Americana sometimes has a reputation for dwelling on the bleak, of wilfully embracing the darker side of life. Like most generalisations it isn’t completely true. Take the Orlando-based The 502s’ new release ‘What to do’ which sounds almost exactly like your Americana summer party record 2018. There’s a bit of The Felice Brothers in it, some Avett Brothers too – lots of brothers (although The 502s’ core is built around cousins) making for a big, boisterous sound. Oh, and it’s about trying to figure out whether a relationship has run its course or not. That’s Americana for you – wilfully bleak.
Every day this week, we're posting a video to whet the appetite for the Black Deer Festival, which begins today! This year's line-up is incredible and one of the acts appearing today, 17th June, is AUK favourites The Felice Brothers. Here we have 'Jazz on the Autobahn', the highlight from…
"I I fall no one sees / I don't have a friend / If I break please believe me / I'm in the lion's den" sings Holly Lovell on this naked declaration of helplessness and a bleak, bleak, view of the potential future: "Me in the lion's den / me…
The infectious positivity of this song is fabulous. You can't help but smile as you watch the sheer joy the band find in performing together. The song is based around a catchy, singalong chorus that will remain in your head long after listening. The 502s have built up a sizeable…
Sure, I could climb high in a tree, or go to Skye on my holiday. I could be happy. All I really want is the excitement of first hearing The Byrds, the amazement of decades of Dylan's music, or the thrill of seeing a band like The Long Ryders live. That's not much to ask, is it?
