Reviews by Declan Culliton

Lera Lynn  Resistor Resistor

Shape Shifter, the opening track on Lera Lynn’s latest release, announces a radical change in direction. Her previous releases Have You Met Lera Lynn (2012) and Avenues (2014), were brooding folk-tinged Americana with cleverly crafted song writing delivered by Lynn’s distinctive vocal. Resister finds her abandoning her earlier twang and replacing it with a darker mystical psychedelia which approaches territory inhabited by Jesse Sykes and The Sweet Hereafter and more recently by St. Vincent. The album is released on her own record label Resister Music, a further indication of an artist intent on maximum control over her own musical destiny. Whatever her motivation on leaving her previous comfort zone, the results are staggering ,with Resistor going places not previously visited by Lynn.

Perhaps her impressive involvement on the True Detective series (the trailer featuring a clip of Lynn performing The Only Thing Worth Fighting For achieved over 35 million views) pointed her in this direction, perhaps her writing with T-Bone Burnett on the series was the catalyst. Lynn has said that writing with Burnett allowed her freedom to experiment with her darker side.

The production duties were shared between Lynn and multi-instrumentalist Joshua Grange ( Dwight Yoakam, Lionel Ritchie, Victoria Williams, Dixie Chicks and Michelle Shocked;production work for Conor Oberst, Stephen Malkmus and kd lang). All instruments were played by Grange and Lynn.There is so much to savour on the album which has an otherworldly, almost cinematic feel, throughout. Unlike her previous work the vocals aren’t out front but drift around atmospherically.

Slow Motion Countdown is hypnotically dreamlike and intoxicating, bordering on frightening, Cut & Burn is revengeful (I cast my soul into a bullet babe, fine metal for our last dance) with an almost Joy Division like baritone guitar dominating. What you Done recalls late 80’s Marianne Faithfull (You can pluck a rose while wearing sheep’s clothes but you know what you done) and the power poppy Little Ruby closes the album in style.

The sweet’ girl next door’ from Have You Met Lera Lynn (2012) has moved to an entirely darker and seedier neighbourhood. The move may lose her some of her earlier listeners, however  Resistor is likely to expose her to a considerably wider audience and, if given the promotion it richly warrants, should feature in many year-end ‘best of’ lists whether that be in the Americana or Indie categories.

Carter Sampson Wilder Side Continental Song City

Hot on the heels of Margo Prices’ superb Midwest Farmer’s Daughter comes another classic female country album. Carter Sampson has been working, recording and touring relentlessly in recent years without achieving the deserved industry breakthrough. Like Price, Zoe Muth and Elizabeth Cook, Oklahoma born Sampson possesses a glorious country voice which certainly packs a punch on the ten tracks on Wilder Side. Her love of the traditional country queens Emmylou Harris, Patsy Cline and fellow Okie Reba Mc Entire is evident throughout the album.

Wilder Side is her fourth album and sees her reunited with producer and multi-instrumentalist Travis Linville who also produced her second album Good ForThe Meantime (2009). Linville plays guitars, Dobro, bass, drums, percussion, banjo and pedal steel. Tulsa Oklahoma singer-songwriter John Moreland, who has gained much acclaim for his latest album High on Tulsa Heat, adds backing vocals. Boasting a musical family legacy that includes Roy Orbison and with music flowing through her veins, Sampson has been experimenting and writing music from the age of fifteen. She founded The Oklahoma City’s Rock and Roll Camp for Girls, offering a formal music education for girls and women.

From the opening and title track Wilder Side (which  Sampson admits is a tribute to her alter ego) through to the  closing track See the Devil Run, much of the album has a breezy  late 70’s country feel to it, uncomplicated, captivating, and conjuring up scenes of road trips on hot, dry, sun drenched highways. A self-confessed lover of travel from an early age, much of the material references movement, freedom and journeying. Medicine River is inspired by Medicine Park in the Wichita Mountains;  Holy Mother could be drawn from the Linda Ronstadt songbook and Highway Rider is a sobering road song depicting both the joys and strains of constant career-driven travel. 

Sampson performs on average 220 shows a year and if there is any justice the masterfully crafted Wilder Side will bring her to the attention of a much wider audience both in her home country and Europe.

Cathryn Craig & Brian Willoughby In America Cabritunes

Recorded in Nashville in the summer of 2015, In America offers seventy minutes of charming folk music in this latest collaboration between Virginia-born singer-songwriter Cathryn Craig and the superlative UK guitarist and ex-member of The Strawbs, Brian Willoughby. This is folk music at its very best, weighted with traditional Celtic influences and including a group of talented musicians in Andy Reiss, Brent Moyer, Mark Fain, Fran Breen, Dennis Bryon, Pat McInerney, Ritchie Bailey and Jeff Taylor. The production duties were undertaken by Thomm Jutz, who also plays on the album.

In America features sixteen tracks, eleven of which are co-writes by Craig and Willoughby. This includes four bonus tracks, two of which acknowledge Craig and Willoughby’s very early career work, his with Mary Hopkin’s Those Were The Days ( Willoughby played guitar) and the Righteous Brothers You’ve Lost that Lovin’ Feeling (recalling Craig’s first venture into the music industry).

The title track tells of immigrant dreams of escaping the potato famine in Ireland for the shores of America (We’re glory bound I am told, Bluest skies and streets of gold in America). A Soft Place to Fall is a thoughtful, sincere and hopeful ballad, written by Craig for her niece. Willoughby’s solo album Black and White (1998) is revisited with The Fire. Bullet, co-written with Bill Mead of The Sharpees fame, bounces along with a catchy chorus.Worth special mention is the delightful artwork and packaging of the album, which includes a twelve page booklet including lyrics and a brief introduction to all the tracks.

In America is perfect listening for a lazy rainy afternoon. The combination of Craig’s wonderful, yet sometimes delightfully vulnerable vocals, Willoughby’s remarkable playing and the many talented contributors, makes the journey from Malahide to Donegal to America both reflective and rewarding.

Reviews by Stephen Rapid

Steven Casper & Cowboy Angst I Feel Like I’ve Got Snakes in My Head  Silent City

This mini-album opens with a spaghetti western-styled instrumental titled For a Few Dollars Less and thus wears its influences on its sleeve. Guitar and keyboards shoot it out over a galloping rhythm, but it represents one aspect of Los Angeles based Steven Casper, a veteran of several bands before he put his name upfront, along with that of his regular band. They have released several previous EPs, as well as full length albums which attest to Cowboy Angst being a seasoned band.

Casper fronts the four piece, which is largely American/roots orientated, combining elements of country-rock, blues, folk and straight ahead rock. Restless Heart, Maria, Slow Dancing, She’s Bad and Driving Fast are all written by Casper. He has a distinctive voice, full of character which holds attention. The band and producer Ira Ingber have taken a slightly different tack with each song. Maria has strong a Tex-Mex influence with a featured repeated organ riff and conjunto accordion, while Slow Dancing is a piano and slide guitar-lead ballad that exudes a certain tenderness. Driving Fast appears in two versions, first in a Canned Heat style straight-ahead rock riff take and the second version, designated as the “4AM” version, is more acoustic with guitar, accordion and tambourine. It is the song from which the title line comes and shows how easily a song can be adapted to a different setting or mood, and work equally well, depending on how one wants to frame a particular story.

This is an accomplished band led by Casper, whose voice and songs probably have a strong following in California and beyond as their back catalogue attests. Equally they are not making music that hasn’t been heard before or is going to take you by surprise. They are a tight, focussed and talent unit whose songs and performances should guarantee them their place and piece of the pie.

Spicewood Seven Still Mad  Phoebe Claire 

This collective released their debut album in 2006 titled Kakistocracy. They were led by lyricist Luke Powers and Austin musical stalwart Tommy Spurlock and included the likes of Leon Rausch and Garth Hudson in the line up. All four are here with the latter pair appearing together on the song The Magic Bullet. They are joined by the likes of Suzi Ragsdale and a solid rhythm section. The songs are all written by Powers and Spurlock. The latter is the album’s producer and the two handle the vocal on a series of songs that are not without their bite and pose a polemic reaction to their immediate surroundings both personal and political. 

The previous album was rooted in the Bush era. That era may have changed, in terms of the names, but Power and Spurlock still aren’t too happy with what they see, hence the title of this new set of songs. These songs represent a different viewpoint from many in country music, apart from well know dissenters like Steve Earle. The titles pretty much give you an idea of the overriding lyrical themes expressed: I Live with The Devil, Hey Idiot (a song about some sound parental advice), Broke, Dumb It Down as well as the more reasoned and open consideration that People Are Basically Good. The final song The Magic Bullet is a reference to the theory of the single bullet theory associated with the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Not normally a subject heard to the backing of a steel guitar-led country band.

Recorded in Nashville, the Spicewood Seven prove themselves to be a united team who play the songs with a conviction that suggests they are all behind the sentiments expressed. The overall sound is edgy country rock, with both Spurlock and Powers handling the vocal duties with ease. The songs are not exactly designed for superficial listening and with no lyric sheet they require engagement to connect with them. Given all that, this will appeal to a certain frame of (open) mind and those who like things a little rough and ready. Let’s hope they’re still mad enough to do another album. No doubt the political climate will provide inspiration in the coming months and years.

Daniel Meade & the Flying Mules  Let Me Off At The Bottom  At the Helm

This is the latest album from the Glasgow singer/songwriter Daniel Meade and is the follow up to the Nashville-recorded, Morgan Jahnig produced album Keep Right Away. It is a tribute to Meade’s regular band; Lloyd Reid, Mark Ferrie and Thomas Sutherland, with guests. It sounds as good as that previous album both in songs and performance. Jahnig was again involved, as he did the mix in Nashville. Otherwise it was recorded in Glasgow.

The rhythm section is tight, Reid is a damn fine guitarist and there is some great piano playing throughout. Meade is an especially convincing vocalist and writer and the whole album could easily have emanated from the Americana community in Austin or East Nashville.

There’s a Ghost Where Her Heart Used to Be and Ghost and Crocodiles have an energy that is contagious. Meade can also keep the pace down as with the regretful “what could have been” He Should’ve Mine where Meade gives a passionate and perfectly suited vocal that fully conveys the emotion in the song. The title track is a cautionary tale about wanting to stay away from the dubious dizzy heights of success, another song that shows just how talented this crew is. That mood of an uncompleted relationship is further enunciated in Leave Me to Bleed, which features a strong guest vocal from Siobhan Wilson. These and other unresolved and unrequited factors of an unhappy life reach a conclusion in the final track of the self-explanatory The Bottle Called for Me 

The overall feel draws from an earlier era which blends hillbilly, swing, blues and folk, but sounds like a living, breathing, hard-kicking iteration of a timeless musical form which might only require water, or something stronger, to grow. Daniel Meade and The Flying Mules have made a very fine album that proves again that the roots of this music lie (partly) in these isles and is as much at home here as it would be in Tennessee.  

The Chapin Sisters Today’s Not Yesterday  Lake Bottom

While male sibling harmonies are fairly prevalent, there are not that many sister duos in recent times. Nieces of the late Harry Chapin, the Chapin sisters, Abigail and Lily, are releasing their 4th full length album. Their previous album was a tribute to the Everlys that didn’t get as much attention as the one by Norah Jones and Billie Joe Armstrong.

The Chapins are dressed for the cover with white dresses and cowboy hats, and the album has a certain country-rock flavour, among other styles. What is foremost is their voices, either singing together in harmony or with one or other taking lead vocal - a very attractive sound it has to be said. The production, with Dan Horne and Jesse Lee, makes effective use of those voices over a layered musical setting that includes keyboards, bass and drums  (Horn and Lee respectively)  as well as pedal steel on three tracks and some judicious use of electric guitar here and there. 

The overall feel is of a slightly dreamy county/folk/pop; a sound that insinuates itself and allows the listener the chance to luxuriate in the music. The sisters have written all 12 songs on the album, with one co-write, and they show skill in that area too. Love Come Back, Autumn, Angeleno, Sleep In, and Waiting are all examples of this. The sound is fairly similar throughout and doesn’t vary a great deal, but that enhances the album nature of the music, where one tracks follows in tone from the next without showing up anything that seems out of place. Today is not yesterday, but tomorrow holds a future for these two talented and visually aware sisters and their music.

Underhill Rose The Great Tomorrow  Self-Release

With The Great Tomorrow the trio of Eleanor Underhill, Molly Rose and Sally Williamson release their latest album of their folk/bluegrass/pop and country infused music. It has ten songs written by the individual members, plus one outside track. It is centred on their vocal harmonies. They usual have one of the trio take the lead vocal, generally the song’s writer, with the others adding close harmonies. 

The country connection is emphasised by Matt Smith’s pedal steel guitar, which is featured prominently, as is Nicky Saunders’ violin. The album’s producer, Cruz Contreras, adds guitar and keyboards to the sound. Williamson plays bass with a drummer to create a solid and effective rhythm section. Undersell and Rose add guitar, banjo which along with the upright bass give the core sound it’s folk and bluegrass centre, around which the other instruments help to embellish the particular song’s mood.

Although all three contribute as solo writers, the overall theme of love and relationships blend together. And while the album plays together well, there are a couple of songs that stand out in terms of immediate connection. They include Rest Easy, which has a livelier pace and is given some distinction by a Dobro. Elliott Wolff’s Straight Up is essentially just the band with a drummer and the stripped back arrangement works well. Not Gonna Worry pairs banjo and steel together and gives the two instruments equal prominence.

The Great Tomorrow should have appeal and it expands from what I imagine is the normal live trio’s acoustic setting. There is nothing too demanding here. It is all very understated and that is both a strength and a weakness. However Underhill Rose will continue to grow the fan base to a listening audience. 

Murder Murder From The Stillhouse  Self-Release

Think along the lines of punk-infused old-time music, Springsteen’s Seeger Sessions and a touch of the Pogues and you might have an approximate idea of what this 6 piece band sound like. They are an Ontario-based acoustic band and this is their second album of original songs, the one exception being a spirited version of Guy Clark’s The Last Gunfighter Ballad.

Three of the band share vocal duties, offering different styles, and they all lead the choruses over rambunctious rhythms and dexterous playing. Some of the songs have an immediate affinity with age-old traditional songs, which is a testament to their commitment to bring life into a style that has been around a long time and needs the occasional kick in the arse. Murder Murder are not the only band doing this by any means, but on their own terms, they may be one of the best.

There are some stand-out performances on the album including the environmentally-themed Where the Water Runs Black. Duck Cove is a song about the sailing life and suggests that these guys could easily play a pirate party. They can also calm things down to good effect on the spiritual quest pondered in When the Lord Calls Your Name. Alberta Oil is a song about an oil worker’s journey through a hard working life to death. The Last Gunfighter Ballad sounds in good hands too with Murder Murder making it sound like a song for the ages.

They sound like a band well worth seeing live and they are touring the UK and Ireland in May. If you can’t make it along, then check this album. It has a lot going for it and while it has precedents it has colour and power. Despite the dark name and intent, the band look pretty colourful in the main picture on their website - maybe to balance out the murder ballads they play. Check them out.

Reviews by Paul McGee

Matt Andersen Honest Man Self Release

Matt Andersen is an award-winning Canadian blues guitarist who hails from New Brunswick.  He’s been playing his blend of blue-collar folk, electric blues and roots rock for many years. Honest Man, produced in New York with Commissioner Gordon (Joss Stone, Amy Winehouse, Santana, Quincy Jones), follows the JUNO Award-nominated Weightless and sees Anderson breaking new ground without losing his signature sound. 

Anderson is blessed with a rich gospel/soul voice and here he uses a cast of players that includes Andy Bassford (Toots and the Maytals, Burning Spear, Natalie Merchant), Benji Bouton (Ibibio Sound Machine), Josh David Barret (The Wailers, Lauryn Hill), and Lenny Underwood (Mary J. Blige, Amy Winehouse).  Using beats in the tracking gives the songs a real groove and swing that carries the arrangements along and gives an overall feel of good times had by all in the studio sessions.

The ten songs that make up Honest Man explore both the political and the personal wrapped up by his powerful vocal delivery which is filled with emotion on songs such as Last Surrender and I’m giving In. Let’s Get Back talks about how daily life has changed and the need to be an inclusive and open in society again. Who Are You Listening To? is a call for people to think for themselves and not be swung by a media message. Break Away is a song to remind us that sometimes a change of scenery is all we need. 

With a 2013 European Blues Award, and winning Best Solo Performer at the Memphis Blues Challenge, it appears that the wider world is waking up to Matt Andersen. He has built a fan base through relentless touring and  his reputation has built steadily through word of mouth. This is a fine honest blues record played with style and plenty of heart. It comes recommended and this artist is certainly one to watch.

Gem Andrews Vancouver Self Release

Andrews was born in Liverpool and is currently based in Berlin. This is her second release, which  has its roots in the time she spent in Vancouver learning her craft of song-writing and performance. Vancouver is produced by Martin Stephenson, who also plays and adds harmonies on several tracks. The songs are very much in the folk tradition and conjure up images of lost innocence and the disappointment that life can bring. 

Andrews has assembled a fine band of musicians, with the fiddle playing of Bernard Wright particularly prominent, which adds real colour to the arrangements with some atmospheric melody lines. Her voice is clear and strong as she delivers songs about family memories (Your Father’s Diary), lack of hope (Dead Weight) ageing and role-reversal (Mother Dear), longing (Crimson Tide) and broken relationships (Please Forget Me/ Ten Thousand More). She also covers the McGarrigle’s Heart like a Wheel. The production is airy and bright throughout which gives us an album that is full of excellent interplay and gentle reflections.   

Jason Rosenblatt Wiseman’s Rag Self Release

This is an intersting take on roots, blues and early jazz, featuring producer, pianist, vocalist and harmonica player, Jason Rosenblatt, one of the world’s foremost harmonica innovators. On his latest recording, Wiseman's Rag, Jason returns to his blues roots. With touches of Jelly Roll Morton, Robert Johnson, Paul Butterfield and Professor Longhair, Jason's all original repertoire of blues, jazz and ragtime compositions are gritty but performed with good humour. The players are Jason Rosenblatt (harmonica, piano, vocals, B3), Joe Grass (guitar), Joel Kerr (bass) andEvan Tighe (drums). 

Ken Dunn & Gypsy Starfish The Great Unknown Self Release

Ken Dunn plays with a finger style acoustic guitar technique and performs either solo, with partner Anna Green, or the band Gypsy Starfish.  These songs are firmly based in the folk tradition. This CD won Best Americana Album for February 2016 at the Akademia Music Awards in Los Angeles, and the music is both undemanding and classic in composition. Dunn has been releasing music since the early 1990’s and has built a reputation for original and thoughtful song arrangements. 

Cross of Lorraine has some lovely interplay between Tyler Beckett on fiddle and Keira McArthur on cello, while the harmony vocals of Anna Green are always complementary and fit gently into the melody. Fukushima Nightmares has a nice groove with the guitar of Dean Drouillard supported by the attractive keyboards of Drew McIvor. Equally Shifting Sand has a quiet groove that rewards repeated listening and the title track is a gentle tribute to a performer’s life and is an insight into the price that is paid for the perceived freedom of the open road. Again the fiddle playing of Tyler Beckett is a standout feature as on many other tracks here.  

Tiny Toy Cars Falling, Rust & Bones Self Release

Tiny Toy Cars feature mandolin, violin, banjo, guitar and upright bass, so there is an expectation that bluegrass and old time rhythm will be the order of the day. However, add a high level of instrumental virtuosity from violinist Martin St-Pierre, guitarist Andrew Chute, bassist Brian Burns, plus the drumming of Aaron Guidry and the song writing of Peter Fand ( mandolins and voice) and an unexpected image begins to emerge. 

Traditional West African music mixes with roots based Americana music and lends the songs an intriguing slant. Indie Americana with a twist; this band has members from Cirque du Soleil and display both great song writing and a keen eye for cutting edge arrangements and melodies. Tracks such as Rapture and Hell, Do Everything You Can before you’re Dead, Down on the Bowery and Addicted To You build into a compelling release. Think Mumford and Sons meets Old Crow Medicine Show and Tiny Toy Cars is the next chapter in a genre with roots in traditional music, but with a firm vision for the future.

Text editing by Sandy Harsch

Reviews by Declan Culliton

Various Artists Country to Country (Volume 2) Hump Head

Compilation album in support of the recent Country 2 Country tour of the UK and Ireland (See Lonesome Highway Live Reviews). The album includes twenty tracks by artists who featured on the tour including  household names on the US country circuit for decades Dwight Yoakam Man Of Constant Sorrow and Lori McKenna The Time I’ve Wasted, both still sounding as vital as ever.

The standout tracks on the album are perhaps those contributed by female artists, in particular American Idol winner Carrie Underwood Smoke Break, Ashley Munroe On To Something Good, Miranda Lambert Automatic and Kacey Musgraves with High Time. Chris Stapleton also does his gender proud with Traveller - the title track from his CMA award winning album.

The album certainly highlights the contrast in music styles being marketed today as “country". Purists may very well bemoan the lack of fiddle, banjo and steel guitar on the majority of the offerings on the recordings. The thorny issue of what actually represents true country music today comes to mind when considering a number of the artists represented. Contemporary Country, bordering on Country/Pop in many cases, is well represented by artists such as Luke Bryan, David Nail, Frankie Ballard and Sam Hunt. 

Emerging singer-songwriter Andrew Comb’s offering Nothing To Lose recalls a young Glen Campbell whereas UK duo The Shires contribution All Over Again is closer in sound to The Corrs than country. Also featured on the album are Dierks Bentley, Kip Moore, Little Big Town, Maren Morris, Callaghan, Old Dominion and Maddie & Tae. With twenty artists represented there is something to savour on this album both for purists and for the punter that prefers their country music a tad sugar-coated.

Matt Patershuk  I Was So Fond Of You  Black Hen

There appears to be an endless supply of hugely talented Canadian singer-songwriters emerging in recent years. Ryan Boldt, Jim Bryson, Kathleen Edwards, Kendal Carson, Luke Doucet, Frazey Forde, immediately come to mind in this context, artists unfortunately unlikely to achieve the commercial recognition they richly deserve. Matt Patershuk, on the basis of this delightful offering, is yet another Canadian to richly impress.

I Was So Fond Of You follows Patershuk’s debut, the Western Canada Music Awards nominated Outside the Lights of Town released in 2013. This album is a collection of eleven songs, in the main dedicated to his sister Clare, tragically killed by a drunk driver in 2013. It’s an album that has the listener immediately seeking out the lyrics to some beautifully written songs from the understated title track to the equally moving and saddening Prettiest Ones.

Equally impressive is the quality of the musicianship throughout. Fiddle, banjo, accordion, mandolin and guitar are contributed by Nashville resident and one of America’s finest, Fats Kaplin. Gary Craig adds drums and percussion, with backing vocals, to beautiful effect, by Ana Egge, an extremely talented singer-songwriter in her own right. The album was produced by Juno Award Winner Steve Dawson who also adds some elegant steel guitar throughout and was recorded at Dawson’s Henhouse Studio in Nashville 

Sounding decades beyond his years (elder statesmen Guy Clark and Jerry Jeff Walker come to mind) Patershuk’s baritone vocals throughout cannot be described as melodic but are controlled, disciplined and magically suited to his lyrics. Melancholy may be the overriding tone of the album yet it’s not without humour.  Pep The Cat Murdering Dog tells the tale of Pep the Labrador sentenced to life without parole by a State Governor for killing his wife’s cat and Burnin’ the Candle is straight down the middle honky tonk. 

Despite these lighter moments it is the material dealing with its core subject that remain with the listener. The previously mentioned and understated title track, the wonderful Tennessee Warrior ( his lines weren’t straight but his heart was true, papa said girl he was meant for you) relating to a horse owned by Patershuk’s sister and the evocative Prettiest Ones standing out in particular. 

Noteworthy also is the striking packaging and artwork on I Was So Fond Of You which is better described as a sharing of thoughts by Patershuk than simply an album. Highly recommended indeed.

Shane Joyce An Introduction Self Release

Briefly fleeing the nest from his duties as lead singer and frontman with The Midnight Union Band, this five track mini-album emphasises the song writing ability of Joyce, whose career kicked off not so many years ago busking on the streets of Kilkenny.

Making no apologies for his love in particular of the heavyweight songwriters Dylan, Cohen and Van Morrison the main focus on the five songs  is on the lyric with the vocal always out in  front in the recordings. Opening track Blame tells of unrequited and lost love in Leonard Cohen fashion with a simple hum along chorus. The Same Old Song is a modern day protest song (‘’ pretty soon they will tax you just for living in your skin’’) a reflection, written from the heart, of the profound difficulties for survival in an austerity driven environment 

Those Who Pay The Rent, the absolute  standout track on the album and also released as a single by Joyce last year, is a beautifully constructed piece of music, perfectly paced an including some heavenly  harmonies aided  by Jan Ramsbottom. Again, very obviously, Leonard Cohen influenced but also delivered in an individualistic style quite recognisable from Joyces’ work with The Midnight Union Band. 

Peter Flynn and John Wallace from The Midnight Union Band contribute guitar, bass, piano and drums with acoustic guitar on the album, with harmonica and Hammond organ from Joyce. 

Where Joyce particularly excels is in his live performances as punters who have enjoyed The Midnight Union Band gigs will be aware of.  He is a confident frontman, who possesses the required intensity and natural ability to immediately engage his audience - not always an easy task. I certainly look forward to hearing the songs from this most impressive debut solo effort live in the near future and if he can continue to create music as imposing as Those Who Pay The Rent then the sky is the limit for this young man.

Teddy Thompson & Kelly Jones Little Windows Cooking Vinyl

What do you get when you mix UK music royalty with Californian power pop? An outstanding result on the basis of this delightful collaboration between Teddy Thompson and Kelly Jones. The combined vocals on all ten original compositions are heavenly with the lead melodies being shared between both artists.  

Interestingly only one of the songs clocks in at over three minutes and recalls an era when such beautifully countrified rock and roll music was aired regularly on daytime radio performed by musical dignitaries such as the Everly Brothers, Sam Cooke, Buddy Holly and Roy Orbison. Thompson and Jones first sang together at LA’s Club Largo in 2011, performing a George Jones song and sowing the seeds for Little Windows. The songs were subsequently written and developed while Jones resided in LA and Thompson in New York.

Having recorded five solo albums to date Thompson, the son of the legendary Richard and Linda Thompson, Little Windows is the first collaborative venture that Thompson has pursued, following in the same vein in terms of two part vocal harmonies as those perfected by his parents and indeed by his sister Kami and her husband James Walbourne (The Rails).

Jones, for her part, has recorded with Daniel Lanois  Buddy Miller and Brian Blade during her musical career which has seen her move from her childhood residence on a Washington horse farm to Nashville via Manhattan and finally to LA where she presently lives. 

The collection of musicians who contribute are household names within roots music circles and  include guitarist Steve Elliot, Ryan Adams keyboard player Daniel Clarke, Davey Farragher of Cracker, John Hiatt and The Imposters fame on bass and Pete Thomas of The Attractions (Elvis Costello) on drums. The album was recorded live to an analog 16 track tape machine by Mike Viola. Linda Thompson acted as executive producer.

Stand out tracks are the opener Never Knew You Loved Me Too, which would hold its own on any Everly Brothers album, Don’t Remind Me which enters Emmylou and Gram sacred ground and Make A Wish On Me the highlight being some captivating keyboard playing by Daniel Clarke.

At 26 minutes the album is regrettably on the short side but given the absolute quality on offer sometimes less is more.

Reviews by Stephen Rapid

Dave Insley 'Just the Way That I Am'  Self Release

David Insley is a man who loves the sounds and imagery of country music, no doubt from his days growing up in Arizona. He has a long history of making roots music, including stints with cowpunk band Chaingang and the more traditional slant of The Trophy Husbands. In recent times Insley has lived in Austin and plays a regular Saturday night gig there at the White Horse Saloon. He has released three previous albums under his own name that including his 2005 debut Call Me Lonesome. Now comes his latest release Just the Way That I Am and it is a career peak. As well as his regular band, the Careless Smokers, he has gathered some friends who enhance the songs with their strong contributions. These include Rick Shea, Kelly Willis, Elizabeth McQueen, Redd Volkaert, Danny B. Harvey and Dale Watson.

Still, it is Insley’s show, with his voice with, its hint of Willie Nelson, and his songs front and centre. The songs are a mix of the classic county themes; lonesome heartbreak, the appreciation of real love and its attributes and the temporary anaesthetising effects of alcohol. The titles pretty much sum up some of these feelings: Drinkin’ Wine and Staring at the Phone;  Win, Win Situation For Loser;  Call Me If You Ever Change Your Mind; No One to Come Home To and We’re All Together Because of You. Most of these are songs written by Insley but on a couple he has co-written, one with Rosie Flores and another with Rick Shea and Paul Lacques. Adding to the basic guitar, drum and bass core, Insley employs brass effectively with Matt Hubbard adding a lot to Drinkin’ Wine and Staring at the Phone with his trombone and piano interludes. Later on Arizona, Territory, 1904 Jimmy Shortell adds depth with trumpet and accordion accompaniment to the tale of two brothers who took opposite directions in life. Shortell’s trumpet also adds to Dead and Gon,e with it’s opening funereal melody. Elsewhere fiddle and pedal steel segments underline the traditional aspects of Insley’s music.

For all that Insley is no retro artist, he plays regularly and he continues to explore his muse without stepping too far outside of recognizable country music. Insley, as a family, seems to play fairly close to home and his Saturday night gigs sound like a real treat. Those who have come across Insley before will delight in this latest addition to his recorded output. Those who are coming to him for a first time should enjoy this well packaged album which puts a lot of releases on major labels to shame. It is not really going to appeal to those who are in thrall to the current chart acts, rather those who appreciate good Americana music and playing allied to some thoughtful and often humourous lyrics will see that Insley being himself is just the way we like him.

Dori Freeman 'Dori Freeman'  Free Dirt 

This is an engaging folk-country debut from a woman from the small town of Galax, Virginia. On the strength of hearing Freeman via Facebook, fellow singer/songwriter Teddy Thompson agreed to produce the album. Thompson made an excellent country album a while back and he is known for his love of the form. The album was recorded in New York with some noted musicians from the area, including guitarist and pedal steel player Jon Graboff with a rhythm section of Jeff Hill on bass and Rob Walbourne on drums and percussion. Erik Deutsch adds occasional keyboards. The core here though, is voice and guitar with subtle additional playing. For instance, there is a full band on the closing song Still a Child, yet it is played with a subtle grace that underscores the sentiment of the songs and allows Freeman’s voice to ring true. And that voice is clear and alluring and suggests something special. The opening track You Say, states that from the off with just a bass guitar under Freeman solo. Where I Stood alludes to the brother harmonies of yore, as Thompson joins with her to create a strong vocal presence. The most underplayed song here is Ain’t Nobody, that has the feel of Sixteen Tons ; we hear just the sound Freeman’s voice and snapping fingers. 

Elsewhere, as on Go on Lovin’, the feel is that of a classic traditional country song, with piano and steel an essential part of the song’s broken heart. Tell Me is also a forceful song that insinuates itself into the memory with its chorus and keyboard motif. Freeman is a songwriter who is already accomplished, and she should only get better with time and more life experience. Not that these songs are without depth as Ain’t Nobody considers the nature of hard work and those who toil in a factory, in a prison or at the kitchen sink without either recognition or proper compensation. So the words and voice are integral but there are also special which is why I have returned to this album more often than I have to most. 

There are deep roots here and also inspirations from doo-wop, swing and 60’s pop. The end result is a sound that incorporates all of these into something that sounds organic and natural for Freeman. This is the sound of someone who understands that life can offer a lot, but that it also has a darker side which equally needs to be examined. This is an outstanding start, one which deserves to be heard and hopefully will be. Free Dirt, her label, have packaged the album well and given us a release that includes the lyrics. These show how an album can be worth much more than just a download of one or two songs. This is a debut worth owning.  

Robbie Fulks 'Upland Stories' Bloodshot

Lately Robbie Fulks had moved towards more acoustic musical settings and while that is largely true here, there are some of the flavours of his earlier work with Bloodshot Records, the label who released some of his earliest albums. The players on Upland Stories include bassist Todd Phillips who has worked with David Grisman, Jenny Scheinman on violin, guitarist Rob Gjersoe as well as multi-instrumentalist Fats Kaplin. 

Fulks possesses a singular voice that is immediately recognisable. He is an adept songwriter too, as the opening song Alabama at Night and the later, A Miracle, attest. The first is written from the viewpoint of James Agee, the noted journalist who, with the photographer Walker Evans, captured the lives of migrants and sharecroppers in the late 30s in the South; the second takes a similar theme and angle in its direction.

There are also songs that are tender such as Sarah Jane, others such as Aunt Peg’s New Old Man and Katy Kay (about a cute girl who, if she wasn’t loved, would probably have to be shot!) are lighter and show a humorous side. It is an album full of character and characters. People you can identify with and through Fulks’ words gain insights into their lives. That is the mark of a storyteller who understands his craft. Folks can bring these songs to life in their most natural setting of just voice and guitar or with a fuller group behind him. Needed is the former, while the version of Baby Rocked Her Dolly has a full band including steel which gives it additional depth.

The banjo and fiddle of America is a Hard Religion give the song a harder edge that the lyrics need to give it the feel of earlier times and of current time too. 

Overall Fulks delivers these songs with a softer edge, one that is not as strident as his earlier Bloodshot albums. Robbie Fulks has a devoted following for his music and Upland Stories won’t disappoint those who have followed his music from the insurgent days to the more considered and less frantic songs that are featured here.

Nate Currin 'The Madman and the Poet' Archaic Cannon

For his fourth album Georgia native Nate Currin has recorded in Nashville with producer Matthew Odmark and it makes its mark from the get go with the immediate appeal of the overall sound. This is something that in the past would have been labeled alt-country. It is essentially a singer/songwriter record built around Currin’s concept song cycle and his voice, both of which are good. The album is divided into sections, with the first 6 songs under the heading of The Madman. These are more roots rock with hints of blues which lend a feeling of darkness with songs such as Another Love Song, which talks of upbringing and good and evil. City of Angels considers belief. It is an uptempo song with an insistent chorus that is effective in its catchiness. That contrast with a slower building mood of the Ballad of a Horse Thief which is equally compelling in its more restrained delivery which, like the story itself, builds in intensity. 

The title track starts the second set of songs under the overall theme of The Poet. These songs are all based on a more acoustic foundation, but while they are lighter in overall sound, they are not without a certain sense of melancholy. The final song Let Grace Fall Down on Me is call for forgiveness that contrasts Currin’s vocal with that of Molly Parden (who with Audrey Assad and Ryan Horne add vocal harmony on several tracks), over a cello and acoustic guitar that underline the poignancy of the song. We All Need a Love Sometimes picks up the pace and delivers a universal need. Ship with No Sea is summed up by the line “without you, I’m a ship with no sea”. Throughout the assembled musicians play guitars of acoustic, electric, baritone, lap and pedal steel varieties, with keyboards, bass, drums and strings adding depth and texture to the songs that brings them to full flower.

I had not heard of Currin before this album, but on the strength of The Madman and the Poet, he is an artist well worth discovering. This is something that becomes apparent fairly quickly and in this case Currin certainly gains approval. This is a thoughtful, well recorded and performed album that is packaged in a way that makes it a testimony to an artist caring about his work as a lasting contribution, rather than an exercise in economy and disposability. It was funded by those who believe in him and it shows that there are many who still want and believe in beautifully crafted musical endeavours.

The Waco Brothers 'Going Down in History' Bloodshot

 The first line of the opening song DIYBYOB is “this is the first track from the last album” and so it heralds the (possibly) final release from the Waco Brothers, the insurgent country band who mixed a sense of punk rock urgency with their country leanings. Indeed they would have made an reasonably appropriate opening act for Eric Church. The influences here are as much Clash as Cash, but also take in some garage and glam rock along the way, as well as a little of the 60s mod beat with a cover of the Small Faces’ classic All or Nothing which is as much a tribute to that band’s keyboard player, the late, Ian McLagan as anything. 

The band sounded spirited and energised on this, their 12th (or so) album since 1995. They feature a bunch of expats such as Jon Langford, Alan Doughty and Tracy Dear alongside Joe Camarillo and Deano to make up the current line-up. The ten track set never lets go of their angry agenda, summed top by the credo that they have “had about enough” (Had Enough). They mix their political views with a more personal sense of close-to-the-edge living.

And the Waco’s solid fan base will find themselves rockin’ along to the wolfman howl of Lucky Fool as they will to the title track, as they propose that you need to “bite the hand that feeds you.” If this is their final will and testament, it is one of strength and snarl and one that sums up the intent and nature of the band.

The Blazing Zoos 'Chocks Away' Corinthia

This album shares its title with another album by a London band who dabbled in country. The Kursaal Flyers album of that title was released in 1975 and now some 40 plus years later The Blazing Zoos take on country is also imbued with some humorous intent. For instance Still Up at Five begins with “It’s four in the morning and I’m listening to Four In The Morning.” Mentioning the Faron Young classic, it also recalls the early songs of Hank Wangford. In other words the music is done with a tongue-in-cheek reverence that raises a smile.

The songs are largely from the pen of guitarist/vocalist Andrew Mueller. Bass guitarist Lara Pattison adds harmonies and lead vocals on Brighter with Your Love. The two remaining members Jeremy Jones and Gen Matthews (guitar, keyboard and drums) are joined by guests Neil Bob Herd on steel guitar and Paul Fitzgerald on banjo. All bring skill to the proceedings and the whole thing is good fun, but not to be taken too seriously given the lyrical themes and the wonderful Ed “Big Daddy” Roth illustration on the sleeve. 

Mueller is a well know writer. One of his subjects is writing about rock and related music, so it is interesting that his occasional nighttime pastime is playing country music. In Country Drinking Song he set the record straight by admitting that “I don’t wear a hat, I can’t ride a horse, I’ve never been in jail (but then these days who does.)”. It’s just one of those songs that testifies to a love of country music without ever living a life that is associated with the cliched ‘supposed’ lifestyle. None of that matters if you enjoy poking at the form on this, the band’s second album. However there is no doubting that the collected members of The Blazing Zoos have a few Faron Young, Hank Williams and Willie Nelson albums in their collective collections.

Taken in the right spirit this is a foot-tapping and enjoyable slice of country roots rockin’ that entertains as much as it amuses. Those with fond memories of Mr. Wangford’s musical endeavours (which went from outright laughing up a musical note embroidered sleeve to something more serious in time) will thoroughly enjoy this. Likewise the Zoos may well shift focus in time and use their talents to something more akin to tribulations of the heart than cover tributes. For now Chocks Away  represents a good night out and diverting night in that is preferable to some of the Music Row produced music where the joke is on us.

Reviews by Declan Culliton

 

The Paul Benjamin Band 'Sneaker' Horton 

Some albums take a few listens to kick in, others hit the spot on first listen. Sneaker by The Paul Benjamin Band certainly inhabits the latter territory. The Paul Benjamin Band are a hard working touring band, renowned for the quality of their live shows. They have, without doubt, recreated that live sound with an album that scarcely contains a weak moment. Sneaker is the band's second album following their self-titled debut released in 2010.

Recorded at Fellowship Hall Sound in Little Rock Arkansas and unapologetically recalling the Tulsa sound of the mid 70’s, much of the album brings to mind in particular the work of the legendary JJ Cale and also of Leon Russell, although delivered in overdrive rather than Cale’s customary laid back style.

Estoy Loco positively grooves along with a jazzy rock feel, Ball and Chain rocks along with slick guitar licks from Benjamin and formidable pedal steel from Jesse Aycock (also a member of Hard Working Americans). Auburn Road slows the pace down beautifully, evidence of the versatility of Benjamin. Monticello Honeymoon drifts along sublimely and includes some wonderful piano playing by Jeff Newsome complimenting Benjamin’s guitar riffs.

Sneaker, sounding both fresh and nostalgic in equal measures, is an album that I’d happily slip in to the car CD player for a summer road trip, windows down and volume up and enjoy this refreshing mix of rockabilly, country, rock and roll and blues.

Franc Cinelli 'The Marvel Age' Song Circle

Recorded at Song Circle Studios, London The Marvel Age was written by Cinelli over a two year period while on the road touring the UK, USA and his native Italy. Having engaged Danton Supple (Morrissey, Coldplay) to produce his debut solo album I Have Not Yet Begun The Fight, Cinelli has taken the decision to record and produce The Marvel Age himself together with the vocal, guitar, keyboard and harmonica duties. Laurence Saywood plays bass and Drew Manley is on drums and vibraphone.

Cinelli cites his musical influences being his mother’s vinyl collection which included Springsteen, The Police, Dire Straits, Pink Floyd and Bob Marley. Whatever about the other artists noted, the influence of Springsteen is particularly recognisable on Blindsided, a delightful song accompanied only by Cinelli on piano.

Breaker, the most convincing and strongest track on the album, is undoubtedly Tom Petty territory with a powerful driving guitar riff throughout. In contrast Blue is a delightful love ballad and the closing track Leave Here Running, with its spoken lyric is full of promise, optimism and rediscovery that is "drawn from life with open arms, I welcome in The Marvel Age."

Kreg Viesselman ‘To The Mountain’  Continental Song City

Kreg Viesselman earlier work gained him a reputation as a singer songwriter capable of creating sparse yet beautifully atmospheric music, delivered in his trade mark grizzled and craggy vocal tone. His albums demanded and rewarded repeated listening, none more so than his self-titled album released in 2003 which resulted in him sharing the stage with noted admirer Taj Mahal.

The Minnesota born Viesselham, while residing in Norway, released two further albums The Pull (2006) and If You Lose Your Light (2012) with a similarly stripped-back arrangement before commencing work the same year on To The Mountain which took nearly four years from conception to release and finds the artist enticing the listener down an altogether more upbeat journey than his previous efforts.

Much of the credit for the diversion is the introduction of Bjarne Stensli as producer whose influence appears to have rejuvenated Viesselman and encouraged a more fuller and accessible sound on the album.

Having written the songs in draft format he further developed them by spending a week with his band in a remote cabin in Norway where the final versions were pieced together before being further honed on a UK tour in 2014 to bring the proposed material before a live audience.

The material has most definite leanings towards UK folk both musically and lyrically, understandably painting pictures of Scandinavian and British landscapes on many of the eleven tracks. The opening track Garland could have been penned by Richard Thompson and The Disciples Song (Summer Leaves), a beautiful piece of music, would have comfortably adorned any early 70’s Caravan album. Similarly in the Summer, in Oslo succeeds in evoking music from that era.

Many artist are currently recording music heavily influenced by UK Folk, some more successfully than others, Viesselman undisputedly does the genre justice with this offering.

Danny Barnes ‘Got Myself Together (Ten Years Later)’  Continental Song City 

Few, if any musicians occupy the same territory as Danny Barnes. Often criticised for not taking himself seriously enough, the Austin born banjo picker and talented singer songwriter has flitted from solo recordings to forming the suitably named bands The Bad Livers and Danny Barnes and The Old Codgers, to several collaborations with noted artists such as Tim O’Brien and Dave Matthews. Barnes also tours as part of Robert Earl Keen and Bill Frisell‘s bands. Robert Earl Keen says of Barnes "I’ve said many times that he is the world’s greatest banjo player."

Got Myself Together (Ten Years Later) sees Barnes returning to possibly his strongest recording Get Myself Together which was released in 2006, an album that lyrically entered doom laden territory with tales of alcoholism, drug addiction, troubled existences, wasted romances and opportunities lost, all delivered with a certain degree of tongue in cheek attitude. The primary motivator in revisiting the album was the amount of fan mail received by Barnes in relation to the album which is unavailable as a result of the record label going out of business.

Rather than offer a richer and fuller recreation of the original album Barnes has headed in the opposite direction and recorded versions of the songs which to the listener might sound to be original demos or the material in its infancy prior to the final mix. Recorded in his kitchen with all instruments played by Barnes, he confesses that his technical ability as a musician is in a better place now that ten years ago, another reason for the ‘bare to the bones’ approach to the songs.

Quirky lyrics and impeccable picking dominate the album. Titles such as Get Me Out Of Jail, a traditional drunkards lament, Rat’s Ass and Big Girl Blues are timeless and depict scenes containing banjos, dungarees, front porches and jugs being passed around.

Reviews by Stephen Rapid

David Ramirez ‘Fables’ Thirty Tigers

The latest album from the troubadour is full of his rich baritone voice and sweet pedal steel guitar. A mix that emphasises his sense of aloneness and understanding of how the nature of his working life allows little in the way of a personal and private life. There is a certain romance in that life but it is one that creates a certain way of thinking (and acting). It also leads, in time, to a growth in terms of maturing and his understanding of himself and those he interacts with.

These ten songs need time to get truly acquainted with but reward that perseverance. The album opens with Communion, a song that hopes for the development of a relationship, which might end up with participants finding a space of mutual consent and closeness. Sonically you are immediately immersed in the textured guitar of producer Noah Gunderson (an artist in his own right who recently released his album Carry The Ghost) and the pedal steel guitar of either Greg Leisz or Brian Douglas Phillips. These sounds are played over the solid foundation of the rhythm section of Micah Simler and Jonny Gundersen. Abby Gunderson also joins the musician line-up on violin and cello. Something of a family affair for the Gunderson’s then.

The songs have a context that moves from track to track evoking a selection of feelings that are often melancholy or morose in attitude, while at the same time being uplifting by dint of the overall musical conviction in which they are rendered. Harder To Lie, Rock And A Hard Place and Ball & Chain - the latter considers the life of a traveling independent musician - are all titles that give clues to the lyrical themes being expressed. Despite these downbeat drifts, a song like That Ain’t Love has a positive musical spirit that centres around a memorable chorus that will soon have you singing along. There are other songs that are more up-tempo but still hold some hard thoughts like with Hold On where the subject seeks something, however small, to hold on as he walks the line between “cocaine and communion wine.”

This album will take time to bring out the best in these downbeat songs and dissolute attitudes but that does not take away from a sympathetic production, sterling playing and a voice that has the ring of truth. That, for many lives, is not easy as we create our own fables of existence and entertainment.

John Moreland ‘In The Throes’ At The Helm

This is Moreland’s debut album, now available in these parts, via At The Helm. It comes as his recentl (and reviewed here) U.S album High On Tulsa Heat, also hit the shelves. This album was also produced by Moreland himself and again features his talents as a multi-instrumentalist on many tracks. He is also joined on three tracks by an additional pianist, bass and drummer and pedal steel player. As with his current album this shows the strengths that Moreland has as a songwriter. One who bares his soul in a fairly relentless but open and honest description of emotional pain.

Nobody Gives A Damn About Songs Anymore has a pedal steel threaded through its melodic heart and a rumination of a songwriter existing on the fringes of indie land Americana. As a writer he is not about the simple verse and chorus patterns of many a chart chasing song. These songs are wordy and worthy and the simple setting of some, largely just guitar and voice based, like 3:59 AM or Blacklist, allows them to take centre stage. Many will find that they bear a similarity with the more stripped back songs of Bruce Springsteen in their depiction of life’s rougher edges and the characters who try to survive in such circumstances. Though, equally, he can up the tempo if not the honest brutality on a song as in Oh Julia.

In that respect, there is little of the light relief or band-backed big choruses that you would find in much of Springsteen’s more crowd pleasing music. But then again maybe Moreland isn’t looking for that kind of recognition at this point of time. He has played, produced and written these songs so presumably this is the way he wants them to sound. That is something you, as listener, will either find favour with or simply not particularly want to share space with.

John Moreland is from Tulsa and proud of the fact judging from the fact he has Oklahoma tattooed on his knuckles. He is no pretty boy with a pop upbringing, rather he came up through the punk and hard-core scenes. Something that, no doubt, is part of his no compromise approach to how he makes his music. That music has already appeared in shows like Sons Of Anarchy and it is easy to see how it fits that show. He is not without his fans and admirers and his most recent albums are testament to his talent. In The Throes is not for everyone and should be ignored by those who like their music light. For those who like more light and shade, who give a damn about songs, they should take John Moreland as seriously as he does.

Austin Lucas ‘Between The Moon And The Midwest’ At The Helm

Unbroken Hearts, the song that opens Austin Lucas’ third album, starts with some ambient sound before he sings the lines “I’ve been told to walk away nearly every time I make an album.” Given that this album was reportedly originally done for but rejected by his former label New West,underscores the tedious nature of making music either as an independent artist or one signed to a major label. The title of the album is a line from the song about how dreams and ambitions can be so easily crushed. About how Lucas feels beaten but has an unbroken heart for his music.

Lucas worked with Joey Kneiser on the album (who recently released his own album The Wildness) which has the feel of some of the new traditionalists of the late 80s. Sensible songs that are fuelled by steel guitar and a pinch of the psychedelic stylings associated with an even earlier decade of country-rock. The promo copy supplied has no credits for the musicians involved but from reading online it would seem that helping out are Cory Branan, John Moreland and Lydia Loveless dueting on Wrong Side Of The Dream and presumably on the other songs where female backing vocals also appear. There are many other strong songs here such as Pray For Rain, The Flame and Call The Doctor wherein the protagonist feels that the doctor, the preacher and even higher powers won’t be able help him.

Lucas is another artist who has a punk rock background and uses that platform and directness to inform his writing. The playing is strong with guitar, piano and steel over a solid and driving rhythm section on a set of songs that vary tempos and emotions. For instance, Next To You is a mid-paced song, while The Flame turns up the heat, contrasting again with the acoustic and stripped back essence of William. All of which make for a satisfying album. The latest in a long line of recordings that have won him fans and friends. That Lucas has not sustained his deal with one of the more established labels may mean that recognition in a wider context may be harder. Equally his music is perhaps better placed with a label that believes in him as much as he, obviously, believes in his music. Between The Moon And The Midwest is an album deserving of attention and is solidly within the boundaries of alt-country broader pastures. Lucas possesses a voice that is right for these times.

Cale Tyson ‘Careless Soul’ Clubhouse

Lauded as one of ten country stars you need to know by Rolling Stone the Nashville based, Texas-born singer/ songwriter is about to release his debut album Careless Soul, which was recorded  at the legendary Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals. He previously released two EPs in the States which were combined for release in the UK by Clubhouse Records. Fame Studios has lately attracted some contemporary country artists through its doors seeking to combine the essence of country storytelling with some soulful spiced ingredients.

Producer Michael Rinne has gathered together a selection of players from Nashville alongside renowned musician like Dave Hood, long associated with the Fame Studio. The Music City players include Skyler Wilson, Jeremy Fetzer from Steelism and some players who are set to accompany him on his upcoming tour of these isles - Smoking’ Brett Resnick on steel guitar alongside Peter Lindberg. Jordan Leaning was the man responsible for the string and horn arrangements

The music is imbued with a relaxed, southern vibe throughout but especially for the first three tracks with rolling brass and smooth backing vocals. Easy then kicks up the tempo and gets a bit more rowdy with some twangy guitar that leans towards a hint of funk too. Travelling Man is a steel guitar infused country ballad that highlights the expressive nature of Tyson’s voice. The addition of strings and horns adds a new dimension to his work and sounds like a big step forward in many ways. There are no writing credits on the promo pre-release so I assume that they are original songs though Pain In My Heart sounds not unlike the Otis Redding song of the same name. Things get more honky-tonk orientated then with Railroad Blues. Dark Dark sounds like a second cousin to the song Dark Moon while High Lonesome Hill has the feel of a traditional song that could work in a bluegrass treatment but is here inhabited by the soul of Hank Williams Sr.

Piano and brass then give Gonna Love A Woman a certain jaunty stance while Pain Reprise is a short instrumental version of Pain In My Heart. The album closes with another big ballad on which Tyson again shines with an emotive vocal performance. The song opens with strings then slowly builds with acoustic guitar and steel guitar. Like the other songs here the theme is of a love that is lost, found or strayed. Songs that are easy to understand and empathize with their universality and with the overall connnectiveness of the production and performances here; that further underscore why Cale Tyson is being picked as a name to watch for in country music circles in a way that makes the music thoroughly progressive with resorting to making it into with rap, pop or light weight faux metal. Tyson on this showing is packing a heavyweight punch.

Reviews by Paul McGee

The Wainwright Sisters 'Songs in the Dark' PIAS

Sixteen tracks spread over the best part of fifty minutes heralds the first collaboration between half-sisters Martha Wainwright and Lucy Wainwright Roche. There are five lullabies that their respective mothers,  Kate McGarrigle and Suzzy Roche, sang to them as children, plus songs by Townes van Zandt, Richard Thompson, Woody Guthrie, Jimmie Rogers, and a few traditional tunes (Long Lankin / All the Pretty Horses / Go Tell Aunt Rhody). Their shared father Loudon Wainwright III enjoys international recognition and his relative skills as a father have been chronicled elsewhere by both extended family members and media alike.

The tracks that have been described as "dark, mysterious, and beautiful" interpretations of songs.

El Condor Pasa, a musical composition from Peru and made popular by Simon & Garfunkel on their Bridge over Troubled Water record is included and there a couple of songs by Loudon and Terre Roche (Screaming Issue / Runs in the Family). Two songs, Lullaby and Lullaby for a Doll, were written by Wainwright III and Kate McGarrigle respectively.

So, the family features quite predominantly throughout and the stamp of the past is carried with great aplomb by the two main performers. Their vocal harmonies are beautifully intertwined into the simple song arrangements and melodies.

Baby Rocking Medley was written by Rosalie Sorrels and is a deliciously wry, tongue-in-cheek piece about the plight of babies in the mind of what can only be described as a twisted imaginary mid-wife.

End of the Rainbow by Richard Thompson is altogether a far darker inclusion with its refrain of ‘There’s nothing at the end of the rainbow; there’s nothing to grow up for anymore’.

Not a release that everybody will naturally gravitate towards but the understated playing and lovely harmony singing are very appealing. Quirky, different and speckled with some moments of magic; a little like the family history. 

Wendy Webb 'This is the Moment' Spooky Moon

This is the fifth release from Wendy Webb, a native of Iowa who now resides in Florida. She is a very accomplished singer-songwriter and her wonderfully rich voice contains tones reminiscent of both Carole King and Joni Mitchell. The song arrangements are very much in a contemporary Folk style and are filled with superb playing, excellent melody and rhythm.

She has elements of jazz and blues incorporated into the rich production by Danny Morgan and John McLane, which is bright and full of space for the musicians to stretch their talents. The co-producers also play on the eleven songs here and cover a diverse range of instruments including guitars, horns, organ, strings, and percussion. They are joined by Jay Heavilin (acoustic bass) and Wendy  herself playing piano and acoustic guitar.

The sweet, moody flow of tracks like My Beating Heart, Homespun, All the Boys on Saturday and I Will Remember set the atmosphere into one of gentle seduction and a knowing empathy with the melting pot of life.

Big Blue Sky is her road song about striking out for the horizon and letting life unfold along the way. Long Day in the Sun closes the record in fine style with the lines; ‘But I believe in the miracle of my life; loving endlessly, I’m forever free’. This is a fine record and the mark of a gifted, mature and talented artist.    

Silver Shoes 'Another Time Around' Mid Ear

Silver Shoes is comprised of Maureen Finlon (vocals, acoustic guitar) and John Finnigan (vocals, accordion, acoustic guitar, harmonica). For this release they are joined by Mead Turner (fiddle, harmony vocals) and guests Rick Richards (drums, percussion), Don Richmond (acoustic guitar, banjo, mandolin, weisseborn) and Jack Saunders (acoustic guitar, banjo, resonator, upright bass, harmony vocals).

Together they make a very organic sound and these eleven songs skip along, filled with plenty of fine interplay and harmony singing. The fiddle is high in the mix and adds some lovely melody lines to many of the tracks.

Call it folk-rock or alt-country, it doesn’t really matter what label you use, the overall feel is very evocative and captures simplicity in the arrangements that seems timeless. Sunrise on the Canyon is an instrumental tune and Gibson Land, Full Circle and You’re the One That I Need, have a distinct Bluegrass groove. Mother Nature’s Son (Lennon/McCartney), I’ll Be Here In the Morning (Townes Van Zandt), Tennessee Blues  (Bobby Charles)are excellent cover versions that Silver Shoes make their own and the final Stories We Could Tell(John Sebastian) takes the wheel full circle with a gentle strum and the image of back-porch gatherings. A very pleasing release and full of excellent moments in these well-chosen songs.  

Mark Davis and the Inklings 'Because There’s Nothing Outside' Bitemark

A resident of San Luis Obispo, California, this musician has 2 previous releases that have gained him a reputation as a contemporary Folk artist with a sense of reflective calm in his tunes.

This is a gentle walk through 10 tracks that have religious undertones and a sense of self searching. Mark sings with a sweet tone not unlike Neil Finn in places and the understated playing fits perfectly with these reflective mood pieces.

Your Photograph is a song about the impermanence of time and The Ground is a relationship song that fits snugly alongside Only You, another look at love, complete with string section and rising melody. Black Cloud is a track that questions our ability to embrace life and get outside ourselves. The final track Untitled brings a quiet end to affairs with soft stings and a sense of time lost in the melody. A very pleasant listen.

Reviews by Stephen Rapid

Tim Houlihan   ‘Another Orion’   Self Release

This Minneapolis, Minnesota based artist has released a debut album that has shades of The Eagles and Crosby Stills and Nash in the overall feel. Though it is released under Houlihan’s name, he is joined by his band throughout, who bring a more organic sound to the proceedings. They are featured in a group photo on the cover and are Todd Lester on drums, Paul Madsen on bass and guitarist Jon James Benson. They are joined by some guests, notably producer Kevin Bowe who is a interesting artist in his own right, recording with his band the Okemah Prophets.  Other guests include vocalists Sarah Morris and keyboard player Charlie Peterson. All in all they deliver a full, warm sounding, non-edgy, easy-to-like set of original songs.

Houlihan has composed all the songs, with a couple of co-writes, and they cover a range of tempos and moods to good effect. Producer Bowe also plays guitar and does programming on a number of tracks and generally makes sure to get the best from the songs. There is the melodic drive of the 12 string electric guitar driven Beneath The Surface Of The Well, together with the rockier takes of What’s Gonna Happen To Me and Fair Retreat. Guitars are fairly fundamental to the overall sound along with Houlihan’s confident lead vocals and the vocal harmonies which support him. All are executed with an understanding of the songs and give them their heart and soul.

There isn’t a duff track among the ten featured and while there is no one immediate stand-out there is a constancy to the album that makes it largely work in context. Nothing you have not heard before but equally for the same reasons, one that is comfortable without ever being bland. An album where the songs grow with greater familiarity and soon sound like some old friends.

John Moreland   ‘High On Tulsa Heat’   Thirty Tigers

A writer whose songs have some real depth and (broken) heart. This is Moreland’s second album after his debut, In The Throes. Moreland has again produced this set of songs and there is little gloss or application of the ‘big sound’ to the recording. Many of the songs are stripped back in instrumentation which brings them down to the essence of Moreland’s words, guitar and voice. With his leaden grey sky of a voice for the ages these songs seem filled with hardship and hard luck. That voice however is a deep and resonant vehicle, one that changes little from song to song. The arrangements are equally simple and direct - yet effective. Having said that its appeal may be limited by a certain sameness of the tempo and mood. There is little relief over the ten songs.

But like the blues there are those who will find solace and reward in these songs. It is a compelling enough album to hold your attention if you let the crafted wordsmith’s lyrics sink in and the CD has a lyric booklet that makes for a compelling read. They are opaque at times but, as such, allow one to draw subjective meaning from them.

“Baby Lay down your price break poems, while I sit and mumble at your feet. Am I a stone or a stoned kid dreaming up a closet full of crumbled teeth.” These are the opening lines of Sad Baptist Rain and are indicative of his poetic writing style. Yet, as with all the best lyricists, they make perfect sense delivered on the album either in a stripped down setting or with a full band behind him. American Flags In Black & White, another song here, tells of a reminiscence of a favoured person captured in an old photograph. Here Moreland plays all the instruments involved - guitars, bass and drums. Elsewhere he brings in upright bass, pedal steel, guitar and dobro. The latter played by Jared Tyler who also plays with another highly individual and uncompromising songwriter Malcolm Holcombe.

There is no doubt that John Moreland has his advocates as well as those who would dismiss this music out of hand. The title track and final song shows that Moreland can be musically more adventurous (there is a synth included on one track, for instance, that broadens the sonic scope of the song) and that his music is well capable of developing in different ways.

It all depends largely where John Moreland wants to take his music and what he might be comfortable with. In the meantime both his albums are rewarding excursions into an inner soul and a truthful reading of what can be found there and how a listener can find the empathy to enjoy Moreland’s personal take on life.

Aaron Watson  ‘The Underdog’  Big Label

This Texas musician has made numerous albums largely for his fan-base in the States who appreciate his take on country music. Something more rooted in the country music of the 80s and 90s than that of today’s charts. So it was interesting that this album went to the top of the Billboard country charts on its release. This is his 12th album and he is not likely to be going to change his essence at this point. Veteran producer Keith Stegall (Alan Jackson) is at the helm here with Watson and they give the album an upbeat and full on production. It was recorded in Nashville with some of the A-team players like Eddie Byers, Paul Franklin and Brent Mason.

Watson has had a hand in most of the songs either on his own or with a number of other co-writers. Names like Stegall, Troy Olsen or Jim Beavers may be familiar to some. These are songs that Watson can relate to in his life such as Bluebonnets (Julia’s Song) written his deceased child. Perhaps though the final song Fence Post can be said to sum up his whole raison d'être. It deals with his rejection by Music Row and the music they wanted him to perform. “I’d rather sing my own songs than be a puppet on a string … I’d rather be an old fence post in Texas than the king of Tennessee”.

He tells of his return to Texas where it took him a mere ten years to be an overnight sensation. Watson has stuck to his guns (or guitar) and created something he feels comfortable playing and singing. It’s country music for sure. Not the most edgy or adventurous you might find nor is it outlaw orientated but it is solid, dependable, enjoyable and versatile.

Songs like The Prayer, That’s Why God Loves Cowboys, That’s Gonna Leave A Mark and Rodeo Queen all make an impression as standouts. Real country music made for Texas dancehall and for country fans worldwide. Aaron Watson probably has enough work to keep him busy in the States but would doubtless find many fans on this side of the water too. His album equally would be well received by those who still see country music as a genre in its own right not adulterated by rap, pop and hair rock. Every underdog should have its day.

 Vince Gill  'Down To My Last Bad Habit'  MCA Nashville

I looked forward to this album. Gill’s Dublin date a while back was an exercise in how to play country music live rather than heavy rock disguised as such that we had witnessed from other Nashville big label artists. One quick listen will make you realise that this is really not just a country album, rather it is a mature take on a R’n’B sound that sees Gill give his usual customary performance as both a guitarist and singer. But, in truth, it is a far cry from some of his earlier work. It is smooth, soulful and sincere; just not the country of his previous work such as his last Bakersfield tribute album with Paul Franklin.

But Gill sounds comfortable here and listening to the songs you can see that they easily could be shifted down the dial to a more countrified setting. But as producer (with Justin Niebank) this is what Gill wanted the album to sound like. The rhythm section of Willie Weeks and Steve Jordan is bound to set the foundation for the sound. Over that you have his friend and country player Paul Franklin mixing his pedal steel with other less obvious players like Dean Parks on guitar, among others.

Vocally Gill gives a sterling vocal performance that is totally suited to his range and delivery. Perhaps one of his best in years. The songs, as mentioned, could have been tracked in several ways but here he has taken the blue-eyed soul route. A sound that he has touched on before but never to the degree he uses it as a foundation, as witnessed here. It is mature, accomplished and perfectly acceptable music that will please many of his fans with an open mind to what he places before them. At this point in his career he is perfectly entitled to engage himself with his music in any way he pleases. It will still doubtless register on the country charts but be warned that, good as it is, The Time Jumpers it ain’t.

Brothers Osborne  'Pawn Shop'  EMI Nashville

These brothers have been working and playing in Nashville for some time before getting signed to EMI Nashville. A big deal you may think but despite touring with label mate Eric Church it has taken some time for this debut album to get released. That was on the back of some success with the single Stay A Little Longer. Which itself took a long time to register in the upper reaches of the charts. Now comes the album which may best be described as more rootsy rock that country. Something that Jay Joyce’s production places (delete) emphasises. There are a lot of loud guitar breaks from brother John while J.T. is the lead vocalist. Both have presence and deliver in their own right as well as a duo. There are quite a few clips of them playing on You Tube as a duo and acoustically from which you can judge them, prior to all the studio and production shine, has taken them to a much bigger place - music wise at least.

Joined in the studio by a full band that includes guest vocals from Lee Ann Womack. These players are not the usual A-team whose names you see on most releases but a set of musicians who none-the-less deliver the necessary goods over the eleven songs. The brothers have written all the songs with a large variety of co-writers and some work better than others. Rum is another fairly typical drinking song while American Crazy is a little generic in its depiction of a common man ethos.

But in context these songs fit with the overall sound and some standout from the rest such as Stay A Little Longer with its long guitar coda at the end, something that was edited on the single version. The title track opens with acoustic instruments before kicking it up a notch or two and has a bluesy feel built around the repeat title refrain.

Loving Me Back contrasts J.T’s deep baritone with Womack’s sweeter harmony. There is more than a touch of 80s country with Greener Pastures which also works well. The penultimate song Heart Shaped Locket has a more generic structure with both brothers singing and the acoustic instruments too the fore. It is the only song other than Rum not produced by Joyce and may give some idea of how the album may have sounded in the brothers hands.

With the success the Zac Brown Band and more recently Chris Stapleton it might just be the right time for Brothers Osborne to gain some more consistent radio play and to be viewed in a more open minded way by a wider audience. While overall, though it can’t really be classified as a country album in the classic sense, it will be seen as such by many; but there is no doubt that some of these songs, with the duos musical and vocal talent, could have easily been cut that way in a different time. For now this is an album that, on its own terms, is not without its accessibility and pleasures.

Courtney Yasmineh 'Red Letter Day (Unplugged)'  Stupid Bitch

Taking the unusual step of releasing two albums of the same title this New York based singer/songwriter offers two perspectives on the same songs. It is the 5 track mini unplugged version of the songs that has gained the most attention here. The expanded 9 track full band version is not without its merits in its slightly roots, more indie rock setting, but while some the players common to both full and the unplugged versions. It is the latter that seems to give the songs more space to breathe.

It opens with Stupid With Your Love which despite lacking amplification doesn’t lack power. Something that is true of the rest of the songs here. Recorded in Minneapolis and produced by fellow player Rob Genadek the four players do Yasmineh’s self and co-written songs justice. There is percussion, bass and some electric guitar as well as acoustic guitars behind Yasmineh’s convincing and expressive voice.

I assume that it is Casey Smith adding the harmony vocals as she is not listen on the full band album. The songs are built around some solid melodies and the words are memorable enough to make an impression. These are observational songs that take love, life and travel as an axis to build the words around. Stupid With Your Love and Friend Of Mine are immediately memorable here and the other three titles are not far behind, all of which have made me return to this version many times. However if you want all more electricity and drive in the delivery also check out the far more rollicking takes on the main album too.

Yasmineh could well appeal to a wide audience with either of these two albums as her songs and expressive voice have the potential to appeal across the board in different settings. Whether you're keen on the likes of Lucinda Williams or Liz Phair or somewhere in between, then throw an ear her way.

Reviews by Paul McGee

Sugar Brown 'Poor Lazarus' Self Release

The Blues is open to all styles of interpretation with different players bringing their own unique take on what is one of the oldest forms of human expression. Born in Ohio to a Japanese father and a Korean mother, Ken Chester Kawashima, stage name Sugar Brown, sounds like he just walked out of a southern cotton-field and sat, guitar in hand, on a front porch stoop to exorcise some personal demons.

These are fourteen tracks of wonderfully restrained playing, sparse accompaniment and a production that feels just timeless. All of the tracks were recorded live-off- the- floor using analog recording techniques and in addition to a number of striking original songs, this release contains a number of covers from RL Burnside (Goin’ Down South) to Willie Dixon (Weak Brain and Narrow Mind) and Tom Waits (Get Behind the Mule). There is also a Lewis Carroll poem interpretation, The Mad Gardener’s Song Parts 1 & 2, that is very special. 

This artist gathers some wonderfully gifted musicians to accompany his unique song arrangements and the harp playing of Bharath Rajakumar, rhythm guitarist/upright bassist Joolyah Narveson, drummer Art Maky, vibes/percussion Matt Phillips - all combine to give the recording an atmospheric, authentic, laid-back groove that stays long in the memory.

Po’ Lazarus was a folk song written in 1911 and revived in the early 1960’s by both Bob Dylan and Dave Van Ronk. Moved to revisit the song in the wake of the Missouri shooting of Michael Brown and give it a modern relevance, Sugar Brown has not only served the call for social equality but also involved us in a lasting testament to the reality of blues music from its roots to the way we live in society today. A superb work and well worth checking out. 

Kristina Stykos 'Horse Thief' Thunder Ridge

Living in Vermont and working from her Pepperbox studio, this talented artist is a music producer, recording engineer, songwriter, radio host and performer. Her recording studio is solar, wind and generator powered and fully off-grid. She is founder-owner of Thunder Ridge Records and has released upwards of 20 albums for her label. So when it comes to focusing her creative muse, Kristina Stykos has plenty of experience to call upon.

This is her sixth solo project and her American roots, folk influenced rural sensibilities are fully realised by her fine musicianship on various instruments such as acoustic and electric guitars, banjo, mandolin, keyboard and bass. Great words flow out of Kristina in a stream of consciousness way on songs like Me, Myself and Moi, Talk to Me and Let It Run, with its spoken word approach.

The 13 songs on Horse Thief examine love and aging together with the strength of living a singular life on the edge of questioning our human fragility. The isolation of rural living can be fuel to the fire for a sensitive artist and these songs, with titles such as It’s Over, Heart in the Wreckage, You’ll Never Love Me and point to the direction that challenges the desire for human connection .

Sounding like Lucinda Williams meets Patti Smith in her vocal delivery is no bad thing when it comes to the passion and conviction displayed in the vocal performance here. Mix in the groove of Ani DiFranco and you have a signpost as to what is on offer. The beautiful arrangement and solo playing on  As If Tears Could Say segues into the final track, Remembering, an instrumental that highlights the great musical talent on display here. This is music of depth and vision that comes highly recommended.

Caroline Aiken 'Broken Wings Heal' Self Release

Nietzsche said ‘What doesn’t kill you makes you strong’ and the true meaning of these words was never more evident on this 12 track release from Caroline Aiken. She has released 8 albums over a music career that has seen her develop into an artist of some renown in her home city of Atlanta, Georgia and beyond.

This new release examines the relationship between mother and daughter in close up, motivated by the sad tale of her own daughter, Sarah Page Dukes, who is currently serving 10 years in prison for armed robbery. Here is no holding back in the sentiment and honesty that is on display here and if there is to be a cathartic element to the artist bearing her soul to this extent, then it has been well earned.

Deeply personal songs such as Fragile, Razor Wire, Broken Wings Heal, Everything Can Change and Saving Grace give a sense of the anguish experienced by a parent who sees their child go astray but there is also a universal element to the songs that call out to everybody who has faced difficult challenges in life. The symbolism contained in the album’s artwork of a bird being released from a cage is key to the optimism that is at the heart of the project as the artist looks to the future.

Production duties are by John Keane, who has worked extensively with R.E.M., Indigo Girls and Widespread Panic among many others. He also plays a range of instruments quite superbly on this project and is the real glue that binds everything together. Joined by a list of excellent players, including Randall Bramblett on keys, piano and saxophone, Emily Saliers of the Indigo Girls on vocals and acoustic guitar, Caroline Aiken delivers a powerful performance in her clear vocal and playing and places her talents among the best of contemporary folk singer-songwriters.

Reviews by Declan Culliton

The Whileaways ‘Saltwater Kisses’  Self Release

 The Whileaways comprises of Galway musicians Noriana Kennedy, Nicola Joyce and Noelie Mc Donnell. Kennedy and Mc Donnell had both previously recorded solo albums while Joyce sang and recorded with the folk group Grada. They combined their collective talents to record their critically acclaimed debut album Dear My Maker in 2013 to excellent reviews. Saltwater Kisses follows in a similar vein with eleven tracks, both Kennedy and Joyce have individually written four songs each and Mc Donnell three, all showcasing their exquisite three part harmonies.

By their own admission the songs are uncomplicated, delicate, intimate and easy listening with the lead vocal shared between the band members on the eleven tracks recorded on Saltwater Kisses. Very much a summer album, the breezy back porch Wake Up Sleepy Head works particularly well as does Family Well with hints towards Van Morrison in his more melodic moods. The albums strongest offering is possibly Fruit On The Vine sung by Nicola Joyce who also contributes Baritone Uke on this radio friendly song. 

The album was produced by Liam Caffrey and Eamon Brady in a lakeside house at Glencorrib near Headford Co.Galway. The listener may find the vocal sharing resulting in the album sounding a trifle disjointed but the quality of the vocals generally and the song writing should overcome any reservations.

The Blood Red Mountain Band ‘Far From Daylight’  Self Release

Delightful and refreshing debut album from Dublin five piece The Blood Red Mountain Band combining divine harmonies, fine musicianship and impressive song writing. The band consists of Mark Flynn (vocals and guitar), Sarah May Rogers (violin, strings and vocals), Alison Byrne (vocals), David Keegan on (drums and percussion) and Joeby Browne ( bass and vocals).

The album comprises twelve tracks, eleven written by band members together with a splendid cover of Maybelle Carter’s Fair and Tender Ladies. Their sound is a well-structured mix of folk, blues and country bringing to mind the dream like sound of Simone Felice’s Duke and The King on All The Times, I’ve Got You (On My Mind) and ‘Till The Wheels but also more than capable of moving up-tempo with the more rockier My Sweet Rose and Lucy Jackson (Don’t Break My Heart). The standout tracks are the haunting Trial and the beautiful cover of the aforementioned Fair and Tender Ladies.

The majority of the songs are delivered with duo or harmony vocals, not unsurprisingly as four of the band are credited as vocalists and enhanced throughout by some exquisite violin and strings by Sarah May Rogers. All in all a fine piece of work.

Hidden Treasures ‘Singer Songwriters From Home’ Hemifran 

The term singer songwriter originated from an album titled The Singer Songwriter Project released in 1965 and featuring the music of four obscure US artists, David Cohen, Dick Farina, Bruce Murdock and Patrick Sky. Prior to this recording solo artists who performed their own material were simply identified as folk singers or in some cases protest singers. 

Hidden Treasures commemorates the fiftieth anniversary since the release of The Singer Songwriter Project and aptly titled features four highly respected artists some of whom have been recording for decades but have remained somewhat under the radar. 

The artists in question are Greg Copeland, Keith Miles, Barry Oldman and Bob Cheevers and their varying styles contribute to what is a wonderful seventy minutes of roots music. Greg Copeland has been recording for many years and has co-written with Jackson Browne. Among the artists that have recorded Copeland’s songs are The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Peter, Paul and Mary. His 1982 release Revenge Will Come was produced by Jackson Browne and was followed over twenty five years later by the Greg Leisz produced Diana and James.

Nashville resident Keith Miles has recorded two albums, What It Was They Became (2006) and Beyond the Headlights (2009) both on the House of Trout label. His tracks for the Hidden Treasures album were recorded in Nashville by Poco member Jack Sundrud and Bill Halverson.

Barry Ollman recorded his debut album What’ll It Be in 2014 and features Graham Nash and E-Street Band bassist Garry W Tallent. Ollman recorded his contributions to Hidden Treasures in hometown Loveland, CO.

Austin resident since relocating from Nashville in 2008, Bob Cheevers was awarded the accolade of Singer Songwriter of The Year in 2011 for his album Tall Texas. Hardly an overnight success Tall Texas was Cheevers eleventh album but his first recorded in Austin whose music scene was more sympathetic to Cheevers style than that of Nashville.

The albums list of contributors is certainly impressive featuring Jackson Browne, John Fullbright, Bill Harverson, Greg Leisz, David Lindley, Spooner Oldham, Tim O’Brien, James Raymond, Patrick Sky, and Garry W Tallent among others.

The songs performed by Greg Copeland feature his relaxed spoken like singing style very much in keeping with that of Leonard Cohen, particularly of the song Mistaken for Dancing. Patrick Sky, one of the artists featured on the original 1965 album, plays uilleann pipes on the opening track by Copeland (Wait for Me).

Bob Cheevers contribution to the album include The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, possibly the stand out track on the album. Other Cheever’s songs Progress are delivered with his trademark vocal style, very much in the style of the Willie Nelson vibrato.

The inclusions by Barry Ollman, in particular Longtime Friend and Murmuration, are rooted in more commercial territory than the other artists work. Beautifully crafted with catchy hooks similar in sound to the work of Gary Louris.

Of all the four artists featured on the album Keith Miles is probably the most traditional in the singer songwriter genre. Uncomplicated songs such as Kerouac, Playing Your Guitar and a Cab Calloway sounding Ask Me Tomorrow are included. All have divergent styles yet a surprisingly coherent body of work that is well worth investigating.

Bettysoo ‘When We’re Gone’ Self Released

When We’re Gone is the seventh album released by Texas resident Korean-American Bettysoo. She has been recording for over a decade at this stage without unfortunately making the commercial break through that the quality of her output deserves. 

Similar to her earlier work, the album deals  primarily with tales of loss, desperation, loneliness, strive and break up. Very little of the upbeat for the listener but all beautifully crafted songs, often dominated by the silky cello playing of Brian Standefer who together with Bettyloo produced the album at his studio in Buda Texas. Other notable Texas musicians that appear on the album include Glenn Fukunage on bass, Dave Terry on drums, Will Sexton on guitar and Lloyd Maine’s who adds pedal steel on Last Night.

Bettysoo’s often fragile vocal is so well suited to her material. 100 Ways of Being Alone opens with lyrics that set the scene for much of what follows: It’s the brother that never writes anymore /The uncle you never heard mentioned before / The dad you didn’t know left when you were born / A mother who leaves her child behind the store. 

Much to enjoy on the album in particular standout tracks being 100 Ways Of Being Alone, The Things She Left Home With and Love Is Real, all of which bring to mind the work of Kathleen Edwards, hardly a bad thing.

The album signs off with the beautiful and haunting Lullaby which closes with a particularly striking cello and flute instrumental.

Reviews by Stephen Rapid

 

Rod Picott ‘Fortune’ - Welding Rod

At this point, some eight albums into his career, Rod Picott is something of a veteran of the trials and tribulations that face the independent working troubadour. A lifestyle that is often not conducive to steady relationships or a settled life. But what it does is to give Picott a personal insight into the lives he sees around him, as well as his own. Such events that occur are distilled into a set of songs that speak true to the turmoil and equal tenderness that we all can encounter along the way. 

The first song here, is Maybe That’s What It Takes, allows that the knocks received can often be a catalyst to something else. Equally This World Is a Dangerous Place sums up the caution required to navigate through an uneven path. I Was Not Worth Your Love admonishes a former partner for trying to make him something he wasn’t until the relationship turned him into something that ironically might have fit the requirements. 

Later in the album things get a little more positive in outlook with I’m On Your Side but overall the gaze is cast downward. Uncle John refers to a relative who was a charachter but with whom he no longer has any contact. Jeremiah is also about loss. Spare Change shows how a little money might have helped in certain situations. These are songs that on the surface might seem to be drawing down the darkness. Something perhaps summed up by a line in Drunken Barber’s Hand (“…this world has been shaved by a drunken barber’s hand” - something it is not hard to agree with). However Picott has enough inbuilt humanity in his music to make these songs a simple, life-affirming experience.

Produced by Picott and Neilson Hubbard it has a a selection of players will to make these songs work in a stripped back but effective way. Will Kimbrough is a player well used to using his talent to best find the emotion of the songs. He is joined by the rhythm section of Lex Price and Hubbard himself on drums. They create a suitably unsettled setting for these songs which are essentially built around Picott’s voice and nylon stringed guitar. The end result is one Picott can be justifiably be proud of and one that draws the listener in to, in turn, get much out of.

Johnny Selfish & The Worried Men ‘Calle Salvaje’ - Rivertale

This Italian band have made a joyous, uptempo fun album that they describe as a tribute to inspirations such as Hank Williams Sr, Ennio Morricone and Mano Negra as well as movie heroes like Clint Eastwood and Sam Peckinpah. This is the bands fourth album. A nine track mix of covers and what I assume are original songs (as there are no writing credits included). The covers include Williams’ Alone and Forsaken and the Bill Monroe associated A.P. Carter song Working On A Building. These songs are delivered in English while others such as Vaquerito and El Gringo are in Spanish.

There is a mix of instruments used from electric guitar, banjo, double bass through to kazoo and Mariachi-styled trumpets. The end result is varied enough to keep the whole thing moving along in a spirited, almost Pogues-like folk/punk take on their influences. There nothing particularly ground breaking going on here, rather it is the spirit and energy with which the songs are performed that makes it a diverting listen and one that should bring a smile to your face. Can’t ask for a lot more than that sometimes.

Malcolm Holcombe ‘Another Black Hole’ - Proper

Following hot on the heels of his RCA sessions album comes this new one from Mr. Holcombe. He seems very prolific of late with a whole bunch of new songs delivered in that battered, gritty and distinctive voice that is uniquely his. It is a folk/blues Americana mix that brings together his usual crew of Ken Coomer, Jared Tayler and Dave Roe alongside Drea Merritt on some vocal harmonies and Tony Joe White on some swampy guitar.

Those who know (and love) Holcombe’s work will be happy to get know these new songs. As in the past there are others who can’t get passed the voice. All has been brought together by Brian Brinkerhoff and Ray Kennedy’s sturdy production. The latter also engineered, mixed and mastered the album. The playing through is top notch and gives added depth and texture to these songs that look up to the sky and higher, from a position that is much closer to the street and those that live there. People who may just get by, who have few expectations but somehow manage to see some grace. This feeling may well be summed up in Siobhan Maher-Kennedy’s cover illustration.

The hard-scrabble blues on offer may not appeal to all but it has dignity and a purpose and the assembled players know how to bring the tales of woe to a sunnier side of the street even if Holcombe’s voice seems to sit on the grittier side of Tom Waits. He offers nothing here but his own truth and his hard held beliefs and some very credible music. Something that has always given Malcolm Holcombe his edge with his coterie of admirers and friends.

Jimmy Ruggiere ‘A Heartache Couldn’t Happen To A Nicer Guy’ - Blue Streak

A harmonica player who recorded a lot with Travis Tritt steps up the the centre mic for his debut album. The album is produced in Austin, Texas by Chris Gage. Gage is a multi-instrumentalist who is no stranger to the studio as artist, player or producer. He has gathered together some equally seasoned players such as Paul Percy on drums and percussion, Warren Hood on fiddle and Lloyd Maines on pedal steel to bring their individual talents to these self-written songs.

Ruggiere has a solid warm vocal style that may not be a totally distinctive one but is one well able to deliver his songs, which fall into an easy to like feel but also ones that have their fair share of heartbreak themes. As witnessed by songs like the title song, I Want To Wake Up Stoned and I Cried All The Way To Fort Worth. There are songs that find him wanting to get back to his lady (Ninety Miles From Nashville) as well a tribute to a man who was an important part of everyone’s life - not just Ruggiere’s (Going Home to Say Goodbye To Dad).

He is obviously a skilled harmonica player and the instrument features throughout the album to good effect as does his acoustic guitar. There are a mix of tempos over the album as well as some nice textures from Jimmy Shortell’s trumpet, c overing different moods in Sunday’s Broken, which has a late night feel, or the border overtones of There’s One Too Many Pretty Girls in Tucson.

A Heartache Couldn’t Happen To A Nicer Guy is an accessible and easy listen given its’ undemanding or non-edgy style of country music. In itself it is one that would please a wide audience with it’s solid production, playing and personality. Jimmy Ruggiere comes across as a man who enjoys making this music as much as many will enjoy hearing it. So any success his debut album might find likely couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.

Reviews by Stephen Rapid

Gill Landry ‘Self-titled’ - ATO

For his third solo album the former Old Crow Medicine Show member explores some of the same ground that influenced that band but also further expands his horizons. He produced this album of largely self-written songs performed with a select group of players that include Jamie Dick on drums as well as Ross Holmes on fiddle and Skylar Wilson and Robert Ellis on guitar. Landry himself plays guitar, bass, pedal steel, harmonium and harmonica as required. But it is the songs that resonate with everyone involved serving those.

The album opens with the slightly ominous Funeral In My Heart a song that asks the question “why do good things have to die” in a tone that suits that sentiment. Just Like You which follows takes an opposite view given it considers in an uncertain time the thing that helps most is “knowing someone just like you is alive.” The songs are all essays on trying to figure life out in a way that makes sense and while they are at times opaque and poetic, the overall feel suggests that the heart wins out. Throughout Landry’s vocal is both powerful and poignant. He uses the experience he has gained to this point to illuminate the songs with a restrained and pained passion. Lost Love, Bad Love and Long Road are all songs that attest to the force and follies of love.

The music is infused with dust and faded light but manages to illuminate some of the darker corners that the songs suggest. Musically it is innovative and touches a variety of moods and incorporates with the mainly mid-paced songs of both the past and future. Particularly attractive is the sultry border feel of Fennario with its border brass, Spanish guitar and heavy percussion. Overall, an album that will establish Landry as being at the forefront of contemporary Americana.

Jane Kramer ‘Carnival Of Hopes’ - Self Release

Her debut album was rooted in folk music but for her second album has taken that music as a foundation to build on. At the heart, these songs come from that tradition but the textures and brushstrokes are broader. Producer Adam Johnson embellishes the songs with the sounds of brass, keyboards upright bass and drums as well as a selection of guitars, dobro, mandolin and banjo.

Kramer has a voice that has a number of tones within its range that give the songs their personality. No doubt an extension of Kramer herself. She is the author of all the songs here other than Down South which was written by Tom Petty. A good choice that fits well with her songs and is in itself a standout that highlights the strength of Petty’s melodic writing. A highlight of her own writing is the song Good Woman, outlining the negative qualities of the lady in question who herself understands the reasons, but who would still like to be a good woman.

In other songs she looks for Truth Tellin’ Eyes, for Truck Stop Stars and truth learned from Highways, Rivers & Scars but all with a need to explore the Carnival Of Hopes. Songs that build around such emotions, use that folk setting to create the heart of the songs while the acoustic instruments entwine with the rhythm section and effective use of occasional jazzy brass (Why’d I Do That Blues). All of which makes for an interesting album that rewards a closer listen and suggest that Kramer is an artist who will steadily grow.

The Nouveaux Honkies ‘Blues For Country’ - Self Release

The title track outlines the perceived dilemma for the band on the opening song. Deciding that they are too blues for county and too country for the blues. Not however that many listeners will have that problem with this accomplished band. Fiddle is well to the fore as are the voices of the band founding duo Tim O’Donnell and Rebecca Dawkins. They are rounded out by Pat Manse on percussion, Nate Rowe on double bass and guest Lloyd Maines on pedal steel for three songs.

The blues side of what they do however is not predominately evident and the honky tonk side is the one that largely holds sway. The blues is an influence in the way that jazz was a big part of western swing but that music still had its own individual identity. The duo’s voices blend well together and Dawkin’s violin is a mainstay of the sound of a band of very accomplished players. The songs are a mix of originals (largely by O’Connell) and some covers such as a straight up but evocative version of Townes van Zandt’s Pancho and Lefty.

The couple have been plying their trade for some time now and their extended life on the road is the subject of several songs from the title through Life Ain’t Easy and Two Doors Down From Paradise - a song which features twice at the end of the album with the reprise version being an extended instrumental coda that runs as one continuous piece. It’s a tale of recovering from the of work and unwinding  from a previous night and slowly getting one’s self back to a place where function and reason returns  - at least till that night.

The Nouveaux Honkies play around Florida and surely have built up a following in the region but on the strength of this, their latest album, could easily gain a wider following. They are not a retro recreation of the sound of an earlier era but rather have developed a sound that is grounded in a traditional sound but one that incorporates sounds from other genres and times to create something that is distinctive and a delight.

Lori Yates ‘Sweetheart Of The Valley’ - Self Release

This album finds Lori Yates at her best and in total control of her creative output after the experience of being signed to a major label (CBS) in the US back in 1989. Then the Steve Buckingham produced album had songs from interesting writers like Nick Lowe, Paul Kennerely alongside some co-writes from Yates herself. It was a fine debut but didn’t take her to stardom. Now it would seem she is continuing making traditional sounding country music and doing so with heart and soul and doing it her way.

For this album, which was produced by Yates and David Gavan Baxter, she teamed up with the members of Hey Stella. They were a band that Yates was a member of from the late 90s to the 2002. That included Baxter as well as Blue Rodeo bassist Bazil Donovan and drummer Michelle Josef who played with Prairie Oyster. Add to those players such guests as Steve Wood on pedal steel and guitarist Stephen Miller and you have a pretty ace unit to deliver Yates songs.

Here Yates particularly shines with her own songs with her measured, focused and thrilling voice. One that has matured into a distinctive and individual instrument. The songs range from Trouble in the Country which reflects on her time in Nashville and a less than welcoming meeting with Billy Sherill. Then aside from some effective ballads there are more up-tempo rockabilly tempered workouts. Much of which reflects the more open attitudes that prevailed in the mainstream as the 80s turned to the 90s and wider range of influences broadened the horizons of the genre with losing sight of its traditional base.

There are many highlights here from the effective guitar that underscores Call My Name to Corktown where Yates’ voice is joined by a chorus of Tequila lubricated throats recorded live in a hospitable tavern. There are songs that come from a very personal place such as Shiloh about meeting her father for the first time when she was 40. The atmospheric What The Heart Wants is another brooding ballad that conveys a desperate passion with conviction. 

Sweetheart of the Valley is an excellent album all round and just makes you wonder just how much such good music can pass you by. But don’t let this one do that as it is very easy to fall for this particular sweetheart.

Texas Martha and The House of Twang ‘Long Way From Home’ - Self Release

This Texas born singer songwriter now lives in Bordeaux in France. There she fronts her own band The House Of Twang and they play an intoxicating blend of country, country rock, blues and folk, a true amalgamation of American roots music. An acoustic sideline is to be found with Mountain High, a band she also fronts. She is planning a new release later this year but her current album Long Way From Home is a summation of her music to date.

Martha Fields Galloway has written all ten songs here and fronts the band playing acoustic guitar and delivering with a strong vocal presence found throughout the album. The album was recorded in France and the band provides bass, drums, guitar, pedal steel and keyboards. They open with the driving riff of Born To Boogie a strong statement of intent. There then follows a selection of songs that are all powered by a tight energy that musically covers all the bases mentioned.

The title track takes the foot off the throttle for the first part of the song before picking up the pace. Lover’s Lane is a ballad that looks at the journey love can take you on. Johanna has some nice Hammond and is a mid-paced reflection on a person’s life. That mood is continued on Streets Of Bordeaux an ode to her new home sung partly and appropriately in French. One of the best vocals on the albums is delivered in Where The Red Grass Grows, a song that is about place and purpose.

Of the final three songs Strike has a bluesy, bar-room feel while Do As You Are Told has some effective pedal steel guitar for a song that asks that the lady in question follows the dictate of the title. Like the opening song the closing title Gotta Move has a solid groove that’s suits the title and the traveling on nature of the lyric. Overall a very commendable album that hits all the right notes and sets Martha Fields up for her next Texas recorded album Southern White Lies. She is making music that keeps on movin’ on.

Eric Church ‘Mr. Misunderstood’ - EMI

One of the more engaging of the current crop of Music Row mavericks Eric Church has delivered an unheralded album which arrives with no credits at all in the booklet. The only clue to the content style may be the Les Paul guitar featured in one of the photographs. Those credits however can be found online. The production is by Jay Joyce a producer often noted for his more edgy productions. However it is only on checking the lyrics online on his website that you can confirm that Church has a hand in all these songs. The sound is more towards a more heartland rock feel than anything traditionally country. There are no hints of pedal steel or fiddle here. Banjo being the only obviously non rock instrument to feature.

Given all that it is a strong album that continues Church’s progress to a more mainstream, crossover rock orientated sound with a more roots related feel to some tracks. Nothing wrong with that of course and this is a place where his audience is happy to follow him to. He underlines this, to a degree, in the title track where he identifies with those who were “always left out, never fit in”. The song also makes reference to Elvis Costello, Ray Wylie Hubbard and Jeff Tweedy while stating a love for his daddy’s vinyl collection. In Record Year another song that makes reference to musical influences he pays tribute to some country legends Jones and Jennings, Hank and Willie Nelson as well as James Brown in a song where a bad relationship sees the protagonist turn to his records for some much needed sympathy and salvation.

It is only by track 6 with Round Here Buzz that the song takes on a more obvious roots/country feel. Holding My Own is another song that has a less intense feel and again makes reference to loving blues and soul music while holdin’ his own space and track position. The album closes with Three Year Old wherein he looks to the simple needs and wants of a three year old to learn something for his own life. Its understated delivery closes the album on a note that resonates more quietly rather than ringing the ears that some of rockier tracks might. Mr. Misunderstood may well help Eric Church to a wider understanding of his aims, views and musical outlook. Something that he seems to have taken control of. Which can be no bad thing overall.

Reviews by Declan Culliton

Bobby Gentry ‘Southern Gothic’ – Humphead

Not always given credit for her formidable influence in Country music, Bobby Gentry was the first female artist in the mid 60’s to write and produce much of her own material. Reported to have been writing songs before her teenage years, Gentry studied philosophy at U.C.L.A. California prior to transferring to study music at The Los Angeles Conservatory of Music in 1964 at the age of 20.

She signed to Capital Records Nashville in 1967 and recorded her debut single the bluesy Mississippi Delta. However it was the B side to that single Ode To Billie Joe that launched Gentry’s career practically overnight and eventually sold over three million copies, establishing her as a favourite both on country music radio and in the pop music stations. It actually knocked The Beatles’ All You Need Is Love off the Number 1 spot in the American charts. The song’s tale of Billy Joe Mc Allister’s suicide and the dark secret shared by him and his lover sounds as fresh and vital today as it did in 1967 and resulted in Gentry winning three Grammy Awards including Best New Artist and Best Female Vocalist.

In an attempt to capitalise on the success of the single Capital recorded the album of the same title in 1967. The following year saw the release of Local Gentry and The Delta Sweete to disappointing sales. A duo album with Glen Campbell was also released that year and entered to Top 20 album Charts after the somewhat disappointing earlier solo albums.

Touch ‘Em With Love, released in 1969 owed more to Memphis than Nashville with its R 'n' B feel and included a  Number 1 single in the UK with the Bacharach/David composition I’ll Never Fall In Love Again. The UK success earned Gentry a BBC television variety show before returning to perform at Los Vegas headlining a nightclub revue.

Three further albums were released by Capital, Fancy in 1970, Patchwork and Sittin’ Pretty/Tobacco Road in 1971 after which Gentry concentrated on her Los Vegas career.

Southern Gothic is a comprehensive musical overview of Gentry’s career and its fifty tracks capture many of her inspirational songs such as Ode To Bobby Joe, Okolona River Bottom Band, Mississippi Delta, I Saw An Angel Die, Courtyard and Morning Glory. Also included are some less appealing cover versions including The Beatle’s Here, There and Everywhere and Fool on The Hill and a cheesy cover of Scarborough Fair as a duo with Glen Campbell.

A compilation, at least, of Bobby Gentry’s work is an essential requirement for anyone with an interest in country music of the 60’s and this package is as good a place as any to start. 

Chris Laterzo ‘West Coast Sound’ – Yampa

On first play you could be forgiven for assuming you had just listened to a ‘lost’ Neil Young album, probably recorded in the late 70’s,possibly between Comes A Time and  Rust Never Sleeps. Whether it’s the driving west coast sound of the title track, the sleepy acoustic Something Blue, the pedal steel and harmonica drenched Echo Park or the tongue in cheek Subaru, there is so much to enjoy on this album.

The album features Laterzo on vocal, guitars and harmonica, Dan Wistrom and Bret Jensen on guitars, Jeff LeGore on bass, Ron Pak on drums and Rami Jaffee on organ with the tracks recorded in a number of studios in California.

West Coast Sound is the fifth album recorded by the Los Angeles resident. A recording artist since 1997, his debut album, American River, was produced by Danny Weston Jnr., who also added drums to the recording. Since then he  recorded a further three albums prior to this release including the self-produced and engineered Driftwood in 2004

"Hey Honey let’s sing our son Yellow Submarine and that tune by Neil Young for sweet cowboy dreams"-  Laterzo sings in Echo Park. So with the questionable quality of Neil Young’s recent recordings it’s interesting that  Laterzo, in a similar vein to artists such as Israel Nash and Rich Hopkins, continue to record albums of a quality that you’d love Young current output to equal.

A relentless touring artist, both solo and with his band The Buffalo Robe to support his career, Laterzo has recorded for me, one of the most satisfying alternative country albums of 2015.

Scott Krokoff ‘Realizations & Declarations Volume 2’ – Self Release

Scott Krokoff previously played in a New York 90’s band Equinox which basically consisted of Krokoff and college friends. They recorded four albums before disbanding. Krokoff proceeded to pursue a solo career and  recorded his debut album A Better Life released in 2007. This collection of songs Realizations & Declarations is a project featuring two EP’s released as Volume 1 & 2.

Realizations & Declarations Volume 1, released in 2012, featured four tracks and was followed earlier this year by Volume 2 which includes six new songs and a reworking of Sparrows, a song which appeared on his debut album.

Similar in style to his debut Volume 2, emphasises Krokoff’s ability to write radio friendly and well crafted songs probably best categorised in the power pop genre. Indeed opening tracks The Right Place and Because of You bring to mind the work of Fountains of Wayne with satisfying jangly guitar riffs dominating.

The recording was produced by Bob Stander who also played bass and features an impressive list of musicians including former Wings drummer Steve Holly, who has also worked with Dar Williams. Paul Errico, who plays keyboards and accordion, has worked with Steve Forbert. While Shawn Murray and Mark Newman, both members of the late Willy DeVille’s band, both contribute on drums and dobro.

All in all an impressive set of songs, catchy, immediate and very listenable by an artist quite capable of writing quality pop music. However, the seperate releases left the writer wondering whether the release of both EP’s as a full album might have had a greater impact.

The Midnight Union Band ‘Of Life and Lesser Evils’ – Self Release

The Midnight Union Band have earned a reputation as one of the hardest working and  promising  live Irish roots bands in recent years. Visitors to The annual Kilkenny Roots Festival in recent years would be familiar with them and their music. There they played to packed venues, their performances, with more than a nod to The Band and Little Feat, are lively, soulful and showcase their combined musical skills.

Would it be possible to translate their live performances to the studio? The answer is a resounding yes based on their debut album Old Life and Lesser Evils. The band consists of vocalist, acoustic guitar and harmonica player Shane Joyce, Peter Flynn on various keyboards, Brian Mc Grath on bass, Cian Doolan on electric guitar and mandolin and drummer John Wallace.

From the opening track Your Leader to the magnificent seven minute closing track and album highlight  But I Am The Night The Midnight Union band manage to recreate the sound so uplifting in their live shows. The album contains  an additional ten tracks are, other  standouts being the funky Stormy Thoughts, People Like You which are given a fuller sound in the studio with the addition of trumpet played by Aidan Kelly and Law Ain’t Justice expanded by some delightful pedal steel.

A more than satisfying debut album and a further indication of the wealth of talented young Irish acts with the potential to make a significant breakthrough in the music industry. 

Reviews by Paul McGee

The Burns Sisters 'Looking Back' - Self Release

The Burns Sisters are an American folk music group from Ithaca, New York who have released a number of albums over their many years in the music industry. The group currently comprises sisters Marie and Annie and their sibling harmonies are a joy to experience on this latest release of 12 thoughtful and gently arranged tunes.

This new collection is inspired by their Irish roots and influenced by American Folk song interpretations. With song arrangements that are restrained and full of excellent playing, Jim Kimball (Reba McEntire, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw,  Martina McBride, Dolly Parton, Wynonna Judd, Lee Ann Womack, Tricia Yearwood, Shelby Lynn, LeAnn Rimes, Carol King) oversees the project as engineer, mixing and mastering and also playing beautiful guitar parts across the tracks here.

The Irish influence of Uilean Pipes and flutes and whistles is provided with calm assurance by Blackie O’Connell, Joanie Madden and Seamus Egan. Violin and mandolin are played by Stuart Duncan and Don Kerse (bass) and Daryl Burgess (drums, percussion) provide a steady pulse to the arrangements.

Clare to Here (Ralph McTell) and Oh Danny Boy (Frederick Weatherly) are examples of the quality on display here with soaring performances and Kilkelly (Peter Jones) plus Free Born Man (Ewan McColl) touch on the forgotten history of people forced to compromise their local customs.

Both sisters are no slouches when it comes to song-writing and produce some impressive examples in Mothers’ Ode, Workhouse and To Live Again.

Far From My Home has a touch of the Corrs about the up-tempo arrangement and is the most commercial track here and the beautiful I Would, written by Daryl Burgess and Liz Hengher, is a real stand-out among what is a sublime collection of musical highlights. Recommended.

The Mulligan Brothers - 'Self-Titled' - Southern Roots

This is the debut album released in June 2013 by the Mulligan Brothers and one that created an instant market of enthusiastic fans across the country. The media exposure has led to greater opportunity for his four-piece who are neither related or indeed named ‘Mulligan’- a strange fact and one which leads to questions about how exactly they came up with such a band name ...?

Earlier this year they released their second album, Via Portland, which has been reviewed elsewhere on this site. It was produced by Steve Berlin of Los Lobos fame and has confirmed their growing status as real contenders.

Ross Newell (lead vocals, guitar and songwriter); Gram Rea (fiddle, mandolin, viola, harmonica and vocals); Ben Leininger (bass and vocals) and Greg DeLuca (drums and vocals) make up the band and their playing is really compelling with a blend of alt-country, blues, and folk that sounds wonderfully loose, yet tight and spontaneous at the same time.

Ross Newell has been blessed with a superb voice, with great tone and a languid quality that gives an added edge to the words that deal with stories of the rural towns across America and the lives that inhabit the farms, factories and streets. These songs evoke plenty of images of common folk just trying to get a foothold on life’s ladder.

Thrift Store Suitcase and Momma Gets My Soul and two wonderful examples of song-writing at its finest while Sensible Shoes is a reflection of city life and the alienation suffered in the effort to keep running the race. Kaleidoscope is a stand out song of heartbreak and self-doubt and Come To Me is a melancholic song of longing. Well worth a visit and a debut to enhance any music collection.   

Norma MacDonald 'Burn the Tapes'- Self Release

From the opening strains of Company and the easy pedal steel refrain the listener is invited into the magical world of Norma MacDonald. She has been blessed with a voice that is sweetly seductive and filled with restrained yearning. This is her fourth solo album and each release bears the mark of a developing artist of the highest quality.

This is the first time that Norma takes control as sole producer and the results are a testament to her insight and her keen ability to identify just the right balance in the song arrangements and the sparse feel of the production.  Her words explore relationships and the loneliness of lives lived on the edge (Blue as a Jay  & You Can’t Carry It Around).

Before We Say Goodnight is a song that visits a couple who stand at an uneasy  threshold while Lighten Up, a duet with Gabe Minnikin, speaks to a lover in terms of heavy hearts and the weight of experience. Daysleeper is a soft tempo shuffle with some lovely dobro parts and a failed  attempt to real commitment at the core of the song.

Springsteen is visited in the song To Nebraska which has a haunting quality and reflects on a night of quiet examination and a hope for the future. Accidental Guest has a slow groove and looks at living life with no expectations or ambition. The closing track Hard To Get Back sings of trying to return home - but perhaps the only way is forward into the light and it is the momentum that keeps us going.

Atmospheric, understated and quietly self-assured in all that it delivers, this is a release which deserves great praise and should help to bring Norma MacDonald to greater media attention

The Paperboys 'At Peace With One’s Ghosts' - Self Release

This is the seventh release from Canadian band the Paperboys who formed in 1991 and have had a very fluid history of members coming and going over the years. The current line- up includes original founding member Tom Landa (vocals, Guitar, Jarana, Bass, Percussion, Ukulele) who also co-produced the project with Bill Buckingham.

The other musicians in the band are Kareem Kandi (sax), Kalissa Landau (fiddle, vocals), Sam Esecson (drums, percussion) Geoffrey Kelly (flute, whistle) and Brad Gillard (bass, banjo). There are also a healthy number of guest musicians, 12 in all, who add greatly to the excellent song arrangements and give the overall production a compelling sound.

Credited with playing a Folk Rock influenced music they really defy any such category and slot more easily into  World Music with a blend of Celtic folk, bluegrass, Mexican, Eastern European, African, zydeco, soul and country influences. A truly eclectic ensemble and a musical sound that is celebratory and full of exemplary playing and performance.

Labels can be so constraining and the only barometer you need for a Paperboys record is a finely tuned set of ears and plenty of room in your listening area to dance in. Infectious and exhilarating, the band burst into life with Mexican Son Jarocho music blended with Irish jigs and reels and Ska, Reggae grooves and African rhythms mix with bluegrass and country.

The fiddle based groove of Back To You, a song of returning home to a child kicks things off in fine style and there is a joyful feel to Spanish songs Mismo Latido and Nunca Jamas, while the one cover song, Don’t Want to Know (John Martyn) is given a polished Latino groove that works really well.

Better Than the Last is a song which reflects on the New Year and hopes for a better future, while Rest of my Days is a moving tribute to a close relation who is close to death. Fake It sings about the need to be honest with yourself in a relationship and acknowledging real feelings and The Monarch Set (trad) mixes an Irish/Latino groove complete with driving Horn section. The set finishes with The Pugilist, an instrumental that has a real mini Riverdance groove.

The band describe it well when they say they are a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, multi-generational, multi-lingual, multi-instrumental, genre bending, co-ed band. Long may his collective continue to make such wonderful sounds.

Mandolin’ Brothers 'Far Out' - Ultra Sound

This Italian band has been playing roots rock music since 1979 and has a number of previous releases in their portfolio. The six musicians integrate really well and play up a storm on tracks like Someone Else which has an Allman Brothers groove to it. 

Confident players across a range of instruments including guitars, slide & steel, organ, accordion, piano, double bass, drums, harp and mandolin; the easy pace of Circus is a fine song that highlights the talent on display. I don’t know what the local scene is like for country music in Italy but this band would not be out of place were they to relocate to the southern States and play a residency in a city that would take them to their hearts. 

Nightmare in Alamo is another fine tune that drives along to an acoustic/electric guitar riff that highlights the vocals of Jimmy Ragazzon. Thirteen songs including titles such as Bad Liver Blues, Black Oil and Ask the Devil – and they sound as good as their titles. Stirring stuff and a great listen.

Brad Absher & Swamp Royale 'Lucky Dog' - Montrose

This is the 5th release from Brad Absher, a singer- songwriter who dishes up a fine combo of blues, soul and gospel influenced music with his band, Swamp Royale, across the 12 tracks included here.

Some tasty slide guitar kicks off proceedings on Woman Who Loves Me and is followed by the excellent brass section playing on I Need a Drink. Hammond organ duels with electric guitar on several tracks and the musical expertise of the players can be heard to best effect on covers of Same Love (Bill Withers), Miss Your Water (William Bell) and Rather Be Blind (Leon Russell).

Over the course of 20 years this musician has gained a respect among his peers and his sound resembles the best of soulful, swamp blues with a groove that keeps the arrangements dynamic and heartfelt. With 6 covers I think that Brad would benefit by including more of his own songs; Wanna Be Your Man, Not Tonight and Memphis On the Way are great self-penned tracks, but this is a small gripe as the entire recording sits together effortlessly with gritty vocals augmented by sweet backing singers and the swell of organ, brass section and inventive backline playing all add up to an impressive release. 

Hardin Burns 'Down the Deep Well' - Ithica

This musical duo consists of guitarist Andrew Hardin and vocalist Jeannie Burns and this is their second release since they met in 2009. Self released debut, Lounge, appeared in 2012 and included nine original songs and a cover of George Harrison’s Beware of Darkness. This release is along similar tracks with ten songs all co- written with the exception of a cover of Richard Thompson’s Walking on a Wire. Co-produced by Gabe Rhodes, who also adds accordion, guitar and keyboards; the sound is acoustic based with fine vocal harmonies and excellent interplay among the musicians.

Andrew Hardin has had a long association with songwriter Tom Russell and has also recorded with artists Jimmy LaFave, Eliza Gilkyson and Malcolm Holcombe among others. He has also recorded a number of solo projects. 

Jeannie Burns performed as one of the Burns Sisters for over twenty years and they released eight albums in addition to touring as back- up singers for Arlo Guthrie. She released an excellent solo album Coming Up Close in 2000.Their traditional style combines folk and country with a blend that is easy on the ear with Jeannie’s bluesy vocals complimented by Andrew’s sensitive guitar playing.

Gentle Rain, Get Back Home and Wave of your Hand are all examples of the restrained playing on display and with an easy groove, the entire recording sails along on a wave of quiet calm.

Dave McGraw & Mandy Fer 'Martitime' - Self Release

This duo initially met in Flagstaff, Arizona during 2010 before relocating to the Pacific Northwest and released their debut, Seed of a Pine, in 2012. Dave McGraw had previously spent a decade as a wildlife biologist and has released a number of albums both solo and with band, Crow Wing. Mandy Fer travelled in Spain, where she studied music, language and local culture. Her first release was in 2010 after years of paying her dues. 

This collection of 12 songs has most credits going to McGraw with 6 tacks and 3 co-writes with Fer, who chips in with 3 songs of her own. The project was recorded over 8 days in North-West Washington in a quiet forest, located on an island. Maritime has a gentle folk lilt to the songs with restrained playing from the ensemble of 6 musicians and contains great vocal harmonies from Dave & Mandy. Just like a snapshot of rural life, you get a sense and feel of their surroundings where the recording took place. Hushed and simple, the arrangements are coloured with Fer’s soulful delivery adding character to the songs. 

How the Sea is a fine example of this with some nice electric guitar lines from this talented lady. Dark Dark Woods carries on a similar theme of enduring love and the passing of time. The lyrics are quite obscure but paint images of nature, both human and wild, where the invisible is just as important as what the eye can see and the heart feel. Silence and Conspiracy of Ravens are songs that feel like we have been given a peek into a secret world of lonely reflection. Lots of imagery with sea, rain, birds and the moon featuring and overall, an interesting listen.

Millpond Moon 'Time to Turn the Tide' -Tikopia

This duo from Norway has one previous release, Broke in Brooklyn, which was greeted with much critical acclaim in 2012. The talents of Kjersti  Misje, guitar & vocals, blend seamlessly with  Rune Hauge also on guitars and vocals and the supporting players are very expressive and inventive in the subtle sounds and colour they bring to the arrangements. The production is very warm and the music blends light jazz with country and folk leanings. 

Both vocalists are excellent as they trade lyric lines, never more so than on the salutary race tale of Lena Baker and the opening cover of Bob Dylan’s Forever Young.  There is also a great cover of Robbie Robertson’s All La Glory and a gentle working of the traditional song Wayfaring Stranger. 

In between, we have seven songs penned by singer/songwriter Rune Hauge and his words are very well crafted on songs like Wind of Plenty, in memory of a deceased friend, No Man’s Land, a tale of the restless wanderer and My Father Used to Say, a moving tribute to his father and his words of wisdom. 

The backing players add some wonderful touches on fiddle, mandolin, piano and the strings on selected tracks are really embracing and add character. A real joy from start to finish and a collection that is highly recommended.

Jack Tempchin 'Room to Run' - Blue Élan

This artist is a legend in US music circles having penned many hit songs for artists as wide ranging as the Eagles, Tom Rush, Emmylou Harris, George Jones, Glen Campbell and Patty Loveless among others. He has released eight solo records since the 1970’s and this is a four-song EP to promote the soon to be released Learning to Dance. With a pedigree over 40 years of working with the top artists in Country music you expect a high standard and that is what is delivered with the title track visiting the perspective of a parent giving his children room to become independent and discover themselves.

Jesus & Mohammad is a very clever lyric that visits the imagined conversation both deities might have concerning the deeds that are done in their respective names on today’s planet. High Cost of Hate comments on the state of marital breakdown and points a finger at the legal profession that makes a fortune from the misery of others. The final song, Summertime Bum is a wry look at ambition and the lack thereof.

Old Man Luedecke 'Domestic Eccentric' - True North

This is the seventh release from Canadian singer-songwriter and banjo player Chris Luedecke. His 2008 album, Proof of Love, won a 2009 Juno Award for traditional folk album of the year and in 2011, Luedecke won the same award for My Hands are on Fire and Other Love Songs. Tender is the Night, was released in 2012 and picked up a Juno nomination as well as “Folk Album of the Year” from Music Nova Scotia.

Domestic Eccentric contains fourteen songs, all written by Chris himself and he is joined by multi Grammy award winner Tim O’Brien, playing an array of instruments. They are supported by Jennah Barry on vocals and Samson Grisman on bass with Nick Halley adding percussion and vocals also.

 This is folk and roots music, played at a level that is quite simply enchanting. Old Man Luedecke’s songs of love (The Briar & the Rose, The Early Days, Now We Got a Kitchen) and life reflection (Chester Boat Song, Brightest on the Heart, Old Highway of Love) are delivered with compelling old-time banjo rhythm, with Tim O’Brien on guitars, mandolin, bouzouki, and fiddle, making for a heady mix.

This is a record about time, travel and the warm glow of a home fire. Early Days contains the wisdom of; “You got to hold on, it goes so fast, these early days they don’t last”. Contrast this advice with the lines in Now We Got a Kitchen; “Time goes so fast, I rested for a moment and it pulled out to pass”. Perspective and wisdom combined with wonderful musicianship – what’s not to like..?

Katie Garibaldi 'Follow Your Heart' - Living Dream

Thirteen tracks written by Katie Garibaldi, a singer-songwriter based in San Francisco and a talent to be taken seriously. With six albums to her credit already, this lady plays guitar and sings in a clear and compelling tone that is both emotional and soulful. 

Country based folk songs that are melodic and radio friendly must bode well for the future and the optimism of Follow Your Heart, Holding On and Make Them Go Away swing into gear in a confident style. There are a coterie of fine musicians used on the arrangements and the presence of violin and cello dovetail with pedal steel, mandolin, ukulele, flute, trumpet, trombone, clarinets and saxophones, to augment the electric guitars and solid backline to the songs. 

The recording is in memory of Melody and on White Roses her spirit is honoured with a beautiful reflection on the short time we are given on this magical journey; cello and acoustic guitar playing in unison and with understated grace against an emotional vocal.

Vegas charts the troubled path of a relationship and Wedding Day Song is one that captures the magic of new love and the promise of the future. This is an assured and confident statement from a talent that is worth a second look.

Broken Boat 'Small Defeats' - Self Release

Broken Boat are a contemporary English band that play and write music that is engaging, melodic and full of interesting lyrical reflections in the arrangements.

Songwriter Daniel Bahrami, multi-instrumentalists Brendan Kearney and Jess Hart and Jerome Maree on drums create a colourful sound that mixes strings, horns, accordions, keyboards and percussion. The songs bounce out of the speakers from the opening Small Defeats that reflects on the blows that life deals us and a somewhat cynical take on the enduring power of relationships.

Pencil Memories is a lament to old friends that slip away and the somewhat fatalistic conclusion that time teaches us nothing as we repeat ourselves from our early experiences of life. Water & Wine is a love song in tribute to a partner who is a saviour to the “bent and broken half of a better whole”.

There are some fine vocal harmonies, like on Morning Rain and the optimistic Two Balloons. Basement Days has a groove that reminds me of the Eels at their ironic best. This is Folk music for the 21st Century and very refreshing too.

Ben Reel '7th.' - B. Reel

This Northern Ireland artist has been releasing excellent music for the last 15 years and on this, his 7th record, he comes out of the gate on full throttle with the Springsteen influenced Lucky Streak. Followed by One of these Days, we swing into the territory of radio-friendly hitsville with Brad Paisley hooks and a melodic arrangement. Recorded and produced by Ben Reel in his home studio in Co. Armagh, Northern Ireland, the influences are varied across the 14 tracks here from rock, soul, blues and country. 

Say has a Johnny Cash inflection in the vocal and God’s World has a guest appearance from the great David Olney that lifts the song to a higher place. Reflection of the Blues has a lazy swing that highlights the fine vocal harmonies of Julieanne Black Reel and the excellent guitar of Sergio Webb. 

There are many musicians featured on this recording (15 in all) and the breath of the project is what will give it mass appeal. There is a track here for everyone, whether country or rock oriented, but perhaps the lack of a real central focus takes a little from the overall impression. Still, an experienced artist who keeps maturing and making entertaining music.    

Simon Murphy 'Let It Be' - Self Release

Belfast artist Simon Murphy delivers his debut record with 12 self-written songs and a pop/rock style that is a perfect fit for radio. Once Upon a Time is a fine example with a great sound and powerful chorus hook. Meet Me on the Other Side follows in a similar vein with a summer beat that lifts the song arrangement.

There are plenty of strong melodies across the songs and some fine acoustic highlights like My Baby, The Idiot and Not in my Name, one of the best moments here. The use of strings also works well and the production by Michael McCluskey, who also contributes guitar and vocals, is very bright and full.  

Lone Star Heart is country tinged and I Have a Voice is a shared vocal with Kaz Hawkins that works really well with plenty of attack and attitude. 2 Ghosts finishes the album with a slow strum and a fine backing vocal from Charlene Law to complement the violin and cello of Colin Elliott and Gwyneth Reid. This is contemporary Irish music of high quality and a very promising debut.

Reviews by Stephen Rapid

The Warden 'The East Dallas Warden' - Idol

Ward Richmond, a Texas native and long time part of the Dallas music community, has released a debut album under the name The Warden. Describing his music as "East Dallas honky tonk", he delivers a set of 12 self-written songs that loosely fit that definition. They are rough and ready roadhouse honky-tonk which feature Richmond’s his upfront life-worn voice. He is ably joined by a quartet of backing vocalists who both bolster and back up his punchy delivery.

Fellow Texas musician Robert Jason Vandygriff produced the album after pushing Richmond to take his semi-biographical songs into a studio. Vandygriff is also one of three guitarists while a solid robust rhythm section holds things down.  The sound is also embellished by pedal steel, keyboards and brass, all of which makes for diversity in the overall sound. At one point Richmond points that what is lacking in proficiency is made up in pure "moxie"; In other words, attitude and enjoyment count for a lot in The Warden's territory.

The songs give you a fair clue as to the lyric direction as they are tales of touring, drinking, fussing, fighting and fellowship with titles like Deny, Deny, Deny, County Line, Interstate, High Life and Dark Clouds. There is nothing unfamiliar to anyone with a penchant for punky, Southern styled, beer-stained, hardass country music, but you can't help but smile and enjoy this CD, especially on catchy tracks like Our Town and Bullets where Richmond duets with Madison King, one of his female guest vocalists.

Richmond wanted to express the highways and byways of his life with a degree of truth and a little added fiction to make them interesting. Texas is a big place and there's much going on outside Austin's city limits. This album is harder than the more traditional Heart of Texas styled releases, but it still draws from a Friday/ Saturday night having a good ethos, one that is both timeless and universal. 

Ted Z and the Wranglers 'Ghost Train'- Rip Cat

The Wranglers are a grassroots roots band from California fronted by the man named as Ted Z. He kids his Wranglers through a bunch of songs that are built around some serviceable melodies and hooks. There are elements of rock 'n' roll and outlaw country tempered with some lighter, folkier, storytelling. The title track evokes the spirits of lost musical souls featuring diverse icons such as Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix as well as Ricky Nelson and Buddy Holly  over a train rhythm beat, while Jackson Leverone’s atmospheric slide guitar evokes the essential spookiness of the song. 

Throughout, Monty Byrom's production brings out the best in these romantic, robust and rousing songs of love, lingering doubts and a liberalism that considers politics, people, places and the search for some truth and justice in the American way. Z is the writer and he has some skill in that department along with a dependable voice that has both warmth and grit.

Ghost Train probably has more in common with the insurgent county/cowpunk moments of decades past than with some of the more metalized rock that masquerades as country these days. There are strands of blues and Southern Rock neatly woven into their take on Americana. The songs are often hurtling down the tracks and building up a fair head of steam such as Joseph Ratcliff, Kansas, Bitter Hands and Postcard, which works particularly well with the rhythm section of Dan Mages and Mike Myers providing an insistent chugging base for Z's vocal and Leverone's guitar. 

On the other hand, this quartet are equally comfortable on ballads and slower tempos. The final track, Broken,  is just guitar and vocal and a heartfelt lyric of a "broken man waiting to bleed". Bitter Hands starts out slow but builds with baritone guitar and acoustic before the band kicks in. Producer Monty Byrom adds Bill Mason's keyboards on certain tracks to give a wider texture to songs like Go Find Your Heaven which tells the listener to go find the place that the singer never can. Ghost Train is an easy album to like if you like your Americana with some weight and songs that ring true. Z and the Wranglers have made a debut that will make them friends. 

Speedbuggy USA 'South of Bakersfield' - Wagon Wheel

As the title suggests,  Speedbuggy USA are an LA based-band who play what would have been termed 'cowpunk' a couple of decades ago; cowpunk being avibrant mix of classic country, rock 'n' roll with a punk attitude. This, their 8th release, is an 8 track collection of self-written songs that deal with blue collar lifestyles and some of life's rougher deals. Still Movin' On is a song about the travails of a trucker and is delivered at the speed of a high-rolling truck on a straight highway. Wrong Side is a duet with Bunny West that is about the battle with the bottle; a steel guitar infused poignant ballad it contrast with the more hi-octane nature of a couple of the other songs. The band’s lead singer, Timbo, having come through some pretty severe health issues, sings with the conviction of a survivor about these hard times. He sings with all the feel of someone who has lived through or been close to them and the rest of the band are right behind him and give these songs a solid and satisfying kick. 

There are enough changes of tempo and texture to keep it interesting throughout. The twanging Telecaster, steel guitar, strident rhythm section and, on occasion, as with Rusted Cars, an accordion adds to the overall feel. Git Yer Wagon Rollin' has the tongue in cheek feel of a speed driven hoedown with banjo prominent. Liars, Thieves and Ramblers sums up the types who live within some of these songs. It has a standout vocal from Timbo on a mid-paced stripped down song that doesn't so much judge the misfits as understand something of their plight. 1000 Miles from Nowhere is not the Dwight Yoakam song, but another song of a man who feels isolated on the road and from life at home. The road is a way out - or maybe not. Bakersfield closes the album with a song about being back on the road, broken down somewhere outside of that storied town.  

Speedbuggy USA sits outside the country mainstream, and always have done, but they play music that they want to play they way they want to play it, and for a small band that counts. It's also music I'm happy to listen to. 

Toby Keith '35 MPH Town' - Show Dog

Drink, the consumption of, taken to forget or just to unwind, has always been a fundamental part of country music but of late it seems to be Nashville’s solution to world peace. There's Beer on Clint Black’s most recent album and here Toby Keith opens his new album with another such salute to the leveling (pun intended) nature of alcohol in Drunk American,  a song written by Bob DiPiero, Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally. They are all seasoned writers, but this song will not be remembered as one of their best. Many of the other songs on the album are co-writes between Keith and Bobby Pinson, who made a fine solo album for RCA some time back. Pinson also co-produced the album excepting the Buffett-esque Rum Is The Reason which Mac MacAnally co-helmed. Buffett himself appears on Sailboat for Sale, although this is less related to his trademark sound than Rum is. Another song that has alcohol as its theme is Haggard, Hank And Her where the two named singers help with the pain induced by the latter. The final song Beautiful Stranger closes the album in a welter of strings on a power ballad inspired by the appearance of the woman of the title 

More to the point is that this album sounds a Hell of a lot more traditionally country than many of it's contemporaries. Russ Pahl’s steel is prominent throughout but having said that it is still not as edgy as it could be giving the fact that this is Keith's own label and he presumably records what he wants. He obviously still records with an ear for radio airplay. It is largely free from the political stance that some of his songs have taken in the past, concerning itself largely with the pursuit of a good time - albeit via lubrication amid an aura of lasciviousness.

Those who have enjoyed Toby Keith in the past will enjoy this album, as he plows his own furrow with a an identifiable voice that is at the centre of these songs and there is no doubting his prowess in that department. Like few of the other singer/songwriters who emerged when he did, Keith has followed his muse and while his music may not be for those who look to the rougher, more outlaw edges of country, he has remained true to his own vision and attitudes and for that his many fans will raise a glass (or two).

George Strait 'Cold Beer Conversation' - MCA Nashville

The latest album from George will hardly change opinions about his more recent output. It is solid, dependable, listenable and country. But there's not much different to consider and that maybe is exactly the point. Like Alan Jackson, Strait represents the forefront of traditional styled country in this day and age. We seem to be on a cusp of something a little broader in the American context without falling into the trap of bro-country or lame rock country, with artists like Jason Isbell, Sturgill Simpson and Chris Stapleton selling albums in quantities large enough for the majors to take notice.

That is as may be, but George Strait isn't likely to change his game plan at this stage. More likely he will change some of the writers whose songs he chooses. So while there are a couple of co-writes with long time contributor Dean Dillon, the name s that come to fore here are Jamey Johnson (two co-writes, one with seasoned veterans Bill Anderson and Buddy Cannon). Four come from the pen of Keith Gattis, solo or co-writes. Gattis was an interesting solo artist with some good albums to his name as well as acting, for a time, as Dwight Yoakam's lead guitarist. 

The songs that stand out, for this writer are Cheaper than a Shrink, which is guess what?  Yep, it’s drink. That's also the key ingredient in Cold Beer Conversation. The musician credits include Paul Franklin on steel and Stuart Duncan on fiddle and mandolin alongside A-teamers like Glenn Worf, Brent Mason and Greg Morrow.  Top notch players all, though they rarely cut loose in the Chuck Ainlay/George Strait production. Take Me to Texas by Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally is a song that is filled with longing for a Texas of the past and a wish to return there as a final resting place. This one has fiddle and steel at its heart, as would only be right given the subject. Strait now also writes regularly with his son Bubba and their co-write (with others) It Takes All Kinds is a fun song that swings western style. Stop and Drink is another strong number that has a little message beneath the light-hearted approach.

There is indeed little to dislike about this album, even if you have wished for the odd surprise. You can't fault Strait's smooth vocal integrity and delivery. He is a seasoned pro and knows what his fans want and, mostly, he delivers, but a man who has sustains a career as long as George Strait is bound to have his own signature sound and may not feel the need to step outside it the way that, say, Alan Jackson has on a couple of his albums. Even so, while not his best album in recent times, it is a lot more satisfying than the recent live album.

Duane Rutter 'Crazy Things' - Flat

Crazy Things is a solid third set of songs from the Ontario based singer/songwriter. Rutter has a suitably lived-in voice that has some grit to it. The are some memorable songs in the set from the opening Don't Forget through a soulful I Don't Ask to the stripped back understanding that in time We Find Ourselves at Last. He and producer/guitarist Andrew Aldridge have assembled a supportive band that includes (on one track Take That Water) Band keyboard player Garth Hudson and his wife Sister Maud. Other players include a defining contribution from Steve "Honeyboy" Wood on steel guitar and a tight rhythm section of Carrie Ashworth on bass and Nick Burson on drums.

The title track is a slow paced reflection of how people will do crazy things under certain conditions. The song has a strong contribution from JB Reed on duet vocals; she also sings on three other songs offering a nice contrast and counterpoint to Rutter's voice. The songs largely deal with affairs of the (often broken) heart, with titles like Will I Ever Learn?, I Ain't No Good and Number One. But there is a redemptive quality to these self written songs and an uplifting feel to their performance that makes Crazy Things an easy album to like and to revisit.

The final song, the aforementioned Take That Water has an understandably) Band-like feel with the contributions from the Hudsons being very much to the fore and a solid groove throughout. Rutter reminds me of no one and everyone at the same time, in that the music is generic in content but is elevated by the production and collective performances that make this an album that has the potential to appeal to a larger audience than just the one he enjoys in Hamilton, Ontario. Crazy Things just goes to prove that there's a lot of good music out there just waiting for a connection. 

Reviews by Paul McGee

Kevin Sekhani  'Day Ain’t Done' - Louisiana Red Hot

Country, rock and soul are mixed together into a heady concoction on this debut solo release from Kevin Sekhani, a 20 year veteran of the Austin, Texas music scene. Together with musicians that have played with Son Volt, Patty Griffin and John Mellencamp, Kevin Sekhani ‘s abundant talents deliver a really impressive album  with violin, mandolin, accordion and acoustic guitars blended  with superb musicianship giving a really serious swing to Day Ain’t Done’s twelve songs.

Co-producing with Mark Addison, Sekhani celebrates with both attitude and confidence on tracks like Wrong Direction and Oilfield Tan, a tribute to the Louisiana oilfield workers. Think Steve Earle backed by Old Crow Medicine Show and you will have some idea of the virtuoso playing on display. Jump Right Back is urgent, immediate and performed with swagger. The Ballad of Lonely Clown is a strummed waltz about the life of a social misfit and The Higher I Get is filled with passion and the urge to break free.

Burial Ground is another killer track that jumps right out of the traps and takes hold with a driving beat and great ensemble playing.  Sumner Street ends the album with a Springsteen-esque chorus of celebratory sound. This is wonderful stuff.

Ryan Davidson  'A Wick Burning High' - Self Release

Davidson hails from northern California. Educated in Ireland, his storytelling style shines brightly on these songs with a voice that is clear and strong and commands attention as it leads from the front. He is ably assisted by Miles Pack on cello, resonator, banjo, glockenspiel and percussion with Darius Koski on viola, accordion and organ and Jessie Nieves on fiddle and backing vocals.

Black Socks deals with Ryan’s personal story of being hit by a truck at 13, which left him bedridden for nearly year and facing multiple surgeries. This eventually led to him learning how to play guitar and the rest, as they say, is history. He sings of a friend who suffers from Huntington’s disease on Kay and it is a fine tribute to the fortitude displayed by human beings in the eye of seemingly insurmountable odds.

Whiskey with My Friends is a nod to times past with old friends and has a pleasing Irish feel to the melody. Silver Dagger is a traditional folk song that ends with a death pact and East Virginia Billy is an old time fiddle tune that hints of Appalachian influence in the playing. Catherine is written in memory of his great grandmother who emigrated from Northern Ireland to New York in the 19th century, the life that she experienced and the price she paid. The Haze is a fine tune that deals with getting clear and following your own inner direction and voice, while the title track tells of loss and the hope for a better tomorrow. 

This is modern folk music played with a confidence that bodes well for the future.

Dickie Lee Erwin 'Shadetree' - High Plains

Erwin is Austin Texas based and has been performing and releasing music for the last 33 years. This is his eighth release since starting on his spiritual journey and the songs are well produced by Rob Halverson, who also contributes a variety of parts on various instruments. There is one cover, Gentle on my Mind, which is given a slow tempo banjo and guitar strum. The rest of the songs are created by Dickie Lee Erwin and he delivers them in a laid-back style which brings to mind the easy groove of lazy afternoons spent on the back-porch.

Go Ahead and Rain is a fine song that features excellent mandolin playing from Chris Mietus and the steel guitar of Gary Newcomb. Johnny Said is a song that reflects on the breaks that life brings and the need to ‘walk that line.’   

Abra Moore appears on a number of tracks adding sweet harmony vocals and it is good to know that she is still active on the music circuit. Grindstone and River of Dreams are songs that sail along on gentle arrangements and melodies with some superb ensemble playing from the studio musicians. The final track, Seven Angels, boasts a Johnny Cash-influenced vocal that shows a gospel influence. This is a strong set of songs delivered with confidence.

Reverend Freakchild  'Hillbilly Zen-Punk Blues' - Self Release

This interesting artist plays a country blues style of music that is very engaging and bears many hidden treasures. Starting out with All I Got Is Now, a real stand-out song, the Reverend sings of a life philosophy that acknowledges ‘today is the tomorrow I worried about yesterday’ and concludes that ‘All I got is now’; simple and sage advice and a code to live by.

The music has an appeal in the melodic arrangements and the fine playing of the musicians. Angel of Mercy is an instrumental played with a restrained groove and great harmonica parts. Other instrumental tracks, Lullaby and Soul Transforming Realisation are equally strong and carry great presence. She Wants My Name is a great slice of swamp blues as is the final track I Wish I Was in Heaven Sitting Down while Tears of Fire is more of a rock groove.

Apparently the Reverend is studying Tibetan Buddhism and this influences his work. He plays resonator guitar and the simple backbeat laid down by Chris Parke and Tugboat Eustis gives the tracks a solid foundation over which the other players can add their parts.  Hugh Pool, who co-produces with award winning Sal Paradise, plays harmonica and lap steel and John Ragusa plays flute. 

3hattrio 'Dark Desert Night' - Okehdokee

The 3hattrio play in a traditional folk style that is defined as American Desert Music. The aim is to create a new music which responds to the natural world of their sacred homeland near Zion National Park in Utah.  They also strive to acknowledge the cultural traditions of generations of people who have worked and lived on the deserts of the American southwest. The subject matter of the songs is rooted in their natural habitat, drawing from the changing light over the distance or the way sound plays off the surrounding cliffs. The music is simple and sublime.

The song arrangements are beautifully understated and played with both reverence and subtlety by Eli Wrankle on violin, Hal Cannon on guitars, banjos, vocals and Greg Istock on acoustic bass, foot percussion and vocals. The interplay between the three musicians is stripped back and produces an acoustic minimalist treat.

Get Back Home tells the tale of a drowning tragedy while Nothing deals with the birth of the land in the great creation. Carry Me Away is a story of deceit, murder and revenge taken from a traditional arrangement. Get on the Bus is a slow blues with some fine violin parts while Sand Storm boasts some jazz-tinged bass playing of the highest order.

The banjo and violin parts on Tammy’s Sister and the soulful vocal of Greg Istock weave a haunting atmosphere and Off the Map follows in a similar vein with a dark study of a desert cowboy who allows jealousy to direct his actions and a future of guilt ridden emotions.

Hal Cannon sings in a weathered vocal style that adds character to songs like White Pressing Down, a song of seasonal reflection while Left Texas is reminiscent of the story telling style of Eric Taylor. An instrumental, Crippled Up Blues closes the record and brings to a conclusion a project that is beautifully delivered. 

Reviews by Paul McGee

My Quiet Companion 'Self-Titled' - MQC

This Swedish trio is Patrick Rydman on guitars, mandolin and vocals, Sofia Ekberg on guitar and vocals and Henrik Cederblom guitar, percussion and vocals. They formed in 2012 and perform original songs in a folk, roots, Americana style.  With their range of acoustic instruments and harmony singing there is an attractive groove to the arrangements. A number of the songs here appeared on an EP released by Sofia Ekberg and previously reviewed by this site.  

The sound is both intimate and light with fine interplay between the musicians. All the Small Details refers to Alzheimer’s disease and is written with a sensitivity that also informs the song Let It Slip Away, a reflection on single parenthood and the need to protect a questioning and vulnerable child.

Today I Woke Up and Circle of Stones are more up-tempo numbers and the closing Goodnight Sally is a quiet lullaby to soothe the uncertainties of life.

October Gold 'Self-Titled EP' - Self Release

This duo is based in Montreal and creates beautiful soundscapes which have been described as "painting your imagination with song."

Singer-songwriter/guitarist Kit Soden is joined by violinist/ pianist, Aliza Thibodeau and the mixture of folk and classical sensibilities merge to create a very pleasant listening experience.

This self-produced EP follows on from two previous full releases, Into the Silence and Bridge of the Sun, and the 5 tracks are performed with the assistance of Evan Stewart on Bass, Thomas Fortner on cello, Erin Schwabe-Fry on french horn, Will Bennet on percussion and Ben Ewing on shakers and tambourine.

The playing is gentle and understated with a mid-tempo pace that does not challenge the listener but rather sets a mood of quiet contemplation. The lyrics are based on poems by Thomas Moore (1779-1852) and Archibald Lampman (1861-1899). This works unexpectedly well with the words complimenting the fluid arrangements with a pastoral air of erudite musings on love’s great mystery. 

Bellstop 'Karma' - Self Release

Where to start with the music that reaches out from the fascinating and rich creative heritage of Iceland? The country has given the industry such musically diverse acts as Björk and The Sugarcubes, Sigur Rós, múm and Of Monsters and Men among many others. It is a dynamic hotbed of talent for a small population of some 300,000 people.

Bellstop are a folk orientated duo with Runar Sigurbjornsson on Guitar/vocals and Elin Ólafsdóttir on vocals. They are the creative source and have written all 12 songs featured here. They are joined by band members, Andri ólafsson on bass, Eysteinn Eysteinsson on drums/percussion and Halldór Bjornsson piano, organ and programming in addition to producer duties.

The tracks are a real mixture of styles, from the opening, Trouble, with its tribal chant and groove and tight harmonies to the acoustic strum of Moving On. The vocals of Elin Ólafsdóttir are particularly strong and a standout feature, sounding confident and full of rich texture; a cross between Bjork with her intensity and Natalie Marchant on the softer side. The song arrangements are melodic and tight with some nice guitar playing throughout.

Ravens has an interesting dynamic and Red is a brooding track that has human fragility at its core. Friends in High Places and Daylight follow a love theme.  The band describes their sound as folk 'n' roll and I cannot disagree with this - interesting and different.    

Reviews by Stephen Rapid

Don Henley 'Cass County' - Capitol 

The Eagles were never one of my favorite bands. I'd listen to both the Byrds and the Flying Burrito Brothers  but my musical tastes were for something harder at that time. Now some 15 years after his last solo album, Don Henley has reverted to his country roots. While the Eagles edged listeners away from the traditional country sound in their heyday, here Henley revisits that sound. 

The album is named after where Henley grew up in East Texas. Cass Country is full of songs that echo the lives of people who grew up in the 50s and beyond. Henley co-produced the album with former Heartbreaker's drummer Stan Lynch and the duo selected players who bring these songs alive. Milo Deering's pedal steel guitar is both evocative and prominent, the guitarists are such as JT Corenflos and Steuart Smith who can both rock and twang as the song requires. Add to that the rock solid rhythm section of Glenn Worf and Greg Morrow and you have a mighty foundation to build on. Other instruments include mandolin, piano, organ, fiddle and Dobro, but it is the singers who give the album it's depth. 

The opening track (Tift Merritt's Bramble Rose) features Henley sharing verses with Miranda Lambert and Mick Jagger. The latter adds harmonica and makes one wonder when the Stones frontman might venture into similar territory, having touched on it both on previous solo albums and with the Stones. The next track, one of many songs co-written by Henley and Lynch, is called The Cost Of Living , something the songs tells us that everybody pays. It features a distinguished vocal from Merle Haggard who brings his usual majesty to the recording. Another highlight is Henley’s duet with Dolly Parton on the Louvin Brothers' When I Stop Dreaming. The other duet is with Martina McBride on That Old Flame. Throughout Henley is in fine voice and indeed, his voice has gained both grain and gravitas throughout the years.There are numerous others joining in on the vocal contributions including Jamey Johnson, Lee Ann Womack, Vince Gill, Alison Krauss, Lucinda Williams and Trisha Yearwood all on harmony. It sounds like one of those recording sessions where a lot of fun was had and a lot of respect felt. 

The range of themes are largely about relationships and regret for mistakes made, a viewpoint that most often comes with the wisdom of age and of lessons learnt. But there are stories of a single woman who waits tables while waiting for something better to come along (Waiting Tables) and the need of a farmer who knows a variety of things are prayed for but that his need is just for some rain in Praying for Rain.

That sense of hard fought understanding of where the truth lies can be found in the touching ballad Younger Man where the subject reflects that the person who seeks his attention should be looking for a younger man, not him. Henley delivers a very believable vocal that sums up the sentiment of the song with ease. On the final song Where I Am Now (there is a deluxe version with four extra tracks) he reflects with energy and attitude that he is at home and happy in his own skin.  The whole album is testament to that understanding and comes down to someone making music for its own sake, having little else to prove other than the music itself.   

Chris Stapleton 'Traveller' - Mercury 

This is the first solo release from the former SteelDrivers and Jompson Brothers singer who has been making a living in Nashville since 2001. He is cited alongside Sturgill Simpson and Jason Isbell in making inroads into the upper echelons of the Country charts without compromising his ideals or attitude. Stapleton, Simpson and Isbell all have producer Dave Cobb in common and Cobb seems to get the best out of these performers in a studio environment. Stapleton co-produced the album using a tight band that included his wife Morgane on vocals alongside bassist J.T. Cure and drummer Derek Mixon. Additonal players include Mickey Raphael on harmonica, Robby Turner on steel and Mike Webb on keyboards. Though Stapleton is signed to Mercury Nashville he has gone against the grain by using his own band with hand-picked guests and it wasthe most organic way to get the feel right. 

The central instrument is Stapleton's own powerful voice which is equal parts southern rock, blues, soul and country. His voice is as arresting on the guitar and vocal delivery of Whiskey And You as it is on the soul infused full band reading of the Dean Dillon and Linda Hargrove song Tennessee Whiskey or Might As Well Get Stoned. You might see a theme developing here, but if so it is one expanded further with songs like The Devil Named Music, a song that highlights the way the need to make music can keep families apart. The subject of constant movement is also echoed in the title track. Of a deeper personal note is Daddy Doesn't Pray Anymore, a song inspired by his late father's later life when he didn't say grace before a meal. 

Overall many of these song take a mid to slow tempo that allows the songs a breathing space not dictated by simply making them uptempo workouts. More of You is a song that acknowledges the place his wife has in his life and music. Another cover is a song that was previously recorded by Charlie Daniels Was It 26. The final track, Sometimes I Cry, was recorded live in front of an invited audience; it is a slow blues meditation on finding no other means to express a depth of emotion; it features an impassioned vocal and some deft blues guitar. 

Stapleton's songwriting talents are to be reckoned with. He has already proved that his songs can find a place in the mainstream having had cuts by such major label artists as Thomas Rhett, Jason Eady, Little Big Town, Luke Byron, Trace Adkins, Blake Shelton, Jason Aldean and Kenny Chesney. Indeed the majority of the songs here are co-writes. Stapleton is also an accomplished guitarist, a skill he honed with the more rock orientated Jompson Brothers, who apparently fit somewhere between Led Zeppelin and AC/DC. It is easily to see how easily Stapleton's voice would fit into any of these genres (and more). 

With a running time of over an hour there is a lot to take in on Traveller, but the skill of all involved makes it an easy task. Those more interested in the mainstream or the traditional and retro side of things might not take to it as others will. Stapleton is being seen as part of a resurgence of a more believable and creative section of Nashville's musical output and it's easy to see why, but it remains to be seen just how much success he will have in the long term. However, one has the feeling that Stapleton will be around for quite a while yet as both a performer and songwriter.   

Joe King Carrasco 'Chiliandro' - Anaconda  

Perhaps best know this side of the Atlantic for his association with the Stiff Records single Buena,  but there is much more to the Austin based musician than that. A quick visit to his website will give you an idea of the number of albums he has released. He is an active working musician who leads his band in their delivery of energetic and effervescent Mexicana rock. This album sound s like a party and is relentlessly ‘up’ as witnessed by the wah-wah guitar-underpinned Tequila Revolution. But the point of entry is one of the best rave-ups here. My Ding Dong Daddy (Don't Daddy No Mo). Sung in English and Spanish it is full of songs built around catchy hooks and riffing guitars and percussive embellishments. 

The king is joined by his band Los Side FX who included Leanne Atherton, Rick Del Castillo, guitarist Albert Besteiro, bassist Chuggy Hernandez and Vince Mejia on drums among a bunch of special guests who help keep things interesting. They bring these songs to life in a way that we don't often get to hear over here. At it's heart is a understanding of the way that the culture of rock 'n' roll fitted the Latin sense of making a groove. 

Songs like Who Put The P In Pendejo and the slide guitar blues of Adios Terlingua or the full on power guitar jam of Oakaka are all songs that can't fail to set the foot tapping and make you appreciate the skill of all those involved here. Joe King Carrasco rules his kingdom with a trusty Telecaster, a nifty tune and an amiable attitude. Those who have enjoyed the recent From Dusk To Dawn film and TV series should find themselves right at home here. Carrasco has also made appearances with our own BP Fallon and is one of the featured guitarists on his Live From Texas CD.   

The Delta Jacks 'Trouble Ahead' - Self Release 

Another name to add to the list of credible roots bands in the UK. This quartet are from the same are of South Essex that spawned Dr. Feelgood, Kursaal Flyers and Eddie and the Hot Rods. In their DNA they have roots of these bands especially the latter two. The Rods for the energy and attitude and the Kursaals for the roots influence. Though a great many of the their influences would be more recent. They mention both the Legendary ShackShakers and Silm Cessna's Auto Club as bands whose fans may also like this crew. I don't find the quite the same Southern fervor that exist in both of those outfits, but I can see the point. 

This, their debut, features 11 original songs which feature lots of banjo upfront and centre over a solid uptempo rhythm section. The band are Dominic Bauers, Greg Beager, Trevor Reeves and Ryan Bradshaw. The latter takes the lead vocal duties and plays the harmonica. It is that in some ways which links them to the sound of JD Wilkes and the ShackShakers (as well as Dr Feelgood). But over the drum and bass platform they add touches of mandolin and keyboards into their sound. 

This is, perhaps, best exemplified by the likes of Blackened Heart Blues - a song with a strong vocal presence. The albums closer Go Go Go is a frantic piece of rockin' rhythm and blues that exhorts the listener to rock 'n' roll. There's a touch of Cash style to House of Sin though it is delivered at a pace that relates to Johnny's early kick-out-the-lights middle finger raising that to his latter days. The more sedate Alabama finds them coming up for air and deliver a songs that stands out for that and for Bradshaw's solid vocal. The song Trouble Ahead features more of the banjo and harmonica sound after their nicely balanced group vocals at the start.  

The Delta jacks are an enjoyable and uplifting romp through the roots swamp and make tribute to the music that inspires them without simply imitating those inspirations. They are never going to be tagged as ground breaking originals but rather are infused with a spirit that is engaging and energizing. If there's trouble ahead then it's time to step on the gas.   

Patrick Sweany 'Daytime Turned To Nighttime' – NMR 

Following a couple of albums produced by his friend Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys Sweany has this time decided to work with another guitarist/producer - this time out it's Joe Mahan and a tight group of players including Ron Eoff on bass, Bryan Owings on drums and Tyson Rogers on keyboards. On he cover there's a slightly menacing monochrome picture of Sweany but a happier looking man features on the inner sleeve. The music itself is not dissimilar. Drawing from wide range of musical influences that are essentially akin to some classic soul, roots rock and blues, it has also been described as soulful Southern Rock 70's style. However when you listen to the music it soon forms its own identity. 

There are moments of acoustic slide guitar over the solid rhythm section as in Tiger Pride. A song where he gets some vocal support from Laura Mayo and Alexis Saski. Things get a little more philosophical on Here To Stay (Rock n Roll) in which he reason though his time isn't going to be long that the ubiquitous music will be. More affecting in some ways are songs like Afraid Of You and Sweethearts Together both albums highlights. The latter a slow and subtle song with keyboards and guitar giving context to a captivating vocal. Somewhat rougher and readier is the more uptempo song Back Home which definitely shows his bluesier rocking' side - though the majority of the songs take a more temperate tempo. All which shows that Sweany is comfortable mixing things up a little but never allows his music get too polished or smooth. This is music with stubble. Music steeped in the blues underdogs, the soul survivors and roots pioneers that finds focus in Sweany's heartfelt delivery and songwriting.  

Patrick Sweany is a noteworthy exponent of authenticity and attitude. Both have to be right and they are here on Daytime Turned To Nighttime.   

Patty Loveless 'Honky Tonk Angel -The MCA Years' - Humphead 

This is another of Humphead’s handy career overviews which takes in Patty Loveless' years at MCA from the mid eighties to the early nineties. Although traditionally minded, these tracks show that her label and producers were keeping abreast of changes and trends in the country charts. Apparent throughout is just how good a singer and interpreter Loveless is. A glance at the writers’ credits reveals that songwriters - no matter how good or successful they might be at a particular time - fall out of favour. Names like Karen Staley, Karen Brooks, Harry Stinson and, especially, Kostas who has nine writing credits here. He is no longer a writer who feature much in Nashville songwriting credits - more's the pity. Of Loveless' own contributions  the still off-kilter sounding Sounds of Loneliness is an interesting highlight alongside the somewhat venomous God Will. 

Working with producers Tony Brown and husband Emory Gordy Jr (both alumni of Emmylou Harris's Hot Band) she released a series of albums with MCA before moving to greater commercial success at Epic. Never-the-less these 50 songs here are well worth revisiting for (if nothing else) Loveless' pure, twangy, mountain soul voice and obvious love of what she does. These albums also featured some excellent players including guitarists Richard Bennett, Ray Flacke, Albert Lee and Stuart Smith. Whilst others involved in the various sessions included Jerry Douglas, Mark O'Connor, John Jarvis and Paul Franklin. Numerous of her contemporary singers joining her in the studio were such luminaries as Dolly Parton, Russell Smith, Claire Lynch and Vince Gill. Loveless has appeared on Gill's breakthrough 1990 hit When I Call Your Name. 

With 50 songs to choose from you will have your own favorites, the ones that stand out for this writer include If My Heart Had Windows, the title track from her 1988 album - a pedal steel infused weeper. The more rockin' version of Steve Earle's A Little Bit In Love shows that Loveless was up to and could tackle a whole variety of moods. Her lively and swinging take on the Hank Williams song I Can't Get You Off My Mind is a further example of this. Add to that Blue Side Of Town and the aforementioned Kostas' Timber I'm Falling are all testament to a singer who had a level of success but who should be held in far greater esteem that she is now. This when a time when a song could have the drive and a rock sensibility while still sound steadfastly like it should belong in the country genre.  

A must have compilation for those who might have these albums on cassette or have missed them the first time out. A slightly more prepossessing cover would have helped though.