Welcome to our weekly feature in which AUK writers in turn make their selections for the ‘top 10 americana albums ever’. When all have contributed we will then draw up a shortlist and ask them to vote to decide the overall AUK writers top 10. This week Netherlands based writer Ljubinko Zivkovic takes up the baton and guides us down the back straight with a scintillating run of albums, a number of which are definite podium contenders when this particular race is finally run. Continue reading “AUK’s top 10 americana albums ever: Ljubinko Zivkovic”
Tag: Bob Dylan
VERSIONS – “All Along the Watchtower”
Here’s another in our VERSIONS series in which we take a song and examine it from different angles, different positions and different viewpoints. This time Jonathan Aird does the forensics on ‘All Along The Watchtower’. Continue reading “VERSIONS – “All Along the Watchtower””
Emma Swift “Blonde On The Tracks” (Tiny Ghost Records, 2020)
Dylan has been one of the most covered songwriters since the ‘60s. In fact, in 1965, Columbia Records ran a media campaign with the message “No one sings Dylan like Dylan”, as covers were outselling Dylan’s original versions. While many artists have covered his songs, few artists have recorded whole albums of them. Recently Maria Muldaur, with ‘Heart of Mine: Maria Muldaur Sings Love Songs of Bob Dylan’, and Betty LaVette with ‘Things Have Changed’ have both released complete albums of Dylan songs and into this company steps Australian born East Nashville based singer-songwriter Emma Swift. Continue reading “Emma Swift “Blonde On The Tracks” (Tiny Ghost Records, 2020)”
Interview: Emma Swift’s take on Bob Dylan, East Nashville and Marmite
Emma Swift is an up and coming Australian singer-songwriter, currently living in East Nashville with partner Robyn Hitchcock, who has taken the initially surprising career move of issuing an album of Dylan covers. However, Swift’s songwriting abilities are put to good use in helping her interpret the songs and making them her own with clear and expressive folk-influenced vocals . She is supported by her East Nashville musician friends, including Wilco’s Patrick Sansone who acted as producer. The songs were originally recorded to help Swift deal with her Continue reading “Interview: Emma Swift’s take on Bob Dylan, East Nashville and Marmite”
Video: Emma Swift “Queen Jane Approximately”
With excellent playing and production and a strong, pure vocal, Emma Swift has created a terrific new version of a familiar song. Covering Dylan takes courage but Swift approaches the task with confidence and makes ‘Queen Jane Approximately’ her own. The single is taken from ‘Blonde on the Tracks’, Swift’s new album due out on 14th August. The album, produced by Wilco’s Patrick Sansone, is a collection of new interpretations of Bob Dylan’s songs. Continue reading “Video: Emma Swift “Queen Jane Approximately””
AUK’s top 10 americana albums ever: Alan Fitter
At AUK we are on a quest to find the ‘top 10 americana albums ever’. Over the last few weeks our writers have been going through the mental anguish of trying to narrow the whole history of americana down to just ten albums. When every writer has had their say, a shortlist of the most frequently chosen albums will be drawn up and voted on, in order to generate the definitive AUK writers top ten. This week we turn to one of our most senior writers. During a recent AUK writers zoom meeting, collective jaws dropped as he told us all of having seen The Beatles and The Rolling Stones within four days of one another! Enjoy the selections of Alan Fitter. Continue reading “AUK’s top 10 americana albums ever: Alan Fitter”
VERSIONS – “Senor (Tales Of Yankee Power)”
Here we are again with “VERSIONS” – our look at the songs, the performers and the interpretations by performers of the songs. This time around Martin Johnson casts his eye over over ‘Senor (Tales of Yankee Power)’. Anything that you didn’t know about this tune is cleared up here: Continue reading “VERSIONS – “Senor (Tales Of Yankee Power)””
10 Americana songs about cars
Cars have always featured in American music right from the very first widespread recordings made in the ‘20s. The reason for this is fairly mundane, America is a big country and over the decades economic forces have required ordinary people to move and the car played an obvious part in this. Due to the size of the internal market, car and petrol prices in America have always been cheaper than those of Europe. Continue reading “10 Americana songs about cars”
AUK’s top 10 americana albums ever: Jonathan Aird
At AUK we are on a quest to find the ‘top 10 americana albums ever’. Over the last few weeks our writers have been going through the mental anguish of trying to narrow the whole history of Americana down to just ten albums. When every writer has had their say, a shortlist of the most frequently chosen albums will be drawn up and voted on, in order to generate the definitive AUK writers top ten. This time we turn to AUK deputy editor Jonathan Aird for our weekly shot of americana greatness: Continue reading “AUK’s top 10 americana albums ever: Jonathan Aird”
10 Americana songs with a boxing theme
Listening to the excellent new Matt Hill album ‘Savage Pilgrims’ I was particularly struck by the track ‘Bendigo’ which tells the story of a 19th century Nottinghamshire prizefighter. It set me thinking about boxing-themed songs and how I’d not really heard such a good one in some while. So here I present to you ten more boxing-themed songs. Continue reading “10 Americana songs with a boxing theme”