Okay, so it only seems like yesterday that I was putting together ‘January’s EP’s Round-Up’, and here we are again. And yes, mornings are lighter earlier, evenings are stretching out, and one could almost believe that spring is just around the corner, that is, until the man reading the weather forecast on the television warns of imminent snows-showers. Ah well, let’s just put the kettle on, snuggle down and enjoy the latest offerings that make up ‘February’s Monthly EP’s Round-Up’ article.
We start this month with the new five track EP “Morning Brew”, from husband and wife duo Giselle & Erik. Originally from Orlando and Gainesville, Florida, but now based in Nashville, the duo’s signature sound evolves around Giselle’s piano playing and warm, empathetic vocals, and Erik’s impressive guitar accompaniment, full of colourful jazz lines that together create a wonderful acoustic ambience combining folk traditions with modern sensibilities. Lyrically the songs are intimate and conversational, traversing from the gentle amity of the title track that opens this EP, through the vulnerability of second track ‘This I know’, to the joyous anticipation of closing number ‘Tennessee Dreamin’, replete with some stunning guitar playing from Erik. The possible highlight of our five strong songs would be the nostalgia-filled ‘Feel Like Me’, which perfectly captures the duo’s spirit and soul, drawing a possible comparison with the Civil Wars if Joy Williams had taken all the lead vocals. Either way, this is an excellent follow-up to their debut EP release, “Healing”, which saw the light of day in 2023 and should see the duo’s career continuing in an upward trajectory.
Next up is multi ‘Juno Award-nominated’ singer-songwriter Don Amero and his new six-track EP “Broken Record: Part One – Heart”. Having already amassed over twenty years in the music business, Amaro’s songs have constantly revealed a writer with a restless spirit whose sound has evolved from the deeply rooted folk music of his native Canada to the broader country influence of his 2018 album “Evolution”. This new release sees Amaro continue to push the boundaries of his country leanings, infusing his trademark personal lyrical narratives with a greater philosophical depth, though at times the combination of emotive vocals with an overtly saccharine arrangement as on the lead track ‘What Were You Thinking’, renders the message somewhat lost beneath its pop sensibilities. Much better are the following two number ‘Break The Glass’, and ‘Spare Change’, the former benefiting from an injection in tempo, while the latter captures everything that marks Amero out as one of Canada’s finest songwriters, with its stripped-back arrangement allowing the emotional storytelling to fully connect with the listener, drawing comparison in delivery to that of fellow countryman Julian Taylor. The closing track ‘I Just Want To Talk’, returns to a heavier arrangement with a lyrical slant that together combine to produce a middle-of-road country vibe that’s just too commercial for these ears.
Originally from Illinois but now based in Chicago, singer-songwriter Sara Jean Stevens releases her new sophomore four-track EP entitled “Lovesick”, which was recorded at Dial Back Sound studio under the watchful eye of owner and Drive-By Truckers bass guitarist Matt Patton. Opening number ‘Swamp Angel Road’, with its uptempo groove, twangy guitar courtesy of Taylor Hollingsworth, and sultry vocal delivery, conjures up memories of Alannah Myles, while the narrative find Stevens’ returning to a place from her childhood. Following song ‘Thaw’, continues a pace, driven along by the snare drum of Jason Lucia and haunting vocal delivery from Stevens as she reminisces of a time spent living in South Dakota. The cover of Gene Watson’s country classic ’14 Carat Mind’, is well delivered, emphasising Stevens’ versatility, while the title track that closes the EP, with its slow pace and delicate steel guitar is actually a song Stevens’ wrote twenty years ago, but in truth is probably the weakest of the quartet on offer here.
Next up we have White Bronco a solo project for Giorgio Alfano, with an eight track self-titled debut EP. Those with a good memory, or a particular keen interest in the story of O.J. Simpson, may possibly recall that the car he used to try and evade capture by the police and which inadvertently became the centrepiece of one of the most famous car chases in history, was in fact a white Ford Bronco. The music here is primarily blue-collared, dirt under the fingernail, singer songwriter in its approach, with four original songs and four cover versions. The choice of covers are a strong indicator to White Bronco’s influences, though its opening intro, which rather strangely consists of thirty-five seconds of Jason Isbell’s classic ‘Cover Me Up’, is rather confusing, whereas the predominant use of mandolin on Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Atlantic City’, helps create a different slant and generate more interest on this much-covered track. At times Alfano’s vocals come across a little weatherbeaten, limited in range, and a little hurried, but there’s no lack of integrity in his delivery. He also proves himself more than adept in supplying all the guitar and mandolin parts, highlighted by a fair attempt at Gillian Welch’s ‘Look At Miss Ohio’, but in truth it’s the four self-penned numbers that are of most interest with ‘Walking In The Sun’, and ‘The Smallest Corner Of The South’, both displaying a more relaxed and confident vocal delivery, strong on melody, as well as a keen poetic eye for detail, that inhabits a similar sound-space to the late great Malcom Holcombe. One feels that a little more confidence in the self-penned numbers and a little less reliance on the covers could mark White Bronco out as a name to follow.
Frances Darling originally hails from Rockville, Maryland, but is currently based in Berlin, Germany, from where she releases her five-track debut EP entitled “True Blue Heroine”, consisting of two new songs along with two versions of her debut single ‘All Talk’ (one acoustic). The overriding sound here is a blend of country music infused with lashings of pop sensibilities, with Darling citing the likes of Kasey Musgraves, Lana Del Ray, and Miranda Lambert as influences. The two new tracks are first up, opening with ‘Bottled Blonde Ambition’, delivered with a laidback swagger and sultry vocals, that draws a certain similarity to Buddy and Julie Miller, but with a little more sass and a little less dirt under the fingernail. The following number, ‘True Blue’, starts at a slower pace, banjo gently picked behind a lazy vocal line that gradually ascends to an unthreatening sway, while its lyrical content, full of melodramatic conversation, offers little depth. ‘Flight Desk’ draws heavily on its pop influences, while of the two versions of ‘All Talk’, the acoustic version offers a glimpse of what Darling could bring to the table as it exposes a greater vulnerability in both delivery and content which is suppressed by the extra layers of the heavier produced version. This EP shows Darling to be a fine singer with some interesting songs though the strong pop sensibilities that permeate this EP suggest that may indeed be where her future lies.
“Worthy” is the new four-track EP from Americana soul singer-songwriter R.O.Shapiro. Having re-located from Austin to San Diego just at the outbreak of Covid in 2020 to live with his long-time partner, Shapiro’s last album release was the “King Electric Sessions”, (2021), and this new EP finds him working with renowned producer Phil Cook, collaborator with such artists as Bon Ivor and Hiss Golden Messenger. Opening track ‘I Just Wanna Dance With You’, with its acoustic guitar intro and soulful vocals, sets the scene for these four songs of love. Romantic love, love of the community and self-love. One is immediately drawn to Shapiro’s smooth, bourbon-soaked vocal delivery, while the addition of some delightful fiddle playing from Riley Calcagno perfectly adds to this feel-good vibe. The title track follows, the directness and honesty of its conversational narrative drawing initial comparison to Jeffrey Martin, all supported by some sublime slide guitar from Cook, while the atmospheric ‘Never Want To Say Goodbye’, with some haunting harmonica, again finds Martin as an obvious touchstone. Closing number ‘A Song To The Sunset’, lifts the mood with a joyous upbeat tempo celebrating life, while the keys from an upright piano pound out an infectious melody, as if from a lively saloon bar, encouraging the patrons to get up and dance. Apparently “Worthy”, is the first of a four-volume series of EP’s, and if this is anything to go by, then the next three can’t come quickly enough.
As is usual with these ‘Monthly EP’s Round-Up’, I like to save the EP that has impressed me the most until last, and this month that honour goes to Deray Barboros and her much-anticipated debut six-track EP entitled “Forget Most, Remember Some”. Barboros has been teasing us with the promise of this release as far back as last February when we featured the first single and video premiere of the delightful ‘Tender Cowboy’. Since then the EP has gone through a number of changes, not least being the title, but finally it has arrived, and it does not disappointed. Barboros was born and raised in Istanbul but is currently based in the vibrant folk and americana scene in Berlin. The EP has been recorded at the city’s Famous Gold Watch Studio’s under the careful eye of producer Bob Spencer with a wonderful cast of musicians that include Daniel Reid and Carlin McBain on guitars, David Stewart on banjo, while double bass is supplied by Daire MacMaghnuis with Davis West on violin. Musically the sound draws deep from the well of classic country with Barboros’s sweet reflective vocals drawing comparison to Patsy Cline while her lyrical, from the heart, of the heart, storytelling is full of haunted nostalgia. These attributes can be heard on opening number ‘Arms’, while love’s disenchantment supplies the subject matter for ‘Crooked Corners Of Your Heart’, where as third track ‘Allergies’, finds the heart in need of some sympathetic, if bitter sweat comfort. Barboros cites, among others, such luminaries as Townes Van Zandt and Hank Williams as her influences and traits of both can be heard, whether it be in the reflective poetic narratives, that always leave enough space for the listener to occupy, or the understated delivery that leaves one hanging on every syllable. These deft skills are heard to good effect on both ‘This Car’, and the gorgeous ‘Tender Cowboy’, with its gentle exploration of masculinity. With “Forget Most, Remember Some”, Barboros has undoubtedly demonstrated that she is a singer-songwriter of immense talent, and if there is any justice, this EP should propel her to the next stage of her career.
