Three Chords and the Truth UK

  From its sumptuous dreamy greeting the new album by Juana Everett positions to thrill and shower the listener with multiple gifts. PAST LIVES IN CALIFORNIA is a decorative blend of aesthetic sounds focusing on a specific part of a long journey. Everett’s voyage of musical discovery left Madrid for the West Coast chimes of LA before seeking solace in the substantive music framework of Nashville. A sprinkling of euro vibes flavours a style shaped by the spirit of mild rock, indie Americana and higher planed alt-pop. With a strong team in place, the eleven tracks released on Spanish label Great Canyon Records meld into a fabulous introduction to a new name for many. The vocals are soft centred with fiery offshoots gently assisted by a slither of steel and other finely constructed instrumental accompaniments. The themes are as stated on the tin and pan out with lyrical care dissecting memories, dreams and experiences. Collaborations kick in during the second phase of this 43 minute r...

  There is a creative stir at the heart of post-industrial Birmingham. In the dimly lit quarters of backstreet Digbeth, grimy relics are brought to life beneath the surface. Disguised bars, food joints, performing spaces and improvised studios align to regenerate. A single two level unit located in Minerva Works would likely once have been humming to one of the city’s thousand trades, tonight it purred to a brace of fiddles and guitars. Centrala was born from Central and Eastern European culture; on this Sunday evening the sounds were more Western Europe or to be more precise a curved spine from the west of Scotland through parts of England to the Iberian peninsula. Its performing space was commandeered by two duos, similar in set up, different in sound. Thorpe and Morrison were the hosts but Darach were far more than mere guests. Together they filled the air with mesmeric sounds, and hearts with the vibrant beat of grassroots music.  6:45 is a good time to begin a Sunday even...

Hare and Hounds to Symphony Hall to Academy is an upwards journey in terms of capacity, and one taken by First Aid Kit on their visits to Birmingham over the last eight years. Whether you consider the last two a progression is down to preference, but the numbers do not lie. The S ö derberg sisters are certainly operating on a higher plane than when they brought the Stay Gold tour to the city in 2015. Sold out signs have flashed above First Aid Kit shows right across this UK segment of the Ruins World Tour and it would have been rude for Birmingham not to oblige. Inviting The Staves along to open the shows was also a smart move. This must have been a record for sisterly siblings on one night, further compounded when all five assembled around the single mic for a song during the main set. Harmonies ruled the roost for most of the evening and shining evidence radiated from the stage as to why First Aid Kit are currently riding on one enormous crest of a wave. Moving into the realms of s...

Here are a few brand new albums seeing the light of day in a purchasing capacity. Check out the artists websites for details of purchasing hard copies. Download versions are all available on UK ITunes with no doubt other digital platforms giving you an option.  www.jeremynail.com www.blairdunlop.com www.judithowen.net www.facebook.com/JoanaSerrat Purchase from Loose Records "Cross The Verge, just as its name promises, shows us another side of Joana Serrat, who so enchanted audiences on her 2014 album Dear Great Canyon. On Cross The Verge, her third album, Joana lays bare all the cracks, inconsistencies and fears that come with life, with the album revealing itself to be an especially beautiful tribute to the acknowledgment of loss and the acceptance of the uncertain."