Three Chords and the Truth UK

  At its best country music serves up quality songwriting to rival any other genre. From the Hillbilly Shakespeare to Haggard, Cash and Van Zandt, to quote a few from the summit, the knack of interpreting the crux of feeling, belonging and being has been transmitted through the medium of the worn and lived-in song. Sometimes you have to scrape away the dirt to find real gems in a sanitised world, and from the influential source of Free Dirt Records surfaces a body of work expressing a true sense of existence. Nathan Evans Fox sweats, polishes and cares about each lyric housed within an album of exquisite depth. HEIRLOOM focusses on a life dealt, lived and challenged. Poetic snippets interject personal musings and you re-enter the light from a delve into a darkened mind to cherish the art of the meaningful song. Identity comes to the fore in the dozen tracks forming this absorbing record. Family, roots and religion all play a part, frequently through a progressive lens of trying to ...

  Whether you come from a rock, country or folk outlook the latest record from The Fugitives meets you head on and lays down its worth. The eleven track effort is awash with great hooks, optimum vocal parts and a golden thread of roots musicianship. It brings the inclusive emotion of the stage to the studio and chisels out as Canadian band music with a cultured edge. The quieter moments hold court with mouth watering intimacy, while the uplifting content rattles a ceiling being breached.   All seven previous studio albums have accrued tangible industry recognition including Juno nominations and this self-titled eighth will no doubt pique interest across the spectrum. From a design template to capture the essence of touring in the writing, The Fugitives, headed by co-writing team Adrian Glynn & Brendan McLeod, have gone a step further and transplanted the whole experience into tracks satisfyingly enjoyed in multiple settings.  The album finds its rhythm at the outset w...

  From its sumptuous dreamy greeting the new album by Juana Everett positions to thrill and shower the listener with multiple gifts. PAST LIVES IN CALIFORNIA is a decorative blend of aesthetic sounds focusing on a specific part of a long journey. Everett’s voyage of musical discovery left Madrid for the West Coast chimes of LA before seeking solace in the substantive music framework of Nashville. A sprinkling of euro vibes flavours a style shaped by the spirit of mild rock, indie Americana and higher planed alt-pop. With a strong team in place, the eleven tracks released on Spanish label Great Canyon Records meld into a fabulous introduction to a new name for many. The vocals are soft centred with fiery offshoots gently assisted by a slither of steel and other finely constructed instrumental accompaniments. The themes are as stated on the tin and pan out with lyrical care dissecting memories, dreams and experiences. Collaborations kick in during the second phase of this 43 minute r...

  Jenny Colquitt, based in the north west, is a fully throttled artist overspilling with talent. She meets challenges head on and thrives putting her music in the spotlight. Across three full albums a highly motivated identity has been cut aiming high with a big sound built for a sonic crescendo. Adaption and perseverance are the tonic for a successful transition to the stage with all its pitfalls. With the latest album Pockets Full of Rain is shaping up to be one of the most significant independent releases of the year so far, taking the show on the road is the next hurdle to a wider engagement.   An early tour appointment with the good folks of Birmingham provided a fresh opportunity to share the fruits of her studio eminence and Colquitt left nothing on the table in the small room of the Hare and Hounds. Big reputations can be forged ruling the roost at the grassroots and a full repertoire flowed across a pair of sets soaring up to the two hour mark. The current tour laps u...

  Suzanne Jarvie has aimed articulately high with her new album and wrapped a posse of deeply constructed songs in a sweet coated package.. Clear vocals and a simple sound belie a complex inner as mother’s day takes time to settle. From slow burner to intelligent keeper, rich pickings await an open minded approach. This is the third full length album from the Toronto-based Jarvie. Spiral Road opened many doors with a well-received unveiling in 2014 followed by 2019’s   In the Clear. Life may well have impeded more output along the way but things are back on track in 2026.   Across eight original tracks and a borrowed ninth, themes of loss, love, family and gender are explored and elegantly put into song. Personal musings are applied to the bulk with the outlier being ‘ Polonium’ inspired by the Litvinenko poisoning. Whether solo on piano or with added strings, Jarvie applies a sophisticated touch making her voice heard. The album benefits from a hard hitting start with th...

   “Town Hall, eh.” Three words Katherine Priddy admitted she never envisioned saying or maybe there was an inkling that one day the path may lead here, at least in her dreams. From the Cafes - Ort and Kitchen Garden, through the Hare, the Glee and St. Paul’s, the journey has been short in miles but long in effort. There was a stopping off point at the Symphony Hall last November, a warm up for when you own the big stage, instead of sharing it as an invited support. It was fitting that Birmingham Town Hall was the final date on a whirlwind tour. Time to regroup after a hectic start to 2026 when the success of These Frightening Machines altered the landscape for Katherine Priddy.  Who wasn’t willing those last half a dozen tickets to be sold on Saturday afternoon? The sold out sign would have been the crowning glory. At least this iconic venue was sold out several times over in spirit. By the time Priddy took to the stage at 8:50 an anticipated appetite filled the air. The...

Three key attributes to a successful gig were in place as a double header with distinction descended upon the Kitchen Garden. You can ask no more than an artist on their first UK trip to leave you fifty minutes later fully versed in what makes them creatively tick. Additionally, it is a vindicated pleasure when the faith placed in another artists recent album release is reaffirmed. Ultimate satisfaction lay in a pair of rewarding performances leaving a positive glow in the aftermath. Full credit to Geneviève Racette and Roswell Road for the treat of a debut Birmingham performance. Hailing form Montreal, Geneviève Racette is determined to make the most of an inaugural UK tour The dates are of a varied commodity teaming up with a handful of homegrown acts creating a perfect opportunity to sell the wares from an eventful career to date. The jewel in the crown is coming equipped with a band consisting of Judith Little (backing vocals and percussion) and Éléonore Pitre (acoustic guitar). Fr...