Single Girl Married Girl Three Generations of Leaving Self Release
The second album from the Californian band with the strange name (taken from a Carter Family song title) is a concept album loosely chronicling the troubled lives of three women members of one family, as depicted in the attractive album artwork. There’s the 50s housewife, her wayward teen daughter in the 60s, and her daughter who’s navigating the rough waters of the 21st century.
Despite the struggles depicted, the album benefits from a big expansive sound, courtesy of New York based producer Tom Gardner, and is ultimately an uplifting experience.
Opening with singer/songwriter Chelsea Coy’s delicate and discordant banjo and her searing vocals, Walking on Water describes the fear and trepidation experienced when a mother and her family are abandoned by her husband. Folk influences expanded by upbeat pop/rock sounds are introduced in So She Runs which expresses the giddiness combined with trepidation of a young woman (the 60s teen) who’s ‘running to the grass that’s greener on the other side’.
The songs are all written by Coy and her husband Gary Knight who, unusually, is not a member of the band. The band initially developed when the couple lived in NYC for a few years, hence the return there for recording this album and why they describe themselves as a ‘bicoastal’ band. The other members are Charlie Rauh (guitars), John Gray (bass), Oskar Haggdahl (drums) and Shannon Soderlund (harmonies and backing vocals).
Another highlight among the eleven varied but unmissable tracks is Wreck Cut Loose, a slow country ballad about the fall out from heart ache, that builds to an emotion-filled crescendo, helped by soaring layered vocals and the addition of guest Philip Kronengold on organ. There’s an excellent one-shot video that accompanies the song that’s also worth checking out. Moving on in time, the protagonist in Scared to Move needs encouragement to overcome fear and embark on a new love relationship. This dream-like sequence mid-album stands out thanks to the unexpected backdrop of cascading harp runs by Mary Lattimore, an inspired suggestion by the producer, along with the complementary heavenly vocals of Shannon Soderlund. Elsewhere, Thad DeBrock adds pedal steel to the lolloping Runaway and to the closing track, The Flood, a country waltz which deals with loss of life due to drug addiction, inspired by the tragic life and death of Knight’s brother. Recommended.
Review by Eilís Boland
Hiss Golden Messenger O Come All Ye Faithful Merge
MC Taylor does it again. If this sounds like a newspaper headline, then I wish that it was! When most of your career has been spent making music of sublime, understated beauty, then you have good reason to expect the great and the good of the music media to make more of a fuss about you. Incredibly, this is not the case when it comes to MC Taylor; even if he enjoys legendary status among those who have the inside track. With a total of twelve prior albums already out there for your listening pleasure, here comes a real bonus - a Christmas-themed record.
MC Taylor had gotten tired with listening to the banal and trite celebratory music that retailer outlets and general media force upon weary shoppers at this time of year. An implied happiness for us all is just another counterproductive pressure on what has been a very difficult time for the world. Truth is, it can be a lonely time at Christmas for many, and a time when self-reflection and life circumstance only confirm what is missing in personal hopes and yearnings.
Having already released one of this year’s best albums with, Quietly Blowing It, destined to appear in a lot of year-end best-release lists, MC Taylor has now fashioned a quietly beautiful album that captures a lot of what is both good and bad about this Christmas behemoth. His dreamy, soulful arrangements are hypnotic and lull the listener into a sense of quiet calm, as the messages of comfort in a time of extremes are subtly made. Mixing traditional songs with a few cover versions and three self-penned creations, MC Taylor has gotten a perfect balance on these nine tracks that clock in at thirty-six minutes of listening pleasure. He produced the album and the core group of players are joined by guests, Erin Rae, Aoife O’Donovan, Buddy Miller and Nathaniel Rateliff.
His three inclusions are, Hung Fire, Grace and By the Lights Of St. Stephen - all aspiring towards messages of hope and light, in searching for solace. The hymns, O Come All Ye Faithful, Joy To the World and Silent Night, are given a new coat of paint and come up shining in their new arrangements. Slowed down and allowed to breathe in terms of the message communicated, they all carry a deeper resonance. Cover versions of Shine A Light (Spiritualised), Hanukkah Dance (Woody Guthrie) and As Long As I Can See the Light (John Fogarty), are included to give added force to the message of accentuating the positive and keeping those dissenting voices at bay. As Christmas albums go, this one is a real keeper.
Review by Paul McGee
Jonathan Long Parables Of A Southern Man Wildheart
This is a fine album, produced by the steady hand of Samantha Fish and her newly formed record label. It was recorded at the Rhythm Shack in New Orleans, and features Jonathon Long on guitar and vocals, Nicholas David on keyboards, Charlie Wooton on bass and Scott Graves on drums/percussion.
As you would expect, with Samantha Fish guiding proceedings, the guitar has prominence in the mix. It’s a full and rich sound, highlighting the impressive feel and fret work of Long. The songs are rooted in a Blues/Americana direction with the vocal tone of Long displaying a confident and impressive style. Band work outs like on My Kinda Woman are really excellent, showcasing the tight ensemble playing and the slow burn of other tracks like Pain, point to a direction that fits comfortably within the overall dynamic. Landline has a more commercial sound, a more soulful vocal and a plea for release, with a superb guitar riff surfing through the arrangement. Equally, All I Need, trawls similar waters with a warm keyboard sound and some impressive guitar licks.
Long wrote all twelve songs and with a playing time of forty-six minutes, the time certainly never drags; always a good sign. Saviour’s Face tells a tale from the bible about the life of Jesus and there are definite Stevie Ray Vaughan influences in the guitar lines. That Ain’t Love, slows everything down with a blues lament to the frustrations of loving, while Jenny ends our journey with a stripped-down arrangement, a deep bass and percussion groove and a tale about staying ahead of the law.
This a very solid second album from an accomplished guitarist and songwriter that will please many who like their music big and bold.
Review by Paul McGee
Chris Murphy Sovereign Friendly Folk
Opening with the joyful band arrangement of Halfway Around the World, this latest album from the creative muse of Chris Murphy delivers a strong statement of intent. Recorded during lockdown, it’s as if Murphy set out with one central message in mind; focus on the positive and everything else will follow.
Bad Situation is another song that highlights this message of making the best of the straitened circumstances that present themselves at various points in our lives; the violin and guitar elevating the song arrangement and colouring the rhythm. The sound is celebratory and even with tracks like Boxed In, the message is one of ‘get myself sorted out,’ - perhaps a striking theme for these Covid times?
The assembled musicians on the project are many, and clocking up at thirty-plus, mean that there were often remote recording challenges. Of the guests, the quality of Doug Pettibone on guitar(Lucinda Williams, Jewel) appears on eight songs and Hal Cragin (Iggy Pop, Rufus Wainwright) plays bass on seven of the thirteen tracks included. The title track is an instrumental, with deep Irish music influences, which includes the musicians from Lunasa (Trevor Hutchinson, Ed Boyd, Kevin Crawford, Colin Farrell, Cillian Vallely). Also included is Walfredo Reyes, Jr. (Santana) on percussion for a really inspiring tune. Another instrumental, Pear Blossom, includes banjo from Bruce Molsky, acoustic bass from Trevor Hutchinson and Murphy, again showcasing his wonderful runs on violin. It’s all quite addictive and joyous in the delivery and the mood generated.
Done With Diane is a light jazz arrangement that flows along on a great melody, and the Bossa Nova swing of Never the Same is another fine example of the range of influences on offer; Luca Pino excelling on guitar and Walfredo Reyes Jr. adding superb percussion. The violin and mandolin skills of Murphy are once more highlighted on the song, Till the World Lifts Its Head Again, which looks forward to better days and a return to optimism. Pete Thomas (Elvis Costello), plays drums on four tracks, including the spoken word, Wind In My Eye, a tale of chance and romance on the road for two lonely souls. Three Feet Deep introduces saxophone from Dana Colley and atmospheric bass, courtesy of Mike Watt ((fIREHOSE, The Minutemen) with Doug Pettibone supplying edgy guitar lines.
Tim O’Brien appears on Your Guess Is As Good As Mine, along with Jenee Conlee on accordion, and the easy Country groove is a relaxing wind down as the final song, Hazel Creek, brings it all together with a final instrumental jaunt; Murphy on guitar and mandolin and Hal Cragin on resonant bass. The album is filled with bright, happy sounds and some exemplary musicianship, with Murphy producing and writing all the songs. It ranks as a high point in the varied career of this talented and genre-fluid visionary musician and composer.
Review by Paul McGee
Mark Rogers Rhythm Of the Roads Self Release
In 2017, this singer-songwriter released a debut EP and, in the process, concluded a long journey that had started back in Los Angeles in 1982. In the music business, timing is everything and the stars just didn’t align for Rogers during the synth pop dominated years of the 80s. He moved back to his home base in Virginia and parked his passion for music while raising a family and getting on with the daily challenges of life. However, the flame never fully went out and after that debut EP he returned on a path that led to a further EP in 2018, followed by a full album release, Laying It Down, in 2019.
This second album was recorded earlier this year at Master Sound studios in Virginia beach. Rogers co-produced with Rob Ulsh, and for a ‘late bloomer’ he has returned with lots of reasons to continue on his newfound path. Rogers is quite an accomplished guitarist and plays with an easy style, perfectly suited to his sweet and clearly defined vocal tone. He sits in the area of contemporary Folk with songs that explore the vicissitudes of love and a leaning towards anything that lends real value to our daily experience.
On the album, Rogers enjoys the talents of Powell Randolph (drums), Jimmy Masters (bass), Larry Berwald and Alan Parker (electric guitar), Bill Gurley (acoustic guitars and Mandocello), John Toomey (piano), Jamie Lewis (Hammond B3), Lori de los Santos (vocal harmonies). The ensemble playing is nicely balanced with the melodic arrangements and with Mark delivering confident acoustic guitar and vocals, well, the sky is the limit when looking towards the future.
Tracks such as Every Once In A While, speak of enjoying the surprises in life that come your way, while Just So You Know, is a song that asks us to keep faith and believe in tomorrow – written at the beginning of lockdown. Rain Parade is one of the highlights and reflects on the strength of a couple to endure, through good and bad times. The song, Joking, looks at the other side of relationships and the urge to hide behind a façade of openness. The lines in Strange Anticipation speak for themselves; ‘You’re older now baby, It’s time you ought to help yourself, You may want to blame somebody, But there’s really no one else.’
The fragility of relationships is captured perfectly in the song, Leaving, and the lines; ‘And all this pain, Is like a hole in my heart, How can you help me baby, Where do we start?’ The final track, Flying, captures the spirit of the record with a message to wait out the storms and endure the rain in the hope of brighter days.
There is much to recommend this album, with the excellent ensemble playing and the clear production. No doubt, Mark Rogers has the wind in his sails now and there’s no saying where his journey will point him next. One thing for sure is that he’s plotting a straight course.
Review by Paul McGee
George Enslé Be A Better Me Puff Bunny
This is such a pleasant surprise. An album that comes out of the blue and just lands perfectly into a moment in time. The title and opening song, Be A Better Me, speaks of looking to the future and honouring the past. The message of enjoying every day is clearly a prayer for these times and the song, $1.65, is a gentle rumination on homelessness and the plight of the forgotten in society; ‘It might be what it takes, To get rid of the shakes, It’s cold living under a bridge.’ On another song, Front Porch Light, the words resonate; ‘It lit-up Dad the first time he handed me the car keys, Said, “Freedom means responsibility.” A song of reminiscence and beautifully captured.
All In the Songs is a tribute to the life on the road and the musicians that live the process, ‘Songs are love letters to the world, they help us laugh and cry and dance.’ This track really sums up the creative muse of George Enslé, fifty years a musician with sixteen albums to his catalogue and a wisdom hard earned on the road of life. He has shared songs and stages with Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark and Billy Joe Shaver, while also running workshops as an ambassador for Soldier Songs and Voices, a charity that provides free guitars and song-writing lessons for veterans as a form of post-conflict care.
River Of Life captures the essence of his message in the lines, ‘It’s wise as old man Winter, In the Spring it wants to dance, And it can move a mountain, If you give it half a chance.’ The power of music endures through everything that throws us a curve ball in life and keeping a straight line is all that we can do.
The playing on the album is quietly reflective and perfectly themed with the spirit of the project. A tribute to his father is so beautifully delivered on Gone Fishin’ and the lines, ‘ On the door back to my favourite times with you, Dad I know just what it’d say, “Gone Fishin.” Equally, the lovely melody on The Deep Wells Of Her Eyes reflects the sweet memory of lost days, while the elegance of The Unknown Soldier carries such a poignant message, ‘ He’s got a faded tattoo, From a foreign shore, And some unknown wounds of war.’
Ending with the anti-war message of traditional tune, Down By The Riverside, this interesting artist brings everything back to the beginning of the protest song – making a difference and pushing towards a better future. The album is produced by Stephen Doster and is a warm and heartfelt representation of all that is good in the Folk tradition of personal reflection and insights from the journey taken. A recommended purchase.
Review by Paul McGee