Michael McDermott St Paul’s Boulevard Pauper Sky
Emerging from lockdown with a new album is a release for Michael McDermott in many ways. A celebration of life in all its various guises, ST PAUL’S BOULEVARD in many ways removes him from comparisons, as it is a strong affirmation that he is his own man with his own vision. That is something that he and co-producer Steven Gillis have realised throughout the album’s fifteen songs that run over one hour. There are songs that have a more immediate appeal than others and the opening song Anam Cara, the title track, and Our Little Secret, with its appealing guitar interjections, directly show that McDermott is on track again. Sick Of This Town covers the frustration of feeling the walls around you, both big and small, beginning to cave in. There is something of a theme (if not a complete concept) here that considers a person’s place in a world that may not be welcoming or even understood, but where they lived, loved, lost faith, or languished.
There is undoubtedly a big sound throughout that takes his music to a new level, particularly for those who have witnessed the raw power of McDermott live and solo. Here he employs the skills of his selected players, including a sterling rhythm section of Gillis and bassist Matt Thompson, which proves to be the bedrock to build from. He is again joined by his partner in life Heather Lynn Horton on violin and vocals, and Vijay Tellis-Nayak adds piano and organ. To this close-knit team, there are the additional skill contributions of John Deaderick and Danny Mitchell on keyboards and the massed guitar power of David Grissom and Will Kimbrough on guitars - he also adds banjo and mandolin to a couple of tracks.
That’s the team who back McDermott’s passionate performances on vocal, guitar, and piano. He draws on the pain and pleasures he has encountered in a life in music that went from the highs of his early major-label career to the other highs and definite lows that followed and brought him to some despair and addiction. However, that is in the past and here, while not ignoring those hard times, he celebrates much of which is good in his life and nourishes his undoubted spirit, despite what is a dark and desperate world.
The track Marlowe is a tribute the Raymond Chandler’s noir private eye, Phillip Marlowe. It fits his persona well and is given a setting that recalls the best of heartland rock. Over the years and many albums, McDermott has carved his niche in rock’s hall of fame. Maybe not to the degree that others have, but that’s not the fault of his talent, work effort, or passion, rather it is the nature of an industry that often writes off those who don’t immediately hit the media heights. However, I don’t think that particularly plays on McDermott’s mind these days. His aim is to love those close to him and to continue to write and perform his songs. To simply do the best he can.
This album is full of examples of that craft and is a rewarding listen. Aside from the aforementioned songs, there is the graceful title track, the escapist but determined rock of Pack The Car, the chorus rooted All That We Have Lost, the folk-infused hopefulness of Peace, Love And Brilliant Colors, or the eternal beauty of Paris. This album is one of character as well as being full of characters. St Paul’s Boulevard, or someplace similar, exists in a lot of cities and a lot of minds as well as on this album. It is a place worth visiting.
Review by Stephen Rapid
Matt York Gently Used Self Release
An example of time well spent in pandemic purgatory, this is album number four from Boston based country/Americana artist, Matt York. During that period he recorded the eleven songs featured here. He recorded them at Boston’s Bitch Kitty Studios and then added the various musicians’ contributions remotely, in the main. These included telling contributions from Joshua Hedley on fiddle, guitarist Taylor Hollingsworth, Dillon Warnek on piano and pedal steel guitarist Spencer Cullum Jr. They are all used gently and otherwise to being York’s songs to life. And crucially that’s the key factor - the strength of the material - there is proof enough of the robustness of the songs with a number of immediate highlights that will please the listener from the first hearing.
The opening track If You Want Love is a straight up tale of love heading out the door and the wish for it to return. The interplay between steel, fiddle and guitar is vibrant and overlapping and creates a texture of tenacity. This matched by the exuberant guitar riff of the power-pop flavoured I Know You Love Me. These are, in turn, matched by the softer considerations of Baby Doll, Strong Feelings, Word On The Street and the title track. These songs all have their origin in the perennial themes of love, loss, foolhardiness and despondency, often drawn from the personal as well as from the writer’s ability to place himself at the heart of these very real emotions - both positive and negative.
Producer Thomas Wenzl draws all these elements together with York’s vocal prowess and utilises backing vocals to further enhance the expressiveness of the lead vocal. The assembled players all contribute to the fortitude of the songs, with the aforementioned fiddle, guitar, piano and steel accentuating the perturbation and gratification that each song seems to seek to illuminate.
This is York’s fourth album and he has excelled himself by joining the dots between Austin, Nashville and Boston, drawing on elements of each’s alt-country/roots rock scenes in creating this album. There has been a lot of music created over the last couple of years of, often, self-imposed isolation. Some has been, at times, intensely introspective or wildly exuberant. Here York has struck a balance that never brings the process into a negative space, but rather enlightens the process with some sterling performances from all. There is much to commend about this album and much to simply enjoy. On the inner sleeve York wears a t-shirt that reads ‘Listen to Townes Van Zandt’. Wise words from a songwriter that has himself been listening - and learning.
Review by Stephen Rapid.
Morgan Toney First Flight Ishkode
Young Morgan Toney was first struck by the power of music as a child, as he sat on the floor of his great-uncle’s home in Cape Breton Island and watched a Phil Collins DVD! He moved on from improvising with pots and pans to learning the First Nations drum and the songs of his native First Nations tribe, the Mi’kmaq, who are indigenous to Canada’s Atlantic Provinces. Next he took up the fiddle, and after realising that he had an aptitude for the instrument, he discovered that his great-grandfather had been a renowned Mi’kmaq fiddler. Fast forward just a few years and 22 year old Toney has produced a stunning debut album, steeped in the traditions of his native people but also heavily influenced by the more recent fiddle tradition in Nova Scotia, which was brought over through the forced migration of the Scots (the Highland Clearances, etc) during the 18th and 19th centuries.
Opening with just his voice (singing both in English and in the Mi’kmaq language) and a hand drum accompaniment, Kwana Li is a 1:30 precursor to nine tracks, both songs and instrumentals, mostly written by Toney. One of the exceptions is the first single, Ko’jua, an important ancient traditional chant that is over 500 years old. Here Toney puts it to music as an upbeat rousing combination of fiddle, drums, electric bass, acoustic guitar and voices. The droning style of the indigenous chant is combined with the lilting style of the Scottish fiddling. Equally mesmerising is Mi’kmaq Honour Song, another important chant/dance from the tradition, which makes it difficult to resist the imperative to dance. Ashley MacIsaac, the award winning fiddler from the Cape Breton Island family of musicians, guests with a solo on Msit No’kmaq (All Of my Relations), another homage to the importance of the teachings of the tribe, respecting nature and the earth.
Many of the songs are sung in English, or in a mixture of English and Mi’kmaq, making them more accessible to non-tribespeople like myself! Only 4% of the 170,000 natives speak the language and Toney has now become a fluent speaker. His goal with his music is to share the teachings of his tribe in order to bring hope. He does not shun the difficult question of the treatment of the First Nations peoples in Canada, where racism and violence has been visited upon them. In The Colour Red (co-written with his producer, Keith Mullins) he highlights the cases of the missing and murdered indigenous women.
The utter pride that he feels for his roots permeates this album, which has been released on a new label, Ishkode, which is run by two indigenous women. They see it as an exciting opportunity to finally get the music of indigenous artists heard, where previously they felt silenced. Not surprisingly, Morgan Toney won two East Coast Music Awards in Canada this year. This is great drivin’ music, y’all, and I urge you to seek it out.
Review by Eilís Boland
Hot Club of Cowtown Wild Kingdom The Last Music Co.
Celebrating an incredible 25th year in existence (in this line up), Hot Club of Cowtown have just re-released their 11th album, to coincide with a resumption of touring. From the spectacular technicolour of the cover photo, depicting the trio surrounded by exotic and domestic animals and plants, it’s clear that they have lost none of their enthusiasm for making music. Comprising mainly original songs, this record was way overdue, especially since their last few albums have been homages to some of their influences - Bob Wills, Stephane Grappelli, Bob Hope etc. Elana James is the de facto band leader, known for her virtuoso violin playing, rich vocals and sunny disposition. She met Whit Smith (guitars and vocals) in NYC 28 years ago and they hit it off musically. Upright bassist Jake Erwin joined them in 2003, after they had relocated to Austin.
Steeped in Western Swing, gipsy jazz and country music, their unique sound, virtuoso playing and spectacular live shows are now legendary, and this record continues that legacy.
James contributes seven new songs, ranging from the whimsy of My Candy to the romantic Tall Tall Ship and High Up On The Mountain. On Before The Time of Men she imagines the beauty of the world from the viewpoint of a ‘beautiful white stallion’ ruling the high plateau, ‘spirit of the mountains, the prairie and the steppe’, no doubt a metaphor for how the world would have been before recent environmental destruction. She is at her wittiest best, though, in the hilarious Near Mrs., a list song of twenty five near misses with would be suitors (including ‘the guy from INXS’!).
Whit Smith takes the lead vocals on his four original compositions, continuing the retro feel of the band sound with his vintage guitar and jazz stylings. On Billy The Kid he vividly captures the moment when that fugitive is shot down by Pat Garrett, and the life reminiscences that could have flashed before him as he died. Rodeo Blues allows James another opportunity to indulge her love of horses in the tongue-in-cheek tale of how she fell in love with the rodeo ‘pick up man’ when she was thrown off.
The three cover songs include a simply perfect version of the classic How High The Moon.
Co-produced by Lloyd Maines and the band themselves, this collection should whet your appetite until you can catch them live again.
Review by Eilís Boland
Corb Lund Songs My Friends Wrote New West
As you will gather from its title, Canadian country and western singer-songwriter Corb Lund’s eleventh studio album features tracks written by friends and highly respected songwriters. A project that Lund has had on the back burner for many years, the enforced period off the road in recent times afforded him the time and motivation to complete the album.
Lund’s last studio recording AGRICUTURAL TRAGIC from 2020 was a career highlight and the previous year he released his first covers recording, which was an EP titled COVER YOUR TRACKS. On that occasion, he selected a diverse range of songs written by AC/DC, Billy Joel, Marty Robbins, and Lee Hazlewood. Also represented on that recording were songs by Hayes Carll and Ian Tyson, both of whom feature twice on his latest venture. A close ally of Lund, Hayes Carll shared the songwriting credits for Bible On The Dash - check out the hilarious YouTube video - on Lund’s 2012 album CABIN FEVER.
Two upbeat rockers, Highway 87 and Little Rock, from the pen of Carll, are recreated this time around. The selections from country-folk legend and fellow Canadian Ian Tyson’s songbook are the gorgeous ballads Montana Waltz and Road To Las Cruces, both stylishly performed by Lund and his backing band, The Hurtin’ Albertans. Fellow countrymen of Lund, Mike Plume and Fred Eaglesmith, are also represented. Plume’s Big American Headliner is given a full-on treatment, complete with screeching guitar breaks and Eaglesmith’s classic Spookin’ The Horses remains true to the original.
Texan John Evans’ rockabilly and high octane Pasa-Get-Down-Dena is an instant toe-tapper and Lund honours the eccentric Todd Snider with the album closer Age Like Wine, which is delivered with similar vocal styling to the original version. Completing the ten-track collection are Tom Russell’s Blue Wing and Geoff Berner’s That’s What Keeps the Rent Down, Baby.
Loaded with memorable tunes, SONGS MY FRIENDS WROTE is another ‘must have’ album by an artist that seldom fails to deliver. It also had me revisiting the back catalogues of many of the wonderful artists that Lund pays homage to.
Review by Declan Culliton
Elizabeth Cook Balls Thirty Tigers
Listening to the fifteenth-anniversary reissue of Elizabeth Cook’s BALLS is a reminder, if that was needed, of the difficulties encountered by female artists and in particular those recording genuine country albums. At the outset, the album was to be released on a major label but would not have seen the light of day had David Marcus of Thirty Tigers not funded the recording, after the original label pulled the plug at the last minute.
Like Kitty Wells in the early 50s and Loretta Lynn a decade later, Cook raises issues on the album that remarkably still remained taboo for radio exposure at the time, resulting in the lead single, a co-write with Australian country singer Melinda Schneider, Sometimes It Takes Balls To Be a Woman, being systematically banned by radio stations in the U.S. Ironically, the song was nominated as Song of the Year at the Americana Music Awards.
The daughter of a hillbilly singer and a moonshiner, the Wildwood, Florida-born Cook moved to Nashville in 1996 to take up a position with the corporate finance company Price Waterhouse Coopers. Following her music career dream, she was awarded a publishing deal, worked on her songwriting skills, and released three albums between 2000 and 2004, prior to BALLS landing in 2007. With a ‘to die for’ country voice and the ability to craft intelligent and insightful songs, BALLS and its predecessor THE SIDE OF THE MOON, were both classic modern country albums.
The Rodney Crowell produced BALLS visited a range of topics, from the opener Times Are Tough In Rock ‘N’ Roll to Mama’s Prayers, written as a Mother’s Day present to her mom, who used to bring homemade chicken and dumplings to the studio during recordings. A stunning cover of The Velvet Underground’s Sunday Morning drew high praise from its author Lou Reed and Rest Your Weary Mind is a duet with Bobby Bare Jr. Down Girl features vocal contributions from Nanci Griffith and Rodney Crowell. Despite the quality of the album, it only reached No.72 on the country Charts, whereas ironically, its successors, WELDER, and EXODUS OF VENUS, both less country than BALLS, were commercially more successful.
An independent spirit and a fighter, Cook has overcome some personal and substance abuse issues, currently hosts her own radio show on Sirius XM and continues to record compelling music. BALLS was a noble effort in keeping real country music alive and kicking at the time of its release, only to be overshadowed by the more commercially acceptable recordings by artists such as Carrie Underwood, Toby Keith, and Brooks and Dunn. Blessed with an ear for a tune and a dazzling voice, Cook served up an album loaded with killer songs that sound every bit as fresh today as they did back in 2007.
Review by Declan Culliton
Ric Robertson Carolina Child Free Dirt
This is the second album from a singer-songwriter who has been a member of LUCIUS in a past life, before releasing his debut solo album in 2018. A further EP has led to this follow up record. The ten tracks are very engaging with plenty of variety and inventive playing. Dan Molad (also of LUCIUS), produced the album and there are plenty of musician buddies that help out in the studio, including Oliver Wood of The Wood Brothers. The sound is varied but sways in the direction of Americana, if you must have a signpost.
Getting Over Our Love is a song about what gets left behind in a broken relationship, the fragile ego of what we need in order to keep believing we are of value, ‘Do you think of me when I think of you, Or are you out there with somebody else getting over our love?’
Harmless Feeling has a slow Country style and looks at dreaming of another girl, while in a relationship with someone else. That nagging doubt that all is not really well and that you should follow what your thoughts and emotions are bringing up. Carolina Child, the title track, is a song about a free spirit that won’t be tamed, but there is the threat of a crash and burn, with the realisation that, ‘everybody’s in this thing alone, running with no place to go.’
Sycamore Hill is a light jazz groove that doesn’t take itself too seriously and has some recorded street sounds to set the tone. Thinkin’ About You is a cleverly worded song that Robertson delivers with confidence and some degree of street cool – the inventive guitar and quirky rhythm mirroring the piano parts and a lyric that bemoans a lost lover. Anna Rose has a touch of Paul Simon in the arrangement and the delivery, some nice restrained playing and an easy tempo. It’s a call to a former girlfriend to stop self-harming and return home, something that the singer in My Love Never Sleeps wants for his own peace of mind – nice guitar from Robertson and a plea to return home. I Don’t Mind has a bluesy, Dr John style to the arrangement, piano, organ and saxophone sounds flirting around the rhythm and great harmony singing from Gina Leslie. Robertson is based in New Orleans and this stand-out track really shows his influences in the sassy delivery.
Rollin’ River is a soulful gospel workout that has the band in full flow and the album includes the many talents of the following list of players; Sam Fribush (organ. Piano, synth, Wurlitzer), Nick Falk (drums, percussion) and Dan Molad (drums and synth), Oliver Wood (slide guitar), Nate Leath (fiddle), Eddie Barbash (saxophone), Pete Lalish (guitar), Kai Welch (synth, vocals) and a number of guest vocalists, including Gina Leslie, Dori Freeman, Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig (of LUCIUS), Logan Ledger, and Cameron Scoggins.
Robertson wrote all the songs, including three co-writes, with the exception of two tracks, My Love Never Sleeps and Rollin’ River. The final song, Julie, is a nice snapshot of capturing the emotion of a special memory. Ric Robertson has a lot going for him based on the evidence of this release. The songs have both character and colour and I look forward to watching his career continue to grow.
Review by Paul McGee
Audrey Spillman Neon Dream Self Release
The beautiful sound of Will Kimbrough’s haunting guitar that opens this album is the perfect introduction to what awaits on the nine songs that comprise this new release. The plaintive atmosphere created, plays out a timeless tale of driving to the desert and witnessing the starry night skies - revelling in the love shared between two people on a road trip. Austin Motel is that opening track and it was one of three hotels that inspired Audrey Spillman during the recording of the album, the other two located and resting in California… After one previous album and a few EPs from this talented artist, we are treated to a work of real substance, beautifully delivered by all involved
A sultry version of the Gershwin classic, Summertime, fits really well too, with atmospheric trumpet adding to the texture and tone. Here, Audrey delivers the perfect vocal, both worldly and yearning. With the following track, Blue Yonder, spinning out another lyrical guitar master-class from Kimbrough, the melody and the freedom of the open road calling towards a new beginning; you can almost feel yourself in the open-top car.
Never Gonna Give You Up is a love song from Audrey to her husband, sung against a mid-tempo beat that stretches out into a sweet interplay between the musicians, keyboards, trumpet, and guitar lifting the easy rhythm. Red Balloon, captures a childhood memory of Spillman with her father. It contains both the innocence of youth and the inevitable pull towards adulthood and leaving behind the safety of family. Quite superb.
White River reflects upon the Cherokee Indians who were displaced from their original lands and who created settlements on White River, Arkansas in 1785. It has a haunting melody and Audrey sings of the pain and forbearance endured with an elegant restraint.
The album was produced by her husband, Neilson Hubbard and recorded in Nashville, at Skinny Elephants Studios. The stellar line-up of players includes; Will Kimbrough (acoustic, electric guitars, bass), Dan Mitchell (keyboard bass, piano, organ, horn), Neilson Hubbard (drums, acoustic guitar), with harmony vocals on selected tracks provided by; Maddie Alldredge, Neilson Hubbard, Dan Mitchell and Garrison Starr.
With musicians of this quality, it’s hard not to hit a home run, and Audrey certainly delivers. On Breakthrough, with the band let loose to rock it up, a statement is made about the strength in having self-belief and pushing beyond obstacles.
As we wind down, the gentle acoustic Little Light Of Mine is a song for Audrey’s child and a heartfelt message that her deep love will always be there. Again, the interplay is sublime. The final song, Go On and Fly, is a tribute to her stepmother who died of cancer, and Audrey does justice to her memory, ‘Peaceful words and loving arms, To keep you safe and whole, To wash away the burdens of the hurts you’ve had to hold.’
In the album notes, Audrey states that “I want to create an intimacy with the listener by creating an emotive space. That is the theme that runs through this album for me.” This reviewer couldn’t agree more with this sentiment and the album is a real delight to experience from start to finish. I highly recommend this music to you and I look forward to the next project that this superb artist puts her talents towards.
Review by Paul McGee
Orit Shimoni Loren Ipsum Self Release
When we hear the term, D.I.Y. we think of independent artists, furrowing away in solitary isolation. In terms of a musical career these days, it can also be the push to establish a common network, whereby a fledgling career can be maintained on a local circuit and perhaps grown, in this cottage industry.
I think it safe to say that Orit Shimoni wrote the book on D.I.Y existence and the way in which a nomadic lifestyle can be put to good purpose. With a debut 2006 release under the performing name of Little Birdie, we saw the emergence of this talented singer-songwriter, and she had three further releases between 2009 and 2012 with her self-written, heartfelt songs. That last album under the name of Little Birdie, was a brave and unaccompanied project, aptly named Bare Bones. At this stage, Shimoni had been living for two years without any home as she travelled by public transportation, across Canada and Europe, engaging with people and playing in any type of venue that would have her.
On permanent tour, the self-managed troubadour released five further albums, using her own name, between 2014 and 2018, at different studios across the continents, as this prolific artist continued her musical adventures.
2020 saw the suitcase warrior deliver an album, Strange and Beautiful Things, before Covid played a part in her being forced into a semi-permanent abode for some months during lockdown. Orit decided to revisit her song-books and produced this wonderful recording from an apartment that she rented in Winnipeg. Using very basic equipment, a lap top and a cheap microphone, she decided to record these eleven songs in a single sitting as a keepsake of what she was feeling during this time of uncertainty and dread in the world. The title of the album, Lorem Ipsum, translates as ‘Pain Itself.’
In the opening songs that pain is evident as Shimoni wrestles with the evil and hatred in the world, asking for respite and perhaps a deep snow to turn everything quiet and white. The need to put others down and to take away joy seems to be a basic urge in mankind and not the loving awareness that we all aspire towards wanting. Both, All Comes ‘Round Again and America pose these questions and thoughts.
Maybe Tomorrow is a Covid lockdown song where the motivation to do anything is replaced by a general apathy and a fear about what is going on outside the room that Shimoni occupies, ‘The whole damn world’s broken and I’m so full of fright.’ With, All My Sins, the questions about whether we live decent lives, surface in the face of those who do selfless acts in the world. Wanting to be free is one thing but the inequity of the world continues, ‘Why we cannot get ourselves together is just something I’ll never understand.’
My Flying Shoes sings of that very freedom and the need to be wild and out there in the world, untethered. Dear Maria is a highlight and captures the agony of a mother who has given away her baby at birth and who now wants to reach out to make contact and explain why. It takes the form of a letter that the mother cannot finish and the pain of watching her daughter in her life from a hidden vantage point. Smithereens tells of a terrorist attack that is brutal in its randomness, while impacting innocent lives for no possible gain.
Draw Me A Picture is a song that wishes cartoon characters could inhabit the real violence done to each other in the world; so that we would never really die, but just bounce back like screen characters and live to experience the next day. Horse speaks about animal cruelty and the reality of making animals do our bidding instead of letting them live naturally and run free. Again, it’s a parody for the freedom that Shimoni wants to protect and enjoy – to be free of the dictates of others. Sing Back To Me is a song about communication and wanting to reach out to another, ‘If you reach back to me, all these storms we can weather.’
Shimoni is a free spirit who values the things in her life that are authentic and real to her. Given her prolific output and her thirst for new growth and experiences, it will not be very long until we hear from her creative muse again.
Review by Paul McGee