Three Chords and the Truth UK

  www.sorrelnationmusic.com If this was the start, the endpoint will be something else. The journey in-between will likely be one not to miss. 'Start' may be a loose word to attach as many miles, hours and endeavour have gone into the craft of Sorrel Nation to reach a point where things are beginning to happen. A debut album launch tour reached its conclusion in Leamington Spa to cap a period of increased awareness and accrued praise. Whispers and  local recognition are morphing into a larger entity where the name and music of Sorrel Nation is considerably growing its presence. Diving deep into a gorgeous album and subsequently listening to the songs in an intimate setting completes a mini circle of engagement and one to derive heaps of satisfaction. LOST EN ROUTE is literally only weeks old to the wider world and, in the vein of smart artists, its entirety was shared in the cosy surroundings of the basement performing space in the Temperance. We learnt for this final date of ...

  Robert Vincent is the voice, pen and soul of this thing we call UK Americana. 2024 is his purple patch year. The new album has proved worth the wait to lead while others follow. Shows are beginning to multiply and two festival appearances dealt a couple of hours of exhibitive guile. Adaptability is the key at this semi-grassroots level, full band, solo and various duo formats match the venue and the moment. Each performance adds to the memory bank, one requiring extra capacity as we are now over a decade into following the career of this singer-songwriter. Hiccups are part of the journey and finding a niche on the Birmingham gig scene has proved elusive. A reduced songwriter's round with Dean Owens at the back end of 2017 didn't kickstart the listening rooms and few shows emerge from The Sunflower Lounge as life affirming. Although that night in 2019 unveiled a liaison with Matt Owens that has gone from strength to strength. A Moseley night was mentioned, but that passed me b...

  www.amyspeace.com Amy Speace possesses a distinctive sound and style. Moments into her 8th solo record, you sense the warmth of familiar territory. Arrive at the end of THE AMERICAN DREAM and the urge to repeat is too strong to resist. Every artist's desire to make their latest record the best yet, few achieve it. We may be in the midst of the exception here. Through an inspiring collection of a dozen tracks, Speace fuses the head and the heart, knowing full well that the team around her will turn her raw songs into recorded gems. If this album does settle in the legacy spot, then a mighty fine body of work is enshrined. Neilson Hubbard has been the wizard of the production process for heaps of great albums over the years. He has worked with Amy Speace before. Here, his stamp lies as the undercurrent, while perfecting the art of ensuring the right voice is up front.  It is a brave move to place two of the likely stronger tracks at the start of an album. ' The American Dream ...

  www.beaujennings.com The latest album from Beau Jennings and the Tigers rates highly on two approaches. Pursue a lighter route of using it as a soundtrack to routine activities and its undulating rock 'n' roll score will encircle an environment punctuating moments with enticing melodies. When space is made to dive deep, fascinating lyrics await unravelling where real and fictional storytelling jostle to fill blank pages with poignant memories. AMERICAN STORIES MAJOR CHORDS sums up in four words what the album is about. Expect tender reminiscing awash with the raw sentiment of a tight band playing with the freedom to rock out and own the room they're filling. This is the 3rd album in five years from an Oklahoma native, now back in his home state after spending time in Brooklyn. You get a sense of what to expect from the title and Jennings duly matches anticipation with a fully stocked package. Eleven songs keep you entertained from the majestically written opener ' Okl...

  www.salthousemusic.com Back in 2021 Salt House played a gig in the area under difficult circumstances. The team behind the music at Thimblemill Library were not still unable to host live music in their home venue due to post-pandemic restrictions. In a valiant attempt to get things underway they hired the upstairs room at The Bear Tavern in nearby Bearwood to host shows. At least those tricky days are behind us and it was wonderful to invite this folk trio to play a return show in less turbulent times. The tag Scottish used to geographically describe the trio but in a recent personnel change Anna Hughes from north-east England has replaced the hugely acclaimed north of the border fiddle player Lauren MacColl. Big shoes to fill but on the evidence of this show progressing neatly.  The original pairing of Jenny Sturgeon on keyboards and Ewan Macpherson guitar are still in place guiding Salt House to fresh pastures of recorded music in a style that elegantly blends traditional ...

Matt Owens Was it Hannah White shedding layers of country vulnerability in ‘ Car Crash’ ? Was it Danny and the Champs reminding us to ‘never stop building that old space rocket’? Was it Robert Vincent pleading for us ‘to find a better way'? You could look wider afield and lay it at the feet of Matt Owens for his vision, passion, craft and sense of community. The sweet spot of The 7 Hills Blues and Roots Festival spawned from countless moments, but ultimately coalesced around the power of grass roots music to bring people together.  There was a laudable motive of boosting the profile of UK Americana music in the good city of Bath. The knock on effect saw a multitude of folks from ‘out of town' descend on North Somerset’s regency gem to savour a line up right on the pulse of what’s happening at the back end of 2024. Keiron Marshall The evocative old cinema setting of the modern sounding Komedia proved an ideal location for this one day festival. The main auditorium hosted the big...

  www.frankiearchermusic.com Eleven months ago Frankie Archer opened the minds of a curious band of Birmingham gig goers. Plenty more had a brief exposure a few months later when this north-east based musician played a short opening set for Jim Moray, also at the Kitchen Garden. The style of blending trad folk with eclectic electro sounds was still exhibited, though in a slimmer content. The first turn of the annual cycle is almost complete and over the ensuing period Frankie Archer has grown an audience to just fall short of selling out the venue. Rough observation deduced a healthy mix of returnees, so there must also have been a contingent getting their first experience of something unique and intoxicating with respect to the staple folk circuit fare. Where Frankie Archer's natural audience lies remains a conundrum. Twenty-minute opening sets for The Last Dinner Party offer one side, as opposed to frequenting venues healthily inhabited by folk stalwarts. Exquisite fiddle playing...