Album Review: I See Hawks in LA - On Our Way

 

www.iseehawks.com

The band with the fabulous name. It is admitted that the name was the initial pull back in 2008. In those days before streaming there was an alternative 'try before you buy', but that aspect of the music industry known as file sharing has long been shut off. Anyhow the I See Hawks in LA album of that year HALLOWED GROUND did pass the test and moved into the realm of purchased music setting off a mission to track their career. Now forward wind a fair few years and they are still active in an epicentre of California and a hinterland stretching as far as Europe. In fact 2021 sees the release of their umpteenth album with ON OUR WAY being as typical of I See Hawks in LA as we have come to expect. 

The new album is a record that both challenges and soothes. There are parts where you feel in the safe hands of a band churning out some good quality yet staple fare of folk 'n' country rock, or Americana if you want a catch all term. Alternatively, there are blurred ink spots of experimental material best illustrated in the 8-minute closer 'How You Gonna Know'. Elsewhere there is a psychedelic haze hovering over the track 'Kensington Market' that features Victoria Jacobs on vocals and brings into focus the band's relationship with London, England. A third smattering of unconventional content is the screeching fiddle that opens 'Know Just What to Do', maybe just keeping you on your toes in what is otherwise a rather placid track.

For more familiarity, look no further than the trio of opening song 'Might've Been Me' with a decent pedal steel segment; the jingly jangly sixties inspired title track 'On Our Way' blessed with a Golden State fragrance and the country feeling anchor of the second half 'If I Move'. If arm twisted, one of these three could be crowned the defining moment, but the beauty of a Hawks album is to savour its diversity.

Searching for the more interesting subject material leads you to the twin pairing of the Ali tribute 'Kentucky Jesus' and 'Geronimo' in the middle of the album, and a take on two of the nation's larger than life historical and cultural figures. Of the remaining three tracks making up this eleven strong collection, 'Mississippi Gas Station Blues' is a touch patchy, 'Stealing' gently rolls along in an unassuming manner and 'Radio Keeps Me on the Ground' settles in the neutral territory of okay without threatening the best of I See Hawks in LA.

The core quartet of Jacobs, Rob Waller, Paul Lacques and Paul Marshall is still intact and joined by numerous other contributors. All keep I See Hawks in LA a relevant band well over twenty years since formation and ON OUR WAY is an album you want to keep on your radar in the months after release as it contains so many good examples of how to execute a style favoured by those smitten with Americana music. 

Album Review: Darrin Bradbury - Artvertisement

 

www.darrinbradbury,com

ARTVERTISEMENT is the enigmatic follow up to Darrin Bradbury's 2019 release TALKING DOGS AND ATOM BOMBS. That album had Kenneth Pattengale from The Milk Carton Kids at the helm but this time Bradbury has gone alone on that facet. However the result is along the same lines of an album dropping into your vicinity souding quite like no other and drawing you into the web of an artist provoking an element of curiosity to their work. The rapid fire of nearly a dozen tracks peppering your senses in little under half an hour is repeated with the same effect of straining your mental sinews to pop down the channel the artist is leading you to. 

Listening to ARTVERTISEMENT many times continues to draw comparisons with Micah Schnabel. Both are idiosyncratic and fuse poetic folk with punk sensibilities to subscribe to a singer-songwriter set housed within the broadening boundaries of Americana. To actually try to dissect and understand all the lyrical subtleties submerged within a brief span of thirty minutes is for the brave only, so maybe the best bet is to kick back and let Bradbury do all the work. A job he does with cutting excellence.

The three tracks that peerlessly poke through from this set of twelve in the standard edition enhanced by a bonus one in some formats are the seriously superb opener 'Field Notes From a College Town', the curiously wonderful 'Exile on Myrtle Beach' and the delightfully catchy  '15 Shovels'.

Elsewhere, the calmer waters of 'XXY Top Left' are welcome after the furious two-minute punk thrash of 'Artvertisement', while spoken parts intermingle with song on 'Shiny Town' and the quirkiness peaks with 'Deanna Deanna'. As indicated, you are asked to lend your ear to the delights of this record for half an hour, which is probably the optimum time once our man gets on a roll.

Darrin Bradbury continues to make interesting music spiced with a few nuggets and gems. ARTVERTISEMENT has plenty to say, plenty to decipher and plenty to give from an album brimming with rhythmic prose. 

Gig Review: Josh O'Keefe - Kitchen Garden, Kings Heath, Birmingham. Monday 30th August 2021

www.joshokeefe.com

The resume of Josh O'Keefe suggests an artist whose dream has paid off and appears to have a career chugging along nicely. However a blank page is presented when you land in a town who knows nothing of you and ten paying customers decide to take a punt. At this point you may question where the last decade has gone or more likely knuckle down and dig deep into the resolve that has accumulated the sum of that resume. From a tentative start where he surveyed the scene and searched for the biting point of his musical clutch, Josh O'Keefe suddenly clicked into gear and proceeded over the course of two sets spanning an hour and a half to show what the resume tells.

Despite heading west from his UK home nearly a decade ago to seek the musical nirvana of dusty roads leading out of Tennessee and collecting some impressive notches on the way, Josh O'Keefe came to my attention first in the recent lockdown when appearing on one of the twice weekly virtual Green Note streams. At the same time his name was noted on the Black Deer Festival line up; sadly an event that had to be postponed twice. A little sampling on the streaming services and it was good to go when a show was announced at the Kitchen Garden as part of a current tour of the homeland. 

Whether by instinct or design, Josh O'Keefe puts the associations and connotations of his act right in the middle of the page, almost courting journalistic writing that fluctuates between lazy and informed. The attire, demeanour, playing style, vocals and spin on words places him on an axis between the the most favourite American troubadour of the thirties famed for his dustbowl ballads and the heir heralded in the revival of the early sixties. No names required, just check out the pics, videos and music of Josh O'Keefe to see.

From an old time mic and unplugged guitar feeding old school into the amplification, those making a safe bet were treated to a a host of tunes from the latest record, 2020's BLOOMIN'; a few others you can find online; a traditional old standard and a new song signalling a healthy future. The last titled 'Hello Peeping Tom' appeared a little slower to the other material heard, but had a high degree of tensility in the lightly strummed chords. 'Wayfaring Stranger' needs no further introduction; 'Build a Wall' opened the show and the proudly announced 'I Won't let You Down' was one of two songs where wife Cora Carpenter, a North Carolina native, joined on harmony vocals. 

A key component of Josh O'Keefe's musical artistry is the harmonica, of which he had many to choose from a converted bible carrier. This was in continual use throughout the show, most profound on 'Runaway Train'. You can't be a travelling old time troubadour without one of those songs. A political perspective of a certain leaning also defines his act, another gimme from a socially conscience and morally astute songwriter. 'McAlpine's Fusiliers' took this down to a personal level with a family tale of the Irish rebuilding post-war London. On a wider scale, 'Thoughts and Prayers' moves the songwriting right into the heart of his adopted land's key issue of the day and takes its inspiration from the Florida high school shootings. 

The last track was one of several lifted from the recent album. These included 'We're All the Same', 'Soldier' (a song based on Afghanistan, but taking a different twist at the moment) and 'Son of the Working Class'. Perhaps the most entertaining song from this album, and on the night, was 'Talkin' Neighbour From Hell'. An introduction citing the legendary Ramblin' Jack Elliot as an inspiration on many fronts leading to a proclamation of the talking head blues genre made famous by Woody Guthrie in the thirties and forties. A take very much at the core of how Josh O'Keefe wants to develop music now approaching a century on.

At this point, the multi-identity Josh O'Keefe was right in the zone winning over a Birmingham audience that had a heart of their number with a zero on the end. Troubadours are known for their passing through identity and it is the fleeting presence of the here and now that drives the craft. For one night only, a young person with Irish heritage from Derby now based in Tennessee, and all roads out, showed how you can capture the past and refine it for a new generation. At the end of the deserved encore, that blank page was full and those present knew a lot more about Josh O'Keefe. 

Gig Review: Shrewsbury Folk Festival (Sunday Only) - Sunday 29th August 2021

For the record Shrewsbury Folk Festival is a four day event which adds a Friday evening and Monday afternoon slot to a full slate of sets across the weekend. The beauty of such an event in an accessible town centre setting is the opportunity to be a day visitor and experience it as an array of high class gigs. On the surface it appears that the majority of attendees embrace it as a wider music and dance festival with the booked artists merely part of an offering that extends into activism. From an operation of two major timetabled stages that enable the viewing of just six sets per full weekend day, it is hardly a dashing around event, but you are compensated by each performance packed full of substance and a decent length. 

For 2021, the organisers opted to go down the open aired stage route as opposed to the vast marquees that have been the feature of previous years. While this decision was heavily based on offsetting the possible extended imposition of Covid restrictions, it was blessed with dry and sunny weather. Always a bonus for Shropshire on an August Bank Holiday weekend.

As the prime purpose of attending was witnessing some first class high calibre folk music, the key decision on the Sunday was which sets to choose. A process necessitated by the dual scheduling and a fair distance between the avian themed stages named Cuckoo and Skylark. On the basis of personal preference, curiosity and past experience, a line up of Will Pound's A Day Will Come, Benji Kirkpatrick and Pendevig  filled the afternoon with Band of Burns,The Young 'Uns and Seth Lakeman taking to the stage as the sun set. 

Will Pound's A Day Will Come

From the group of six, the Skylark stage hosted only the first act, but it was the most intriguing and innovative one of the day. Back in 2020 an album project from multi-instrumentalist Will Pound landed in folk music circles and shone a bright torch on European embracement in an increasing world of division and contempt. A DAY WILL COME was a record drawing on folk tunes from each one the remaining member EU states. and delivered in a lavish virtuoso style. While taking the record out on the road has been delayed for obvious reasons, that time has now come and a performance at Shrewsbury is a precursor to some nationwide dates in 2022. 

To present the album across this afforded hour and a quarter lunchtime slot, Will assembled his chosen band of John Parker (bass), Jenn Butterworth (guitar), Patsy Reid (fiddle), Jude Rees (woodwind) and, from a spoken word perspective, contributions from Anglo-Polish poet Bohdan Piasecki. Will settled in on his trademark harmonica and accordion as well as coordinating proceedings that constituted an extensive EU tour from Portugal to Finland and Bulgaria to Ireland with many informative stops in between. Having been party to the album upon release, the live presentation fulfilled the promise with added bi-lingual poetic contributions enhancing the whole experience. Overall an outstanding start to the day and a sign of things to come.

Benji Kirkpatrick & the Excess

The next stop was a trek to the Cuckoo Stage (also acting as the main arena) and another opportunity to catch the latest offering from ex-Bellowhead member and Faustus participant Benji Kirkpatrick. Now leading a trio proclaiming his own name and band members know as the Excess, he was returning to the Shropshire folk festival circuit after appearing at nearby Beardy Folk in June. For the hour duration mid afternoon slot, he once again confirmed a stature with a performance brimming with power, panache and a capable nod of taking the genre forward in a folk rock direction. This set appeared a little louder than Beardy and met with full approval here. Like his earlier summer set, the trio was increased to a quartet on a couple of occasions with Rowan Godal joining on additional vocals to complement the bass, drums and Kirkpatrick's trademark bouzouki. A set that enhanced the credentials of someone cemented in modern folk tradition but striving to flourish in a new format. 

Pendevig

The final act of the afternoon segment saw a lavish musical and theatrical presentation of Welsh folk music heritage by the double digit ensemble going by the name of Pendevig. The core of this collaboration is the band Calan with a lot of other facets bolted on. A count of around fifteen or sixteen on stage was approximated including Welsh language poetry dialogue, dance, physical movement and instrumentation spanning strings, percussion, brass and the quintessential harp. A mixture of prose, tunes and songs filled the hour long set which was energetic, rousing and an inspiration especially for those of a patriotic persuasion. Non-English language musical song can have a mystique about it and we at least had an introduction to understand what aspect of Welsh traditional folklore was being given the full Pendevig treatment. Clad in white added to the visual extravaganza, and by the reaction of a dancing throng in front of the stage, this performance had to be near the top of the most popular and enjoyable scale of Shrewsbury 2021. 

Band of Burns

There was the option of seeing Calan on the Skylark stage straight after the two hour tea break, but a decision was made to stay at the Cuckoo and this time see a Celtic celebration from north of the border. Band of Burns is a self-explanatory title to the extent of a group of a dozen musicians congregating together to celebrate the work of Robert Burns through traditional music and song. This was very much a shared operation vocally with a wide musical offering ranging from eloquently delivered ballads to frantic fiddle tunes. While being a fairly new project, the lockdown had halted them in their tracks rather more than most. Once they get up to speed, and from the evidence of Shrewsbury 2021 they are on the mark, this project is set to go places. The members may have many other projects on the go, including Adam Beattie who was seen live with his own band a month of go, but there is likely to be a special feeling each time the Band of Burns get together to spread the word of the Ayrshire bard in an accomplished, sophisticated and throughly entertaining way. 

The Young 'Uns

The Young 'Uns were first seen live at Cambridge Folk festival in 2014, although they date back a good deal further. A lot has happened since to this mainly vocal trio famed for putting Teeside on the map, but one with so much more to their armoury. They have become firm festival favourites up and down the land, and further afield. Humour, sensational harmonies and a sense of justice drive the act of David Eagle (now an established stand up comedian), Michael Hughes and Sean Cooney. A raft of popular songs seemingly sang verbatim by their loyal fans at the front of the stage filled a cooling Shrewsbury air as the a cappella format briefly switched to a smidgeon of piano, accordion and guitar. Perhaps two of the most poignant songs from a similar angle were based on the experience of murdered Northern Ireland journalist activist Lyra McKee (titled simply 'Lyra McKee') and the incredible story of Matthew Ogston ('Be the Man'). Songs from the trio's latest project THE BALLAD OF JOHNNY LONGSTAFF were featured alongside old favourites like 'John Ball', 'Between the Wars' and 'Tom Paine's Bones'. It doesn't matter at what point you tune into The Young 'Uns, the effect is the same - laughter, thought provoking and thoroughly inspiring. 

Seth Lakeman

Effectively headlining the Sunday of Shrewsbury Folk Festival 2021 with due respect to Lindesfarne on the Skylark stage was the genre leading Seth Lakeman. An artist that defines folk music over the last decade and a half. If you have seen him and his various band line ups over the years, the formula rarely changes as well as the make up of ballads, multi-instrumentation and a fiddle frenzied finale. Yet there is aways something alluring and absorbing when Devon's finest takes to the stage. Loved by his faithful fans and causal drop ins alike, this evening's line up featured Benji Kirkpatrick joining a five-piece band alongside the longstanding bass stalwart Ben Nicholls and the recent addition of Alex Hart on harmonium and additional vocals. As usual the material raced through the extensive Seth Lakeman catalogue, and it wouldn't be quite right if there wasn't a new release on the horizon. By the time the fiddle frenzied finale exploded towards the end of this hour and a half long set, it was as if Seth Lakeman had not been sidelined by the events of the last eighteen months. It could quite easily have been 2008 when a Seth Lakeman concert was first attended in Wolverhampton - uplifting, entertaining and dutifully curated by a highly accomplished musician, songwriter and all round entertainer. 

Of course there would have been many other highlights from Friday, Saturday and Monday, but if a snapshot was wanted and available then Sunday met with full approval. The most important thing was that Shrewsbury Folk Festival had returned and its many patrons had flocked back to continue in the pretence that 2020 was merely a blip in the ongoing progression of a national institution in the world of folk music.

Album Review: Roland Roberts - All About the Timing

 

www.rolandrobertsband.com

ALL ABOUT THE TIMING is the debut album from Roland Roberts and on the evidence of the content he has just got that about right, well at least in the context of landing a ready made record into the laps of folks who will love his style. This is one where a country ramble gentle rolls along blending crafted musicianship with tight songwriting to tip your hat to those who have laid the path for the wise and informed to follow. 

This 10-song strong album kicks off with the cracking tune 'Beautiful Soul' blessed with the most luscious of chorus melodies that plants remnants of Kacey Musgraves' 'Merry Go Round'. A blast of harmonica introduces 'Picture on the Wall' and stays the duration as we head into traditional seventies singer-songwriter mode. The sort of sound that a sold shed load in the day. 'Wake Up' is a little darker with the definitive line 'you wear desperation like a bad cologne', while the opening quartet ends on one of the album's standout songs 'Sittin' in Nebraska'. This is the type of track that attracts people to the quintessential folk-Americana genre from afar with a canny reference to missing a Tyler Childers show adding to the charm.

The core of the album starts with the dreamy country ballad 'Don't Tell Me Goodbye' ably assisted by the introductory tones of pedal steel and later on some fiddle. What else do you need for a good ole sadness tinged love song. 'Rambling Joe' heralds the album's second half with hoe down sensibilities and a wry wit to spread a carefree attitude. The type of song to strengthen an album heavily bent on reflecting a sound born from the wide open spaces and delivered perfectly to more populous surroundings. The title track completes the album core with Roberts proudly displaying a philosophical side while in full John Prine tribute mode. 'It's all about the timing, it's not about the plan' attempts to portray what life can be away from pressures of conformed modernity. 

Another blast of steel leads off the final trio with 'Being Me' demonstrating a sound being honed and perfected. This being seriously impressive melodic songwriting encapsulating all that is enriching in a country sound decorated with folk and Americana trappings. 'Lonely Blues' is a penultimate showstopper expressing exactly what it says on the tin. Another essential ingredient of an album courting fans of this style. Bringing up the rear is another Roberts ear worm, an effect ingeniously practised across a limited template. At this point 'Keep Moving' On' seals the likeness to Tyler Childers, a move from a lyric in an earlier song to one derived from listener assertion. 

Roland Roberts re-affirms what is special about a sound and style cemented years ago and powering into the future in the arms of talented progressive operators. ALL ABOUT THE TIMING is a critically appealing body of work and shows that sometimes thirty minutes is all you need to sell your wares effectively. 

 

Album Review: Malcolm Holcombe - Tricks of the Trade

 

www.malcolmholcombe.com

The inimitable and enigmatic Malcolm Holcombe surfaces out of lockdown in the only true way he knows, namely recording another album to maintain a rapid flow of releases that has seemed to accelerate in recent years. TRICKS OF THE TRADE in its basic format comprises of a dozen new tracks. For those wanting a little extra, there is the deluxe edition with an additional track, and who could wish for anything more than an extra dose of this North Carolinian famed for putting an almost unique stamp on his interpretation of American roots music.

If you have been fortunate to catch him on one of his many live shows including several European excursions, there is an indelible mark on your memory. For me there was the initial awe of over a decade ago witnessing him rocking in a dining chair while letting his music counter the theory of balance. More recently it was an appearance in front of a Friday night social club crowd who if they were a little perplexed, did not exit in any noticeable numbers until the encore. Maybe the last statement is doing the audience a disservice, but he isn't your usual weekend prelude. 

Regardless of whether you are a seasoned Malcolm Holcombe gig observer, there is much merit in sinking into any of his albums, and starting with this new one is as good as any. Across the plastered template, he uses a production framework on the full side with plenty of multi instrumental input from his team to funnel the fruits of his inner thinking space into songs shaped nicely for an anticipated listener. Of course the grizzly growling vocals play their part, and a little fine tuning to your antenna may be required, dependent on where you are on the Malcolm Holcombe listening scale. 

The themes of his songwriting bounce around from the micro world of the deeply personal to a macro view of what is happening out there for all to see and experience. As you would expect from a songwriter with a poetic streak, the lyrics are there to chew if you desire and make the recipient tender as much interpretation and pleasure as they wish. On the other hand, there is an aura in the style of which Holcombe delivers his songs that embed wisdom, passion and a will to wring out every drip of creative juice fermenting in his mind. 

Outside of the bonus track 'Windows of Amsterdam', which itself is a strongly appealing song awash with a memorable chorus, other ones to catch the ear in the first few spins include the country feeling 'Misery Loves Company' illuminating the second spot in the track order and the politically charged 'Your Kin' in the album's midriff. Elsewhere 'Higher Ground' dips into a bluesy well with a more domineering soundtrack and a catchy chorus repeating the mantra "freedom to lose/choose". A song if you listen carefully contains vocal contributions from Mary Gauthier and Jaimee Harris. Bringing up the rear is 'Shaky Ground'  alongside an accompanying video and an emblematic gateway into the inner psyche of this album as well as ultimately hailing as the premium moment. 

If the world is still turning and Malcolm Holcombe still has his guitar in hand then you know new music will continually flow. TRICKS OF THE TRADE is more of the same, but if you're hooked in you won't grumble. 

Album Review: Karen Jonas - Summer Songs (EP)

 

www.karenjonasmusic.com

Just a fleeting visit from Karen Jonas here to keep you updated what she is doing in between likely major projects. For fans of her music in the UK we had the recent highs of the excellent album SOUTH WEST SKY AND OTHER DREAMS and an impressive virtual showcase at the 2021 UK Americana Fest coupled with the disappointment of her scheduled visit last summer succumbing to the pandemic. In the meantime, the newly released SUMMER SONGS is a four track EP keeping the wheels moving including three originals and a popular cover. 

In line with the seasonal theme of the album cover and title, a version of Don Henley's popular classic 'Boys of Summer' opens this EP. Apart from the obvious vocal differences, the blueprint of the original is closely followed and your viewpoint is likely forged by how much you rate this song. 

The remainder of the EP sees Jonas in laid back summer mode with a snapshot of the slower paced numbers that make up part of the repertoire. 'Summer's Hard for Love' is a moody dreamy retro piece, while its partial namesake 'Summer Moon' adopts a more acoustic strumming facade. Interspersing these two is the slightly quirky 'Thunder on the Battery', which while picking up the pace a little mid-track generally falls in line with the mood of the EP.

It is good to catch up with the trademark style of Karen Jonas albeit in bitesize form. Hopefully a little sampler before the next stage of her evolution as a touring artist and re-visiting the abandoned plans of 2020. 

Album Review: Grace Morrison - Daughter

 

www.gracemorrison.com

From the tones of the title track that introduces Grace Morrison as a recording artist, you feel in the presence of someone without pretence. In fact the overarching effect is one of carefree abandonment, yet still cautious of where the music is going to get picked up. Whatever is the desired outcome, sprinkling the sound with the delicate twang of Lloyd Maines's pedal steel guitar is going to court the country fraternity and enamour a wing that doesn't mind a wander down pop's luscious and spacious highway. DAUGHTER is a classic case of sharing the personal in a way to engage the many and the approach taken by Grace Morrison is an alluring one to boot.

Across the twelve tracks that have been committed to evolve DAUGHTER into a product of enhanced substance, you get themes from a perceptive stance that are as open to admirable interpretation as that of just kicking back and loving a sound that has formed a soundtrack for many years. Associations can help describe a record, but often these can be of the personal variety with a minimal link to any wider acknowledgment. Right from the off, the opening track, 'Daughter', is very relatable to the work of Ashley Campbell , both in the vocal style generated as well as the shared theme that has defined the latter's music to date. Three or four tracks into the record, thoughts turn to Whitney Rose especially when the steel turns into turbo mode during 'Free'. More general tones point to the time in country music around the turn of the millennium where the the commercial presence of female acts sped up the dial in terms of sales, numbers and impact. 

The true worth of this Grace Morrison record is that it is tempting, unyielding and determine to be inked on the page rather than pencilled in and left open to the cursed eraser. It also captures a variety of moods should you wish to be thoughtful, frivolous or in a mode when you just don't give a damn. 'Put the Bottle Down' takes the temperature of the record, and how taken can define where the record sits in your horizon. Once this was welcomed into the fold the rest of the content slipped easily into the realm of rewarding any chosen time spent with a record of exceedingly affable charm.

By the time we get to 'Woman Like That', a song seemingly heard many times before and that is meant in a good way, it is job done, and a record as American as any primed to reach out and promote a sound far and wide is born to flourish. Just one addendum at this point, whatever multitude of sounds unfold ending with emotive ballad like 'Mothers' seals the deal.

As DAUGHTER approaches the end of the line (well a least one phase of life), Grace Morrison can temporarily take a bow and bask in the effect that her endeavours and wise moves have paid dividends with an album listeners can comfortably evaluate, experience and ultimately enjoy. 

Gig Review: Hannah Rarity - Acoustic Music Centre, Edinburgh. Wednesday 18th August 2021

www.hannahrarity.com

It was predicted early on that the live music landscape for the remainder of 2021 would be dominated by home based talent. Early indication suggests that there is going to be a healthy diet of Scottish folk musicians particularly framed by the female vocals, which have such a mesmerising presence of interpreting song in its many guises. Last month Eddi Reader paid the English Midlands a visit with her touring show, and in the autumn a similar gig hinterland is set welcome visits from Karine Polwart, Siobhan Miller and Jenny Sturgeon. However let's park the past and future for a moment and focus on the present when the beautiful voice of Hannah Rarity was savoured for the first time.

The Acoustic Music Centre sounds like the sort of round the clock grassroots venue that continues to support a scene in its organic form. Closer scrutiny reveals it is a pop up operation to curate folk music in the vast cultural pool that is the Edinburgh Fringe for three weeks in August. While being aware of its existence over the last decade of visiting the Fringe, 2021 was the first time one of their events conveniently found its way into a busy packed schedule. In fairness, Fringe visits tend to focus more on other aspects of the performing arts leaving music to run amok for the other 51 weeks of the year. 

So for a defined period the Ukrainian Community Centre, located in one of Edinburgh's many regal residential spots, lends its upstairs room to the Acoustic Music Centre, and on the evidence of this evening's sold out show a definite value was added to both the Fringe offering and the wider live music scene. There was a slight change to the line up with John Lowrie on keyboards replacing Innes White who was self-isolating. Co-incidentally, it was Innes White who stepped in as a late replacement in the band for the Eddi Reader gig and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him tour with Siobhan Miller next month. Anyhow John Lowrie is an established collaborator with Hannah Rarity, so his presence is only going to enhance a show.

Now with the background laid out, focus turns to the performance of one of Scotland's leading folk talents and indeed a previous recipient of the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year. Over the duration of a meticulously managed hour (another trait of the Fringe's tight reins), Hannah curated a finely tuned performance of where she is as a musician in terms of the impact of the last 18 months; what inspires her and where the immediate future is heading. She is adept at many aspects of writing and interpreting song, whether drawing on personal influence and presence to compose original material; delving into the exhaustive vault of traditional fare or putting a Celtic twist on more contemporary output from legends like Joni Mitchell and Tom Waites. All this is wrapped in the quintessential package of a voice as pure as a Highland spring and an aura to warm a crowd courted by a dip into accessible virtuosity. 

Covers, traditional numbers and songs being shared for the first time were joined by recorded ones such as the title track from her most recent full length album NEATH THE GLOAMING STAR and self-written material set to feature on its eventual successor. In between we learned of the inspiring way music is used in the care sector and this can at least be imagined by experiencing it in a personal and intimate setting. 

Hopefully Hannah Rarity progresses her career to be a force outside the domain of her Scottish base and follow in the footsteps of the names used as associates in the opening to this piece. All the credentials of wisdom, effortless conveyance, elegance and a soothing presence are in place to succeed in the ultimate aim of making music that means something to others. In some instances an hour can seem short; in others it has the potential to unlock a door to a timeless path. 

Album Review: Mark Germino - Midnight Carnival

 

www.propermusic.com/rdp2101-midnight-carnival.html

Mark Germino is a name you may recognise or not. If you are in the former camp, memories of an influential singer-songwriter who rubbed shoulders with roots industry luminaries will surface alongside recollection of the song 'Rex Bob Lowenstein'. On the other hand, it is perfectly understandable to be in the latter group due to a lengthy gap of recording inactivity that has been filled by a near-lifetime's worth of good music elsewhere. Seemingly out of nowhere, we are presented with a brand new Mark Germino album perfectly set up to be one of the year's surprise packages. MIDNIGHT CARNIVAL unleashes it hefty content upon keen ears via a Red Parlor Records/Proper platform and you will soon conclude that a rich and fertile past has re-surfaced into a prosperous present.

This fourteen track album absorbs, teases and ultimately delivers as Germino metaphorically wanders down America's long and winding songwriting highway. Listen carefully and you won't be too far from a Guy Clark-Sam Baker axis: two names who would deservedly be on a fictional 'recommended if you like' list (RIYL) favoured by some pluggers pushing for their product to be heard. Not that too much pushing is required for an album of such accomplished depth, and ably assisted by such vaunted Nashville players as Michael Webb, Kenny Vaughan, Tom Comet and Rick Lonow. Together they take a bunch of majestically curated story songs and add a variety of touches circumnavigating the wide spectrum of roots sounds from cajun to bluegrass and country to folk-rock. First listen will prick your ears, but to be honest it will take several more before you even begin to unwrap the wealth of Germino's input into this project.

Serious listening to MIDNIGHT CARNIVAL - and you need warning that this album is no quick fix - has syphoned off four tracks to pin to any summary, but to be fair it would tough to argue against any of the others demanding a spotlight. Leading the way is the rampant swinger 'Carolina in the Morning', full of country swagger and planting the memorable line 'a roller coaster ride through heaven's gate' in your mind at several points including a neat repetition at the end. Those managing the pre-release obviously agreed as this track has been the sole one available in the usual places prior to the 6th August release date. 

Preceding the stand out piece in the track list are the fascinating story songs: 'Koraleah' with references to Clinch river prompting interest and 'The Greatest Song Ever Written', a six-minute epic memorably weaving in the rhyming line 'the coast of Great Britain'. This pair sealed the Clark-Baker association and likely to accrue further plays once cherry picking eventually kicks in. On a personal note, I am always on the look out for a baseball themed song to request at the start of the season each spring. Now we have the optimistic ditty 'Until the Fat Man Swings' to rival the normal go-to Chuck Prophet's 'Willie Mays is Up At Bat'. Germino's dip into America's favourite past time is the perfect album closer and ends with a fiddle driven beat in contrast to the accordion that dominated the toe tapping upbeat opener 'Traveling Man (Season 1 Episode 10)'.

Each of the fourteen tracks could have their own thesis and dissection attached, but sometimes you just need to allow them space to breathe and evolve. A brief overview reveals ballads, jaunty pieces, feisty numbers and imagery that takes you right across a vast land with heaps of fascinating stories and observations.

Germino's presence is a mixture of regal, patriarchal, rugged and seasoned; all underpinned with a poetic tempo invigorated by a stellar soundtrack. MIDNIGHT CARNIVAL is a triumphant return for Mark Germino. Ultimately, laying out a domineering album awash with stories allowing full enjoyment for those well-versed in his craft and probably more importantly in 2021, a whole new audience.

Album Review: Ro Myra - Nowhere, Nebraska

 

 

www.himynameisro.com

'Hi my name is ro' is the handle that greets you when tracking her online and almost prises the response 'nice to discover your music' once the debut album is listened to. The artist in question is Ro Myra. A new name to many and another welcome recruit to the ever fulfilling sound putting an alternative indie tilt to lo-fi folk Americana. Among the first things to greet you upon gazing the cover are an evocative title in NOWHERE, NEBRASKA and a desolate image of miles and miles of nothing. From an element of space to be filled, attention switches to seven songs meticulous spun, and the air soon fills with a swirling array of tunes sweeping up the emptiness in a comforting blanket of attentive music. 

To fill in a few details, Ro Myra is a Nashville-based artist and original native of Nebraska. No surprises for the link there. The album is self-produced and the solo status extends to the composition of each song. The calling to be a recording artist came after years spent in education reform and academia. On the evidence of the riches from this thoughtful, impactful and fulfilling debut album, you can tell who the winners are.

A number of singles have been released in the run up to the unveiling of the whole album including the dreamy and sensual opening track 'Half the Time', one with more than a touch of indie chills and a feeling of building up. This is followed by a similarly felt track in 'Mama' inducing a permeating presence and blessed with some neat guitar parts. Matters take a significant upturn when the majestic 'Jump into the Water' explodes from a beat-laden beginning to mean business. For me this track is one of two album peaks, sharing the other with the energetic single 'She's Not the Road'.

Splitting the two peaks in the running order is the experimental 'More Than Just Okay' where a different texture tantalises your earbuds and you get the first faint sound of pedal steel to add some slight twang. There are similar vibes in the seductive 'Irene' that proves to be the penultimate track and yet another seeing life as a single. The final track also had an airing prior to full album release and 'Railroad Weed' probably makes the greatest claim for defining what this album is perceived to be; one billed as a personal recollection but also encapsulating the lonesome sound of the Nebraska plains. 

Mark the name Ro Myra and the album NOWHERE, NEBRASKA on your check list. It will be a half hour well spent, and one supporting an artist making a successful move to fulfil a calling.

Album Review: Sean McConnell - A Horrible Beautiful Dream

 

www.seanmcconnell.com

Sean McConnell follows up his well-received 2019 album SECOND HAND SMOKE with a brand new collection of songs primed to raise his standing as an esteemed singer-songwriter bobbing in the spacious waters between mainstream country, Americana and heartland rock. From the swirling confusing imagery of the album cover, A HORRIBLE BEAUTIFUL DREAM is a reflective album taking stock while depicting an artist seeking a sound footing in an ever changing world. 

The last few years has seen Sean McConnell raise his profile in the UK including a spot on the Front Porch stage at the Long Road Festival. Time has been spent assessing his pitch in the vast pool of American singer-songwriter music and the new album extends this exploration through thirteen fresh tracks mainly of a solo write origin. This status doesn't really define McConnell as an artist as evidenced by four collaborative tracks on the album including familiar names Natalie Hemby, Dan Tyminski and the Wood Brothers. However one assertion from digging deep into this release is that Sean McConnell stands tall as a solo performing artist and owns the road even on songs where a full band sound ramps up the engine.

The tempo of the album sways with an array of moods on display. The level headed McConnell stays in control curating a sound that doesn't shy away from courting convention and mainstream sentiment. Yet underpinning moments when you feel in the presence of someone conforming to a playbook is a sincere songwriter without compromise in material covered and fine tuning a craft to score a meaningful accessible song. 

It's brave to associate McConnell's sound as similar to Jason Isbell in the honest opener 'Still Believe in You' where the imaginative writing extends to 'civil war between my heart and head'. Another key moment in the album's early stages is the single 'The 13th Apostle' featuring The Wood Brothers and one example of imprinting his faith into the songwriting process. 

As the album eases through its phases, three tracks stand out as ones to watch. 'The Wonder Years' is a slice of piano introduced nostalgia blessed with a good build up and a decent chorus referencing the 'Queen of Ellis Island'. This track evokes memories of the song that first introduced me to Sean McConnell in 2016's 'Queen of Saint Mary's Choir'. A few tracks later in the running order 'Used to Think I Know' unwraps as a fine road song with a good melody. The top trio concludes with the penultimate song 'As the Curtain Curtain Came Down' featuring Audra Mae and Dan Tyminski slowing things down with a good dose of harmonica utilised.

Elsewhere things almost grind to a halt with the minimal after-thought closing track 'Remember You're Here', while there are live ballad vibes circulating around 'Leave a Light On'. The band side of Sean McConnell comes to the fore in the big fuller sound to 'What the Hell is Wrong With Me' featuring Fancy Hagood, and a track with heartland rock sensibilities. Things get deep in 'Getting Somewhere' and for a slice of diversity 'I Built You Up' brings a soulful gospel sound to the party. 

A HORRIBLE BEAUTIFUL DREAM is a rewarding album to spend a little time with. Does it enhance Sean McConnell's standing in wider American singer-songwriter circles? Yes. Does it help better define what Sean McConnell is about? A little. Do you think there is a lot more to come from Sean McConnell? Certainly. Anyhow, let us park the conjecture and analysis to exist in the present enjoying what ultimately proves to be a highly satisfying album.