Three Chords and the Truth UK

Four years after the release of her most recent full album of original songs, it is a very warm welcome back to Eileen Rose and her brand of gutsy impassioned Americana music. As a prelude to BE MANY GONE, Eileen put out a limited taster of some of the new songs in the aptly named stripped back album BONES but now the time has come to unleash the multi instrumental versions to her target audience in the US and Europe. Not that Eileen has been idle in the intervening years since LUNA TURISTA was released as her Silver Threads honky tonk project has kept things ticking over in Nashville allowing her to indulge in her passion for traditional country music with a live residency and a couple of releases. However the new album with the Legendary Rich Gilbert co-steering it through to release sees Eileen put the country and indie rock past on one side as she embarks on an explorative journey through an eclectic range of experimental sounds. While the sampling of Latino, rock n’ roll and ...

Having visited three of the world famous American music destinations in Nashville, Austin and Memphis, the latter of this trio was the one with the most mystique, aura and feeling that you were experiencing something special. 706 Union Avenue is far from the most imposing tourist attraction but it’s within the walls that matters most to music historians, connoisseurs and genuine fans. British skiffle/blues band The Dodge Brothers was certainly starry eyed on their visit to Sun Studios and while many people leave with some souvenir containing the iconic picture of the Million Dollar Quartet, they left with the recordings that laid the foundations of their third album THE SUN SET. Comprising of ten original tracks which the band proudly state are self written old songs rather than new ones, The Dodge Brothers have tuned into the spirit of Sun to re-ignite the sound that revolutionised music in its day and has an eternal preservation label permanently attached to it. The driving r...

There is a point of view which defines Americana music as rock with a little bit of country, although a more preferable definition from my angle is where a sound draws on a blend of influences from the pool of rock, country, folk, blues and soul. If you want to listen to an archetypal album that fits neatly into this package then look no further than STAY TRUE, the dynamic new record from Danny and the Champions of the World. In a switch from their previous releases which leaned more towards folk/rock, Danny George Wilson and his open invitation for guest musicians to become honorary Champs has added a more soulful feel to this album which is a bubbling mix of yesteryear designed to ensure the future is shaped with the right ideals. With a concoction of sounds very reminiscent to what Stax attempted to create in the sixties, Danny has let the creative ideas of both full time and part time Champs run amok and found a winning formula to house his vocals which echo of a bygone age. T...

One of the positive aspects of this Leeroy Stagger tour is that he’s packing in the dates and getting quite a few Midlands bookings as well as the usual round of alt-country/Americana July festivals. On the back of playing Taylor John’s in Coventry and teaming up with Dennis Ellsworth for an all Canadian evening in Leicester, another stopping off point was the busy Hare and Hounds venue in Birmingham. Eclectic music promoters World Unlimited, who frequently include Americana artists in their shows, arranged this date for Leeroy and pulled off a masterstroke by adding Herefordshire based band The Misers to the bill. This popular four piece combo from the town of Bromyard delivered an excellent opening set in a style that perfectly complemented the sound of Leeroy and his band. Another plus of The Misers booking is that their followers swelled the audience figures with the added bonus of Leeroy having an ideal opportunity to impress a ready-made crowd of like minded people. The...

Twice in 2012, an opportunity to finally catch Canadian folk/roots duo Madison Violet live was thwarted. First inclement weather made a journey to Ross–on-Wye inadvisable then their late summer tour was curtailed for family reasons leaving a gap in their Shrewsbury Folk Festival slot admirably filled by Emily Barker. However twelve months later there is some compensation in the release of this live record that while not fully replicating the experience of being there does give a flavour of how the songs come across in their shows. COME AS YOU ARE – LIVE was recorded in Germany, to be precise at the Kulturkirche in Koln, and features sixteen previously recorded Madison Violet tunes plus a cover of Nirvana’s ‘ All Apologies’ to conclude the recording. While existing fans of the duo will instantly connect with the beautiful harmonies, authentic sound and gratifying songs, this record is tailor-made to quickly weave its magic around new unsuspecting ears and leave its indelible mark....

With each record made, the case for Sam Baker being held in the same esteem as many legendary Texan songwriters strengthens. It has been mooted that the creative spark for many writers in this part of the world is borne out of a necessity to see past the often barren landscape but for Sam much of his inspiration comes from being given a second chance of life after surviving a Peruvian train bombing in 1986. Either way SAY GRACE is a continuation of the highly acclaimed work to come from Sam who has recorded three previous albums on a regular basis since 2004. Sam Baker is a stimulating and gifted songwriter who was destined to share his thoughts with the world via song. Although ultimately words define his artistry as they perhaps leave the lasting impression, several listens to this album will draw you to the musical arrangements that create an experimental sound within the confines of a relaxed ambience. Also the monologue vocal style of Sam is ingrained with the earthiness shap...

Just over a week after Ruth Moody and the Good Lovelies shared a gig in Oxford, the summer of Canadian touring artists took a gender switch as this time the guys had the limelight for what was effectively a double billed Leicester show. From either side of the vast Canadian nation, Dennis Ellsworth, a Prince Edward Island native, represented the Atlantic Provinces with Leeroy Stagger hailing from over 4000 miles further  west in British Columbia. While the contrast continued in their method of onstage delivery, you couldn’t split the exceptional quality that emanated from both artists. Dennis Ellsworth Dennis Ellsworth had the formal opening slot and reverted back to his solo set after having a blast with his hastily assembled band for the Maverick Festival and the Kelvedon gig. Dennis has been busy during this, his second, UK visit attempting to raise a profile which has been made easier by promoting a first class album DUSK DREAMS full of fine songs showcasing his singer-...

With the established Americana International Festival set to end its long association with the Newark Showground, there was a little end of an era feel to this year’s festival, although the visit on this occasion was limited to Saturday only. Over the last five or six years the Americana has introduced me to the talents of Wayne Hancock and Two Tons of Steel along with bringing to the UK such established artists as Paul Overstreet, Asleep at the Wheel and Gene Watson. Whilst being predominantly a vehicle for straight down the middle high quality country music on its main stage, artists such as Eve Selis and Redlands Palomino Company have stretched boundaries while acts such as Raintown, Brian Hughes and The Diablos show that if you scratch the surface, genuine UK talent does exist. Kezia Gill In what seemed like a little streamlining to the main stage for this year before its re-location to Loughborough for 2014, six acts split evenly between the UK and the US delivered a stri...

This sultry Sunday evening in the Kitchen Garden Café had a double southern Californian feel about it. Not only did the soaring daytime temperatures linger long after the sun went down but a little bit of west coast sparkle was in the air as I See Hawks in LA popped along to play a gig towards the end of their UK tour. Straight off the back from a critically acclaimed set at the Maverick Festival, the band led by Rob Waller on guitar/vocals and capably flanked by fellow guitarists, Paul Marshall and Paul Lacques illustrated a vision of the west through their expansive songs and country influenced sound. Without any support, the guys played a pair of ear pleasing fairly laid back sets that satisfied an audience prepared to sit back and absorb the listening pleasure of a band saturated in Americana virtue. I see Hawks in LA have been fortunate enough to secure the funding for two very recent back-to- back releases and songs from these records dominated most of this show. Two tra...

It may have been July 4 th but it was very much an extension of the Canada Day celebrations as the Good Lovelies and Ruth Moody teamed up for this double header at The Bullingdon in Oxford. Both artists were approaching the end of their 2013 UK visits and well established promoters Empty Room Promotions snapped up the opportunity to arrange for them to share the billing only a couple of days prior to their appearance at the Maverick Festival. In true egalitarian style, each act was granted an hour and a quarter for their set and you could have quite easily interchanged the running order and still matched the success of the evening. Good Lovelies It is not quite sure whether these artists have shared a bill before but their styles created a perfect dovetail to ensure the reasonably sized audience were able to enjoy a comprehensive serving of Canadian roots music. The vivacious aurora and engaging chemistry of a Good Lovelies live show is a wonderful experience with their radia...

With the usual ingredients of double bass, banjo, fiddle and a vast array of different guitars, plus the sunshine that materialises to order each year, the sixth Maverick Festival once again turned Easton Farm Park into a little piece of Americana nirvana. This fast expanding genre has seemingly found its home in the rural surroundings of deepest Suffolk and while there are other highly laudable festivals for this music, Maverick has perhaps the largest gathering in the UK of likeminded artists under a single ticket. From the opening bars of London band Mad Staring Eyes (or in its singular form on this occasion) launching the Clubhouse Records dominated Peacock Café on Friday evening to the delightful Carrivick Sisters closing proceedings in the mid Sunday afternoon heat, the procession of quality artists was relentless, rewarding and refreshing. The downside of any festival is the yet to be discovered ability to have a simultaneous presence at more than one stage so apologies...

Neil King and his fabulous website Fatea were responsible for bringing to my attention the talents of London-based Scottish singer-songwriter Emma Jane. Their showcase session quarterly download previewed Emma’s masterpiece ‘ Sunday Monday Blues’ back in the summer of 2012 and in my book was a major track to raise the spirit in those damp few months. Further accolade from Fatea came Emma’s way, with the end of year album awards looking very favourably on her debut full length release PENILEE SONGS which was fully deserved. The good news is that Emma has been back in the studio and a new set of songs are now available for people to enjoy her style of delivery and composition that manages to successfully blend country, folk and blues into a blistering package of roots music. Probably due to economic circumstances SILVER STREETS has been restricted to a five track EP with the addition of a bonus song appearing on many versions. Yet the quality and depth of Emma’s music making is se...

Along with the strong historical, political and social ties between the USA and Ireland, there exists an inseparable cultural one which seeps right to the core of the musical roots of both nations. Dublin based outfit Lucky Bones are the latest band to seek to cement the link and their new album, SOMEONE’S SON,  is a gratifying dose of Emerald Isle Americana sprinkled with a little bit of Texas dirt. This follow up album to 2011’s TOGETHER WE ARE ALL ALONE sees Eamonn O’Connor and the boys once again team up with Texas producer Stephen Ceresia to create a record that’s rich in stimulating songs underpinned by a mixture of string and keyboard sound. The album tips it hat to the power of the melody and is an excellent example of how a profound approach can produce a sound that captures the spirit of the lost highway. The eleven tracks contain occasional bursts of frenzied activity yet the underlying vibe is a more passive one where waltz like ballads guide you through the su...