Molly Tuttle Crooked Tree Nonesuch
There’s a contagious warmth emanating from the latest and third album from Californian Molly Tuttle, the guitarist extraordinaire who is now also proving her chops as a songwriter to be reckoned with. This reviewer welcomes her return to her bluegrass roots after her experimentation with a more Americana sound for her first two records. Co-produced by her and recorded in Nashville’s Oceanway studio with dobro legend Jerry Douglas, it is worth remembering that he also played on some of those seminal 70s & 80s bluegrass records with Californian guitarist Tony Rice, who was a huge influence on Tuttle’s flatpicking style.
Taking up guitar at nine years of age, Molly Tuttle was encouraged to play in the family band, but her fate was sealed when her father took her to her first bluegrass festival, Grass Valley, at aged eleven. She reminisces fondly on this in Grass Valley, ‘I didn’t know it then, but my life had turned a page’. Always being the ‘only girl guitarist’ amongst the boys and wanting to be taken seriously was a struggle, as she explains in Side Saddle, where she is joined on co-vocals by fellow Californian and Berklee College alumnus, Gillian Welch. Dan Tyminski joins her on the plaintive San Francisco Blues, where she laments the fact that most locals are unable to afford to live there any longer, ‘and most of all she misses the California dreamin’. She’ll Change, a bluegrass song about a strong woman by a woman, is an homage to those similar but scarce songs from her female heroes like Hazel Dickens and Laurie Lewis, who beat the path for her a few decades ago.
Co-writing most of the songs here, many along with Ketch Secor (Old Crow Medicine Show), Tuttle demonstrates that she is becoming a skilled songwriter, one who can push out the boundaries of bluegrass while still embracing its roots. It’s not surprising that she cites people like Gillian Welch, Peter Rowan and John Hartford as influences.
Some of Nashville’s best musicians joined her for the recording: Ron Block (banjo), Mike Bub (bass), Jason Carter (fiddle), Dominick Leslie (mandolin), as well as the aforementioned Jerry Douglas on dobro. Melody Walker (Front Country), Tina Adair (Sister Sadie) and Lindsay Lou complete the illustrious line up on backing vocals.
Former housemate and fellow IBMA Guitar Player of the Year recipient, Billy Strings, guests on the eerie tale of Dooley’s Farm, where the mysterious farmer, Old Dooley, is farming more than just standard crops - ‘he’s smilin’ at you from an IH tractor …. he’s got a strain that will punch your lights out’. The musical arrangements of Tuttle’s and Strings’ guitar interplay, along with Jerry Douglas’s dobro contributions and Jason Carter’s fiddle combine to evoke a lasting chill. Friend Margo Price adds her backing vocals to the banjo driven more traditional Flatland Girl and the catchy title track Crooked Tree eloquently expresses the satisfaction she has gained by not taking the easy route, by being herself.
Highly recommended and hopefully this is a signpost towards further boundary pushing from this talented young woman in the future.
Review by Eilís Boland
Susan Cattaneo All Is Quiet Continental Song City
Boston singer-songwriter Susan Catteneo’s fusion of folk, blues, and rock has earned her numerous plaudits in her home city. She was nominated for Best Americana Artist in the Boston Music Awards in 2018 and was a winner in the Connecticut Folk Festival the same year. Her last recording THE HAMMER AND THE HEART charted at No.1 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart in 2017 and she follows it with her latest recording ALL IS QUIET. The album’s title is a fair reflection of the social environment in existence when the material was recorded, with the circumstances dictating that the recordings were carried out remotely at a number of studios. Catteneo’s hushed and disciplined vocals throughout also mirror the album’s title, as she deliberates on uncharted times and uncertainty.
A professor at the Berklee School of Music, Catteneo’s livelihood, like so many of her peers, was thrown entirely off-kilter by the onset of the pandemic. She overcame a writing block by accepting her predicament and channelling her energies into composing songs that are very much of their time. Co-produced by Cattaneo and Lorne Entress (Lori McKenna, Mark Erelli), ALL IS QUIET is very much a folk album. While the musicianship is of the highest standard (Kevin Barry plays acoustic guitar and Duke Levine is on guitars and mandolin), the vocals are out in front and crystal clear, drawing the listener to the messages within the songs.
She’s in fine voice from the opening title track. Setting the scene for the album’s theme she sings ‘wondering if I’ll be myself still when all is done.’ That uncertainty and restriction are beautifully articulated on Blackbirds. The arrangements on the track are suitably understated, with Catteneo’s crystal clear vocals accompanied by acoustic guitar and mandolin. That relaxed and unhurried feel dominates throughout the album’s nine tracks. Positivity and hopefulness in uncertain times are awash on both Diamond Days and Hold Onto Hope and she bookends the album with the prayer-like Follow.
An album that provides the listener with compassionate thoughts and messages, ALL IS QUIET is an uplifting listen from start to finish, from a hugely talented songwriter.
Review by Declan Culliton
Cristina Vane Make Myself Me Again Red Parlor
‘For now, Nashville is home, but I’m starting to wonder if I’ve gotten so used to moving that I need to do it. Either way, I plan to be in Nashville for the foreseeable future,’ explained the somewhat nomadic Cristina Vane, when Lonesome Highway spoke with her in March of 2021.
A skilled clawhammer banjo and fingerpicking acoustic guitar player, Vane’s 2021 debut album NOWHERE SOUNDS LOVELY was inspired by the Italian-born singer -songwriter’s five-month solo road trip across America, where she studied local musical traditions of oldtime and bluegrass music. If that debut recording was a reflection of that road trip, MAKE MYSELF ME AGAIN finds her in a more introspective frame of mind, having laid down her roots in Nashville and lived through the pandemic. A sense of contentment and feeling very much at home both with herself and in her newfound home is central to much of what’s on offer here.
Vane’s debut album crisscrossed from delta and country blues to traditional roots and rock, as she processed the many musical genres that stimulated and excited her. This time around her album is more cohesive and focused, suggesting a maturing artist growing in confidence both musically and lyrically.
She kicks off in a defiant mood with the raw and bluesy title track (‘Sometimes I lose sometimes I win, I’m gonna make myself me again’). What follows are twelve solid tracks that find Vane in splendid voice throughout and with slick guitar and banjo picking that form the backbone of the album. The album was co-produced by Jano Rix (The Wood Brothers) and Brook Sutton (Blackberry Smoke) and the players alongside Vane include Bronwyn Keith-Hynes (Molly Tuttle) and Billy Contreras (Bela Fleck). There’s so much to savour on an album, Vane and her crew don’t put a foot wrong. Standouts are the Allison Krauss sounding River Roll and the rocky and aptly titled closer Strange Times. Equally easy on the ear are Little Black Cloud with its Slim Harpo vibe and the cheekily titled Small Town Nashville Blues.
'It is the sound of growing up,' explains Vane in the press release that accompanied the album. True words indeed, this album is a momentous step forward from her highly impressive debut album and one that’s worthy of establishing Vane as the premier breakthrough artist in country blues. Watch this space.
Review by Declan Culliton
49 Winchester Fortune Favors The Bold New West
Taking their name from a street in their small mountain hometown of Castlewood, Virginia, FORTUNE FAVORS THE BOLD is the fourth album from the five-piece band and their first on the New West label. 49 Winchester is Isaac Gibson (vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, cowbell), Bus Shelton (electric guitar, baritone guitar), Chase Chafin (bass guitar), Noah Patrick (steel guitar), and Don Eanes (piano, Hammond B3).
What started as a group of friends hanging out and playing together has, through hard work and dedication, earned them a recent appearance at Willie Nelson’s Luck Reunion, shows at SXSW, and a booking to support Whiskey Myers on their upcoming summer tour.
Their sound lands somewhere between outlaw and southern rock. Laidback and delightfully loose across its ten tracks, they open the album with the punchy Annabel and bookend the collection with the knees up barroom honky tonker Last Call. For my ears, both tracks echo the sound of the Texan band Mike and The Moonpies which, for this writer, is a major compliment. Elsewhere the album is packed with memorable moments. All I Need (‘I ain’t in no debt, I got a real good woman and a pretty good dog that don’t shit in the house’) and the title track had me hitting the repeat button. Neon is classic southern rock, sounding like it was borrowed from the Lynyrd Skynyrd songbook. It's not all blood and thunder either, they’re equally at home with their feet easy on the pedal on the hook-filled ballads Damn Darlin’ and Second Chance
Make no mistake, these boys can write and deliver classic groove-driven Americana. Isaac Gibson showcases his full gritty vocal range throughout FAVOURS THE BOLD and the players, a well-honed machine from numerous live shows, are firing on all cylinders from the get-go. An album that no doubt captures the mood of 49 Winchester’s fun-filled and carefree live shows, with the support of New West, this recording could very well be the launching pad for an accelerated career progression.
Review by Declan Culliton
Aaron Raitiere Single White Dreamer Dinner Time / Thirty Tigers
Currently one of Nashville’s revered songwriters, Kentucky born Aaron Raitiere has penned songs in recent years for Miranda Lambert, Anderson East, Maren Morris, Midland and many more. His co-write I’ll Never Love Again, from the 2018 film A Star Is Born, written with Lady Gaga, Natalie Hemby and Hillary Lindsey, earned him a Grammy.
The blueprint for this album kicked off four years ago when Raitiere presented Miranda Lambert and Anderson East with a collection of songs and sought their input and support. Fast forward three years and Lambert and Anderson produced and arranged the twelve songs on an album that Raitiere describes as ‘just a bunch of friends getting together trying to help me create something, because they thought I needed a record.’
The album features a host of guest appearances from his neighbours Ashley Munroe, Natalie Hemby, Foy Vance, Waylon Payne, David Cobb and Bob Weir, to name a few. The recordings took place at Nashville’s RCA Studio A and The Casino in East Nashville. As you might expect the players that contributed were all regular top drawer session players. Guitarists Frank Rische, Scott Murray and Jake Mitchell came on board. Bass was by Brian Allen, drums by Darren Dodd. Phillip Downs played piano and organ and Ben Clark contributed trumpet. Kristen Rogers provided background vocals.
Rairiere’s diverse songwriting styles surface across the twelve tracks on the album. You’re left with the impression that he could write any form or genre on demand. He flirts between casual and slapstick tracks At Least We Didn’t Have Any Kids and You’re Crazy to the darker and brooding Dear Darlin’ and Your Daddy Hates Me - the latter sounding like a Patterson Hood creation on a Drive By Truckers album. The title track may or may not be marginally autobiographical and Everybody Else has a deep-rooted melody that’s likely to remain firmly in your subconscious long after it spins out.
It remains to be seen if SINGLE WHITE DREAMER becomes a one-off recording by Raitiere, while he continues to concentrate on his calling as a writer of songs for others. For The Byrds, which features on the album, was included by Miranda Lambert on her 2016 release THE WEIGHT of THESE WINGS and I wouldn’t be surprised if a few more of the inclusions on this album get a recondition by some of the artists that he provides ammunition for. Packed with wicked humour, lots of groove and razor-sharp lyrics, there’s so much to savour here.
Review by Declan Culliton
Garrett Heath The Losing End Self Release
On last year’s album, KINGDOM COME, Heath sang of acceptance, and in opening up to the universal love that heals us all, if we let it in. This time around, and a very quick follow-up, sees Heath in pensive mood and reflecting on the deep wounds suffered by the Rust Belt American populations. Living in economic decline in rural towns with low employment opportunities is a stark reality and Heath tries to capture, not only the quiet desperation, but also the ingrained fortitude and resilience of the people who strive to make ends meet on a daily basis.
There is guarded optimism, coupled with the pain of coming up on the losing end – both the title of the album and the theme that runs through these nine songs. Heath has an authenticity that convinces; he writes from the heart and his vocal is both arresting and memorable in a quietly dignified manner. He plays guitar in a laid-back style and his harmonica skills are very resonant throughout, giving a plaintive mood to these songs of beaten down dreams and haunted memories.
With the song, In Tall Buildings, Heath contemplates leaving the countryside behind, his sense of place - to work indoors, in a suit, taking the subway into tall building imprisonment. It’s like he’s going overseas to war. The harmonica gives an external sense of his inner pain as it weaves through the melody.
The quiet strum of West Front St. contains the story of a working man who loses his job in an industrial accident, turns to the bottle, sacrifices his marriage, and finally finds redemption through prayer and a decision to leave everything behind – quite literally. It’s quite bleak in the message of circumstance and fate taking their toll.
Live For the Moment has echoes of Springsteen’s Nebraska with naked harmonica cutting through the easy melody. Trying to put down the past is never as simple as it seems, even when the promise of tomorrow is calling.
The title track is about taking the hits that life throws, be it a local store closure, a school football team losing out to childhood dreams and wealthier opponents, or children born into straitened circumstances with little opportunity. It’s almost as if certain strata’s of society are born to fail…
Darker Still reminds me of a Leonard Cohen song with its topic of hiding from real relationships and not being completely open with one-another. We essentially live lonely lives, trapped within our secrets and the stories that we tell ourselves.
Same Old Story channels the need to work, balanced against personal dreams of living differently and feeling free. “Am I the man I’m meant to be? There’s nothing left inside of me, An empty smile and these worn-out jeans, A broken heart, and these tattered dreams.”
Morning Light brings some hope and optimism on the horizon, as a love story that declares the need to persevere, no matter what the challenges. “Let’s take our time dear, and live this life, We’ll build our home here, we’ll stand and fight, Maybe find some peace here, in the morning light.”
Camero recounts a tale of a banker who loses his job in the economic downturn and moves out of NYC to work in a local Walmart. Downsize or pay the price… The final track, Vanity, is a look at ego as a divisive influence and the realisation that, “Life is but a vapor, Just a whisper in the wind,” coupled with the thoughts that we can take it all too seriously.
A very chilled album, played with restrained skill and plenty of real quality. The songs take hold and deliver a very encompassing experience for the listener. Heath self-produced at his recording studio (Okiejoke Sound), based in Knox, Pennsylvania. He wrote all the songs with the exception of In Tall Buildings, a cover of the John Hartford song from 1976. A worthy follow-up to last year’s impressive album and yet another confirmation of the superb talent on display here.
Review by Paul McGee
Lynne Hanson Ice Cream In November Self Release
Back in early 2020, Lynne Hanson released her seventh solo album, JUST WORDS, and in my review at the time, I mentioned her superb songcraft and her ability to deliver genre fluid influences in her arrangements. It was an album that impressed greatly and the good news is that Lynne is back, two years wiser, and with the Covid pandemic in the interim, to deliver a set of twelve songs that are every bit as compelling and interesting.
Never one to rest on previous success, Lynne has decided to engage the multi-layered talents of co-producer and musician Blair Michael Hogan for this album, together with a new group of musicians and a different emphasis on song arrangements and sound.
Yes, the relationship musings are still firmly in place, coupled with the inevitable feelings of isolation and loneliness that the Covid pandemic raised. And yes, the dynamic playing is still as sharp as ever, with new soundscapes that wrap a lot of these songs, featuring rich synthesiser, mellotron, and organ, together with drum and percussion programming. The arrangements add to the dynamic, always challenging the listener to stay with the subtle nuances of shifting melody.
There is an old adage that says we must either evolve or die, and while music could never be said to cause a fatal blow, in a career that can see musicians stagnant for periods of time, it’s refreshing when an artist grows from album to album, always challenging herself and painting on new palettes. Lynne Hanson has been doing this since her debut album arrived back in 2006 and has certainly earned her reputation as one of Canada’s premier Roots/ Americana songwriters.
Here, she contributes on acoustic guitar, electric guitar, mellotron, piano, drums/percussion, programming. Her partner in production, Blair Michael Hogan, brings his multi-instrumentalist talents on electric bass, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, baritone guitar, 12-string guitar, mandolin, banjo, piano, synth, mellotron, organ, drum/percussion programming.
The impressive array of musical talent in the studio is augmented by Phil Shaw Bova (drums, percussion, vibraphone); Peter Klassen (upright bass); Raphael Weinroth Browne (cello); Steve Marriner (harmonica); Caroline Marie Brooks (backing vocals), Tara Holloway (backing vocals), Mikhail Laxton (backing vocals).
Lynne also shares the creative process with nine of the songs co-written with Blair Michael Hogan, two songs with MJ Dandeneau and one song written with Jessica Pearson. So, what do we get this time around? There is the opening rockabilly/surf rock groove of Shadowland, with lots of reverb on the stratocaster and a walking bass line. It carries a message about hiding in plain sight and looking out for number one; ‘Tell me all your dirty secrets, I promise I won’t tell.’
Hip Like Cohen is a look back at youthful doubts and fears and learning to ignore the pressure from others and the expectations for success. Be yourself and enjoy the moment; ‘A path is just a road I walk, I’m not looking for any signs.’
The title track is a realisation that time forgets, but that we always remember. Old memories, the fragility of faded dreams and longing for days past; ‘ Beauty queens, That no one remembers, Dancing across the screen, A plastic dream machine, Screaming look at me, Won’t you look at me, I am so lonely.’
On 100-Mile Wind, escaping the flames of passion is captured in a song about addictive love, survival and avoiding self-destruction. It’s a big guitar sound and one that drives the rhythm, ‘Living high on coke, Coming down on wine, You said it was love, But I knew you were lying.’
Orion’s Gate has a sweet melody and the sound of lovely cello, in a reflection on our place in the universe and in trying to make sense of an old relationship… ‘Though the world keeps turning round, My world came crashing down, The moment that I found out, You weren’t coming back around.’
Birds Without A Feather is a gritty, bluesy tune that delivers a punch about the hypocrisy of organised religion and a message to find your own path. ‘Fox is in the hen house, Been living there for years, Talking ‘bout sorrow through crocodile tears, Ain’t no saviour to be found.’
Dominoes has a sultry tango beat, and the fatal attraction that passion holds - pleasure and pain providing a dangerous cocktail, ‘ Your note said “I love you” and you signed it goodbye, There’s a little bit of truth in every big lie, Turns out lovers and leavers look the same in the dark.’
In On A Wing is a social butterfly, flitting through the superficialities of the day, synth and guitar sounds to the fore in a poppy groove that is radio-friendly with a hint of Sheryl Crow. One Of These Days is another synth-driven, bright poppy sound, with a look at modern life, job and love compromises and everything playing out like a bad movie.
Puzzle Pieces is a reflective song that perhaps was inspired by the isolation of Covid days and a look back at time passed, ‘It’s been eleven months, And the snow’s piled high, I’m waiting on Spring, Yeah I’m just staying inside.’ Le Bon Moment is a beautifully delivered love song, sung in French, and referencing the tragic story of Romeo and Juliette, while waiting in the midnight garden for your lover to appear. The final song, This Heart Of Mine, comes full circle on the journey taken and speaks of the regrets that unrequited love can conjure up. ‘So I drink to remember, That its time I forget, That we were ever lovers, That we ever met.’
Yet, throughout the heartache, the urge to keep on trying is ever-present in the music of Lynne Hanson. It’s a statement of intent from an artist who continues to grow and explore her creative muse. Luckily, we are all the better for it.
Review by Paul McGee
Barton Stanley David Cicada Kenshire
With a debut EP released back in 2011, BLUE FOR EAST BROADWAY, this singer-songwriter decided to leave NYC and relocate back to Texas, three years ago. In the time that has since passed, David has been writing and performing, launching his own record label and also getting married. His music falls in a Folky direction, with leanings toward a more commercial Rock sound. The experience gained in NYC (including meeting his wife), has resulted in these seven songs that play out across twenty-plus minutes of very enjoyable listening.
It is such a big advantage when you can sing with a honeyed vocal tone and phrasing that is both impressive and engaging. Some of these songs started life as far back as 2016, and the title track, Cicada, speaks of returning to the source of childhood memories and the urge to rediscover the influences of the past. The guitar and pedal steel interplay gives the song a winsome feel and it’s a fine opener to the album.
All Ways follows, a love song with a big production and string sounds, reflecting on a strong bond between two people who want to make their relationship work. Great drumming and piano lifting the arrangement and delivering with some conviction.
If I Didn’t Tell You First, starts with a slow acoustic tempo and builds nicely as it takes a look at deciding to leave a situation where there is no real communication. Crest, follows and is a song about building something real with another, with keyboards creating a sweet string melody over the restrained guitar parts.
Evelyn, is a song about a close friend that reflects upon youthful dreams and the need to have someone who understands the process of loving and letting go. Beautiful violin and piano colour the melody and David’s vocal elevates the experience. Things change with the up-tempo, How We Live In Love, with the band really expressing the tight ensemble playing; great rhythm section pushing the arrangement and a soaring guitar break.
The final track, And the Crowd Goes Wild Again, looks at self-belief and keeping a path that allows you to maintain both dreams and daily acceptance. David plays a number of different instruments (guitars, piano, synth, programming), and is joined by the talents of Matt Young (drums), Chris Anderson bass) and Ben Fisher (piano), with Burton Lee providing atmospheric pedal steel. He was able to call on Douglas Edward (violin/viola), Scarlett Deering (violin/viola), Walker Adams (additional drums), Tom Hopke, Tyler Martin and Steven Cooper (additional guitar parts) on various tracks. String arrangements were also part of the recording mix and overall, the production is very crisp and clean in lifting the arrangements.
One terrible tragedy that occurred during the recording of the album, was an accident that befell producer Jeff Saenz. He lost both of his hands in a domestic incident with fallen power lines on his property and this led to a fundamental shift in the entire process. David turned to the talents of Scarlett Deering, after a few months sabbatical, in order to rethink everything. Deering has played with Don Henley and the Eagles and she brought her energy to the project to assist in getting things finished. The recent news is that Jeff Saenz has returned to his studio at Modern Electric in Dallas and is trying to continue his career. I wish him every success in his difficult journey and the music on this album stands as a great testament to his abilities.
Review by Paul McGee
Katie Spencer The Edge Of the Land Lightship
It’s that moment, when you put a new album into the player, and the music just hits like a sweet summer breeze on a sunny day. Like stepping out and being filled with a sense that everything will be ok, today. This is meditative music, created in a space where the atmosphere and the mood are almost a musical instrument in themselves. And the overriding sentiment of this special album is captured in the song, Silence On the Hillside, when Katie sings; ‘We are tiny people, full of love bigger than our hearts, When the sun rises, it reminds me, We are never truly apart.’
The sense of both acceptance and forgiveness, of ourselves and others, permeates this record and offers up a healing balm to sagging shoulders and troubled minds. Right from the starting chords of opener, Take Your Time, you are invited into an immersive experience where both the musicians and the listener are joined in the moment; nothing more, just the sublime playing and the beautiful, unhurried vocal tone of Katie making the pace and tempo of things as easy as a sweet smile.
Yes, it’s really that good. The lines in the song, Road, capture a piece of the past; ‘And it all comes rolling back, Some of these memories have been kept hidden, Far off the beaten track, On the roads of my mind.’ A beautiful expression of holding dear what we cherish most.
With a debut album in 2019, and a number of EP releases, including a tribute to the great John Martyn, which includes his old band mates, Spencer Cousins and Alan Thomson; Katie Spencer delivers a series of diary entries, snippets of thoughts and emotions felt, and recollections of other days. It’s as if we are given insight into a time spent in some seaside town with all the charm of an old postcard found in a parent’s drawer from years back, when you were a child in their care. The title track, The Edge Of the Land, looks at the years of living on the coast and the changing vista of life renewing and unfolding, ‘New wavelengths, ocean sensations, The tide spins round and around once more.’
There is sadness here too, with the loss of a lover in Go Your Way. Another song, Wormhole, speaks of coming out of the darkness and into the light of a new morning. There is also the realisation in the song, Forevermore, that a relationship is at an end point; ‘It’s the fourth time we’ve been here before, And I’m so close to closing the door.’
Shannon Road is a look at that very same imagined town on a Saturday night, after the pubs have closed, and the locals making their way home with streetlights flickering and Katie’s recall of living those days also flickering in her memory.
On the soft whisper of Sweet and Gentle, she sings; ‘All my answers come to me, In the night time, so softly.’ And you can imagine her burning the midnight oil, poring over these vignettes of memory and dreams – putting the pieces of the puzzle into place and shaping her process.
She describes herself as a “UK Progressive Folk Singer-Songwriter and guitarist” on her website. However, this does not fully give justice to the open, jazz-like feel, that the music creates; the space in the delivery and the timeless nature of the interplay between these gifted musicians. To my mind, this looks forward but also is a way of paying tribute to the past, and the wonderful legacy of Folk music that has developed over the centuries on the islands of both Great Britain and Ireland. It is beautiful in its construct and execution. Hats off to the richly talented players who deliver such gems – Katie Spencer (guitars, vocals), Tom Mason (double bass), Arran Ahmun (drums), Spencer Cousins (Steinway piano and keyboards), and Nathan Bay (flugelhorn).
All songs were written by Katie, with the one cover song by Annie Briggs (Go Your Way), being the exception. Both Katie and Spencer Cousins co-produced and the album was recorded live over two days at Steinway Recording, Fulbeck, on the Lincolnshire / Nottinghamshire border. You can just sense the magic that was certainly in the room.
It’s captured here for all to enjoy and the intimacy of the music makes it feel like you are in the local pub, in that seaside town, on a night these musicians played in front of that warm fire with the rain pelting it down outside. Album of the year for me so far … The bar has been set high.
Review by Paul McGee