Saturday, 29 October 2022
Friday, 28 October 2022
Album Review: Lainey Wilson - Bell Bottom Country
Lainey Wilson makes a rapid return to the ranks of recording artist status with a stylish album full of magnetic striking appeal. This Louisiana-born singer-songwriter makes an attentive entrance via the vogue-like cover and draws you into a depth of country flare, or flair - take your pick. BELL BOTTOM COUNTRY is an enthusiastic album packed with a breadth of sounds protruding out from the comfort of the well-resourced Nashville mainstream. The production is staple yet refined with a finished shine polished to dangle in front of both insatiable junkies and discerning veterans. This is one of Wilson's strengths that draws her out from the pack of those jostling to be the contemporary face of a genre. The pop gloss is kept to a minimum to allow heaps of southern affection to ooze from the songs that are quintessentially country.
This album is another release on the BBR Music Group / Broken Bow Records operation similar to 2021's ear catching SAYIN' WHAT I'M THINKIN'. Wilson is once again at the heart of the writing and is credited on all but one of the fourteen tracks. In line with releasees of this ilk, a team of writers is at the helm of each track usually three but a couple of times extended to four. The common thread is Wilson's presence that suggests most of the influences stem from her own heart, inspiration and experience. The odd track out pushes the album to the near fifty-minute mark with a cover of 90s transcendental pop rock hit 'What's Up (What's Going On)' likely to be a fun inclusion from some sort of live outing.
While a multiple of sounds are experimented with on this otherwise tight-knit release, the ticks get extra prominence when things slow down to a more pedestrian level to allow the drooling essence of a wide vocal range to explore their tender side. 'Watermelon Moonshine' is a classy nostalgic number that could grace any album exploring the roots of a genre. In an inimitable style, 'Weak - end' is a play-on words-country barroom effort that has all the hallmark of a late night contemplative piece. Providing the icing to a tingling threesome is the reflective ditty 'Those Boots (Deddy's Song)', which on several levels is a higher octane micro companion to Miranda Lambert's 'House That Built Me'.
There are a thread of words across the titles that in context could only come from a country album. 'Hillbilly Hippie' kicks things off with a a dose of lifestyle twang and certainly aligns with the cover. 'Heart Like a Truck' does bin the cliche with its lyrics and takes the vocals into diva territory with a full wind up in the closing stages. 'Me, You and Jesus' covers many bases with its inclusion to conclude this second title-inspired trio.
Early in this record we get a slant on Wilson's ability to turn to a head shaking country rocker with a burst of energy on 'Road Runner'. In contrast, a funky undercurrent anchors 'Grease', while a a rootsy start to 'Hold My Halo' shows a glimpse of promise of where the album may have gone on another day. The reality is that Wilson rubs shoulders with the current crop at the top of a label-driven scene, while possessing a tilt that does fuel a diversity stance.
From the remaining quartet that complete the set, the rousing chorus to 'Wild Flowers and Wild Horses' is probably the pick. 'This One's Gonna Cost Me' is a rich slice of rock 'n' pop that pulls the record slightly away from its country core with no real damage done. 'Atta Girl' and 'Live Off' cling to okay status, but probably question whether a slimmer album could have been a sharper more incisive release.
Right through the chimes, twang and sass of BELL BOTTOM COUNTRY you never lose sense of Lainey Wilson's confident strive for an independent stance and a heartfelt yet fun home for her organic songs. The style and sound shape up significantly on a record bursting at the seams to get a deserved cross bench round of recognition.
Monday, 24 October 2022
Gig Diary: Voices From The Cones (Album Launch) The Glasshouse Arts Centre, Stourbridge. Friday 21st October 2022
Projects like Voices From The Cones need full journey status to establish their true worth. While album preview, release and launch are all notable landmarks, it is the iceberg analogy of what you haven't seen and the shift above the surface that truly define the effect. From idea spark to studio recording, the initial part of this journey out of public view likely struck the hard yards. Creativity now passes the baton on to commercial endeavour to give this project the best chance of reaching and fulfilling audiences with an appetite for archival folk transmission. The Glasshouse Arts Centre in Stourbridge stands on the physical sands of a trade sunk into the heart of a community and commandeers one part of the spirit. The other part is every curious mind that absorbs the message and art of Voices From The Cones, whether hailing from this south western corner of the Black Country or anywhere else accessing a far reaching digital release.
Voices From The Cones primarily protracts the multi-facetted talents of musician Dan Whitehouse and the narrative expressive storytelling skills of John Edgar to the fore. In some ways they are mere creative facilitators as the true core comes from those owning the 'voices'. Some voices literally exist in the present, while others emerge from archive research. The common thread is they all have a significant story to tell about working in the glass industry in Stourbridge. A trade now turning a full circle to being an artisan-centric seed-to- table existence with the old cones dormant on one level, but truly alive in another through an area's desire to preserve a 400 year heritage.
Ongoing, Voices From the Cones will have two entities. The commercial recording offers limitless accessibility in a combination of formats showcasing twelve songs for those solely hooked on that aspect, and a separate integration of them with the stories explained, narrated and, where able, an inclusion of the actual 'voices'. This entity has the impact to be stand alone effective and finds a channel into intuitive minds. The second is the live interpretation that can be fluid, adaptable and innovative. All three of these latter traits were in evidence at the album launch show.
There were three strands to the live performance this evening. First up, Dan Whitehouse created a little space to introduce himself through a solo set. This included a peep into his alternative 2022 glass project, more ethereal and perspective than industrial and tangible. Having poured so much into the songwriting and music producing of Voices From The Cones and now the ongoing focal point, a little indulgence was fully warranted.
Preluding the main performance, Alan Ellsmore from the Ruskin Mill Trust (the project's key instigator) gave further insight into the stimulus, historical background, the organisation's links to the trade and a summary of some of the lyrical themes. Accompanying this was a fully enhanced slide show adding value at opportune moments that also extended deep into the main performance with an incisive slice of embracing multi-media visual art.
Practicalities have to be sought when bringing the music to stage in this new phase of Voices From The Cones. Stripped back was the announced term to introduce a trio format of Dan Whitehouse (electric guitar/vocals), Elizabeth J. Birch (piano/vocals) and John Edgar (narration/vocals/harmonica). Much more input can be heard on the record, but, in reverse, a lot more can be derived from extracting the filters and adding in audience aura.
On the surface the 50-minute presentation reflected the integrated take on the record. Track order, script and field recordings all filled a studio performance space housing a tiered audience gripped by a totally absorbing slant on spoken word, music and song. Live performance will always bring something different to the moment, and a hometown show can breathe in a local element. In attendance this evening were some of the actual voices, adding an extra factor of reality and personal emotion.
Enhanced dimension, added dynamics and an injection of real time experience ensures any live performance of Voices From The Cones will reach different parts than is possible on the record. This entity can play a valuable role in the final phase of a project that possesses enough guile and craft to succeed. The message and ethos is strong. The importance of preserving the past is magnified. Dan Whitehouse meets the challenge head on to coordinate a fascinating night of performance art. In his role of prime curator, success emerges through listening, learning, interpreting, creating and delivering.
Voices From The Cones in its dual existence is a memorable exemplar of sharing with poise, passion and panache. This album launch show captured the spirit of the record and will certainly replicate when offered the chance in the future. Leaving a departing audience entertained, educated and enthralled is a worthy epitaph to a solitary night. Reaching out or returning to the record in a new light is another effect of sampling it live. Seeking out, either or both of the Voices From The Cones entities is highly recommended, while this project powers on as a functioning vessel celebrating 400 years of glassmaking heritage in Stourbridge.
Wednesday, 19 October 2022
Album Review: Voices From The Cones - Dan Whitehouse
The glass influence can be seen all over modern day Stourbridge. The Glassboys fly the sporting flag, while a bite 'n' pint can be had in The Glassworks pub. To these you can add the ongoing work done by The Glasshouse College in their chosen field of education. Now the world renowned glassmaking tradition of this Black Country town gets a different slant in the arts world. This is in the shape of a meticulously curated and creatively spun body of work unveiled to the world under the banner VOICES FROM THE CONES. Spearheaded by local singer-songwriter/musician Dan Whitehouse, this concept album brings to life 400 years of industrial heritage in the timeless volume of words and song.
Commissioned by a partnership including the Ruskin Mill Trust, archives have been trawled; first hand experience sought and anecdotes collected to morph into a dozen songs brimming with a past life under the control of Whitehouse and his accomplices. These range from local storyteller John Edgar to local folk musician Kim Lowings and extends across the Black Country/Brummie divide to Chris Cleverley. Further vocal contributions come from Elizabeth J. Birch, Nicole Justice, Angella Corinna and Katie Whitehouse, the latter guesting on album finale 'Hands Heart Head' - the ethos and spirit of the Glasshouse with connotations in education and employment.
Such endeavour and commendable goals still require a highly desirable product to pitch to the music world. Throughout a refreshing forty-minute tenure, the sounds and styles conveyed call at many ports from amusing ditties and rousing pieces to pushing musical boundaries and the inevitable selected gorgeous vocal parts. From the early song previews via solo Dan Whitehouse shows/festival sets to a pre-album evening in August, the joyful tones of 'Free Beer' and eye-winking euphemism to 'The Old Savoy' resonated strongly, partially aided by several local references that perhaps won't travel further than the ring road.
Dan Whitehouse is widely known for his experimental approach to folk music. There are strong electro vibes to 'Moving'. A modernist slice coupling extensive instrumental with some fabulous lyrics headed by the line 'Middle East to the west of the middle' to track the historical shift of glass traditions to the English Black Country. A full on instrumental piece spices up the record in the penultimate spot with 'The Hive' filtering in a thoughtful phase after a steady flow of stories, tales and much musing to decipher.
These musings kick off the album with the title track 'Voices From the Cones', which starts with the anecdotal words of an old glassworker before letting the golden voice of Kim Lowings loose on a duet song. She also appears later in 'Picking Sticks' alongside the voice and piano of Dan Whitehouse and some interesting hammer dulcimer from a guest musician.
Amusing segments are never too far away, and local storyteller John Edgar takes full control in the music hall style of 'Front Door' as the theme impishly moves towards some of the extra-curricular activities the workers got up to with their world class products. On a more serious note, Elizabeth J. Birch delivers a strong message in 'Rouse Ye Women' to reflect that the glassworkers were often in unison with other other industrial trades in pursuit of better rewards.
The earlier mentioned Chris Cleverley joins up with Dan Whitehouse in the writing of 'The Last Apprentice' before solely acting out the vocals on a song depicting a sad demise in collusion with the man literally taking the title. Fortunately, he is still here to tell a tale now documented in song to play out the ideals of folk music.
The final two songs represent a tangible side to the glass industry. 'Flip Flop' has hip hop shades while actually being a traditional glass musical instrument and gets the expert vocal treatment from Nicole Justice. 'Rose Bowl' was a gift showing the empathetic side to an industry that we have been left in no doubt was a tough life. Angellina Corinna lends the vocals to a song illuminated by some delectable pedal steel.
The physical release includes an additional disc narrated and written by John Edgar with some of the interviews undertaken to fuel the songs that make this such a special and hugely enjoyable listen. The disc also intersperses the songs to alter the dimension. The richness and diversity to this album sets it apart. The songs educate, inform and entertain, thus ensuring any investment in this project has been wholly worthwhile. That investment now extends a hand to listeners making a wise choice to engage.
VOICES FROM THE CONE is a prime example of folk in the field to rival any contemporary take on immortalising the past in the entertaining shrine of music, words and song. It acts as an accessory for locals to view their heritage through a different lens and an artistic conduit to draw interest from afar. Dan Whitehouse and his team have done Stourbridge proud, but foremost, the legacy of an industry proud.
Sunday, 16 October 2022
Gig Diary: M G Boulter - Thimblemill Library, Smethwick. Saturday 15th September 2022
On an evening when Smethwick was temporarily twinned with Southend-on-Sea, Thimblemill Library maintained its winning run of inviting very literary-focussed singer-songwriters to the most literary of settings. Stories, anecdotes and intuitive song influences spilled out of M G Boulter to such an extent they could well have created a section on the heaving shelves to house an alternative work of word art. The theme was a celebration of an album that has proved more than durable in its eighteen month existence in spheres of those hooking up on its contents at various points of a seminal journey. CLIFFTOWN may well be nearing the end of its cycle as an artist's focal point, well at least until it re-emerges for the customary anniversaries. However there has been room for a swan song as this Essex-based singer-songwriter refreshed the presentation for a final tilt in this phase.
This was the third time seeing M G Boulter live since CLIFFTOWN entered its commercial status as the gig world started to re-awaken. Barely weeks after its April 2021 release, live shows started to emerge and the Kitchen Garden in Birmingham hosted Boulter in its makeshift socially distanced courtyard. The performance tentatively started out in a solo format, but the flavour of an album hailed as a conceptual take on living in Southend was fully absorbed from those quick to rejoin the gig bandwagon.
By the end of the summer the M G Boulter Trio had been born and the Maverick Festival was next in line to share some of the songs from an album fast becoming the most significant part of a lengthy music career successfully striking out in so many different directions. The downsize of a festival set is the brevity to really own the show, a fact of life put to the sword on this third occasion of absorbing the songs of CLIFFTOWN. Not only was the Trio finely tuned in an enticing direction with the additions of Harriet Bradshaw (Cello/mini keys) and Lucy Farrell (violin/guitar), the whole show was boosted by a visual aspect commissioned as part of the project to inject a different slant on the stories told in song. Add these to a lengthy two-set stint and an album had a fabulous send off, with the extra zest that there is so much more to access elsewhere for anybody's unsatisfied hunger.
M G Boulter only just starts with the stories he breathes. A stylish guitarist heads an in-demand musician and incisive crisp vocals ensure the belly of a song lands on a listener's sweet spot. A innate warm and friendly persona fans the flames of smartly secured songs and fuels the inter-song chat that adds bundles of extra knowledgable spice to a singer-songwriter evening.
There were moments during the show where things diverted from the growing girth of Essex's prime seaside resort. The newest addition to a M G Boulter show is the the handful of songs forming 2022's EP A SHADOW FALLS OVER NEW BRIGHTON, although we were informed that this digital only release was basically some extra cuts left off CLIFFTOWN. We did get a brief glimpse of the future with a new song, and those with a keen eye noticed the results of a songwriting collaboration with Scottish artist Jenny Sturgeon has surfaced in the form of a digital single. Maybe a sign of things to come as both artists are active on the Hudson Records label, an operation providing a platform for musicians to prosper in tandem.
Catching a CLIFFTOWN show before it fades in the distance as a live entity is highly desirable. Any practical challenges can be alleviated by accessing https://hudsonrecords.co.uk/s/clifftown-sounds as a one stop library for all things relevant including the associated podcast series. Trying to convey the experience via a third party is a submissive task falling short of the inevitable. Signposting the work of M G Boulter is a sufficient and laudable aim. The live show will only truly shine in the eyes of the beholder.
This M G Boulter show was the latest in a long line of insightful bookings by the team behind these community library shows. The support on the evening came from Harry Thorpe who admirably stepped in to play solo when the highly touted Thorpe and Morrison instrumental folk duo was curtailed in the run up to the show. He paraded virtuosic guitar skills among makeshift songs to warm up the audience suitably for the main course.
It has been a pleasure to be part of the CLIFFTOWN experience since first casting ears on the record in the promotional phase. If this proves to be focal point finale, that pleasure was gratified and sealed. M G Boulter found his spiritual home this evening. Maybe there is more in common between Smethwick and Southend than meets the eye.
Friday, 14 October 2022
Album Review: M. Lockwood Porter - Sisyphus Happy
SISYPHUS HAPPY is the sort of record that if you allow it to burrow deep into your pores a sumptuous high will surface. M Lockwood Porter has captured and savoured a particular fertile patch of his creative whims to tumble headlong into a record that seemingly came out of turbulent personal times. From a clear inner signal to slim down the operation, the result is a simpler production and rounded sum of ten compulsive tracks showing this Oklahoma-raised/Bay Area-based artist is firing flat out on what is now his fifth full length release.
The title is the first interesting thoughtful point on a record getting its release on the increasingly influential label Black Mesa Records. Sisyphus was famously known in Greek Mythology for pushing a boulder eternally up a hill; a metaphor for life's frustrating repetitive blocks. If M Lockwood Porter felt this in his professional career, the fruits of the new record suggest a successful alleviation. A second point of interest is that help making the album is almost entirely in tandem with fellow Oklahoman, the legendary (well if not yet, will soon be) John Moreland. Mixing, co-producing and playing many of the instruments shows the input from this luminary with very little assistance from elsewhere. Using this space M Lockwood Porter proceeds to conjure up a melange of songs lighting up your listening space for thirty-seven minutes.
A faint hint of steel gives a shimmering background to 'Cried Through The Night' kicking things off in a truly touching style mixing with further enhanced musicianship to state that we are in safe hands. Things get deeply personal in the following track, 'I Went Out to Find the Answer', with a statement manoeuvre in the line "I drove the dustbowl highway so many times before" helping make this song one of the album's signature puzzle pieces. 'First Reformed' completes the opening trio in tender mode with some intriguing lines in the lyrics to evoke interest in what M Lockwood Porter is trying to convey in the record.
'Craigslist Song' sets the tone at a higher level to rock out a bit more than what we have heard so far. But then we know that M Lockwood Porter is heavily influenced by old time rockers like Petty, Young, Springsteen, Tweedy et al. The album lands at its midpoint in the acoustically strummed opening to 'The Whim to Walk Upstairs', which eloquently rolls out as a prime number wrapped up in the gentle vocal style of its architect.
There is a simple feel to 'The Dark Before the Morning' with stripped back sensibilities accompanying a melodic effort and juxtaposing a more complex message. A little background reading relates 'The Kid Who Ran Away' to the relationship with his late father and "we both needed something the other couldn't do" stands out as a strong slice of candid songwriting. Steel returns at the start of 'While We're Here' as the pondering of real life continues to fall into the lap of searching themes ripening up to feed the songs that ultimately portray them.
A somewhat therapeutic album glides towards a conclusion first in the optimistic chimes of 'Shine My Little Light' before the exceedingly delightful 'I'd Like To Take You With Me' seals the pertinent effect of a record moving you into a position of being totally in unison with the artist. At this point the reward of your endeavour reaches a sincere level of satisfaction. Eventually SISYPHUS HAPPY defies the inference in the title to the extent that the boulder does reach the top of the hill. M Lockwood Porter is a striving thoughtful songwriter, musician and collaborator. Alongside the wizardry of John Moreland, he as crafted a deftly purposeful record.
Album Review: Bonfire Radicals - The Space Between
Bonfire Radicals have cut their cloth as a vibrant live band on the local gig and festival circuit. Their take on folk music leans heavily almost entirely towards the instrumental spectrum and this is reflected in the latest release. THE SPACE BETWEEN is the second album from this Birmingham-based band and fully formed to transmit a taste of the live performances from stage to home. While this is a studio effort you still get the feel of absorbing it in a shared space and feeding off some element of group motion.
Nine tracks form this album with a defined split of eight instrumentals and a solitary song. The latter is the Birmingham murder ballad 'Mary Ashford', a tune written by Midlands-bred musician Jon Wilkes with traditional lyrics enhanced by a final verse accredited to the band. The theme is a famous nineteenth century legal case with ramifications still felt today. The final verse brings things two hundred years up to date with a fiery response.
Of the eight tunes, three have traditional originals, three are composed by Bonfire Radicals as an entity and a couple accredited to other players. A lively piece titled 'Brenda Stubbert's Reel' kicks off things with fiddle and guitar blending well to add some extra vitality to a tune borrowed from Canadian old time fiddler Jerry Holland. It immediately leaps into the recorder fuelled tones of 'The Bonfire', a tune by Matt Heery, assumed to be the Birmingham musician revealed in searches. Traditional tunes feature after the opening duo with a very European flavour garnishing 'Cafe De Flore', awash with flutes and recorders upfront steadied by a sturdy guitar back beat. Another toe tapping effort to get the limbs moving as well.
A additional trio of Bonfire Radicals composed tunes are 'Satsuma Moon', 'The Man From Suburbia' and 'Coffee Countdown (Piped and Unplugged'. The first of these steadily imposes itself with a a full complement of sounds pouring out, while the second conjures up some eastern mystique. The final one draws inspiration from Bulgaria and is reworked for pipe organ.
There are obvious continental connotations to the final two traditional tunes. 'She, She, Di Shviger Kunt' melds fiddle and pipes from the off, while 'Freilacher Nashele' ecstatically ramps up the tempo showing what Bonfire Radicals do best.
Thirty minutes of rip roaring fun greets the listener, give or take the odd moment of thoughtful reflection. Bonfire Radicals express their full pedigree and repertoire on THE SPACE BETWEEN to summon up plenty of playful fervour, while exploring the spirited world of folk tradition.
Album Review: The Magpies - Undertow
UNDERTOW is a record born out of collaboration and decked with surplus panache to project forward the careers of three hugely talented musicians. Bella Gaffney, Holly Brandon and Kate Griffin weave in acres of artistry producing a folk album successful at linking generations and continents. The Magpies can have a fluid existence outside the studio, but once in the recording realm the trio format sparkles and shines to maximise the enhanced input.
This self-released effort is a follow up to 2020's TIDINGS. In those pre-shutdown times The Magpies were gaining traction to become one of folk music's hottest new properties. That traction is now accelerated in an eleven-track album packed to the hilt with so many fascinating facets. A trio of traditional titles rub shoulders with a pair of originally composed tunes, a quintet of new songs and a cover to turn heads. A re-interpreted pop cover shouldn't headline a folk album, so mentioning the band's almost gothic take on 'Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)' first makes way for the meatier material. The trio decided to end the album with this song. The conclusion has to be a brave and unique move that works.
A selected high spot on the album is the band's take on an Appalachian old timer titled 'Fall On My Knees'. This has already settled in a crowd pleasing slot via summer duo shows and demonstrates how a wide net has been cast to source songs. The other two traditional offerings have origins closer to home. 'Hares on the Mountain' is as English as you get, while 'I Will Never Marry' made the short distance across the Irish Sea and was meticulously bought to the party by Kate Griffin who arranges and sings the version.
Like all band members, Griffin has a solo focus herself and excels in the claw hammer banjo. A sound subtly detected right across the record. The world music interest she brings breathes new life in an act keen not to be constrained by local rituals and conventions. Her solo writing brings a further two songs to the party. Opening track 'Now and Then' is also sung by her, but the vocals are taken up by Bella Gaffney in 'If Time Were Money' at the heart of the album.
Gaffney does appear to be the focal point for The Magpies. Instrumentally, she brings double bass and acoustic guitar to the show. On the song writing front, the excellent and smart 'Undertow' reflects the album at its best in the early stages, while the astronomy-focussed 'Galileo' keeps the listener alert in the second half. Gaffney is the main vocalist and is also in the midst of touring and promoting a solo record. Top multi-tasking at the same time as this record gets a push. She is also there when The Magpies slim down to a duo as occurred at festivals in the summer including Moseley Folk, where some of these songs were showcased.
The duo format features Holly Brandon, one of the finest young fiddle players seen on the folk circuit for a long time. Her immense presence is felt right across the eleven tracks, and even more so in the two instrumentals she composed. The first is titled 'Solstice' and glistens in the number four slot after three songs have set the scene. The second is a trio of fiddle tunes incorporated under the title 'Colin's Set'. This is in tribute to whom they were composed for. Additionally, Brandon was credited as one of the co-writers on 'Pass Me By', which is the eleventh and final song to get a mention.
As previously referred to, Moseley Folk Festival was a good launch pad to hear Bella Gaffney and Holly Brandon introduce The Magpies. Earlier in the summer, the pair were seen in different sets at Beardy Folk Festival where Gaffney played solo and Brandon teamed up with brother George under the name Painted Sky. The autumn will be a very busy period for the whole Magpies as the trio head on the road in support of UNDERTOW. By the end of this run, the album will have become a firm favourite in many folks' collections and show that at least part of folk music's future is in the safe hands of three talented performers.
Monday, 10 October 2022
Album Review: Town Mountain - Lines in the Levee
Good things happen to those who wait and are able to capitalise on good fortune. Asheville-based band Town Mountain have certainly done the hard yards over the last fifteen years and now a timely boost is in order after being picked up by influential label New West Records. The result is their music getting a wider reach and LINES IN THE LEVEE will increase traction with an international focus. If Tyler Childers and Sturgill Simpson can blast out of genre confines into cool quarters in far away lands, there is no reason why TOWN MOUNTAIN can't follow suit and bring their take on country and Americana music into an alternative realm. Just two more associated name checks before digging deeper into this gem suggests that you wouldn't be far off describing the sound of Town Mountain as flourishing on the fault line where Old Crow Medicine Show meets an unpolished Zac Brown.
Coming from deepest North Carolina helps frame the southern sentiment that runs through the pores of this six-piece outfit taking their name from a point of origin just outside Asheville. The musicality running through this progressive outpost will have played its part culminating in a moment where the latest album arrives at new doors. LINES IN THE LEVEE is an eleven-track/forty-five minute extravaganza of roots music spectacularly driven by fiddle, banjo and mandolin. Country roughened vocals meet the adventurous musicianship head on and the band deliver strong songs, both in a raucous pace and sedater offerings.
You would have to assume that Town Mountain are a red hot live outfit. Among the springy numbers that go a long way to defining the record they have tossed in a good ole singalong in 'Daydream Quarantina', an alcohol-free 'drinking song' if you grasp the irony. Joining this track in the quieter quartile of the record is the acoustically strummed opening to a finale where things get quite philosophical in 'Lean into the Blue'. Another of the gentler moments is 'Rene' with a fainter banjo and fiddle adorning the soundtrack. For a more upbeat stance look no further than the scene setting title track leading things off. 'Lines in the Levee' goes a long way to representing the album that parades its name.
The instrumental input plays a significant role in this album resonating strongly and although the sound is not prominent, a touch of steel infiltrates the penultimate track 'American Family'. Earlier in the record 'Firebound Road' has neat multiple mandolin segments to supplement a general rocking feel to the track. Certainly one to get the feet tapping. The catchy chorus attached to 'Distant Line' is drenched in southern country imagery and made early inroads into being one of the standouts. Another clearly defined to be a flagship track is the anthem qualities plastered all across 'Comeback Kid', an action packed number designed to keep things rolling along after the statement making opener.
Of the three remaining tracks 'Big Decisions' is the pick based on its infectious tempo switch midway through and epitomising how well the excellent instrumental inclusion has been implemented. A fervent chorus helps as well. 'Unsung Heroes' requires little explanation to its theme and is maybe caught between the two stools of the pacy efforts and the slower numbers with more of an anthem feel. 'Season's Don't Change' seals the Old Crow association earlier indicated. A good solid track utilising fiddle, banjo et al.
LINES IN THE LEVEE never leaves its quickly ascended pedestal or twangy exterior. There are moments to let your hair down and others where the gang command a fully concentrated attention. Town Mountain have barged their way into the established quarters of cool country-Americana. A place they have been probably been all their life, but then again we know that life doesn't always act sensibly and rationally. A sensible and rational choice now would be to support this band to grow, especially as an international act.
Sunday, 9 October 2022
Gig Diary: Danny George Wilson Band - St. George's Hall, Bewdley. Friday 7th October 2022
There is enough electricity to light up the Worcestershire Way when Danny Wilson and Paul Lush ignite their guitar duals. Maybe its more Lushy letting it rip and sparking off the acoustic riffs, but the effect is the same. Mind you, playing in front of a scintillating rhythmic pairing of Joe Bennet and Steve Brooks is heaven sent. Throw in some keys from one of the architects of the latest album courtesy of Henry Garratt and the Danny George Wilson Band was firing on all cylinders as they leapt closer to completing a successful run of autumn dates.
A return to St. George's Hall for Danny Willson saw his band open the 2022 Bewdley Festival on a night a little different to the usual Severn Sessions that has hosted Americana music in this riverside town for several years. Gone for the night was the youth and local support act, though guest of the evening Katy Rose Bennett did lay claim to some brief Bewdley roots. There was also an air of formality in sharing what else the festival had in store over the next nine days including a wide spectrum of music, comedy and notable guest speakers. I suspect nothing else will be as gritty and down to earth as the opening night. This was pure roots music from a veteran as fresh as the day he stepped into the limelight as member of acclaimed 90s/early 00s band Grand Drive.
The evening kicked off with a set from Katy Rose Bennett who has accompanied the five guys on the tour, one of whom is her brother Joe. Katy is a familiar name on the Midlands music circuit and indeed played a trio show at this venue a few years ago. She is known for her vocal prowess that leads numerous singing projects amongst other things. For this set she decided to lean on a toned down electric guitar for accompaniment which came over a treat. This allowed room for the vocals to shine, just like they had on the recent a cappella record ALONE ON A HILL. All the choir tricks were in place for 'Trees'; 'Growing Peas' came across as the best song and 'Jack and Ivy' was a reminder of an astute songwriting past. One destined to proceed well into the future.
Katy re-appeared later in the main set as Joe and her provided vocal backing to a couple of songs Danny and Paul delivered acoustically from the first Champions of the World album. 'The Truest Kind' and 'Red Tree Song' reflected the soothing side to this record, while earlier 'These Days' in full flow saw plenty of electrified sparks flying around the hall.
The set list this evening represented the four strands to the work of Danny George Wilson over the last twenty-five years. Smart ears would have detected the unannounced 'Love and Truth' from the Grand Drive days early on, while this phase of his career was mentioned in the closing stages prior to 'Jukebox' being played.
We learnt on the night that the next phase will be a new Bennett Wilson Poole album due very soon. The trio did play a successful show at the Hall in 2018, a line up that was extended on the evening by Joe Bennett joining forces with his brother Robin, the actual Bennett in the title. The track played this evening from their first album was 'Not Forgetting' and the sound was unmistakably more jangly than most of the wares on offer.
Every Danny George Wilson show is going to have some Champs input. Apart from the three early tracks mentioned, the other two songs were absolute classics filling the final two slots. 'Every Beat of My Heart' and 'Never Stop Building (That Old Space Rocket)' never lose their shine and induced a bout of chair dancing on a night when Danny was never going to be disco judge.
As the bill was named Danny George Wilson Band not the Champions of the World, the bulk of the songs came from the debut full album under that name that came out last year. ANOTHER PLACE added a different twist to a lengthy career and half a dozen tracks from this record mainly spilled across the first half of the set. The picks were 'Right Place', one of numerous examples of the band freaking out in total instrumental mode, and a cover of Spirit's 'We Gotta A Lot To Learn. A apt statement for those not too au fait with this song or band.
Danny George Wilson gets crowned as British contemporary roots royalty by many fans with a deep love for grass roots music. It can also be added that he never plays a bad show in whatever format. In fact each show could be envisaged as playing as though there was not going to be another. A silly notion as we know there is an awful lot left. St. George's Hall Bewdley may not be your usual rocking out venue for this band to play and is likely a lot more salubrious than most played. However tonight it hosted a fitting start to an eclectic arts festival of which Danny George Wilson is a most welcome invitee.
Friday, 7 October 2022
Album Review: Caleb Caudle - Forsythia
Caleb Caudle takes a deep breath, digs deep and has an intimate chat with the soul of Americana on his latest record. FORSYTHIA is part nostalgia- part crystal ball gazing while wholly redefining the terms of introspective honesty. Any pretence to rock 'n' roll is banished as one person's guitar takes centre stage accompanied by the most subtle and supportive soundscape choreographed by an array of greats from the contemporary roots scene. This album is as clear and crisp as a mountain stream and can only be advocated for many multiple listens.
This North Carolina native requests a mere half hour of your precious time to spin a web of ten tracks that conjure up a vision of back to basics. Jerry Douglas' dobro and Sam Bush's mandolin are condiments to drool over. Producer John Carter Cash creates a restful template for Caleb Caudle to hone in on what matters most to a songwriter. Namely their inner thoughts and creative whim to produce something meaningful and lasting.
To add to the three named participants you can throw in Elizabeth Cook and Carlene Carter Cash who make delicate vocal contributions at opportune moments. I'm going to toss in a further name, not from the credits but someone so reminiscent of the vocal sound emanating. That name is Brent Cobb, someone who possesses a similar southern sensibility to Caleb Caudle. The track that really nails the comparison is 'Shattered Glass' in the penultimate slot. Although this starts in the astutely channelled opener explicitly titled 'I Don't Fit In'.
The ten songs submit an actual gem for playlist consideration if heresy is committed and this album is cherry picked. 'Forsythia' meets all the criteria for protruding out as a first among equals. It is a pure natural delight with Cook's vocals and Douglas' dobro playing their role Elsewhere different parts blossom with each listen. For the album at its most pensive see closer 'Red Bank Road'; for as positive and upbeat as it gets look no further than 'Texas Tea'.
A free mind enabled by forced solitude has led to the songwriting advancing in character directions as well. 'Whirligigs' (yes I had to look them up before smiling) and 'Crazy Wayne' are stories told eloquently and vividly to display an innate trait of the writer. For a more personal perspective, 'Through My Hands' seems to do the trick perfectly. The final two tracks to complete the set are the slow building, and slightly gothic sounding 'The Gates' in the number two slot and 'Tears of Savannah', which serenades the listeners with some mellow mandolin.
Caleb Caudle first crossed my path with his exceptional 2018 release CRUSHED COINS. While its 2020 follow up BETTER HURRY UP received wider acclaim, it was criminally under looked here. Maybe a victim of turbulent times. The good news is that the 2022-23 horizon looks healthy with a wonderful new record and UK focus to boot.
FORSTYHIA is an album to seek solace in and open up your own reflective channels. Caleb Caudle has seized the moment, wrestled with his own identity and delivered an album that cuts to the bone of sharp Americana songwriting in its rawest state.
Thursday, 6 October 2022
Album Review: Ellie Gowers - Dwelling By The Weir
The career of Ellie Gowers gains a monumental leap with the release of her debut album. Give DWELLING BY THE WEIR a clear head and clear space and you too will be immersed in the folk world of one of the country's most promising singer-songwriters. A gorgeous voice and intuition to source and write a significant song is the mere start as a majestically crafted album looms large in the folk background ready to expand from a Midlands base to nationwide recognition. There are many intriguing facets to this album, which can be simply summarised as a homage to her home county of Warwickshire.
The album gets an independent release, but queues will be lengthy to provide some impetus and widen its reach. Ellie Gowers is already establishing herself on the folk circuit and having such a fine record to accompany the shows will help propel the talent. Any investment in this record will accrue the pleasure of savouring an eleven track effort comprising of two strategically placed short instrumentals alongside nine original compositions rich in substance, diversity and meaning.
Rather than start at the beginning this short eulogy will commence at the album's high spot namely the penultimate track. In 'The Last Warwickshire Miner', Gowers has curated a mini classic. Adding a personal touch to a real theme reaps dividends alongside creating a stirring live anthem that had already gathered momentum in its pre-release airing. Great folk albums send you down rabbit holes with the stories and here the temptation to check out more of Daw Hill Colliery was too good to resist.
Another trait of a top album in my book is its structure. Twice Gowers scored highly here. The first instrumental at the start is short and leading, while the second lodged in the heart of the record is a slightly longer guitar piece acting as an energiser. The first and last songs also own their spot. 'Dwelling By the Weir' (a historical name for the town of Warwick) is the ideal scene setter and the starting point for a batch of countywide sourced song influences. 'This Ground' emotively closes the chapter forty-odd minutes later with the most deeply personal of homages to a person's roots. Interestingly, the whole vibes of the finale slip into a contemporary popular direction. Different, but no less appealing.
Make no mistake this is a fully fledged folk album. Sonically, it gets most interesting with an impactful scary blast midway through 'Waking Up to Stone'. Undoubtedly to ram home the ecological point. A strong theme also exists in 'Brightest Moon' as focus zooms in on acts of good in what can be a muddled harsh world.
A couple of tracks designed for popular appeal in a folk kind of way are 'Women of the Waterways' and 'Poor Old Horse'. Both these are linked by an upbeat nature in tempo with the first adopting some neat breaks in a jaunty effort. The title is self-explanatory and adds to a growing pile of untold stories coming to the fore in song. The second is ultimately a feel good piece after depicting many ups and downs from the perspective of the subject. A fiddle intro and ditty feel give this track a different yet welcoming role in the album's presentation.
The two remaining songs have very different prospectives. 'Ribbon Weaver' is a straightforward tribute to one of Warwickshire traditional trades. 'Letter to the Dead Husband of Mary Ball' is a more intriguing song requiring acute listening to get the gist. The final line "I'll see you in hell" is likely the summary. The most insightful anticipation of these songs will be to hear Ellie Gowers introduce them in her own words and there will be plenty of opportunities for that as she is totally committed to the road.
Since discovering her music at the pandemic defying staging of the Beardy Folk Festival in 2020, the clock has been ticking on some record that brings the strands of Ellie Gowers' music together. DWELLING BY THE WEIR is a fascinating, informative, educational and hugely enjoyable starting point from a significant release standpoint. Over to the wider folk fraternity and beyond to concur.
Album Review: Rob Heron & The Tea Pad Orchestra - The Party’s Over
The North-East's own roots music conduit is back in fine form with Rob Heron & The Tea Pad Orchestra stepping into the album spotlight for the fifth time in a decade-long existence as a recording outfit. THE PARTY'S OVER may or not have literal connotations, but the tank is fuelled up and ready to keep rolling along - or should that be rock 'n' rolling. Like its predecessors, the new record is a jack-in-the-box collection. Trying to attach a dominant twist is a tough task, but rising to the challenge and proclaiming some element of old time country is probably as close as you get. In truth you get dealt a slice of the blues, retro-pop, the spice of New Orleans and most notably a cajun spin.
The obvious odd one out from this eleven-song album is 'Trouble Is'. First of all it is the only one not credited to the writing of Rob Heron, instead linked to a writer called Paul Weber. A little digging does not reveal much of the origin, but its country crooning status is a good fit alongside a volley of rip roaring tunes.
Leading the pack of uptempo efforts is the Rawhide meets Johnny Cash feel to 'The Horse That You Rode In On', awash with dedicated brass and plenty of twangy guitar. For some defined genre hopping, a cajun jumping beat owns 'Snip Snap Snout' and traditional rhythm and blues blends into 'She Hypnotised Me.
Two tracks that waste little time in appealing are the infectious pop vibes glowing from 'Remind Me Tomorrow' complete with a brass interlude, and the harmonica blasting opening number 'Go Home (The Party's Over)' with its catchy chorus and substance to hang the whole album on. The first of this pairing surfed to the top of the enjoyment scale and retained its position several plays later.
Another clear diversion in sound is the dip in tempo to 'Right to Roam'. A track with a clear message that you could go as far as suggest it possesses the credentials of a country folk song. Not quite as folky unless you count the clearcut yodelling at the start is the refreshing melody adorning 'My Salad Days'. A track reminiscent of Pokey LaFarge probing a rich song heritage.
Absolutely drenched in a retro torrent is the New Orleans-influenced 'The Doctor Told Me' with piano and brass leading the sound coupling to a lyrical barrage that could only surface from revivalists a near century on from its heyday. Then again this is why artists such as Rob Heron are very relevant and important today. This track closes a past paced album that races to a conclusion in a mere thirty-three minutes. Just prior to the finale, 'A Call To Mothers' Arms' comes across as a multi-instrument fuelled song with the fiddle of Ruth Lyon from Holy Moly and the Crackers featuring at the end.
The last track to get a mention is 'Dilly Dally Sally' probably because it lacks the impact of some of the other easier listening tunes. Stylistically, it suggestively ticks more rock 'n' boxes than the rest and will find a place in any record of this ilk.
THE PARTY'S OVER is a welcome back to the fold for Rob Heron & The Tea Pad Orchestra. 2019 seems ages since their last record and as long as the party is not over, the next one hopefully will not be a three year gap. Interpretative and original revivalist music is a critical movement in the sphere of popular music at all times.
Wednesday, 5 October 2022
Album Review: Rachel McIntyre Smith - Glory Daze
GLORY DAZE might be the title of her debut EP, but glory days may have a different slant if the promise of this securely constructed bunch of songs is built upon. Half a dozen tracks by Tennessee resident Rachel McIntyre Smith reveal a confident contemporary beginning with a transparent trait for a lyrical style to transcend generations. Make no mistake this is very much an age focussed project reflecting the quarter life travails of its writer, but a sharp and sophisticated sound gives the songs wings to soar from their source.
The stand out song from the pack is the rather cutting and damning 'Miss Highfalutin'. Blessed with some fabulous steel amidst a rootsy base, a powerful punch is landed to supplement some melodic sparkle. The EP kicks off with the title track and a slither of blended mandolin and steel. Lyrically we are presented with a reflection of trying to move on with all the pitfalls including "memories {are} like Tennessee fog".
'Queen of Our Hometown' is a spritely follow up to the mellow opener and dwells on success and recognition closer to home. The writing gets a little cleverer in 'The Woulds' with a series of questions. Trying to make sense of the past is a sub-theme of this record that marks Rachel McIntyre Smith as an astute songwriter. 'First Love' is a safe ground topic for this type of record as the vocals get a touch dreamy to match a soundtrack benefiting from a touch of atmospheric background steel.
Leap frogging over the aforementioned stand-out track, this short collection ends on the self explanatory 'High School Reunion'. Although deeper listening reveals an interesting take on these events that are not always as clear cut than appears on the surface.
Rachel McIntyre brings a zip to her songwriting that inspires comparison with Kacey Musgraves on subtle form. She has a definite ear for sprinkling her music with some traditional gold dust and doesn't get sucked into a popular vacuum. GLORY DAZE is a memorable set of songs starting with one person's experience before expanding out with verve and swagger.
Album Review: Ryan Traster - Low Mirada
Now based in the western reaches of the States, Minneapolis-bred songwriter Ryan Traster serves a tasty dish of cosmic power pop on his new album, which was unveiled to the world at the end of September. There is a summery feel to the sounds emanating from LOW MIRADA, which makes it a good record to reminisce about warmer times as the seasons sink into shorter days. A driving beat supports plentiful jangly guitars on a nine-track release that charms the airwaves for little over half an hour.
The band assembled to kickstart this record's public life quickly find their groove and don't veer off track even when the tempo drops a little. Traster merges his vocal, Rickenbacker and writing skills across a vibrant range of songs including lead off track 'The Night's Got You' that also got the single and video treatment. If sampling this floats the boat then it is generally representative of what else is on offer.
Additionally, there is a lineage of records from Ryan Traster over the last decade to benchmark the new one. Alternatively if a Traster-taster is the limit, L0W MIRADA will find a neat fit alongside higher profile acts that have perfected this style of rock music from the heady sixties through the decades to those straddling the indie-Americana barrier today. The feel good vibes can be an antidote to everyday ills, so records like this have an important role to play.
Tuesday, 4 October 2022
Album Review: Beth Nielsen Chapman - Crazy Town
On her 15th album since hitting the recording road in 1986, Beth Nielsen Chapman proves every inch the seasoned operator. CRAZY TOWN is a precise exemplar of how to cut a solid release that reflects where an artist pitches their music. This dozen strong collection swings the pendulum from soulful phases to pacy rockers, while retaining a classy edge. Under the stewardship of Ray Kennedy, the heart and soul of Beth Nielsen Chapman's music is in tact. A dominate style isn't sought, just a stroll across a blank template destined to be filled by top players and premier writers.
The track to jump out from the pack is the forthright anthem 'Put a Woman in Charge'. This Beth Nielsen Chapman co-write had a previous life when cut by Keb' Mo', but like so many of her compositions they eventually find a home on one of her own albums. Of course these albums wouldn't be complete without a gorgeous piano ballad and 'With Time' fits the bill here.
Other key moments on an album set to be the centrepiece of an upcoming 20-date UK tour include the nifty reflective number 'Dancin' With the Past' and the deeply personal slow building memory lodger 'The Edge'. For a rockier slant, 'The Universe' calls on all the assembled players to ramp up the velocity, while the pop strains to opening track 'All Around the World' give the album a breezy start and the ground laid for more substantive material.
Beth Nielsen Chapman has always been active with her peers and a result of a writing stint with two of her longstanding musical colleagues, Kimmie Rhodes and Mindy Smith, crops up in the final slot in the guise of the delightfully emotive 'Walk You to Heaven'. These two artists are very much of the same generation as Chapman and the collaboration serves up a decisive closer.
CRAZY TOWN is the sort of safe go-to album when some reassurance and secure quality is desired. Beth Nielsen Chapman has owned this territory of the country-tinged singer-songwriter genre for over thirty years and is showing no signs of relinquishing a hold. On this account clearing a space for a few plays will add a cultured edge to a listening repertoire and cherish the panache delivered from a leading light.
Album Review: Steve Wallis - Nothing Stays The Same Way For Long
"I found a piece of heaven and I wrapped it in a cloth" opens the final song on this album and the relief starts to flow. There are snippets of light throughout the eleven tracks adorning Steve Wallis' debut album, but brace yourself for a tough cookie of a record. Tuned minds will buy straight into the ethos of NOTHING STAYS THE SAME WAY FOR LONG and revel in a batch of stripped down songs drenched in road weary pin drop appeal. Folk and Americana fans know that sad songs reign supreme and Steve Wallis submerges into this psyche straight from the opening solemn bars of lead off track 'The Loneliest'.
To share some context behind this album, Steve Wallis is an exiled Australian who relocated to Europe nearly a decade ago. Whether he writes from experience or a rich imagination, we do get one location piece and a rather sombre view of 'Amsterdam'. This song is straight from the Townes Van Zandt playbook, blue all over and ripe with a stellar melody. Just when you think that the inspiration may all come from the past, a contemporary association springs up and constantly re-occurs. In the piano-led third track 'Her Name', a resemblance to Hayes Carll is detected in the voice. A connection repeated later in 'Waiting for Someday'. Just one final likeness before focussing on what Steve Wallis excels at is a writing style and structure similar to Danny Schmidt. This can be found first in the harmonica sprinkled heart aching song 'Mary'. Associations are no bad thing when striking out for new audiences.
Getting lost in the lyrics is a good place to be. We learn of a casual troubadour acquaintance in 'Blue Eyed Annie' and things get all metaphorical and reflective in 'Little Pearls of Water'. A common trait of all eleven songs is a similar low beat style providing space for the main event of one person and their guitar to shine. There is a little more instrument input in 'The Wolf' including a snatch of violin to paint a mournful image.
Those in tune with Steve Wallis feel empathy right to the lowest point of 'Starting Tomorrow'. Don't get too hung up on the theme, you know the saying 'sad song = happy person'. There are some subtle moments of a brighter disposition and the last line of 'Now I Don't' can be interpreted as such. Earlier in the song debate swings from defeatist to realist.
The final song on this album is the title track. 'Nothing Stays the Same Way for Long' breeds hope and offers a hint of positivity. Like its ten predecessors, the writing is top notch and delivered to the listener on an assumed one-to-one basis. Perhaps that is the Steve Wallis niche, an innate ability to communicate with focus and single intent.
Steve Wallis writes tenderly, sings achingly and laments longingly. NOTHING STAYS THE SAME FOR LONG is high on melancholy, while refreshing for the soul. A style is nailed and a star in born.
Monday, 3 October 2022
Gig Diary: Luke Jackson and Julie Aube - Kitchen Garden, Kings Heath, Birmingham. Wednesday 28th September 2022
Luke Jackson has become a regular visitor to the Kitchen Garden to the extent of two shows at the venue since the end of lockdown. Therefore it was no surprise to choose the venue to host one of the handful of shows he is playing with Canadian artist Julie Aube. The pair met and played some shows in her native Canada a while back, so it was only polite to offer some reciprocal hospitality for her first visit to the UK.
The evening played out to be a couple of stand alone solo sets plus the obligatory duets to show that the artists possessed some synergy. Those duets came in the second set hosted by Luke. First up, Julie added vocals to a version of John Prine's 'Speed of the Sound of Loneliness' and then the encore consisted of the pair sharing guitars and voices on the much covered and loved 'Handbags and Gladrags'.
The first thing we learned about Julie Aube from the Maritime provinces on Canada's east coast was that she almost entirely sings in her local French dialect. This is known as Acadian French and apparently quite different to that spoke by the vast majority in neighbouring Quebec. Considering she commandeered the floor for just forty-five minutes, the wares of a confident performer freely flowed and an breeze of fine music breaking down barriers filled the air, especially when a little bit of imagination was applied.
Luke Jackson used his time in the spotlight to deliver what he does best. Namely applying his powerful vocals and nifty guitar skills to an array of supremely spun songs starting at the core of folk before sprouting in all directions of the broad singer-songwriter brush. The nature of this show limited the usual exposure, but with no new music to bring to the party, it was a brief insight into the world of Luke Jackson packaged with the intricacies and fine Canadian folk of his guest.
Overall the quaintness and slightly quirky offering of this pop-up collaboration provided a fresh slant on the local roots scene. We all know and love the music of Luke Jackson. The first ten years of his career has flown by, but we know there will be many more to come. If the acquaintance with Julie Aube is to be short and sweet, we were left with a friendly mark and a more knowledgable insight into her musical culture.
Album Release: Lissie - Carving Canyons
On her latest album, Lissie exerts supreme control to show how sophisticated pop can meld into substantial songwriting reflecting the prime side of progressive country, forthright folk rock and expansive Americana. There is a breezy contemporary sheen to the dozen songs forming CARVING CANYONS that unsurprisingly surfaced from a trip to Nashville and a team up with established songwriters such as Natalie Hemby. It is perhaps an enhanced element of vocal control and deployment that lifts this above its predecessors. Lissie was always a fully throttled performer and a shift down a more polished route has reaped dividends launching this Mid-Western artist into a fresh phase of a career now over a decade old and stocked with several notable releases.
If you are seeking a rapturous crowd pleaser then Lissie is right on the mark with 'Heart's On Fire' raging brightly at the three-quarter mark. This toe tapping belter and its infectious predecessor 'Unlock The Chains' form one tandem slant on what makes this album tick. For a slightly different yet similarly alluring take, the finale duo of 'Yellow Roses' and 'Midnight' saunter into the territory Kacey Musgraves conquers when at her best. Subtle, meaningful and skilfully guiding an absorbing release to a satisfying closure.
You get a strong sense of Lissie on top form in the opening strains of 'Unravel' as she pours her heart into something that hasn't quite worked out. This is a pretty restrained start setting the scene for a relentless swirl across a range of tempos that begin to pick up with the modernist vibes to 'Sad'.
CARVING CANYONS is a vividly curated album title and the track it lends its name to stands tall at the heart of the album. One strong in imagery, while taking the pace down a notch to the place where a super song shimmers in a sunlit scene. A perfect pitstop for a multi dimensional album.
This pivotal track is preceded by a pair of songs sectioned off for pre-release promotion. 'Night Moves' possesses a strident beat to move things to the centre ground in the vein of middle of the road folk-rock acts. 'Flowers' demands a little space to prosper and probably ultimately struggles to make the same impact as several big hitting numbers on the album. However this album warrants extra listening time for wild card picks to spring up.
Another brace of tracks sequenced together in the first half of the album are the pop-oriented 'Chasing the Sun' and the countrified in title, if not quite so in sound 'Lonesome Wine'. Bringing the complement up to a full set is the acoustically introduced 'I Hate This', which sees Lissie seemingly in personal mode with a track that could quite easily find a neat fit on a contemporary country album.
Those who have followed the career of Lissie will sense the move to CARVING CANYONS a natural evolution. It is her most cultured album to date and offering significant proof that the potential to continue to prosper is more a reality than a hope.