Three Chords and the Truth UK

  Michael McDermott has never sounded more determined to leave a literary imprint on the frenzied world of rock and roll. Through ire, empathy and forensic storytelling, he shines a light on dark corners and packs a powerful punch where it needs to be landed. Words scatter across the page   machine gun style then beautifully reassemble into sincere lyrical poetic prose. Characters emerge, are dissected, championed, sometimes brutally exposed, but rarely left with no purpose. He writes lyrics that transcend the vehicle of the song. They stand alone, as alluring for the eye as the ear.  Within the framework of eleven combustable tracks, a vignette of B movies simmer and explode. Life through the lens of Michael McDermott radiates the minutia and sparks the most basic human existences into roaring arches of flammable fiction. A stark bout of reality juxtaposes the ear for a sweet melody and a popular coating depicting what courted widespread appeal in the past.  FLOWERS...

  Through eleven carefully curated songs, Lance Cowan continues to emerge from the shadows as a songwriter of substance. THE AIR THAT YOU BREATHE is a gifted collection threaded by a desire to make sense of some of life’s basics. Creating a reassured and relatable aura is the basis for these songs to transcend a writer’s mind into the wandering instincts of an active listener. A time honoured tradition shaped by Prine, Van Zandt, Clarke et al is polished by the pen of Cowan and transmitted via an affable tone and a band pumping oxygen into the finished producr. This record ascends over time rewarding those with the urge to acutely engage.   This is the third Cowan album since 2024 and one destined to find fresh ears. It is also the third professional writing guise following a lengthy career seeking the truth as a journalist, spinning the truth as a publicist and now purveying the truth as a creative tour de force. Paradoxically or consequentially, the path has entered a lush m...

  On their new album A NEW ALCHEMY, the chemistry of East Nashville-based duo Brand New Heartache shines through. The husband and wife team of Eleese and Matthew Meschery guide the listener through a relationship timeline never veering away from al facets of a shared journey. A dozen tracks blend infectious pop with the folky charm of collaborative country shaping Americana through the lens of the classic duet. A vocal spread of lead off interchange, contrasting tones and harnessed harmonies flavour a pot underpinned by love and an charged intent to weave emotion into a alluring soundscape.   If a strong opening gambit is a must to seize the initiative, the buoyant beat of ‘ New Alchemy ’ delivers as a bout of intelligent pop laced with lavish hooks and connective melodies. A surefire playlist candidate. Not to settle on their laurels, the Meschery’s cast a vocal spell with follow-on track ‘ Montreal’ , packed with a yearning appeal aligning nostalgia with a folk leaning. A co...

  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...

  Duo music never stands still, and while we often celebrate iconic names from the past where two voices melt into one, there is nothing more refreshing than hailing a new act to carry the artform forward. The Glass Hours are more newish than new but the latest album CHAPEL GLASS is getting a lift to find fresh ears.   Within a few bars and an opening verse, you sense a winning ticket is in your possession. Fast forward 35 minutes (or more likely slowly savour the playing time), a sensuous charm with front porch solace holds together a patchwork of tender songs. American songwriters Megan Barbera and Brad Armstrong, originally from Colorado and Alabama, conjure something special to mould into a keeper. The ten tracks capture facets of love through a multitude of lens - past, passing, passion and place. Acoustic grace is threaded by a country lilt and you are invited into an intimate space where integrity is intact. The songs seamlessly drift from the enticing impact of opener ...