalist Rob Moose who also plays violin and viola. The effect of Marling’s honeyed tone on vocals blends seamlessly into the arrangements and she also excels on guitar, piano, mellotron, synths and bass. Much of the album was recorded in the basement studio at Marling’s home and the quiet intimacy captured is perfect for the mood that considers motherhood, the passing of time, the pull of family and the wonder in the everyday.

Dom Monks co-produced the album with Marling and he also contributes synths, bass, and bouzouki on the songs. Other musicians feature and Marling’s new baby is given a credit for her vocals that open the album on the gorgeous Child Of Mine a song that expresses the unbreakable bond between a mother and her child ‘Long nights, fast years so they say, Time won’t ever feel the same, And I don’t want to miss it.’

The two songs Patterns and Patterns In Repeat talk of how the familiarity in repetition can be a succour in daily routine and lives that spin by at a pace ‘And now the time leaps by and starts to fly, And only then can I see, That we’re patterns in repeat, And we’ll always be.’ Marling also uses these songs to project the lives of other characters, whether fictional or real, who have decided to live with the compromise that is ever-present in life as we move through experiences of career, having a family, maintaining relationships and so much more.

Caroline looks at an older man who has lived a happy life despite the ghosts of unrequited love that visit from his past ‘I’d like you not to call again, I’d like to keep you off my mind, You’re the one who went away Caroline.’ Equally, Looking Back is a song that reflects upon old age and the memories formed by experience ‘I wonder if you think of me, Watching evening summers.’ The song was penned by Marling’s father Charles, as a younger man projecting upon the ageing process.

Your Girl is a song that delves into feelings upon the passing of a parent and the sense of being alone in the world despite fond memories ‘I rushed around to ask my friends, Is this what it feels like when it ends.’  The sense of sadness that hangs over The Shadows is influenced by the loss of a mentor, or perhaps a matriarch figure, in the song, the feeling captured in the lines ‘I tried to persuade her in vain, of course later, That’s something that I’d deny, I knew it was better to say in my letter, That I never even tried.’

Lullaby is a love song to her baby that is beautifully constructed with simple acoustic guitar and strings, while a love song of a different type is dedicated to Marling’s partner on No One’s Going To Love You Like I Can.  There are two instrumental tracks also included and ultimately it all comes full circle with Marling reflecting on the patterns that emerge in everything we experience. It’s a superbly crafted album and a worthy addition to what is already acknowledged as a beautifully evolving career.    

Paul McGee

New Album Reviews

Sid Griffin The Journey From Grape to Raisin Label 51

Long Ryder, Coal Porter, solo artist, multi-instrumentalist and author Sid Griffin’s first solo album in a decade, as you will conclude from its title, finds the London-based artist in a philosophical mood as he considers times passed, mortality and his current state of contentment.

Recorded in Nashville and co-produced with Thomm Jutz, who also played guitar, Griffin was joined in the studio by a host of friends for the party. Tammy Rogers (violin, mandolin), Lynn Willimas (drums), Roland Barber (trumpet, trombone), Mark Fain (bass) and Jim Hoke (clarinet, harmonica, vibes) are all credited alongside Griffin who contributed vocals, acoustic guitars, harmonica and banjo. 

The eleven-track album opens with a near-death car crash experience recalled in The Last Ten Seconds Of Life. It’s a gentle acoustic tale of the fine line between life and death. 

Tackling mortality head-on, I Want To Be The Man (My Dog Thinks I Am) is a masterclass in both honesty and simplicity and a playful sensibility runs through When I’m Drinking I Think I’m Spanish (‘When I’m drinking I think I’m Spanish, when I’m lovin’ I think I’m French’). Reflecting on the passing of close musical pals, Not A Lot Of Sand Left In The Glass is a reminder to, in the words of the late Warren Zevon, ‘Enjoy Every Sandwich’ and the ageing progression also emerges in Son, Won’t You Teach Me To Waltz. The Velvet Underground’s Femme Fatale, immortalised by singer, actress and model Nico, gets a pin-sharp makeover without straying too far from the original version. 

The spoken-word poem The First Of The Gang To Go is dedicated to a high school pal who lost his way. The beautifully orchestrated instrumental Song For Ukraine No.2 follows from the inclusion of Song For Ukraine No.1 on The Long Ryders 2023 album SEPTEMBER NOVEMBER, further support by its author for the ongoing suffering of Ukraine’s citizens.

Griffin’s versatility and clever play with words ring true on this, his fifth solo album. Nods to his roots and bluegrass background are married seamlessly with jazz chords, poetry and even a narration of his five-decade-plus musical career on the album’s closing track, Why I Play Guitar.

An album bound to leave Sid Griffin’s fans beaming, it’s very much a statement of ‘glass half full’ rather than ‘glass half empty’ and a delightful listen from start to finish. Thumbs up also for the impressive packaging, courtesy of Chris Hathway of Hathway Creative, and the accompanying liner notes and lyric sheet, which add to the album's appeal. 

Declan Culliton

Nathan Jacques Dark Wanderer and the Bounty Heart Hidden Mountain

Recording and appreciating old-style country and Western music has recently enjoyed a purple patch. Artists like Colter Wall, Corb Lund and Riddy Arman have been focusing on traditional Western music and drawing a younger audience into the genre. Others like Nathan Jacques and Chris Guenther are taking things a stage further with country and western offerings that emulated the singing cowboys of yesterday, Gene Autrey and Roy Rogers, with a slightly modern twist. DARK WANDERER and the BOUNTY HEART most certainly tick that box. A concept album that follows the trials (and trails) of an often-hapless cowboy, the project was fuelled by Jacques' love of classic western movies as a child and furthered by his early career in the movie industry. 

The album follows on from Jacques' 2021 debut album, LOUD MIND, which detailed the travels and efforts of a singing cowboy to track down his lover and rekindle their romantic liaison. This latest project continues in a similar vein as the Dark Wanderer continues his wandering, armed only with an acoustic guitar and, on this occasion, pursued by a host of mysterious characters, all intent on thwarting DW's efforts to reach his loved one.

The project consists of twelve contemporary country and western songs and eight interludes. Thanks to the skilled production of Ed Donnelly (Willie Nelson) and the use of 1900s period-specific techniques, the songs sound as if they were borrowed from a badly scratched vinyl record found on a Victrola phonograph from The Victor Talking Machine Company over a century ago.

Musically, the marriage of today and yesteryear works spectacularly well. Before listening to the album, a preview of the innovatory video Sanctuary Light (Directed by Christopher Macken), which supported the album's first single, is recommended. Jacques's smooth baritone vocals are underscored by exemplary musicianship, which, aside from traditional instruments, includes English horn played by Clare Scholtz and harpsichord, cello and glockenspiel courtesy of Ed Donnelly. 

The collected songs/stories are rich in detail, with standouts for this writer being A Holler in the Dark, Shapeshifter, Ballad of the Revenant Man, and the aforementioned Sanctuary Light. Also striking is the final track, All I See. At over six minutes, it closes the album with the antihero in a near-death condition, haunted by his failed venture to recapture the love of his life.

Who knows, there may be a third leg of a trilogy in the future and the happy ending that those classic Westerns of yesteryear usually enjoyed. 

Declan Culliton

Chris Guenther Singing To Cows Blackbeard

Wearing his heart firmly on his sleeve, Chris Guenther continues his prolific output of traditional country and western with his third album in three years. AMERICAN OUTLAW VOL.1 (2022) and AMERICAN OUTLAW VOL.2 (2023) were Lonesome Highway's introduction  to the quality writing and delivery of the Southwest Washington-born singer, songwriter and storyteller. We came to the party quite late, as Guenther's nine-album back catalogue stretches to recordings over two decades.

Growing up on his family's farm and having a hands-on agricultural background, Guenther's backstory includes a teaching degree in History and Agricultural Education and a teaching career, passing on his academic and practical expertise in agriculture. That profession also allowed him the space to pursue and enjoy a parallel artistic career as a solo artist with his dancehall backing band, The Honky Tonk Drifters.

SINGING TO THE COWS is a ten-track collection of songs written and produced by Guenther, who also plays acoustic and electric guitars, bass, mandolin, keys and synths, percussion, Jews Harp, dobro, pedal steel and fiddle. It's not entirely a solo run; Katie McManus plays fiddle on one track, and Reggie Eklund is credited as contributing keys, synths, trumpet and drums.

The album is a collection of songs that bring to life real-world issues and challenges faced by 'hands-on' cowboys and farmers, with Long & Bitter Chill and the title track ticking this box.

Leaving the open plains behind temporarily, Union Stockyard Blues visits a more urban setting in a historical and bluesy tale of decay and gentrification. One Trick Horses is border-influenced instrumental and Vendetta Ride delves more into the fantasy world of the classic Western movie. The album fittingly signs off with Traces of You, an ode to Guenther's beloved rural environment.  

Recent years have seen a resurgence in the popularity of Western music, much to the credit of younger artists like Colter Wall, Charley Crockett, and Riddy Arman and stalwarts such as Corb Lund, Jon Byrd, and Brennen Leigh. Hopefully, that trend will lead to an appreciation for artists like Chris Guenther, who has been flying that flag, albeit to a somewhat niche audience, for many years.

Declan Culliton

Sophie Gault Baltic Street Hotel Strong Place

BALTIC STREET HOTEL, Nashville-based Sophie Gault's sophomore record, finds her working once more with producer Ray Kennedy, who mixed her debut album DELUSIONS OF GRANDEUR. That marriage worked spectacularly well, as does the production on this record, with Gault's raw vocals perfectly matched with a thumping rhythm section and blistering guitar breaks. 

With wounds that may not be completely healed yet, Gault's openness and honesty emerge as a songwriter behind those screeching guitars. The album's closing track, Things Are Going Good ('Things are going good, better than they should. Hurry up and knock on wood when things are going good'), is a defiant and snappy comeback to those burdens that Gault has tackled head-on. The album's two opening tracks, Kick The Devil Away and Fixin Things, also give the 'two fingers' to issues that may still linger but are being boldly kicked to one side. 

The album also recalls those darker times and nowhere more so than on Christmas in the Psych Ward, where Gault recuperated before heading to Nashville to pursue a music career. The lines in that song bring to mind the strides she has made dealing with mental illness to her present position as one of the most talked about artists in Nashville. ('There's a guitar they give you if you're doing good. It's got four strings & it's made of plywood. I'm gonna go write down some songs & then take 'em to Nashville. That's funny, honey, just swallow a few of these pills').

The mid-paced ballad Lately finds her joined by fellow emerging artist Gabe Lee. It refers to the Baltic Hotel in New York, where Gault returned to stay after nearly a decade from Nashville without knowing that she would record a second album and that the hotel would feature in its title.

In my review of Gault's debut album, I made the likely lazy comparison to Lucinda Williams, and I make no apology for repeating it with this recording. Unveiled and audacious, it's another 'beauty born out of chaos' project that blends raucous and sensitive to perfection.

Declan Culliton

Kelley Mickwee Everything is Beautiful Self-Release

'You can take the girl out of Memphis, but you can't take Memphis out of the girl,' came to mind on the first listen to Kelley Mickwee's latest album, her second solo recording following her self-produced YOU USED TO LIVE HERE from 2014. Though recorded in three days at the Church House Studios in Austin, Texas, where she has lived for two decades, the heart and soul of the album is through and through Memphis.

Mickwee's career path has included being a member of the Memphis duo Jed and Kelley, the roots group The Trishas alongside Jamie Lin Wilson, Liz Foster and Savannah Welch, and in more recent years in Kevin Russell's Southern Soul band Shinyribs. Other side projects included backing vocalist on albums by Charley Crockett, Reckless Kelly, Ray Wylie Hubbard, and Silverada and co-hosting the annual Red River Songwriters Festival in Red River, New Mexico.

For this album, Mickwee parked her love of country and roots music and concentrated on writing and recording a classic soul album inspired by the music surrounding her during her childhood. Produced by David Boyle, their reference point was Dusty Springfield's 1969 record, DUSTY IN MEMPHIS. Their objective was to recreate the vocals' phrasing, the seamless flow from track to track on that classic album, and the harmonies and rich instrumentation. A mighty large ask, but despite only three days in the recording studio, the result is a 'thumbs up.'

An instantly rewarding listen that connects on the first play, the highlights are the full-blooded, gospel-tinged Joyful, the more laid-back, funky Verge of Tears, and the tender title track that closes the album.

EVERYTHING IS BEAUTIFUL is a musical journey with signposts familiar to lovers of blue-eyed soul and classic rhythm and blues. It's unlikely to make a dent in the Billboard Charts, which was never Mickee's intention. She set out to create a nostalgic record that she could be proud of, and on that score, she has passed the test with flying colours.

Declan Culliton  

Lindi Ortega From The Ether Truly Handmade

‘I feel the record is imbued with spirits because of this journey, which traces its way through the record, spirits who were invited to join you from the very first song,’ explains Lindi Ortega, commenting on her first album in six years. 

Few albums are conceived from a walk through a cemetery, but the origin of FROM THE ETHER commenced from a visit to the Oakwood Cemetery in Austin, Texas.  Ortega and musician/producer Mike Meadows (Willie Nelson, Chris Smither, Emmylou Harris) visited the graves of folklorists John Lomax and his son Alan Lomax. The ‘spirits’ theme that prevails on this album was brought about by that time spent paying homage to the Lomaxes.

Reaching the point of burnout after six albums and relentless touring, Ortega decided to quit the industry in 2015. That decision proved short-lived, and she returned to the recording studio and released the concept album LIBERTY in 2018. While touring that album, she suffered severe damage to her vocal cords as a result of a faulty monitor and was forced to step aside from the industry once more. A divorce and the death of her father led her back to songwriting as a means of dealing with her grief. With an extensive collection of songs written, Ortega began seeking the help of vocal coaches, which eventually led to renewed confidence in her vocal ability and the motivation to record this album. 

Interestingly, it is the first release on Truly Homemade Records, an indie label founded in honour of Guy Clark.

She opens the album with the a cappella Epitaph, which features handclaps to support her vocals, and any fear that her vocals may not be up to scratch is instantly dismissed. Ortega has characterised this album as ‘ghostly’ and deliberately released it in the ‘spooky’ season. Track titles The Spiritual Advisor, The Ghost In Me, The Spirit, The Ghost, and El Fantasma reinforce Ortega’s fascination with the occult, which has raised its head in her previous recordings but not to this extent.

Ortega’s vocals may be as solid and recognisable as ever, but the material and arrangements steer towards the dark and gothic, somewhat distanced from the upbeat and swinging direction of the past. The aforementioned The Spiritual Advisor is a loving ode to her father, and The Ancestors – with a nod in the direction of P.J. Harvey - creates a séance-like ambience. Preceded by a short eerie interlude titled The Dial Pt.1, this exciting addition recurs on five other tracks. A pulsing bass line opens The Fear, bringing Talking Heads Psycho Killer to mind. The Ghost is a brutal and hugely impressive portrayal of a relationship breakup. El Fantasma, sung in Spanish, is a border-influenced affair, before the album closes with the vocally multi-layered and echoed The Spirit.

Previously incorrectly pigeonholed in the country genre, FROM THE ETHER is a thought-provoking project by Ortega and is her most ambitious work to date. Often spell-binding, it does require a number of listens and absolute attention to embrace fully, but that time spent is hugely rewarded. 

Declan Culliton

Smoker Dad Hotdog Highway Self Release

This 6-piece band is based in Seattle, Washington and they bring a rousing dose of southern rock to the table on this new release. It’s their second album following on from the self-titled debut in 2022 and the band comprises of Trevor Conway (vocals, guitar), Chris King (vocals, keys, harmonica), Teagen Conway (guitar, vocals), Chris Costalupes (pedal steel guitar, tambourine), Derek Luther (bass, vocals), and Adam Knowles (drums).

They are such a tight unit and can really deliver a strong dynamic in the playing. The guitar driven, up-tempo sound of the opening song Part Two sets the template for much of what follows and Rollin’ On, Armadillo and the title track Hotdog Highway all follow suit with rocking, cow-punk abandon and a freedom in the playing. Armadillo has the lines ‘Your heart is armadillo skin, Softer at the core, Won’t let me in,’ while Rollin’ On says ‘Don’t ya feel alright, Pacing the floor with your grip held tight, I keep it bottled inside, Onto the ledge and you’ve lost sight.’

The slow burn of Back Around has some fine guitar solos and the stoner sound of Smoke When I’m Drinkin’ has more of the twin-guitar duelling to inspire.  On My Mind channels the memory of Skynyrd in their early days and the loose quality of the groove is perfectly executed. The cover song Milk Cow Blues (Kokomo Arnold) is speed rock with a punk abandon – no shackles tolerated. Another track Thinkin’ Bout Drinkin’ is laced with pedal steel and a rock vibe with the lyric ‘Ain’t got nothing to ease the pain, Ever since I got sober, Tried to find Jesus on a sunny day, But them dark clouds are rolling over.’

The song Tonight is another example of the band in slower mode and the overall feel of the album is one of having a good time, life on the road, booze and pills to ease the pain and miles to go before they sleep. A very enjoyable album and one that will give plenty of pleasure.

Paul McGee

Heather Pierson Back To the Light Vessel

New Hampshire is home to this superb musician who has lived a life in dedication to her craft and the art of creating pure music from the heart. She grew up with a love of the piano and this album represents her sixteenth recording since she started her career back in 2010.

Her lyrical playing crosses different genres in the delivery and whether she is playing New Orleans boogie lines, gospel-tinged spirituals, folk songs honed from Appalachian roots or jazzy blues, Pierson always brings her unique personality to the recordings. For this album she decided to get back to the source of playing entirely in a live setting and the eight songs came together in the studio over a few days of playing with her fellow musicians Shawn Nadeau on bass and harmony vocals, together with Craig Bryan on drums, percussion and harmony vocals.  They are joined by Leah Boyd who contributes harmony vocals on two tracks, including the upbeat Joy Came Back with a superbly light jazz feel mixed with gospel leanings.

Pierson contributes on lead vocals, piano, Wurlitzer, B3, tenor banjo and her instincts to follow her muse and write all the songs, in addition to producing the entire project, are richly rewarded. The acoustic banjo blues of Gutter is a throwback to earlier dixie standards in the sound, while Up Here In the Mountains is a folk revival tune that drips with authenticity. The title song Back To the Light captures a late night slow groove and a vocal performance that channels a Bonnie Raitt inspired delivery. Nails Trimmed and Clean looks to the little things that are important and it is another example of a blues influenced melody, as is the enjoyable Feel Something in the message to live now and seize the day. Plenty to please on this album and a real shop window to highlight the impressive musical range on display from the talented Heather Pierson, as she captures the essence of true feel and emotion in the playing.

Paul McGee

Carolyn Shulman Heart On A Wire Self Release

This is a second album from Denver-based songwriter Shulman and the ten songs reveal character-driven narratives, social issues, and the emotions one would expect in relationship songs. Traditional, acoustic folk mixes with a more folk-rock sound and the production is rich and warm, with the combined players delivering on all fronts.

The title track is a slow acoustic song about seeking connection, while Little Sparrow seeks to fly above our troubles and is a song influenced from the joy of nature. The groove to All Burned Out is very much the band in full swing with a diatribe on the state of the world and all the online media junkies that have sprung up. No Sad Songs seems to channel feelings over the death of a close friend and the easy tempo reflects upon moving on. Little Reprieve is a fun look at modern life with some very tasty guitar licks included.

Call My Heart Home is a song to a child and the slow tempo includes some superb Fadolin playing (a 6-string violin). Eye To Eye is a song that pleads for communication and highlights that we are running out of time with all the walls that we build between us. Old Farm House is a personal song about returning to the family home and all the memories that are conjured up in looking back to old values learned in younger days.

The band is comprised of Carolyn Shulman (acoustic guitar, vocals), Christian Teele (drums), Bradley Morse (bass), Eric Moon (keyboards, accordion), Eben Grace (electric guitar), Enion Pelta-Tiller (fiddle, fadolin), Glenn Taylor (pedal steel), Jen Hitt and Giselle Collazo (backing vocals), and producer John McVey (electric guitar, baritone guitar, high-strung guitar, mandolin, banjo, backing vocals). It’s a very enjoyable listen and certainly one that will be a favourite to many who like their contemporary folk wrapped with a rocky element and sprinkled with astute observations on life.

Paul McGee

New Album Reviews

MJ Lenderman Manning Fireworks Anti

North Carolina-born singer-songwriter MJ Lenderman's output would have been pitched into the Alt-Country pigeonhole in the 1990's. In a time often dominated by singer-songwriters pouring their hearts out in the overcrowded Americana camp, Lenderman's quirky and often dark songwriting is a breath of fresh air. MANNING FIREWORKS is the fourth album from the multi-instrumentalist and former drummer with the band Indigo De Souza.

Credited with most of the instrumentation and with a cracked vocal technique that has nods in the direction of Jason Molina, the album's ten tracks skip between grunge-laced melters like the excellent She's Leaving You and Wristwatch and the more countryfied Joker Lips and the title track.  He offers a shoulder to lean on in the empathic Rip Torn ('Guess I'll call you rip torn, the way you got tore up') and appeals for a similar sentiment in You Don't Know The Shape I'm In.

His lyrics are filled with pangs of guilt and helplessness, as seen in On My Knees with Crazy Horse-styled driving guitars, and the album closer Back At The Moon signs off on a less than upbeat note ('I've lost my sense of humor, I've lost my driving range. I could really use your two cents babe, I could really use the change'). 

Lenderman's youth was marked by notions of joining the priesthood, a fact that is reflected in his music. The album's tangled lyrics in tracks like Joker's Lips and the title track are peppered with religious references, adding a deeper layer of meaning to his music. 

If Lenderman's well-received 2022 album BOAT SONGS was a taster of a left-of-centre artist with endless potential, MANNING FIREWORKS more than lives up to the hype that album generated.

Declan Culliton

Marcedes Carroll We Lost Track of the Stars Self-Release

 Abandoning her career in the biomedical industry almost a decade ago to follow her true vocation as a professional artist, Marcedes Carroll’s latest recording is her first full-length album, following the release of two mini-albums in 2019 and 2020. The Rockies-born artist's former life included serving as vocalist and rhythm guitarist with rock band Drink Me Pretty, before launching a solo career that has found her performing at shows and festivals alongside Jackson Browne, Sunny Sweeney, Lucero, Marcus King and many more.

WE LOST TRACK OF THE STARS was recorded at Basecamp Recording Studio in Bozeman, Montana, where Carroll resides. She used local players for the recording and called on multi-instrumentalist Scott Davis (Hayes Carll, Jason Eady, Kelly Willis) to co-produce the album with her.

A throwback to previous decades, Carroll's honeyed vocals, the slick supporting instrumentation and chorused backing vocals bring to mind the classic country crossover sound of Patsy Cline on Right On Time and Am I On Your Mind. Also included is a cover of Willie Nelson's Crazy, popularised by Cline in 1961. Old Fashioned Feat is an eloquent duet with Robert Henry that tips its hat toward Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood. No country album would be complete without a number of tearjerkers and the lonesome and lamenting Nothing Never Leaves, and Stars tick that box. The more upbeat and toe-tapping Crooked Nail finds Carroll open-heartedly proclaiming her love of her home state of Montana.

Carroll's latest recording easily fits into the treasure chest of country albums being recorded by women in 2024. There's nothing wildly original about it, and Carroll did not intend to reinvent the wheel with this record. It's simply another noble effort at keeping real country music alive and, in that regard, she has passed the test with flying colours.

Declan Culliton

Noeline Hofmann Purple Gas La Honda

Southern Alberta, Canada-based Noeline Hoffmann's background includes herding cattle across the Canadian prairies, together with her time working and playing in honky tonks. Her debut six-track mini album PURPLE GAS is an introduction to a twenty-one-year-old that most certainly earns the platitude of 'one to watch. 

With thirty million sales to his credit, Zach Bryan was so taken by Hofmann's song Purple Gas that he included a duet with Hoffman on his 2024 record, THE GREAT AMERICAN BAR SCENE. Hofmann includes an acoustic delivery of the song on this album, showcasing her crystal-clear vocals backed by ace fiddle playing. A further pointer to her rising star is her recent string of dates supporting fellow Canadian Colter Wall, which follows similar slots opening for Charley Crockett and Wyatt Flores.

On the evidence of this record, Hofmann's foot is firmly on the country music pedal, but her sound is far from anything formulaic or mainstream. She brings a fresh perspective to the genre, evident in the belting barroom honky tonker Lightning In July (Prairie Rising) and the more relaxed August. Her ability to seamlessly shift tempos, as seen in the flowing rocker Rodeo Junkies, is noteworthy. The other two tracks, the pedal steel-laced One Hell Of A Woman and the gorgeous love ballad, The Way You Bring Me To Tears, further showcase her versatility and unique style.

It has been a whirlwind year for Hofmann, from relative obscurity to touring with seasoned frontrunners in the resurgent traditional country scene. If PURPLE GAS is just a taster of what Hofmann has in her cannon, she is bound to join that crew of household names before very long.

Declan Culliton

Peter Bruntnell Houdini and The Sucker Punch Domestico

Described by Rolling Stone magazine as 'One of England's best kept musical secrets,' Peter Bruntnell has continued, over nearly three decades, to release an album every couple of years. Among those fourteen records, nothing even approaches the description 'average.' Alongside his studio output, his live workload as a solo artist, with a full band and numerous duo and trio combinations, is continuous.  

Bruntnell's latest ten-track record, HOUDINI AND THE SUCKER PUNCH, finds him working with his long-term band members, Peter Noone (bass), David Little (guitar) and Mick Clews (drums). Other contributors include Jay Farrar and Mark Spencer of Son Volt, a band very close to Bruntwell's heart and one with which he toured the U.S. in 2022. Another notable contributor is pedal steel supremo Eric Heywood, who has worked with numerous household names, including Jay Farrar, The Jayhawks, Gretchen Peters and John Doe, to name but a few. Also credited on the album is Bruntnell's close friend and member of The Pretenders and The Rails, James Walbourne. 

Bruntnell's unique musical expertise lies in his ability to seamlessly combine classic 60s Brit Pop with the U.S. bands of the same era, The Byrds and Buffalo Springfield, and from more recent times, REM and Son Volt. These influences are particularly pronounced on this album, which will no doubt result in it being lazily pigeon-holed in the over-crowed and ever-expanding Americana genre. In my opinion, this does not fully do it justice, but that’s another discussion.  

The title and opening track, with its sweeping melody and rich pedal steel, sets the stage for the ten-track journey that follows. Lyrically, it delves into the inner thoughts of a great escapist or is possibly a self-reflection by the author on missed opportunities and emotional baggage. No Place Like Home evokes the classic jangly country pop of many gems written by Gene Clark in his heyday as principal songwriter for The Byrds, and that band's more psychedelic output is mirrored in Head Smashed In Buffalo Jump. Though initially inspired by the story of an Indian boy running buffalo off a cliff in Wyoming, the latter morphed into a reflection on the trials of travel on the London Underground. The album also features more conventional and autobiographical lyrics in the form of the gorgeous love ballad Sharks and the self-deprecating Out In The Pines.

I may hear a better song this year than Stamps Of The World, but I doubt it. A personal highlight for this writer, it’s a stunningly melodic break-up song all the more emotive for the inclusion of aching pedal steel throughout. The Flying Monk is classic power pop, and he signs off with the sad slow burner Jimmy Mac, which brings to mind another outstanding U.K. songwriter, Roy Harper.

In an era of ever-shrinking attention spans, hopefully HOUDINI AND THE SUCKER PUNCH will reach the audience it truly deserves. It stands shoulder to shoulder alongside Bruntnell's finest works and is sure to be cherished by his loyal fanbase. Yet, I also hope it will find its way into the hearts of those who are just discovering the magic of Peter Bruntnell's music and by doing so draws their attention to his splendid back catalogue.

Declan Culliton

Benjamin Tod Shooting Star Self-Release

As frontman and songwriter for The Lost Dog String Band, previous albums from Benjamin Tod were more in the acoustic and folk tradition. As this is the first of his albums to be sent for review to Lonesome Highway, this is a good place to start appreciating his music. The album was helmed by Andrija Tokie a well-respected producer/engineer who veers toward an analog sound in the studio, The Bomb Shelter, where he works with many noted independent and upcoming artists, including previous clients Margo Price, The Deslondes and Hurray for the Riff Raff. A select team of fifteen-plus players were involved, including Dennis Crouch, Chris Scruggs, Jack Lawrence, Jeff Taylor, Billy Contreras, Dave Racine and John James Tourville on numerous stringed instruments. Also, there were a number of backing vocalists, with Sierra Ferrell, Timbo, and John R. Miller included among them. So, it was something of a stellar gathering that was there to do justice to the traditional country-encompassing songs of Tod. 

At a point in his life Tod, who proclaimed himself in the past a “proprietor of misery,” this album comes to terms with a more positive outlook on his life and times. Not always a good thing as a basis for songwriting, it has been observed in the past, and here Tod’s path is not entirely taken on the sunny side of life either. Not that all these songs are necessarily steeped in sadness and heartbreak, as they have a genuine sense of empathy and positive involvement in the main. By all accounts, Tod has lived through difficult and soul-searching times that has made his music authentic and an honest statement of a life lived.

The opening track, I Ain’t The Man, is taken from the standpoint of a somewhat volatile person with a strong sense of self and warns others that their perception may not be the right one. “I’ve been nice and clean for 90 days / But don’t the poke the wolf inside his cave / I can flip the script with a slight of hand / Lord I ain’t the man you think I am.” This songs harks, sound wise, back to a much earlier time with the steel guitar and guitar behind Tod’s incisive vocal. The world keeps on turning theme, one that has been explored in the past, is prevalent in Saguado’s Flower, with its opening verse realisation “Darling since you’ve been gone I can’t get back to where I belong / The world still spins clocks still tick and folks carry on / I’ve been sleeping alone in this hotel casket home / Me and the drunks and the fiends and the whores all awake ‘til dawn.” Back Towards The Blue also has a nice understated feel of an earlier era. 

The beat picks up for dancefloor-motivated Mary Could You, with Scruggs’ twang-infused lead guitar to the fore. The title track has some baritone guitar to echo its sombre intent. Right back with some uplifting swing is the decidedly retro sound of Satisfied With Your Love, with righteous piano and guitar taking it back to the 40s. The outright star here, with its strikingly passionate vocal performance, is Nothing More. You can hardly fail to be moved by Tod’s declaration that he is nothing more than a man with all the faults that might contain. This album certainly touches on a number of different eras and locations in its examination of country music’s finest moments. Fiddle and steel are amply present on Like It Or Not. An expression of the ‘still in love with you’ sentiment, it features another top-notch vocal. In Tramp Like Me there is a wish that giving himself over to a new relationship will help him change from what us his considered trampishness to something more fulfilling.

Then we arrive at the last of the album’s ten songs, One Last Time, which features Ferrell singing a duet with Tod over a big-sounding track that uses the steel and piano effectively, as well as a muted choir in the background. Benjamin Tod has had a number of previous albums, but from the sound of this release, he has delivered one that should be recognised for his vocal and songwriting skills as well as being another contender of the very best of the year. Doubtless a shooting star with a well chosen trajectory.

Stephen Rapid

Amy Speace The American Dream Windbone

It is always a joy to receive an Amy Speace album for review and the twelve songs included here deliver one of her strongest works in a continuing run of form that has seen her last three releases achieve a stellar level of heightened excellence. This is solo release number ten in a storied career that has seen this eloquent singer songwriter mature into one of today’s defining voices in contemporary folk music.

Over her years spent in the public eye, Amy has grown from her early experiences in NYC as an aspiring Shakesperean actor to inspire others in the creative slipstream, whether through her superbly crafted music, her ability as an essayist, as a published poet (The Cardinals, 2024), or her work with the non-profit organisation Writing With: Soldiers (SW:S). She is also active as a songwriting, voice and performance teacher, in addition to producing a very successful online blog, titled InnerSpeace, and another, Menopausal Mommy, that explores the joys of motherhood. Being a mother of a young son in her 50’s presents a challenge no doubt, albeit with many more rewards than compromises, and throughout her career Amy has experienced many of the highs and lows that test our resolve as we look for a light in the distance. Hence, there is always both insight and introspection at play within her body of work.

On this new release, Amy is looking back down that road taken, at both her younger self and at the knowledge and perspectives gained from her journey. The first two songs are very much based in adolescent years of school and neighbourhood friends as puberty beckons, along with having to find a place in the world that hovers outside the cocoon of innocence. The title track, The American Dream, sees Amy as an optimistic young girl, riding her bike and enjoying endless summer days with her dreams and friends. Homecoming Queen tells the tale of a school friend who had everything going for her as the popular choice to be the star of the prom. Rather than the assumption that a gilded life awaited such early promise, the girl grows up to take some wrong turns, running away to LA, marrying a drummer and ending up back home eventually, alone and ‘Twirling the straw in her Jack and Coke.’ Both songs proffer that dreams don’t always come true and if only youth could know what the future held, faced with illusions that shatter as real life elbows into the frame.

Where Did You Go introduces strings into the song arrangement to heighten the pathos of a look into early love and the damage done by hopeful dreams that get shattered by the sharp edges of life. It may well be an old boyfriend that is shutting down and pushing away but somehow I sense that Amy is reflecting on herself and wondering where she got lost; self-rumination captured in the lines ‘Waking up from the dream, Sometimes it felt so real, Playing hide and seek with memories, Hoping they won’t find me.‘ The chorus refrain is both heartfelt and sprinkled with perhaps a hint of self-recrimination too. A superbly crafted song.

In New York City follows the same theme and we find Amy  ‘Impatiently wanting my life to begin’ as she documents a number of years spent trying to find herself in the Big Apple. The song captures a marriage and divorce in the narrative, moving apartments and singing her pain. The song content reflecting ‘But now I know what age does to memory, It softens the edges and everything’s blurred, It fills in the gaps with regret and romance, Am I really that many years from that girl?’ The urge to put on rose tinted glasses when looking at the past is always a danger, avoided here as Amy reflects that nothing can ever be as it once seemed. Memory cannot be fully trusted as we look back.

Glad I’m Gone is a funky blues workout and asks why we hold on so long in relationships. Hoping for change and reconciliation can create a self-imposed prison and Amy reflects ‘They say people change, you just stayed the same, I know you said you tried, but we both know you lied.’ Sometimes moving on is the only choice and this song could just as well reference pulling up her roots and moving out of NYC all those years ago. This February Day is a song about new beginnings and accepting that change is part of the cycle of life, with Amy musing ‘All my life I’ve had the urge to run away to the unknown, Instead of stay.’ Facing oneself is ultimately the one choice that we cannot escape and the song ends with the lines ‘And I wrote this song to tell you that I love you more than words could say, This February Day.‘ Are these lines directed at Amy herself; self-acceptance finally arriving with the passage of time.

As a palate cleanser, Something ‘Bout A Town is a great example of the studio musicians in full flow and the dynamic in the playing is so perfectly honed with producer Neilson Hubbard (drums, percussion), Joshua Britt (mandolins), Lex Price (bass), Danny Mitchell (keyboards) and Doug Lancio (guitars) displaying their creative instincts in playing off each other as Amy lays down a cooly knowing vocal. ‘Rolling slowly, Or moving fast, It’s the only thing that takes me all the way back.’ There is a wise old saying that “”you can’t stand in the same reiver twice” and the unending flow seems to capture the need in Amy to always be moving with her restless spirit. The next song is a slow blues and on Already Gone Amy jumps back to her early marriage that didn’t work out and her sad memory that ‘Love at first sight, Partner’s in crime, Best friends forever, Faded with time.’ Clearly the past is a place that runs parallel with the present and old memories are never truly far away. When revisiting a scenario from the past that still resonates, we often say “ It feels just like yesterday.”

First United Methodist Day Care Christmas Show is a short ditty that sees Amy as a proud Mum at her child’s school play and capturing that innocent joy of her own childhood in the eyes of her boy and the spark of glee that is spread by seasonal cheer. The following song is a real highlight and one that lays bare the urge once again to push away from intimacy and situations where a sense of suffocation is in the air. On I Break Things Amy is the protagonist who ruminates upon her inclination to disrupt ‘I hold the things I love the most then throw them so they shatter on the floor, Pick up all the pieces, try to glue them back the way they were before, I’ve done this all my life breaking vows and dishes in a rage, Tonight alone here in this house I’m lying in the lonely bed I’ve made.’ Again the string arrangements by Danny Mitchell are superbly judged and poignant in the delivery with David Davidson (leader) violin, David Angell (violin), Kristin Wilkinson (viola), Carole Rabinowitz (cello) all excelling in their crafted playing. Margot’s Wall is a song of enduring hope and the strings echo perfectly the sadness of what gets left behind, whether youth interrupted by outside forces or a distance forged by reality that unfurls ‘I moved out just yesterday, From the home we built with love, To leave an absence in my place, Once I thought we were enough.‘

The final song brings together all the past hurts and frustrations, the anger and the uncertainty, into a prayer for love to always endure. It’s a cover version of a Jaimee Harris/Graham Weber song, Love Is Gonna Come Again and the words resonate ‘I know it hurts like hell right now, and only you know how, No one can tell you when, Oh, but love is gonna come again.’ In laying to rest the ghosts of her past Amy is providing her own spirit guide to the future. The album production is quite superb with the inimitable Neilson Hubbard delivering a beautifully crafted work. He has been an ever-present influence for Amy since her fourth release back in 2011. Amy sings with such control and grace that it is a real pleasure to lose yourself in these songs. Mention also for the very talented Garrison Starr who contributes on background vocals throughout and who has appeared on previous albums with Amy. Garrison is a very gifted songwriter and a producer and both Doug Lancio and Lex Price are also producers in their own right. So much experience, knowledge and talent to shine on these superbly sculpted songs and deliver them with such loving care. Clearly there was sweet harmony at play here and all involved have created one of the albums of the year for me.

Paul McGee

Jesse Terry Arcadia Wonder

Arcadia is defined as a vision of utopia and on this new album Jesse Terry is seeking out his own version of coming to a place of harmony and contentment. The title song leads off with a strong statement from Terry and a fine production that reflects a new direction to rock things up a little bit more than on previous releases. Burn the Boats is more reflective and seeks to reach out to a friend who is out of touch and perhaps out of luck ‘And right now, if you’re longing for the smoke, Barely clinging to the ropes, Light a match & burn the boats.’

The band is comprised of Ethan Ballinger (guitars, mandolin), Ross McReynolds (drums, percussion), Sam Howard (bass), Juan Solorzano (guitars, pedal steel), and Danny Mitchell (organ, piano, keyboards). Gunpowder Days has a nice groove with guitars and keyboards playing off the deep bass line and cool drum rhythm. Poison Arrow is another guitar led slow burn with great ensemble interaction and a building power. Someone In Repair is a song that displays a vulnerable side and speaks of coping mechanisms ‘Cracks in the windows, cracks in the walls, We need a little mercy to find us all.’ It’s a beautifully sculptured song and a real standout on this album of very polished writing standards.

Native Child is a love song that speaks of having no barriers, being open and wearing no armour ‘Honey won’t you take me running, I wanna see what you see, I never really knew myself, Until you believed in me.’ A personal song that bears Terry’s vulnerability for all to see. Waiting Out the Hurricane is a song that reflects on a dangerous incident that left a mark, the band playing strongly across the up-tempo arrangement.  Where You Came From slows the pace with an acoustic based reflection that ponders the great mystery and says to let it go, to not be concerned with esoteric questions. River Town rocks out with a song about honouring your roots and the love of family, with a new baby on the way and warmth to wrap around feelings of contentment.

The album has a great feel and the co-production of Terry and Dylan Alldredge really makes everything shine. Fear Of Flying is a look back down the road  of doubt and a request to let go and run towards the future with optimism. Strong is a love song that says believing in someone is all that we need for a love to endure and Headlines is a song that councils to ignore the buzz of media and return to the inner source for true meaning.

This is the seventh release from Jesse Terry and he has never sounded more in control of his muse and his strong vocal delivery is ably supported by both Trey Keller and Halley Neal on impressive harmonies. Perhaps the cold reality of Covid and the end to constant touring have given space and time for reflection? It would appear to be the case as Jesse Terry has written some cracking tunes and his contentment in becoming a father for the second time is reflected in the positive content of many of the songs included here. The closing song Message From A Hummingbird  sums up his sentiments with the words ‘Singing, hard times are over, the spirits are calm, The wolves have moved on from the reeds.’ It's a great album and full credit to all involved.

Paul McGee

Madeline Merlo One House Down (From the Girl Next Door) BBR

This British Columbia singer songwriter was awarded the "Rising Star" award from the Canadian Country Music Association in 2015. A debut album appeared in the following year and Merlo has been recording music on a regular basis ever since, penning a hit for Lady Antebellum with the song Champagne Night. A series of singles and an EP in 2022 (SLIDE) preceded this new 6-song EP which arrives with some fanfare.

Her sound is very much contemporary country, with a big production and a vocal delivery that displays plenty of power in the punch. All six songs included here are co-writes and her ability to write with others is an obvious strength with collaboration being a popular way to build a network and spread a message of availability to all involved. If you are looking for a signpost then you can hear a sense of a young Martina McBride in the vocal tone on certain tracks and there is no doubt that Merlo will appeal to a wide cohort of new listeners.

Broken Heart Thing is a duet with country star Dustin Lynch and it kicks things off in style. Bar Fight looks at acting out, setting personal limits and boundaries, while the superb vocal delivery on Same Car deals with the heart break involved in memories of love gone awry.  The song Middle Of the Bed is very much country pop in sound and not too far away from something Little Big Town might record if they were looking for a cover song. Good Grief reflects upon how easy it can be to just give up and not keep the faith, while the final song and album title One House Down (From the Girl Next Door) looks to dispel all suggestions that the girl in question is little miss perfect ‘I wasn’t the daughter of the Joneses, but you saw the blue sky in my hurricane.’ This is a strong statement of much more to come from this talented artist and I have no doubt that we will be hearing plenty more from Madeline Merlo. Watch this space..

Paul McGee

Todd Hearon Impossible Man Self Release

A native of Fort Worth, Texas this interesting singer songwriter is quite a creative force and is the author of three volumes of poems, a number of plays and essays, and a novella. He grew up in North Carolina and is currently based in New Hampshire and has released two prior albums, Border Radio (2021), and Yodelady (2023).

On the opening song Deadman’s Cove Todd is questioning mortality and he muses ‘Soul say, Hold on, Got a whole lotta living left still to come, Body say I don’t know, Feels like a whole lotta nothing much left to go.’ It is an interesting take on the question of whether the body is indeed a suitcase for the soul. A Dark Place follows and examines whether we can ever really know somebody else and perhaps it’s best to initially focus upon getting comfortable with ourselves ‘I can show you where the buried bodies lie, Have you ever walked out of your life for a while, Would you ever like to try.’

Looking Glass is a song about the folly of youth and the chase for some imagined utopia. Todd looks back at an earlier time and suggests that ‘We were so ’nineties, It was all so Zen, Nothing to build on, Nowhere to begin.’ There are some interesting production effects on this track that leave the sense of being awoken from some bad trip at the end of the evening. Nicely done. Paper Flowers is a song about travel and expanding the mind. One is supposed to gain fresh perspective from seeing how other parts of the world fit into the cosmic jigsaw ‘Seattle gets so suicidal ’bout this time of year, And Dublin’s going under with the weight of Writers’ Tears.’ Postcards from the edge indeed.

Adeleine is a nice acoustic song played on guitar and piano, reflecting upon a love that left happy memories that stood still in time ‘Remember nights, Racing back the moon, To make it by your side, I spent a lifetime in that little room.‘ Anchorage is another song that references travel and the need to find yourself stripped of nothing but the bare essentials. It’s a nicely paced tune with some fine ensemble playing from the band that comprises Todd Hearon (acoustic guitar, vocals), Don Dixon(bass guitar, background vocals), Peter Holsapple (piano, Hammond organ, Mellotron, accordion, mandolin), Rob Ladd (drums, percussion), and Sam Wilson (electric guitar, pedal steel, lap steel, dobro, chimes).

Too Deep To Feel the Bottom is another highlight and the noir feel to the music is perfectly captured in the lyrics ‘ You’re holding out, I’m holding in, Just play the cards baby if you got ‘em, I know there’s no way I can win, I’m in too deep to feel the bottom.’ Legendary producer Don Dixon (REM, The Smithereens) does such a great job on production and his ability to draw out these songs into full colour arrangements is a spark that makes everything brightly illuminated. Todd Hearon has a fine vocal delivery also both warm and clean in the mix with his fellow players supporting the songs with impressive craft and restraint.

Looking For A Friend has some lovely pedal steel on a song that lingers in the memory, while Love Song #51 and Guillotine  are love songs with different perspectives; the former including the lyrics ‘Never the light that you hoped you would see and be me, You ain’t my kind of dark but you’ll do—the one and oddly you,’ while the latter states ‘Just so you know, I didn’t keep a thing, Not a rock, not a lock, not a stocking, not a secret, not a ring.’ Breaking with the past can be both a reward and a cross to bear.

The title track has a nice melody line and is a song of hope in trying to win the charms of a fair maiden ‘I can build you a house made of rhythm and blues, Sweet nothings for nails and excuses for screws, And a nest full of eggshells for your feather bed, To lay your head.’ Extremely lyrical and often cryptic in the song meanings, I guess that the true nature of writing is to leave as much as possible open to the interpretation of the listener or indeed, the reader.  My interpretation of these songs could well be wide of the mark, but the recommendation is clear - this album is a real pleasure and a joy to unravel in all its mystery and poetic charm.

Paul McGee

MJ Lenderman, Marcedes Carroll, Noeline Hofmann, Peter Bruntnell, Benjamin Tod, Amy Speace, Jesse Terry, Madeline Merlo, and Todd Hearon Music

New Album Reviews

Beppe Gambetta Terra Madre AMSC

It’s probably a first for us to review an Americana album from the province of Liguria, Italy, but the 15th album from Genoa’s Beppe Gambetta is exactly that. Renaissance man Gambetta is a very respected bluegrass acoustic guitar picker, researcher, producer, traveller and ambassador of Genoa and he has successfully created a bridge between his native Italian folk tradition and American roots music over his 50 year career to date. His guests on this project, self produced in NJ (where he also has a home), epitomise his breadth of influences and the esteem in which he is held in the US: avant garde percussionist Joe Bonadio (Sting, Rosanne Cash, Avril Lavigne),  Travis Book on bass (The Infamous Stringdusters), mandolin legend David Grisman, bluegrass flat picker Dan Crary and Tim O’Brien (who needs no introduction).

TERRA MADRE (translates as MOTHER EARTH for the anglophones among us) is an exploration of our right to dream in these shockingly troubled times, something that has been an overriding theme for Gambetta across his long musical career. The title track tells the story of a couple’s nocturnal escape over a border wall into the scary unknown, the drama and terror so dramatically evoked by Gambetta’s layering of multiple acoustic guitars, bouzouki and slide guitar, all the while supported by Bonadio’s inventive percussion and Book’s upright bass. It’s particularly refreshing to hear a guitar player’s album that allows the supporting musicians to have almost equal weight in the production. While this song and three others are sung in Italian, the impressive CD package includes a booklet with full English translations, as well as details of the seven different stringed instruments played by Gambetta, which should satisfy the guitar nerds! 

The first of two covers is Saint James Hospital, included here as a tribute to his friend Doc Watson, at whose funeral Beppe was invited to play. The second cover Mis Amour, is an entirely different affair, showing the diversity of his interests, being a 14th century Piedmont murder ballad which he has single handedly revived from obscurity. Tim O’Brien shares lead vocals on the delightful down homely Sit and Pick with You, where they are also joined by Dan Crary and David  Grisman in an evocation of the age old North American tradition of front porch picking.

Another stand out original for this reviewer is Dark Yellow Thread, the banjo-lead story told from the viewpoint of a Native American chief from Colorado. It’s intriguingly developing into a classic murder ballad … but there’s a delicious and unexpected twist in the tale which I will not divulge.

Highly recommended and try to catch Beppe Gambetta on his tour of the US or in his native Italy.

Eilís Boland

Native Harrow Divided Kind Different Time

DIVIDED KIND is the sixth full-length album from life partners Devin Tuel and Stephen Harms, professionally known as Native Harrow, now back in Philadelphia after spending a number of years living in the south of England, 

Tuel and Harris have crafted a unique sound that seamlessly crosses from folk to soul and country to R'n'B, and that stamp remains on this recording, which follows on from their 2022 release, OLD KIND OF MAGIC. Self-produced and recorded in their home studio, the album features multi-instrumentalist Harms playing the majority of the instruments, with drums throughout by Alex Hall and pedal steel by Joe Harvey White on the track Borrowing Time. 

Tuel's evocative and pure vocal style is beautifully complemented by the soulful instrumentation, particularly on the previously mentioned Borrowing Time but equally on I Wanna Thank You, Goin' Nowhere, and Wayward Dreaming. The more laid-back and acoustic tracks, That's Love and The Garden, also impress.

Tuel and Harris's creative partnership and free and easy style are at their most potent on DIVIDED KIND. The album is a testament to their noticeable tenderness and togetherness, which has been evident in all their work. This ten-song collection not only matches but also surpasses those previous recordings, a true reflection of their artistic growth and commitment. 

Declan Culliton

JP Harris JP Harris Is A Trash Fire Bloodshot

The parallel existence of being a country singer-songwriter and restoration contractor points firmly to an individual with more significant connections to the past than the present. Montgomery, Alabama-born J.P. Harris divides his time between applying his carpentry skills to renovating period properties to their former glory and writing country songs with nods to previous decades and bringing them on the road, both solo and with his band members.

Settled in Nashville for over a decade, Harris spent his nomadic younger years travelling around the country and working numerous jobs, from a sheepherder to a logger. Equally diverse was the music - blues, punk and old-time country - that stimulated his younger years. 

Establishing himself as one of East Nashville’s leading lights in the resurgence of real country music in the last decade, his full-on honky tonk records I’LL KEEP CALLING (2012), HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS (2014) and SOMETIMES DOGS BARK AT NOTHING (2018) were followed in 2021 by DON’T YOU MARRY NO RAILROAD MAN. That last record was an experimental affair, reworking traditional country ballads with Harris on banjo, joined by fiddle player Chance McCoy. Alongside his impressive recordings, he has also been instrumental in supporting women with a similar passion for country music by recording the duet EP’s WHY DON’T WE DUET IN THE ROAD and WHY DON’T WE DUET IN THE ROAD (AGAIN), which showcased the talents of Kelsey Waldon, Erin Rae, Nikki Lane, Malin Petersen, Elizabeth Cook, Kristina Murray and others.

This latest recording finds Harris returning to the winning formula of his first two albums with easy-on-the-ear honky tonkers and considered country ballads, kicking off with the aptly titled Old Fox and closing nine tracks later with the upbeat and optimistic Beautiful World. Produced by his close friend JD McPherson, Harris’ whiskey-soaked baritone voice is supported by backing vocals from Erin Rae, The Watson Twins, and Shovels and Rope.

There has often been dark humour in Harris’ writing and no more so in the alternative modern love song Dark Thoughts. More pressing matters of survival and persistence are visited in the mid-paced ballad Barbra Dee. The quietly pulsing To The Doves and Write It All Down visit issues of the heart. The mood lightens on the autobiographical and Merle Haggard-sounding Trash Fire (‘I’m writing old songs in new styles, trying to stretch this country mile a little further down the road’) 

Keeping the engines of traditional country well and truly stoked, Harris has already recorded the aforementioned bunch of highly enjoyable albums, and this record is equal to any of them. Thankfully, ‘real’ country music is beginning to enjoy somewhat of a resurgence in recent years in Nashville, and hats off to J.P. Harris for being instrumental in that movement.

Declan Culliton

Sarah Pierce Blessed By The West Berkalin

Reared in rural West Texas, the daughter of a cowboy, and born into a family of cattlemen, Sarah Pierce’s album titles have mirrored her devotion and love of that lifestyle. NO PLACE LIKE HOME (2000), COWBOY’S DAUGHTER (2008) and BARBED WIRE (2015) left the listener in no doubt as to where much of her inspiration as a songwriter came from. Pierce doesn’t stray from that framework with her latest thirteen-track album, BLESSED BY THE WEST, which showcases her rich alto vocals alongside slick instrumentation.

Despite receiving an advanced degree in medical science, Pierce’s devotion to her artistic calling, which started as a twelve-year-old singing in her stepfather’s band, has taken precedence over her academic career. She has established the perfect life balance, touring and performing throughout the US and Europe, while practicing family medicine and writing between tours.

Together with songs that reflect her passion and love for the west (The Cowboy Way, Ropin’ In The Wind, There’re Some Things A Cowgirl Just Knows, and the title track), Pierce also pays homage to strong-willed women of the West from the 18th and 19th centuries. The Librarian heaps praise on the women who distributed books on horseback during the educational starved years of The Great Depression.  The Messenger and Rough Stock salute the fearless souls who risked life and limb for the betterment of their fellow women.

Produced by Pierce’s husband and drummer, Merel Bregante and recorded at The Cribworks Digital Audio Studio in Liberty Hall, Texas, BLESSED BY THE WEST is a country and western record that does not attempt to be original or innovative. It’s simply a collection of songs by an artist who knows what she’s good at and loves what she’s doing.

Declan Culliton 

Malin Pettersen Seasons Die With Your Boots On

Ignoring traditional recording and production norms, Norwegian singer-songwriter Malin Pettersen took matters into her own hands entirely for the recording of this six-track EP/Mini Album. Self-produced and recorded at her apartment, she actually recorded the acoustic tracks in her wardrobe, deciding that acoustically, it offered the quietest location and the best acoustics.

No stranger to Lonesome Highway, Pettersen has been on our radar since seeing her perform at AmericanaFest in Nashville in 2019 and reviewing her debut album, REFERENCES Pt,1 in 2018 and also the acoustic EP, ALONESOME, that followed a year later. Very much the leading light in the Nordicana scene that has mushroomed over the past number of years, Pettersen's crystalline vocals, agile lyrics and slick acoustic picking and strumming have earned her plaudits not only at home, where she was the recipient of a Spellemann award (Norwegian Grammy), for her debut album, but also internationally. 

A marker of her versatility and expertise, SEASONS is the polar opposite of Petersen's more mainstream TROUBLE FINDING WORDS album, released last year. Instead, it is very much an extension of ALONESOME, with acoustic tracks that showcase an artist blessed with an ear for melody and the voice to match. Of particular note are the title track Seasons, Love A Wicked Friend and The Speed Of Light on a comforting collection of soothing songs that add to Petersen's most impressive back catalogue.

Declan Culliton

John Surge & The Haymakers Maybe You Don’t Know Me Blackbird

Around this time last year, Surge and his companions released a new album, ALMOST TIME, but it would appear there were songs recorded during those sessions that didn’t make the album. Five of these are now available as an EP. Again, the production and mixing were helmed by Tommy Detamore, with seasoned players like Brad Fordham and Tom Lewis making up the ever-solid rhythm section. Randy Volin is the electric guitarist. Floyd Domino added keyboards, and Brennen Leigh did the harmonies to fill out the sound behind frontman John Surge on a set of very toe-tapping California country roots music.

The title track opens the set with a twang and steel sound that is vibrant and built around a strong chorus that takes the title as a pointer that a liaison may not know the man as well as they might have thought. It is a tight and concise slice of what’s on offer. Equally upbeat is the story of a friendship in Mexico. That song Marisol has another vibrant guitar riff and chorus which is accompanied by accordion to further emphasise the overall south of the border feel. Seeing a fall from a barstool is enough to gain attention of the culprit and become the centre of the next track Barstool. Gold has a different feel; the sound has more vocal harmony, and it mentions California girls to hint at the relationship to both the location and a particularly well-familiar sound. Again, moving away from the sound of the first three songs to something broader is Stand My Ground.

This release may not be essential, but for fans of Surge and his talented Haymakers, it is an additional slice of what this singer and songwriter can deliver. It is perhaps more of the same from Surge, and it doesn’t make any wider moves to make you think that you might not know him and his music. But on its own terms, it is short, sweet, and satisfactory. 

Stephen Rapid

Midland Barely Blue Big Machine

This trio has been making headway since their debut album when they were signed to Big Machine, and hopes were high that they would represent a more traditional sound for that label's roster. Although one wonders what happened to the other promising traditional artist, Brock Goyna, who was signed to Big Machine in more recent times. He released one EP but no longer features on the label's online roster list. Anyhow, back to Midland, who have released this new eight-track under thirty-minute mini-album produced by the noted and sought-after Dave Cobb in his Georgia studio. It is perhaps a sample of what might come in the future for the band if the critical and customer response is positive.

From the band's point of view, they view it as the sound that they have been aiming for and moving away from more of a feisty honky tonk feel of songs like Drinkin' Problem to one of a more stadium-sized direction of one of 70s country rock. There is no doubt that this strong working partnership will continue doubtlessly as it will help the band define its audience. The harmonies are a strong feature throughout, which is a more laidback approach that has been noted as being a big step closer to a sound that could easily be described as classic early Eagles with all its West Coast overtones. Something that will be a very big plus for many who still love that particular big-selling sound but one that never found a home in this reviewer's heart or record collection. However, it is easy to see that working with Cobb has been a positive step for Mark Wystrach, Cameron Duddy, Jess Carson and all the additional players involved, especially the lead guitarist, whose playing is prominent throughout.

The closing and opening tracks are notable, with Lonestar State Of Mind being particularly effective (but having nothing to do with the Nanci Griffith song of the same title). Lucky Sometimes opens with a piano and harmonica and builds from there with a strong chorus over that relatively simple setting, which continues to feature the harmonica throughout. Also, Better Than A Memory takes a lighter approach again, featuring acoustic guitar under the perfect harmonies.

Many of the songs were co-written by the band with Josh Osborne and Matt Dragstrem, but in various combinations, the band had a hand in the composition of all the material here. This also shows a growing confidence in the writing and with a focus on vocal integration. Not an album, perhaps, for the hard-core honky tonk fans out there, but one that sees a sometimes-controversial band becoming the band they likely always wanted to be.  

Stephen Rapid

The Cactus Blossoms Every Time I Think About You Walkie Talkie

I have been very partial to this band since their self-titled debut in 2011, which was more of a hillbilly-sounding affair even though it was largely original material from Jack Torrey and Page Burkum. Truth be told, that was the sound I was initially taken with, but since that time, the duo has moved towards a more contemporary sound. It is still based around their own songs and their sweet sibling harmonies but has lost some of the earlier energy to be replaced by a more considered sound. My first listen to this album didn't quite engage as they had previously, but as I began to listen to the tracks more, they began to reveal themselves as a solid continuation of what their band's sound was and is becoming. As with their more recent albums, it has been coproduced by Torrey and Burkum; so this is the direction, sound-wise, they have manifestly created for themselves. Page's brother and lead guitarist Tyler Bunkum has moved on since ONE DAY in 2022 to work on his own projects. So the band now consists of another set of brothers, Jeremy and Jacob Hanson, on, respectively, drums and electric guitar alongside bassist Philip Hicks. Alex Hall, who mixed and mastered the album, also added keyboards. 

The opening song, one of the best here, is Something Got A Hold On Me, which has a strong beat under the catchy riff and slide guitar. It has a strong chorus that soon catches your attention. The next track, Go On, steps back into a laidback scenario that could find a place on numerous recordings from a number of bands from the 90s to today. The guitar holds the focus with the harmonies on a song that might easily exist on a John Lennon album, as could some of the other tracks. Be What I Wanna has a (blue) velvet sheen that feels like classic pop from an era when that meant something. Equally dream pop is the title song with its heartfelt heartbreak scenario. 

The beat picks up again with There She Goes another breakup song that might well have fitted into a Kinks set list in the 70s. There is a classic rock feel also on the time to go theme of Keep Walking'. Statues has a prominent guitar making it sound a little like a Chris Isaak ballad but with their signature joint vocal as opposed to a single vocal presence out front. Also, a highlight is the perfectly melodic arrangement about a girl who is the centre of attention and attraction in Is It Any Wonder. Honey, I'm Homeless asks to be taken along to avoid another lost weekend in Texas. The album closes with Out Of My Mind (On Sunday), a song taking one day at a time, and it sums up the album in that they are taking one album at a time to express their place and music with each considered step. 

With each step, their sound has redefined itself on different aspects of that classic rock/pop sound that has its antecedents in the music of earlier and simpler times. While not exactly the big sound of today, it will remain relevant to many as it remains distinctive and recognisable from a team with its finger on a particular pulse that is proving to be life-affirming. 

Stephen Rapid

The Roamers Self-Titled Self-Release

This album is a vehicle for the songs of bassist and lead vocalist Matt Rice. It is produced by Rice with former Dwight Yoakam luminary Brian Whelan (who also adds keyboards and guitars) and drummer Luke Adams. Matt Pynn added the steel guitar to certain tracks. It is primarily a vigorous run through some tight melodic roots rock. Perhaps you could say that it is not unlike some of the output that Rockplie played in earlier days. We're not talking about a boundary-breaking exercise here, but rather an album of ten songs that hit the right spots more often than not and with enough to warrant ongoing listening.

Rice's songs are graced with strong choruses that are easy enough to join in after a couple of plays. We start with the tale of a footloose and fancy-free Playboy. The overall feel is upbeat even when the leading character here is not having that much success. I Can Be Lonely is a song for the forlorn out there who can be alone even when that is not the place they want to be found in, it has a nice turn of phrase that reasons that "I can be lonely all by myself." A focus on monetary may not lead to satisfaction, Favourite Things warns. Getting close up and personal is more of what is required with Lights Down Low and its more late-night feel. The tempo notches up again with Room To Roam, a plea for space to slip the leash at times.

Rice follows his own advice for Do What You Wanna Do, and after the halfway stage, you realise what a valuable player Brian Whelan is to this set of songs. It, at times, has an almost power-pop feel with strong roots overtones. It turns a little more country, with steel guitar adding to that feel, for the mid-tempo of One Side Of The Bed. It also highlights how Rice can adapt his vocal tone to suit the tempo and mood of a particular song. "Your past comes to haunt you when you leave it behind" is cautionary of how perhaps you can never completely move on as echoes of the past will revisit who least expected in They Come Around.

It's back to a more country sound again for the truckin' sound of Keep On Rollin, a twangy road song. The open road is again explored on what is a fine album closer and an album highlight: Where The Road Is Always Open. It has a warming south-of-the-border feel, with the accordion featured effectively alongside the guitars' similar tone.

I wasn't aware of Rice before this release, but with his Roamers, he will be welcome back anytime. This is an easy-going, not-too-serious but enjoyable set from another name from the Los Angeles country-roots community to watch out for. He is out to have a good time, and this is a good start in achieving that. 

Stephen Rapid

Beppe Gambetta, Native Harrow, Sarah Pierce, JP Harris, Malin Pettersen, John Surge and the Haymakers, Midland, The Cactus Blossoms, and The Roamers.

New Album Reviews

Mac Leaphart Motel Breakfast Self-Release

His 2022 album MUSIC CITY JOKE brought Nashville-based Mac Leaphart to our attention at Lonesome Highway. Leaphart was the winner of the Grassy Hill New Folk competition at Kerrville in 2018, and that album title was a pointer towards an artist/storyteller who was as much at ease blasting out the raw and rootsy as he was with the more laid-back and considered. MOTEL BREAKFAST is much 'more of the same' whose influences range from EXILE ON MAIN STREET-era Rolling Stones to classic songwriters John Prine and Jerry Jeff Walker.

Leaphart's raspy vocals and 'loose as a goose' studio players kick off the album with the opener, Rock & Roll Hey. It sounds as if they arrived in the studio after an all-nighter, picked up the instruments, started jamming and had a good time. That vibe continues on Shake a Leg, complete with a spoken intro, shared vocals with Carey Kotsionis, and lively fiddle by Fats Kaplin, who also features on pedal steel and button accordion on other tracks. It's a good-time and witty song ('She was hot as Nashville chicken, he was cool as a Firebird hood') inspired by Leaphart witnessing a marriage in an Anderson County, South Carolina Courthouse. 

It's not all fun and frolic, either. Leaphart reveals his sweeter side ('I've never been the kind for seeing stars, but I think I could get used to this girl From Tuscaloosa') in the ode to his wife, Girl From Tuscaloosa and sings her praises again in She Ain't No Pistol ('She ain't no pistol, but she shoots straight, she got me on the good foot and headed the right way'). 

Leaphart's fellow Nashville resident and artist, Ben Chapman, created the road map for the track Walking Down A Busy Street. Seeking out a song with the vibe that would qualify for inclusion in Ben Chapman's Peach Jam Show, he co-wrote the song with Chapman and tracked down his friend Quincey Meeks to add some killer slide guitar to the track. Ode To The Thirsty Beaver gives the thumbs up to the Thirsty Beaver honky tonk in Charlotte, North Carolina, where Leaphart plays regularly. The bar has resisted the gentrification of the area by developers and remains proudly surrounded by a high-rise condominium that, ironically, supplies the bar with its most regular customers.  

The tiresome realities of life on the road raise their head on the title track, which closes the album. Unappealing as the motel breakfast of coffee and waffles might be, it's a light relief after spending a sleepless night with your bandmates sharing one motel room.  

Things don't stray too far from MacLeaphart's usual template on MOTEL BREAKFAST and why should they? A warm, humorous and deeply satisfying collection of well-constructed nuggets, it's business as usual from an artist very much doing things on his own terms.

Declan Culliton 

Sunny Sweeney Still Provoked Thirty Tigers

What sets Texas-born Sunny Sweeney apart is not just her quality voice, but also her unique songwriting that delves into the complexities of relationships and the challenges faced by women in the male-dominated music industry. Her sharp wit and relentless work ethic, which includes constant touring and hosting her radio show, Sunny Side Up, on Willie’s Roadhouse channel on SiriusXM, further distinguish her. For this writer, she ticks all the boxes.

STILL PROVOKED is a significant milestone, marking the 10th anniversary of Sweeney’s album PROVOKED. That album, which included two No.1 hit singles in the Texas Music Charts, Bad Girl Phase and My Bed, is now revisited with remodelled versions of the original album’s thirteen tracks and two additional ones, My Own Lane and a cover of Bob Dylan’s To Be Alone With You.

Reconstructing the songs in a more stripped-down and acoustic manner draws the listener to the lyrics more than the melody. These lyrics, often autobiographical, delve deep into tales of tortured relationships and infidelity (Second Guessing, You Don’t Know Your Husband), isolation and despondency (Sunday Dress, Front Row Seats), but also contain sharp humour and buffoonery (Backhanded Compliment, Used Cars). The tear-jerker and standout track, Uninvited, is simply gorgeous, as is the aforementioned My Own Lane. 

The excellent playing is often understated but maintains a consistent ambience throughout and is slick. The backing vocals enhance Sweeney’s crystalline voice.

With songs steeped in country music but with a modern edge, Sweeney poured her heart out, recalling life’s complexities with the original recording a decade ago. Sassy, straight-talking, and very much a Texan at heart, her new versions of the songs sound every bit as vital this time around as they did back then, offering a fresh and contemporary take on traditional country music.   

Declan Culliton

Maggie Antone Rhinestoned Love Big /Thirty Tigers

It's becoming increasingly difficult to keep track of the number of quality country records by Nashville-based women of late. Added to that list is this album by Maggie Antone, released on her own label, Love Big, partnered with Thirty Tigers. 

Support slots opening for Marty Stuart, Trampled By Turtles, Red Clay Strays and 49 Winchester point toward the industry approval that Richmond, Virginia-born Antone has recently garnered. Her career was kickstarted by her cover of Tyler Childers' Lady May, the success of which led to her recording the covers album INTERPRETATIONS in 2022. If that album showcased Antone's silky country vocals, RHINSTONED mirrors that skill with her ability to write impressive modern country songs. To that end, Antone worked with Natalie Hemby, co-writing the album's opener, Johnny Moonshine, and with long-time writing partner, Carrie K. The song is a tongue-in-cheek and witty affair, a trait regularly repeated on the album and none more so than on High Standards, where she faces off a pompous stoner on a late-night encounter. 

On the honky tonk Mess With Texas, she reminisces on short-term flings ('His hand's in my back pocket, it's going pretty swell, his face is in my locket, so as far as I can tell it sure ain't lonely in the Lone Star State'). However light-hearted that song may be, Suburban Outlaw is at the opposite end of the scale. A biting and bitter rant directed at a boyfriend from a troubled and likely abusive relationship, Antone leaves the listener in little doubt ('You think you're such a man, but you're a fucking sociopath, with a heart full of cruel intentions and your knife in my back'). Meant to Meet closes the album charting a falling apart relationship, but on this occasion, one doomed by substance abuse rather than personal abuse.

Laying bare her vulnerabilities, the parallels between Antone's work and that of other strong-willed women creating similar art, like Kaitlin Butts and Kiely Connell, come to mind. By blending emotionally raw terrain and witty wordplay, RHINSTONED'S chemistry hits the mark and is a further step up the industry ladder by a highly talented artist. 

Declan Culliton

Joe Quinn Painting Pictures Telling Stories Self Release

Scotland is a fertile home for traditional Folk music and the links to timeless Celtic influences stretch from Ireland, Wales, Cornwall and the Isle of Man, all the way to Brittany in Northern France. The influence on other music genres such as bluegrass and American country is also very evident in the instrumentation where fiddle, banjo, accordion, bodhran, uilleann pipes, mix with tin whistle, mandolin, tambourine, harp, bagpipes and bouzouki, and much more.

Joe Quinn is a Scottish Folk artist and there is a proud spirit running through his music. Of the ten songs included here the traditional arrangements Wild Mountain Thyme, Lakes Of Ponchatrain, and Cocaine are given due reverence and the delivery is sprinkled with Quinn’s authentic homage. Elsewhere he pays tribute to old friend Chris Adams who has now passed on and the song Fiery Cross is included in his memory. It recounts tales of clans gathering to defend Scottish lands.

Closing Us Doon is an original poem by Tommy McGuire put to music by Quinn and is a protest against Thatcherism and the closure of Scottish shipyards in attempts to break trade unionism, a fate also suffered by the steel and mining industries. The anger in the delivery is justified and stands as a defiant gesture of independence and self-identity.

Other songs penned by Quinn include Dreaming, Balloch Fayre, and Little Farm, a song for his mother who grew up in the Mountains of Mourne in Ireland. The song arrangements are impressive in their structure and the musicians do justice to the old traditions of supporting the tune and not overplaying.

Produced by Sammy Horner of the Electrics and the Sweet Sorrows fame, this album is an interesting mixture of folk inspirations and authentic storytelling. Sammy (multiple instruments) and his wife Kylie (melodica, accordion, whistle, vocals) feature across all the tracks, with Joe Quinn on guitar and vocals joined by Tim Cotterell (fiddle), Jimmy D (electric guitar), Anamieke Quinn (double bass), Jimmy Devlin (guitars, mandolin), and Nick Stiverson (guitar, mandolin) on various songs. If you enjoy traditional Folk music that is played with both heart and conviction then this is the album for you.

Paul McGee

Mean Mary Woman Creature Woodrock

This album is subtitled Portrait Of A Woman (Part 2) and is a follow up to the original Part 1 that appeared in 2022. The ten songs illustrate the impressive talents that Mary James showcases on a regular basis across her many albums and other interests. She is a multi-instrumentalist, novelist, producer and YouTube personality. She also endorses Deering Banjos as an artist and musician, and has been named as their Goodtime Ambassador. Mary plays 11 instruments and has recorded 18 albums, crossing various musical boundaries in her fusing of different genres.

Mary has her own Nashville TV show: The Never-Ending Street, which is a reality show depicting the trials and joys of a touring musician. She also survived a near fatal car accident in 2003 that resulted in life changing injuries that she fought bravely to overcome. They included serious damage to her vocal chords and yet, some years later, we find Mary has not only recovered but is singing as well as ever before. Her passionate delivery sets these songs into a tapestry of great colour.

Making a record that captures a moment in time is something that any musician seeks. With this new album there is a risk that her unusual performing name and the strange title might put off a number of potential listeners who come to her music for the first time. However, do not let initial impressions lead you astray as there is great depth and talent at play here.  Mary James grew up with her family living a nomadic lifestyle and the well she draws from is very deep and brimming over with life experience. Six of the tracks are co-writes with her mother, Jean James and her brother Frank appears on a number of songs adding his skills on 12-string guitar, vocals and jungle animal impressions on the excellent Tarzan. Mary herself chips in with wolf and coyote howls on the title track Woman Creature and her production skills deliver a really bright and engaging listening experience.

The traditional air on instrumental track Sweet Spring is a real joy and banjo mixes with violin, guitar, acoustic bass and bodhran to deliver a celebratory sound. Murder Creek is the longest song included and is a murder ballad from the state of Alabama ‘I remember her in the water that night like a dam against the flood, Hair streamed down across her face and mud stained her dress like blood.’

The playful Mr. What A Catch I Am is a flirtation with the ego and Bring Down the Rain closes the album with  a Gospel-tinged song that says ‘If I only get down on my knees to you, When I’ve been beaten down by the pain, If I only call on you when it’s storming, Then bring down the rain.’ The album is a very welcome addition to the great body of work that Mean Mary has given to the world and it is a very appropriate place to discover her many gifts if you are not already an admirer.

Paul McGee

Cary Hudson Ole Blue Malaco

The easy blues of Who Been Hoodooin U kicks off this latest album from Cary Hudson in some style with the slow groove highlighting restrained guitar and harmonica, perfectly laced into the rhythm. It puts down a strong marker for what is to follow and the relaxed country blues of Delta Darlin’ is a tribute to the Mississippi area where Hudson was born and still lives to this day. The piano on the song echoes the breezy guitar lines and is both laid-back and loose, with the feeling of love always in the air ‘My delta darlin, baby slow dance with me, beneath a Mississippi moon, swaying to an old blues tune.’

Queen Of the Road highlights the vocal of Hudson’s daughter, Anna. She knocks it out of the park with a sultry performance that mirrors all the bar room queens of old Delta taverns and clubs. The song is a female perspective on the Roger Miller classic King Of the Road and it takes no prisoners in warning to get out of this lady’s way.. ‘I’m a snake wrapped around your wrist, I won’t bite but I sure might hiss, My bags are packed and I’m ready to go, Queen of the road.’

Local Honey is a deal delight with fine harmonica playing, along with electric rhythm and a soft shuffle beat. Mention of second cousins in the lyric seems somewhat questionable, but the tongue in cheek delivery wins out ‘She tall and brown y’all, as a Mississippi pine, and the pine tree’s got a bee’s nest, full of honey so fine.’ The beautiful piano on After the Rain is a highlight on the album. It is a reminiscence of older times and memories of hanging out with friends ‘Living on the street of dreams, in sweet old New Orleans, in a shotgun double one block off Magazine, Toddie’s place was not too far, We met at Henry’s bar and talked about old delta days, when Duff would play guitar.’

Hudson has released as many solo albums as the original days of his band Blue Mountain who reigned supreme and burned brightly in the early years of the Alternative Country movement. His undoubted talent as both a musician and songwriter are well established and over a career that has spanned three decades and he continues to create music of real substance. His vocal tone is very relaxed and whether playing guitar, harmonica or piano his light burns brightly.

Till the River Runs Dry is as good a slice of blues as you will ever need with the profession of love that accompanies the sweet flow of the song looking at unrequited longing ‘Worked my fingers to the bone, Just to build our happy home, but U don’t care how hard I try, Still I love U til the river runs dry.’ On the acoustic feel of 70s Song it mirrors a commercial sound in both the melody and harmony vocals of Anna, adding sweet nuance to the arrangement. The Sha La La chorus is reminiscent of top 20 sounds of the time and Wild World by Cat Stevens jumped into my thoughts.

Goodbye features Anna on lead vocal once again and her wonderful vocal tone is so impressive on this tale of leaving ‘I know goodbye is always the hard part, I’m moving on to my next show.’ The standout groove is reserved for Velvet Elvis and a deep blues that reflects the high stakes of cheating in a marriage ‘The young wife saw the yard boy, His shirt off cutting grass, invited him in for a cold beer, and slapped him on the ass.’ You know what comes next…

The final song on this impressive album is Country Funk and the musicians really get into the pocket on this workout ‘Out in the country when the work gets done, We pick up a fiddle and we have a little fun, Banging on a banjo and beating on a drum, Gonna have a hoedown, come and get you some.’ Hudson even mimics animal sounds in the chorus and it somehow all works over tasty guitar and cool rhythm stomp.

The album was recorded at Malaco Studios in Jackson Mississippi, the legendary home of major blues and gospel acts that dates back to the 1960s.  It was engineered by Nick Smith who also played bass on the album. Drums and percussion was provided by Ted Gainey with both lead and background vocals by Anna Hudson. Cary wrote all the songs, with both Queen of the Road and Goodbye co-writes with Anna Hudson. A very rewarding album and right up there with his best work.

Paul McGee

Brock Davis Everyday Miracle Raintown

Leading off the brightly upbeat title track this new album from Santa Cruz resident Brock Davis is a real statement of positivity. Keep On follows with a message to remain positive as the obstacles of life present themselves and this theme is explored further on the more reflective Make A Family and a conversation between a husband and wife who are facing a decision surrounding adoption ‘If you think it’s time to stop trying then that’s ok with me, We can always talk to the folks at the agency.’

Rain Falling On the Water keeps the slow tempo as it looks back at memories of younger days ‘everything looks the same here, but everything has changed.’ Spilling ashes on the ocean is the sense of closure that the song seeks – both beautiful and sad. Things take a more up-tempo direction on the fine band workout You’d Think I’d Know By Now and a relationship song that looks to the mystery in finding new character traits in one another.

Davis grew up in Vancouver, Canada and his debut album A Song Waiting To Be Sung appeared back in 2021, gaining great praise and announcing his talent to a wider audience. I’ll Always Be Your Dad is a sweet song with country leanings and tackles the issue of a widower seeking new love after the death of his wife but not wanting to cause upset to his young son. It’s very considered and delivered with a sense of real sentivity. It Just Takes One is another story song taken from daily experiences and tackles the issue of sexual harassment in the workplace with predatory males thinking that any behaviour is acceptable.

Give Forgiveness has a gospel influence in the soaring chorus and appears to be a personal song that touches on childhood challenges. It’s a real tour de force with organ swells complimenting the wonderful harmony vocals. Another song The Warrior looks at career choices and the reality of facing down redundancy. The stark reality of change can lead to new beginnings and a more positive tomorrow.

Ready For A Good Time is all about striking out and having some fun in breaking away from the routine of daily life. Again, the impressive backing vocalists shine here and really push the envelope on another celebratory song.  The quiet strum of September Rain is in complete contrast and the slow build to the song arrangement recalls young love and memories of growing up. The declaration of love on Angela (Please Say Yes) is both heartfelt and vulnerable, while the concluding track My Promise To You is another prayer to always be open with each other and building a real honesty in loving another person.

So, plenty of sentiment and positive emotions on display here. The musicians are all superbly integrated and really add a polish to these song arrangements. The project was recorded at Nashville’s Backstage Studio and was co-produced by Davis and Zach Allen. It is well worth further investigation and I sense that this fine songwriter is only beginning to find his stride.

Paul McGee

Emily Haden Lee The Woman I Would Be Dibbs

Southern Missouri is where this rich new talent first immersed herself in the joy of music. Being part of a musical family sews many seeds in the development of a young mind and when your influences include the music of Bonnie Raitt, Allison Krauss, Patty Griffin and Eva Cassidy then you know that something special is in the air. The fact that Emily has succeeded in capturing some of this magic dust from her influences is a gift that we can all now share in with the release of this debut album.

There are twelve songs included and it is an accomplished and mature work from a young artist that has captured the essence of what it is to communicate deep emotions in a contemporary singer-songwriter style that is to be greatly admired. These gentle acoustic arrangements are wrapped in understated melody and subtle musicianship with co-production by renowned Chicago singer-songwriter Steve Dawson together with Emily’s husband Alex Lee.

The beautiful vocals are complimented by the most elegant playing and gently woven instrumentation in support of these gossamer threads and plaintive veils of song. The supporting cast of Steve Dawson, Alex Lee and Bill Evans deliver on many levels but it is the overall sway of the musical expression that lingers after listening to the album. The pace doesn’t change much throughout and the risk of similarity between song arrangements is dispelled with subtle touches and nuance that both separate and link one song to the next.

Opener Gentle Man sets the template with lovely acoustic guitar, piano and percussion that reflects on the issues within families and trying to live up to expectations. Over the generations we are challenged to see beyond these family traditions ‘choose not fear but faith instead, But the years go by, so hard I try, And I’m always in my way again.’ Begin Again is a memory of growing up and sibling rivalry, of letting go of the past and pushing forward. Round and Round is a song to her husband and a statement of the love and trust that strengthens a shared bond ‘I will make the coffee, you go back to sleep, you wrap your arms around me, and I breathe you in, so deep.’

Emily lost her brother in recent years and her sense of grief is part of Cowboy as she deals with the reality of loss ‘I hated and I loved you, It’s a complicated grief, Can we still forgive each other, I hope you’ve forgiven me.’ Will You Set Me Free deals with the need to escape and live anonymously in a big city, away from the past and the memories that cling. There is a sense of separation and the need to maintain distance ‘Will you set me free and can I float a little longer?’

The challenge in relationships and family is wrapped into Forever Blues and the urge to break away from expected norms ‘I won’t live lonely with you, I won’t do what the others do.’ Minimal guitar accompaniment and harmony vocals are beautifully delivered. The song Time Is A Thief looks back to the childhood home and the question of what gets left behind. Memory can cloud and random thoughts arrive ‘You’d touch my face and your hands smelled like cigarettes, Add that to the list of things not to forget.’ It has a standout vocal performance and the regret felt is palpable ‘And the cruel truth of it all is that everything fades in time.’

The longest song on the album is Sugar and Dirt and the one track that attempts to lift the gentle reverie with a mid-tempo rhythm and subtle drumming ‘I want to be everything to you, I need to be left alone too.’ It’s a song that reflects upon the dichotomy in living, the bittersweet, the need to belong and the urge to be separate. Spectral lap steel and guitar add to the atmospheric arrangement.

On A String looks to learn from the past while also trying to move forward. Visiting the old family home and looking for signposts while reminiscing on the days ‘I’m back in our old house, Warm fire, your laugh so loud, Are you still proud of me? Are you still listening?’  Similarly, on the title track Emily speaks of gaining perspective and growing up ‘You never saw the changes in me, You never met the woman I would be.’ Perhaps a song for her father who passed away during the writing of the album?

Wraith hints at a dysfunctional life where barters are made for peace to ensue. Maybe the ghost that waits for recompense is a good spirit and the sense of depression can be lifted ‘You made a deal for years and years, He let you live away from fear, You once were whole but piece by piece, He’ll ask for more and you’ll feed the beast.’

On the closing song, Anyway, Emily deals with her grief and resolves to live with the ever-present pull of memory and thoughts of her brother and father now departed. On a journey from her current Chicago base she muses ‘Life is consequence, It is wondering what’s behind the fence, I will rise again and start my day, And I’ll think about you anyway.’ It is a perfect way to end the album and to close a chapter in her life diary. The world goes on and we honour those who have left us in the daily act of living.

The guiding hands of Alex Lee (guitar, banjo, drums, harmony) and Steve Dawson (lap steel, keyboards, bass, guitars, mandolin, harmonium, percussion) provide the bedrock and confidence for Emily to release her creative muse and soar. Her pure vocal tone is so beautiful and blends easily with her guitar in unfurling these songs of gentle grace. Such great production on the entire project and Bill Evans contributes also on both harmonica and mandolin. Quite simply, a wonderful album and one that will linger for everyone who opens the door to this superb new artist.

Paul McGee

Christopher Lockett A Town We Painted Blue Gritbiscuit

An instrument is an instrument, right? Except, perhaps, when it’s in the hands of a player who can craft a particular sound from it. So it is with the introduction to this album’s opening title song where Scarlet Rivera’s violin seems immediately familiar, especially to older Bob Dylan fans. Lockett himself is a multi-disciplinarian who, aside from his music, is an accomplished photographer and filmmaker. He brings that same sense of creativity to his music on what is his fifth album. It is produced by Fernando Perdomo and also features Bob ‘Boo’ Bernstein on pedal steel and equally effectively some vocal duets with Kitten Kuroi. Lockett himself posses a deep, cavernous voice that is, while not exactly smooth, full of certainty and fire.

The twelve songs touch on different aspects of roots music and, as such, can be justifiably labeled as Americana. His feelings and observations about life are a part of the themes, but as he observes in the song The Town We Painted Blue something that tell us much of Lockett’s own world view “I’ve seen the world’s biggest church / And the world’s biggest tree / I’m pretty sure you already know / Which one means more to me.” Here is a man who has little time for following those who would sell you short and sell you out for the sake of a dollar and a dose of dogmatism. In Long And Troubled Road he further affirms this with another telling verse “There’s one thing I know to be true / All across the nation / Religion and money count / By denomination.” He reiterates that empathy with non-organised religion notion too in Lamp Posts noting that this road to another way of thinking and realisation had been compounded by “My parents were right to send me to church / Everything worked out fine / The preacher bored the hell right out of me / Every single time.”

There are other lines throughout that show Lockett is well able to deliver a lyric that is both thoughtful and though-provoking; like that in Santa Ana Winds Are Good For Crying where he describes sitting around a camp fire listening to stories and observing that “Joshua Trees look like Jesus with crowns of barbwire.” Musically the album is quite direct and effectively unalloyed with a solid rhythmic base underlying Lockett’s guitars and the violin and pedal steel arrangements which also make use of Craig Ferguson’s dobro and mandolin contributions. With this, the overall effect is enjoyable and effective songwriting that cuts to the heart of his disquiet of the world around him. Equally, this not an album unacquainted with the better things that life has to offer. Conversely a song like Death Ain’t Nothing But A Thief And Robber / No Mercy is a stomping raw, upfront blues-focused workout with strong vocals shared between Lockett and Kuroi.

The instrumental Dulcimer De Leche using that particular instrument to create a different mood. As does the other featured instrumental track which takes a more direct route with a very down-home harmonica-driven blues approach in Force Multiplier. The mouth-harp is also used effectively in the location centric folk blues that is Down By The Riverside. Another track offers us the blessing, that in difficult times, May Your Guitar Be Louder which is completed by the line … “than your demons tonight.” Past memories and details of a love story, involving his grandfather, are uncovered in the opening of a Suitcases Full Of Kisses.

This impactful and engaging album closes with the aforementioned Long And Troubled Road, a song with a strong vocal married to female harmony contrasted with a distorted vocal effect that highlights the diversity of delivery used on the album. This is music made by an independent artist for an independent audience who would be well rewarded by a close listen.

Stephen Rapid

New Album Reviews

Hannah Juanita Tennessee Songbird Self Release

The 2021 debut album HARDLINER introduced me to the music of Tennessee-born and bred Hannah Juanita. That album’s title and a number of the songs, which drilled into lousy life choices and relationships, pointed to a high-spirited artist with endless potential. Kicking off her career playing at the Honky Tonk Tuesday Nights at The American Legion in Nashville was the stepping stone for Juanita to support slots in recent years for Jesse Daniel, Nick Shoulders and the like-minded Katlin Butts. Having witnessed her early live shows and, more recently, her performance at the 5 Spot in 2023, the adage ‘whirlwind’ comes to mind. That progression is mirrored in TENNESSEE SONGBIRD, a ten-track collection that hits the mark as a cracking modern honky tonk delight. Juanita’s high-pitched and sparkling vocals are well-suited to songs that combine traditional country anthems and tender ballads.

She’s out of the blocks at some pace and setting her stall with the opener Hardliner Blues(‘I’m a honky tonkin’ baby with the hardliner blues’). The track includes some killer guitar breaks from Mose Wilson, who produced the album, and equally fine pedal steel courtesy of Eddy Dunlap. Other big hitters and Music City household names that contributed are Chris Scruggs (guitar), Dennis Crouch (bass), Bruce Bouton (dobro), Micah Hulscher (keys), Billy Contreras (fiddle) and Fred Eltringham (drums). The album's production, led by Mose Wilson, was a collaborative effort involving those Music City household names, each contributing their unique talents to create a rich and classic country sound. 

Riley Downing, of The Deslondes fame, also joined the party, duetting on Granny’s Cutlass Supreme, his lived-in, gruff, whiskey-soaked vocal the perfect foil for Juanita’s thrilling falsetto. The song, laced with humour, was written in memory of Juanita’s glamorous grandmother (‘She’d put on her bikini and make a big martini. Lawd, you ain’t never seen nothin’ like the sheen on granny’s Cutlass Supreme’). Equally fun-filled is Loose Caboose, which reads like it could also be about her grandmother as a young woman in her heyday.

She takes her foot off the gas on the somewhat autobiographical and slow-paced title track. The unbridled Honky Tonkin’ for Life sums up the album’s core thrust (‘Well I’ve done a million things, finally found my dream. Reckon I’m a honky tonk girl, I’m up there on the stage, two-step night and day’). Mother Country Music is a toe-tapping sonic delight in the Tammy Wynette style, and Fortune reaches the sweet spot between traditional and modern country.

This year has gifted us with many exceptional ‘real’ country albums by female artists. Wonder Women Of Country, Emily Nenni, Sarah Gayle Meech, Kiely Connell, Kelsey Waldon, Kayla Ray, Eliza Thorn, Kaitlin Butts, and India Ramey immediately come to mind but repeated listens to TENNESSEE SONGBIRD has me thinking that by the end of the year, it’s most likely to be the jewel in the crown for me.

Declan Culliton

Wild Ponies Dreamers No Evil

As pillars of the local East Nashville scene for two decades, Doug and Telisha Williams (Wild Ponies) have previously released five albums. DREAMERS, a unique addition to their back catalogue, features twelve songs in their distinct country-folk style, a sound that is sure to captivate and intrigue listeners.

Very much a community effort, co-writers on the album include Ben Glover (Breathe), Nora Jane Struthers (Love You Right Now), John Hadley and the late Dave Olney (Morning Comes) and Chuck and Mira Costa (Night Sky). They travelled farther afield to work with songwriter and activist Chely Wright (Wind Love and Water). Alongside Telisha's bass and Doug's guitar, they were joined by some of the finest local players in longtime collaborator Fats Kaplin (pedal steel, banjo, strings), Ross McReynolds (drums), Ellen Angelico (guitars) and Joshua Grange (pedal steel).

Band of Cardinals opens the album and is a high-powered, copybook, classic folk-rock track. Recalling the 70s Richard and Linda Thompson sound, its origin came from a translation by Telisha of a Portuguese poem. The autobiographical title track - with nods to John Prine - in many ways represents the individualistic lifestyle the couple have enjoyed and continue to enjoy. Their daughter Iris was the catalyst for the stripped-back Heartbeat, which recalls a harrowing time when they thought they may have lost her before birth. The appalling school shooting in Parkland, Florida, in 2018, which took the lives of fourteen students and three staff members, was the motivation for the forthright Bury The Young. Wind Love and Water, written with Chely Wright in her New York apartment, is a powerful reminder of nature’s simple healing powers.

Doug and Telisha Williams's often unconventional life experiences and non-traditional family values provide them with unlimited writing material. They are well known for their weekly Wild Ponies Happy Hour Show on WSM, regular Trail Ride facilitators for their friends and fanbase, becoming parents and foster parents, and their previous mobile food catering business, which all suggest a partnership that is always open to new and fulfilling challenges.

DREAMERS is a powerful statement of acceptance, freedom, and having the courage to be true to oneself and exist happily in an increasingly messed-up world. Doug and Telisha Williams are doing just that on their own terms, and on an album that navigates a range of emotions, they have created a body of work that will most certainly enhance their already lofty reputation. 

Declan Culliton

Mike Montrey Band Love, Time & Mortality Self Release

Singer-songwriter, musician, producer, and teacher Mike Montrey reflects on a range of real-life issues he encountered over the past decade on his latest and sixth album. Family bereavement, fatherhood, divorce, mortality, and the challenges of kick-starting his music programme for adults with disabilities all played their part in creating the stimulus for the album's ten tracks.

Montrey's memories of his deceased mother, particularly her love of stained glass, inspired Stained Glass Window Panes. This country-tinged track, adorned with slick pedal steel licks, encapsulates the album's core message of cherishing every moment ('Slow it down, there ain't nothing at the end of the middle of the end anyhow. Slow it down because it's gone before you know it'). This sage advice is echoed in Fortune Teller and Holdin' On To Nothin, the latter featuring Jen Augustine's superb backing vocals, as they delve into the fragility of relationships. The allure of temptation, a force often irresistible and alluring, is explored in The Devil Caught Me Napping, and the album also includes a cover of Bob Dylan's Emotionally Yours. 

Montrey's well-worn baritone vocals, complemented by Augustine's timely vocal injections, are undeniably impressive. The collective effort of the band members also brings a warm and free-flowing musical feel to the tracks, creating a relaxing and comforting atmosphere. Jack Stanton's pedal steel, Santo Rizzolo's drums and percussion, Mike Noordzy's bass, Nicole Scorsone's violin, and John Ginty's organ and piano all play a crucial role in shaping the album's sound.

LOVE, TIME, AND MORTALITY is a profound meditation on life's challenges and the unforeseen. It addresses the tight-rope balancing act of holding on to life at often challenging times, inviting the listener on a contemplative journey. In doing so, it offers a splendid listening experience.

Declan Culliton

Ben Arsenault Make Way For This Heartache North Country Collective

There has been some mighty fine music in the roots/country area for a very long time. Witness Sean Burns’ recent LOST COUNTRY release that explores some largely undiscovered gems from Canada’s country music past. Now here, taking a similarly traditional path, we have Ben Arsenault releasing his second album, on which he works closely with other like-minded souls such as producer and bassist Erik Nielsen (of the City & Colour band), John Sponarski and Matt Kelly, the latter two along with drummer Leon Power are also involved in a collective know as Wild North (who released their debut album in 2019). Pedal steel comes courtesy of Austinite and Jesse Daniel sideman, Caleb Melo  and the aforementioned Kelly. Others involved include fiddler Kendal Carson, the keyboards of Darryl Havers and guitarist Aidan Ayers. 

Some of the songs have been part of Arsenault’s live set for some time, while others are new versions of earlier material like Too Late and Does A Man Know? He also includes new songs such as Never Been The Boss and I’m Changing Too, which touch on the timeless and perennial themes of heartbreak and its continuing presence. Facing that with some conviction and understanding helps these songs to be grounded and ultimately, in their delivery, balance the despondency with some upbeat musical arrangements. This was likely influenced, to some degree, by the music he created for a number of years with the band Real Ponchos. The drummer from that band Emlyn Scherk appears on several tracks on this album too. 

Arsenault’s voice is another bonus, with its overtones of classic country stylings but with his own way of revealing the poignancy of the material. Grand Forks tells of a selfish attitude towards a relationship, wherein the blend of organ, guitar and pedal steel does much to set the tone of grievous wrongdoing. Too Late tells how the situation of trying to make things work out are “too late now and it was too late then, and its always been.” The title track swims in its knowledge that another exchange will doubtless not end well. You begin to feel sorry for Arsenault, although when the music turns out this good you want his pain to continue. 

And it does, as he wonders is his demeanour as obvious to others as it is to him, You Can Tell That I’ve Been Lonesome finds him wanting to be acknowledged for his downbeat state. Never Been The Boss ruminates on never feeling in control of such situations. “There ain’t one thing worth fighting for’ is a thought which finds him down in the darker sides of life in Basement Blues. Further bouts of wondering and self realisation ask the question Does A Man Know? and does so with steel guitar drifting through the song’s quiescence. However hope has the tendency to offer the possibility of a new liaison and the fact that this time he may be prone to come on strong, such is the reason to get Carried Away. ‘Used to stay out all night shaking my hips’ was how the protagonist in the final upbeat track, I’m Changing Too. Well, we can hope that he doesn’t change musical direction as he thinks of becoming a better man and moving on from his old ways. It finishes this ten track album, which has paired a producer who has the sensibility to make this sound right with a top notch singer and writer and some equally appropriate playing. You will therefore want to make way for this album in your collection of similar albums, delivering the timeless ethos of classic country in a timely and excellent package.

Stephen Rapid

Matt Mason Time’s All I Got  91 Ranch Outpost

The new album from Matt Mason is a good one, however I can’t tell you who produced, played on or wrote the songs, as after extensive a search online I couldn’t  find any of these credits. Mason himself, I can see from streaming sites, is the primary songwriter throughout. The production and playing is also effective in delivering the material in what’s a largely country/roots rock manner, held together by Mason’s conclusive vocals throughout, something that proved him a near winner on the talent show Nashville Star in 2006. He also did well on CMT’s Next Superstar, following which he got a deal with Warner Brothers. However, after a period of initial releases, he later moved to putting out his music independently. He has had five of those out prior to this new release.

All the material is aided by a solid rhythm section with a guitar player who is equally convincing with more than enough twang to make sure you get the overall picture. However, it is the songs that are the attraction, along with Mason’s impressive vocal, that suggests that, even in a solo live situation, they would stand up. This is an eight track mini-album that runs just under 30 minutes. 

Many of the songs deal with the adjustments that have to be made as one gets that little older, and the things that feel good in life may not necessarily be the ones that are good for you in the long run. The title track, which closes the album, sets that out in a slow paced, hard-edged manner. Elsewhere, Mason decides he needs to be Gettin’ Off The Fence after having realised the hurt he has caused those close to him, and that he needs to stop by getting off the fence and "stop swinging off the gates of hell.” Similarly, as with other songs here, Roll No More balances the love of a woman with the lure of hard liquor and this "rolling stone don’t roll no more ... giving up the bar stool for an easy chair.” This may have come from the hard lessons of pushing a partner to the limit, but that realisation has set in and is given understanding with Scars From The Flame and This One’s Gonna Hurt. 

Friendly Fire has an interesting lyric about saying things that can’t be taken back; like a bullet from a gun and the effect that may have in injuring someone close to you who was not the intended victim, revealed when the smoke has cleared. It is a well expressed duet sung and written with Ella Mae Mason. The song E is about a confrontational situation that is not going to end well, judging from this selection of song lines: “That needle’s pushin’ ninety-five … I see the whites in your eyes … Don’t think that you’re livin’, man … We might both end up in hell … But you’re sure as hell goin’ first.”

This is an album I have enjoyed listening to and it’s easy in some ways to see why Mason didn’t quite take off to the heights with the Warner's deal, but equally his music is not the kind of easy listening, positive love songs with the edges shaved and smoothed off that was the requirement back then. But the Indiana native is now doing it his way and he has the time, so hopefully it pays off for him as he is another talent that has the potential to create his own audience and then build from that base.

Stephen Rapid

Michael McDermott Lighthouse On The Shore/East Jesus Pauper Sky

Here is a man who has lived, loved, loathed and listened to the lessons that life has taught him. This is Michael McDermott taking stock of where he is today and what he has gained and lost to get to this particular place. It finds him on an even keel and turning his experience into two albums’ worth of remarkable songwriting, something that anyone who has encountered his music either live or in a recorded format will already know, but these albums represent an ideal time to appreciate what McDermott has to offer the world. His body of work stretches back to the early 90s - much of it I have to admit I have not heard but my journey began with WILLOW SPRINGS back in 2016 and also released that year was the album SIX ON THE OUT by the Westies, a band fronted by McDermott.

Ostensibly there is a sense of duality, of light and shade, with one album given the tag of electric and the other acoustic but that is not strictly the case. For example, LIGHTHOUSE ON THE SHORE, which fits the latter definition, is far from a stripped back recording featuring as it does Matt Thompson on bass, Will Kimbrough on guitars, John Deaderick on keyboards, Katie Burns on cello and Heather Lynne Horton on fiddle and vocals, all of whom (bar Burns) also appear on the “electric” album EAST JESUS. However, the key instrument on the quieter album is the piano, in a series of unfeigned ballads of love and loss. There are topics he has touched on before that are deeply imbedded in his psyche, such the relationship he had with his father which is explored through the well written understanding of I Am Not My Father, through to the love expressed in the title track and the opening song, Bradbury Daydream.

As well as being a compelling lyricist McDermott writes memorable melodies that often reveal themselves over time and allowed for a more lasting listening involvement. Lighthouse On The Shore makes this sense of redemption, recovery and belief clear “You found me shattered beyond repair / When I was falling you were there / I see the healing in your eyes / And you lifted me up when I was capsized.” Then you can’t escape the passion and pain that is McDermott’s strong vocal delivery. Yet throughout, this is a team effort with the musicians all making their presence felt in a way that is often understated but always understanding of the songs’ needs. Another affirmation of all that is positive here is the song Count Your Blessings, which as well as recognising such benedictions asks that you also “say a prayer for the broken hearted.” 

We then turn to the second set of songs that is, again, co-produced by McDermott with Steven Gillis, who is also the drummer on this set of tracks; while the Lighthouse album saw Deaderick also adding some additional production alongside McDermott. For this recording also on board are guitarist Grant Tye, with some additional drums from Gerald Dowd. While there is an obvious lift in terms of the sound, tempo and intensity it loses none of the intimacy of the acoustic set, rather it takes those sentiments and amplifies them. A Head Full Of Rain asks you to not let your light be taken away and to remember that “when all you seem to see is pain … remember / There’s blue right above the clouds.” The title track considers what forces there are around us all and to be wary and aware of their negativity, warning never to lose vigilance as “The greatest mistake anyone can make / Is believing the war is over.” A sentiment now more relevant than ever. A more personal danger takes shape in Berlin At Night, with a cognisance that you might hold the hope that there is a person who can save you, yet that he can see “the fire fading in your eyes and that “there’s a distance growing and I don’t know why”, an awareness that things may not always work out as you hoped. 

Quicksand has some interesting sonics in the arrangement that balance with the more upfront Stones-ish rock of Lost Paradise and the rock sensibility that is underpinning other tracks, something that allows one to listen to the songs without particularly dissecting the words, but simply enjoy the band on its own terms. Charlie Brown likens the protagonist to the hapless cartoon character stumbling along after a break up. Another such individual from another set of pages is mentioned in Behind The Eight, wherein he asks where has Holden Caulfield gone? It also asks a different conundrum in “Why do they call it Good Friday / When a good man died.” This is the work of a man who has not given up both trying to figure himself out as well as the world around him, especially for those who continue to live out in the margins. In the final song Whose Life I’m Living McDermott ponders “I don’t know whose life I’m living / All I know is it don’t feel like mine.” All we can offer in response is that it is a life that has been giving for a long time and which, despite it all, continues to be a creative and hopeful one. Both these albums offer solid proof for this and help explain why a revered writer like Stephen King has long recognised McDermott’s talent. The time is right now for many others to do so too.

Stephen Rapid

Dave Edmunds Swan Songs Omnivore

This double album collects 29 songs released by Edmunds in a solo capacity, as a member of Rockpile, or as a companion to Nick Lowe. In may ways, these tracks today represent an object lesson in rock ‘n’ roll and roots-inspired music that has the energy and directness of punk, starting out at pretty much the same time as that movement did but with a greater sense of structure and melody. Edmunds is known as much for his production techniques and as a musician as an artist in his own right, though he had hits prior to these tracks as a member of Love Sculpture and with solo chart hits such as I Hear You Knocking in 1970. Anyone who hankers for that 50’s influenced sound will remember the many great songs he released and here are the A and B sides of these Swan Songs singles released from 1976 to 1981. The band was signed to Led Zeppelin’s own label on the instigation of Robert Plant, in the main due to his own love of early rock ’n’ roll. 

The production, largely hankering back to an earlier time, stands the test of time, perhaps more so than some later solo releases in the 80s, which filtered with the synth-oriented sounds of the time. Here there is a timeless quality which might succeed in attracting some newer listeners who are unaware of the tracks from their previous contemporary releases. It is a non-stop run of memory inducing moments of simple direct, foot-tapping enlightenment. Who can resist Here Comes The Weekend, I Knew The Bride, Deborah, Get Out Of Denver, Girls Talk, Queen Of Hearts, Crawling Form The Wreckage or The Creature From The Black Lagoon?

Certainly we could do with more music like this in the charts today but, in truth, times have moved on and its likely to be seen as an exercise in nostalgia rather than the distillation of how rock should be divorced from online trends and tendencies. It can also be recognised as an object lesson in brevity, beat and back catalogue benefits. Edmunds and Lowe (often with Billy Bremner and Terry Williams) were a strong partnership when they had the same objectives, though later they began to have the oft-cited ‘creative differences’ and the five years of working together never quite paid off in sales terms (or ‘A1 on jukebox but nowhere on the charts’ as one of their own songs succinctly puts it). Ultimately, they both sought out other musical endeavours, but they left behind these indelible moments of rock music that deserve to be heard again by old time fans and a newer audience alike. For all you cats out there, the race is on!

Stephen Rapid

RR Williams Unremarkable Lives Self Release

This is an album of real substance. Nine songs that play out over thirty-four minutes and this solo project is named in honour of Reginald Roy Williams, the father of artist Mike Williams. As a tribute to his memory, the album is a fitting paean to his passing . Mike Williams has a great voice with a passionate delivery and opening song Tightrope has a driving beat with organ swells, harmonica and guitar resonant in the mix. Photographs is a song that reflects upon younger days and teenage angst mixed with regret ‘Sometimes the past comes rushing in, and sometimes the wrong feels right.’

The Chase is another vision of youthful regret ‘We used to hate what we’d become, stuck in a place we’re running from.’ Lonesome harmonica and acoustic guitar echoing the stark sentiment of the song. Tulsa has a slow groove and a message of boredom in small town American heartland ‘I got time, nowhere to go and money in my pocket and nothing to spend it on.’ Storefronts is old town America as modern life bypasses the traditional values of a more innocent time ‘This used to be my block, it ain’t home to me anymore.’ Songs that are wrapped up in the blue collar heartland of forgotten townships.

Last In Line has a classic beat and a rhythm that echoes Steve Earle in his pomp, guitar motifs and harmonica delivering attitude in spades. The acoustic strum of Your Ghost shows a reflective side to the struggle and a song that questions life, death and the great beyond, channelling feelings of uncertainty ‘there’s no words to speak when you’re not there to hear.’ Plaintive piano adding to the blues. Slowly Sinking continues in a similar acoustic stripped-back mode, with a song that hopes to keep a grip upon daily routine in the midst of grief, with harmonica again picking at the heartstrings.

The title track brings everything full circle and the world-weary vocal reflects on years of learning life lessons, making the most of what we are given, while trying to get beyond the constraints of daily compromise ‘Had good intentions but now I’m losing faith.’ The sense of struggle is a theme that repeats and seeks to bind us into a common understanding that life is hard. But the hope for little miracles outside the grim march of pre-determined fate is what lifts these songs into a hopeful resolution, with the message ‘We make the most of unremarkable lives.’ A very interesting debut album.

Paul McGee

Danni Nicholls Under the Neem Plum Tree Danni Nicholls Music

Since a debut album in 2012, this English singer-songwriter has been steadily building a successful career with regular trips Stateside to gain a foothold in wider markets. Currently residing in Nashville, this fifth album release is something of a side-step into a vintage country style of music and follows on from a live album released in 2020 which captured highlights from The Melted Morning album release show Live at The Water Rats, London, April 12th 2019. Previous releases were also included on that set list with four songs performed, in addition to the nine taken from the album being launched.

One of the tracks on that album was Ancient Embers and there is a reworked version of the song featured here. Other tracks on this short album of twenty seven minutes include the classic Can’t Help Falling In Love (Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore, George David Weiss), a much-covered song and originally written to be sung from a female perspective before Elvis Presley took it into the stratosphere with his recorded version. Danni Nicholls has such a beautiful vocal delivery and her full range can be heard on this particular song. Also included is My Happiness (Betty Peterson Blasco, Borney Bergantine), a popular song covered by Elvis and Fats Domino among others. Between the River and the Railway is another interesting choice with Danni’s self-penned song sitting comfortably into the salubrious company.

The eight songs included are in tribute to the influence of Danni’s grandmother, Philomena Astrid Imelda Gallyot, and the title track is the story of her life and marriage in India, subsequent emigration, and a new beginning in England. The old world left behind and a future life created on new shores, all made possible by an initial courtship under a Neem Plum Tree. All India Radio station was the source of her grandmother’s deep love of Country and Western and American roots music when growing up and she passed this love down through the family generations. .

Danni also turns in very credible cover versions of Crazy (Willie Nelson), Blue Bayou (Roy Orbison, Joe Nelson), and Tennessee Waltz (Pee Wee King, Redd Stewart). Her confident delivery is matched by the peerless musicianship of Brett Resnick (pedal steel), Emerald Rae (fiddle), Shawn Byrne (bass, mandolin), and producer Sarah Peacock who also provides fine harmony vocals and piano. Danni Nicholls plays acoustic guitars in addition to her lovely warm voice and the entire album is a real delight.

Paul McGee

Hannah Juanita, Wild Ponies, Mike Montrey Band, Ben Arsenault, Matt Mason, Michael McDermott, Dave Edmunds, R.R. Williams, and Danni Nicholls

New Album Reviews

Greg Copeland Empire State Hemifran

Californian native Greg Copeland is a bit of a cult figure, although he will be familiar to fans of his  better known friend, Jackson Browne, with whom he co-wrote during Browne’s earlier career. This EP is only his fourth recording since his debut (produced by Jackson Browne) in 1982. He continues to work with music royalty in the LA scene though and for this project he has been able to call on Val McCallum (Jackson Browne sideman) on guitars, Greg Leisz on pedal steel, mandolin & mandocello, Jay Bellerose (Joe Henry) on drums and producer Tyler Chester (Margaret Glasby, Watkins Family Hour, Carsie Blanton) also sits in on keys.

Copeland is a master at creating imagery, as evidenced by the four songs on this collection and Grammy-nominated Chester is a master at bringing those images to life, although it can’t have been too difficult to do so with that supporting cast of musicians in the studio. Boon Time is a blues/roots number, depicting the quandary of someone who’s subjected to life’s slings and arrows, all outside of his control, and features great rubber bridge slide guitar from McCallum. The six minutes of We The Gathered is a much more dramatic affair, opening as it does with relentless drum beats and menacing, jagged electric guitars, eerie pedal steel, and thumping bass courtesy of Jennifer Condos. Copeland says it’s about our ‘long journey to heaven’ but it feels to this reviewer like the apocalypse - ‘Maserati spinning in the river bed … with the snakes and the gators and the Valentines … you’re gonna want that machete’. Sara Watkins adds fiddle to the next song, 4:59:59, a very different affair and somewhat in the Guy Clark mould of storytelling and musicality, concerning an addict who finds redemption in a hardscrabble job using ‘a worn out pick and shovel’ to ‘find a stepping stone’. Track four is a fiftyone second recording of coyotes that will give you the shivers (be warned - it frightened my cats!). The closing (and title) song is another six minute musical gem, dominated by Greg Leisz’s unmistakeable pedal steel guitar interplaying with Val McCallum’s electric guitar. The somewhat cryptic lyrics tell the tale of a woman songwriter who leaves her boyfriend and New York City and makes her way back to the ‘endless frontier’ of the West, another tale of survival, like the previous track. Well into his seventh decade, Copeland is in good voice and his songwriting skills are impressive. Here’s hoping he can up his workload for his remaining decades!

Eilís Boland 

Bob Sumner Some Place To Rest Easy Fluff and Gravy

Having spent over two decades performing and recording with his brother Brian as the Sumner Brothers, Bob Sumner's latest record follows on from his 2019 debut solo release, WASTED LOVE SONGS. If that record ticked the Americana/ singer-songwriter box, SOME PLACE TO REST EASY goes down a more country route, casting its net in the direction of alcohol abuse and the carnage that addiction can unleash and also reflecting on other personal experiences.

Sumner is speaking from the heart, having overcome his own alcohol issues two years ago.  His 2022 single, Broken Record, was a pointer to the direction of the new record, both in its classic country sound, a nostalgic reminder of the genre's golden era, and heartrending lyrics. There's no better way to articulate hardship than country songs, and this eleven-track record hits the bullseye.

The realities of those excesses are painted in vivid detail on the song and lead single from the album, Motel Room ('But now you got your 2.6. of Bourbon and your party of one, and you're drinking alone, and it's 4 in the morning in a motel room'). Alongside being a classic country song, it spells out the reality of crossing the line between 'wanting to' and 'needing to.' Turn You Into Stone embraces a similar thread with country fiddle, mandolin and dobro placed well in the mix, highlighting Summer's smarting lyrics.  Strings, courtesy of Trent Freeman, and background vocals by Etienne Tremblay give the mournful break-up song, Baby I Know, a lovely Countrypolitan sound, and Lonesome Sound has a Lee Hazlewood style about it. Bridges is closer to 'modern country' but treads a corresponding path of self-inflicted life choices and their consequences.

It's not all 'tears in your beer', either. More tender and joyful are Don't We Though, which explores the ups and downs of relationships and the love ballad You Can Stay Here. The former could have been plucked from the Jimmy Webb /Glen Campbell songbook. Tender nods to youthful escapism and optimism surface on Didn't We Dream, which features backing vocals from Sumner's fellow Canadian, Kendal Carson.

SOME PLACE TO REST EASY is eyebrow-raising territory for anyone drawn to the 60s Nashville sound, a period when the singer was front and centre in the songs, often with lush orchestration, but without abandoning the 'twang' of country music entirely. It works spectacularly well here, with Sumner's vocals fully reflecting the songs' moods throughout, alongside the easy-to-access melodies. This is one that I'll be spending a lot of time with over the coming weeks and months, and you'd also be well advised to check out these splendid countryfied songs.

Declan Culliton

Gillian Welch & David Rawlings Woodland Acony

When Gillian Welch and David Rawlings purchased Woodland Studios in East Nashville in 2001 and commenced a project to restore it, they would not have anticipated having to undertake a second and hugely more demanding restoration venture almost two decades later, following catastrophic damage caused by a tornado that hit Nashville on March 3rd 2020. Originally a movie house, Woodland Studio was founded by Glen Snoddy in the mid-60s and was the location for the recording of iconic albums by Aretha Franklin, Willie Nelson, Neil Young, Loretta Lynn, and Emmylou Harris, to name but a few. 

American folk music royalty Welch and Rawlings’ WOODLAND is the second album that is credited as a duo, following their covers album from 2020, ALL THE GOOD TIMES (ARE PAST & GONE) and takes its inspiration from the studio that has essentially been their home for many years. It's also a celebration of rebirth and renewal in the face of adversity.

It seems only proper that it's referenced as a 'Gill and Dave' album, given the shared vocal instrumentation and songwriting on the ten tracks that run over forty minutes. It contains their trademark and familiar gently rolling acoustic style but also features some fuller tracks and the inclusion of ambient strings on occasion, led by composer and orchestrator Kristin Wilkinson.

Given the old-time ambience of many of the tracks, it may be surprising that they chose to title their ode to their close friend Guy Clark, Hashtag. However, the lyrics reveal the light-hearted side of the song ('You laughed and said the news would be bad If I ever saw your name with a hashtag. Singers like you and I are only news when we die'). With the quality on offer, it's difficult to pinpoint the standout tracks, but opener Empty Trainload Of Sky and Here Stands A Woman are classic slow-rolling Welch/Rawlings. The impeccable string picking on Lawman is a fine introduction to the timeless tale of endurance and, equally, The Day Mississippi Died harks to bygone days of expectation of little more than survival.

They close the album with the stripped-back Howdy, Howdy. With vocals, guitar, banjo and nothing else ('We've been together since I don't know when and the best part's where one starts and the other ends'), it's a fitting statement to two artists fiercely devoted to vintage folk music with the wherewithal to recreate it to perfection.

An essential listen.

Declan Culliton

Eliza Thorn Somebody New Self-Release

‘This album acts as a memoir of the past handful of years of my life. It highlights my rambunctious road tales, the truths of my fervent youth, and a coming-of-age-like narrative of the road that led me to anchor my roots here at home in Nashville,’ explains Eliza Thorn on the release of her debut full-length album, SOMEBODY NEW.

Recorded at The Bomb Shelter Studio in East Nashville, Thorn embraces the musical styles that drew the Connecticut-born artist from busking on street corners to showcasing her skills on stages in Music City. Those styles range from Cajun and ragtime to old-timey and honky tonk, all of which surface on this nine-track record.

Echoes of Patsy Cline can be heard on I Tried, and Alibi is a New Orleans-shaped gem. The poppy R’n’B Fool, complete with handclaps, tingling piano and a neat backing chorus, has a 60s Ronettes style, and Somebody New is classic Memphis soul. The mid-tempo country ballad Letting Go Of Your Love is a possibly autobiographical tale of one-sided love. Nobody But You is an old-timey knees-up, showcasing Thorn’s vocal range and impressive yodelling. She bookends the album with the muscular and full-on bluesy Take My Ol’ Body Down.

Thorn has left no stone unturned with this debut full-length album. She possesses a voice that is a marvel, capable of hitting high and low notes outside most vocalist’s range. Produced by Mose Wilson, who also played guitars, Thorn was joined in the studio by a host of local big A-players, including Chris Scruggs (pedal steel, guitar), Dennis Crouch (bass), Jeff Taylor (keys), Chris Gelb (drums, percussion, piano), and Nate Leath (fiddle). Thorn’s striking vocals were complemented by supporting backing vocalists and two women making serious waves with their own careers, Kyshona Armstrong and Hannah Juanita.

Many genres feature in SOMEBODY NEW, and Thorn may need to be less eclectic in the future. Still, everything about this album points towards an emerging talent who has served her musical apprenticeship and has the potential to reach dizzy heights in her career.

Declan Culliton

Mark Brine Rural Notes  Self Release

When I first listened to Mark Brine many years ago he seemed to be something of a throwback to another era. He had a voice for the ages, something that perhaps should have been best heard on a 78rpm record. There was a distinctive tone to his voice that was a mix of yodel and nasal inflection, a reminder of Hank Williams Sr and Jimmie Rodgers and other stalwarts of the late 40s. His is the Americana of the Harry Smith compilations rather than the all encompassing umbrella term it has come to mean today. He has had his music on some twenty albums, continuing through to this current release. His voice has the same distinctive inflection that it had when I first heard him nearly a quarter of a century ago. It has that added patina of age, as you would expect. He grew up in Massachusetts and initially played in a rock band, become increasingly interested in old school country and folk music. He released his first recording under his own name back in 1996.

The album’s subject is, as the title suggests, the smaller details of an everyday life that occur, in the main, outside the industrial and the metropolis. It is largely down to a stripped back setting of voice and guitar, with the occasional addition of other discreet instrumentation, a setting that may be alien to many more used to the noisier barroom soundscape. This is for quieter listening rooms and front porches.

So Brine’s songs are of farm girls, crafts, local heroes, special places, assurances and religion. Arts & Crafts features fiddle. Moonlight Yodel and Delta Moonlight Sky take pleasure in the light of the moon at night in itself and on an old barn. The pace of life and taking the time to be a little late is the thinking in Runnin’ ‘Lil’ Behind. Taking a ride with a rush is Bouncin’ In The Buggy, again it celebrates the countryside and older ways. There is an amount of humour and observation in these songs, most obviously in Your World Squirrel. He reasons it is that animal’s world and that he is just the nut that lives in it. The Ballad Of Fiddling’ Sid Harkreader and The King Of Basin Street are both tributes to musicians who preceded Brine in their own timelines. Both have additional instrumentation that add to the flavour of the era of the songs. The final song looks towards a New Jerusalem, from a steadfastly believing in better things to come viewpoint.

Brine continues to write his material covering the topics that are meaningful to him. It is his first album that I’ve heard since the early 2000s and it continues an individualistic career that simply wants to appeal to those who will listen on his own terms. Those who have encountered him over previously records will likely delight in it and others seeking something that is rooted in an earlier more simple time can check it out via his website and streaming services.

Stephen Rapid

Tony Martinez Everywhere West  Slumerican

Here’s a man who has a lot of life experiences to draw upon for his debut album. For a time he worked as a multi-instrumentalist playing guitar and steel guitar as a live sideman for acts like Whitey Morgan and JP Harris. On a tour with Morgan he develpoed a serious eyesight issue which meant he had to take time out, but a scorpion bite during that time helped reverse the illness. An addiction to drugs during the Covid pandemic was a further debilitating thing to overcome. So it’s a testament to his inner strength that he did and continued to make music and to record this album. 

The noted producer and rapper Yelawolf saw Martinez playing and was impressed enough to take on the role of co-producer (with Martinez) for this album. It manages to combine elements of 80s country and outlaw influences (notably Waylon Jennings) as well of that of Southern rock’s more soulful constituents.

What is immediately apparent for someone known primarily as an instrumentalist is the passion and persuasion of Martinez’s voice. It takes on a different context depending on the song that allows for a smother ballad delivery, alongside a more forceful approach for the rowdier material  - though there is more of the measured and meaningful here. The album opens with a strong statement of intent that can easily be seen as autobiographical with Ain’t Nothin’ Gonna Slow Me Down. It has a swirling organ sound under its mid-tempo funkiness. This leads to the rumination of a relationship in trouble that is Someone Else, the steel underpinning the despondency of the realisation that his lady would be better off with someone else. There are a number songs that especially let Martinez’s writing shine through, including White Label Lies, that could easily have been covered by many an artist back in the late 80s with its spoken section and crossover potential.

Other songs that are that little bit different include Crazy, and the soulful approach of disillusionment in I’ve Lost More (Than I’ve Got Today) which features the voices of the McCrary Sisters, adding much to that feel. See You On Broadway has a melodic arrangement that looks towards to an encounter on that location. The title track is definitely a standout with its train references and use of horns that tells a story that will resonate with many, with its distant echos of Ghost Riders In The Sky, among other classic songs, in its DNA - at least for this listener.

Stripped back to mostly voice and guitar is Try which shows off Martinez’s abilities again on another song of lamentation. Believe I’ll Be Leavin’ finds him back on the road, though regretting previous connections. The album closes with I Won’t Say No To You, which sounds that little bit more contemporary that the other material and points to another direction that might emerge on future recordings. 

It also highlights that if a producer from another area of music has that understanding of how to get the right compilation of sounds, the end result can be effective, a lot more so than some of the pop-orientated known twiddlers who are often called in to helm a mainstream release, that might be aiming for a similar effect but not achieving it. In that light it is attributable, in part, to the players like Whitey Morgan, bassist Alex Lyon, Lynyrd Skynyrd keyboard player Pete Keys and hardcore country steel player Cowboy Eddie Long, who all bring their different musical experiences to the project. Yelawolf and Martinez, though, oversaw that they got what they wanted out of the recording, which may not appeal to all honky-tonkers but will give you something to absorb and appreciate for what it is.

Stephen Rapid 

The Bluest Sky Raindancer Self Release

A second album from New Hampshire based Chuck Melchin who follows up his self-titled BLUEST SKY debut release from last year. He has previously played in bands The Bean Pickers Union and Los Brujos but the urge to try something different over recent years has led to deciding to focus on this solo project. Melchin employs quite an array of talent on these ten songs and the thirty-seven minutes pass by on a wave of bright guitar sounds and an up-tempo feel to the whole album.

The tracks were mainly recorded remotely, using a studio in Nashville for four songs, and various home studios of the musicians for the remaining arrangements. The colourful guitar sound was delivered by a combination of Andy Santospago, Mike Giordano, Gary Goodlow and Jabe Beyer. Drums and percussion were shared between Rick Cranford, Dave Westner and Karen Goodlow, and both Duncan Watt and Zach Vinson delivered on piano and organ. The bass guitar was divided between Chuck Vath, David Breen, Dave Westner and Dave Coleman. John Hyde played accordion and Gary Barbati  guested on backing vocals.

There are songs of love and relationships with the acoustic based The Weight Of Being dissecting the remains of a tangled liaison gone wrong ‘You can keep all the records but I want the tapes.’ Battlefield is a song about starting over after a failed romance and unrequited love is captured on the track Girl From My Building. The chance to get away from it all and retreat to a Colorado cabin is the source of 6,280 feet and This Is What Poets Mean is different spin on a love song.

Queen Of The Sick Burn and Smuggling are two songs that don’t follow down the yellow brick road of romance. The first song is a look at the poison that can be emitted by social media and the latter is a tale of getting into something way out of the collective comfort zone of a group of friends. Skinny Lady rocks out and the guitars sound sharp and high in the mix. It’s a southern boogie sound that guarantees to get you dancing, while Crop Circle has a slow building melody that deals with the need to protect against vulnerability ‘We pass our days in silence, But there’s screaming in my head, I don’t even know you, Two strangers share one bed.’

The variety on the album is very engaging and the quality of musicianship is very evident across the ten songs. Something for all tastes and a strong statement from a fine multi-instrumentalist and songwriter.

Paul McGee

Erin Ash Sullivan Signposts and Marks Self Release

Twelve songs and forty-six minutes of contemporary Folk music from Erin Ash Sullivan, a New England based singer songwriter who releases her second solo album. There are many comparisons that I could make to other female artists, but my best recommendation is that you listen to this music for yourself and draw your own inspirations. For me this artist displays a major talent in the timeless traditions of singer songwriter baton-passing. Classic relationship and story songs for your delight. Erin has a superb vocal delivery and the songs are very well produced by Doug Kwartler with lots of colour in the arrangements.

The credits have Sullivan playing guitar, ukulele and providing lead vocals; with “everything else” delivered by multi-instrumentalist Kwartler. Standout songs are One Time I Stole A Book, Ghost Of A Thorn and How It Should Be where old values mix with lost feelings and rites of passage, growing up, and letting go, all intertwined in the writing. Story song Winter Walk is a nicely delivered narrative and murder tale. Another story song is Eat the Pie and a tale of small town acceptance and grabbing joy. Don’t Want To Keep Score is a reflection on love gone wrong and the lyric sums up the dimming of the spark ‘As we took up the weapons we knew, and the armour we wore, The hunger was gone, for the lines we had drawn, I don’t care, I don’t want to keep score.’

Kwartler is a source of inspiration as he plays superbly across these tracks, with Sullivan writing all the songs and displaying a deft turn of phrase in her insights. Baltimore is a song that reflects upon a new start in life and returning to an old location that is packed with bittersweet memories ‘ She says tomorrow the road will be smoother, She should know, with all the heartaches she’s borne.’  Final song Before You Go has a real sense of loss in the image of a mother and child on the cusp of change ‘Eyes straight ahead I let your words shade in my picture of who you’ve become, I know you’re ready, But how can I get ready, It’s harder than you know.’

Change is inevitable and the letting go is part of the process. New beginnings and the road ahead hold the promise of tomorrow and this beautifully crafted album offers a signpost to all who wish to follow a thought-provoking path.

Paul McGee

Emily Hicks Weird Wild Wonderful Self Release

Ten songs and thirty-five minutes of country/pop musical leanings to enjoy on this debut album from Utah singer Emily Hicks. It announces Hicks as a talent to watch and she wrote all the songs in addition to performing them in a confident vocal style that bodes well for her future.

Anymore is a standout song here and a look back into a friendship that time has changed and leaves a feeling of regret ‘How long is too long to wait, Before it’s too damn late to re-discover what we lost.’ Picket Fenced In is another highlight on the album with a look at wanting to be independent and free to live without constraints.

Hickory Lane is a happy jaunt into youthful memory whereas the disillusionment of Different Kind Of Life follows with a wish to escape back to more innocent days, unencumbered by the weight of compromise and commitments. Far From Home shines a perspective upon the things that are missed when life speeds forward and a career takes over. It has a sweetly understated sound and the reflective tone captures what is left behind. Let You Stay ends proceedings with a big production number and vocals soaring towards the heavens.

There is a commercial leaning on a number of tracks like When You Look At Me and One Piece At A Time and while there is nothing wrong in aiming for media acceptance across a wide musical vista and into new territories, between the lines is a serious talent that will find a more precise target to focus upon as her writing continues to mature. The album has both a charm and personality with the character of Hicks coming through in her superb voice and phrasing.

She plays acoustic guitar, ukulele and piano and is joined by producer Nick Bullock on bass, acoustic and electric guitar and keyboards. Also featured are JP Ruggieri on acoustic and electric guitars, pedal steel and tiple, Dom Billet on drums, percussion and backing vocals, Clark Singleton on bass, Kristin Weber on violin and viola with Leif Shires on horns. They all contribute with stellar playing on what is a very strong debut album.

Paul McGee

Greg Copeland Music, Bob Sumner Music, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, Eliza Thorn, Mark Brine, Tony Martinez, The Bluest Sky, Erin Ash Sullivan and Emily Hicks

New Album Reviews

The Whiskey Charmers Streetlights Sweet Apple Pie

The fifth release from Detroit Americana outfit, The Whiskey Charmers, delivers more of their characteristic sound, criscrossing the roots rock and country rock highways, through western deserts and eastern urban landscapes.

Carrie Shepard writes all the songs, plays acoustic guitar and takes lead vocals. There’s a slight fragility in her sweet vocals that lends an attractive vulnerable quality. Her husband, Lawrence Daversa, prefers to express himself through his stellar Telecaster playing, responding to her vocals with eloquence and versatility. They are ably supported by the bass playing of Daniel Ozzie Andrews and the percussion of John Porter. The title track, inspired by a dream sequence, sets the scene of darkness and foreboding, reflected in the cover photo of an eerie urban landscape. There’s Black and Whiskey, It was Made For Drinking are songs of love gone wrong, more than gone right, continuing the downer theme for a while. But then there’s New Song for Sale, a tongue-in-cheek take on the classic country song, using a clever string of clichéd lyrics to great effect. They stray into Handsome Family territory with the equally amusing Little Green Man, where Shepard imagines our world from the view point of a space ship alien. Don’t Mean Nothin’ is the defiant anthem of a disillusioned wife in a dead marriage who is stuck at home with the housework, and I’ll give you one guess as to what she’s going to do when the song is over. 

Stand out songs for this reviewer are Black Ridge Cave and Sage Brush. The former is a murder-revenge ballad, with a spaghetti western atmosphere evoked by Daversa’s guitar work and superb bass drum contributions from Porter, while the latter hints at a ghostly western tragedy. Definitely worth checking them out.

Eilís Boland

BJ Baartmans Ghostwriter Continental Europe

Well known in his native Netherlands, where he has been involved in the rock and allied music scenes for 40 years, producer and multi instrumentalist BJ Baartmans has also carved a name for himself throughout Europe as an in demand sideman. As well as releasing a duo album with Iain Matthews during lockdown (as Matthews Baartmans Conspiracy), Baartmans is a member of the current Matthews Southern Comfort line up and has toured with many Americana artists, most notably Suzie Ungerleider, Carter Sampson, David Corley and Eric Devries.

Forty years since his first solo album comes Baartmans latest solo offering, GHOSTWRITER, which he recorded in his own studio, Studio Wild Verband with his band, BJ’s Wild Verband. The album’s title is taken from a line in Someone To Blame, one of the rockier songs on offer here, where anger eventually turns to the realisation that he needs to look at himself. The opening song, The Other Side, is clearly inspired by his recent marriage break up, the anguish evident - ‘I write in here/I hide in here/I cried in here/ I died in here’ - suffused in a gentle piano (courtesy of Mike Roelofs) and electric guitar backdrop. Baartmans himself contributes lead vocals (his voice is reminiscent of the soft hoarse vocal style of Steve Forbert) as well as guitars, mandolin, bass and drums. The main drumming duties are very impressively handled by Sjoerd van Bommel.

Troubled introduces the superb pedal steel of Johan Jansen, in a song about the struggle to communicate with a grown up son when ‘this kid that I see that may look just like me/is a totally different man’. In You Only uses reggae with an edge, expressing self-frustration that evolves into self-exhortation, while Room 242 details a road story, typical in the life of the travelling musician. Baartman’s life long love affair with the guitar is expressed in the Americana-suffused Chasing Dreams, while Old Habits Die Hard uses a country blues palette, piano and pedal steel to the fore, to recount the difficulty in giving up cigarettes. He pays homage to Nick Lowe in the pub rock of Bootleg Companion, and in Solid Ground he’s ‘trying to wrap his head around’ life’s challenges, eventually finding resolution both musically and in reality.

In this deeply personal recording, it’s apt that he closes with a love song, She Just Knows, the pedal steel opening giving way to a laid back groove with soothing backing vocals, presumably inspired by his new love. 

Eilís Boland

India Ramey Baptized By The Blaze Mule Kick

The last album from Ramey, SHALLOW GRAVES, was good enough to make our Albums Of The Year and it would seem that this one may surpass that. She has returned with a different set of players and producer this time out. It is overseen by Luke Wooten, a producer, engineer and mixer who has many names and artists to his credit, from Brad Paisley through to Sunny Sweeney. He has also brought in a solid selection of studios players who enhance the album. Names like James Mitchell, Alison Prestwood, Tommy Harden and Scotty Sanders all have an equally impressive track record that allows Ramey to up her game and deliver an album that nudges even closer to a vibrant, entrancing, honky-tonk sound. She has been described as combining elements of Flannery O'Connor and Loretta Lynn as both lyrical and performance touchstones, which is as accurate a comparison of her hard country leanings and southern gothic sensibilities as any, though, in the main, it is the former that is predominant on this album.

The album opens with the declaration to a suitor of having ‘been there, seen that and done that’ that is Ain’t My First Rodeo. Silverado takes a similar route about a one night motel stand, which combines twangy guitar and steel. More self reflective is the easy paced insight of Piece Of My Mind, a place Ramey warns “that gets dark in there sometimes.” Starting out acoustically but building slowly with a deep rumble and a simple tubular bell punctuation, the atmosphere is a rumination on remaining in a particular place on The Mountain.  She decides she has been floored in a troubled partnership in Down For The Count and wonders what it might be that sets her free in the end. Again it is twang laden delight. Looking inside oneself after a failed affair, the ability to move on makes her see that It Could Have Been Me. Go On Git is a forthright dismissal of another less than satisfactory liaison, which again draws attention to the deliberations of a woman who is going to go her own way from now on.

The title track is a darker tale of burning down one’s ego and being reborn in the metaphysical flames. It has a powerful vocal delivery over a driving drum beat with some searing steel guitar. She Ain’t Never Coming Home is equally full of lingering sadness about a sister who has disappeared and “no one knows if she was taken or if she ran off on her own, the only things we know for certain is she ain’t never coming home.” Again, Ramey’s impassioned vocal is matched by the convincing arrangement. Making a hard decision is the story of wondering how to escape from a bad situation and in doing so realising that she is Never Going Back, possible redemption from such a situation, though, never sounded so good. That train of thought, which is a thread that runs through the album, is classic country songwriting, the inability to walk a line is part of the ‘let old times be forgotten’ theme in Rotten.

This is an album of which Ramey and all the team involved can be justifiably proud, one that declares she is another contender for her place in that growing number of women who know what they want and know how to get it. 

Stephen Rapid

Surrender Hill River Of Tears Blue Betty

Another album from the duo of Robin Dean and Anton Salmon, a husband and wife duo, who have released a succession of albums that are uniformly strong on all fronts from the production, playing and writing point of view. The songs are all written by the pair, with Robin not only handling the production for the album but also mixing the majority of the tracks. The duo have a growing deftness and diversity to their lyrics which also is benefited by their compelling vocals, either in harmony or in one or other taking the lead. Alongside the duo they have stalwart supportive contributions from the likes of Mike Daly on steel guitar and the solid rhythm section of Drew Lawson and Matt Crouse. Keyboard contributions include Eric Fritsch and Kevin Thomas. Mike Waldon adds lead and baritone guitars - just to name some of those involved in what is a prime example of roots rock and country influenced music.

They are independent artists who have depended, to a degree, on sponsors but while this obviously may take time to realise, the final release has given them the time and freedom to make the music they want to make without any unwanted supervision. Again the results deliver over a sixteen song selection, and while that may seem like there may be some material that is not quite as strong as other inclusions, something that is only natural on so many albums, nothing here is a wasted opportunity.

The album opens with the title track which is, itself, one of the strongest cuts here and a perfect introduction to what is on offer. Not all duet-based albums have such an obvious empathy and correlation. The themes are varied but inevitably detail those kind of everyday situations that life in these and antecedent times have tended to throw up. Titles like Rent Is Due detail the demise of the livelihood and future prospects of those seeking to make a living in a small town “when the mill shut down and the train came running through.” It is powered by an effervescent guitar riff that is somewhat at odds with the message. It is often those small moments of togetherness and being able to breathe that are marked out as special as in In Our Time. An alternative of that scenario is detailed in Last Goodbye, in a soaring anthemic delivery.

Palomino references the much missed venue in California, where a singer-songwriter had hoped to find his fortune in that career but in reality he now details his singular misfortune and unrealised path from a barstool in the corner of the venue. Graced with dobro high in the mix, that Kind Of Living tells conversely of an attraction to that life as a freewheeling, footloose, rodeo rider, boxer or, indeed, travelling troubadour, another highlight where everything fits together so well. Also in a more subdued mode is Pining Over You, where the longing for a person is summed up by the realisation that there’s “no you and me.” Leaving a door open for a future continuation, when the time may be right, is the affirmation of You Can Always Call Me.

End Of The Line is of a similar theme to Townes Van Zandts’ If I Needed You, if from a slightly different viewpoint and if not quite as iconic as that song, is none-the-less heartfelt and more uplifting in delivery. The album closes with Angel, The Devil, And Me, a reflection on a life and what might or could be. It is again done with a more restrained backing, until the train mentioned in the song  picks up speed and takes one to the end of the line and what may be waiting there. It is a solid finish to what is the best album from Surrender Hill to date and one that underscores the wealth of talent that still exists outside the mainstream, possibly changing, but an always welcoming selection of what is and what could be. The tide is high for this particular duo. Let it wash over you. 

Stephen Rapid

Samana Self-Titled The Road

The musical duo of Rebecca Rose and Franklin Mockett describe themselves as multi-disciplinary artists who bring together their passion for poetry, music, film, photography and fine-art, into a singular vision through their various projects. Based in Wales, they have released two previous albums of hauntingly beautiful music and their ethereal sound is best described as an element in the greater swell of creativity being created by modern Roots music with a progressive Folk influence. It is an increasingly popular genre and, if you are looking for a signpost to guide you, then bands like Mazzy Star/Hope Sandoval, Jesse Sykes and Cinder Well may point in a similar direction. Jim Ghedi also explores themes of history and landscape in his music.

Opening track Into the Blue finds reflection in settling with, and recognising, negative emotions and waiting for a window to open beyond the darkness. The following track The Knife shatters the quiet calm by introducing a dramatic shift in the tempo, mid-song, as everything builds to a crescendo in looking at the spectre of loneliness and desiring someone. We Will Find A Way is a song that reaches out to offer consolation and empathy in times of depressive grief ‘The darkness is coming down, I never thought I’d hunt for peace again.’

The song Two Wrongs is a meditation on being in nature and experiencing the canopy of the land and sky  from a moving freight train ‘Rivers snake past, East of highway 99, The desert sun and vastness collide, Tehachapi Mountains; gold on every side.’ The sense of movement almost a state of calm in itself.

Seven Years examines feelings of separation from someone who, although now gone, still resonates as a real presence ‘And your love, I carry it with me, Every letter is bound in twine, How can I keep this feeling, When I can’t hold onto time.’ There is a mountain range in Wales called the Preselis and this is the subject of the final, and longest, track on the album. It’s a song that speaks of being alive in nature and in the moment, laying down old fears and sorrows; whatever weighs the body down. Anima is described as the true inner-self and this is part of the swirling melody that wraps the music.

The use of cellos, violins, and horn instruments augment the haunting vocals of Rebecca Rose and the lush arrangements created by multi-instrumentalist Franklin Mockett. Samana is a state of mind as much as an enticing musical experience. The lush instrumentation threads these ten songs with a dreamlike, spiritual presence as the vocals of Rebecca suggest the inner conflicts that we must all face and try to reconcile . Always compelling, this album is another fine example of the quiet power that this duo possess.      

Paul McGee

Jubal Lee Young Wild Birds Warble Self Release

These fourteen tracks and a wide variety of musical influences are the introduction to the undoubted musical talents of Jubal Lee Young. He previously released five albums in a creative run that lasted from 2006 until 2014, when his musical journey came to something of a pause along the highway. Now, ten years since that last release, Young has dipped his feet back into the water and pulled out some fine songs from artists that have inspired him over his career. Top of the list is his famous father Steve Young who died in 2016 and was a source of inspiration for so many with his great songs.

Jubal leads off the album with five of his father’s iconic songs, including Seven Bridges Road and Traveling Kind. He follows on with the inclusion of a composition of his own, the poignant Angel With a Broken Heart a song that captures life spent on the road, gigging for a living in a different town every night. The songs shift from the bluegrass influence on White Thrash Song and East Virginia, to the traditional country sound of No Place To Fall, which highlights the powerful vocal of Jubal on this Townes Van Zandt cover that does real justice to the original song.

Elsewhere he plays versions of songs from Warren Zevon (Carmelita), David Olney (Deeper Well and If My Eyes Were Blind), Mickey Newbury (Why You Been Gone So Long?), Utah Phillips (Rock, Salt and Nails), and Richard Dobson (Useful Girl). The cover song choices all work well together in the overall feel of the album but I’m left wondering why Jubal chose to take this particular direction on his return after so many years away from the recording process. His voice is very engaging across the song arrangements and the musicians that gathered to create this music are certainly top drawer with their musicality a real joy throughout.

Jubal Lee Young plays guitar and harmonica in addition to his arresting vocals and he is joined by producer Markus Stadler (dobro, banjo, mandolin, baritone guitar, backing vocals ), Brian Zonn (bass), Charlie Pate (mandolin), Jeff Taylor (accordion), and Christian Sedelmyer (fiddle). The album is really sparked into life by the interplay across this stellar cast and I look forward to more from the pen of Jubal Lee Young when he uses these great songwriters of yesteryear to inspire his own creative muse into increased activity.

Paul McGee

Nichole Wagner Plastic Flowers Self Release

This artist was born in Colorado and after trying various careers like journalism and photography, she ended up at an open mic night in Austin, Texas and the rest is history. It started Wagner on a musical journey that began with an acoustic EP before her debut album AND THE SKY CAUGHT FIRE came along in 2018.

She delivered a further EP in 2020 during Covid lockdown and also spent the time in looking at the years that have passed by. The results are contained in the ten songs on this new album and opening song Monsters deals with fears of childhood replaced by a different kind of ghost in the spectre of domestic abuse. Raised By Wolves looks to a resolve to stand against anything that the world throws in our path ‘We’re born naked and we die alone, I know what it’s like to be on my own.’

Both Everything and Self Defence are songs that try to dissect a broken relationship for what was probably always lurking below the surface and which resulted in lessons learned too late. The title track Plastic Flowers has a telling line ‘ The truth, it seems, is stranger than the lie, Plastic flowers never die.’  The rocking rhythm of A Way With It is a highlight, and the strong arrangement shows the band in creative flow, lifting the emotion of the lyrics ‘Old habits, they die hard, Stay the course, stand your ground, Don't let down your guard.’

I Know Better This Time shows a new face on the love enigma and sees the girl in the picture fighting back against past experience, while on Until the Water Comes there is an acceptance of reality ‘We had the best laid plans, Until everything was swept away, It didn't kill us, or make us stronger, It just left us frail’ – finally time to move on and leave past hurts behind, where they belong. Resolution finds its way into old doubts on Beauty Where You Find It and the hesitation towards commitment ‘Jump on in, the water’s fine, Don’t think about tomorrow, There will never be a perfect time.’

On the final song Road That Jim Built tribute is paid to the memory of a loved one that has passed on and the enduring legacy left behind ‘I’m walking on the road, I see him on the road, The road that Jim built.’ This is a rewarding listen with plenty to enjoy in the music and lyrics of Nichole Wagner. The musicians who played on the songs deliver telling contributions and are very much integral in the overall enjoyment. A songwriter to watch out for, heartache and all …

Paul McGee

Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters The Only Ones That Stay Mule Kick

Unlike her previous recordings, which were standard studio affairs with overdubs, Amanda Anne Platt and her band favoured a different approach for her latest project. Attempting to recreate the vibe of her live shows, THE ONLY ONES THAT STAY was recorded live to tape at co-producer Scott McMicken’s Press-On Shed Studio (Greg Cartwright and Amanda are also co-credited with the production), where Amanda and her four players, crammed into the small studio, recorded and completed the album with minimal overdubbing. Many of the tracks are ‘first takes’,’ not that you would notice, given the quality of the vocals and instrumentation.

An astute songwriter who draws from a deep well of first-hand personal experiences as well as observations, Platt covers both bases on this twelve-track record. Childhood memories of smoky hotel restaurants kick off the album with Mirage. For this writer, it’s confirmation of Platt’s skill set to write and perform the perfect roots song, which is emotion-filled and further enhanced by weeping pedal steel. Equally nostalgic is The Lesson, where Platt’s thoughts are drawn back to a sports bar where she first met members of her current band. 

Pocket Song is a gorgeous ballad directed towards Platt’s grandmother during the pandemic (‘So if my arms can no longer reach you and my smile can’t find you where you lay, there’s a pocket in my heart where I’ll always keep you’). As is the case across all the tracks, her crystal-clear vocals fully reflect the songs’ moods and no more so than on Clean Slate. It is also a ‘pandemic song’, with thoughts of those who might not fully recover as the world opens up again. Moving on and acceptance are visited in Saint Angela, and Big Year follows a similar theme of reflection and recognition.

Parallels between Amanda Anne Platt’s output and that of fellow artists Kathleen Edwards and Margo Cilker come to mind. Songs rich in ambition and execution, sparkling vocals, and classy yet straightforward arrangements all add up to one of the best things I’ve heard this year and a career-best for Platt. With twelve tracks on offer and the trend of ever-decreasing attention spans, let’s hope THE ONLY ONES THAT STAY does not get overlooked. So, please don’t take my word for it and investigate it for yourself. Satisfaction guaranteed.

Declan Culliton

Shelby Lynne Consequences For The Crown Monument

Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Shelby Lynne has been releasing albums, twenty so far and counting, for over three and a half decades since her debut record, SUNRISE, recorded in 1989 when she was twenty-one. Her multifaceted career has included a duet with George Jones, If I Could Bottle This Up when she was barely out of her teens, her blues-influenced classic album, I AM SHELBY LYNNE, her tribute to the late Dusty Springfield, JUST A LITTLE LOVIN' in 2008, and the often-autobiographical REVELATION ROAD in 2012.

Despite her exceptional back catalogue, the industry and possibly Lynne herself never positioned her in one genre. Originally shoehorned into the country market in her early career, which she resented, she has since also been featured in the indie, folk, and rock charts, yet not at the level that her talent richly deserves. Returning to live in Nashville after an absence of almost three decades, her latest album reinforces her genre-hopping approach across its twelve tracks.

A pointer towards Lynne's admiration among her peers was the calibre of the co-writers who jumped at the opportunity to work with her. Those artists included Miranda Lambert, Carter Faith, Jedd Hughes, Karen Fairchild, Ashley Munroe, Meg McRee and Ben Chapman. Co-produced by Lynne with the assistance of Fairchild, Munroe and Gena Johnson, the material was initially written to be recorded by others. But with songs that visit topics that have surfaced frequently in Lynne's work, namely heartbreak, loss and evolution, it soon became apparent to her co-writers that this was a Shelby Lynne album in the making, since very few artists write so well when suffering and recovering from pain as her.

It isn't all gloomy, either. The dreamy keyboards and layered vocals on Butterfly add to the soulful tale of Lynne's devotion to and love of her younger sister, Allison Moorer. More typical of the album's thread is But I Ain't, with call-and-response lines that hark back to bitter rejection and doomed love ('You threw me out with pink flowers and the trash - did you miss me? Rid yourself of obstacles and lit the match - did you miss me?). Shattered captures the mood and grinding reality of despair and vulnerability, with an intro of swirling horns and Over and Over is cut from the same cloth. Also visiting an intimate space is Gone To Bed with a spoken intro that draws the listener into the backstory.

Like many of her recordings, Lynne's latest record is a profoundly personal project. As always, it deals with heaviness of the heart, and together with her adoring co-writers and players, she has once more created something quite lovely here. Welcome back to Nashville, Shelby.

Declan Culliton

The Whiskey Charmers India Ramey Surrender Hill Samana Music Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters Shelby Lynne.

New Album Reviews

Teni Rane Goldenrod Self Release

This debut album from Chattanooga native Teni Rane runs for thirteen songs and is quite a generous debut in terms of quality and length. The forty-four minutes of contemporary Folk-oriented music drifts along quite seamlessly on a current of sweet melody and the songs have a strong sense of nature running through the themes. The beauty in the surrounding areas of Chattanooga has no doubt influenced the lyrics in part and it is not called “the scenic city” without good reason. The Appalachian mountains and the Tennessee river that frame the city create a balance, and the tug of nature reflects the urge to live in the moment as much as possible.

Whereas change is inevitable in life, the hope that it will bring positive experiences is what drives us to try and control our outcomes, even if this is not always possible. Despite the environment, we are all prone to experience disappointment and feelings of vulnerability. These sentiments are expressed on a number of songs as Rane seeks answers to the big questions of what really defines us and what is important at the end of our daily struggles as we engage the world. It was WB Yeats who said that “Peace comes dropping slow” and there is much introspection on this album that seeks to resolve the conflict of foolish ego and selfless acceptance.

One of the standout songs Here To Stay reflects that ‘I’m not afraid to hold on to my dreams, But man, sometimes it’s hard to own my scars.’ On another highlight, the wistful Cold Wind (Ghost), Rane offers ‘The ghost of my past, I try to be her friend, She’s trying to keep me away from pain; I’m trying to keep me on the mend.’ Another song Small Steps councils to keep moving forward and to trust yourself ‘With all these small steps, they take big courage, I’m learning not to apologise.’ As a code of living, these are sentiments that we can all relate to. Equally Don’t Look Down tackles similar territory and places the focus on self-acceptance.

Nature and the power of it’s beauty is wrapped in songs like Goldenrod and Passerine, with Firefly looking at the fleeting moments that pass too quickly as, for example, a few weeks in summer see the demise of the process of metamorphosis. Another highlight is So Beautiful and the song arrangement has a real edge in the playing and a message to know when to let go  ‘Why my need to grasp, For a season that won’t last?’ The cover version of Killing the Blues (Rowland Salley), is sweetly melodic with some lovely cello, but it lacks the poignancy of the definitive version by Chris Smither. Cinnamon reflects upon relationships and exactly who does the leaving; tables can turn in the complexity of feelings and emotion.

There is a very attractive quality to the vocal tone of Teni Rane, not unlike Natalie Merchant in part, and the assembled musicians do full justice to these interesting songs. The players are Teni Rane (vocals, acoustic guitar, guitalele), Dave Eggar (cello, piano), Phil Faconto (various guitars, ukulele), Jonathan Schumaker (bass), and Roger Gustaffson (bass, stell guitar). This is a very rewarding album and one that comes highly recommended.

Paul McGee

Chris Robeson Euphoriphobia Self Release

Austin, Texas is home to Chris Robeson and this debut album has been quite a number of years in the creation. The thirteen songs run for close on forty minutes and the entire listening experience is very rewarding. There are ten co-writes on the album and six of these are shared with Gabriel Rhodes, fellow musician and producer. Gabe is a multi-instrumentalist and also composes for film. There is an obvious synergy between the two artists which comes through in the rich variety on the album and the excellent production.

Robeson writes mainly from a personal perspective and he visits topics such as depression, drug abuse, suicide and the urge to accumulate wealth as a sign of success in these songs. His candour is offset by an inclination to try and laugh at the absurdity of certain life challenges and situations. The circumstances that we find ourselves surrounded by can dictate our responses, we can sink under or we can try and rise above, in order to gain both a new perspective and a way forward that provides solace and strength.

Lonesome harmonica blends into sitar and a slow melody opens the album with I’m Built To Fall Apart, a song that absorbs the blows of daily living and councils on being resolute enough to carry on regardless ‘I'm rolling down the hill, Smiling at my bruises and drinking my fill.’ It’s a message that repeats on other songs and the consideration that melancholy can lead to greater self-awareness is part of Home In the Rain ‘I've got a heart full of love and a fistful of rage, I bury 'em deep till they break like beasts from the cage.’ Facing your fears and weaknesses is the way through to the other side.

Elsewhere, songs like Wanderin’ and A Better Song reference the life of the travelling minstrel and the urge to create music for both survival and personal redemption. Both Fistful Of Cash and Fool’s Gold are reflections on the race for shiny things and material greed. The skewed sense that happiness lies in external pleasures lies at the centre of much misery that pervades our modern times. Feel the Good Things Too is a plea to look for the positive and to not get caught up in negative thinking ‘You gotta turn away from the voices, That say you're not allowed to win, Cuz you prove them right every time you choose to lose.’

Right Back Down visits self doubt along the journey ‘Somewhere through the haze and the waste, There's a dream that I'm trying hard to reach, But all my ghosts keep showing their faces and laughing At who I'm trying to be.’ Everything Goes is about the impermanence of life and all that we experience ‘Yea we're alive for just the moment, And we love for just a moment.’ The song Take Me Too is a reflection on friends that have died by suicide and how fragile this web of life can be ‘Still feel your loving, Still feel the loss, Still telling stories about you like you ain't gone.’ The final song I’m Comin’ Home (If You’d Let Me) is a plea to a higher power and a belief in something beyond this mortal coil ‘And I lay myself down at the end of my history, through the lines of your hands, A lifetime of blessings drawn out for this unworthy man.’

Chris Robeson (acoustic guitar, lead vocals) and Gabriel Rhodes (electric, acoustic guitars, steel guitar, mandolin, sitar, erhu, piano, keyboards, flute, horns, percussion, backing vocals), lead the creative process with great elan and skill. They are joined by Matt Slagle (bass), Josh Flowers (upright bass, strings), Guy Forsyth (harmonica, saw, backing vocals), John Chipman (drums, percussion, foley sounds, backing vocals), Oliver Steck (harmonica, trumpet), Shawn Pander (backing vocals, dog bark) and Ilya Janos Kolozs (percussion). An impressive debut album that really leaves a mark. Highly recommended.

Paul McGee

Helen Rose Rugged Elegance Self Release

Across nine songs and thirty-four minutes this songwriter leaves a very strong musical statement and invites repeated visits to the exciting playing and production on her second release. Helen Rose sings with both attitude and aplomb. Her fine vocal tone jumps out of the songs and King Of This Town has a dynamic delivery with a strong hint of Lucinda Williams, all revved up and ready to roar into your town looking for trouble. The tension in the arrangement is edgy with harmonica, guitar and driving drums delivering a real groove.

The laid back Where Is My Home is in contrast, and the use of strings add to the sweet melody and a wish to feel grounded. Equally, The Drakes, a song about ocean adventure, delivers a reflective vocal and restrained playing in the melody lines. Wolf Tones is a rocker that exudes plenty of soul and angst in the interplay of harmonica and electric guitar motifs, a sense of unease straining at the arrangement throughout. There is a lovely plaintive quality on Demons and the country sound of pedal steel of Greg Leisz wraps the shared vocals of Rose and guest Tyler James Kelly.

The title track is a nice blues romp with superb piano and guitar interplay, while Get Me Out Of This City is a plea to break away from urban living into a rural environment where it’s possible to breathe clean air. Raspberry Plain is a song about finding love while out riding horses on the open plains and the gentle acoustic strum of This Ship has a message of love and for living in the now ‘We are only here for so long… Feel your feet on the ground.’

The album was produced by Jonah Tolchin who also contributes on guitar, and he is joined by Carey Frank on piano, Greg Leitz on lap and pedal steel, Nic Coolidge on bass and Kevin Clifford on drums. String arrangements are by Andrew Jocelyn with backing vocals courtesy of Marley Monroe and Valerie Pinkston. Most worthy of your time and a strong declaration of eve better things to come.

Paul McGee

Orphan Colours King Of Alchemy Wolfmoon

This band formed back in 2016 and was drawn from the embers of other bands such as Ahab and Noah and the Whale. An early EP arrived in 2016 and this was followed by a debut album in 2018, ALL ON RED. Covid lockdown slowed the progress of the band with the result that they took a sabbatical until last year. Steven Llewellyn and Fred Abbott then decided to return to the studio and begin work on this follow up album and the wait has certainly been worth it.

Opening with the rocking groove of Temptress this album announces itself in a flurry of guitar driven rhythm and horns, with soulful backing vocals. The production by Llewellyn and Abbott really shows off the great dynamic in the playing and the rest of the album doesn’t disappoint in any way. Free follows on and has another hard driving beat with the big sound, heightened by Abbott on lead guitar and the earthy vocal tones of Llewellyn. The pace relaxes after this fast-lane introduction to everything and Blame It On the Weather is more a mid-tempo arrangement that looks to impart sage advice to a friend who is feeling low with ‘the curse of circumstance.’

The title track follows and Llewellyn delivers a fine vocal performance, at times reminiscent of Stereophonics Kelly Jones, on a song that speaks of never giving up despite the odds. There is some tasty pedal steel on the sweetly melodic Always Spend the Day Running courtesy of Joe Harvey Whyte (The Hanging Stars), and he appears again to great effect on the next track The Vibe. It’s a song that builds with a slow tempo as it speaks of feeling alive and casting off negative feelings. Another track Brighter Days is a soulful slow burn anthem to days gone by and the memories that they hold.

Sex and Violence turns everything up a notch again on a rocking number with twin guitars ringing out their attack. The horn section kicks in to raise the temperature and the driving drum beat carries the song to a satisfying climax.  The mellow acoustics on Wave are in complete contrast, with a song that reflects upon a relationship with superb guitar and piano parts lifting the melody. Radio Heart is another slice of Anglicana with a fine vocal from Llewellyn and acoustic guitar mixing with pedal steel in a stylish swoon.

The final track Let You Go  is a co-write with English singer songwriter Beth Rowley and she delivers a memorable co-vocal alongside Llewellyn on a song that charts a relationship challenge ‘I’m a liar and a thief, and what I took I know I can’t replace.’ It’s a fine conclusion to a very strong album and one that has much to recommend it.

Paul McGee

Silas J. Dirge Swan Songs Self Release

This album is more sad, slow and understated music from the man who goes by the (perhaps well chosen) name of Dirge. It is, in truth, the nom de plume of Jan Kooiker, a Netherlands-based gothic-folk singer-songwriter who has just released his third album. These songs deal with those characters whose take on life is often blighted by personal failure, as well as those unfortunate events that can easily occur along those dark highways. Dirge is the primary vocalist and writer and plays guitar and harmonium. Here, he is joined by Harald De Ruiter on guitars and backing vocals, Matt Slobodan on drums, bassist and fiddle player Morganeve Swain, Japp Roo on piano and Justin Zandbergen also add backing vocals. All contribute much to the material without ever getting in the way of the simple directness of the songs, yet vocally and instrumentally, making this album a step forward from the previous two releases. 

However, as with a lot of music that has such dark overtones, the resulting songs may be morose but have a slow spiritual awakening that is made very clear by the overall attraction that The Saddest Girl holds. It sounds like a song that immediately seems familiar and memorable. Running From Myself has a wordless vocal refrain that gives it an atmosphere that befits the title of someone trying to distance themselves from their existential existence. The traditional folk sounding Under The Old Oak Tree has a sense of resignation.

Sounding not unlike a ballad of the Civil War, Food For Powder unfolds the fact that names and burial places for the subjects of their song are unlikely to be known after the involvement in an unknown hostility. Again, it makes much use of the vocals being used in a choral arrangement. Looking internally, Best Friends I Ever Had refers to the voices in the protagonist’s head that tell him that he’s not mad!  There is more country blues feel to the short instrumental Dust Settling. 

More illusionary is Dream In A Dream, where things appear to be not what they seem and again there is a fleeting grasp of reality. The music is sparse with Dirge’s, often alluring, vocal over a fiddle and guitar applying the accompaniment. The album closes with When I Went To Heaven which has an understated gospel feel adding to its etherealness.

The music of Silas J Dirge may be something of a required listening experience in terms of mass appeal, but it is never-the-less, within its own parameters, a rewarding listen with an overall adroitness that will appeal to those drawn to the attraction of its gothic nature and subsequently sparse delivery. It is, as the swan depicted on the cover, delivered with a bare-bones but musically effective context. 

Stephen Rapid

Andrew Combs Dream Pictures Loose

Recently, the number of albums produced in home studios is at an all-time high. With the correct equipment, a sound-proofed room, and the proper recording levels, the creation of self-produced home recordings has become affordable for many. For some, it has also resulted in records that have avoided over-production, with the potential to draw the listener into the story within the song without the distraction of the supporting instrumentation. A prime example of this is Nashville-based artist Andrew Combs' latest and sixth album, DREAM PICTURES, which was recorded at his close friend Dom Billett's home studio in East Nashville.

Co-produced by Combs and Billett, they also played all the instruments except for some pedal steel contributions from Spencer Cullum. The album follows a similar pattern to Combs' 2022 release, SUNDAYS, composed by him during the pandemic and while recovering from a personal illness. It also features a more stripped-back sound than on his earlier studio albums, CANYONS OF MY MIND (2017) and IDEAL MIND (2019).

Written late at night when his wife and children were tucked up in bed, the twelve tracks, delivered with whispered vocals and set essentially to minimalistic backings, transport the listener to Comb's inner thoughts of contentment and acceptance. The album draws a comparison, for me, with Paul McCartney's debut record from 1970, McCARTNEY, possibly because of its simplicity and honesty.

Eventide, directed to his wife ('You are my back against the wall, you are my hands when I'm falling'), is a tender and intimate love song, equalled in quality by the thoughtful Your Eyes And Me. Less joyful but similarly notable are The Sea In Me, I'm Fine and Table For Blue, with their emphasis on anguish and isolation. Mary Gold is a simply gorgeous, upbeat, poppy affair with trippy keyboards and swirling pedal steel. 

DREAM PICTURES is an exciting gateway into the mind of a hugely masterful songwriter and artist. It plays out like a project that Combs fashioned for himself rather than being market-aware in any way. However, in doing so he has transported the listener into his twilight world with this hypnotic and breathtaking collection of songs.

Declan Culliton

Red Clay Strays Made By These Moments RCA

Nominated as the Emerging Act of the Year at this year's Americana Music Awards, Alabama's Red Clay Strays' career is most certainly on an upward trajectory. The past year has seen them supporting Eric Church, Dierks Bentley, and Old Crow Medicine Show and also making their Grand Ole Opry debut.

Formed in Mobile, Alabama in 2016, the five-piece band is fronted by Brendan Coleman (lead vocals, guitar, keys) alongside Drew Nix (electric guitar, vocals, harmonica), Zach Rishel (electric guitar), Andrew Bishop (bass) and John Hall (drums). MADE BY THESE MOMENTS follows their self-released 2022 album MOMENT OF TRUTH, and was produced by Dave Cobb, with the recording taking place at his Georgia Mae studio in Savannah, Georgia. With the material road tested by their hectic touring schedule and with Cobb's Midas touch, they hardly put a foot wrong on the eleven-track album.  There is little original or groundbreaking on offer, simply rock music with a particular Southern sound and well-written material.   

What makes Red Clay Strays stand out among the many Southern Rock and Outlaw bands?  Well, Coleman's exceptional vocals are great, for starters. He can hit notes, both high and low, well outside most others’ range and has a vocal quiver that compares favourably with that of Chris Robinson. Alongside Coleman's healthy lung capacity, they also write dynamic material that's melodic and contains meaningful lyrics.

The album opens with a couple of rockers, Disaster and Wasting Time, before putting a foot on the brakes with the mournful Wanna Be Loved, evidence that they're equally comfortable with the face-melters as they are with rock ballads. Ramblin' is a cross between Dr Feelgood at their most manic and the full-on blues of Z.Z.Top. That blend of raucous (Devil In My Ear) and sensitive (Drowning, God Does) is deployed significantly across the album.

By exploring the properties of music from bygone eras, Red Clay Strays continue to create their own dynamic with this album. It may not be original, but it’s head and shoulders above the numerous bands following a similar path.

Declan Culliton

49 Winchester Leavin’ This Holler New West

From playing high school shows over a decade ago to more recently supporting Luke Combs in front of twenty thousand people and headlining their own tour, the title of Castlewood, Virginia (pop.2,045) band 49 Winchester’s 2022 album FORTUNE FAVORS THE BRAVE certainly rings true. Taking their name from a street in their small mountain hometown, what started as a group of friends jamming after school has, through hard work and dedication, leapfrogged them to a level where they have been hailed as ‘Country Music’s Buzziest of Buzz Bands’ by Rolling Stone.

Fronted by vocalist and guitar slinger Isaac Gibson, the other band members are Bus Shelton (guitars), Chase Chafin (bass), Noah Patrick (steel guitar), Justin Louthian (drums) and Tim Hall (keys).

Avoiding the often-overloaded and predictable Southern Rock path, the band has built on the promise of their debut album with ten tracks that blend modern soulful country and outlaw. Much of the writing is no-nonsense and thought-provoking, doffing their hats to their small-town heritage and their journey as they spread their wings and make their way in a crowded marketplace. The title track sets out their stall, and Make It Count, with a heartland rock feel and driving rhythm, recalls the ingrained drive and ambition from their humble beginnings. It features a slick guitar break, as does the tongue-in-cheek Hillbilly Happy, which also includes some killer pedal steel by Patrick. Not surprisingly, attraction, infatuation and romantic connections get an airing, with Fast Asleep and Yearnin’ For You ticking those boxes. The former includes input from the Czech National Symphony Orchestra.  Travelling Band delves into the highs and lows of the highway miles, and the album’s highlight, Tulsa, crackles with energy.

Gibson's unique voice shifts comfortably between the earthy, soulful country songs and the country rockers on LEAVIN’ THE HOLLER. He’s joined by a crew of road-hardened players, firing on all cylinders from start to finish, on a body of work that’s likely to herald the band’s continuing rise in the modern country industry.

Declan Culliton

Amy Annelle The Toll Self-Release

Even if you are not familiar with the work of folk artist Amy Annelle, if you watched the Golden Globe-winning film Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, you would have heard her stunning version of Townes Van Zandt’s Buckskin Stallion Blues. Chicago-born Annelle, currently living in Texas, having spent a number of years as a nomadic artist, has previously recorded under her name and also the byname, The Places, and has worked with noted fellow artists Michael Hurley and Bill Callahan.

As the album title suggests, the twelve tracks, though handled delicately, explore challenging themes. Recovering from a lengthy period of illness, Annelle recorded the album at her simple home studio surrounded by friends and fellow artists like Cooper McBean of The Devil Makes Three, who co-produced the album with Annelle and contributed guitars, bass, banjo, and accordion.

The ghosts of bygone times emerge in Pull Tabs and Broken Glass, which features Jolie Holland on harmony vocals, and East Texas Son plays out like an ode to a character from former times.  Matters of the heart raise their head on Why Did He Take His Love Away, which speaks of unfaithfulness and abandonment, and I Loved A Lad has a similar narrative of broken dreams. Both have a timeless feel, enhanced by well-paced strings in the mixes. Bleak times experienced by the writer are recalled in Down And Out In Denver, and the illusion of marital bliss is challenged in Common Law Marriage. The title track bookends the album, and the closing lyrics, ‘I have no answer to the questions that burn in the dark night of your soul. I am but a weary traveller, with no coin to pay the toll,’ suggests a ‘work in progress’ rather than complete healing.

With songs that appear to reference periods in the author’s life, Annelle’s writing is timeless, considered, and often captivating. THE TOLL may explore emotionally raw terrain and is not an album to listen to when in a less-than-jovial mood. But with its charming mix of old-school and contemporary folk, it is both a thought-provoking and compelling listen.

Declan Culliton

Jude Shiels One More Last Time Self-Release

The single Peaceful Dreams / A Friend Like You, released in 2017, pointed towards a change in Jude Shiels' musical direction. More known for following in his legendary father, Brush Shiels' footsteps as a rocking and stomping blues man, after two albums in that genre with his band The So-Called, he has revisited his love of roots and traditional country music with this ten-track record.

Heavily influenced by the late Jerry Jeff Walker's self-titled album from 1972, Shiels recruited two of the players that contributed to that album, pedal steel supremo Patterson Barrett (Buddy and Julie Miller, Hal Ketchum, Nanci Griffith) and renowned harmonica player Doc Simons. Both players are in vintage form, supporting Shiels' matter-of-fact lyrics.

Across the ten self-written songs, Shiels delicately handles the standard country themes. Love lost and matters of the heart (Will I Ever Know, Not My Hard Luck Story), tears in your beer (Drinking & Thinking About Having One More), religious intensity (False Idol), and, of course, trains (One Way Ticket) are all addressed.

We at Lonesome Highway have been bewildered that so few Irish artists and bands have joined the growing revival of 'real' country music in recent years. Take a bow, Jude Shiels. Hopefully, you've kicked started a trend, and others will follow. 

Declan Culliton

Rainy Eyes Lonesome Highway Royal Potato Family

At Lonesome Highway, we have been drawn to the quality of music being recorded by Scandinavian artists in recent years. Irena Eide (aka Rainy Eyes) is the latest name to add to the growing list of singer-songwriters from that location creating interesting and provocative music, in her case drawn from nomadic and often troubled experiences from childhood. A single mother raised Norwegian-born Eide; her father was a Serbian musician who struggled with addiction and was only a fleeting presence in her childhood. Her childhood love of music, influenced by her uncle, drew her to the music of The Beatles, Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones and Creedence Clearwater Revival.

Given her unstable childhood, it’s little surprise that Eide sought independence at a young age, leaving Norway in her late teens and moving to Denmark and one year later decamping to San Francisco with a jazz saxophone player whom she fell for. Her time in the Bay Area introduced her to several renowned musicians such as Peter Rowan, Pete Seeger and Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, drawing her into old-time folk music. Honing her skills in both folk and bluegrass music, she hosted classes and music camps for young children and recorded her debut folk album, MOON IN THE MIRROR, in 2019.

LONESOME HIGHWAY finds Eide on a more experimental path than on her debut record. The eleven tracks not only embrace her folk leanings but also inject roots, country, and traditional aspects into her music. This diverse musical palette, coupled with the whirlwind and traumatic circumstances that brought the project into being creates an album that is both intriguing and exciting. Eide’s joy of motherhood was contrasted by the breakdown of a marriage that had turned sour, which lead to her fleeing California and relocating in South Louisiana.

Producer and hailed multi-instrumentalist Dirk Powell invited Eide into his studio for the recordings, and the album is an honest and unrestrained collection of songs that confront painful experiences, acceptance and rebirth. Powell’s daughters Amelia and Sophie added backing vocals, Chris Stafford played pedal steel, and Eric Adcock was on organ. 

The autobiographical Misty Eyes, which opens the album, sets the scene of desolation and isolation (‘Misty mama on the run, breaking out towards that rising sun. Spend the night on a stranger’s floor, dreaming of an open door’).  As with many of the tracks where the theme is downbeat, the deliveries are sparkling, drawing the listener into the tales within the songs. The title track is a two-stepping country delight equalled by the ‘tears in your beer’ A Little Dream. Set Me Free is a jaunty blues affair, possibly recalling the writer’s introduction to early Rolling Stones music in her early years. The strikingly evocative I Thought About You is a stripped-back song with only vocals and strummed acoustic guitar.  

 The album is bookended by Monday’s Gonna Come Around, which plays out like its author looking in a mirror and addressing herself, dusting herself down, and preparing to forge ahead and put the past behind her.

It takes a lot of pluckiness for an artist to open their heart and lay bare their vulnerabilities. In doing so with LONESOME HIGHWAY, Eide has addressed her personal journey and fashioned a lyrically poetic and hugely satisfying album.

Declan Culliton 

Maya de Vitry The Only Moment Self-Release

Maya de Vitry, a founding member of the now-defunct The Stray Birds, has evolved significantly as a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Her latest album, THE ONLY MOMENT, marks her fourth solo release. After co-producing her last record, VIOLET LIGHT, with Ethan Jodziewicz, she took complete control of the production duties on this ten-track record, showcasing her growth and artistic maturity.

For the past decade, Maya de Vitry has called Nashville home, and it's here that she recorded her latest album at Phantom Studios in Gallatin, Tennessee. She was joined by her studio band, Anthony da Costa (guitar), Ethan Jodziewicz (bass), Alex Wilder (organ), Dominic Billet (drums), and Phoebe Hunt (harmonies). Her music, a blend of alt-country and indie folk, is a unique sound that is showcased in this latest release, featuring some of her most robust material to date.

Some Rent and Burning Building particularly impress. Slightly more left of centre with De Vitry abandoning her comfort zone, the former’s driving rhythm and woozy guitar captivate. With an unrushed vocal delivery and stirring backing vocals, the latter is also raised to another level by fine electric guitar work. Compass enters quintessential Richard Thompson territory, and opener Nothing Else Matters, co-written with Phoebe Hunt, is a lyrically poetic and classic textbook folk ballad.  Minimalist tracks I’m Not Going Anywhere and Watching The Whole Sky Change are typical de Vitry evocative compositions. 

Maya de Vitry's musical journey began in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, where she was born into a musical family. Her path has taken her from playing on street corners to bars, then festivals with The Stray Birds, to her current station as an accomplished singer-songwriter. It's a testament to her skill in creating intimate songs that are fuelled by self-examination and astute questioning. With this album, de Vitry solidifies her status as an artist with endless potential and whose rising star is well deserved.

Declan Culliton

Michael Waugh Beauty and Truth Compass Bros

With four prior albums to his name this Australian singer songwriter has been developing a career that started with a debut release in 2016. He grew up in the beautiful countryside of Gippsland, Victoria and his formative years were something of a challenging time. Having won the Golden Guitar award presented by the Country Music Association of Australia in 2022, Waugh came out as being a gay man and spoke openly about the homophobia he had suffered as a young person. It shaped his growth into adulthood and also played a role in the fact that Waugh decided to follow expected norms and he married into a conventional relationship with a woman and they had a son together.

Waugh works as an English and drama teacher and having reached a decision that he couldn’t hide his true nature any longer, he declared his true sexual leanings in order to eventually face the ghosts of his youth that had led to shame and self-hatred at various intervals. Waugh lost both his parents in 2020 and his brother a year later, prompting him to now live very much in the moment and to embrace the days that we are given. Music is all about making connection and across the eleven songs included on this new album Michael Waugh certainly succeeds in bringing the listener on a journey that unveils lots to enjoy.

Fellow musician Shane Nicholson produced the album and he has worked with Michael Waugh on all his albums to date. Other players on the album in addition to both Waugh and Shane Nicholson (bass, piano, organ, Wurlitzer, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, baritone guitar, lap steel guitar, banjo, mandolin, bouzouki, percussion, backing vocals), include Ollie Thorpe (guitars, pedal steel and backing vocals) and James Gizzard (bass), along with Ali Foster (drums, percussion, backing vocals) with Jen Mize and the Rosylns (backing vocals).

The album opens with a strong statement on behalf of the gay community and We Are Here namechecks a number of iconic gay men who have established celebrity in particular fields over the centuries, from James Baldwin and Oscar Wilde, to Alan Turing, Harvey Milk and Allen Ginsberg. Fix Me is a song that references the experiences of gay men in dealing with confused signals surrounding sexuality and the lyrics reflect this ‘But you can’t fix me, I’m not broken, I’m the way I’m meant to be.’ It is a defining moment for Waugh in his brave decision to come out and suffer the slings and arrows of public reaction.

The title song Beauty and Truth is very much in confessional mode and sent out to his wife in trying to address the hurt caused ‘ Too young to be a father, Unfit to be a husband, Too stunted by the world to be full grown, And in my stupid youthfulness, I tried my very best to fill those roles.’ By way of apology he asks that ‘I hope that you find the love that I could not give to you, I hope you find beauty and truth.’

Another deeply personal song is Father’s Day and it tracks the emotions of an estranged parent who has limited access to a child he loves ‘What I wouldn’t give to hear your voice again, Even in another screaming fight, Silence reminds me of things I regret, And words said in anger and spite.’  The trio of songs Out, Playlist and Moved are in celebration of the new love that Waugh has found and his desire to shout out his happiness for all to hear. Wanting to let go of past hurts and also sharing favourite songs on a playlist that keep a closeness with someone when they are not with you, ‘When my mind was fixed, When my life was stuck, Look at how you moved me.’

The track that highlights the empathy in Michael Waugh is Songs About Women where he gives vent to the way in which women are put down by ignorance and misogyny in society ‘Don’t give some bastard an anthem and let him think we understand, I don’t want another song about another woman hurt by a man.’ On Patsy Cline we have a tribute to the country legend in addition to mention of Tammy Wynette, both of whom have made an impression on the singer. He wrestles within a relationship where the differences can best be highlighted by the lyrics  ‘And it’s fatally flawed ‘cause you don’t even know who Patsy Cline is, But is it that you like to dance and I like my heart broken?’

The final song is To Be Alive and is a celebration of being able to celebrate the moment, having fun and striking out for the golden fleece.  Michael Waugh has a very warm vocal tone and these songs certainly resonate. An album that bring plenty of pleasure in the great production, even if there is quite a lot of pain threaded through these interesting songs.

Paul McGee

The Gringo Pistoleros The Rise and…subsequent Fall of the Texas Alien Self Release

If Texas swing and a traditional honky tonk sound are your preferences then this album is tailor-made for you. With tracks like One Step Further and I’ll Walk the Line (for your Hoochie Coo) jumping out of the speakers, it’s not hard to love what going on among this band of troubadours.

As a once-off project the combined talents of Lazarus Nichols and Cory Grinder came together with fellow musicians to record at Signal Hill Studios in Austin. Over a period of just one week they laid down these ten songs and the entire process was overseen by co-producers Patrick Herzfeld and Larry Wilson. Three of the songs are cover versions, with the classic That’s How I Got To Memphis (Tom T Hall) making an appearance, alongside Dire Wolf (Garcia/Hunter) and the traditional classic Crawdad Song. There is a more measured pace to country songs like I Can Still Remember When and Time Bomb with the assembled musicians clearly enjoying the spirit of the occasion and laying down this spontaneous music.

Lazarus Nichols wrote the seven songs that sit alongside the cover versions and Cory Grinder (guitar, piano, fiddle, vocals) brought his Playboy Scout swing band members Bee Roberts (drums), Stephen “Tebbs” Karney (pedal steel, vocals), Alexander Buchanon (bass). They are joined by Michael O’Connor, Oliver Steck, Joe Faulhaber, Larry Wilson and Austin Stambaugh on various instruments. Vocal duties are shared across the songs and highlights include a down and dirty blues sound on The Cat Came Back and the classic country sound of High Mileage Heart with a shifting tempo and the pedal steel and piano floating around the melody – I can almost hear the spirit of Willie in the backing vocals.

Will the Gringo Pistoleros consider another rendezvous and declare a statement of intent to carry on? This is anybody’s guess but there is so much to enjoy here, created over such a short time-frame, that the answer should be a resounding YES!

Paul McGee

Mark Brown Happy Hour Self Release

Ulster County, New York is home to this interesting singer songwriter and his biography is one that would make you want to take notice of his music and his words of hard earned experience. Mark has at various intervals worked as a mechanic, a commercial fisherman, a carpenter and a farmer. His road has been filled with interesting encounters along the way and these inform his songwriting, as can only be expected. This is his third album release and he previously performed in the band Uncle Buckle.

There are a number of quirky moments on the album and at just 38 minutes, the fourteen songs don’t overstay their welcome, making the listening experience very enjoyable. Scratch asks the question and answers it by listing a series of places where people stop, to take a moment and .. scratch! An interesting choice to open the album and there is a distinct nod to Stan Ridgeway on the song Davenport with fine backing harmonies and a song about just lounging in the yard on a large sofa. Inertia celebrates the fine art of idleness and the urge to do nothing in the face of mounting chores and tasks. The fun of Happy Hour is paired with some mean guitar licks as the craziness of family life plays out. The calypso groove of Gasoline Hands is addictive, with a deep bass line, jazzy percussion and female chorus line.

The songs Long Time, Broken Glass and God Bless Me Jesus have a nice Country influence in the arrangements, and the final track The Unanswered Prayer is a nice acoustic coda to a very engaging album that throws up many surprises. Mark Brown wrote all the songs and delivers on lead vocals and guitar. He is joined by Ken McGloin (guitar), Mark Murphy (bass), Dean Sharp (drums), Dean Jones (banjo, keyboards, vocals), Dakota Holden (pedal steel), Katie Mullins (vocals). Both Jones and McGloin handled the production duties and the results are very rewarding.

Paul McGee

Billy Eli Lace Self Release

This is another solid country album produced by Ed Tree at his Californian Treehouse Studio. It features a fine coterie of West Coast musicians, including bassist Taras Prodaniuk, Dale Daniels on drums, pedal steel players Kevin Maul (in the main), Jim Hemphill's additional guitars, and Jaycee Maness. Teresa James adds harmony vocals, and Ed Tree covers almost everything else. One track, All Day, features another stalwart of the scene, who has also recently released a Tree-produced album, Davis Serby.

Eli naturally handles all the lead vocals with the confidence and assurance of an artist who has been around the block a time or two. He has a knack for writing (or co-writing) a melody that translates to tracks and immediately becomes memorable. The opening two tracks fit this overview, with Trying To Drown and You're The Wine being graced by guitar riffs that are both effective. Both are slices of the everyday - dealing with the day-to-day and looking at the love there is in good company rather than in simply an alcoholic intake. That theme of seeking solace or empathy follows in songs like Hey Maria, Here's To You, it appears, to these ears at least. 

The pastime of consumption, though in very different contexts, is a thread that runs through the titles Drinking To The Angels, Anejo Nights and Wine In The Desert.  All Day features what might be the most unlikely sound in a country of song, and that is the electric sitar, which is highly effective in adding a different sonic tack. Spending the day in a place that was an unexpected and unwanted stop in a schedule is the subject of Getting Out Of Denver with its tale of being snowbound in that city's airport for an extended period so that "the airport bar is starting to feel like home" and the realisation that he has "got 20 more hours to go as the runway is covered up in snow."

The album's ten song inclusions show that Eli is comfortable in his skin and, in his own way, a part of the legacy that has been central to West Coast country for quite some time from the likes of Buck Owens and Dwight Yoakam through to some of the new, younger artist emerging. Eli sits somewhere between by delivering his take on that sound, which he denotes as Americana, that is not about breaking down barriers but more about following a personal mission to bring his songs to the best place he can. He succeeds with that under the helm of Tree and the other musicians involved.

The warm tones of Eli's vocals help make this an easy listen without ever becoming 'easy listening.' It sits easily alongside previous Eli albums without any radical change in direction and shows his growth and maturity as a singer/songwriter who has woven all his attributes into something worthy of your consideration. 

Stephen Rapid

Charlie Overbey In Good Company Lone Hawk

Following his previous E.P. and album, this new set of songs is aptly titled as it features a host of guest players joining him on various tracks. Many of these friends contribute not only as vocalists but also as players. The vocal performances come from Jamie Wyatt, Eddie Spaghetti, Sarah Gayle Meech, Courtney Santana and Nils Lofgren, who also adds his guitar skills to the track he guests on. Other six-string guitar slingers include Charlie Starr, Chris Masterson, Stuart Mathis, Danny B Harvey and Duane Betts. In one song, Jon Graboff adds pedal steel, while Rami Jaffee adds a variety of keyboards. These artists, alongside the many other contributions from the committed crew, were under the captainship of Californian Charlie Overbey. As the opening song denotes ("I'm a punk rock spy in the house of the honky tonk heaven … but punk and honky go together"), this is an album with as much rock' n' roll in its bloodstream as that of underlying country influences. Undoubtedly influenced by the time when Overbey was a member of an L.A. cow-punk band, Custom Made Scare, from around the 2000s, who were a big part of that scene back then.

The ten songs explore that premise of rock' n' swagger. The music leans more towards the kind of Stones-ish sense of country influences rather than anything more traditional country. The themes also play this out with tracks such as Champagne, Cocaine, Cadillacs and Cash, Life of Rock & Roll and Punk Rock Spy. The guitars rock and the keyboards swirl over the solid bass and drum foundation, which drives things along nicely with moments of Southern rock, outlaw country making themselves felt. Somewhat more heartland in tone is The Innocence, which has guitar and vocals from Nils Lofgren, a musician who himself had been at the centre of that genre in the past. 

But there are moments of quieter reflection, such as Dear Captain, which features some integral soulful harmony vocals from Sarah Gayle and Lori Ottino and some subtle guitar for Johnny Stachella. That rock and soul influence carries over to Let Me Love You with guest Jimmy Vivino and keyboards, guitar and call and response backing vocals. The whole thing is a passage through life, and life pretty much in the company of the ups and downs that accrue along its highways. Other moments are more straight-up twangs, with Miss Me utilising Graboff's steel guitar with piano and, again, the vocals of Sarah Gayle Meech. This is followed by another solidly twang-laden reminisce in Two Minute Marvin, about a man who is less than worthy of the woman who should be with him; it features Danny B Harvey on guitars.

There is more than one string to Overby's bow, as he is also a renowned and sought-after hat maker for the stars of both movies and music. This is just another tangent of a long and doubtless hard enough journey to where he is now and the reason that his creative path has been his own.

However, it is Overbey who is at the heart of these recordings; even in good company, he is the main man who not only produced, wrote, and played acoustic guitar and drums but also added a believable, gritty, and upfront vocal to each track, which has that level of authenticity that is essential for good listening in whatever company you may be in.

Stephen Rapid

Matt Castillo Pushing Borders Texace

Matt Castillo has a signature sound and a recognisable voice, making this new release something to take notice of. With real bite, beat and ambition the album will only help define how traditional country has its place in the marketplace. It has got the right elements of 90s country down to a tee. It helps, of course, that the man at the helm here, Roger Brown, both as producer and co-writer of many of the songs with Castillo, is an artist himself, an award-winning songwriter, and a producer with a vast experience of numerous Americana formats but also with a definite understanding of how to make a record that sounds as good as it does. Of course, Castillo himself adds his own stamp and definition with a blend of his Texas upbringing and his border lineage, which features accordion and some Spanish as vital and standout ingredients. There are immediate reminders in this sound blend of similar tracks by Dwight Yoakam and Rick Trevino - an artist later produced by the equally like-minded Mavericks' leader Raul Malo.

This album, though, stands on its own strengths with track after track sounding like a possible single - not something that you can really say about every new album. The themes cover the tribulations of the working man (Working For The Man), the contrast between hoping a relationship will flourish and for rain to fall (If It Rains Today) and, of course, songs dealing with all aspects of love, be it lost, found or continued. Almost, Got Get Her, wherein he wonders if he's such a go-getter why didn't he get her. Trail Of Love, Mañana Blues , and I'm Hurting all continue his upbeat tales of woe.

Castillo has understandable energy given his relative age and an overview that seems beyond his years with his fulsome vocal efficaciousness. This may be because he has partnered with veteran co-writers such as Brown, Byron Hill and Tommy Connors. Particular mention is also warranted to the players here, especially the accordion contributions of Michael Rojas and Jeff Taylor, the lead guitar of James Mitchell and Eddy Dunlap's pedal steel. That assembled team is a major part of the album's success. It is a prime example of all aspects of the project being complementary. This extends to the album cover, which is equally considered and shows that the whole release was been given the attention it deserved to bring it to another level.

With two full albums and an EP under his belt, Castillo can use this base to further build his career. He is currently an independent artist who has expanded his horizons, as befits the album title. This may well be part of why his sound is as it is today, and even if that changes when the possibility of a major label signing arises, it will expectantly mean not so much a change of direction as the option to court a wider audience while, if anything, solidifying his strong traditional roots.

For me, this is another contender for one of the best albums released so far this year, placed alongside the likes of the new albums from George Ducas and Jesse Daniel, also in that category. If you hanker for the drive and distinctiveness of the best of the music that emerged in the mainstream in the 90s, then this is a release that should be sought out and savoured.

Stephen Rapid

Jude Shiels, Rainy Eyes, Maya de Vitry, Michael Waugh, The Grng0 Pistoleros, Mark Brown (Uncle Buckle), Billy Eli (The UnExplainable Billy Eli & The Amazing Spooklights), Charlie Overbey Music, and Matt Castillo Music

New Album Reviews

Darin & Brooke Aldridge Talk Of The Town Billy Blue

North Carolina’s much loved bluegrass and Americana duo, Darin & Brooke Aldridge have returned with their tenth studio album and their best yet. They are a match made in heaven: Darin with his pedigree in bluegrass (starting off as a young instrumentalist in Acoustic Syndicate, followed by joining The Country Gentlemen) and his songwriting and production skills, and Brooke as fourtime IBMA Vocalist of the Year with her background in gospel and country. Her instrument is her voice, and she approaches Emmylou’s pedigree with her crystal clear tone and reach. Not surprising then that they chose the Desert Rose Band’s Price I Pay as the opening track, one that has, of course, been covered by Emmylou since her Nash Ramblers days. Not only that, but they called in old friend and guitar whizz John Jorgenson to help out on vocals and lead guitar. That opening song also gives the album its title and Brooke says that it resonates with her because it reflects exactly how she felt when she initially started dating Darin when she was at college and he was away for extended periods of time touring.

Although honouring the deep roots of the bluegrass tradition, the couple have always been influenced by country, gospel, folk and West Coast rock, and Brooke is quoted as saying that they ‘decided to really do that this time and not be bound down to one thing … to just be us’. Four of the songs are self-penned and the remaining eight are a selection of well chosen new and old classics from across those genres. The stand out gospel song of the three has to be Lori McKenna’s Jordan, where they’re joined by Mo Pitney on vocals and Ricky Skaggs on mandolin and vocals (check out the video). The self-penned Same Old New Love is an instant ear worm, as is another love song, Here We Are, from the pen of Beth Nielsen Chapman and Vince Gill. The latter also guests on vocals on A Million Memories, his moving tribute to the much missed fiddler, Byron Berline, who passed away in 2021. 

Hank Snow’s classic country heartbreaker, A Fool Such As I, is simply gorgeous, with Stuart Duncan on fiddle, Mark Fain (who also co-produced with Darin) on acoustic bass, Brent Rader’s keys and Eddie Dunlap’s pedal steel. They are also joined on various tracks by the cream of bluegrass musicians, including Matt Menefee, Cody Kilby, Samantha Snyder, Jacob Metz and Lynn Williams.

Already a contender for my album of the year, I urge you to seek it out.

Eilís Boland

Jack Garton Original Skin Demon Squadron

I love it when an album defies category and that all-too-common need to try and squeeze the creative talent of the artist into some definable box. Before the onset of large record labels and their desire to market ‘product’ to an unsuspecting public, there was the timeless creative energy that fuses all music together into a creative whole, with no categorization, and where the joy of the song was more than enough.

Well, this album will certainly give the listener plenty of food for thought as the fourteen tracks visit many different genres as they weave their way into your consciousness across an hour of eclectic music. The PR sheet describes the music as both Folk and Roots and there are indeed such influences at play. However the essence of the album is in the willingness to push the creative process into new areas and to try and make something that is of lasting value. Jack Garton is known in his native Canada as a musician who has collaborated with groups such as Viper Central and Petunia and the Vipers, among others, over a long career. He has released two prior solo albums, with the last appearing pre-Covid, in 2018. This album is like a dear-diary entry, as it traces the journey taken over the years of gigging, living on the road, meeting all sorts of characters and being given time to reflect upon the life lived and the memories that linger.

You will be hooked from the opening song Watching Kurosawa and a hugely enjoyable peek into the life of a night shift security guard, and movie freak, who keeps crushing boredom at bay by replacing the security monitor tape with favourite films to watch. Making the mundane bearable through such tiny victories in rebellion – pure songwriting genius... ‘I'm working hard, hardly working, my boss here is a jerk’ - the graveyard shift has never felt so attractive.

Garton plays a whole range of instruments and is mostly known for his prowess on accordion and trumpet. Both feature regularly along with an array of other instruments from the studio musicians  who recorded mostly in a live studio setting for that sense of spontaneity and to capture that special chemistry. Noah Walker (electric and acoustic guitar, musical cartography), Jodie Ponto (drums, percussion, backup vocals, album photography), Steven Charles (upright and electric bass, piano, baritone guitar, backup vocals), Corwin Fox (banjo, backup vocals, emotional support), all play key roles throughout the songs and Garton contributes on lead vocals, accordion, trumpet, Rhodes, organ, piano, classical and acoustic guitars, mellophone, secret reeds. There are additional vocals by Ashley Robyn and Carolyn Mark that also add great colour to the song arrangements.

Coming Back To Life Again is a song about the onset of Spring and the optimism of new beginnings amid a happy sound with an uplifting melody. There is a doo-wop vibe on Decoy Love while the Cajun  groove on Good Times echoes an Elvis Costello vocal in tone, with a cool piano motif. Christina is all horns and keyboard swells while the playful Western Shirt has a pure Country sound and a cool delivery.

Rock n’ Roll on Berkeley In the Springtime surfaces with a great backbeat and rhythmic bass fills. The slow blues on I Can’t Trust My Heart Anymore turns into a Rockabilly celebration on Hey Grandad and another great groove. Things become somewhat reflective on The Real Thing and the stripped down piano reflects that ‘Sometimes the real thing is the same as the dream.’ Surf rock mixes it up with a Tex-Mex dynamic on the instrumental  Stovetop Coffee which features plenty of Link Wray guitar attack.

Where the Mystery Is has a nice tempo and an acoustic feel as the writer looks back to capture old memories, and that youthful reminiscence continues on the final song The Field, a real Magnum Opus that clocks in at thirteen minutes of spoken vocal and a chorus that looks at old neighbourhood and school memories where lots of old ghosts are lurking in the environment ‘Meet me out at the field, we’ll try our bodies on for size, and we’ll see what gets revealed, under the light of open skies.’  If you can bottle childhood rites of passage, then this song does it’s best to cover growing up, feelings of attraction towards the opposite sex, football games, classroom fights and standoffs, gym class, locker rooms and the drama of the schoolyard, all captured with acoustic guitars, banjo picking and sweet harmony vocals. It’s the perfect end to a very impressive album and one that will bring many hours of pleasure. Highly recommended.

Paul McGee

Bobbo Byrnes Self-Titled Self Release

Growing up just north of the Boston, in the state of Massachusetts Bobbo was fond of reading the novels and poetry of Jack Kerouac. The words of the beat generation pioneer would instil a sense of adventure into any impressionable youth, but the difference with Bobbo Byrnes is that he acted upon his growing sense of inquiry and he took his wanderlust onto American highways in search of his dreams. Relocating to California, Bobbo lived the life of the roving troubadour and played in various collaborations over the years. His musical skills became quite honed during his time with The Fallen Stars (four studio albums, a few Eps and a live recording) and then, with Riddle and the Stars (two albums).

Jump forward to 2017 and the release of a debut album as a solo artist; a move that saw Bobbo speed into the distance with a strong work ethic, and no little talent, as he continued his musical adventures. Now, some six solo albums later, Bobbo has decided to release a self-titled album and the results are hugely enjoyable. If you liken a journey in music to a winding road of no fixed destination, sprinkled with plenty of interesting stops along the way, then Bobbo has seen it all over years of gigging across the USA and Europe. His sound is certainly what we describe these days as Americana with his leanings more towards the Rock side of that broad category. Put simply, he just makes great music.

The album opens with the rocking rhythm and inventive guitar of Around Here, a song about having to leave the local scene of his youth in order to develop and grow. The next track I Cannot Say follows in a similar vein with jangling guitar and a strong melody line that echoes thoughts of addiction and character traits that are best kept monitored and under control. He is such a fine guitar player and the band are really tight in the dynamic delivery. Bobbo plays various guitars, mandolin, organ, pedal steel, piano and takes lead vocals throughout. He is joined by his wife Tracy Byrnes (vocals, bass), Matt Froehlich (vocals, drums), with Brian Matteson and Ben Riddle (backing vocals) and Allen Morris guesting on bass for one song, completing the line-up.

Plain Street slows things in tempo with a nicely spaced arrangement and thoughts of nocturnal activities. Too Many Miles is a standout song with a slow pulse in the backbeat and nice organ sounds to augment the winsome vocal of Bobbo. It deals with relationship issues and the too-often breakdown of real communication; again, some stellar guitar licks here to enjoy. Bad Decisions is another rocker with attitude and aims towards the urge of letting it all go ‘I want to make some bad decisions, come on let’s get a tattoo.’ The tempo changes up a gear during the song and delivers an interesting work-out that creates a fine energy.

Some Salvation is a country influenced song arrangement with warm organ sound and great harmony vocals. Glad and Sorry is a standout with a hypnotic guitar riff that lingers, and again, memorable harmony backup. The final two songs use pedal steel to great atmospheric effect and the lengthy Chance is a real tour de force. Bobbo double tracks his guitar sound and the layering really enhances the enjoyment of the album; all bright and celebratory in the excellent production. In terms of a back catalogue there is no disputing the consistency and real quality on offer from this impressive singer songwriter. He should be on everybody’s radar that seeks to purchase music of enduring quality and excellence.

Paul McGee

Luther Black and the Cold Hard Facts Let The Light Back In Self Release

A fine, understated album that largely stays with the low-key unhurried arrangements of some finely balanced songs. The band is fronted by writer, producer and multi-instrumentalist Rick Wagner. The album sets out its stall with the opening Tom Petty song, Room At The Top, a sad reflection on isolation which immediately brought to mind the latter day work of Elliot Murphy (as mentioned in a previous review) as well of its author. That world-falling-apart awareness is a frequent theme, one that is enhanced by the similar tone of his vocals that have enough gravel to indicate a real understanding of life, love and loss. Also covered is the soul classic That’s How Strong My Love Is which has its own soulful qualities without trying to be a carbon copy, but rather a rendition with a similar feeling and an incisive spirit. 

Picking up the tempo and the wish to attempt to give it one more shot is the place that Ain’t Nothing Good About Goodbye takes us to. It has the assembled band of Wagner, drummer Jonathan Kampner, and additional slide and lap steel guitar from Lance Doss. Matt Wissler adds occasional mandolin and Brandi Thompson brings her background vocals to Black And Blue. However it is Wagner front and centre as producer, musician, writer and vocalist. This is indisputably his baby, under the Luther Black headline banner. 

The sense of traveling a difficult path is alluded to with mentions of “highway of regret” and the “long and lonesome road.” Ain’t Nothing Good About Goodbye tries to foster a mood of reconciliation to get back on track and give it one more try. It is rendered with a more full on band sound that feels more heartland rock than anything. The gentler and moodier approach is taken for Lost In The Rye, with the lap steel adding a sense of the feeling of loss. The grittiness in the vocal mirrors the regret that is that nothing ache like a memory; one that is not only for people, once a part of a person’s life, but also of music and places that have become, with the metaphor of location again, like Ghosts On The Boulevard. The ominous siren that opens in the background of Black And Blue offers a dark indication in a tale of racism and harsh realism. Wagner’s delivery is more spoken than shouted and more telling for that approach. 

Acoustic guitar and drum beat open the plea that is Let The Light Back In, which asks for some faith in human nature. Understated and effective. The Rest Of My Days is listed as a live version but it is again performed with a quiet subtly that makes it seem to be a live in the studio take rather than a venue recording. There is a sense of completing a full circle with the stripped back acoustic guitar, harmonica and voice of Coming Home, a realisation that the time has finally come to make that, often difficult, decision to take the road back to where you started out from.

All of the Luther Black and The Cold Hard Facts releases have delivered on different levels without really ever troubling the mainstream or media heights, yet Wagner continues to deliver his own personal take on life, love with a musical direction to fit an individual persona to light his path.

Stephen Rapid

Karen Jonas The Rise And Fall Of American Kitsch Self Release

There is an obvious energy in the recording of the songs in this the latest album (her seventh) from Karen Jonas, which may be because it was recorded live in the studio. Jonas declares herself a lover of vintage kitsch, from a time when there was an optimism for the future and a love of the past. This album may well be full of that kind of positive expectancy. Something apparent from the opening album track Rich Man’s Valley is a summary of her rags to riches story of success, from a dirt poor background growing up in Poor Valley,Virginia to her rise and success and move to the heights of fame and more prosperous circumstances. From then on this is an album of songs that are a testament to Jonas’ growth as writer, singer and band leader. The album was helmed by engineer Blaine Misner over a three day session, in close consultation with Jonas’ long term foil, guitarist Tim Bray, who manages to touch base on numerous country guitar sounds of the past while bringing things right into focus for today’s audience. The rhythm section of Seth Morrissey and Ben Tufts provided the forward motion, and the additional vintage flavourings came from steel player Ahren Buchheister, Booby Hawk’s fiddle and keyboards from Benji Porecki. A solid, distinguished team indeed who are able to adapt with ease to the given instrumental setting required, of which there are a lot of different scenarios on offer; from straight country to touches of soul, blues and swing.

Given the album title it’s not surprising that the presence of Elvis is omnipresent too. A fair number of the songs including Four Cadillacs, Call Dr Nick, Shake Bump and Grind and Mama’s Gone all deal with aspects of Presley’s ongoing myths, legend and magnetism. Inspired in part by the recent biographical movie which painted a largely bright and in your face portrait of the star’s rise, the fall doesn’t feature in these musings. Other stops along the shopping mall of kitsch and sink offer an ode which features a list of purchases available to the home procurer, with some sonic steel and twang laden guitar to help this sale of Online Shopping. Another features those Plastic Pink Flamingos while tells us of the heightened reality of a woman obsessed with those mimicked sham birds. While the ambition of Let’s Go To Hawaii is of a housewife’s dream to persuade her husband to go on a vacation to the island of here dreams, it’s not surprising that it gives a nod to Jonas’ love of the music and storytelling of Jimmy Buffett on the journey (as well as the movie career of that sunburned, sideburned icon). There is a distinctly more Vegas lounge feel to the post wedding chapel carousel in Gold In The Sand. American Kitsch is a narration with a subtle atmospheric setting that, more than anywhere, by the focus on the words, shows her talent as a consummate wordsmith.

Perhaps it’s not surprising that there is a sense of fun, both in the arrangements and delivery, as there is in Jonas’ lyrical direction, which is smart, engaging and an exercise in taking a long established format and giving it a new coat of paint. But it is also a sign of her maturity as a vocalist of no mean ability, who is able to take on the various guises necessary to bring these songs to life. The understanding that occurs between all parties is apparent with the ease with which they can give each song a different perspective ,while never losing focus of an overall vision and vocabulary. It is surprising that Jonas isn’t more lauded overall, as she is deserving of that ahead of many of her contemporaries who have far bigger budgets to utilise, thanks to major label involvement. Yet perhaps what she has gained is the space to develop and control of what she writes and records. That may count for more in the long run for any independent (or otherwise) artist. Much to savour in this ode to the pleasures of kitsch and country music - the real kind.

Stephen Rapid

George Dearborne Lotta Honky Tonkin’ Left In Me Self Release

This album has been receiving a lot of praise as an example of honky tonk at its best. Deservedly so and with a lot of music aimed at the same demographic coming out of Texas, it is even more admirable. I have to admit that this is my first aquaintance with the music of Beaumont singer George Dearborne. He plays traditional based country music with a passion and purpose that will appeal to the growing number of listeners who want something that is imbued with the honky tonk.

The album was produced by an avowed veteran of the format in Jimmy Ritchey, a man who knows what he is about and also adds his guitar and writing talents to the album. He had a hand in co-writing five of the cuts and assembled a band of solid Nashville A-teamers such as Brent Mason, Jim ‘Moose’ Brown, Glen Worf, Larry Franklin, Mike Johnson, B. James Lowery, Shannon Forest and background vocalists Pam Willis and Wes Hightower. You couldn’t ask for a better selection of players if you wanted a real country album, musicians whose credits have appeared on numerous critically acclaimed recordings in the past. They prove their worth again here.

Dearborne is a top notch vocalist, who is not a writer on this outing but an old school interpreter of songs that define the genre. A couple may be know to some, such as Muddy Waters or Haggard’s Fighting Side Of Me. The others maybe not, but they are chosen with care and are perfect for an album with this title. Writers like Jim Lauderdale, Whitey Schafer, Pam Willis and Cledus T. Judd have form in this particular rodeo. There are also, maybe surprisingly to some but not those who know, a couple of songs written by the late great Doug Sahm. Dearborne has been around since the 70s as, initially, a drummer before forming his own band that played in Beaumont, a place that also claims George Jones, Mark Chestnutt and Tracy Byrd as their own and can now add Dearborne to that list of acclaimed vocalists. He has a previous 2020 album, OLD BROWN BOTTLE, that included original songs and which was also produced by Ritchey. However, it is this album that will hopefully turn the spotlight on his aptitude.

These songs sit at the bar of heartbreak and try to drown their sorrows, as do so many of those who need  to immerse themselves in that sadness to feel happy. For many, this is the kernel of what real country music does, as indeed does much of the blues, both forms dealing in that emotion and in creating music that in its misery finds a lot of company. There isn’t a misstep or out of place tune here and, when the album is finished, you want to go back to the beginning to appreciate how good it is one more time.

From start to finish, these fifteen tracks help define the music that has seemingly been absent for so long, but in truth has always been around, if you looked hard enough. This year alone there have been a number of artists who will make it hard pressed for an aficionado to choose the top ten honky tonk albums of 2024. This is most definitely a contender for that particular accolade.

Stephen Rapid

Martha Fields Bramble Bridge Self-Release

Named after a bridge in Wayne County, West Virginia, Martha Fields' latest album sticks to her well-tried template of country, blues, and rock and roll. A proud Appalachian who wears her heart on her sleeve, she fuses the sounds of East Kentucky and West Virginia of her childhood with the Texan and Okie country music handed down from her father.

Fields divides her time between Bordeaux, France and Texas. She performs regularly in France, Italy, Belgium, Spain and Switzerland, playing festivals, headline and private shows backed by her regular players and backing vocalists, Manu Bertrand (dobro, mandolin, banjo, guitar), Olivier Leclerc (violin), Urbain Lambert (guitar), Serge Samyn (bass, fiddle). Denis Bielsa completes the lineup on drums.

Recorded in France and mixed in Nashville by Grammy winner Sean Sullivan, BRAMBLE BRIDGE features eleven tracks, ten originals and a five-minute version of the traditional gospel song, Wayfaring Stranger. Field's material may be primarily impacted by her childhood exposure to the music that surrounded her. Still, Biscay Bay and Country Roads Of France have their origins in her adopted country of recent years. The latter tells the tale of the joys and stresses of long days and nights on the road from show to show; the former pays homage to the peacefulness and serenity of a place close to her heart. Party Marty is a fun-filled and funked-up ditty and opener All I Know could have been plucked from Rodney Crowell's songbook.

BRAMBLE BRIDGE replicates what Martha Fields has been dishing out on all her studio albums. Songs forged from traditional and more modern country roots supported by a bunch of exceptional musicians are once more the order of the day. What's not to love about that?

Declan Culliton

David Newbould Live In Germany Blackbird

Coincidentally, this album review comes shortly after I witnessed a blistering live set by David Newbould and his band at the Static Roots Festival in Germany. Many of the tracks on the album featured in his fifty-minute setlist at the festival, and the added bonus on the album is another twenty minutes of mostly full-on rock and roll across eighteen tracks. 

Born in Toronto, Canada, Newbould has previously spent time honing his skills in New York and Austin. He is now an integral part of the multi-genre music scene in East Nashville. His former band members include the much-lauded Dan Baird and drummer Brad Pemberton, who is a member of Steve Earle’s backing band The Dukes and has previously worked with Ryan Adams and Brendan Benson.

The lion’s share of the material on LIVE IN GERMANY is taken from Newbould’s 2019 record SIN & REDEMPTION and POWER UP! from 2022. Also included are a few covers that readers will be familiar with: Neil Young’s Powderfinger and Don’t It Make You Wanna Dance? written by the late Rusty Wier. The closest live recording that comes to mind with this record is Young’s WELD, so it’s little surprise that a song by Newbould’s fellow Canadian features.

The highest praise I can pour on Newbould’s material is that many of the songs have that ‘where did I hear that before?’ quality. Particularly of note are the face-melters Peeler Park, Sin & Redemption, and Sensitive Heart, the latter bringing to mind a pumped-up Tom Petty delivery. Jean is a short and snappy dose of rootsy power-pop, and the mid-tempo Home Depot Glasses is a tribute to John Prine, written by Newbould the day after he passed away.

If Neil Young, backed by Crazy Horse or the crunching no-holds-barred rock of Rich Hopkins & The Luminarios rock your boat, you’ll love this. Thumbs up to Newbould’s band members, Adam Dalton on guitar and backing vocals, Joel Strandberg on bass and backing vocals, and Tommy Goss on drums for their injection of energy and buzz on the recordings.

These days, it can be a case of having to scratch beneath the surface to unearth twin guitar-driven roots rock, so albums like this are a breath of fresh air. Headphones and full volume are essential for maximum return.

Declan Culliton

Melissa Carper Borned In Ya Mae Music/Thirty Tigers

Our introduction to the musical world of Texan Melissa Carper came about in 2021 when we reviewed her album DADDY'S COUNTRY GOLD and subsequently interviewed her. Born into a musical family and performing from the age of twelve with her family's four-piece, The Carper Band, her musical journey included studying music at college in Nebraska, getting immersed in the vocalists Frank Sinatra, Billie Holiday, and Ella Fitzgerald, and becoming obsessed with blues legend Leadbelly.

Taking a leaf out of all their books, Carper's vocal phrasing and devotion to old-time country, jazz, and blues have rung true in her impressive catalogue of albums, both solo and with her other projects, Sad Daddy, Buffalo Gals Band, and her more recent collaboration with Brennen Leigh and Kelly Willis, Wonder Women of Country.

Carper's latest album takes its title from a quote from Ralph Stanley, ('I don't think you can get this sound unless it's borned in ya,'). Sticking with the formula that worked so well on her two last recordings, the aforementioned DADDY'S COUNTRY GOLD and RAMBLIN' GOLD from 2022, this album was recorded at Andrija Tokic's Bomb Shelter Studios in East Nashville and features a number of the players that also guested on those albums. Household names like Dennis Crouch, who co-produced with Tokic, Chris Scruggs, Chris Gelb, Sierra Ferrell, Matt Combs and Billy Contreras all lent a hand. Working with that talented crew contributed boundlessly to Carper's distinctive and flawless silver-voiced deliveries.

That’s My Desire, previously recorded by Patsy Cline and one of two covers included on the album, and You're Furniture's Too Nice recall an era when dinner-jacketed gents and their costume-dressed wives and girlfriends dined in elegant surroundings, entertained by Billie Holiday. The second cover is a splendid rendition of Cole Porter's Every Time We Say Goodbye. The title and opening track is a gospel-flavoured affair, and There'll Be Another One, including strings and orchestration, is a countrypolitan treasure. Old-time jazz is modelled in Let's Get Outta Here, and Evil Eva is a shot of early rhythm and blues.

A comforting suite of soothing tracks that sound like they have been around forever, unique may be an overused word lazily used to benchmark certain artists. In the case of Melissa Carper, it is true in every respect.

Declan Culliton

Links: Darin & Brooke Aldridge, Jack Garton Music, Luther Black and the Cold Hard Facts, Karen Jonas, George Dearborne, Martha Fields Band, David Newbould, Melissa Carper

New Album Reviews

Alice Wallace Here I Am Mule Kick

The latest album by Alice Wallace was constructed around some life-changing episodes endured by the Nashville-based artist at the time of writing. Not afraid to lay bare her vulnerabilities, she bravely visited emotionally raw terrain across the eleven songs. Wallace moved to Music City four years ago after spending a decade in California, where she was named Female Vocalist of the Year in 2017 by the California Country Awards. HERE I AM was recorded in two days at The Loft and The Studio in Nashville and features some Music City top-notch session players. Despite being written and recorded in Nashville, the sound is very much in the classic West Coast country rock school.

It may or may not have been an anticipation of approaching thunderstorms and difficult times when Wallace named her 2019 album INTO THE BLUE.  Either way, it cemented her reputation as a leading light in modern country music and most likely to achieve household recognition. As with others, her momentum was halted by the arrival of COVID-19 and the personal issues she was dealing with. However, the lockdown didn't find Wallace sitting on her hands; quite the opposite. Teaming up with fellow singer-songwriter Caitlin Cannon, they formed their side project Side Pony, writing and eventually recording an album, ironically called LUCKY BREAK. A mixture of powerhouse retro-pop and country ballads, the duo aired the songs via often hilarious live streams until the world opened up again, and they headed off on tour, Thelma and Louise style. 

HERE I AM finds Wallace returning to her tried and trusted template of heart-melting and confessional songs delivered in her note-perfect and stunning voice.  'Someday someone's gonna find out my biggest secret, I know they will. It's just a matter of time….. I've worked damn hard off for this epic fall from grace,' she ponders on the album's opening track, Imposter. An arrow straight to the heart and an admission of self-doubt and uneasiness, it's an opening chapter for what follows, songs that may have been testing to write but ultimately lead to emotional release. 

That self-doubt surfaces in the beautifully expressed country ballad, I Was Wrong, and the equally soul-searching Dancin' to the Beat of My Heartbeat. The two tracks emphasise Wallace's ability to vocally shift confidently between the calm and the muscular. Her close friend Caitlin Cannon shares songwriting credits on the soulful Better Than This and the title track.  Both songs, not surprisingly, have their emphasis on the positive rather than the negative.

Sunken and unfulfilled dreams may have provided the ammunition for HERE I AM, but the lasting impression after each subsequent listen is one of acceptance, rebirth, and renewed confidence. Alice Wallace may have encountered a mid-career wobble, but she is back to her best with a confident swagger with this easy-on-the-ear collection of most impressive songs.

Declan Culliton

Cyrena Wages Vanity Project Self-Release

Despite previously being a member of three bands and landing a record and publishing deal with her first band, Friends of Lola, Memphis-born Cyrena Wages has had to wait until her early thirties to release her debut album, VANITY PROJECT. Ironic and cynical as the title may seem, the ten-track album digs deeply into Wages' upbringing from her early childhood as a pageant queen, the demands of a small-town religious upbringing in the south, spreading her wings and moving to Nashville with stars in her eyes, and the resulting frustrations of a decade in that city.

Born and raised in Millington, Shelby County, Tennessee, into a musical family, she was exposed to Stax soul music and old-time country by her parents from an early age. However, what left the most lasting impression on Wages was her years on the pageant circuit ('I think it's the most screwed up thing in the world, it's like everything that's wrong with the conditioning of Southern women'). The move to Nashville after high school was also far from memorable and resulted in disillusion and rejection despite working the system, recording formulaic music that never got released, and eventually returning to Memphis. The tales of unfulfilled and broken dreams could have ended there, but with innumerable memories to draw on, Wages translated those headaches into ten often dramatic songs.

Evoking the sound of Memphis more so than Music City, the soulful instrumentation and overall vibe supplied Wages with the perfect platform for her soaring multi-octave vocals. Having worked on the songwriting with R&B and jazz guitarist Joe Restivo, that Memphis connection was cemented by engaging Matt Ross-Spang as producer and recording at his now-famous Southern Grooves Studio in Crosstown.

Standout tracks are the mid-tempo opener Are We Allowed to Fall in Love and the title track, which particularly hits the bullseye. The fluidity of Carried Away recalls Frazey Ford at her most soulful, and the bittersweet Heartbreaker is a nostalgic tearjerker.

Very much a 'beauty born out of chaos' album and one written under the pandemic blues umbrella, VANITY PROJECT is a body of work by an artist who may be a late bloomer but has kicked off her recording career in fine style.

Declan Culliton

Kiely Connell My Own Company Thirty Tigers

There has been a marked increase in confessional and open-hearted recordings in the past few years, following the pandemic and enforced lockdown. Dealing with mental health issues, relationship breakdowns and substance abuse, the majority of these recordings are from women, a pointer towards their new fearlessness in publicly bearing their souls by confronting thorny issues. The subject matter has generated credible songwriting and several standout albums, rather than anything sounding manufactured or industry-formulated. Recent albums by Sarah Gayle Meech, Amelia White and Diane Coll immediately come to mind.

Indiana-native, Nashville-based country and roots artist Kiely Connell's sophomore album, produced by Tucker Martine (Neko Case, REM, The Jayhawks), falls into this category. It charts traumatic memories, a broken relationship, body shaming and, most importantly, recovery and rebirth.

Restless Bones revives bitter memories of the funeral of a high school friend after she took her own life. A haunting and image-generating song, it stands shoulder to shoulder with Lucinda Williams' Pineola in detailing the trauma of unexpectedly losing a close friend. Consent, entitlement and the mixed signals of modern dating are aired in the fiery Damn Hands, with Connell vocally spitting fire in front of a rugged guitar riff. The excesses, both liquid and pharmaceutical, all too easy to fall foul of the routine life of the artist, are addressed in Through To You. It's a particularly slick slice of roots rock that recalls Kathleen Edwards at her most animated. Connell's weather-beaten vocals on Anaesthesia channel the numbness and isolation endured at the lowest ebb after a relationship break up.

The album concludes with a committed and reinvigorated theme following the confessional and darker material. On The Mend points towards moving on from life's complexities, and the title track is one of forging ahead as a free spirit ('Cause maybe I could still turn out to be the girl of my dreams and find that all I want to keep is my own company').

Kiely Connell has turned up the heat a number of notches with My Own Company. Her 2021 album CALUMET QUEEN was a striking introduction to a vocalist and songwriter not afraid to confront the darker side of hardship and survival. The savage intimacy and emotional outpourings on this album more than make good on the promise of that debut album. It's a riveting listening experience and a reminder that art often provides much more than simply entertainment. Let's hope it gets the exposure and attention it richly deserves.

Declan Culliton

Jason McNiff Everything’s A Song Tombola

An English songwriter of great repute, Jason McNiff brings his lyrical guitar style to a ninth album, just two years on from his last release Tonight We Ride, which was entirely focused of cover versions. He sings in a quiet vocal tone and the folk leanings in his writing provides the perfect foil for his gentle songs. Run Away With the Circus is an example of his independent persona and style, with the lines ‘My mind is a woman, my heart is a man, and together they do the best they can, I’m just a child with a childish plan, to run away with the circus.’ Clever wordplay and nice imagery to fuel the imagination. The electric guitar on These Dreams Of You is nicely knitted into the acoustic melody and a counterpoint to the sentiment of love unrequited.

There is no doubting the influence of Bert Jansch in these song stylings and I also hear the sweet tones of Mark Knopfler, especially on My Mississippi and True Love, Freedom. No bad thing either, as learning from your mentors and matching their inspiration in your own music is certainly carrying the torch forward. A cover version of Bella Ciao, a folk song from the 19th Century, is perhaps the only potential weak point, the arrangement sounding somewhat laboured and out of place on the album.

There is a story song called Chef Song in the best English folk traditions and the inclusion of Wedding Dance highlights the violin of Richard Moore along with Hammond organ on a sweetly performed instrumental. McNiff contributes on guitars and Hammond organ while producer Matt Armstrong adds bass, drums and percussion. Jude Montague appears on pump organ, Hammond organ, and vocals, alongside both McNiff and Armstrong.

There is a blues feel to No Good For You with a nice electric guitar solo that wraps the message ‘Too much truth is no good for you.’ The final song is the album title Everything’s A Song and draws joy from the simple things in life and takes a perspective that all experiences are part of an all embracing colourful vista. There is a light sense of playfulness throughout this enjoyable album and it’s another fine example of the talents on display from Jason McNiff.

The Electrics Big Pub In the Sky Self Release   

Originally  formed in 1988, this Celtic rock band from Dumbarton, Scotland, is comprised of Sammy Horner (vocals and bass guitar), Paul Baird (guitar), Dave McArthur (drums) and Allan Hewitt (saxophone, keyboards). Over subsequent years, various members came and went, while the band played on, and nine albums were released between 1991 and 2014. They never officially called it a day and any hiatus in subsequent years was occasionally punctuated by live gigs in different shapes and forms. There has always been an evident chemistry from the first time they played together that endures.

On this return project the original gang of four are joined by former member Tim Cotterell (fiddle, mandolin) who returns to the family, and the ten tracks are a joyous celebration of all that is good in the Celtic rock tradition. Yes, you will hear, on occasion, a sense of the Pogues in the boisterous arrangements, and at other times, the Waterboys, in the uplifting melodies and the vocal delivery of Sammy Horner, but throughout is the unmistakable edge that has made the Electrics such a celebrated act wherever they perform. Matters kick off with a global warming message in Big Train Coming and a sense that a day of reckoning is on the horizon if we are not willing to change our ways.

Big Pub In the Sky and Fall From Grace are fine examples of the celebratory sound that the Electrics produce, with everything turned up full throttle and the clever lyrics sprinkling some magic dust upon proceedings. The River Flows and Happening To Me are more considered and highlight the softer, more lyrical side to the band as they contemplate their place in the greater scheme of things.

We All Have To Row is a prime example of the philosophical themes that are addressed, with the ocean of life tossing us on the waves of change in our little lives ‘ We’re in this boat together, and we all have to row.’ It’s a standout song and one that will no doubt endure in the years to come. If the end of days is indeed upon us with the weakened condition that the world has fallen into, then songs like Brand New Start and Best Is Yet To Come point to a faith in our beliefs and our spirituality to find fresh optimism in a future that dwells beyond our mortal forms.

The final song Yesterday’s Rain resolves to leave the listener with a message of hope and the will to endure through all the hard times, as the writer encounters a wise old patron in a local bar ‘The cold wind will blow all the sleet and the snow, The dark clouds of anguish will bring each one pain, With a wink of his eye he raised his glass high, This fine glass of whiskey was yesterday’s rain.’

There is much to admire on this fine album and it is a testament to both endurance and individuality. For this band of brothers to be creating music that remains stimulating, vibrant and very Zen, is not only rewarding, but also inspiring. You should add this album to your collection with all haste.

Nick Taylor Not Alone Self Release

Austin, Texas is home to this singer songwriter and this is his debut album. Taylor has been bracketed as an Americana artist but in truth there is as much Country influence in the ten tracks that are featured here. He went to Nashville to record the album and used some of the best session musicians available, so this certainly colours the sound and the final results.

Taylor wrote all the songs and he plays acoustic guitar in addition to taking all lead vocals. His voice has a deep resonance and the powerful delivery expresses a quiet confidence in what he is doing. The studio musicians really step up to the plate and the arrangements on all songs are very impressive with the understated ensemble playing prominent in the mix.

Standout tracks like Songs About the Glory and Broken Souls display a great maturity and look at different aspects in relationships, both good and bad. There are story songs and Getting Along spins out a tale of two loners who meet on a desert highway. Love comes in different forms and who can say what works out best in the end. Another song, Kentucky Girl drifts along on a sweet melody of piano and guitar looking at desire and the need to be loved.

On the other hand, Futures Past looks at the loss of a relationship and memories of a Summer spent in hedonistic pleasure. 3AM On the Interstate also looks to challenges in a relationship and concerns of slipping back into a life that is best left back in the past. The fiddle and mandolin on Dead Land Future are very atmospheric on a song that deals with the pain of trying to start over ‘ I blew both my shoulders at the age of 23, Working towards another man’s dream.’    

Heart On the Run is traditional country with organ and guitar riding the beat while the song reflects ‘I got a 20-year history of feeling like a fool.’ Don’t let life pass you by is the abiding message and on Carry You Home the sentiment is one of care for one another and comforting the lost. Dogs has a rock groove and looks at making changes as inner resolve pushes you towards better days.

The musicians that play on the album are David Flint (various guitars, mandolin),  Wayne Killius (drums), Dave Francis (bass), Chris Nole (piano, keyboards), Deanie Richardson (fiddle), Pat McGrath (acoustic guitar), James Paul Mitchell (pedal steel, dobro), and Billy Thomas (backing vocals). The entire project proves to be well worth the investment made by Nick Taylor in shaping these songs in such an impressive fashion. His instincts pays dividends throughout a strong debut album.

Paul McGee

The Makers Out Bloodlines/Hope Self Release

This musical project is the brainchild of founder Scott Bell. He is based in Tulsa, Oklahoma and is known as a music producer, composer, and photographer. He has written scores for modern dance, played in the band Buffaloswans and toured with Julianna Barwick and Sigur Rós, among others. This debut album was produced by Bell and he also wrote all eleven songs that play out over a listening time of one hour.

The official website states that the album represents ‘a culmination of many years of evolution birthed from ancestral struggles, victories, unspoken words, forgiveness, and reconstruction.’ Although this sounds like a statement of disproportionate aggrandizement, Bell also is quoted as saying “I feel like my music is spiritual in nature, I do not write songs regularly, but wait for them to write themselves through me.”

The music is a potent mix of roots, country, folk and 70s psychedelic rock, all presented in heady soundscapes and style. The swirling synth sounds of opener Holy Water lay out a message of peace and community and lead into Golden Driller which explores the hope that is held out for a relationship to unfold and bring joy. Throughout, a sense of peace permeates everything with drifting pedal steel (Roger Ray) and harmony vocals building a great atmospheric backdrop to the synth (Chris Combs, Scott Bell) and guitar melodies.

The big production sound and keyboard swell on Hallelujah breaks down to simple piano on the outro and seamlessly segues into Lhasa and a sweep of gentle melody and mood. The lack of a lyric sheet is disappointing as the words are hard to make out but the swathes of instrumentation bear a clear message of spiritual awakening. The heavenly vocals on Stillborn, courtesy of Libby Decamp, are particularly attractive and on the credits the singers are listed as Sarah Maud, Liz Coffman, Jillian Rutherford and Jesse Aycock. Bell plays guitar, organ, piano, drums and sings, while also using studio musicians on woodwinds, trombone, trumpet, cello and violin to swell the lush sound on specific tracks.

Psychic Geography is very memorable with a nice rhythmic beat before drifting into ethereal directions with vocal echo and instrument reverb as it meanders back towards the original groove. It’s one of the longest tracks at eight minutes plus and it is followed by Blood a melancholic instrumental piece with marimba and violin mixed into the guitar treatments and synth sounds. The title track follows and images of big skies and endless horizons come into view, framed by mountains and a sense of the land speaking on the gentle breeze.

Religion is a song that looks at dogma and the human habit of ignoring the obvious. It’s a soulful sound that has nice harmony vocals and piano before it takes off into the heavens on layers of guitars and keyboards. The final track is the longest, clocking in at almost nine minutes, and Five Hundred Million Pounds Of Memory is anti-war and a message of loving awareness with acknowledgement to those who sacrificed in the name of freedom. This is a huge project with many interesting roads to walk down. Overall it is a panorama of what was once referred to as the Hippie dream, a way to come together and spread messages of love and peace. Certainly worthy of investigation.

Paul McGee

Will Kimbrough For the Life Of Me Self Release

This American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer grew up in Mobile, Alabama. It is no exaggeration to say that he has influenced the contemporary country and folk scene as much as any of his peers over the last few decades. His output is peerless in terms of the amount of music he has created, collaborated on, or assisted in its development. This album is his eight solo project and the eleven tracks are superbly crafted, as you would expect.

It has a raw energy and a stripped back sound with Kimbrough providing vocals, guitars, and keyboards, with Chris Donohue on bass and Bryan Owings on drums and percussion. The atmospheric Southern Wind is a highlight, with the brooding slow melody and tasty guitar dynamics mixing with the lyrics that carry a sense of foreboding.

The jangling guitar on The Other Side reflects a Tom Petty sound and the laid-back groove on I Don’t Want To Start A War  takes a look back at the idealism of the 60s peace movements and the lost message of peace and love in the present political divide and corporate complexities. River Of Roses is a song that tackles past crimes against the civil rights movements who fought bravely for equality and freedom, with reference made to the beatings suffered by leader John Lewis at Selma, Alabama in 1965.

Clotilda’s On Fire also stands out with the musicians kicking up quite a storm in memory of the last known U.S. slave ship to bring captives from Africa to the United States, in 1859. The song suggests that we are still living with the ghosts of those evil times and it’s certainly something that still divides class and communities in modern society. The title track is a gentle acoustic ballad that bemoans the differences between those who profess to seek communication, especially in personal relationships.

Every Day seems to be an aspiration for a happier world and the sing-along chorus belies the sense of separation that permeates other songs on the album. Are things really getting better? The jury is out…  Final track When This Is All Over has a nice rockabilly swing with harmonica and guitar parts lifting the message of forgiveness and moving forward. This album is certainly a highlight in an illustrious career and Will Kimbrough can be more than pleased with the results.

Paul McGee

Leaf Rapids Velvet Paintings Self Release

This band is from Winnipeg, Canada and this is their third album release, and a follow-up from the superb Citizen Alien that appeared back in 2019. The band have a lovely laid-back sound that fits perfectly into a roots-americana lane on the endless highway of music genres, and their sweetly structured songs come highly recommended.  The band is comprised of Keri Latimer (songwriter, acoustic guitar, lead vocals, theremin), Devin Latimer (bass guitar), Joanna Miller (drums, supporting vocals, whistling), and Chris Dunn (electric guitar).

The opening song, and title track, has a real personal manifesto, with the words ‘When I get my shit together, I’ll be a force to reckon with, Possessor of self-discipline, Not dreaming the day away.’ Songwriter Keri Latimer taking back control of her life amid the reality of increasing corporate greed in the world and the sense of feeling overwhelmed in the face of all today’s negative media ‘Don’t be so melodramatic, It’s just a semi-automatic, Anyone can get one down the street.’ A healthy sense of irony is indeed required!

Starling To A Starling is a love song that has a melody similar to the iconic Chris Issak track Wicked Game but with sweet pedal steel and guitar lines tickling the senses. Fast Romantics is a very giddy love song served on instant desire and pleasure with a seductive delivery to highlight the playfulness in the lyrics ‘Found a fast romantic, In a Dollarama Isle, Rows of shiny plastic, And your Dalai Lama smile,’ all modern kitsch on demand and a superb guitar break courtesy of Chris Dunn.

Silver Fillings is a real highlight and shows the sophisticated and subtle lyrical qualities of Keri Latimer. Questions concerning the durability of love itself and also, quite a coup to conjure up a song around dental work and abstract thoughts ‘My silver fillings are sometimes receivers, First time it happened I thought it was Jesus, Funny the things that can lead to salvation, Holes in my teeth and a radio station.’ Bravo!

Night Shift uses the whistling skills of Joanna Miller to such great effect that the sound is exactly like a theremin, superbly echoing the sense of isolation in coming off work in the twilight hours and entering into the new day ‘My quiet industry, In the hours that memories keep, The fox and owl agree, The darkest hours are not for sleep, Here on the night shift, We tuck the days in one by one’ - oh so eloquent and evocative…

Paramjit’s Sonnet is such an enduring love song that captures the essence of true, unequivocal devotion to another in the purest way, strings elevating the melody and Keri giving such a beautiful vocal performance of emotion from the heart. Selfless love in all true colours. As a contrast, In the Woods captures that sense of peace coupled with a certain awareness of otherness when we walk along in nature ‘There are stories in the trees, Every ring a memory, It’s like they’re trying to find the words, Something’s stirring in the woods, If we only understood.’

Trepidatious Celebrations is an interesting inclusion and seems to channel a moment in time where a birthday gift is shared between lovers under curfew conditions in perhaps Covid lockdown or during wartime? The final song Insomniac Show captures the heady days of youth and two students sharing fun and Beaujolais wine late into the night ‘We were insubordinate humanitarians, With revolutionary plans to stick it to the man, Now I’m selling real estate and knock-off Melvin Kleins, Did you once say you loved me out beside the BFI?’ The reference to a waste management plant (BFI) is telling, the insight and perspective razor sharp, as a mirror into our collective psyche that often ends up settling for some form of compromise in adult years.

Special guests include Geoff Hilhorst (Rhodes and Hammond A-100), Bill Western (pedal steel), Natanielle Felicitas (cello), and John Paul Peters (violin). Production is by John Paul Peters and Keri Latimer and the recording took place at Private Ear Recording in Winnipeg,. All songs are written by Keri Latimer except Night Shift written by Joanna Miller, and Paramjit's Sonnet a co-write with Paramjit Singh.

The playing and the live feel is so perfectly captured and the players elevate the songs as a collective in their interplay. Let’s call the whole experience one of Canadicana; a specific genre that bottles the songcraft of truly gifted artists and ideas embedded in their culture. The nine songs included run for an immersive thirty-six minutes, leaving you just wanting more. Then again, one can always hit the repeat option to indulge yourself all over again. As roots music goes this is one of the strongest albums of the year.

Paul McGee

Alice Wallace, Cyrena Wages, Kiely Connell, Jason McNiff Nick Taylor Music, The Makers Out, WILL KIMBROUGH Leaf Rapids

New Album Reviews

Annie Bacon and her Oshen Storm Self Release

An entire album that is based around the issues of grief and loss may seem like a daunting task for the listener. Could it turn out to be an exercise weighed down by onerous self-reflection? Happily this is not the case and this project wraps the songs in a blanket of compassion and empathy. It takes a real gamble to place your raw emotions on such public display and yet, by making the deeply personal into something that embraces the universal, Annie Bacon delivers a healing in the power of her music.

Having suffered a series of losses in recent years, Bacon reflects upon the various stages of grief and channels the realisation that it can take on various guises. Divorce is one form of real loss, and in dealing with this, the death of your ex-Mother in law brings additional challenges to the emotions. When you are also hit with the sad reality of having to say goodbye to your best friend, the pain is palpable. Bacon also lost her father, who passed away before the Covid virus closed the world down and the end result of all this death has been a period of self-analysis and pouring all manner of confused disbelief into the songs that appear on this new album.

The ability to cope and indeed endure is also at the heart of these fourteen songs, The conclusion drawn is that sitting back in the moment and acknowledging these feelings as they arise, and staying grounded until they pass, is the real key, and a code by which you can chart the unfolding of the rest of your life.

The loss of relationships, and the grief that death unlocks, all culminate in heartbreak and a deep sense of also losing a vital part of who you are as a person. These songs cover the full range of such loss and uncover real emotions along the road to ultimate healing. Secret Broken Heart looks at the cost of hiding pain inside and putting on a brave face to the world. Mist is a song that sees the reality of losing yourself to grief and the remedy to solve matters by coming into the moment and sitting still with the pain. California Heat is written in memory of her best friend who died, and the image of a hiking trail and the isolation of being alone in nature brings a coping mechanism.

Walk A Little Farther covers similar territory with the resolve to keep going and not submit to crippling inaction under the weight of loss.  Alone With Grief is probably the defining song in this woodland of sadness with the words ‘ No one can walk your path for you, But so many have and so many do, Feel alone with grief tonight.’

Realising a relationship is over and having the courage to leave normality and routine behind is at the heart of songs Can’t Remember, When Will I Learn and Love Can Mean, with the latter song capturing the essence ‘But if you’re twisting yourself into knots just to stay, And you’re screaming to be heard but ignored anyway, And the illusion of peace is not a price you can pay, Remember that love can mean walking away, You can love yourself enough not to stay, That’s okay.’ Wise words that show a resolve to develop a perspective on the slings and arrows that life throws your way.

The final song is Worry and has a message that the problem can indeed be worry itself. By letting it go you can open up a new vista that leads to happiness - ‘Or maybe worry is the trouble, Maybe I should worry a little less.’ The excellent band is worthy of the highest praise for the way in which they wrap these songs with a protective cocoon of care and creativity.

The musicians are Annie Bacon (guitar, vocals), Paul Defiglia (bass, keyboards, synthesiser, organ, drum machine), Thomas Bryan Eaton(guitars, pedal steel, mandolin), and Anson Hohne (drums, percussion) make up this band and the album was produced by Annie Bacon & Paul Defiglia in Natural Daylight Studios, Nashville. All songs are written by Annie, with one co-write.

Anne Bacon is an Ann Arbor resident and a singer-songwriter and guitarist of real depth and quality who took her fledgling steps in the industry with the release of a debut album in 2012. She built upon this when a further album appeared in 2019. I may be wrong about Annie’s performing name but I think that OSHEN is a variation of Ocean, it’s power and vastness capturing our sense of place, surrounded by all this tranquillity and mystery. A really fine album and worthy of your exploration.

Paul McGee

The New Leaves A Sketch Of Home Corn Crake

There is a gentle contemporary Folk sound in the music of Irish quartet The New Leaves. Based in the seaside town of Warrenpoint, a small port town in Co. Down, the members are Declan McKay (guitar, vocals), Cian O’Hare (guitar, mandolin), Patrice McKevitt (bass) and Paddy Goodfellow (drums, percussion). Together they make a very soothing sound with a collective approach in their song arrangements of ‘less-is-more.’ They are childhood friends and the band was formed in 2022.

Mother Nature features quite a lot in the lyrics of Declan McKay who writes all the songs and his affection with the locale comes through on songs such as Donaghaguy Reservoir, In the Shadow Of the Mournes and The Lights From Omeath, a small village on the Cooley Peninsula. The ensemble playing is very engaging and the harmony vocals of Patrice McKevitt are particularly bright in the production mix. The sense of separation and space brought to the album recording by Steve Fearnley is impressive and the project was recorded at Narrow Water Studios in Warrenpoint.

The inclusion of cello on the album is an inspired choice and the lyrical playing of Ben Triggs elevates the songs throughout, Maggie’s Island being a particular highlight. The sense of easy reverie threads these songs into a tapestry that is very appealing and tracks A Silk Road To the Moon and Rocky Mountain River include some subtle guitar work from Cian O’Hare, who also contributes harmony vocals. The drumming of Paddy Goodfellow is nicely judged and he never overplays, expertly supporting the song arrangements as evidenced on the very pleasant Away With the Fairies.  Across these thirteen songs there is a real sense of joy, and the sentiment on A Giant Murphy Favour is one of standing tall for each other and facing the challenges with an open agenda.

All in all, a very accomplished debut album and I look forward to hearing more from this talented group on their developing musical journey.   

Paul McGee

Gerry Spehar and Friends Other Voices Self Released

This album is a compilation of songs that were written by Gerry Spehar and performed by a number of artist friends who recorded his work over a period that spans four decades. The album title is very appropriate in that, across the twenty tracks, the consistently strong writing is given a chance to see the light of day through the interpretations of others, and we can celebrate the talent of this Colorado songwriter who has been creating music since his teenage years.

He initially cut his musical teeth by playing in a 1970s band with his brothers George and Tom.  After a period of going solo he hooked up with long-time associate Bobby Allison and together they had increasing success during the 1980s. Gerry then stepped back from the music business to work a day job and raise a family but he never stopped writing and his guitar was always on hand to partake in any sessions that were going down. After a break of 30 years he returned to the recording studio in 2017 and he has released four albums over recent years, making up for lost time.

There is a stellar cast of musicians that appeared on these recordings over the years, and far too many to list. All songs were written by Spehar, including nine co-writes, four with Mike Becker and five with Bobby Allison. Two of the songs appeared on a previous album DELTA MAN (2022), with the inclusion of Train, Train, Train and Rockin’ On A Country Dancefloor. In fact, the latter song appears on each of these two discs with different versions provided by Teresa James and Gary F. Floyd. Both tracks are highlights on a very strong compilation that includes contributions from Dale Watson, Lisa McKenzie and Lisa Daye.

There is plenty to appeal across the different styles that range from traditional country to soulful ballads, taking in blues and rockabilly sounds also. The slow burn of What He Said and Georgetown are complimented by the sweet melody of Angel, Grandpa’s Daisies and The Last Person; balanced against the up-tempo Lovin’ Proof,  Do Whatcha Used To Do and Joanne.  There are also love songs and Both Ends Of the Rainbow and The Longer I Love You are excellent examples of this songwriter’s craft.  A very rewarding album and one that I’m sure will bring plenty of pleasure to those who like well-crafted songs.

Paul McGee

Krista Detor Chaos, Collisions and Clocks Tightrope

While this ‘best of’ collection dates back to 2019 it is a timely reminder of the deep well of talent that dwells within the creative muse of Krista Detor, a singer-songwriter based in Bloomington, Indiana. Over the course of her career Krista has delivered eight recordings that highlight her songs and playing skills in a manner that leaves an enduring trail for those who wish to follow the yellow brick road that leads to her door. This collection was produced by Krista and her husband Dave Weber at their Airtime recording studio which is based on their farmland and attracts many musicians who avail of the professional and extensive facilities on offer.

Krista has a very expressive voice that is arresting in it’s sweetly delivered tone, both wistful and knowing; yet forgiving and universal in capturing the ache and yearning contained within the dichotomy of living. Krista speaks of  the spectre of depression that visits many of us at certain points in our lives and in having the bravery to investigate the source and tackle it head on. Where does that sense of sadness come from?  Is it perhaps self-doubt at a young age that turns towards unwarranted inner reflection? Could it be caused by a distorted vision of oneself?

This collection contains only one song from her great breakthrough album MUDSHOW (2006,) which brought her overnight media attention and praise. Indeed, the follow up album COVER THEIR EYES (2007) only merits two songs here, and it is the twin releases of CHOCOLATE PAPER SUITES (2010) and BARLEY (2016) that feature mostly, each contributing four tracks.

Given the wealth of choice across the span of her career, Krista has chosen her personal favourites and this album is full of truly great moments. The haunting Deliver Me and the personal reflection of self-liberation on Hear That are just two stand-out moments among many. Also included is the excellent More Than I Can Say and the delights of Clock Of the World, For All I Know and Icarus. There are three bonus songs also included and these unrecorded tracks show that Krista continues to write music of great insight and beauty. Plenty for everyone to enjoy and if you have yet to become aware of this superb artist and her many talents, then this album is a fine place to start. File under ‘buried treasure.’

In recent times she launched The Hundredth Hill Artist Residence and Retreat in Bloomington and much of her energy has been focused on making this enterprise a success, with its rolling green woodlands and creative spaces that attract artists and leaders from across genres, disciplines, and borders to find inspiration and focus.

Krista also delivered a TEDx talk in 2022 that focused upon ‘Shattering the Looking Glass Self’ and an insight into the career arc of this very entrepreneurial talent. It is well worth finding on your social media and it will certainly inspire.

Paul McGee

David Starr Better Me / Starr and Stucky Self-Titled Cedaredge

Two releases from the talented David Starr over the last 12 months and both are examples of the fine qualities this songwriter possesses. Better Me is a six track EP that runs for twenty-plus minutes and includes the talents of Matt Bubel (drums, percussion), Jimmy Mattingly (fiddle), Dan Dugmore (steel, electric guitar), John Reno Prentice (electric guitar), Irene Kelley (background vocals), Michelle Prentice (background vocals), Mark Prentice (bass, keyboards), with acoustic and electric guitars played by Starr. The songs are all written by David Starr and the delivery is a roots rock sound with the musicians very much front and centre in the groove.

Title track Better Me is a hope for inner growth gained from ongoing maturity, while the softer Some Angels Fly shows another side to the ensemble playing, and a tune that reflects upon a friend who has passed away. The rock beat of Poison the Water brings a great dynamic with the guitar riff driving a song about corporate thirst for power and the soulful vocals are particularly impressive. Because You’re Right is a love song that plays along on a gentle melody and harmony vocals that reflect upon a doomed relationship. Closer To You is another roots rock arrangement that allows the musicians space to express their individual skills.

The closing track Any Chance Of Going Home is a song about circumstance and fate where the timing in a relationship is always out of step. There are some lovely fiddle and piano parts and a lyric that reflects ‘Sometimes circumstance lays waste to best laid plans and it’s years until we find out what it means.’ Starr sings in a very clear vocal with a nice tone and this adds character to the song arrangements. The music was recorded in Nashville, at Addiction Sound Studios, and was produced by Starr and Mark Prentice.

The second release Starr and Stucky is an acoustic album with friend and mandolin player Erik Stucky. The record is comprised of reworked acoustic versions of original setlist favourites and the nine songs come from five different albums in Starr’s discography with three tracks featured from THE HEAD AND THE HEART(2017) and SOUTH AND WEST (2018). The production and the playing is very impressive and full of nice moments with guitar and mandolin stretching out in stellar fashion throughout. Good As Gone comes bursting out of the traps before the slower Waiting In the Dark brings a more reflective tone. Other songs like Don’t Give Me Hope, Night Rolls Around and Edge Of the World continue the laid-back feel and the considered interplay between Starr and Stucky is beautifully realised.

Head and Heart is a great example of the understated melody that both players dance around with the reflective lyric echoing the sparce arrangement and simple song craft. Cabo San Lucas is a cover of a Toby Keith song and is delivered in a Tejano fashion with mandolin lifting the song to new heights. Another fine album from this Colorado-based musician who delivers on a regular basis with soul infused vocals and a fine writing sensitivity.

Paul McGee

Joana Serrat Big Wave Great Canyon

"This is the foundation of who I am now. It's the best album of my career so far, and I don't think I'll ever be able to put out an album like it again," declares Joana Serrat on her latest and most soul-searching album.

Packed with emotions that range from anger to exhilaration, sonically, the album is a significant departure from the Catalan singer-songwriter's previous work, fuelled by a period of personal transition, the loss of both her grandparents, the demise of a long-term relationship and the onset of another one. That's not to say she hasn't previously been afraid to move outside her comfort zone. Her 2017 album DRIPPING SPRINGS was an ethereal psychedelic affair produced by Israel Nash and recorded, with the aid of his backing band, at Nash's Plum Creek Studios in Texas.

For Big Wave, Serrat collaborated with producer Matt Pence and recorded at The Echo Lab Studio in Texas. The characteristic reverb, a sonic signature of Serrat's previous work, is more pronounced, drawing comparisons to P.J. Harvey and Liz Phair. The guitar work of Joey McClellan, a longtime collaborator, is central to the album's sound, with McClellan also credited as co-producer.

With her foot firmly on the cosmic pedal, opener The Cord, Big Lagoons, and Sufferer find her pushing out the boundaries and exploring previously unvisited sonic territory.  She returns to more familiar ground with This House and Freewheel, and the album's underlying themes of lost love and grief are pronounced in You're With Me Wherever I Go and Broken Hearted.

Prepare to be transported to a different place from that expected with BIG WAVE. It may take a few visits to settle into, but the time invested is well rewarded.

Declan Culliton

Elaine Palmer Half Moon Rising Butterfly Effect

I don’t recall encountering this singer/songwriter before, but on this encounter she is someone worth investigating. She was born in England in the North Yorkshire Moors, but travelled to the US often to Arizona. She was interested in music for a long time and use the two countries as inspiration for her material. There are folk, country and Americana influences from a place where the roots of those were largely intertwined. She spent time teaching songwriting and signed a publishing deal for her own work and has recorded a number of prior releases while continuing to tour. 

In 2023, Palmer went to California to work with producer Mike Butler in a week long session, recording the album in mostly live sessions, something that, when you have the right musicians involved, can offer positive results capturing the live essence of a group of players. They were those who Butler worked with  previously in San Diego, including Dave Berzansky’s pedal steel, Theron Wall and Bobby Furgo’s strings  and Butler’s own guitar work - all of which immediately became cornerstones of the album. They are given a good foundation by the often understated rhythm section of Matt Lynott and Patrick McClory. However,  from the opening bars of the first song, it is the clarity and strength of Palmer’s vocal that give the album its identity and personality.

There are eight songs on the album that are observations on the varied conditions of love and a consciousness of landscape, a similar working pattern to many of those working in the Americana scene who draw from a comparable set of stimuli. It is, doubtless, the result of homing her melodic and lyrical skills that may have produced her best release to date.

The album opens with Heart And Soul, which sees her welcome an old flame who she sees is still “all fire and fool / how the years have changed you … I just wanted to  feel your heart.” She wishes for love that is real and unquestioning in A Love Like That, yet seems tinged with a sadness to notice “my dreams have been and passed / through the eyes of my child I live now.” This sense of melancholy carries on with So Long, realising that “if there are many fractures / then we may never go back into one piece.” This is a ballad with plugged violin and strings to enhance that mood. One song would seem to be returned to, judging by the title, Let Me Fall (revisited) wherein she knows that she “can’t catch myself in here  / so let me fall into you.” 

Somewhat more affiliated with place but not without emotion is Freebrough Hill. It has a more impassioned vocal that has a distinctive crack, making it appear more fraught as the song builds, with the guitar mirroring the sentiment with deftness and effectiveness. The lyric may reveal something of the substance and source of its hard message with “judged only by a man of cloth / who has never had to endure / the things that I have.” Not Lost has an electric folk feel that will appeal to many who have missed that blend of storytelling and powerful guitar. It accepts that though broken she is not lost - again the steel guitar is paramount to the frame of mind that is expressed. On The Way Up hopes to meet in happier times with the thought that may be relevant to many who would echo the feeling, often expressed, that “youth is wasted on the young / wisdom lies with the old.” This the offered from someone with life experience to draw that thought from. Another stripped back arrangement is used for The Last Dance, the violin used to portray Palmer’s belief that she was mad from fire and rain so that she can leave rainbows. A pretty good sentiment to end the album on.

When taking account of the lyrics, in their written form, you might assume that this is a somewhat sombre album. But Palmer, like many artists who look into the darkness, can see a light and help others to see it too. It is a short eight track album but nothing is lost in its brevity, indeed the short space of time in which it was recorded added an energy that makes the album vibrant. Palmer’s moon, it would seem, is on the rise.

Stephen Rapid

Joe Ely Driven To Drive Rack‘Em

The moment you hear that big jumbo acoustic following by the immediately recognisable voice of Joe Ely, accompanied by the accordion of Joel Guzman, Drivin’ Man motors you into the world created by the iconic singer/songwriter over a long career of outstanding music. The next track is the one that will doubtless garner much attention - Odds Of The Blues is a simple duet between two friends and mutual admirers. Ely and Bruce Springsteen‘s voices blend especially well over a simple backing of acoustic guitar and bass from Ely and electric guitar from Jeff Plankenhorn. For Your Love will be readily identifiable to fans from its band enhanced previous version. Here it is stripped back to acoustic guitar, accordion and vocals. Of course Ely has previously released the album LIVE CACTUS where he was solely accompanied by Guzman. Watching Them Semis Roll is another song about traveling the highways of America, this one written by his Flatlander’s companion Butch Hancock. 

More beat laden is Didn’t We Robbie which sees Ely playing electric drums with Mitch Watkins on electric guitar and Bill rockin’ out on roadhouse piano. I’m sure it will make many nostalgic for Ely’s earlier full band and full blown recordings. Similarly Ride Motorcycle finds Watkins on synths and guitar with Ely also on electric guitar. This track fairly puts the pedal to the metal and it has the kind of raw elemental rock that has worked through the history of rock ’n’ roll. The title track uses an actual drivin’ drummer in Pat Manske and again Plankenhorn is the lead guitarist. Contrastingly, with San Antone Brawl its all down to Ely on his todd. Again you can see the power in his voice as an instrument in its own right, a timbre that gives the human touch to these songs. The diction is always clear and you can follow the lyrical themes easily as he tells these tales of outlaws, outsiders and outcomes.

The electric drums are used again on the border feel that pervades Slave To The Western Wind, with Guzman and fiddler Richard Bowden adding to that hot wind ambiance while, as the title might suggest, Gulf Coast Blues has a feel related to that particular strand of music, with the accordion doing what a harmonica might otherwise have done in similar circumstances. It also suggests that Ely could do a similar thing to Jimmie Dale Gilmore by working with Dave Alvin to good effect. Jackhammer Rock, a song written by Donald Elwood Dykes, closes the album with Ely playing synth and guitar - something that is partially of a nod to the time he experimented with electronics back in the day. Eddie Beethoven is the harmony singer here. The remaining tracks were all written by Ely and show that he is also a engaging writer as well as performer.

So what you have is a collection of songs that have existed in one form or another for some time. The title is a recognition of a restless, seeking, traveling persona that was with him from the start. For instance, the title song is one that he started out writing in 1986 and is only now reaching its final destination on this album. The songs were recorded over a long period of time in his Spur Studio either as demos or initial sketches. They are songs that are fundamental to the notion of discovery or, occasionally, disclosure that not everything takes you to where you might want to be. None-the-less the need to carry on carrying on is undoubted. I have listen to many of Joe Ely albums in the past and seen him live on numerous occasions, both solo, with his band or as a member of the Flatlanders. He doesn’t disappoint, so long may he continue to ride.

Stephen Rapid

SUSS Birds & Beasts Northern Spy

Anyone remember the band Rubber Rodeo who, not unlike Wall of Voodoo in intent if not sound, tried to merge electronics with a Country and Western sentiment? They emerged from Rhode Island in the 1980s and released a number of albums before calling it a day. Two members of that band were Gary Leib and Bob Holmes, synths and guitars respectively. These gentlemen are key members of SUSS who have been described as ‘ambient country.’ Here on this new release which quite possibly lives up to that description, they are joined by former associate Jonathan Gregg on pedal steel and Pat Irwin on multiple instruments. The end result is a sound that could as easily reflect a desert landscape, moving clouds or slow moving water, diving into the landscape of the mind and floating along with its diffuse current. At times it is peaceful, at others there is a hint of unforeseen menace.The acoustic and steel guitars are a bedrock over which the other sounds stream and infuse.

This is an album that offers a sense of tranquility, that can be heard as a background element or as something that helps to create a more focused imagined visual. Others attracted by the two cornerstones may well find it irritating or confusing. It is very much a musical setting that lets the listener find their own label for what they have heard. It does tend to remind me, to a degree, of some of the music released by the German label Sky back in the 70s and 80s, or some similar sounds of the Brian Eno/Daniel Lanois album APOLLO.

That the various members have remained as band mates since their earlier incarnation shows that they have likely developed an instinctive understanding of how to work together as a unit, without having to use that much communication for them to express their vision.

It would now appear they are a trio who are working together without Leib - at least that’s how they are portrayed on their website. They have a following for the music they play live or on record. The website offers numerous samples of their work together which is, perhaps, the best place to decide on where you might place their endeavours. Are they birds or are they beasts?

Stephen Rapid

Annie Bacon, The New Leaves, Krista Detor, David Starr Music, Joana Serrat, Elaine Palmer, Joe Ely SUSS

New Album Reviews

Keegan McInroe Dusty Passports and Empty Beds Self Release

Fort Wort, Texas is home to this musician who has six previous releases since a debut appeared back in 2008. The nine songs included are a mix of contemporary country and americana sounds and the musicians who recorded the album are Clint Kirby (drums), Aden Bubeck (bass), Patrick Smith (bass), Matt Tedder (guitar), Gary Grammer (harmonica), Chris Watson (piano, organ, keys), Jeff Dazey (saxophone), Dirt Stinnett (fiddle, mandolin, gut string), Hannah Owens (vocal), and Morris Holdahl (vocal).

McInroe plays guitar and sings lead vocal in addition to writing all of the songs, apart from one cover version that is included in the form of the John Prine classic Lonesome Friends Of Science. The songs came together over the Covid lockdown when McInroe found himself at his mother’s home in Dublin, Texas where he was able to experience an extended break from the life of a musician and the touring commitments involved. The death of John Prine clearly left quite a mark on McInroe as he name checks the legendary songwriter on the title track, along with other notable names who also died during the pandemic.

Another song is dedicated to the country troubadour and John’s Songs resonates in the words ‘Now he's got to shake God's hand, And I've got you,  And we still got all the songs he left to help us through.’ The easy groove of Ey Brother references the changes that were manifest during the lockdown with much uncertainty in the air – guitar and saxophone blending in the melody. The traditional country sound of Thanksgiving Night has some nice interplay between fiddle and guitar as McInroe misses the rituals of the past and ends up eating in a diner on such a landmark day. There is a honky-tonk feel on the track Only To Be Songs with some tasty piano runs and harmonica playing over the beat.

Eat, Drink and Be Merry is a slow melody that captures the sense of living in the moment and putting worry aside ‘With some food in your belly, and a roof overhead, And some clean water flowing, and a dance in your step, Have a party, have the best time.’ The final song is Traveller’s Wind and the urge to be back out on the road is as strong as ever ‘But still this lonesome road’s my home, And I'm as restless as I've been, Never too long in one place, Til I'm moving on again’ – the life of a working musician perfectly captured. Co-produced by McInroe and Grant Wilborn at 7013 studios in Fort Worth the album is a solid statement of a talented artist and the fine musicians do everything required to support the sweet vocal performance.

Paul McGee

The Fugitives No Help Coming Fallen Tree

A Folk-Roots band that is based in Vancouver and has been creating music since their formation in 2007, with the group essentially made up of duo Adrian Glynn (vocals, guitars, bass, balalaika, piano, percussion), and Brendan McLeod(vocals, guitars, ukulele, banjo), who create the music and write the songs. They are joined by Carly Frey (vocals, violin) from The Coal Porters and Chris Suen (vocals, banjo, ukulele) from Viper Central.

This sixth release has a central theme around climate change and although the title No Help Coming suggests that we are all beyond saving, the sentiment is more that of waking up to the fact that the only solution to our earth’s problems lies solely with all of us, as a species. On this album the collective are joined by Sally Zori (drums, percussion) on three songs and Cole George (drums, percussion) on six others. Producer Tom Dobrzanski contributes on Hammond B3 organ and the project was recorded at Monarch Studios in Vancouver.

The vocal harmonies are very engaging and impressive across the songs and highlights like Wing and a Prayer, Edge Of the Sea and  the title track are laced with a lightness that belies the serious nature of the topic. The slow dynamic on Advice is a change of pace and the song arrangement is very memorable with the words resonating ‘You’re the church where my kids speak in tongues, You are the man who owns the man with the gun.’ Elsewhere we have enduring message of hope on Not Burning Out and the words ‘In a way I can see it now, only thing that matters is the way you love, Edge of the heavens is a world of doubt, I’ll be here when the lights go out.’ An impressive album that will be enjoyed for the excellent musicianship and timely message delivered in a colourful fashion.

Paul McGee

The Felice Brothers Valley Of Abandoned Songs Million Stars 

The thirteen songs recorded for The Felice Brothers’ latest record consist of previously written material by Ian Felice from sessions for the band’s 2019 album, UNDRESS and ASYLUM ON THE HILL, which arrived somewhat unannounced and was released only on Bandcamp at the end of 2023. Initially intended to be only released online, that changed when Ian Felice shared a collection of the songs with Conor Oberst, who, impressed by what he heard, offered to release the material as the first project from his new label, Million Stars. The common denominator is that all the material was recorded live in a one-room church built in 1873 and acquired and renovated by Ian Felice, located in Harlemville, New York.

The Felice Brothers have come a long way since their formation in the Hudson Valley in 2006. The current line-up, their longest-lasting and arguably their strongest, features frontman, guitarist, and songwriter Ian Felice, James Felice on piano and backing vocals, Jeske Hume on bass, and Will Lawrence on drums. 

The soul-stirring lead single, Crime Scene Queen, inspired by Humphrey Bogart’s character in the movie The Big Sleep, was a pointer toward the quality we could expect from this record, and the remaining material lives up to that standard. Ian Felice possesses the Midas touch as a writer with the gift of delicately handling bleak and mysterious themes and, as is the case on this album, often expressing real-life matters through the eyes of the unfortunate and outcast.

With a charmingly ragged and stripped-back sound, the band leader's unrushed vocal deliveries invite the listener into his tales of simplicity and innocence (Flowers By The Roadside, New York By Moonlight), lost love and regret (Black Is My True Lovers Hair, Stranger’s Arms), and hopefulness in the face of despair (To Be A Papa, Tomorrow Is Just A Dream Away).

An album that sounds like it has been around forever, VALLEY OF THE ABANDONED SONGS is another timeless collection of songs by the Felice Brothers that deserves your fullest attention from start to finish.

Declan Culliton

Kaitlin Butts Roadrunner Soundly

Taking inspiration from a mid-1950s Rodgers & Hammerstein musical may seem like an unusual and daring starting point for a country album, but that's precisely what Kaitlin Butts did for her latest album, ROADRUNNER. The Oklahoma-born and raised artist, now living in Nashville, drew on her love of musicals as the building blocks for the album and, not surprisingly, chose the one closest to her heart. The musical Oklahoma includes many of the hallmarks that raise their head in Butt's songwriting, such as love won and love lost, murder and humour, and she channels them all to create a modern-day country concept album.

More than simply a whim, the songs also reflect Butts' state of mind at the time of writing. She opens with the musical's overture, Oh What A Beautiful Morning, renaming it My New Life Starts Today, a statement of the good place she was at the time of writing and continues to be in. The mood is a departure from the darkness of her last album, WHAT ELSE CAN SHE DO, which dealt with issues she and her mother had encountered at that time. In contrast, Butts is in chipper form this time around, although she does include some darker songs alongside the more upbeat numbers.  

The title track is a 'hundred mile an hour' blast and recitation of her touring lifestyle; I'm still determining if I'll hear a song this year whose melody took as long to shake off as a summer cold.  A pointer toward her continuing rising star from the shy young artist that we witnessed strumming a guitar and singing solo at Americanafest some years back is the artists that came on board to guest or co-write with her. Vince Gill didn't hesitate when asked to add his vocal to the cowboy ballad Come Rest Your Head, the song's origins came from a woman wearing a tank top that read 'cowboy's pillows' on her chest, as Butts recounted in a recent interview with Lonesome Highway. Other high-profile artists also lent a hand. Sharing writing credits are Natalie Hemby (Other Girls, You Ain't Gotta Die To Be Dead To Me), Courtney Patton (Elsa) and Angaleena Presley (That'll Never Be Me).

The seventeen-track record also includes a couple of well-chosen covers. Bang Bang, previously recorded by Cher and Nancy Sinatra, is given a relaxed makeover. Kesha's Hunt You Down, which is very much a thumbs-up for female empowerment, gets a countrified makeover. Loaded with attitude, You Ain't Gonna Die could have been borrowed from Loretta Lynn's songbook, and it is noticeable how Butts reverses the traditional country trait by having male singers do the spade work as backing vocalists on a number of tracks. She also shows her sweet side by sharing the vocals with her soul mate and husband, fellow singer/musician Cleto Cordero, on People Will Say We're in Love. 

The album has Kaitlin Butts’ personality stamped all over it and very much reflects what you experience at her live shows. She's ballsy, witty, rocky, loud and delicate in equal doses. A delightful and profoundly satisfying listen, Butts' career will most likely take a massive step forward with ROADRUNNER. It's tailor-made for her eye-catching live shows and captures everything impressive about her.

Declan Culliton

Jim Lauderdale My Favorite Place Sky Crunch

The title of Jim Lauderdale's thirty-seventh album may refer to his adopted home, Nashville, or may be a nod to his present-day touring and backing band, The Game Changers. Either way, it's business as usual for the artist known as ‘Mr. Americana’, a respectful accolade given that Lauderdale has represented every genre in American music throughout his career.

The Game Changers, Jim Lauderdale's present-day touring and backing band, play a significant role on his latest album. Comprising Frank Rische on guitar, Lille Mae Rische on backing vocals, Craig Smith on guitar, Jay Weaver on bass, and Dave Racine on drums, they perfectly complement Lauderdale's soulful country music. Their collaboration was evident in Lauderdale's 2022 album, GAME CHANGER, and continues to shine in MY FAVORITE PLACE. The album also features Music City big-hitters like Tommy Detamore, Steve Hinson, and Micah Hulscher, adding depth and variety to the music.

Lauderdale's output is staggering. He has released an album every year since the turn of the century, except 2005, and yet his output never seems repetitive or forced. This album finds him in a relaxed mood, and no more so than on the tracks Mrs Green and The Laughing Tree. Both are Tom T. Hall-type story ballads; the former, written by Bob Minner, is a tale of unrequited love, the latter a love-letter, tender-hearted ballad. Both are delivered impressively in 'crooner' style. The piano-led Baby Steps sounds like a restrained Jerry Lee Lewis offering, and Sweethearts Remember is a jazzy, swinging affair. The album is bookended by What's Important After All, sage advice from a craftsman who always has a few tricks up his sleeve.

It's business as usual, a characteristic Jim Lauderdale album, extremely easy on the ears and with a cast of players whose playing ebbs and flows behind his distinctive country vocals. 

Declan Culliton

Silverada Self-Titled Prairie Rose

 ‘Back in the day, all we wanted to do was play the Broken Spoke,’ says Mike Harmeier, recalling the early aspirations of Mike and The Moonpies, the band he formed in his early twenties. That dream did come true and, over the band’s seventeen-year history, they graced that hometown honky tonk stage many times before heading off to play bigger venues, festivals and eventually The Ryman and The Grand Ole Opry, with their rootsy brand of Texas country.

This self-titled album finds the band relaunched under the name Silverada, following eight previous albums by Mike and The Moonpies. Silverada is band leader Mike Harmeier (vocals, guitars and keys), Taylor Englert (drums, percussion), Omar Oyoque (bass), Zachary Moulton (pedal steel, dobro), and Catlin Rutherford (guitar). Hailed in many quarters, including Lonesome Highway, as one of the most dynamic live bands of recent years, and despite gaining a dedicated cult-like following, Mike and The Moonpies’ commercial success hardly reached the level they deserved. The band’s name was a tongue-in-cheek decision made by Harmeier, not for once thinking that their fame would spread beyond the dusty local bars where they first played.  

Whatever the reasoning behind the name change, lovers of their previous albums need not be alarmed; this ten-track collection cements their reputation as ambassadors of powerhouse Texas country music. Although somewhat sonically experimental at times, it’s not a vast departure from their previous work either, crisscrossing some full-on rockers and reflective ballads.

The inspiration for the songs came from an unusual source. Harmeier holed up in his home office and dived into a number of random books that he had bought at a charity shop. Whatever the background, the stories in the songs are rich in detail and content, with the writer revisiting observations collected from endless hours and miles on the road, together with matters closer to home. The former surfaces on Load Out, Anywhere But Here, and Radio Wave (‘One foot on the gas and one foot in the grave’), the latter emerges on Hell Bent For Leather, Stubborn Son and the stand-out track, Stay By My Side. With echoes of Willie Nelson, it plays out like the writer’s life story as he attempts to balance life on tour and home life (‘I get homesick at home and sick on the road’). Interestingly, the previously noted Radio Wave includes a thought-provoking dig at the music industry’s genre-creating hype (‘Americana is a myth, I told ya’)

As in their previous work, razor-sharp guitar licks and large doses of dreamy pedal steel complement Harmeier’s vocals. The band’s name may be different, but their collective qualities ring true. Let’s hope Silverada’s fanfare surpasses the previous band’s hardcore following. Based on the collection, that is more than deserved.

 Declan Culliton

Grant Langston Alabama Self Release

This album comes with a cautionary back story as, prior to its original release date ,Langston found his music had been pirated and put online under someone else’s name. Hopefully that has now be sorted and he can rightfully claim these songs. It was recorded in a number of studios in California with one session engineered by the renowned Ted Russell Kamp - who contributed some occasional trumpet and trombone. He is joined on the different tracks by a number of musicians from the locality. Langston himself played guitars, bass and Wurlitzer as well as contributing the fine lead vocals.

What we have here is a mix of country roots and some more Alabama oriented Southern sounds. It is a combination that works well and Langston’s self written songs tell their own tales of cheating, traveling, seeking and inevitably some drinking, but with a little wryness that suggests that it not be taken too seriously (even if it was made that way). Its aim is to please and it does so with a sway of choruses that are easy to catch. Langston, however, delivers these with a certain amount of grittiness and determination too.

Based now in California, he grew up in Alabama under the influence of his father’s listening habit of classic country radio, but less of the habitual honk-tonk Saturday night sinning syndrome. Here he learned to play and to love music for its healing and restorative elements. However, the next few years saw him as a sideman in a number of rock bands. Eventually he connected with the music that was prevalent in his youth and wanted to return to that. He has now matured with that music and continues to put his own slant on those varied influences.

The opening song Country Or Bust is an uptempo journey from city to a dream of something more rural. It sounds a reversal of what many did in the past even if the song is rooted in that past. How Much Do You Want? immediately appeals with its California country drive and gains from the trumpet break that makes it an album highlight in its ode to steadfastness. That sense of seeking to rely on trusted things and people is where This Old Truck comes, with its strong chorus and Langston varying his vocal stance as the tracks require. The longest song is the 60s vibe of This Heavy Load, clocking in at over five minutes, thematically it would be appreciated by fans of The Band or those bands who were influenced by them.

The rockin’ vibe is also present in Pure Grain Guarantee and glides along with keyboards and guitar and some soulfulness, and Langston is joined on the choruses by The Hawthorns. There’s twang afoot with As Is Sale, Sing Along and the opening track, all with their concise references to the reliable Bakersfield sound. The latter opens acoustically and is more in the heartland country sound with some telling lyrics of a sad and strained relationship between a father and son, as the son recounts his father’s life and death story - but with a tenderness that may have been absent during their time together. Not a unique story by any means but one delivered with an understated passion.

There is a solid beat that underscores the fast-paced Keep It Coming, a song that celebrates love and does so with some aplomb and introduces some banjo in the fade out to spice things up. It possibly sits at odds with a song like Corporate Hack, when the diversity of having two roles in life don’t always gel to anyone’s satisfaction. The fiddle infused story Jailbird is at odds with its musical outlook but, given that the inmate is thinking of the day he might be free, it is an appropriate realisation of that feeling.

There seems to be something of a resurgence of the particular sound and attitude that has come to represent the more outward looking assimilation of influences that come to determine California country right now, with some of these who might be considered veterans of that scene releasing albums that will do much to keep that important scene in people’s minds and hopefully giving some wider exposure to others emerging too. 

Stephen Rapid

Matt Hillyer Bright Skyline State Fair

This new album from Matt Hillyer picks up from where his last release GLORIETA left off in 2023, offering again a smorgasbord of what would be some Austin approved country roots amalgamations. Again it is produced by John Pedigo who worked on the previous album. There are some Austin stalwarts involved including noted pedal steel practitioner Lloyd Maines, bassist Kevin Smith (currently stroking their four strings for Willie Nelson), Heather Stalling on fiddle, drummer Arjuna Contreras and additional bass player James Driscoll. Hillyer still has a way with words that, on occasion, are co-writes with the likes of Max Stalling and Mando Saenz - both well know songwriters in their own right. 

Hillyer fronted Eleven Hundred Springs in the past and through numerous albums as a band. Since then he has been able to write songs for himself rather than for the band as an entity in itself. Part of his musical heritage was rockabilly, alongside traditional country influences. Both are touchstones here along with some classic rock ’n’ roll moves. This album has a pretty open outlook and is not without moments of humour, based on real life observations, not least Moving Away which details his relief, and that iofseveral other neighbours, when a somewhat arduous family decided to change location. The frustration is abated somewhat by the ability to see some humour in the episode.

In other songs he gives us some unrestrained love songs that detail his deep admiration for a particular partner. It Would Take A Miracle (“to take me away from you”), If I Had Everything I Want (“you’d be at the top of my list”) and If I Didn’t Have You (“I probably wouldn’t be here”), which has a swinging sound with fiddle and upright bass. There is some deep baritone guitar at the opening of Did She Ever Want To Live Like This, a song that wonders how anyone could have stuck with a situation that never seems to change and what could have ensued in a different situation, something that makes him think that despite her saying with some obvious affection that “Baby, don’t think so much,” … having the realisation that in fact “lately I’ve been thinking maybe I don’t think enough.” The arrangement of the song is restrained enough to make the sentiment seem that much more real.

The opening track What Are You Doing Now? simply asks that proposition of an ex who has moved on and is full of regret for not making it work. It is delivered with some harmonies that help to give the uptempo song its place at the head of the album as a pointer to the goods on offer, fiddle and guitar helping it to flow. Another direction is taken with the ballad format of the pitiable thoughts of Even An Angel - forgiveness can only go so far and that “even an angel gets the blues.”

The title track looks to a more positive future, while Green Eyes describes a femme fatale. There a touch of a late night lounge with the jazz influenced guitar and slow paced mood on Honey Do Blues. Overall the sentiment of the closing tracks rings true across the board, recognising that what we face is A Daily Fight. It closes out what is an enjoyable, upbeat collection of songs that are an affirmation of the long running skills that Matt Hillyer has brought to his music from the start. This album has the hallmarks of those skills, not only as a songwriter and singer as well as a top notch guitarist, but someone who is still learning and loving what he does as he continues to look to the next song, the next one that feels right - so that the future is looking bright.

Stephen Rapid

Dave Alvin & Jimmie Dale Gilmore Texicali Yep Roc

Two veteran performers, ostensibly from different corners of the roots field who, in truth, as evidenced on DOWNEY TO LUBBOCK their previous album together, are well matched. More especially also when they are working again with Alvin’s road band, The Guilty Ones. That previous album was named after their individual home towns and this time out the title reflects the two states that the pair call home. There is a strong relationship readily apparent between the two comrades that sees them as equals. Gilmore has a decade on Alvin in terms of physical age, but both are matched in their understanding of the fertile ground they are ploughing together. 

The songs are a mix of covers chosen to reflect the way they now can look back on their lives with a lot of miles, and physical issues under their belts. This gives the music both a timely perspective and a present one. From Alvin’s more blues/roots background there are songs by Brownie McGee (Betty And Dupree) and Blind Willie McTell (Broke Down Engine) which sees Gilmore going from his more hillbilly to a bluesman. It has a hint of that boogie blues so prevalent in the 60s. Indeed Blind Owl is given something of an understated On The Road Again pulse as it is a tribute to one of the original, though now deceased, Canned Heat singers, Al Wilson - known by this titular moniker. It is for him and other lost players. There is a co-write Southwest Chief, a song co-written with the late singer songwriter Bill Morrissey, that offers something of an accolade for lost times and friends; it is a gentle and warm reading. There are also a couple of songs that relate to Gilmore’s own back catalogue ,like the fifty year ago penned Trying To Be Free and Borderland. The latter opens the album and it reminds us of what a pleasure it is to hear that distinctive and care-worn voice again. As the song surmises ,it is “so good to be home in the borderlands … between the dawn and the dream” - and in that space between. It is the sound of a band settling in rather than showing off, even though there are plenty of moments of prodigious playing all over. Alvin co-wrote the touching song Death Of The Last Stripper with husband and wife, and fellow Austinites, Terry Allen and Jo Harvey Allen. It is a tender and sympathetic ballad that, perhaps more than anywhere on the album, combines the two voices in a perfect alliance.

When you put that together with a set of players as sympathetic and aligned as the rhythm section of drummer Lisa Pankratz and bassist Brad Fordham, who are joined by keyboardist Bukka Allen and Chris Miller on guitar, there is something both comfortable and rewarding about the way everything integrates into a whole that, throughout, creates a blend of age and alliance, something that goes beyond trend and easily drawn boundaries. There is a reggae-inspired feel to the sound of Roll Around that also underscores the nature of the project. Another fine song that covers the distance is Down The 285, wherein the former Blaster and former Flatlander travel the distance together on a shared road.

The extended closing song We’re Still here is full of humourous attitudinal asides that basically lets us know that no matter what you might hear “we’re still here.” That is something that everyone can and should be thankful for, as this is an album to enjoy from many angles. It’s also an acknowledgement of the wisdom of age and the fact that we all hope that the road can, indeed, go on forever - and, doubtlessly, their music will.

Stephen Rapid

New Album Reviews

The Henry Girls A Time To Grow Self Release

The hint is in the title - Inishowen trio The Henry Girls show that they have indeed grown, both musically and emotionally, on their latest album, recorded in their native Donegal in Attica Audio Recording studios. The McLaughlin sisters (Joleen on harp and piano, Lorna on piano, tin whistle, accordion and uke and Karen on fiddle and uke) took their maternal grandfather’s name when they started performing as a trio over 20 years ago. Their unique blend of Irish folk and traditional music with an Americana bent has brought them recognition in Ireland, and they also have a strong following throughout Europe and indeed in the US. 

The choice of producer Tommy McLaughlin (who is also a member of Villagers) has really paid off, with his rock/pop credentials bringing a new dimension to their folk-orientated material. As you would expect, familial harmonies play a big part in their signature sound, evident right from the opening of the title track, A Time To Grow, which starts with the sisters singing a capella, before the harp, accordion and fiddle begin to layer behind the sweet harmonies. It’s a song inspired by the pandemic (yes another one!) but while it ponders the initial shock of the unknown, it ends on a hopeful note. Leaving Dublin is a co-write with their longtime friend from Boston, Ry Cavanaugh (Session Americana), and it is a metaphor for the perennial Irish experience of returning to one’s home after a time in exile, the lyrics ‘my pictures never looked right on your wall’ ringing true for so many Irish emigrés.

 Apart from two songs, all the rest are written by the three sisters, and are performed with crystal vocal clarity, mostly in three part harmony. Breathe is an exquisite example of same, opening with one voice and harp, building up quietly with a four piece brass section, then swelling with layered echoey backing vocals, and subsiding again to one voice, emphasising the subject matter of gaining strength through grounding oneself in nature. One of the outstanding tracks is Not Your Fight, a co-write between Karen and Rioghnach Connolly (an Armagh native who is currently the BBC Folksinger of the Year). Written to recognise and support the victims of conflict everywhere, it is a powerful rendition of the difficult subject matter, Rioghnach’s unique vocal style and her appropriately percussive flute playing are complemented by Karen’s fiddle and Lorna’s accordion to provide a suitable musical backdrop for the violent atmosphere depicted in the lyrics. Equally affecting is Where Are We Now, a superb no-holds-barred (and brave) depiction of the emotional damage that accompanies the usually hidden burden of infertility. 

The McLaughlin sisters are also adept at composing instrumentals, going by the beautiful set of tunes written to honour their departed friend and beekeeper, Paul Moore. Opening and closing with the sound of real honeybees recorded in Co Donegal, Honeybee is a gentle lullaby-like tune, led by twin whistles, and it runs into Hard Border, recalling the gay abandon of the lively bees on a sunny day, happily ignoring all land borders. Inghinidhe na hÉireann (Daughters of Ireland) is the other impressive instrumental, particularly appropriate for the centenary commemorations of the Irish Civil War etc, where the pivotal role of women is being reevaluated. As well as co-producing and arranging, Tommy McLaughlin adds guitars and synths throughout. There’s lots more to discover across the twelve tracks, and I must make particular mention of the fabulous artwork by Tim Stampton, who also hails from the Malin peninsula in Co Donegal. 

Eilís Boland

Barbaro About the Winter Storysound

This band is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and has been creating music together since 2017. The current line-up includes Kyle Shelstad (vocals, guitar), Rachel Calvert (vocals, fiddle), and Jason Wells (vocals, bass), and their unique sound owes much to the origins of roots music, mixed with interesting influences from classical and folk leanings.

Shelstad founded Barbaro as a duo in 2017 with Isaac Sammis, who played on early sessions for this album, and while Calvert replaced him, Wells did not join until early 2019. The direction they are headed seems to encapsulate a lot of what similar bands like 3hattrio are exploring in their music, which is both inspiring and rewarding in equal measure.

Apples To Apples open proceedings and is a perfect barometer for what follows with gentle melody complimenting the hushed vocal delivery in a song of regret ‘I’m calling for you, But I’m pretty sure that you’re ignoring me.’ The next song is Gardens and an esoteric look at pain and loss, the playing reflecting the complexities of stream of consciousness musings. There is a Bluegrass feel to The Lil Sweaters and a sense of joy in the delivery, while Subtle Hints sees Rachel take lead vocal in a song that examines a relationship in the sweep and swoon of the arrangement.

Violin, banjo, piano and upright bass continue to tickle the senses throughout and gorgeous melodies swathed in bluegrass intonations and jazz inflections add an intensity that is both compelling and subtle. At every turn the songs are engaging, playing on the senses, as a melody or a phrase sticks in the memory and strikes a chord with the emotion of the moment, like on Honey, for where everything soars towards a climax, only to stop suddenly. Rachel returns with her emotive vocal on One x One the gorgeous violin sweeping the melody along in a sense of reverie.

Subpoena Colada is one of the longest songs and excites in the arrangement, challenging the listener to stay on the surfboard that rides the waves of jazz-fused expression, rooted by upright bass, with banjo and fiddle solos. All My Friends has Rachel in pole position once more and another interesting arrangement that builds to a satisfactory climax, with piano mixing into the violin and banjo runs.

Let’s Talk About the Winter is a real highlight and shared vocals point to a sense of things left unresolved in a past relationship. With no lyric sheet to guide me, there is the risk that my interpretations are wide of the mark but the defining emotion is one of rueful reflection. The final song is Ike’s Farewell and is an instrumental that showcases the dextrous playing and inventive sense of fun in the arrangement. The album was recorded in Eau Claire, Wisconsin by Brian Joseph and Kyle Shelstad and it is a really impressive piece of work throughout. The rewards on repeated listening are many and I recommend that you seek out this music as a source of inspiration.

Paul McGee

Phoebe Rees Bring In The Light Strictly Country

This English folk artist has lived a very interesting life that has included community and volunteer work in Sao Paulo, Brazil and Mumbai, India. Her childhood saw Rees immerse herself in old folk traditions drawn from Celtic, English and American influences. A multi-instrumentalist who performs mainly on fiddle, viola and piano, Rees is a qualified instrumental teacher and creative music workshop leader with a wide range of teaching and project experience.

On this album she was approached by American singer-songwriter Si Kahn, founder of Grassroots Leadership, a non-profit organization which advocates for several causes, including coal worker rights, cotton mill and Alaskan fisheries conditions, prison reform, improved immigration detention policies, and violence prevention. As a social activist, now in his 81st year, Kahn wanted to have his songs interpreted for future generations and his connection with Rees was a perfect place to land. Previously, the songs of Si Kahn had been highlighted by the likes od Dick Gaughan and June Tabor to UK audiences but here we are given a fresh perspective across fourteen tracks and an hour of superbly crafted music.

Rees sings in a clear and expressive vocal tone and she is joined by Janos Koolen (banjo, guitar, accordion, bodhran), Lucas Beukers (acoustic bass) and Sophie Hanna (harmony vocals). Si Kahn assisted on production along with Pieter Groenveld with main duties shared between Phoebe Rees and Janos Koolen. Her song choices include the first tune that brought her to the attention of Si Kahn, a version of Mississippi Summer and a song that highlights the plight of cotton pickers. Songs of struggle and quiet resolve are visited on In Afghanistan, When the War Is Done, Peace Will Rise and Freedom Is a Constant Song. The unquenchable dignity of people shines through the words and the musicians compliment the song messages with some impressive interplay.

On a lighter note songs such as the Irish traditional jig The Didin Didin recall endless days of reverie and the tribute to Ola Belle Reed, the Appalachian folk singer, songwriter and banjo player is another heartfelt tune in High On A Mountain. Belle La Follette is honoured also with a song, as she was a women's suffrage, peace, and civil rights activist in America for many years. Wigan Pier is a song for the mining community and Molly In the Mill is similarly a tribute to the mill workers of old  ‘Back in those olden times, The dust was like November snow.’ Such stark imagery of a time when heavy manufacturing and hard labour were a grim reality.

Ultimately, the album is a celebration of all that makes us human, the fortitude to endure and the desire to persevere. The final song  People Like You sums it up in the words ‘Old fighter, you sure took it on the chin, Where’d you ever get the strength to stand, Never giving up or giving in, You know I just want to shake your hand.’ Certainly a laudable project and one that is delivered with a quiet aplomb.

Paul McGee

John Shipe Water This Dark Self Release

Grappling with the big questions is something that preoccupies John Shipe on this new release. The opening song What Do I Owe? looks to try and make sense of it all while struggling with the reality of having buried both his son and his wife. The next song is also the title of the album Water This Dark and relays a near-drowning incident without spelling out what led to the dangerous scenario in the first place, the lyric suggesting some surrender to the situation ‘When in doubt you can’t figure it out, Just go with the river downstream.’

Unfinished Business is a song to the sassiness of youth and to a daughter who knows her own mind well enough to not take any bullshit right from the starting pistol ‘Got her grandmother’s name, but her granddad’s look, She doesn’t do nothing by the book.’ The end of a relationship is captured in Counting Song and the pain of having to admit defeat ‘I counted the all the reasons I can’t stay, Counting all the things I could never say, Now I’m counting the miles as I drive away.’

Gold Into Yarn is a song of regret and looking at the years gone past in such a hurry ‘First you tell yourself, you’re just trying to do the right thing, Twenty years go by in the blink of an eye, It’s frightening when it hits you, You’re old a helluva lot longer than you’re young.’ Another song is based upon the repetition that happens in our lives and Starting Over and Over Again comes to the realisation that ‘Wherever you go, you’re stuck with you.’

The futility of war is tackled on The Darkness I’ve Been Waiting For and the cost of serving for a higher calling ‘The War is over, and I’m walking pretty good with a cane, Every now and then I feel it when it rains, And staring through the window panes. Waiting.’ The final two songs are musings on our journey and whether we really learn as the years unfold; on Lessons(Do They)? we have Shipe reflecting that ‘I learn all my lessons well, just in time, You better put out that fire, When the flames of envy climb’ and the final track By Now states that ‘All my love is written in these rhymes, Things I can't shake from long ago, What I don't talk about, I can't let go.’ Proof that the search is ongoing and the quest for peace of mind is a long road.

In total we have nine tracks that play out over a concise thirty four minutes and the musicians turn in a fine performance in bringing the arrangements to life and injecting plenty of layers in the melody. The album was produced by Tyler Fortier who also plays guitars, keyboards, percussion and sings. John Shipe provides all lead vocals and plays guitar and piano, with Mike Walker (organ, pianos), Bryan Daste (pedal steel), Lilli Worona (violin, vocals), Nate Barnes (drums), Sam Howard (bass), Phillipe Bronchtein (lap steel, organ, piano) and Erin Flood Fortier (vocals), all contributing to what is a very interesting album.

Paul McGee

Jim Patton and Sherry Brokus Big Red Gibson Berkalin

This Astin Folk duo have been making music together since 2008 that saw the release of their first collaboration. A number of albums have followed since, including a live EP and a ten-year retrospective collection, with their last record appearing in 2022 last. This seventh full album was produced by multi-instrumentalist Ron Flynt (guitar, keyboards, bass, vocals), and he is joined by Cordy Lavery's (guitars), Steve McCarthy (drums), and BettySoo (vocals). Eric Hisaw (guitar) makes a contribution on one track and Jim Patton (vocals, guitar) with Sherry Brokus (vocals) complete the troupe. The production took place at Jumping Dog Studios in Austin and all songs were written by Patton with five co-writes included.

The eleven songs play out over thirty two minutes and sound very clean in the production. From the urge to break away and get a new start on Dead End Town, to the plight of trying to make it as a full-time musician on the title track Big Red Gibson ‘I started a new day job, Just to make it through the year, Yesterday it was a stopgap, Today it’s my career.’ A similar theme is highlighted on Devil’s Highway with the career musician striking out for the horizon ‘He put all his possessions on a Greyhound bus, Left his family in that small town dust.’

Broken love is the sad outcome on My Heart’s Turned To Stone and the need to forget runs through the song. Janey Has A Locket is another relationship song, this time about unrequited love and the rock arrangement on Wild, Dumb and Unsatisfied  showcases the guitar driven dynamic of the band in full flow. Promises To Keep celebrates the urge to keep thinking young as increasing age appears ‘We’ve still got a couple of miles to go and promises to keep.’ The final song is a tribute to a partner in the words of I Still Believe In You ‘Somewhere there’s a lonesome highway, That siren song begins to moan, And something calls me toward that darkness, But something stronger calls me home.’

Paul McGee

Carl Solomon The Whisper Self Release

This Folk artist lives in Portland and the ten songs included here are a fine example of his songwriting talent. There are three co-writes included and the atmosphere created by the studio musicians is one of gentle melody and quiet mid-tempo arrangements.

The players include Carl Solomon (acoustic guitar, vocals), David Pearlman (pedal steel), Mark Epstein basses), Michael Dorrien (guitars), Peter Wassner (piano, organ, Wurlitzer, accordion), Merel Bregante (drums, percussion, Lori Beth Brooke (accordion) and Cody Braun (fiddle). Backing vocals are provided by a combination of Sarah Pierce, Alex Winters, Micheal Henchman and Merel Bregante.

The title song is a tribute to Jenny Joyce, his wife, and Solomon sings sweetly of his enduring love for the bond shared. The pedal steel on Singin’ With the Ghost is nicely atmospheric in a tale of a car crash on the road home one night. Lincoln Continental has another nice melody with accordion playing alongside pedal steel and a tale of young love. Window Shopping For Jesus is a song that suggests ‘paradise is one day out of reach’ and that ‘another grievous angel cries out for peace.’

Soldier’s Psalm is a highlight and a song that reflects on the price paid by serving soldiers in the US army and recognition given to their regiments. Solomon is very active in Soldiers Songs & Voices, a body that provides free guitar and songwriting lessons to Armed Forces veterans in the Portland Metro area. While not counsellors, there is a healing value to be found in the act of self-expression through creative workshops. These are songs of genuine sentiment and much to enjoy in the variety.

Paul McGee

Birdfeeder Woodstock Soul Selects

A trio made up of Chris Harford (guitar, bass), Mark Mulcahy (drums, vocals) and Kevin Salem (guitar) is something to savour and the eight songs on this short record capture the friendship forged by these artists over an extended period of years. In just twenty five minutes of music they produce a unique sound that frames their combined sense of creativity.

Big Chairs and Candy  opens up the collaboration with strummed guitars and an intimate vocal that captures a local meeting house scenario where vested interests get resolved. The next track is She Stood Up At the PTA and an incident where a poem delivered results in a dilemma that concerns family and domestic matters. Mulcahy is well known for his passion-fuelled vocal dating back to his Miracle Legion days and here he shows that none of that quiet power has been lost.

So It’s A Bomb follows and the uncredited keyboard sound backs the rhythm and a sense of alienation in the song arrangement. A threat of outside influences being brought to bear perhaps? We are then introduced to My Cousin and a tale of relatives not seeing eye to eye as family life unfolds. The song So Triangular has a quiet tempo and lyrics that state ‘Go back to Pakistan and tell your mother it’s all over.’ Hints of prearranged marriage?

Standout song Born This Way and Your Expectations is a song that tackles the question of gay disposition and coming out – with certain assumptions made that bring pressure and upset. A Fairy Tale is a relationship song that reflects upon the support given by a loved one while the final track Super Diamondaire is a demo dating back to the 1990s when the trio were first exploring song structure together. It has some heavy, sporadic drum sounds, angular electric guitar and fun vocal experimentation. All in all, an intriguing collaboration that hopefully will lead on to future recording together.

Paul McGee

West Of Eden Whitechapel Self Release

Contemporary Folk group West Of Eden is based in Gothenburg, Sweden and formed in 1995 when Jenny and Martin Schaub enlisted local musicians to bring their Celtic-based music to life.  Now on album number thirteen the current line-up comprises Jenny Schaub (lead and backing vocals, accordion, tin whistle), Martin Schaub (lead and backing vocals, acoustic guitars, tenor guitar, dobro, mandolin, bouzouki, cittern, keyboard, Hammond organ, Rhodes, celesta, piano, pump organ, accordion, glockenspiel), Ola Karlevo (drums and percussion, cajón, bodhrán, backing vocals (since the beginning), Lars Broman(fiddle, viola, backing vocals (since 2009), Martin Deubler Holmlund (double bass, bass guitar, backing vocals (since 2013), and Henning Sernhede: (electric, acoustic guitars, mandolin (since 2016).

This is a concept album that contains twelve tracks and the forty five minutes tells the tale of Jack the Ripper and his victims in the London area of Whitechapel in the 1880s. The women that feature in the songs are portrayed as flesh and blood individuals who lived and dreamed of a better future under the most challenging of circumstances. Kicking off with Whitechapel Blues the scene is set with a tale of poor living conditions and people out to take what they can ‘Whitechapel alleys and Whitechapel streets, Where the outcasts and the penniless meet.’ The song has a great band feel in the playing and the vocal is very reminiscent of Ian Anderson in his early Jethro Tull days. The Ten Bells is a song about a local hostelry where the locals drink their cares away and the prostitutes stroll the street looking for potential punters.

Read All About It is a song that recounts the paper coverage of the Ripper murders and sale of terrible news ‘ We have made a little career, Writing stories of terror and tears, We are profiting upon your anguish and fears.’ The local street trader in Harry the Hawker brings rumours of murder and sells turnips and cherries as he promotes his tales. A rural girl of innocence moves to the big city in The Register Of Shame and ends up losing her dreams to the grim reality of survival on the streets. A standout song is Mudlarking which is a co-vocal shared by Jenny and Martin Schaub that highlights the practice of scavenging along the banks of the river Thames looking for items of value. The ensemble playing on this arrangement is superbly delivered by the band.

The instrumental tune Dark Annie is another high point with a melody that is close to an Irish jig in the delivery with flute, fiddle and tin whistle playing in symmetry above the guitar accompaniment and lilting percussion. Closing song We Will Never Be Afraid Again sends a prayer of hope to the future when things can change for the better ‘Someday these dirty streets will glitter in the sun, The sound of laughter in our ears, and food for everyone.’

There are a number of guest musicians, eight in all, who join the band across these twelve songs and the brass arrangements by Martin Schaub are also very influential in the overall feel of the album, conjuring images of olden times when life was not as comfortable as today, but the inner strength of the people was reflected in their strong spirit to keep going. Very much a tribute to another era but an album that reflects the quality musicianship of this talented band.

Paul McGee

Grey DeLisle Driftless Girl Hummin’bird

Californian artist Grey Griffin wears many hats when it comes to creative output. She started out as a comedian before turning her talents to voice acting and this change of direction brought much acclaim. She has performed over 1500 cartoon voices since 1996, and has also acted in a number of movies. When it comes to creating music DeLisle (a performing name) has not been shy in putting her talents into the delivery of eight albums since her debut in 2000.

On this new release, DeLisle shines across eleven songs and her fragile, distinct voice holds sway at all times in the quiet melodies and gentle arrangements. The opening song Where You’re Coming From has a contemporary country sound with some sweet guitar provided by Buck Meek. The title track continues the theme of feeling apart from normal life and on the lookout for a direction to hopefully bring stability. Again the playing is superb with Ben Boye on restrained piano and Jolie Holland on viola, Nikki Grossman providing backing vocals.

The Ballad Of Ella Mae is a story song about domestic violence in the true traditions of old time country music and DeLisle sings with a tone that is reminiscent of Emmylou Harris. Another song I Don’t Wanna Want You No More follows closely in the same vein with tasteful pedal steel courtesy of Adam Brisbin, who also plays great bass parts on the album. It’s a song of yearning and the frustration felt in thwarted love is superbly delivered.

Quick Draw is a highlight with a bluesy groove and the opening lines ‘You’re a quick draw darling, Ain’t sure who shot who’ declaring the frisson between two lovers who spark off each other. The rhythm section of Andrew Maguire on drums and Adan Brisbin on base anchoring the interplay between Ben Boye on keyboards and Buck Meek on guitar, with swirling pedal steel also in the mix.

My Two Feet and Little Ol’ While take the tempo up a notch with the musicians able to stretch out and Mama’s Little Rose is another story song that would not be out of place on a Dolly Parton album; producer Jolie Holland providing duet vocal with Gil Landry playing banjo on the standout performance. Indeed, the one cover song on the album is a Dolly song Down From Dover  and the tragic tale of a young girl fooled by a selfish lover who leaves her alone and pregnant. The easy waltz of In the Living Room is a testament to lasting love where no outside stimulus is necessary ‘Our love sends us to the moon, Right here in our living room,’ pedal steel and piano laying down a sweet drift across the melody lines.

DeLisle wrote all the songs with the exception of one song (My Two Feet) from Murray Hammond of OLD 97s fame, and another (Where You’re Coming From) is a co-write from Jolie Holland and Buck Meek.  This entire project is quite an achievement and certainly an album that leaves a lasting impression.   

Paul McGee

New Album Reviews

Linda Thompson Proxy Music Story Sound 

Followers of Linda Thompson on social media will be well aware of her risible and often self-deprecating sense of humour. That trait is very much to the fore in the title and the album artwork on PROXY MUSIC. Somewhat tongue in cheek, Thompson cleverly used both the title and artwork on Roxy Music’s quintessential 1972 debut album as a starting point for the album. However, that playfulness does not transfer to the eleven tracks on the album. All written or co-written by Thompson, her spasmodic dysphonia condition, which she has suffered since the 1980s, ruled out her capacity to sing the songs, so instead, she invited family and friends as guest vocalists to bring the songs to life.

Although hailed as a classic vocalist - her folk/rock albums in the 70s and 80s with former husband Richard Thompson are particularly memorable - Thompson is also a masterly songwriter. Working closely with her son Teddy Thompson, they began selecting the most appropriate voices to perform the individual songs, and all the artists called on gladly accepted the invitation to contribute. First out of the blocks was daughter Kami, who opens the album with the melancholy Solitary Traveller.

A previously unreleased Richard and Linda composition, Three Shaky Ships, is beautifully presented by The Unthanks, playing out like an original song by the Northumberland-born sisters. The ballad Bonnie Lass is delivered in fine style by The Proclaimers, as is the spirited Those Damn Roches, with Teddy taking the lead vocal in an ode to the musical families and dynasties (‘Faraway Thompsons, tug at my heart. Can’t get along ‘cept when we’re apart. Is it life, or is it art?’). The piano-led Darling This Will Never Do, performed by Rufus Wainwright, takes its cue from the British music hall vaudeville era.

The noteworthy folk song and album highlight, Mudlark, was co-written with Linda’s son in law James Walbourne. Very much a family affair, the vocals are by Walbourne with his wife and fellow member of the folk duo, The Rails, Kami Thompson, with Linda adding backing vocals. Teddy Thompson produced Dori Freeman’s first three albums, and the Galax, Virginia singer-songwriter returns the compliment with the stripped-back Shores Of America. The remaining contributors are John Grant, Martha Wainwright, Ren Harvieu and Eliza Carthy.

What could have been an indulgent and disorderly affair is, in fact, quite the opposite. The selected contributors excel in giving unwavering expression to the songs, which is an endorsement of Linda Thompson’s quality as a songwriter. It’s a delightfully accessible listen that will have me revisit her back catalogue of solo albums and her work with Richard Thomson once more.

Declan Culliton

Good Looks Lived Here For A While Keeled Scales

The subject matter on Austin, Texas, root rockers Good Look’s 2022 album, BUMMER YEAR, was life’s complexities, disorders and frustrations. Little did they know, on its release, the tragedy that awaited them. Having celebrated the album’s release in their hometown, the band’s lead guitarist, Jake Ames, was struck by a car while crossing the street following a performance and fractured his skull and tailbone, leading to a tortuous recovery period. Following a short-term memory loss, Ames slowly recovered but had speech difficulties. However, somewhat ironically, his ability to sing and play guitar remained unaffected. Rather than break their spirit, the incident furthered their resolve to continue to record.

Frontman Tyler Jordan had already written the ten songs for this album and, re-energised and grateful to be able to record once more, the band holed up at Dandy Sounds in Texas to track LIVED HERE FOR A WHILE. If they hadn’t experienced enough misfortune, further calamity visited them when their tour van was rear-ended on the first day of their Midwestern tour, resulting in the van and their instruments, equipment and merch ending up in flames. Fortunately, none of the band members were injured. 

LIVED HERE FOR A WHILE is noticeably more high-spirited than its predecessor. Raging guitars, thumping bass lines and Jordan’s gravelly vocals point them in a more indie direction. Jordan’s writing follows a path that matches the subject matter that emerged in BUMMER YEAR. Relationships present and past are at the fore, often hopeless and sometimes optimistic. The opener, If It’s Gone, bolstered by a gloriously driving rhythm, is an angry break-up rant and the closer, Why Don’t You Believe Me?, at over six minutes the longest track on the album, is a hazy, dreamy affair of puzzlement and confusion. Self-Destructor and White Out are rampant face-melters, both mirroring the raw energy of the band’s live shows.

A full-blooded addition to their back catalogue, LIVED HERE FOR A WHILE often hits that sweet spot that sometimes only guitar-driven albums can reach.

Declan Culliton 

Various Artists Petty Country: A Country Music Celebration of Tom Petty Big Machine

Despite not being a country artist, the late Tom Petty, who left us in 2017, shared a profound bond with the traditional and modern country music scene. His enduring backing band, The Heartbreakers, lent their talents to Johnny Cash's album UNCHAINED, further solidifying his connection to country music. In more recent times Dierks Bentley has enjoyed major chart success with his take on Petty’s classic American Girl, evidence of how today’s mainstream country music is a closer relation to rock music than traditional country.

PETTY COUNTRY is a comprehensive twenty-track tribute album, a testament to the wide-ranging influence of Tom Petty. It features a diverse array of artists, many of whom were not only close friends of Petty, but also collaborated with him. The majority of the versions on the album stay true to the originals, while a few stray somewhat from Petty’s accounts.

Dolly Parton, who, like Petty, and despite her initial reluctance, is a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, puts her stamp on Southern Accents. Other senior citizens, Willie Nelson and Steve Earle, came on board. Nelson, alongside his son Lukas, performs Angel Dream, and Steve Earle was the ideal candidate for a fiery version of Yer So Bad. Of the newer breed of country faces, Luke Combs tackles Running Down A Dream, and Justin Moore cuts loose on Here Comes My Girl. It's not all foot fully on the gas either.   Jamey Johnson slows things down on the ballad, I Forgive It All, and Thomas Rhett puts a mid-tempo country touch to Wild Flowers.

Pick of the crop are Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives’ driving reconstruction of I Need To Know, the equally animated and soulful Ways To Be Wicked by Margo Price and Mike Campbell, a killer adaption of Refugee by Wynonna Judd and Lainey Wilson, and a live recording of You Wreck Me by George Strait. However, the real winner is the quality of the artists and players who contributed to celebrate an icon held in the highest esteem across many music genres.

The project was engineered and produced by Petty's close friend George Drakoulias, with the assistance of Randall Poster and Scott Borchetta. It is more than worthy of a place in the record collections of Petty devotees, lovers of country music, and anyone with an ear for classic rock.

The full track listing is:

I Should Have Known It by Chris Stapleton / Wildflowers by Thomas Rhett / Runnin’ Down A Dream by Luke Combs / Southern Accents by Dolly Parton / Here Comes My Girl by Justin Moore / American Girl by Dierks Bentley / Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around by Lady A / I Forgive It All by Jamey Johnson/I Won’t Back Down by Brothers Osborne Refugee by Wynonna Judd & Lainey Wilson /Angel Dream No.2 by Willie Nelson & Lukas Nelson / Learning To Fly by Eli Young Band / Breakdown by Ryan Hurd feat. Carly Pearce / Yer So Bad by Steve Earle / Ways To Be Wicked by Margo Price feat. Mike Campbell / Mary Jane’s Last Dance by Midland / Free Fallin’ by The Cadillac Three feat. Breland / I Need To Know by Marty Stuart And His Fabulous Superlatives / Don’t Come Around Here No More by Rhiannon Giddens feat. Silkroad Ensemble and Benmont Tench / You Wreck Me (Live) by George Strait

Declan Culliton 

Cory Cross There's More Self-Release

There is indeed more here on Cross' debut full-length album. He has, across the fourteen self-written songs, shown that he is a talented writer, singer and exponent of his version of country music. He hasn't got the obvious edginess of some of his fellow honky-tonkers. Though he can get more rowdy when the occasion demands, there is also a certain sensitivity with a number of face-to-face intimate slow-dancing songs. The opening song here, 100 Miles, is about the distance required to be back with his partner again. Whatever occupation of travel is required, whether as a trucker, traveller, or musician, separation is an unavoidable part of the job. Later This Highway has a similar thought process, though perhaps without the destination being one place or person. Cross has co-produced the album with his drummer, Austin Choate - a member of his backing band, generally known as The Burden. The other players featured are Will Wright on guitars, steel guitarist Matthew Walton, fiddle player Brandon Arthur and bassist Kyle Farley. Born in, and now based in, Fort Worth Cross spent time playing and living in Austin before returning to the place he has some obviously strong ties to.

Cross has noted that in the past, his progress has been hampered by self-inflicted indulgences that he has overcome to create this album. This is not just a positive move on his part but one where his past experiences filter into his writing and overall direction, which can be enjoyed by others who respect his honesty. Some of the titles here relate back to those times with a certain sense of resolution, such as Cryin' In A Honky Tonk - where he declares he isn't going to cry in the venue no matter what sad songs might be played. Equally sad is Good Enough Today, about a lost relationship and a longing to be there again, with the fact that he was loved has to be the best he can hope for. Just Tonight also focuses on making the most of a short-term alliance, "ain't talking about the rest of your life - just tonight." It is a male/female duet.

A number of songs offer a stance that is that of a person caught in a particular cycle. These include Done Bein' Good (For Good), which has some strident sax and guitar solos to bolster its edgy uptempo stance. Too Drunk To Swim offers a fairly straightforward opinion of a state of mind. It is another song that kicks up the dust and has some upfront steel guitar, too. Might As Well Get High (I'm Already Lonesome) sees that option as a solution to a sense of loneliness. Quit Quittin' is another statement of defiance delivered in a more outlaw style.

Location features too with the wish, even if not physically, to be in another place - as in Salado In My Mind or with Make Malibu. A place he wishes to be made into a memorable night. Easy For You To Say touches on heartbreak and a relationship gone sour for one, if not both parties. Old Flame is another regretful ode to an affair which has burnt out. The title tracks closes the album with the hopeful notion that there is more to come, possibly bringing better times. As a starting album, this has all the signs that there is much more to come from Cory Cross.

Throughout the album, the arrangements vary in tone and tempo enough to make the album work on different levels. The production team has given the songs a suitably contemporary feel that aligns them with the Texas country music tradition but with Cross's own stamp placed on the sound, which may help them stand out in a fairly crowded market. However, the omens are good, and this is a testament to that.

Stephen Rapid

George Ducas Long Way From Home Self-Release

This marriage is made in heaven, the pairing of George Ducas, a 90s country hit-maker, with producer and arranger par excellence Pete Anderson. That era is pivotal to what is on offer here, though neither has been exactly inactive in the intervening period. Ducas released two fine albums since his two 1990s released on Capitol Records albums. Anderson has continued to work his magic in the studio. Perhaps the closest he came to the kind of music he played and produced with Dwight Yoakum previously was his work with Moot Davis, another artist who wrote and sang some excellent material when the pair worked together for their Little Dog Records albums. 

Ducas has remained true to his vision both artistically and in his presentation. As does everyone, he looks older than in the pictures on those debut releases but not stylistically different. It will likely be a part of his appeal to fans of 90s country and how it managed to be a sound itself that is now being mined by many new artists as well as those who are getting some recognition again from the era and who continue to perform. While Ducas never made it to the top shelf as a solo artist, he carried on creating and songwriting, which brought him some success in subsequent times.

Here, he co-wrote all the material bar one track, Tears Fallin’ Down, which was composed by William K Hermes; otherwise, Jacob Lyda was involved with six. Pete Anderson is credited on three. Another, the excellent Cryin’ Time was co-written with the California singer/songwriter Jann Browne. This is the result of considering the available material and picking those songs that would fit the overall sound that this album was aiming for. He has said he enjoys creative co-writing, especially writing with someone who is totally collaborative. The results here attest to that. 

Ducas is powerful and more assured vocally here, with his vocal performances seeing him at the top of his game. The assembled band of Anderson and regular contributor Skip Edwards (keyboards) are joined by Gary Morse on steel guitar and fiddler Donnie Reed, bassist Paul Malingagio playing alongside three different drummers for individual sessions. Beth Andersen added the background vocals. All totally bring their A-game and make this something dynamic and diverse.

What is immediately apparent is that this album sounds like fun. It has track after track that hits the spot from the opening Mr. Guitar Man. There is an appeal to the twang maestro, “my only friend in this town”, to deliver the magic. There is a 60’s keyboard sound on Cryin’ Time that blends with the baritone guitar to give it its instinctive sound. Nothin’ Left To Lose makes despondency sound appealing with its upbeat groove. Those lost relationships, the backbone of much classic country music, are explored appropriately in the mid-tempo arrangement of Do What The Lonely Do. It has one of Ducas's strongest vocals on the record. It has a subtlety that underlines that emotion with a succinct melody.

Back to the more upbeat approach for Hello Fool, showing a man looking at himself and how he is perceived when he looks in the mirror and realising that the fool he sees in it is the one to blame for his continued rejections. Another track that is an immediate standout is the title track, which again has all involved giving a performance that elevates the tracks with Anderson’s guitar tone, especially forceful. That cover song, Tears Fallin’ Down, which would, perhaps, have been right on track country chart status released back in the mid-nineties. It uses the accordion to good effect in the background under the melodic guitar bridge. The final three cuts are written with Lyda, who seems to be a perfect foil and creative ally with Ducas, Anderson joins them on Where Oh Where. The other two are Drifter and These Empty Arms. They close the album as a perfect ending to the considered and concise album that has never failed to engage me even after repeated playing, which I sometimes do with other admired albums. 

The overriding hope is that this will start a more extended partnership between Ducas and Anderson. Both deserve to be recognised for the high standard of creativity and sheer vitality they have derived. This album may be being released at a time when the receptiveness to the more traditional mores of country music might find a broader audience. But, hell, even if that doesn’t happen, this is a great album that shouldn’t be too far from any home of those who know the value of this collaboration. 

Stephen Rapid 

Sammy Volkov & Dana Wylie The Day Had To Come Self-Release

Classic country-style duets have largely been out of favour in the mainstream for quite some time. Still, in more recent times, there have been some great examples from such duos as Jenni Muldar and Teddy Thompson or Victoria Liedtke Jason Ringenberg. They primarily consisted of re-recordings of some classic duets from The George & Tammy through to the Gram & Emmylou catalogue. So, it is welcome to find a new pairing that features all original material, even if they sound classic and well-covered. I have to admit I know nothing of these two artists other than both had individual careers and are noteworthy singers who manage a convincing sound for their voices to merge or contrast. Both are Canadian, and this collection was recorded in Alberta. Harry Gregg produced and engineered it, mixing classic country stylings with old-time and folk influences. They utilise a full cast of players who add electric and upright basses, drums, keyboards, guitar, pedal steel, violin, dobro, trumpet and autoharp to add flavour and texture to the recordings. 

Volkov has written seven of the tracks and Wylie three, and these range from the Louvin Brothers’ style harmonies and themes of Here Today to the more concurrent relationship issues of a subsequent departure that is outlined in Secret Subway Conversations. It includes a spoken element that tells of the lasting hurt that has one looking to such a dialogue. Bird Song is graced by great harmonies and interaction, and both voices stand out. The pedal steel is put to great use, too. The inevitability of an ending that was detailed lyrically and is at the centre of Wyllie’s The Day Had To Come title song. On the same thread is Saw The End Before We Started about a chance meeting that wasn’t handled well. Here, they sing the words together, and it is uplifting in spirit, if not in story.

Very acoustic and seemingly ageless is Here Today with dobro and mandolin; it sounds like it could be a hundred years old. More in a gospel mode is Ain’t Found Heaven Yet, written by Wylie; it has a subtle 50s jazz tinge with trumpet to the fore and is essentially a solo vocal. It shows off the variety of the arrangements on offer. Poignant may be the best way to describe Tears On Parade, as it features some vivid storytelling and a moving violin segment. Apologies are apparent in My Heart Up Against You, which uses a slide guitar and soulful organ to help the slow-paced ballad simmer. Though the words are downbeat, the feel of Long Long Gone is more elevating than it might be in the circumstances. The final inclusion is There Are Angels, which returns to a more spiritual ambience with the pedal steel and organ used effectively.

If, like me, you are drawn to these examples of harmonies, interaction, and opposite views, you will no doubt enjoy discovering this album and the exceptional vocal ability of the two artists, who have contributed much to the recent upsurge in those interested in recording. Those who are receptive to the end results of this genre, of which this is a very fine example, will also enjoy it. 

Stephen Rapid

Paul Lush Six Ways From Sunday KKPL

Forgiveness is in the air when it comes to the core theme running through this fine album. Released in the latter part of last year, the music somehow evaded the radar at Lonesome Highway central. All the better to discover the superbly crafted songs into a new year and to pay due homage to the artist now. Paul Lush is a native of New South Wales and has been part of the UK music scene for quite some time at this stage. Having worked in various collaborations and musical projects over the years, Paul is probably best known for his inventive guitar work as a key member of Danny and the Champions Of the World since 2011.

He released a solo album in 2021 under the name of Araluen, a small town in his native Australia, and some of the musicians that appeared on the album also appear on this follow up release. Paul takes lead vocals and plays guitars and mandolin across the twelve tracks featured. He also wrote all of the songs and his vocals are very engaging, his native accent coming through in his delivery, reminding me of his fellow countryman Paul Kelly in the warm tone.

The album charts the breakdown of a relationship and I find myself wondering whether the songs come from personal experience or purely written from the perspective of observing others. Probably a mixture of both in the process of exorcising all those old ghosts and trying to find a new direction in order to move on. The album actually starts out after things have ended on Don’t Tell Me That Now where seeing an old flame conjures up feelings that had been consigned to memory. Emotions still linger despite the resolve to leave the past alone.

Ever At A Loss offers a friendly hand in times of doubt where new beginnings can make it hard to accept the changes made. Both songs offer the dynamic of what resonates in the fallout from many different, but similar, relationships. Things take a turn on You Could Have At Least Said Something where a sense of frustration still remains at a lack of communication, with true feelings remaining hidden. The lyrical guitar playing of Paul Lush is a highlight, as it is throughout the album; his light touch and dexterity revealing new layers of creative nuance in the delivery.

Philip, You Need To Hear This offers sage advice to a friend who still lingers in the hope that a relationship can be saved, with the superb pedal steel atmospherics of Henry Senior charting the loneliness of the situation. Again, on In A Heartbeat the offer to be there as a support is genuine and heartfelt, the sweet mid-tempo melody illuminated by some laid-back guitar lines from Lush. Fates’ cruel hand is blamed for the poor timing on As It Stands while the jangling guitar and harmony vocals conjure a sound that is sunny and upbeat.

Soft Pedalling also bites, in the reality of a new relationship now over, where the guitar rages and anger lingers ‘no matter what I said, The girl never really cared for me.’ Perhaps the most poignant song is the country sound on You Just Know When You Know and the grim acceptance that something has changed and shifted in a relationship ‘walking on eggshells, just trying to second-guess you.’ Who hasn’t been there at some stage with an old flame. Things don’t get any better on Someone That You Used To Know and there is fear of rocking the boat ‘now our comfortable silences are no comfort at all.’ There is an acoustic blues feel to the song with pedal steel adding some nice atmospheric touches.

No One Comes Out Of This Looking Good realises mistakes made and tries to reconcile how things became so fractured. Such complicated webs we can weave in trying to connect with each other. On the song For What It’s Worth the guitar soars in the arrangement as the keyboards and rhythmic beat drive the break-up song to great heights and the lyric resonates ‘I guess when it all comes down to it, I just miss my friend.’  Final song Trail Of Tears recounts the tale of a splintered family, siblings forced into foster care and the lonesome pedal steel illustrating the sadness of a motherless child. It is a lament for the children of Australian Aboriginal communities that were torn apart by mindless Government intervention over a prolonged period of some sixty years.

The other musicians on the album are Alan Gregg (bass), Steve Brooks (drums), Sean Read (keyboards, percussion, backing vocals), Henry Senior (pedal steel) and Danny George Wilson (backing vocals). Production is by Sean Read and the impressive sound is laced with a great dynamic in the delivery. A very rewarding album that is packed with great tunes and plenty of insight into the human condition along the way. A very immersive listening experience and worthy of immediate purchase.

Paul McGee

Tim Easton Find Your Way Black Mesa

In the storied career of Tim Easton this album may well stand as a career highlight. Never shy in relating his personal experiences of life and everything after, Easton has been a light that shines in the distance for many struggling singer-songwriters. Those who strive to make a living from the conveyor belt of would-be artists that struggle in the music business these days are well advised to take courage from his journey.

Starting out in 1997 as an aspiring artist, Easton has walked that lonely road of acceptance and rejection for a number of decades and the necessary thick skin that grows from such experiences is what delivers him today as one of the most insightful writers of his time in this crazy world of short attention spans.  His prodigious output bears testament to the talent that champions an independent ethos in everything that he does and his songs bear testament to the insight gained.

On the song, Everything You’re Afraid Of he asks ‘Send a meaningful prayer of sympathy to all your enemies.’ It’s a message of peace at a time when the turbulence of the world overwhelms us. Throughout the album Easton seeks for redemption and understanding in the songs that can speak to a sense of higher purpose. This sense of going it alone is at the core of all that defines Tim Easton, a troubadour in the true sense of the word. He has sacrificed relationships in his pursuit of the golden fleece and his instincts are finely honed to the price that has been paid. Here For You is a song of commitment to his ex-wife and the bond that is shared in raising a daughter.

There is the rueful lover on Arkansas Twisted Heart who reflects ‘You know you did me wrong babe, And I did the same to you, We never shut the doors on the things that we used to do, I could never make you love me the way that I need you to.’ The feeling of loss is palpable in the delivery. Elsewhere the blues groove on Bangin’ Drum (Inside My Mind) and Dishwasher’s Blues capture the essence of resilience, self-doubt and acceptance that serve to highlight life’s struggle. The latter song sums everything up in the lyric ‘Just because you quote Jesus, And a line or two from Five Easy Pieces, Doesn’t mean you have a right, To tell me how to live my life.’

Another song, Little Brother speaks of the complex relationship that can exist between brothers ‘Little Brother, I never know what to tell you, We’ve both been on the run, In between hell and the burning sun.’ Arkansas Twisted Heart is a song that captures two rebels living life on the run ‘We hit the highway running, crossed a half a dozen state lines, You rode shotgun and I was always driving blind.’ Another song seems to touch on a personal theme and the words on What Will It Take resonate ‘I was young and careless, breaking all my chances, Bound to my impossible desire.’ And yet, by the concluding track we have a sense of acceptance and reconciliation on By the End Of the Night and the words ‘This all started before we were dancing close, It’s just something that happens, To those who don’t want to be alone.’ Beautiful Spanish guitar lifting the melody and the slow groove of the song.

The album was produced by Leeroy Stagger, a close friend and collaborator, while the musicians include Geoff Hicks (drums), Jeremy Holmes (bass), Jeanne Tolmie and Ryland Moranz (harmony vocals), and Tyler Lieb (pedal steel), with Easton providing lead vocals and guitar. The interplay between the musicians is superbly crafted and delivered and there is a timeless quality to the entire project. This album is certainly one that you will not want to let pass you by.

Paul McGee

Steve Dawson Ghosts Pravda

Welcome back, Steve. I’ve been missing some new music from the bard of Chicago as his last album was  the wonderful At The Bottom of a Canyon in the Branches of a Tree  back in 2021. The master of melody and a pithy turn of phrase, Steve doesn’t ever overstate his personal gifts and always delivers music of incisive and insightful clarity.

Walking Cane is a standout song with the sweet vocal phrasing of Steve drifting gently over a lovely melody and the pedal steel of Brian Wilkie sending shivers down your spine ‘Maybe it’s the chances, The random crush of time, Dulling down the edges, The will to fight resigned.’ This mellow perspective of ageing so succinctly captured and delivered with such humanity. Again, on Sooner Than Expected we get further insight into the process of grieving and acceptance ‘I still  get a stab in the centre of my chest, when I remember your laughing face, loss by loss, year by year, try to keep up, try to keep pace.’

Memories of youth surface on Leadville and an image of getting stuck in a nowhere life ‘I got my first job when I was fourteen, washing dishes in a kitchen full of raging men, their endless bragging about pussy and cocaine, made me promise myself I wouldn’t turn out like them.’ Steve sings in an almost hoarse tone as the latent anger simmers just below the surface. The soulful delivery on It Was A Mistake has a slow blues groove with a great organ sound coupled with horns and a slide solo from Steve. As a lament over lost love, this one is a beauty.

Time To Let Some Light In heralds a new manifesto and the album title could easily have been this, instead of Ghosts, even though there are some spectres hidden in the lyrics and the memories. I Am Glad To Be Alive is another statement of positivity as Steve looks forward with optimism with his partner Diane Christiansen harmonising quite beautifully as the song builds and the superb guitar climbs in intensity.

A Mile South Of Town captures the dying moments of an army veteran who crashes into a deer on a lonely highway in the middle of the night. It is right up there in the examples of how to craft the perfect song from an idea that is uniquely captured, the lyrics freezing the moment so perfectly in the writing ‘ In the middle of the road, still as a photograph, the skid marks and the blood, and the broken mama deer, the whiskey still alive from my last breath.’ It doesn’t get much better than this as regards creative and insightful writing.

When I Finally Let You Down looks at a fractured man being held together by the love of a good woman who is running out of patience ‘If I pass out on your stairs, If I shatter your last nerve, will you give me another chance, or will I get all I deserve.’ Again, the emotive vocal of Diane Christiansen lifts the song dynamic higher. The final song Weather in the Desert deals with the issue of suicidal notions and handles it in such a gentle fashion ‘Sometimes I wish I could call you up, we could talk about your dogs, and the weather in the desert.’ The beautiful song arrangement perfectly capturing that sense of loss when someone is no longer there ‘You told yourself you would not be leaving, you were gonna drink those bottles down, until you stopped breathing.’ By the end of the album you do feel as if all these old ghosts that have been given an airing have finally been resolved within a form of perspective that allows for ongoing growth and reflection.

Steve Dawson wrote all the songs and delivers with restrained beauty on guitars and vocals. He is joined by a superbly talented band of musicians with Gerald Dowd (drums, harmony vocals), Brian Wilkie (pedal steel), Alton Smith (Wurlitzer, piano, accordion, harmony vocals), Nora O’Connor, Diane Christiansen and Ingrid Graudins (harmony vocals), Chris Greene (tenor and baritone saxophone), John Moore (trumpet) and Tommi Zender (baritone guitar). The playing is very organic and flows easily across the nuanced production by Steve Dawson and John Abbey.

An essential album and recommended to any discerning music collector.

Paul McGee

Linda Thompson presents... Proxy Music , Good Looks, Cory Cross, George Ducas, Sammy Volkov & Dana Wylie, Paul Lush, Tim Easton, and Steve Dawson - Singer / Songwriter

New Album Reviews

Annie Gallup Small Fortune Flyaway Hair

For many years now, this Ann Arbor native has been creating music of both high quality and impressive depth. She regularly captures the mystery of the dual forces that drive us forward; the search for meaningful connection and also our place in the grand scheme of things. Our basic nature runs through her work with a power that seeks to harnesses all our failings and foibles, reminding us that there will always be the beginnings of a new day tomorrow.

Across some sixteen solo releases since her debut appeared back in 1994, Gallup has sought to find beauty in the fragile, in the uncertainty and the apprehension, and in our search for community and the quest for love in its many guises. She also performs in the duo Hat Check Girl with her husband Peter Gallway in addition to working closely with theatre and poetry groups in her prose and lyrical adaptations.

The opening song The Sky At Night sums up her creative muse perfectly as she reflects ‘We were a match made of matchsticks and sulphur, We burned our own house all the way down to the ground, And then built it again in a thunderstorm with a key and a kite, There’s nothing in this world big as the sky at night.’ Gallup is gifted with this innate ability to capture the essence of relationships in such lyrical imagery while placing everything in the context of the universe as a whole. And you know that you’re in the presence of timeless music and musings.

Elsewhere the atmospheric rhythm on Memory freezes moments in a relationship where choices are made and consequences ensue. The spoken word delivery wrapped in soft, spectral sounds with saxophone and synthesizer provided by Harvey Jones - ‘Memory is fluid. It’s not absolute. What you see as true shifts every time you think back through it.’

Younger days are captured in the autobiographical Harvey Moved To Queens and on the wickedly wry  She Lived With Her Mother ‘As a minor poet, You know how to impress, You script the scene, She slips off her dress, It works on the page, In life it’s a mess, You’re a disappointing lover, And a lousy guest.’

Gallup’s observational skills are finely honed and on Like Audrey Hepburn she muses ‘Everybody at this party has something to prove, Some are howling, or crying wolf and some are cryptically aloof, And somebody turned the music up, no one can hear a thing, but what they’re saying is loud and clear in the push and posturing.’ Superbly delivered and keenly considered.

The predatory male that stalks the city on Killing Time is someone that everybody has had experience of ‘It was killing time and I was easy prey. I thought that love meant “sit! Stay!” But he was wired to hunt, to catch what runs, to chase the one that got away.’

So much to enjoy here and the music was produced, performed, and recorded by Annie Gallup, Harvey Jones and Peter Gallway. All songs are by Annie Gallup and she plays guitars, keyboards and pedal steel, with husband Peter Gallway contributing on bass, percussion and keyboards, while Harvey Jones provides synthesizer, saxophone and other instruments. It is the haunting vocal of Gallup that defines the overall delivery of the songs however, at one moment vulnerable and sad, at another, ironic and cutting. The songs also are available in long-form video that can be found on Gallup’s website and her creative talents stretch to a series of attractive images to accompany these contemporary folk songs of great insight. As always, a very interesting album from a consummate artist.    

Paul McGee

Our Man in The Field Gold On The Horizon In The Field

London based, but Teeside raised, Alexander Ellis (the main man behind the band moniker) took a big chance and travelled to Portland, Oregon to the studio of producer Tucker Martine (The Jayhawks, Roseanne Cash, k.d.lang, Jim White etc) during a break in the pandemic, to record this second album. Martine had shown a lot of interest in the demos, and Ellis decided it was a gamble worth taking. Miraculously, they managed to record the whole album with the personnel all present in the studio, unlike most other projects at the time which by necessity were recorded remotely, with tracks flying over and back through the ether. The result is nothing short of wonderful. 

Joining Ellis in the studio were two long term members of the band, pedal steel player Henry Senior and percussionist Greg Bishop. Senior’s pedal steel playing is all over most of the tracks, adding to the lushness of the production directed by Martine. The opening track, Feel Good, a depiction of addiction, features that steel, along with brass, electric and acoustic guitars, and the layers of backing vocals that are predominant throughout most of the album. Ellis has a distinctive tenor voice, sometimes ascending into a falsetto, and the exuberant choral style vocals chosen by Martine are an unexpected delight. 

Ellis sees himself as an observer of people and a teller of their stories (and it’s important to know that he was an actor in a former life!) and therefore the songs are not autobiographical, or so he claims. They deal with a range of subjects, but almost always encompass a deep look into human emotions. Glad To See You was prompted by the experience of a particular hospital doctor and nurses during the peak trauma of the pandemic. Last Dance unexpectedly opens with uplifting twin fiddles, only to reveal itself as an exploration of the dissolution of a relationship, also the subject of the country-rock styled, How Long. The protagonist rejects the idea of a higher power in L’Etranger, ‘I’ll put my faith in hope/because hope is all I need’ and he’s also holding out for something better in Silver Linings. The latter gifts the album with its title, ‘you can keep all your silver linings … I see gold on the horizon’. Another standout track, and one of the few with a positive outlook is Go Easy, which offers encouragement to a lover or a friend. One of the endearing aspects of the album is that Ellis sings throughout in his own Teeside accent.

Also helping Ellis to find that gold were a bunch of musicians brought in by Martine, among them Jenny Conlee (The Decemberists) on accordion and Hammond, and Luke Ydstie on upright bass, who both contributed to those huge backing vocals, along with the aforementioned musicians. They were further swelled by the arrival from Sweden of the Dimpker brothers, Adam and Martin.

Rumour has it that there are lots of new songs already written and the plan is to return to the same producer for the next album. I, for one, predict that the future is gold for Our Man In The Field.

Review by Eilís Boland

Kayla Ray The World's Weight Real AF

YESTERDAY & ME, released independently by Waco, Texas-born Kayla Ray, was my Lonesome Highway Album of the Year in 2018. An introduction to a stunning vocalist with the skillset to write copybook country songs, that album, which I still regularly return to, had me scratching my head as to why a label had not captured Ray to support and promote her talents. Fast forward six years, and Ray's latest album has the support of Real AF Records, an imprint of Average Joes Entertainment and a label founded by fellow singer-songwriter Bryan Martin.

Ray's living years have been steeped in country music. Touring in her teens with the legendary Texas music family The Gimbles and tour-managing fellow Texan singer-songwriter Jason Eady in her early twenties gave her the insight and tools to kickstart her self-managed career. She never lets the grass grow under her feet, and her workload, alongside touring and recording, also includes regular live streams on social media; check out Room 402 -The Home of Kayla Ray's Family & Friends on Facebook. She is also completing a Master's Degree in mental health at the University of Oklahoma and has created a therapy course in music for Texas inmates.

Recorded at Castle Row Studios in Oklahoma City, the production on THE WORLD’S WEIGHT was helmed by Giovanni Carnuccio III. Undoubtedly, Ray was influenced by his previous work with her peers and friends, Jason Eady, Zach Aaron, and Courtney Patton. Giovanni's expertise spans multiple genres, from country to jazz, psych-rock to trip-hop. However, on this recording, he adheres to the optimal template, placing the spotlight on Kayla's impeccable vocal phrasing, which is complemented by note perfect instrumentation.

I approached the album with some trepidation, wondering if it could match the standard of YESTERDAY & ME. Two plays in, and the answer is a resounding 'thumbs up.'  The songs and vocals are every bit as strong, if not stronger. The icing on the cake is the pin-sharp production that works hand in glove with those vocals and the tales within the songs.

A master of pining love stories and tears in your beer tales, the woozy slow burners Like To Drink Alone, The Least You Could Do and Until My Dying Breath tick those particular boxes. Infusing country with a jazzy backbeat behind her edgy vocal twang, The Place I Fell In Love With You gives a nod to Glen Campbell. The lyrics' gentle on my mind' feature and a short ten-second insertion from the song of the same name is included. Jason Eady shares the writing credit on the ballad The Highest Point In Seven Counties and the title track, which it's easy to imagine Connie Smith topping the charts in the 1960s, is a co-write with Joshua Barnard.

A talent that continues to develop, THE WORLD'S WEIGHT is a triumphant move forward and one that more than lives up to the promise of Kayla Ray's previous work and – if there is any justice – should transport her work and heavenly country voice to a wider audience. This would be my first 10/10 of 2024 if we awarded points in our reviews.

Declan Culliton

Bonny Light Horseman Keep Me on Your Mind/See You Free Jagjaguwar

The foundations of the third studio album from Bonny Light Horseman, the unique collaboration of Anais Mitchell, Eric D. Johnson and Josh Kaufman, was initiated in the century-old pub, Levis, in Ballydehob, Co. Cork. The innovative idea of recording in a small rural pub was the brainchild of Mitchell, whose vision was to connect with the pub’s history of community and ancestry and stimulate the trio’s creative writing juices. This unconventional approach certainly paid off, as the album offers the listener no fewer than twenty tracks without anything approaching a filler.

Described as ‘an ode to the blessed mess of our humanity’, the album is a poignant testament to the trio’s collective talents. Despite their busy schedules, the album was written over three months in 2023, with the sketch recordings for over half the songs taken from Levis pub and the final recordings completed at New York’s Dreamland Recording Studios, where their previous two albums were also mastered.

The album opens with a gentle plea in Keep Me on Your Mind and closes with words of hope in Set You Free, presenting a treasure chest of modern folk contributions. The trio shares lead vocals, harmonies, and instrumental contributions, and additional musical support comes from a number of their regular collaborators. JT Bates plays drums, Cameron Ralston plays bass, Mike Lewis plays bass and saxophone, and Annie Nero sings harmonies and adds upright bass.

 With so much on offer, it’s difficult to select the record’s highlights. With its striking guitar break, the crescendo-building When I Was Younger is certainly one, and the call-and-response Old Dutch is another. The gentle rolling ballad Singing to the Mandolin and the old-time trad-sounding Hare and Hound also stand out.

The highest praise I can offer is that the songs instantly connect on first listen, like ones you have encountered before, and are stored in your memory bank. With their laid-back and gloriously loose manner, Bonny Light Horseman has the admirable knack of making the art of writing and recording seem effortless. This collection once again provides an insight into their individual and collective talents.

Declan Culliton  

Noelle & The Deserters High Desert Dream Speakeasy Studios SF

Raised in Taos, New Mexico, in previous lives, Noelle Fiore was a founding member of the bands Sweet Chariot and Magic Trick. Alongside fronting Noelle & The Deserters, she is also a member of the Shannon Shaw Band. HIGH DESERT DREAMS is the debut full-length album from her latest venture and is a combination of traditional honky tonk and border-influenced country. The Deserters are Graham Norwood (guitar), Alicia Vanden Heuvel (bass), David Cuetter (pedal steel) and Jerry Fiore (drums). Others who contributed to the album’s rich and bustling sound were Anna Hillburg (trumpet), Joel Robinbow (piano, organ), Jacob Aranda (mandolin, violin), Paige Anderson (banjo) and Russell Tillitt (organ).

The ten tracks seamlessly transport the listener from California across the border to Mexico. The opener, Born in the Morning, brings to mind early Emmylou Harris and her Hot Band, complete with excellent guitar and pedal steel breaks. Love lost and won features strongly, as you’d expect from a country album. The haunting Now I’ve Got You leaves you in no doubt as to who is calling the shots, and the witty Our Loves Got A Cold has shades of Loretta Lynn at her most plainspoken. The modern country rocker Canyon is a delight and eyebrow-raising territory boasting an irresistible riff and a tragic storyline. The mandolin-led Taos, complete with expressive trumpet, is a fond recollection of real life in the New Mexico mountain town. Some Men celebrates the sound of textbook California country rock.

With an increasing number of albums being released, hopefully, this is one that won’t be overlooked. Noelle’s edgy country vocals, together with knockout playing from a host of seasoned contributors and strong material, all add up to a sterling modern country album.

The Press Release for HIGH DESERT DREAM reads ‘Noelle & The Deserters bring South-Western honky tonk from the high deserts of New Mexico to the golden hills of California.’ That just about sums up this gem to perfection.

Declan Culliton

Shane Smith & The Saints Norther Amplified Media Services

Austin, Texas, five-piece red dirt country band Shane Smith & The Saints fourth studio album comes at a time when their profile has never been higher. Headlining at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, support act to Willie Nelson, and bookings at The Ryman are pointers toward a band getting its deserved dues thirteen years after its formation. An appearance in the Western TV drama Yellowstone, following several of their songs featured in that series, brought their dynamic sound to a vast audience, and they are finally reading the rewards.

The band, led by songwriter Shane Smith, is a powerhouse of talent with Dustin Schaefer on guitar, Bennett Brown on fiddle, Chase Satterwhite on bass, and Zach Stover on drums. Their latest offering, NORTHER, is a thirteen-track album that spans fifty-two minutes. It's a high-energy, exhilarating collection of songs packed with infectious melodies and hooks. If you're new to the band, this album is the perfect introduction to their unique sound.

The fiddle-lead and first single from the album, The Grey Between, draws the listener in on first listen, and the album's opener, Book of Joe, also incorporates excellent fiddle playing alongside a dramatic backdrop of guitars and backing vocals. Indeed, other fiddle-driven songs ($1000 Dollar Horses, Fire In The Sky, Field Of Heather) emphasise the Celtic influences of the band. The powerful Hummingbird is all the better for a killer guitar solo. They do occasionally take a breather. The gospel-styled ballad All the Way features vocals, piano and little else, and Everything And More is a mid-paced love tune. 

Renowned for their charged and rip-roaring live shows - up to two hundred and forty each year - the band has replicated that energy in the studio with NORTHER. Credit to Shane Smith and Beau Bedford (War and Treaty, Sunny Sweeney, Paul Cathan, Logan Ledger) for their precision production in that regard. 

It's been five years since their last album, HAIL MARY, but it's been worth the wait. This one will undoubtedly be their best seller and continue their hard-earned upward spiral. It's also a breathtaking, memorable record, and you're strongly advised to get your hands on it. These guys have finally arrived big time, so why not join the party? 

Declan Culliton 

Jesse Daniel Countin’ The Miles Lightning Rod 

This may be the time when the hard work pays off. As with Jesse Daniel’s previous albums, this is a solid tribute to traditional country but delivered as a living, breathing subject matter. What sets this apart from his last recordings is that this time out he has produced and arranged the album himself after working with the likes of Tommy Detamore in the past. He has listened and learned and feels comfortable now calling the shots. The resulting album shows not only that but an artist maturing on all fronts, especially as a song-writer and singer. The album was recorded in Arlyn Studios in Austin, Texas. There, he was able to call on the services of a number of talented musicians, such as members of George Strait’s Road band, which included the late Gene Elders on fiddle, on one track, pianist Ronnie Huckaby, as well as bassist Kevin Smith. Other players included drummer Kris Schoen, lead guitarist John Carroll, steel player Caleb Melo, fiddler Jason Roberts and the harmonica came from Ted Roddy, all players who understand country music’s fundamental attributes.

There are also some vibrant additional vocal contributions with his partner, bandmate and manager Jodi Lyford, which perfectly balances the two tracks she prominently features on. Fellow artist Jon Randall lends his voice to three tracks, and on Tomorrow’s Good Old Days, he is joined by Ben Haggard on a track that would have been very suitable for Ben’s father, Merle, too. But it is Daniel who is front and centre and delivering the most assured performance, vocals, of his career to date.

From the opening bars of the first track Comin’ Apart At The Seams, the insistent beat with the steel and twanging guitar set you up for the journey that is to come. Listening to this particular track, I thought he sounded not unlike Chuck Mead in his BR549 days. He sets out his credentials on the next track, That’s My Kind Of Country, a sound deep down in his soul and about knowing the difference between right and wrong. Again, the upbeat tempo is just right for the many hardwood floors prominent in Austin and Texas. The title track continues down the highway and benefits from a strong, memorable melody. He imbues this material with energy and commitment that relates to his punk days and the Bakersfield sound, which is very much to the fore.

His ability to talk of the location of hard times is the subject of Ol Montana, which has a reflective tone mixing Telecaster and dobro on a tale of a man who, on seeing his partner being unfaithful and then, after fortifying his anger, takes his father’s pistol to exact his retribution. It doesn’t end well for anyone. Sitting and hoping for comfort from the heartbreak songs playing on a jukebox also throws up some other not so welcome thoughts. That song, Restless, is about recognising how difficult it is to change to the point of wondering if anyone will miss him when he’s gone. Lonesome Blues is a lament for days and nights spent neglecting possibilities in pursuit of something else that inevitably brings on the similar likely possibility that he may end up alone. These themes, redolent in the world of hard country, are naturally apparent throughout the album.

That sense of finding a place of solace appears in the ballad When Your Tomorrows In Your Past, which is a sad reflection of what one has missed. Lyford’s striking vocals are a perfect foil for reflecting different viewpoints. A subject that features again in Tomorrow’s Good Ol’ Days, which is a song that considers the time may be close to being too late to make the necessary change. The long road ahead is the life of the Golden State Rambler, one that he hopes will include a loved one who may not see the life on offer as one that has anything other than looking out for number one as its path. Lyford offers her thoughts on a couple who wonders if the other is Steppin’ Out on their relationship. I can see a full duet album on the strength of the two shared tracks in the future. The album ends with another high-octane travel scenario of a man who is going to be living for tonight rather than considering the effect that it might have on his tomorrow. He wants simply to have his request Cut Me Loose heeded. As with all the tracks here, the playing, production and purposefulness are paramount to why the album sound so good. A prime example of what the path of hard county should be.

It seems that this year, so far, is offering some very fine examples of contemporary honk-tonk, with this album is right there up at the top end and very much in contention for the top spot, and we are only six months into the year. It’s going to be exciting, and it's going to be a lot of fun.

Stephen Rapid

David Serby Low Hanging Stars Blackbird

A long contributor to the Californian country music community, Serby has explored different aspects of Los Angeles’ take on roots music over five previous albums bearing his name. Serby possesses a distinctive vocal tone that makes him more identifiable than some of his contemporaries. There is a direct alliance with the music that Dwight Yoakum has produced through the years. There are apparent elements of power pop and other LA styling - such as the 60s keyboard sound on Lonely Motel Days. Elsewhere, the chiming twelve-string guitar also recalls that era. All is well and good in my book. I remember noticing the influence of British beat groups in some of the bands that emerged in 80s, when the neo-psychedelic sounds of the paisley underground mixed with country influences. However, there is less of that particular soundscape in Serby’s current release which is more in tune with his earlier. There has been a break from his last album to these where, as he has noted himself, life in various not exactly life-affirming ways tended to derail his artistic journey. This meant something of a rethink.

In the end, he moved back to the sound of his earlier music while incorporating some of the subjects that were present in his own life. Though some of the material comes from a pre-Covid time, some come from a more recent time. The opening track, Fishtail Cadillac, was written after he took part in the benefit for the much-missed passing of the Palomino Club, which had been central to the LA roots/country scene for a long time. That track was recorded with Yoakum’s one-time bassist Taras Prodaniuk and drummer Scott Babcock. It was inspired by the memories of the venue and the ghosts of the past it conjured. He has a strong sense of location in his work as well as for the people who may struggle to survive in those places. So this album is about his town, the place where he was raised. So, those memories have been used to inspire some of those songs. Trying To Get To Encinitas deals with a time when his life was on a strong and happy footing, but family illness, relationship breakups, and general hardship had a major effect on Serby, and things went askew. It is not directly his own story but had been inspired by that place and an earlier time. It has something of a border feel with accordion and that engaging twelve-string electric guitar sound. It is a song that is central to the album’s disposition and denotation. Despite some anguish and heartbreak in the themes, the music contrasts that with a lively and upbeat attitude, which makes it an engaging listen.

The album was produced by long-time producer Ed Tree, who also provides the electric guitars, along with a close-knit combo of Dale Daniel on drums, bassist Gregory Boaz, Carl Byron on keyboards and accordion, as well as Darice Baily on harmony vocals and piano. A seasoned set of players who do justice to Serby’s songs. Many of these references, in what would be fairly routine fare in honky-tonk music, the difficulties of sustaining relationships and the subsequent loneliness that may ensue. The title track again has a sound that is a part of Serby’s repertoire. It discusses surviving those fleeting moments of fame while trying to survive as a working musician. Another Chance To Dream has the wish to be able to dream of something better and features some fine, understated guitar playing. More forceful is the driving riff that motors She Ain’t Changed At All along, about meeting seven years after a parting and that while the lady in question hasn’t changed at all in terms of her physical presence, she also hasn’t changed in the ways that saw them break up in the first place.

That sense of missing a favourite haunt from the past is no longer what it was is dealt with in The Jukebox Is Broken. It again has the accordion, giving it that additional ambience of LA and beyond. Another metaphor is at play in I Bought The Ring, where the symbol of a ring on a finger equates to that of the sparing in a boxing ring. It highlights that Serby knows his way around a lyric and accompanying melody. We return to the plight of the indie musician, which is again outlined in Why Leave Los Angeles? The gigs may be getting scarcer, but it is still the place that he wants to live in despite all the difficulties. The closing track, Is It Lonely In Here, perhaps sums up an overall realisation that he may be a bigger part of his problems than he was willing to accept: “Is it me … or is it lonely in here?

This album finds David Serby reaching for the stars again and, in doing so, creating another rewarding chapter in his personal musical story. It is one that is worth spending time with not only to enjoy this recording but also to applaud the underlying spirit in the creative urge to continue against whatever odds may be out there. Sharing those experiences is good for all concerned.

Stephen Rapid

Jenny Don’t & The Spurs Broken Hearted Blue Fluff & Gravy

This is a garage/western/cowpunk workout from the get-go from Portland, Oregon-based Jenny Connors. She grew up in Washington and formed a punk band called Don’t from where the stage name came from. She formed the first version of the band with Kelly Halliburton, who remained her partner and bassist in the band. Their aesthetic allowed them to play at country venues as well as rockabilly and punk clubs. With the genre’s DIY ethic, they released singles on their own label. The current band evolved with Christopher March on lead guitar and lap steel and drummer Buddy Weeks. Also, on this new album, they are joined for a couple of tracks by pedal steel player Rusty Blake. They also fit the western tag with rhinestones and embroidered flowers adorning their stage outfits. This speaks of an attitude that takes in a certain history while also looking to the future. They have previously issued a number of albums under the name, and a number of different guests have appeared with the band. The last three were years ago (all previous albums are listed on their Bandcamp site).

This twelve-track album continues their musical path and does so with their usual energy and ability. It was recorded in a studio in their hometown by Collin Hegna in what sounds like a fairly off-the-floor situation to capture something of the live sound. The rhythm section holds everything together solidly, allowing Don’t and guitarist March free-rein to grab your attention. And they do it in a way that anyone unacquainted with their work to date may refer back to Rosie Flores’ early albums. 

We open with Flying High and a barrage of power chords that are not unlike a New York Dolls song until, of course, Don’t controls the vocals with her feminine delivery. More twangy is Pain In My Heart, wherein the protagonist recognises her ability to treat someone else badly. The other side of the coin is owning up to a different set of rules with her Jealous Heart. Other tracks that explore this examination of the diversity of human feelings, especially from the woman’s perspective, are the more understated Unlucky Love. The title track proclaims she doesn’t want to fall in love, but we get the feeling that it is the required end result at the start. It has a stylistic lead vocal that emotes as the song slides along on the lap steel and guitar runs. The admission of a certain longing is professed in You’re What I Need, with the steel guitar adding extra measure to the arrangement. Once that is found, she needs On More Night to have a little fun with her newly acquired love interest. 

The interaction of the band’s playing ability is displayed on the instrumental Sidewinder, and it shows that they can create in that format as much as they can in any other. My Baby’s Gone hits a more 50’s inspired feel with its welcome Bo Diddley beat, which never fails to get the feet tapping. The album finishes with a baritone guitar riff that suggests a noir-western soundtrack may well await.

Don’t wrote all the material on the album, either with bandmates Halliburton, March, or solo. With that and her raucous vocal and guitar skills, she is the apparent leader of the band, but they are right behind her. It makes for one of those combos where the obvious talent and collective vision create something vibrant and vivacious. Jenny Don’t & The Spurs shake, rattle, and roll on down the road, leaving their mark as they go. 

Stephen Rapid

Annie Gallup, Our Man In The Field, Kayla Ray, Bonny Light Horseman, Noelle & the Deserters, Shane Smith and the Saints , Jesse Daniel, David Serby, Jenny Don't And The Spurs

New Album Reviews

Freddy Trujillo Never Threw A Shadow Self-Release

I NEVER THREW A SHADOW is the fourth solo album from Freddy Trujillo, the bass guitarist with The Delines and Richmond Fontaine. The Simi Valley, California-born artist currently lives in Portland, Oregon. Not surprisingly, all the members of The Delines feature on the record, which was produced by The Delines' Cory Gray and recorded at his Old Unconscious Studios. 

Written and recorded during the pandemic, the album's backstory is the real-life experiences encountered by Trujillo as a Chicano growing up in Southern California. With time on his hands during lockdown, Trujillo cast his mind back to his early years, and, stimulated by The Black Lives Matter movement, wrote a collection of songs based on his account of living in the United States. He puts down a marker with the song I Didn't Cross The Border, The Border Crossed Me, a fitting reminder that Mexican culture existed in the Southwest long before it was regarded as American.

The story of the title track is taken from a real-life situation of racism when Trujillo, the victim of an attempted robbery, was subsequently treated by the police as a criminal because of the colour of his skin. Semi-spoken, it's backed by a funky backbeat and horns, giving it a worldly border vibe. The opening track, Corpus Christi, is a driving rocker written initially by Willy Vlautin for The Delines but has yet to be recorded by them. Trujillo's version is pacy with a driving rhythm and livelier than the original composition. 

World There Haunting Me puzzles the so-called 'land of opportunity', recalling how that 'opportunity' was not always an option for Chicano people when basic family demands called. Despite the many obstacles faced, the strength of community is spoken of in Mexican Hearts. Julio Jones is a glorious spaghetti western-style instrumental with twangy layered guitars to the fore. Shades of Carlos Santana enrich Remember Me, and a final reflection on the good and not-so-good of Trujillo's life in America is detailed on the album's final track, Many Years of Minding. His emotions are summed up in a few words: 'I feel indigenous. A Mexican American, do I have to explain.' 

Musically, as expected, the album embraces Trujillo's many influences, including Chicano-rock, soul, border-flavoured country and R'n'B. However, the fundamental dynamic is the stories within the songs, which explore racial rejection and ignorance encountered during the author's lifetime. Unfortunately, little has changed since then, and the situation has become even more pronounced in recent years.  Attentive listening is the key for maximum return on this meditation of the life challenges facing many people worldwide today. Trujillo reflects on those struggles elegantly in this hugely satisfying listen.

Declan Culliton

Prinz Grizzley Dear Leftovers Self-Release

Emerging from the picturesque landscapes of a small mountain village in western Austria, Chris Comper, known by his stage name Prinz Grizzley, first caught our attention with his band, The Beargaroos, at the Kilkenny Roots Festival in 2017. A relatively unknown artist at the time, he quickly made a name for himself there, performing six shows and solidifying his position in the Americana genre. Since then, he has graced stages at prestigious events like AmericanaFest in Nashville, SXSW in Austin, and Static Roots in Oberhausen, where he is set to perform again in July this year. His latest offering, DEAR LEFTOVERS, is a self-produced gem, marking his seventh studio album, the first four having been recorded with his indie rock band, Golden Reef. 

Anyone with culinary skills and even the most celebrated cooks marvel at the challenge of creating dishes from leftover food. Celebrity chefs have dedicated books to its challenge and the ultimate rewards.  Musically, Comper has taken on a similar mission with this latest project, using songs initially written for his 2020 album TO MY GREEN GARDEN HOME and remodelling and reworking them for this eleven-track record. Credited with writing up to fifty songs a year, it's little surprise that Comper had a war chest of previously written songs to draw from. However, to even his surprise, many of the songs that didn't suit his last album had a common thread of broken and falling apart relationships. Using that concept for the album has resulted in a consistent flow of songs that shift comfortably between country-influenced shuffles and unhurried ballads.

Trucker Love is a raucous helping of cowpunk, and Comper's reverence for Credence Clearwater Revival rings true on the jaunty toe tappers Got Nothing To Prove and Wicked Heart. The album's country shuffles in the lower gears are exceptionally high points, where Comper's booming vocals and Johannes Bischof's pedal steel playing earn the laurels. The looming heartbreak expressed in Where Did We Go Wrong, Watch The Embers, Don't Blame Me For Loving You and Much Too Sober hit the bullseye in that respect, all depicting classic tears in your beer scenarios. 

DEAR LEFTOVERS may get planted in the Americana pigeonhole, but make no mistake, it is Comper's most complete 'country' album to date. That may be by design or simply down to the subject matter of broken or about-to-be-broken hearts. Either way, it is packed with lonesome and lamenting lyrics, slick lines and chords, and it is a body of work with 'career finest' stamped all over it.  

Declan Culliton

Slim Cessna’s Auto Club Kinney Of Lupercalia/Buell Legion SCACUNINCORPORATED

This release from SCAC is the second in the trilogy about the Kinney Of Lupercalia, a world created by founding member, author and lyricist Munly J Munly. The first instalment was under the name of Munly & The Lupercalians and was sub-titled UNDELIVERED LEGION. It takes a different sonic route though, as with all the releases from the collective, there are members involved to different degrees in all the music. I readily admit that my main knowledge of the band’s music relates to the Slim Cessna’s Auto Club side of their releases, having been enthralled by their several albums and having had the opportunity to see them play live here in Dublin. They are unique in many respects, performing material that is more than the sum of its parts and relying on the singular vision of Munly, but delivered with a passion from all of the musicians. Since their inception Slim Cessna, Munly Munly and Lord Dwight Pentecost have been the pillars around their musical contextuality. They are, here, joined by other long-term members Rebecca Vera on keyboards, steel guitar and vocals, Andrew Warner on drums and percussion and the most recent addition, George Cessna on baritone bass. 

There are undoubtedly a considered and expressive unit whose music expands beyond the label of ‘Gothic-country’ that has been assigned to them. They are a tight, focussed unit that revels in the human voice and experimental use of some traditional instrumentation. It’s not often that the use of twin banjos is taken to these levels of dynamic diversity. They are fronted by the twin vocals of Cessna and Munly, who often appear to have a strong spiritual and instinctive connection that, visually and musically ,is intuitive and engaging. There are eight tracks that tell this particular part of the ongoing story of the Lupercalian mythology. 

These are Boucher, Cesare, Easter, Harris, Ichnabod, Lessing, Munly Munly, Tosspa And Tosspa’s Twin. And while it is easy enough to hear the tale as it unfolds, the overall arch of the story is, for me at least, a little more difficult to fully comprehend. Munly has published a number of books of lyrics, illustrations and stories that are available via the band’s website, including Döder Made Me Do It and Ten Songs With No Music which may help with that. The website also summarises the new album with this overview that in the new chapter of the trilogy, Munly showcases the story of Buells, one of the legions, direct descendants of the Northrops-Petr & The Wulf. An existential journey in the mythical world takes the listener to meet the creatures full of dread and heredity, accomplishing their wants against their instincts. “They should be as they sprouted from the Northrops, the miserable Three Hunters. SCAC represents the Buells, a bit more gregarious and unreserved than other Legions of Lupercalia.”

However, whether you totally follow the lyrics unfolding or not, this is not a barrier to immersing yourself in the overall experience in what is an album that perfectly reflects the band as it is now, and a pretty good indication of how their music has grown and developed into something that is immediately identifiable and unique. It has a layered intensity that is both melodic and yet full of interesting sonics that perfectly sit with the multi-textured vocal delivery that has found its epitome here.

The spiritual and sensual overtones of Slim Cessna’s Auto Club may not be something that will, both on record and as a live experience, appeal to everyone but it is undeniably an ‘experience’ - one that is largely unforgettable. This is a band, to exercise a pun, firing on all cylinders. They are, in many ways, largely listed under the wide umbrella of Americana, yet equally apart from it. They join a handful of other acts exploring something that is not easily categorisable, whose music and lyrical sensibilities fall outside the parameters of the mainstream but one that draws from much earlier folk-tales, myths  and manifestations of often forgotten times. And as one of their earlier albums notes “always say please and thank you” - which I’m more than happy to do.

Stephen Rapid 

Swamp Dogg Blackgrass: From West Virginia to 125th St. Oh Boy

This release comes from the R’n’B and country-soul artist Jerry Williams Jr. who is a prolific writer and recording artist - he has some 25 plus albums to his credit that have incorporated many different musical genres. This latest release was produced by Ryan Olson at the Sound Emporium in Nashville and features some top notch players on this aptly titled album. With the exception of a handful of covers the songs are written or co-written by Williams. They include the Felice and Boudleaux Bryant song Have A Good Time, Count The Days by Yvonne Williams and Brooks O’Dell and Floyd Tillman’s Gotta Have My Baby Back.

While recognising Williams’ central placement in these recording as a soulful, passionate vocalist and interpreter they is no way to not mention the list of talent employed to give these songs their special identity. The musicians include: Jerry Douglas, Kenny Vaughan, Chris Scruggs, Sierra Hull, Noam Pikelny and Billy Contreras amongst others. Vocalists include very soulful turns from Margo Price on The Other Woman and Jenny Lewis on Count The Days. There are also backing vocal contributions from, amongst others, Harry Stinson and The Cactus Brothers. All of this talent is used to its best advantage on these twelve slices of Swamp Dogg at his finest. To a degree it reminds me, equally positively, of the Nashville production by Buddy Miller of soul-legend Solomon Burke.

Both are albums that broaden the music’s appeal without the main thrust of the music being diluted in any way. It is not, I admit, a formula I get to hear that often but, when presented in such an appealing way, it broadens the reach of country/soul to a wider audience by blending a number of musical streams into a bigger river. There are any number of moments, aside from those mentioned, that are noteworthy, such as the banjo and lead guitar interplay between Noam Pikelny and Vernon Reid in Rise Up. By way of contrast, the more acoustic closing track Murder Ballad is a reflection of death, spoken at times to emphasise its sense of purpose. Gotta Have My Baby Back has a laid back almost crooner 50s feel with strings, mandolin and hushed backing vocals. These go to show the wide variety of arrangements that occur throughout the album.

The expression that things are greener on the other side is translated here to things being equally good when the grass is black, as Williams has noted that a lot of people don’t really talk about the true origins of bluegrass music, and that its origins came from black people and their musical journeys. The banjo, the washtub - all started with African Americans. He acclaims that “we were playing it before it even had a name.” This album, along with the recent work of other African-American artists, is reclaiming that heritage, and rightly so. It is one that deserves a wide and respectful audience for what it has to offer.

Stephen Rapid

Jesse Dayton The Hard Way Blues Hardcharger

Back in a solo capacity after the release of DEATH WISH BLUES with Samatha Fish last year, this new album continues Dayton’s exploration of his various roots music interests that stem from his Texas upbringing. His debut album was released in 1995 and he has lost none of his passion for creating music. This latest album was co-produced by Shooter Jennings and Dayton. It takes a somewhat harder, bluesier approach overall, reflecting his love of bluesmen like Mance Lipscomb and Lightin’ Hopkins, as well as the electric side of Bob Dylan’s output during the Seventies, with Talkin’ Company Man Blues showing that influence perhaps more predominantly, without ever aping that era. The heavy guitar riffs are there but he still finds time to take the foot off the pedal on a number of songs like the aforementioned. Here he sings over a solid rhythmic groove with keyboard to the fore. Vocally he is perfectly able to deliver the howls and passion that one might not expect after a career spanning more than thirty years.

The band here includes Jennings on keyboards and long time accomplice Ted Russell Kamp on bass. Also Courtney Santana on backing vocals and Matt Hubbard on additional keyboards, percussion and accordion. The drum chair was filled by Jamie Douglass and Patrick Herzfeld. They rock out through many of the songs in a way that many who have seen Dayton and his band live will relate to, more than some of his earlier more country-orientated recording work. Angel In My Pocket is another song that sits back, though without losing its edge, to let the more contemplative nature of the songs surface. The storytelling continues with Huntsville Prison Rodeo, Dayton’s vocal here is one of the best of the album in its detailing the life of those drawn to rodeo events that allow prisoners to compete in the arena. Like Esther Pearl, it takes the life of a woman who helped slaves to freedom in the 1800s and gives you an insight into that character. Equally the Ballad Of Boyd Elder has that Texas songwriter connection to the likes of the late Billy Joe Shaver and others as it details the existence of someone living outside the margins.

Dayton had decided that he wanted to move away from the expectations of another outlaw country album, especially working with Jennings. He is as much a great guitar player as he is a vocalist and singer/songwriter. On this album he combines all those attributes, but with a slight emphasis on his guitar playing skills, without losing his identity or focus. Given the tour and album he completed with Fish, it’s natural that there is as much a blues and early rock ’n’ roll attitude happening here as with anything. Some of the dates played were in venues that were more open than bar-room settings and that has been reflected in the way that this album might be performed in the future. It was recorded live with the band in the studio, to retain the energy and interaction that create a necessary fusion. 

There is no doubt that Jesse Dayton is now more recognised for his all round talent than he has been in the past and, with this album under his belt, he should gain a wider audience which will give him options other than always having to do it the hard way. At this point he is undoubtedly entitled to that, but you know that he will continue to do what he was meant to, by making great music either way.

Stephen Rapid

Ordinary Elephant Self-Titled Self Release

Five years since their last official album release, and one pandemic later, plus a decision to settle down into what, for Crystal and Phil Damone, could be considered something approaching normalcy; Ordinary Elephant are back, and what a winning return!

This self-titled album is a work of real quality and great substance. No matter that it clocks in at almost double the time of most albums these days, or that there is nothing more on display than harmony singling and a small number of musical instruments; the fifty-five minutes and fourteen tracks deliver such treasure that the listener remains captivated throughout. There is real authenticity here, songs from the heart and from the mind; autobiographical and nakedly personal at times, the superbly crafted lyrics hit the mark often and will find a resonance in the common experiences of many.

In a career that commenced back in 2013 and the release of a debut album, DUSTY WORDS AND CARDBOARD BOXES, their strong touring ethic in building an audience started everything rolling forward. This duo have been living on the road for a decade, crossing the length and breadth of America in a quest to bring their music into new territories and to also explore the freedom of a life that proved constantly challenging and changing with each new day.

Crystal Hariu-Damore (vocals, guitar), and Peter Damore (harmony vocals, banjo, guitar, mandolin) bring beautifully observed vignettes on life to their gentle songs, both haunting and comforting in equal turn. The songs are simple in their delivery and yet contain great richness that echoes long after in the memory. Crystal sings in a very emotive way, her vocal laced with character that draws from her depth of expression, a sense of yearning mixed with the sadness of the world and the journey. She writes all the songs and the great harmony parts with husband Peter really shine brightly here.

Peter threads the melodies with inventive playing that dove-tails perfectly into the vocal colours that lift these songs up. The lack of percussion or rhythmic beat does not detract in any way from what the songs deliver in terms of their quiet expression and power. If anything, the simple instrumentation highlights the great songwriting and the understated intensity in their delivery. The duo chose Dirk Powell to produce the album and he is considered to be an expert on traditional Appalachian fiddle and banjo styles. His studio is the Cypress House in Breaux Bridge, which is near Lafayette, Louisiana. It is a converted 1850s Louisiana Creole home on Bayou Teche and focuses on vintage gear and audio.

So, the perfect setting for a folk duo that celebrate a simple approach with an honesty that informs their creativity. Powell does not play on the album as he was so impressed with the sound on initial song run-throughs that he realised Ordinary Elephant needed nothing more than their own voices and instrumentation. A number of the songs were written through the Pandemic and the aftermath of the changes that became manifest in all our daily lives. Once Upon A Time opens the album and wonders about the sense of vulnerability and confusion felt by so many. Joy Has Not Forgotten Me looks to simple pleasures in living and Hardwood is in similar territory in expressing the value of being in the moment.

Other songs question the state of our world and Here It Is looks at a society where ‘There’s no rug to sweep it under or twist of words to make right, The truth is staring us down like a mirror in the morning light, It can’t be unseen, it can’t be undone, Can’t call it a lesson learned if it doesn’t teach anyone.’ Inner doubts and fears surface on songs such as Midlife which carries feelings of fragility and a sense of mortality with the passing days. Another song Say It Out Loud looks at the price of stress and inner turmoil where the demons of self-doubt come to play. Maybe It’s the Holidays  remains on this reflective theme and has a hard look at self criticism and trying to do better ‘Cause I love the potential of a well-intentioned plan, Don’t you?’

The love song Walk With You is really poignant, as is the celebration of all we represent on the song Pigeons ‘We’re in the service of a circle, That ain’t broken yet, Everything that is, has always been, And will someday be again.’ Wise words indeed.. And the circle of life is visited on Birdie Was An Oak Tree a celebration of the changing seasons and the life-lessons that mother nature holds ‘Like unravelled strings of DNA, That rearranged and found their way, Into a new set of genes, in every one of my cells, And every word that I say.’

The final song I See You speaks of the freedom to be found in truly embracing our partners and surrendering yourself to the shared bond of love. Standing outside yourself and focusing upon others brings its own release and the music of Ordinary Elephant will bring you many such rewards once you have embraced their beautiful songs. A real contender for album of the year.

Paul McGee

Dana Cooper The Ghost Of Tucumcari Self Release

This singer-songwriter grew up in Missouri and has been releasing albums since his debut appeared back in 1972. This new release represents album number thirty-two and for an artist that has gone largely under the radar it is quite some record. Cooper straddles both americana and folk fences with real ease and never let’s a good song get bogged down by genre limitations. He has worked with numerous other more notable artists over his career, including Lyle Lovett, Hal Ketchum, Kim Richey and Kim Carnes.

On this album he co-produces with Dave Coleman who also contributes on various instruments and the sound is very bright and engaging across the eleven tracks. With the exception of a cover version of the Woody Guthrie classic This Land Is Your Land, Cooper writes all the lyrics, with co-write credits on six of the songs. He invites a number of guest vocalists to join him on the recording and they all add greatly in the harmonising and melody. Included are Hays Carll, Lyle Lovett, Shake Russell, Darden Smith, Libby Kotch among others.

Tucumcari is the largest city on the highway between Amarillo, Texas and Albuquerque, New Mexico, formerly Route 66, and made famous in songs like Willin' by Lowell George and Little Feat. The album title may well echo all the ghosts of travellers that have passed through over the years but the credits also refer to a homeless cat who inspired the lyrics. Elsewhere the message of universal peace and love rings loud in a post-Covid world on songs like Start the World Again, and Children Of A Common Mother. The enduring theme of love is also present and songs such as Beauty and Ruin, Needless To Say and What Is Love Waiting For look at various aspects of this great mystery and the need to seek it out in all its’ varying guises.

The theme continues on the excellent Song For Myself and a look at commitment in trying to reach out to another. The harmony vocal from Gillian Tuite, Irish songbird and songwriter, is particularly appealing and brings great warmth to the arrangement. Growing up with the influence of Country music and rock n’ roll is the topic on Rocked In a Country Cradle while the rock-groove of Goin’ Down To Judah references religion and our belief systems.

The album came together across four different studios and the quality of musicianship is top-drawer throughout with Cooper (vocal, banjo, harmonica, acoustic and electric guitar) joining Coleman (acoustic and electric guitar, keyboards, lap steel and percussion) in driving the project forward. Other players are Chris Benelli and Rick Lonow (drums, percussion), David Francis and Paul Slivka (upright and electric bass), John Macy (pedal steel) and Josh Leo (electric guitar).

There is no doubting the power contained in a strong song and for many years now Dana Cooper has been proving this maxim. His vocal tone is sweetly delivered and blends seamlessly with the guest vocalists that are invited to partake in this very enjoyable album. Definitely worth your further investigation.

Paul McGee

Ruth Moody Wanderer Blue Muse

Questions will always visit an inquiring mind and the search for inner meaning comes from personal reflection and growth. And so it falls for this artist who has been contemplating upon life changes over recent years. Ruth stepped away from the music business in order to focus on her family back in 2016. It is a life changing decision to bring new life into this world and she now finds herself with a son and the tug of motherhood balancing against her return to the recording studio. This new album is her first since 2013 and it was recorded at the Sound Emporium in Nashville, with Ruth co-producing alongside Dan Knobler, and Tucker Martine also mixing the ten songs included. It is great to have her return in such fine form and these songs are superbly crafted and beautifully delivered by all involved.

The list of studio musicians is impressive with a total of eighteen players contributing their talents across various tracks in support of Ruth’s return to her career. The core players are Sam Howard (upright bass), Jason Burger (drums, percussion), Kai Welch (piano, organ, accordion, synths, Wurlitzer), Will Honaker (piano, organ, mellotron, synths, Wurlitzer) Anthony da Costa (guitars, vocals) and Ruth Moody (vocals, acoustic guitar, banjo, mellotron). There are strings on some songs, plus mandolin and pedal steel to enhance others. The music is lush in the melodies that sweep along  on a tide of keyboard sounds while some arrangements are stripped back and simple in their essence.

Songs of love and the joy of falling in love celebrate relationships, and the unique qualities we all bring to our search for communication and true meaning with one another. Twilight speaks of enjoying the thrill of new love as does the superb duet with Joey Landreth on The Spell Of the Lilac Bloom. Equally, The Way Lovers Move and the title track speak of finding that true connection where everything falls into place, with The Wanderer reflecting ‘I’ve been a wanderer all my life / It’s all the life that I know / I’ve never slowed down for anything much / But you had me right at ‘hello.’

Another song Coyotes examines a dream state where passion is drawing feelings out into the light ‘The dream calls me back / There’s no white there’s no black / Only colours that I’ve never known / I’m wearing your shirt and we’re covered in dirt / You smile and you me your own.’ Lost love is also visited in songs like Seventeen and Michigan where reflecting upon past memories brings perspective to the table. North Calling has a great feel to the song and examines the tug of nature calling Ruth back to her roots; cello and violin mixing with mandolin and clarinet in a merry dance. The message in Already Free is one of embracing change and not questioning too much, while the final song Comin’ Round the Bend looks to the dawning of a new day and fresh chapters to be embraced. A very strong album and packed with excellent songs to be savoured.

Paul McGee

Kim Richey Every New Beginning Yep Roc

Since her debut release back in 1995, Kim Richey has forged a very successful career that has seen her release nine albums, write for many other notable names and collaborate on recordings that include Mary Chapin Carpenter, Reba McIntire, Trisha Yearwood, Gretchen Peters and Jason Isbell to name just some of her admirers.

This is album number ten and it is right up there with the best work of her distinguished career. Her vocal tone has always been crystal clear and much admired, the passing of the years seemingly having little impact on her range and warm timbre. The songs are mainly mid-tempo and include some lovely melodies. Kicking off with an ode to growing up, Richey sings of her youth in Zanesville, Ohio on Chapel Avenue and captures special memories in the lines ‘All the gold of yesterday/ Is a debt I can’t repay / I owe it all to you Chapel Avenue.’ The next song Goodbye Ohio is about moving on and losing connection, with memories of previous times lingering.

Relationships dominate many of the songs here with the daily challenges amounting to insurmountable barriers on songs like Floating On the Surface and The World Is Flat; the former stating that ‘We don’t worry ‘cause the water’s so peaceful / We hide behind the colours nailed to the mast / Underneath a sky as blue as the ocean / Drift on the current and we never look back’ while the latter posits ‘We stand at the point / Where there’s no turning back / Once we were good / Now we settle for scraps, / So here we are too little too late.’ Both songs longing for a new beginning but waking up to the fact that things have unravelled just a little too far.

A Way Around councils someone in the middle of a heartbreak and offers a shoulder, while the character on Take the Cake is a lothario and a pretty boy incapable of commitment. Things take a turn into pop leanings on Joy Rider and a celebration of youthful disregard for the rules. The song has such a catchy chorus and the country sound of banjo and fiddle on Come Back To Me is equally engaging, even if it deals with someone close who has departed.

If Feel This Way is about acknowledging the pain of heartache, the sense of quiet contentment on Moment In the Sun brings everything back to the beginning and the sense of joy in just being in the moment. The album was produced by Doug Lancio, who does a fine job with the warm sound that wraps all the lovely melodies here. Other musicians on the project include  Dan Mitchell, Neilson Hubbard, Lex Price, Sav Buist, Katie Larson, and Roger Nichols. However it’s always the engaging vocal of Kim Richey that brings the real symmetry to the songs and her delivery is a real highlight, always expressing the emotion in the song.

It's been six years since her last album EDGELAND (2018) and the years in-between has seen a pandemic arrive and the music industry try to reinvent itself in the wake of the ensuing chaos for recording artists and live performance. Kim Richey however just dusts herself down and keeps creating diamonds in the rough. She continues to search for that thin line between the light and the dark, saying that “Nothing in life is all happy or all sad.” More often than not, she nails down the emotion and delivers a song that we can all empathise with, the sweet and the sour of walking our own paths in search of common ground. This album is a fine example of all that endears Kim Richey to so many and it is a very welcome addition to any music collection.

Paul McGee

Grizzley, Slim Cessna's Auto Club, Swamp Dogg, Jesse Dayton, Ordinary Elephant, Dana Cooper Music, Ruth Moody, Kim Richey

New Album Reviews

Ana Egge Sharing The Spirit StorySound

Christened 'the folk Nina Simone' by Lucinda Williams, Canadian-born Ana Egge can boast a back catalogue of thirteen albums since her self-titled debut recording thirty years ago.  Currently living in New York, her last eight albums, including her latest, SHARING THE SPIRIT, have been released on the Big Apple label, StorySound Records. 

With her unique blend of introspection and heartfelt storytelling, Ana Egge's vocal deliveries on the ten tracks on this album delve into familiar themes that have shaped her writing over the years. From tragedy and politics to physical and mental abuse and mortality, Egge's approach to these potentially bleak subjects is both delicate and sympathetic. The album kicks off with the defiant bluesy anthem, Don't Sleep, a powerful reminder to stand up for oneself but also be mindful of others. 

Two covers are reworked on the recording. Sinéad O'Connor's song of betrayal Last Day Of My Acquaintance, recorded months before her passing, closes the album. Egge also borrows the Ted Hawkins written Sorry You're Sick, sympathetically directed toward an alcoholic friend who had 'fallen off the wagon.'  Door Won't Close is a beautifully delivered country ballad, though its grave subject matter deals with confronting and identifying an abuser. Ending We Need, a co-write with Mick Flannery, emanated from a dream of Egge's in which Bob Dylan died. Mission Bells Moan is a genuine love song directed at her lover. 

Unafraid to expose her vulnerabilities and confront her personal and political fears, SHARING THE SPIRIT is a testament to Ana Egge's emotional depth. It's a calming and thought-provoking listen that defies easy categorisation, as is the case with her other recordings. This may be why Egge's name is less widely known, as her music may be too unique for traditional folk or country music fans. Credit is due to her longtime collaborator Lorenzo Wolff (Taylor Swift, Teddy Thompson), whose production - he is also credited as co-writer on the song If It Were Up To Me - strikes the perfect balance between Egge's vocals and the supporting instrumentation.  

This is another exciting gateway into the creativity of a hugely gifted artist, and it is well worth your investigation.

Declan Culliton

Zack McGinn Cowboy Moon Self Release

When you’re drawn in from the first notes of the first song, you feel the signs are positive. That is the case for Mason Country, McGinn’s opening song for this album. Over a solid beat, the guitar interjects the right atmosphere in this ode to a locality in West Texas that holds the singer’s heart. McGinn’s sense of storytelling continues throughout out the album and he possesses a voice that is equally loaded with passion and some pride. The guitarist (and occasional drummer) here was also the album’s producer, that is one Josh Serrato, and he captured the sense of location and lifestyle that brings these songs to fruition.

Ben Hussey, Aaron Hernandez, Brandon Adams, Chris Watson, Geoff Queen and fiddlers Kevin Foster, Wes Barlow and Philip Bowen all deliver their contributions with understated skill. McGinn previously fronted a band, with all the traveling and tribulations that that entailed. However he has now continued making music while running a ranch with his family. This experience seeps through into these songs of soul and soil.

There’s a couple of co-writes here but in the main it’s McGinn’s songs throughout, except for a touching version of Guy Clark’s Magnolia Wind, which captures its writers spirit. That five of the songs have been released as singles show that they are endowed with memorable tunes. As expected from the title, there is much about the ranch/cowboy lifestyle incorporated here. Break Camp, a song co-written with fellow western artist Ross Cooper, is another prime example of how well this works on several levels. There is a tragic tale of a man trying to survive and resorting to crime. Oscar Shultz is reminiscent of Robert Earl Keen’s Sonora’s Death Row, an example of continuing a strong tradition of songs that outline how a man resorting to crime may not get away with his freedom - or life. The album closes with Soaking Dry, a story of the continual struggle that such a hard-fought lifestyle can offer. It uses some pedal steel and echoed guitar sounds to add a sense of expectation to the way a rancher might look towards to the sky with the forlorn hope for a deluge of much needed rain.

There are, right now, a number of high profile acts, such as Tyler Childers and Colter Wall, who are drawing from the same well. Well, Zack McGinn may soon be joining them in bringing a lifestyle choice into some choice music. There are some fine songs here that point to a writer and singer who is drawing from a different experience than previously and is using it to create a record of his personal world in a public forum. There is much more to expect from this cowboy before he rides away. 

Stephen Rapid 

Domenic Cicala Bitter Blues Tortured Artist

This is a fine album of roots rock songs and the impressive line of musicians that contributed to the ten tracks deserve every credit in delivering a project that really is impressive. Domenic Cicala is from Washington DC and has been creating music since 2014. His guitar and vocal delivery is very engaging and his songwriting on this elegant album is to be admired. He co-produced the album with Steve Carr and also wrote all the songs with the exception of one cover, Hanging Tree.

There are echoes of Seger and Springsteen running through the strong arrangements and the opening tracks One Horse Town (Mother’s Day) and Baby Come Back are classic slices of heartland americana. The title song has some lovely violin courtesy of Tiffany Shanta as the song talks of being kind to each other in escaping bitter experiences. Angry Heart is a highlight with its rockabilly strut and the plea ‘Tomorrow’s a brand new start, Please put away that angry heart.’

Just To Walk That Little Girl Home is right out of the songbook of the Boss, and if he ever wants to include it in his list of cover songs performed live, then this superbly judged R’n’B  groove would fit right in. The violin on Again lifts the song to great effect and the final track Shores Of Sorrow has the feel of a traditional soul tune with the rich sound of Arif Durrani on organ and Bill Starks on piano. Overall a fine album and worthy of your attention.

Paul McGee

Tipps and Obermiller MacGuffin Self Release

This album is a follow up to a debut album released by husband and wife team Hilary Tipps and Steve Obermiller back in 2023. Based in Texas, this duo continue their songwriting collaboration with ten tracks of sweet harmonies and easy melodies. Their voices compliment perfectly on the song arrangements and the additional studio musicians bring a nice dynamic in the performance.

The album was produced by Nick Tittle at Blackstone studios in Fort Worth and he also contributed on organ, percussion and glockenspiel. The rhythm section of Aden Bubeck on bass and Trey Ware on drums provide a strong anchor throughout and Clay Parker adds piano on these songs that are rooted in the region of americana/folk influences. However, it’s the twin guitar and vocal performance of Tipps and Obermiller that brings the real magic to the overall feel and freshness of these tunes. The album title refers to an object that exists purely to move a story forward and their own story takes a positive step in the right direction with this release.

Their creative process kicks off with the excellent All I Need and a song that defines their relationship ‘Can’t get enough of your beautiful smile.’ It’s an uplifting opening to an album that lights up the path for their evolving career and it is followed by Forth Worth and a song that reflects upon growing up in that Texas city and references the passing of a family member in the lyric. Elsewhere the fear of commitment while falling into love is explored on Wait while stand-out song Favourite looks at a life lived and the onset of illness in a relationship ‘And pain is love’s medicine, isn’t it?’

We Went To Work refers to the brave souls who continued to risk their own health during the Pandemic in the service of others ‘Just last night there were fifteen breathing machines, In day’s first light there were three.’ Welcome To the Choir celebrates our fallible nature as humans upon the earth and councils that we go easy on ourselves ‘You’re not the only one stumbling through the dark, You’re not the only one missing their mark.’ The soulful harmonies have a deeply gospel feel and the melody builds to quite a climax.

The final song is hilarious and the aptly titled Intro Song is a calling card for this talented duo that pokes fun at their name ‘It’s hard to say, I know, File a complaint after the show.’ In other lines they comment ‘You can blame our Dads, we do..’ A very effective self-promotion tool and typical of the inventive intelligence that colours this most enjoyable album.   

Paul McGee

Chris Smither To the Bones Signature Sounds

There is a quiet calm to this new album from the legend that is Chris Smither. This release brings his tally to twenty albums, that this troubadour has completed over a career that spans six decades. The easy flow to the songs, that glide in the vocal and in the instrumentation, all creating a hypnotic rhythm. All this is sent to provide a balm for the soul, no matter what your frame of mind, when you absorb this impressive look into the blues and folk traditions. It is both immediate and intimate in the delivery and in the emotions conjured up.

Music icons don’t just appear and fade away with time. They linger in many ways, in the collective consciousness and deliver intermittently upon our shared psyche with a timely reminder of what elevated them in the first place. Here we have exactly that, a return to the source of it all, the acoustic blues that was performed to share a sense of community and belonging among rural settlements and a motivation to carry on regardless. Smither is a master at capturing that intimate feeling and delivering a message of quiet forgiveness and hope.

Lest we need reminding about the fragile state of our existence on this mortal coil, the track All About the Bones leaves us in no doubt that the grim reaper comes calling for us all ‘Right from the beginning it was all about the bones’ – a song about what we do when we are alive and the legacy that we leave. Smither always had a knowing acceptance of the unpredictability of life and a keen eye for capturing the moment when some wisdom can be imparted.

Digging the Hole is a song that reflects upon repeat behaviour and our penchant for being self destructive creatures of habit ‘ Now he’s half-way to China and he can’t quit digging that hole.’ Elsewhere, the slow acoustic melody of Still Believe In You looks to share the journey over the passing of the years and comfort in the love of another ‘ I will not grow old without a hand to hold.’

The acoustic blues of If Not For the Devil is typical of the classic sound we have come to expect from a master craftsman ‘The Lord knows he needs me, But he don’t want to believe it’s true.’ For one to survive, then both must thrive… A cover of the great Eliza Gilkyson song Calm Before the Storm is included and performed in a jaunty, mid-tempo shading and colour that brings the message of apocalypse and core family values into the light. There is a tribute to the Louisiana city of Thibodaux and the song arrangement on Down By Thibodaux is a cool groove that celebrates the local vibrancy in the characters, the fishing and the music in the area.

David “Goody” Goodrich produced the album and he has been working with Chris Smither since 2003 and the release of the album TRAIN HOME. He also contributes on various instruments, including guitar, piano, percussion and bass. The duo are joined at the hip when it comes to capturing that perfect vibe in the music and there are echoes of JJ Cale in the easy glide of the beat in songs like Time To Move On, a cover of the Tom Petty tune, which provides optimism for the future and hope in the mesmerising rhythm.

Throughout, the combined talents of Zak Trojano(drums), BettySoo (harmony vocals), and Chris Cheek (saxophone) bring great personality to the arrangements and the execution. There is understated nuance in the subtle touches that lace their way through the sweet melodies. In The Bardo is a song that visits the liminal state between death  and rebirth in Buddhist teaching and where the cycle of life can be investigated by losing the illusion of control, and in exploring our potential through the process of letting go.

The sentiment on Close The Deal is one of  tired cynicism at the greed in the world and the self-obsession with the ego, Smither muses that ‘Nobody’s playing by the rules, now you can order the truth to go, have it your way.’ However the message on Completion is one of taking things as they come and having a healthy perspective on a life lived, Betty So and Smither dove-tailing gently on harmonies and the reflective piano calmly illuminating the gentle acoustic guitar.

This album is yet another high water mark in the career of a consummate artist that leads the way for many other musicians through the maze that is the music industry these days. Step outside the chaos, keep it simple, return to the source, slow that train down and make a real statement from the heart. Another classic album.

Paul McGee

Lynne Hanson Just A Poet Self Release

Two years on from her last release, Lynne Hanson returns with her tenth album and it continues her track record of delivering music of a consistently high quality, full of great writing and musicality. On the 2022 release ICE CREAM IN NOVEMBER Lynne took the opportunity to expand her sound and she introduced new elements into the song arrangements. Her self -production with Blair Michael Hogan was a departure and the risk involved worked really well, the upbeat production bringing her into a new commercial space.

This time out, we find Hanson in a place of reflecting upon the vagaries of love.  On the opener Outlaw Lover she reflects that “I am every wrong that ain’t ever been right, I’m the one you carry round for years, I’m a thousand tears.” So, there are no prisoners being taken here, when it comes to standing up for yourself in matters of the heart. The attitude builds on Just A Little Bit with challenges in love being faced down “Heartbreak hurts but it never killed anyone.” The song has an echo of Bonnie Raitt in the arrangement and the quality of the delivery.

The title track slows the tempo and is a self-reflective look at a life lived “chasing the perfect song.” When you feel adrift from the creative process then it can be difficult to get back that elusive, creative muse. The ensemble playing is so restrained as the musicians compliment the song sentiment. When you are addicted to the pull and tug of love it can be hard to let go and Can’t Let Go  channels the sweet surrender involved.

A stand-out is Spray Paint and the thought that long term relationships need a new coat of paint to colour things up every now and then “I leaned in and said I think I got to let you go, You smiled and you said, when you know, you know.” Another song walks the same terrain with Sort Of  questioning real commitment in a relationship “Was it just for now, Is that the thing?”

The album is produced by Jim Bryson and recorded at his Fixed Hinge Studio in Stittsville, Ontario. Hanson last worked with Bryson on JUST WORDS which was released in 2020 and he always delivers a bright and appealing sound. His understanding of what is required on each song arrangement is very nuanced, adding greatly to the listening experience. The twelve songs included here benefit from the ensemble playing, which is very impressive and the musicians that elevate these songs are Jim Bryson (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, piano, wurlitzer, mellotron, percussion, backing vocals), Blair Michael Hogan (acoustic and electric guitar), Philippe Charbonneau (bass), Marshall Bureau (drums), Emma Lamontagne (backing vocals), Tara Holloway (backing vocals), Ken Yates (backing vocals).

Lynne Hanson provides lead and backing vocals, and her career arc continues to be very consistent, built steadily ever since her solo debut was released in 2006. Light In Me speaks of self-acceptance and learning to love yourself “I’m alone, but I’m not lonely.” Perhaps the challenges of the heart in seeking connection are summed up in Rubik’s Cube by the lines “Just embers burning cold in the dust, Was it love, You were never even there.” The final song Halfway Whole catalogues the hurt but points to an attitude of self-reliance. There is always an optimist within the songs of Hanson and she never gives up on looking out for that beacon of light that may just point the way home. Despite the hurdles, Lynne Hanson always comes up on the bright side, emerging with a new resolve.

Paul McGee

Eric Bibb Live at the Scala Theatre Stockholm Stony Plain

This album is a selection of songs taken from a concert that Eric Bibb performed in 2023 at the Scala in Stockholm. The theatre was established back in 1918 and is one of Stockholm's oldest private theatres. The ten tracks chosen are performed across forty-five minutes and the musicians include a string quartet alongside guest vocalists and producer Glen Scott on keyboards, bass, drums and backing vocals. Scott also acts as musical director in bringing together a collection of players who all perform quite superbly and the talent on display includes Olle Linder (drums and acoustic bass), Johan Lindström (pedal steel and electric guitar), Christer Lyssarides (electric guitar and mandola), Esbjörn Hazelius (fiddle and cittern), Greger Andersson (harp), and Lamine Cissokho (kora and vocals).

Bibb takes a look into his back catalogue of recorded material and selects a range of songs that convey the quiet power contained within acoustic blues music and the key message of rising above hardship in the hope of seeing brighter days. Many of the songs are form a message of traditional values and the interpretations of arrangements such as Mole In the Ground, 500 Miles and Goin’ Down the Road Feelin’ Bad  are delivered with a reverence and a care that honours the roots from which they came.

A version of the Lead Belly song Bring Me Little Water, Sylvie is also included, along with the Walter Vinson song Things Is ‘Bout Comin’ My Way, itself an interpretation of the 1930 song Sitting On Top Of the World. The remaining five songs are taken from previous albums and the delivery on both Silver Spoon and Rosewood resonate and are particularly memorable. The latter song recounts the sad tale of a massacre that took place in Florida in 1923 and which resulted in the disappearance of an entire community of African Americans.

Throughout, Bibb anchors everything with his honeyed vocals and that light touch on guitar that elevates so much of his superb music. You could hear a pin drop at the show, such is the quiet power of the ensemble, played with a sense of occasion and an élan in the delivery. It’s all very engaging and the warmth in the performance is worthy of your undivided attention.   

Paul McGee

Small Town Jones Kintsugi Broken Sea

Jim Jones hails from North Devon in England and has been releasing music as far back as 2005 when he first recorded under the name of Small Town Mentality, a band that that included Peter Bruntnell, and released an album titled MONOCHROME. Further albums followed as Small Town Jones with FREIGHT SHIPS (2012), SKY DOWN TO THE GROUND (2015), and DAYLIGHT AND STARS (2016), completing a trio of releases that brought increasing praise for his music and songwriting.

After a few years hiatus we now welcome the return of Jim Jones and his companion, producer and drummer Michael Reed. As both musicians also hold down day jobs, their ability to find the time and creativity to unveil the impressive songs on this new album is something to be admired and applauded. In continuation of the Small Town Jones musical adventure Dave Little (guitar), and Nathan Layland (bass), were drafted in and this four-piece formed the core sound of Kintsugi over the last two years of recording.

Additional musicians were called upon to bring greater colour to the arrangements and Holly Carter (pedal steel), Rebecca Balzani Barrow (violin) each play key roles here. David Smale (double bass) and Peter Bruntnell (guitar) also make appearances, together with vocals from Abbe Martin and Hannah Wood on selected songs. There is an intimacy in the writing and the vocal delivery from Jones, his beautifully restrained timbre just the right side of worn acceptance until the light of hope replenishes the ache. All of the eleven songs are of a consistently high standard and the entire project clearly received all the loving attention to detail required in producing such an impressive album.

Songs like Go Easy On Yourself highlight the message of empathy that threads itself through the fabric of these songs  ‘I’ve seen that shame you wear, I’ve known known that pain you bear, I’ve heard those voices too, Go easier on you’ with the fine guitar lines building the song dynamic to a strong climax. Another song The Mist and the Light considers the journey from darkness towards happier conclusions ‘The mystery of life is not finite, the path between the mist and the light.’ Better Days looks to lift feelings of dread and inject some hope into the equation ‘A little something to make this lighter, help me understand. ‘

The album title is referenced on the track Mr Kintsugi and the word represents the Japanese philosophy that embraces breakage and repair as part of the history of inanimate objects. Rather than disguise a flaw, the act of showing its damaged state is itself a reflection of  what makes up a life in the living. The optimistic states of Hope, Faith and Grace are considered as balm to the soul in 3.33  - a song that reflects upon unwanted thoughts that keep us under stress and feeling isolated ‘I’m staring at the clock and it says 3.33, I’m staring at the darkness and it’s staring back at me.’

Perhaps the answer is contained in the message of The Path and the urge to freeze a moment and hold close the communication between two people ‘I want to hold you close, put all our senses under a microscope.’  We Alive is a positive statement about living for the moment and ignoring all the negativity, while Safe In Sound is an anthem for the lonely who gain strength from surrounding themselves with the comfort of music and beautiful sounds.

This is a very engaging and rewarding album - enjoyable at every level and one that more than merits inclusion in any music collection.   

Paul McGee

Jeff Talmadge Sparrow Berkalin

Ten songs and thirty seven minutes to reacquaint us all with the somewhat latent talents of this fine singer-songwriter. Born in Uvalde, Texas, Jeff Talmadge was a successful attorney in Austin when he decided to concentrate on a music career and closed his office in 2003. He had released seven albums between 2000 and 2011 and yet SPARROW is his first record in over ten years.

Opening track Hurricane has the metaphor of a natural disaster fronting as the image for a ruined relationship ‘I didn’t mean to make such a mess of things, I didn’t know the trouble that a careless heart could bring, And they say that a memory will fade, But now I’m lying in the bed we made.’ The next song If I Was A Sparrow deals in similar terrain in looking back at the mistakes of youth and a love that slipped away ‘A wise old man once told me you won’t forget that woman’s touch, You can always tell a young man, But I guess it’s true you just can’t tell him much.’

Forgiveness is yet another song that trawls the past looking for perspective and closure ‘Oh forgiveness, Sometimes it’s the hardest thing to see, Oh forgiveness, It’s worth a fortune but it’s free.’ The easy pace of these songs is something that brings a nice relaxed atmosphere to the overall production and recording took place at studios in both Georgia and Texas. Bradley Kopp and J. David Leonard acted as co-producers along with Talmadge and they also contributed to the playing with Kopp adding guitar and vocals while Leonard stars on a range of instruments which include lap-steel, synthesizer, organ, dobro, bass and percussion.

The atmospheric Night Train To Milan conjures images of Bruce Cockburn in the delivery and the Devil’s Highway captures the forces that compel someone to follow their passion to the exclusion of everything else. Hurricanes appear again on Little Speck Of Dust and a message that nothing lasts forever ‘ And then the hard part starts for those who stick around, Do you build the place back up or do you knock it down, The choice is not as easy as it seems, And things never turn out like they do in your dreams.’

The final track Top Of the Hour is an instrumental featuring Talmadge on guitar alongside Kopp on additional guitar, with Leonard on gentle synth bass and percussion. It is a great way to bring things to a quiet conclusion and highlights the creative interplay between these talented players. Welcome back Jeff Talmadge, it really has been too long.

Paul McGee

Ana Egge, Zack McGinn, Domenic Cicala, Tipps and Obermiller, Chris Smither, Lynne Hanson, Small town Jones, Eric Bibb, and Jeff Talmadge Music.

New Album Reviews

Iron & Wine Light Verse Sub Pop

Unlike many of his peers who found both the time and the inspiration to write during the two years of COVID-19 and lockdowns, Sam Beam’s experience of that period was quite the opposite. Without any desire to write and record a ‘pandemic’ album and unable to kickstart his creative verve, this form of writer’s block lasted for over two years. 

The pathway back to writing the material for LIGHT VERSE came about when Beam, together with his close friend and producer Matt Ross-Spang, embarked on a recording session of four Lori McKenna songs, which would be released as Beam’s 2022 EP, LORI. Following that recording, Beam set off on a short solo tour titled ‘Back To Basics’ and then a more extensive tour with Andrew Bird, before finishing writing the ten songs for this album. Produced by Beam and mixed by Dave Way (John Way, Macy Gray, Fiona Apple, Michael Jackson), it features a twenty-four-piece orchestra on a number of tracks, adding depth and richness to the album and bringing to mind the arrangements on Al Stewart’s classic 1974 recording, PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE. 

If Beam’s 2017 record BEAST EPIC was a commentary on ageing and the passage of time, LIGHT VERSE finds him in a more buoyant and self-assured frame of mind, possibly tinged with relief having survived the pandemic and recovered his mojo. 

He invited Fiona Apple to add her voice on All In Good Time, and their vocal marriage, awash with dramatic strings, works spectacularly well.  Tears That Don’t Matter is the record’s longest track, a few seconds short of seven minutes. With ‘streams of consciousness’ type lyrics and spectacular orchestration, it is a spellbinding delight. With whispered vocals, You Never Know is a gentle opener to the album. It is very much in keeping with Beam’s trademark sound, and its calmness and gentle melody is repeated on the reflective Taken By Surprise. The melodic and radio-friendly Sweet Talk is possibly the most upbeat and optimistic song recorded by Beam.  

A departure from his previous recordings, LIGHT VERSE is an excellent serving of indie folk. It does require a few listens to connect fully, but that time invested reaps rich rewards. 

Declan Culliton

Kelsey Waldon There’s Always a Song Oh Boy

The winner of the Ameripolitan Outlaw Female award earlier this year and featured in the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s American Current: State of The Music 2024, Kentucky-born Kelsey Waldon is finally getting the recognition she richly deserves. 

Coinciding with those honours, Kelsey has released her third album on the Oh Boy label, having been the first artist in fifteen years to be signed to John Prine’s label in 2019. The album plays out like a road map to the music closest to Kelsey’s heart, from her childhood to the present day, with bluegrass, gospel, and old-time country very much to the fore. 

Kelsey was joined by several guests on the eight tracks that feature. Her fellow Kentuckian S.G. Goodman got on board for the call-and-response song Hello Stranger. It’s a more animated rendition of the version previously recorded by Hazel Dickens and Alice Gerrard in 1973. The Hazel Dickens association is also visited on Pretty Bird, with Kelsey’s old mountain style a capella inspired by Hazel’s similar recording of the poem she wrote in 1973. An unaccompanied presentation of the traditional folk ballad Keep Your Garden Clean also features. Isaac Gibson of 49 Winchester added his vocal on a Porter and Dolly style duet of Ralph Stanley’s I Only Exist. Kelsey’s longtime Nashville friend, Margo Price, came on board on the blazing gospel tune Travelling The Highway Home. Amanda Shires lent a hand in the fiddle-driven reworking of Bill Monroes’ Uncle Pen, and the hymn Your Lone Journey, immortalised by Doc Watson, is beautifully interpreted. The last of the eight songs is the bluegrass traditional song I’ve Endured. Credited to the Appalachian folk singer and banjo player Ola Belle Reed, Kelsey’s harmonised countryfied version transforms the song into a mid-paced honky tonk gem. 

Having displayed her capacity in the past to write meaningful country songs, this treasure chest of songs is a celebration of the music that pointed Kelsey Waldon on her career path. Joined by her friends who have travelled an identical road, it’s a joyous compilation of classic musicianship and vocals from one of the absolute purest country singers of recent years. Kelsey’s hit the bullseye dead centre with this album, but don’t just take my word and check it out yourself. 

Declan Culliton 

Jenny Tolman Broke Down In Jennyville Sessions Old Sol

The latest album from Jenny Tolman is an acoustic reworking of some songs previously recorded and a number of new songs by the Nashville-born artist. 

Tolman’s 2020 debut album, THERE GOES THE NEIGHBOURHOOD, was a cleverly written concept affair, with a collection of songs that introduced an artist with a keen eye for often humorous small-town tales and titbits and with a sweet country vocal to underscore her tales. MARRIED IN A HONKY TONK followed two years later with further songs crafted from her fictional small-town Jennyville. Co-written with her husband, Grammy-nominated producer Dave Brainard (Jamey Johnson, Brandy Clark, Sunny Sweeney), it followed the formula of its predecessor with catchy songs and sharp lyrics.

Her new record is an interesting diversion from those two earlier releases. Stripped back and acoustic, it presents the listener with nine well-constructed songs. Tolman’s gorgeous vocals - the quality of her voice alone is worth your attention - without the embellishments of a full studio band, give depth to the songs. The humour of her previous two albums is also toned down; for me, the songs benefit from this approach.

Particularly noteworthy is her reworking of There Goes The Neighbourhood, which has echoes of Bobby Gentry. The tearjerker So Pretty and the sassy High Class White Trash also stand out; both have a Brandy Clark style about them. World’s A Small Town and Ain’t No Good for Me are simply vintage country songs, and the gentle album closer Until The End showcases Tolman’s striking vocal range.

With largely minimalistic acoustic backings, BROKE DOWN IN JENNYVILLE SESSIONS is a testament to the angelic pureness of Tolman’s voice and her ability, alongside Dave Brainard, to create thought-provoking songs from everyday observations.  A delightfully accessible listen and possibly a pointer toward a change in direction for Tolman going forward, it’s most certainly a winner for me.

Declan Culliton

Madison Hughes Goodbye To Neverland Self-Release

Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida-born Madison Hughes' recording career to date has primarily been cover songs. Her versions of Morgan Wallen's I Deserve I Drink, Bob Dylan's Knocking on Heaven's Door, and Springsteen's Dancing in the Dark collectively earned her multi-million streams. It could be argued that the latter two were 'safe choices,' but they offered Hughes the opportunity to showcase the angelic pureness of her vocals.

GOODBYE TO NEVERLAND is a six-track mini album that sees Hughes venturing into a variety of musical styles, mainly through material co-written with New Jersey songwriter Rich Deans. It follows their full-on bluesy co-write 'Hate That You Love Me,' released as a single in March of this year. While that song is not included on this album - presumably it will be part of her full-length record due for release later this year - it sets the stage for an artist who is not afraid to experiment and grow both lyrically and vocally. 

Among the standout tracks on this record are 'If My Heart Was A Train,' reminiscent of mid-career Shelby Lynne, and the title track, a well-constructed country ballad. These songs showcase her knack for easy-to-access melodies but she also delves into a high-octane vibe with the Carlene Carter 90s-styled rootsy gems' Ring The Doctor' and 'Nowhere Fast,' and the pedal steel-drenched country rocker, 'Too Far To Reach.' The inclusion of the aforementioned 'Dancing in the Dark' is a testament to her versatility, but it's the original material that truly shines.

Currently based in East Nashville, Hughes has broadened her musical horizons with an album that marks her as out a maturing artist with endless potential. In an overcrowded marketplace, let's hope she gets the opportunity to establish herself going forward. 

Declan Culliton

The HawtThorns Zero Gravity Red Parlor

It's been a fascinating journey to witness the rise of The HawtThorns, a Nashville-based duo.  KP Hawthorn, a former member of the California trio Calico, and her husband, Johnny, with a diverse background in solo work, session work, and production, have crafted a style that beautifully blends West Coast influences with a unique, swampy vibe.

ZERO GRAVITY, their third album in five years, is a testament to their musical evolution. Recorded live to tape at The Wood Brothers' The Nashville Studio and co-produced by the duo and Ted Pecchio, the album showcases KP's mellow vocals and Johnny's slick guitar hooks and solos on eleven tracks that captivate their raw energy and authenticity. 

A bus stop outside a graveyard in Nashville passed many times by KP was the inspiration behind the racy opener Nothing But A Shadow. Elsewhere, rock-tinged tracks like Trouble and Hands On A Clock make a large splash and sit comfortably alongside the intimate ballads Save This One and Flying. However, stealing the show is the album's title track.  A tour de force combining joy and sadness, it finds KP in exceptionally splendid voice supported by heavenly harmonies and swirling guitars. They sign off with the album's one cover version, a rousing delivery of The Everly Brothers When Will I Be Loved, which features Alice Wallace as guest vocalist. 

The creative partnership between KP and Johnny Hawthorn marches on with this album. From a band that is now a robust pillar in the East Nashville music scene, ZERO GRAVITY is not a radical departure from their previous recordings; it is more a testimony to a duo that has found its musical sweet spot and continues to explore it.

Declan Culliton

Hannah Connolly Shadowboxing Self Release

Jon O’Brien’s Music Box Studios in Idyllwild, California was home for the release of this second album from Hannah Connolly. The mountain town, with the presence of nature all around, provided the perfect environment for this impressive step-up from the more acoustic and restrained debut album FROM WHERE YOU ARE which appeared in 2020.

Connolly is an experienced singer-songwriter at this juncture of her career and her ability to capture an emotion or a feeling in a song is very impressive. Her debut dealt with some personal matters and the album had a softer quality to the arrangements and the reflective musings. This time out there is a bigger production sound on the album and a greater sense of stretching out into new territory sonically. The songs continue to resonate when it comes to matters of the heart and perhaps the more contemplative aspects of the debut are now replaced by a new-found optimism in the future.

The opening song Reno has an appealing dreamy texture with the beautiful vocals of Connolly high in the mix and the pedal steel surfing the melody in a love song about missing your partner. The following song Stuck In Place raises the tempo and the guitar parts drive a song that sings about making things work, day at a time, living for the now and ‘Let it be what it is.’ The pace continues with tracks like Tired Of Trying, the rock groove of pushing through a busy life highlighting an aggressive tone in the vocal delivery.

Other songs like Bags Are Packed and Party Is Over are more acoustic based and consider the strength to be found in the love of another and wanting to be in the centre of the shared experience. Another song, Worth the Wait is focused on the pain of separation brought about by busy touring schedules and Brothers In the Same Dream looks to let go of past resentments and forgiving another for wrongs done. It shows a considered acceptance of others in the mellow delivery by Connolly, always an engaging vocalist with her soprano timbre.

The title song Shadowboxing is very much a country standard with pedal steel tickling the sweet melody as Connolly reflects upon feeling apart and outside of her external life with ‘A head full of dreams, And a heart full of love.’ The funky rhythm on Golden is very bright in the delivery as it looks at the challenges of daily routine and facing changes as part of the journey. Rushing By ends the album with a slow acoustic reflection on grief and getting beyond that sense of dislocation that we all grapple with. However, love will endure if the bond is strong and ‘It’s not the life that we chose but we’re getting by, The only thing I need now is your hand in mine.’ A fitting sentiment on which to conclude the album.

Connolly co-wrote all the tracks with Jordan Ruiz who also plays guitar, bass piano, pedal steel and drums across the ten songs. He also sings backing vocals along with other core studio players Eric Cannata (guitar, bass, piano, synth), Ben Greenberg (guitar, Wurlitzer, xylophone), and Jon O’Brien (organ, mellotron, bass, keys, percussion). They are joined on various tracks by Dan Bailey and Adam Schreiber who share drums and percussion, Via Mardot on theremin, slide guitar, marxophone and strings. The album was produced by Eric Cannata and  Jon O’Brien with the live feel of playing in the studio very much a part of what delivers a work of great personality and layered with plenty of memorable moments.

Paul McGee

Sean Eamon With A Lean Self Release

A country/alt.country singer and songwriter based in Butte, Montana who is just releasing his third album recorded in his hometown. It was produced by Eamon and Justin Ringsak, who also plays bass and trumpet on the album. The assembled crew also includes Garrett Smith on trombone and harmony vocals - which adds an interesting soupçon of the flavour of New Orleans and Mexico to the overall sound. Drummer Mike Babineaux and the organ playing of Frankee Angel are also on board, which leaves the estimable talents of much sought after electric guitar and pedal steel maestro Eric Heywood to round out the musical talent. Eamon himself plays acoustic guitar and, naturally, handles the lead vocals in what is a distinctive style, which may not be to everyone’s taste but is instinctive and effective.

Sean Eamon has a couple of previous albums to his credit but this time he is seeking recognition further afield. The nine self-written songs here are realised in such a way as to warrant that closer attention. We open with If Love Was A Fighter, which quotes Muhammad Ali in the opening verse and uses the analogy to describe a relationship with love. It has the brass and steel adding another sonic layer that is appealing to its solid beat. Next we’re told that the protagonist would never have been a lucky guy! He is always On Trial in so far as he’s so far in front he’s always behind. Again it features an arrangement  that adds a difference overall with the brass and steel embellishments. More introspective is Getting Down Early, another tale of a loser who can’t quite get it together, with the steel adding a mournfulness to the mood. “Getting down early and waking up late is my name” and he’s therefore missing out on life in many ways.

The losses in life continue with Every Teardrop, and you can guess the reason why he is in that particular state. It has to be said that lyrically there is no let up in this self examination of a life that looks for love but ends in emotional ruin. However, as with so much of the mores of traditional country themes, you sympathise with this ‘tear in the beer’ set of tales of woe and feel perfectly comforted by the way the music reveals this in such a appealing fashion. Who’s The Fool? Is self explanatory, while Hanging Under sees a man sitting at the bar and waiting for another round to see if that one eases his aches.

In the same sense of self-pity and perhaps looking for a way to change his life, it might just happen if he could just change All The Things I Have Broken. The foot-tapping tempo of You Don’t Love Me Anymore professes love, despite the fact that she doesn’t love him anymore, at least not the way she used to. Fittingly in some ways, the final track sums up the overall sense of downbeat delusion in the sadness of Waiting For It To End.

Obviously this doesn’t fit the positive nature of the new bright and shiny sheen of today’s country pop leanings, but rather offers a look into the lives of those who can’t seem to get a break in love or life. That musically it is delivered with such overall empathy for the central characters seemingly endless miasma makes it, like all good blues and country music, the perfect companion for either those trodding a similar path or those that simply appreciate an age old tradition of listening to musicians who know how to get this across in such an engaging way. One can only hope, though, that Sean Eamon is not writing just from experience but rather from something of an observational and creative perspective. Either way, lend an ear to this leaning tower of trouble.

Stephen Rapid 

Monte Warden and the Dangerous Few Jackpot Break A Leg

I have been a fan of Monte Warden and his fellow bandmates who formed The Wagoneers in the 80s. At that time the only country bands, as such, that I was aware of were mainstream groups like Alabama and Diamond Rio, neither of whom floated my boat. So here was a young band, who played live and played on their albums and who looked western cool, with the right amount of reverence for the past while looking to the future. However they didn’t make it too far past the first two albums. There is a third album recorded around that time that has never been released, and after they played the Austin City Music awards in 2011 were back in the studio to record another unreleased album.

Monte Warden was the main songwriter and with his next three solo albums that was also the case, in the main, though there were also many co-writes. One of his partners in the process was Mas Palermo, who was also on board in Warden’s next combo, the Loan Sharks. He is still a part of the team playing with Warden in the dates that are done as The Wagoneers, as founding member drummer Tom Lewis is pursuing other musical directions. So overviews blame Warden for moving away from the purer country sound of the debut, still a classic album, STOUT & HIGH.

In order to keep momentum and offer an alternative to the retro rock, rockabilly and country of the those bands and dates, Warden’s wife Brandi suggested that he try another direction as well, that was jazz done in a lounge combo, often late-night, laid back crooner style. This is where the heart of this album and the band that performs with him, The Dangerous Few, lies. A part of that team is again Mas Palermo as well as Wagoneer Brent Wilson, moving from lead guitar to bass. Two crucial players are trumpeter Erik Telford and pianist Nick Litterski. They are the ones that give the album much of its specific style. 

Once again, the songs which are a perfect fit for that overall mood are written by the husband and wife pairing, as well as a couple of additional writers on three other tracks. This is the second album in this genre, as it follows on from the self titled debut album from The Dangerous Few, but this time out finds them more self-assured in this direction. This is not my natural habitat and I can’t deny that I wouldn’t love to hear another album in the country/rockabilly mode of previous line-ups.

The natural pointers would include the classic crooners, maybe something of the Dean Martin oeuvre as well as, at times, on the slower material, Michael Buble. However, as mentioned, not being that deep into this particular groove, I would suggest that Dwight Yoakam’s take on the Kinks’ Tired Of Waiting offers a fairly solid hint of what to expect from an artists coming to the arrangement from a similar perspective. But these days it’s simple enough to just find a streaming service that will give you a chance to make up your own mind.

Warden is never-the-less in top form vocally throughout and, as he has done in the past, assimilates this path with a sense of belonging. The playing is superb and songs like Silhouette, which opens the album really hit the target. There is a lot of fun in the current single Waxahachie Hooch Coo, which you could easily hear on numerous TV movie soundtracks, especially the myriad of those that reference an earlier era. It would also appear that their live gigs are well attended and provide a lot of enjoyment for all concerned.

There is a hint of a Jim Webb mood in Lovesong Every Day ,which offers an upfront sentiment that underscores a personal love story. Most tracks adhere to the jazz remit, but there are deviations, like the call and response routine of the equal positivity of Steadfast Love, the track which closes the album. I took to the album more that I had perhaps expected, with certain songs like those mentioned above and the title track - which have a touch of ‘south of the border’ to them that helps their immediacy, outside of those with that are more imbedded in the overall ambience. But it works and hits the required prize. 

Stephen Rapid 

Al Staehely Somewhere In West Texas Quatro Valley

Along with his brother John, Al Staehely joined the band Spirit in the early 70s. He played bass, sang lead and wrote songs while his brother replaced Randy California as lead guitarist. When that stint ended, they recorded and toured under the name The Staehely Brothers. But in 1980 he utilised his law degree to become a music industry lawyer as his day job, while continuing to play and record by night. Around that time he released his debut album in Europe only, at the time, however it eventually was made available in the US as AL STAEHELY & 10K HOURS. In more recent times he wrote a bunch of songs during the pandemic and in the area he was staying he knew some top class musicians in Fran Christina on drums and bassist Chris Maresh and guitarist and producer Scrappy Jud Newcomb - all seasoned players with venerable histories of playing with well known artists.

They located a small studio in Marfa, Texas and found an immediate connection when they began to play and record. They laid down twelve tracks of relaxed, fun driven, roots music that is as easy to listen to as it was, by all accounts, to record. The material is all composed by Staehely ,other than What’s So Hard About Love by Cam King and Freddie KRC and Phil Lee’s Night In The Box. I notice an affinity between Lee’s own work and what was on offer here. There is humour and undoubted heart in the album’s varied roots sound, that displays the inherent collective instinctive talent of all involved, with Newcomb as the lead player standing out for that very reason. Not that anyone is showing off, rather they are just giving the songs the best possible reading.

The album opens with Something Good Is Gonna Happen, a song that has a positive outlook on life even when that might not immediately be the case. The video that accompanies the song online reflects that, with a hint of the mischief that might ensue. Staehely’s songs hit the old story of love lost, strayed or found in unexpected places. What’s Wrong With You For Loving Me, What’s So Hard About Love and Time Is A Lover all fit that brief, the latter in some ways mirrorring some of the work he has recorded playing with Spirit and others. It is the overall writing theme too on other tracks here - you get the general idea from those titles. Emily is about kinship that doesn’t always run that smoothly - even if the music does. Long Legged Woman goes global as he tries to escape the subject of the song.

Most songs are delivered with a sturdy beat and dynamic, while others like Love Trance taken at a more reasoned slower groove, with Staehely well able to vocally stay front and centre, as he does on the other more danceable material. He has a voice that, without becoming gravel, has a seasoned, well-worn quality. Mercy Of The Moon has a tenderness that is subtly conveyed, showing that the foursome can move from one pace to another, which adds a welcome diversity across the album as a whole. The closing track is essentially stripped back to just bass guitar and voice and asks you to Be Still - and listen to your heart. That is all well served by Newcomb’s production and ease with the assembled players and, no doubt, also to the high desert location that they recorded the album in. The aforementioned Night In The Box, also recorded by Phil Lee, is a cautionary tale that should be heeded.

Staehely’s other occupation has kept him busy with many different clients but this, however ,may be his true love, something that he has turned to time and again through the years. It probably shows that, in his case, for his musical endeavours time is a lover, especially somewhere in West Texas - and beyond.

Stephen Rapid