Month: April 2018

The Sheepdogs change colours across the UK – June

Down boy!  Quadruple Juno Award-winning Canadian quintet The Sheepdogs were described by Uncut as sounding like “Badfinger picking up The Flying Burrito Brothers’ bar tab” and they have today announced a string of UK shows throughout June and July, including a headline set at Borderline, London on June 29th. News of the dates arrive following the band’s recent sell-out UK tour and in support of their new album ‘Changing Colours’ which is out now via Dine Alone Records  You can watch the video for recent single ‘Nobody’ below. Continue reading “The Sheepdogs change colours across the UK – June”

Sunny Ozell “The Garden” – Listen

Sunny Ozell was last in the UK to present Jason Isbell with a UK Americana Award for International Album of the Year.  She hails from Reno Nevada, which is a pretty sunny place, and hopefully she’ll be bringing some of that weather with her when she hits the UK again in May for a short tour.  As luck would have it ‘The Garden’, her new single, is also a pretty summery-dreamy-floating folk-blues tinged ballad.  Synchronicity – we like that.

The Good Morning Nags “The Good Morning Nags EP” (Independent 2018)

A six piece “country folk” band from New York City, The Good Morning Nags have honed their skills over the past couple of years busking in the Big Apple with Central Park, Greenwich village and various subway platforms regular venues. Presumably in an effort to catch the attention of passers by they are a raucous lot, kicking up a veritable storm for what is essentially a string band (fiddle, mandolin, guitar, banjo, bass and skiffle like percussion). Continue reading “The Good Morning Nags “The Good Morning Nags EP” (Independent 2018)”

Lucky Bones “Matchstick Men” (Lucky Bones Promotions, 2018)

It is puzzling why one band can ‘make it’ while others continually fly below the radar. And so it is with Lucky Bones. They are the kind of band that take to a festival stage late afternoon and draw ‘who are these?’ looks from the crowd which soon become murmurs of ‘How come I haven’t heard of these guys before?’ Lucky Bones is the vehicle for the writing of Dublin born singer-songwriter Eamonn O’Connor and truth be told they are not unknown to this site; O’Connor’s first album as Lucky Bones ‘Together We Are All Alone’ was described on here as ‘The first great album of 2010’. Continue reading “Lucky Bones “Matchstick Men” (Lucky Bones Promotions, 2018)”

David Celia and Marla, The Bell Inn, Bath, 17th April 2018

Toronto’s David Celia has seen it all touring extensively across Europe and North America in promotion of his latest album ‘Double Mind‘, so he’s picked up a trick or two along the way. Tonight’s turnout on a cold Tuesday night was below-par by The Bell’s standards but the Canadian singer/songwriter made the best of it early on, acknowledging the fact with a wry joke and pressing gamely ahead. He was joined by Marla, a fellow singer/songwriter from Germany and together they threw up images of a young Gram and Emmylou stepping out for the first time full of hope and fresh original songs of change. The venue lent itself to the atmosphere; The Bell is an intimate and dedicated shrine to the glory years of transatlantic musical heroes. Continue reading “David Celia and Marla, The Bell Inn, Bath, 17th April 2018”

Okkervil River “In the Rainbow Rain” (ATO Records, 2018)

Chances are you’re not going to hear too many albums this year that open with a track about a surgical procedure! In fact, you probably won’t hear too many albums this year that sound quite like Okkervil River’s latest offering, ‘In the Rainbow Rain’. Based out of Austin, Texas and fronted by singer/songwriter Will Sheff, the band, in various incarnations, have been around since the late ‘90s; this is their 9th major album release to date and the follow up to their critically acclaimed 2016 album ‘Away’. Okkervil River are one of those bands that seem to be almost permanently on the cusp of breaking through to the big time and, on the evidence of this latest release, it’s a surprise that they still haven’t made that big breakthrough. Continue reading “Okkervil River “In the Rainbow Rain” (ATO Records, 2018)”

Interview: Jon Dee Graham

Austin legend Jon Dee Graham makes his first visit to the UK in nearly ten years in May.  The one-time, go-to guitar slinger for likes of Alejandro Escovedo (who he played with in The True Believers for years), John Doe, even making an appearance on a Ry Cooder session, Graham has gone on to earn his place amongst the Texan songwriting greats in a twenty-year solo career.  A lovable giant of a man, a veritable beast of a songsmith, Graham’s observations on life are poignant, at times brash, but always delivered from the heart. His latest mini-album, ‘Knoxville Skyline’ (Decor) runs a gamut of styles from barroom stomp of ‘Things Might Turn Out Right‘  to a glorious  Fontaine-esque, ‘Dan Stuart’s Blues.’  AUK caught up with Graham to chat about the album, his son, William Harries Graham, who accompanies his father on the dates – and how much he was looking forward to returning to UK.  Continue reading “Interview: Jon Dee Graham”

Pick of the Political Pops: Lambchop “Your Fucking Sunny Day”

This week we have been musing on two things. Firstly we are mourning the passing of our British summer. It lasted two whole days so I suppose we shouldn’t complain. Secondly we have been wondering what it must be like to be a person of integrity, honesty and principle and how one maintains their dignity when, from all sides including ones supposed allies, comes lies, smears, dirty tricks and campaigns of obfuscation. The view from The Bunker is reflected in the song: Continue reading “Pick of the Political Pops: Lambchop “Your Fucking Sunny Day””

Siv Jakobson “Bullet” – Listen

This don’t dare to breath stillness of a recording by Siv Jakobsen is a version of a song from her debut album that was recorded live in Oslo and will be on her new live album release, coincidentally called ‘Live in Oslo’.   Siv will be playing this hauntingly beautiful song, along with others, at her upcoming one-off gig at St. Pancras Old Church on June the 4th.