Three Chords and the Truth UK

  www.willpound.com   www.jennbutterworth.co.uk A simple title suggesting more to come. An aperatif for lavish main course connoisseurs of top notch instrumental music.  For a 40+ minute spin round the twin axis of virtuoso acoustic guitar and tub thumping harmonica then the colliding worlds of Jenn Butterworth and Will Pound summons up the spirit of collusion and collaboration. At the midpoint our ears are caressed with a song willing up the vocals of Butterworth to inject a renewed focal point and in turn give the 1958 Peggy Seeger song ' Better Things' an outing for the modern age. Either side we are cast under the spell of reels, jigs, dance tunes and musical dips into lands near and far. This is essentially Harmonica king Pound's follow up to his pan-European project to conjure up songs from the remaining 27 EU states. A soothing effect on the ills of Brexit.  Albums like this tend to be niche and descend on familiar ears. Such ears will either meticulously dis...

  Lissie commented this evening that some folks have been coming to her shows for years, while for others it may be a first one. From personal insight this was the case tonight with the added group of those who fall somewhere in between. The latter applies to me as my introduction to her music was 2016's MY WILD WEST album and the subsequent gig towards the end of that year at Birmingham's Institute venue. This show was her first appearance at the lavish Town Hall and a commendable Monday night turnout of approximately half the capacity of a spacious venue dealt an atmosphere to soak up an animated and energetic show. She did play a distinct unique intimate show at the nearby Symphony Hall just prior to the pandemic when a limited audience watched a performance from the back of the stage with a stunning backdrop of a world class concert hall. Sadly I wasn't there. Couldn't get a ticket! This Birmingham renewal sees a return to a full band line up. A rapturous support to...

  www.jennycolquitt.co.uk Jenny Colquitt's music emboldens strength in independence. She is a musician adept at applying and releasing the handbrake allowing her songs to spring into life at opportune moments. Intensity and mellowness balance on a narrow beam while spinning half a dozen new songs that project a blossoming career into its next phase. LOST ANIMALS is the EP follow up to 2021's exciting debut release SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL. On these new tracks Colquitt cements a powerful identity and turns a fresh light on how power ballads can soar from humble sources. Smouldering piano leads us into opening track, and lead single, 'I'm Just Lost', which majestically ascends a staircase before delivering a mid-track explosion. Sonically layered and a stirring introduction to this short collection. Just under twenty five minutes later, the lost theme completes a 360 degree turn in the slightly different sounding title track 'Lost Animals' . Things do get a little...

  www.thebearandthebison.com For an authentic slice of country-influenced rock 'n' roll-infused Americana then look no further than the self-titled debut album from The Bear and the Bison. Ten tracks dance on the hot coals of the American roots scene eventually embedding an album that ultimately glistens in its simplicity. Mark W. Lennon from Buffalo NY is the brainchild behind this operation He teams up with Courtney S Lennon on the songwriting front to serve up ten songs that keep the listener on their toes throughout a modest timespan. The key is the diversity and the knack to drive home a song that unites ideals of how this music should roll out. Also it injects a sense of fun and purpose even when pressing the sad song button.  The album kicks off in familiar territory with the gentle country roller ' Train Train' where shades of Old Crow Medicine Show peer out from a trusted theme in part a letter to Memphis. Nifty guitar and a similar traditional country feel ad...

  www.americanaquarium.com The Dixie Chicks branded their 2006 gig at the Shepherd's Bush Empire 'return to the scene of the crime'. In an alternative universe you could easily brand American Aquarium's 2023 gig at the Night & Day Cafe 'return to the scene of the triumph'. This venue in Manchester's Northern Quarter has faced its own difficulties in recent times, but it seems to catch BJ Barham's eye whenever he brings his band to this country. On his last visit to our shores in 2018, the band delivered an awesome performance in this venue on an evening crowned gig of the year when time came round to make that judgement. Could they repeat or even surpass that show? Reports from London the night before gave the indication and it was unequivocally proved 24 hours later that once again American Aquarium had smashed it out the park.  55 minutes into the main set there was a chink bringing BJ Barham back to the reality of the rest of us. He paused for a m...

Simplicity begins in the title and then stamps its mark right across the new album from Mary Elizabeth Remington. Fans of American roots music will have many artists of a folk ilk in their appreciation gallery, but will have to make room for one more when the raw sounds of this Massachusetts-raised native penetrate the listening sphere. IN EMBUDO emboldens the spirit of being at the birth of new music. This album evokes vibes of being made right in front of you. The freshness and 'in the moment' feel remains intact regardless to how many times you replay the experience. Quite simply. Embudo New Mexico was the place where this album was recorded. Therefore no finer straightforward title could adorn an album. Modern recording methods have been cast aside with the single take syndrome owning the moment from the instant the play button was pressed. Mary Elizabeth Remington owns the voice to steal this moment. She also fine tunes songwriting skills road tested at the legendary Kerrv...

  www.anniecapps.com If you enjoy diving into a deep lyrical pool, then the latest album from Annie Capps is a smart listener's delight. Taking a detour from her work with partner Rod, she plunges headlong into this stark and thoughtful solo project to deliver a dozen-strong collection. This presents HOW CAN I SAY THIS? as a body of personally driven songwriting of the highest calibre.  The notes inform a 40-strong cast of all women collaborators have assisted on this project, but you feel forever secure in the solo arms of a songwriter exploring life and nostalgia from numerous angles and experiences. The album plays out on a level plane with minimal highs and lows. A few more notable peaks may have boosted the impact for casual listeners, but sufficient elegance and guile puts the album firmly on the road to laudable acceptance. Truth or fiction are a creative writer's prerogative. We can only surmise the directions Capps takes throughout the songs here. She relies heavily o...

  www.jarroddickenson.com If several releases down the line a Jarrod Dickenson album is heralded his best album yet, then it would be an amazing feat to supplant the outstanding effort extolled in the record set to illuminate his 2023. Getting music out has been a challenge for a Texan singer-songwriter hovering around the UK scene for close on a decade. BIG TALK more than fills any gaps in a jagged recorded career. It is a monumental record capable of getting folks talking big about its merits. Jarrod Dickenson scores highly from listeners looking for the key credentials of a blistering opening and memorable closer. Take the three tracks in those positions alone and you are already in credit.  Elsewhere the universal full-on sound ramps up the octaves and smart songwriting reaches those smitten with such facets. Across the ten-track album you feel in the safe hands of hugely capable operators. Dickenson fronts with class, and no doubt would pay tribute to a slick band of merr...

  www.kirstenadamson.com Kirsten Adamson has been musically active on several fronts for many years. Not all have been widely known and gained the reach to match the calibre. LANDING PLACE is likely to be a totally different proposition and earn exposure that warrants the depth and guile of an album rich in substantive song writing. Musical assistance is sharp and overarching with some seriously smart contributors chipping in alongside helping steer the project. The result is eleven engaging songs drawing on the enticing vibes of modern Americana all enveloped in a Celtic roll.  Inevitably conversations and associations will link to Kirsten's late father, Scottish rocker Stuart Adamson, and, while subtly etched into the narrative, it does not define one individual's pursuit to make their own mark on the quality music landscape. This latest venture harnesses the talents of fellow Scot Dean Owens, which brings the focus to a scene excited by the amalgamation of thoughtful lyrics...