Three Chords and the Truth UK

Favourite or best? You should know now what the preferred term is here. Only a small fraction of wonderful albums released each year get to tempt your ear, so rather than fret over the ones that haven't landed yet or didn't quite hit the mark first time, why not celebrate those that played an important part in framing the personal soundtrack of 2018. These twenty records, not forgetting the equal number that could easily have added on any given day, made a profound impact that lasted long after first listen and bubbled with a festive fizz as each was revisited in December. The reasoning behind each inclusion is often impossible to pinpoint. Time, place, mood, feeling, association and circumstance play as key part as any technical verdict. Ultimately, they stirred an emotion that is unique in music and will remain a part as long as sound is enjoyed in this sonic form. If you're still with me, and not not averse to the odd list, welcome to my world of indulgence and the unvei...

Here goes, for the seventh successive year this blog indulges in celebrating the live music shows which have resonated the most over the last twelve months. In time honoured tradition, kudos is given to those stalwarts of the gig scene whose intrepid numbers tower above mine and continue to be the life blood for any artist who crosses the line into a professional performance. The debate whether art should be quantified into lists continues to rage, but as somebody who resides firmly in the objective camp there is no holding back on the seasonal task of reflecting fondly. So with a short drum roll, here are the gigs that possessed a touch of magical appeal to live long in the memory:  1 American Aquarium - Night and Day Cafe, Manchester " Probably best summing up American Aquarium is that they start out full of country sentiment before finding the fault lines of rock ‘n’ roll, not a bad place to be though. A wonderful fulfilling gig from an awesome band sums the night up perf...

One thing that the 2018 gig year possessed was symmetry. The same venue hosted the first and last show with the artists themselves supplying a family flavour. From Robin, Joe and Katy Bennett (occasionally known as the Bennett Family Singers) to O’Hooley and Tidow, the Kitchen Garden presented many fine musical performances over the last twelve months. So as the curtain finally came down on an eventful year, it was a show of warmth, humour and familiarity that provided the finale, and a splendid evening of quintessential English folk music in its most engaging form. Belinda O’Hooley and Heidi Tidow are a successful and popular duo on the folk circuit, accruing multi-layers of acclaim, whilst rarely failing to entertain an audience. The vocal blend, honing in on individual skills and possessing a keen ear to the borrowed and self-composed song has fermented their stage presence to the extent of adapting to a variety of live formats. This evening’s setting in the intimate surroun...

Four UK visits, three gigs attended and a classic album played a ludicrous amount of times. There is no dissent here in anointing Courtney Marie Andrews as ‘Artist of 2018’. It remains revealing whether she grabs the album and the gig accolades, but there is serious candidacy in her efforts on both fronts. This second visit to St. Barnabas Church in Oxford took a twisted path, which ultimately presented an enticing opportunity. Just over a week ago, Courtney valiantly fought off afflictions to meet her Union Chapel engagement, but in the midst of an illness: Birmingham, Oxford and Bristol moved into cancelled or postponed status. Sadly, the former could not find an alternative date, but the latter two had re-scheduled events with Oxford conveniently staged on a Saturday, thus making it more accessible for those making the journey down the M40 from the West Midlands. There is consensus from loyalists that solo and full band Courtney Marie Andrews’ shows are of equal merit. Having seen...

Midland posed as many questions as providing answers when they became Music Row’s extended hand to those decrying the direction of mainstream country music. Debate ran amok in quarters suspicious to what presented, even amongst a consensus on the relative strength of the debut album. Away from the debate, impressive numbers racked up, to propel the view that all that matters is whether punters buy into an artist’s music. Therefore an outfit preaching from the pulpit of Willie, Waylon and the boys rubbed shoulders with factions that pump the notion that a genre can be stretched in any way how. 2018 has seen the Midland brand exported across the pond, with this Austin Texas-based combo featuring on the main bill of the Country-2-Country Festival and returning several months later to a headline tour, parading sold out signs around provincial venues. Oh, the power of marketing. This included a full house in the 600-capacity second room of the O2 Academy in Birmingham. It would take...