Three Chords and the Truth UK

  www.juliantaylormusic.ca If somebody laid their money down on a gilt-edged lyric line, I would raise them with this Julian Taylor gem: ‘They tried to bury us but they didn’t know we were seeds.’ So much said in so few words. While this line resonates strongly, the entirety of Julian Taylor’s act is stacked with stellar songs. Not just pertinent lyrics but alluring hooks and moments of melodic bliss. He is truly a top notch songwriter with over thirty years experience, mainly in Canada. Over the last few years, the Toronto-based Taylor has sensed an opportunity to seek what many of his compatriots have done and successfully forged a standing in Europe. The latest albums have been getting overseas press and several trips have started to cultivate a live following. A smart move has been forming a UK band with Michele Stodart, Raevennan Husbandes and Sian Monaghan. The quartet is reunited for larger shows such as The Long Road Festival and the recent AMA UK showcase. However the brea...

  I take my seat in the Temperance. The venue is already nearly full. I look around and wonder. Is anyone seeing Danni Nicholls for the first time? Leamington Spa is not my usual stomping ground. An eighty mile round trip is often a put off when the artist frequently plays a show nearer to home. The upside when the Temperance wins the day is a wonderfully compact basement venue; intimate, evocative and carrying the most beautiful sound. OK, the latter is dependent on the artist but quality is a team effort. Among the many unfamiliar faces in the crowd (a handful have made the trip from my ares or are familiar from the gig circuit), I would like to think there are some Danni Nicholls newbies. We all discover new artists at different times. The key is the impact they make. Many established acts will cross my path for the first time in 2025. Danni Nicholls isn't one of them. In this crazy fast paced modern world, we are prone to consuming our info intake in excess. New experiences how...

Julian Taylor Since its inception around a decade ago, attending the AMAUK showcases had been rendered out of bounds. Working in education meant a 2-day midweek January trip to London was impractical. Eventually circumstances change and once the opportunity cropped up a chance to experience what others have been crowing about was seized. The first task as the event approaches is to whittle 60 artists down to a dozen. 12 is the maximum number of full sets you can see as the showcase is spread across 5 venues over 2 evenings. The bonus is the venues are very close to each other in Hackney, therefore widening the accessible choice from a pool of exceptional artists.  The purity of a showcase is a musician sharing the best they have to offer to new ears over a short period of time. With the AMAUK selecting many familiar names to seasoned observers of Americana music, sticking to the ideal of prioritising new names slims down the options. Luckily for me, acts of interest tended to be ch...

  www.jadeturnermusic.com For independent evolving artists seeking growth, impact needs to be strong and straight to the point. On a third album positioned to accrue fresh international recognition, Jade Turner has instinctively created a record instantly luring the listener into repeat plays from a prominent pole introduction. BREATHE blends powerful strains of big sound country pop rock with a subtler retro golden lining to embolden writing true to the personal spirit of plying song with sincere emotion. We are all grown up to know ‘Americana music’ transcends the land of 50 states, so Manitoba-based Turner can curate a small niche of a wide reaching movement to evoke a generational bonding of Faith Hill meets Morgan Wade. An awful lot is packed into a tight 35-minute running time with perhaps the jury out on opening the album via a short untitled instrumental segment. Within a minute, a rocked up inspiring anthem brings a powerful vocalist to the fore. ‘ That Wind ’ is lyrically...