a music blog
I reviewed Lily Allen’s memoir a few years back and made the case for her being one of our most underrated and overlooked artists. What a treat then to be at the end of 2025 looking back on a year when Lily resurrected her career and got the flowers she so richly deserved.
Continue reading “Album Review: Lily Allen – West End Girl”
When ‘Dreamsicle’ was released earlier this year, I decided against reviewing for a couple of different reasons. Firstly my favourite songs on the album had already been released on the ‘Intermission EP’ which I had reviewed in 2024. Secondly I wasn’t initially sold on some of the other songs on the album after that first listen.
However before I went to see Maren in November I started listening to the album properly and found myself falling in love with it, especially the last few songs. Another stand out for me was the title track ‘Dreamsicle’ a sweet ballad about appreciating what you have in life and not dreaming away the present. Even better was the fact that this was a solo write from Maren. Take away all the big producers, the songwriters and what was left was a huge talent with a vulnerable and endearing heart.
Continue reading “Album Review: Maren Morris – Dreamsicle “
When the Grammys recently introduced a ‘Traditonal Country Album’ one of the artists who came straight to my mind was Brennen Leigh. She has regularly played at Robert’s Western World in Nashville, has a brilliant trio with Melissa Carper and Kelly Willis called Wonder Women of Country and just seems to perfectly encapsulate the vintage style of country music which gets unfairly overlooked by the mainstream.
Continue reading “Album Review: Brennen Leigh – Don’t You Ever Give Up On Love”
Juliana Hatfield has been hugely prolific in the period since this blog started in 2017, releasing albums Pussycat, Weird and Blood along with her cover albums of songs by Olivia Newton John, The Police and ELO. It’s been hard to keep up, even for dedicated long time fans like myself. She’s also been writing a brilliant Substack newsletter too. This new album Lightning Might Strike was recorded after she moved to the countryside and went through a difficult period in her life.
Continue reading “Album Review: Juliana Hatfield – Lighting Might Strike”
When I started blogging in 2017 one of my favourite discoveries was Caroline Spence. I have since reviewed both her albums Mint Condition and True North, and believe they are two of the best recent releases in the Americana genre. She’s a compassionate and poetic songwriter with a beautifully sweet voice.
Continue reading “Album Review: Caroline Spence – Heart Go Wild”
One of the joys of blogging has been the chance to celebrate older artists like Mavis Staples who are still out here, in their 80s, singing and spreading the good word of peace, love and understanding. On her new album ‘Sad & Beautiful World’ she brings together a collection of songs which she says are ‘part of me and what I’ve been singing about my whole life.’
Continue reading “Album Review: Mavis Staples – Sad & Beautiful World”
The recent Rilo Kiley reunion has been a total joy for fans like myself and as they are one of Katie and Allison Crutchfield’s formative influences, it was lovely to read the post about them traveling to see the shows together.
Waxahtachee also supported Rilo on some dates and Katie ended up singing with Jenny too, which was incredibly sweet.
Rilo’s reunion and listening to this excellent album makes me hope we might even have a noughties indie rock revival on our hands.
Continue reading “Album Review: Snocaps – Snocaps “
Since releasing her ‘Who Believes in Angels?’ collaboration with Elton John earlier this year, Brandi Carlile’s star has never been brighter. Lesser mortals would have some time off after such a publicity blitz (and her UK/EU tour in July) but when has Brandi Carlile ever known how to slow down and smell the roses? ‘Returning to Myself’ is her way of stepping out of the shadows of her famous friends and looking at herself in the mirror.
Continue reading “Album Review: Brandi Carlile – Returning to Myself”
At the start of this year I was lucky enough to see Madison Cunningham live at Celtic Connections and she played a set made up almost entirely of new material on piano. The confidence she had in those songs, which now make up her excellent new album ‘Ace’, was entirely justified.
Continue reading “Album Review: Madison Cunningham – Ace “
Highway Queens 