Three Chords and the Truth UK

As comp ilation albums go, this collection of tunes can be tackled and enjoyed in a variety of different approaches. First up, at seventy-one minutes long there is enough meat to sit back and soak up a load of songs that formed the signature sound of Oklahoma. This captures a heady mix of rock, soul, country and blues, or these days just attract the tag Americana Alternately, there are seventeen tracks from a wide range of Oklahoma artists, of whom some you may be tempted to explore further to expand an interest in this type of music. To cap the exploration opportunities, a group of contemporary artists and musicians have lent their hand to the project, and these no doubt would appreciate you taking more than a passing interest in their own music. BACK TO PARADISE draws its title from project's primary aim of resurrecting Leon Russell's classic Paradise studio and recording the first album there in over forty years. The artists invited to participate in the project are all Tuls...

www.karenjonasmusic.com 2020 was set to be a breakout year for Karen Jonas in the UK as she was scheduled to finally play some shows after a succession of album releases. Sadly this was not to be as artists sought other ways of bringing music to fans to combat the enforced surroundings of an industry choked from direct interaction. The saving grace is that this trip has been re-scheduled for 2021 with the added bonus of the new album being well bedded in by then. Not that Jonas has been light on the album release front with THE SOUTHWEST SKY AND OTHER DREAMS being her fifth full length record in six years. If you've enjoyed her music in the past, then the direction of the new record is likely to whet the appetite, On the other hand, any new discovery of Karen Jonas via this release will slot in at an exceedingly high standard.  The last three albums, COUNTRY SONG (2016), BUTTER (2018) and LUCKY, REVISITED (2019) all accrued positive reception and the main conclusion from her latest...

  www.justinwellsmusic.com Murdered British MP Jo Cox was famously quoted as saying 'there is more that unites us than divides us'. A true statement providing the theme for Justin Wells to meticulously plan out his latest album. From choosing to name the record THE UNITED STATE (surely some ironic twist on his homeland) to basing some of the songs on the stripped back human state of birth, death and ageing, there is clear intent in Wells' songwriting that aids as a companion to the rawer delights of his robust country voice and a sound steeped in the annals of intuitive country rock. As meaningful and well-intended as the lyrical content is, the general feel of a record is what courts most folks first and Wells scores highly here on his second solo release since branching out from southern rock band Fifth on the Floor. A quick scan of the press release refers to artists like Blackberry Smoke and Chris Stapleton, a connotation that runs deep as you roll through the twelve tr...

www.robwilliamsacoustic.com WEATHERING THE STORM VOL 1 is the fourth album from Richmond Virginia-based singer-songwriter Rob Williams, not to be confused in the UK with his near namesake. This is hardly an album inspired by the rugged surroundings of the Potteries, not that you found that in the music from dear Robbie. On the other hand, this Williams is far more endeared with the naturally crafted song that spins a roots rock slant on the singer-songwriter genre. There are shades of country, heartland rock and contemporary folk in this album; all the usual ingredients that lead you on the long winding road trip of Americana.  The nine tracks that form Vol 1 (there is an assumption that Vol 2 will appear somewhere down the line) are accessible ear friendly numbers, in terms that they don't present much of a challenge to the listener. A good thing or not depending on your taste, as some fans of this type of music prefer something more heavyweight to get their listening chops round....

www.evangelinegentlemusic.com T aking the eponymous route for her debut album ensures hugely talented Canadian singer-songwriter Evangeline Gentle gets the sole spotlight. Even more so, not a second of exposure is wasted as the listener is taken on serenely intense journey of ten sumptuous songs. This piece of delicately crafted fine art pop entices the listener to access the inner mind of a sophisticated songwriter  possessing  the most alluring of voices. A deep groove is etched to convey a message fuelled by personal experience and a perceived ideal to seek solace in the art of song. You are clearly amid an artist rarely losing sight that leaving a warm glow in the hearts of the listener will open the door for a greater probe into the prose and reflection within the content.    To add some finer detail to the record, Evangeline Gentle hails from the Canadian version of Peterborough, in the province of Ontario. While her music is primed for the aesthetic side of th...

www.mopitney.com It is an increasing trend in progressive music writing to dismiss the concept of genre as remnants of a constricted past. Yet it is difficult to cast aside the importance of such association when it comes to albums like the brand new record from Mo Pitney. AIN’T LOOKING BACK is only the second full length release from an artist  threatening to break out for a number of years as one capable of bridging the gap between what mainstream country music deems sells and what the protectorate of the core ideals demands non-negotiable within an ever evolving genre.  An uncontentious view has to be that Pitney has securely anchored each foot in both camps with a hugely impressive record pulling multiple strands in the direction of gilded country music. A sense of deep feeling richness threads through the thirteen tracks that on this occasion bucks the trend of being an unlucky number. From the pensive confessional tones of hooking up with Jamey Johnson for album opener...

www.thefuriousseasons.com One facet of lockdown 2020 is how a far greater amount of newly recorded music is being consumed partly in lieu of a lack of live gigs to divert your listening attention. So instead of having your ears guided by who you have just caught live or about to see, more recorded music from a variety of sources is cropping up to occupy the space. The Furious Seasons are a band to benefit from this scenario and time has graciously been spent listening to their new album in the run up to its release. The chances of this album emerging in a busy festival packed summer thousands of miles from its LA source were remote, but it has, and full compliments to a band making LA FONDA a wholly satisfying listening experience. The Furious Seasons are a core trio of musicians comprising of the Steinhart brothers (David and Jeff) and guitarist Paul Nelson. They have settled on a largely acoustic approach for this album with just the odd moment of musical enhancement putting flesh on...