Danny & The Champions Of The World 'Live Champs' - Loose

     This well recorded album captures the band in full flight and serves as a reminder of what sounded a good night for all on both sides of the stage as well as a perfect introduction (and greatest hits collection) to their blend of soul, country and rock with a little jazz thrown in for good measure.
     The band are fronted by Danny George Wilson who has previously released solo and Grand Drive albums as well as several albums fronting his Champs. The double album of thirteen tracks shows a band at the peak of their powers and perception. Firing on all cylinders with Danny acting as host and heart. The five piece band all show their skills and combine the textures of pedal steel and sax to give the songs a Caledonian via Camden soul setting. But guitarist Paul Lush does’t let the side down either with some edgy and tasty solos, witness the solo in the song of Elvis and Tom Parker The Colonel And The King as one example. This is all delivered over a robust rhythm section who give the songs the solid base they build on.
     Wilson has a distinctive voice that fits right on top of  his strong and evocative story telling songs that have an obvious connection while offering enough diversity of mood to show the versatility of the band. There are a number of highlights across the two albums and those highlights can change with each listen. A knockout for all involved.

 

Malcolm Holcombe 'Pitiful Blues' - Self release

     Those who are acquainted with Holcombe knows his ragged sandpaper worn world weary voice and songs that draw from the depths of pain and gritty hope. To capture the real moment of these songs they were raw recordings done live in a small home studio and the musicians were then added later in the process. The result manages to capture the essence of Holcombe while adding the depth of the additional musicians. This proves to be a worthwhile process and makes for something that may well be easier to assimilate that a purely solo situation might otherwise elicit.
     Again these are all original songs, tales of the haunted souls and moments of enlightenment. Songs like Savannah Blues, Words Not Spoken and the title track are deep, hurting blues that are perfectly enunciated by Holcombe’s lived in voice.
     Co-produced by Holcombe and long time collaborator Jared Tyler the result is one of the finest of his albums to date and something that those who have previously encountered the man live or recorded will be happy to have. This, his latest instalment of his real expression of pain and real emotions. Music made from the need to express some humanity in a world that is more usually about something more superficial.

 

Justin Townes Earle 'Single Mothers' - Loose.

     Good to find Earle finding a home with London indie label Loose. A label who believe in the music they release and who punch above their weight. For his latest release Earle has found a more personal and slightly introspective space. The album opens with Worried Bout The Weather wherein two people circle round each other and talk about the weather rather than what’s actually on their minds. 
     This is a more personal album and one recorded since he got married and found some solace and happiness in that situation. He still hasn’t lost his anger completely as shown in the title track which is directed against absent fathers and perhaps one in particular. Though there is some comprehension of the causes that create that situation - not forgiveness but not entirely with understanding. Elsewhere the tight band rocks out a little more (My Baby Drives) or cuts the song back to just voice acoustic and steel guitars. Sympathetic in many ways to the expression of the mood for It’s Cold In This House. The album closes with Burning Pictures, an up-tempo song that deals with moving on from the emotional turmoil expressed through burning pictures and breaking frames.
     Produced by Earle with the assistance of engineer Adam Bednarik it has a tight sparse sound that entirely suits this set of songs. Aside from Earle on acoustic guitar and vocals the trio of players includes Paul Niehaus on electric guitar and pedal steel, Matt Pence on drums and Mark Hedman on bass. Simple and direct yet expressive and full of tone. It is perhaps slightly more country than of late but without any of the overtones that that brings and conjours in some younger minds. Today and A lonely Night and White Gardenias finds Niehaus underlying the longing and loss of the songs.
As with most of Justin Townes Earl’s albums these songs require a few plays to get to know them and bring out the melodic depth that he has imbued in them. Single Mothers is a singular success.  

 

Fayssoux 'I Can’t Wait' - Red Beet

     A well conceived album from Red Beet that finds producers Peter Cooper and Thomm Jutz surrounding the voice of Fayssoux McLean with a group of understanding players whose skills give these songs a quiet beauty. Fayssoux is a name know to some as the harmony singer with Emmylou Harris on albums like Pieces Of The Sky. Maybe not quite as distinctive but certainly cut from similar cloth. She released her debut album early in 2008 and now returns with I Can’t Wait. A sentiment that her fans would doubtless echo.
     A largely acoustic folk orientated album it has a gentle tone that gives Fayssoux’s voice it’s place at the centre of the songs. A well chosen set of songs too that includes numbers from David Ball, Kieran Kane, Mose Allison, RB Morris, Jim Lauderdale and Merle Haggard alongside original songs from McLean, either written solo or with the producers. One song I Made A Friend Of A Flower Today written by Tom T and Dixie Hall previously appeared on a Hall tribute album and features the man himself trading verses.
     All of which makes this an album that will have a wide-ranging appeal. It is an album that is easy to listen to without becoming easy listening. It is thoughtful and timeless and well worth the wait.

 

Red Dog Run 'Red Dog Running' - Self-Release

     An acoustic folk/bluegrass that includes versatile Donna The Buffalo  guitarist Jim Miller alongside the trio of Rosie Newton, Jed Greenberg and Richie Sterns. A guitar, bass, fiddle and banjo quartet who all add their voices to give these songs a attractive vocal blend that is immediately pleasing to the ear.
     What makes them slightly different to some of the many other outfits working in this area is the choice of songs; many not the standard choice of bluegrass. So you get songs like No Lonesome Tune from Townes Van Zandt, Talking Heads’s Heaven, Lazy Eye by Kathleen Edwards and Black Keys’ Dan Auerback’s When The Night Comes. There are a number of traditional songs alongside other titles and one original Walk Past Your House. 
     Bluegrass styled bands that cover rock songs are nothing new - think Hayseed Dixie or even Pink Floyd’s The Wall reimagined by Luther Wright and the Wrongs. What makes this album stand out is the power of the voices and the subtlety of the playing which is restrained but thoroughly effective throughout. Their take on the traditional songs Little Girl and The Dreadful Snake, Rainbow Mid The Willows and Jim Jones are all equally effective choices and the use of Sterns and Newton as vocalists, either together or solo gives the material a variety that keeps the performances interesting and make the album such a pleasure.

 

Bob Cheevers 'On Earth As It Is In Austin' - Private Angel

     The title says a lot about the album and Austin based singer/songwriter Bob Cheevers who has recorded this album using his voice and guitar as the central focus in this recording. To add an exta musical element he has brought in a selection of friends who are also, all but one, Austin based. So for each track he brings in one extra player  - mainly acoustic and electric guitar players but also accordion, banjo, fiddle and pedal steel. Familiar names include Bradley Kopp, Chris Cage, Marvin Dykhuis and Chip Dolan. Familiar that is to those who read the credits on Austin recorded albums anyhow.
    The other thing that you immediately notice is summed up in the title of one of his own songs and that is You Sound Just Like Willie. Something that may attract or distance potential listeners. While not phrasing his words as Willie does there is a definite similarity. But set that aside and there are some good songs here among the fifteen included. Notable are My First Rodeo, Snake Oil Man, Falling Hard On Easy Street and Paradise Lost.
     Some may find that, even with the guest players, the tone and pace is very similar throughout. Others may think that if I want Willie I’ll play Willie but that would be to ignore the positive aspects that this album has and that once you get into the mode you find an album that has some fine playing, singing and writing. With that you may wish that all were as it suggests in the title

 

Moira Smiley & VOCO 'Laughter out of Tears' - Self Release

This release celebrates harmony singing within the genre of folksong and the accompaniment of cello, banjo, ukulele, accordion and body percussion really lifts the songs. Moira Smiley is joined by six other voices, in a compelling blend of voices as VOCO and we are given the energy of street singing and the elegance of some fine arrangements. This is music that both dances  and mourns at the same time. There is an ethereal element to proceedings, not unlike that best traditional music of Ireland of Scotland, with 17 tracks to enjoy. I Live in California, Deportee, Oh Winter and Orphan Girl are all fine examples of the craft at play here. Original and compelling.

Red Bird Sky 'The Unravelling' - Saira Records

A debut record, Every Lesson in its Turn, brought this talented duo to the attention of music fans in England and further afield. Bringing together an eclectic mix of Folk, Americana and Celtic influences, Red Bird Sky create original songs of real depth, whether looking at the more difficult aspects of life or just observing the intricacies of relationships. Bernie Maguire sings with a confident and mature voice and combined with Mike Seal's restrained  guitar playing, their songs are engaging and interesting.

Produced by Nigel Stonier (Thea Gilmore, The Waterboys), "The Unravelling" sees the band joined by a number talented musicians and backing vocalists, including Rod Clements (founding member of Lindisfarne) and Paul Beavis on drums (Andy Fairweather Low and The Lowriders). Rod plays Dobro, Baritone Guitar and Mandolin on several tracks, whilst Nigel Stonier's multi-instrumentation adds  an energy and colour to every song. She Ain’t Lookin’ Back is an observation on domestic abuse and having the will to leave. Being Human deals with the innate ability within us all to be compassionate and reach out to each other. Barney Soanes plays some great harmonica on this track as does Oliver Garrett on the track Travellin’ Light. Ben Cashell (Cello) and Gabriella Gemesi (Viola/Violin) also feature and the excellence of the various studio musicians is a strong influence  throughout.

Outdoor Boogie 'Self-Titled' - Sepia Tones Records.

This is country rock played with enthusiasm and a smile. Jewels & Johnny Nation are the two musicians behind all but one of the ten songs here. They play a simple guitar sound with harmonica and percussion adding to the grooves. Vocally they are very complimentary and the easy shuffle of Highway 27 captures their sound perfectly.

They used to perform in California circles under the name of City Fritter but have decided to perform as themselves these days. There are some blues elements in the music but mainly it is a journey through the lightness of upbeat arrangements, produced, engineered & mixed by Fulton Dingley (Kula Shaker, Susan James, The High Llamas). 

Outdoor Boogie and Blues in the Morning show off the guitar playing of Johnny Nation and Winter Rose is a sweet country arrangement with Jewels singing out in a clear and confident voice.  The final track speaks of a night out with friends when you meet that special one, If We’d Have Met When We Were Young; although I get the feeling that it’s autobiographical in tone also.

Haas Kowert Tice 'You Got This' - Self Release

Roots music trio Haas Kowert Tice come together after years of playing on local circuits and crossing paths whenever they could. Brittany Haas played with Crooked Still and Paul Kowert was a member of the Punch Brothers. Jordan Tice lived in the Boston area and played in various collaborations, releasing a solo record in 2012.

Together this trio make a compelling sound across the nine instrumental tracks on show here. The playing is wonderfully loose and right on point as Brittany Haas soars on fiddle, ably supported by strong double bass lines from Paul Kowert and subtle flowing guitar from Jordan Tice. The tunes remind me of the open road where the sights and mood of a motor bike ride in the heartland of the USA is perfectly captured.

Playing off each other in a joyful uplifting swirl of melody and harmony, the tunes seem effortless and free. El Camino and The Switchback Games are two examples of compelling arrangements that highlight each member and their virtuoso playing abilities. However it is the closing song Tell Me Whatcha Gonna Do Now that brings the full package together to a fine conclusion.  

The Alt 'Self-Titled' - Under the Arch Records.

Irish Traditional music, mixed with English Folk traditions and played by John Doyle (guitar, bouzouki, mandola), Nuala Kennedy (flutes, whistles) and Eamon O’Leary (guitar, bouzouki). All three members share vocals and the eleven songs are performed with an easy flow and gentle quality that soothes the listener. There are some fine jigs, The Geese in the Bog/ Covering Ground and there are a few reels, The Green Gowned Lass/ Danger Mouse/ Dan Breen’s. Old songs from the archives, The Eighteenth of June, singing of the Battle of Waterloo. A trio of songs that reference the sog-writing craft of Sam Henry with Lovely Nancy, Willie Angler and Finn Waterside. These three experienced musicians are a perfect fit and blend seamlessly together in their ensemble playing and restrained harmonies. The Scottish Gaelic song, Cha Tig Mór Mo Bhean Dhachaigh (Mór, My Beloved Wife will not Return) is a lovely piece of music and a fine example of the delights contained on this recording.

St. Paul & the Broken Bones 'Half the City' - Single Lock Records

Half The City is the debut release of this Birmingham, Alabama-based sextet, who have already created great interest with their live shows. Produced by Ben Tanner of Alabama Shakes, and recorded and mixed in the renowned studios of Muscle Shoals, the album harkens back to the region’s classic soul roots while adding an exciting new mix to the genre. The playing is really tight, with elemental rhythm and plenty of feeling. Paul Janeway sings with real passion and the arrangements are very bright and full of rich sound. The brass section is very dynamic and the keyboard/organ swell augments the backline that fuels each of the 12 tracks here.

 St. Paul & The Broken Bones deliver R & B, Motown and Memphis soul in an impressive and heart-felt manner.

Laura Benitez and the Heartache 'Heartless Woman' - Copperhead

Recording with her road band on her second album gives Benitez the firepower she needs to bring these songs to life in the studio as they surely do in a live setting. Her tight and focused band  play country music with a view to the past and an ear for the future. This is identifiably country music and not some pop crossover. There’s twang, there is steel guitar and there’s an understated but entirely effective rhythm section pushing things along. Then there are Benitez’s songs and her clear and concise delivery. All of this makes this a very good album. 

Benitez’s voice reminded me a little of Laura Cantrell at her most country in overall tone though she is plowing her own furrow. Heartless Woman shows a lot of understanding of classic country themes and temptations. Benitez recorded the album in San Francisco, and though there is no credit for a producer, I would imagine it was something of a collective effort as these are musicians who would be familiar with each other from many gigs and hours on the road.

Her songs are both catchy and captivating and show that she has a full understanding of life, love and leaving. For instance Worst Vacation is a description of waking up in a hotel after a separation and, once realising where she was, considering it an unwanted vacation. Others songs were all written in the wake of that break up. So titles like I Know You’re Bad, This Empty Bottle and Where You Gonna be Tonight?are all reflections of heartache -an essential ingredient of classic county. However the uptempo attitude of Take Me off the Shelf shows a determination to move on. The title track finds the subject wishing she was a heartless woman, then the break-up would not affect her in the ways it did. Benitez is clearly someone who is far from heartless, or hopeless, and the pain in some of the songs is palpable; but, as with the best country songs, these are about empathy and a sense of universality. 

The one cover is a version of Gillian Welch’s Tear My Stillhouse Down. While Benitez does a good job of it, it doesn’t surpass the original but it has attitude and is a reference point. Laura Benitez and the Heartache together have produced something worth hearing; a blend of a number of Americana influences and a worthy addition to the tradition of California country music, of Bakersfield and of the Palomino Club in its heyday. It would indeed be heartless not to recognise a strong talent in the making.

Eddie Seville 'Ragged Hearts' - Self-Release

Seville’s opening song, A Crooked Mile, quotes from a brief comment in “No Country For Old Men” with the line “if that ain’t a mess, it’ll do till a mess gets here”. The song is one of desperation and suicidal thoughts delivered over a sturdy beat with mandolin well to the fore beneath Seville’s strong vocal presence. These eleven self-written songs are all in the tradition of painting pictures and telling stories, often of hard times and hard faces. But there is tenderness there too, as in Ashes to Ashes, a tale of ongoing abuse that doesn’t end well.

And so it goes through a set of songs laced with both pain and perception. Seville co-produced the album and gathered a set of finely attuned players, including Augie Meyers of Doug Sahm fame, as well as some evocative steel guitar that give this robust roots country rock its heart and soul. They can put their boot to the floor on songs like I’m Pacing Myself which sets your toes tapping on a song that could have been made in the 60s. Excuses are at the heart of the cheating song Horseshi,t which is a slow-paced tale of a partner drinking “another man’s beer”; it has some atmospheric accordion that gives the song added depth. Blind Love, The Last Train and Save My Soul all attest to the turmoil that permeates these songs, though that is offset by the energy and assurance of the delivery which makes all these songs highly listenable.

The album closes with a summation of the overall mood with The Hardest Thing to Do. It starts with a drumbeat and piano before building into a powerful song that uses mariachi trumpets to punctuate the painful understanding that to comprehend and accept another’s point of view may in fact be the hardest thing to do. The song runs over five minuets and finds the singer looking to find that light, that place where you can let someone else in. Everyone’s cumulative efforts mean that the song is a fitting end to what is a powerful piece of work. This latest album from Eddie Seville has been described as a cross between Bruce Springsteen and Steve Earle, which to my mind puts him close to John Mellencamp which is not a bad place to be. However Eddie Seville is just being his own man and those comparisons serve only give an approximation of his music. Eddie Seville is very much his own man and Ragged Hearts will appeal to those who understand where he’s coming from.

John Lewis and His Trio 'Sanity' - Self-Release

John Lewis proves that roots music is just a vibrant and authentic coming from Wales as it would from anywhere in theStates. Lewis is a member of The Rimshots and this latest album with a trio of Stuart McIlroy on piano, Paul Woodmansey on double bass and Billy “Duval” Roberts on drums is a fine mix of styles that makes this album a cut above the one dimensional retro recreations which emerge from that genre. 

Tracks like It Hurts, 6 Months Gone and Money Troubles have a feel that sounds as if they belong in an enjoyable western B-Movie, while others are right up to speed as rockabilly riots. Flat Top Cat, which opens the album, is a tribute to the late Mac Curtis. The title tracks, where he is joined by The Jets on backing vocals, is a doo wop styled song. Please Don’t Let Me Love You is a rockin’ reworking of an old Hank Williams Snr Ralph Jones written demo. Sosban Fach is a Welsh traditional song given a guitar workout and has, at one point, an almost Russian texture to the second part that makes it an interesting mix of influences. And let us not forget the uncredited brief spot of yodelling that closes the album with a smile.

Lewis is a skilful and engrossing guitarist and has a voice that is well able to adapt to the requirements of the different songs. All bar two are originals and show that the veteran player continues to progress while still staying true to his roots. The band  are right up there with him, laying on the pressure and building up a head of steam. There is no doubting the commitment that John Lewis has made to his music through the years and while it may never sell in the large quantities that a major label or a careerist might seek, it will nevertheless keep his own fan base happy and give him the reason and means to continue touring, playing and delighting those who are drawn to rock ’n’ roll, rockabilly and beyond. That this music keeps him sane in what is an all-too-often insane business is indelibly stamped on his music. 

Jim Keaveny 'Out of Time' - Self-Release

Listening to this album reminded me of mid-period Bob Dylan, not that Keaveny has set out to re-create a particular sound rather it is a précis of an overall musical stance. Keaveny is no newcomer though, having four previous solo albums out and a history of playing in bands before that. This is my first encounter with him and it is one that I would happily repeat. Keaveny has one of those distinctive voices - sort of Dylanesque - that some will love and others won’t. I enjoyed it as it gives the music much of its personality. 

The album was recorded in Santa Fe,  New Mexico with a bunch of musicians who get into the groove and add flesh to the musical bones. There are moments of brass, fiddle, Wurlitzer and accordion over the solid rhythm section and the sensitive guitar. The first song that immediately makes an impression is Ridin’ Boots, a harmonica laced song with a campfire chorus, laced with fiddle, accordion and guitar that suggests all are having a good time making this irresistible brew. That kind of mood pervades much of the album, and soon sets up a signature sound built around dance floor rhythms, the vocal and the backing vocals and prominent guitar and accordion.

Brevity is not one of Keaveny’s strong suits as the majority of the fourteen songs run to over four minutes, with the longest running over five and a half. So you will either be happy in Keaveny’s company or you will depart after a song or two. Keaveny is the main writer here, with a hand in all the songs; two are co-writes. At their heart these are folk songs given the extra energy of drums. There are times when things are taken to another dimension, like the very electric Out Of Time. This is a song that has a solid (almost motorik) beat and an incessant guitar repeated phrase that flows into some more freestyle atmospheric guitar and brass that set a mood. It’s quite different from the main set of songs but somehow fits with them and shows the range of influences that are at work in Keaveny’s head.

Brass plays a big part too in Changing, a slow song with an almost spoken vocal over subtle backing vocals on a song that speaks of the need for change that comes to all. In a way there’s a touch of Leonard Cohen to this song - again more in feel that in actuality. Another song, Someone to Talk to Blues, takes that last word as its mojo and mood. The album closes with that longest running song The Yippee-I-Ay Song which sets the tone with accordion and guitar and provides a long instrumental mid-section over which Keaveny speaks. It closes what is a very individual sounding album that may bring to mind others and may not be to everyone’s taste, but he certainly manages to leave an impression. Out of Time  may be compared to much that is out there right now, but Keaveny clearly delivers to his own timescale and muse, and that is no bad thing.

Sister Speak 'Rise Up For Love' - Self Release

This is a debut release by Sister Speak, a folk/ roots band based in San Diego. The ten songs  have a soulful sound and the vocals of Canadian singer/songwriter/guitarist Sherri-Anne are a highlight throughout. At times she is reminiscent of Natalie Merchant and at others, Rickie Lee Jones with her breathy and strong vocal style carrying the song arrangements down a road that reveals a dynamic power. The vocal harmonies of Tolan Shaw add to the mix and this five-piece band, augmented by four guest musicians, colour and compliment the songs. Sister Speak received a ‘Best New Artist’ nomination at the 2011 San Diego Music Awards and songs like Rise Up for Love and Mirror display a finely tuned writing talent. Comin’ Back sings of a need to return to community and there are songs of love and optimism. However, it is the song Say You Will that steals the show with its passionate refrain and heartfelt lyric. Impressive.