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Our latest posts
  • [ May 8, 2026 ] Something for the weekend: Lambchop featuring Justin Vernon “Weakened” Tracks
  • [ May 8, 2026 ] Cut Throat Finches “High Horse” Album Reviews
  • [ May 8, 2026 ] Zoh Amba to tour Europe and UK in autumn 2026 News
  • [ May 8, 2026 ] Joshua Ray Walker “Ain’t Dead Yet” Album Reviews
  • [ May 8, 2026 ] Book Review: Tom Piazza “Living In The Present With John Prine” Book Reviews
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 […]

Recent Forum Posts

  • RE: Versions!

    @paul-villers Those versions keep coming

    By Martin Johnson , 2 hours ago

  • Paul Villers

    RE: What are you watching at the moment?

    Just binged "Legends" - a British drama on Netflix abou...

    By Paul Villers , 6 hours ago

  • RE: What are you listening to at the moment?

    Radio Paradise's Mellow Mix whilst on a bit of a drive

    By Peter Thompson , 21 hours ago

  • RE: What are you listening to at the moment?

    Amy Grant The 6th of January (Yasgur’s Farm): time for ...

    By Jonathan Hincks , 2 days ago

  • RE: What are you listening to at the moment?

    The Lone Bellow - The Lone Bellow (vinyl)

    By Peter Thompson , 3 days ago

  • RE: What are you listening to at the moment?

    XTC - A Coat of Many Cupboards (excerpts...it's a 4 CD ...

    By Peter Thompson , 5 days ago

  • RE: What are you listening to at the moment?

    @andyshort Yes, it makes a refreshing change from artis...

    By Peter Thompson , 6 days ago

  • RE: My First Record Player

    I had a Rotel amp and turntable too until the buttons s...

    By Andy Short , 7 days ago

  • RE: What are you listening to at the moment?

    @peterthompson When Ryan Adams string breaks during Bar...

    By Andy Short , 7 days ago

our latest posts

Something for the weekend: Lambchop featuring Justin Vernon “Weakened”

Tracks
May 8, 2026 1
Artwork for Cut Throat Finches album "High Horse"

Cut Throat Finches “High Horse”

Album Reviews
May 8, 2026 0
Zoh Amba

Zoh Amba to tour Europe and UK in autumn 2026

News
May 8, 2026 0
Cover art for Joshua Ray Waller "Ain't Dead Yet" album review

Joshua Ray Walker “Ain’t Dead Yet”

Album Reviews
May 8, 2026 0
Cover art for Tom Piazza book "Living In The Present With John Prine"

Book Review: Tom Piazza “Living In The Present With John Prine”

Book Reviews
May 8, 2026 0
Tracks

Something for the weekend: Lambchop featuring Justin Vernon “Weakened”

May 8, 2026 1
Well that’s it from us for this week, and we leave you dear reader with a brand new track from Kurt Wagner’s Lambchop outfit who have announced details of their new album Punching The Clown which […]
Artwork for Cut Throat Finches album "High Horse"
Album Reviews

Cut Throat Finches “High Horse”

May 8, 2026 0
The first great, breezy, summer “pop” record is here, from a self-described “Americanish” band with an old-country soul. Much like their previous efforts, High Horse, by Cowtown’s Cut Throat Finches, defies easy categorisation. Is it a […]
Zoh Amba
News

Zoh Amba to tour Europe and UK in autumn 2026

May 8, 2026 0
Zoh Amba, who previously announced their Matador debut album, Eyes Full, which is out on 5th June 2026, has shared details of a run of UK and European tour dates. The European leg kicks off on […]

  • Something for the weekend: Lambchop featuring Justin Vernon “Weakened”
  • Cut Throat Finches “High Horse”
  • Zoh Amba to tour Europe and UK in autumn 2026
  • Joshua Ray Walker “Ain’t Dead Yet”
  • Book Review: Tom Piazza “Living In The Present With John Prine”
  • Classic Clips: Billy Bragg, Hank Wangford and Brendan Croker “Sin City” – Live on the Whistle Test, Rock Around the Clock, 21st September 1986
  • Trippers & Askers “Tried To Do’s”
  • Make Americana Great Again: Deus Ex Musica
  • The Latest AUK Podcast is now available featuring UNCUT legend Allan Jones on all things Americana and beyond
  • Live Review: Brown Horse + Elanor Moss, St Stephen’s Church, Ipswich – 18th April 2026
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
  • Andrew Frolish: Really early notice! The info’ I have is that it’s 2027.
  • Michael O'Driscoll: After the misstep of The Bible, this sounds like a feturn to peak Lambchop. As always with Kurt, a radical…
  • Alan Peatfield: Can you clarify for me please Andrew. You mention the new album is due August 2027. Should that be 2026??…

Latest interviews

Interviews

Interview: The Milk Carton Kids’ Joey Ryan discusses “Lost Cause Lover Fool”

May 5, 2026 0
Joey Ryan and Kenneth Pattengale created their own take on sparse, acoustic indie folk when they formed the Milk Carton Kids in 2011 and found their own loyal audience. A lot can happen in fifteen years, […]
Interviews

Video Interview: Jim Lauderdale on releasing two new albums and supporting Emmylou Harris

April 28, 2026 0
Jim Lauderdale must be doing something right because he keeps doing it. He has recently released two albums, Country Super Hits Volume 2 and The Birds Know with The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, which maintain his phenomenal […]
Interviews

Interview: David Wilcox on the way he tells the stories

April 27, 2026 0
David Wilcox makes records that are masterful in the way they prompt people to feel things deeply and heal themselves. To put it another way, his songs act as chicken soup for the soul. His music […]

You may have missed…

AUK Mini-Gigs

Exclusive AUK Mini-Gig: Laura Cortese

May 18, 2020 0
We hope that our regular series of mini-gigs is spreading a little light in the gloom during these strange days.  Some fabulous artists have contributed exclusive performances for AUK readers to enjoy.  Today, we are privileged […]
News

Here are all the winners from last night’s AMAUK 2019 awards

February 1, 2019 0
The fourth of the Americana Music Association UK’s award shows took place last night in Hackney Empire and it was as star-studded an event as always, with performances from Bennet Wilson Poole, Ethan Johns, Graham Nash, Rhiannon […]
Previews

Nicki Bluhm set for a handful of UK shows in January

January 17, 2019 0
What is the definition of a handful? It’s literally a quantity that fills the hand, more metaphorically a small number or amount, or more metaphorically still “a person or group that is very difficult to deal […]

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