New Album Reviews

Charley Crockett Lonesome Drifter Island

'There's a long, long line of country singers, singing songs about living late at night. I ain't the first one, or the best, but I'm different,' announces Charley Crockett in the song Life Of A Country Singer, one of twelve tracks on his latest album. Those simple few lines, not in any way boastful, go some way to explain the dynamic that Crockett continues to be. The description 'different' is not confined to the Texan’s self-titled Gulf & Western sound, but equally applies to his enduring work ethic and ability to essentially self-manage his career.

LONESOME DRIFTER, his fourteenth album in less than a decade, is released on the Island label and was co-produced by Crockett and Shooter Jennings. Any concerns that signing to a major label and engaging Jennings to oversee the project would signal a change in direction are thankfully unfounded. The album follows Crockett's tried and trusted template of unrushed vocals and uncomplicated storytelling, backed by fine playing. A passionate student of his subject matter, his knowledge and appreciation of the various types of country, soul, blues and roots music that inspire him is second to none in the modern country scene. This is reflected in the range of instrumentation across the album, which includes strings, horns and harmonica, alongside banjo, guitars, pedal steel, bass and percussion. 

Apparently, the first episode in a trilogy of albums, LONESOME DRIFTER, is part autobiographical and part fiction. Reared by a single parent in a Los Fresnos, Texas trailer park, Under Neon Lights recalls Crockett's impoverished and wayward childhood. The title track from his 2021 record, MUSIC CITY USA, was a subtle dig at the controlling music industry, and that sentiment is addressed again in Game I Can't Win. Bill Bailey, tells of the notorious 19th-century Texan cowboy and gunfighter's last stand. Two cover songs are also included, the Bobby Borchers and Mark Vickery written Jamestown Ferry and George Strait's Amarillo By Morning.

It's business as usual with LONESOME DRIFTER, as Crockett continues to reach a wider audience with each passing year and recording. His days as a lonesome drifter are long behind him, and I'm interested in learning what the second and, more importantly, third instalment of this trilogy will unveil. For the time being, this is an intoxicating starting point.

Declan Culliton

Susto Stringband Volume 1 New West

Given Justin Osborne's back catalogue as the frontman of indie-rock band Susto, a collaboration with North Carolina folk/bluegrass outfit Holler Choir may seem like a curveball. However, Osborne has abandoned the spacey guitars, orchestras, and layered vocals of his band Susto and replaced them with acoustic arrangements, and the result is admirable. VOLUME 1 is a collection of seven reimagined Susto songs and two new songs specifically written for the album.

While listening to reworked Susto compositions like Friends, Lovers, Ex-Lovers: Whatever, Acid Boys, and Life Is Suffering, the realisation is how well the new-found treatment works. Osborne's leathery vocals and the dark confessional tales in the songs remain, but the stellar musicianship that supports them is refreshing. The screeching guitars of the original version of Mt.Caroline, which opens this album, are replaced by lively fiddle and mandolin. The acoustic reworking of the Susto favourite, Homeboy, and their adaption of the God Of Death are equally impressive. The latter's original spacey sound is reeled in and replaced by a jaunty background, without lessening the song's deep exploration into mortality. The mood lightens somewhat on the two warm and consoling originals, Never Losing Me, written for Osborne’s young daughter, and a co-write with his wife Caroline, Double Crown, which sings the praises of the Asheville music bar of the same name.

Osborne's connection with Holler Choir came about during a period of reflection as he worked his way through some personal life challenges. In 2022, he was living in Asheville, North Carolina, and attended some open mic sessions. There, he came upon the local old-timey band, led by singer and guitarist Clint Roberts and featuring banjo player and vocalist Helena Rose, upright bass player Norbert McGettigan, mandolinist and guitarist Jackson Grimm, guitar, banjo, dobro and vocalist Ryan Stigmon, and fiddle player James Schlender.  That open mic connection between Osborne and the band led to the realisation that a creative partnership was worth pursuing. Ryan Stigman was called on as producer, and with the support of the New West label, the recording took place at Mitch Easter’s Fidelitorium Recording Studios in Kernersville, North Carolina.

Osborne has consistently displayed the skillset to lay bare his vulnerabilities in his songwriting and these uncluttered interpretations work exceptionally well. 'Some of the reimagined songs feel like they found their true soul in this project, and I've rediscovered a piece of my own soul, too,' confesses Osborne. The album's title suggests that there may be more of the same on the way. Let's hope that this marriage is more than a one-off.

Declan Culliton 

Carter Sampson Live at The Blue Door Horton

'I play a lot of solo shows as well as with a band; and wanted a stripped-down recording to highlight the songs and me singing them,' explains singer-songwriter Carter Sampson about her latest album. Recorded at the leading listening room in her home state, The Blue Door in Oklahoma City, the album features seventeen songs from Sampson's extensive back catalogue, taken from two performances in November 2024.

Commencing with the autobiographical Home from her 2023 album GOLD and closing with Wilder Side, the title track of her 2016 album, her deliveries are interlaced with honest and often humorous storytelling. She speaks of getting the bus to The Blue Door while she was still in high school and asking to play the venue by way of an introduction to Gold, a defiant song which details the plight and issues facing a working musician ('I've got scars and I've got lines, they are souvenirs from harder times…. I won't be bought I won't be sold, I'll be alright mama cause you made me out of gold'). The song is given added context by the presence of her mother in the audience. Ten Penny Nail is introduced as a co-write with Jason Scott, inspired by a Guy Clark tale where he nailed a door closed in his house following a row with his wife Susanna and close friend Townes Van Zandt. Other favourites that feature include Rattlesnake Kate and, not surprisingly, her signature song, Queen Of Oklahoma. 

Sampson has gained a large following on this side of the pond, and the album's release coincides with her extensive U.K. tour, with her band on this particular visit. The quality of her voice alone is worth your attention, and the bare-boned arrangements of her songs, coupled with her impressive guitar work, draw the listener into the heart of her impressive lyrical descriptions and heartfelt tales. It's a hugely enjoyable listen.

Declan Culliton

Ned LeDoux Safe Haven Self Release

This album was made as a testament to love, faith, and loss. It is Ledoux's fourth album, showing him continuing with his blend of country, western, and country rock. It is his most mature and realised release to date. It is pretty much in the palette that his father, the much-missed Chris LeDoux, worked with. The album was produced by the renowned Mac McAnally with several players who were a part of the Nashville studio musician A team for a long time, like Greg Morrow, Jim Hoke, Stuart Duncan and Glen Worf, amongst others. Mac McAnally not only produces but also plays several instruments. He certainly has the right feel for this album.

The album opens with a reflection on how boys growing up do so with something of a more premature outlook on their lives. While girls, on the other hand, are already more grown-up and just "rollin' their eyes" at the boys' behaviour. But the boys will get there in time as they wrestle,  as the title intimates, to be Boys Growing Up. 

There is an affectionate remembrance of his relationship with his dad in My Father's Boots. Knowing that "there's something in the soul that is leather and truth" and how "they're on my feet and he's in my heart" is a very genuine testament to family and its ongoing family history. Many of these songs are mid-tempo, with Rob McNelley's rock-driven electric guitar leading the way. There is substantial storytelling here of the life of a working cowboy and rodeo rider. One Hand In The Riggin' (a song that is a poignant posthumous duet with his father), Workin' Man's Dollar, Story Of A Hired Hand, Legend Born, Long Ride, Traveling Man and Six Bucks A Day, to varying degrees, focus on the blue-collar working man's trials and tribulations. These songs have the added bonus of coming from a source that has been around since childhood to the music, ranching and rodeo life to have a deeper understanding of its methods and madness. 

The ballad Story Of A Hired Hand tells of a man working his life of hard work as a hired hand since joining a ranch at a young age. Though he's just a hired hand on the ranch, when the job "requires an expert, it's a cowboy is what they require." It is a slow-paced tale, an acoustic-based song with the accordion of Michael Rojas, adding to the overall atmosphere. His epitaph is a picture of this unknown man on horseback that sits on many walls as a symbol of that way of life.

His faith and belief in God, perhaps sometimes tested as he recently tragically lost a daughter, is apparent in the ballad Real As I Believe and the instrumental Haven's Lullaby. The former speaks of that conviction for himself (and for others): "When I'm gone, and they lay me down / It'll only be my body in the ground / There'll be no need to cry a tear for me if heaven is as real as I believe."

Given the popularity of "Yellowstone," at least in the way that it portrays a cowboy's working life as opposed to the bullet-laden mayhem, means there is a greater interest and exposure to this western-related music's subject matter. One that is based on a lifestyle that many of us will never experience first-hand, but we can find something of a theoretical affinity within these tales and tributes and their sense of the life-affirming attitude. SAFE HAVEN is a positive album that has the music to attest to that, as well as making you feel pretty good as you listen to Ned LeDoux and his reasons to believe in the future, as well as the past.

Stephen Rapid

Jim Stannard Magical Manatee

After a successful career as a reinsurance expert in financial services, this Connecticut singer songwriter decided to place greater focus on his musical talents having reached his seventh decade, proving that it’s never too late to follow your dreams. Stannard originally played as an emerging musician during the 1960s and into the 1970s, but he chose stability instead of the uncertainty involved in being a professional musician, and his career choices certainly paid the bills by more accepted norms.

Now on album number three, there is always going to be the question of what could have been achieved were there a more prolonged focus on the music and the development of his craft. The fingerstyle guitar technique and the insightful writing are right up there with anything I have heard in the post-Covid landscape, and with a vocal that hints towards Gordon Lightfoot in the storytelling and tone, there is much to recommend this artist.

The album kicks off with some clear perspective and a positive outlook towards the future, with Lookin’ Back a statement of what life can hold in store ‘Some call this world a veil of tears, But I’m enjoying being here, Seems like new adventures are everywhere to find.’ The songs vary from lost love and the sentiment expressed on Hard To Keep , to relationships on the slide and the grim reality on Waking Up Dead.  There are story songs such as Kansas and When the West Was Won is a song about outlaws and ranchers trying to survive the challenges of frontier living.

Bluegrass mixes with Country on You Turned Red and the witty song juxtaposes politics and troubled relations that include the lines ‘My heart began to race, My thoughts were getting raucous, When I harvested her ballot, In a private caucus.’ The song incudes some great fiddle from Wanda Vick, who also stars on dobro, mandolin and banjo. A number of the players here also appeared on a previous album from 2020, with Jon Skibic (guitars), Mike Rojas (keyboards) and producer Kip Winger (bass, acoustic guitars, vocals) adding to the studio dynamic and complimenting the strong song arrangements.

The loose vibe of Hard Of Hearing Heart is really enjoyable and includes some great guitar lines from Jon Skibic, while the workout on Too Much Fun is another tune that rocks out.  Overall we are given ten songs that paint different colours with all the different hues most worthy of your time. Jim Stannard is handling the transition from the financial instruments into the world of creative artistic freedom with perfect ease.

Paul McGee

Sam Bergquist Racing Down the Valley Self Release

Based in Boston, Massachusetts this interesting artist balanced his passion for music with a career as a public school teacher over many years. He previously played in a local-area band Loose Change where he featured as lead vocalist, guitarist and song-writer over a lengthy period. In between these activities Berquist also released a number of solo albums and this new project follows a return to recording following the release of a 4-song EP, titled WISER THEN back in 2023. The first two songs carry a celebratory message, with Steppin’ Out looking at a contented love and how it burs brightly, while Lucky is a touching tribute to his father, who has passed away.

Mountain Boy looks at a rural lifestyle where the familiar nestles along the rivers and roads, a slow pace to life, and surrounded by family, friends and home fires burning. The musicianship on the album is of a high standard and the guitars feature brightly in the clear mix. Co-production is courtesy of Bergquist and Dave Westner, who also plays drums and keyboards on the songs. Here and Gone is a story song about a drifter who calls the road his home and a character who needs to fuel a restless spirit ‘My name is Ellis Turner, And I gotta’ go, I’m here in Santa Fe, And it’s starting to snow.’

Environmental issues, global warming, and our lack of social awareness are tackled on Earth On Fire with the words ‘It was an ominous day, In the commonest way, Just like every day, Another once in a century catastrophe.’ The song Get Gone shakes things up with a great up-tempo arrangement about getting out of town and starting over. The traditional country blues of Mama’s In Jail is wrapped by the bass and pedal steel guitar of Jason Altshuler, and the easy groove is superbly delivered. Makin’ It Up is a song about false friends and hollow characters, selling themselves for short-term gain.

The final song Mornin’ features some fine picking on a message to love each day and embrace all that nature offers. Sam Bergquist features on mandolin to great effect and his ability on lead vocals, acoustic guitar, and harmonica is flawless throughout. There is much to enjoy on this album.

Paul McGee

Marc Miner At the Creek: Secret Session Vol 1 Between

Vienna, Austria is home to Marc Miner and his debut studio album SMILE WHEN YOUR WASTED appeared in late 2020. A second album LAST HEROES was released in 2023 and there have been quite a few accolades along the way which highlight the mix of Americana, Country, and Roots music that define his sound, all delivered with a deep resonance in Milner’s rich vocal tone.

He is also a producer, publisher and label owner at Between Music, and this EP is written, played, recorded, produced, mixed and mastered by Milner himself.  Impressive stuff from this singer songwriter. The six songs included are very enjoyable and the opening track Down By the River is an instrumental that highlights the confident guitar prowess on display. Included also is a kazoo on Get Up, and both hand claps and lap slaps on Ol’ Well. Another tune, Rum Sugar and Me looks at vices that are best treated with respect, introducing a dangerous and heady mix.

Better Man is a song about learning from past mistakes and trying to forge a brighter future where, this time, the lady might stay. Rowboat follows a similar theme and looks to hold a steady course in negotiating the choppy waters that life can send our way. A very strong set of songs from an artist that is making a real statement from his Austrian base.

Paul McGee

Nolan Neeley After Hours Self Release

Southern Indiana is home to this songwriter and during the summer of last year he played a show at the Newburg Music Festival which was released as a live album in July 2024. On that album he performed almost all of the songs that appear on this debut solo release, and the arrangements are very much stripped down to basic instrumentation with Neeley playing all instruments.

The studio album runs just short of one hour in listening time and therein lies the challenge. There is a lack of nuance and variety across the songs, with the structures sounding somewhat similar. The result is that the listener can find the repetition somewhat uniform. There is always that risk when an entire album is recorded in a home setting, in this case featuring just Neeley and his guitars. There is an after-hours, intimate feel to the tunes but the overall defining atmosphere is that of a demo-recording throughout the fifteen songs.

Opener Dog House is a quiet electric strum that captures a ‘morning-after’ blues and includes an attempted falsetto in the chorus which doesn’t really hit the register. Next up is Red Desert Highway with more energy from electric guitar but the busy chorus does no favours. Galena then comes along with a more reflective arrangement and a song of lost love. The city of Galena in Illinois saw the closure of mines that were at the heart of the regional mining economy – the mineral galena being a constituent of the ore in lead mining.

Two Hands introduces some percussive sounds and electric guitar, a combination that repeats into See You Tonight which is a relationship song. American Dream looks at the burst bubble of idealistic principles and the reality of the divided society which exists in America today. The next song is Roman Candle and its gentle acoustic strum overdubbed with electric guitar parts looks at the loss of innocence and growing out of adolescence.

The second half of the album follows very much along the same train tracks as the first. The songs are mirrors in that they reflect inner thoughts and feelings in stripped-back atmospherics. There is a sing-along quality to Everybody Sings the Blues Some Days and Mediocre At Best trips along at a nice pace. There is no doubting the talents of Neeley when it comes to his guitar skills and Everything’s Fine is a good example of his ability.

However, I find myself increasingly asking how these songs would present themselves with a full band involvement and the dynamics that colour arrangements when musicians play off each other. Plenty of marks for effort and for the decision to release fifteen songs in this format. As a DIY independent approach, the talent to write, perform, record and mix this project has to be applauded. Maybe next time however, shake things up with a more varied dynamic.   

Paul McGee

Peter Gallway Laura Gallway Bay

As a member of the 5th Avenue Band in the 1960s Peter Gallway met Laura Nyro, and like many young musical artists of the time, he was put under the spell of her individual playing style and soulful vocal delivery. Nyro was an iconic figure in NYC during the early 1970s with her confessional songs covered by different artists and groups from across the spectrum of Pop, R&B, Folk and Jazz leanings. A deeply personal approach to her songwriting made Nyro a difficult artist to imitate, and Columbia signed her to a four album deal in 1971 that saw her most compelling creative output. If I were to look for a modern comparison to her singular muse, then the work of Tori Amos comes to mind. Idiosyncratic and intimate, with themes of loss and death in her songs, embracing the search for love and the push towards some redemption. Nyro exuded an ethos that was immersed in Gospel influenced truisms.

Her singular path was one that burned brightly and saw many in the music industry try to capture her fire. The 5th Dimension, Three Dog Night, Blood, Sweat and Tears, the Supremes, the Four Tops, Linda Ronstadt and Barbara Streisand all covered her songs and her legacy continues to run deep. So now, all these years later, Peter Gallway has an urge to honour the memory of Nyro by putting his own interpretations on eight of her songs. The chosen titles all come from just two of her releases, Eli and the 13th Confession (1968), with three tracks, and New York Tendaberry (1969), providing the remaining five tracks.

There is a soulful atmosphere on the recording and the sparce delivery, with a male lead vocal, presents the greatest challenge in the attempt to reflect Nyro’s essence. Gallway has a distinctive vocal tone but it can never get close to the three-octave mezzo-soprano voice of Nyro and thus the renditions, lovingly delivered by Gallway, just lack that raw emotion of the originals. Most successful are New York Tendaberry, Gibsom Street, and the closing Time and Love with its endearing skip-along melody and optimism. Peter Gallway plays everything, from guitars and bass, to keyboards and percussion. He also produced and recorded the project and, as a love letter to an inspiring talent from the past, this is worthy of your attention. It will remain, at best, a bucket-list pleasure for the talented Gallway who continues to both inspire and innovate with his own musical output and unique creative muse.

Paul McGee

New Album Reviews

Joachim Cooder Dreamer’s Motel self release 

When your father is Ry Cooder, and you’re taken on tour with him from early childhood, it’s probably inevitable that you’ll become a musician. In Joachim’s case, he spent a lot of time with and idolised his father’s go-to drummer, Jim Keltner, so it was always going to be drums for him. From playing on the famous Buena Vista Social Club project when in his teens, Joachim has worked as a drummer, both in the studio and on tour, with artists like Taj Mahal, Mavis Staples, Dr John and Ali Farka Touré. He has also produced several albums for his father, and for Sam Outlaw, Carly Ritter and Mavis Staples, among others. Film music composition has been another avenue he has pursued, but it has only been in recent years that he realised that he could sing. The discovery of a lesser known instrument, an electric mbira (a variation of the African thumb piano) allowed him to start to write songs and this latest seven track mini-album is his fourth solo release. 

The opening and title track, Dreamer’s Motel, sets the tone for most of the record, a hypnotic, dreamy beat, evoking memories of times past. Led by Cooder’s slightly fragile vocals and his Array mbira and drums/percussion, he is joined by Ry on guitars, co-producer Martin Pradler on bass and a subtle brass ensemble. The song was inspired by his memories of a seaside motel north of LA where they used to go as children, but it was subsequently gutted and now lies decaying by the side of the road. Sight and Sound is another softly soothing soundscape, the backdrop to reminiscences of old love, ‘was that heartbeat yours or mine?’. The touching God Speed Little Children Of Fort Smith Arkansas speculates on the fate of children from an archetypal decaying town in Middle America. It introduces the sweet vocals of his wife, Juliette Commagere (a recorded artist in her own right), and his touring companion, Rayna Gellert, on viola. Cool Little Lion is a sheer joy, fondly remembering their rescue Chow, who had to be shaved in a ‘lion cut’ when they first found her. 

In a slight contrast, there’s a definite gospel vibe throughout Let Me See My Brother Walk, with guest Kieran Kane contributing banjo, the soft vocal harmonies and layers of pedal steel (Ben Peeler), Ry’s guitar and Gellert’s viola swelling to a crescendo ending. Sea Level Man is the most dynamic number, with Ry Cooder this time switching to woozy electric mandolin. 

A chance remark from his daughter was the catalyst for the most affecting and cinematic, extended, closing track, Down To The Blood. Deliciously dark, brooding and discordant, with more than a hint of Dr. John’s New Orleans voodoo ambiance, it is achived purely by Cooder’s own chanting vocals, layers of drums and percussion, and Ry on distorted electric banjo.

Overall, it’s an interesting and unique album well worth checking out, and try to catch Joachim on his upcoming tour of the UK.

Eilís Boland 

Pug Johnson El Cabron Break Maiden / Thirty Tigers

Growing up in Beaumont, Texas, close to the Louisiana border, Pug Johnson was exposed to a wide range of music. Alongside the classic songwriting of his fellow Texans, influences that range from honky tonk to Texas swing and Cajun to swamp and Southern rock all surfaced on his 2022 debut full-length album, THROWED OFF AND GLAD, which was credited to Pug Johnson & The Hounds. That record addressed a number of thorny matters such as mental illness, infidelity, and alcohol abuse, some of which were personal sores that fortunately were healing by that time. Although dealing with quite dark subject matter, Johnson managed to cloak his messages in wicked humour, a ploy not uncommon in prime Texan songwriting. That playfulness also surfaces in EL CABRON, which may in some ways be a confessional lifestyle update from Johnson, since abandoning some of the less salubrious activities detailed in his last record. 

The songs Last Call and Change Myself Today play out like a continuation of the thread on Johnson's debut album. The former harks back to living on the edge and seeking out the next high. The latter is a pledge to finally clean up or end up in the gutter. With a cool Memphis soul vibe, the gentle Believer salutes his wife for believing in him and applauds her trust and confidence in him. On a lighter note, Johnson also directed the tongue in cheek, and Cajun-influenced, Buy Me A Bayou towards his wife. The wild times and equally menacing men and women in the writer's former life emerge in Waxahachie and Hole In Me is a ‘'tears in your beer' full-on honky tonker. Raising the tempo to full throttle, Pipeliner Blues, borrowed from Moon Mullican (known affectionately as the King of the Hillbilly Piano Players), is a blast and a worthy reworking of the original. 

Translated from Spanish to English, El Cabron has a number of definitions. The kindest, and most likely Johnson's priority is, affectionately, ‘badass’ or ‘dude’, the most severe being ‘bastard’. Whether semi-autobiographical or otherwise, that title track goes a long way in defining the album's direction. Johnson has abandoned some of the rockier edges of his debut album this time around and replaced them with classic Texan singer-songwriting, alongside toe-tapping honky tonk. 

Recorded at Fischer Studios, Four Eyes Studios, Orb Studios, and Spectra Studios in Texas, the production is credited to Pug Johnson, Ryan Johnson, and Paul "Sweet P" Walker. Working with a talented crew of Texas’ finest players, EL CABRON is a further episode in Pug Johson's journey which offers the listener a collection of memorable songs. 

Declan Culliton

Hudson Mueller Welcome To Earth Self-Release

The dilemma regarding what you want from your art is a factor for many artists. Is personal satisfaction simply their goal, or is commercial return their primary objective? Some are fortunate to achieve both but are in the extreme minority. Others find that commercial success can drive a wedge through their ultimate goal: to have their art recognised and appreciated by their peers and a fan group. Hudson Mueller's opening track, Money vs. Fame, on his debut album, WELCOME TO EARTH, dwells on this conundrum. The song is one of a number on the album that finds the writer deep in thought and tussling with often thorny subject matter, albeit with a degree of optimism. 

Mueller is an Austin-born singer-songwriter who, in previous lives, played in the folk band The Hudsons before forming the southern soul outfit, The Gold Magnolias. His debut solo record finds his foot firmly on the slow-burning singer-songwriter pedal. WELCOME TO EARTH was recorded in winter at The Creamery in Brooklyn, which did not have a working heating system at that time. Mueller fondly remembers playing drums for thirty minutes before a recording session to warm up. 

The eleven-track album criss-crosses from country rock tracks like Love Is Love and Xanthippi's Blues to the John Prine-styled Pull Up A Chair. With an uplifting gospel choir, Maintain recalls Bob Dylan's Christian trilogy albums and Never Loved No One Like You, with layered vocals and acoustic guitar, is a poignant break-up song. The title track cleverly plays out like an instruction manual to newborn babies ('Sun's gonna shine, wind's gonna blow, welcome to Earth, please enjoy the show'). In Quarantine Waltz, Mueller recalls living in Brooklyn, overlooking a hospital during the pandemic, and how the residents cheered and applauded the essential workers as they left work, after they finished their shifts.  

Three decades into his career, Mueller's debut solo record is an open-ended affair, many of the songs are unalike but fit extremely comfortably alongside each other. From an artist who knows how to write and record hugely impressive songs, WELCOME TO EARTH is well worth your investigation.

Declan Culliton

Jason Boland & The Stragglers Last Kings Of Babylon Thirty Tigers

Back in the day an album called PEARL SNAPS was one that resonated with me and it became a firm favourite, as did the subsequent releases from Boland and his band. Now some twenty six years later they are releasing an album, that in some ways brings them full circle. As with the debut album it has been produced by Lloyd Maines, and the band then as now includes longtime compadre Grant Tracy on double bass. Naturally over the years the band has changed and members have moved on for a variety of reasons, yet the central essence of the band has remained the same.

Joining Boland and Tracy are Andrew Blair, AJ Slaughter, Jake Lynn and Nick Cedar, who have recorded a solid and satisfying album that delivers on many fronts. It has a purposeful energy, having been tracked essentially live in the studio. It is, somewhat naturally, a summation of more than twenty five years of travelling, playing, living and learning. This time out there is a selection of Boland’s own material, as well as some material from outside sources such as the Jason Eady/Jamie Lin Wilson/Kelly Mickwee co-write Drive, Ain’t No Justice from Randy Crouch and they close the album with a telling cover of Jimmy LaFave’s Buffalo Return.

The steel and fiddle are appropriately to the fore on the opening The Next To Last Williams, about the life of a hard travelling musician playing every club and county fair, but in the end wondering will anyone really care when he goes. Every generation has a figure that links to the past and a tradition that was true in the past, but now notes that in the middle of the game the rules are changed. It feels good to have this team making and continuing to make their music again.  

They are able to make the changes to the songs as it requires. Drive has a mix of instruments, with mandolin featured over a solid beat, and keyboards that add to a mood which emphasises the need to drive where no one can find you. Take Me Back To Austin is about a wish to return to that city as against “going crazy In the woods”. The fiddle and steel interplay is again paramount. Living on the edge is something that it seems can be relived a little, by having some soothing substances, in High Time. 

One of the album highlights here is One Law At A Time, a reflection of slowing down and taking life from a different perspective and coming to terms with no longer breaking one law at time. “I’m under the radar so I don’t have to hide”, and his relationship and marriage is “a contract between us, which we both abide.” He’s also resigned to the fact that now “I pay my taxes as there is no way around”. A slow paced acceptance of fate.

More uptempo, if downbeat in lyric, is Ain’t No Justice, which has a strong southern roots rock delivery that burns and notes that “the rich get richer” as they have always done. Farmall is a tale of a daddy driving “that thing” which is never really explained, but was apparently a noted event in the locale. It has a folky feel that complements its tale. The parting of ways is celebrated in Irish Goodbye, in the traditional Irish ‘wake’ style. Again there is a folk ballad element in its arrangement of piano and fiddle over a slow funeral rhythm.

Written some time back, the lyric of Buffalo Return has a relevance to these times, wishing to return to values that previously existed in less material times. As elsewhere Maines’ production is a perfect realisation of what this band have been searching for since they formed in 1998. That they remain this potent is testament to Boland’s vision and his continuing search for something that may not readily be defined, and yet is captured here in this decisive album.

Stephen Rapid

Grey DeLisle The Grey Album Hummin'bird

My journey with the music of DeLisle began back in 2000 with the release of THE SMALL TIME; that album introduced a unique voice in country/folk that was immediately identifiable. It was not one I found that had across the board admiration but one that I was immediately taken with. Now, some twenty-five years later, comes a self-titled album known as 'The Grey Album' as reference bit to her name and to The Beatles' own similarly-titled ‘White’ release. In a comparable essence, it offers twenty songs covering almost all aspects of her musical vernacular. There are stripped-back folk arrangements, some country-orientated material, some more up-tempo rockin’  tracks, and even more to discover.

Like me, if you are a fan, this is a totally diverting release that never fails to engage or make me feel that it would have been better with fewer tracks. Many of these songs originated in the lockdown pandemic, a prolific time for DeLisle. During this period, she began to record the songs  often with her former husband, Murry Hammond (of The Old 97s). There was a sense of, perhaps, a loneliness running through some of these largely relationship-based songs. But they are also, at times, defiant and realistic. That DeLisle wrote all but two of the tracks, which she also was co-writer, which is in itself a testament to her overall abilities.

That sense of exploration can be defined by a diverseness that such tracks as Reach For The Sky, as one example, wherein the protagonist reacts to a two-timing man because “She caught him in the bathtub at a house of ill repute / He wished he hadn’t taught her how shoot shoot shoot.” This track was recorded with the excellent backing of just two multi-instrumentalists, Greg Leisz and Marvin Etzioni - who is perhaps the MVP through his production and instrumental prowess. These stalwarts are joined on different tracks on the album by such as Tammy Rogers, DJ Bonebrake, Deke Dickerson, and Stephen McCarthy, amongst others. They recorded the songs over a period of time and with different combinations of the artists and engineers involved with the recording, arrangements and production. The result is a roadmap of DeLisle's talent as a singer, writer, and musician as well as in picking the right confederates to work with.

That range, as mentioned, goes from the soft spoken entreaty of Daddy, Can You Fix A Broken Heart?  In this DeLisle plays the autoharp, which she has often used on previous recordings (and also on second track here), this time using it over pedal steel and a subtle string arrangement. 40 Something Runaway is a song about seeking something new adventure later in life and the problems that can bring because of trying to survive on the move means "The soles of her boots wear thinner and thinner / She's skipping stones / She's skipping dinner / This hitchhiking life ain't going her way." A chance meeting with ex-Runaway singer Cherie Currie provided the opportunity to have her join DeLisle for a duet. The upbeat backing was again all provided by long-term collaborator Etzioni. Long Rider member, Stephen McCarthy, duets on Didn't We Try, another song where the backing belies the lyrical sense of trying but not succeeding. A summation of a perceived state of mind is the genesis of the rockin' I'm A Wreck. This contrasts again with the gentle request for a close intimate in Don't Let Go Of My Hand, with steel and strings underpinning that frame of mind.

And so, it goes on over the length of the album, one that never found me wanting to skip tracks but allowed me to remain within this individual musical world's different realisations of romance and revenge and all in between. Those who have already been captivated by DeLisle in the past will need no further encouragement to immerse themselves within its heart. This is the perfect starting point for new listeners to be introduced to the mind and music of an artist who has always remained true to her vision. Which, despite the album's title, offers something a lot more colourful and contrasting. She can be demure and dangerous but never mundane - this is the living proof.

Stephen Rapid

Ron Pope American Man, American Music Brooklyn Basement

This album kicks off with real attitude and the southern boogie of Nobody’s Gonna Make It Out Alive illustrates the superb band interplay along with the great dynamic in the production. Those of you who are familiar with Ron Pope will know that this is very much familiar territory across a career that has seen a steady flow of albums since a debut release back in 2008. Pope started recording with his college buddies and formed The District for a run of three albums before he branched out on his solo career. It’s safe to say that he has been running in the fast lane ever since. Prolific is one attribute, but when you couple this with consistently top-quality output, then you have a real winning formula.

The second track on the new album, I Gotta Change (Or I’m Gonna Die), is an insight into the curse of prescription drugs and their toll upon so many folks who have developed dependency issues across the USA ‘I used to never take an Advil, But if  I don't earn we don't pay bills, Inside I'm screaming like an anvil, When iron and hammer meet.’ The travails of blue collar America continue on Klonopin Zombies and a song that again highlights prescription medication that is used to prevent and treat anxiety disorders, seizures, bipolar mania, agitation associated with psychosis, OCD and other symptoms. Certainly no panacea here.

With a strong work ethic of touring and writing, Ron Pope has regularly travelled across our continents, and his reflections hold a power that propels his songs to growing acclaim. This music is heartland America in all the ways that prior acts like John Mellencamp and John Hiatt mirrored the lives of ordinary people whose dreams and hopes are compromised by the simple act of trying to make an honest living. Pope is certainly the real deal and knows exactly how to echo the emotions of the everyman.

In the Morning With the Coffee On is a love song about treasuring the moment and slowing life down to the point where the little things become everything. Equally, the following song I Pray I’ll Be Seeing You Soon is a love song from the road to his wife and the need to keep her close while he travels with the music ‘You’re in my dreams until you’re in my arms, I pray I’ll be seeing you soon.’

The Queen OF Fort Payne, Alabama looks to the past and captures a time when being young and living free were everything and when experience and maturity lay in the distance ‘Come on, strap in boys, we're drinking like it's two thousand and five, I know that we'll crash tomorrow but tonight we're flying high.’  Another rocking song that shows off the great musicianship on the album.

Pope delivers slow songs with an ease that is also impressive and I’m Not the Devil is a relationship song that captures the breakdown of love, with co-vocals from Taylor Bickett and the restrained playing adding a layer of regret to the words ‘Broke down Chevy, grease on my hands, I didn't know we were counting, what's the measure of a man? I might've led you to water but never made you drink, I'm not the devil no matter what you think.’  A youthful memory is captured on Mama Drove A Mustang with fiddle and keyboards lifting the song arrangement ‘I was a sinner in the hands of an angry God trying to figure out who I was.’ Harmonica cuts thought the melody and drives the guitars along.

The love song Where You’re Kept has a gentle acoustic touch and captures a real connection between two people, while everything comes together on the last track The Life In Your Years and the hard-found wisdom reflects ‘And when I'm gone, please recall all the good I saw here, It's not the years in your life, it's the life in your years.’ Pope’s recent European tour in support of this album was a great success in capturing new audiences and there would appear to be nothing stopping the increasing momentum of this gifted artist towards ever greater recognition. Get on board now.

Paul McGee

Dan Raza Wayfarer Valve

With two critically acclaimed albums already to his name, Dan Raza has been referred to as one of the United Kingdom’s best-kept musical secrets. Those who have feted his talents over the years include Neil Young, Tom Paxton and Rodney Crowell and it seems somewhat unusual to be talking of his talents as still largely undiscovered. He is a new artist to me and this latest release delivers a powerful example of what I have been missing.

Having spent a lot of time gigging around England in previous years, Raza reflected upon no marked career progress on the horizon and decided on a fundamental change, moving to America and settling into the new challenge of facing life in a different environment.  Over recent times he has continued to hone his talents in new territories and it is out of new perspectives gained that this third album now appears. The title gives a strong clue as to the direction taken in these songs and the urge to explore new inspirations provides the driving energy for the recording.

The over-riding impression across these tracks is one of an accomplished musician and at a level of craftmanship that is of the highest order. Self-produced by Raza, the twelve songs emerged over a few years and the list of musicians included in the creative process totals twenty-plus. It is great credit to Raza that he pulls all the strands together with such élan and in such a seamless fashion. The Greek philosopher Heraclitus is credited with the saying “You can never stand in the same river twice” and the central focus of the songs is that of learning from past mistakes and moving on in the knowledge that some growth has been achieved from the flow of life.

Behold the Night opens up the album with an invitation to feel hope and to be at peace with any self-doubt that may surface. Wasn’t That Enough For Me follows with a look back at life paths taken and a sense of gratitude. Water Reflects (What It’s Shown) is a soulful reflection on learned behaviour and the way in which we take for granted what is considered socially acceptable. The country feel of In My Own Time is a song that speaks of enjoying the passing days and the combination of mandolin, piano and violin is beautifully delivered.

Me and My Lady is a love song that reflects on the key to happy relationships and the need for openness ‘ Me and my lady…We’re catching fire, we’re taking flight, We’re making up for lost time.’ Raza sings with a very engaging and warm vocal tone and his sensitive and emotive phrasing adds greatly in delivering these songs as something approaching classic tunes that embed themselves into the sense that you have surely heard them somewhere before. I find myself singing along as if they are already timeless classics. Nothing Like A Woman has a sense of being very auto-biographical with the presence of a lady in the life of Raza sparking a search for change and leading to the adventure of new beginnings in love.

Only A Stone’s Throw Away speaks of the plight suffered by illegal immigrants into the USA  and the necessity to leave for new beginnings in the hope of another chance ‘ But you only leave your home if your home won’t let you stay.’ It’s a sad observation on the cruelty that exists in the world today. The Truth Will Heal You has a soulful delivery and a message of enlightenment dropping slow, ‘The truth will heal you, If it don’t kill you.’ There is a Springsteen vibe in the essence and articulation.

New Born Man is a story song of endurance and perseverance, fighting illness and bad luck, the inclusion of tin whistle in the melody adding a poignance ‘So don’t write me off or look through me, I’m more than just these bones you see.’ On the song Like Strangers Again there is the thought that our natural state is one of separation and comfort in reverting to a state of being outside our need to feel close. Facing the truth and lost dreams populate We All Have To Dream Alone, again giving that sense of isolation and separation ‘Peel away the mask Amanda, and see what you find, do you recognise a man that’s left behind.’ The final song Still Got A Song To Sing is one of looking for direction with that sense of self-doubt circling and a wish to be able to see ourselves as others see us. Dan Raza has achieved something very special here. Call it classic Americana or an essential addition to the Folk troubadour tradition, on every count this is already a strong contender for album of the year. An exhilarating experience that inspires at every turn.

Paul McGee

Kris Delmhorst Ghosts In the Garden Big Bean

A new album from the gifted Kris Delmhorst is something akin to having an old friend visit and pull up a chair by the fireside for an evening of catching up and sharing warm conversation. It always seems like too long since she last visited and yet we are all the more pleased for her presence once again. It’s been five years since the release of LONG DAY IN THE MILKY WAY and the time between has not dulled Delmhorst’s keen sense of questioning our place in the order of things and the manner in which we negotiate this crooked journey of life.

The eleven songs included on the new album explore a world of impermanence and vulnerability, seeking answers and solace when it comes to the challenges of facing our mortality.  The meditative atmosphere of Summer’s Growing Old opens the treasure trove that lies hidden, awaiting discovery, and the song uses the metaphor of the changing seasons to herald the ageing process, from the summer of our youth into the autumn of our days ‘Something in the air like a hinge is turning, corner of your eye like a shadow thrown.’

In keeping with this theme, Wolves brings a sense of foreboding as the future draws near, the uncertainty of days that we cannot control, the passing of loved ones and the spectre of feeling isolation. The metaphor of wolves gradually getting closer to the fire, burning brightly but attracting unwanted reality is perfectly formed ‘Just outside the edge of the light, they know how to wait, how to sit tight.’ The title track captures this same sense of foreboding and looks at death and bereavement as a burning internal fire, with ghosts present in everything that reminds us of a life that has now gone.

Won’t Be Long is a restless urge to break free and rocks out in a manner that highlights the superb ensemble playing of the studio musicians, lifting the melody and complimenting the words ‘They say it won’t be long, I wanna blow my cage, I wanna slip my skin, Leave behind these walls I’m in.’  The grief of living with loss runs through Not the Only One, the slow tempo echoing the frustration and incredulity at the way in which we can treat each other ‘Not the only one here with a broken heart…reading the news about flowers piled up in the schoolyard, Can this be the world, can this be the time.’ When everything seems out of control, all we can do is look to each other.

The song Age Of Innocence also runs with the idea of the human race on planet earth as a parasite, killing the host through our collective stupidity. Running down the planet resources with no regard for the future ‘Once we were innocent and unashamed, now we’re the only ones to blame, We never even knew we were living in the garden of Eden.’ It also echoes memories of youth when innocence was our only excuse.

Lucky River catalogues the life of someone fallen on hard times and fishing down by the river while an uncaring world speeds by on the highway above. The pain of losing out to fate and circumstance, and a brief encounter with unrequited love informs Beyond the Boundaries with a longing and a deep regret ‘Every desolate lover, every lost valentine, Would give their last breath, they would spend their last dime, to write more of the story somewhere down the line.’ Another love song is Dematerialize and the thought that sending a message to the universe can be reciprocated ‘ So tired of the apocalyptic grind, Let’s find a space to occupy, Point a finger close your eyes, let’s make a world we recognise and fly away.’

The entire album is a great testament to the creative muse of Kris Delmhorst with so much to immerse yourself in. The atmospheric production puts you by that fireside with a toast to old friends and  hope for the journey that lies ahead in the distance.

Paul McGee

Edie Carey & Sarah Sample Lantern In the Dark: Songs Of Comfort and Lullabies Groundloop

Released in October 2024 and one that got away in the hustle and bustle of last year. This album is a healing balm in these times of uncertainty and increasingly mounting fear, which saw skilled artists Edie Carey and Sarah Sample come together for a second helping of sweet succour to the soul. Their combined talents are of a standard that guarantees real quality with songs that invite themselves into the heart of the matter and rest in the centre of all that stands as important in our days. The album is a follow up to the 2014 release TIL THE MORNING: Lullabies & Songs of Comfort which proved to be a popular collaboration between the two artists. It was a perfect example of a crowdfunding exercise with many supporters pledging funds in order to achieve the finance required for the recording process. Such trust from the fan base is returned here with lots of love and soul.

Opening song, I’m Here is the perfect introduction into the sense of having safe harbour when everything else is out of control. We all need reassurance in times of struggle and there is a generosity of spirit at play here that runs through the songs. There are a number of cover versions included, with the choices reflecting what resonated most with both Edie and Sarah.

The string arrangement on the Wilco song My Darling is superbly devised and delivered. It appeared on the SUMMERTEETH album of 1998 and is an inspired selection here, full of loving sentiment to a new born child. The Bob Dylan classic To Make You Feel My Love is superbly interpreted with the fiddle of Ryan Sharpe particularly effective. The list of musicians that add their talents to this project is very impressive and too many to list in this review, and the overall production of Scott Wiley is both sensitive and compelling in the gentle touch and delivery of all concerned.

Shine is a song from Sarah and is a reflective look back at the years that see a child leave the family nest and strike out on their own. ‘I looked up and you had grown, Turned around and you had flown.’ Beautifully realised. There is an elegant intimacy in the  song All the Ways You Comfort Me, written by Edie, and the sense given of having a safe place to land when all the plates are spinning. It is a real highlight here among many great moments. The cover of Time After Time by Cindi Lauper is interesting in the arrangement even if it could never capture the longing in the original song.

Heaven Now is another example of the superb songwriter that Edie has evolved into, such nuance and subtlety in the creation. Perhaps it should have closed the album, but the final track is a cover of the James Taylor classic You Can Close Your Eyes and it captures the essence of immersing yourself in a sense of community where human connection is the key. We all share in one big group hug that captures the emotion and spirit of this album. An essential purchase. Bravo!

Paul McGee

New Album Reviews

Sunny War Armageddon In A Summer Dress New West

Sunny War (born Sydney Ward) is very much a fighter and survivor. Her 2023 album, ANTICHRIST GOSPEL, was a statement of endurance and rebirth for the Nashville-born artist. It was also a powerful project which raised her profile immeasurably and led to tours and opening slots with Bonnie Raitt, Iron & Wine, Mitski and Sarah Shook & The Disarmers.  

A recoveree of alcohol and substance abuse, Sunny's survival kit has been to launch herself into her art ('If I'm home and not touring, either I'm going to play music all day or I'm going to get drunk. It's really one or the other. I'm just obsessively trying to work on something so that I'm making healthier decisions that day'). That passion has resulted in a body of work that presents powerful messages and ARMAGEDDON IN A SUMMER DRESS is another melting pot of political statements, dispatched by a gifted vocalist whose songs refuse to be framed by any one genre. 

As was the case with its predecessor, the recording took place at The Bomb Shelter in Nashville, with the production duties carried out by the studio’s owner, Andrija Tokic (Hurray For The Riff Raff, Alabama Shakes, The Deslondes, Wreckless Eric, Ian Noe). It opens at breakneck speed with the punky One Way Train, which is a statement very much of its time, a prayer for sanity in a messed-up world ('When there's no one left to use and no police or state and the fascists and the classists all evaporate. Won't you meet me on the outskirts of my left brain'). The sweet and soulful Bad Times follows. It's a gorgeous sound that could easily be playing over the airwaves on your local radio station. However, the happy and chirpy sound can't disguise the song's painful thread ('I make the least you can in an hour, I've got no money so I've got no power, back pain and rotting teeth, gets written off as working-class grief'). 

A pointer towards Sunny's influences are the guests who contribute vocals on the album. Veteran punks John Doe and Steve Ignorant both lend a hand. The former, ex-founder of LA punk band X, adds vocals to Gone Again, and the latter and member of UK Anarcho-punk band Crass, duets on the politically charged Walking Contradiction. Other vocal contributors include California singer-songwriter Tré Burt, who adds vocals on Scornful Heart and is also credited as co-writer on that song. The final contributor is vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Valerie June, who joins Sunny on Cry Baby. The album signs off with Debbie Downer, which may or may not constitute mirror gazing by the author. Either way, it's a call to arms, asking that we should keep fighting, despite the mayhem and disorder that surrounds us. The uplifting Rise particularly emphasises that sentiment ('Rise babe, up like the sun, might not shine again. Bad days go and they come, but the good do too, my friend'). 

ARMAGEDDON IN A SUMMER DRESS will no doubt be filed under the 'land of plenty' that Americana has become. In truth, it's much more than that; it's from an artist and poet who fuses soul, blues, and roots to create a unique recipe that few others can match. Indeed, I'm scratching my head to identify any other current artist with the vocal and musical skill set to create such beautiful music while primarily commenting on social injustice. 

Declan Culliton

The Devil Makes Three Spirits New West

Twenty-three years into a career that kicked off in Santa Cruz, California, The Devil Makes Three have not frittered away any of the high energy and raw emotion that has established them as one of the hardest working groups in the roots genre. Alongside their hectic touring schedules, they have released seven studio albums and three live recordings to date. The Devil Make Three is Pete Bernhard (guitar, vocals), Morgan Eve Swain (upright bass, vocals) and Cooper McBain (guitar, tenor banjo, vocals).

‘There’s a theme of ghosts and death running through this album,’ explains Bernhard, which may account for the recording location of their latest project. Recorded at Dreamland Studios in Woodstock, New York, the studio is a converted church in a wooded landscape, which proved to be a suitable setting for an album whose thread focuses heavily on spirituality and anguish. SPIRITS was produced by Grammy winner Ted Hutt (Old Crow Medicine Crow, Violent Femmes, Dropkick Murphys, Jesse Malin). 

Given the grief that Bernhard suffered during the making of the record, he lost his mother, brother and close friend at the time, it’s little surprise that mortality raises its head on a number of occasions. Bernhard is credited as writing eleven of the thirteen tracks, one of which is a co-write with Boaz Vilozny. McBean wrote the remaining two. The title track ponders torment, death and its aftermath (‘I want to go back but the page has been burned. When are you coming home I won’t ever learn’). That questioning and sense of isolation is also at the heart of Lights on Me.

The current rampant economic and political divide that threatens the livelihood and dreams of ordinary people is also given plenty of commentary. The Dark Gets the Best of You is a reminder of the political cunning and controlling tactics at play and a plea to see through them (‘Put down your torches, don’t you know what a mob can do. They just want to see what it looks like when the dark gets the best of you’). Addressing the same subject matter are Divide and Conquer and Half as High.

With one eye on their live performances, The Devil Makes Three excels at creating material that, although it has a playful sensibility, combines that with clever and observational lyrics. It’s an effective formula that has kept them at the forefront of gritty, acoustic roots music with a punky attitude for over two decades. On the strength of their latest record, that chemistry is unlikely to lose any momentum.

Declan Culliton

Juliet McConkey Southern Front Soggy Anvil 

In our review of Virginia-born Juliet McConkey’s debut album, DISAPPEARING GIRL, in 2020, we described the songs as ‘sounding if they were composed by a veteran rather than being the first recordings of a novice.’ Recollecting scenes both joyful and distressing from her rural upbringing, the album showcased not only a proficient songwriter but also the possessor of a classic country voice, which did justice to her compositions. Her latest project, SOUTHERN FRONT, more than lives up to that debut effort, although the content has shifted from the nostalgic memories of its predecessor to more immediate adult issues of uncertainty and commitment. 

The title and opening track unveils the album’s theme of darkness into light and meditation on life’s challenges. Drenched in pedal steel, beautifully melodic, and with vocals that crest and dip, I hit the replay button on the first listen. A sense of insecurity and uneasiness raises its head in Drifting and Another Time and Place. Both songs address dreams, memories and anxiety, typical concerns that visit during sleepless nights and often seem of lesser concern when morning arrives. The dream for simplicity and a carefree existence is at the heart of Horses Around, and McConkey is joined by her partner James Steinle for their Emmylou and Gram inclusion with When I Say I. Quiet Moments, which bookends the album and features only McConkey’s vocals and guitar, acknowledges the past and present of a relationship and the security that a loving bond can offer. 

Produced by James Steinle, who is also credited with writing four of the eight tracks, the couple have created something lovely with SOUTHERN FRONT. A mature suite of songs that tackles vulnerability head-on, with fine playing and a vocal purr by McConkey that nods in the direction of Kelly Willis, the result is a tender and splendid country album.

Declan Culliton

Mike Farris The Sound of Muscle Shoals Compass

‘Country and gospel music is in dire need of some pure heartfelt soul right now. He’s like a secret weapon, he’s loaded with soul,’ says Marty Stuart, speaking about Tennessee native Mike Farris, whose chequered life is the stuff of fiction movies.

Farris’ teenage years were a minefield of alcohol and substance addiction, drug dealing, homelessness and imprisonment. Cleaning up his act, he moved back to Nashville from Knoxville, where he had been living rough, and moved to his father’s house. By way of distraction, he began playing his father’s guitar and writing a couple of songs. That eventually led to the formation, with Rick White, of blues rock outfit, the Screamin’ Cheetah Wheelies. With ongoing substance abuse issues and a lack of focus, Farris left the band. In an attempt to remain sober and with a newfound obsession with American gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, he turned his attention to gospel music. His first solo album, GOODNIGHT SUN, soon followed in 2002 and five years later, SALVATION IN LIGHTS earned Ferris a record deal with Sony. That set in motion a career in gospel music that earned him a Grammy Award for Best Roots Gospel Album with SHINE FOR ALL THE PEOPLE in 2015. 

It’s hardly surprising that Farris would eventually end up at Muscle Shoals to record, given how that soulful sound has been a key influence on his own output. The eleven-track album was self-produced by Farris and recorded at Fame Studios, Studio A, Muscle Shoals. Employing Alabama’s finest session players, vocalists and horn section, and fronted by Farris’ billowing vocals, it’s more than a worthy tribute to the setting where Aretha Franklin, The Staple Singers and Wilson Pickett, to name but a few, recorded some classic soulful songs.

The album opens with the autobiographical Ease On. A commentary on Farris’ early years growing up in Franklin County, Tennessee, it paints a picture where struggles were plentiful but simple life was bliss (‘Mama’s in the kitchen with the light on inside, makin’ us biscuits before the sunrise. Ignorance is sometimes its own reward, Mama never told us we were poor’). The futility of fretting about things outside our control is the message in Sunset Road, and the highs and inevitable lows of the artist’s life are told in the somewhat sardonically titled Bright Lights. Triumph and overcoming emotional wreckage is the order of the day in Bird In The Rain. 

Two well-chosen covers are included. The Steve Cropper and William Bell written Slow Train, previously recorded by both The Staple Sisters and Marty Stuart, is beautifully delivered, and Tom Petty’s Swingin’ is given an impressive country-soul makeover. The addictively melodic I’ll Come Running also sounds like it could have been borrowed from Tom Petty’s songbook.  

THE SOUND OF MUSCLE SHOALS is an album that pays homage to the music that was very much part of Farris’ upbringing, from the WCDT-1340AM radio station of his young years and his father’s record collection. It proudly celebrates all that is so vital about 

Muscle Shoals and the eclectic mix of blues, rock, soul, country and gospel that was born in that space over the past sixty-five years. However, more than simply an exercise in nostalgia, it’s an effort that reaches the sweet spot between soul, blues and country and is a powerfully emotive body of work.

Declan Culliton

Ian M Bailey Lost In A Sound Kool Kat Musik

In years to come, if the printed press still exists, a music magazine is likely to feature Ian M Bailey in an article under the heading ‘Undiscovered’. Bailey is an artist who lives and breathes music but who is more at home creating and recording albums that are full of jangles, melodies, and hooks than he is peddling his wares in a live setting. LOST IN A SOUND is the fourth album he has released in five years, all recorded using basic equipment in his home studio, Small Space Studio, in Preston, Lancashire.  

This album follows a similar trajectory to Bailey’s previous work. Aside from the signature sun-kissed and 60s West Coast sound, the songwriting is credited to Bailey and his co-writer, Daniel Wylie, of Cosmic Rough Riders. The artwork, always an impressive feature of his records, was designed by John Washington and the album is supported by the boutique record label Kool Kat Music, which can boast some other excellent under-the-radar artists on their roster. The vocals and backing vocals, Rickenbacker, acoustic guitar, bass, drums, piano, Mellotron, and percussion are all credited to Bailey. His regular collaborator, Alan Gregson (Cornershop, Badly Drawn Boy), working from his West Orange Studios, Bioussac, France, added the orchestral arrangements, lap steel, clarinet, percussion, Texas guitar, synths, vibes and dulcimer. Gregson also edited and mastered the record.

Kicking off with a powerful anti-war anthem, Rooks (‘Killer, maimer, life debaser, an officer no less. Fresh from university, but who’ll clean up your mess’) is brimming with horns, syncs and guitars. Shifting tempos, the gentle, piano-led I’ll Be There To Save You (‘A river runs right through this town, who’ll survive and who will drown?’) follows a thread of holding on to life despite hardship and the mountains to climb. The tender and intimate White Whale’s dreamy pace and layered vocals explode beautifully mid-song with a Bacharach-styled kaleidoscope of strings. 

The lyrics support the music rather than the reverse in the otherworldly Deep Blue Waters, and Desert Star is a fully charged instrumental that lands somewhere between Hawkwind and The Grateful Dead. The power poppy Welcome To The Desert (‘To the signals we are sending out where everyone’s pretending there might be a happy ending now’) takes a stab at indifference and apathy during increasingly disorderly and anarchic times. That sentiment of positivity and optimism is further addressed in Don’t Let The Garden Die, which offers the most profound inkling of the writer’s frame of mind throughout this fabulous collection. 

Sunburnt, blissed out and breezy summer sounds that hit the spot regardless of the season, LOST IN A SOUND is classic pop/country music of the kind that Gene Clark and The Byrds created many decades ago. Bailey has delivered a record that is a worthy companion to his previous recordings and should herald a well-deserved breakthrough. Either way, I’ve no doubt that he is already writing and composing his next entry into his catalogue of albums that are loaded with positive energy and, for this writer, a delight to spend time with.

Declan Culliton

The Clayton McMichen Story CMH

Recorded in 1981, eleven years after his death, this album was a recognition of an artist who was a leading light in country and bluegrass music in the early to mid-21st century. Born in Georgia in 1900, McMichen was the grandson of a banjoist and the son of a fiddler and began playing the fiddle at an early age. As with many of his peers in those times, his professional career covered a broad base of styles. Country ballads and traditional fiddle tunes may have been his calling, but his repertoire and performances also embraced jazz and dance tunes.

This twenty-six-track recording, performed by a host of bluegrass and country household names, represents the music that was very much a part of McMichen’s musical life from his early career to his passing in 1970. The players are Merle Travis, MacWiseman, Joe Maphis, Jackson D. Kane and Fiddlin’ Red Heron. A collection of instrumentals and traditional classics are reworked, including Fire In The Mountain, Carroll Country Blues, and In The Pines. Blues standards like Lightnin’ Hopkins’ Trouble In Mind and Georgia Turner and Bert Martin’s timeless House Of The Rising Sun are also included. The latter was immortalised and introduced to a broader audience by The Animals in 1964. Further evidence of the diversity of music covered by McMichen is the inclusion of dance hall standards, I’m Looking Over A Four Leaf Clover and Dancehall Waltz. 

A member of Gid Tanner and the Skillet Lickers in the 1920s, McMichen’s first hit as a solo act was Sweet Bunch of Roses, which sold over one hundred thousand records in 1927. He retired in 1955, but as the folk music revival in the mid-1960s became a popular movement, he was invited to perform at the Newport Folk Festival in 1964, which relaunched his career. He continued to perform regularly from then until his passing in 1970. 

McMichen may not be a household name outside the bluegrass, country, and old-time music community and its supporters. However, thanks to CMH Records (Country Music Heritage) and the artists working on this worthy reissue, now available on all digital platforms, one of the forefathers of American roots music should reach a much broader audience.

Declan Culliton

Tobacco City Horses Scissortail

Here’s an album that will clear out the fumes with some well placed cosmic country grooves, placing the Chicago-based band among those who draw elements from a earlier time, creating something that is in fact more timeless and well-placed for a contemporary audience who have a interest in that particular mix of sounds. What you pick up on from the opening track Autumn is the blend of the vocals of Chris Coleslaw and Lexi Goddard, along with the pedal steel guitar smoothing gliding around them, setting out largely what Tobacco City is about. Andy ‘Red’ PK is the man to credit with his important contribution to the sound throughout the album. There is an immediate connection to some Gram/Emmylou moments, though that is not to diminish how good this pair work together. The other ten players listed also bring much to the proceedings on an album that I liked on first listen and has only grown more since then. There are also some immersing songwriting, strong arrangements and production involved, however none of these elements are credited (that I can find). 

The voices also take you back to some sibling-like harmonies, especially on the three versions of the title track that are included. The three versions are ambient in nature, with a feel throughout that infuses some slow and atmospheric instrumentation, enhancing the semi-psychedelic and cosmic principles at work over the arrangements. All are bolstered by the use of backing vocals from several of those involved in the recording. Both Coleslaw and Goddard have voices well capable of taking the lead on some tracks and can hold that position well, but there is no doubting the overall support that is given by the others. 

There are a number of highlights here including Fruit From The Vine, and the evocation of the western plains and an earlier history on Buffalo. It features some sterling guitar and steel playing too and ends with the chorus of a traditional cowboy song ‘Home On The Range.’ Other songs tend evoke life in a small town and how that experience can change over time in terms of recollections that soften the thoughts. Blue Deja Vu is a slow consideration of some memories of past moments. Mr Wine is a vibrant pulsing song that appears first in a ‘radio edited’ version, then a longer version that ends in an extended instrumental workout, that runs well beyond the initial song structure before bringing it back at the end with its “bye, bye blues” refrain. This has a feel that is reminiscent of the Everly Brothers that is effective and pleasing. Bougainvillea is perhaps the single most potent track, reflecting how youth allows you to get away with things that in later years would not be that easy, but the perspective of those days remains a clear insight and retention.

The third version of Horses closes the album. Another short meditation that, like much of the album, remembers an innocence that has since given way, that we often have to lose that sense of liberation to deal with the realities of growing older, and having more solid responsibilities overall. However, throughout the album’s playing time, you can close your eyes and drift into another consciousness, floating along on its vision and validity.

Stephen Rapid

Kevin Stonerock Party Of One Self Release

Like many of his contemporaries, it is likely that in terms of making his music Kevin Stonerock is essentially making it for a ‘party of one.’ First and foremost, it is a labour of love, but one that is there to reach out to a wider audience of like-minded listeners. As with his previous six albums, this falls neatly under the country/Americana category. It is easy to like these songs, with Stonerock’s lively vocal presence and melodic sensibility. He has assembled a set of supportive players, including Gabriel Stonerock on guitars, fiddler Shane Guse and Ed Ringwald on pedal steel. They have a driving rhythm section that includes Stonerock himself on bass, with drummer Derrick Carnes. Stonerock also adds acoustic and baritone guitar. His songs tell tales of small towns, past memories and those, seemingly large, problems that everyone of a certain age faces. 

Summer Time, for instance, looks back at a time when it seemed there was a simplicity to how the pace of life was, back as one was growing up, a time when “dreams overcome reality.” Then, conversely, with Down Home Ain’t Down Home Anymore, he sees the other side of that coin as he faces the changes that are happening, with people who used to leave doors unlocked no longer having that sense of community. That may seem a slightly rose coloured view but is never-the-less a common one when looking back. This theme continues with This Old House, which reminisces on the home and house he grew up in and where his recollections of family began and remain. Equally he recognises that things are never without complications or issues, noting that “in this world there will always be trouble” in North Of November, in a time that he never remembers feeling colder. 

That sense of nostalgia tinged with uncertainty pervades the themes. The title track takes the satisfaction that lies in being comfortable within one’s own skin and company, something that comes across over the album. Here he is the master of ceremonies, making the album that this time in his life demands, something that can easily be understood, even if the references largely relate to his Midwest upbringing. Neither is he unaware of times that might’ve been forgotten but were undoubtedly not without a sense of distraction and devilment. In  I Heard That I Had A Good Time has him recalling that although things might not have gone to plan he was left “standing on the corner of Misery and Wine / I’m walking in the rain / I’m walking in the rain / But I guess I can’t complain ‘cause I guess I had a good time.”

Within the same mind-set is the gentle love song, All Those Years Ago, where he asks that he be forgiven for all the mistakes he made, but declaring that he won’t forget the love they shared. The final track kicks up the dust with the swing of Sidewinder, which it seems is a train, a car and a love interest, all delivered with the enthusiasm that is shared throughout the album. Kevin Stonerock is undoubtedly a talented player, singer and writer who has made an album he must feel happy with, and one that could easily please others. It is undemanding but leaves the listener feeling uplifted and knowing they have spent the time in good company.

Stephen Rapid

Helene Cronin Maybe New Mexico Self Release

It’s always good to hear new music from Cronin as it is likely to be a collection of thoughtful songs, finely balanced playing and a vocal delivery that is imbued with life, love and loss - something that comes with time and telling observation. This time out the album has been produced, engineered and mixed by Mitch Dane and recorded in Nashville. Also in the team were Bobby Terry on all things stringed, and Charlie Lowell on keyboards who, along the other team players, are understated but entirely effective. 

This is no more apparent than on Power Lines, a tender evocation of understanding that in a relationship one partner might feel that their emotions are not always reciprocated. “Oh, the one who's more in love is at the mercy of / The one who doesn't feel it as strong / And that's how the power lines are draw.” The fate of a small town where copper mining was once the employment mainstay is the subject of the song Copperhill. Co-written by Cronin and Lydia Simonds, it evokes, with a solid swampy groove, a particular time and place. Many of the songs here have been written with sympathetic fellow writers (including a number with Scott Sean White), but all fit easily with the overall sound that Cronin summons. The title songs is an example, largely a clever use of place names, written by the three composers, about moving around to different states and towns in an attempt to forget a lost liaison. “I spent a month in Oklahoma / Still felt too close to Tennessee / Started heading west and I'll just keep going / Till I'm over you and me … or maybe I'll get lost in Las Cruces“ There is much to highlight within the stories that will resonate in a way that is insightful and understandable. Rifleman is a moving telling of the post-war stress suffered by a close relative, who still suffers its long term effects. It is a perceptible portrait of a person going from the small farm to a foreign war, and coming back having withdrawn from that former life. It points a picture that is true to life.

The song Switzerland takes that country’s unaligned status as a, perhaps, unreal reality, suggesting that there’s no place that is without conflict, collateral damage with neutral ground, and therefore no such place as Switzerland. If you were told at birth the day you would die, but not the actual year, is the premise of Not The Year, a meditation on that very consideration. The storyline is very much in the title of Ain’t That Just Like A Man, a man who makes her glad to be the woman she is. He is a loving, protective companion who is able to help carry the weight when she can’t. Leaving your mark in life, no matter how small, or how difficult is what Maker’s Mark aspires to, leaving a place in a better place than it was found. It has an anthemic quality of purpose. Similarly in Dear Life, an open letter to the way that things never seem to work out as might have been planned, but allows finding “beauty in the mess.” A slow piano and cello ballad, it has hope in its heart. 

Another stand out is the acoustic song of faith, or lack of it, that is outlined in God Stopped By, which features some plaintive dobro playing. It has that thought held by many in the lyric “Why He lets the bad things happen if He's really good.” Further thoughts on that overall theme is central to Visitors which shows that, in fact, in this life we are just visitors who are “passing through the same revolving door.” As with much of the album, there is a gentleness to these questions, maybe not the answers but open enough to allow opinion. This all marks out Helene Cronin as a singer and songwriter who allows these possibilities to be openly discussed in a musical setting, one that is as rewarding as it is accomplished, and part of a body of work that has seen some equally enriching releases.

Stephen Rapid

New Album Reviews

Kenny Kosek with Tony Trischka Twisted Sage Shefa

Veteran Bronx native and bluegrass fiddle legend, Kenny Kosek, has finally got around to producing his second solo album, twenty eight years after his first. Both old time and bluegrass enthusiasts will welcome this lengthy album as an important record of fiddle-and-banjo duets, recorded with his long term friend and musical companion, Tony Trischka, the banjo maestro.

In the planning since 2010, when Peter Rowan invited them to perform a duet as part of their presence in his road band at that time, that tune, Texas, by Henry Reed, is included here along with fourteen other tunes, many obscure. 

Kosek has been collecting tunes since his youth in New York, when he visited Loy Beaver, a collector of fiddle-band 78’s. Kosek regularly hauled his reel-to-reel tape recorder up the four flights to Beaver’s apartment, where he recorded by holding the mic up to the record player. Over the intervening years, Kosek further expanded his old time repertoire greatly, while also performing with the likes of David Bromberg, Jerry Garcia, newgrass bands like Country Cooking, and artists like Willie Nelson, James Taylor and Leonard Cohen. His fear that these songs would be lost forever, if not recorded, prompted him to finally put them down for posterity.

Trischka and Kosek’s friendship started around 1970 at a bluegrass festival in Virginia. Both players since have a history of honouring the legacy of traditional American folk music, as well as pushing out the boundaries and this is evident in this unique offering. They kick off with a lively version of the standard Streak O’ Lean Streak O’ Fat, and close with a very different take on another standard Bill Cheatham, here reimagined as William Cheatham. In between, there is a wealth of original tunes, interspersed with more old favourites from the old time canon. There’s a track called Turkeys in the Straw, three different takes on that ubiquitous old time standard. Extensive liner notes accompany each tune, and the woodcuts and b/w photos contribute to a lovely overall package. 

As well as the two main players, they are joined by guest Andy Statman on mandolin for several cuts, and by guitarist Mark Cosgrove and banjoist Marty Cutler for a few more. The title track is an original tune, and Twisted Sage can have one of several meanings: it’s a seated yoga position; a deranged wise man, the dried herb burned in Native American purifying ceremonies; or a simple wreath of sage. It’s also a metaphor for the twists and turns of Kosek’s career, the tunes he plays and also the rootedness that he revels in.

Co-produced by Kosek and Ed Haber, and released on Haber’s Shefa Records label, this album is highly recommended for anyone who either appreciates or plays American folk music.

Eilís Boland 

Cowboy Junkies Whites Off Earth Now!! Cooking Vinyl

Recorded in 1986, this debut album by Cowboy Junkies would no doubt have disappeared without a trace had it not been for the remarkable success, two years later, of THE TRINITY SESSIONS. The brainchild production-wise of Peter Moore, that album was recorded around a single microphone two years later at Toronto's Church of the Holy Trinity. The venue for this debut album was also quite unorthodox when, also under the watchful eye of Moore, they rented a house on Crawford Avenue in Toronto and converted the garage into a makeshift recording room, which was to become known as Studio 547

WHITES OFF EARTH NOW!! was a precursor of what was to follow for Cowboy Junkies, establishing the band on both sides of the Atlantic as one of the most innovative bands of that time and one of the forerunners of what was to become Alt-country. With the exception of the self-written Take Me, the album consisted of cover versions and was an introduction to the band's stripped-back, hypnotic and atmospheric sound, fronted by Margo Timmins' haunting vocals and featuring her brother Michael's ghostly guitar. Their approach had more in common with The Velvet Underground (they would cover Lou Reed's Sweet Jane on THE TRINITY SESSIONS) than the overblown sound of the popular bands of that time, Van Halen and Metallica. The covers were mainly blues numbers with three John Lee Hooker inclusions (Decoration Day, I'll Never Get Out Of These Blues Alive, Forgive Me) and two Robert Johnson compositions (Me And The Devil Blues, Crossroads). State Trooper, borrowed from Bruce Springsteen's 1982 album NEBRASKA, was given a spooky and meditative makeover.

Unlike THE TRINITY SESSIONS, which offered a sound that drifted more towards folk and country, this album made little or no commercial impact at the time of its release. However, it was the blueprint for Margo, Michael and Peter Timmins, alongside bass player Alan Anton, to further develop their modus operandi and to record a follow-up album that would kickstart a career path that, four decades later, remains formidable. WHITES OFF EARTH NOW!! will never match the lofty heights of what was to follow, but it is an insight into a band whose vision was unparalleled at that time. 

Declan Culliton

Miss Tess Cher Rêve Self Release

My first encounter with singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Miss Tess was in 2018 when she was a member of her fellow Nashville resident JP Harris' touring band, The Tough Choices. Tess played bass when the heavily bearded and tattooed Harris and his accomplishes played a sterling set of full-bodied honky tonk at the appropriately named Nice' n' Sleazy in Glasgow.

Subsequent attendances at her shows in Nashville and reviews of her music revealed an artist with many other strings to her bow alongside her presence as a hired hand. Those encounters also introduced me to an artist with wide-ranging influences from Cajun, jazz, swing, R'n'B, doo-wop, 60s classic pop and country. Indeed, her 2020 album THE MOON IS AN ASHTRAY (great title!), where she shared production duties with her partner Thomas Bryan Eaton and Andrija Tokic, struck a chord with me as to how seamlessly she could blend so many of those influences in twelve tracks. That tenor is repeated with her latest offering, a nine-track record produced by Eaton, that suggests that her record collection stalled somewhere in the late-1960s, and all the better for that.

This album was spawned from the author's adoration of the South Louisiana region, Acadiana, where she visits regularly both as a performing artist and as a tourist, embracing the local culture and cuisine. Saluting what was once known as 'Old French' rural music in the area, the accordion-driven tracks Ride The Train and Take It Easy celebrate that swinging Cajun vibe. Even more impressive are two of the tracks beautifully dispatched in French. La Lune, C'est Un Cendrier, transports the listener to Parisienne food halls of yesteryear, where ladies in elegant evening wear and men in tuxedos dined or moved gracefully across a highly polished oak dance floor. The second inclusion in French, La Valse D'asteur, creates an image of a less salubrious but equally striking setting, possibly an outdoor Cajun wedding where adults drank brandy and waltzed alongside barefooted and animated children.

Kris Kristofferson's Nobody Wins gets a slightly more up-tempo treatment, and the tear-jerker Lord, I Need Someone Bad Tonight has its origins in classic early 1960s pop. Country ballads also feature, the Bobby Charles-written Tennessee Blues and the gorgeous album opener Louisiana ticking that particular box.

Cher Rêve translates as 'Dear Dream', and this splendid collection alludes to an artist whose motivation appears to be to simply follow her dreams, creating art that reflects her influences rather than following any mainstream signpost.

Declan Culliton

Chatham Rabbits Be Real With Me 24 Carrot

North Carolina duo Chatham Rabbits are husband and wife Austin and Sarah McCombie and BE REAL WITH ME is their fourth album, following on from ALL I WANT FROM YOU (2019), THE YOKE IS EASY, THE BURDEN IS FULL (2020) and IF YOU SEE ME RIDING BY (2022). 

Commenting on their latest and most mature album and its title, Sarah explains, ‘We got married so young. We are simply not the same people we once were because playing music for a living has consumed and transformed us. This lifestyle has presented us with exhausting tour schedules, vulnerable songs that force us to talk about our marriage, difficult business decisions, and the ever-complicated dilemma of mixing art and money and friends and employees. Ultimately, though, it has been a net positive experience.’

That positive experience is articulated on the opening track, Facing 29. Supported by banjo and pedal steel, the lead vocal is taken by Austin as he contemplates the strength of their relationship, ‘You are the reason I go on living this way, driving town to town acting like I got something left to say.’ That track is the opening statement on a nine-song collection that openly addresses a relationship that could have been emotional wreckage but has been held together by devotion and gained maturity. It’s followed by Sarah’s remembering challenging times on the aptly titled Matador (‘I had more red flags than a matador, I look back now, I see what for I lit myself on fire to keep us warm’). 

Chatham Rabbits are easy to listen to, but not to be confused with easy listening. Their shared vocals and harmonies are crystal clear, and the instrumentation that accompanies them is pin-sharp. Their sound is best described as folk-rooted, and standout tracks, Childhood Friends and the old-timey Collateral Damage are masterclasses in songwriting and musicianship. The quality of their playing also comes to light on the acoustic instrumental Big Fish, Small Pond, where Sarah’s banjo and Austin’s acoustic guitar are joined by Casey Toll on bass and Ryan Stigman on mandolin.

Declan Culliton

The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band Honeysuckle Family Owned

A leading light in front-porch country blues, The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band live shows have entertained audiences in thirty-eight countries as well as forty-eight states in their homeland. Recreating on vinyl the intensity of Reverend Peyton's finger-picking guitar style, his wife Breezy's washboard, and Jacob "The Snakob" Powell's percussion may be challenging, but it has been successfully executed over nearly a dozen previous studio recordings. They do so once more on a number of tracks with HONEYSUCKLE. However, the cover artwork, depicting Rev. Peyton seated alone with a guitar in his lap surrounded by wildwood, signals a slight change in direction, which is advanced by the writer in the PR notes accompanying the album, 'This record is a bit of a return to my roots, a very personal mix of old and new songs that shaped me or that I'm currently shaping. There is a smattering of Big Damn Band thrown into the mix to spice things up, and a short list of legends that I've always dreamed of collaborating with.'

As a result, the twelve-track album features seven self-written and five cover tracks. The title track and album opener feature only Peyton's rasping vocals and smoking guitar. A similar treatment applies to reworking Robert Johnson's If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day. Elsewhere, acclaimed Gospel quartet The McCrary Sisters add backing vocals on Looking For A Manger, and Billy Branch plays harmonica on the Blind Lemon Jefferson written Nell (Prison Cell Blues). Other contributors include Michael Cleveland, who plays fiddle on Freeborn Man, and Colton Crawford from The Dead South, who adds banjo on The Good Die Young.

Produced and recorded at home by Rev. Peyton and mixed by Grammy winner Vance Powell (Chris Stapleton, Jack White), HONEYSUCKLE is not a radical shift in style for the band and without straying from the intensity and fervour of their previous recordings is simply a sideways step from a combo immersed in traditional Delta blues.

Declan Culliton

Thea Gilmore These Quiet Friends Self-Release

'THESE QUIET FRIENDS is an album of songs that have seen me through dark times. The 2 am confidantes that you can reach for when no one else is around ‘explains Thea Gilmore, addressing her twenty-second studio album.

If LOFT MUSIC, the covers album released by Gilmore in 2004, was a signpost to the artists that set her on her musical career, over two decades later her second full covers album, THESE QUIET FRIENDS, is equally significant for the Oxford-born singer-songwriter.  

In conjunction with her razor-sharp songwriting, Gilmore is one of the most outstanding female U.K. vocalists of her time, often being name-checked with the legendary Sandy Denny. That analogy led to her recording DON'T STOP SINGING in 2011, which, in collaboration with Denny's estate, was an album based on Denny's writing. Other accolades included Gilmore's single, London, being included in the BBC's coverage of the 2012 Olympic Games. Other career high points were being asked to open for Joan Baez in the run-up to the 2004 U.S. presidential election and her music being used in numerous films. She recently recorded AFTERLIGHT (2021) and her self-titled record in 2023. 

Aptly titled THESE QUIET FRIENDS, the selections are reconstructed a number of notches below their original formats and, by doing so, draw the listener into the lyrics rather than the melody. A prime example is Child of Mine, whose agile lyrics transform a full-on rocker into a sublime folk song, and the same could be said of a gorgeous delivery of Damon Albarn’sEnd Of The Century. Gilmore even matches Mike Stipes' emotional outpouring on a stripped-back take on Everybody Hurts. Wrecking Ball, somewhat surprisingly the Miley Cyrus recording rather than the Neil Young one, also benefits from Gilmore's 'less is more' version. Sunday Morning remains true to Nico and The Velvet Underground's representation, and two possibly unexpected inclusions, although worthy choices, are the John Kander-composed Cabaret and the Billy Rose and Lee Davis song Tonight You Belong To Me.

Much more than simply a self-indulgent nostalgic exercise, Gilmore breathes new life into this compilation of pared-back adaptations, allowing the listener a chance to enjoy the inclusions from an altogether different place than the originals. In doing so, she has, over twenty years later, matched the excellence of LOFT MUSIC.  

I'll leave the final words to Gilmore, 'These songs have been like mates to me," Gilmore says. "They've marked important moments and provided warmth, strength, or even just fun. I hope I've done them justice.' 

Declan Culliton

JD Clayton Blue Sky Sundays Rounder

The 2023 debut full-length album by JD Clayton, LONG WAY FROM HOME, was actually recorded before the Arkansas native toured solo or with a band. In fact, the majority of the time that Clayton spent on the road before that album was released was his temporary work with a landscape contractor, travelling for projects from his home in Nashville, where he relocated to further his artistic career. 

Quite a lot has changed for Clayton since then. He moved back to his home state and has spent the last few years on the road with his touring band, revelling in the experience. That experience has also led Clayton to take the reins as producer on BLUE SKY SUNDAYS and record with his bandmates at Sound Emporium Studios in Nashville. Seven-time Grammy winner Vance Powell then completed the mixing duties. 

If LONG WAY FROM HOME was an introduction to an artist with obvious potential, Clayton has raised the bar quite a number of notches this time, and it is little surprise that Rounder Records has supported his latest record. Delving further into the music that influenced his debut album, Lynyrd Skynyrd's Mississippi Kid is unashamedly readdressed as Arkansas Kid, and Slow & Steady gives a thumbs up to Bob Seger. That Southern Rock vibe also raises its head in the sardonic Dirt Roads of Red. Shifting the tempo down, High Hopes & Low Expectations, co-written with Kendall Marvel (Chris Stapleton, George Strait), is an autobiographical tale of arriving in Nashville with expectations of a whirlwind of success, only to discover a crowded and obstacle-filled marketplace. The melodic Dance Another Dance, which was performed as the first dance by Clayton at his cousin's wedding, brings to mind The Beatles' I Saw Her Standing There. Other tracks that impress are the tear-jerker Madeline and, on the other side of the coin, the sentimental, Goodnight. The former pines for a lost love, the latter is an expression of love for his daughter. 

As was the blueprint with Clayton's debut album, BLUE SKY SUNDAYS has its foot firmly in the early to mid-70s. Why leave that comfort zone when you're left with the impression that it is precisely the sound he was born to make? A body of work most likely to attract many more devotees from an artist just beginning to get into his stride. 

Declan Culliton

White Rose Motor Oil Pre-Owned Songs (The collection 1955-1995) Self Release 

A collection comprised of a number of songs released individually over the last year from the duo White Rose Motor Oil. They are Eryn DeSomer on guitar and vocals and partner Keith Hoerog-DeSomer on drums. You could perhaps lazily describe them as a cowboy White Stripes. But equally there’s something of the Flat Duo Jets in there too. The tracks were produced, recorded and mixed by Brian Hunter and the whole thing is a big bag of fun.

The tracks chosen come from a number of different sources that all work in context of the simple delivery that connects with the essence of the songs. The collection opens with their version of the George Jones/Elvis Costello covered Good Year For The Roses. It starts with a voice and guitar intro similar to the latter’s version, and builds with the bass and drums, but remains a sombre take on a failed relationship. In a different mode, with a distorted vocal, is their version of a theme from a 1964 very B movie ‘Santa Claus Conquers the Martians’. Hooray For Santa Claus captures something of the aesthetic at play. Next up is I Want You To Want Me, their account of the extremely catchy Cheap Trick song. Then back further in time for a rendition of, Making Believe, a song recorded back in 1955 by Kitty Wells and also recorded by Social Distortion. This version is closer in spirit to the latter than the former - a full on hot to trot take.

Another track picked from a film soundtrack is Nowhere Fast from the 1984 movie Streets Of Fire, a nice punk pop feel prevails, with a touch of Joan Jett in the air. Post punk is also the source for Vaseline, originally released by Elastica, again this is done in a stop-start singalong way that works for them. An old favourite up next that has been recorded many times and, while it may not surpass the original, their interpretation of Werewolves Of London prowls along at a pace. It has to be said that Eryn exhibits a vocal prowess that manages to capture a little of the original and, as such, this is her most soulful outing. You Got To Sin To Be Saved dates from 1993 when Maria McKee recorded it and it allows Eryn another opportunity to show she can sing as well as she can play. Letting the object of her displeasure know what she thinks of him is the subject of their rendering of the Dee Dee Warwick/Betty Everett classic, You’re No Good. That’s definitely not something that can be levelled at this powerful duo, who take their garage country out for a spin and show off how the engine of their enterprise still has some good mileage to go as this collection of songs, chosen to suit their dynamic, shows. These pre-owned songs have been be given a new home and a new lease of life in the hands of WMRO.

Stephen Rapid

Miss Georgia Peach Class Out The Ass Rum Bar

This is the latest release from the lady known as Miss Georgia Peach, who is the beating heart of this fine sounding album of (mostly) covers. Very early on she recreates the foot tapping favourite Baby Ride Easy, a perennial favourite written by Richard Dobson and known by the version recorded by Carlene Carter and Dave Edmunds, their new version takes a similar path and still sounds vibrant. The album opens with the admonishment to a bar fly in Shut Up And Drink Your Beer. There are some originals that stand up with the covers too, such as Dusty and Honey wagon, written by Peach, that offer a certain allure to a prospective partner. What is apparent straight away is that the production by Travis Ramin delivers a twang-laden country infused confection that is as tasty as you might require. 

The vocal performance of Peach has got the power and passion to pull of a bunch of songs that have a pedigree. Her versions of The Buck Owens written I Don’t Care (Just As Long As You Love Me) and Ira Louvin penned Who Threw Dat Rock? take you back to the good old days of cow punk. There are a number of duets that hold their own, such as Sweet Thang with Scott Luallen that tells two sides of the tale with equal acclaim.

Another is their take on the Conway Twitty/Loretta Lynn confrontational and acquisition fuelled You’re The Reason Our Kids Are Ugly (that and many other things), though it’s one of those relationships wherein despite it all they still love one another! The duet partner here is Blaine Cartwright and both have a lot of fun with the exchanges. That theme is continued in the title of the track Take Your Guitar And Git - “I’m tired of hearing you try to play those hillbilly songs.” Of course there are pluses and minuses in life and the protagonist in Let Me Be There wants to be there for everything that might happen, no matter how mundane that might seem. Somewhere Down The Line sits in the middle and realises how things can change. It is another example of the collective band’s love of playing these songs, with the passion that was apparent in the late 80s take on injecting new life into the ghost of traditional country.

Another well-known song that the team takes and bring their talents to is the Mike Nesmith classic, Some Of Shelly’s Blues, which is given a solid restrained reading that shows just how good a singer Peach is. They take all these songs on their own terms and sing them with a passion and motivation. The album closes fittingly with Gram Parson’s Luxury Liner, a song that motors along the tracks to a destination that offers some sense of arrival. So let’s hear it for Blain Cartwright (rhythm guitar), Ruyter Suys (on lead guitar, mandolin and keyboards), Earl Crimm (on acoustic and lead guitar), Mark Hendricks (on bass) and A.J. Srubas (on fiddle and pedal steel). All also add vocals, as do Scott Luallen and Heather Parrish. Finally, producer Travis Ramin also provides drums and percussion. 

This is a studio team that are the equal of many found in the Nashville studios and they do a great job of giving Peach the musical platform to perform from. They have class and is an entertaining album that should gain Peach the exposure she should have outside of her own locality, and I’m sure they provide a pretty damn good live show too, with their mix of classic and contemporary country music.

Stephen Rapid

The Third Mind's Live Mind Yep Roc 

What started in 2018 by Dave Alvin as an experimental supergroup intending to breathe psychedelic life into selected songs, continues to grow legs almost seven years later. It's hardly surprising, given the creative mix of talent that Alvin recruited to join in his adventure. Bass player Victor Krummenacher (Camper Van Beethoven, Cracker, Monks of Doom, Eyelids) was the first to come on board and was followed by drummer Michael Jerome (Richard Thompson, Better Than Ezra, John Cale) and guitarist David Immerglück (Counting Crows, Monks of Doom, Camper Van Beethoven). The final piece of the jigsaw was to recruit a suitable vocalist to complete the band's vision, and Jesse Sykes (Jesse Sykes and The Sweet Hereafter) proved to be an inspired choice.

Two studio albums followed, THE THIRD MIND (2020) and THE THIRD MIND 2 (2023), alongside some memorable live shows, the first of which was at 2023's Hardly Strictly Bluegrass in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. The success of that performance led to a ten-date West Coast tour, which featured guest players Mark Karan (RatDog, Planet Drum, The Other Ones) on guitar and Willie Aron (Ricky Lee Jones, The Bangles) on keys.

This one-hour live album was adapted and recorded from their 2024 shows at the Troubadour in Los Angeles, Ventura Hall in Ventura, California, and The Kessler Theatre in Dallas, Texas. Featuring mainly material from their studio albums, the versions highlight their masterly improvisation prowess, as noted by Mark Karan ' We re-interpret the songs nightly, never playing anything exactly the same way twice… staying true to the musical approach I've loved for so many years playing in the Grateful Dead family.'

Sally Go Round The Roses, a hit for all-girl group The Jaynetts in 1963, weighs in at a lengthy thirteen minutes plus, exceeding the studio recording version on their 2023 album by a few minutes. It's the optimal album opener that defines precisely the band's vision, with woozy guitar breaks in front of a fine rhythm section and, of course, Sykes's haunting vocals. It's not the album's most extended statement either, and it is exceeded time-wise by the jamming instrumental East West. It's fitting that a song composed by Jesse Sykes is included, and Doralee, previously featured in RECKLESS BURNING, the classic 2009 record by Jesse Sykes and The Sweet Hereafter, is beautifully performed without straying too far from the original version. Morning Dew, written by Tim Rose and Bonnie Dobson, kicks off on a similarly low-key tempo before shifting into high gear spectacularly mid-song. Also included is a reconstruction of Groovin' Is Easy, written and performed in the late 1960s by the Mike Bloomfield-led band, The Electric Flag and also from the same decade, the Fred Neil written, A Little Bit Of Rain.

At a time when mind-expanding jam bands are a rarity, THE THIRD MIND are torch carriers for the underrepresented genre. Forget about dusting down your Grateful Dead albums for a blast of cosmic psychedelia, slip on your headphones and check this album out. Satisfaction guaranteed. 

Declan Culliton

Horsebath Another Farewell Strolling Bones

Listening to ANOTHER FAREWELL, the debut album from Canadian band Horsebath, you could be forgiven for thinking that you had stumbled upon an undiscovered band from the late 1960s. EXCLAIM! magazine, who hailed this album as ‘one of the most anticipated Canadian albums of 2025’, made comparisons with fellow countrymen, The Band, when referencing their style. That likeness includes the four-piece band members (Daniel Connolly, brothers Dagen and Keast Mutter, and Etienne Beausoleil) sharing songwriting and vocal duties and their tendency to switch instruments from one song to the next.

Having won the approval and support of Strolling Bones Records, the sister label of New West Records, the self-produced album was written and completed in a whirlwind ten days. The recording took place at The Treatment Room Montreal, with the mastering completed by Rufus van Baardwijk at Hidden Gem Studio in Amsterdam.

The comparisons to The Band ring true in the deep grooves of Hard To Love and Another Farewell, and those themes of lost love and dejection, whether self-experienced or fanciful, reoccur with regularity on the album. Long and Lonesome recalls Lee Hazelwood’s COWBOY IN SWEDEN material, and that 1960s vibe also holds up on the haunting In The Shade, which nods its head toward The Doors. Really Did A Number On Me and Turn My Lover Loose are weather-beaten and bluesy barroom numbers, and Only In My Dreams is a toe-tapping slice of bubble gum pop.

Musically, ANOTHER FAREWELL may reach back to an earlier time and place, but it’s much more than a tribute to the band’s influences. A reflection of a quartet having the time of their lives in the studio while making a profound statement, it’s also an exciting introduction and gateway into a band with endless potential.

Declan Culliton 

Dean Owens Spirit Ridge Continental Song City 

THE RIDGE TRILOGY EPs, released by Dean Owens last year, provided a sneak preview of what to expect from SPIRIT RIDGE, the latest addition to the hugely impressive and growing back catalogue of Edinburgh, Scotland artist, Dean Owens. The three EPs included demos of songs recorded for this record alongside a number which did not make the final cut.

A globetrotter, continually in search of new inspirations to fuel his creative juices, Owens travelled to Tucson, Arizona, to collaborate with Joey Burns and John Convertino of Calexico fame to record his 2023 album EL TIRADO (The Curse of Sinner's Shrine). During a casual conversation, Owens, whose great-great-grandfather was born in Italy, expressed an interest in recording a project in Italy. With that in mind, Convertino facilitated an introduction to Italian musician, producer and filmmaker Don Antonio. That contact led to SPIRIT RIDGE being recorded in a four-century-old farmhouse in Crinale, Emilia-Romagna, Italy, with Owens and Antonio sharing production duties. A common interest for the two was their fascination with the American-Mexican border, both in geographical terms and the music it inspired. 

The warm-hearted and gentle Eden Is Here, which opens the album, pays homage to Emilia-Romagna's stunning landscapes. The exquisite My Beloved Hills, which featured in the first instalment of last year's trilogy GHOST WALKING, finds Owens recalling loved ones who have passed away. Charged with strings and horns, it's a majestic affair and, for this writer, one of the standout songs of last year. Sinner Of Sinner is a sinister tale of a bloodthirsty and menacing orphan. The funky Burn It All explores the plight of the expelled and powerless, and that border-related concept is also at the heart of the short but explosive horn-driven instrumental, Spirito. 

There is also space for a romantic and optimistic ballad, and Spirit Of Us ticks that box. Continuing on that thread of positivity and longevity, that song is followed by the album closer, Tame The Lion, inspired by Owens' great-great-grandfather's occupation as a lion tamer and how his spirit lives on in this sacred location.

SPIRIT RIDGE continues Owens' exploration of a broad canvas of issues, from loved ones passed to the quandaries facing the less privileged. Working with a talented crew that included Don Antonio (guitars, lap steel, piano, mellotron), Luca Giovacchini (guitars, dobro), Piero Perilli (drums, percussion), Danilo Gallo (bass) and an ace brass section, it's a continuation of Owens' ever engaging musical journey. Highly recommended.

Declan Culliton

The Delines Mr. Luck & Ms. Doom Décor 

Country-soul band The Delines has been recording and performing Willy Vlautin’s narratives of hapless, out-of-luck and destitute characters and couples for over a decade, since he disbanded his band, Richmond Fontaine. Passing the baton to Amy Boone (formerly of Texan band, the Damnations) to add her silver-tongued vocals to his words, the band’s impressive back catalogue consisted of five albums before releasing this latest one. 

Much as Boone is the perfect foil to bring Vlautin’s stories to life, the consistently depressing themes and references in the songs led to a simple request from her to Vlautin, ‘I’m just a normal girl. Can’t we have a song where the good guy gets the girl, and they fall in love once?’ Taking on board the not unreasonable request, Vlautin wrote the album title and opening track, MR. LUCK & MS. DOOM. Not exactly a classic romantic commentary, it tells of a chance encounter by two hapless characters, a failed criminal recently released from jail and a house cleaner. Finding solace in each other’s arms, the couple drift from town to town, their lovemaking passionately wearing out hotel mattresses before moving on. Of course, the story has no happy ending, but its fundamentals of drifting and luckless lovers are at the pulse of the album’s eleven songs. Vlautin’s further attempts to pen love stories with happy endings may have fallen flat, but he did, tongue-in-cheek, inject a degree of romance into the project by scheduling its release for Valentine’s Day.

Tragic train-hopping hobo teenage runaways (Her Ponyboy), a short-term relationship doomed by mental illness (JP & Me), and a series of abusive affairs (Left Hook Like Frazier) continue the theme of dead-end liaisons. Other powerful tales include a teenage bride controlled by a towering pimp who successfully plans her exit (Nancy & The Pensacola Pimp) and a woman on the run after helping herself to the proceeds of drug dealers (Maureen’s Gone Missing).  

Since its formation, The Delines have perfected a quite unique country/soul crossover sound that fits ‘hand in glove’ with Vlautin’s chapters of impending doom and unfulfilled dreams. Those dark sentiments are aired flawlessly on MR. LUCK & MS. DOOM, bringing together Boone’s deeply felt vocals supported by exemplary musicianship.

The album was recorded at Bocce in Vancouver, Washington State and produced by their regular collaborator John Morgan Askew (M.Ward, Margo Cilker, Howe Gelb). Band members Amy Boone (vocals), Willy Vlautin (vocals, guitars), Cory Gray (keyboards, trumpet, flugelhorn), Freddy Trujillo (bass) and Sean Oldham (drums) were joined by guest players Tucker Jackson (pedal steel), Mark Powers (percussion), Noah Berstein (saxophones), Amanda Lawrence (violin, viola) and Colin Oldham (cello). 

The Delines play their only 2025 date in Ireland at the Kilkenny Roots Festival on Sunday 4th May.

Declan Culliton

Cristina Vane Hear My Call Self Release

Italian-born singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Cristina Vane has not been sitting on her hands since arriving in Nashville six years ago. Integrated into the bohemian musical community in East Nashville shortly after her arrival, HEAR MY CALL is her third studio album following the release of her debut record, NOWHERE SOUNDS LOVELY, in 2021 and MAKE MYSELF ME AGAIN, which followed a year later. 

A student of both the technical and lyrical aspects of music, Vane has been writing songs and playing guitar since her teens. Her teen years saw her studying classical vocals, music theory, piano and flute. From there, she progressed to the art of slide guitar before moving to Los Angeles, where she studied and perfected the clawhammer banjo technique. Next up was a self-managed tour of over twenty states in America, where she absorbed and learned the various musical traditions as she travelled. Armed with those skills and still eager to widen her musical horizons, she settled in Nashville, where she continues to record and perform.

It's hardly surprising that the playing on the thirteen-track album is top-notch. Alongside Vane's bluesy guitar skills and crystal-clear vocals are guest slots by Kenny Vaughan on Telecaster, guitar contributions by JD Simo and Molly Tuttle, bass guitar by Geoff Henderson, Ty Bailee on organ, mandolin by Karl Smakula, and drums by Roger Ross. Tuttle, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, and Brenna MacMillan also contribute backing vocals. 

Although blues emerged as the dominant musical direction in Vane's previous albums, there were also nods to her eclectic influences, with splashes of roots and rock also incorporated. She does not veer too far from that template this time around and continues to fashion what has become her own quite distinctive Americana strain.

Two co-writes are included, the raunchy blues track Shake It Babe, composed with Mike Harris (Old Crow Medicine Show), and the swampy Do You Want To Lose, which was written with singer-songwriter, Silas Lowe. She cuts loose on the full-on rockers Little Girl From Nowhere, and Everything Is Fine. Getting High In Hotel Rooms, the first single from the album, is a gorgeous, road-weary, love song showcasing Vane's exquisite vocals. The title track is a lively bluegrass affair with slick instrumental breaks and sticking with that country vibe, You Ain't Special and My Mountain also impress. 

Signing off with the explosive Lost You In The Mountains, the lasting impression I'm left with is one of an artist whose fusion of musical styles works to perfection. 

Declan Culliton

Joe Ely Love & Freedom Rack 'Em

A force of nature in so many ways, Joe Ely is a performer who had an eye for the future and a foot in the past and who forged his own blend of hardcore country, folk, border music and renegade rock. He was equally at home playing the honky-tonks as he was the bigger stages that came his way. He has more than 25 releases under his name and is also an accomplished artist and author. In 2007, the AMA conferred him a Lifetime Achievement award. However, Ely is far from done. Even though there have been recent reports of ill health, he continues to work on the many songs he has recorded in recent years.

He built a home studio (Spur Studio in Austin) in the 80s and was able to record finished tracks and demos there. These recordings form the foundation of many of these recent releases. To bring some of these songs to life, he worked with Lloyd Maines, who was able to add additional instruments to the existing tracks. Following on from last year's DRIVEN TO DRIVE comes this collection of material, written in the main by Ely, but as with the last album, featuring a number of songs written by fellow troubadours such as Guy Clark and Townes van Zandt. Perhaps the biggest takeaway here is the physical presence of his voice; it has power, passion and personality. Allied to his writing, which covers many aspects of his writing themes from relationships and real-life stories to thought-provoking social issues - hence the overall title.

The opening track, Shake' Em Up, finds a solo Ely playing synth, electric drums and guitars in an effective collage over a message of what life can do to you and what you need to do to your life. More in line with previous recordings is Adios Sweet Dreams, and a feature of a number of the cuts here is the material cut with accompaniment by longtime accordion player Joel Guzman, which again also uses an additional rhythmic element to fill out the track. Guzman's contribution is fundamental to that border feel that underlines the lyric's wish to return to a lost love but is perhaps unable to the ongoing issues of crossing a border.

A story that rings true, Sgt. Baylock is about an officer of the law (given a pseudonym here) who delights in arresting Ely and how they meet again much later in different circumstances. It is delivered with a certain humour on fondness. It features Guzman and Lloyd Maines and is a stand-out track. Today It Did with a lyric that contemplates how a single day can change many things - "His car never started on the very first time / But today it did … He never thought that the truth would ever do him in / But today it did." It, as do many of the songs, shows that there is much to admire in Ely's skill as a writer. Band Of Angels sings of the freedom of riding on a horse of solid steel, of leaving those left behind, heading for the border, and hoping to get there alive.

The four songs that close the album all touch upon a wider theme of intolerance, misunderstanding and mistakes. They are Here's To The Brave, What Kind Of War, Surrender To The West and No One Wins, the latter written following a visit to Ground Zero in New York. All reflect the man Ely is and his concerns for the way the world is turning.

As an interpreter of others' material, Ely is also a master with another highlight in his reading of Clark's Magdalene, the Woody Guthrie classic and oft-recorded Deportee, which benefits from a duet vocal from Ryan Bingham, whose rough-hewed delivery fits well with Ely's own. Townes van Zandt has two of his better-known songs covered, Sake Of The Song and Waitin' Round To Die; Ely captures the spirit and poignancy with understanding and ease in both cases.

All of this means we should celebrate the talent and tenacity of Joe Ely in being true to himself, his music and the path he has chosen. May he continue to bring us his music as he has over the years, with the undoubted respect of his peers. Love and freedom are both needed right now.

Stephen Rapid

Philip Rambow I’m An Artist Fretsore

An artist with a history of being a solid singer/songwriter, Philip Rambow was born in Canada. He moved to London during the pub-tock phase (an era often reflected in the songs here). He was a member of the short-lived band The Winkies, who released one interesting album. They were chosen by Eno as his backing band for some days to tour the ex-Roxy's star debut album. Following that, he worked with a number of artists contributing songs, perhaps There's A Guy Down The Chip Shop Who Swears He's Elvis is the best known, but the fact that he has had a three CD compilation released shows that he kept pretty busy in the intervening years. His last album, CANADIANA, in 2019, indicated his current direction.

This album delivers another ten new songs written, or in two instances, co-written by Rambow. Produced by Malcolm Doherty, it features Rambow on vocals and guitars, with Doherty adding additional instrumentation. Bill Clift added backing vocals here and there. There's a lead guitar from Luke Edney, some violin, and additional vocals from Bob Loveday. But it's pretty much Rambow and Doherty's show. The songs were written during the Covid lockdown, and then the ones Rambow felt worked best were sent to Doherty.

These included the r’n’b influenced drive of A Dollar Short, the country-tinged The Road To Hell, and the rockin' swagger and energy of Mother F*Kazz (you know what he means there). The Man In The Iron Mask considers his place in the scheme of things with a hint of a non-folk-focused Dylan. The musical direction of his last album is also here in a couple of tracks, Roots And Wings and Bus Stop. While more grounded in current world affairs is The Emperor's Clothes, written during the first term of the current US president and is as valid now as it was then. The closing song, Lost Without You, has an engaging light touch of New Orleans jazz swing.

All of these factors show the diversity of Rambow's range and the natural survival nature of his ethics. This is not an album that will change a great deal in terms of creating something you haven’t heard before but is one from a performer who has not lost his ability to deliver his songs with an overall satisfaction. It's an album that will keep you engaged with its high points, which may well change from track to track for each individual listener.

Stephen Rapid

Joel Timmons Psychedelic Surf Country Self Release 

This is a multifaceted album that touches on the genres mentioned in the title, as well as other influences. Timmons is a guitarist, songwriter, producer, and collaborator; it says on his website and on this album that he is all of those, as well as a vocalist of some accomplishment. He was a part of the band Sol Driven Train and, more recently, a member of Sally & George with his partner Sally Means. This time out, he’s releasing his debut solo album under his own name. One that draws on his love for city and seashore (but never really becoming a Buffett-like entity).

The album was produced by Maya de Vitry, with whom he has worked in the past, so the two undoubtedly knew what they wanted from the album and its inherent diversity. The opening song is a tribute to his father, a song that begins to emerge from a swirl of ambient sound to reveal a tale of a person who was ‘just a man’ with simple aims who was a good Christian man who did what was necessary to have his family grow within set parameters. Just A Man uses some striking fiddle from Jason Carter in a strong instrumental bridge. Turbo is a more straight-up rock with a Hammond B3 featuring prominently on a tale of life on the road. Cary Ann Hearst adds a striking duet on the pedal steel loaded (from Brett Resnick), The Bullfighter, an album highlight with an “I am the greatest” boast. Another guest, Jason Carter, is featured in the tale of the American way, or at least one of them, that is Guitars, Guns And Pickup Trucks. 

End of Empire is more of a solidly built-up piece that grows into something more anthem, one of the more textured soundscapes here.  Cottage By The Sea is more laid back, a folky tune with some pedal steel adding to the effective vocal choruses. As well as some more serious messages, there is a sense of humour at play here, too. Perhaps best exemplified by The Swimming Song and East Nashville Cowboy. The former is an upbeat surf twang outing about the joys of learning to swim and the recklessness that might ensue doing so in various locations and using different strokes. With the stand-out line of “this summer I swam in a public place and a reservoir … at the latter I was in formal and at the former I wore my suit.” The latter is the straightest country song about a man who dresses for the occasion of playing a bar. Who will sing you a song or make you the best cappuccino you ever tried. It also features a small bit of yodel and mentions icons Haggard and Jones in the lyrics. It could be taken as a send-up, but I think it’s, while tongue in cheek, a warm tribute and probably a true depiction of a character for many.

Some thirteen people (and one dog) are credited on the cover, which points to the variety that their contributions brought to the multiplicity of sound these eleven tracks have. It, therefore, may be too diverse for some tastes. Still, Timmons has himself (as mentioned above) come from a wide musical background and manages to blend these elements into an enjoyable and assorted mix with many stand-out and memorable tracks that are worthy of returning to.

Stephen Rapid

Hola Texas! The Mexican Standoff  Self Release 

An EP featuring the voices and musicianship of Hola Texas! has some very Tex-Mex accordion-fuelled up-tempo dance music as its calling card. This all-female band takes such border influences as country ranchero and mariachi to create music with a lot of attitude and authenticity.  Produced by Fernanda Ulíbarri, Max Bacca, and Joe Treviño, it has contributions from the legendary Flaco Jimenez, amongst others. One track, El Pantalón Blue Jean, is a spirited female reinterpretation of a 1950s classic by Flaco Jimenez’s father, while Amor Bonito is a tribute to a trailblazing fellow female musician, Lydia Mendoza. So, there is an understanding of a strong heritage here as well as a way to keep the music relevant and real.

Hola Texas! is a four-piece band led by founder Fernanda Ulíbarri, who formed the band some years back and will shortly release this debut of six tracks, all but one in Spanish. The other one, In Heaven There Is No Beer, is an amusing song partly sung in English and Spanish. It tells us that in heaven, there is no beer; that’s why we drink it here! It is performed in a manner appropriate to that good time sentiment.

Truthfully though, other than for a specific segment who find a lot to enjoy in that particular combination of cultural influences, you won’t hear much of this genre of music on the radio (or live) in this part of the world. If, on the other hand, the accordion, with its overall sense of place when played in this distinctive style delivered with energy and attitude, appeals, then Hola Texas! It is going to be worth checking out.

Stephen Rapid

New Album Reviews

Jim White and Trey Blake Precious Bane Fluff & Gravy

Author, producer, singer-songwriter, and with former parallel careers that included taxi driver, male model, professional surfer and dishwasher, Jim White's life pursuits continue to intrigue (track down a copy of his 2022 autobiography, Incidental Contact, for verification). After his last solo album, MISFIT'S JUBILEE, in 2022, White turned his attention to producing fellow gothic country singer-songwriter Ben de la Cour's excellent 2023 release, SWEET ANHEDONIA. He has followed that project with this equally absorbing collaboration.  

Like many episodes in White's colourful world, this latest one came about unorthodoxly. The connection with Brighton, UK, resident and artist Trey Blake was made when she, a fan of White's work, gifted him with a copy of Mary Webb’s 19th-century historical romance novel, Precious Bane. That contact set in motion a long-distance correspondence between the two for a number of years. Having grown up with undiagnosed autism, Blake's artistic endeavours through song, prose and poetry were fuelled by her management of rollercoaster emotional highs and lows.  

What began as a communication between the two eventually led to a sharing of songs across the ocean and this intriguing ten-track album, which runs over the one hour mark. Engineered in the States by White and in the U.K. by Joe Watson, a member of the avant-pop band Stereolab, the final mixing and mastering are credited to John Keane (REM, Hard Working Americans, Billy Bragg). A number of guests are credited alongside White's vocals and instrumentation (he plays guitar, banjo, keys, marimba, percussion, woodwinds, harmonica, and melodica) and Blake's vocals and guitar. Among them are Robert Exon (guitars), Marlon Patton (drums and bass) and a regular companion of White's when he tours in Ireland, guitarist Clive Barnes. Collectively, they weave atmospheric and cinematic landscapes, very much in keeping with the themes of infatuation and passion within the songs. 

As you might expect, the meeting of two somewhat unconventional minds brings about a gothic, mythical soundscape and a lyrically challenging outcome. From the opening track, Ghost Song, to the album closer, The Ballad of The Gunfighters, sagas of life, love, desire, and death unfold. The former, with White taking the lead vocal, broods upon the pursuit of peace of mind. The latter, a poem voiced by Blake, tells of a gunslinger's last stance. White has described Trey Blake as 'U.K's undiscovered Patti Smith,' and that comparison raises its head in the explosive tale of uncontrollable desire, Rushing In Waves. 'Love comes when it ain't called, goes when it's still wanted,' Blake sings in the timeless tale of a chance, lust-ridden encounter. A sense of fleeting and unhinged love also emerges in the gorgeous Tumbleweed Time, and His Lady tells of a brutal, loveless encounter. 

Like the classic novel that inspired this album of the same name, White and Blake have created a timeless body of work with this project. The lyrics are pure poetry, the musicianship quite stunning, and the vocals equally striking. White has flirted with collaborations in the past, including working with Aimee Mann, M Ward, Victoria Williams, Ane Diaz, and the Packway Handle Band, to name a few. With this treasure chest of songs, he has found the optimum, like-minded artist with whom to trade lyrics and music. 

On a final note, credit goes to John Shepski at Fluff and Gravy Records for supporting this project, when most labels shy away from anything potentially non-commercial.  

Declan Culliton

Willow Avalon Southern Belle Raisin’ Hell Atlantic/Assemble Sound

If COUNTRY NEVER LEAVES was an impressive debut EP for Willow Avalon in 2024, her debut full-length album SOUTHERN BELLE RAISIN’ HELL has raised the bar for the Georgia-born artist tipped by Holler Country Music as one of the ‘Upcoming Country and Americana Artists You Need to Know in 2025.’

The fourteen-track album, seven of which appeared on last year’s EP, is particularly impressive in that it merges elements of traditional and modern country without ever descending into the bland pop/country crossover dominating country music radio these days.

Currently living in New York, Avalon grew up playing piano in church at an early age and eventually started trying her hand at songwriting. She is the daughter of singer-songwriter, and much loved at Lonesome Highway, Jim White, which goes a long way to explain her talent as a wordsmith.

SOUTHERN BELLE RAISIN’ HELL is a suite of stories that gives the listener a tour of life in a small Southern town, tales most likely triggered by Avalon’s personal experiences and observations growing up in that environment. Busted-heart songs may sit comfortably alongside high-spirited ‘badass’ statements, yet behind those sentiments also lies a sense of pride in the Southern heritage and personal self-esteem.

The short opening spoken intro, backed by Avalon’s dad on banjo and delivered in a natural Southern drawl, tells of the musical history of her family. It’s swiftly followed by Something We Regret, which bears witness to the mixed signals between the opposite sexes and the likely car crash that can follow (‘I love you like sugar, you love me like sex. Put us both together, we’ll do something we regret’). The instantly catchy and melodic Country Never Leaves and lyrically slick Getting’ Rich, Goin’ Broke visit small-town customs, the latter advancing a reality check on the ‘haves and have-nots.’

The like-minded artist Maggie Antone, whose slick wordplay on her 2024 album RHINSTONED also blended witticism and cutting reality, joins on backing vocals in Yodelayheewho. It’s a fire-spitting affair aimed at a former beau who didn’t last very long (‘And if I’m honest, Lord knows I am, you were a momentary lapse of judgement I’ll never understand’). Avalon is also firing on all cylinders and warning off pretenders on the grungy title track, before speaking of a more heartfelt separation in Tequila and Whiskey. Awash with weeping pedal steel and bookending the album is the piano-led tear-jerker Good Morning, Goodbye.

With fifteen million streams of Avalon’s two recent singles, Tequila and Whiskey and Homewrecker in two months, a string of sold-out shows in The States last year, and tours of the UK and Ireland scheduled for spring of this year, 2025 promises to be a breakout year for Avalon on both sides of the Atlantic. It may be an overcrowded market and all the more difficult for women to earn deserved exposure. Still, Willow Avalon ticks all the boxes to suggest she will significantly advance her career with this project. She possesses industry-savvy, astute and quick-witted lyrics and sparkling vocals that will appeal to broad audiences and lovers of both classic and modern country. Watch this space.

Declan Culliton

The Weather Station Humanhood Fat Possum

Performing as The Weather Station since 2006, Canadian Tamara Linderman's blend of experimental folk music has resulted in seven albums, including the latest HUMANHOOD, articulating a dark period of uncertainty and confusion for her. Unsettling as the Covid enforced lockdown was, the aftermath of returning to what had previously been the norm, alongside her deep-felt feelings on climate grief, brought its pressures, resulting in a state of near burn-out for Lindeman. Admitting that it's an album and project that she would not create at the present time, it’s one that needed to be given life in 2023 when she began working on the thirteen-track record.

The victim in many ways of her success and in particular that of her two previous albums, IGNORANCE (2021) and HOW IS IT THAT I SHOULD LOOK AT THE STARS (2022), her available budget for this project was far more than those previously available to her. Despite pressures to record in Los Angeles with suggested producers, Lindeman bravely and not without risk decided to record in Toronto and use those available funds to engage her favourite players, tour band members and friends. The recordings commenced at the Canterbury Music Company in Toronto, where she was joined by her co-producer Marcus Paquin and the rhythm section of Kieran Adams (drums), Philippe Melanson (percussion) and Ben Whiteley (bass). Karen Ng (saxophone, flute) and Ben Boye (keys) were also contributors.

The album continues the departure from Lindeman's more accessible early career recordings and follows her more experimental leanings in recent projects, blending elements of free-form jazz and electronics alongside her folk leanings and gentle soprano vocals. At the core of the songs is a personal rebirth, and the lengthy time required to complete the material reflects her recovery. 'I've gotten used to feeling like I'm crazy or just lazy. Why can't I get off this floor?' she asks herself on the first single Neon Sign, her pleading vocals in front of swirling flute and edgy piano. Equally questioning and frantic is Windows, where she seeks to be cast free from her demons, 'My heart is racing as a window opens, somewhere to let me out.' Irreversible Damage returns to the theme of reckless climate change and destruction that dominated the aforementioned album IGNORANCE. Linderman's quietly spoken word is all but drowned out by freeform and pulsing percussion, drums and horns. Body Moves is an exercise in self-questioning and detachment, with the author addressing herself, 'Your body fooled you; your body moved you, yes. Now, what you had to do was figure out why it had to fool you.'

The album closes with Sewing, proffering a note of acceptance and pressing on. 'Too late for perfection, to clean up the mess…..all I can do is sew it in,' Linderman admits as she continues her self-healing journey that might not have yet reached its intended destination.

Linderman has consistently tussled with despair, and emotional and environmental wreckage in her musical output. However, equally consistent is how delicately and wholeheartedly she handles that subject matter. HUMANHOOD may be her most ambitious project to date, both lyrically and sonically, to date but it's a triumph for an artist who is never afraid to take risks rather than be market-driven.

Declan Culliton

Lilly Hiatt Forever New West

The sixth album by Lilly Hiatt reflects the sweeping changes that she encountered since the release of her last album, LATELY, in 2021. Since then, the Nashville-born artist, and daughter of acclaimed artist John Hiatt, married her fellow artist Coley Hinson and they moved out of the hustle and bustle of Nashville to a more rural setting. Hiatt also references that getting a rescue dog completed the trilogy of events that left her in a more relaxed headspace. The newfound romantic relationship is referenced in the title track ‘Nice to be a loner, no one knows your hurt. But I wanna be by your side, I wanna be by your side forever.’ 

Hiatt’s songwriting has always been profoundly personal, and FOREVER is no exception. If her pandemic album LATELY was often stripped back and lonesome, her latest guitar-driven offering finds her in an altogether more buoyant mindset. Written and recorded at home, the nine-track record was produced by her husband Coley Hinson, who also played most of the instruments.

The blistering opener, Hidden Day, signposts the raw and rocky sonic trajectory that follows. Her foot also remains heavy on the gas with Shouldn’t’ Be, Ghost Ship, Somewhere and the previously referenced title track. It’s not all blood and thunder either; Man is an optimistic and gorgeous ballad, with backing vocals by Hinsen and enriched by ambient pedal steel. 

Memories of carefree and youthful freedom feature in the instantly catchy album closer, Freedom. It includes a wicked guitar break by Hinson and signs off with a warm-hearted voicemail from John Hiatt, offering best wishes to Lilly’s dog! 

FOREVER is very much a declaration of Hiatt’s current state of mind. Hopefully, the album’s title is a prediction of lasting contentment for an artist who seldom wastes a line, and is rocking out at her best here. It’s more than a worthy addition to her most impressive back catalogue.

Declan Culliton

Rose City Band Sol Y Sombra Thrill Jockey

There is something instantly rewarding about the recordings of Ripley Johnson's band, Rose City Band. Nothing changes dramatically, yet on each subsequent release, new delights unfold. The band's fifth album, SOL Y SOMBRA, continues where Johnson left off with GARDEN PARTY in 2023, with ten trippy tracks of pure cosmic country. 'One of my takeaways from making this record is that I spent a lot of energy trying to do things a little different, but ended up back where I started in many ways,' admits Johnson on this latest record.

Recorded at his home in Portland, Oregon, Johnson played guitars, bass, piano, mandolin, and percussion. He was joined by his regular players Barry Walker (pedal steel) and Paul Hasenberg (keyboards) and also engaged John Jeffrey (drums).

The album title translates in English as 'Sun and Shadow', and tracks like the opener Lights On The Way, Seeds Of Light and Sunlight Daze emphasise the band's sun-kissed and cloudless-sky signature sound. Radio Sound, the first single released from the album, nods toward the youthful escapism of country rock that poured out of California in the late 60s. The short instrumental La Mesa pays homage to the San Diego County city of the same name, before the album plays out with The Walls. Awash with trippy pedal steel and keyboards behind unhurried vocals, it bookends a striking body of work.

Rose City Band works spectacularly well as a relaxing project for Jonhson alongside his other two projects, the more psychedelic and experimental bands Moon Duo and Wooden Shjips. Drawing inspiration from his love of private press records from the mid-70s and groundbreaking band The Grateful Dead from the decade before, Johnson is a dedicated and unabashed torchbearer for a musical genre that seldom disappoints.

Prepare to be transported into a dreamy and quite wonderful sonic space; headphones are recommended for maximum return.

Declan Culliton

Massy Ferguson You Can't Tell Me I'm Not What I Used To Be North & Left

Alt-country band Massy Ferguson entrusted the production duties to their Seattle neighbour Damien Jurado for their latest and seventh album. Spanning almost two decades, the four-piece outfit of Ethan Andersen (vocals, bass), Adam Monda (vocals, guitars), Fred Slater (piano, keyboards), and Dave Goedde (drums) have earned many plaudits for their dynamic live shows. If their previous studio albums aimed to replicate the energy of those fully charged shows, YOU CAN'T TELL ME I'M NOT WHAT I USED TO BE, , is a change in direction, by their standards.

The choice of Jurado to oversee the project was a pointer toward something less conventional for the band. Very much an experimentalist, whose output has ranged from lo-fi to folk and indie rock, Jurado was an inspired choice for a band prepared to work outside their comfort zone. 'We're getting out of the bar, we're expanding other rooms,' explained Andersen.

The recording took place at Soundview Analog Studios in Seattle, where the band recreated the tried-and-tested pattern of their live shows, recording the eleven tracks live to tape. Guest players included Micah Hulscher (Margo Price, Emmylou Harris) on drums and percussion, Craig Curran (Fleet Foxes) on bass and guitar, and Bradley Hawkins (Seattle New Music Ensemble) on cello.  

Lovely Lad and You Were So High are tracks that particularly highlight Jurado's input and the band's newfound orientation. The slow-burning former is stripped back to piano, cello and vocals. The latter, directed at a loved but drug-fuelled and wasted sister, is a hazy and sonically astounding affair. The druggy tale, I'm Almost There, driven by a drum machine backbeat and Anderson's hoarse vocals, also signals a well-executed and fresh sound. The soulful and almost gospel So Long, Carry On, complete with handclaps, features billowing backing vocals from Zan Fiskum and, not entirely abandoning their signature raw and raucous output, When You're Not Around, is vintage Massy Ferguson. 

The more adventurous arrangements and production are winners on this album. Veering down a fresh musical path can be either rewarding or alienating for a band whose signature sound has been relatively unchanged in the past. In this case, Massy Ferguson's venture to new pastures is a resounding success.

Declan Culliton

Sean Thompson's Weird Ears Head In The Sand Ears Over America / Missing Piece

Nashville-born and bred Sean Thompson has been recruited by a host of his neighbours, both in the live setting and in the studio. Emily Nenni, Teddy and The Rough Riders, and Erin Rae have all benefitted from his extraordinary guitar skills and his ability to employ them across genres from country to rock. Thompson is also a member of pedal steel player Spencer Cullum's band, Coin Collection. 

Co-produced by Thompson and Jake Davis (Emily Nenni, Margo Price, Nathaniel Rateliff), the album follows Thompson's debut record, WEIRD EARS, from 2022. Recorded at Huge Planet Studios, Thompson was joined by a collection of class musicians, including Alec O'Connell and Ryan Jennings on bass, Erin Rae adding backing vocals, Jo Schornikow on keys, Ben Parks on drums, Michael Ruth on synths, guitarist Jack Quiggins and steel player Spencer Cullum.

'Mind in the clouds, head up my ass, I'm stuck living in the past,' considers Thompson in the song, New Memories, summing up his state of mind while he worked on the material during a difficult time. Written during the trauma of the passing of his mother, a long-term relationship breakup, and the death of his dog, the ten-track album's title and opening track is a self-critical statement born out of those events.

Sonically, the record is a genre-hopping collection, straddling the writer's influences that travel from Frank Zappa's improvisation (Riding In The Van) to the eclecticism of Grateful Dead (Storm's Coming Tonight, Saying The Quiet Part Out Loud). More conventional roots /rock win out on most of the tracks (Roll On Buddy, Not In The Clouds, Sweet Taste of Tennessee), and given the quality of the players, a short, woozy instrumental jam also features (Fizz).   

'I just want to sing from the heart,' Thompson repeats on the album closer, Song From The Heart. He has more than achieved that in HEAD IN THE SAND, confronting emotional wreckage head-on and, by way of release, creating an admirable body of work that combines playful sensibilities with self-deprecating truthfulness.  

Declan Culliton

The Doohickeys  All Hat No Cattle  Forty Below

This is a collective name for a band fronted by Haley Spence Brown and Jack Hackett, a partnership who set the overall musical direction, write the songs and deliver the vocals. They discovered a love of traditional country while attending the University of Southern California. They wrote a song together (I Wish My Truck Was Bigger) soon after they discovered a mutual appreciation of that genre and that was the start of their musical relationship. Their music has both humour and heartbreak at its core, with both taking the lead on certain tracks and harmonising on others. Their output has many of the hallmarks of that California take on country music, with echos of their antecedents from the past as well as many of their contemporaries. That list runs from The Maddox Brothers and Rose through to Dwight Yoakam.

The album was produced by noted blues and roots music producer Eric Corne, who previously worked with acts like John Mayall and is, in fact, behind the label Forty Below. He gives the music the drive and context that delivers it its foundation, from which the songs emerge fully formed and fit for purpose. Part of that is attributable to the rhythm section of Adam Arcos and Matt Tecu, over which there are notable contributions from the likes of Jordan Bush’s pedal steel, Aubrey Richmond’s fiddle and Yoakam-related guests Eugene Edwards and Skip Edwards, among others. Both Brown and Hackett are also contributors to the sound, with both adding guitar (acoustic and electric), but it is their vocals that are central to the arrangements which, alongside their writing, set the tone for a tongue-in-cheek, twang-laden roustabout. 

That translates into songs like Rein It In Cowboy, about a too close encounter in a bar with such a purposeful protagonist. Brown takes the lead vocal and, as is sometimes the case, she was the lead writer on the song. Hackett’s Can’t Beat My Ol’ Beater is about his love for his beloved but beat-up truck that, despite considerations for a newer form of transport, he wasn’t inclined to part with his original mode of transport. This Town Sucks is a summation of a locality that seems to offer little beyond the usual list of outlets and activities. Another forthright declaration is detailed in I Don’t Give A Damn About Football, an attitude that goes against the largely prevailing perception. Hackett again takes the lead on the likely metaphor-laden message of I Wish My Truck Was Bigger.

The plight of the hard pressed farmer faced with a possible forced sale of their land is the subject in Farm Lawyer. There are nods to the family orientated lyrics and delivery of Dolly Parton in this one. Mr Fix It is about just that while Too Ugly To Hitchhike is a duet that offers similar viewpoints from both perspectives.The title track is a familiar theme about trying to find a path in the overcrowded music business that chooses looks over passion. Perhaps the track that will make you laugh out loud is Please Tell Me You’re Sleepin’, about visiting a grandpa and being trepidatious about what one might find in the circumstances - what he did find was not expected and left an indelible impression! You Can’t Dance has a nice dance/swing feel as befits the subject, on another light-hearted duet. 

The album closes on a stripped down rumination on city life that has both vocalists give their reasons as to why they might not want to be there. “Just because we’re in the city don’t mean we ain’t country”, guitar and banjo giving the back porch feel over a background of traffic noise. It ends the album on a more restrained but equally effective note. As mentioned earlier there is some finely balanced and vibrant playing to be found on this album, lifting it beyond parody, and reminiscent of the music they admire, which in the past has often been laced with humour to get a sometimes more serious message across. Either way, put on your hat, forget about the cattle and enjoy it for its own merits.

Stephen Rapid

Dave Murphy A Heart So Rare Self Release

Murphy is a roots-rocker who recorded this album in Brooklyn, New York and it comprises a selection of songs that are largely easy on the ear, with a penchant for melody. This is exemplified on the opening song, October Skies, which features some appealing 12 string guitar over the solid driving beat, on this reminiscence of a place and time where a relationship is recalled for its choices and for the location, time of year, as well as for some less favourable memories. It features backing vocals from James Maddock, who also appears on two other tracks. Another contributor, in that role, is a singer/songwriter who should be familiar to Lonesome Highway readers and that is Mark Erelli, who adds his backing vocals to the remainder of the cuts. Both add a harmonic but unobtrusive presence behind Murphy’s lead. The album was co-produced by Murphy and Chris Tarrow - who contributes all the guitar parts, significant  to the arrangements and effectiveness of the songs. There are keyboards used on many tracks too, to enhance the overall feel. The foundation is laid solidly by Shawn Pelton and Richard Hammond.

Josephine and After The Hurricane both also touch on the liaisons of the heart from both sides of the line. There’s is also a longing in the notion of being free and seeing things from a different perspective in what If I Could Fly, noting that “If I could fly, I would surely try, no questions asked, no long goodbye,” with an accordion used persuasively on what is another strong song and vocal delivery. In a similar mode and mood is Take A Ride With Me, which asks for a companion to simply be there to take a chance on a ride together to see what might emerge. While the inability to often voice an expression or indeed “read the writing on the wall” is what I Wish I Could Tell You expresses in a low key way, the darker side of all this is what Planet Of Pain 11 recalls in a convincing downbeat way, with Murphy delivering a vocal that ably underscores that emotion. The more atmospheric Red opens with a sound that approximates a morse code message, the longest song on the album at over five minutes. It uses the code as a  descriptive metaphor and does it in a telling way that makes it a standout track among the ten self-written songs of Murphy’s. As “red is the colour we all bleed”, it also seeks some redemption and vision. One More Time, with Erelli on harmony vocal, is stripped back to just guitar, harmonica and voice and is forceful in its own way because of that setting.

Murphy is a survivor of cancer, something in itself which is likely to have given him some moments to reflect deeply on life, love and lasting memories. He has supported many of his contemporaries in recent times, and while he may not immediately have that outright distinction that would separate him in a fairly oversubscribed arena, A HEART SO RARE shows that he is well capable of writing and singing his own enjoyable material, written and sung from his heart.

Stephen Rapid

New Album Reviews

Boy Golden For Eden Six Shooter

‘Easy, breezy, warm & gritty’ is how Canadian artist Liam Duncan, aka Boy Golden, describes his current musical output and his second album under this moniker serves up big dollops of exactly that. With strong roots in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Boy Golden became the darling of the Americana movement on the release of his first album, CHURCH OF BETTER DAZE, which also serves as the name of a secular movement which he founded, dedicated to being ‘a spiritual and musical home for anyone seeking a better day’.

When the relentless pressure of his longed for success became difficult to deal with, he took himself off to his grandparents’ cabin in the woods in Manitoba on a writing retreat, and this became the basis for the new album. In contrast to his debut recording, he reverted to much simpler technology and recorded all ten songs direct to cassette, with just his vocals, his trusty open backed banjo and an acoustic guitar. He called on a few friends from his beloved Winnipeg music scene to flesh it out later, adding just some harmonies, hand claps and drum machine.

FOR EDEN continues in Boy Golden’s signature poppy folk-country style, but the themes involve more soul searching and nostalgia than on his debut, probably a function of his growing maturity as a person. 

Open about his sexuality (he is openly queer), his use of weed (which he credits with driving his creativity) and meditation, all of these fuel the sentiments and themes of the record. On Mesmerized, he wishes that time could stand still and that he was forever back in his youth, where nothing had changed, ‘fuck being famous’. There’s more nostalgia in the frequent references to his trusty steed, a ‘95 Toyota Previa minivan, which also adorns the front cover in a moody b/w photo taken on the prairies of his native Manitoba. The same vehicle is the subject of Toyota, beautifully evoking the heady days of youth and road trips, ‘I changed all the spark plugs, fixed all the leaks/but I ain’t got a window for the passenger seat’. There are three beautifully crafted love songs in Boy, The Way and Never Have 2 Leave, while Burn is a different sort of love song, an ode to his road band, who always ‘burn the place down’ when they get on stage, no matter how hard the day has been.

Boy Golden’s innate optimism blazes throughout the album, but no more so than on the closing track, Untitled. Honestly detailing his path from the early days bartending, playing guitar as a side man, always hustling for a dollar, through to his current life as a full time musician, he admits that he still believes in ‘music before language/love before profit’. He’ll be alright, this boy.

Eilís Boland

Red Idle Rejects New Striped Shirt Self Release

Steve Bowling is the creative source behind this interesting band. They formed in 2014 as a reaction to the original band, Red Idle, turning away from the country-influenced songs that Bowling presented to the members. It’s a fun story and the original release of music as the alternative Red Idle Rejects, WHERE THE LONELY RESIDE (2105), was not an inappropriate title given the circumstances. This is now album number five and proof positive that the original decision to develop a separate vehicle for alternate creative output was an inspired move.

The nine tracks run for thirty-six minutes which seems the perfect length for an album that is very enjoyable and which leaves a positive impression. The country sound was created by a tight group in the studio that includes Steve Bowling (acoustic guitar, lead vocals), Steve Ferguson (electric guitar, lap steel, dobro, piano), William Brock (electric guitar), Kurt Kaufman, Mick Waltrip, Derek Johnson (drums), , Daniel Parker Ferguson (bass guitar), Justin Bridges (fiddle), and John Hicks (banjo). The album was co-produced by Steve Bowling and Steve Ferguson and a fine job they make of it. All songs were written by Steve and his home base in  Cincinnati, Ohio  was where all the magic happened.

The album title is an homage to early American slaves who were brutalized by bullwhips, leaving scars on their backs, a "new striped shirt."  On the song both Rachel Bowling and Grace Bowling Dixon share lead vocals and the added fiddle of Justin Bridges brings a poignancy in the delivery that captures the inhumanity of the times. The banjo on Don’t Dip Your Toe In the Water adds a bright element to the melody and the more rock sound on It Burns allows the band to tune everything up into a fine groove on a song about the travails of being a coal miner ‘my lungs are gone and they won’t return, every time I breathe - it burns.’

It's Not What I Want is a twisted love song where the urge for intimacy can only be found in the arms of another, while My Hands Are Rough is a classic country song dedicated to the rigours of manual labour. Cracked and Mirrored Haze has a nice melody line with some cool guitar parts, with an almost-Irish blessing ‘May your glass never lower, may your eye ever gaze, on an image so reflected through that cracked and mirrored haze.’

Sag is an up-tempo song about bitter lives spent bemoaning the travesties that life can dish out, and a plea to not let things get so bad that you give up trying. Some fine guitar playing on this one also. Elsewhere the instrument mix on Endure brings a nice counterpart to a song that questions a strained relationship and asks ‘will we choose love or just endure.’ The final song 'Til She Fell for Fidel is a fun swipe at social niceties and the prospect of a sorority girl falling for a communist revolutionary. It displays a nice sense of humour, and the overarching style that exists on the album delivers a listening experience that will bring continued rewards.

Paul McGee

The Sensational Country Blues Wonders! If I Stop Moving, I’ll Fall From the Sky Self Release

The lengthy band title is one that singer songwriter Gary Van Miert created in order to highlight his fascination with the psychedelic music from the sixties. Back in 2020 Van Miert released an American roots album, The World Will Break Your Heart,  that drew from his inspirations, gleaned from both country and gospel music  traditions. In 2022 he released another album, The Adventures of a Psychedelic Cowboy, this time influenced by the psychedelic art and music of the sixties. It was to place this artist on a new path of discovery and that journey culminates with a new album that is filled with references to the joys of expanding your consciousness.

Whether he has dabbled himself with the various hallucinogenics that populate these lyrics is something that will no doubt be interpreted differently by listeners, but songs such as Why Did I Eat the Whole Bag Of Mushrooms? and One More Cup Of Mushroom Tea tell their own tales and point towards a certain ‘train of thought.’ The specific direction is certainly that of a trippy musical journey.

Van Miert also sings of having a pair of Magic Glasses that allow him to see things as they truly are. Perhaps Head In the Clouds sums up the central focus better than any other description ‘ I've got my head up in the clouds, I’m rising way above the crowd, I haven’t heard a thing you said, I’m soaring too far overhead.’ Whether singing about the sky, the universe as a whole, or altered states of consciousness, Van Miert exists comfortably inside his own world.

The title track is a song about flying and the idea that we cannot afford to slow down, while the dream-song I Rode the Bus With Joey Ramone includes the lyric ‘Things aren’t always as they seem, And I don’t always recall my dreams, Thinking about it makes me glad, It might be the best dream I’ve ever had.’ Whether its dreams or hallucinations that are delivering the images, there is no doubting the abiding message on We Are Made Of Stardust and the words ‘We are made of stardust, This is something I have learned, We’re all made of cosmic dust, And to dust, we shall return.’

I have a suspicion that Van Miert takes all of this with the same whimsical approach that much of the album delivers. The playing on the songs is really excellent, although in the absence of information regarding the musicians employed, it could be assumed that everything was handled by Van Miert himself? If not the case then the artist could be more effective in promoting the project to social media. He also performs as a solo musician under the name “The Gospel Wonder” and sings at church services. Certainly a talented musician with a particular vision and perhaps you would be tempted to join him on his journey towards the stars.

Paul McGee

Noah Zacharin Points Of Light Self Release

This Canadian artist is based in Ontario and has been creating music for many years now and his abilities as either musician or producer have been long-admired by his peers and his admirers. With a recorded output that dates back to the 1980s, Zacharin has developed a playing style that is both elegant and seamless in the delivery. He is a guitar-master and his fingerstyle playing is perfectly captured on the opening track of this new album. Ten Tons Of Road is a love song to a former partner who has slipped away over time, even if the memories still linger.

The lovely 17 Minute follows and the melodic ease of the musicians is just superb as Zacharin remembers old loves and the time spent together, captured in the words ‘train blow a whistle like baby’s loving, sweet in the leaving as it is in the coming, oh I’m gonna miss that…’ The pedal steel of Burke Carroll blending sweetly with the guitar of Zacharin.

Bed Of Nails takes a look at the damage done and the cost of survival in the modern world ‘he got strips of duct-tape stuck to his head, they help him hear the voices when they call, she got a mirror mirror on the wall, seems nothing’s fair at all.’ The light jazz arrangement is sweetly addictive in the delivery. Elsewhere, the solo guitar on So Much Work To Be Done is a gentle tribute to the enduring memory to the great Guy Clark ‘ He wore denim and a Stetson, had a chisel, a pencil and a grin, A master with a job don’t ask how or why, he just asks what and when.’ Understated beauty in the sentiment.

The album is produced by Danny Greenspoon and his light touch and experience brings much to admire. The instrument separation in the mix is nicely judged,  never more so than on the love song Red Red Bird.

The blues work-out on What Have I Got To Show For It is a standout, with the harmonica of Roly Platt superbly placed in the swinging groove. Another song, Lester Brown, conjures up memories of Gypsy Jazz and the brilliance of the Django Reinhart era, with some inspiring trumpet playing courtesy of Kevin Turcotte. Tom Morrow is a tribute to a friend of Zacharin’s and the family dynamic that surrounded his development. Done Gone Gone is another highlight with an easy blues arrangement and Denis Keldie on superb piano, Russ Boswell on cool bass and Gay Craig on brushed drums keeping everything neat and tidy.

Palette cleanser Something Like A River is a guitar instrumental which again shows the easy style of Noah Zacharin when it comes to creative interpretation on a melody. Sweetly reflective and subtle. The final song comes all too soon and is one of regret for a romance that has ended. Been A Long Day is a song of reflection, played on acoustic guitar and expressing the desire to have comfort in the days that lie ahead ‘and a little breeze says there’s room for me in the wind out there.’  A very accomplished album and the perfect introduction to this artist if he is not already on your radar.

Paul McGee

David Olney Can’t Steal My Fire New West

This tribute album to the enduring legacy of David Olney features seventeen artists who were invited to interpret his songs and the quality of the entire project is of the highest order. The executive producer is Gwil Owen and the chosen tracks are mastered by Ray Kennedy at his Zen Masters studio.

In a career that spanned five decades, David Olney first appeared as a solo artist in the 1980s with the release of his debut album, EYE OF THE STORM, and two of the tracks are included from that early release. A further five tracks are taken from the follow up album DEEPER WELL and we go all the way through his recorded output to one of the last albums released, THIS SIDE OR THE OTHER (2018) with a further two songs included.

There are over twenty albums from which individual tracks could have been selected, including six live recordings, and I’m assuming that each performer here was given their personal choice. Some of the songs resonate with a deeper impact and the performances from Lucinda Williams (Deeper Well), Greg Brown (That’s My Story), The McCrary Sisters (Voices On the Water), Afton Wolfe (Titanic), and Anana Kaye (Running From Love) really stand out.

Not that there are any fillers on the rest of the album. Janis Ian delivers a very poignant rendition of She’s Alone Tonight and the classic Jerusalem Tomorrow is covered by Buddy Miller with great style. The Steeldrivers version of If My Eyes Were Blind has a lovely bluegrass arrangement, while the stripped-back poignancy of 1917 is perfectly interpreted by Mary Gauthier.

David Olney was the master of language and had the gift to refine his words in illustrating an emotion or reflection on our universal quest for communication and love. He died as he performed onstage in 2020 at the 30A Songwriters Festival in Florida. The song he was playing was a cover of Jack Murray’s Bluebonnet Girl and he was onstage with Amy Rigby and Scott Miller at the time of his passing. A very poignant tale, and the lyric in his last song states ‘ I don’t need another heaven, I have found one in this world, in the eyes of my Bluebonnet Girl.’ Although that song is not included on this tribute album, it is fitting that his death was while onstage, with his guitar, in the middle of a performance, doing what he loved best.

I had the privilege of sharing a pint of Guinness with David Olney in Dublin when he played a superbly delivered set of new and old songs some years back. It remains a special memory of a gentle and gifted man. He said that his song Jerusalem Tomorrow put him on the map after Emmylou Harris recorded it on her album WRECKING BALL, but he always had a huge respect among his contemporaries who recognised the brilliance in his simple songs. We can speak of Townes, Guy Clark, or Hank Williams, but in every way David Olney walks alongside these greats in his ability to deliver timeless music.

Paul McGee

Cave Flowers Western Spectre Self Release

It was back in 2020 that Cave Flowers released their impressive self-titled debut album. The band is based in Los Angeles and the current line-up consists of Andy McAllister (vocals, acoustic guitar), Henry Derek Elis (electric guitar), Ben Coil (bass), and Curtis Pettygrove (drums). On this follow-up release the band once again decided to record at Heritage Recording Company in Downtown Burbank and the decision to return to producer Chris Rondinella ensured a consistency throughout the process. The songs were recorded live in the studio over just two days and there is an immediacy in the playing that captured the special energy and vibrancy created. It starts as a reflective look at precious time slipping by and captured by the words ‘Days they keep burning away’ while the song builds to a nice crescendo with keyboard swells and incisive guitar on a stand out moment.

The ten tracks included are very much a continuation of the Americana-based sound of the debut album and the additional keyboards of Jon Niemann are augmented by Jordan Walton (vocals, organ, pedal steel) in completing the bright sound. The guitar of Elis is high in the mix and the fluid playing ensures that both melody and aural textures impress throughout. A highlight is Good Luck Charm the longest track and a fine example of the dynamic at play across the studio musicians.

Garbage and Gold opens proceedings with a cool rhythm and groove, with piano and guitar propelling the tempo along, before the slower pace of Good Love brings a reflection on the search for true romance. The songs alternate in this fashion, with energetic arrangements balanced against  more considered, mid-tempo compositions. Leave Your Light On and Do You Ever Know Someone are fine examples of the former, while Invisible Tonight and Old Sunglasses are more restrained in the delivery.  Overall we are given another example of the quiet power that Cave Flowers bring to the table, and it is a meal well-worth digesting.

Paul McGee

Diane Coll Up From The Mud Happy Fish

Although she has been recording music since the 90s, the Atlanta-based singer-songwriter Diane Coll did not release her debut solo album until 2022. That album, titled HAPPY FISH (and Other DELIGHTS), was followed by a four-track EP, INTO THE FIRE, in 2023 and last year’s OLD GHOSTS, which was reviewed by Lonesome Highway. A mental health counsellor in a parallel career, Coll’s latest fourteen-track record, UP FROM THE MUD, is a continuation of her writing on relationship trauma, which she hopes may be of comfort to others coping with or overcoming scarring issues.

The track listing on this album is meticulously sequenced, beginning with the pulsing instrumental title track that suggests regeneration and closing with the calming All Is Well, a reassurance that light does exist at the end of the tunnel. ‘Open up your eyes; we can stop the wave of all those lies. His words have made you blind to all that good in you inside,’ Coll advocates in the song Eyes and promotes a new beginning in Fool’s Gold. A reinforcement of that sense of support and encouragement for regained self-esteem features in the stripped-back Today.

Recorded at Blue Door Studios in Atlanta, as was the case with last year’s OLD GHOSTS, Coll co-produced with Grammy-nominated Daniel Groover, who also contributed bass, drums, and percussion. John Daly returned to add guitar, cello is credited to both Daniel and Erica Holloway on the aforementioned Fool’s Gold.

Coming from a postcode similar to her previous solo recordings, the largely minimalistic and acoustic songs perfectly articulate messages of reassurance, vindication, and, above all, rebirth.

Declan Culliton

Paige Plaisance Louisiana Lonely Self-Release

Country waltzes, tears in your beer honky tonkers, heartfelt love songs and lonely laments all get an airing on the debut full-length album from Austin-based country artist Paige Plaisance. The record follows on from her 2022 four-track EP, DIFFERENT NOW.

Born and raised on a farm near the Mississippi River in Louisiana, Plaisance’s musical career started when she learned piano at an early age and started penning songs. However, her path to performing professionally has been parallel to her principal occupation. Having majored in textiles, apparel, and merchandising at Louisiana State University and having worked in retail for a number of years, Plaisance started her own business, Ramblin’ Rose Company. Located on Barton Springs Road and South Congress Avenue in Austin, the company trades from a converted 1972 Airstream trailer mobile boutique. Having successfully launched this enterprise in 2017, Plaisance found more time to follow her musical dream and has been playing around Austin with her backing band, Yeh You Right Boys.

Although it has its dark moments, the initial impression for the the listener is that LOUISIANA LONELY is a fun album. The melodic and swinging opener and the first single from the album Highway 65 kicks proceedings off in fine style, and the less sprightly and cheerless themed additions like the title track and Queen Of Fools are lovely. The playful Good Time Girl may or may not be autobiographical, and When You’ve Been Drinkin’ could have been plucked out of Lee Ann Womack’s songbook. Bayou Moon, a personal favourite, has a timeless Tulsa sound, and the piano-led closer, Love You First, bookends the record in fine style.

Across well-constructed songs, Plaisance's vocals are assured and offered in a natural and unaffected manner, and she’s backed by bulletproof players. The end result is an album that you should be more than happy to spend a lot of time with.

Declan Culliton

Josh Ward Same Ol' Cowboy, Different Rodeo Self-Release

From the off, you know you're in familiar territory with tales of alcohol-fuelled solace and a suggesting that whatever the problem you might have, as the opening song says, There's A Drink For That. It’s something of an upbeat celebration of a particular point of view that continues through the album with other titles such as Spilled Whiskey, Better On A Barstool and Beer Joint Down. What brings them all together is Ward's stone-cold country voice. In terms of bringing something new to the process, this is not what is on offer here. But it makes all the right connections in terms of an evident love for his chosen musical path. He is a committed country singer who has a lot of life experiences to draw from for his music. Something that was apparent in the number of albums previously released that sit under his belt, though, at this point, he rightly feels that this one is a step up.

Ward co-produced the album with Drew Hall and Kerry West, and it features a selection of songs, some of which he has co-written and others chosen to fit his overall sense of purpose. It was recorded at Rosewood Studios in Texas and has many of the hallmarks of the vibrant music that continues to emanate from that State, even if it leans back a little more towards a more traditional sound than some of his more amped-up contemporaries. For this, he has assembled a group of players to do the songs justice, including guitarists Bryce Clarke and John Carroll, fiddler Jenee Fleenor, and steel player Milo Deering. Topping it all is the front and centre presence of Ward's solid singing, which is deserving of mention as it is the beating heart of the material on this album.

The guitars can also get edgier for songs, and the tempo picks up for tracks like the aforementioned There's A Drink For That or Better On A Barstool, while Spilled Whiskey uses the metaphor of the title to look at a lost relationship and takes a more measured approach overall. He has, no doubt, learned something from recording his previous releases and from playing those sometimes-unforgiving Texas dancehall venues.

A number of the featured writers appear in different combinations on several tracks but the themes all are pretty much in the same sonic corral. Those writers include Jake Worthington, Wyatt McCubbin, Chamberlin and Randall King. Allowing these songs to offer something more than a one-dimensional approach allows for some variety and scope. They vary from seeing love as a necessity in Lovin' Where It's Going to Honky Tonk Time, which lauds the evenings spent once he has passed through the swinging doors and is a track that most traditionalists would applaud and feel affinity with when finding oneself back in that particular time zone. Laying out a loving relationship in numbered steps is the raison d'etre of Reasons. Taking a more reflective arrangement is the fiddle-led Talkin' To Your Picture, a song imbued with sadness and featuring an effective female vocal harmony, which is also underlined by steel guitar and piano. The album closes with a heartfelt assessment of a close family relationship that is Walkin' In My Boots.

Ward gets the year off to a fine start with an album that will tick many boxes, inside and outside, his natural environment and locality. It may indeed be a case of the same old cowboy going expectantly to a different rodeo for another round, but we can all be there to enjoy the ride.

Stephen Rapid

Blake Brown & The American Dust Choir Show Me The Light We Believers

This album nearly slipped under the Lonesome Highway radar, arriving a few months back when our inbox was brimming with new releases for consideration. Fortunately, having previously reviewed Brown’s 2019 debut album, LONG WAY HOME, we got a timely reminder to check it out, and its guitar-driven alt-country sound drew me in on the first spin.

Firstly, a bit of background on Blake Brown. He is currently based in Austin, Texas, where he lives with his wife Tiffany and their daughter; Brown resided for fifteen years in Denver, Colorado, before moving back to his home state, Texas, having spent a short spell in Nashville. His early career found him playing in a number of bands before focussing on his current venture, Blake Brown and The American Dust Choir. This project is a moveable scheme, allowing him to perform solo, in a duo with his wife Tiffany, or with musician friends in a full band format.

Recorded at Bubble Studios in Austin, SHOW ME THE LIGHT is a ten-track album, following his 2022 EP DON’T LOOK BACK. Alongside Brown on vocals and guitars was Tiffany on keys and backing vocals, Jordan Espinoza on drums, Jason Legler on bass, and Grammy-nominated Chris ‘Frenchie’ Smith (Meat Puppets, The Toadies), who produced the album, also adding his guitar skills.

Cut from a similar cloth to the sound of early Son Volt (any coincidence in the similarity of his band’s name and the Son Volt album, AMERICAN CENTRAL DUST?) or Bottle Rockets, the album opens in fine style with Runner, Brown’s vocal drawl underscored by piercing guitar breaks. Groove-driven Americana is the order of the day on White Rose and The Lucky Ones, and the stripped-back moments on tracks Darkest Hollows and Gone Too Soon showcase Brown’s capacity to create tender and intimate songs alongside the more rock-tinged ones. The smouldering and gloriously loose North Star generates the most profound impression of the ten tracks, fusing edgy vocals and swirling guitars to perfection.

An album laden with razor-sharp guitar licks and simple yet memorable hooks, it’s Brown’s bravest effort to date and one well worth your attention.

Declan Culliton

Kirsten Adamson Paint With Colours Self-Release

The trend of releasing EPs before full album releases is becoming more commonplace in recent times. The logic may be financial or a reflection of people’s attention span when presented with, say, a ten-track album recording instead of four or five tracks that may be more likely to get the required attention. Either way, it’s the direction Scottish singer/songwriter Kirsten Adamson took with this four-track album. It’s the first of three EPs that Adamson, the daughter of Big Country and Skids frontman Stuart Adamson, is releasing digitally before all three are made available on CD in May of 2025. Adamson’s second solo album, the Dean Owens produced LANDING PLACE, was released in 2023 to excellent reviews, and she is presently working on a follow-up album, with producer and multi-instrumentalist Joe Harvey Whyte, titled DREAMVIEWER, due for release in the Autumn of 2025.

The four songs from PAINT WITH COLOURS came to life during the writing process for the new album and were felt to be more suited to a stripped-back acoustic treatment. Self-produced by Adamson and her long-time collaborator Bobby Heatlie, the songs are drawn from both personal experiences and the more observational. Grandfather’s Accordion was inspired by Adamson inheriting her grandfather’s instrument and considers the passing of time and the importance of living in the moment. Disintegrating relationships against the quest for love and comfort are grappled with in both In Your Arms and the title track. On a similar theme, the piano-led final and tear-jerker closing track Halfway To Buffalo was inspired by the Barbara Keith song Detroit Or Buffalo from 1973.

Not afraid to broaden her horizons, the silver-voiced Adamson has taken a step back from the typically fuller sound of previous recordings with this collection. By doing so and with the skill set to express anguish expertly in her vocal delivery, she has passed the test with flying colours.

Declan Culliton

Merce Lemon Watch Me Drive Them Dogs Wild Darling

In a similar vein to East Nashville, Pittsburgh can boast a healthy and burgeoning underground music community, where artists who will never dent the Billboard Charts are creating art driven by passion rather than commercial ambition. A leading light in that neighbourhood is Pittsburgh native Merce Lemon, who signposted her arrival as a young emerging singer/songwriter with her two previous releases, IDEAL FOR A LIGHT FLOW WITH YOUR BODY (2017) and MOONTH (2020).

Growing up with parents who both played in bands, Lemon's songwriting calling kicked off when she was ten years old, writing songs for an a capella group with her sisters. Ten years later, she fronted a band with her father and his friends backing her, a combo that lasted four years. The fruit of those ventures ring through in her solo work, with her latest recording, WATCH ME DRIVE THEM DOGS WILD, a pointer to a talent that continues to mature.

Lemon knocked on Alex Farrar's (Hurray For The Riff Raff, MJ Lenderman, Snail Mail) door to assist with the album's production, working alongside herself and Colin Miller. The recording and mixing took place at Farrar's Drop of Sun Studio in West Ashville, North Carolina.

Having temporarily fallen out of love with her art after the release of MOONTH in 2020, Lemon took time out to reassess her relationship with music. She confesses that getting closer to nature ('I got dirty and slept outside most of the summer. I learned a lot about plants and farming, just writing for myself, and in that time, I just slowly accumulated songs') whetted her appetite and rekindled her love of art, and fuelled the introspective direction that created both the songwriting and musical flavour of this nine-track collection.

With layered vocals that ebb and flow on top of frenzied fiddle and pedal steel, that sense of escapism and rebirth surfaces on the stunning opening track Birdseed ('I've been eating like the birds, so maybe I'll grow wings, wouldn't that be something'). It's followed by most probably the standout song of the year for this writer, Backyard Lover. Descending from the peaks of romantic recollection to the uncontrolled rage of rejection, Lemon pours her heart out with naked honesty. Those recollections of regret and self-reproach also raise their head in Foolish and Fast, and the more unhurriedly delivered Rain. The former's reflection on the craziness of youth is bolstered by quivering lead guitar breaks by Reid Magette, who also adds backing vocals. It's not all personal torment and contrition; Lemon's sense of playfulness surfaces in the title track, drawn from an old man howling at a pack of dogs through his living room window.

WATCH ME DRIVE THEM DOGS WILD (excellent title) is gothic folk/country crème de la crème that screams 'career finest' for Lemon. My only regret is that it landed for review after I had submitted my 'Best of 2024' listings. Otherwise, it would most certainly have been credited as one of my favourite albums of this year.

Declan Culliton

Ray Cerbone Nobody’s Hero Self Release

This album is the second release from Florida based singer songwriter Ray Cerbone and it is a journey through a tapestry of different colours across the twelve songs included here. There are four cover versions on the album and this can sometimes deflect from the original creations by the artist, however in this case the selected songs blend seamlessly into the original songs written by Cerbone.

The central theme of the album strikes me as one of celebration; not only of the milestones in our individual journeys but also in the minutiae that mark turning points along the road towards self- understanding. There are love songs to the enduring power of our ability to rise above constraints, songs that recognise both growth and loss, and songs that reflect upon the fragile nature of all that we embrace in our quest for contentment and peace of mind.

Another Town Going Down and The Big Top capture the disappearance of old traditions as local townships get bypassed by motorways, and the magic of youthful circus memories get washed away by the tides of change. As reflections on the relentless march of time, both songs stand as statements of what it meant to witness the joys of a more innocent time when the wheel of life turned more slowly.

Little Red Top and A Simple Love Song are expressions of true devotion and to the bond created by a personal commitment to another, in this case, Gia, the wife of Cerbone and clearly his creative muse. The songs are heartfelt and come from a place of pure loving awareness. Both Happy Blues and Blue Cross display the fingerpicking guitar prowess of Cerbone as he creates a feeling of easy calm across two songs that highlight the joy of living in the moment, capturing the essence, and the sense that all is well with the world.

The studio musicians excel throughout and the understated playing adds a great dynamic and atmosphere to the overall feel of the album. On other songs we get a sense of the other side of the coin where life doesn’t always play out in the way we would want, and on The Moon And the Bottle we have a tale of lost chances and frustration with opportunity spurned, and The Other Side Of Nashville captures the yearning of trying to make it as a success in an unforgiving town where artist talent is commonplace ‘He’s as old as she is young and they both know where they came from, right across the street where the tip jar feeds on a dollar bill, and a hungry dream something you can’t  kill.’ It is a standout moment on an album that has much to recommend it.

The title track is a story song that captures the reflections of a public service responder who yearns for closure on a life that has borne great challenge in the resolve to give selflessly.  Another highlight and a song that reflects maybe the losses suffered outweigh the sense of service given. There is a lovely instrumental interlude on The Lake which gives a sense of reflection, and we are given a perspective into the joys of nature on Feel So Near and the realisation on how quickly our assumptions can be changed ‘So we build our tower of construction, and to mark our place in time, we justify our great destruction, as on we climb.’

The album ends with the classic Smile, composed by Charlie Chaplin and the lyric ‘ Smile, what's the use of crying, You'll find that life is still worthwhile, If you just smile.’ It is the sentiment that runs through this album, the thought that no matter what obstacles that are put in your way there is always the promise of what tomorrow may bring. If Ray Cerbone continues to produce music of this quality then the future is very much one of continued growth and success.  

Paul McGee

Ron Houston Real Outlaw Americana Music Self Release

The abiding impression on this album from San Diego musician Ron Houston is one of self reflection and atonement for past mistakes made. Houston usually plays with his band The Berry Pickers but on this solo outing he collaborates with a number of musicians to create the ten songs that form such a cohesive whole.

Opener Whiskey Train looks back at his years of excessive drinking and Houston’s attraction to the bottle is further covered in titles such as Drinkin’ Got the Best Of Me and Lines On My Face illustrating the tone of the album. On other tracks like People Lookin’ the Other Way and Gun Sale At the Church Houston looks at the hypocrisy of ignoring the problems of others and taking the easier route of self-absorption in our own lives.

Waiting On A Miracle is a prayer of hope that darkness can be replaced by sunnier days and that the anxiety of self-doubt can be banished. Another song that reflects upon lifestyle choices is Life On the Edge Of A Knife and the powerful thrust of Raise A Lotta Hell gives insight into the kind of crazy times that are often reality for a travelling musician. The standout song is The Rain and a personal purging of the ghosts that followed Houston around for many years ‘I wish the rain could wash away all the pain I feel inside.’ Houston delivers these heartfelt songs in a deep and richly resonant vocal and the impressive line-up of studio musicians do great justice to the material. Roots music from the heart and the heartland.

Paul McGee

Dean Mueller Wishes Never Gone Ripping Glass

Bend, Oregon is currently home to Dean Mueller and his activities in the local community include event promotion and production. He is also a musician and song writer of understated talent, and this new release catches him in reflective mood across the twelve tracks included here. He co-wrote seven of these songs with Alan Jones, a musical friend and collaborator, and the entire project was recorded the Rock House Studio in Franklin, Tennessee with Kevin McKendree at the production board.

Mueller released a debut album titled Life Ain’t All Roses back in 2023 and this new release includes some of the same musicians that featured on the previous recording. Both David Jaques (bass) and Kenneth Blevins (drums, percussion) lend their talents to the songs and they are joined by Jason Wilber (acoustic, electric guitars), all of whom are known from their days of playing with the great John Prine, among others. We also have a guest slot from the McCrary Sisters on one track and the superb Nalani Rothrock on two others. The revered Jim Hoke plays clarinet and harmonica on two songs , with producer Kevin McKendree on keyboards and Mueller contributing on lead vocals and acoustic guitar.

The individuality of Mueller is highlighted on I Don’t Live There Anymore and a song about standing alone and facing the illusion of the American Dream ‘Saying goodbye to the past, too bad it didn’t last.’ The light jazz feel on Fireflies is a chance for the studio musicians to show off their impressive chops, before the more serious content of Hold On and Don’t Let Go and the lessons handed down from father to son.

Bulleit Train is a song about drinking, with Kentucky whiskey laying down the law ‘on a one-way ticket past the point of pain.’ The message on Change is one of learning to get out of a rut and try to move in a forward direction ‘Sometimes you just need a change, shake the old cobwebs out of your brain.’ The confessional Believe is a song that reflects upon the dreams of youth and whether they carry forward into later years, and the blues groove of Teach No Lies delivers a message of caution to the ways in which we educate our children.

The commercial lilt of No Matter What It Is delivers a nice relationship promise to try harder, the jangling guitars echoing a Tom Petty feeling. A memory of early dating days is framed on Get Lost and the easy beat is a playful lift to the melody before the fun, sing-along I’ll Be There hints at radio-friendly success. On I Suppose Mueller reflects on a failed relationship and the lines resonate ‘I kissed my lady on the neck one sunny day, I felt a chill as she just turned away.’  The final song is Lonesome Sky and we are left with a restrained melody that delivers a sweetly sad song about missing someone close who has passed on.

This is a very well-produced album and at just thirty six minutes in playing time, delivers a confident and discriminating slice of quality Americana.

Paul McGee     

Todd Partridge Desert Fox Blues Self Release

Iowa native Todd Partridge stared out with his local band King Of Tramps and after a run of successful albums he decided to turn his focus to recording solo. The first album was a very melodic country-tinged release back in 2023, but this is a completely different beast and reveals a deep bluesy music with real edge to it. Partridge also delivers a very different vocal, using distortion effects, and the fuzz tone of the electric guitars blend with cool harmonica and a laid back blues beat on opening track Depression captured in the words ‘when all you do is worry, fuss and fret, about trouble that ain’t even got here yet.’

Gotta Do is another blues stomp that states ‘Don’t look up, keep your head down, there’s a million different ways to kill in this town.’ The slow burn on Gentleman’s Blues is dripping with atmosphere on a song that warns us to treat everybody in the way that we would expect to be treated ourselves. Interstellar Planetary is another blues workout with a bull horn vocal treatment and fuzz guitar highlighting the breakdown in our abilities to communicate properly as a society.

Lost Your Shoe Blues is just what it says on the tin – walking slow through a great guitar romp of distorted angst where ‘music lights the fuse.’ On Goin’ Home Empty we are invited to ‘dance in the garden, chase those the blues away, I ain’t lookin’ for trouble, trouble always finds me, I got here full but I'm going home empty .’ Harmonica wails in the background and the loose groove is very much like a Stones workout circa Sticky Fingers era. The memory of Chris Whitley comes to mind when I’m listening to the deep blues sonics on Keep On Keepin' On -  a song that rocks out with the words ‘I gotta keep on keepin' on, even if it’s all goin' wrong, Moral of the story, there ain’t one, Don’t need money to have any fun.’

Old Picker is a song about an instrument that is handed down the working generations ‘Work all you want you won’t get far, Get the monkey off your back with a mojo guitar.’ The track Jimmy Carter is a tribute to the former US president and his love of the Dylan Thomas poem “Do not go gentle into that good night” with the blues message ‘Dylan Thomas wrote the president’s favourite poem, And he lived his life accordingly, He said I will not go gently, Said I will not go gently, Into the good, good night.’ The final song After the Work Is Done reflects upon a life spent toiling and it brings the blues of manual work and hard labour full circle. A big leap away from the last album in terms of sound but one that brings its own rewards.

Paul McGee

Taylor Kopp The Movin’ On Self Release

This 5-song EP is a follow up to the debut album Found which appeared in 2020 and featured in the “best of” lists from Lonesome Highway staff back then. The talented Taylor Kopp dwells in Portland, Oregon and proves once again to be a songwriter who can hold his own in any company. On the opening song November Sunrise there is superb pedal steel to accompany acoustic guitar and the gentle sound is reflective and sensitive in looking towards home and matters of the heart.

Folded Paper has gentle piano joining acoustic guitar strum on a song that again looks at relationships with producer Raymond Richards, who plays sublime pedal steel, joined by Ezza Rose on harmony vocals. Richards also plays upright bass, pump organ, piano, and guitars across these songs and The Orchard is another sweet slice of roots reverie that soothes and flows with an easy charm.

The song Fresno takes things up a notch as it considers the reasons why you would not like to live there. Is it a dead-end town or just a place where hearts get broken by the local girls? Put Up A Fight ends the short song cycle and it looks at love through the eyes of someone who is trying to turn his life around. The interplay is superb on all the songs between Kopp and Richards, leading me to suggest that further collaboration is in the air. Nineteen minutes of late night relaxing music, tinged with a knowing sadness, and a resolve to take strength into the future.

Paul McGee

New Album Reviews

Juliet Lloyd Carnival Self-Release

It’s been seventeen years since the last full-length album from Juliet Lloyd. The frustrations and obstacles of trying to survive as an independent artist became too challenging for the Washington, DC artist, resulting in a ten-year break from the industry. A divorce in 2019 and the following pandemic drew her back to songwriting to come to terms with those traumatic times as she explains, ‘I’ve always been envious of writers who say they write songs because they have to…… I had never really felt that way until this album.’

Unsurprisingly, the album’s ten songs contain large doses of anger, self-deprecation, and regret. Lloyd wasn’t under time pressure to write and record the album. Having gathered and documented her thoughts, she recorded the tracks over fifteen months, working closely with producer Todd Wright, who, together with co-write credits on three of the songs, also contributed guitars, bass, synths and drums.

The opening track, Wallflower, is an admission of Lloyd’s introverted personality and a fitting introduction given much of what is to follow and, in particular, the psychological and emotional abuse she endured. The full-on rocker Pretty and the sedate Sorry Now are two samples; the former recalls a controlling relationship and the guilt it gave rise to, and the latter deals with the dilemmas and sorrows in dealing with a marriage breakup. Turning a blind eye to and not speaking out about control and maltreatment is addressed in Search Your Soul, and Call Your Wife treads a similar path. The title track considers the aftermath of relationships and moving on from the initial highs and subsequent lows of those affairs.

A full-blooded affair that revisits emotional wreckage, CARNIVAL spans the rock, soul, and roots genres. Its theme may be bleak, but the quality of the songwriting and Lloyd’s vocals translate into a powerfully emotive performance from start to finish.

Declan Culliton

Lolly Lee Self-Titled Admiral Bean

This debut album from Birmingham, Alabama resident Lolly Lee is a nice surprise in terms of the accomplished production and overall atmosphere created. Lee has been a member of various bands over her career but it has taken her until now, in her sixties, to record the eleven songs included here. The sound is a mixture of traditional country with a roots rock flavour running through the tracks and the results are both loose and yet filled with razor-sharp interplay.

She created the album with Anthony Crawford in the role as producer and his experience of playing with Neil Young serves him well at the controls. He is a multi-instrumentalist and excels across a range of guitars, mandolin, lap steel, violin, organ, bass, drums, percussion and backing vocals. Crawford also adds his wife Savana on backing vocals in the studio, while she also lends her talents as a graphic artist on the album artwork. Lee herself plays mandolin and acoustic/electric guitar and takes lead vocals.

Satellite kicks things off with a fine groove and includes some nice guitar touches in a positive message about embracing life ‘step into the light, welcome to your life.’ Another song that rocks is the excellent Ave Maria Grotto with the driving rhythm capturing the sense of an out-of-control situation. The slow burn of Happy Now has echoes of Lucinda Williams in the ironic vocal delivery ‘Takes a righteous man to kindly keep on his disguise, I’m not flinching nor dropping my defences, Love has been eclipsed by unintended consequences.’

Great Crusade is another song that impresses with a light percussive tempo and some nice fuzz guitar ‘Gentlemen start your engines, we’ve got souls to save, Make it a great crusade.’ The sweet melody on Used To Live Here is a look back at younger days and is one of the standout moments, while the country feel of Free State Of Winston and Sweet Alabama Home are fine examples of the rural influences that define Lee ‘And we hope you come and see us if you can, Sure would like to get to know ya, Show you a good time, Don’t plan to stay too long, But you can come on by.’

Fortuna’s Ink is a clever look at the contrasting luck involved in pinning hopes on fate and fortune ‘What did you really think, When the deal is sealed with disappearing ink.’ Traditional country reappears on Some Kind Of Wonderful  and respect for the simple things that life gives us. Whisper is a song to a loved one and an addictive bright sound that contains some fine interplay and harmony vocals. Shot At the Devil is another standout song with a real dynamic in the playing ‘They say all things come to an end, That heaven and hell run tabs on sin.’ A very enjoyable album and one that will brings the listener real rewards.   

Paul McGee

Tristan Israel Band Snake Hollow Self Release

A fourth album release from Massachusetts songwriter Tristan Israel. There is a restrained finesse to the songs and the musicianship across the fifteen tracks is very impressive. Highlighting the talents of Nancy Jephcote on violin, plus producer Paul Thurlow on multiple instruments, there is a quiet confidence on display throughout, and the journey is certainly worth the time invested.

Rural charm is an appropriate description for these songs and inspiration is taken from all that surrounds us in the natural world. The title song paints a rural paradise in the region where Tristan Israel resides and Going Back Home is another song that captures that feeling of missing simple pleasures. The fluent craft of Jephcote is evident on the next two songs, House Always Wins and Virginia, the former looks at the luck that can never last as you try to outrun fate, the latter urges a journey back to home ground and new beginnings.

Astrolabe is a song that features the astronomical instrument that is used to chart the stars and again the violin of Jephote lifts the arrangement towards the heavens. The love expressed in Looking At the Moonlight is balanced with the message on When I Die and the classy interplay on a song that demonstrates a jazzy-blues influence. The Crow is a song that reflects upon the Kafka novel, The Metamorphosis and the transformation from a human form to insect; not your typical song by any stretch of the imagination.

Bend In the Road is a lovely acoustic blues about the crossroads that life puts before us and the violin again steals the show on the song arrangement. No Steal is a song of positivity and a message to keep on going despite the hurdles, while the cool atmosphere created on Galicia captures that unique Spanish sense of community in the melody. There is a song to the elegance of the monarch butterfly on Monarch On Milkweed Leaving Aquinnah and the gospel blues of On Our Way brings everything to a very enjoyable conclusion. An album that engages and delivers on many levels.

Paul McGee

Jennifer Castle Camelot Paradise Of Bachelors

The mythical imagery of Camelot dates back to medieval times where legends were formed and their ripples find echo on this elegant release from Canadian artist Jennifer Castle. The age of chivalry and honour has resonance here in the questions posed and the doubts reflected in connection with relationships in these modern times, together with the element of trust that masks honest feelings.

The title tracks asks ‘and if I’m not mistaken, These hearts can handle breaking, I think I’ve tried to save us, I hope I’m not forsaken.’ Again on the song Trust we have the lines ‘lovers scorned show their horns, nostrils flared charge towards you, who should I trust?’ If the issue is to look for solace through the affection of others then the wait could be long and painful.

The resolve to live in the present is captured on Full Moon In Leo and the lines ‘’better like what you got going right here and now, I don’t cast my eyes down some future scenario, I pledge my allegiance to this moment between us, can you feel me?’ And yet the doubt remains and the disconnect is captured on Blowing Kisses in the lines ‘and don’t get it twisted, my heart’s still in it, my dedication’s a star, and it shines on our differences.’

On the song Some Friends we have Castle reflecting ‘you tried to make me feel so small, but nobody’s perfect, you had to be right, so I guess that I’m wrong, but I didn’t deserve it.’ With hopes that it’s not too late to turn things around, Castle asks that we invest in fate and the need to place our bets on Lucky Number Eight.  Belief in some higher power is running through Mary Miracle and the acoustic strum of Earthsong is a gentle whisper to see the world around us and to escape our ‘landlocked modernity.’ The production and the superb musicianship sparkles and the whole experience is one of looking into the inner world of Jennifer Castle and her perspective on relations in our age of mass media and resigned isolation.

Paul McGee

Paul Kelly Fever Longing Still Kelly

When it comes to a real pedigree and thoroughbred status look no further than Paul Kelly and his brightly coloured career. Starting out in the 1980s, his prowess has never been in doubt and his songwriting has evolved over the decades to the point where he stands as an artist of real insight and integrity. Every Paul Kelly album is worth investigation, if only for the song craft involved, let along the superbly judged arrangements and song melodies. When you have written songs for nigh on four decades your experience and elegance in communication is bound to shine through.  If you hold this ability to wrap observations with an eloquence, then the reflections are an integral part of life as we witness all of the wins and losses.

Opening with the superb groove of Houndstooth Dress and the edgy guitar of Dan Kelly (his nephew), the atmosphere of desire and lust is perfectly captured. The mellow tones of Love Has Made A Fool Of Me follows and the soulful delivery is wrapped in the excellent Farfisa organ sound and sweet harmony vocals from Vika and Linda Bull. Taught By Experts is a great slice of pop brilliance that echoes Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe in the driving beat and song arrangement. The big sound on Hello Melancholy, Hello Joy is augmented by the great harmonies of  Vika and Linda (again), and a brass section that includes saxophone, trumpet and trombone, with all horns arranged by Roscoe James Irwin.

Northern Rivers celebrates the individuality of a woman who moved down to southern Australia and made a mark in Kelly’s life, and destined to leave when the time was right in her mind ‘whatever she does, to herself she’s true, The more I know her, the less I do.’ Double Business Bound is a slow song that reflects upon a life lived and the journey taken ‘trouble before and behind me, and my clock is winding down.’ Let’s Work It Out In Bed has a co-vocal shared by Kelly and Reb Fountain on a song that suggests that any arguments or falling outs can be reconciled between the sheets, the horn section again featuring strongly in the bright arrangement.

All Those Smiling Faces is a look back at a family photo album and the stories held within each and every frame. Lives lived and loves lost, caught up in a stream of impressions and memories. The love song Harpoon To the Heart is a bright up-tempo tribute to the power of attraction and the metaphor of Moby Dick being chased by Ahab is not lost. Alice Keath shares lead vocals on Back To the Future and another relationship song about what keeps us together over the good and the bad times. Insomnia is the theme of Eight Hours Sleep and Jess Hitchcock provides beautiful and haunting backing vocals together with the double bass of Bill McDonald excelling also.

Throughout the album we are served with superbly judged music from long-time band members of Kelly down the years. The rhythm section of Paul Luscombe (drums) and Bill McDonald (bass) is always in the pocket and turning everything over at a nicely balanced pace. The guitar work of both Dan Kelly and Ashley Naylor is a real treat also and the variety of keyboards provided by Cameron Bruce adds great colour and nuance.

The final song Going To the River With Dad is a vignette that recalls a childhood memory of an early morning fishing trip with his father. It captures the magic of the moment in the telling and is a prime example of the song-craft at play here. ‘He’s long gone, I’ve passed his span, But myself against him I’m still measuring, Aiming for the mark of a man, Sometimes hitting it, sometimes missing.’ Poignant and powerful in the delivery. As a national icon Paul Kelly has endeared himself to many admirers in Australia and beyond. His music has developed from his early bands the Dots, the Coloured Girls, and the Messengers and encompasses all that is good in folk, rock and contemporary roots music. A talent of the highest order and you simply applaud the craft of the man. Another cracker!

Paul McGee   

Ashley E Norton Call Of the Void Self Release

This solo album from Ashley E. Norton was recorded in Nashville by producer and multi-instrumentalist Johnny Garcia.  The songs are a mixture of Country, Folk, Rock and Blues and are all written by Norton, including a few co-writes and a cover of the classic Led Zeppelin song Going To California.

Garcia plays all the instruments on the songs, except for acoustic guitar added by Norton and cello violin from Jimmy Mattingly. Opening song Americana To Me is a comment on the music industry need to place everything into neat boxes ‘It’s country when you think it isn’t, rock when it’s just easy listening, blues when you ain’t sad enough, folk when you don’t sing for love, gospel that don’t quite fit in.’

Every Woman I Know is a look at the struggle and constraints put upon the female of the species and the quiet power that is often supressed by social demands that stops women from standing in their own power. A song for everywoman in these misogynistic days. As a contrast Baby Blue Jean is in complete contrast to the sentiment of the previous track and a song that celebrates the pulling power of a rodeo cowboy. The title track Call Of the Void speaks of saving yourself against the irresistible force of love’s passion and falling for attraction of another.

The cover of the classic Led Zeppelin song Going To California has a heartfelt vocal and it’s a nice take on the original while The Fortune Teller is a slow song that captures the smoke and mirrors of personal relationships.  The song I Only Think About You When I’m Drinking has a nice blues arrangement and looks at love lost and Modern Martyr has a more commercial sound with observations on self-inflected suffering in order to remain true to oneself.

I Wish is a song that wishes bad times on an ex-lover and the slow country sound includes the words ‘So this shooting star I’m wishing upon, is just for your good day to go a little bit wrong.’ The song It Doesn’t Matter is yet another reflection on the vagaries of relationships gone wrong and trying to find common ground. The final song is Songbirds In the Stars and it is a happy jaunt on a country melody that includes mandolin and fiddle and highlights the broad talent of this artist.   

Paul McGee

Furlined Kill Devil Hills Self Release

With two previous albums released in 2009 and 2012 before the band went into hiatus, this third outing is the result of founding members Neil Crossley and Tegan Everett deciding to reform. The duo stepped away back in 2015, but they are now back together and this new album is certainly well worth their initial instincts to get involved.

The eleven songs are very well produced and the playing by the studio musicians is of a high standard as they cover a number of different musical styles. Crossley takes all lead vocals and plays guitar, with Everett providing cello. The melodies are very immediate and the elegant arrangements make an early impression, which is always a positive sign.

The title track is in tribute to a community based in the North Carolina area where Crossley lived for a number of years and the song From Montclair To Tupelo speaks of growing into maturity and leaving home for a college education. Both Cinnamon Gum and Two Of a Kind are relationship songs that reflect upon the need for freedom and allowing space for people to grow.

The slow swoon of You Will Never Believe Your Eyes highlights the rich vocal tone of Crossley and the sweet cello of Everett to great effect, and on Dreaming Of Houses the hazy days of family outings are captured through the memory of a son who is taking time to sit with his ageing father. Equally on The Admin Of Life we get a peek into the life of perhaps, a working parent and the challenge in negotiating responsibility on a daily basis ‘ I wish that I can could save you from this fear and worrying… The upsets, the overdrafts, frozen credit lines, You’ve had a bellyful of the admin of life.’

Final track Princeton In the Distance is an up-tempo arrangement with the band stretching out to provide a nice dynamic in the delivery on an optimistic song about navigating towards a positive future. A worthy return for this band and there is much to admire in these songs.

Paul McGee

March To August Songs Inspired By Witness Self Release

Contemporary folk, mixed with bluegrass and roots leanings, combine to define the sound of March To August, who are the duo Derrick and Jodi Mears. On this new release they drew inspiration from a novel written by Karen Heese. It is titled "Witness" and it is the story of a small Vermont town during the years of prohibition.

The songs include instrumentals such as Leonora’s Dance and the three interval pieces titled Scribbler which introduce the character of journalist Reynard Alexander who reports on the arrival of the Ku Klux Klan into the township and surrounding areas. Only the River is a story song about an unexpected pregnancy and the fate that falls upon a young girl who tries to hide away her secret. The song features twice on the album, with Jade Ayers taking lead vocals on one version and Derrick Mears providing a different emphasis on a separate take.

Every Girl is a song about trying to break out from stereotypes and the predetermined life that awaits young girls in small rural environs. I hear Lyle Lovett in the vocal delivery and elsewhere there are traces of Randy Travis in the timbe of Derrick Mears. Viola is a standout song with the local storeowner regretting decisions taken in joining the KKK ‘I realise that hatred is the wrong side of this fight.’ A real highlight on the album.

The instruments used on the songs are limited to acoustic guitars, bass and banjo, with the clear production highlighting the excellent playing and simple arrangements. Clergyman John Reeves is exposed in all his hypocrisy on Johnny ‘Preaching salvation on Sunday and on Monday living in sin.’ The track Running Booze is another story song and looks at the life of a female bootlegger and the secrets she keeps.

The up-tempo Hell Bound looks at mistakes made in a life where there is no comfort or peace in looking for absolution. Another song that reflects upon the life of Rev John Reeves is Perfect Son and his failings that trace back to adolescence. The entire listening experience is very enjoyable and the album is a fine shop window for the creative talents of this musical duo.

Paul McGee

Sam Lewis Superposition Loversity

There are a number of influences present on this new album from Nashville resident Sam Lewis. He has been releasing music since his debut album appeared in 2012 and this collection of nine songs represents his fifth solo record. During Covid, and on the back of a cancelled tour, Lewis met with his music buddies when safety allowed, and this spontaneous approach on a semi-regular basis has yielded these songs of different hues.

The production techniques include disparate sounds, from the distorted rhythm on Bad Man which includes kazoo and eerie synth, to the shimmering slow reverie of Come On.  There is an interesting blues-based cover of the Dire Straits song Walk Of Life which shouldn’t really work but which fits into the overall feel of the project. It has a slow beat and the menacing guitar courtesy of producer Ethan Ballinger gives the lyrics a new perspective.

Sappy Ending has a melodic bass line and is a love song that resonates, while Smile is another look at relationship joys with the lyric ‘It won’t be long before you realise, It’s all for you if you ever wondered why.’ Sinking Ship has a fun lyric and offbeat sounds that swirl around the percussion.

While We’re Still Here brings a sweet melody that feels like a spring breeze as Lewis sings in his honeyed vocal style, while on What Does It Mean the inventive percussion and guitar/synth sounds give a nicely contorted musical gumbo. On What I Need we are given a nice slow tempo and a reflective relationship song that brings the album to a comforting conclusion. The atmospheric playing on the tracks is very much a feature and the easy interplay of the musicians is impressive.

Paul McGee

New Album Reviews

Juanita Stein The Weightless Hour Agricultural Audio

The fourth solo album from the Australian Indie-rock band Howling Bells leader Juanita Stein, THE WEIGHTLESS HOUR, finds the singer-songwriter reinventing her core sound. With an altogether more stripped-back sound, Stein’s focus was directed towards vocals, guitar, and piano, forsaking other instrumentation and, by doing so, draws the listener towards the lyrical content in the ten tracks.

Stein’s 2020 record, SNAPSHOT, was a grief-driven affair which reflected on the unexpected death of her father. Much of this project was written in Tuscany during lockdown, during which Stein and her family stayed in a rented house, waiting for the return to normality in that uncertain time. The title track ponders on that time (We’re living in the weightless hour, no ties to bind, no call to arms.) as her thoughts were towards religious supremacy (Carry Me), aimless relationships (Driving Nowhere), brutal European history (Old World), and youthful perceived invincibility (The Game).

Working once more with producer Ben Hillier (Nadine Shah, Gang of Four, Depeche Mode), the angelic pureness of Stein’s vocals wins through, with the concentration focused on her nostalgic and well-constructed tales. Stein has described the project as an exercise in ‘shredding layers of constraint I’ve placed upon myself over time.’ In practical terms, she also confesses that the more skeletal musical direction allows her to replicate the material on tour without the financial drain of having a full touring band.

A departure from her previous recordings, repeated spins, preferably with headphones, reveal lyrically astute compositions and a masterclass in simplicity.

Declan Culliton

Dean Owens The Ridge Trilogy EPs - Ghost Walking / Ridgeline / Sacri Couri Continental Song City

The word ‘prolific’ is not wasted on Edinburgh, Scotland artist Dean Owens. Adding ‘passionate, enthusiastic and probing’ to that description gives a profile of a singer, songwriter and musician whose musical yield, in recent years has crossed the Atlantic from Scotland to America and back to Europe, exploring disparate musical landscapes to fuel his projects. Those travels yielded the double album EL TIRADITO from last year, SINNER’S SHRINE in 2022 and DESERT TRILOGY EPs in 2021. Owens also released a collection of songs written and recorded during lockdown titled PICTURES in 2023, completing an output that many artists would spend the best part of a decade working on.

These latest recordings preview what can be expected on the full-length album, SPIRIT RIDGE, to be released next year. Recorded at Crinale Studio in Emila Romagna, Italy, Deans co-produced with the renowned Italian producer, musician and filmmaker Don Antonio, well known to Irish audiences as the frontman in the band Sacri Couri, whose credits include the touring backing band for Alejandro Escovedo. Owens’ great-great-grandfather was born and raised in rural hills of Italy, drawing Owens to that part of the world and the four-century-old farmhouse where the recordings took place. THE RIDGE TRILOGY EPs is a collection of songs recorded at the sessions for SPIRIT RIDGE, including a number of demos of songs that will be included in the album in their finished format.

Owens travelled to Tucson, Arizona, to collaborate with Calexico’s Joey Burns and John Convertino and record EL TIRADITO. The sun-drenched landscape influenced the musical direction of that album. Similarly, the cooler temperatures and lush agricultural lands of Emilia Romagna ring through in these recordings. Playing out as an autumn listen rather than the summer sound of its predecessor, those influences are evident from the onset in GHOST WALKING, the first instalment in the trilogy. On the opening track, My Beloved Hills, the writer’s thoughts are drawn to loved ones who passed away and the comfort he garners from the wild landscape. Tame The Lion, which follows, takes its cue from Owens’ great-great- grandfather’s occupation as a lion tamer and Sergio’s Kitchen, communicated by Owens’ now trademark whistling, revisits the spaghetti-western thread much loved by him.

The dramatic brass and string-infused Light This World opens RIDGELINE with a searching and impassioned sentiment. More sinister and ghostly, though no less soul-stirring, is the pedestrian-paced Come With Me. The final leg of the trilogy, SACRI COURI, includes a song regularly featured in Owens’ live sets, Spirit Of Us. Two instrumentals are also featured, the Latin-coloured El Minuto and the more relaxed The Gloaming, before he signs off with an acoustic version of a song to be included in next year’s full album release, A Divine Tragedy.

Owens continues to push the boundaries, skipping from Morricone-styled Western soundtracks to hauntingly lonesome ballads. This meeting of musical styles from different continents is another hugely impressive listen. It’s also an impressive taster of what we can expect from the full-length album, SPIRIT RIDGE.

Mention is also warranted about the exquisite packaging and artwork with the album, which is a trademark of all Dean Owens’ work. On this occasion, the credit goes to Dave Huebner, who applied the finishing touches to an altogether most impressive project.

Declan Culliton

Lucinda Williams Sings The Beatles From Abbey Road Highway 20 / Thirty Tigers

The pandemic and the resulting downtime from touring whetted Lucinda Williams' appetite to record several tribute performances to assist independent music venues that were starved of income during that period. The performances streamed live for a fee, resulting in the income generated going directly to the selected venues. Such was the success of the recordings, titled Lu's Jukebox, they were subsequently released on CD and streaming services. The six original recordings were Vol. 1 - Runnin' Down A Dream (A Tribute To Tom Petty); Vol. 2 - Southern Soul: From Memphis To Muscle Shoals & More; Vol. 3 - Bob's Back Pages: A Night Of Bob Dylan Songs; Vol. 4 - Funny How Time Slips Away: A Night Of 60's Country Classics; Vol. 5 - Lucinda Williams - Have Yourself A Rockin' Little Christmas; and Vol. 6 - You Are Cordially Invited: A Tribute To The Rolling Stones.

This latest addition which finds Williams recording music dear to her heart may very well be the cream of the crop. The recordings took place at the hallowed Abbey Road Studios in London, where Williams, her band and longtime friend and producer Ray Kennedy worked on the twelve selections. Her regular band members, Marc Ford (guitar), Butch Norton (drums), Doug Pettibone (guitar), and David Sutton (bass), were joined by Richard Causon (Hammond B-3) and Siobhan M Kennedy (backing vocals) and, as you would expect with those players, the musicianship is of the highest order. Three of the selections are from the 1968 album THE BEATLES, better known as The WHITE ALBUM and are standout versions. While My Guitar Gently Weeps, with duelling riffs from Ford and Pettibone, is at least equal to the original version, which is no mean feat. The other two inclusions from that album are Yer Blues and I'm So Tired, the former ideally suited to Williams' love of raunchy blues numbers. I'm Looking Through You gets a beefed-up makeover, as does her scorching take on With a Little Help from My Friends, which takes its cue from Joe Cocker's blistering version. She slips down the gears with tender takes on Something, Let It Be and The Long and Winding Road.

For lovers of The Beatles and Lucinda Williams, this is a 'must-have' album. The Beatles may not have been an obvious choice for Williams to pay tribute to, but her versions and the killer playing by her band work spectacularly well.

Declan Culliton

Ramona and the Holy Smokes Til It's Over Self-Release

'I joke that if you've had your heart broken enough times, you're actually obligated to become a country singer,' explains Ramona Martinez, announcing her debut four-track EP, TIL IT'S OVER. It's a taster of what to expect from the Charlottesville, Virginia, artist's full-length album due for release in 2025. Alongside her four-piece band, Kyle Lawton Kilduff (guitars), Brooks Hefner (pedal steel),Jay Ouypron (bass), and Porter Bralley (drums), Martinez recreates the classic old school honky tonk sounds of yesteryear. 

The late 50s country music vibe is matched by the song title I Love Smoking (who didn't in 1960!), and the opener, I Want You To Be My Man, is a busy honky tonkin shuffler. The other two tracks are the pedal steel-led love ballad Dear Avery and the title track, which delves into the inevitable heartbreak side of romance.

Following in the footsteps of Kimmi Bitter, whose retro-country sound is reaching far and wide, Ramona and the Holy Smokes are at the early stages of a similar musical career journey. On the strength of this sampler, their wheels are firmly in motion.

Declan Culliton

Tris Munsick & The Innocents Big Medicine Moon Self Release

Here we have a Wyoming-based musician who, in the past, has been a part of his family band, The Munsick Boys with brothers Ian and Sam and father and mentor Dave, but who now, with his band, releases music under his own name. With three previous albums under his belt buckle Tris' new album arrives at the end of the year and is good enough to warrant serious consideration for addition to our album of the year listings. Lonesome Highway has previously reviewed his brother Sam's equally fine album released last year. Ian Munsick also has a number of releases out and is signed to major label Warner Bros Records in contrast, while Tris and Sam release independently.

What perhaps differentiates these siblings is that they all grew up on a ranch, with all the work and dedication that means. They apply to their music, too. This album features some great accompaniment under the production guidance of the ever-reliable Tommy Detamore, a noted pedal steel guitar player in his own right, who co-produced this album with Munsick. Recorded at Cherry Ridge Studios in Texas, the album's assembled players, including regular live guitarist Daniel Ball, certainly get the tone right for some bona fide western-themed country music that is not camp-fire folk songs of some exponents but instead aimed more at the honky tonk hardwood floor. Its themes are then open to acceptance by a wider audience than some of the music that comes from a similar place and time. It features a vibrancy that has an immediate appeal for Munsick's self-written songwriting. The lone cover on the album is that of Merle Haggard's song Red Bandana.

That chosen lifestyle, which is based around its ongoing demands, also has its own issues such as heartbreak and relationships is at the heart of Munsick’s songs. They often feature relationships tinged with the effects of moving on, of looking down the road ahead and not in the rearview mirror, as summed by the line "the windshield is bigger than the rearview mirror." However, that also means having to deal with leaving behind potential partners to pursue another road. The title track, an album highlight, is built around an immediate and catchy guitar riff that underscores the sense of something special that is happening for our protagonist at that particular moment in time. Wishful Thinking is again a balance between trying to find that special place and losing it, contrasting with the upbeat pace and the appeal of the song's arrangement. That again is echoed in Don't Slow Down and its need to move on and find new pastures.

The album is filled with tales of the ups and downs of life and love, which are, in truth, a part of most people's lives, as portrayed in Wild Child, or the fiddle-based serenity of the path of an uncertain love that becomes a 'fallen out of love' story that is Calm Before The Storm. That more reflective approach is also taken in the closing song All I Ever Wanted. While a little (western) swing is welcome in Me, Myself And I, the fiddle leads the steel in a partnership that has its roots in the sounds of an earlier era, which is still relevant when played like this.

The inclusion of the aforementioned Haggard song Red Bandana sees Munsick is delivered in a fine and impassioned vocal, acknowledging those paths that are not easy to walk down. It is a song that fits entirely with the sentiment of the original material here on what is a varied, enjoyable and welcome addition to that body of work that is inspired by a lifestyle that may not be one that every listener has lived or indeed would want to, but one that will still resonate - whatever moon we might be listening under.

Stephen Rapid

Rick George Self-Titled Self Release

This is a five-track EP from Rick George with a mix that marries acoustic instrumentation with pedal steel, bass and drums with fiddle, harmonica and mandolin, the latter adding something of a more down home feel. George has the depth of age in his voice for a relatively young man. It is expressly retro sounding with an old-school sound that is finding favour with newer audiences who seek something less polished and a little more real than what they might have encountered in the past.

George’s previous release was a single of Drinking And Dreaming produced by Dean Miller, a producer who looks for music with that sense of verisimilitude, something apparent in these new songs. This time out, George has handled the production himself. Recording in Dayton, Ohio, where he is now based, with a number of players who bring these tracks their simple, effective sense of storytelling with a rust belt flavour.

He is a family man with a take on how life has a way of influencing your thoughts and creative path. The opening song, Here We Are is a reflection on survival that looks at a relationship that has grown and matured over a period of time with a realism that realises the need, at times, for space that is not always possible. However the couple find that despite the problems they may have gone through they are still together, even when they didn’t feel they might not have and that at the end of the day that, well, here we are. Place and roots are important overall to most, even when it becomes an imperative to move on. In Lead Me On it may be a question of faith to seek that some sort of guidance.

This theme is also present in Homestead, with its sense of wanting to settle down when you can count on love and support to help you get through. Another side of the coin is tossing it in the air to see which side is better, to be happy or free, and then actually that what you have is perhaps what you wanted at the end of it and not to go looking for Something I Won’t Find.

The final track, Just Like Old Times, is an echo of memories that hold the past, which may always be with you even when you may not see that, as things may change and you go astray. It is a title that sums up Rick George and his music, which may suit those who are fans of some of the more iconic singer/songwriters they may have come to love, even when some are no longer with us. But here is an artist who perhaps needs a full-length release to really establish his credentials. This is, however, just the beginning …

Stephen Rapid

Jeremy Dion Bend In the Middle Self Release

Based in Boulder, Colorado and a licenced therapist by day, Jeremy Dion has created his self-remedy by putting his energies into the creation of music in his free time. Indeed, it has proven more than a therapeutic release and has led to the delivery of three previous albums, starting as far back as 2008 with the appearance of his aptly titled debut, Finally.

This new recording is eleven songs that portray a code for living with a concentration upon both balance and self-awareness. Whether we are focused externally or whether we have already begun the internal journey of looking within, these songs act as a guiding hand to assist our travel. An example is the song Lovin’ Our Friends which asks the question ‘How do we love ourselves like we’re loving our friends,’ suggesting that our negative self-talk as adults can be outgrown by a focus on self-realisation.

Another song Bend In the Middle is all about learning to go with the flow and accept what the moment brings ‘So caught up in everybody else and how they’re living (wrong!), When everything relevant occurs within.’ It Happened So Fast captures that special feeling of falling in love when suddenly everything in the outside world falls away and no longer seems to matter. There are two songs written for his daughters and the sentiment in both Sweet June and Avery is one of unconditional love and the timeless devotion that a parent holds for their children.

There is a different declaration of love to a partner on Constant and on You and I we have a song that reminisces on endless days spent in Paris with a special partner. All I See Is You  visits the predominant theme of the album and that sense of loving awareness surrounding us if, we are open to letting it enter. The songs are all self-penned and recording took place in Cinder Sound Studios, Colorado. The musicians deliver a very engaging album that is filled with great ensemble playing and plenty of sweet melody across the songs. A rewarding album and one that will please the discerning listener.

Paul McGee

Beau Jennings and the Tigers American Stories Major Chords Black Mesa

This singer songwriter grew up in Oklahoma before moving to Brooklyn where he became involved in the music scene over a number of years. He fronted the Americana-influenced Cheyenne, a band that was very active from 2003 through to 2007. Jennings released his debut solo album in 2008 and since then he has been moving between different projects, whether as collaborator, solo artist, or continuing to record with Cheyenne. In 2019 he recorded for the first time with a new backing band,. The Tigers, who are based in the city of Norman, Oklahoma and a perfect match for the songwriting  talent of Jennings.

This new album represents the third Tigers release in the last five years and the line-up of Chase Kerby (guitars), Chris Wiser (piano, organ), Dustin Ragland (drums), and Michael Trepagnier (bass) are very much in tune with the guitar and vocals of Beau Jennings. This is a great example of heartland rock in all its energy and opening track Oklahoma Heat captures the essence of blue collar workers who try to provide a living in challenging times ‘I been holding on so long, It’s getting hard to keep my grip, I feel it when it’s coming, I feel it when it slips.’

The driving sound of the title track follows and a photograph of Brooklyn life captured in a memory of local bands and meeting a girl at the show. Broken Angel holds further memories of New York city with a girlfriend, enjoying the bright light experiences, going to the game, or hanging out at the local bar. The song Driving Around is about going back to your hometown and simply reliving past days in the act of driving the local streets again. Knockin’ is a love song and a promise for good times to come ‘Did you hear they got their licence, Happy hour on the horizon, If you come to town, I’ll try and show you around.’

Old school friends are remembered in Boston Avenue a song that deals with the passing of Donnie, a close pal who died at a young age ‘After the service your mom took me to your old room, she hadn’t touched a thing, everything looked the same.’ Norman Nights is a memory of hanging out in local bands and getting high, while People’s Porch is a tribute to the passing of the same schoolfriend who featured in a previous song. The guitar attack on Rubberburn is exciting and the big organ sound adds to the dynamic. Lookin’ For A Way has an early Springsteen feel on a song about getting out of town and driving towards the horizon.

The final song Sooner Superettte follows a similar theme of youthful swagger and looking for a place to put all that energy, with the image of a local five and dime and garage providing a meeting place ‘These days I’m topping off my tank, These days I’m paying off my debts, There ain’t nothing you can’t find at the sooner superette.’ The album sound is very clean and in tune with the overall atmosphere created by producer (and band member) Michael Trepagnier. It is a strong statement that has plenty to entertain and comes with a thumbs-up recommendation.

Paul McGee

Captain Smut Serenades For the Underdogs Self Release

This is a 6-song EP from an artist who describes himself as “A troubled troubadour that sings sad songs.” The transient life of a vagabond is not an easy path, but for Captain Smut it is a lifestyle choice, cast in the role of the travelling troubadour. His home exists on the road in a camper van, continuously travelling, almost as if by maintaining a state of perpetual external motion it’s possible to somehow outrun the ghosts of inner uncertainty.

The past follows us around however and whether Captain Smut is moving on from a place or a relationship, he accompanies himself at all times; perhaps always just one day away from where he wants to be. The word ‘smut’ conjures up images of impropriety and the negative connotation is hard to shake off. Perhaps a show of empathy with our fellow man is sufficient cause to banish the demons that gather and can result in that sense of isolation and loneliness. These common experiences and thoughts are captured in these songs and reveal the persona of a dweller on the threshold. The songs offer insight into the human condition, even if our perennial questions remain unanswered.

Godforsaken Town opens proceedings with a song about leaving a place. The guitar and harmonica mix is very appealing, even if the lyrics reflect ‘I seem to bring chaos everywhere I go, I let it free to fall down, And I seem to hurt everyone I know.’ The following track Comin’ Home has a trad-country sound that delivers a breakup song ‘This way of living makes a man feel alone, and I’m feeling wary of being a rolling stone.’

Better Man is a song that echoes regret for past mistakes and it is very confessional in tone. The chance for redemption is something that just may be out of reach ‘For all the tears I cost, For all the love I’ve lost, I wish I could start again, And be a better man.’ The song arrangement is memorable with some sweet guitar playing. Watch Time Pass By talks about ‘Life has no value, It’s purpose less than absurd, I’m wasting time to keep up with the herd’ and of wanting to just sit in observation of the play of life. The influence of Tom Waits runs through the vocal and the view of life from someone on the outside of daily routine.

Every Road Has It’s Dead End ponders upon the fact that no matter what choices we all make, the path chosen will ultimately lead to a destination that we are powerless to change or escape from. The final song All Things Left Unsaid deals with the question of suicide and a pre-determined choice to leave this mortal coil ‘I cooked my last meal and opened a bottle of wine, And went through all possible scenarios in my mind.’ In the end, being alone can be a gateway to freedom or a self-imposed prison, the decision is ours to ultimately make. Captain Smut has a very expressive vocal delivery and the production on these tracks is excellent, with lots to enjoy in the song arrangements. I look forward to more from this interesting artist.

Paul McGee

New Album Reviews

Nick Gusman and the Coyotes Lifting Heavy Things Self-Release

What do you get if you mix a bluegrass fiddle player, a hardcore rock bass player, and a jazz-schooled drummer? It's hardly the blueprint for an alt-country band, but it is the bricks and mortar that cement St. Louis, Missouri-based outfit Nick Gusman and the Coyotes. Their core sound is a throwback to the 90s when groups like The Bottle Rockets, Drive-By Truckers, and Blue Mountain shook up the mainstream market with their signature mix of country, indie, and punk. Nick Gusman and the Coyotes are Nick Gusman (Guitar, Vocals), Sean Kamery (fiddle), Justin Haltmar (bass), Tony Hall (keys), Garrett Rongey (guitar) and Jeremy Reidy (drums).

As was the case with the band's previous albums, DEAR HARD TIMES (2018) and the self-titled release (2021), LIFTING HEAVY THINGS, was recorded live at Native Sound Recordings in St. Louis ('We came in hot, turned up way loud, and recorded everything live,' explains Nick Gusman) and the end results are pretty impressive and will most certainly appeal to lovers of the alt-country genre, which has been overshadowed by the all-embracing Americana classification in recent years.

Songwriter Gusman's ammunition for the songs came from diverse sources. A conversation with a sex worker, a wild child living on the edge, a late-night conversation with a homeless man at a convenience store, a school shooting up the street from where Gusman lives, and healing a broken heart all gave the writer food for thought.

The scorching and lyrically graphic American Dream, with its semi-spoken delivery, captures the fear, class divide and racism dividing America today ('The weather man says stay indoors and crawl inside the tub or you might catch a stray bullet from the war on drugs'). The title track is a twangy tongue-in-cheek affair, and in the mid-tempo Tokyo Hotel, the protagonist daydreams about a fleeting love affair. Slow Down Katie is an instantly catchy toe-tapper and the fiddle-led Magic 8 Ball is a reminder that regardless of how smooth things are going, there's always a curveball around the corner. The soulful Sound of a Broken Heart is an uncomplicated Tom Petty-sounding affair, and Stray Dog, as the title implies, is a mean and raw bluesy romp.

An intoxicating blend of full-blooded rockers and slow burners, LIFTING HEAVY THINGS never drags its anchor from start to finish. For this writer, it is eyebrow-raising quality and well worth your attention.

Declan Culliton

Rebecca Correia Flying Self-Release

Spending half the year in rural Rochester, Massachusetts, where she grew up on a rural farm, and the other half in the historical village of Leiper's Fork in Tennessee, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Rebecca Correia may not be a household name in roots music. However, she can boast an impressive canon of songs, over five hundred songs written since she was a child, one hundred and fifty shows each year, six full-length albums, and this five-track EP.

A taster of what listeners could expect from this EP came in the form of a duet single, with Lonesome Highway favourite Lillie Mae, titled Rose Colored Glasses, released in September of this year. That song's message of rebirth and resilience in the face of adversity is revisited in FLYING, particularly on the up-tempo opening song Another Life, and resurfaces on The One That Got Away, which bookends the album, are both cases in point. The title track is also a defiant statement of intent and letting go.

Correia's vocals are striking, passionate and flowing throughout. She is joined on vocals by Shay Carter on a soulful and impressive version of Speak To A Girl, which Faith Hill and Tim McGraw previously recorded.

The recurring thread of FLYING is one of strong-minded women (or possibly also men) who have triumphantly moved on from troubled relationships and challenges. It's a journey with signposts for many who have also successfully exited virulent associations and, more importantly, a reminder to others that sunshine often follows darkness.

Declan Culliton

Jenny Owen Youngs Avalanche (Deluxe) Yep Roc

A twenty-track album featuring the ten original tracks from last year's AVALANCHE, alongside previously unreleased material, early demos, and some live tracks, Jenny Owen Young's debut record on Yep Roc is both an introduction to her music for the unfamiliar and a bonus recording for those already on board with her confessional and often sorrowful output.

The New Jersey-reared singer-songwriter had no shortage of material to tap into for last year's release. In the eleven years since the release of AN UNWAVERING BAND OF LIGHT in 2012, she has lived in Brooklyn, Los Angeles, and Maine, and she has been married, divorced, and married again. Outside her personal life, she has written numerous songs for film and TV, landed a boom deal and set in motion a successful podcast. Recorded with producer Josh Kaufman (Bonny Light Horseman), Youngs dipped into that endless well of loss and rebirth to write the material for this fine collection of candid and unguarded songs.

The album includes co-writes with friends S. Carey, Madi Diaz, Peter Silberman and Christian Lee Hutson, Youngs summarises the album as 'A good deal of heartbreak and disappointment in this music, but it ultimately gives way to excitement and promise, to the incredible, immeasurable bliss of falling in love and finding yourself again.' Her vocals perfectly reflect the songs’ moods as she details sadness, acceptance and renewal. Those observations stand out spectacularly in songs that drill into compatibility and common ground (Knife Went In), devastation and regeneration (Avalanche), and confronting issues hidden from the past (Bury Me Slowly).

The bonus tracks include the recently released jangly single Someone's Ex, a number of remixes, and demos, but the real winners are the original tracks, which, if the album passed you by the first time around, as it did with me, amount to a striking body of work.

Declan Culliton

Teddy & The Rough Riders Down Home Appalachia

Teddy & The Rough Riders, headed by Nashville-born and bred songwriters and vocalists Jack Quiggins and Ryan Jennings, were the recipients of Best Honky Tonk Group at the Ameripolitan Awards in Austin earlier this year. Childhood friends, the pair cut their teeth in numerous rock bands over the past two decades but, in more recent times, have headed down a more cosmic country route. Their 2022 self-titled record, produced by Margo Price, certainly ticked that 'outlaw' box, and DOWN HOME is a similarly fully-charged affair.

A throwback to the late '60s, when long-haired, bearded, and denim-clad dudes shook up the conservative country music scene by injecting that genre with rock sensibilities, DOWN HOME is an eleven-song collection with its foot firmly on the cosmic country pedal.

Co-produced by the band with Jake Davis, song titles like Getting' High, Bullet, Fast Livin' and Hippies point to where these guys are coming from. It's also a fun listen with memories of carefree childhood holidays in Catfish Summer, an ode to a loved dog in Edna's Song and the autobiographical Trouble Sleeping. Erin Rae and Emily Nenni joined the party, adding backing vocals on Golden Light and the bluegrass-tinged Mountain Girl is a fictitious tale of survival against stacked odds. It's little surprise that they also included a sad country song and Love After Life ticks that box.

Teddy & The Rough Riders steer well clear of the overcrowded Americana market with this unabashed nod to country music of a different era. Country-edged vocals, raging fiddles, thumping bass lines, stinging pedal steel, and slick guitar breaks are the order of the day, and with clever songs that hit the spot on the first spin, they've created a record that is very much the sum of its parts.

Declan Culliton

Eric Bibb In the Real World Repute

On the song Stealin’ Home Eric Bibb sings about the great Jackie Robinson who became the first African-American to play in Major League Baseball. It was a momentous occasion and it announced the end of racial segregation in professional baseball, which had relegated black players to the Negro leagues since the 1880s. This is the essence of Eric Bibb and his music, never forgetting the folk leanings of his youth and the fight for racial equality, hand in hand with the civil rights struggle of the past, and his gift of always acknowledging the old blues tradition in a contemporary setting.

Eric Bibb is an advocate for the path to higher ground and this album is a real gem. It represents such a key component in the canon of roots music, where the ongoing growth relies upon what went before, and the links to that common thread which unites. Walk Steady On is a tribute to the old gospel traditions and the belief that salvation awaits all who stay on the righteous path. Everybody’s Got A Right is a song that captures the thrust of the civil rights marches that demanded equality for all races back in the 50s and 60s and their struggle to realise social justice. The song Neshoba County captures this striving and tells the tale of three civil rights workers that were assassinated in Mississippi during 1964, causing national outrage and leading to the passing of the Civil Rights Act the very same year.

Best I Can seeks to rise above the grim history of slavery and the painful journey towards better times. Breaking free of the chains that bind is the subject of This River (Chains and Free), another song that illuminates the struggle for human rights, and the soulful gospel arrangement is a real highlight with wonderful vocal dynamics from Shaneeka Simon, Sepideh and Arezo Vaziri.

Make A Change carries the key message of the album, a hope to rise above all the inequities of the past and a plea to look to yourself as an agent for change. Self-enlightenment starts with a first step and a desire to achieve self growth. Amen to gaining that perspective, and it all begins and ends with me and you, no matter our apparent differences. Dear Mavis is a tribute song written for the great Mavis Staples and her enduring influence as a civil rights activist and on R&B, Soul and Gospel music over her distinguished career.

King Of the Castle is a story song about a man who falls on hard times and finds himself a rough-sleeper in cardboard city, Hollywood. It’s a traditional blues with some superb picking and atmospherics in the arrangement. Roll On Buddy is another blues workout with the musicians playing superbly, and the sentiment in Judgement Day is that our deeds follow us until we reap what we sow. The title track In the Real World is another hope for love and peace where we could aspire to live in harmony and release our potential for loving awareness. Love as a universal balm is explored on If There’s Any Rule and the sense that we have the ability to always reach out to one another.

The musicianship on this album is of the highest order with the atmosphere created is beautifully understated and restrained in the playing throughout. Produced by Glen Scott in Real World Studios the album features fifteen songs that are mostly written by Eric Bibb and Glenvin Anthony Scott, with a selection of other co-writing credits. Bibb has been creating some sublime music in recent years and it would serve you well to get onboard with this very influential artist.

Paul McGee

Allison McGrath Redirect This Affect Self Release

From early beginnings in learning her craft while busking on the local streets of Newry in Northern Ireland, Allison also played in local bands like Captain Swing and Soulantics and recorded two solo albums in the process. This new release proves to be a very enjoyable listen across the eleven songs included and the self-produced project boasts a list of quality players with twelve musicians credited who lend their talents to the song arrangements.

The different musical styles range from reggae sounds to folk, blues and rock influences. It is a selection box of different treats and is a fine example to the array of talent currently active on these Irish shores. The opening reggae lilt of Just A Minute is a nice point of entry, followed by the easy blues of Who Knows Me Better, and then into the bossa nova groove of the title track, Redirect the Affect. The straight up jazz arrangement on That Man Of Mine is a highlight with some subtle guitar from Brian Willoughby and salty saxophone added to the mix.

There is a nice rhythm in the groove on Cosmic Karma  with the horn section lifting the drum and bass anchor provided by Martay Galbraith and Paul McMahon. The nicely paced melodic sound of In Over My Head is coloured by the cello of Cherry Robinson and the violin of Niall Lynch. A Last Goodbye has a sweet folk arrangement and is a love song that echoes the pain of parting, augmented by atmospheric strings and elegant guitar parts from Brian Willoughby. Anything You Want is another folk influenced melody with sweet harmony vocals and inventive acoustic guitar.

How Many Times is another easy reggae beat with understated horns supporting the bright harmony vocals on a relationship song that asks for occasional breathing space. On the song Never In My Lifetime there are questions about how we conduct ourselves as a society with homelessness, rampant greed and environmental abuse highlighted as obvious concerns. The final song is a message that we can all make a difference in our daily lives and Still Got A Light asks that we recognise the spirit within and the power to endure.

While there is always a risk in presenting too many eclectic sounds on an album, the ability to be able to fully inhabit each song choice brings a greater reward. The album flows nicely in the order of the tracks and the musicianship is of the highest order throughout.

Paul McGee

JD Hinton Traveler Self Release

On this EP we are given five songs that reflect the songwriting skills of this Waco, Texas resident. Hinton released a debut album back in 2014 and he has also written for  films, in addition to pursuing acting roles in television. In recent years he has focused on a series of EPs with four separate recordings appearing since 2022, and a clear marketing strategy of ‘a little and often.’ On this new EP we experience the next instalment, and another taste of Hinton’s creative leanings.

The Other Side is a song that reflects on a break-up and what healing exists beyond the pain. The deep vocal contains a plausibility in the life lessons learned and in working through the days of disappointment ‘On the other side of you, I found the other side of me.’ Trouble Time has a nice groove in the arrangement with atmospheric guitar to the fore on a song about how trouble can decide to just follow you around for the hell of it ‘Trouble turns on the juice, Trouble turns on a dime.’  It’s a stand out track and leaves us with the warning that ‘Trouble just loves to fight.’

Your Him is a fun song about wanting to be ‘the one’ for the lady of your desires ‘Why don’t you let me be your him.’ There is a great tempo to the tune and a beat that brings an echo of the classic song Who Do You Love. The arrangement veers in a different direction as the song develops and the outro chorus is lifted by a big guitar sound. Exiles In Madrid is a gently delivered acoustic song about getting lost in a foreign country and simply soaking up the love of another ‘where the sun sets slow and sweet.’ There is some nice interplay from the musicians who deliver an interesting dynamic across all five songs included here.

The final track is My Time Has Come and the husky vocal of Hinton reflects a state of finding his place and in the belief that things would always turn out fine  ‘My time is here, This is the hour I hoped would appear, No running from, No time for fear.’ As a statement of intent this is a fitting way to leave room for the next chapter in the journey. With every creative process, we look to absorb the full picture that is presented. Nobody ever seeks to purchase “half a painting” and my reflection would be that a full album release lies beyond these smaller glimpses that have appeared on the EP releases from this talented artist.

Paul McGee

Daniel Boling Love, Dan Berkalin

Album number ten in the career of this singer songwriter, who started releasing his solo music back in 1999. On this new release we are treated to fourteen songs and the production is courtesy of long-time friend and fellow-musician Jono Manson. All songs are written by Boling, with one co-write, which was a collaboration with the great Tom Paxton. The music is enjoyable throughout and the forty four minutes play out on a platform of wise words linked to understated playing and an experienced hand on the rudder at all times. The title track leads off with a neatly observed song about growing up with the guiding light of a loving parent, juxtaposed between Boling’s mother and his own role as a parent now, both reflecting upon times past.

All Of Us Are Immigrants is a song that contemplates on the unenlightened rhetoric that spews out from the ignorant in our midst. Boling is currently resident in Albuquerque, New Mexico and his words resonate ‘All of us are immigrants no matter when we got here, Some of us came willingly and some of us were brought here, We may believe we should get more because we got here first, I have Native friends who say that’s not the way it works.’ If I Were You looks at the hard decisions that a child has to take when faced with the dilemma of an ageing parent and their future medical care, while the message on Whadya Do Today? is learning to live in the moment and celebrating the lives that have gone before and those that will continue after you are gone.

Toward the Fire is a damning opinion on today’s society where division is encouraged instead of seeking harmony and having due regard for your fellow man ‘ Where are the heroes who will lead our country in its gravest need, Whose duty comes before desire, Who won't condone and won't conspire, Who’ll always call a liar a liar, And bravely turn and face the fire.’ There are lighter themes such as the young love on Quarter and the funny anomaly of a musician’s potential earning power on Public Domain  ‘He’s not solely motivated by pecuniary gain, But he can’t earn a penny off of Public Domain.’

Family are again celebrated on two tracks, The Leash, where the love of a mother is shown as the most important influence, and on Maya, I Adore You which is a sweet song to a grandchild. The album closes on a love song that is timeless in sentiment and The Sycamore Tree holds memories and secrets only it can know. The musicians that grace this engaging album are Daniel Boling (guitar, vocals), Kelly Mulhollan (mandolin, banjo, upright bass, drum), Char Rothschild (accordion, tin whistles), joined on selected tracks by Jason Crosby (violin, piano), Jon Gagan (upright bass), Michael J. Ronstadt (cello), John Egenes (dobro), with additional credits for ‘humming’ and some backing vocals from producer Jono Manson. Daniel Boling is a wise soul and his insights on life and the human condition are worth the entry fee alone, even before you get to the sweetly structured songs. Definitely a keeper.

Paul McGee

Billy Coulter Singles Self Release

Washington DC is home for Billy Coulter and he has been performing on the local circuit for many years. His talent has been recognised with a number of Washington-area music awards as a songwriter and his sound is very much in the power pop and roots rock arena. The 5-track EP is a collection of recent singles that have been released and it stands as a sampler of where his focus currently lies. A Million Pieces has a big sound with a bright melody and is a song about looking to repair a broken heart. Things slow down on Haven’t You Fallen In Love With Me Yet? with the soulful delivery masking feelings of frustration as his hopes disappear with the lady of his dreams.

Seemed Like A Good Idea At the Time has a nice rocking beat and mirrors a Tom Petty feel in the arrangement, with rich keyboards adding extra muscle to the performance. Ready, Fire, Aim is another high tempo track with the musicians locked into a great groove as the words hint at a scattergun approach to living, where the target is not always in focus. The final song is the more considered Never Better and is a slow acoustic tale of lovers who decide to walk on the wrong side of their marriage vows, only to wind up star-crossed and ultimately alone.

There are a number of musicians credited on the individual tracks with the core band comprising Billy Coulter (vocals, guitar), Max Evans (lead guitar, vocals), Brian Simms (keyboards, vocals), Arch Alcantara (bass, vocals), and drum duties shared by three different players. This is a fine addition to the discography of a songwriter who continues to follow his own path. Quite where it leads is an interesting question but there is no doubting the talent involved as Coulter shapes his next moves.

Paul McGee

New Album Reviews

Ags Connolly Your Pal Slim: Songs of James Hand Self-Release

Very much a labour of love, this twelve-track album is a tribute to the artist who shaped the musical career of Oxfordshire’s Ags Connolly. James ‘Slim’ Hand, who passed away in 2020, may not have achieved the notoriety of his fellow Texans Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings or Kenny Rogers, but he will be remembered forever as a classic outlaw honky tonker and songwriter who touched the hearts of both emerging and established country singers.

Connolly selected eleven of his favourite James Hand songs and a self-write, Corner of My Street, for the project. The initial recording took place in Woodworm Studios in Oxfordshire, England, where Connolly was joined by Anna Robinson on bass and Robert Pokorny on drums to prepare the foundations of the tracks. From there, he recruited a host of players that were either Hand’s former band members or contributors on his studio recordings. Hand’s band leader, Chris McElrath, added guitars, Jake Penrod played pedal steel, Beth Chrisman was on fiddle, and Brennen Leigh, a friend of Hand’s from her early days performing in Austin, contributed mandolin and backing vocals.

Pick of the crop are the opener and full-on honky tonker In The Corner, At The Table, By The Jukebox, the love-torn Midnight Run and Men Like Me Can Fly, which features Brennen Leigh’s slick mandolin and silky backing vocals. Much of Hand’s material was tinged with sadness, possibly a reflection of his spirited lifestyle and included are tearjerkers The Pain Of Loving You and My Heart’s Been Cheatin’ On Me.

Impressively packaged with detailed background notes by Connolly on his introduction to the music of his hero and friend, the songs remain faithful to the original cuts. Connolly’s deep baritone vocals are perfectly suited to the chosen selections and, as you would expect from the contributors, the playing stands out throughout.

This is another fine tribute to the Texan country marvel for fans of James Hand, alongside Charley Crockett’s 2021 album,10 FOR SLIM – CHARLEY CROCKETT SINGS JAMES HAND. For fans of Ags Connolly, it’s another stellar listen to match his career-best SIEMPRE from last year. Both Ags and Charley recorded their albums to bring the music of Hand to a greater listenership as much as for personal fulfilment. Hopefully, this album will encourage listeners unfamiliar with Hand’s work to check out Hand’s back catalogue. With accolades from America’s and Europe’s current favourite country artists, you’d be foolish not to.   

Declan Culliton

Steve Baskin and the Fourteens Love Is Hard Self-Release

In keeping with his 2020 release MIND YOUR STEP, Atlanta-based Steve Baskin and his band, The Fourteens, have delivered another genre-hopping album that seamlessly swings between soul, blues, rock and roots. Alongside his core band member Roger Brainard (guitars, vocals), Mark Sobus (bass), Mark Van Allen (pedal steel), Geoff Gill (drums), and Mary Gill (vocals), Baskin also called on Atlanta's Funk Cake Horns to inject classic brass into the mix on several songs.

The album's title and lead song offer a mature reflection on the realities of commitment and a reminder that the 'happy ever after' scenarios are not fairy tales but a reward of tolerance, patience and faithfulness. It's a fully blown affair followed by another recollection of loyalty and reality, We Thought We Were Grown. A similar theme emerges in the confessional Devoted To You. Swathed in heavy brass and with slick guitar breaks, it's loaded with nods to previous musical eras.

Pleasant Valley Sunday, written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin, is an album highlight for me. It is given a classic power pop makeover and is as impressive as The Monkees' version in 1967. That '60s' purple patch' music era, in both sound and lyrics, is also recalled in The One Per Cent, and the heat is turned up on And You Want War, which is a commentary on the present-day dangerous and senseless worldwide political environment.

Produced by Baskin and Rich Herring and recorded at Lee Davis Studio in Maysville, Georgia, and Underground Studio in Atlanta, Georgia, LOVE IS HARD finds Baskin checking in on his past with honesty and no end of indebtedness. He wears many musical hats in the process, and it's fair to say that each one is a perfect fit for a hugely enjoyable listen. 

Declan Culliton

Caleb Klauder and Reeb Willms Gold In Your Pocket Free Dirt

‘Country music is our soul music. It is the way we can tell stories, express deep emotions, and help others feel their joys and pains through song,’ announces Caleb Klauder, introducing the latest and third album by the duo Caleb Klauder and Reeb Willms.

Originally from Washington State, both are members of the Foghorn String Band and Caleb Klauder Country Band. This thirteen-track offering includes ten self-written songs and three well-selected covers, Last of My Kind (Paul Birch), Sad Songs (Jack Link), and Faraway Skies (Dean Johnson).

The recordings took place at Nashville’s Tractor Shed Studio, where Chris Scruggs joined them to play and assist in production. Nine months later, the recordings were completed at Valcour Records Studio in Eunice, Louisiana.

The couple play country music, whether bluegrass, old-time, folk or traditional country, timelessly and purely. Their first release in eight years, GOLD IN YOUR POCKET, lays bare topics that have populated country and folk songs for centuries. The passing of a loved one (He’s Gone), uncomplicated love and devotion (All About Love, We’ve Got It Made), reckless passion (Chained By Desire), hardship and stress (Gold In Your Pocket), and deceit (Shame, Shame, Shame) all get an airing.

Shared lead vocals and duets feature and the playing is, as you would expect given the contributors, top drawer. Joel Savoy (fiddle), Rusty Blake (pedal steel and electric guitar), Mike Bub (upright bass), Chris Scruggs (electric guitar, tick tack bass), Glenn Fields (drums), and Dirk Powell (piano) are all credited.

Songs that sound as if they have been around forever are the order of the day here by a couple that have never intended to rewrite the rule book. Instead, their concentration is on honouring the tried and trusted, and they have achieved both with this delightful treasure chest of country tunes.

Declan Culliton

Andy Statman Bluegrass Tracks Shefa

Andy Statman is the legend of bluegrass, jazz, avant-garde and global music that you might have never heard of. The award winning mandolinist and Berklee tutor is also a clarinet player of note, but here he focuses on the bluegrass roots that he totally embraced as a teen in 60s Queens, NYC. Recorded over only four days in Nashville’s Sound Emporium just pre-pandemic, it is a phenomenal collection of instrumentals, some of which he wrote and worked up in the studio during the recording and that immediacy is one of the album’s joys.

He is joined here by his friend of fifty years, fiddle player Byron Berline, who sadly since passed away in 2021. These are among Berline’s last recordings and stand as a testament to his huge talent and legacy. Banjoist Ron Stewart impresses as always, and here we get to hear his fiddle playing when he duets with Berline on several numbers. Mike Bub is superb as always on upright bass. The quintet is completed by another phenomenon, North Carolina’s Bryan Sutton on guitar, who needs no introduction to Americana fans.

Cover tunes include two from Bill Monroe, the barnstormers Stoney Lonesome and Brown County Breakdown. The former features none other than Ricky Skaggs, who has described Statman as ‘Bill Monroe and John Coltrane poured into one person’. The original Two Pants Suit is a swinging, jazz-influenced, slow burner showcasing the twin fiddles of Stewart and Berline. Another gorgeous original slow tune, Blessings, needs no words, such is the depth of feeling it conveys. Another long term friend, Tim O’Brien, joins them for the only vocal track on the classic old time tune Bile ‘Em Cabbage Down.

One of Andy Statman’s early teachers was David Grisman and he presumably contributed to Statman’s ability to improvise around a melody, which comes through in many of the tunes here, both new and well worn. 

Breathtaking and beautiful, this is one of my favourite albums of the year.

Eilis Boland

The Bobby Tenderloin Universe Satan Is A Woman Country Moon

That this album takes its template from the recordings of Lee Hazelwood is obvious throughout the album (and apparently their previous album also). A Canadian combo led by Bobby Tenderloin, whose preferred arrangements utilise strings and pedal steel effectively beneath Tenderloin’s sonorous vocal and often spoken delivery. Something that frequently raises the question is about the authenticity and originality of an act’s overall direction when it closely resembles that of a particular iconic artist. It could well be that some of Universe’s audience are not overly familiar with the music of Hazelwood. Indeed, as he is no longer with us, maybe it is the intention to continue that artist’s individual approach to songwriting and performance. Hazelwood is perhaps best known for the duets he recorded with Nancy Sinatra, and there are parallels here with the duets sung with Cayley Thomas and Emma Frazier that hit a very similar tone. In fact, the backing vocals, other than Tenderloin’s own, are distinctly female, with a 60s feel that also calls to mind the methodology of Leonard Cohen, which used the balance of male roughness with the smoothness of a sweeter female harmony.

The songs, though, are originals rather than cover versions, which suggests that the intention is to create a body of work that carries on a particular sound; otherwise, it would seem more prudent to simply rerecord some of Hazelwood’s better-known songs if you merely wanted to pursue Hazelwood’s own career. There are ten songs here, all produced by Paul Arnusch, who pretty much gets the overall tone right; he also contributes bass, drums and electric guitar throughout. Pedal steel comes from Derrick Anderson and Nathan Gray, both of whom are also fundamental to the overall sound. Nathaniel Wong adds violins (plural) to round out the necessary resonance.

So, it is that dilemma I have heard before that contemporary performers should always try to find their own sound. True, but how many singers can you name that sound distinctly like other artists from the past, and if the person that influences them the most is an artist of the stature of, say, Merle Haggard, does this seem acceptable? Equally, how many can you name that sound like Lee Hazelwood - not too many, I imagine.

In the end, it comes down to what’s here on this album, and overall, while I am not a complete fan of Hazelwood, I am familiar with and have enjoyed his overall work, as I did this album and not least, the underlying humour apparent in some of the songs. The title song, as an example, considers Satan as a woman, making moves to lead him astray, which leads the lyric towards a more macabre end in the murder ballad scenario. So it continues evocatively evoking an artist and his oeuvre with some thought and adeptness that has its own rewards and reasoning. Perhaps Bobby Tenderloin’s universe may explore different territories in the future, but this album is open to individual consideration and approval.

Stephen Rapid

Neale Eckstein Never Too Late Self Release    

The Fox Run Studio is located near Boston and the owner Neale Eckstein has been at the helm since 1998. The studio supports all aspects of the recording process, from basic mixing to mastering, for numerous musicians and projects. In 2015 Neale invited a few of his closest musical allies to join him in a project that has now developed into an annual event where the players come together to write over a few days before recording their output. The group call themselves Fox Run Five  and included in the original line-up was Eckstein, Jagoda, Matt Nakoa, Tom Prasada-Rao, and Eric Schwartz, with their live-on-the-floor approach generating much interest and quality output.

This new solo album from Eckstein is proof positive that it’s never too late to start a new life chapter. At the tender age of seventy-five he has released an album of fourteen songs, including ten co-writes, all sung by Eckstein himself and co-produced with Matt Nakoa, who also contributes on acoustic and electric guitars, keyboards, bass and vocals.

In 2014 he released an album titled Click and it was a compilation of songs written and co-written by Eckstein and performed by the co-writers along with a group of talented musicians. However, on this new album, ten years later, Eckstein has chosen to take on all lead vocals, something he never thought would be possible before attending vocal coaching. The results are very compelling and there is much to digest here, with the high quality of songwriting an ever-present across all these fine tracks. The Fox Run Five all appear on the album and it is a legacy to the memory of Tom Prasada-Rao who passed away in June this year. A further eleven musicians added their talents to specific songs during the recording process and Craig Akin features on bass on seven tracks.

Masterpiece is a song written  for the magical qualities that children bring to the lives of parents. The ability to see no barriers on youthful dreams, where anything is possible, brings hope eternal and is a lesson often forgotten in adulthood. One Month Crazier captures life on the road for a journeyman musician, missing the little things back home ‘My son just lost his first tooth, seems like life is flashing by so fast, I tucked him in last night on another crackling telephone line, With a kiss goodbye as I drove past my exit sign’ – a very poignant image of the lonely road warrior.

There really are no weak songs here and the reflections on racism in 1950s America, captured so clearly on Red Swivel Stool are matched by the insights on relationships which define Stormchaser and the metaphor of a hurricane as defining some couples ‘I can tell your silence is the calm before the storm, I can feel you closing down and boarding up your doors.’ The love songs reflect different aspects, like the passing of a dear wife on January Thaw and the superb Like A Poem Needs A Rhyme with a fine performance from BettySoo on co-vocal, playing her best Rita Coolidge to the Kristofferson persona of Eckstein.

Elsewhere there is the enduring tribute to friendship on Whisper In the Dawn, written for deceased musician David Glaser, and Gonna Get It Right  examines the things that we prioritize in relationships ‘Right from the beginning, I was never willing to make the space you need, Letting my obsessions, Meaningless possessions, Wreck your love for me.’  Closing out the album is The Lighthouse and a song that shines a beacon of light for the lonely, plus the abiding message of Messy Bed with the lines ‘Sometimes the world makes you wait, But the truth is it’s never too late.’

This gentle, melodic album stands as a work of real substance and a treat for all who enjoy superbly crafted songs written from the perspective of an artist who has learnt from life lessons along his path.

Paul McGee

Martin Harley Morning Sun Del Mundo

Born in Cardiff before moving at an early age to Surrey, Martin Harley first appeared on the music scene with the formation of a British blues trio, the Martin Harley Band. They released a run of five albums that saw them elevated to a status that included appearances on BBC shows. He has been performing as a solo artist since the release of self-titled debut in 2003 and his style of blues and roots music is certainly something to stir the senses.

On this new album, his ninth, Harley has recruited the talents of producer Nigel Stoner (guitars, keyboards, bass, ukulele, dulcimer, backing vocals), Mark Lewis (upright bass), Luke Shenton (drums), Michael Blair (percussion), CJ Hillman (pedal steel), Paddy Milner (piano), and Clive Mellor (harmonica). Their collaborative spirit is what makes this such an engaging listen and the ten songs are filled with character and personality, infused with inspired playing in the performance.

Harley shines on a collection of guitars that includes Weissenborn, acoustic, electric, lap steel, resonator and bass. He also takes all lead vocals in his stride as his deep tone spreads an authentic atmosphere throughout. The title track is an acoustic treat with the soulful vocals of Harley accompanied by Mark Lewis on upright bass and the next track Wolves follows on with a more up-tempo rhythm with both Luke Shelton on drums and Paddy Milner on piano excelling.  I’ll Carry You has some sweet pedal steel courtesy of CJ Hillman and the deep acoustic blues groove on Chop Your Own Wood is just dripping with atmosphere as the creeping base of Mark Lewis accompanies the soulful harmonica playing of Clive Mellor. It’s a standout on an album that is filled with really strong songs.

Producer Nigel Stonier plays a very influential role in keeping the sound very clean and bright and he dovetails with Harley in every aspect of the recording. The sweetly sounding 48 is a slice of soulful country blues in recognition of the passing years and some very tasty slide guitar is a joy. Stranger is another slow blues and talks about the lonely life of a touring musician and the nomadic lifestyle that is demanded.

Best Is Yet To Come has a nice JJ Cale vibe in the swinging rhythm with a telling message in the lyric to keep optimistic. Lemonade  is a song that has a light jazz feel as it trips along a relaxed groove, driven by upright bass and piano runs. Shotgun and a Shovel is a happy jaunt through a country heartland with a bluegrass feel to the playing and Kite is a song for Harley’s daughters in celebration of the love that surrounds them as a family. The delights of parenthood expressed in this heartfelt acoustic song.

The whole focus on the album is one of grabbing life while you can and being present in the moment. Put away those worries and leave the past where it belongs. This is Harley’s first album in five years and the time has not dimmed his music sensitivities in any way. If anything, he has come back with perhaps the strongest album of his career to date.

Paul McGee

Without Willow Left Behind Self Release

What a pleasant surprise to discover this talented Irish folk-duo who reside in the beautiful surroundings of County Donegal. Karen Kelly and Simon McCafferty have been making music together for a number of years now and their special musical chemistry is evident on this debut album. A number of the songs were written during the Covid lockdown and the introspective nature of the content does hint at much self-analysis, soul searching and rueful musings. The production and musicianship is of the highest quality and certainly places the album as a highlight among other recordings I have heard this year from local artists.

Come Back and Say Goodbye opens the album and it sets the bar very high for all that follows. It is a slice of dream-folk with a beautiful melody and the sweetly sad vocal of Karen Kelly asking for the return of a parent who departed this world all too suddenly. The Heather Field is a song that first appeared on a debut EP back in 2017 and the superb interplay between guitar and cello heightens the sense of loss in a relationship that never was given the opportunity to grow ‘So many years since I seen your face, Yet I recall your warm embrace, And I wish I’d stayed, start a family, Alas my love was not to be.’

The title track has a really superb guitar motif that runs through the arrangement and the use of strings again lifts the melody in a song that echoes unrequited love ’The days turned into years, Many left but I stayed here, Just in case you would return for good, Part of me knew you never would.’ The haunting Nightingale depicts the bird as a metaphor for a failed romance where leaving is the only option to escape a self-imposed prison ‘If you loved me, you’d let me go, My fragile heart wants to go home.’ Piano and cello create a beautiful sense of longing in the performance.

As Autumn Falls illustrates the gentle tone in Karen’s vocal delivery as she reflects upon lost love and a wistful sadness that ligers. On Lying To Myself  the song deals with leaving a relationship in search of greener pastures and a chance to pursue bigger dreams. It is a co-vocal with both Karen and Simon McCafferty sharing the need to explore other roads ‘There is nothing for you here, You made that pretty clear, Oh you want to take a chance alone, See a world you’ve never known.’ Silver In Colorado sings of emigration and the hunt for a prospector’s dream in foreign lands. Isolation and a sense of feeling separate runs through The Lighthouse, while the plea on Take It All is to have a lover commit to a relationship and cast doubt aside.

Yes, the album is predominantly focused on matters of the heart, love lost, loneliness and regret; however the mood is anything but sombre as the superb production and the musicians blend together in delivering an album of lovely melody and gently uplifting sounds. The ensemble includes Ted Ponsonby (dobro), Orrie McBrearty (piano, bass), Laura McFadden (cello), Mark McGirr (drums), Simon McCafferty (guitars, vocals,) and Karen Kelly (vocals).

Lay Down Your Troubles has a superb arrangement with dobro and guitar blending together in a song about sharing the burden of feeling without hope, while the closing track The Show Is Over talks of a failed relationship that has run its course, likening the situation to the end of a concert performance. As debut albums go, this is a work of great maturity and has been recorded with plenty of tender loving care. Co-produced by Without Willow and Orri McBrearty it is a great example of the real quality that Irish artists are creating and this music is just waiting to be discovered by a much wider audience. Don’t hesitate.

Paul McGee  

Astra Kelly Soul Fires Far Rockaway

The multi-talented Astra Kelly displays the energy and innovation of a true entrepreneur in all that she aspires towards. Her current home is made in San Diego where she operates as a commercial artist, music teacher, vocal coach, singer-songwriter and studio producer. She also holds workshops in songwriting and tours on a regular basis across the USA.

Post Covid, Astra packed up her RV and decided to embark upon a road trip across several states in search of some inner peace and direction. This followed on from the isolation that we all felt during those worrying times and it was also a way to come to terms with the grief that she was experiencing over the death of her mother. The results of her activities are included on this new album which Astra co-produced with Jeff Berkley, a close ally since he first appeared on her BACK TO TEN release in 2015. He co-produced Astra’s last full album in 2017 and the eleven songs included on CHASING THE LIGHT were largely based around the message of transformation and  recognising our inner strength to be whatever we envisage.

On this new album there is a strong message of acceptance and in healing the scars of past experiences. On Not My Home she sings that negative emotions and places will not define her into the future ‘Gonna leave here, Gonna find a way, ‘Cause this is not my home.’ The band simmering on the song arrangement and echoing the pent up frustration in the vocals, with Sandi King on backing vocals and Joshua Taylor on guitar dynamics. The title song is a call to her dream-lover and Astra declares that ‘I’ve been keeping the dream and the soul fires burning for you.’

Some Kinda Fine has a slow offbeat arrangement to mirror the message the, post Covid, ‘We’re gonna wait this out, See what’s coming down the line, We’re all a little worn out.’ With Tell Me What You’ve Heard there is a plea for honesty to prevail and for truth to reveal the secrets that we cling to and keep hidden. On the track Memories and Music we have the band in top gear, the RnB groove driven forward by the superb harmonica of Johnny Mastro and the words ‘We’ve been in the trenches, we’re coming out alive, I gave every single piece of me, I really think it’s time.’

Bessie is a tribute to her mother and the love that only a parent can provide ‘She would have said, Go out and get it.’ Reflecting on the finality of death is never an easy thing and grief is always in the background, with Astra declaring ‘I thank you every single day, I pray that you’ll keep me safe.’ The message on El Cielo is one of embracing the universe as part of the healing process and looking to the heavens for the gift of grace ‘We’re all just a part of this same damn beautiful life.’ The song is in both English and Spanish which elevates the emotion in the delivery, the upright bass of Harley Magsino really excelling on the slow groove arrangement.

In the Time Of Dying is a song that delivers a mellow atmosphere and a reflection on how to celebrate, and also grieve, the passing of a loved one ‘It’s the most sacred thing to bear witness to.’ This is Astra wondering about her place in the universe and how to start over after a life changing event, reflecting upon our own mortality. On Heart To Heart she reflects upon relationships as the band kick into full throttle ‘Life now is a wreck, I’m crawling from the ashes, I know I’ll be a phoenix one day.’

There is no doubting the obvious talent on show here and Astra Kelly delivers both as a songwriter and a performer of some depth. Her confidence as a singer is evident in the clear delivery and engaging vocal tone and I sense that this artist will continue to go from strength to strength as she continues her musical journey.

Paul McGee

New Album Reviews

Lisa Morales Sonora Luna

Growing up in Tuczon, Arizona in an extended Mexican family, Lisa Morales and her sister Roberta ‘sang in Spanish before they sang English’. Steeped in the mariachi tradition, they sang in restaurants as children, going on to form the successful Sisters Morales duo, which toured successfully for over 20 years. Linda Ronstadt is a cousin and the sisters were blessed with beautiful voices as well as a musical tradition, influenced by rock and blues, as well as Mexican ranchera music.

Sadly, Roberta died of cancer in 2021, having been cared for by Lisa in her last few years and this is Lisa’s first solo album since her sister’s passing. Named for the Mexican state of Sonora, just south of Tucson, the album is clearly influenced by that deep loss, but yet it is mostly upbeat in nature. 

It’s A Common Thing was a song that Roberta had partly written and was then finished by Lisa. You can actually hear Roberta singing the opening line on a home recording, before it erupts into a gorgeous blend of rock, blues and funk, with a positive message about love and life.

 Four of the ten songs are sung exclusively in Spanish, or in a mixture of Spanish and English, which Morales refers to as “Spanglish”. Although a translation of the lyrics is not provided, it’s possible to appreciate the songs without it, even as a non-Spanish speaker, such is the emotion conveyed by the musical tone and vocals. En El Limbo (In Limbo) is a desperately sad ballad, with classical guitar contributions from Morales herself, David Pulkingham (Alexandra Escovedo, Patty Griffith) and from 19 year old Thomas Spencer, who is Morales’ son. Another Spanish number is the beautiful jazz inflected La Paz (Peace), which was produced by Lisa Morales herself, and she had a hand in co-producing most of the songs on the album. Drummer Michael Longoria (Patty Griffin) makes a major contribution to the rock and Latin rhythms on What Do You Want, with great electric guitar contributions from Pulkingham again and both musicians co-produced several of the tracks.

Michael Ramos (keys and accordion) co-produces the moving Hermanitas in the Rain (Sisters in the Rain), written by Morales three days before Roberta passed away. It’s a reminiscence of their happy childhood, when they would go and wait to be splashed by cars in the rain, and it’s simultaneously both joyous and sad. Adios Mi Vida (Bye Bye My Love) is another bittersweet tribute to loss and is given the full Mariachi production, complete with strings and brass. 

The album closes with Hermana (Sister), a beautiful tribute to Roberta, pared back to acoustic guitar, piano and bass, sung mostly in Spanish, and closing with the simple line ‘Can you hear me, Roberta?’

This one’s for all those who like passion and emotion in their music, beautifully sung and produced, with an authentic TexMex backdrop.

Eilís Boland

Paul Cauthen Black On Black Anemoia / Atlantic

East Texas native Paul Cauthen, also known as 'Big Velvet' for his polished baritone voice, has been doing things very much on his own terms since his debut solo album, MY GOSPEL, in 2016. Difficult to pin down to one genre, Cauthen's quite unique sound is a modern mix of funky electronic country, gospel, and soul with a dash of rap.

His fifth solo record, BLACK ON BLACK, combines all these elements and often each surface in individual songs. Take the opening and title track as an example. It starts with Johnny Cash-like vocals, acoustic guitar and pedal steel, before exploding mid-song into a full-on and delightful mix of heavy bass lines, tingling piano, and killer backing vocals. It's simply wonderful and matched by the equally eclectic Angels and Heathens, which also highlights Cauthen's ability to combine components that shouldn't necessarily work in unison but do so spectacularly well.

Lavender Jones tips its hat in the direction of the Tulsa Sound with a J.J.Cale-styled rhythm, and Innocent is autobiographical and pleas for acceptance for the non-conformist ('take me as I am, I ain't perfect, Lord you know I've never been'). Sweetheart From The Trailer Park is a lively tribute to the often overlooked ('She grew up tall and she was raised right, She's my smalltown girl on a Saturday night, she sewed her own dress from her granny's curtains'). The influence of Cauthen's early years singing hymns at church regularly surfaces on his albums, and he slows things down with the gospel-sounding Black Roses, which is enriched by a backing choir and delicate pedal steel, evoking a sense of nostalgia and spiritual connection.

Recorded in Cauthen's hometown of Tyler, Texas, at Rosewood Studios, the songs were penned over the past few years as Cauthen regularly toured around the States on his motorcycle or tour bus. The album's production was overseen by Jason Burt, a regular collaborator with Cauthen, who brought his unique perspective as a producer and songwriter (and DJ known as Electrophunck) to the controls. 

Prepare to be whisked away into Cauthen's unparalleled sonic world in BLACK ON BLACK. As is his trademark, this space is adventurous in its arrangements and production, rugged and ragged, and, above all, immensely enjoyable. It's a musical journey that is well worth your attention. 

Declan Culliton

Liv Greene Deep Feeler Free Dirt

Folk singer-songwriter Liv Greene's ten-track sophomore album, DEEP FEELER, is an eloquent and profoundly personal project. With the emphasis particularly on her vocals, she delivers her messages honestly and without restraint. The East Nashville resident's chosen studio to record the album was the hallowed rooms at Gillian Welch and David Rawling's Woodland Studios.

Self-producing and working with Grammy award-winning engineer Matt Andrews (O Brother, Where Art Thou?), Greene's vocals are at the forefront, inviting the listener to concentrate on songs that play like diary entries.

The supporting instrumentation, skillfully arranged and performed alongside Greene's guitar work, is perfectly placed in the mix and features a talented ensemble of musicians. The supporting players included Jack Schneider (guitar), Hazal Royer (upright bass), Dominic Billett (drums), Elise Leavy (accordion, piano), Sarah Jarosz (mandolin, harmony vocals), Christian Sedelmyer (fiddle), Mike Robinson (pedal steel), Emily Mann (electric bass), Sean Szoch (drums, guitar) and Jordan Tice (acoustic guitar). Their collective contributions elevate the songs, adding depth and texture to Greene's heartfelt lyrics.

Matters of the heart are a recurring feature across the album.  The confessional and countryfied Made It Mine Too, the beautifully melodic Wild Geese and Katie - the latter a stripped-back tribute to a former girlfriend - are all uncluttered songs, rich in content and detail. I've Got Work To Do is a defiant honky tonker with slick mandolin and guitar breaks, and the opener and title track slowly builds up from a vocal and acoustic intro, soon joined by backing vocals and weeping pedal steel. The closing statement I Can Be Grateful, set to a minimalist acoustic background, is forward-looking and signs the album off with a note of acceptance.

What may have been bleak times for Greene are conveyed impressively on the album without ever being overly sentimental. Unrushed vocal deliveries, excellent instrumentation, and well-constructed songs should herald a breakthrough for a gifted singer, musician, and songwriter.

Declan Culliton 

Loose Cattle Someone's Monster Single Lock

With combined backgrounds in jazz, ska punk, musical theatre, alternative rock and electric roots, the musical direction of longtime collaborators Michael Cerveris and Kimberly Kaye, who front the New Orleans-based band Loose Cattle, could have veered in a number of musical directions. Their chosen genre is Roots /Americana following their interest in the story writing and offbeat characters that often frequent that classification. It's little surprise, given this album's title and that many of the songs were penned during the uncertain lockdown period, that darkness lurks in the background on several of the album's twelve tracks.

Two tracks include contributions by household names Lucinda Williams and Patterson Hood of Drive-By Truckers. Lucinda adds her vocals to a cover of Lady Gaga's Joanne, and the fiddle-led folky version by Loose Cattle is in no way a lesser version than the original. Patterson's input is contributing guitar on the hauntingly gothic God's Teeth, evocatively articulated by a grainy-voiced Cerveris. Other notable artists who play on the record include Alex Chilton's former rhythm section and also members of New Orleans band The Iguanas, Rene Coman and Doug Garrison. Jon Graboff (Ryan Adams, Willie Nelson) played pedal steel, Jay Gonzalez (Drive By Truckers) was on Hammond B3 and electric guitar, and Rurik Nunan's free and fiery fiddle playing is a highlight on several tracks.

Bemoaning the missed opportunity for a universal post-pandemic empathetic reset, Further On opens the album in fine style with Nunan's raging fiddle breaks alongside a driving rhythm section and shared vocals between Cerveris and Kaye. Offering a somewhat more promising and accepting outlook, the less frantic Tender Mercy closes the album and is enriched by a striking acoustic guitar solo by the acclaimed New Orleans singer-songwriter Alex McMurray. Other songs that leave a deep impression are busted-hearts tale Cheneyville and the high-spirited, nostalgic, and deeply melodic Crescent City. 

Instantly catchy tunes with unfussy lyrics, SOMEONE'S MONSTER is a well-crafted excursion into what used to be called alt-country.

Declan Culliton 

Dwight Yoakam Better Days Via/Thirty Tigers

This new album ignites strong memories of the artist who arguably was my gateway to country music. Much here resonates with his previous releases, and it makes me wonder how well it might have fared if it had indeed been his debut release. Of course, that view is coloured by listening to his music since that 1986 debut, so it lacks the initial impact of hearing an artist who brought some rock' n' roll attitude to the largely safe and staid vehicle that was being passed off as country music had largely become (then as now). There were exceptions, of course, such as Rank' n' File or Jason and The Scorchers, who came from a more punk background, which also held a big appeal at the time, and preceded Yoakam by four years with their first releases.

Yet, somehow, GUITARS, CADILLACS … seemed a little further steeped in the music of the honky tonks and in the Bakersfield sound. Then there was that unique voice that seemed so immersed in the past, on one level and also, as it has proved, pointing to something more lasting and forward-thinking over time. Similar to that singular nasal tone of Hank Williams Sr and others that has remained so distinctive and one of a kind since then. Here it has not lost its appeal or power.

The album overall has a positive frame of mind, a little less heartbreak and a little more love. It opens with a positive statement in Wide Open Heart, a song full of the energy he displayed back when he started out and listening to it; you know how much you missed new music from Yoakam. The last album was in 2016, and a couple of tracks released digitally in 2018 were released on Warners, Then Here Came Monday and Pretty Horses, neither of which are included on this album. As with the past albums Yoakam mixes his original songs with some interesting cover choices - ones which, in the main, that he has made his own. Here we have a version of the song Bound Away previously recorded by Cake, Time Between, written by Chris Hillman and recorded by the Byrds and a vibrant uptempo version of the traditional Keep On The Sunny Side (a choice that emphasises his positive frame of mind at this point in his life).

The remaining songs are either written solely by Yoakam or with like-minded co-writers like Jeffrey Steele, who contributes to five tracks; three are also with writer Bob DiPiero, and two include Shane Minor. Bryan Joyce has his name on another song. But overall, these are details as there is consistency in the album that flows without causing one to question any song's inclusion. There is one credit that is deeply personal, and that is a co-writing credit for his son Dalton, who appears at the end of the title track. Many of these recordings are classic Yoakam, whose vision, while open to experimentation, remains true to its original intentions. Some may have preferred for the album to hit one particular tone throughout, but that would not be true to Yoakam's spirit, and the album's variety is also one of its strengths.

At this point, there are a number of songs in the fourteen that deserve special mention for the opening Wide Open Heart (as mentioned), the hi-octane rockabilly of Can't Be Wrong, with its occasional use of distorted vocal and yelps (and John Lennon inspired quote at the finish of the track). The expression of love in the more reflective, quieter tone of I Spell Love has a great delivery and arrangement. The "if you ever leave me" message of A Dream That Never Ends. That theme of wishing things had remained as they were and might have been is what I Don't Know How To Say Goodbye (Bang Bang Boom Boom) is at the core of his duet with Post Malone (a track that highlights what Malone's solo 'country' album might have been in different hands. It was the album's debut single, as it is downright catchy. Taking a more sombre tone, Hand Me Down Heart again allows the vocal the space to emphasise its potential for understated emotion. But as already said, there's nothing here I would skip over since the album plays without having to make such a consideration.

While it is understandable to wonder what this album might have been had Pete Anderson been involved, given their previous track record. Yoakam has learned much from their association and his own recent production endeavours. He does a pretty fine job here, as does his band who including regulars Mitch Marine and Jonathon Clark as the solid driving rhythm section, with bassist Eric Baines also appearing. Multi-instrumentalist Brian Whelan and guitarist Eugene Edwards are both front and centre, while Drew Taubenfeld and Jamison Hollister, on pedal steel and other instruments, add their valuable skills. Long-time associate Skip Edwards plays Hammond organ and piano. There is an effective use of backing vocals from several players alongside those from Ken Stacy. However, there is little doubt that the heart of this album is Dwight Yoakam and his inimitable approach to his music.

Having such a uniformly strong album from the artist who was, for all intents and purposes, a major entry point to country music for me is heartwarming and a largely unqualified success. One hopes that it gets the credit it deserves and will see another release from Yoakam in the not-too-distant future. He is now his own label boss, so that may be a welcome possibility.

Stephen Rapid

Danny and the Champions Of the WorldYou Are Not A Stranger Here Loose

If Danny and the Champs was an American band I suspect that they would have already taken their place as one of the most recognised rock acts of the last decade. Their guitar driven sound is one of great passion and power, infused with a deep devotion to their craft and an ability to allow other genres into the mix, such as country and soul. This is their seventh album as a collective and the first since 2017, apart from a live album which surfaced in 2021, and which captured a memorable gig in Spain back in 2018.

The last studio outing, Brilliant Light was very much a heartland, roots rock sound with great guitar riffs and warm melodies in abundance. Danny himself has also been active in a side project Bennett Wilson Poole and two albums were recorded in 2018 and 2023 respectively. He also released a solo album in 2021, Another Place, and his decision to now return to the Champions of the World is one that will be greatly welcomed by their loyal fan base.

The players on this release include Thomas Collison (producer, multi-instrumentalist), Paul Lush (guitars), Steve Brookes (drums and percussion), Geoffrey Widowson (sax, keys), Henry Senior (e-bow, lap steel), Dan Hawkins (bass), and Lachlan Wilson (saxophone). There are also appearances from Joe and Robin Bennett, Catherine Parkin and Svitlana Prystupa on backing and harmony vocals. They all join Danny George Wilson (vocals, acoustic guitar) in delivering an album that is every bit as good as anything they have released across their previous six studio albums.

However, there are marked differences in the sound on this album and it stands as something of a leap into the unknown regarding the change of direction taken. For the first time since their debut in 2008, this album is a real break from the previous sound of the Champions in that programming, samples, and sound effects are introduced and the strong influence of Thomas Collison as both producer and keyboard maestro are very much a prominent feature. The focus on more ambient soundscapes are both innovative and interesting in their delivery and the opening Talking A Good Game resonates with a rich bass line and a song about looking for love and truth in these challenging times ‘Because when you look behind the curtain, There's really nothing to see, There’s just a fella with a loud voice, He seems a lot like me.’

Kicking Tyres is the longest song here and it slows everything down with some atmospheric keyboard sounds and understated guitar hues. There is a floating ambient feel to the next two tracks, which are back-to-back short instrumentals, Last Exit / Every Door You Have Ever Opened, that contain random background noises of what appears to be daily life. I’m In Love has a mid-tempo arrangement and captures images and references such as a Japanese book about Barbra Streisand, collage artist Peter Blake’s work, street photographer Lee Friedlander, movie characters such as Miracle Max and Watchmen, together with Nudie Suits, hand embroidered with colourful designs. It captures an almost Roxy Music vibe in the rhythm.

There is a strong preoccupation with love in all its various forms and the manner in which it can manifest. This album is a long way down the road from the Americana based music of Grand Drive, the band that Danny formed with his brother Julian back at the end of the nineties and who shone brightly across five albums.  The use of programming sounds and samples is really inventive and the whole listening experience is certainly one that rewards the risks taken in reaching out for a different soundscape. The use of saxophone also brings an interesting layer to some songs and it is used to great effect on another instrumental The Poetics Of Space along with the sweet acoustic guitar technique of Paul Lush and the sound effects of Thomas Collison.

Future Past is a song that seems to look at love lost, reflected in the lyrics ‘Love is not a new town, It don’t travel on straight roads’ and elsewhere, ‘All the thoughts that you had planned, Will slip right through your hands, Like silky grains of sand in an hourglass.’ There is a sense of looking back with regret. The Robot Cries is a song that celebrates enduring love and the journey that we all share ‘Don’t tell me we’re not two of a kind, Don’t tell me that we’re not on the same side.’ The closing track is perhaps the strongest here and the pulse of Sooner Or Later shows the band in full flow and playing in great harmony. The lyric encapsulates the central theme of the album ‘Ain’t love what it’s all about? Removing doubt.’

Danny has certainly asked questions of himself and examined his place in this never-ending race. Whether he has gained any substantive answers is something that only he can resolve. I think that the album is worthy of your time and attention. It could be passed off as an electronica experiment wrapped in too many different colours, but there is real substance to these songs and the new road being travelled is brighter for the view.

Paul McGee

Si Kahn and George Mann Labor Day Strictly Country

Take a civil rights activist and add a trade union advocate, then introduce them both to a community organiser with a shared interest in bringing all interests together… What do you get? The answer lies in the persona of Si Kahn, a singer-songwriter who reflects everything that is honourable in the struggle of ordinary folks to gain equality and human rights. Since 1974 he has been releasing music that captures the movement of people to come together and share a common goal of improving their quality of life in society.

Wherever there exists inequality and suppression of basic freedoms, that is where you will find Si Kahn with guitar in hand and a passion to write a song to highlight the inequity. Dozens of albums have been recorded and the fight has always been ongoing as the goalposts shift on a regular basis. Undaunted, Si Kahn has been at the forefront of cataloguing the issues of the day. Think in terms of Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger, Phil Ochs and Joan Baez, Tom Paxton and Bob Dylan; the protest songs of Billy Bragg and the fight against bigotry and racism.

Earlier this year British Folk artist Phoebe Rees released an album that was comprised of Si Kahn’s songs of courage and resistance. Now we have Ithaca- based musician George Mann inspired to capture a number of unrecorded songs from the pen of Si Kahn; apparently he has a sizeable treasure chest of songs that have yet to be recorded. Mann produced the entire project that includes twenty-one songs and includes appearances from the likes of Peggy Seeger, Kathy Mattea and Billy Bragg, alongside others like Odetta and Tom Chapin.

Song titles like Solidarity Day, The Power Of the Union, Spinning Mills Of Home, Go To Work On Monday and You Are the ‘U’ In Union give a strong indication as to the core content of the album and the subject matter may not appeal to everyone over the course of sixty-two minutes, but there is no doubting the earnest intent of the marking of 50th anniversary of Si Kahn’s debut album, New Wood. As the album notes highlight it is “A tribute to hard working people everywhere.”

Paul McGee

Michael Menager Line In the Water Self Release

This musician is originally from California and he currently lives in Australia where he has been creating music since his debut album appeared in 2015. That album featured Heath Cullen on a variety of instruments and their relationship continued into a follow-up album in 2016. Both were also produced by Cullen and we now find him involved again in this third release.

The ten songs feature Michael Menager (electric & acoustic guitars, vocals), with The Devil's Creek Rounders, comprised of Rusty Lavonne, Bess Maloney, and Slim Fitz. Their interplay is quite superb on this slow-burn of an album that leaves quite an impression. Heath Cullen wrote one song and the feeling of space on the recording is perfectly honed to boost the instrumentation and the atmospheric vocals of Menager.

The title track is a highlight and speaks of the relationship between the apostles and Christ as a metaphor for how life can change in an instant (dedicated to the memory of John Prine). Nature features in these songs and both High Water Ahead coupled with Autum Flood On Devil’s Creek feature some excellent ensemble playing and great dynamic in the arrangements.

Fire Up the Mountain is another song that reflects the power of nature and the impact that it has upon our daily lives. Another track is What Is It That I Really Need? And it reflects that ‘You could build yourself a lifeboat, Or you could live a life of crime, With High water up ahead, And shallow water behind.’ On Just This the writer ponders our very existence and comes up with the suggestion that ‘Whatever can be known, Has all been known before.’

Menager has developed nicely into a career of some substance. There is an all-encompassing sound present on these songs and plenty of room for expressive playing on the spacious arrangements and crystal clear production. An album worthy of your time.

Paul McGee

Rob Heron and The Tea Pad Orchestra Feet First Tea Pad

Album number six arrives in the continuous journey of this UK five-piece that arrived on the scene when they released their debut recording back in 2012. The only remaining musicians from that album are Rob Heron himself (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), and Tom Cronin (baritone guitar, mandolin, harmonica, backing vocals). The current line-up is completed by the talents of Ben Powling (tenor sax, clarinet, backing vocals), Adam Richards (upright bass, electric bass, backing vocals), and Paul Archibald (drums, percussion).

The fourteen songs that feature are all written by Rob Heron, with one exception, and they span as many genres as you have fingers to count.. western swing, blues, country, rockabilly, soul, rock n’ roll, bossa nova, rhythm n’ blues, gypsy jazz, skiffle and anything else that you may wish to hear in the music. The end result is an incredibly versatile sound from a band of musical brothers who deliver on all fronts in what is a really entertaining album. Additional players also joined in the fun with Doc Puky adding baritone sax on six tracks, Alex Praefcke on lead guitar for one track and Jason Starday on backing vocals on three tracks.

The entire album was completed in just two days at Lightning Recorders in Berlin with Alex Praefcke acting as recording engineer. The rockabilly sound of tracks like Every Day Is Misery and Good Lovin’ recall the heady days of Elvis and the crooning vocals blend with the backbeat to deliver such an authentic sound. Elsewhere the classic country swing of Three Button Suit and More Fool You, Babe are very engaging, while the jazz groove of Broken Down and Broken Hearted and I Blinked and It Was Over are real highlights.

Loved You More In My Dreams and the title track Feet First are other notable tunes and include a Jimmy Rogers inspired yodel, plus a Johnny Cash-style story song with the declaration in the lyrics ‘the only way I’m leaving this bar is feet first.’ When you look up the name Tea Pad, the definition highlights them as speakeasy-style spaces where people of all racial and ethnic backgrounds could come together. That neatly sums up the inclusive nature of this music and the addictive qualities in the delivery. Rob Heron never disappoints, and this album cements the cult status of the Tea Pad Orchestra as one of the most sought after bands when it comes to live performance.

Paul McGee

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