Three Chords and the Truth UK

Emma Jane leaves nothing on the table as she pours a hefty dose of Caledonian soul into her latest record. LOST AT LAST comes across as one of those defining albums packed with organic verve and a strong desire to claim the narrative. Feeling is at the heart of the sound this Scottish singer-songwriter generates, whether plugging into a semi rock punchy groove or slipping into the considered slipstream of a mellower number. A challenge is set from its extensive structural ambience, yielding top marks from those in tune with the mood.   Like any 56-minute 15-track effort, there are moments when you wait for things to happen and other times when you reel from a knockout effect. The regional lilt to Emma Jane’s vocals keeps things grounded throughout. Valuable studio time has moulded an effective release where Emma Jane secures a home for her driven songs and honed in on how different facets keep her writing tight and brimming with opportunist mettle.   There are three distinct s...

The curtain of cloud opened on solstice morning and the walled garden was bathed in beautiful sunshine. Intermittent rays and prevalent gloom gave way to how every summer festival should be. The weather is always in the back of your mind when winding through the Shropshire lanes in mid-June. A south-west facing hill location has played tricks in the past. No drama in 2026 as Beardy Folk danced, sang and lazed to a successful staging of edition no. 9. With a milestone on the horizon, the formula is locked and polished over a tenure at Hopton Court that has surfed a few challenges. Tinkering has been the recent past and likely the immediate future. Why radically alter what works? As the dust settles, let’s reflect on how a musical landscape was sculpted across a weekend when fortune favours an inquisitive mind. The first disclaimer is the music runs across four days, albeit only three acts greet early arrivals on Thursday evening. This limited offering was extended to all ticket holders ...

  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...