Three Chords and the Truth UK

  www.rachelsermanni.com Rachel Sermanni was barely into her twenties when creating a ripple at Canada's legendary Calgary Folk Festival in 2013. That was my introduction to a talented singer-songwriter with much promise. Now over a decade on, and with many shows and a quartet of albums in the bag, a new venture begins as album number 5 joins a prestigious list of contemporary folk artists to release a record on Navigator Records. DREAMER AWAKE is an hypnotic and cathartic offering where warm vocals and tempting lyrics wash up on the shore of your listening island. Lightly spun and faintly textured instrumentation lays the groundwork for eleven tracks to induce an ethereal sense of contentment.  This is an album designed more to ferment and simmer rather than hit the decks in a blaze of glory. The quieter moments of life are more conducive for this set of similar songs to take hold and weave a magical web of artistry. A soothing detectable Scottish brogue adds a glossy coat of...

www.vanplating.com Is a monster standout track a curse or a magnet? If Van Plating passed through your listening sphere in a fleeting moment, the absolute guarantee is that you would be left with a song succulent enough to make you drool. The wise decision would bite deep into this autobiographical gem and savour something dressed from head to toe in gut pouring Americana. Umpteen plays into ORANGE BLOSSOM CHILD sees ten sterling tracks forever playing catch up behind a song leaving a far marker potentially out of sight. Some may tail off in the chase, but those hanging in will fill a space with an octane-pumping album that captures the drive of an emotive singular pursuit. This album is stamped in Florida from first beat to final lyric. The summit is scaled third track in when two Floridians team up to send listeners into a retro tailspin with the monumentally impressive ' The Heron' . The esteemed Elizabeth Cook joins Van Plating on a megaton of a track bequeathed with spirit...

  www.vivandriley.com On their latest album, roots duo Vivian Leva and Riley Calcagno create a sweeping amalgam from the Pacific North West to Appalachia fusing an abundance of traditional and contemporary vibes. Marked narrative purveyed in majestic musicianship pours out of talent to drool over as we grapple with the notion that nostalgia can have no age barrier - old or young. IMAGINARY PEOPLE is the second album released on Free Dirt Records under the shortened moniker Viv & Riley. Prior to that it was Vivian Leva's 2018 self titled album that aroused awareness to the extent where she toured overseas with Riley including a stop off at Thimblemill Library in the West Midlands. Five years later there has to be renewed optimism of a resumption to these travels especially with a boosted canon of extra material. Ten tracks provide the content for the new album driven by eight new songs, a new tune and a re-interpreted traditional number to wrap up the collection. Proceedings are...

www.anniekeating.com The first debate is whether to headline this gig as Annie Keating or the Annie Keating Band. Trivial matter on one scale, but more pertinent when one musician from Brooklyn USA flies in on their own and hooks up with a temporary band drawn from the cream of UK Americana. Fluidity and improvisation are key criteria for sustainable grassroots overseas tours. Adding a touch of vibrancy and flair to an intimate show expands the appeal and those attending the Kitchen Garden felt privileged to be in the presence of four musicians exuding euphoric emotion from nailing the art of confined collaboration.  Witnessing this soul refreshing performance from close up inhaled the explicit gratitude of an artist forever adept at forging a receptive liaison with audiences afar. Annie Keating continues to heed to her creative whims turning them into hard edged projects that have garnered support here since the distant echoes of the BELMONT album in the late 2000s. 2023 brings th...

  Moseley Folk Festival has been an enigmatic fit since landing into my live music domain in 2011. While other festivals have become ingrained fixtures in the gig calendar, the one closest to home is frequently subjected to competing demands and music channels that are often misaligned. Its aesthetic virtues have been championed since day one and the glorious setting in Moseley Park has been the backdrop to some unforgettable sets over the years. There is a strong chance that this relationship will continue into the future, though nothing would please me more to be in a position where the schedule is clear and the draw is strong to park myself in this suburban treasure land from Friday lunchtime to Sunday evening (give or take the 12 mile commute home). 2023 eventually become the third year where circumstance and choice settled on attending the Sunday only. Up until the eleventh hour, a dilemma surrounded the other days, while the final day was set in stone early on. During previou...