You know when you were younger and your parents would say “I can’t believe it’s Christmas again” while to you the last time Christmas happened felt like half your life away – maybe because if you were 2 years old, it literally was. Anyway you are your parents now and yes we’re here again – if nothing else, let’s celebrate that, these days it’s not a guarantee. Head over to our voting page to make your choices – as always, some of these categories do come down to a handful of votes, so every one really will count. You can vote until December 15th 2019. Happy votings!
It’s always interesting as a reviewer when you get presented with an album from an artist you’ve never heard of and know nothing about. The good news is that it’s listened to with an open mind and with no pre-conceived notions about what to expect regarding musical style or quality. Such as it is with Charlie Hager and his second album ‘Truth and Love’. Hailing originally from Nashville you could probably guess that his musical influences will be derived from traditional country and to an extent you would be right but there are tinges of bluegrass and the judicious use of trumpet throughout makes ‘Truth and Love’ difficult to categorise – and that is the strength of the album in many ways. 
Katie Dahl’s fifth album ‘Wildwood’ is a very personal affair centred around Door County, Wisconsin where her family has lived for six generations. There are umpteen examples of songwriters paying homage to their homelands or hometowns. The best, through shared experiences and common emotions, are able to resonate with a wider audience. This is where ‘Wildwood’ falls short. It’s a bit too personal, parochial even, to make a more inclusive connection. 
