NELS ANDREWS
SUNDAY SHOES
http://www.nelsandrews.com

Seems like Nels Andrews has been around a bit, working at various things before winding up in Alberqueque. There, he's fallen in with a bunch of musicians including Jeffrey Richards, who I'm aware of through his work with Hazeldine. Between them they've come up with what seems to be Nels' first album, with the band going by the name of El Paso Eyepatch. The album is a quiet gem, full of oblique story songs that seep slowly into your consciousness. Nels' singing is mature and warm - it has a strength and resilience that really appeals to me though I can see some might find him too persistently downbeat. The music is wonderful - full of empty spaces like the desert with no-one in a hurry to say their piece. There's a lot of quietly picked banjo to the fore, a mournful jazzy trumpet on one song, a lot of stand up bass that drops notes into the quiet and yet also some intense electric guitar breaks; also there's some lovely harmony vocals from Michelle Collins of the Shine Cherries that sweeten and lighten the mood to just the right extent. I could compare the overall sound to a lot of other people but I don't think it would be fair because they've come up with something a bit special here, a benchmark of their own; if you've got any liking for the alt. country scene at all, I think you'll love this. Available from the website.


John Davy

 

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JOE WEST
SOUTH DAKOTA HAIRDO
http://www.frogvilleplanet.com

Joe West: South Dakota Hairdo (Frogville Records fv00015)
Just how many great singer/songwriters are there out there? I'd never heard of Joe West before but he seems to be at least three records into his career and it really shows: there's ten songs here written and performed with complete assurance, hopping from one style to another so that other reviewers seem to have given up trying to categorise him. How could you, when on one song he could be Lou Reed. on another Mike Scott in the early 90s, and on another, Kinky Friedman? And each of the other songs are different again? He sings about real life, enjoying the humour, the sadness, the strengths and weaknesses of people's lives; the lyrics are intelligent and literate and the music is beautifully structured and played, varying from a fairly sparse arrangement of guitar, fiddle and harmony vocals to a fairly full on band sound driven by electric guitar and piano. On the first few hearings I wasn't sure I could go with a whole album of his vocals, which are a bit nasal and querulous, but I seem to have got past that as the songs have grown on me. There's just so much to listen to in this album, snatches of lyric and background details in the music, that it's still a growing pleasure and I've probably played it 20 times. And he namechecks both North and South Dakota, and I challenge anyone to tell me of another album that does so. And the Santa Fe Reporter said: "God bless Joe West and his countrified freak show". Amen to that. This album available at the frogville website above.

John Davy

 

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THE NORTH COUNTRY
5 SONGS
http://www.thenorthcountrymusic.com/

The North Country are four guys from Illinois or around that area who, although from different backgrounds, have managed to join paths and create this e.p.They themselves would readily admit that they're still not quite sure how they have arrived at this juncture but I'm glad it happened. The band consists of Jon Hardy, vocals, and guitar. Shaun Lee, bass, backing vocals. Greg Macnair, violin and on percussion, Seth Pendergrass. On the c.d David Bedsole joins them on keyboards and Jason Wead, drums. The songs are all written by Jon Hardy. On my first listen I found this to be a pleasant if unremarkable record. Then I read through the lyrics and was fascinated by some of their content. On Newark for example I was struck by phrases like 'And Jesus said it is written. But he himself did not write. That you must all think like children. That you must all kill a child.'Powerfull stuff indeed. It was while listening to the album and doing a wee bit of research that I discovered the songs slowly creeping up on me like some ethereal being. Although I admit I didn't fully understand some of the lyrics I couldn't help but be drawn to them. I then read Jon's short bio. And things slowly began to fall into place. I think the 5 songs are a kind of autobiography of Jon's life. Firstly finding religion, then losing his way, women, disillusionment and finding true love. To me it was like he was bearing his soul to anyone who will listen. And I must say it worked pretty well for me. The songs are all sung without a trace of self-pity, just telling it like it is. From the wonderfully atmospheric opening track, Newark, to the catchy Southern Women with Greg Macnairs haunting violin adding just the right amount of angst to some of the tracks this is a quality piece of work. I especially liked the simple but very effective piano accompaniment on the final track, Love Song, it worked beautifully. As I said this kind of creeps up on you and takes you by surprise then you're hooked. I would like to hear more of these guys and I hope that as I write they are in the motions of putting together a full-length album. The North Country can come up to my North Country anytime!


David Tonberg

 

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Hundred Year Flood
Flutterstrut (Frogville Records)

http://www.frogvilleplanet.com/hyf.html

This is the pick of the crop for this week for me, we are in the bad bad lands of insurgent country, coming from Santa Fe's renegade Frogville Records ( if you are hooked on Bloodshot Records output as I am go find Frogville do it now, get their sampler and start exploring), find Joe West, discover Blind James and Cameron Wade then, it will bring you inevitably right back to HYF ....Felecia Ford (voice and keys), Bill Palmer (guitar and voice), Jim Palmer (drums) and Kendra Lauman (bass). Felecia is Syd Straw meets Janis Joplin on a good day, a really good day! God she can sing this girl, so can Bill though, both together and with that big dynamic wall of sound they can create as a band, they must rock live this combo, twang is more than just evident, but so is mandolin and pedal steel, heart tugging county folk roots and rock attitude, and as psychedelic as Lenny Kravitz vymura wall paper, (the odd guitar break is reminiscent of our Lenny) and down home at the drop of a hat, Its bang on, I tell you!! buy it now!!! no doubt in my mind you will thank me

RE

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Sarah Pierce
Loves The The Only Way (Little Bear Records)
www.sarahpierce.com

Big open chords and an open sunny attitude power pop, warm vocals with an unforced natural tremolo, and easy sustain, more than a hint of Cowgirl credentials, as you might expect from an Austin girl, who's home, home is on the range of Texas and Colorado. The daughter of a cowboy raised in a family of cattlemen (4 members are in the Cattlemen's Hall of Fame, wow is there such a thing? there is a fascinating day out for all the family if ever there was ), Sarah's dream was to be a singer, a dream that began to take shape when she was 12 years old. Her stepfather was a small town doctor by day and played bass in the local country band on the weekends. One day he asked her to come along and sing a few songs. After one song, Sarah had a gig. This is an album packed with contrasting styles, Jazzy funky rocky country and poppy Sarah is versatile and talented enough to hack it in any genre and her musicians are good enough to keep up with her at every turn its a finished product and so is Sarah.

RE

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Korby Lenker
Bellingham (Singular Recordings)
www.korbylenker.com

Korby has made a couple solo records, but now he has found Mike Grigoni and his (blistering Gerry Douglas-ish) dobro guitar and Bellingham is the result Korby has a Steve Earle quality in his voice, this is a new grass band recording with more soul and purposes than most, lead by korby's fine songs and Mikes blistering dobro, guest vocals by Jolie Holland add extra shafts of colour on two tracks. Good listening and good songs good playing, no wonder as a duo these two are much in demand around the bustling Seattle music scene.

RE

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Blood on a Pale Moon
Ian Lang
(Nursery Records)
www.nurseryrecords.co.uk

Came out of the blue ( well Stoke on Trent, England to be exact) and a surprise indeed this record. The website is scant on info. although it appears that Ian Lang was once front man for 80's band Small Change and an ex-member of Any Trouble plays on his discs. The vocal similarity to Austin resident Tom Ovans is almost scary but rather than imitation I expect it reflects this artists love for the Dylanesque timbre. The mood is overwhelmingly melancholy but the production whilst not expensive is fitting and mellow. 'Wheatland' has lovely dobro playing ( back cover shows the singer hunched over a national it appears) and has a great slow Tom Waits like feel. Worth seeking out the CD for this track alone. Occasionally the songs stray into sentimental Paul Brady territory but even there the playing and gritty vocal saves the day.
'Highclere Hotel' has a lovely 'pedal steel' sound shimmering behind the melody but as the sleeve insists one not present maybe one of the eclectic lineup of instruments that includes djembe and caxixi ( what that? ed!). That instrumental leads into the more upbeat 'Big Sky' which seems jauntier after the preceeding melancholy. A touch closer to Mike Scotts 'Fishermen Blues' phase and a heart looking northwards I feel as the fiddle saws in and out. In my years reviewing singer-songwriters from these Isles I rarely come across someone who could hold a candle to the very best especially the likes of Scotland's Michael Marra. Well Ian Lang would still shine with his own light if held close to those flames. I don't give praise to UK 'americana' artists often but this guy is the real deal and needs support check his CDs out forthwith! Stoke on Trent's very own Leonard Cohen....well crafted as Wedgwood but coloured dark as blood. ....."I saw a scarecrow in the pouring rain.....living on faith and alcohol"( 'Protocol')....thank god for surprises like this.....a true trailer star if ever I heard one.

SDB

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The Turlock 2
Steve Owen
(Ethic)
www.steveowen.com

Well he got a picture of a bottle of whiskey on the front cover and the website. Goes a long way with this reviewer already. A quick perusal of his website reveals he's been gigging and recording for a good while already. This his second disc for Ethic and his fourth CD solo since 1993. That workrate shows in the smooth and sophisticated set of songs. He looks on the cover like a hazier Hank Williams III and a bit of that rebel rouser with a glint in the eye attitude seeps out of the songs..e.g. the boozy ballad 'Alcohol and Power Tools'. Great song and most of the offerings on display are similar standard. Particular faves the wonderfully named 'Harry Fogelberg's Blues' When you realise this namechecks Harry Chapin and later he covers Paul Westerberg's 'Skyway' you realise this is one wised up cowpoke. There's plenty of 'proper' country playing bedding down the words and to be honest this one of the srongest 'unknown' discs I've heard in a while. There's a shot of Jason Ringenberg, a dash of Dwight Yoakham and a vocal slant all his own. Highly recommended ..strong and feisty like a shot of J.D. Bartender give me one more........If you like the sound of this medicine the disc available from the website above. Moment to savour? The pure as moonshine fiddle intro. to the bluegrass n' godly 'Today is the day' and later the refrain of 'I'm sorry Jimmie Rodgers'.....'I hate trains'...played in pure homage..yes sir a great little disc worth tracking down.

SDB

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The Old Crow Medicine Show
O.C.M.S.(Netwerk)
www.crowmedicine.com

The USA free form DJ networks are buzzing with praise and airplay for O.C.O.M. Wherever roots music is getting played, and corporate playlists ignored, they are on the wire right now. Drawing from 30's Jug Band Barrel House and Hokum Blues as much as String Band, Old Timey and Bluegrass O.C.M.S come galloping at you with good old, poor man, raw hillbilly. Never far from a yodel, high octave vocalising harmonies are the order of the day, as is high octane, fiddle, banjo, dobro, flat pick guitar and slap bass, they tear it up, when they tear it up, but they can swing and lament with equal ease and skill too. The watch word is authenticity, these are young heads filled with the passion and purpose that must have originally fuelled this music when an other young generation of wild mountain flowers brought the music out of the hills and onto the first country radio broadcasts of the thirties. These five young men from four different states joined forces in New York and lit out in similar hobo style while still learning their instruments and repertoire. They rambled town-to-town across Canada in a van, playing for food and shelter. They settled for a year in the mountains of North Carolina, where their knowledge of old-time string band music blossomed and their loyalty to one another deepened, and where their faith and fortitude was rewarded. Their most storied lightning strike of good fortune being, while playing in front of a pharmacy in Boone, a woman approached them and asked if they'd be there a while; she wanted to fetch her father to hear them. Dad turned out to be Doc Watson, who expressed his delight by inviting the band to play Merle Fest, his four day congress of acoustic and roots music.This is a tight band of musical brothers, who are well and truly in this thing together, in the words of the song "Walking the Line Between Faith and Fear" with a strong sense of musical purpose, these days they are playing more festivals and concert venues, but are playing every day still and it shows, (you just don't get this good so quick any other way) and just as liablel to pull the instruments out of the van on a street corner and play till they have enough to fill the gas tank up before moving on to the show. I predict they will be here soon its just a matter of trails and time, get to know them now, tell your friends, lets get a welcome together for them when they show up.

RE

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Paul Edelman & The Jangling Sparrow...
"North America & Susquehanna"
(Record Cellar)
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/pedelman

Song driven warm classic Americana, set against a tapestry of equaly classic musical textures, Alt Country attitude and soulful resonance. I know I'll be playing this album in twenty years time, it has a self evident ageless charm, and it gets better on every listen, I had to play it back to back on the first listen, always a good sign. Songs about Trains, Civil War Soldiers, Cars, Abraham Lincoln, and a few personal introspective offerings. Paul Edelman & The Jangling Sparrow hail from Philadelphia, and this is as accomplished a first offering as I have heard, Paul has served his dues however, augmenting some of Philies leading combo's on Banjo and Harmonica for some years, She Haw, The Boxcars, Naked Omaha and the Butcher Holler Boys, have all benefited from his services, also working closely with acclaimed producer Jimmy Johnson, on "Burlap Palace", the tribute to the sound of Muscle Shoal Studio. "North America & Susquehanna" is released from the caring hands of Record Cellar, who have brought us equally cool collections from the likes of Frogholler The Rollin Hayseeds, Chet Delcampo, Buz Zeamer. Hardly on the radar outside his home town, where he is as well known for establishing open mike sessions at Doc Watson's and Fergie's, however this is infinitely likable and I believe infectious music, it can't be long before we hearing a lot more about Paul Edelmans clan, remember you heard it first here. "What will I listen to now? I'll just put this on again while I'm thinking about it. It will have to be something classic, The Byrds, The Band, Burrito's ah "Sweetheart of the Rodeo", ( why not that will do the trick ) I'll just let this one run through first though".


RE

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Jenny Queen
Girls Who Cry Need Cake
(Laughing Outlaw)
http://www.jennyqueen.com/

Coming from those nice antipodean alt-cowpokes Laughing Outlaw Records, who brought us fine recent releases from Jason Walker, Karl Broadie, Michael Carpenter, here again they are doing their level best to destroy the myth that Australians can't do more than pull our pints for us and play cricket.

Country music in all seriousness has a very strong tradition in Australia and Laughing Outlaw are there to bring the alt end to our attention. Jenny puts herself firmly in the alt-country camp. Looking no more that sweet 16 on on the cover of her album she sings with an equally sweet if somewhat tremelo-loaded vocal.

Ohio to Kentucky to London to New York to Sydney, a jetsetter indeed for one so young, (got to be more than 16 eh) she has a clear idea of her musicality. Hammond organs, big open chords, sweeping string sections as well as a sliding dobro, pedal/electric guitars, tinkling pianos and banjos are all evident.

Soul searching songs of a big and open ( possibly naive ) heart searching for a world-weary sensibility are honestly presented against interesting arrangements. Even a crusty old reviewer like me is humbled to be let in on the dichotomy of her youthful struggle.

She tells it well lyrically, though her songs seem to these battered ears to not build much from the rhythm track. Lacking in the dynamics that can fly a song to the heavens.
The songs are rammed full of musicality none the less. Perhaps almost weighed down by it.

Still a very likeable disc.
"Up and Coming" hmmmmm!!!
Let's hope so.

RE

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Brian Houston
The Valley
(Own Label )
http://brianhouston.com

Now here's a cd with its roots showing, Brian has been listening to Hank, Woody, Lefty, Carter Family, and the Big O through the ears and experience of a Dylan fan, is what I figure. As someone who can trace my own musical search along those lines, I think that's the reason this album is such an instant hit with me. The Valley resonates wide and deep on every note and timber evoking the hero's and their archetypal folk lore on every bar. This is a very strong presence. Belfast born Brian, has glory bound grace, and is searching for the angels in every soaring vocal line, musically oldtimey in a newtimey setting but down home, and at home in all roots genres, from gospel to bluegrass. A winner!!
RE

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Steve O'Donoghue
Martha
(Fire Station Records)
www.steveodonoghue.co.uk

Sounding more like the heyday Liverpool sound than what the uninitiated might call today's Manchester sound. For those in the know however, Steve is in the vanguard of a bustling, post busking, acoustic scene in the city, which is supported and finds a world-wide window through the auspice of www.acoustica.tv who helped him released two very fine introductory singles last year Glass Houses and Johnnie Walker . This and hard work playing every open mike and support spot within a petrol tank expenses of Manchester has culminated in a record deal and released of these and 8 more pristine pop offering by German label Fire Station. Steve is becoming quite the ambassador for this kind of home spun but still quintessential British pop, with organic musician led trails opening up all over Europe for him, evoking and mirroring the quality of the likes of Ray Davies, Nick Lowe, Glen Tilbrook, John Lennon, Ian Brodie, Roddy Frame, if not their more industrial rise to fame. The winding road and not the fast track awaits Steve, but a life full of experience and song is assured. We could all find a song from the iconic list above to whistle down the wind, Glass Houses has become one of those big songs for me, such a shame that it hasn't much of a chance of blowing a hurricane around the world in these pop idol dominated days, however I for one am really looking forward to getting to know the rest of this album, well worth hunting out.

RE

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Karine Polwart
Faultlines
(Neon Records)
www.karinepolwart.com

With help from the Scottish Arts Council and Rab Noakes Neon Records (Rab produces too) , Karine is creating big waves in the small pool of Scottish Music. One of the next generation of musicians which are getting harder and harder to categorise, too folksy to call jazz too jazzy to call country, she is bluesy and rocky too. However, she will get put in the folk music rack Our Price, though this folk music tag wouldn't give you any more idea, apart from indicating the vocal resonance of Karines clear and sparkling voice, and the fact she chooses real subjects for her songs. Vocally and instrumentally she and her band are versatile enough to be at home singing and playing the full gambit of genres, and the full gambit appear on this album, played on real instruments in the main, by a hand picked bunch of Scotland's finest, i.e.name checks for Phil Bancroft, Adrian O'Rouke, Dean Owens, Corina Hewat amongst them. Some click tracking funk fusion tendencies are evident, and latin brass can trump in from time to time, but just as liable to rock out or wander down a country road or two, with Karine, never wandering too far from the sound of a Scottish air on the fiddle it has to be said. Sweet soulful stuff.
RE

 

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