Album Release: Sam Morrow - Gettin' By On Gettin' Down

 

www.sammorrowmusic.com

Sam Morrow leaves no sense of ambiguity when he plugs in and does what comes natural. First and foremost he rocks in a quintessential southern American way weaving a guitar-fuelled journey through empty roads and dusty roadhouses. It's been done before and will likely to be done in the future, but there is no harm in capturing the present in the company of an artist cut out to make those vibes shimmer and shudder.

In 2020, the rock style of Sam Morrow lies on the fault line of gritty Americana and a retro stance where the genre was finding its feet post-psychedelia. It also receptive to injections of funk and blues to make it an overall rounded sound. Foot tapping and head nodding tunes bring a semblance of orderly culture to the proceedings to reveal layers of substance and music set to thrive in active settings.

GETTIN' BY ON GETTIN' DOWN is a juicy selection of nine tracks taking just over half an hour to sink their teeth into your listening repertoire, and ripe for the live arena or a journey that desires a suitable soundtrack. You get the feel for Morrow's roots, whether the upbringing in Texas or the current residence in California. Both places are iconic backdrops for this type of music in the annals of the American road rock emporium, and Morrow soaks up his influences sumptuously, just as he did in his previous release CONCRETE & MUD. This was effectively his third record, but the first that raised his profile overseas.

We had the pleasure of seeing the Sam Morrow Band in the UK last year in venues that may not be his bread and butter back home, but they proved adaptable versatile performers and this also plays out as the new album rocks and rolls to its destination. That resting place is the totally toned down acoustic rock ballad 'I Think I'll Just Die Here'. A track not representative of the album, but maybe says a lot more about Morrow's thoughtful approach to how he wishes to see his craft pan out. 

Far more in tune of the album's definition are the title track, funky opener 'Rosarito' and the rollicking 'Money Ain't a Thing'. In contrast to the laid back closer, the album gets into its heaviest mode at the mid point with 'Make 'Em Miss Me'.Throughout, Morrow's worn and bruised vocals gruffly capture the essence of the journey and you get the impression that the guy has absolutely found the sweet zone. 

Sam Morrow is an artist who puts in a shift to earn every modicum of praise that is likely to flood in his direction. GETTIN' BY ON GETTIN DOWN is the type of blue collar hard driving album that will rack up many miles and plays. It captures the moment perfectly and leaves its architect in a fruitful position of packaging a product acutely gift wrapped for its desired audience. 

Album Review: Matt Owens - Scorched Earth

www.mattowensmusic.com

www.mattowens.bandcamp.com/album/scorched-earth

While 2019 was a breakthrough year for Matt Owens in terms of striking out as a solo artist, the bulk of 2020 has seen a stalling just like a vast majority of the music world. However, all is not lost and the recording career of this ex-Noah and the Whale band member is still set for a bright future on the back of his second release SCORCHED EARTH. Noted associations with Thea Gilmore and Robert Vincent frequent his bio and were the introductions that led me to Owens' music last year, so it was great anticipation that greeted the new album upon first listen.

Since that first spin, the album has racked up many plays and sits firmly in an elite group of records that enhances the credence of UK Americana. The latter being an all embracing substantive refuge for key progressive songwriting that surfs between established genres of folk, rock and country. Owens is steeped in the first two of this trio and his storytelling acumen has potential to rub shoulders with the best of the third. 

SCORCHED EARTH picks off the quality album merits at ease and categorically delivers a talented musician finding his feet as a solo artist. The dozen tracks are awash with tempting lyrical content and numerous catchy numbers that overshadow the occasional lull. Keys and guitar drive the sound with a small element of fiddle detected alongside numerous interludes of harmonica. 

The material ranges from the pensive ballad 'Cargo for the Road' that announces the album's arrival, through the funky overtures of 'Strip it Back', to the outright rocker 'When the Stars Align'. If you seek a little influence, the latter sees Owens dip into his 'inner Boss' and reveal a fist pumping anthem ripe for when stadium lights brightly announce 'Matt Owens'. For resemblance closer to home, there is a strong likeness to Scottish singer-songwriter Dean Owens in 'Maccurtain St.', a song with as much Irish feel as the Cork location of the title. 

The title track anchors the early stages of the album and for some reason keeps reminding me of a Sting song. Maybe just the musical memory playing tricks. I'll let you know if it comes to me! 

For the standout track, you can have one for each day of the week. The catchy melody and twangy credentials will make 'Cactus Flowers' a valid candidate at any given point, while the vivid story telling that accompanies the uptempo 'Another Song About the Devil' has elevated it to the track of extra promotion on the eve of the release. Elles Bailey joins Owens on this song, and while others have obviously lent many hands, the overall album has a very solo feel to it. 

'Heal Up Alright', 'Radio King' and 'I Will Be There' may well be tracks that come late, especially when times allow the record to be toured, but for now their lull status may be as much down to the lofty standard of the others rather than any assessed inferiority. 

Any album afforded space for a gritty drinking song with a hint of folk 'n' country sensibility is fine in my book, and 'Hungover in New York' heads a trio of songs including the aforementioned '...Stars..' to form the finale. It is fitting that the closing number is pertinently titled 'Last Day at the Festival', and another memorable story song. This was recalled from the two live sets I saw Matt Owens play last year when opening for Thea Gilmore and Robert Vincent. 

Admittedly my ears were elsewhere when Noah and the Whale were rampaging through the 'new folk' scene, and when Matt Owens released his debut album early in 2019. Thankfully in late 2020, they are firmly wrapped around SCORCHED EARTH, a release that packs a significant punch and pitches sincere song writing at an exceedingly high level.

Gig Diary: Rodney Branigan - Kitchen Garden, Kings Heath, Birmingham. Sunday 18th October 2020

 

After six long months of no gigs, it was good to get back on the live music train with the first socially distanced indoor show. While there was ample space on site for Beardy Folk to bring live music back outdoors with their successful three day festival last month, logistics are so much more difficult for a venue like the Kitchen Garden to stage gigs within the current regulatory guidelines. 

This wasn't the first gig the venue had staged since an easing of the lockdown conditions and the capacity was far from tested in the turnout for Rodney Branigan; an exiled Texan living in London for the last thirteen years. Those choosing to step back into the world of live music were greeted to a laid back evening, fully conversant and compliant with the regulations that are in a constant state of flux. 

From the floor, Rodney Branigan delivered an entertaining show, using every minute of a creeping curfew to  share songs - borrowed and original - improvised guitar playing and oodles of mischievous wit. He was eternally grateful of getting the opportunity to ply his craft in its rightful setting and fully humble to those choosing to spend the evening in his company. The audience was a mixture of the fully initiated and those taking a punt on the first singer-songwriter passing through town as we start the long road to normality.

This evening heralded the dawning of a new era, but decked with many familiar features. Gratefulness and relief was a combined feeling as live music starts to get back on its feet. We may even view this Rodney Branigan show as pioneering. Now with the first one under the belt, let's look positive to a future that will blend familiarity and a new world. Audiences will return in some capacity, and in the words of that famous film Field of Dreams - if you build it, they will come. 

Album Review: Jenny Sturgeon - The Living Mountain

 

www.jennysturgeonmusic.com

To the growing number of contemporary Scottish female folk musicians catching my ear, Jenny Sturgeon is the latest addition, and a most welcome one at that. Over the last few years the songs and music of artists such as Karine Polwart, Iona Fyfe and Siobhan Miller have travelled far and wide engaging fans in both live and recorded settings. Opportunities for Jenny Sturgeon to take her music on the road have succumbed to the pause button at the moment, but immediate compensation comes in the form of the release of her second solo album. 

Submerge yourself into the sheer beauty of THE LIVING MOUNTAIN and the sensory experience brings the heart and soul of a project right to the fore. The undulating roaming feel to an unabated marriage with the natural world makes this record a mesmerising listen as you are transported right into the core of the beauty and barrenness of the Cairngorms region. Sturgeon's soft brogue is the warmest companion you can have during this trawl through the wilderness, and the perfect guide to the unravelling of a freshly discovered piece of sister art.

Field recordings, poem arrangements and self-penned songs sprinkle the landscape as Sturgeon draws inspiration from a book (a title shared with the album name) that lay dormant for thirty years before gaining publication and subsequent renewal as the theme for this musical project. Our protagonist is an acclaimed Shetland based multi-instrumentalist musician active for several years in a series of differing collaborations and prime for rising to the challenge presented in the making of this album. THE LIVING MOUNTAIN is one of your archetypal folk projects where the artist submits themselves to an irresistible calling.  

Each song title echoes the book's chapters and names such as 'Water', 'Frost and Snow', 'Birds, Animals, Insects' and 'Air and Light' leave you in little doubt of the journey you are undertaking. However, the true magnitude of this record is the acutely delivered craftwork enabled by Sturgeon blending her gorgeous vocals with the dulcet tones of piano, harmonium, dulcimer et al. 

Like so many mellow albums, THE LIVING MOUNTAIN is best enjoyed in a moment of restive solitude when you have no greater desire than to relax, unwind and submit your senses to music of a most cathartic demeanour. When the new world takes shape, there will be a reserved space for Jenny Sturgeon to share the fruits of her craft with audiences far from her northern Scottish base. Not only will the music paint a glorious picture, you will learn more about the book's author Nan Shepherd and her writings. For now take a chance on this record and delve deeper into its inspiration and outcome. 

Album Review: Terra Lightfoot - Consider the Speed

www.terralightfoot.com

Anybody who has seen Terra Lightfoot play knows she can rock the joint. To enhance her case as a multi-dimensional musician take a trawl through the delights of her latest album and a high calibre performer strides the stage in full rock 'n' soul mode, not forgetting the occasional dip into country and a light touch of the blues. CONSIDER THE SPEED is an album that matures throughout its span, instantly hitting its tracks with the sultry rockin' blues number 'Called Out Your Name' before finally calling it a night in the mellow haze of 'Two Wild Horses'. 

From a personal perspective, I don't mind a roots rocker hitting it hard on stage as long as they show a slice of cultured panache when you access their music in a more individual setting. Lightfoot plants her significant Canadian presence right into the heart of this territory dishing out a product ripe for fruitful listening.

Prior to this latest record, Lightfoot, who hails from Hamilton Ontario, is the proud owner of three other studio albums and a prestigious Juno nomination. The latter, an important accolade on the pages of Canadian music and a pinnacle for recognition within the wider industry. She was primarily introduced to UK audiences via the Maverick Festival, playing a headline slot on her most recent visit and due back again in 2020 until the world's axis shifted. She was last caught in a UK setting when appearing in one of the Green Note's online in-the-round gigs. Ok, it was only a virtual environment in the midst of a pandemic, but even disarmed with only an acoustic guitar to boot there were glimpses that the upcoming album was going to be special.

There are numerous solid songs vying for that crowning album moment, and not only confined to the numbers lined up as promotional pieces. 'Empty House' is one of the lesser profile tracks that catches the ear and is reminiscent of another imperious Canadian folk rocker in Kathleen Edwards. 'Ramblin' Rose' and 'Lost You Forever' have a softer appeal and contain hints of both country and soul if you twist your listening antennae in different directions. 'Midnight Choir' and the title track 'Consider the Speed' head the line of the more upbeat tracks, matching up favourably against the two pre-released songs - 'Love You So' and 'Paper Thin Walls'. 

Not only is Terra Lightfoot a peerless performer, she is also a first rate songwriter and is the sole composer of all eleven tracks that form this album. The tried and tested world of the break up features prominently in the early stages and right across the record, space is afforded for the lyrics to compete with a sound that does have its voluminous moments. Yet in the album's climactic realm the mood remains refrained with brass moving into the foreground on the Memphis-inspired  'One High Note' before we end on the aforementioned seductive closer, reaffirming its mellow haze. 

CONSIDER THE SPEED sees Terra Lightfoot move into a very accomplished position of dealing a classy album rich in all the spices that make an inviting roots rockin' soulful bluesy record. I'm even going to dust down the old phrase 'Canadiana' as we have a release open to rival anything that our esteemed cousins south of the border in the Americana environment can rustle up. Stirring stuff indeed.       

Album Review: Scott Cook - Tangle of the Souls

www.scottcook.net

Scott Cook makes uncomplicated music, which can be the perfect tonic when you desire a bout of well-constructed simplicity. Armed with a stripped down sound, an air of serenity and a million thoughts to convey, Cook is your typical jobbing troubadour. One likely with a restricted hinterland, but a master in converting those who cross his path into fans, at least for the moment, but in many cases for an extended duration. He is also likely to have been severely impacted by the lack of physical movement in 2020, alternatively it would be no surprise if artists of such a resilient and innovative demeanour would have several survival instincts up their sleeve At least getting TANGLE OF SOULS into the wider world keeps some element of the flame flickering and tapping into it will not leave fans of western-tinged road weary folk music disappointed.

To paint a picture of Scott Cook's musical career think branching out from his Canadian home, playing hundreds of shows across the wide expanses of the English speaking world and recording seven albums along the way. All active in a road career dating back to 2007. Like many out there, including myself, where Cook hasn't physically crossed paths, there is always the opportunity to connect from afar in this ever digitised world. Although this aspect is unlikely to compensate the experience of a real life engagement. 

There is a heavy Australian presence on the album when you factor in its recording location and some of the players enlisted. The twelve tracks comprise of eleven songs, of which nine are Cook originals, and a fiddle tune that acts as the album closer. Facts aside, a decisive conclusion is a little time spent in the company of Scott Cook's music is good for the soul

Now that you have an overview of this album, click on the Bandcamp link where you can 'try before you buy' and get much more detail on the release. 

Album Review: Jeremy Ivey - Waiting Out The Storm

 

www.jeremyivey.net

Jeremy Ivey already had lots of credit in the book on the back of last year's release THE DREAM AND THE DREAMER, which means those big on that album will immediately prick their ears to the new one. Many in the know will already equate the professional and personal relationship Ivey has with the better known Margo Price, who features in two capacities on the record as producer and vocal/percussion contributor. While this may lead to further new listeners engaging, the most attractive entry point for enquiring minds is to listen to the first track and everything else will fall into place.

'Tomorrow People' is the said song, and while it is challenged from several points on WAITING OUT THE STORM as the standout moment, notably 'Paradise Alley'. 'Things Could Get More Worse' and 'White Shadow' for starters, it is an ideal opener to set the scene of what to expect. Ivey pitches from a lofty mound at the outset and it would be foolish to relinquish the challenge of savouring the product in full. Once into the depths of Ivey's acute and provocative songwriting matched with a sound excelling in striking an optimum balance of pitch, the chance of hooking in big style is raised. 

While Margo Price's recent album drifted from a country stance to one genre-detached, Ivey is an unrelenting purveyor of residing in a state of perpetual music homelessness. An ideal candidate for the catchment of Americana has to be the conclusion there. Ivey rocks when he wants, dips into a singer-songwriter role that has been relevant from the late sixties to the present day and ensures each moment of the occupied landscape is meticulously infilled with some eclipsing interlude. 

As you would expect from a songwriter with plenty of material, experience and purpose, there is ample to derive from Ivey's lyrical output. He churns out these musings within an accessible wave of multi-instrumentation largely framed by the electric guitar with no small help from keys, drums and a hint of steel. A distinct vocal style separates Ivey from the crowd and a point in the future could be foreseen where a several album back catalogue leads to instant recognition from a solitary track. 

Jeremy Ivey is in a good place to make music with the legs to travel far. WAITING OUT THE STORM is strident proof of a talent being honed and ultimately not one too dependent on other factors. There may be a cathartic motive for Jeremy Ivey's music, but equal winners are listeners navigating a crowded highway to find it. 

As per usual, the good folks at Bandcamp have this release at your fingertips. 

Desert Island Discs (with a twist) Part 1: Time for Action - Secret Affair

First posted on another blog on Jan 2nd

This first song in the Desert Island Discs (with a twist) series is probably dated back to the latter months of 1979, which was the year of its release. Prior to getting hooked by this song, music existed in a background kind of way. There, on the TV and radio without meaning much. Thinking back, Time for Action wasn't even the first record bought; that honour goes to Questions and Answers by Sham 69. Yet there was something about Time for Action that ignited a passion. Maybe its excitement, movement and tuneful aggression struck a chord in a youth just entering their teenage years. 

Secret Affair was at the heart of the mod revival at the time. Straight away, it was also a bridge to the past and how contemporary music is linked to its roots. You couldn't like Secret Affair without wanting to explore sixties soul, Tamla Motown, and iconic British bands like The Who and The Kinks. This curiosity towards roots, influence and the past exists in personal music taste right up to the present day. 

It helped that Time for Action was a Top 40 chart hit; a source for so much music as an early teen, and beyond, in the formative years. Perception may be hazy, but the charts of the late '70s/early '80s seemed so diverse, hosting many genres and styles. Of course, music thrived away from the mainstream, but that came later. 

Secret Affair did take one other honour in being the first band I saw live when playing Birmingham Odeon in 1980. I can't vouch for exact accuracy, but I also believe their album Glory boys was the first album bought. However, gigs and albums are for another day. This post is about pivotal songs and ones meaningful enough to act as a catalyst. Time for Action by Secret Affair was a true pioneer. The key to open a door. The first inspirational record heard and certainly not the last. 

Desert Island Discs (with a twist) Part 4: Goodbye Earl - Dixie Chicks

First posted on another blog on Jan 2nd

Prior to 2004, country music existed in a distant world. There may have been the odd compilation record in the collection and faded memories of Charlie Rich, Glen Campbell and Billie Joe Spears blasting out from Radio 2 in the '70s, but very little else. The epicentre of my musical world was well away from Nashville Tennessee or any other haven that gave a voice to country music. But in the words of Hank Williams, I Saw the Light, and it definitely appeared in an odd place. 

Midland is a small town on the banks of Lake Huran, a couple of hours drive north of Toronto, Ontario. The year is 2004 and a first ever holiday in Canada. Before this weird encounter in a karaoke bar took place, the trip had consisted of sightseeing, baseball, watching the Stanley Cup hockey play offs and general tourist things. Little was known at the time, but eyes and ears were drawn to two girls pouring their heart and soul into a version of Goodbye Earl by the Dixie Chicks, a band that I was aware of at the time without really taking much interest. Yet something clicked into place that evening to make me want to explore further. By the end of that trip, a copy of the Fly album had been bought which housed the track, and within a couple of weeks both Home and Wide Open Spaces were in the CD collection. 

From that moment, my interest in country music spiralled out of control as it was a mission to make up for the lost years to the extent that I decided to park every other genre on one side for the foreseeable future. Within two years I had seen the Dixie Chicks return to the scene of their crime with a second Shepherd's Bush Empire London gig and bought Taking the Long Way on release day. From then on it seemed I was having a de ja vu moment as the band slipped into a seemingly endless hiatus and The Jam of 1982 was revisited. The latter sadly one hiatus that did become permanent. 

When starting this series of Desert Island Discs (with a twist), Goodbye Earl was the first record that came to mind. It has been the most important and influential song ever heard because it spawned a second coming in music, one that was never envisioned as the latter part of the '90s stuttered into the new millennium. Fortunately, the Dixie Chicks hiatus remained just that and in both 2014 and 2016 they returned to the UK to play shows and seemingly never tire of getting even with the ghastly Earl. 

I have no idea what that bar was called in Midland, nor have anymore details on the two people singing the karaoke other than they appeared to mean every word in the lyrics! No pivotal list would be complete without Goodbye Earl by the Dixie Chicks. There may never be another song in my life as directional as this one, but you could have said that about many previous records on the day that plane landed in Toronto airport in May 2004. You just never know what is round the corner. 

Desert Island Discs (with a twist) Part 3: Barbarism Begins at Home - The Smiths

First posted on another blog on Jan 2nd

In this series of pivotal records, we have moved sequentially from 1979 to 1980 and now onto 1985. Out of the five ultimate tracks chosen, this is by far the most left field (although the previous one Man in the Corner Shop had a left tinge). Barbarism Begins at Home is a predominately instrumental track taken off The Smiths 1985 album Meat is Murder. However, it is not the album version that resonated so high to make this list, but the one heard live at the Birmingham Hippodrome in the year of its release. 

My first recollection of that night was why on earth was the Hippodrome putting on rock gigs. I can barely remember another gig there. It would have been like The Rolling Stones playing a West End theatre. Secondly, I can clearly recall Morrissey bounding on stage singing William, It Was Really Nothing to open the set, yet I can remember nothing of an unknown at the time Manchester band called James opening the show. For one striking reason though, I can still hear every chord of Johnny Marr leading the encore number of Barbarism Begins at Home. 

Up until 1985, the handful of gigs attended had been highlighted by being thrilled about hearing the singles and familiar songs live. Four of the most memorable songs heard live at the time were Chance by Big Country, Hungry Like the Wolf by Duran Duran, The Jam's Start and, not surprising if you have followed this series, Time for Action by Secret Affair at my very first gig. 

The big difference between these four and Barbarism Begins at Home was that the former were all hit singles and anticipated pre-gig highlights. The latter came totally out of left field and fuelled to this day a notion that there can be a difference to what you experience on record to what you hear live. The version The Smiths played that night has never left my mind, although I haven't played the album cut for years up until now. Once again, when trying to select five pivotal tracks, this one was not an obvious choice, until we reach the latter years when live music really took hold. In recent times live music has become a staple and it is a regular occurrence when a song rises to the top of the pack once heard in a gig environment. For every song that enacts this moment, they all must take a bow to Barbarism Begins at Home. This was the ultimate live music pioneer and a pivotal moment when the power of the gig shifted the musical plate. 

Desert Island Discs (with a twist) Part 2: Man in the Corner Shop - The Jam

First posted on another blog on Jan 2nd

My relationship with Paul Weller is a curious oddity. From 1979 to 1982 (the previous post would inform that I wasn't there in '77 or '78), I hung onto every word until that fateful autumn day when news broke that The Jam were breaking up. Through The Style Council years the flame burned and flickered before ultimately being extinguished as this part of his career also finished quite abruptly. So, surely I would have been there as the solo career kicked into gear, the 'Modfather' years and a procession to becoming an iconic name in British music. Sadly not. Something died in '82, but not before a lifetime legacy dug in. 

When asked to name a Jam song, this track buried on the Sound Affects album would be well down the list. This Desert Island Discs (with a twist) series is not necessarily about personal favourites or perceived best songs. It is about those with a back story and a position that proved pivotal. Man in the Corner Shop may or may not have been written from a pure political perspective, but for me it was enlightening, At the age of fourteen I could recite every lyric from every favourite song. In The Jam's case, it was almost the case of every song. So when I was blurting out 'God created all men equal', while sitting in History lessons learning about Robert Owen and the Chartist movement of the 19th century, a seed was planted that grew and grew. 

My left of centre politics emerged not from family influence, but from the lyrics of Paul Weller as he bemoaned the capitalist system in Man in the Corner Shop. To put this in context, I was a Thatcher child who despised everything she stood for. From following every husting of the '83 election while studying monetary Economics at college, though the optimism of '97 to the darkest hour of 13/12/2019, my support for the left has been resolute to the extent that it is there for life. Paul Weller has certainly got something to answer for, although I prefer to say thanks for. 

When putting together this short list of pivotal records, Man in the Corner Shop by The Jam didn't come straight to mind. However, it didn't take too much additional effort for its worth to project to the fore. Its influence and meaningful existence was identified at the time and has never waned in the intervening years. Yes, other political records have landed since, but none with the impact on the curious mind of a fourteen year old in 1980 as this buried album track. 

Desert Island Discs (with a twist)

First posted on another blog on Jan 2nd

For the first time ever I recently listened to an edition of the long running part-music programme Desert Island Discs on Radio 4. Of course the concept of selecting a handful of records to accompany you in a state of isolation is a tested formula, though one prone to change within moments of making an almost impossible choice to narrow down. It's tough enough choosing tracks from single years, especially when so much music is lavishly savoured, let alone going back over your whole life. However, thoughts turned to perhaps compiling a list that could be cemented, at least to the extent of not being subject to whimsical alteration. So instead of songs that have become firm favourites, why not ones which had some sort of pivotal existence that helped form a lifelong musical journey. They may not need be the best, but have an embedded sense of meaningfulness. A few head scratching minutes ensued and quite quickly five tracks sprang to mind that could easily fall into such a personal category. The influence of these songs is diverse, mixing general with the specific and in one instance making a proverbial left turn off the musical highway. The ease of these tracks coming to the fore of the mind was testament to the much thought dedicated to music over the years and being kind of analytical into how things panned out. So stand by for a five part series blogging about these pivotal songs. 

Desert Island Discs (with a twist) Part 5: Three Chords and the Truth - Sara Evans

Finally, the fifth selected track for this mythical Desert Island Discs (with a twist) series and one that a took a time for its legacy to seal. Putting a date on coming across this 1997 release is a little tricky as Sara Evans was one of many country artists checked out in the aftermath of discovering the Dixie Chicks music in 2004. I am not even sure which discovery came first, the track or the famous quote from Harlan Howard summing up country music (in my book anyway, not literally). I'll probably date it around 2005-2006 with the album of the same name likely to have been downloaded from emusic at that time. 

The song quickly became a firm favourite, but it was still far from legacy status. The first move securing that was a decision to launch a music blog in January 2012, one that was founded to cover live music which by now was a firm fixture in the gig diary. I had previously toiled with a few sporting blogs, but none had really taken off. While seeking a name, thoughts turned to the famous Harlan Howard quote, or from another angle - a popular and very good Sara Evans song. Amazingly, this name had been taken on the blogger platform, so the only way forward was to add UK to the name, which at least reflected the side of the pond the blog was from.

The rest is now history. Three Chords and the Truth UK went onto run for eight years, comprising of around a 1000 original-word reviews and accruing over half a million page views (give or take the odd Russian spammer). There was a brief rumour of its demise earlier this year, but they were unfounded and it is has burst back into life.  The phrase, or cliche, still brings a smile to the face, whether seeing it scrawled on the walls of Nashville's Country Music Hall of Fame, on the pop up site at the UK's Long Road Festival or in the title of music recorded by Chase Rice and Van Morrison, and even multiple lyric inclusions such as American Aquarium's 'Crooked + Straight'. 

But the biggest smile is when I play the Sara Evans' song or check out the video recorded at the British Country Music Awards in the '90s. Wow that was a fine guest in those days. So alongside the other four choices that make up the Desert Island Discs (with a twist) series, Three Chords and the Truth by Sara Evans can stand proud with its pivotal status and legacy intact. At least in the mind of yours truly. 

A recap of the five songs that are cemented in history and would be worthy of Desert Island Discs inclusion, in chronological order of discovery are:

Time for Action - Secret Affair
Man in the Corner Shop - The Jam
Barbarism Begins at Home - The Smiths
Goodbye Earl - Dixie Chicks
Three Chords and the Truth - Sara Evans

Album Review: The Marriage - Imagining Sunsets

www.wethemarriage.com

Armed with the ultimate name to call a recording duo, The Marriage have reached first base in the promotional stakes and set the scene for the music to do the rest. IMAGINING SUNSETS takes the art form of the duet and the harmony into a fertile territory to spin eleven tracks that gently hover in an acoustic haze of melded voices. Add a touch of pedal steel and themes of loss, love and life, and you start to get the feel that inroads into the UK's country and Americana scene are about to be made. 

Dave Burn and Kirsten Adamson may be making a smart move in the positioning of their new duo project, but it really is just another productive avenue since they first worked together in the band Ahab well over a decade ago. Burn has crossed the radar recently as a member of Orphan Colours and on this album he tones things down a touch to co-drive a class tutorial in how to curate a heartfelt and majestic duo record. Adamson will always likely have the tag of being the daughter of late Scottish rocker Stuart in her professional life, but she has continued to plot her own musical path, and in the latest venture has taken the infectious influence of classic country to heart. 

Male-female duos are ten-a-penny in any realm of country-Americana pretence and it takes a delicate mix of the sources to avoid some kind of formulaic construction. The Marriage pull this off over the course of the half-hour tuning in time they politely request of a listener, albeit without the appearance of a crackerjack track that punches its way through the project's ceiling. 

However some records gradually inch their way into a listener's inner periphery and IMAGINING SUNSETS succeeds while others often fail from the angle of possessing an over demanding persona. Dave Burn and Kirsten Adamson know the ropes, have acquired some useful accomplices and understand what floats a listener's boat. It's probably in their DNA to be able to turn out such a tempting and advocative release. Let's avoid the inviting puns in conclusion and just anoint The Marriage as a welcome inclusion into the satisfying world of duets that thrive with a sense of cohesive unison. 

Album Review: Andrew Farriss - Love Makes The World (EP)

 

Andrew Farriss has incredible pedigree as a songwriter in more familiar guises, so it was not totally unexpected that his eventual foray into the realm of a solo recording artist would include material of an exceptional high quality. The good news is that the five tracks comprising this debut EP are the mere aperitif for a full length release slated for a new year that may be a less turbulent period. LOVE MAKES THE WORLD is a seriously impressive stab at making a record partially shrouded in country and Americana sentiment, which shouldn't be too much of a surprise considering Farriss' association with artists of that persuasion in his homeland. 

It has been a long journey from forming a school band in his native Australia in the mid seventies through the world conquering evolution into INXS to this latest positioning provocatively to the left of the Nashville elite. There is a distinguished thread through the mere 22 minutes that this record teases with your senses, blending a little bit of twang with a production that upholds a seasoned operator of their standing. Farriss adopted the role of composer when in full tandem with Hutchence's lyrical outpouring, but here the writing stands out from the pack in themes bouncing round life in its many stages. 

While the first four tracks stride right through the landscape of what you want from an album of this persuasion peaking in the title number soaked in the holy water of Americana, Farriss adopts a far more experimental stance with the six minute closer 'First Man on Earth'. The latter suggests that the eventual fruition of this project may not be something that you can easily fit into a box. One guarantee is that the appetite has been whetted and Andrew Farriss is sold on making waves in fields that dismiss reputation and judge purely on the fare laid before them. 

One final confession is that KICK was dug out after listening to this. Just a solitary copy of the twenty million sold.