a music blog
Released fifty years ago this week, ‘Pieces of the Sky’ is the album that launched Emmylou Harris’s career. She has often referred to it as her ‘debut’, attempting to gloss over her first failed release ‘Gliding Bird’.
Continue reading “Emmylou Harris’s Discography – Pieces of the Sky (1975)”
After a disappointing week for women in country music, what fans need is some new, young fresh blood, someone who has a bit of spark, personality and who can restore some faith in the future of the genre. Enter Willow Avalon with her new album Southern Belle, Raisin’ Hell.
Continue reading “Album Review: Willow Avalon – Southern Belle, Raisin’ Hell”
I know it sounds insane but Miranda Lambert begins her 10th album ‘Postcards from Texas’ by hitching a ride with a gun-toting armadillo, and that surreal song sums up where she is in her career: off the beaten track, free from expectations, back in her home state of mind, no longer caring too much about the Nashville establishment, ready to have a good time, driving off to whatever adventure seems interesting with her guitar and her buddies along for the journey.
Continue reading “Album Review: Miranda Lambert – Postcards from Texas “
By choosing to start her new album with the killer line: ‘country music made do it and I’ll do it til I die’ followed by the sound of a fiddle, Carly Pearce is making it clear to country fans: she’s in this genre for the long haul.
Her last album, 29 was her most country sounding record and also her most vulnerable lyrically – this combination worked wonders for her career, winning her both commercial and critical acclaim (and a Grammy). Carly continues on that strong streak on ‘hummingbird’, sounding ever more comfortable and confident in her musical choices and songwriting – even producing the album herself.
Continue reading “Album Review: Carly Pearce – hummingbird”
They say you’ve truly made it when your audience starts dressing like you. On a sunny Friday night in Glasgow, there was a sea of cowboy boots, stetsons, denim, fringe and, of course, flares as far as the eye could see. Hillbilly hippies were everywhere, such is the influence of Lainey Wilson, country music’s rising superstar.
Continue reading “Live Review: Lainey Wilson @ Glasgow O2 Academy 19/04/24”
As individual musicians Kelly Willis, Brennen Leigh and Melissa Carper mastered the art of classic country songwriting; their vintage charms often felt transported from another era, one where talent and musicianship were celebrated. Now together they have formed a super group, called Wonder Women of Country, where their shared music sensibility and throwback style is a terrific treble threat.
Continue reading “E.P. Review: Wonder Women of Country”
Lola Kirke lives in Nashville and has flirted with country music on her first two albums, offering some indie Americana on her debut Heart Head West and a more light 80s pop country on ‘Lady for Sale’. On her new E.P., produced by Elle King, she finally admits to being ‘Country Curious’, fully exploring the genre with her heart wide open. The results are a delight – four songs that just remind you how much fun this genre can be.
Continue reading “E.P. Review: Lola Kirke – Country Curious”
Back in 2019 news broke than the legendary queen of Outlaw country Jessi Colter was recording a new album, produced by none other than Margo Price. Since then fans of both women have been waiting for news of the release only to be met with a series of disappointing delays.
We can blame the pandemic for some of the issues but Margo hinted on Twitter that finding a record label to release this album has been fraught with difficulty, no doubt due to ageism and sexism plaguing the industry. Thankfully Appalachia Record Company have agreed to release the album, titled ‘Edge of Forever’ – a collection of songs which prove that being over seventy is no barrier to musical creativity.
Continue reading “Album Review: Jessi Colter – Edge of Forever”
Here’s a new album for any drifters, daydreamers and seekers out there. Victoria Bailey sounds like an old world-weary cowgirl, searching through song for answers to the big questions of love and life. ‘A Cowgirl Rides On’ is a collection of stunning songs surely meant to be sung outside under endless starry skies.
Continue reading “Album Review: Victoria Bailey – A Cowgirl Rides On”
Highway Queens 