Tag: americana

E.P. Review: Savannah Conley – Twenty-Twenty

Americana super producer Dave Cobb agreed to work with 21 year old Savannah Conley after only hearing her play a third of a song. Cobb believed immediately in her talent and potential, saying, “She really reminds me of a southern Mazzy Star and I was blown away with her lyrics.” No pressure, then. This Cobb produced EP is only three songs long but has enough quality to suggest that Conley can live up to the high expectations. Continue reading “E.P. Review: Savannah Conley – Twenty-Twenty” →

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Album Review: Brandi Carlile – By The Way, I Forgive You

When I reviewed the project Cover Stories last year I was completely unfamiliar with Brandi Carlile’s music, so it was kind of strange that my first experience of her songs was hearing other people sing them. When her new album was announced I was immediately intrigued, especially as she was working with Dave Cobb, who has produced some of my favourite albums of the last few years and the legendary Shooter Jennings. While I admired the initial single The Joke I wasn’t immediately sold on her more orchestral based sound, so I held off listening to this album for a while. Well that was a stupid idea since By The Way I Forgive You is one of the best releases of the year so far. Continue reading “Album Review: Brandi Carlile – By The Way, I Forgive You” →

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Live Review: Country to Country Festival, Glasgow, Friday 9th March 2018

You could tell this was going to be a good day because it was unusually sunny in Glasgow, with thankfully no sign of the snowmaggedon conditions that had caused shows to be cancelled at the same venue last week. I was at the Hydro to attend Country 2 Country festival, which brings the best of Nashville to the UK for three days every March. The Friday evening show featured performances from Lukas Nelson, Ashley Campbell, Midland, Margo Price, Emmylou Harris and Little Big Town. Continue reading “Live Review: Country to Country Festival, Glasgow, Friday 9th March 2018” →

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Album Review: Vivian Leva – Time is Everything

Virginia native Vivian Leva grew up steeped in the Appalachian tradition, learning from her parents who were both musicians. She began singing on stage aged nine and then formed many bands, developing a deep understanding of country, bluegrass and old time music. Her debut collection Time is Everything weaves these influences with modern Americana to create bittersweet songs full of wisdom about the nature of life and love. Continue reading “Album Review: Vivian Leva – Time is Everything” →

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Album Review: Bonnie Montgomery – Forever

Traditional country has been having a good year in 2018 so far, with albums from Laura Benitez and Courtney Patton plus this new one from Bonnie Montgomery. Bonnie is from Arkansas and recorded Forever at the Ameripolitan studio in Austin, Texas which is owned by Dale Watson, who appears on the album and Chris Burns, who is her producer. The album cover shows the beautiful open highway, and these songs are a perfect soundtrack for highway queens and vagabonds everywhere. Continue reading “Album Review: Bonnie Montgomery – Forever” →

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Album Review: I’m With Her – See You Around

Aoife O’Donovan, Sara Watkins and Sarah Jarosz first played together in a bathroom at a bluegrass festival a few years ago, and immediately realised the musical harmony they created was something special. Soon after they formed a group, adopted the name I’m With Her, playing shows and eventually finding time to write songs.

Then something strange happened. Purely by coincidence the band name became the slogan for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign. Overnight they were a hashtag. For a project that had barely begun to suddenly be associated with something so politically significant must have been surreal. The band themselves appear to be quick to distance themselves from the connection, but at the same time it would have been easy enough for them to record under a different name. ‘I’m With Her’ now reads like a declaration of unity and I’ll See You Around proves how strong you can be when you work together.

Continue reading “Album Review: I’m With Her – See You Around” →

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Album Review: Ruby Boots – Don’t Talk About It

Back home in her native Australia Ruby Boots, real name Bex Chilcott, found few opportunities for the blend of classic rock and Americana she was playing so she decided to up-sticks and move to Nashville. Since then she’s been frustrated by the assumption that because she lives in Music City she must be a country singer. Signing with Bloodshot Records based out of Chicago has given her freedom to push her music beyond such genre limitations and Don’t Talk About It is a confident collection of killer tunes. Continue reading “Album Review: Ruby Boots – Don’t Talk About It” →

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Album Review: H.C. McEntire – Lionheart

Despite being raised on the sound of country music and hymns H.C. McEntire’s musical career actually began with her playing in punk bands, before eventually forming her alt-country group Mount Moriah. This debut solo album comes after McEntire spent time recently touring as part of Angel Olsen’s band. Lionheart is a quiet roar of a record, nine songs of experience which embrace a rich Americana sound. Continue reading “Album Review: H.C. McEntire – Lionheart” →

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Album Review: First Aid Kit – Ruins

The word Ruins suggests the destruction of something but at the same time what’s left behind can be valuable too – a glimpse of the past to help us understand where we come from, where we’ve been, who we once were. This new album from First Aid Kit was written after a difficult period personally and professionally when sisters Klara and Johanna Söderberg had begun living apart for the first time. It’s an album about heartbreak, growing up and making mistakes, and while it’s true this band have always had wisdom beyond their years, Ruins is filled with a sense of grace and hard won maturity. Continue reading “Album Review: First Aid Kit – Ruins” →

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