Dan Gallardo 'Hickory'- Clubhouse

From the opening moments of the first song , Down in the Valley, you know you’re into something good. The fiddle, Dobro and mandolin sit over a solid rhythm section topped by a strong vocal from Gallardo. This is as fine a blend of acoustic and electric roots music as you might wish. Gallardo’s songs are linear stories that speak of people, places and personal relationship politics. The album was produced, engineered and mixed by David Pinkston, who also appears as one of the guitarist as well as adding pedal steel. He and Gallardo have surrounded them with a tight and attentive set of musicians who, in the guest category, include Rob Ickes, Guthrie Trapp, Randall Bramblett and Mickey Raphael with a set of players who likely constitute regular contributors to Gallardo’s music; they usually work under the name How Far West.

There is a variety of moods and sounds to be found here from the sax in Midnight Sound that has a feel of a late night reflection. Banks of the Mississippi and Ophelia, We Cry (Ode to Levon Helm) should not displease fans of the fabled drummer and his former band. The North Dakota Blues is a standout, a pacy song that deals with the story of a gun toting gang who roamed that territory in the days before the west was entirely free of wildness. A Cup of Rain is much sadder and features some subtle piano and pedal steel which underline the sentiment. Angel on the Dance Floor has a beat in keeping with the song’s self-explanatory title. Another song touched with a certain sadness is This Time which uses Raphael’s harmonica to good effect with the pedal steel and guitar. The closing song of the thirteen (lucky for this listener) Pearls, is another set of lyrics that seems to dwell on the unhappy reality of some false expectations and making the best of what comes. 

Despite the at times, sorrowful nature of some of the lyrics, the album is an uplifting and rewarding collection of Americana related tunes that finds Dan Gallardo, on his fifth album, at the top of his game. He deservedly garners more of the critical praise he has received for his previous albums and, given it’s release on Clubhouse, this part of the world should find him gaining new fans here too.

John Coinman 'Already Are' - Cavalier

The latest album from the Tucson, Arizona based singer/songwriter finds him in a rockier mode than of late in his solo work, or in his collaboration with Kevin Costner and Modern West. For this album, Coinman has assembled a tight band that includes Teddy Morgan on guitar and vocals and Neil Harry on pedal steel as well as Brandy Zdan on harmony vocals. The album was produced by Morgan and Coinman and has a tough exterior that rocks, while the songs reveal some thoughts about love and inner strength. In That’s What You do For Fame he muses on his own path and the moves made in pursuit of the elusive dream. Then by way of contrast the song Oklahoma City looks at the city and how the atrocious bombing there still affects many who had a direct connection to the devastation. Trusted Friend values real friendship while As She Fades Away with My Love watches love and friendship dissipating and fading.

Coinman has written all these songs with Kostner, bassist Blair Forward and Morgan or on his own. Both of the latter two have played on previous Conman albums. The words bring sets of different feelings to the surface and, while the overall sound is more roots rock, there are moments of reflection like the closing Hey Man What About You, where band is still there, bringing a quite power to the song. There are times when one is reminded of music from the 60s through 80s, but it feels like it is made for now, rather than an exercise in recreating something. The central element here is Coinman’s voice, which has the strength of someone who has lived life and learned what his voice is and what it is for. There is a little grit in there that adds an edge. 

Although its Coinman’s name above the door, this feels like a band and he gets the support from the assembled players that gives the songs their drive. There are underlying hooks and choruses here that make the songs memorable, from the opening title cut with its repeating guitar motif through Sky Full of You, which also has a strong guitar part under Coinman’s characterful vocals. While this music is treading a well worn path, its strengths are not in its originality, but in the way these performances deliver on many fronts and give the listener something to bite on. Already Are is a fine album.

Ed Dupas 'A Good American Life' - Mackinaw Harvest

Dupas is a heartland troubadour who recorded this album in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It was produced by Michael Crittenden, who also plays guitar on the album. Crittenden is  part of a solid, satisfying band with pedal steel and keyboards adding to the mid-western sound. The album was mixed by John Keene, noted for his work with R.E.M. and others. It takes the basic of Dupas’ guitar songs and adds layers of blue collar attitude to these song of hard life and heartache; themes that would be familiar to fans of Mellencamp, Springsteen, Earle and others who explore the dark hues of the urban/rural divide.

Dupas has a warm baritone voice that has presence and personality. The twelve songs are all written by Dupas, with Crittenden co-writing With Love You Never Know. Although Texas born, Dupas lives in Michigan and has been playing music since his teens. This is his debut album and it is a good start that shows his potential and ability. He takes his observations and understanding of everyday lives and put them into songs like the title song, Whiskey Bones, Home in Time, This Old Town and Until Blue Comes Around, songs that explore emotion and the everyday, everyman experience.

There a sense of irony in A Good American Life that contrasts what that could be and what it actually is. Flag is another song that seems to espouse an attitude, but highlights the flag as central to different feelings and different reasons for its use. Train takes you on a journey “where there ain’t no coming back” - we run on life’s rails. You Don’t Get to Explain details the way that one person’s mistakes often have lasting effects on others. The album’s final statement is one that declares our physical need for love. Without You is an acoustic song that asks for understanding while considering the unthinkable. 

There are a number of artists whose records I could easily file along side this, artists such as Chris Knight. This kind of music is not about changing the rules, it is more about delivering an honest statement of how one sees life from a particular viewpoint. In that light, Ed Dupas’ songs are truthful and delivered with a real emotion that rings true; made not for profit, but for merit. These songs have muscle and grit and the playing throughout is full of nuances that underline the songs’ storylines. Dupas should be considered as a worthy addition to those troubadours of truth and decay whose songs both resonate and reward.

Adam Hill 'Old Paint' - Self Release

An accomplished musician, Adam Hill has played many different genres of music and has played bass with a number of different bands. He is also a contemporary composer and not someone who dwells on his past music as he takes the folk/roots path on this acoustic-based album. 

In the way that many traditional songs are transformed by being passed down in live performance, Hill has re-imagined these songs by adding some new lyrics and melodic changes. Like the album cover photograph, which could be seen as an abstract landscape but is in fact rusted metal, Hill has taken something old and seen it in a new light. When people gather to play, they often sing a half-remembered version of a classic with some made up lyrics and different chords. This is a similar process except here Hill has gone about (re)arranging these songs with a more considered approach. The album sleeve notes that these songs began as “everyone’s” but were remade by Hill.The songs, many familiar, include The Cuckoo, Cindy, Three Hundred Miles, Rye Whiskey, Down By the Riverside and Goodbye Old Paint.

Given his skills, the assumption is that Hill plays all the instruments on the album  as there is no one else credited other than vocalist Stephanie Lines. And Hill is a vocalist capable of giving these songs the focus they need to work. The arrangements have enough layers to make them worthy of repeated listening. Hill has been inventive in how he approaches the sound. In one case he ‘deconstructed’ a guitar to create the sound of a dulcimer using chopsticks and paper clips. 

Hill has a sensitivity that understands the source material and makes it contemporary, rather than simply replaying it. This then is a fresh coat of paint on venerable structures and a really enjoyable experience for roots music fans everywhere.

Jon Chi 'Another Rising Sun' - Self Release

Chi takes a mix of influences which are a blend of rock, blues, folk, roots and gospel which give hints of Tom Petty and the Grateful Dead’s broad approach to American music. The songs are written, produced and recorded by Chi, other than his version of The Battle is Over (But the War Goes On) (a song previously associated with Levon Helm) and they tell of his upbringing and journey. Killer from Our Hometown is about s a man who went from school bully to something far more sinister and is delivered with a strong vocal backing that helps set a brooding tone for the tale. The title song has a more bluesy approach and it highlights Chi’s rounded vocal which is written with enough space to let the music flow. 

One More Shot at the Light builds slowly, with the band coming in and with organ and vocals adding much to a gospel feel which enhances the title. Alvarado has a longing for other places, since left, with a sensitive vocal that is in keeping with a longing for this missed place. Throughout, the band gives an accomplished performance that can move from a mid-tempo rocker to something more subtle. The writing shows thought and variation that balances well between lighter and darker themes. While it is not overtly roots sounding, it tends towards that end of the spectrum. The closing song The End of the Road has some fine slide guitar and closes the album in a nice soulful, sweeping mode that underlines the overall quality of Chi’s music.

Hat Check Girl 'At 2 in the Morning'- Gallway Bay

Hat Check Girl is collaboration between veteran songwriters Annie Gallup and Peter Gallway and is their fifth recording. These 11 songs highlight deeply literate songwriting and a mature knowledge of the craft. Stripped down and bare, the intimacy of the recording comes across as truly authentic.

Annie sings and plays guitars, banjo, dobro, and lap steel. She has ten releases to her name and her finely honed playing and writing skills are always strongly evident. Peter is featured on vocals, acoustic and electric guitars. He has released more than a dozen recordings. As a producer he’s been involved in over fifty albums and other projects.

These are songs of understated connection; connection with each other, with our inner selves, with our darker sides, but ultimately with the untold regrets and hidden memories that we keep locked away. There is not a weak song on this recording and it contains some spine-tingling moments of magic when the two musicians spark off each other with restrained guitar interplay.

Steel Clouds and Cold Cold Rain is written in tribute to Joni Mitchell and reflects her life perfectly. Texas is refers to the great song-writers from that state who have graced our lives. Tornados Sound Like Trains is a haunting insight into our different life experience and Coal Black Pony explores the complexities in trying to understand someone intimately.

Leaving is a wonderfully realised song that covers the full range of emotions experienced in relationships and the inevitable urge for self- blame. Coda: Remember is an absolute master class in song-writing, incorporating key parts of other songs on this release and blending the individual parts into a cohesive whole. Many delights await the listener and this release goes to the top of my favourites for 2015. It is simply superb.

Jen Starsinic 'The Flood and the Fire'- Dangerous You

This debut release from Nashville-based Jen Starsinic arrives as one of the biggest surprises of 2015. The eleven songs are all self-penned and show a depth and maturity that is rare in a new artist. Produced by Brady Custis, and including some excellent studio musicians, the sound is both old world and gentle.

Jen sings very sweetly and there is a plaintive tone to her voice that gives the songs an added feeling of reflective self-examination. The lyrics are clever and self-contained, with the players capturing the warmth of the songs perfectly in their playing. Piano, banjo, pedal steel, fiddle, cello and guitars blend seamlessly into an atmosphere of soothing melody.

Stay deals with a spinster who has been afraid of commitment her whole life and the frustration caused by a lack of trust. It is a beautifully arranged song and full of compassion. Since You’ve Come Around is a song of lost relationships, where the flame has died. Ragdolls contemplates the same theme of lost love but with a decidedly darker outcome. Dive a Little Deeper is a plea to surrender to the forces at play in a romance. This is music which satisfies the soul and raises the spirits.

Whelan 'The Story of Ike Dupree' - Presidio

Following on from Flood Waters Rising (2013), this release is a 13 track blues inspired journey that include the adventures of Ike Dupree, who crops up in a number of songs. His character was inspired by the abuse of police powers in New Orleans after hurricane Katrina. The songs include a horn section that is arranged by both Fred Wesley (8 tracks) and Ron Horton (3 tracks).

The backline is excellent on all songs and the edge provided by the backing singers and tight arrangements lead to a very energising listen. Organ and piano mix with the percussion and wind instruments to produce a heady thrill on songs like Ice Water and Lighten Up. Too Cold Ohio Blues has a traditional stripped back sound and the Rainmaker has a light jazz swing to the arrangement with the horn section stealing the show.

Sid Whelan has an impressive guitar prowess, holding his own against a coterie of accomplished players.

Sam Outlaw 'Angeleno' - Six Shooter/Thirty Tigers

A lot has been made of Sam Outlaw’s stage name. Maybe it’s to do with expectations of the music that would emanate from such a moniker. Outlaw is not an outlaw in the mode of artists usually associated with that term; rather Sam Outlaw plays music that is influenced by traditional country music since the 50s. He takes elements of music he likes and creates something that is very contemporary and totally distinctive. Country music is about the voice and the song. Both are here and both are good. Prior to this collection he has released a debut album Nobody Loves Sam Outlaw and an eponymous five track EP. These recordings show that Outlaw’s voice and sound were established from the start. Country love songs are the overriding theme of his writing and indeed that is the title of a song that features on both albums.

The album was produced by Ry Cooder and his son Joachim something the two rarely do, so they obviously recognised something special in Outlaw’s music. Mentioned should be made of Ry’s refined and relevant guitar playing and Joachim’s steady and effectively paced drumming throughout. Both add much to the overall feel of the album and are alone a lesson in music made with understanding and feeling. The production is clear, warm and balanced giving the songs the right sense of mood appropriate to each. Outlaw also brings in harmony singer Molly Jenson along with steel player Jeremy Long, both long time members of Outlaw’s live and recording band, to give some continuity to his previous recordings - both of which are worth hearing.

Outlaw’s songs are the key to the success of this album from the opening Who Do You Think You Are? to the title song and such highlights as I’m Not Jealous, Love Her For  a While and It Might Kill Me all of which have an acute sense of melody and are memorable. Indeed, I have found myself returning to listen to Outlaw’s music more often than I have to other better know names. This album is not exception and is one that rewards listening. Angeleno has a broad base that sees strings, Spanish guitar and mariachi blended in a effective and enlightening way. The atmospheric guitar and banjo on Country Love Song enhance its sense of longing. In fact as I listen, each song is equally pleasing and makes for an album of timeless songs. 

As mentioned, it is the classic combination of song and voice that the makes this music work. It is not music that is likely to be embraced by mainstream country radio. It should be noted that Sam Outlaw is not doing anything that has not been done before, but he brings these elements together in a way that is interesting and deserves recognition. Equally this album is part of the resurgence of some real country music in California. If you don’t expect long beards, tattoos and a modicum of bad language, then this Outlaw’s music is something that will hold you captive and it is one of the year’s best releases.

Daniel Romano 'If I’ve Only One Time Askin’' - New West

The Canadian singer/songwriter and producer returns with his best album to date. Romano uses country music as a basis for his songs, but draws from many sources to make his music contemporary and compelling. Once again this is far removed from the output of Nashville’s Music Row and so much more interesting because of it. Romano is a stylist and presents his music as a concept the he has conceived from writing, producing and performing through to photography and packaging. He is also a distinctive singer who breathes life into these songs of love.

This is love looked at in all it’s aspects from the disenchantment of Old Fires Die to the hope of The One That Got Away (Came Back Today). Strange Faces and All The Way Under the Hill are endowed with weeping pedal steel and twangy guitar.  There is a striking vocal intro to There’s a Hardship that is otherworldly, with Romano emoting the word “Mosey” before the song turns into a country lament with piano and accordion. Mosey is a key word here in that it defines his music and attitude. “A study in contrasts” he has called it. It is something that appears on the back of his leather jacket and in other aspects of his presentation and is used to sum up his eclectic approach to his personal take on country and sundry other musical traditions. Taking them and turning them, as he does here, into something very much his own.

His skill as a writer is matched by his skill as a producer in bringing these songs to life and in telling the stories that are relevant to an audience who can listen to such crafted music with an open mind. The old-school storytelling of Two Word Joe is done without artifice, telling the story of a two-time loser who can only sum up his feeling in two words. It’s country bed is enhanced by some judicious wah-wah guitar playing. This runs, as do all the songs, straight for one song into the next track and often linked by a short musical interlude that can sound like slipping across the radio dial from a country station to one playing something completely different. The way this is done, however, is pretty seamless and not the least bit incongruous. The final song is introduced by an old timer singing with an acoustic guitar in a what sound like a piece of found music before fading into a gentle and reflective song Let Me Sleep (At The End of a Dream) which is sung with an assured vocal and some smokey pedal steel guitar.

This promo CD comes without any credits, so I’m assuming that all the songs (bar his cover of a lesser know George Jones recording Learning To Do Without Me, written by Dennis Knutson, Buck Moore and Doodle Owens) are originals. Equally the playing throughout is spot on and, without access to credits, I’m also assuming that the music is provided largely by Romano himself with contributions from members of his band The Trilliums. Caitlin Rose is a welcome guest and sings on Strange Faces. In photographs Romano has appeared in a rhinestone suit and in a classic pinstripe suit as well as a cowboy hat and leather jacket. Visually as well as musically he draws on the past and adapts a multitude of sources to create his own music. The end result is pure Romano and the album is another contender for best of the year.

Phil Lee 'Some Gotta Lose…' - Palookaville

This is the latest from the mighty king of love as Lee likes to be known and it is a winner. He recorded this album in New York with Willy Mason in the production chair. They used a select set of players to deliver a relaxed set that is at times soulful and jazzy, but soulful and jazzy in a very Phil Lee style. Lee posses an expressive and distinctive voice, that in a sea of soundalikes is something to savour.

The songs are full of his usual observations of ageing, wondering, loving and listening. They are all written by Lee, except his arrangement of the traditional Lil’ Liza Jane and Kiss of Fire, I Pray it Never Comes and What Can I Do For You?  (the latter a short unaccompanied song sung by Jan King that closes the album). There is one co-write with the late Duane Jarvis in Ain’t no Love. 

The band settles into a groove that sits under Lee’s lead vocals with some effective vocal choruses. Listen to Don’t Tell Me Now which has a live-in-the-studio feel as he leads them to the song’s end. Perhaps the strangest title here is If Frogs had Wings; a song that makes perfect sense in the nature of ‘if I had you I could change’, something in the nature of “if pigs could fly”. All well except for the line “they’re hanging me a dawn” which introduces an unheard backstory. Overall this is an album where Lee takes some time to look back, to revisit old haunts and homes. In doing so he felt a good deal of sadness and the realisation that what is gone is never going to return.

As with all his music there is a sense of self-deprecation. This is often expressed with humour but not without the sense of love that remains for the people and places that one has known. This is an album that deals with growing up and with acceptance. This also relates to the performances which are full of a human spirit that embraces the mistakes as a part of the whole. The music is warm and affirming and full of little touches in the playing that capture the moment and the sense of players who are skilled and all in tune with achieving an overall vibe that is effusive.

Phil Lee is a troubadour who has weathered his woes and loves and woven them into songs and performances that are best summed up as mighty songs of love and loss. Lee will always fly below the radar and that is something he is well used to. But he can console himself with the fact that his music is as vital to those who appreciate it as it was on first encounter. This could be the best one yet and again is another contender for album of the year. Some gotta lose, but this is a knockout.

Stephanie Urbina Jones 'The Texicana Sessions' - Casa Del Rio

This CD just came in for review though it was recorded back in 2010. Jones’ energetic and spirited take on Tex-Mex music is an invigorating mix of mariachi horns, uptempo upfront beats, rockin’ roots guitars, swinging keyboards with some occasional fiddle and steel additions to drive it all along. The songs are sung in Spanish and English and highlight Jones’ power as a vocalist.  Her songwriting skills shine in all twelve tracks here. However there are no credits for production or players on the sleeve (or on the net for that matter). Como Se Llama, Mama features a male voice whom she addresses as ‘Augie’, so we assume that that is the voice of her friend Augie Meyers, Texas Tornado.

Jones mixes the tempos and moods throughout, from the raucous opener Revolucion en mi Carazon to the understated ballads Canta Me and The Midnight Side Of Me. Some of the songs are sung in both languages, but whichever one Jones sings in, it is her delivery that makes them work so well. The closing song Gracias is a vibrant country song with twangy guitar, an instant beat and a fiddle that again highlight Jones’ versatility as a singer and writer.

For those who like Patricia Vonne or The Mavericks - Jones has just played a festival with the latter in Switzerland - or music with a pronounced Mexican/ border feel here is someone you will likely to enjoy as I did.

Chris Cuddy 'Dear Elvis' - Self Release

The title and cover image should give you a clue of where the inspiration for this album comes from. If not then the song Rock ’n’ Roll History will. Cuddy’s mission is rooted in the spirit of the music that emerged in the 50s and continues to this day. It would appear to have been recorded, from the production notes, over a number of years as, in the case of Rock ’n’ Roll History the accompanying band listed is the Tom Russell Band who, in this particular line-up, have not been together in many years. The track also has pianist Gene Taylor and guitarist Albert Lee as guests on the recording. There are eight different recording studio and sets of players listed and a number of different producers, with Cuddy serving as executive producer. However, the album hangs together with a common aim and theme. 

All 15 songs are credited to Cuddy, who takes lead vocals throughout and his voice is well suited to the songs. This is a rockin’ affair, with all the musicians getting into the groove of classic rock ’n’ roll, rockabilly, pop and touches of blues. The backing vocals are also used to bolster that feeling, though the album doesn’t actually sound like it was recorded back then as the production process is more contemporary in attitude. It is the arrangements that give Dear Elvis the flavour of earlier times.

Gene Taylor also adds his piano skills to Tom Cat, a soulful late night song about a night time tomcatting man. Just Say No has Cuddy on harmonica on a driving song with a solid guitar riff from George Bradfute. I’m A Cadillac has a nice slow build with bass and slide guitar providing most of the backing. The pure 50’s pop of Starlene with it’s twangy guitar take you right back to another era soundwise, while the closing title track is a voice and acoustic guitar slow ballad that pleads to Elvis for sympathy, trusting that the King’s understanding of all matters of the heart and that his music made him someone who understood such dilemmas.

There is no doubt Cuddy loves the music from that era and his songs evoke it well without being simple recreations; rather they are inspired by the foundations of a genre that has moved on but here he wants to remind us the power and innocence of those times. If you accept that premise, this music will please - or if nothing else send you back to those early sounds. Cuddy has done his job well here,  reminding us of the foundations of rock with a set of songs that are evocative and entertaining in there own right. 

Lee Palmer 'Like Elway' - On the Fly

The blues get a fine workout on this nine track release from Toronto based musician Lee Palmer. His previous releases were One Take (2013) and 60 Clicks (2014), but with this effort he has moved into a different gear and really raised his performance.

Like Elway is co-produced with fellow band member Elmer Ferrer and the production is really bright and clean with the ensemble of musicians given plenty of freedom to express themselves. Fine guitar work from Ferrer throughout is complemented by the piano, organ and accordion of Lance Anderson, while Lee delivers some fine vocal performances to keep everything bubbling.

The title track features the fine vocals of Mary McKay to great effect, while the rhythm section of Al Cross on drums and David Woodhead (bass) lay down a compelling groove for the other players. Lonely at the Top features harmonica from Roly Platt and the slow tempo of Maybe that’s Why and Life’s a Mess contrast perfectly with the excellent up-tempo Rockin’ This Chair and Axe to Grind. This is an impressive release.

Peter Blachley 'Nevada Sky' - Self Release

This is a debut release from a New York based singer/songwriter who proves that age is no barrier to following your dreams. Peter Blachley is in his 50s and has led a colourful and varied life before entering the studio to record these ten songs. They are reflections of a life well lived and the lessons learned along the way, and they visit the enduring power of love, past relationships, old friends, mortality and redemption.

Produced by Felix McTeigue and featuring a group of experienced musicians, the overall feel is of gentle arrangements and understated playing. Salvation Songs remembers Blachley’s Vietnam experiences, but is equally relevant to any war. Love Is Eternal deals with bereavement and the way each of us processes the passing of a loved one. The title track closes proceedings in fine style with a big sky production in praise of the Great Plains and a vocal that brings the late John Stewart to mind. This is a fine effort overall.    

Mad Dog McCrea 'Almost Home' - God Dam

This is the third release from the Plymouth-based UK Folk outfit. Firmly rooted in the old traditions of high energy, dexterous playing and recounting stories of brigands, pirates and thieves, Mad Dog McCrea boasts six musicians that would give any band in this genre a run for its’ money. Mad Dog McCrea stokes up a terrific sound that is perfectly suited to live performance.

The production by Sean Lakeman is vibrant and immediate, blending bouzouki, banjo, fiddle, flute and whistles into a crescendo of celebratory sounds. The eleven tracks here run along at quite a pace, and it is impossible to sit still when Almost Home, You Can’t Find Me, Heart of Stone, Mad Dog Coll and Talking through the Walls are thumping out of the speakers.

They can also do reflective and sensitive as with The Sound and Whiskey Man, two tracks that show a gentler side of this ensemble, but are no less impressive.