Andrew Raw

Phil Hooley “Everything We’ll Never Need”

August 4, 2026 Andrew Raw 0

An appealing laid-back brew of blues, soul and country with gentle swing and groove. Scarborough-based Phil Hooley is the founder of the alt-country band The Woolgatherers. Everything We’ll Never Need is his third solo album after […]

Flying Burrito Brothers, Amsterdam 1970, L-R: Sneaky Pete Kleinow, Rick Roberts, Chris Hillman, Michael Clarke, Bernie Leadon

Essentials: The Top 10 country-soul songs

July 30, 2026 Andrew Raw 2

As a teenager, I would have been very sniffy about both country and soul music. However, years have made me wiser, and I now fully appreciate them both. Country-soul is a great hybrid, with soul lending […]

Album cover artwork for "Bury Deep My Heart" by Owen Lake and the Tragic Loves

Owen Lake and the Tragic Loves “Bury Deep My Heart”

July 22, 2026 Andrew Raw 0

Old-time country with dark and passionate words given a modern update with electronica. Owen Lake is the alter ego of Jeff Snyder, Director of Electronic Music at Princeton, and Bury Deep My Heart is his second […]

Rodney Crowell “Then Again”

July 6, 2026 Andrew Raw 0

Forgotten recordings from 20 years ago, which will delight Crowell fans. Then Again was recorded in 2006 with the same band as on Rodney Crowell’s previous three albums, The Houston Kid (2001), Fate’s Right Hand (2003) […]

Promo photo from Otis Gibbs press kit. Used with permission.

Can’t Live With It, Can’t Live Without It: Otis Gibbs

June 17, 2026 Andrew Raw 0

Otis Gibbs hails from Wanamaker, a suburb of Indianapolis, Indiana. He now lives with his partner, musician and visual artist Amy Lashley, in that alt-country mecca, East Nashville. His father, grandfather and uncle played music and […]

Essentials: The Top 10 Samantha Crain Songs

August 6, 2026 0

March, 2026, walking down Islington High Street in the rain, heading for the hallowed Union Chapel, the anticipation of seeing Samantha Crain live was palpable. Too many years had gone by since a summer night at […]

Bird “Held Here Together”

August 6, 2026 0

Atmospheric strings build a soundscape from folk and psych to support excellent songs. Singer-Songwriter Bird, otherwise known as Janie Price, has released a new full-length album. Held Here Together is made up of her two recent […]

Live Review: Joshua Ray Walker + Malin Pettersen, The Lower Third, London – 28th July 2026

August 6, 2026 0

It was a hot night in the West End, but thankfully the air conditioning was cool at Denmark Street’s Lower Third. This was Joshua Ray Walker’s first show in London since recovering from stage 3 bowel […]

Articles by Andrew Raw

Phil Hooley “Everything We’ll Never Need”

Essentials: The Top 10 country-soul songs

Owen Lake and the Tragic Loves “Bury Deep My Heart”

Rodney Crowell “Then Again”

Can’t Live With It, Can’t Live Without It: Otis Gibbs

Essentials: The Top 10 Samantha Crain Songs

Bird “Held Here Together”

Live Review: Joshua Ray Walker + Malin Pettersen, The Lower Third, London – 28th July 2026

Phil Odgers & John Kettle “The War is Over – The Songs of Phil Ochs Vol 2”

Freddy Trujillo takes flight with his fifth solo album