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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.
artwork for Nathan Xander album "French Creek Flood"
Album Reviews

Nathan Xander “French Creek Flood”

July 4, 2022 GrahamBollands 0
A perceptive look at life’s transitional moments. A lot has happened to New York based Nathan Xander since his last album, the critically acclaimed ‘Blue House‘, released in 2017. This excellent follow-up, ‘French Creek Flood‘, named […]
artwork for Cristina Vane Make Myself Me Again album
Album Reviews

Cristina Vane “Make Myself Me Again”

June 8, 2022 GrahamBollands 0
A personal record of uplifting well-crafted songs. “Sometimes I lose, sometimes I win, I’m gonna make myself me again… I’m giving up on giving in, I’m gonna make myself me again”, sings Cristina Vane on the […]
artwork for Boo Hewerdine album Understudy
Album Reviews

Boo Hewerdine “Understudy”

May 23, 2022 GrahamBollands 2
A truly beautiful album. Boo Hewerdine is a hugely well-respected songwriter. And deservedly so. From his first album in 1986, ‘Walking The Ghost Back Home’ with his band The Bible, to this, his thirteenth solo release, […]

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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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Interviews

Interview: Eric Brace and Thomm Jutz on the current state of US-German Relations

May 15, 2023 0
Keeping the spirit and artistry of Peter Cooper alive. Before they embark on a tour of England Eric Brace and Thomm Jutz spoke to AUK’s Lyndon Bolton on a three-way Zoom call. Though both live in […]
Tracks

Tomten “Caterpillar Hill” – weird folk inspired power pop

February 6, 2023 0
Dillon Sturtevant of Tomten had pretty much had it with the way the band was going – there was no inspiration and he says “I had reached a point with songwriting where I was just sick […]
artwork for Charles Wesley Godwin EP "Lonely Mountain Town"
Reviews

AUK’s Monthly EP Round-Up – March 2025

March 19, 2025 5
Okay, spring has well and truly sprung and this month’s bag of newly released EPs is full to the brim with a kaleidoscope of sounds that cover the full spectrum of Americana music. So without further […]

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