William Prince Gospel First Nation Six Shooter
First Nations are the predominant Indigenous peoples in Canada, south of the Arctic Circle. They were its first inhabitants and the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia are home to many of the First Nation bands of Government. It is the Interlake region of Manitoba that is home to William Prince and he has recorded this album of Country Gospel songs, as much in honour of his Father and the upbringing that shaped his adult years spent playing music, as it is dedicated to the old traditions that have been the solid rock of faith in the Prince Memorial Chapel - a one-room, wooden building that has stood in Peguis First Nation, Manitoba since 1929.
Prince’s father was a preacher who released a few albums and who “was as much in service of Jesus as he was Johnny Cash and Charley Pride.” The ten tracks included here are a mixture of old traditional songs and new tunes that celebrate the spirit in each of us, whether manifest in a belief in Catholic dogma or whether rooted in a strong moral code. The title track is a fond memory of Prince and his father spending time at Fisher Bay, a place where “Jesus himself might have lived, along with all our sins.”
Higher Power is a song written by Bob Norman from Saskatchewan and deals with the power of faith and belief to overcome an addiction to alcohol. When He Cometh is a traditional Country sound with fiddle taking the melody and lifting the song into an up-tempo celebration. The Charly Pride song, All His Children, is a fine example of the excellent vocal ability of Prince, who sings with a pure tone, both clear and strong.
This One I Know was originally written by Prince’s father and When Jesus Needs An Angel is a slow arrangement that soothes the spirit. In a similar vein is Just a Walk With Thee, with some fine pedal steel colouring the warm harmony vocals and keyboard sound. Send the Light has a pacier tempo with a celebratory message to practice tolerance.
Prince himself speaks of “the divide between the inherent culture and Christian leanings of First Nations people. In actuality, the very singing of these songs and belief in a Lord and Saviour points at the success of a plan to extinguish Indian identity.” However, his message is one that crosses this divide and reaches out for inclusion of all spirituality and co-existence together in harmony. The title of the final track, Love Don’t Ever Say Goodbye, sums it up perfectly. At a time when trouble abounds, this simple but powerful message is something that can bring a healing balm to those who listen.
Review by Paul McGee
Jennifer Castle Monarch Season Paradise Of Bachelors
This is the sixth album released by Canadian artist Jennifer Castle who resides in Port Stanley, Ontario, just a few hours outside the city of Toronto. She has moved between collaborative projects in dance, documentary film, visual arts in her musical output and this new album sees Castle perform and write all the music on these nine songs.
Her decision to record the album, mainly at her home, is seemingly contradicted by the liner notes speaking of recording in the ancestral territories of native inhabitants. Whether First Nations, Métis, or Inuit populations, Castle clearly displays her interest in both national history and mother nature. The native people and tribes of Canada are culturally-related, ethnic groups who form part of the many indigenous territories that protect and recognise their culture, which spans thousands of years.
She also makes reference to the city of her birth, Mississauga, which is situated on the shores of Lake Ontario. There are strong images of her natural environment running through these songs with references to the moon, lakes, water and waves present in the lyrics and painting pictures of her inner muse. Her current home is on Lake Eerie and her use of natural sounds like the wind blowing or crickets at night give the project a real D.I.Y. authenticity.
In addition, the album title gives a clue to the transient nature of all feelings, in that the ability to try and hold onto beauty or indeed, people, is at best a temporary harbour from the enduring reality of being alone within one’s own limitations. The monarch is a butterfly that is instantly recognisable from its bright colour pattern and butterflies are seen as a symbol of foretelling and spiritual transformation, a symbol of rebirth, with the image of a Monarch butterfly taken as a sign that you are on the right path to achieve your goals
Castle has a fragile vocal delivery, both meditative and whispered. She sings of everyday observations and the detail in small things like getting wet in the rain (NYC), the changing colours in nature (Moonbeam Or Ray), city alleyways and waterways and the glow of moonlight on a quiet night (Veins).
She sings of sadness on Purple Highway and “the closest star and its living light, can’t make it right.” On another track, I’ll Never Walk Alone, she ponders the process of creating something and unfurling it to the world, “And I walked to the front of the stage, and I put out my new plays, I laboured all night for them, laboured all day.”
This feeling of being vulnerable and exposed is explored also in Veins, how memory is obstinate in the face of change and of wanting things to move beyond current emotions, “When I’m feeling through, When I’m feeling used up, and this city don’t change us, as fast as it should.”
The calm and reflective instrumental that opens the album, Theory Rest, is a healing balm that also ends with the final track, Broken Hearted, and the message that “All the time that passes in between us, will bring us nearer to finding peace within.”
Castle produced the album with Jeff McMurrich and her use of plaintive harmonica, together with simple acoustic guitar or piano adds a wistful quality to everything. Stripped bare, contemplative songs, just shy of 29 minutes, beautifully lean and leaving a vapour trail of passing time, transient insight and enduring memory.
Review by Paul McGee
Scott McClatchy Six Of One Self Release
This fifth release from Philadelphia veteran Scott McClatchy has picked up on a career that started as a key member of local act, The Stand, continued as a solo artist with four releases since 2000 and successfully beat a battle with cancer.
This album contains six songs written by Scott, including the superb opener, Rock and Roll Romeo, a great slice of old fashioned, driving Rock with brass section and keyboards to the fore and a strong statement of things to come. He sings with a confident vocal style and his studio band of six musicians support his songs with excellent playing and energetic performance.
Covers of Midnight In Memphis (Tony Johnson) and Heat Treatment (Graham Parker) have a soulful urgency that is reminiscent of Southside Johnny and the Asbury Dukes. Wedding Day Dance is a personal statement that references his cancer scare and talks about surviving to see his son’s wedding day; it’s a country tinged arrangement with fiddle and guitar creating a nice melody on top of the easy rhythm. Break Even is another self-penned song that looks at past experiences along the road and counts his blessings in light of the turns and twists that life takes.
Suite: Laura Blue Eyes is written by Scott and dedicated to his wife perhaps, reflecting upon their long-term relationship. It’s written along the theme of the Stephen Stills classic, Suite: Judy Blue Eyes and has an interesting change in tempo, mid-song, with a blues motif highlighted by some fine guitar and fiddle, before the upbeat rhythm kicks back in.
While covers of the Steve Forbert song, Grand Central Station and another, Summer Of ’89, (Butch Walker) don’t work as well as others included here, there is no doubting Scott’s playing prowess and the invited guests to the project include Eric Ambel, Scott Kemper and Tommy Womack, among others. The High School horns add warmly to the overall sound and the great workout on Roving Eye is a good example of this.
Another cover, The Band’s Ophelia, is the highlight of the project, which was recorded in six different studios. Credit to all involved as this is an enjoyable listen but next time, perhaps cut back on so many cover versions as Scott’s original songs are strong enough to stand on their own.
Review by Paul McGee
CS Nielsen Pilgrims Kørfirs
A Danish born and based singer who has been exploring his own path in roots music through previous albums, Nielsen has made what is arguably the best album of his career with PILGRIMS. It is not one for the casual listener though, as the topics here are laced with metaphorical and literal references to some deep and dark subject matter. Often with biblical or historical themes, these songs are given an equally atmospheric and appropriate production. That task was handled by Johnny Stage, a guitarist and artist in his own right, One track Silent Hour was produced by long-time associate Michael Lund. Both Stage and Lund are multi-instrumentalists who add their talents to the album. As do others in the team including Jesper Folke Olsen on accordion - another player who has joined Nielsen in the past. These collected players use many different instruments and soundscapes to deliver an effective but often minimal and haunting layers of sound to enhance the vocals effectively.
However, it is the lyrics and cavern deep voice of Nielsen that are the focal piece of this album. The music swirls around this forceful yet human centre. Though Danish, Nielsen’s diction is clear and forceful and as he sings and writes in English there is a universality to his delivery. One of the songs Sinner Man is the sole co-write and that is with the singer/songwriter Kaia Kater. It is a distinctive take on a song which is based on a traditional American spiritual.
The opening lyrics of the first track will give you a little glimpse into the nature of the writing. “We made it out of Sodom and Gomorrah / We stayed afloat all through the mighty Flood / But we still lie and cheat we beg steal and borrow / At times we even shed holy blood.” There is something of an elemental power in the way these songs unfold, with the music adding much to the feel of the songs. While it is an album that should be played through from start to finish, there are songs that immediately resonate, such as Holy Ghost Building. It’s a song that details the everyday “Gotta get them kids to school in time / Your coffee cup clinks as you’re leavin’ / But you stop and turn when your eyes meet mine / And a last-minute kiss you’re stealin’.” But also, in other verses there is the doubt and discontent of strained relationship “On the TV another old film noir / Full of lust and greed killing and lying / The door’s closed to the next room where you are / So I can’t hear if you’re asleep or still crying.”
It would be easy to highlight some notable writing on many of the other songs or the way the instrumentation is used to underline the overall path these songs travel on. There is something that inherently offers the listener the glimpse of redemption and hopefulness, that is the constant undercurrent in these parables of life. The song Every Day I Aim (But Most Days I Miss) perhaps sums up that fact that we all strive for but don’t always make things turn out the way we hope.
In many ways the tones here are ancient and the themes run through the ages. The execution takes that into account but does so in a way that is contemporary and current. Nielsen is as much a pilgrim as those he writes about, he is seeking a truth that is often impossible to catch but as he does so he opens the door to debate and discussion.
There are eleven songs here with a 50 minute plus playing time, which will have those who have embraced this journey looking for more. Those that love the light-hearted three-minute ditty would do well to look elsewhere. For others this is a shining light of roots-based music from a region (sometimes lumped together as Nordicana) that is indeed graced by many fine artists, who are producing albums that fully deserve a wider audience for their skill and merit. CS Neilsen is one of those to watch.
Review by Stephen Rapid
Rick Shea Love & Desperation Tres Pescadores
Like a great many artists whose movements have been restricted by the coronavirus pandemic, Rick Shea recorded a new album with a group of musicians who could each use a home studio to add their parts. The end result belies the method of its recording and is a welcome addition to Shea’s canon of fine albums, which have established his standing as both a songwriter and singer. When you add to that his undoubted instrumental skills, it is all the more puzzling as to why he is not held in higher esteem. He is up there with Dave Alvin, in whose band The Guilty Men he has played. Alvin has called him “an incredible and intelligent musician … with a voice I’d kill for.”
A sentiment easily echoed for this, his 12th album, given the songs presented here. His fellow musicians here include Jeff Turmes and Dave Hall on bass, drummer Shawn Nourse, Phil Parlapiano on accordion, with a small number of additional players also involved outside these core players. Each is credited with their own studio location and it is another pointer to how music can cross over from different locations with technology, in way it couldn’t in the past. However, Shea notes that though the results speak for themselves, he still misses having the musicians together in a single studio at the same time.
Ostensibly Shea’s theme here is ‘blues’ but true to form, it is filtered through his distinctive personality and therefore sounds more of an individual take than anything more generic. The use of accordion on many of the cuts for instance, gives it a somewhat different feel than might be expected in the blues in general.
Add that to Shea’s distinctive vocal and his ability to put a story across and you have something that is for his fans but also a perfect place for any newcomer to start getting acquainted with this Californian stalwart.
The opening Al Ferrier written song Blues Stop Knockin’ At My Door was recorded by Lazy Lester and is given an up-tempo treatment here, with a hint of rockabilly in its delivery. The final song Texas Lawyer is a song that is a favourite of Shea’s in that he has recorded it on two previous albums. Shea felt that, aside from the late Chris Gaffney’s contribution on the original, it never quite worked out as he would have liked. So, this may be considered the definite version. Like a number of his songs, it has a nice border feel that is enhanced by accordion and trumpet. Something that is equally apparent in Juanita (Why Are You So Mean?). Big Rain Is Coming’ Mama features Shea on steel guitar, another instrument on which he is noted for. There is a heartfelt expression in A Tenderhearted Love - a song that he wrote for his wife, whom he notes has had to deal with the vicissitudes of being married to a musician all these years. There is a personal angle to a number of the other songs also with the title track being a reflection on his parents and he draws on that close observation (often seen from close to home) for some of the other material. Nashville Blues offers his take on not moving to Music City and what might have been - for good or bad.
The World’s Gone Crazy is both a warning as well as an exhortation to hang on to what you have in these strange times. Good advice and given in the context of some rewarding music. All in all, this is an album that has been made with care, attention and love, in a time that has been testing on many levels but Shea has given it hits best shot and it’s a hit.
Review by Stephen Rapid
Jeffrey Halford & The Healers Beware of Worthless Imitations CSC
This album does what it says on the cover by giving you 20 songs from 20 years from the roots rocker and soul/blues inflected country journeyman. This album appears to be a European release with a fine collection of songs that cover his songwriting prowess and a variety of moods that showcase his and the band’s affinity for big sounding rock ’n’ roll. Fellow San Francisco resident Chuck Prophet joins him for two tracks, Radio Flyer and Lost And Found. Another guest is Augie Meyers of Doug Sahm fame who appears on two tracks also and brings his distinctive Vox Continental sound to In A Dream. While Louisiana Man is a bluesy harmonica enhanced lament for that state in post flood despair.
Other songs are defined by some vivid storytelling of the hard sides of life, love and lunacy. Mexico recalls the need to remain in that country and what it has to offer. Rainmaker and some of the later material sees the maturity in Halford vocals and is taken in a more assured groove that allows space within the structure. Another song of place is North Beach which leans more to his blues side. Two Jacksons by way of contrast, favours his country soul approach to good effect with a potent vocal over the fluid backing.
A standout here in terms of sound, vocal and story with its menacing slide guitar, is Elvis Shot The Television, which details the King’s aversion to a certain image on the RCA set, which was on the receiving end of his displeasure. However, all was then smoothed by Col. Parker. The final 3 selections are from Halfords most recent and career best album WEST TOWARD SOUTH. These include the title track, Deeper Than Hell and Sea Of Cortez. They have a diffused film noir soundtrack quality that is enhanced by Halford’s live-lived vocal. That album is a series of songs that build up a scenario around the relationship and trials of two brothers Ambrose and Cyrus.
There are, of course, allusions to others (some better known artists as well as some not so) in Halford’s writing and sound but that doesn’t detract from what he has to offer here. The result is an entertaining overview of Jeffrey Halford and The Healers through the years. They may not be known on a wide mainstream media level but that are equally not worthless imitations but rather solid gems to discover.
Review by Stephen Rapid
Molly Parden Rosemary Self Release
Nashville based artist Molly Pardon has been much sought after as a backing vocalist and harmony singer since relocating to the Music City from east Atlanta in 2013. Born and raised in Jonesboro, Georgia, her initial exposure to music was solely from singing hymns in church. A gifted vocalist, her voice has featured on over fifty albums since moving to Nashville.
Despite her well-earned reputation, her own solo recordings include only two full albums, TIME IS MEDICINE from 2011 and WHY WORRY: A COLLECTION OF COVERS from 2019. She also released several singles between the recording of both albums.
Like many other artists deprived of the opportunities to tour and perform live in recent times, Pardon has opted to release two mini albums, rather than one long player. ROSEMARY is the first of the two and reflects on both the heartache of lost love and the challenges of new beginnings. There’s nothing hurried about the material which offers a calming, sometimes sad, but always enchanting listening experience. Her vocals are more composed and relaxed than on previous recordings, giving the impression of sharing her inner thoughts directly with the listener.
Given that the songs contain such personal inner feelings Pardon explains their origins, :”I didn’t want to write these lyrics, they forced their way onto my paper. I hated the reality of them at the time, but now I don’t know what I would do in their absence.” I Know You Can and Who Are We Kiddin’ consider a failed relationship with a vocal style that borders on tearful. On Kitchen Table Parden acknowledges her predicament and prepares to move on.
The album is a departure for Parden, entering lo-fi alt. country rather than Americana. It may prove to be a one-off venture or an indication as to where she intends to travel artistically in the future. Either way, deeply personal as it may be and putting closure on a relationship, it showcases a gifted songwriter and exquisite vocalist.
Review by Declan Culliton
Matt Owens Scorched Earth Self Release
Co-founder of U.K. Indie Folk band Noah & The Whale, Matt Owens has kept his shoulder to the wheel since the band disbanded in 2015. He was part of Thea Gilmore’s touring band on her hugely successful tour in support of her album SMALL WORLD TURNING. More recently has collaborated with fellow U.K. artists Robert Vincent and Elles Bailey, both of whom appear on his latest release.
SCORCHED EARTH, self-produced by Owens, was recorded at Airtight Studios in Manchester and Mizpah Studio in Bath and follows his well received 2019 debut album, WHISKEY AND ORCHIDS. Rather than repeating the more acoustic and piano steered sound of its predecessor, Owens has experimented with and included bass organ pedals, synthesisers and synthetic percussion this time around. The outcome is a sound that was predominantly marketed in the 80’s and 90’s as Heartland Rock, instead of slotting into that overflowing genre Americana.
The standout tracks Radio King and Heal Up Alright both tip their hat firmly in the direction of Tom Petty. There is more than a fleeting nod to Springsteen on the catchy When the Stars Align and MacCurtain Street is a tender reflection on the homeless unfortunates encountered by Owens on the streets of Cork.
Hungover In New York reads like the aftermath to Fairytale In New York and the closer Last Day Of The Festival echoes the after effects of a euphoric few days. The album is packed with impressive streamlined riffs and Owens brooding basslines and despite a slight variation in musical direction, continues where his last album left off.
Review by Declan Culliton
Bella White Just Like Leaving Self Release
Hailing from Calgary, Canada, JUST LIKE LEAVING is the debut album from Bella White. What is particularly impressive about the album, notwithstanding White’s glorious voice, is the stripped back instrumentation that accompanies her vocals. Barely out of her teens, she has ignored market trends and recorded an album that combines all the key elements of bluegrass and traditional country. White’s family were originally from the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and on the strength of this recording, the music from that region must be flowing through her veins.
The album was produced by master fiddler Patrick M'Gonigle, who holds a B.A. from Berklee College and is vocalist and fiddler with The Lonely Heartstring Band. The musicians are regular players with White and that familiarity shines through on both their technical ability and M’Gonigle’s stellar arrangements. Those players are Julian Pinnelli (fiddle, backing vocals), Reed Stutz (mandolin, backing vocals) and Alan Mackie (bass). The album was mixed at Gilford Sound Studio in Vermont by Grammy award winner Dave Sinko (Punch Brothers, Bela Fleck, Molly Tuttle, Mary Gauthier). Credit is due to all involved, as the vocals and instrumentation are all impeccably fused throughout.
Rather than visit fictional events of the past, the writing examines more intimate issues close to home. Growing pains, failed relationships and misguided decisions all feature. Relocating to Boston from Calgary and leaving the comfort of the family nest behind appears to be the stimulant that sparked White’s thought process and formation of much of her writing.
Crystal clear vocals, both lead and backing, coupled with crisp mandolin kick off the album on the opener Gutted. It tells of loss and the need for escape and rebirth from the perspective of a young woman dealing with real life issues. Similar coming of age issues are addressed on Broke (When I Realized) and Do You Think About Me At All. White is equally at home with a country ballad as she is with the more bluegrass tinted songs. Closing track Now She Knows What It Feels Like and Just Unwanted are prime examples of an artist mature beyond her years.
There may be a degree of repetition on a number of tracks. However, what can’t be denied is a hugely talented young artist with the potential to establish herself as a leading light in bluegrass and traditional country. ‘I want people my age to hear my music, and think, actually bluegrass is kind of cool’ says White. Hopefully, with the promotion she deserves, she’ll bring a young audience of supporters with her on that journey. She certainly deserves to on the basis of this most impressive debut recording.
Review by Declan Culliton