Three Chords and the Truth UK

  TEN BLUE SONGS is the tenth album from Hastings-based singer-songwriter-guitarist Jason McNiff. This time he has enlisted the production services of Trevor Moss (widely known for his duo act with wife Hannah Lou) for a record that came to fruition at Moss’s Bex-Pop studio. The pair honed in on capturing the essence of music in an unfiltered capacity and have successfully channeled McNiff’s applied intimacy into a warm receptive body of work. Rather than expressing the sentiment of the title, this collection emanates a reassuring contentment exhibiting a good place where creating music works effectively.   The songs feature McNiff’s sharp incisive writing with a nod to how greats in the literary world spin their wares. Additionally. an array of instrumentation has been assembled including clarinet, piano and violin, joining McNiff’s intrinsic guitar picking that has kept keen Americana ears piqued for over twenty years.   For a serious introspective songwriter, it is sur...

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...

  Sophie Moore’s music illuminates a space, maximising the pieces at its disposal, while delicately creating a piece of tranquility. TROUBLE IN MIND sees this Sussex-based artist return to the recording fold after a lengthy hiatus. Moore was active in the 1980s with London indie band Foggy City and continued to have minor involvement in music after life pulled her in other directions. However a burning desire always remained and connections with American artist Jeb Loy Nicholls and esteemed producer Mark Nevers, famed for his work with Lambchop, laid the foundation for a return inspired by putting a homegrown slant on time honoured country soul. A recording process split between Sussex and South Carolina did the heavy lifting and the result is a prized piece of work. Late night night vibes are evoked alongside a restful composure where primed musicianship and sultry vocals nestle among an array of original compositions blending softly spun tunes and lyrics painting an elegant pictu...

  Danni Nicholls ascends onto a new plateau reflecting movement in many forms. A key constant to capture the moment is still intact after many years seeking the sweet spot where artist curation and audience reception meet. MAKING MOVES represents change where polished building blocks raise the stature without removing the trusty foundation formed over time. The wait between defining studio releases evaporates in an instant when the luscious tone of the new album sweeps you away. A renewed spark ignites a soundscape where a combination of influences and inputters carve a record packed with resonating, relatable poignancy.   The strength of Danni Nicholls’ writing is to crack the mirror and piece together the order of existence into meaningful assertions. Some writers thrive on character, others on place, here we have one immersed in experience and expressing the utterly personal. The eleven songs forming this exceptional body of work drool with esteemed class. They represent a ...

  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...