Mac Leaphart Motel Breakfast Self-Release
His 2022 album MUSIC CITY JOKE brought Nashville-based Mac Leaphart to our attention at Lonesome Highway. Leaphart was the winner of the Grassy Hill New Folk competition at Kerrville in 2018, and that album title was a pointer towards an artist/storyteller who was as much at ease blasting out the raw and rootsy as he was with the more laid-back and considered. MOTEL BREAKFAST is much 'more of the same' whose influences range from EXILE ON MAIN STREET-era Rolling Stones to classic songwriters John Prine and Jerry Jeff Walker.
Leaphart's raspy vocals and 'loose as a goose' studio players kick off the album with the opener, Rock & Roll Hey. It sounds as if they arrived in the studio after an all-nighter, picked up the instruments, started jamming and had a good time. That vibe continues on Shake a Leg, complete with a spoken intro, shared vocals with Carey Kotsionis, and lively fiddle by Fats Kaplin, who also features on pedal steel and button accordion on other tracks. It's a good-time and witty song ('She was hot as Nashville chicken, he was cool as a Firebird hood') inspired by Leaphart witnessing a marriage in an Anderson County, South Carolina Courthouse.
It's not all fun and frolic, either. Leaphart reveals his sweeter side ('I've never been the kind for seeing stars, but I think I could get used to this girl From Tuscaloosa') in the ode to his wife, Girl From Tuscaloosa and sings her praises again in She Ain't No Pistol ('She ain't no pistol, but she shoots straight, she got me on the good foot and headed the right way').
Leaphart's fellow Nashville resident and artist, Ben Chapman, created the road map for the track Walking Down A Busy Street. Seeking out a song with the vibe that would qualify for inclusion in Ben Chapman's Peach Jam Show, he co-wrote the song with Chapman and tracked down his friend Quincey Meeks to add some killer slide guitar to the track. Ode To The Thirsty Beaver gives the thumbs up to the Thirsty Beaver honky tonk in Charlotte, North Carolina, where Leaphart plays regularly. The bar has resisted the gentrification of the area by developers and remains proudly surrounded by a high-rise condominium that, ironically, supplies the bar with its most regular customers.
The tiresome realities of life on the road raise their head on the title track, which closes the album. Unappealing as the motel breakfast of coffee and waffles might be, it's a light relief after spending a sleepless night with your bandmates sharing one motel room.
Things don't stray too far from MacLeaphart's usual template on MOTEL BREAKFAST and why should they? A warm, humorous and deeply satisfying collection of well-constructed nuggets, it's business as usual from an artist very much doing things on his own terms.
Declan Culliton
Sunny Sweeney Still Provoked Thirty Tigers
What sets Texas-born Sunny Sweeney apart is not just her quality voice, but also her unique songwriting that delves into the complexities of relationships and the challenges faced by women in the male-dominated music industry. Her sharp wit and relentless work ethic, which includes constant touring and hosting her radio show, Sunny Side Up, on Willie’s Roadhouse channel on SiriusXM, further distinguish her. For this writer, she ticks all the boxes.
STILL PROVOKED is a significant milestone, marking the 10th anniversary of Sweeney’s album PROVOKED. That album, which included two No.1 hit singles in the Texas Music Charts, Bad Girl Phase and My Bed, is now revisited with remodelled versions of the original album’s thirteen tracks and two additional ones, My Own Lane and a cover of Bob Dylan’s To Be Alone With You.
Reconstructing the songs in a more stripped-down and acoustic manner draws the listener to the lyrics more than the melody. These lyrics, often autobiographical, delve deep into tales of tortured relationships and infidelity (Second Guessing, You Don’t Know Your Husband), isolation and despondency (Sunday Dress, Front Row Seats), but also contain sharp humour and buffoonery (Backhanded Compliment, Used Cars). The tear-jerker and standout track, Uninvited, is simply gorgeous, as is the aforementioned My Own Lane.
The excellent playing is often understated but maintains a consistent ambience throughout and is slick. The backing vocals enhance Sweeney’s crystalline voice.
With songs steeped in country music but with a modern edge, Sweeney poured her heart out, recalling life’s complexities with the original recording a decade ago. Sassy, straight-talking, and very much a Texan at heart, her new versions of the songs sound every bit as vital this time around as they did back then, offering a fresh and contemporary take on traditional country music.
Declan Culliton
Maggie Antone Rhinestoned Love Big /Thirty Tigers
It's becoming increasingly difficult to keep track of the number of quality country records by Nashville-based women of late. Added to that list is this album by Maggie Antone, released on her own label, Love Big, partnered with Thirty Tigers.
Support slots opening for Marty Stuart, Trampled By Turtles, Red Clay Strays and 49 Winchester point toward the industry approval that Richmond, Virginia-born Antone has recently garnered. Her career was kickstarted by her cover of Tyler Childers' Lady May, the success of which led to her recording the covers album INTERPRETATIONS in 2022. If that album showcased Antone's silky country vocals, RHINSTONED mirrors that skill with her ability to write impressive modern country songs. To that end, Antone worked with Natalie Hemby, co-writing the album's opener, Johnny Moonshine, and with long-time writing partner, Carrie K. The song is a tongue-in-cheek and witty affair, a trait regularly repeated on the album and none more so than on High Standards, where she faces off a pompous stoner on a late-night encounter.
On the honky tonk Mess With Texas, she reminisces on short-term flings ('His hand's in my back pocket, it's going pretty swell, his face is in my locket, so as far as I can tell it sure ain't lonely in the Lone Star State'). However light-hearted that song may be, Suburban Outlaw is at the opposite end of the scale. A biting and bitter rant directed at a boyfriend from a troubled and likely abusive relationship, Antone leaves the listener in little doubt ('You think you're such a man, but you're a fucking sociopath, with a heart full of cruel intentions and your knife in my back'). Meant to Meet closes the album charting a falling apart relationship, but on this occasion, one doomed by substance abuse rather than personal abuse.
Laying bare her vulnerabilities, the parallels between Antone's work and that of other strong-willed women creating similar art, like Kaitlin Butts and Kiely Connell, come to mind. By blending emotionally raw terrain and witty wordplay, RHINSTONED'S chemistry hits the mark and is a further step up the industry ladder by a highly talented artist.
Declan Culliton
Joe Quinn Painting Pictures Telling Stories Self Release
Scotland is a fertile home for traditional Folk music and the links to timeless Celtic influences stretch from Ireland, Wales, Cornwall and the Isle of Man, all the way to Brittany in Northern France. The influence on other music genres such as bluegrass and American country is also very evident in the instrumentation where fiddle, banjo, accordion, bodhran, uilleann pipes, mix with tin whistle, mandolin, tambourine, harp, bagpipes and bouzouki, and much more.
Joe Quinn is a Scottish Folk artist and there is a proud spirit running through his music. Of the ten songs included here the traditional arrangements Wild Mountain Thyme, Lakes Of Ponchatrain, and Cocaine are given due reverence and the delivery is sprinkled with Quinn’s authentic homage. Elsewhere he pays tribute to old friend Chris Adams who has now passed on and the song Fiery Cross is included in his memory. It recounts tales of clans gathering to defend Scottish lands.
Closing Us Doon is an original poem by Tommy McGuire put to music by Quinn and is a protest against Thatcherism and the closure of Scottish shipyards in attempts to break trade unionism, a fate also suffered by the steel and mining industries. The anger in the delivery is justified and stands as a defiant gesture of independence and self-identity.
Other songs penned by Quinn include Dreaming, Balloch Fayre, and Little Farm, a song for his mother who grew up in the Mountains of Mourne in Ireland. The song arrangements are impressive in their structure and the musicians do justice to the old traditions of supporting the tune and not overplaying.
Produced by Sammy Horner of the Electrics and the Sweet Sorrows fame, this album is an interesting mixture of folk inspirations and authentic storytelling. Sammy (multiple instruments) and his wife Kylie (melodica, accordion, whistle, vocals) feature across all the tracks, with Joe Quinn on guitar and vocals joined by Tim Cotterell (fiddle), Jimmy D (electric guitar), Anamieke Quinn (double bass), Jimmy Devlin (guitars, mandolin), and Nick Stiverson (guitar, mandolin) on various songs. If you enjoy traditional Folk music that is played with both heart and conviction then this is the album for you.
Paul McGee
Mean Mary Woman Creature Woodrock
This album is subtitled Portrait Of A Woman (Part 2) and is a follow up to the original Part 1 that appeared in 2022. The ten songs illustrate the impressive talents that Mary James showcases on a regular basis across her many albums and other interests. She is a multi-instrumentalist, novelist, producer and YouTube personality. She also endorses Deering Banjos as an artist and musician, and has been named as their Goodtime Ambassador. Mary plays 11 instruments and has recorded 18 albums, crossing various musical boundaries in her fusing of different genres.
Mary has her own Nashville TV show: The Never-Ending Street, which is a reality show depicting the trials and joys of a touring musician. She also survived a near fatal car accident in 2003 that resulted in life changing injuries that she fought bravely to overcome. They included serious damage to her vocal chords and yet, some years later, we find Mary has not only recovered but is singing as well as ever before. Her passionate delivery sets these songs into a tapestry of great colour.
Making a record that captures a moment in time is something that any musician seeks. With this new album there is a risk that her unusual performing name and the strange title might put off a number of potential listeners who come to her music for the first time. However, do not let initial impressions lead you astray as there is great depth and talent at play here. Mary James grew up with her family living a nomadic lifestyle and the well she draws from is very deep and brimming over with life experience. Six of the tracks are co-writes with her mother, Jean James and her brother Frank appears on a number of songs adding his skills on 12-string guitar, vocals and jungle animal impressions on the excellent Tarzan. Mary herself chips in with wolf and coyote howls on the title track Woman Creature and her production skills deliver a really bright and engaging listening experience.
The traditional air on instrumental track Sweet Spring is a real joy and banjo mixes with violin, guitar, acoustic bass and bodhran to deliver a celebratory sound. Murder Creek is the longest song included and is a murder ballad from the state of Alabama ‘I remember her in the water that night like a dam against the flood, Hair streamed down across her face and mud stained her dress like blood.’
The playful Mr. What A Catch I Am is a flirtation with the ego and Bring Down the Rain closes the album with a Gospel-tinged song that says ‘If I only get down on my knees to you, When I’ve been beaten down by the pain, If I only call on you when it’s storming, Then bring down the rain.’ The album is a very welcome addition to the great body of work that Mean Mary has given to the world and it is a very appropriate place to discover her many gifts if you are not already an admirer.
Paul McGee
Cary Hudson Ole Blue Malaco
The easy blues of Who Been Hoodooin U kicks off this latest album from Cary Hudson in some style with the slow groove highlighting restrained guitar and harmonica, perfectly laced into the rhythm. It puts down a strong marker for what is to follow and the relaxed country blues of Delta Darlin’ is a tribute to the Mississippi area where Hudson was born and still lives to this day. The piano on the song echoes the breezy guitar lines and is both laid-back and loose, with the feeling of love always in the air ‘My delta darlin, baby slow dance with me, beneath a Mississippi moon, swaying to an old blues tune.’
Queen Of the Road highlights the vocal of Hudson’s daughter, Anna. She knocks it out of the park with a sultry performance that mirrors all the bar room queens of old Delta taverns and clubs. The song is a female perspective on the Roger Miller classic King Of the Road and it takes no prisoners in warning to get out of this lady’s way.. ‘I’m a snake wrapped around your wrist, I won’t bite but I sure might hiss, My bags are packed and I’m ready to go, Queen of the road.’
Local Honey is a deal delight with fine harmonica playing, along with electric rhythm and a soft shuffle beat. Mention of second cousins in the lyric seems somewhat questionable, but the tongue in cheek delivery wins out ‘She tall and brown y’all, as a Mississippi pine, and the pine tree’s got a bee’s nest, full of honey so fine.’ The beautiful piano on After the Rain is a highlight on the album. It is a reminiscence of older times and memories of hanging out with friends ‘Living on the street of dreams, in sweet old New Orleans, in a shotgun double one block off Magazine, Toddie’s place was not too far, We met at Henry’s bar and talked about old delta days, when Duff would play guitar.’
Hudson has released as many solo albums as the original days of his band Blue Mountain who reigned supreme and burned brightly in the early years of the Alternative Country movement. His undoubted talent as both a musician and songwriter are well established and over a career that has spanned three decades and he continues to create music of real substance. His vocal tone is very relaxed and whether playing guitar, harmonica or piano his light burns brightly.
Till the River Runs Dry is as good a slice of blues as you will ever need with the profession of love that accompanies the sweet flow of the song looking at unrequited longing ‘Worked my fingers to the bone, Just to build our happy home, but U don’t care how hard I try, Still I love U til the river runs dry.’ On the acoustic feel of 70s Song it mirrors a commercial sound in both the melody and harmony vocals of Anna, adding sweet nuance to the arrangement. The Sha La La chorus is reminiscent of top 20 sounds of the time and Wild World by Cat Stevens jumped into my thoughts.
Goodbye features Anna on lead vocal once again and her wonderful vocal tone is so impressive on this tale of leaving ‘I know goodbye is always the hard part, I’m moving on to my next show.’ The standout groove is reserved for Velvet Elvis and a deep blues that reflects the high stakes of cheating in a marriage ‘The young wife saw the yard boy, His shirt off cutting grass, invited him in for a cold beer, and slapped him on the ass.’ You know what comes next…
The final song on this impressive album is Country Funk and the musicians really get into the pocket on this workout ‘Out in the country when the work gets done, We pick up a fiddle and we have a little fun, Banging on a banjo and beating on a drum, Gonna have a hoedown, come and get you some.’ Hudson even mimics animal sounds in the chorus and it somehow all works over tasty guitar and cool rhythm stomp.
The album was recorded at Malaco Studios in Jackson Mississippi, the legendary home of major blues and gospel acts that dates back to the 1960s. It was engineered by Nick Smith who also played bass on the album. Drums and percussion was provided by Ted Gainey with both lead and background vocals by Anna Hudson. Cary wrote all the songs, with both Queen of the Road and Goodbye co-writes with Anna Hudson. A very rewarding album and right up there with his best work.
Paul McGee
Brock Davis Everyday Miracle Raintown
Leading off the brightly upbeat title track this new album from Santa Cruz resident Brock Davis is a real statement of positivity. Keep On follows with a message to remain positive as the obstacles of life present themselves and this theme is explored further on the more reflective Make A Family and a conversation between a husband and wife who are facing a decision surrounding adoption ‘If you think it’s time to stop trying then that’s ok with me, We can always talk to the folks at the agency.’
Rain Falling On the Water keeps the slow tempo as it looks back at memories of younger days ‘everything looks the same here, but everything has changed.’ Spilling ashes on the ocean is the sense of closure that the song seeks – both beautiful and sad. Things take a more up-tempo direction on the fine band workout You’d Think I’d Know By Now and a relationship song that looks to the mystery in finding new character traits in one another.
Davis grew up in Vancouver, Canada and his debut album A Song Waiting To Be Sung appeared back in 2021, gaining great praise and announcing his talent to a wider audience. I’ll Always Be Your Dad is a sweet song with country leanings and tackles the issue of a widower seeking new love after the death of his wife but not wanting to cause upset to his young son. It’s very considered and delivered with a sense of real sentivity. It Just Takes One is another story song taken from daily experiences and tackles the issue of sexual harassment in the workplace with predatory males thinking that any behaviour is acceptable.
Give Forgiveness has a gospel influence in the soaring chorus and appears to be a personal song that touches on childhood challenges. It’s a real tour de force with organ swells complimenting the wonderful harmony vocals. Another song The Warrior looks at career choices and the reality of facing down redundancy. The stark reality of change can lead to new beginnings and a more positive tomorrow.
Ready For A Good Time is all about striking out and having some fun in breaking away from the routine of daily life. Again, the impressive backing vocalists shine here and really push the envelope on another celebratory song. The quiet strum of September Rain is in complete contrast and the slow build to the song arrangement recalls young love and memories of growing up. The declaration of love on Angela (Please Say Yes) is both heartfelt and vulnerable, while the concluding track My Promise To You is another prayer to always be open with each other and building a real honesty in loving another person.
So, plenty of sentiment and positive emotions on display here. The musicians are all superbly integrated and really add a polish to these song arrangements. The project was recorded at Nashville’s Backstage Studio and was co-produced by Davis and Zach Allen. It is well worth further investigation and I sense that this fine songwriter is only beginning to find his stride.
Paul McGee
Emily Haden Lee The Woman I Would Be Dibbs
Southern Missouri is where this rich new talent first immersed herself in the joy of music. Being part of a musical family sews many seeds in the development of a young mind and when your influences include the music of Bonnie Raitt, Allison Krauss, Patty Griffin and Eva Cassidy then you know that something special is in the air. The fact that Emily has succeeded in capturing some of this magic dust from her influences is a gift that we can all now share in with the release of this debut album.
There are twelve songs included and it is an accomplished and mature work from a young artist that has captured the essence of what it is to communicate deep emotions in a contemporary singer-songwriter style that is to be greatly admired. These gentle acoustic arrangements are wrapped in understated melody and subtle musicianship with co-production by renowned Chicago singer-songwriter Steve Dawson together with Emily’s husband Alex Lee.
The beautiful vocals are complimented by the most elegant playing and gently woven instrumentation in support of these gossamer threads and plaintive veils of song. The supporting cast of Steve Dawson, Alex Lee and Bill Evans deliver on many levels but it is the overall sway of the musical expression that lingers after listening to the album. The pace doesn’t change much throughout and the risk of similarity between song arrangements is dispelled with subtle touches and nuance that both separate and link one song to the next.
Opener Gentle Man sets the template with lovely acoustic guitar, piano and percussion that reflects on the issues within families and trying to live up to expectations. Over the generations we are challenged to see beyond these family traditions ‘choose not fear but faith instead, But the years go by, so hard I try, And I’m always in my way again.’ Begin Again is a memory of growing up and sibling rivalry, of letting go of the past and pushing forward. Round and Round is a song to her husband and a statement of the love and trust that strengthens a shared bond ‘I will make the coffee, you go back to sleep, you wrap your arms around me, and I breathe you in, so deep.’
Emily lost her brother in recent years and her sense of grief is part of Cowboy as she deals with the reality of loss ‘I hated and I loved you, It’s a complicated grief, Can we still forgive each other, I hope you’ve forgiven me.’ Will You Set Me Free deals with the need to escape and live anonymously in a big city, away from the past and the memories that cling. There is a sense of separation and the need to maintain distance ‘Will you set me free and can I float a little longer?’
The challenge in relationships and family is wrapped into Forever Blues and the urge to break away from expected norms ‘I won’t live lonely with you, I won’t do what the others do.’ Minimal guitar accompaniment and harmony vocals are beautifully delivered. The song Time Is A Thief looks back to the childhood home and the question of what gets left behind. Memory can cloud and random thoughts arrive ‘You’d touch my face and your hands smelled like cigarettes, Add that to the list of things not to forget.’ It has a standout vocal performance and the regret felt is palpable ‘And the cruel truth of it all is that everything fades in time.’
The longest song on the album is Sugar and Dirt and the one track that attempts to lift the gentle reverie with a mid-tempo rhythm and subtle drumming ‘I want to be everything to you, I need to be left alone too.’ It’s a song that reflects upon the dichotomy in living, the bittersweet, the need to belong and the urge to be separate. Spectral lap steel and guitar add to the atmospheric arrangement.
On A String looks to learn from the past while also trying to move forward. Visiting the old family home and looking for signposts while reminiscing on the days ‘I’m back in our old house, Warm fire, your laugh so loud, Are you still proud of me? Are you still listening?’ Similarly, on the title track Emily speaks of gaining perspective and growing up ‘You never saw the changes in me, You never met the woman I would be.’ Perhaps a song for her father who passed away during the writing of the album?
Wraith hints at a dysfunctional life where barters are made for peace to ensue. Maybe the ghost that waits for recompense is a good spirit and the sense of depression can be lifted ‘You made a deal for years and years, He let you live away from fear, You once were whole but piece by piece, He’ll ask for more and you’ll feed the beast.’
On the closing song, Anyway, Emily deals with her grief and resolves to live with the ever-present pull of memory and thoughts of her brother and father now departed. On a journey from her current Chicago base she muses ‘Life is consequence, It is wondering what’s behind the fence, I will rise again and start my day, And I’ll think about you anyway.’ It is a perfect way to end the album and to close a chapter in her life diary. The world goes on and we honour those who have left us in the daily act of living.
The guiding hands of Alex Lee (guitar, banjo, drums, harmony) and Steve Dawson (lap steel, keyboards, bass, guitars, mandolin, harmonium, percussion) provide the bedrock and confidence for Emily to release her creative muse and soar. Her pure vocal tone is so beautiful and blends easily with her guitar in unfurling these songs of gentle grace. Such great production on the entire project and Bill Evans contributes also on both harmonica and mandolin. Quite simply, a wonderful album and one that will linger for everyone who opens the door to this superb new artist.
Paul McGee
Christopher Lockett A Town We Painted Blue Gritbiscuit
An instrument is an instrument, right? Except, perhaps, when it’s in the hands of a player who can craft a particular sound from it. So it is with the introduction to this album’s opening title song where Scarlet Rivera’s violin seems immediately familiar, especially to older Bob Dylan fans. Lockett himself is a multi-disciplinarian who, aside from his music, is an accomplished photographer and filmmaker. He brings that same sense of creativity to his music on what is his fifth album. It is produced by Fernando Perdomo and also features Bob ‘Boo’ Bernstein on pedal steel and equally effectively some vocal duets with Kitten Kuroi. Lockett himself posses a deep, cavernous voice that is, while not exactly smooth, full of certainty and fire.
The twelve songs touch on different aspects of roots music and, as such, can be justifiably labeled as Americana. His feelings and observations about life are a part of the themes, but as he observes in the song The Town We Painted Blue something that tell us much of Lockett’s own world view “I’ve seen the world’s biggest church / And the world’s biggest tree / I’m pretty sure you already know / Which one means more to me.” Here is a man who has little time for following those who would sell you short and sell you out for the sake of a dollar and a dose of dogmatism. In Long And Troubled Road he further affirms this with another telling verse “There’s one thing I know to be true / All across the nation / Religion and money count / By denomination.” He reiterates that empathy with non-organised religion notion too in Lamp Posts noting that this road to another way of thinking and realisation had been compounded by “My parents were right to send me to church / Everything worked out fine / The preacher bored the hell right out of me / Every single time.”
There are other lines throughout that show Lockett is well able to deliver a lyric that is both thoughtful and though-provoking; like that in Santa Ana Winds Are Good For Crying where he describes sitting around a camp fire listening to stories and observing that “Joshua Trees look like Jesus with crowns of barbwire.” Musically the album is quite direct and effectively unalloyed with a solid rhythmic base underlying Lockett’s guitars and the violin and pedal steel arrangements which also make use of Craig Ferguson’s dobro and mandolin contributions. With this, the overall effect is enjoyable and effective songwriting that cuts to the heart of his disquiet of the world around him. Equally, this not an album unacquainted with the better things that life has to offer. Conversely a song like Death Ain’t Nothing But A Thief And Robber / No Mercy is a stomping raw, upfront blues-focused workout with strong vocals shared between Lockett and Kuroi.
The instrumental Dulcimer De Leche using that particular instrument to create a different mood. As does the other featured instrumental track which takes a more direct route with a very down-home harmonica-driven blues approach in Force Multiplier. The mouth-harp is also used effectively in the location centric folk blues that is Down By The Riverside. Another track offers us the blessing, that in difficult times, May Your Guitar Be Louder which is completed by the line … “than your demons tonight.” Past memories and details of a love story, involving his grandfather, are uncovered in the opening of a Suitcases Full Of Kisses.
This impactful and engaging album closes with the aforementioned Long And Troubled Road, a song with a strong vocal married to female harmony contrasted with a distorted vocal effect that highlights the diversity of delivery used on the album. This is music made by an independent artist for an independent audience who would be well rewarded by a close listen.
Stephen Rapid