Album Review: Massy Ferguson - You Can't Tell Me I'm Not What I Used To Be

 

www.massyfergusonband.com

The number seven can have connotations of change and Massy Ferguson have fully embraced the notion. Across six albums, many shows and numerous overseas trips, this Seattle band cut a familiar and straight up sound flowing right to the core of fans smitten by good quality country rock. Maybe they have earned the right for an experimental delve that certainly provokes a reaction from established ears. Eleven tracks entering the world as the entity of YOU CAN’T TELL ME I’M NOT WHAT I USED TO BE rarely settle on a defining pivot and immediately rip up the Massy playbook. Preconception does play a part in forming an early evaluation and thus time may be required to fully align with the rhythm and mood of the record.

By pure numbers, January is not the meatiest month for album releases and the record benefited from a clearer listening path. Previous Massy albums can thrive in light touch situations when a suitable backdrop is sought such as driving. Early listens thought this may need a more intense approach such was the aural retuning from type. Yet in the end what made Massy Ferguson such a big hit was always lingering under the surface, just camouflaged by some effective production steering. This album will always be different, engaging with the idiosyncratic services of Damian Jurado saw to that. Ethan Anderson’s distinctive tones still patrol the vocal zone and the core quartet are still in place underpinning with a similar verve to what made the past tick. 

Followers of Massy Ferguson are not likely to be souls afraid of a musical challenge. The new record will require a bout of endeavour to grasp and redefining the listening boundaries will help. On the other hand, new markets may spring up, but that is down to movers, shakers and channels pursued. 

The heartbeat of the album didn’t become apparent at first. Eventually the pieces clicked into place when the value of ‘So Long, Carry On’ emerged. Gospel vibes enable a decisive mood to embed the song and its position in the centre of the running order gives the album balance. This juxtaposition of the assigned stand out with its predecessor - the rootsy strummer ‘Seaside Town’ - almost proves a bridge from the past to the present. The latter is the one moment when you feel in familiar territory. 

Ears will be pricked from the slow backbeat bringing opener ‘Early in the Morning’ into the world. Slightly grungy guitars in the latter stages inject a greater presence, but this song hasn’t clicked yet. The piano intro to ‘Headlights & Highbeams’ implies a fresh start and this track settles as one of the key components. As in its theme, it does transcend to a song enjoyed on a long trip. ‘When You’re Not Around’ completes the opening trio with its vaguely psychedelic tendencies evoking a late sixties/early seventies sound. 

Following the two earlier mentioned tracks that probably jostle for the peak comes the album’s midway point with the pleading strains of ‘I’m Almost There’. We then start getting a touch weird in ‘You Were So High’. Some will get it; others may pass. Either way the mood meets the content. 

‘Lights Get Low’ launches the final quarter of the album seeing the sound enter a more raucous phase with the brash vocals blending with a more conventional rock style of thrashing guitars. ‘Shrunken Head’ returns to a twangy guitar as all the bands credentials of combined strings, keys and percussion play a part. Penultimate track ‘Lovely Lad’ is a piano led slow number showcasing Anderson’s impactful vocals and a potential poignant moment at live shows. ‘Angels in Heaven’ is a definitive closer in terms of embossing the architecture of Massy Ferguson pursuing a new path. This song leaves you in no doubt that 2025 is a going to be a year like no other for this long established band.

YOU CAN’T TELL ME I’M NOT WHAT I USED TO BE is a brave record. It’s about a band following their instinct to make something fresh and different. Massy Ferguson fans will likely find the wherewithal to tap into the required frequency. There may be a changing of the guard in terms of who is casually attracted to the record. The risk is likely a calculated one and what shines through is a band in control of what they do and executing alterations in a classy and meaningful way. 

Gig Review: Julian Taylor - Kitchen Garden, Kings Heath, Birmingham. Monday 27th January 2025

 

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 bread and butter of Julian Taylor touring is the solo show and it was this format that saw a Birmingham debut at the Kitchen Garden.

Generically, there is soulful folk style to Julian Taylor’s act permeated by stories, anecdotes and poignant musings. A wide tempo range is extracted from the acoustic guitar and while the upbeat numbers don’t quite match the impact of the band line up, the intent and feeling is there. 

Across a 45-minute opening set plus hour long stint after the break, you learnt a lot about the man behind the artist. Family played a significant part especially influential grandparents. ‘100% Proof’ was a tribute to a grandfather from the Caribbean nation of St.Kitts and Nevis who lived to the ripe old age of 102, give or take a few hours. ‘The Ridge’ draws on Taylor’s childhood experience on a farm in British Columbia. Right at the other end of the scale, different emotions took hold when a request for ‘Murder 13’ was accepted. Set on a heady night when Toronto famously won the baseball World Series for the first time, things take a downward spiral. 

Last week the Julian Taylor Band played a wonderful short 30-minute showcase at the AMA Festival in London. They hit the traps running with an invited singalong to ‘Ballad of a Young Troubadour’ and closed likewise in toe-tapping unison with ‘Just a Little Bit’. Birmingham was identical minus the electric, drums and bass. The vibes in a small room were just as connective.

The turnout for this debut show in the city was credible for someone still relatively unknown and not helped by the unfortunate clashing of John Craigie over the road in the Hare and Hounds. Both shows would have been swelled on separate nights. Such as the UK has been on his touring horizon in recent years, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see a return to the area in the future, although maybe the summer when a festival slot brings him back over is likely too soon.

Julian Taylor describes himself as a music fan and avid listener. As an aside, he curates the Julian Taylor Jukebox radio show that syndicates across Canada. This trait filters into his songwriting. On the other hand, there is occasionally a scope for a ‘dumb’ song as described in the introduction to ‘Bobbi Champagne’. Still, a song we all enjoyed. More serious songs included ‘Weighing Down’, ’Ain’t Life Strange’ and ‘Pathways’ from the latest album released last year. Among the older songs, ‘Back Again’ stood out.

Perhaps it is best to end a brief song round up where it began. Apart from a Caribbean heritage, Taylor is also part First-Nation and ‘Seeds’ shines a light on the sordid atrocities the Canadian government has committed against these people. But like a lot of his song output, there is a tone of positivity in standing together, not bending and growing a strong resilience. 

The power of music to connect is at the heart of Julian Taylor’s artistry. As a performer, he is humble, grateful and appreciative, forever acknowledging the part audience’s play. His gift is stardust sprinkled compositions often fetched from ‘the other side’ as he admitted to not always being able explain the songwriting process. Overall, a right-on-cue measured performance to announce yourself in a new city.

Gig Review: Danni Nicholls - Temperance, Leamington Spa. Friday 24th January 2025

 

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 however do keep the mind fresh. There is a particularly strong appeal to listening to new music for the first time. Balance is the key when things gush like torrents into your leisure mind pool. The counter to the new is the anchor of the familiar. Dependable names you may take for granted but have a habit of providing you timely reminders. Danni Nicholls is among a group of independent grassroots musicians assuming the role of personal anchor. A deluge of new artists threaten to wash them away, yet they are smart, durable and have developed a soldered connection with those hitched onto their musical journey. 

I have written about Danni Nicholls many times over the last dozen years. In 2024 I passed on two occasions, even though there was plenty to say in light of new developments. Maybe sometimes the voice just isn't there or at least the fear of repetition dampens the urge. 2025 is sizing up to be a Danni Nicholls resurgent year. There is a promise of a follow trip to this short January excursion, that probably couldn't have been timed better. Good luck progressives in Tennessee. The centrepiece of the year will be a fourth main studio album, though minor efforts like TIME and HEAVY SHOES still have a place in a canon of work. New Danni Nicholls records have a lengthy run up. Half the new album was played this evening and from a hazy memory, it was nearly the case six months ago in Birmingham. Rest assured there will be a starburst in good time and songs floating around the web in clips will be become solidified three-minute bodies of work. The future is bright.

The present was a blissful evening in Leamington Spa. Old tunes retain a spark; newer ones evolve with maturity. Vulnerability can both ground an artist and fuel a creative streak. The odd sip smoothes the path and soon song and word are in full flow. The journey can sometimes appear chaotic without a clear narrative arc. Underpinning the moment is oodles of class. Something repeatedly shouted about and occasionally heard.

Let's simplify a decade into Bedford to Nashville to Leamington Spa. There was a flashback in the Temperance to Maverick Festival 2011. Maybe a Danni Nicholls newbie tonight will embark on a similar journey.

Normal service will be resumed on these pages with the album release and subsequent tour. In the meantime, an evening at the Temperance felt different, in a good way.

Dreams can take you far and wide

when reason submits to the heart.

A truthful path to the other side

where awaits a brand new start.

Festival Review: AMAUK Showcases - Various Venues, Hackney, London. Tuesday 21st & Wednesday 22nd January 2025

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 chunked together. However tinkering with a personal schedule is a constant as you chat with fellow attendees and get tips from showcase regulars.

My first lead came from reviewing a new Canadian artist prior to the festival. The music of Jade Turner was enjoyed to the extent her 30-minute showcase was not to be missed. Further good news was that she was part of a Canadian presentation with 5 other acts in the Moth Club. The only artist up for debate was Julian Taylor on the basis of knowing his music for a few years, seeing him at the Long Road Festival last year and being due to attend his Birmingham gig within the next week. 

Jade Turner

Choosing to spend the whole of Tuesday evening in the Moth Club proved a wise decision. Julian Taylor with a full band played a storming half hour set, which had the impact of one twice as long. It was gambled that Birmingham would be solo thus not replicating the effect. The showcase was a masterclass in wasting not a second of a short exposure. Crowd interaction from the off with a relentless pace throughout. Stirring stuff and hard to top across the event. 

Jade Turner backed up the promise of listening intently to her upcoming album. The record has a big sound and it was interesting to hear how much could cross the pond in a limited format. Flanked by two guitarists paved the way and you felt the force of her powerhouse vocals within carefully crafted songs. Maybe the inclusion of pedal steel next time would provide the full country experience. 

Elsewhere in the Moth Club, a quartet of unknown to me though highly experienced artists in their own sphere displayed the breadth and depth of Canadian roots music. Opening act The Once and closing duo Altameda both spoke of significant support slots when previously playing the UK. The former were a trio leaning in a folk direction and trading delectable harmonies for audience appreciation. The latter a stripped down duo for the evening with a strong alt-country feel to an appealing sound. You could easily imagine the force of their full band.

Ryland Moranz

In the early phase of the evening, Ryland Moranz proudly from Lethbridge Alberta used a decent chunk of his slot to share some stories. While it opened up a debate, this is a core aspect of his act so why not showcase who you are. With a punk background and banjo in the armoury, this rootsy troubadour met a lot of the Americana ideals festival goers crave. The more polished Logan Richard from Prince Edward Island completed the line up and brought a keyboard player with him to add a extra sound dimension. Exquisite guitar playing was amongst his forte and you could see why he was an in-demand player with guest slots for Canadian royalty Bahamas.

At the half way point of my inaugural AMAUK Festival Showcase I was happy with the outcome after much deliberation. Although whoever you choose won’t disappoint as the standard is exceedingly high. To give an event oversight, the Tuesday and Wednesday night showcases are the middle of a four day celebration of Americana music in the UK with daytime industry conferences, a Monday night welcome party and Thursday evening awards ceremony. 

An initial thought for Wednesday evening was to replicate the success of Tuesday and see the Canadian contingent in their entirety with six more acts of which only one I’d seen before. However to broaden the backdrop experience,  a host of new names were sought elsewhere.

Luke LeBlanc

At this point I have to pass on two showcase venues as the Oslo and Paper Dress weren’t visited, Maybe next time. Night Tales was the festival hub and contained 2 adjacent performing spaces. One an adapted stage in a bar for solo/duo acts, the others a larger full band space. A factor for choosing the Night Tales for the second evening was the overlapping schedule creating a near 5 hour continual stream of live music. Something not possible with changeover times in the other venues. 

In line with my selection criteria, the smaller Night Tales 2 was to be the base for the full sets with a quick hop to see some full band snippets during the changeover. This worked well. The bar stage hosted 4 artists I’d never seen before or knew very little about out. The other 2 had a varied history with me but fully worth adding to the schedule. The main stage was stacked with familiar UK based acts seen many times before and no doubt in the future especially in  light of the Ramblin’ Roots line up announcement. So seeing 10-15 minute snippets of Robbie Cavanagh, Peter Bruntnell, Steady Habits, Hannah Lou and Trevor Moss plus the reforming Dreaming Spires proved the side dish for the serving. Main focus days for them lie ahead. 

In contrast to the Canadian theme for the previous evening, 5 touring American artists formed the bulk of the Wednesday menu. Overseas artists are in the minority for the showcases, likely due to the time of year but also the festival is a celebration of what us Brits can churn out in this Stateside influenced genre. 

James Hodder

Opening the night was ex-Old Crow Medicine Show member Willie Watson who Is now a long standing touring solo artist. I came close to seeing him play a cramped room in the Salutation Hotel at the 2015 Southern Fried Festival in Scotland. That proved an impossible task and it was more comfortable and practical seeing his old time influenced folk and roots style in Hackney. His name is well known in these circles and an enthusiastic gathering cheered along to an authentic set of southern roots music with a little bit of Swedish folk thrown in. 

Following Willie Watson was probably my find of AMAUK 2025. The music of Luke LeBlanc was virtually unknown to me bar the odd track and a faintly recalled radio session. Half an hour of him and his bass playing sidekick altered the perspective with an urge to delve a lot deeper when back home. This Minnesota-based singer-songwriter in the true folk-Americana tradition commandeered all the bases making this music tick for me: distinctive voice, affable and humble persona, and strongly resonating songs. The purpose of a showcase was fully felt. 

Daniel Kimbro and Chris Acker were different artists leaving similar impressions. Both had a slightly quirky delivery style and shared songs of an alternative nature. The name Kimbro was associated with the Transatlantic Sessions and part of the Harley, Kimbro, Lewis trio. He is better known as a bassist but this venture into conventional singer songwriting with a southern twist proved a hit. Acker was entirely unknown and it was fitting that such an artist brought the curtain down on my first foray into January Hackney. Hailing from Louisiana and a touch miffed by missing that state’s once in a generation snowfall, sincerity and humour juxtaposed in a fast paced delivery style that grew with confidence across a rare occurrence of a set allowed to extend a meagre 5 minutes past the half hour. It was a rigidly adhered to festival. 

Beth Bombara

The final pair of acts to win my attention were both previously known. It had been seven years since Beth Bombara visited our shores to play some shows with Jaimee Wyatt. Her performance at Tingewick Village Hall is etched in the memory bank. In the intervening years her career has been tracked from afar and it was good to see her play live again albeit solo. A key take from her set was how she immersed herself into the music and an ability to transmit an emotive intensity into a listener friendly trait. Connectivity is innate and a wonderful ingredient of meaningful music. 

Close to home is James Hodder who had the honour of being the sole Brit to make my final dozen. Mind you the music he makes from Bromley is akin to that of the 6 Canadians and 5 Americans to whom he admirably shared my time with. Since discovering his music rather than just an online name, the fortitude and elegance of his songs is a treat to the ears.I would love him to expand his live presence around the UK but alas my Midlands influence hasn’t quite yielded enough impact. I will persevere. 

So that’s the wrap on my first AMAUK showcase. A much better January experience than a class full of students. The lure of a matinee performance of Hadestown in the West End and the 7:40 Avanti service back to Birmingham meant no Thursday awards ceremony this year. Will there be a repeat visit? I hope so as long as the sterling work of the organisers continues to enable future stagings.  

Album Review: Jade Turner - Breathe

 

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 packed with sound advice as sonically you are taken back to the turn of the century vibes of Reba/Martina/Faith where country crossed over with credence. Themes of self-care, wise advice and mooted reflection thread through the ten songs with the album’s cyclical nature culminating in resurgent closer ‘Deadweight’ heralding a return to a powerful tone with a person now in control. 

Two further tracks fuelling the initial spark of the album’s impact include the ‘be true to yourself’ pop country gold of ‘Stay Wild Child’ and tub thumping bursts emanating from ‘Taking it Easy’, where once again we are wonderfully tossed back to a golden era. Turner, a proud Canadian with an indigenous heritage, has nailed one half of a defining musical persona with a strong twist just around the corner.

Those partial to a more traditional country sound are sure to be smitten with a quartet of gems embedded deep into the album’s soulful interior. Leading the way is the utterly divine ‘Slow Dance’, a sure fire candidate to grace many a playlist and linger long after an album’s early drive has waned a little. This corker of a track is dripping in melodic gold, rolling out as a pensive duet with two voices finding common ground in a pursuit of fragile love. Turner and her duet partner Sebastian Gaskin melt hearts amidst magical pedal steel. This track is paired so well with the next in line ‘We Said Yes’, a song tinged with regret capturing the heart of what the writing appears to want to achieve. Turner sums up her writing hopes in “The album is a therapy session for me. I don’t normally talk about my vulnerabilities, but this is my way of talking about it - by singing it.” Listeners will concur on the effectivity of such an approach.

This wonderful quartet in the second half continues with a classic feel to ‘Wandering Soul’ and a pukka acoustic backdrop to your archetypal break up song in ‘You’re Only Nice When I’m Leaving’. Two stellar additions to those won over by smart understated songs acting as an antidote to a polar brashness. 

The two final tracks under scrutiny are paired in the first half with title song ‘Breathe’ being one of the slower offerings with a delightful melody in a pre-chorus segment. A hushed number with a clear message to oneself. ‘Marion’ is one of those beautifully constructed story songs maybe taking its cue from ‘Jolene’ in accepting that sometimes you have to accept defeat. While wrapped in the pop rock coating, this song lamenting lost love scores highly when assessing the album’s overall worth.

Jade Turner will turn ears when BREATHE finds the right homes. She has filtered sufficient help in writing and production to ensure her own endeavours reach anticipated heights. Guitar blasts make it generic; bouts of twang are more specific. Intertwined with prime songs generates an album of substance. Breathe was also the title of one of the crossover giants from a generation ago and this mid 2020s namesake takes some of the pop country gloss spicing it up with a trad seasoning and stellar writing harnessing the core of human emotion. Ripe for that Canadian cultural knack of promoting astutely to overseas fans.

Breathe, will be released on 7th February 2025 and she will be showcasing at the UK Americana Festival on Tuesday, January 21 @ 20:30 - 21:00 The Moth Club, Hackney