Category: Albums

Album Review: I’m With Her – Wild & Clear & Blue 

Since ‘I’m With Her’ released their last album ‘See You Around’ in 2018 the trend for all-female supergroups has blossomed with others like Our Native Daughters, The Highwomen, Wonder Women of Country and boygenius coming together to great success. More recently Mary Chapin Carpenter, Julie Fowlis & Karine Polwart impressed with their collaborative album ‘Looking for the Thread’.  

The dream for fans is to see these projects become a regular feature in a solo artist’s career (like the Pistol Annies for example). So I was delighted to hear this second album from Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O’Donovan and Sara Watkins and am equally thrilled to report that ‘Wild & Clear & Blue’ surpasses their debut, with exquisite harmonies and sensitive songwriting throughout. 

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Album Review: Brandi Carlile & Elton John – Who Believes in Angels?

After bringing Tanya Tucker and Joni Mitchell back from the dead, Brandi Carlile has done it again. This time she has revived Elton John, who after a triumphant Glastonbury had declared himself exhausted and retired (from touring anyway). Here with Brandi’s help, he sings using every ounce of what voice he has left and sounds like a man reborn. 

But this isn’t an Elton John album produced by Brandi Carlile. Elton has done something important for Brandi in return – he has humbly let her take the lead across much of the album, sharing the spotlight and the billing. The results are powerful and moving. 

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Album Review: Japanese Breakfast – For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women)

The word melancholy originated as a way to describe a state of deep sadness and introspection, where despair lives for no particular reason at all – such a place where poets and artists have long enjoyed living. Singer Michelle Zauner of Japanese Breakfast, found the title of her new album ‘For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women) in a short story by John Cheever, and thought the tongue in cheek humour of the idea was appealing. After all most female indie singers and their fans are stereotyped this way, so why not have a little fun with it? 

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Album Review: Caylee Hammack – Bed of Roses

Caylee Hammack first came to my attention when she sang with Miranda Lambert and friends on a fun cover of ‘Fooled Around and Fell in Love’. She then was part of Ashley McBryde’s underrated Lindeville album, bringing a touch of glamour to the songs about small town life. With her red hair and fiery voice Caylee has set herself apart from the other mainstream country music singers and this new album ‘Bed of Roses’ showcases her talents beautifully. 

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Album Review: Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory 

After the glorious achievement  of producing two epic modern classics in ‘Seventeen’ and ‘Like We Used To’ Sharon Van Etten’s last album was more understated, hazy and, for me, a little bit of a let down overall. After regrouping Sharon decided to try something new for this project – working collaboratively with her band on the songwriting and vision for the first time. The results are still resolutely a Sharon Van Etten album but there’s something more edgy and dramatic to the style and the sound. 

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