a music blog
It’s been a long cold lonely winter but here comes the sun in the form of the debut album by Los Angeles native Pearl Charles. Mixing Laurel Canyon folk vibes with cosmic country rock Sleepless Dreamer is a real shimmering beauty which will return the smile to your face. Continue reading “Album Review: Pearl Charles – Sleepless Dreamer”
There’s been a wave of introspective indie rock albums in the last couple of years – admirable sure, but sometimes difficult for the listener to endure. Thankfully Quit The Curse from Detroit’s Anna Burch is the opposite – full of breezy indie pop melodies making this a light-hearted listen, despite some of the darker lyrical themes. Continue reading “Album Review: Anna Burch – Quit The Curse”
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”
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”
Vinyl Emergency is a podcast presented by Jim Hanke which discusses the importance of vinyl records with a host of different artists, music industry people and collectors. Previous guests have included Rosanne Cash, The Secret Sisters and Lilly Hiatt talking about topics such as their childhood memories of music right through to their thoughts on the recent vinyl resurgence. The latest episode features Lydia Loveless and the three tracks she played live during the show have also been released as an EP called Live From the Vinyl Emergency Podcast. Continue reading “E.P. Review: Lydia Loveless – Live from the Vinyl Emergency Podcast”
When faced with the over produced world of modern music, sometimes you crave songs that breathe, float and don’t batter the listener into submission. Recorded in Nashville and produced by Johnny Duke, April Fool by Sara Rachele is a suitably sparse and fragile collection, full of echoing empty spaces which emphasise the emotional depth of the vocals. Continue reading “Album Review: Sara Rachele – April Fool”
It’s shite being Scottish, especially in winter when it’s dark by four o’clock, the streets freeze over and everyone is in a worse mood than usual. Thankfully we have the new album from The Just Joans, the self proclaimed ‘laziest band in Scotland’, to brighten up the dreich days and nichts. Modern life might be rubbish but You Might Be Smiling Now… finds glitter in the gutters of Glasgow. Continue reading “Album Review: The Just Joans – You Might Be Smiling Now…”
Australian singer Lo Carmen recorded her sixth album Lovers Dreamers Fighters in the Butcher Shoppe studio in Nashville, working with David ‘Ferg’ Ferguson (who has also recently engineered Sturgill Simpson’s album). Together with a host of fantastic musicians including Dave Roe, Matt Combs, Russ Pahl plus guests Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy and Emma Swift she has created one of the most distinctive Americana albums of the year. Continue reading “Album Review: Lo Carmen – Lovers Dreamers Fighters”
Classic guitar/bass/drums rock music might be dead right now but that doesn’t mean it isn’t fun to kick the corpse a little – you might not being it back to life but maybe an army of angry zombies will wake up and try to kill Ed Sheeran or something. Step forward Canada’s Weaves to have a go at the revival, combining influences like Springsteen, REM, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, the Slits and maybe even Americana. Wide Open is an impressive album, exploring love and identity in a world gone mad. Continue reading “Album Review: Weaves – Wide Open”
Highway Queens 