Well, it is that time of year so here’s an excellent song from Allison Lupton, aided and abetted by UK folk stars The Young ‘Uns, Craig Werth and the Canterbury Brass. It’s rather lovely and never cliched or sentimental.
Author: Jeremy Searle
Deputy Editor & Videos Editor at Americana UK, promoter at Greenbird Promotions, writer for R2 and Maverick magazines, possessor of more CDs than is entirely decent and inveterate hoarder.
Video: George St Clair “New Mexico”
From his new album Ballads Of Captivity And Freedom (8/10 on this site) comes this excellent song that records the things seen working and travelling in the Texas/Mexico/New Mexico border area. They’re not good, but the song is, very.
Video: Katey Brooks “In Your Arms”
The new single from Katey Brooks is a quite beautiful love song, understated, raw, tender and powerful.
Video: Orville Peck “Big Sky”
This is the new single from Sub Pop signing Orville Peck, a song and accompanying video for which the term enigmatic seems somewhat inadequate. It is very good though, blending classic country tropes with an almost ambient backing.
Video: Lucinda Williams with Mary Chapin Carpenter “Sweet Old World”
In this weeks’ retro slot we go back to 1993 for a lovely live performance of the wonderful Sweet Old World from the album of the same name. Have a great weekend everyone.
Video: Dani Young “Stepping Stones”
This is a rootsy blue collar song from Australian singer-songwriter Dani Young. As she says, it’s one of those “Get me out the hell of here!” pieces. It’s her first solo release and she also directed the video.
Video: Jane Sheldon “One For Mrs Claus”
Well, it is well into December so definitely time for a Christmas song or two and this from Jane Sheldon adds a nice twist, celebrating the woman behind the scenes rather than the man on the sleigh.
Video: Steve Gunn “Stonehurst Cowboy”
A lovely tribute to his later father from Steve Gunn’s new album The Unseen In Between, out on January 18th. He’s touring Europe in March with a few UK dates in April too.
Handsome Jack “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright” (Alive Naturalsound, 2018)
There are those for whom the late Sixties and early Seventies represent the apogee of popular music. There are those for whom the power trio is the finest possible format for a band. Where those groups intersect is the place where New York outfit Handsome Jack reside. The raw power of Cream, the Stones at their most soulful, the driving rhythms of Creedence, all this and more is present and correct. The riffs are heavy and the vocals raw and impassioned. If these guys have the blues then they’re having a damn good time singing about it. ‘Baby Be Cool’ sounds exactly like its title and it’s a song and performance that the Glimmer Twins would be proud of while ‘Why Do I Love You The Way I Do’ just oozes soul and ‘Got It Bad’, well, let’s just say that if John Fogerty and the late Jim Ford had ever recorded this is what it would sound like. Continue reading “Handsome Jack “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright” (Alive Naturalsound, 2018)”
Video: Only Child “Scouse”
From his new album ‘Emotional Geography’ released on February 22nd with a launch gig at the Philharmonic Hall in Liverpool, this is a powerful powerful song of immigration and refugees that doesn’t so much tug on the heartstrings as yank them almost out.