Category: Features

October Music Haul

When I was younger I couldn’t wait until Saturday so I could go to the next town and spend what little money I had on albums and singles. Of course I lived in the middle of nowhere so the next town only had a small Woolworths shop but beggars couldn’t be choosers. I want to tell my 14 year old self one day you will be able to listen to whatever album you want instantly for FREE. I’m sure my head would explode. Yet if I explained how we got here and what we lost on the way I don’t think I would be so overjoyed at the prospect. A system which threatens independent record shops and hurts the artist is not something to celebrate. When I was a kid all I dreamed of was shelves stacked with CDs and vinyl. I have that now but I admittedly buy a lot less, leaving my collection a little frozen in time.

 

With those concerns in mind, and inspired by the shopping haul posts of other bloggers I am committing myself to getting out to a record shop once a month and buying something by a female artist (to keep with the blog theme). I am also hoping to expand my second hand vinyl collection so I will also show you what treasures I find. Continue reading “October Music Haul” →

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Presenting Tammy Wynette: The World’s Most Broken Heart

Released in 1976 Tammy Wynette’s fifteenth album ‘Til I Can Make It On My Own’ includes some of her best vocal performances (the title track was Tammy’s personal favourite song to sing) but also features the overlooked gem The World’s Most Broken Heart, a song whose lyrics now seem to be a concise commentary on her own life and method acting singing style.  Continue reading “Presenting Tammy Wynette: The World’s Most Broken Heart” →

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Why Kacey Musgraves is a Perfect Headliner for C2C’s Fabulous Festival of Female Talent

This weekend the lineup for the Country to Country Festival 2018 was announced and the acts playing include Kacey Musgraves, Little Big Town, Faith Hill, Emmylou Harris, Margo Price, Kelsea Ballerini and other fabulous females. Yes, you read that right – a music festival with actual female representation on the bill. Let’s not underplay how significant it is that all three nights of C2C will end with a woman on the stage – there is no other major three day British musical festival this year where women are represented in all the headline acts (in fact when I wrote about this earlier in the year few even had ONE female headliner). C2C has not just broken the mould for women they’ve smashed the glass ceiling right through. So you’d think the country music world and their fans would be delighted, celebrating this moment of equality and revolution. Alas, as ever, the negative online response is depressingly familiar.  Continue reading “Why Kacey Musgraves is a Perfect Headliner for C2C’s Fabulous Festival of Female Talent” →

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2017’s Most Unlikely Chart Battle: Shania Twain vs Wolf Alice

For this week’s UK album chart battle we had two unlikely competitors: Shania Twain and English indie band Wolf Alice, fronted by Ellie Rowsell. It seems odd to think these two could become adversaries, the divide between them is so vast as to usually make such people invisible to each other. This wasn’t David vs Goliath or Blur vs Oasis this was more like someone’s mother versus the emo kids who stand at the side of the playground smoking.  Continue reading “2017’s Most Unlikely Chart Battle: Shania Twain vs Wolf Alice” →

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Dolly & Miley’s New Albums Are A Double Rainbow of Delight 

So the autumn leaves are beginning to fall, it’s getting dark earlier, and the world is about to end any day now. Enter Dolly Parton and her goddaughter Miley Cyrus, on a mission to spread love, light and colour in these end times. Miley’s new album Younger Now and Dolly’s children’s album I Believe in You are lollipops of sweetness and joy enough to make even the worst cynic smile. Continue reading “Dolly & Miley’s New Albums Are A Double Rainbow of Delight “ →

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Why You Have To See Brandy Clark Live On Her UK Tour

Brandy Clark has just released Live From Los Angeles, a new album of her 2016 show at the Hotel Cafe in Hollywood and it’s one of the most joyful things I’ve heard this year. All I could think about when listening to this was: life would be better for everyone if they just quit what they were doing right now and booked a ticket for Brandy’s upcoming UK tour dates. Here are the reasons why buying a ticket for these shows is the best gift you could give yourself in 2017… Continue reading “Why You Have To See Brandy Clark Live On Her UK Tour” →

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When Motown Went Country: The Supremes Sing Country, Western & Pop

The Supremes Sing Country, Western & Pop, released in 1965, is a fascinating glimpse into the musical history of America and the business ambition of Motown records itself. This album mixes country covers with original songs and shows that no matter the genre the harmonies of Diana Ross, Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard reigned supreme (sorry I had to) over all the other girl groups of the era.  Continue reading “When Motown Went Country: The Supremes Sing Country, Western & Pop” →

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Are Stories with Soundtracks the Future of Reading? 

Unlike most things in today’s fast moving world the written word remains resolutely still, existing always at the same silent volume. Many find reading relaxing because they can switch off and head into the silence of their mind. With the advent of the Internet reading a traditional book really is going off the grid, with no hyperlinks or flashing videos to distract from the narrative. Such comfort is why reading real books will never die. Our brains understand that total escape into an unreal world makes the real one bearable.  Continue reading “Are Stories with Soundtracks the Future of Reading? “ →

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