Three Chords and the Truth UK

  www.amyspeace.com Cast a look at Amy Speace's back catalogue and a regular occurrence sees Neilson Hubbard in the producing role. This is not an uncommon scenario in the Nashville singer-songwriter community, but an interesting deviation has occurred in a case of role reversal for this latest record from an artist bestowed with a glowing maturity. Rather than just produce the new Amy Speace album (she ably assists on that front), Hubbard and his two colleagues - Ben Glover and Joshua Britt - aka The Oprhan Brigade have their name plastered across the front cover and provide a stunning landscape for another supreme set of songs to bloom in full glory.  The soundtrack which shimmers in grandeur and splendour is a key feature that separates THERE USED TO BE HORSES HERE and its predecessors. The constant of serenely curated songs has long been a staple of Amy Speace's work alongside a delivery that borders on theatrical. A suggested effect from her generic artistic background. T...

  www,bobbradshaw.net The light on the album cover may have its origins in the theatre, but it plays a metaphorical role of guiding the eleven tracks on the latest Bob Bradshaw album through a murky existence to a safe haven of mission accomplished. Part-blues infused, part-rock strands, part-standard singer-songwriter fare, THE GHOST LIGHT flickers brightest when given a bit of space to breathe. It rumbles along like long a distance train in lengthy routine stints punctuated by a couple of peaks that raise its worth.  From the positive vibes of bright upbeat opener ' Songs on the Radio' to the quirky closer ' Niagara Barrel Ride Blues' , the highs crop up at unexpected interludes. Heading these are second track ' Dream' which really alters the pace from the opener in a contrasting and hazy way. Ethereal tendencies, faint steel and a gentle rolling feel describe this track that probably leads this album to the summit, although far from a sound that defines it....

www.corykeefemusic.com Cory Keefe keeps his eye firmly on the prize and claims a well-deserved reward with the release of an album that never loses sight of its ideal. The album title tells all you need to know and from the tones of opening track ' Deeper Well', a rich and well oiled country sound straight out of the eighties and nineties playbook keeps things chipper, honest and true to the heart of the bearer. I'LL KEEP IT COUNTRY doesn't tinker much with progressive themes, refrains from being innovative and knows the niche where it is heading. There is a space in the sonic landscape of country and Americana music for albums like this and its iconic sound spans a generation.  Adorned with a sound that blends a smidgeon of cosmopolitan with the authenticity of fiddle, steel and conventional strings, this album gets a blessing from 20th century country chart topper Lorrie Morgan who shares vocals on blissful ' I Just Want You '. Apart from the usual battalion ...

  www.neilsonhubbard.com Neilson Hubbard continues to bridge the gap between ace producer and acclaimed performer with the release of his second solo album in three years titled DIGGING UP THE SCARS. Such a level of recorded output sounds reasonable until you compare it to the countless albums where he has been at production helm. With this latest collection of songs, you do begin to think where the destiny of Neilson Hubbard may end up. Whether steering albums to a fruitful release or digging deep into his inner sanctum to serve up material like what we have here, the winners are those tuned into the wavelength of one of Nashville's most innovative and sought after operators.  Like his previous record, CUMBERLAND ISLAND, Hubbard turns to his mate Ben Glover for help in the producing driving seat. A little role reversal than what normally happens, but I'm pretty sure these two guys know each others music inside out to smooth out the issues and draw the organic riches to the su...

  www.honeyandthebear.co.uk Honey and the Bear are a Suffolk-based duo comprising of husband and wife combo Lucy and Jon Hart. They join a lengthy and distinguished list of outfits in a similar set up across the contemporary folk music genre and are certainly an act that matches up well with what the best has to offer. You could easily add that their third release and second full album has such a seasoned sound to it that it is likely to rub shoulders with those usually in the running for the annual awards the industry bestows on its luminaries. Ultimately JOURNEY THROUGH THE ROKE is an album that probes, illustrates, reflects and explores, all within a solid template that is true to the folk music core of instrument diversity.  The first thing you learn from peering behind the scenes of Lucy and Jon's work is the word 'roke' is an old East Anglian word referring to a fog emanating from the marshes of a part of England that partly due to to its flatland demeanour is often f...

  www.mgboulter.co.uk When MG Boulter is operating in the shadows he is enabling others to shine with his subtly crafted musicianship and deft contributions to projects fully appreciative of his input. On the other hand there are moments when he moves from the sidelines to centre stage and commands an audience to sit up and take note. He did this superbly in 2016 with the strong album WITH WOLVES THE LAMBS WILL LIE and now five years later the thoroughly engaging and conceptual CLIFFTOWN  throws an intriguing and glowing light on MG Boulter the performing singer-songwriter.  On the back of 2021 albums by Jack Cade and Morning Bride, this is another record strongly defined by the fascinating facade of an English seaside town. Without too much implicitness, we are informed that Clifftown is a fictional place based on Southend-on-Sea, a place close to the heart and life of Essex-based multi facetted artist MG Boulter. From this starting point, the songwriting tackles...

www.vanessapeters.com Vanessa Peters may have sprung to the attention of many with the release of her 2018 album FOXHOLE PRAYERS, but a little delving reveals an artist the veteran of records now totalling double figures in numbers. Additionally, she is a relentless live performer and very much one with an international antennae. An Austin based Texan Italophile is an apt geographical description of her operating status and this is reflected in the recording location and band composition that led to MODERN AGE being the latest offering to an established fanbase.  Peters returns to the realm of original songwriter on this latest album with a sound more in tune with indie-pop/rock sensibility than straight up Americana which she may have dabbled in on previous records. Her most recent output was a covers effort aptly titled MIXTAPE, but the new album is entirely made up of Vanessa Peters solo compositions. To commit these lyrical creations to song, she heavily leans on a conventional...

  www.jasonmcniff.com Jason McNiff is a highly respected English singer songwriter accruing much praise for his intrinsic finger picking guitar style and often literary focused approach to lyrical conveyance. In his seventh album scanning a period close to twenty years, DUST OF YESTERDAY sees McNiff in fine form as he uses this release to look back and commit some key moments of his life to the permanence of a recorded song.  On a record where cello and violin feature succinctly to complement the heavily Bert Jansch influenced  guitar playing, McNiff commits this effort to nine tracks including one reflecting upon an unconventional train trip (' A Load Along' ), time spent as a Flamenco guitarist in ' Damaged Woman' and ' Mary Jane' which is probably best left to the imagination.  The depth and attributes to DUST OF YESTERDAY are likely to fall favour with those previously hooked in to his music. Additionally, there is milage in this album finding mo...

  www.hortonrecords.org My recognition of Jesse Aycock began three years ago when he accompanied Carter Sampson on her UK tour that included a gig at Birmingham's Kitchen Garden. On that evening he showed a glimpse of his performing talent in an opening duo set with fellow touring co-partner Lauren Barth alongside his well renowned playing prowess when backing the main performance. Since then his name has turned up on several other projects often emanating from his home state of Oklahoma and he contributed one of the prime moments on last year's Back to Paradise album celebrating Tulsa's artists. Now is the time for Jesse Aycock to command centre stage and truly show what he can deliver when granted an extensive canvas. Although he has recorded albums backdating to at least 2005, solo projects have often been sporadic leaving the bulk of the time being a hugely in-demand session and touring musician. With a touch of role reversal, this self-titled album released on his usua...

A country fan once implored that they don't want tinges, shades and blurred lines, just something that is true to the core and straight down the middle with no evidence of deviation. That said fan would wholly concur with the new album from West of Texas who operate direct from the label on multiple fronts. That label begins with the band hailing from California, so no debate with the West of Texas moniker although we may have to skip over New Mexico and Arizona. Next up, it is hard to go anywhere other than down country way with a title of HEARTACHE, HANGOVERS & HONKY TONKS, an alliteration straight out of the GCSE playbook for Brit readers and one that casts any implied nature aside. The fate that seals the deal is 52 minutes of glorious country music that is entirely trad all over and totally raw to the bone. West of Texas is the brainchild of Jerry Zinn, who never lost sight of his dream when you learn that this record had its roots over a decade ago. They say good things c...

  www.runkatierun.com Run Katie Run is the curious title of a new band corralling around the talents of Kate Coleman who has teamed up with four other players to serve up a vivacious, fetching and fast spinning short collection of genre-bending songs. RUNNING ON LOVE may or may not keep those who choose to label genres guessing, but any time exploring, pondering or just plainly enjoying the music is worthwhile. This Atlanta based operation has morphed out of Coleman's solo work and duo adventure with husband Corey who contributes guitar to the record. The six tracks forming this debut EP navigate around their own individual axes with three of them being peeled off for promotion as single releases.  A common feature across the EP is Coleman's bright and breezy vocals injecting a touch of sparkle into the proceedings. They are forthright and embracingly positive making this a record to turn to when you are in a feel good spirit. Coleman is also the principle songwriter taking th...

  www.bendelacour.com What do Johnny, Billy's mum, Billy and Tucker all have in common in the opening throes of this album? The clue is in the album title as SHADOW LAND is a place where dark mysterious things happen and one where death and murder is in the air. We explicitly know what happened to Johnny in the opening track, but the demise of the other three is shrouded in more conjecture with a little bit of imagination leading to grisly conclusions. There is a singular streak of morbidity running through this album, the fourth release by East Nashville artist Ben de la Cour, and it is constructed with all the power and finesse of a first rate singer-songwriter.  This is an album straight from the folk-Americana playbook of lyric-laden tough revealing story based songs. It flexes its muscles in the style of Michael McDermott whilst weaving with the poetic grace of Danny Schmidt. On a casual dip in basis, the songs flourish with an air of strength and guile, but dive headlong...

  www.katiespencer.net Katie Spencer has drawn widespread plaudits for her intrinsic guitar playing and moody atmospheric song delivery style. Comparisons to John Martin have been forthcoming and it was of no surprise to see his work re-imagined in this latest offering from the East Yorkshire based artist.  HURT IN YOUR HEART is a short three track EP where Spencer has teamed up with two old timer Martyn accomplices in bass player Alan Thomson and keyboardist Spencer Cozens. These two additional pieces have added oxygen to Spencer's work as she tackles 'Hurt in Your Heart', 'Couldn't Love You More' and ' Small Hours'. The result of this outing is representative of her pristine talents and should really lead you onto her earlier records - the lead off EP GOOD MORNING SKY from 2017 and 2019's debut album WEATHER BEATEN.  Having loved these two release and seeing her play live twice in Coventry and Beardy Folk Festival, the work of Katie Spencer cannot ...

  www.jasonringenberg.com You can't keep a good man down and Jason Ringenberg is one of the best of them. Boosted by the reception and satisfaction of his 2018 album STAND TALL, everybody's favourite cowpunk, witty, incisive, intelligent lyricist is back with another record as deep and broad as its predecessor. RHINESTONED is a passionate release depicting every inch the portrayal of Jason Ringenberg, namely historical curator, proud custodian of a style and blessed with a cavernous conscious. The starting point of this album may have been some of the leftovers of the previous record, but it has soon developed its own entity and matches up well with what Ringenberg has produced in a long career whether heading the Scorchers, playing up to the Farmer Jason moniker or just the plain solo act with something to offer.  This album has all the distinctive hallmarks of a Jason Ringenberg record from a vocal perspective as well as the routes chosen for the material. Of the four tracks...

www.hopedunbarmusic.com With a toughened interior and a glowing shell, the brand new album from Hope Dunbar adds another stellar release into a mix of sharpened lyrics and cutting sincerity. From start to finish, SWEETHEARTLAND accepts the challenge of delivering songs that depict a world aching to be sung about. Life in many forms evolve in the spirit of model Americana songwriting cradled by a soundtrack serenely curated and a voice projecting the depth of the material dealt. This second full length album from an artist naming Nebraska and Nashville as contrasting locations in its birth has proved a fruitful wait. The journey is documented as commencing in mid 2018 during a period of reflection, but metaphorically it likely draws on a wider span of influence. Now the wait is over and Hope Dunbar can join a pantheon of songwriters plying their trade in the wake of some sensational peers and herself playing a blinding game in raising the bar.  The themes on SWEETHEARTLAND are stark...

  www.charlietreat.com Treat by name, treat by nature was too good an opportunity to miss, but there is definitely a saleable streak running through the music of Charlie Treat. THE COMET is one of those records that revisits popular music in its heyday with a host of tunes conforming to a sole aim of hitting a listening sweet spot. Of course music is a lot more fragmented in 2021 and artists like Charlie Treat have to pedal harder to find an audience, often tethered to a small team searching for that niche. Throughout its forty minute playing time, this album rarely relents from a feel good mode, whilst creating a heady dose of extravagant roots pop. You will need to inject a little energy in keeping up with the twelve tracks projecting an artist rotating like a cat on a hot tin roof. Yet a buoyant sound works wonders giving proof that traditional instruments like harmonica, fiddle and brass can filter into a showtime experience ripe for the theatre environment.  There is no h...

  www.annabellemusic.com In a wave of old time panache and continental cultural collision  Annabelle Chvostek returns to the active state of a recording musician with her brand new album STRING OF PEARLS. This is the latest release from a lengthy career that has drawn this Canadian a wealth of acclaim both at home and overseas. While there has always been a streak of folk music in her style albeit frequently sprinkled with eclectic gold dust, this time we are taken on a mystical journey of tango, vaudeville, cabaret and hot swing jazz as the triple heritage of Eastern Europe, Uruguay and Canada are tossed and stirred in a melting pot of mouthwateringly inventive music.  Across the twelve tracks skillfully woven into this collection, Chvostek flits between the English and French language alongside selecting a pair of covers to sit among those she has written including a couple of co-writes. There is something cathartic about listening to a sensual song in another language ...