Dennis Roger Reed Before It Was Before PlasticMeltdown
Released a while back, this gorgeous record has only reached us recently. A ‘double album’ of previously unreleased tracks recorded by Reed at PlasticMeltdown Studios in San Clemente, California during its 33 year history, it acts as a sort of career retrospective for this talented songwriter (and music journalist). Many of the 21 tracks are cover versions but it is his five original songs that particularly standout for this reviewer.
Up Until Now is a slow burner, DRR’s vocals accompanied simply by deft acoustic guitar picking and fiddle - it sounds like it could have been written by Kevin Welch. There’s a touch of the cowboy blues in I Had To Ride, and In Western Skies is given the full Western Swing treatment, with brother Don Reed outstanding on lap slide.
Most of the instruments are played by DDR (guitars, organ, mandolin and harmonica) and his brother Don (guitars, mandolin) with occasional contributions from a host of local Southern Californian players, Ellis Schied being particularly notable on fiddle.
DRR breathes new life into many familiar songs with a combination of his vocals (there’s an appealing vulnerability there) and his utterly laid back musical style. His voice is always front and centre, as he moves from a couple of Dylan covers, through Lee Hazlewood’s I’d Rather Be Your Enemy and an outstanding version of River Of Love from the pen of Michael Hall. Bluegrass is nicely represented by similarly relaxed versions of Dark Hollow and The Cuckoo and the Western swing of instrumental Swing Hollow is truly beautiful. And there’s still lots more to discover on this recommended recording.
Review by Eilís Boland
Colter Wall Western Swing & Waltzes and Other Punchy Songs La Honda
The third release from Saskatchewan Colter Wall is further evidence of his commitment to old timey Western music. Following on from his 2018 recording SONGS OF THE PLAINS, his latest album once more salutes the cowboy lifestyle of the open ranges and prairies of Western North America. In recent years and in recognition of this, his music has featured on the film soundtracks of Deadwood, Hell or High Water and Peanut Butter Falcon.
Having engaged Grammy Award winning producer Dave Cobb on his previous two albums, the 24-year-old Wall took on that responsibility himself this time around. Having just completed a North American tour, he headed straight for at Yellow Dog Studio in Wimberley, Texas, bringing his trusted touring band to provide support. Those four players are Patrick Lyons (pedal steel, dobro, mandolin), Aaron Goodrich (drums) and Jake Groves (harmonica). The telepathic understanding of the players, honed by touring, shines through on the album. Emily Gimble, winner of Austin Music Awards ‘Best Keyboard Player’ on three occasions and Texan fiddler Doug Moreland joined them in the studio.
Despite self-producing, Wall remains close to the template that won him many friends with SONGS OF THE PLAINS two years ago. His deep and ageless baritone vocals and the understated playing that accompanies those words bring to life tales of characters and scenes long since departed into the realms of history.
Big Iron, written by Marty Robbins and often featured in Wall’s live shows and High & Mighty written by Wall’s fellow Canadian cowboy Lewis Martin Pederson, are two well selected covers, complementing the original material that feature on the album. The 19th Century traditional cowboy song I Ride an Old Paint, also gets a makeover. Its lyrics create an image of a cowboy on a striped horse, slowly circling his herd at night, to protect them from cattle rustlers. The album’s opener Western Swing and Waltzes sets the scene for what is to follow. Wall’s semi spoken vocals and some slick pedal steel combine in fine style on the track. Fiddle and acoustic guitar bring Diamond Joe to life, it recounts the story of a legendary and elusive roamer. You can almost feel the burning sun and scorching desert sand on Cowpoke, a tale of a simple life from yesteryear (“I’m lonesome but I’m happy, rich but I’m broke and the good Lord knows the reason, I’m just a cowpoke”). The common denominator between the originals and the cover songs is the prime perfect execution, both image provoking and easy on the ears.
This new collection continues where Wall’s last album left off. He’s a raconteur of endless talent and one, alongside Charley Crockett, that continues to introduce western music to a new generation of punters. Hats off to him for that.
Review by Declan Culliton
Emily Barker A Dark Murmuration of Words Everyone Sang
Australian born Emily Barker’s latest album adds to her impressive compendium of recordings since her 2006 debut album PHOTOS.FIRES.FABLES. That back catalogue includes four recordings with The Red Clay Halo, a 2016 collaboration with Amy Speace and Amber Rubarth named Applewood Road and a 2019 recording with English folk royalty Marry Waterson. Her last solo recording was the superb SWEET KIND OF BLUE in 2017, which was recorded at Sam Phillips Recording Service in Memphis. She engaged a host of crack Memphis session players to appear on that album and was nominated at the 2018 Americana Music Association Awards Show for Album of the Year.
To record this album, Barker once more selected a location most fitting with the themes and concepts contained in the songs. She chose StudioOwz, a converted chapel in the depths of the Pembrokeshire countryside, working with producer Greg Freeman (Peter Gabriel, Amy Winehouse). A DARK MURMURATION OF WORDS finds her returning to her folk roots with ten tracks that lift the veil on a number of worldly topics both global and closer to home, including women’s rights, environmental issues and poverty.
Return Me tells of a calling back to her Australian homeland, to reunite with her family and the pastoral scenery of her childhood. Where Have The Sparrows Gone was inspired by her observation of those birds - once common but now decreasing in alarming numbers - that nest in the eaves of her home in Stroud, Gloucestershire. Its title is taken from the Pete Seeger song Where Have All The Flowers Gone? Passionately expressed, Barker’s vocals are accompanied by calming strings, adding to the spirit of the song.
A similar sentiment is expressed in Any More Goodbyes. Written in the aftermath of the forest fires which took the lives of half a billion animals in the South West of Australia last year, it mourns the avoidable yet continuing loss and endangerment of all too many species on our planet.
Sung by a mother to her unborn child, Strange Weather is an apology for the state of the world into which the child will be delivered. It features Barker's vocals, acoustic guitars and little else, to emphasise the potent message. Machinecame about while jogging at Charleston harbour and taking note of the statues of the slave merchants of the nineteenth century. Unaware of how topical this subject would become in recent months, the song berates how cheap labour remains beneficial to many global corporations to this day. The piano led Sonogram closes the album in fine style as Barker considers a world of full circles, where similar mistakes, misdemeanours and atrocities continued to repeat themselves.
A masterful songwriter and exquisite vocalist, A DARK MURMURATION OF WORDS is another delightful body of work from Barker and a highly recommended purchase.
Review by Declan Culliton
Juliet McConkey Disappearing Girl Self Release
The winner of the Blue Light Singer/Songwriter Competition in 2018 in Lubbock, Texas, Juliet McConkey’s debut album DISAPPEARING GIRL is a laid back and gloriously loose collection of songs that land midway between country and folk. Those songs also sound as if they were composed by a veteran rather than being the first recordings of a novice.
Born and raised in rural central Virginia, McConkey relocated to Texas in 2018 and in no time established weekly residencies at a number of high-profile venues, together with opening slots for Kelly Willis, Jamie Lin Wilson, Jaime Wyatt and LeAnn Rimes. The opportunity to share the stage with those acts in a fiercely crowded market speaks volumes about her talent.
This album is a reflection of her rural upbringing with tales of local happenings and characters, some painless, others harrowing. The title track tells of the grisly murder of young girl, whose body remains undiscovered. It’s the album’s opening track and sounds like a distant relation to Neil Young’s Unknown Legend. It also defines the sound of the album, which is unhurried and absorbing, while offering a compelling blend of country infused roots tracks. Credit to producer and multi-instrumentalist Scott Davis, whose playing throughout the album is wonderful. Together with production duties, he contributes bass, guitar, organ and accordion yet keeps the sound stripped back, never getting in the way of McConkey’s elegant vocals.
Hung The Moon features a cheating louse who takes advantage of a young girl, stealing the best years of her life, before abandoning her. Good Times On The Horizon addresses the all too familiar dilemma of a couple starting a family and trying to survive on love and low paid work. The album closes with the sleepy ballad Like a Rose, which combines a slow rolling grove courtesy of Richard Millsap’s Wurlitzer, behind McConkey’s floating vocals.
Juliet McConkey would no doubt have passed me by, but for the recommendation of fellow Texan singer songwriter James Steinle. She brings to mind Carson McHone, another young Texan artist much admired at Lonesome Highway and has recorded an absolute gem with DISAPPEARING GIRL. Don’t just take my word for it, track down a copy and decide for yourself. You won’t regret it.
Review by Declan Culliton
Oh Susanna Sleepy Little Sailor (deluxe edition) Stella
Suzie Ungerleider revisits her album released in 2001 and adds 5 acoustic versions to the 11 original tracks that were received with great media acclaim at the time.
Her soulful vocal is filled with restrained power, waiting to be released and something she uses really effectively, choosing her moments to add even greater nuance to her always colourful delivery. The cover of I’ve Got Dreams To Remember (Otis Redding), highlights this to great effect and the restrained playing of Canadian elite musicians like Luke Doucet, Colin Cripps, Basil Donovan, Bob Packwood and Joel Anderson make this a four-minute masterclass in musicianship of the highest order.
Her writing is very accomplished and whether looking back at teenage romance on King’s Road or the childhood abuse of River Blue, she captures the moments with such clarity, bringing alive the words; ‘no matter how fast you run, you end up where you started from, to face the secret you were forced to keep.’
The stark fate of a life in slavery is captured chillingly in All That Remains and the lines; ‘I remember the day they took her from me, “Lord,” she screamed, “have mercy on me.” Beauty Boy hints at a cruel relationship made more warped by bullying, ‘still a foolish hope follows wise regret.’
Sacrifice looks at a frustrated romance where commitment is impossible in a toxic relationship, while Forever At Your Feet laments unrequited love, with strings from Anne Lindsay, and Alex McMaster beautifully wrapping the melody. Ted’s So Wasted looks at a failed marriage and the lines ‘We walked down the aisle together while our love took a ride in a hearse’ says it all. The heartbreak of St. Patrick’s Day sings of lost love and final song Ride On is a 10-minute ode to the old west and the life of a gunman on the run, crimes of passion and commitment betrayed in preference of a solitary life.
The additional acoustic songs are a stripped-down treat but don’t contain the rich colour of the ensemble playing on the original recording. Rather, the fragility and emotive power in Suzie’s vocal is front and centre. A terrific reminder of all that makes this artist a considerable presence in the honour roll of great songwriters.
Review by Paul McGee
Rebecca Turner The New Wrong Way Self Release
Released in November 2019, this third album from New Jersey resident Rebecca Turner is a 13-track exercise that plays out over 40 minutes and leaves a sense of someone who is very comfortable in exploring her own artistic vision. The sound is as much country-roots as it is mainstream and commercial, while the vocals may be just mixed down a little too much for my liking.
Rebecca wrote 8 of the songs here, with 3 co-writes and 2 covers, all performed with a style and tempo by a core group of players that includes Sim Cain (drums), Scott Anthony (bass), Rich Feridun (guitars) and a selection of additional musicians on various tracks, featuring Rob Clores (keyboards on 4 songs) and Skip Krevens (pedal steel on 3 songs). The new album was recorded at Ardent Studios in Memphis and follows on from LAND OF MY BABY, which arrived in 2005, followed by SLOWPOKES in 2009.
The inclusion of Jazz standard, Tenderly, shows her diversity and relationship songs like Idiot, Water Shoes and Your Job, give insight into a mindset that looks for the humanity in everyday things. Living an independent life and relying on your own resources, The Cat That Can Be Alone, is included with a song about gardening and new seasons blooming, Free the Rose.
An early Bee Gees song, Sun In My Morning, beautifully interpreted by laid back guitar and Hammond organ parts, sails along nicely and the pedal steel on Circumstances is classic Country with clever lyrics surrounding a partner’s anxiety and suffering writer’s block – “I don’t care if you write about my issues, I got time and I got tissues, I can take your brutal honesty.”
Turner and Scott Anthony co-produced the album and they also tip a hat towards a more rock sound on tracks like Living Rock and Tom Tom, with its XTC references as inspiration for a wannabee musician. What If Music? asks the question whether music has no meaning as - ‘it’s let me down and led me astray as many times as it’s saved the day.’
Interesting songs, played superbly by the studio ensemble and music that highlights a creative and talented artist.
Review by Paul McGee
Cinder Well No Summer Free Dirt
From the opening moments this album feels as though it is an echo of the past and at the same time it offers a glimpse of a near future. These seemingly ancient tones emerge here through an internet age sensibility. The result is a sparse and forceful combination of the human voice with the simplest but completely effective accompaniments. Cinder Well is the name that Amelia Baker uses for these essentially solo recordings. To help create the appropriate setting for the songs, Baker worked with Nich Wilbur. They recorded in a converted church which had a quality that perfectly suited the project. This isolated location and sparse contact during the current pandemic provided the album’s title.
There is also an obvious link between the transatlantic origins of some of the songs which spring from not only Appalachian sources but also from Baker's Irish and Celtic lineage. She now lives in County Clare, Ireland, and all these connections seem to make perfect sense, as her studies of Irish music and her upbringing have combined in a way that is effective and enriching. The themes are "as old as the hills” but Baker has a penchant for writing ballads from a feminine perspective which often emanates from a time of struggle, survival and seclusion.
The original songs, from the title track through Fallen, Old Enough, Our Lady’s, The Doorway and From Behind The Curtain are set on an equal footing with the traditional choices The Cuckoo, Queen Of The Earth and Child Of The Skies, Wandering Boy. She has added an additional verse to the latter (itself from an old Baptist songbook). Baker was joined by Marit Schmidt and Mae Kesller on viola and violin as well as vocals. She herself played guitar, organ and fiddle, together with delivering the haunting lead vocals. The overall effect is to take you to a desolate but often beautiful and sometimes spectral place that exists in a 'between worlds’ location: sitting between heart and mind, Ireland and America, folk and ambient.
Baker had become a fan of Irish contemporary folk quartet Lankum and indeed many of the lovers of that influential band will likely find much to enjoy here. Others, undoubtedly, will not feel the same. However, NO SUMMER is not without its warmth and light in what was something of an overcast season.
Review by Stephen Rapid
Lou Kyme What’s The Worst That Can Happen Self Release
Although packaged in a way that suggests something more or less Americana orientated, this debut release from Kyme betrays the fact that she was once a part of the English family country band The Okeh Wranglers. On a trip to Austin, Texas, Kyme caught a set by Chuck Prophet. An introduction and friendship followed and that resulted in Prophet and his bandmate and wife Stephanie Finch joining the sessions for this album. Vicente Rodriguez produced it in AR Studios in San Francisco. He also played bass and drums and added backing vocals. James DePrato and Adam Rossi completed the musical team, with Prophet adding guitar to two songs and Finch playing accordion on three others, giving the album something of a transatlantic tone. Not unlike, in concept, the album that Carlene Carter made with Rockpile, only with the roles reversed on this occasion. Add to that some early Blondie and you have an idea of the overall mood.
There are seven original songs on the EP which sets out Kyme’s stall, combining some broad strokes that show her musical origins, while also hitting some more indie-style roots rock moments of melody and melancholy. The mix of some soulful moments with twang works well. The title track is a touch of noir with a filmic feel that contrasts nicely with some of the more upbeat tracks such as the hooky I Don’t Care. The accordion by Finch adds a different frame of reference for the border feel of Let’s Drive, which is also graced with some chiming 12 string guitar.
All of this makes for a fine start for Kyme’s solo venture. It gives her voice the chance to shine on several different tales, revealing a writer who is learning her craft well and it certainly bodes well for the London-based singer. While the cover graphics may seem slightly at odds with the usual Americana look, the music therein presents a forward-thinking trajectory that shows that the worst thing that could happen to an album like this is that it might be overlooked and ignored.
Review by Stephen Rapid
Chuck Prophet The Land That Time Forgot YepRoc
Another slice of crafted and diverse music is presented in this latest release from Chuck Prophet. This album was recorded in New York and in different studios in California. Prophet shares the production credits with Kenny Siegal and Matt Winger, both of whom play on the album. The immediate stand-out here, for this writer, is High As Johnny Thunders which mentions both the guitarist of the title and his band New York Dolls. It is a soulful brass-infused reflection of what might have been “in the land that time forgot.” The album features some potent vocal interplay between Prophet and his wife Stephanie Finch throughout, alongside numerous contributions from the assembled players who sat in on the sessions in the various studios.
The slow-paced Paying My Respects To The Train considers the train that brought the body of Abraham Lincoln from Springfield to Washington. In a slightly more obviously political vein is Nixonland. It features something of an astute piece of observation on that president’s final days in office. The current incumbent doesn’t escape criticism either, as witnessed on the final track on the album Get Off The Stage which, given these times, is a fitting final riposte. More on the tender side is Love Doesn’t Come From The Barrel Of A Gun, a song that sees Prophet making the case for those who find a love for literature, something unlikely to be found in any gun and ammo magazine.
THE LAND THAT TIME FORGOT is Prophet at his best and agreeably diverse. His output has always drawn from numerous sources, but the end result at this stage of his career is music that is essentially Chuck Prophet. It is a testament to his talent on all fronts that some four decades into his career he is making some of the best music that he has ever recorded.
Chuck Prophet is on a similar path to that of his friend (and equally astute rock ’n’ roller) Alejandro Escovedo. There is an overall sense of ease on many of the songs that allow for consideration and reflection on life, love and liars - something that should not be forgotten.
Review by Stephen Rapid