Three Chords and the Truth UK

Artistic integrity over commercial success has been a dilemma for musicians for as long as the pioneering entrepreneurs found a way of taking music to the masses. While the former is often the route to greater credibility in industry circles, it must be a brave decision for one to shun the limelight and all the trappings derived from commercial success. English rock/blues guitarist Alvin Lee is one performer that took this brave decision in 1972 as the knock-on effects of a Woodstock performance elevated his band Ten Year After into the rock arenas of the world and in his own perception, at the mercy of the industry sharks. His breakaway album, aptly titled ON THE ROAD TO FREEDOM, started an alternative lower key career that while still colluding with some of the rock icons of the day including Stevie Winwood and Ronnie Wood, left Lee short of similar acclaim in the eyes of the ordinary public. Many years later and now in the twilight of his career, Lee has recorded a philosophica...

Patrick Crowson certainly doesn’t do things in small measures and shows no fear in going intensely down his chosen route. The eleven tracks on his latest album release A MILE PAST THE DEADEND take around an energy sapping 70 minutes to evolve and while there are glimpses of merit in the soft dry melancholic sound from his guitar, you are left waiting for that stand out track to make true connection. There are elements of the album where you get mesmerised by the hook of the relaxing soothing sound but the intensity turns the listen into a demanding experience. A large dose of patience, stamina and a desire to uncover the next Dylan may be required to fully grasp the concept of this record. Originating from Illinois USA, the limited online presence of Crowson seems to be the domain of Swedish based backers Hemifran who have some very fine under rated US artists in their posse. There are ambitious references to Dylan, Kristofferson, Van Zandt and Newbury in his press and maybe Crows...

Rose Redd performs at the Yardbird Imagine the scene. You’re enjoying a well deserved drink in a lively bar after a busy day perusing an abundance of artists invited to participate in a city centre arts festival. Amongst the constant hum of this bar, a young acoustic singer-songwriter takes to the stage to deliver her short set. Over the next half hour, your ear gets increasingly drawn to the sounds emanating from this performer as they rise to the challenge of the environment and leave a lasting impression of wanting you to explore further. Fast forward eight days to another bar where the young performer returns to the stage, this time, with your undivided attention, you have all your first thoughts confirmed and you realise that you’ve just discovered a special talent. This is an honest appraisal of the introduction to Rose Redd, an eighteen year old young artist from just outside Wolverhampton who is embarking on a musical career that has the potential to turn many a head and...

To commemorate the centenary of his birth, Woody Guthrie has been the subject of several projects in 2012 that contribute to maintaining the tradition of one of the great American songwriters of the Twentieth Century. To demonstrate that Guthrie is not totally the domain of English speaking countries, Italian based roots rock band Lowlands have invited a selection of their friends to record a tribute album BETTER WORLD COMING which ensures the European markets are not left out of the celebrations. Lowlands are led by British born singer-songwriter Edward Abbiati and since their formation in 2008 have recorded a series of albums that have received favourable reviews from some of the genre’s esteemed publications. Amongst the host of guests invited to contribute to the recording is Jimmy Ragazzon, the leader of fellow Italian band The Mandolin Brothers who have recently been increasing their awareness in America and have had their latest album reviewed on this site. This Woody Guthrie...

On nights like these you really wished the live music public of Birmingham would embrace some of the exceptional less well known US acts that make the commitment to physically export their talents to venues in this country. Promoters World Unlimited are increasingly seeking out quality Americana acts and established venues such as the Hare and Hounds in Kings Heath are prepared to make room in their indie-dominated schedule to host   these artists but often the missing link is an enthusiastic crowd to give them a warm welcoming reception. The two artists who showcased their talents on a shared bill this evening were regular UK visitors the Water Tower Buckets Boys, who played a nearby venue around eighteen months ago, and the inaugural trip overseas of Texas based multi-instrumentalist Lincoln Durham. To be fair to both acts, they played a couple of storming sets that far outstripped the modest lukewarm environment that provided the backdrop to their performances. Lincoln Durh...

There are a host of bands operating under the often ambiguous term ‘Americana’ that firmly plant their roots in the country rock movement that spread across the continent in the 1970’s. Forty years on, their music is a little bit too experimental to be absorbed into mainstream rock and pop but they manage to carve out their own niche within the realms of specialist radio and a buoyant live circuit. Jason Plumb is one such artist that possesses these traits and evidence is in ample supply within the content of ALL IS MORE THAN BOTH, the fifth album he has released since branching out from Canadian band, The Waltons, a number of years back. With the aid of his four-piece backing band, The Willing, the record is full of a wealth of tracks containing well constructed melodies and, although a little on the safe and conservative side, can reward listeners prepared to allow it several listens. Jason Plumb has had a long association with Ed Robertson, the front man of fellow Canadian roc...

Over the last couple of years, Birmingham based band The Toy Hearts have developed excellent relations with Nashville based duo Jeff Burke and Vida Wakeman. As an appreciation for regularly hosting them in Music City, the perfect opportunity for an act of reciprocal kindness was presented when the duo announced a short tour of the UK and Ireland. So with the assistance of a support slot as well as summoning up a reasonably sized audience, the act known simply as Jeff and Vida was given a warm second city welcome and the opportunity to thoroughly entertain those present in the upstairs music room of the Hare and Hounds pub in the Birmingham suburb of Kings Heath. The Toy Hearts  Picture not taken at gig The appetizer of what developed into a three section evening saw The Toy Hearts, operating as a four piece band minus a fiddle player, deliver an half hour support set that consisted of a spectrum of songs covering their busy career to date. With a higher profile Birmingham d...

It’s been four eventful years since Justin Townes Earle was watched by just eight paying customers at the delightfully named Marr’s Bar in Worcester. A humble persona and commitment to playing high quality American roots music had him earmarked as someone to develop a successful independent career and not just be the son of a legend, with an iconic middle name. In the subsequent years, there has been four acclaimed albums, numerous visits to the UK, consecutive emerging artist recognitions at the Americana awards (strange but true), a brief return to rehab and a vastly increased fan base in this country. On this, his second trip to Britain in 2012, the Cosmic American promotion booked him for the Rescue Rooms in Nottingham and the Friday night slot in this lively venue attracted a couple of hundred punters of varying demographic composition. They in turn witnessed a very different Justin Townes Earle to the one who made tentative steps to crack the UK market a few years back. He ha...