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Our latest posts
  • [ August 6, 2026 ] Essentials: The Top 10 Samantha Crain Songs Essentials
  • [ August 6, 2026 ] Bird “Held Here Together” Album Reviews
  • [ August 6, 2026 ] Live Review: Joshua Ray Walker + Malin Pettersen, The Lower Third, London – 28th July 2026 Live Reviews
  • [ August 6, 2026 ] Phil Odgers & John Kettle “The War is Over – The Songs of Phil Ochs Vol 2” Album Reviews
  • [ August 6, 2026 ] Freddy Trujillo takes flight with his fifth solo album News
HomeAuthorsGrahamBollands

Articles by GrahamBollands

About GrahamBollands
Proud dad of Jess, Harry and Lucie. Was a headteacher for 17 years and now pleased to share my experiences working as a university tutor training the next generation of primary teachers. Now living the dream in North Devon, doing up a barn, growing vegetables, walking the coastpath, volunteering on a farm alongside young adults with learning difficulties, presenting a weekly radio show, singing in a choir, and whenever possible, listening to great music and going to gigs.
album cover artwork- Dry County Crooks- Life, Love And Death
Album Reviews

The Dry County Crooks “Life, Love And Death”

September 12, 2023 GrahamBollands 0
The return of Oregon Americana-rock band The Dry County Crooks, reformed, reflective and re-energised. The Dry County Crooks are an exciting and energetic band from Portland, Oregon and ‘Life, Love And Death’ is their new EP, […]
album artwork for Rain Down Mercy- Brewflies
Album Reviews

Brewflies “Rain Down Mercy”

August 30, 2023 GrahamBollands 0
An album of superb songs delivered through brilliant musicianship. ‘Rain Down Mercy‘ is a truly excellent listen; an album featuring a superbly well-put-together selection of songs and exceptional musicianship. With fifteen tracks and a running time […]
Dim Watts Eye Two Three album artwork
Album Reviews

Dim Watts “Eye Two Three”

July 31, 2023 GrahamBollands 0
An album that adds another fascinating layer to the musical palette of Athens GA. Athens, situated near the Blue Ridge Mountains area of North Georgia, has produced a huge number of talented musicians over the years. […]
AUK's Chain Gang

AUK’s Chain Gang: Nils Lofgren’s Influence on Neil Young’s ‘Southern Man’

July 24, 2023 GrahamBollands 0
In last week’s Chain Gang, Clint West made the connection between Shooter Jennings’ old man Waylon, who amongst other things, added his distinctive guitar sound to a number of tracks on Neil Young’s 1985 country album […]
album artwork for A Pound Of Rust- JD Graham
Album Reviews

JD Graham “A Pound Of Rust”

July 10, 2023 GrahamBollands 0
Songs telling personal stories and a performance that is stripped back and raw, providing a compelling listen. JD Graham is a singer-songwriter with quite a story to tell, and his new album, ‘A Pound Of Rust‘, […]

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our latest posts

Essentials: The Top 10 Samantha Crain Songs

Essentials
August 6, 2026 0

Bird “Held Here Together”

Album Reviews
August 6, 2026 0

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

Live Reviews
August 6, 2026 0

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

Album Reviews
August 6, 2026 0

Freddy Trujillo takes flight with his fifth solo album

News
August 6, 2026 0
Essentials

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 […]
Album Reviews

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 Reviews

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 […]

  • 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
  • Railcard “Unstable Neighbour” – let’s get on, ok?
  • Video: Karl Bray “Marianne”
  • Can’t Live With It, Can’t Live Without It: Tom Waits
  • Paul McClure “The Good And The Bad Of It”
  • Artists with Hearts of Gold contribute to two more albums of Neil Young covers
Billy Bragg Bob Dylan Bruce Springsteen Chuck Prophet Courtney Marie Andrews Dean Owens Drive By Truckers Emmylou Harris Jason Isbell Johnny Cash John Prine Lucinda Williams Margo Price Neil Young Peter Bruntnell Robert Vincent Ryan Adams Steve Earle Sturgill Simpson The Band The Byrds The Delines Tom Petty Wilco Willie Nelson
  • Graeme Tait: Lol. Sorry, Alan, I knew as soon as I'd chosen to cover Tom Waits for this feature you'd be a…
  • Alan Peatfield: OK, Graeme - just one observation ... the obvious one. "As a songwriter he is right up there; on the…
  • Graeme Tait: Hi Alan. Glad you approve. It was an excellent gig.

Latest interviews

Interviews

Video Interview: Aaron Lee Tasjan on “Get Over It, Underdog” and Todd Snider

August 4, 2026 0
Nashville East resident Aaron Lee Tasjan has long been a favourite of Americana UK, and with 12 albums to his name, including his latest Get Over It, Underdog, and approaching 40, he is no longer the […]
Interviews

Video Interview: American Aquarium’s BJ Barham finds “New Ways To Lose”

July 29, 2026 0
American Aquarium appear to be on a creative roll with their latest album, New Ways To Lose, getting great reviews even though it is their twentieth album in as many years. Added to this is the […]
Interviews

Interview: David Keenan on inspiration, optimism and telling stories

July 28, 2026 0
“Radiate a smile if we’re only here for a short while / no we don’t want to miss a day / cus there’s so much we must do,” sings David Keenan on Radiate a Smile, four […]

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News

Patterson Hood on DBT’s band name: “I sincerely apologize for its stupidity”

June 19, 2020 5
Drive-By Truckers frontman Patterson Hood has written a new op-ed for NPR in which he apologises to fans for the band’s name. “Our name was a drunken joke that was never intended to be in rotation […]
Videos

Video: Van William “Revolution”

November 9, 2017 0
From his debut EP The Revolution and featuring First Aid Kit, who he’ll be supporting on tour in the UK in 2018, this is a great poppy slice of country from Van William.
Album Reviews

Stephen Fearing “The Unconquerable Past” (Fear & Loathing Music, 2019)

November 6, 2019 0
With his thirteenth solo release, Canadian singer/songwriter Stephen Fearing, takes stock – not only of his own life – but he also zooms out to make broader observations. Fearing is best know as a founder member […]

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