Scott Cook 'One More Time Around' - Self-Release

Born in Edmonton, Alberta this Canadian singer/songwriter has now released four recordings since 2007 when he started to play professionally. Scott Cook espouses the hippie dream by living in his van while he tours extensively with his musical message. He is a politically sensitive humanist who sings of weighty and worthy topics.

There are ten pages of narrative in the lyric booklet before we get to the song lyrics and it is true to say that Scott wears his heart on his proverbial sleeve. He also gives the relevant guitar chords to all of his songs on the recording and quotes from such heavyweights as Walt Whitman, Gertrude Stein, Kurt Vonnegut, Noam Chomsky and Martin Luther King.

You can also access a wonderful website courtesy of Scott Cook online and the free film service available at www.freedocumentaries.org is highly recommended to any inquisitive mind.

So, a veritable lucky bag of different flavours and surprises await the listener over these love songs and personal philosophies on life and living. Call it folk, roots or country music, all tracks are beautifully stripped down and played at a very intimate level that invites the listener in. I am pleased to have discovered this artist of real substance.

Steve Mayone/Kristina Stykos 'The Cousins Project-Beautiful Blood' -Thunder Ridge

This pair of singer/songwriters has been making music for a number of years.  Each artist had released four separate recordings over the past decade when they recently met at a music festival. Both realised that they were related as 2nd cousins and this realisation brought the pair to record together.

It is an interesting recording and the different song-writing styles provide a good balance for each of the artists. Stykos has a very distinctive voice and her material has a tendency towards the darker side of the creative muse. She has penned five of the songs here with Mayone writing a further three while the duo collaborate on the balance of five songs; thirteen songs that span 50 minutes and all very democratic.

The playing is excellent and the mix of guitar, mandolin, fiddle and banjo can make for a heady cocktail on some of the song arrangements. Highly recommended.

Audrey Auld 'Tonk' - Reckless

" I have lived my whole life to get to this point" Audrey Auld states in the accompanying press release and Tonk is,  indeed,  a career highpoint. In some ways it places her right back to the territory of her first release Fallen. This is the most directly country-orientated release she has done in some time, in what has been a varied and interesting career that has seen her play folk, roots, singer/songwriter with hints of blues and more - Americana in general. All of it has been believable and honest. It comes from a Tasmanian and Auld has listened, loved and learned this music both from the outside looking in and the inside looking out.

She has always managed to mix the hard facts of life with underlying humour and hope. The songs move from the considered pain of Crying the Blues (written by Willie P Bennett) to a funkier upbeat dissertation on her current home town Nashville. There are two songs bearing that city's name: The first is upbeat and the second a fiddle-led lament for the fate of a singer trying to find fame and fortune in Music City. Rack Off is a riposte to those who may not understand her or generally manage to displease or annoy the fiery feminist. There is a another version of this song available as a download and one side of a 7" single where Rack is replace with another four letter word beginning with F. You have been warned. You mess with this lady at your peril.

Her home in East Nashville has meant that she had been able to call on the city's finest to play with her on this album and given their strengths and talent she has delivered perhaps her finest vocal performance to date. But when you stand in front of Kenny Vaughan, George Bradfute (the album's co-producers) and such players as Fabulous Superlatives Harry Stinson and Paul Martin to steel players Chris Scruggs and Gary Carter along with Andy Leftwich, you bring your game face.

The album title is endorsed by songs like Drinking Problem, Lonely Town, Broken Hearted Woman and Sweet Alcohol. The latter the album's second cover song,  written by Terry McArthur. This is balanced by the humour of Your Wife and Bury Me at Walmart. It sees the  lady wishing to be interred in a certain spot in the store so that the object of her desire can see her everyday. Auld is adept at getting these emotions into a song in a direct way that leaves no doubt to what the song is all about.

This is an all round great album. It is rooted in traditional country music but is never backward looking. The playing and the singing are focused and sharp. The songwriting is well thought out. However it is, above all, great fun. A great listen. It certainly honks my tonk. 

The Coals 'A Happy Animal' - Self-Release

The Coal's frontman Jason Mandell is the chief songwriter  as well as the band's lead vocalist and the producer of this 8 track mini-album and he has a voice that you want to listen to. It has a baritone resonance that has been likened to Jim Croce and I can see that and some other quick comparisons too. Suffice it to say Mandell has a lived-in feel that suits the folk/roots/country nature of the music the band plays. And it is a band;  the other five members of The Coals all contribute to the overall picture.

The tracks were recorded mostly live,  to try and capture the songs in a more personal way. Perhaps the stand-out is the south-of-the-border feel of Maria that is further enhanced by the mariachi trumpet of Ryan Ross. Elsewhere Mandell shares the vocal on Baseline Blues with Sally Dworsky and the two voices balance well. The vocal are strong,  with four of the band adding their backing vocals to the songs. 

Over the eight tracks they vary the mood and delivery in a way that leaves you wanting to hear more. The album opens with a voice predicting the destruction of Los Angeles and ends with a hope that the Lord will equally help keep the train of life on it's tracks. Earlier in the album on Redeem Me the subject of the song looks to be saved from himself. When traveling down a Dirt Road it's with a sense of uptempo hope and opportunity that suggest that redemption may be in reach. The piano, slide guitar and feisty beat suggest that they may indeed make it up the road that life has chosen. A sense of restlessness underpins that search and Hand to Hold sees the need to find another place and yet another hand to hold.

This L.A. band have spirit and heart, and on the strength of this sound to be pretty happy animals. They have produced a set of songs that makes me a happy human animal too.

Brandy Zdan 'Lone Hunter' - Cavalier

Another one of these popular EP type of releases that allows a quick insight into an artist's ability and ambition. Zdan is the main singer/songwriter on these six songs of anguish and loss. Titles like I Remember When You Used to Love Me and Does Everything Break? suggest that some of Zdan's primary inspiration comes from less than happy times. But that is quite often the way that the wheel turns in this songwriter's world. 

Zdan's voice had the haunting quality of a lone bird of prey that swoops around the sad nature of the songs. George Reiff's production has space that allows each song its time and place. Does Everything Break? is a stripped back song that underscores the song's mood with some sparse pedal steel guitar from Ricky Ray Jackson and electric guitar and lap steel from Zdan.  Blood as Ink has a dominant beat and some reverb guitar, again played by Zdan, that is in keeping with the mood of the central refrain of "blood as the ink, tear in the heart". The title song employs synthesiser and acoustic guitar to underline the question of what is love and where can it be found? The heavy heart beat drum is again the backbone of I Remember When You Used to Love Me.

Zdan is a touring member of the Austin based band The Trishas and has also released two albums as Twilight Hotel with Dave Quanbury. But as a solo artist she has a distinctive quality that allows here to find her own space and individuality. Lone Hunter is more of an ambient, anguished folk that obvious Americana or roots music. That said, Brandy Zdan is a expressive artist and this music is as confessional as it is emotionally consumed and consumable.  

The Webb Sisters 'When Will You Come Home?' - TWSR

The two sisters Charley and Hattie Webb have played and toured with a number of artists but perhaps are most well known for touring with Leonard Cohen. This 5 track EP further shows why he choose them, as their harmonies on the Peter Asher tracks are as good as sibling harmonies can often be.

They do a version of Always on Your Mind that is subtle and underplayed with piano, guitar and double bass providing the quiet backing. Show Me the Place is a Cohen song which is again given an appropriate restrained reading. The EP opens with a co-write between Charley Webb and Dan Wilson titled Missing Person. The final song on the release is an original song It May Be Spring But I Still Need A Coat written by the sisters. A folk orientated song with harp and guitar and show then pureness of the voices and delivery. When they are working with Cohen they, as have all his backing singers, provided a balance again Cohen's very different voice. But in their own right it's down to the voices and the delicacy of the folk styled backings and those voices are pure and how they can entice and entwine a listener.

There is a bonus track, an orchestral version of Show Me the Place that shows how well the two voices work in that fuller arrangement. They may be a little sweet for some tastes but there is no denying that many have and will enjoy the Webb Sisters and this taster of things to come will bode well for those who will be enchanted by the music.

Sturgill Simpson 'High Top Mountain -Thirty Tigers

Count Simpson among a handful of like-minded acts like Dave Gleason, Moot Davis, Mike Stinson, Tillford Sellars, Daniel Romano and veteran torch bearer Marty Stuart who want to play, write and perform classic country music in a way that the powers that be neither want or seem to accept anymore.

These 12 original songs are steeped in the sound of the past but are given a jolt of today's energy that takes them out of pastiche or parody and into something more relevant. Yes I have heard the arguments that country music must change to survive, but I question when the survival throws the baby out with the bath water. I have never met a Taylor Swift fan who has discovered real country music through Swift’s tunes. It reminds me of the excuses given that line-dancing would expand the country audience, which is something that I never found to be the case.

Back to the music that Sturgill Simpson has recorded on his debut album; pedal steel is well to the fore,  and when it is played by Robbie Turner you know you're in safe hands. Add the piano of Hargus "Pig" Robbins and the other fine players and you understand these guys know exactly what they need to deliver. Recorded at Hillbilly Central and Falling Rock studios and produced by Dave Cobb, who has helmed a wide range of music as producer, guitarist and bassist. Here Cobb has given the songs what they need; warmth, clarity and energy. There are subtle uses of Mellotron strings on some tracks to give them a touch of countrypolitan. Speaking of which; whatever happened to the great Mike Ireland who explored that sound some years back?

The songs are all written about the concerns of being a working musician, the working man and someone who is working out relationships and reasons to be who he is. The title of the opening song kind of sums the album up in many ways Life ain't Fair and the WorldiIs Mean. A song like Old King Coal considers the life of a miner. Sitting Here without You is classic heartbreak. And so it goes across this eminently playable album. 

Sturgill Simpson comes from a small town in Kentucky and the album is named for a cemetery where many of his family are buried,  but as the cover illustration indicates this is not in any way a depressing collection.  Rather, there is a positivity and colour to the performance that rings of integrity. He has a voice that echoes other classic country singers (not least Waylon Jennings) but one that will be become as distinctive as his heroes given time.

Sam Baker 'Say Grace' - Self-Release

After a break that allowed him the time to paint,  Sam Baker is back with his first album following The Mercy Trilogy, his first three albums and you are immediately back in an intimate place with just you and Baker. His voice is totally recognizable rarely  raising  itself above that of a poetic recitation which makes you listen to what it says. You're not going to be distracted by any vocal acrobatics that's for sure! It's the words, the voice and some very subtle playing. Piano and acoustic guitar are the key instruments and with some laid back percussion, accordion, cello and some barbed guitar for dynamics along with some vocal accompaniment. All of which give the songs their context, their continuity and their colour.

Baker's fourteen news songs will please his many fans,  but will do little to sway those who don't quite get his voice. The human voice is a wonderful instrument and the subtlest inflection can speak volumes,  but we tend to live in a world where the voice is expected to be a high flying trapeze act, there only to amaze with it's showmanship.  Baker’s voice is one that uses words well, words that are chosen for their place in the song, which are thought through and convey a story that is full of humanity and grace.

Like life,  Baker has said that this album is "the same but different". There are still the same emotions of anger and beauty, humour and humanity. Though the songs are more about people who have little in the way of material wealth, that wealth proves to be spiritual and simple. They convey too the times when the darkest hour comes before the dawn but in Baker's world you learn that despite events in his life that could easily have turned him bitter and resentful,  he has instead taught himself to be  grateful for every breath. If you understand that,  then you will appreciate Say Grace's understated and singular artistry. 

New American Farmers 'Brand New Day' - Big Barncat

These Americana farmers are essentially the duo of Nicole Storto and Paul Michael Knowles, both formally of the band Mars, Arizona. They now plough a furrow of harmony laden melodic roots music that is very easy to like. On this, their debut, album,  they are joined by a number of players who fill out the sound. There's a former latter day Byrd in Gene Parsons playing banjo and the trumpet of Ara Anderson alongside the accomplished pedal steel of Dave Zirbel. Add to that a strong rhythm section and you have something to be happy to encounter on any day, brand new or otherwise.

The duo supply the songs and Knowles the production. The one cover likely to get some attention is their take on ELO’s Can't Get it Out Of my Head which has the feel of a John Lennon take on a Paul McCartney song. It would likely get radio play on this side of the world if playlist were more unrestricted. New American Farmers are doing nothing new or that hasn't been done before,  but they are doing it well and this sort of melodic song performance now seems to have become the domain of Americana where it was once fairly mainstream.

This album is one that a great many who miss a sense of harmony, melody and easy to listen to (rather than easy-listening) music, will like. A song like Open Arms is something I'm sure Dublin band Pugwash would admire. But this pair also know how to contrast the softer songs with something more uptempo and downright introspective like Hypocrite. The closing track Sunday Market , which has animal and ambient sounds before a lone trumpet plays us out  finishes what is a varied and vibrant album that both Storto and Knowles can be happy with.

New American Farmers are a name to add to that list of interesting and inviting bands that play in California and bring us some of the various musical sources which make up the musical heritage of that state through the decades. This Brand New Day starts well.

The Band Perry 'Pioneer' - Republic Nashville

These three siblings have been singing together from an early age and it certainly shows in the tight harmonies that are very evident in many of the twelve songs here. This recording is the second full release from the Perry family, following a string of successful singles over the last four years.

Playing on the same pitch as Taylor Swift they veer close to the edge of Pop music aimed at a teenage fan base, rather than a true country direction. It is a commercial decision to focus on big production hits and a lot of the song content talks to the problems of young romance. The opening song Better Dig Two is a strong arrangement and the closing song End of Time highlights what a fine singer Kimberly is. She can certainly hold a tune and has a decent vocal range but the songs are just a little too lame for me in the lyric department; witness the line ‘We’d walk on grass that’s greener and the dishes would be cleaner’ as just one example of lazy writing. We also get ‘Your daddy is a pistol and you are a son of a gun’ – I rest my case. Points for effort but must try harder…

Joanna Mosca 'Let It All Begin' - Dolce Diva

This six song EP from NYC resident Joanna Mosca is a pleasant listen without challenging the established country music genre to any great degree. There are a number of references to driving and the old cliché of leaving town, or a lover, crop up.

The final track Where Does Love Go is a duet with Lonestar’s Ritchie McDonald and is perhaps the standout performance here. Let It All Begin is also a well- produced number with a nice guitar part and the opening Dream on Savannah is very catchy. However, there is a feeling of having heard it all before under the names of other female artists that have covered similar ground.

Joanna has a pleasant voice and an interesting background in acting. She was under the tutelage of Sir Anthony Hopkins at one point and I am sure that she does not lack stage confidence. However, stronger song content would serve her well on the next release.

Old Man Markley 'Down Side Up'- Fat Wreck

This is the second full release from a bluegrass band that started out in Los Angeles back in 2007. Gigging live around the local music scene has honed the energetic sound that is part of the trademark of Old Man Markley. Think Mumford & Sons or Flogging Molly and the vocals of Annie De Temple are reminiscent of Kirsty MacColl.

There are thirteen songs here and I cannot help feeling that the set would have gained somewhat from a certain amount of trimming. The playing is earnest and the energy is high but the overall feel is one of repetition with the individual songs drifting by in a mix of banjo, fiddle, guitar and autoharp. The drumming is very prominent in the production and this does not always allow the colour of the other instruments to shine.

Seven musicians do make a wide sound but variety is somewhat lacking on repeated listens. I am sure that in a live setting, the band can really whip up a storm, but on disc the dearth of sufficient originality in the song arrangements is all too evident to these ears.

Crowdis Bridge 'The Seasons & the Rhymes - Self-Release

This traditional bluegrass band hail from Nova Scotia in Canada and this is their debut release. Across eleven songs this trio, with support from a further three guest musicians, play with an enthusiasm and spirit that displays their passion for the music. The region of Nova Scotia is a rich territory for traditional music and there is a high degree of competition among the various bands who are trying to get their music heard.

The CD opens with a fine workout called Edge of Town which has fiddle and mandolin playing off each other in a brightly arranged melody and tempo. The following tracks occupy a similar groove with Little Green Houses skipping along like an old pickup truck along a dirt road. Amy’s Song ends proceedings with a flourish and hints at better days to come.

The vocals of Ellen Furey should feature more as they bring a welcome addition to the songs and the need to move towards a more individual style becomes evident. There is a sense of repeating much of what has been done before in this genre. The tunes do tend to run into each other a little as the arrangements repeat and the sound of mandolin and fiddle high in the mix can become somewhat predictable.

Scott Cook 'One More Time Around' - Self-Release

Born in Edmonton, Alberta this Canadian singer/songwriter has now released four recordings since 2007 when he started to play professionally. Scott Cook espouses the hippie dream by living in his van while he tours extensively with his musical message. He is a politically sensitive humanist who sings of weighty and worthy topics.

There are ten pages of narrative in the lyric booklet before we get to the song lyrics and it is true to say that Scott wears his heart on his proverbial sleeve. He also gives the relevant guitar chords to all of his songs on the recording and quotes from such heavyweights as Walt Whitman, Gertrude Stein, Kurt Vonnegut, Noam Chomsky and Martin Luther King.

You can also access a wonderful website courtesy of Scott Cook online and the free film service available at www.freedocumentaries.org is highly recommended to any inquisitive mind.

So, a veritable lucky bag of different flavours and surprises await the listener over these love songs and personal philosophies on life and living. Call it folk, roots or country music, all tracks are beautifully stripped down and played at a very intimate level that invites the listener in. I am pleased to have discovered this artist of real substance.

Steve Mayone/Kristina Stykos 'The Cousins Project' – Thunder Ridge

This pair of singer/songwriters has been making music for a number of years.  Each artist had released four separate recordings over the past decade when they recently met at a music festival. Both realised that they were related as second cousins and this realisation brought the pair to record together.

It is an interesting recording and the different song-writing styles provide a good balance for each of the artists. Stykos has a very distinctive voice and her material has a tendency towards the darker side of the creative muse. She has penned five of the songs here with Mayone writing a further three while the duo collaborate on the balance of five songs; thirteen songs that span 50 minutes and all very democratic.

The playing is excellent and the mix of guitar, mandolin, fiddle and banjo can make for a heady cocktail on some of the song arrangements. Highly recommended.

Alias Means 'Light Matter' - Self-Release

Mr Means has a distinctive voice, obvious from the opening song on this album, with  a slightly nasal quality that is something many a good country singer has. Delicate Mind unleashes the sound of a strident guitar and swirling organ which leads to Sleeves, a twang filled tale of regret. And so it is on the remainder of Light Matter a blend of country rock, unfrontness and obscure tales. But the way that Alias Means sings his songs allows for no mumbled phrases here. A sense of some Dylanesque surrealism is mixed with some straight down the line observation. His voice is such that it takes centre stage in the mix and gives this roots rock its character and cause. 

Means is the writer and producer of these ten songs that utilise his six players to full advantage. These are experienced players who have worked with the likes of I See Hawks in La, Glen Campbell and other such notables in and around California. So these are experienced players who get into the spirit of Means' music. Marty Rifkin's pedal steel gives the songs a good helping of their country music credentials. Means himself a part of the LA country circuit who pens a mean song; you get drawn in while your feet tap and your ears listen and you soon like what you're hearing.

Rather than the current mode of crowd funding, the press release tells us that a part of the money to make the album came from Means’ skill at a loved hobby - gambling. He won and lost, playing the casino circuit, but obviously from the reality of the album he made more than he lost. However,  this not a route that Lonesome Highway would recommend to aspiring music makers. 

 Though I'm occasionally reminded of other artists, usually from a few decades ago, there's nothing particularly retro about the music that Means is making. This music that must count for a lot as it was made after he suffered and recovered from a life threatening injury that convinced him he should make make this album. A "life's too short" epiphany suggests that Light Matter came from some rather heavy experiences, but the end result has an airiness and aspiring attitude that makes it an easy listen but, thankfully, not easy listening music. There is a spirit behind this music that is catching and pretty soon you’re right there with Alias and equally thankful that he got to do this.