Ana Egge Sharing The Spirit StorySound
Christened 'the folk Nina Simone' by Lucinda Williams, Canadian-born Ana Egge can boast a back catalogue of thirteen albums since her self-titled debut recording thirty years ago. Currently living in New York, her last eight albums, including her latest, SHARING THE SPIRIT, have been released on the Big Apple label, StorySound Records.
With her unique blend of introspection and heartfelt storytelling, Ana Egge's vocal deliveries on the ten tracks on this album delve into familiar themes that have shaped her writing over the years. From tragedy and politics to physical and mental abuse and mortality, Egge's approach to these potentially bleak subjects is both delicate and sympathetic. The album kicks off with the defiant bluesy anthem, Don't Sleep, a powerful reminder to stand up for oneself but also be mindful of others.
Two covers are reworked on the recording. Sinéad O'Connor's song of betrayal Last Day Of My Acquaintance, recorded months before her passing, closes the album. Egge also borrows the Ted Hawkins written Sorry You're Sick, sympathetically directed toward an alcoholic friend who had 'fallen off the wagon.' Door Won't Close is a beautifully delivered country ballad, though its grave subject matter deals with confronting and identifying an abuser. Ending We Need, a co-write with Mick Flannery, emanated from a dream of Egge's in which Bob Dylan died. Mission Bells Moan is a genuine love song directed at her lover.
Unafraid to expose her vulnerabilities and confront her personal and political fears, SHARING THE SPIRIT is a testament to Ana Egge's emotional depth. It's a calming and thought-provoking listen that defies easy categorisation, as is the case with her other recordings. This may be why Egge's name is less widely known, as her music may be too unique for traditional folk or country music fans. Credit is due to her longtime collaborator Lorenzo Wolff (Taylor Swift, Teddy Thompson), whose production - he is also credited as co-writer on the song If It Were Up To Me - strikes the perfect balance between Egge's vocals and the supporting instrumentation.
This is another exciting gateway into the creativity of a hugely gifted artist, and it is well worth your investigation.
Declan Culliton
Zack McGinn Cowboy Moon Self Release
When you’re drawn in from the first notes of the first song, you feel the signs are positive. That is the case for Mason Country, McGinn’s opening song for this album. Over a solid beat, the guitar interjects the right atmosphere in this ode to a locality in West Texas that holds the singer’s heart. McGinn’s sense of storytelling continues throughout out the album and he possesses a voice that is equally loaded with passion and some pride. The guitarist (and occasional drummer) here was also the album’s producer, that is one Josh Serrato, and he captured the sense of location and lifestyle that brings these songs to fruition.
Ben Hussey, Aaron Hernandez, Brandon Adams, Chris Watson, Geoff Queen and fiddlers Kevin Foster, Wes Barlow and Philip Bowen all deliver their contributions with understated skill. McGinn previously fronted a band, with all the traveling and tribulations that that entailed. However he has now continued making music while running a ranch with his family. This experience seeps through into these songs of soul and soil.
There’s a couple of co-writes here but in the main it’s McGinn’s songs throughout, except for a touching version of Guy Clark’s Magnolia Wind, which captures its writers spirit. That five of the songs have been released as singles show that they are endowed with memorable tunes. As expected from the title, there is much about the ranch/cowboy lifestyle incorporated here. Break Camp, a song co-written with fellow western artist Ross Cooper, is another prime example of how well this works on several levels. There is a tragic tale of a man trying to survive and resorting to crime. Oscar Shultz is reminiscent of Robert Earl Keen’s Sonora’s Death Row, an example of continuing a strong tradition of songs that outline how a man resorting to crime may not get away with his freedom - or life. The album closes with Soaking Dry, a story of the continual struggle that such a hard-fought lifestyle can offer. It uses some pedal steel and echoed guitar sounds to add a sense of expectation to the way a rancher might look towards to the sky with the forlorn hope for a deluge of much needed rain.
There are, right now, a number of high profile acts, such as Tyler Childers and Colter Wall, who are drawing from the same well. Well, Zack McGinn may soon be joining them in bringing a lifestyle choice into some choice music. There are some fine songs here that point to a writer and singer who is drawing from a different experience than previously and is using it to create a record of his personal world in a public forum. There is much more to expect from this cowboy before he rides away.
Stephen Rapid
Domenic Cicala Bitter Blues Tortured Artist
This is a fine album of roots rock songs and the impressive line of musicians that contributed to the ten tracks deserve every credit in delivering a project that really is impressive. Domenic Cicala is from Washington DC and has been creating music since 2014. His guitar and vocal delivery is very engaging and his songwriting on this elegant album is to be admired. He co-produced the album with Steve Carr and also wrote all the songs with the exception of one cover, Hanging Tree.
There are echoes of Seger and Springsteen running through the strong arrangements and the opening tracks One Horse Town (Mother’s Day) and Baby Come Back are classic slices of heartland americana. The title song has some lovely violin courtesy of Tiffany Shanta as the song talks of being kind to each other in escaping bitter experiences. Angry Heart is a highlight with its rockabilly strut and the plea ‘Tomorrow’s a brand new start, Please put away that angry heart.’
Just To Walk That Little Girl Home is right out of the songbook of the Boss, and if he ever wants to include it in his list of cover songs performed live, then this superbly judged R’n’B groove would fit right in. The violin on Again lifts the song to great effect and the final track Shores Of Sorrow has the feel of a traditional soul tune with the rich sound of Arif Durrani on organ and Bill Starks on piano. Overall a fine album and worthy of your attention.
Paul McGee
Tipps and Obermiller MacGuffin Self Release
This album is a follow up to a debut album released by husband and wife team Hilary Tipps and Steve Obermiller back in 2023. Based in Texas, this duo continue their songwriting collaboration with ten tracks of sweet harmonies and easy melodies. Their voices compliment perfectly on the song arrangements and the additional studio musicians bring a nice dynamic in the performance.
The album was produced by Nick Tittle at Blackstone studios in Fort Worth and he also contributed on organ, percussion and glockenspiel. The rhythm section of Aden Bubeck on bass and Trey Ware on drums provide a strong anchor throughout and Clay Parker adds piano on these songs that are rooted in the region of americana/folk influences. However, it’s the twin guitar and vocal performance of Tipps and Obermiller that brings the real magic to the overall feel and freshness of these tunes. The album title refers to an object that exists purely to move a story forward and their own story takes a positive step in the right direction with this release.
Their creative process kicks off with the excellent All I Need and a song that defines their relationship ‘Can’t get enough of your beautiful smile.’ It’s an uplifting opening to an album that lights up the path for their evolving career and it is followed by Forth Worth and a song that reflects upon growing up in that Texas city and references the passing of a family member in the lyric. Elsewhere the fear of commitment while falling into love is explored on Wait while stand-out song Favourite looks at a life lived and the onset of illness in a relationship ‘And pain is love’s medicine, isn’t it?’
We Went To Work refers to the brave souls who continued to risk their own health during the Pandemic in the service of others ‘Just last night there were fifteen breathing machines, In day’s first light there were three.’ Welcome To the Choir celebrates our fallible nature as humans upon the earth and councils that we go easy on ourselves ‘You’re not the only one stumbling through the dark, You’re not the only one missing their mark.’ The soulful harmonies have a deeply gospel feel and the melody builds to quite a climax.
The final song is hilarious and the aptly titled Intro Song is a calling card for this talented duo that pokes fun at their name ‘It’s hard to say, I know, File a complaint after the show.’ In other lines they comment ‘You can blame our Dads, we do..’ A very effective self-promotion tool and typical of the inventive intelligence that colours this most enjoyable album.
Paul McGee
Chris Smither To the Bones Signature Sounds
There is a quiet calm to this new album from the legend that is Chris Smither. This release brings his tally to twenty albums, that this troubadour has completed over a career that spans six decades. The easy flow to the songs, that glide in the vocal and in the instrumentation, all creating a hypnotic rhythm. All this is sent to provide a balm for the soul, no matter what your frame of mind, when you absorb this impressive look into the blues and folk traditions. It is both immediate and intimate in the delivery and in the emotions conjured up.
Music icons don’t just appear and fade away with time. They linger in many ways, in the collective consciousness and deliver intermittently upon our shared psyche with a timely reminder of what elevated them in the first place. Here we have exactly that, a return to the source of it all, the acoustic blues that was performed to share a sense of community and belonging among rural settlements and a motivation to carry on regardless. Smither is a master at capturing that intimate feeling and delivering a message of quiet forgiveness and hope.
Lest we need reminding about the fragile state of our existence on this mortal coil, the track All About the Bones leaves us in no doubt that the grim reaper comes calling for us all ‘Right from the beginning it was all about the bones’ – a song about what we do when we are alive and the legacy that we leave. Smither always had a knowing acceptance of the unpredictability of life and a keen eye for capturing the moment when some wisdom can be imparted.
Digging the Hole is a song that reflects upon repeat behaviour and our penchant for being self destructive creatures of habit ‘ Now he’s half-way to China and he can’t quit digging that hole.’ Elsewhere, the slow acoustic melody of Still Believe In You looks to share the journey over the passing of the years and comfort in the love of another ‘ I will not grow old without a hand to hold.’
The acoustic blues of If Not For the Devil is typical of the classic sound we have come to expect from a master craftsman ‘The Lord knows he needs me, But he don’t want to believe it’s true.’ For one to survive, then both must thrive… A cover of the great Eliza Gilkyson song Calm Before the Storm is included and performed in a jaunty, mid-tempo shading and colour that brings the message of apocalypse and core family values into the light. There is a tribute to the Louisiana city of Thibodaux and the song arrangement on Down By Thibodaux is a cool groove that celebrates the local vibrancy in the characters, the fishing and the music in the area.
David “Goody” Goodrich produced the album and he has been working with Chris Smither since 2003 and the release of the album TRAIN HOME. He also contributes on various instruments, including guitar, piano, percussion and bass. The duo are joined at the hip when it comes to capturing that perfect vibe in the music and there are echoes of JJ Cale in the easy glide of the beat in songs like Time To Move On, a cover of the Tom Petty tune, which provides optimism for the future and hope in the mesmerising rhythm.
Throughout, the combined talents of Zak Trojano(drums), BettySoo (harmony vocals), and Chris Cheek (saxophone) bring great personality to the arrangements and the execution. There is understated nuance in the subtle touches that lace their way through the sweet melodies. In The Bardo is a song that visits the liminal state between death and rebirth in Buddhist teaching and where the cycle of life can be investigated by losing the illusion of control, and in exploring our potential through the process of letting go.
The sentiment on Close The Deal is one of tired cynicism at the greed in the world and the self-obsession with the ego, Smither muses that ‘Nobody’s playing by the rules, now you can order the truth to go, have it your way.’ However the message on Completion is one of taking things as they come and having a healthy perspective on a life lived, Betty So and Smither dove-tailing gently on harmonies and the reflective piano calmly illuminating the gentle acoustic guitar.
This album is yet another high water mark in the career of a consummate artist that leads the way for many other musicians through the maze that is the music industry these days. Step outside the chaos, keep it simple, return to the source, slow that train down and make a real statement from the heart. Another classic album.
Paul McGee
Lynne Hanson Just A Poet Self Release
Two years on from her last release, Lynne Hanson returns with her tenth album and it continues her track record of delivering music of a consistently high quality, full of great writing and musicality. On the 2022 release ICE CREAM IN NOVEMBER Lynne took the opportunity to expand her sound and she introduced new elements into the song arrangements. Her self -production with Blair Michael Hogan was a departure and the risk involved worked really well, the upbeat production bringing her into a new commercial space.
This time out, we find Hanson in a place of reflecting upon the vagaries of love. On the opener Outlaw Lover she reflects that “I am every wrong that ain’t ever been right, I’m the one you carry round for years, I’m a thousand tears.” So, there are no prisoners being taken here, when it comes to standing up for yourself in matters of the heart. The attitude builds on Just A Little Bit with challenges in love being faced down “Heartbreak hurts but it never killed anyone.” The song has an echo of Bonnie Raitt in the arrangement and the quality of the delivery.
The title track slows the tempo and is a self-reflective look at a life lived “chasing the perfect song.” When you feel adrift from the creative process then it can be difficult to get back that elusive, creative muse. The ensemble playing is so restrained as the musicians compliment the song sentiment. When you are addicted to the pull and tug of love it can be hard to let go and Can’t Let Go channels the sweet surrender involved.
A stand-out is Spray Paint and the thought that long term relationships need a new coat of paint to colour things up every now and then “I leaned in and said I think I got to let you go, You smiled and you said, when you know, you know.” Another song walks the same terrain with Sort Of questioning real commitment in a relationship “Was it just for now, Is that the thing?”
The album is produced by Jim Bryson and recorded at his Fixed Hinge Studio in Stittsville, Ontario. Hanson last worked with Bryson on JUST WORDS which was released in 2020 and he always delivers a bright and appealing sound. His understanding of what is required on each song arrangement is very nuanced, adding greatly to the listening experience. The twelve songs included here benefit from the ensemble playing, which is very impressive and the musicians that elevate these songs are Jim Bryson (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, piano, wurlitzer, mellotron, percussion, backing vocals), Blair Michael Hogan (acoustic and electric guitar), Philippe Charbonneau (bass), Marshall Bureau (drums), Emma Lamontagne (backing vocals), Tara Holloway (backing vocals), Ken Yates (backing vocals).
Lynne Hanson provides lead and backing vocals, and her career arc continues to be very consistent, built steadily ever since her solo debut was released in 2006. Light In Me speaks of self-acceptance and learning to love yourself “I’m alone, but I’m not lonely.” Perhaps the challenges of the heart in seeking connection are summed up in Rubik’s Cube by the lines “Just embers burning cold in the dust, Was it love, You were never even there.” The final song Halfway Whole catalogues the hurt but points to an attitude of self-reliance. There is always an optimist within the songs of Hanson and she never gives up on looking out for that beacon of light that may just point the way home. Despite the hurdles, Lynne Hanson always comes up on the bright side, emerging with a new resolve.
Paul McGee
Eric Bibb Live at the Scala Theatre Stockholm Stony Plain
This album is a selection of songs taken from a concert that Eric Bibb performed in 2023 at the Scala in Stockholm. The theatre was established back in 1918 and is one of Stockholm's oldest private theatres. The ten tracks chosen are performed across forty-five minutes and the musicians include a string quartet alongside guest vocalists and producer Glen Scott on keyboards, bass, drums and backing vocals. Scott also acts as musical director in bringing together a collection of players who all perform quite superbly and the talent on display includes Olle Linder (drums and acoustic bass), Johan Lindström (pedal steel and electric guitar), Christer Lyssarides (electric guitar and mandola), Esbjörn Hazelius (fiddle and cittern), Greger Andersson (harp), and Lamine Cissokho (kora and vocals).
Bibb takes a look into his back catalogue of recorded material and selects a range of songs that convey the quiet power contained within acoustic blues music and the key message of rising above hardship in the hope of seeing brighter days. Many of the songs are form a message of traditional values and the interpretations of arrangements such as Mole In the Ground, 500 Miles and Goin’ Down the Road Feelin’ Bad are delivered with a reverence and a care that honours the roots from which they came.
A version of the Lead Belly song Bring Me Little Water, Sylvie is also included, along with the Walter Vinson song Things Is ‘Bout Comin’ My Way, itself an interpretation of the 1930 song Sitting On Top Of the World. The remaining five songs are taken from previous albums and the delivery on both Silver Spoon and Rosewood resonate and are particularly memorable. The latter song recounts the sad tale of a massacre that took place in Florida in 1923 and which resulted in the disappearance of an entire community of African Americans.
Throughout, Bibb anchors everything with his honeyed vocals and that light touch on guitar that elevates so much of his superb music. You could hear a pin drop at the show, such is the quiet power of the ensemble, played with a sense of occasion and an élan in the delivery. It’s all very engaging and the warmth in the performance is worthy of your undivided attention.
Paul McGee
Small Town Jones Kintsugi Broken Sea
Jim Jones hails from North Devon in England and has been releasing music as far back as 2005 when he first recorded under the name of Small Town Mentality, a band that that included Peter Bruntnell, and released an album titled MONOCHROME. Further albums followed as Small Town Jones with FREIGHT SHIPS (2012), SKY DOWN TO THE GROUND (2015), and DAYLIGHT AND STARS (2016), completing a trio of releases that brought increasing praise for his music and songwriting.
After a few years hiatus we now welcome the return of Jim Jones and his companion, producer and drummer Michael Reed. As both musicians also hold down day jobs, their ability to find the time and creativity to unveil the impressive songs on this new album is something to be admired and applauded. In continuation of the Small Town Jones musical adventure Dave Little (guitar), and Nathan Layland (bass), were drafted in and this four-piece formed the core sound of Kintsugi over the last two years of recording.
Additional musicians were called upon to bring greater colour to the arrangements and Holly Carter (pedal steel), Rebecca Balzani Barrow (violin) each play key roles here. David Smale (double bass) and Peter Bruntnell (guitar) also make appearances, together with vocals from Abbe Martin and Hannah Wood on selected songs. There is an intimacy in the writing and the vocal delivery from Jones, his beautifully restrained timbre just the right side of worn acceptance until the light of hope replenishes the ache. All of the eleven songs are of a consistently high standard and the entire project clearly received all the loving attention to detail required in producing such an impressive album.
Songs like Go Easy On Yourself highlight the message of empathy that threads itself through the fabric of these songs ‘I’ve seen that shame you wear, I’ve known known that pain you bear, I’ve heard those voices too, Go easier on you’ with the fine guitar lines building the song dynamic to a strong climax. Another song The Mist and the Light considers the journey from darkness towards happier conclusions ‘The mystery of life is not finite, the path between the mist and the light.’ Better Days looks to lift feelings of dread and inject some hope into the equation ‘A little something to make this lighter, help me understand. ‘
The album title is referenced on the track Mr Kintsugi and the word represents the Japanese philosophy that embraces breakage and repair as part of the history of inanimate objects. Rather than disguise a flaw, the act of showing its damaged state is itself a reflection of what makes up a life in the living. The optimistic states of Hope, Faith and Grace are considered as balm to the soul in 3.33 - a song that reflects upon unwanted thoughts that keep us under stress and feeling isolated ‘I’m staring at the clock and it says 3.33, I’m staring at the darkness and it’s staring back at me.’
Perhaps the answer is contained in the message of The Path and the urge to freeze a moment and hold close the communication between two people ‘I want to hold you close, put all our senses under a microscope.’ We Alive is a positive statement about living for the moment and ignoring all the negativity, while Safe In Sound is an anthem for the lonely who gain strength from surrounding themselves with the comfort of music and beautiful sounds.
This is a very engaging and rewarding album - enjoyable at every level and one that more than merits inclusion in any music collection.
Paul McGee
Jeff Talmadge Sparrow Berkalin
Ten songs and thirty seven minutes to reacquaint us all with the somewhat latent talents of this fine singer-songwriter. Born in Uvalde, Texas, Jeff Talmadge was a successful attorney in Austin when he decided to concentrate on a music career and closed his office in 2003. He had released seven albums between 2000 and 2011 and yet SPARROW is his first record in over ten years.
Opening track Hurricane has the metaphor of a natural disaster fronting as the image for a ruined relationship ‘I didn’t mean to make such a mess of things, I didn’t know the trouble that a careless heart could bring, And they say that a memory will fade, But now I’m lying in the bed we made.’ The next song If I Was A Sparrow deals in similar terrain in looking back at the mistakes of youth and a love that slipped away ‘A wise old man once told me you won’t forget that woman’s touch, You can always tell a young man, But I guess it’s true you just can’t tell him much.’
Forgiveness is yet another song that trawls the past looking for perspective and closure ‘Oh forgiveness, Sometimes it’s the hardest thing to see, Oh forgiveness, It’s worth a fortune but it’s free.’ The easy pace of these songs is something that brings a nice relaxed atmosphere to the overall production and recording took place at studios in both Georgia and Texas. Bradley Kopp and J. David Leonard acted as co-producers along with Talmadge and they also contributed to the playing with Kopp adding guitar and vocals while Leonard stars on a range of instruments which include lap-steel, synthesizer, organ, dobro, bass and percussion.
The atmospheric Night Train To Milan conjures images of Bruce Cockburn in the delivery and the Devil’s Highway captures the forces that compel someone to follow their passion to the exclusion of everything else. Hurricanes appear again on Little Speck Of Dust and a message that nothing lasts forever ‘ And then the hard part starts for those who stick around, Do you build the place back up or do you knock it down, The choice is not as easy as it seems, And things never turn out like they do in your dreams.’
The final track Top Of the Hour is an instrumental featuring Talmadge on guitar alongside Kopp on additional guitar, with Leonard on gentle synth bass and percussion. It is a great way to bring things to a quiet conclusion and highlights the creative interplay between these talented players. Welcome back Jeff Talmadge, it really has been too long.
Paul McGee
Ana Egge, Zack McGinn, Domenic Cicala, Tipps and Obermiller, Chris Smither, Lynne Hanson, Small town Jones, Eric Bibb, and Jeff Talmadge Music.