Okay, I’m back. And before we turn our attention to this month’s wares, can I start by thanking my esteemed colleague Fred Arnold, who, in my absence, kindly picked up the baton for April’s edition of the ‘Monthly EPs Round-Up’, delivering an excellent review, stuffed to rafters with music from all corners of the americana genre. This month may offer slightly less, numerically speaking, but more than equal in terms of quality and variety. So without further ado, let’s see what May’s got to offer us, and most importantly, discover who is the winner of the EP of the Month Award.
We’re starting this month with something a little bit special. Arkansas-based singer-songwriter Jacob McCoy first gained attention with the release of his debut album, Questions, released back in 2018, while last year’s five-track EP Healing helped to reignite that momentum. This month sees the release of his brand-new six-track EP, Deep Deep Water, which finds him exploring themes of identity, doubt, love and spiritual searching through a fine selection of songs that combine intimate acoustic arrangements with reflective storytelling. Opening with the EP’s lead single, Nothing’s Wrong, that finds McCoy’s warm, soulful vocal delivery leaning into a gently strummed acoustic guitar, with an infectious melody playing counterpoint to a reflective narrative, all spiced up by some excellent slide guitar. Other highlights include What He Don’t, which mines a lyrical directness that draws favourable comparison to Jason Isbell, while the folk-infused All Our Days includes some delightful arpeggiated guitar playing. Personal favourite, possibly, just goes to the title track, Deep Deep Water, with its atmospheric arrangement underpinned by a strong percussive pulse, acting as a perfect conduit for the longing wrapped within the powerful narrative. With Deep Deep Water, McCoy has firmly put himself front and centre amongst the current crop of singer-songwriters, and this EP comes highly recommended.
Next up, we have an excellent debut four-track EP from Daniel Nixon, entitled Orlando. Based in Staffordshire, Nixon is possibly better known to many for having spent over a decade in one of the UK’s most distinctive bluegrass music scenes, and as a member of the Stoke-on-Trent band Camp Stag, performing at Glastonbury and receiving airplay on both BBC Radio 1 and 6 Music. This new EP marks Nixon’s first release under his own name, which was recorded quickly and intentionally sparsely, at his home studio on the edge of the Peak District, while the title for the EP comes from his childhood holidays in Florida, where he first became aware of artists such as Neil Young, Bob Dylan and Wilco, instigating a love affair that lies at the foundation of these four songs. The EPs stripped-back arrangement of vocals and acoustic guitar turns the focus directly to the gentle melodies and reflective narrative that explores the emotional territory of adult love, with all its complications and consolations. First track Buried Love immediately sets the scene with its opening line “The crown of thorns you wear today, was once alive, it bloomed with spring honey”, which aches for the longing of love turned cold. Elsewhere, Red Oak offers solace and a shoulder to the emptiness encountered after love has gone, which Nixon delivers with a warmth and sincerity that avoids the trap of becoming maudlin. The simplicity of the arrangements here does mean that the poetry and melody have to do most of the heavy lifting, but, in the main, Nixon pulls it off, though for a full-length album, one would assume greater variation would be a necessity. Nonetheless, as a debut offering, Orlando has a lot going for it and should prove an excellent launch pad for Nixon’s solo career.
And this month just keeps on giving, with the stunningly beautiful new offering from one of Glasgow’s finest new gifts to the musical world. The artist in question is Pippa Blundell, who follows up the release of their critically acclaimed debut album Common Thread last year with this exquisite new six-track EP entitled songs with james. Blundell is fast becoming the name on everyone’s lips, having already earned recognition from the Scottish Album of the Year Awards, Scottish Alternative Music awards, and the 2025 ‘rising star’ in the Scottish Jazz Awards, while BBC Radio Scotland’s very own Roddy Hart hailed Common Thread ‘2025 album of the Year’. Having graduated from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in 2022 with a degree in Mezzo-Soprano voice, Blundell’s initial aspiration was to become an Opera singer; however, an innate passion for songwriting and composition would eventually lead to a different path. Their vocal range combines power with grace, full of passion and emotional depth, which conjures comparisons to Jeff Buckley, Anohni, and Adrianne Lenker, while the first-person narratives bear a likeness to Laura Marling. With the accompaniment of just two acoustic guitars, the six songs that make up the new EP show an artist growing in confidence, as each track weaves its magic, drawing one in, never to let go. From the opening track braemar, onto diamond dolls and all the way through to the closing number ca’ the yowes, Blundell’s ethereal delivery is juxtaposed by the sharpness of the poetry, softness and strength all wrapped up as one. This is music of the highest order, that wilfully defies any clear genre definition, bravely forging its own path, one that we would all benefit from following, as Pippa Blundell is most definitely the real deal, and songs for james comes highly recommended.
Following on, we have The Lucky Ones with their new five-track EP, Prodigals and Vagabonds. The band hails from the Yukon Territory, growing up listening to the music of their parents and their parents’ parents before them, performing their own brand of country-roots music, imparting traditional arrangements with contemporary disposition, reminiscent of old-time dance music that would have inhabited the hotels, taverns and barrooms through the ages. The band’s eponymous debut album came out in 2021, quickly followed in 2022 by their sophomore album, Slow Dance, Square Dance, Barn Dance, which showed a natural progression, stronger both in composition and delivery. This new release follows on from the release of the EP A Nickel for the Fiddler that saw the light of day in 2024, and finds the band stretching out musically with five songs, road-tested before being recorded, retaining their established vintage sound whilst adding a freshness with shades of indie rock. Opening with the reflective Roadshow, which captures the struggles of life on the road, it’s propelled by a strong percussive pulse and highlights songwriter Mike Meehan’s intention in combining these songs as a meditation on travel and creativity along the human highway in a postmodern, post-pandemic world. Personal favourite of these five enjoyable tracks is the closing number Counting Every Mile, which finds Meehan at his emotive, soulful best as he delivers some of his most powerful poetry, such as “left outside to rust, sold for scraps and parts”, “scattered like the wind, under Autumn’s sky”, all driven on by an infectious melody that leaves the listener wanting more and suggests that just maybe the best is still to come from The Lucky Ones.
Next, we travel to Norway, Oslo to be exact, and the new four-track EP from Birds Are Better, entitled Hope and Sorrow. Birds Are Better is an indie-folk project started in 2022 by Norwegian songwriter and producer Stian Fjelldal, who wrote, recorded, mixed, and mastered everything himself in a small home studio in the Norwegian capital. Having recorded a handful of albums under his own name in Norwegian, Fjelldal started writing in English approximately four years ago, finding a new voice and ultimately a new identity, first recording under his new persona in the spring of 2023. With a penchant for intimate songs with strong melodies supported by acoustic guitars and close harmonies, these four dreamy tracks caress like a gentle summer breeze blowing over a vast landscape, capturing both a sense of loss and longing. The song Hymn for the Hope and the Sorrow opens this quartet of vignettes, with Fjelldal’s vocals drawing comparison to those of Bon Iver, resonating with an emotive ache as he sings, “Hope is all that I have right now” against a gently strummed guitar and high, staccato notes from a piano. The theme of hope continues with the reflective following number, Let It Be (Somehow), while personal favourite, Seven in the Morning, skips along, propelled by the bright notes of sprightly picked acoustic guitar. With the atmospheric ambience of Hope and Sorrow, Birds Are Better has delivered a reflective and emotive EP that should act as an excellent platform for future projects.
James Droll may be better known for his music in the electronic and pop spaces; however, under the guise of Big Guy & The Very Large Men, he has released a seven-track EP entitled soft hands, hard times, that finds him trying his hand at a new songwriter-focused project. The EP opens strongly, with Cowboy Boots featuring Fancy Hagood, which is strong on melody, full of subtle hook lines, and just enough country twang from the guitars to keep the pop sensibilities on the right side of the street. Droll’s vocals are probably the standout feature across the seven songs, combining sweetness with a soulful, effortless power, as emphasised on the second track, Junkyard Dog, where a sparse percussive arrangement allows the vocals to take centre stage. The possible highlight is the third song What’s The Deal, Lucille? where some delightful harmonica supports a track that’s lush on harmonies with an almost anthemic chorus. The title track, along with the following number, Skinny Bitch, relies too heavily on an electronic ambience; in truth, an undercurrent flavours the whole EP, but particularly here, causing them to lean too heavily towards an inevitable pop sensibility. Only Sin is better, where an acoustic guitar supports the gentle vocal delivery, occasionally interspersed with flashes of pedal steel that again help keep the song just the right side of the commercial line. On an EP that features friends and members of Nashville’s Queer songwriter community, including Maddie Medley, along with swim team Big Guy & The Very Large Men, has created a sound that tries to find the common ground between the serious singer-songwriter and the more pop-friendly ambience of electronic music. On the two or three numbers where it works, it actually works very well, carried mostly by some quite delightful vocals; however, the remaining tracks tend to be rather top-heavy with the electronics that feel a slightly uncomfortable fit for the americana genre.
Next up, we have the new five-track EP from Bird, entitled Strange As Folk. This new offering follows on from the excellent EP Heads or Tales, which appeared early last year, and together they will at some point form a vinyl release. Bird, a classically trained multi-instrumentalist who describes herself as half Irish, half English, has already amassed five albums to her name, including the award-winning movie soundtrack Wider Than The Sky, as well as having performed and written songs for such well-known artists as John Paul White, Charlie Sexton and Emeli Sandé. These five new songs encompass a similar structure to last year’s release, with two alternative takes on a classic recording; last year, it was The Smiths’ How Soon Is Now, whereas this time round, we have Bob Dylan’s Lay Lady Lay. With its broad arrangement supplied by Sally Herbert, these new versions take on a multi-layered ambience with Bird’s vocals delivering a dreamlike quality that completely changes the song’s mood, creating a new and fresh take on a song we thought we knew so well. Elsewhere, the opening number, The Film, a song written in Tuscany during the Covid Lockdown, mixes flavours of americana, thanks to the drive of the intro’s acoustic guitar riff, before Bird’s trademark string arrangement offers a juxtaposition, creating a greater level of depth and atmosphere. Favourite song here is, without doubt, the lyrically deep The Boy And The Swan, which draws from the traditional craft of storytelling through song to create a graphic, haunting folktale of cinematic proportions. With Strange As Folk, Bird continues to plough her own furrow, creating a unique style, which never ceases to intrigue and entice in equal measures, holding its own with her past work, and unsurprisingly, comes highly recommended.
Following the release of their debut album, Cash Mountain, last year, Ead Wood return with a four-track EP entitled Wild Water, taken from the same songwriting session. Based in Bristol, Ead Wood is the all-country solo project of Ed Soles, Langkamer and Gork, and over the last five years, they have maintained a prolific output of singles and EPs, of which last year’s A Sparkling Gift was a notable highlight. In keeping with their debut album, Wild Water finds Ead Wood playing around with introspective themes that permeate much of Soles’ previous work, though this time there is a broader and more nuanced focus. Opening track, Love A Little Better, strikes a personal note as Soles learns to step up to life’s responsibilities, while the following number, Emmeline, charts similar territory, with Sole looking at relationships, in particular through the perspective of the one left to hold the fort. Soles’ poetry has always walked a tightrope between surreal levity and disarming confessionalism, while musically he draws both from the high energy of indie rock to a more experimental take on alt-country, big on melodies and sing-along choruses; the arrangements are bolstered throughout by some fine pedal steel from Rhodri Brooks. A possible favourite number would be Troubled Artist inspired while overhearing someone complain about Evan Dando’s sobriety at a Lemonheads gig, though the title track, where Soles rails against the pollution and destruction of UK rivers, is another contender and a worthy topic. With this EP, Ead Wood continues to cut out their own musical path, and though occasionally the actual musical direction can feel a little vague, one senses that there is still more than enough here to keep their fan base happy.
So eight down and two to go. However, deciding which of the following two EPs deserved the honour of EP of the month has proved beyond me, so not for the first time over the last few years, this month’s award is split between;
The Brudi Brothers hail from Seattle, Washington, and comprise brothers Johannes, Conrad, and George, and have recently released their quite wonderful five-track EP, Dark & Stormy. The brothers, all multi-instrumentalists, cut their teeth as buskers and street poets, earning rave reviews for their raucous performances and distinctive music, full of exquisite soulful harmonies, subtle and yet jaw-dropping arrangements, all wrapped up within songs where the narrative draws the listener in close, swept up by the distinctive melodies that feel as if they have been resurrected from a different time. From the moment the needle hits the groove, some kind of magic kicks in as the opening bars of the title track begin with the wail of Conrad’s lonesome harmonica, before his rich vocals deliver a narrative full of intrigue and menace, propelled along at a pace from George’s double bass. A quick change of pace for the following song, Moon Over Montana, begins with some delightful whistling from Conrad that could have come straight out of one of those great Spaghetti Westerns of the 1960s, while the harmonies, which could only come from siblings, are simply breathtaking. Combine that with the jazzy guitar lines from Johannes’ guitar, and you will want to have this song permanently on repeat. Except that the following three songs are just as powerful, leading with Donner Party Favors, where again the harmonies excel upon the sweetest melody, which, along with the narrative, oozes with a timeless disposition. Silver Ware finds Conrad’s harmonica, injecting an increase in the tempo, which, along with some rustic fiddle playing and a narrative tale of working on the fishing boats, sounds like it could have come straight from Leadbelly’s repertoire. With four songs of such quality, it would appear almost insane to suggest that the best track on this EP is saved until last, and yet, with Serphant Lullaby, that may very well be the case. Here again, Conrad’s vocal delivery and poetry excel against the backdrop of a languid jazz groove, which once more showcases Johannes’ dexterity on the guitar. With Dark & Stormy, The Brudi Brothers have delivered one of the finest musical offerings for many a long time, and already a clear contender for EP of the year come December, by which time I will be amazed if they are not already household names.
Now, having waxed so lyrically through the last paragraph, how can this month’s award be shared, I hear you ask. Well, this month we have been well and truly spoilt with a brand new offering from Nashville-based singer-songwriter Erik Stucky and his five-track EP Bag of Bones. These new songs find multi-instrumentalist Stucky reflecting on his own evolution as an artist, combining his skills as a producer with his songwriting and instrumental prowess to harness his own artistic vision and, in doing so, deliver a captivating blend of progressive folk and americana. Opening with the title track that immediately hits a groove thanks to the rhythm section of Justin Vorp and Steven Schumann, Stucky’s vocals deliver a narrative full of sinister undertones that is excellently supported by Schumann’s fiddle playing and Lois Mahalia’s delightful backing vocals. The following number, Night Train, a co-write with Robert Rea, is simply classic americana storytelling, with its reflective poetry of moving on, set against the softest of sweet melodies that pick you up and carry you along for the ride. The cello playing of Schumann sets the disquieting ambience of Jealous of the Wind, a co-write with Tiffany Gassette, where the narrative again deals with the desire to leave, though here our protagonist finds themselves trapped within the small town they’ve always known. The defiance within the narrative and Stucky’s vocal delivery on Because You’re Right generate a subtle anthemic quality, while the closing number Crying Side of You again finds Schumann’s fiddle playing, adding extra layers of tension that’s topped off by Mahalia’s backing vocals and some stunning mandolin playing from Stucky. With Bag of Bones, Erik Stucky is still pushing back the boundaries of the singer-songwriter tradition by inviting the listener into a rich sonic landscape shaped by thoughtful lyricism, with captivating grooves and roots instrumentation, all of which should help cement his place within the americana genre and make it a worthy recipient of May’s EP of the month award.
