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Latest Album Reviews
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Gig review: CARDINAL BLACK – Sub 89, Reading, 15 November 2024
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Gig review: SUZI QUATRO – London Palladium, 13 November 2024
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Gig review: HRH XVII, Great Yarmouth, 7-9 November 2024
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Gig review: WHEN RIVERS MEET, CHANTEL MCGREGOR, XANDER AND THE PEACE PIRATES – Dingwalls, London, 7 November 2024
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Gig review: DEEP PURPLE – 02 Arena, London, 6 November 2024
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Gig review: ELLES BAILEY- Islington Assembly Hall, London, 2 November 2024
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Featured Album Reviews
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Album review: TRAGIK – Faith Healer
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Album review: TIZANE – Forever Is Nothing
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Album review: JAMES STEVENSON – Everything’s Getting Closer To Being Over
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Album review: CASUALTIES OF COOL
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Album review: ALAN PARSONS – One Note Symphony (Live In Tel Aviv)
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Album review: SAXON – St George’s Day: Live In Manchester
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Tag Archives: roots
Album review: HANNAH ALDRIDGE – Razor Wire
Trodden Black Ent. [Release date 13.05.14] ‘Dark Americana’ is how Hannah Aldridge – daughter of esteemed Muscle Shoals/ Nashville songwriter and producer Walt Aldridge – describes her gritty, uncompromising debut. Recorded in analogue (naturally) in Nashville (where else?) she’s backed … Continue reading
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Tagged album, Americana, country, Hannah Aldridge, Nashville, Razor Edge, review, rock, roots, singer, songwriter
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Album review: ULTAN CONLON – Songs Of Love So Cruel
Darksideout [Release date 09.06.14] The fact that the ‘Songs Of Love So Cruel’ dominates the CD sleeve tells you all you need to know about Ultan Conlon’s mindset, on an album full of enduring relationship and love songs. He treads … Continue reading
Album review: HAT FITZ & CARA ROBINSON – Do Tell
Manhaton [Release date 12.05.14] Formerly just Hat Fitz and Cara, Irish singer Cara Robinson now gets a full name check alongside her Australian partner Hat Fitz on ‘Do Tell’, an album of well crafted songs brought to life by a … Continue reading
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Tagged blues, Cara Robinson, Do Tell, folk, Hat Fitz, Howlin Wolf, Jason Bunn, Jeff Lang, Magie Bell, review, roots
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Album review: HER NAME IS CALLA – Navigator
Function [Release date 05.05.14] ‘Navigator’ by Her Name Is Calla, is a cerebral and emotional work of substance. You may need patience and understanding to get inside Tom Morris’ songs and his vocal enunciations with electronic edges, but you will … Continue reading
Quick plays: SONS OF THE SEA, JOSH TAERK, INGER LORRE, ADRIAN NATION, BIRDS OF CHICAGO
SONS OF THE SEA S/t Avow! Records [Released 03.03.14] www.menbran.net Sons of the Sea is a collaboration between producer Brendan O’Brien (Incubus/Pearl Jam/RATM/Springsteen) and Brandon Boyd of Incubus (not a band I have heard anything by although my daughter informs … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged Adrian Nation, Birds Of Chicago, folk, Hate In My Heart, Inger Lorre & The Chiefs of Infinity, Josh, Josh Taerk, Live At The Crossroads, Live From Space, Nigel Clothier, rock, roots, Sharp Practise, singer, Snowflake, songwriter, Sons Of the Seas, Steal With Pride
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Quick plays: AMELIA WHITE, EDDI READER, THE O’s, THE SWEET LOWDOWN
AMELIA WHITE Old Postard [Release date 10.03.14] East Nashville-based singer and songwriter Amelia White wasn’t encouraged by her parents to pursue her musical dream. But their disapproval lit a fire as she listened to Neil Young, Beatles, Stones, and Muddy … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged acoustic, Amelia White, Americana, Eddi Reader, folk, May, Old Postcard, rock, roots, singer, songwriter, The O's, The Sweet Lowdown, Thunderdog, Vagabond
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Album Review: THE HOLMES BROTHERS – Brotherhood
Alligator Records – [Release Date: 15.10.13] The Holmes Brothers raised the bar of expectations with the outright success of their last album ‘Feed My Soul’. And ‘Brotherhood’ answers all the germane questions of what to do next, as it reigns … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged blues, Brotherhood, Catherine Russell, Felicia Holmes, funk, Geraint Watkins, Glenn Patscha, gospel, Ike Turner, John Ellis, Popsy Dixon, review, rock, roots, Sherman Holmes, Ted Hawkins, The Holmes Brothers, vocals, Wendell Holmes
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Album review: SUSAN CATTANEO – Haunted Heart
Jersey Girl Music [Release date 20.01.14] We’ve been impressed at GRTR! by Cattaneo’s previous releases, and her fourth album Haunted Heart continues the good work. The warm honeyed vocals of previous releases are still there, as is range of styles … Continue reading
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Tagged album, blues, country, folk, Haunted Heart, review, roots, singer, songwriter, Susan Cattaneo
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Album review: PAUL GUZZONE – Chasing The Moon
Triple Z Music [Release date 2013] New York based Paul Guzzone describes himself as ‘an electronic troubadour’. He’s big on sonic textures, wry narratives, catchy hooks and songs that draw you in. ‘Chasing The Moon’ is an unlikely but successful … Continue reading
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Tagged Chasing The Moon, Dr. Hook, electronics, MOR, Orange Juice, Paul Guzzone, review, roots, singer songwriter
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Album review: ASHLEIGH FLYNN – A Million Stars
Sheryl Crow’s got a new album out soon, but judging by the lead single it’s going to be slushy, sentimental pap. Shame, as she used to be one of the leading singer songwriters who could comfortably straddle the country/rock divide. … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged A Million Stars, album, Americana, Ashleigh Flynn, country, pop, review, rock, roots, singer, songwriter, The Decemberists
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Quick plays: KAYLEIGH LEITH, KIMMIE RHODES, BAND OF SISTERS, THE BEAUBOWBELLES
KAYLEIGH LEITH This Woman Looking for a Nashville ‘new country’ sound on her second album, young American singer songwriter Kayleigh Leith turned to one of Nashville’s top songwriters Rob Crosby (Lady Antebellum, Martina McBride). Her debut album Miles Away (2011) … Continue reading
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Tagged album, Band Of Systers, country, Covers, Issues, Kayleigh Leith, Kimmie Rhodes, review, rock, roots, singer, songwriter, The Beaubowbelles, This Woman, To The Moon
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Quick plays: RUSTY SHACKLE, STEPHEN KELLOGG, THE DUNWELLS, ROD PICOTT
Rusty Shackle – The Bones Rusty Shackle appear to have tripped over the ‘difficult second album’ stepping stone with the follow up to their 2012 debut album Wash Away These Nights which was a more varied offering than the ‘pedal … Continue reading
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Tagged album, Blunderstone Rectory, Follow The Road, Get Up, Hang Your Hopes On A Crooked Nail, Kevin Peroni, review, rock, Rod Picott, roots, Rusty Shackle, singer, songwriter, Stephen Kellogg, The Bones, The Dunwells, Wiretree
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Album review: TONY McLOUGHLIN – The Contender
He may look uncannily like Billy Connolly’s long lost brother, but opening with strains of Muhammad Ali getting ready to ‘rumble in the jungle’, Tony Mcloughlin’s fifth album The Contender is a glorious Telecaster-infused slab of Tom Petty/Springsteen inspired Americana. … Continue reading
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Tagged album, Americana, review, rock, roots, singer, songwriter, The Contender, Tony McLoughlin
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Album review: MORELAND & ARBUCKLE – 7 Cities
Telarc [Release date 26.08.13] Moreland & Arbuckle are a power trio with a difference. They hail from Wichita Kansas and their blend of riff driven, southern influenced roots rock is shot through with essential blues influences, but not in the … Continue reading
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Tagged blues, boogie, guitar, harp, Kendall Newby, Moreland & Arbuckle, review, rock, roots, Tears For Fears, The Allman Brothers, The Yardbirds
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Album review: MADISON VIOLET – Come As You Are Live
True North Records [Release date 01.07.13] Released on both DVD and CD formats, Come As You Are Live captures Madison Violet – Canadian country / folk due Brenley MacEachern and Lisa MacIsaac – at a sold out date in Koln, … Continue reading
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Tagged album, Americana, Brenley MacEachern, Come As You Are Live, country, folk, Lisa MacIsaac, Madison Violet, review, roots
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Album review: DREW HOLCOMB AND THE NEIGHBORS – Good Light
Magnolia Music [Release date 26.08.13] Being something of a female vocalist ‘junkie’ I was rather hoping Drew was the blonde on the album cover. But it turns out that’s Drew’s wife and band mate Ellie. Drew’s the foot-clapping guy who … Continue reading
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Tagged album, Americana, Drew Holcomb And The Neighbors, Good Light, review, roots, singer, songwriter
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Album review: CHRIS WHILE AND JULIE MATTHEWS – Infinite Sky
Fat Cat Records [Release date 04.02.13] Chris While and Julie Matthews have been a musical partnership for 20 years, both as members of The Albion Band and as a multi instrumental duo. Julie has made her name as an award … Continue reading
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Tagged Andy Cutting, Brian Hargreaves, Chris While, Christchurch, country rock, Eddie Reader, Fairport Convention, folk, Gretel Bergmann, Infinite Sky, Julie Matthews, Kellie While, Martin Simpson, New Zealand, roots, South America, The Albion Band, vocals
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Album review: THE WESTERN SIZZLERS – For Ol’ Times Sake
Roar Hide Records [Release date: 20.05.13] ‘Unfinished Business’, the penultimate track on The Western Sizzlers ‘For Ol’ Times Sake’, neatly summarises self exiled British musical maverick Kevin Jennings’s situation. A former catalyst for the Georgia Satellites (he got them signed … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged alt country, Atlanta, Blackberry Smoke, boogie, Charlie Starr, Chuck Berry, country, For Ol' Times Sake, Georgia Satellites, guitar, Jason & The Scorchers, Jeff Bakos, Keith Richard, Kevin Fitzpatrick, Kevin Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, Larue Riccio, Nicky Ford, Rick Richards, roots, southern rock, Status Quo, The Beatles, The Black Crowes, The Stray Cats, The Western Sizzlers, TobyMarriott, Wayne Glass
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Album review: I SEE HAWKS IN L.A. – Mystery Drug
Blue Rose Records [Release date: 01.05.13] Alt-country outfit I See Hawks In L.A. are “dabblers” says their guitarist Paul Lacques. “There really are about 20 different ways to chop up country roots music”, he adds, while singer Rob Waller summarizes … Continue reading
Album review: RUTH MOODY – These Wilder Things
A six day residency at The Royal Albert Hall (albeit opening for Mark Knopfler) says a lot about the rising status of Ruth Moody, founder and current member of Billboard topping band The Wailin’ Jennys. Produced and engineered by David … Continue reading
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Tagged album, Americana, Mark Knopfle, review, rock, roots, Ruth Moody, singer, songwriter, These Wilder Things
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Album review: TREETOP FLYERS – The Mountain Moves
Loose Music [Release date 29.04.13] Having won the Glastonbury Emerging Talent competition in 2011, and released two well received singles – ‘Things Will Change’ and ‘It’s About Time’, 2013 sees the release of the London based five-piece’s debut album on … Continue reading
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Tagged album, country, review, rock, roots, The Mountain Moves, Treetop Flyers
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Album review: RILO KILEY – Rkives
After a couple of lesser known albums LA indie rockers Rilo Kiley’s ‘More Adventurous’ album (2004) provided the springboard for a major record deal with Warners. Their subsequent 2007 release ‘Under The Blacklight’ looked like the big time had finally … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Americana, review, Rilo Kiley, Rkives, rock, roots
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