Gig Review: Hannah Aldridge + The Weeping Willows - Kitchen Garden, Birmingham. Thursday 22nd June 2023

www.hannahadridge.com  www.theweepingwillows.com.au

Upon discovering that the UK was receptive to her music, it didn't take long for Hannah Aldridge to find a faithful staging post in the Kitchen Garden. She tested the Midlands out a couple of months before her Birmingham debut with a night at the Hop Pole in Bromsgrove made infamous by the never-to be-forgotten romantic 'Parchman' slow dance unfolding on the pub floor. Part of the Kitchen Garden connection is knowing where your people are; a reassuring place of respect and recognition when thousands of miles from home. She has shared the stage with several of her colleagues over the years including Lilly Hiatt and Lachlan Bryan. The latter was pertinent for the latest Kitchen collaboration as she teamed up with fellow travelling Melbourne artists The Weeping Willows to deliver a sweeping acoustic show packed to the hilt with emotive candidness and songs spread far and wide soaking up styles, experiences and multiple shades.

You get the impression The Weeping Willows would like to pack the Kitchen Garden in their suitcase and take it back Down Under. This most resourceful and innovative of Australian folk-Americana duos are increasingly becoming a much loved touring act with connections springing up the breadth of the land. The small and mighty Kitchen Garden punches above its weight in courting appeal and on the back of last year's intimate gig, this opening slot for their good friend Hannah Aldridge added a few more fans into the vault. 

The duo of Laura Coates and Andy Wrigglesworth used most of their time on stage to share songs from the most recent record YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW. The dark slightly southern gothic feel to many of the tracks fits in nicely with one of the several facades to Hannah Aldridge, so apart from an obvious friendship the opportunistic pairing proved astute on other levels as well. You felt we hadn't seen the last of Laura and Andy as they closed the first set with a version of the traditional blues number 'One Kind Favor', and this proved correct.

Hannah Aldridge does not generally infill her music with covers. On the other hand, the brand new album takes a wilfully enthusiastic step into the world of other songwriters with an alternative twist on 'Psycho Killer' (under wraps live until the band tour in November) and an impulsive rewrite of Lachlan Bryan's 'The Portrait of the Artist as a Middle Aged Man'. That song was shared tonight in the delightful company of The Weeping Willows who have probably sung this song on stage with its creator many times before. However the treat tonight was solely Birmingham's. 

Before we leave covers and The Weeping Willows, everybody in the building was invited to join in on the pre-encore closer 'Burning Down Birmingham', probably more legendary in the English West Midlands than Alabama. This classic sees Hannah Aldridge at her most cuttingly anecdotal, elsewhere it was a surprise to hear her dip into the work of Courtney Marie Andrews with a version of 'Near Me'.

While many jointly proclaim the songwriting skills of Hannah Aldridge and Courtney Marie Andrews, there can't be two more contrasting stage personas. The candidness of Hannah Aldridge is renowned but even she took it to another level this evening. By the time she unplugged and serenaded a warm venue on many fronts with a new song 'The Great Divide', it was gone eleven and a long time since The Weeping Willows opened things at eight. Apart from the usual therapeutic and compelling gut spilling, the excitement of a somewhat brave new album fuelled extra chat. Why not when you have an open goal to let rip on something dear to you. To her credit she smartly read the room to decipher the balance between newbies and oldies to formulate how the musings would prevail. From a personal viewpoint, listening to her explain the album making process on a radio interview a few days before provided the key to unlock a review of the record, and while tonight some further nuggets were added, the gist remained intact. 

Many in the room go back, including yours truly, to 2014 and the unveiling of RAZOR WIRE. You can only concur with its originator that the songs retain a distinct freshness. The title track, 'Lie Like You Love Me' and the legendary Hop Pole smooch-er were amongst the song choices this evening alongside other immovable favourites in 'Gold Rush' and 'Lace'. It wouldn't be surprising if some of the new songs like 'Unbeliever' and 'Dorero' rise to a similar status in a decade time.

On many fronts Europe remains a key part of Hannah Aldridge's musical quest to inner destiny. These summer intimate shows are a prelude to another key tour as the riches of DREAM OF AMERICA are suitably unveiled in a different format. On an anniversary note, the ten year birthday will see a re-release of the debut album in much desired versions. By then the new album will be bedded in and likely we will hear where the whims and strays of Hannah Aldridge's musical calling are pulling her next.

Mutuality, connection and heart affirming candour nestle alongside finely crafted songs when Hannah Aldridge passes through town. This will never ever be taken granted after recent impositions. No time will be wasted and the Kitchen Garden leg continues to anchor in for the long haul. 

Album Review: Hannah Aldridge - Dream of America

 

www.hannahaldridge.com

Those who have followed the career of Hannah Aldridge from overseas for close on a decade will be well-versed in her creative and free spirited approach to making music. Pursuing her own path has been a mixture of quest and destiny, or just maybe where the heart belongs and feels most comfortable. Elements of innate country and Main Street Americana have been a feature, and will likely always linger, but you frequently came across her dips into folk noir and horror-tinged projects that explored deep niches and inner delves into what intrigued her. The wares of her new album on one hand infill a fresh canvas with a sound deviation, while in places firmly anchoring the well-honed songwriting skills. On DREAM OF AMERICA the pull to share the songs of others comes to the fore and thus for the first time we discover the interpretative side as much as the songwriting. 

Over time the original compositions may rise to the top of her repertoire, but initial listens get drawn to a widely known classic and and one inching into classic territory with every new person it hooks in. The former is an individualistic reworking of 'Psycho Killer' where the mask of Hannah Aldridge bravely adds a dimensional edge to David Byrne's seminal offering. On a more interesting note to where she likely grabs more attention, the take on Lachlan Bryan's 'The Portrait of the Artist as a Middle Aged Man' is a stunning adaption. Maybe it is credit to the writer that a song with such malleable allure can be reinterpreted in an evocative and dark style. The inclusion of the latter is enhanced by Bryan's role as one of a trio of producers who operated remotely on the record from his Melbourne base. The others were producer/engineer Damian Cafarella and Swedish mix engineer Frans Hägglund.

Another stray from her previous material saw Hannah Aldridge switch from personal to character mode for her writing stimulus. She surveys through the eyes of those from the other side of conventional life who bring intrigue and cinematic noir to an existence bestowed with angst and stricken with a path of broken glass. The haunting vocals and experimental production add to the mystique and the theme of the intent. 

The album opens with a fairly straight up song in 'Dorero' that immediately springs a likeness to the recent vocals of Gretchen Peters diving into one of her dark murder ballads, usually with Ben Glover in writing tow. We don't have to wait long for Ben Glover to actually turn up as his vocals open 'The Fall' before a duet kicks in. No surprises that the duo co-wrote this evocative piece. 

While collaboration fuels this record on many levels, it exits the door with Hannah Aldridge in solo writing mode via a lower key song in 'The Great Divide' containing most of the elements forming her musical persona coupled with smidgeons of electronic backbeat. For those seeking a reassuringly Americana refuge, the pedal steel added to 'Unbeliever' does the trick sending flutters to the brain of those partial to a bout of twang. On the sound flip side we enter a weird and wonderful world of partial experimentalism in the minute long instrumental 'Dream of America'. Strategically placed at the heart of  the album is likely to be of consequence. Earlier in the record, 'Beautiful Oblivion' takes the listener into familiar territory and is as Hannah Aldridge as you get. Later in the record 'Catacombs' with its stroke of originality exposes the production whims that sets it apart. 

Hannah Aldridge is the antithesis of throwaway music. She tosses songs into the mix that may take time to develop and are far away from the notion of the instant fix. There are three possible reactions to DREAM OF AMERICA: hold fire this isn't for me; maybe it's a grower; wow this is amazing. Hannah Aldridge has put out a moment-in-time option on the table. Most of all, it represents who she is as an artist. Honesty is a great human virtue. It transcends artist talent. Here Hannah Aldridge exudes both in an alluring haze of visionary cinematic music. The journey is long and one likely to twist and turn in many directions. An artist in control is one likely to still be standing at the end. 

Gig Review: Amelia White and Carter Sampson - Kitchen Garden, Kings Heath, Birmingham. Tuesday 20th June 2023

 

Amelia White and Carter Sampson fleetingly crossed paths at the Maverick Festival in 2016. Seven years later they will re-assemble at the same spot much more acquainted and versed in each other's music. The sets will be separate at Easton Park Farm in contrast to the closely constructed duo element that features in the many touring shows either side of the festival showpiece. To UK observers, the collaboration of two artists awash with musical treasures from their respective East Nashville and Oklahoma homes came out of the blue. Tours, records and fan interaction had been prevalent in the pre-pandemic activity. In a move like so many internationally focussed American musicians, the urge to travel has become a reality in 2023. Tapping into their UK contacts has enabled an extensive run of dates stretching from the south coast to central Scotland with the usual Midlands stopping off point of the Kitchen Garden in Birmingham.

Carter Sampson is no stranger to these pages. Gigs in London and Birmingham have been warmly reviewed alongside that festival debut. The summit of the record acclaim to date was WILDER SIDE accruing the album of the year accolade in 2016, although momentum is growing to anoint the recently released GOLD as her best yet. It's all subjective though and secondary to the undisputed acknowledgement that the voice and songs of this Oklahoman travel far and please many.

Amelia White is a much loved and key purveyor of the essence of East Nashville's music scene. Her resourceful approach has seen a valued network of appreciative contacts and fans develop. Album recognition gathered pace when 2014's OLD POSTCARD was promoted within the UK's Americana community, and subsequent releases and shows have always caught the ear of those seeking a little depth and darkness to their listening repertoire. Her style is distinctive and embracing to others as noted by the many acclaimed musicians she has worked with. We got the nod this evening via a couple of songs that there is a Kim Richey-produced album in the can. 

This show at Birmingham's core folk, roots and Americana venue began with two solo slots. Carter Sampson wasted little time in sharing six songs from her brand new album to add weight to its initial positive reception. She opened the night with 'Home' before launching into the stellar title track 'Gold'. We had the stories behind 'Drunk Text' and 'Pray & Scream' alongside the pandemic sentiment surrounding 'There's Always Next Year'. The presentation of songs from the new record concluded with 'Can't Stop Me Now'. A Carter Sampson show would be incomplete without recognition of WILDER SIDE. The title track was shared tonight to satisfy this craving. It is hard to look past two songs lifted from 2018's LUCKY as Carter Sampson at her most crowd pleasing. The origin of 'Rattlesnake Kate' is as legendary as the song, while her version of Shel Silverstein's 'Queen of the Silver Dollar' was the key pre-encore finale after the artists united to enhance the collaboration element.

'Lucky' the song (not the Carter Sampson album) comes from Amelia White's repertoire and closed the evening in an unplugged format with both artists standing off mic enlisting a crowd singalong that needed little invitation. Earlier Amelia White treated the audience to songs from the breadth of her catalogue. These ranged from 'Black Doves' from the early 2000s right up to date with the title track from last year's record ROCKET REARVIEW. This album is essentially getting its promotional outing and almost in reboot mode. Perhaps the brace of songs that came across best during the solo set were the contrasting number 'January & June' and the catchy melody to 'Yurma'. As you would expect from these type of singer-songwriter evenings, we learned a lot more about Amelia White than known previously. On one account the stories combine spice and wit, while the demeanour and sound strikes of somebody emotively buried in her songs, but still able to share in an amicable and likeable way. 

To highlight the span of song styles on show tonight, Carter Sampson went unapologetically off piste with a jazz-version of 'Since I Fell For You', a piece you could sense her love for. When singing together, the pair served up Loretta Lynn's classic 'Don't Come A Drinkin' as a taster to what can be expected when they join a host of other artists at Maverick paying tribute to the late 'Coal Miner's Daughter'. While covers are fun, they don't define either Amelia White or Carter Sampson as they embody the pioneering spirit of American songwriting powering forward in new territories and directions. 

The summer touring artist circuit in the UK can be a little crowded with many acts cramming in dates around prestigious festival appearances. Yet, if you do the hard yards, build things slowly and possess the adept skill to showcase your music then niches can be created. Amelia White and Carter Sampson wouldn't be here now without those traits to their craft. As fans, we are grateful that they have resurfaced from a jolt that especially affected those bound by the need to get out and play in front of real people. Tonight at the Kitchen Garden patience paid off and once again Americana riches landed here from the source of so much good music. 

www.ameliawhite.com

www.cartersampson.net

Festival; Fotos; Few Words: Beardy Folk Festival, Hopton Court, Shropshire. Friday 16th June to Sunday 18th June 2023

 

 

Jenny Colquitt

Jenny Colquitt brought a full band to Beardy Folk this year after last year's solo debut to demonstrate the upward trajectory of her evolution as a distinctive singer-songwriter.

Daisy Chute

Daisy Chute is an adaptable and hugely talented all-round songwriter and musician at home at a folk festival as much as her many other projects. Her Beardy debut was a smart booking.

The Drystones

The Drystones had to improvise with an enforced downsize from trio to duo format but were undeterred and defiant bringing some innovative ambience to the main stage. 

Fossilheads

The Fossilheads were full on activists, entertainers and undoubted festival favourites offering a unique take on climate change and corporate greed while wrapping a strong message in humour. 

Mark Radcliffe & Co

Mark Radcliffe is a Beardy Folk regular always finding a new accompaniment to fuel his love of playing live folk music while on break from the media duties.

Alden & Patterson

Christine Alden and Alex Patterson once again take to a Beardy Folk stage this time in duo format while still playing an affable style of charming folk music. 

John Smith

John Smith was the classiest and most accomplished artist gracing the Beardy Folk stages on Friday delivering a batch of seriously high quality songs in a performance that knew how to captivate a festival crowd.

Stables

Matthew Lowe and Daniel Trenholme aka Stables impressed with an enjoyable acoustic stage set  proving that an interesting innovative take on a popular cover can work well at a festival alongside acres of original material.

The Longest Johns

The Longest Johns invited many a shanty style singalong in a very contemporary way to highlight how they sprung to prominence and proved a popular booking in a well-received Beardy Folk debut. 

Mik Artistik's Ego Trip

Closing the acoustic stage was the unique and eccentric Mik Artistik's Ego Trip. Think Jerry Joseph and a northern social club comedian with a rock backing band and you’re on the right track. Bizarre to say the least but he went down a storm.

Skerryvore

The clock was turned back on many fronts at this year’s Beardy Folk. The original stage configuration returned and for the 3rd time (1st since 2019) Scottish folk-rockers Skerryvore sent a rapturous crowd home singing and happy. If anything they stepped up a notch on a grander scale than last time and were totally on top form for a rousing hour and 20 minutes.

                                                     

Filkin's Ensemble

Opportunities for Filkin’s Ensemble to play together are rare for practical reasons. Therefore this 15-piece Midlands folk supergroup jumped at the chance to open the main stage and impressed all prompt enough to be there at noon.

Fly Yeti Fly

The name rang a bell but this was the 1st time listening and watching Fly Yeti Fly as they opened the acoustic stage/tent. Their style of folk impressed with a hint of Americana blended in. Definitely an act to follow as the set was thoroughly enjoyed.

Novelty Island

“All music is folk music” part 1 including a bit of eccentric classic pop with an electronic twist. Shaking up the contemporary folk world but it works & who’s judging. Memorable set from Novelty Island.

Nati Dreddd

A beautiful voice and sparkling charismatic wit are the starting points to describe the introduction to Nati Dreddd. She impressed from start to finish with a set that thrilled and entertained. Think of a cross between Julie Fowlis and Dolly Parton as many new fans were acquired.

Sound of the Sirens

Stepping up from a duo to a full 4-piece raised the bar for Sound of the Sirens and they played a well-received and entertaining main stage performance to set the tone for the day’s dancing with their upbeat numbers.

Filkin's Drift

Hidden treasures at festivals can be found in secluded spots. The Orangery gets a small print listing but many folks found their way to catch the stripped down core of Filkin’s Ensemble, namely Filkin’s Drift. Beautiful folk music in an idyllic setting.

Track Dogs

When you have a legendary delayed introduction to a festival, you might as well deliver a legendary performance. Track Dogs made up for 4 years of obstacles to show a dancing main stage audience why they are a must-see live act. Brass infused bluegrass is the aperitif for a band adept at mixing so many styles under a folk banner.

Mally and the Hayburners

Defying the limitations of the acoustic tent were Mally and the Hayburners for a slice of teatime rock ‘n’ roll. The crowd responded well to boundaries being pushed.

Cut Capers

"All music is folk music” part 2. You can imagine Cut Capers injecting energetic life into folk festivals up and down the land. They are the ultimate good time band with plenty of rhymic Latino-styled class beneath the unabated show. They went down an absolute storm  and many heeded the call to dance. Totally infectious folk funk.

Gaz Brookfield

Got into the music of Gaz Brookfield at last year’s festival and caught him in Stourbridge later. This year he headlined the acoustic stage/tent on Saturday and ripped his heart open to an appreciative and receptive listening crowd. Just the tonic the artist and music fan needs.

Seth Lakeman

The legend that is Seth Lakeman has been headlining festivals for many years. What you saw late on Saturday night was a folk legend in his usual imperious form. Ageless, timeless and the embodiment of high quality consistency.

Joe Hicks

Kicking off the main stage activity on the final day was Newbury-based singer-songwriter Joe Hicks whose laid back style and fine band made the most of a sound system that was crystal clear all weekend. A new artist who impressed on what became a theme of the festival.

Becky Syson

Becky Syson wasn’t about to trade her positive outlook for the archetypal dark folk song. So it was feel good happiness all the way when opening the acoustic stage on Sunday.

Martin Carthy

No introduction required. Just one man on stage and a lifetime of songs. The inaugural legend slot.

Lunatraktors

You can’t beat a bit of off-the-wall hidden escapism at a folk festival. Lunartraktors returned to Beardy Folk after opening a stage in 2021 to bring their engaging eccentric idiosyncrasies to the burgeoning Orangery alongside some welcome political rhetoric. The emerging scene of the ‘other side'.

Shellyann

Wooing a main stage audience on Sunday was the powerhouse country pop sound of vocalist Shellyann and her band. She came armed with a fistful of originals and a liberal share of smart covers including doing Brandi Carlile’s The Story justice. Another jigsaw piece of Beardy Folk's eclectic nature that went down well with an active and danceable crowd this year.

The Lost Notes

On fine festival form were Birmingham’s very own The Lost Notes making the return trip to Hopton Court to woo the acoustic stage audience on Sunday teatime.

Thorpe and Morrison

Another sneaky detour to the backroads revealed a delightful conservatory set from Thorpe and Morrison seeking refuge from the storm-afflicted Orangery. Their music is special anywhere but none more so than unamplified in this super setting to a privileged crowd

Truckstop Honeymoon

All the way from Wales via Kansas and Louisiana were the festival’s true mavericks Truckstop Honeymoon. An authentic slice of real deal Americana with an entertaining stage demeanour doing its bit to fight off the inevitable impending Shropshire rain.

Merry Hell

Fighting the storm like they fight injustices in this country. Merry Hell were on top form taking a festival crowd on their rousing crusade of wit, serious comment and excellent brand of fiery folk music. Now, as Beardy Folk regulars as you get.

The Magpies

They may have their own festival in August but for now headlining the acoustic stage (a storm refuge) was the domain of The Magpies. The usual sparkling fiddle playing of Holly Brandon and astute guidance of Bella Gaffney was joined this year on guitar by Ellie Gowers showing another string to her bow.

Rusty Shackle

You couldn’t argue with the Sunday headliners this year. Rusty Shackle soared to the challenge of closing things and absolutely nailed it. Not knowing them beforehand was no hinderance as you left Hopton Court singing your heart out to songs born to top the bill at a folk festival. Strong, fun, contemporary, loud and receptive. All round good stuff. 

Sorry nothing from Thursday's three acts as didn't go. That's your wrap on Beardy Folk 2023. See you in 2024.

Album Review: Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors - Strangers No More

 

www.drewholcomb.com

The music of Drew Holcomb comes equally in reassuring and refreshing measures. You can mothball interaction with it and then bounce back with all the feel-good familiarity intact. For those who picked him up in the midst of promotion for the 2013 release GOOD LIGHT, it was business as usual as its successors materialised every couple of years to cement a longstanding appeal. Ascension in the US became the order of the day to the extent that reach accompanied praise and influence. The downside for UK fans was that gigs over here started to thin out. The Bullingdon in Oxford used to be a stopping off point with a support slot for Police Dog Hogan in 2014 and a not unexpected headline gig the year after. Whether this renewal comes back with a trickle or a vengeance, there is now the added spice of new music. STRANGERS NO MORE is reflection on life since the last album in 2019. Therefore, much to chew and mull over.

Of course, the music of Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors, to address the formality, is constantly seeking new ears and anybody dropping in for the first time won't need long to tap into the craft and guile of an artist adept at finding a listener's sweet spot. The eleven tracks driving this 42-minute breeze come across as crisp and classy. The trademark lucid accessibility is embedded into a sound that represents Holcomb's southern roots. The wrapping is gold leafed malleable Americana; the sort that is more genre-free than genre-bending. You can easily see why the sell reaps rewards without failing to acknowledge the endeavours undertaken to promote an artist and music that doesn't always comply with big label trends. 

It is hard to look past two upbeat numbers as the album's most appealing axis. These give a gentle nudge that sad songs don't need to rule the roost entirely. 'Find Your People' brings the album to life straight after the fairly low key opener 'Fly'. The theme is likely the result of downtime navel gazing, but isn't that what songwriters do best. Let them do their bit and us listeners feast on the produce. In this song, the writing of Holcomb rings true and hats off to sowing this track into your mind from first play. 

'Dance with Everybody' takes the air of positivity to a new level in the rump of the album's second half. The sentiment of the album title is explicitly extolled in the lyrics. A slice of tub-thumping does no harm as the chorus repeatedly takes hold. A recording credit goes to The National Parks alongside a co-writing credit with Ketch Secor of Old Crow Medicine Show fame. The other notable co-writing partner is Natalie Hemby, who assists with the album finale 'Free (Not Afraid to Die)'. This is as low key as the opener and forms a complementary bookend. It is also an apt closing message on a set of songs that have had time to ferment from birth to fruition.

One of the more easily identifiable and describable tracks is 'On a Roll'. Here, harmonica blow hard and the sound solidifies to stamp on the ground of heartland rock. A bigger production is no obstacle for Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors, and although his UK shows nearly a decade ago were on the simpler side, you can imagine them a lot grander in the US now. The song stands out as the one where Drew Holcomb completely hands over the songwriting role to band member Nathan Dugger. He also brings a touch of steel guitar to the odd track to inject a minimal slice of twang. Though this far from defines the record. 

Cason Cooley is also listed as a studio member of the Neighbors, and joins in on the songwriting process as well. He gets a co-credit on the straight up rocker 'Strange Feeling' that you can drill down to some appealing rhyming patterns in the lyrical structure. One for those who like a literary dip, easily done on an album where the architect leaves space for listener's to induce an active dive. 

Right alongside Drew Holcomb in life and music is wife, Ellie Holcomb. She has a fledgling solo career of her own to enhance an ultra creative musical family and appears once on this album supplying backing vocals to 'Gratitude'. This is the second Ketch Secor co-write on the record, but Holcomb shows the benefit of writing alone on two other tracks that add to the sophisticated diversity of the album. The lyrically imposing chorus to 'Troubles' catches the ear, while it is a slightly retro rock 'n' roll vibe in 'That's On You, That's on Me' that owns the reception of this solo write. 

STRANGERS NO MORE is a full bodied stylish album that heralds a return to release status for an artist with a seemingly bottomless pit of bountiful content. Drew Holcomb has a substantial past and prosperous future ahead of him. When in full flow, Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors fulfil the prophecy of no holds barred and how meaningful music can inflate to a sound where you feel potential is limitless. Now all that is required is a renewed international focus on the live front. Rich pickings may be there at home, but surely nothing can beat reaching out far and wide. 

Album Review: Katie Callahan - Extraordinary

 

www.katiecallahanmusic.com

The eye catching phrase 'music is the voice of the soul' was stumbled upon a few years back, stored in the locker and diligently retrieved when something special embedding its philosophy comes to light. Baltimore-based singer-songwriter Katie Callahan laid the foundation in 2021 when her second album drifted across the airwaves into distant ears that savoured the intent and content of her creative approach. Therefore a smooth path laid the way for the new release to glide into welcoming territory. EXTRAORDINARY possesses all the guile and subtle depth to lure open ears on its own merit. The output may on the surface be shorter than its trailblazing predecessor THE WATER COMES BACK, but the breadth and soundscape expands to banish the constraint of time-bound convention. The seven carefully curated songs sprinkle life into the frailties that form common bonds of emotive existence and renew a resolve to draw strength from inner empowerment. 

The musical templates chosen to bring the instinctive lyrics into active light vary according to mood, and shimmer within the parameters of a listener's sonic range. Folk sensibilities mixed with indie-lubricated vibes are the sum of genre references required. The essence of Katie Callahan's work is the connective medium of words and music that make inner stories and thoughts accessible for external appreciation.

Few tracks heard this year have the instant appeal exuding from the adorable 'Magnificent Beast (Keep It All Together)' that sparkles with playlist appeal from the record's penultimate slot. Callahan finds the Midas touch in spinning relatable inner difficulties into a positive anthem. Lyrics purr with gems like 'I'm taking my fear on the road' and 'I'm a magnificent beast, but a delicate one' to juxtapose anxiety and progression.

A delve into the record's background notes reveals the inspiration of a personal yoga journey. A understanding of the body's movements and intricacies has fed well into the process of creative expression and the wide reaching qualities transcend any niche origins. 

The connective process locks in during title track 'Extraordinary' with 'proof in my body/proof in my breathing/proof in my song' exposing so much. The tempo gently undulates before delicately exploding in line with other tracks on the album. 

One of the more self-explanatory titles opens proceedings in 'The Undertaker's Daughter' as issues of mortality are brought to the surface and polished into something heartening to listen to. Tracks from the album began to emerge in the fashionable premiere process with the curious 'Once at a Wedding' that injects a small bout of pop into what was likely a real life inspiration. The therapeutic action of 'I'm gonna dance, dance, dance' in the chorus sums up the response.

The sentiment of 'Love Song for a Best Friend' eases from track to listener's perception. Like so much effective art, Callahan excels in floating songs that act as a guiding lights for listeners. This is a subtle rather than explicit grab, though a grab on your attention nevertheless. 

Mellow keys introduce the whims of 'Hungry' that owns a perplexing coating and under layer, while exhibiting the folk purity of Callahan's vocals. Although the album has quite explicit intent, there is room for listener movement and interpretation wiggle room. Good records leave a little out there for such tendencies. 

'There You Are' splendidly places the crown on the effective short record and the act of maxing out on impact in a tight setting. Once again a rising tempo adorns the song that is beautifully constructed containing a lyrical structure that is up with the best.

There is a sparkling uniqueness to the music of Katie Callahan. EXTRAORDINARY builds upon the substantive base of her previous material and puts a creative response to life's fundamental issues right into the open. The voice, the lyrics, the melodies and a delightful musical aroma all play a part in sealing the ultimate feat of making a listener enjoy their part of the deal with ease and reward.