the UK home for americana music
We leave you this weekend dear reader not with Brexit but with something much nicer – Courtney Marie Andrews has just celebrated the first anniversary of her hugely acclaimed album ‘May Your Kindness Remain’ and is following it up today with the release of acoustic versions of ‘May Your Kindness Remain, I Took You Up, Rough Around The Edges’ and ‘Border’. Continue reading “Courtney Marie Andrews releases acoustic EP today – Listen”
In Heartworn Highways, the 1975-shot documentary which now seems like a premonition of the Americana trend, we see an increasingly raucous Christmas Eve jam filmed around Guy Clark’s dining room table. In the background is Steve Earle, barely out of his teens and looking younger. He had just joined Clark’s band as bassist, and they spent the next 40 years bonded in friendship by their love of the song. When Clark died in 2016, Earle said that one of his greatest regrets was that he never wrote a song with Clark. Continue reading “Steve Earle and The Dukes “GUY” (New West, 2019)”
Regular visitors to this site wont need me to tell you the level of regard we here at Americana-UK hold for Peter Bruntnell. One of the UK’s finest troubadours, Bruntnell has been writing some of the greatest songs the genre has heard over the last twenty years. Since causing a stir on the US college rock scene with his seminal ‘Normal For Bridgwater’ album in the late 90’s, the New Zealand born songsmith has become a byword for quality and class, both as a solo performer and when tearing it up with his band. Ahead of new album and UK dates, Americana-UK catches up with the songwriter to see how things will shape up out on the road and what sounds he’ll have with him to ease the strain. Continue reading “Van Life – Peter Bruntnell”
Graham Stone’s sophomore album ‘Bad News’ clearly has a wide range of influences, with rock, blues and up to date folk music finding its way onto the album. The album was recorded in Richmond, Virginia, the state where Stone was born and currently lives, and spans a whole decade of Stone’s songwriting reflecting the range of influences and style of bands that Stone himself has played with over the years. Continue reading “Graham Stone “Bad News” (Independent, 2019)”
Friday 29th March 2019. The day of publication of this article and the day that the United Kingdom officially left the European Union. …er…or not. Why not? Well, there is a story attached to that: Continue reading “Pick of the Political Pops: Beck “Loser””
Here is a record that provides a tantalising glimpse of Americana in Australia. McMahon, from Melbourne, has a distinctive voice that resonates here – wistful at times, but always a winning, must listen to, and thoughtful sound. He has gathered around him, with producer Roger Bergodaz, a team of interesting Australian musicians including Kelly Day, Freya Josephine Hollick and Matt Dixon. Continue reading “Sean McMahon “You Will Know When You’re There” (Blind Date Records 2019)”
Chris Shiflett – lead guitarist with the Foo Fighters – also has a solo career, racking up his fourth album release in the shape of ‘Hard Lessons’, which will be out on June 21st on East Beach Records & Tapes/Thirty Tigers. ‘Hard Lessons‘ is the second time that Shiflett has worked with Dave Cobb, as producer and acoustic guitar player for the album. The second single from the album is this track, ‘Welcome to Your First Heartache‘, which offers some straight-ahead advice in the vein of “she may be the first to break your heart, she won’t be the last, we’ve all been there man“. Indeed we have, one way or another. Continue reading “Chris Shiflett “Welcome To Your First Heartache” – Listen”
A rocking retro slot this week featuring Joe Ely live in 1990, with David Grissom on fiery lead guitar, and a classic originally recorded on his ‘Lord Of The Highway’ album. Have a great weekend everyone.
Denver three-piece The Yawpers return with their third record ‘Human Question’. There are few acts around with a back catalogue as strong as they have over the space of two full-lengths, with killer rock n’ roll their speciality. This latest release takes the bona fida Yawpers sound and ramps it up infinite notches. Continue reading “The Yawpers “Human Question” (Bloodshot, 2019)”
It has been an absolute age since americana legends Buddy Miller and Julie Miller (they’re related you know) have released an album together, and they’ve both been involved in a fair bit of stuff since the last including Buddy’s involvement with Robert Plant and Alison Krauss’s Raising Sand tour and the ‘Nashville’ TV series. Anyway, they’re back with a new album entitled ‘Breakdown on 20th Ave. South’ which is due out June 21st on New West. Continue reading “Buddy and Julie Miller are back with “Breakdown on 20th Ave. South” – Listen”