Three Chords and the Truth UK

There’s no holding back East Midlands country roots band The Most Ugly Child as they power their way through a debut album of promising stature. COPPER AND LACE unravels itself as twelve enterprising tracks frequently varying in tempo but rarely deviating from full-on mode. The brainchild of Daniel Wright and Stevie-Leigh Goodison, this six-piece combo have accumulated the sum of their parts to show that home grown honky tonk can flourish with the right intent.  Despite the obvious temptation to call on some great traditional country tunes, the band have bravely opted to almost entirely go down the original's route with the only popular cover being a version of Townes Van Zandt’s ‘ Lungs’ . To the credit of Daniel and Stevie’s individual writing, it is their compositions which give the album a mighty push in the direction of demanding serious attention. Ironically it is a song written by a fellow purveyor of contemporary British honky tonk music in Daniel Meade which kic...

Having had its US release at the back end of 2016, UNDENIABLY COUNTRY by Curtis Grimes is getting aimed at the UK market in the midst of interesting times. This eight track mini album needs no clues in its direction and sets out a stall of dogged determination. In 2017 the UK market is increasingly split between new country pop and progressive Americana, quite often leaving the straight down the middle explicitness of 90s mainstream country struggling to find a voice. You don’t have to look too far from the title to infer that Grimes is pushing to be a mouth piece for such a voice and there is no holding back on the values he holds dear. These lean heavily on the traditional side of the genre, but rather than telling stories, the lyrics set out to re-affirm a culture, stance and way of life. Familiarities with the staple content of country songs when Jackson and Strait ruled the roost are aplenty on this record, as is a desirable soundtrack awash with lashings of fiddle and stee...

‘A world without art has no hope’ ponders Stephen Simmons on the last track of his latest album, but fortunately its detachment from reality is confirmed in the subsequent CD liner notes. In fact Stephen is forever grateful that he has been able to practise his own art form comprehensively over a considerable number of years including the last decade both in a recording capacity and overseas touring act. A WORLD WITHOUT had its US release last year, with a switch in focus now to European audiences ahead of yet another visit planned for this spring. For those familiar with Stephen’s work, the content continues in a similar vein, with a range of tunes springing out from a singer-songwriter base often in a rock ‘n’ roll direction. Overseas, Stephen will always be aligned to his country music roots especially with a home base of Nashville and an upbringing in small town Tennessee. Eleven self-penned tracks form the primary content of this record following an opening piano prelude co...

Flourishing in front of a maths, science and fiction backdrop, Nashville-based duo Wild Ponies brought an alternative slice of independent Americana to Thimblemill Library on another successful venture of taking meaningful music into the heart of our urban communities. Doug and Telisha Williams have become widely praised perennial UK visitors since their first trip with Rod Picott a couple of years ago and this inaugural visit deep into the core of the industrial West Midlands saw their flame burn brighter with a new band of admirers secured. For the handful of existing Wild Ponies fans attending, it was business as usual in terms of music, songs and engaging anecdotes, but the true worth of the evening was the rapturous reception given by their new fans among a gathering that edged into three figures. Clad in his grandfather’s stylish hat and armed with dual guitar weaponry, including the trusty Telecaster, Doug thrived in this opportunity to share his skills, values and passion...

The songs are really flowing from Daniel Meade’s creative reservoir at the moment as an impromptu collection of solo material hits the market. Despite the ten tracks that form SHOOTING STARS AND TINY TEARS having their origin in a fun-based hastily composed personal project, the decision to make them available in the recorded format is set to prove a smart move as Daniel continues to establish himself on the roots and wider music scene. This suggestion of spreading his talents further comes from a recent stint playing substantial venues as part of Ocean Colour Scene’s touring band. All good experience, and no doubt a useful source for putting coffers into the bank to fund the solo stuff. SHOOTING STARS AND TINY TEARS sees Daniel operating apart from his Flying Mules colleagues, although we have been assured that more music in the band format is likely to surface during the year, another indicator to Daniel’s current rich vein of productivity. This release is on the back of last ...

Sometimes there is a duet etched in destiny, and such a union has come to fruition in the album release of MOCKINGBIRD SOUL by Brigitte DeMeyer and Will Kimbrough. Their working relationship has stretched back a few years and now the association is sealed with the shared billing on an album capturing intently the intricacies of their compatible styles. The overarching effect of listening to this record is being drawn into a house concert setting and letting two contrasting performers take control of your sub-conscious. This is pure unfiltered roots music dashed with a slice of soul and various other signature sounds from the synonymous American music hierarchy. For Brigitte, this is just over two years on from her last album, the well-received SAVANNAH ROAD which particularly raised her profile overseas with its swampy vocals and southern sensibilities. Delving deeper into the backgrounds of the two artists, it transpires that Will had the archetypal upbringing in the South as o...

For a self-confessed late convert to the undisputed ethos of country music, Ags Connolly has totally nailed the authentic sound while investing heavily in his long time song writing qualities. A performer described as the ‘hard man of English country music’ he will take no prisoners when defending the preservation nature of his craft. Following the career of Ags since the release of his debut album back in 2014 reveals a path littered with many obstacles, but with the new album adding more weaponry to the fight, the future may just be a touch clearer. Make no mistake NOTHIN’ UNEXPECTED is no halfway meeting point and challenges prejudice head on with the heady status of its contents. What you get is ten classically sounding cuts – nine originals and a nod to one of his non-country song writing heroes Louden Wainwright III with a version of ‘ I Suppose’ . It’s a case of the old and the new for Ags with this record. He once again worked closely with his long standing colleague Dea...

The second long awaited release by Robert Vincent is now cut in all its splendour and well set to repay the faith that has been shown in him from various quarters in the music industry. I’LL MAKE THE MOST OF MY SINS unveils itself as a distinguished album formed by a tough exterior masking a sensitive core. Two homes have emerged in recent times to house the music of Robert Vincent with the integral one being the increased emergence of Americana as an established genre in the UK. The fit is ideal from the perspective of the primed fusion between rock, alt-country and folk, all in a sphere where the craft of song writing rules the waves. This enamoured collection of tunes soaks up the substance of the recent past to signpost where music of this ilk can progress to in the future. Robert at Maverick 2016 The second home is South Coast based label At The Helm Records which has extended their faith in Robert’s music and dual promoted this album release with their US partners ...

British country folk duo Rosie Jones and Zoe Nicol lived the dream for a short while as they recorded their debut album in Nashville. Now that dream turns into a tangible reality as the record gears up for its release. Under their performing name of Worry Dolls, Rosie and Zoe are the proud architects of GO GET GONE, a delightful compendium of ten roots orientated tracks packed full of tender country sensibilities. Under the esteemed stewardship of producer Nielson Hubbard, this is no blueprint product, just a beautiful evolution expertly guided to extract the depth of the talent. Without going too deep into national boundaries, there is a remarkable similarity in the tones of this record to that which emanates from the current crop of contemporary Canadian folk artists. The name Madison Violet continually comes to the fore while listening to this album and by comparison standards that should be taken as a hefty compliment. The major track which drives this assertion is the p...

“She said she beat her boyfriend up while high on crack cocaine.’ Ok Margo we get the message that life was tough on a brief visit inside the penal system. However keep writing songs as well as ‘ Weekender ’, deliver them as impassioned as you did in Oxford last night and the book of legacy will write itself. By now you may have guessed that the aforementioned track from Margo Price’s blockbuster debut album MIDWEST FARMER’S DAUGHTER was the standout piece from this Bullingdon show, but there so much more as the evening hurtled along with a carriage full of sincere originals and scintillating covers. This latest UK tour may be the watershed for Margo if the exponential growth of her live fan base continues to grow, with venues that hosted her in August and now January rendered obsolete. If so, it was a massive privilege to catch the full band in The Exchange Bristol and The Bullingdon Oxford. Each gig had a different complexion, but the sum was explicit in its similarity. One a...

Two Canadians, two Danes and two hours of engaging international folk music; what more do you need to get you out of your living room on a wet January Monday night. For those of us who did, it is to the credit of MC Hansen and Carly Dow for sharing the produce of their fertile craft in such a supreme manner. The live music at Birmingham’s premier listening venue wasted little time in getting under way in 2017 with a New Year’s Day show and just two weeks into the year we have had a glimpse at the impressive quality of touring acts likely to pass through the doors over the next twelve months. This presentation was part of a number of dates that Carly is sharing with MC Hansen on her inaugural European tour and the format of the evening rolled out as a split bill co-headline show. Carly, who was accompanied by her touring partner Logan McKillop, first crossed my path twelve months ago when her debut album release had the fortunate boost of being successfully promoted in Europe. Her st...

In a positive way it can be exhausting keeping up with the work of Emily Barker. Just in the last couple of years she has been caught live in the Applewood Road, Vena Portae and Red Clay Halo formats, each of these collusions proving an ideal mode for her expansive talent credentials. This evening the live format has been widened further to a duo performance with Lukas Drinkwater and this winning combination successfully opened the year for the music operation dedicated to bringing high quality artists to Bewdley. It was business as usual for these shows at St. George’s Hall – youth and local opening acts, a packed venue and a headliner representing the cream of music proudly flying the flag for the country, folk and Americana banner. Emily has been on the organisers’ horizon for a while and her time in the spotlight didn’t budge one iota from the lofty expectation. The vocals were as sublime as ever and a song selection framed the majesty of how her influences form a very indi...

‘I can stand there watching, but then I’d never know how it feels’ ponders Natalie Hemby in the song ‘Ferris Wheel’ and there lies a poignant metaphor at the heart of her debut album PUXICO. The overall theme of the album may be deeply personal and brimming with nostalgia for a place close to her heart, but it is the leap into the unknown of being a recording artist which directs the record’s compass. The reality is in the secure reputation of Natalie being one of Nashville’s most acclaimed and successful songwriters and now the pot is bubbling that an equally merited transition into the other half of actually performing the songs can be accomplished. The resounding verdict is in the affirmative as the album resonates with multiple qualities making it an insatiable experience to totally immerse your listening activity. This is the second album in a matter of weeks to cross my path and possess the succinct notion that less is more. Its compact thirty-three minute duration wastes...

Bluebonnets, honky tonks and Luckenbach, what more Texas content do you need especially when your record is titled SOUTH TEXAS SUITE. This may be a romanticised view of the Lone Star state and one immortalised in song, but when mixed with the heady sounds of regional country music, the effect ripples far and wide. On the topic of distant association, the architect on this wonderful six track compilation hails from Canada, but to be fair to Whitney Rose she has immersed herself into Texas culture with extended stays. On this follow up outing to 2015’s acclaimed album HEARTBREAKER OF THE YEAR, Whitney has taken the solo route and slimmed down the format. This is the solitary drawback as frustration boils at the shortness of the record, which to be fair, and for whatever the reason, has only surfaced in the EP format. However let’s look at the positives and reflect on the cracking offering during this twenty minute listen. Straight from the tapes, Whitney takes you into the won...

The Grahams recording journey across the Americana landscape began in 2013 thematically on the rivers before taking a significant leap forward a couple of years later when they hopped onto the trains. Now as we approach the two year anniversary of the initial release of GLORY BOUND, we find the project still has plenty of mileage left in it.The latest piece, and probably the final one, of the train jigsaw is the release of THE GRAHAMS AND FRIENDS (LIVE IN STUDIO) and an alternative take on the songs that have served this duo well as their career expanded. Essentially this thirteen song collection (fourteen tracks if you count the extra contrasting version of ‘ Tender Annabelle’ ) is a return to the core songs of a project which also included a documentary titled RATTLE THE HOCKS and its subsequent soundtrack. The major difference, as indicated in the title, is the many collaborators that chipped in with the versions that make this later issue. Obviously if you have already bough...