Three Chords and the Truth UK

  Friday Maverick fizzed into life on the stroke of five o'clock. A brace of options lay in front of early Easton Farm Park arrivals, both resident festival favourites. Violin-playing Chris Murphy got the nod over hard rocking Jon Langford on the basis of a couple of interesting releases this year. Murphy was once again appointed Artist-at-Large, meaning he could literally pop up playing on anyone’s set, and his own ignited an evening of fine music on The Peacock Stage with an improvised solo performance. Loops, vocals, audience ventures and virtuoso violin playing gave substance to this LA-based musician’s set. From a fresh off the press record produced by fellow fiddle player Seth Lakeman, an engaged crowd enjoyed ‘ Clean Break ’ and heartily joined in on ‘ Never Learned to Drive ’ dedicated to that marginalised LA community- non drivers. A great start to the weekend. The Peacock Stage, with its barn location and iconic backdrop, proved the major chosen space for the evening w...

  Whether you come from a rock, country or folk outlook the latest record from The Fugitives meets you head on and lays down its worth. The eleven track effort is awash with great hooks, optimum vocal parts and a golden thread of roots musicianship. It brings the inclusive emotion of the stage to the studio and chisels out as Canadian band music with a cultured edge. The quieter moments hold court with mouth watering intimacy, while the uplifting content rattles a ceiling being breached.   All seven previous studio albums have accrued tangible industry recognition including Juno nominations and this self-titled eighth will no doubt pique interest across the spectrum. From a design template to capture the essence of touring in the writing, The Fugitives, headed by co-writing team Adrian Glynn & Brendan McLeod, have gone a step further and transplanted the whole experience into tracks satisfyingly enjoyed in multiple settings.  The album finds its rhythm at the outset w...

  Suzanne Jarvie has aimed articulately high with her new album and wrapped a posse of deeply constructed songs in a sweet coated package.. Clear vocals and a simple sound belie a complex inner as mother’s day takes time to settle. From slow burner to intelligent keeper, rich pickings await an open minded approach. This is the third full length album from the Toronto-based Jarvie. Spiral Road opened many doors with a well-received unveiling in 2014 followed by 2019’s   In the Clear. Life may well have impeded more output along the way but things are back on track in 2026.   Across eight original tracks and a borrowed ninth, themes of loss, love, family and gender are explored and elegantly put into song. Personal musings are applied to the bulk with the outlier being ‘ Polonium’ inspired by the Litvinenko poisoning. Whether solo on piano or with added strings, Jarvie applies a sophisticated touch making her voice heard. The album benefits from a hard hitting start with th...

Three key attributes to a successful gig were in place as a double header with distinction descended upon the Kitchen Garden. You can ask no more than an artist on their first UK trip to leave you fifty minutes later fully versed in what makes them creatively tick. Additionally, it is a vindicated pleasure when the faith placed in another artists recent album release is reaffirmed. Ultimate satisfaction lay in a pair of rewarding performances leaving a positive glow in the aftermath. Full credit to Geneviève Racette and Roswell Road for the treat of a debut Birmingham performance. Hailing form Montreal, Geneviève Racette is determined to make the most of an inaugural UK tour The dates are of a varied commodity teaming up with a handful of homegrown acts creating a perfect opportunity to sell the wares from an eventful career to date. The jewel in the crown is coming equipped with a band consisting of Judith Little (backing vocals and percussion) and Éléonore Pitre (acoustic guitar). Fr...

  Veteran Canadian alt-rockers Great Lake Swimmers cast excesses from the recording process to cut an album stylishly layered and right on the mark. Awash with mesmeric undertones and primed moments of twang, CAUGHT LIGHT reflects the grandeur surrounding this Juno nominated and in-demand Southern Ontario outfit, who since assembling in the early 2000s have fermented a sound reminiscent of 70s influenced folk rock. In a concoction of Canadian class meets West Coast panache, this outstanding ten track collection instinctively captures the moment.  The constant of the Great Lake Swimmers across nine albums is band leader Tony Dekker as the players rotate around its founder. His pensive vocals are a key feature on a record organic in feel and tenderly understated. From the wonderfully poignant opener ‘ One More Dance Around the Sun’ to gracious closer ‘ All the Best ’ , barely a foot is out of place. The idyllic rhythm to ' Wrong, Wrong, Wrong ' is an endearing feature as is the...