Elise Kennedy

Adam Carroll “Walked in them Shoes” (Gypsy Shuffler Records, 2019)

“Walked in them Shoes” by Texas born Adam Carroll is a brilliantly written album first and foremost. The album is very reliant on its lyrics which is what arguably makes it a great piece of pure Americana music at its core. It is a highly intimate record, primarily relying on an acoustic guitar throughout, all of which was recorded in one day. Carroll has honed his talent on 7 earlier solo albums and has collaborated with other artists on songs and recordings. Latterly, with his wife Chris whom he credits with improving his playing. Continue reading “Adam Carroll “Walked in them Shoes” (Gypsy Shuffler Records, 2019)”

Travis Hayes “Sleepless” (Independent, 2019)

Travis Hayes’ sophomore album ‘Sleepless’ is impressive from the first listen. From start to end this predominantly rock album is easy to listen on repeat as it is hard to find a weak link between the ten tracks. The album stemmed from Hayes lamenting the loss of his friend who died after being hit by a drunk driver. The strong emotions that he felt when grieving for his friend are clearly reflected with strong storytelling lyrics throughout the LP. Continue reading “Travis Hayes “Sleepless” (Independent, 2019)”

Graham Stone “Bad News” (Independent, 2019)

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)”

AmericanA to Z – Nanci Griffith

With twenty albums under her belt Nanci Griffith is by no means an unknown artist; singing what she classes a folkabilly, she writes with a confessional style, and with her voice, which is made for folk music. It is a perfect combination for a true Americana singer. Continue reading “AmericanA to Z – Nanci Griffith”

Anton & The Colts “No End of the Line” (Independent, 2018)

After four years of gigging around Scotland, Anton & The Colts decided to release their debut album last September. ‘No End of the Line’ draws on various influences with bluesy guitar riffs and a bit of soul but truly sticks to their Americana angle. The 4 piece line up of Anton O’Donnell, Roscoe Wilson, John Dunlop, and Dillon Haldane have certainly provided a tight sounding set of tracks, from a band that has played a lot of live gigs and it shows with the musicians easily blending together to produce a fairly authentic sounding Americana album. Continue reading “Anton & The Colts “No End of the Line” (Independent, 2018)”

Ferris & Sylvester, The Poetry Club, Glasgow, Tuesday 5th February 2019

Glasgow’s Poetry Club is a great place for an intimate gig. With a sold-out crowd of 125, it was the perfect venue for the second night of Ferris & Sylvester’s first headline tour. The duo of Issy Ferris and Archie Sylvester had a simple set up tonight, just the pair of them, their guitars, bass, tambourine, and drum. It took them a minute to find their feet on the stage but opening with one of their older songs ‘Save Yourself’ ,the bittersweet love song from their debut EP- ‘The Yellow Line’, they immediately showed what the duo are highly capable of which and which they proved throughout the night as their set continued. Continue reading “Ferris & Sylvester, The Poetry Club, Glasgow, Tuesday 5th February 2019”

Sean McConnell “Secondhand Smoke” (Big Picnic Records, 2019)

It is probably too early in the year to think about what your album of the year is, but it would be safe to say that Sean McConnell’s new album ‘Secondhand Smoke’ will probably end up at the top of the list. The thirteen track album is pretty basic in terms of its production, everything recorded by him- minus the synths and strings. It has an authentic homegrown feel to the album which is nicely reflected in the fact he recorded it in his home. Continue reading “Sean McConnell “Secondhand Smoke” (Big Picnic Records, 2019)”

The Steel Woods “Old News” (Thirty Tigers, 2019)

When listening to The Steel Woods’ new album, ‘Old News’, the influences are clear from the opening line of the first track, ‘All of These Years’. If you mixed Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Allman Brothers somewhere in the middle you would arrive at this record. Lyrically it may sound familiar to fans of Chris Stapleton with mortality being at the forefront of the storytelling. Continue reading “The Steel Woods “Old News” (Thirty Tigers, 2019)”

Steve Forbert “The Magic Tree” (Blue Rose Music, 2018)

Steve Forbert’s new album ‘Magic Tree,’ recorded in Meridian (his birthplace in Mississippi), Nashville, New York, New Jersey and Virginia, is a collection of his own songs and the music loses nothing in its quality of production despite the country wide recording venues. Throughout the album his folk roots shine clear, as does his song writing ability honed over his forty years in the music industry. Continue reading “Steve Forbert “The Magic Tree” (Blue Rose Music, 2018)”

BD Harrington “Then All Was Still” (Independent, 2018)

‘Then All Was Still’ is the new EP from BD Harrington, who was raised and lives in Canada. This release takes a different spin from his previous outing ‘The Diver’s Curse,’ with a stripped back acoustic sound, leaving the record going back to basics. The four tracks, ‘Underside of Love,’ ‘Cold Starlight,’ ‘Out of Reach’ and ‘Rue St. Dominique’ all have a melancholic feel to them in both the rhythm and the lyrics. Harrington’s voice add to this feeling, while unfortunately the backing music – instead of complementing his vocals – appears somewhat intrusive and distracting. Continue reading “BD Harrington “Then All Was Still” (Independent, 2018)”