Tag Archives: Americana

Album review: JAMIE FREEMAN – Dreams About Falling

Posted on April 11, 2019 by jason

Union Music [Release date 17.05.19] Jamie Freeman (brother of the BAFTA and Emmy award-winning Martin Freeman aka Dr Watson!) returns with his third album, which was produced by Grammy-nominated Neilson Hubbard in Nashville. The songs are themed around the fine … Continue reading →

Album review: CORMAC NEESON – White Feather

Posted on April 8, 2019 by jason

Cormac Neeson Music [Release date 26.04.19] The solo debut album from the Answer’s vocalist Cormac Neeson has had a bumpy ride as it was one of those caught up in the recent Pledge Music issues, which have scuppered plans for … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Americana, blues, Cormac Neeson, country, folk, gospel, melodic, Nashville, review, rock, singer songwriter, soul, THE ANSWER, White Feather | Leave a comment

Album review: ELLES BAILEY – Road I Call Home

Posted on March 5, 2019 by jason

Outlaw Music [Release date 08.03.19] After attracting a slew of favourable reviews with her debut album, 2017′s ‘Wildfire’, the Bristol-based singer-songwriter Elles Bailey is back with a follow-up. Like its predecessor, recorded primarily in Nashville’ Road I Call Home’ is … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/Rising Stars | Tagged album, Americana, blues, country, Elles Bailey, folk, guitarist, interview, Nashville, review, Road I Call Home, rock | 2 Comments

Quick plays: KRISTINA STYKOS, DANNI NICHOLLS

Posted on February 25, 2019 by GRTR! HQ

KRISTINA STYKOS River Of Light Thunder Ridge Records [Release date 05.04.19] With many of the songs delivered in an enforced semi-spoken style (in 2017, she was diagnosed with spasmodic dysphonia, a disorder that makes speaking and singing difficult or even … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays | Tagged acoustic, album, Americana, country, Danni Nicholls, folk, Kristina Stykos, Nashville, review, River Of Light, singer, songwriter, The Melted Morning | Leave a comment

Quick plays: MICHAEL McDERMOTT, DANNY SCHMIDT

Posted on February 25, 2019 by GRTR! HQ

MICHAEL McDERMOTT Orphans Pauper Sky Records [Release date 12.04.19] In Orphans, a set of songs that while not making earlier records refused to be left to collect dust, Michael McDermott has come up with perhaps his best album yet – … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays | Tagged acoustic, album, Americana, Danny Schmidt, Louise Lemon, Michael McDermott, Orphans, review, rock, singer, songwriter, Standard Deviation | Leave a comment

Album review: SIMON TODD – Half Empty/Half Full

Posted on February 11, 2019 by petefeenstra

Ginger Tom Music [Release date 21.09.18] Produced by the esteemed songwriter Boo Hewerdine, Northumberland singer/songwriter Simon Todd’s ‘Half Empty/Half Full’ is an aptly titled album that keeps the listener guessing until very end. The title might be interpreted as a … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged a cappella, album, Americana, Boo Hewerdine, Boy George, Clive James, folk, Half Empty/Half Full, Nick Cave, Northumberland, Pete Atkin, review, rock, Simon Todd, singer, songwriter, Tony Hadley | Leave a comment

Album review: JOHN SLOMAN – El Dorado

Posted on January 17, 2019 by jason

Facebook Slogger Records [Release date 04.02.19] John Sloman is known to rock fans of a certain age for his singing in Lone Star and the ‘Conquest’ album by Uriah Heep. He has released a series of solo albums starting with … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Americana, blues, country, El Dorado, former Uriah Heep, gospel, Lone Star, melodic, review, rock, vocalist | Leave a comment

EP review: STEVE BALSAMO – Circle The Wagons

Posted on January 6, 2019 by jason

www.stevebalsamomusic.com Steve Balsamo came to my musical attention via the country rockers the Storys, who are well worth checking out and sadly another of those bands that had heaps of talent, yet never got the musical success they deserved. He … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews | Tagged Americana, Circle the Wagons, country, EP, folk, melodic, review, singer songwriter, soul, Steve Balsamo, the Storys | Leave a comment

Album review: ROADHOUSE – 25 Years And Counting

Posted on December 17, 2018 by petefeenstra

Self release [Release date 04.01.19] There can be few independently run bands that have made it to their 25th anniversary with consistently good new material, but Roadhouse is no ordinary band. Originally a roots-rock and Americana outfit with Southern rock … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged 25 Years And Counting, album, Americana, Bill Hobley, boogie, Charlie Whitney, China Town, Danny Gwilym, Family, Gary Boner, Jefferson Airplane, Led Zeppelin, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Mandie G, review, Roadhouse, Robert A. Roberts, rock, Roger Hunt, roots, Sarah Harvey Smart, Shogun, southern rock, Streetwalkers, ZZ Top | Leave a comment

Album review: HELEN ROSE – Trouble Holding Back

Posted on December 15, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

Monkey Room Music [Release date 21.01.19] I’m not sure what I was expecting from this sax toting singer songwriter debut produced by Marvin Etzioni (Lone Justice bassist and a founder member). Perhaps, a cross between Maria McKee and Rindy Ross … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Americana, blues, country, Helen Rose, review, roots, singer, songwriter, Trouble Holding Back | Leave a comment

Quick plays: COME TASTE THE BAND, MOZES AND THE FIRSTBORN, YOUNG FAST RUNNING MAN

Posted on December 11, 2018 by jason

COME TASTE THE BAND Reignition AOR Heaven[Release date 25.01.19] Come Taste the Band is a Norwegian classic hard rock band, founded in 1997 by guitarist Jo Henning Kaasin and singer Vidar Heldal. Since then they have released a couple of Deep … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays | Tagged album, Americana, classic rock, Come Taste The Band, Dadcore, Doogie White, electro, Last Day Sect, Mozes And The First Born, pop, pop punk, Rainbow, Reignition, review, rock, The Gothic Novel, Young Bird, Young Fast Running Man | Leave a comment

Album review: LARKIN POE – Venom & Faith

Posted on November 4, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

In March 2011 David Randall interviewed Larkin Poe for Get Ready to ROCK! Radio during one of their earliest UK tours. This exclusive edit provides insight at an early point in the duo’s career. (9:45) Proper Music [Release date 09.11.18] … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview | Tagged album, Americana, blues, interview, Larkin Poe, review, roots, Venom & Faith | Leave a comment

Album review: BUCKETS REBEL HEART – 20 Good Summers

Posted on November 3, 2018 by jason

Pride & Joy Music [Release date 07.12.18] Buckets Rebel Heart is the new band formed by ex-Bad Company and Humble Pie guitarist Dave “Bucket” Colwell, along with former 720 & New Torpedoes drummer, Paul “Taff” Edwards. The line-up is completed … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/10 Questions | Tagged 20 Good Summers, album. Paul Edwards, Americana, Bad Company, Buckets Rebel Heart, country, Dave 'Bucket' Colwell, Georgia Satellites, interview, melodic rock, Mollie Marriott, review, Rick Richards, rock, the Jones Gang | Leave a comment

Album review: SHEMEKIA COPELAND – America’s Child

Posted on October 31, 2018 by petefeenstra

Alligator Records[Release date 03.08.18] Shemekia Copeland’s ‘America’s Child’ is very much an album of our times. The title is an all enveloping concept that leads into a bunch of related, philosophical and at times analytical songs that shift from the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, America's Child, Americana, blues, Bo Diddley, funk, Hank Williams, J.D. Wilkes, John Hahn, John Prine, Johnny Copeland, Mary Gauthier, Neil Young, Ray Davies, review, Shemekia Copeland, Will Kimbrough | Leave a comment

Album review: JR HARBIDGE – First Ray Of Light

Posted on October 22, 2018 by jason

Absolute via Universal/Sony [Release date 05.10.18] Involved in the Midlands music scene since his teens, in bands such as the grunge-influenced Third Bullet as well as production work for a variety of outfits, a change of direction, together with a … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Americana, First ray Of Light, JP Harbidge, review, singer songwriter, soulful | Leave a comment

Album review: DEEP BLUE SEA – Live It Up

Posted on October 1, 2018 by petefeenstra

Krossborder Rekords [Release date 20.07.18] Deep Blue Sea are an international blues-rock band who describe themselves as: “new shoots from old roots”, and musically speaking they aren’t too far off the mark. ‘Live It Up’ is a live album that offers … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Amanda Dahl, Americana, blues, Deep Blue Sea, Dregas, funk, Graeme Wheatley, Iago Banet, Jimi Hendrix, live, Live it Up, Mark Knopfler, review, rock | Leave a comment

Album review: THE GHOST AND THE MACHINE – Red Rain Tires

Posted on September 27, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

Noise Appeal Records [Release date 28.09.18] Formed in 2014, The Ghost And The Machine are an Austrian ‘post blues’ three piece – Andi Lechner (resonator guitar, lapsteel, vocals), Heidi Fial (double bass, vocals) and Matthias Macht (drums). While their eponymous … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Americana, blues, Red Rain Tires, review, rock, roots, The Ghost And The Machine | Leave a comment

Album review: RHR (REDFERN HUTCHINSON & ROSS) – Mahogany Drift

Posted on September 25, 2018 by petefeenstra

Taller Records [Release date 01.11.18] ‘Mahogany Drift’ is an exciting new album by RHR (Troy Redfern, Jack J. Hutchinson and Mike Ross), a potential new riff heavy powerhouse super group with southern roots rock and blues antecedents. From the sepia … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Americana, country, Dan Baird, gothic rock, guitar, Jack J. Hutchinson, Keith Richard, Led Zeppelin, Mike Ross, review, Rolling Stones, southern rock, The Allman Brothers, The Black Crowes, The Byrds, The Doobie Brothers, The Eagles, The Faces, Troy Redfern | 1 Comment

Album review: LAYLA ZOE – Gemini

Posted on September 20, 2018 by petefeenstra

Self release [Release date 05.10.18] Layla Zoe’s ‘Gemini’ is one of the most honest and hard hitting blues-rock albums of the year. She openly tackles the pain of the blues, but you always get the feeling that there’s a more … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Americana, blues, Canadian, Jan Laacks, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, John Lee Hooker, Layla Zoe, Mississippi Hill Country Blues, review, Ten Years After, vocal | Leave a comment

Album review: TAS CRU – Memphis Song

Posted on August 12, 2018 by petefeenstra

Subcat Records [Release date 01.06.18] Tas Cru is a blues artist and an observatory story teller for whom the combination of songcraft, feel and an underlying groove are sacrosanct. He also leaves plenty of room for quirky lyrics, ironic humour … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Americana, backing vocals, Bob Purdy, country blues, Dick Earl Erickson, Donna Marie Floyd-Tritico, Dr. Richard Bates, funk, JJ Cale, Mary Ann Casale, Memphis blues, Memphis Song, Pat Harrington, Patti Parks Victor Wainwright, review, Rick Estrin, rock blues, Sleepy John Estes, soul, Steely Dan, Tas Cru | Leave a comment

Quick plays: BEN KUNDER, STONE THE CROWS (Best of)

Posted on August 8, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

BEN KUNDER Better Human Comino Music [Release date 28.08.18] Toronto singer songwriter’s Ben Kunder’s 2015 debut Golden might have been ‘critically acclaimed’ but that doesn’t appear to have translated to a great deal of public interest if the lack of … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays | Tagged album, All That's Left, Americana, Ben Kunder, best of, Better Human, blues rock, Jim Dewar, Maggie Bell, Michelle Lewis, review, singer, soft rock, songwriter, Stone The Crows | Leave a comment

Album review: COWBOY JUNKIES – All That Reckoning

Posted on July 21, 2018 by jason

Proper Music [Release date 13.07.18] “All That Reckoning” is the 17th studio album from Cowboy Junkies since they formed back in 1985. The album is easy to listen to with every song telling a story, whether that be deep, personal … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, All That Reckoning, alt rock, Americana, country, Cowboy Junkies, folk, review, rock | Leave a comment

Album review: AMANDA SHIRES – To The Sunset

Posted on July 21, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

Silver Knife/ Thirty Tigers [Release date 03.08.18] I was impressed when Amanda Shires first featured on the GRTR! radar back in 2012 with her excellent Carrying Lightning album. In particular, her ‘Dolly Parton’ twang and vibrato, her haunting fiddle playing, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Amanda Shires, Americana, Dave Cobb, review, singer, songwriter, To The Sunset | Leave a comment

News: CAMBRIDGE FOLK FESTIVAL – First Aid Kit and Patti Smith headline (2-5 August 2018)

Posted on July 11, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

On Sunday 15 July, in his weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, David Randall previewed the Folk Festival playing several tracks from some of the artists appearing at this year’s event (14:11) One of the longest established folk … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Festivals & Large Events, NEWS | Tagged 2-5 August 2018, Americana, Cambridge Folk Festival, Cherry Hinton Hall, country, First Aid Kit, folk, Janis Ian, John Prine, Patti Smith, rock | Leave a comment

Album review: DAN STUART – The Unfortunate Demise Of Marlowe Billings

Posted on June 22, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

Cadiz Music [Release date 20.07.18] Green On Red were a brief mid-eighties reincarnation of the spirit of The Byrds, Neil Young, Dylan, and the Stones. Featuring Dan Stuart on vocals, and Chuck Prophet on guitar they made an album in … Continue reading →