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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
HomeAuthorsPaula Cooke

Articles by Paula Cooke

About Paula Cooke
Worker, writer, mother, saint, sinner, traveller, gannet. Music has been part of me forever. Eclectic tastes.
Album Reviews

Vinny Peculiar “The Fairer Sex” (Shadrack and Duxbury 2017)

April 12, 2017 Paula Cooke 0
Who is Vinny Peculiar? Is he a poet? Musician? Philosopher? Explorer of societal mores? Well, he is all of these things and more. He investigates areas of societal belief and invites you to do the same.“Silver Meadows” […]
Album Reviews

Roddy Hart and The Lonesome Fire “Swithering” (Middle of Nowhere Recordings, 2016)

November 25, 2016 Paula Cooke 0
“Swithering” is an unusual title for and comes from a Scottish word meaning to be uncertain about things, which, according to Glasgow based Hart, summed up the album process for him. It was a different way of […]
Album Reviews

Cris Jacobs “Dust to Gold” (American Showplace Music 2016)

November 24, 2016 Paula Cooke 0
This guy really likes the blues. And soulfully so.  And with a touch of gospel and rock and roll. He blends genres skilfully and the result is earthy and melodic. Some great guitar playing, whether alone with […]
Album Reviews

Gitta de Ridder “Feathers” (Little Memories Records, 2016)

November 24, 2016 Paula Cooke 0
Soft and soothing  vocals, simple yet effective melody sums up”Wanderer”, the first track of Anglo Dutch singer songwriter Gitta de Ridder’s  debut album. “Feathers” seems a very apt title – feathers float, they are soft and gentle […]
Album Reviews

Dietrich Strause “How Cruel That Hunger Binds” (Independent, 2016)

November 22, 2016 Paula Cooke 0
With no prior knowledge of Strause, this album on its initial listening, harks back to a simpler era of music with nods to Gospel and R ‘n’ B and touches of Americana. The vocals are sweet and […]

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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Album Reviews

James Elkington “Ever-Roving Eye” (Paradise of Bachelors, 2020)

April 28, 2020 0
First of all, there must be apologies, as this review is late. However, this delay comes from Americana UK doing such a rare album justice. James Elkington crossed the pond in 2000, taking his guitar and […]
News

Black Deer announces first big names for 2023 festival

November 24, 2022 0
An AUK favourite, Black Deer Festival, revealed today the first wave of artists on the bill for the festival, taking place at Eridge Park, Kent on June 16-18th, 2023. Although only the fourth festival, Black Deer […]
Features

Can’t Live With It, Can’t Live Without It – Josh Ritter

August 7, 2024 0
Welcome to our new feature in which AUK writers look at the best and the worst from an artist we know and love. Stuck with the man in the mirror. For this new feature, I installed […]

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