rescuing musical virtue in distress.
The new album, Things I Don’t See, encompasses a wide range of very American sounds and styles, which in turn suggests an interesting musical back story, can you tell us a little about your musical journey which gets you here? Kevin Daniel: I have been a musician my entire life, and like most musicians, I... Continue Reading →
Billy Roberts and his cohorts have always made music which wanders around within some pretty iconic parameters - country and rock ’n’ roll for sure, the occasional punky kick, plenty of singer-songwriter vibes and some slinky blues infusions. All fairly standard stuff but also broad enough sonic territories that there is still plenty of room... Continue Reading →
Used to Be is one of those songs which feels like an old friend. As soon as its classic tones come tumbling out of the speakers, its familiar country undercurrents, its late 60’s soaked, west coast, singer-songwriter vibes, its reflective and sentimental lyrics, you are immediately put at ease. But there is also that slight,... Continue Reading →
Daniel Tortoledo’s debut, solo album takes inspiration from a range of music all of which seems to fall into what you would call “classic.” Such music, encompassing everything from Neil Young to George Harrison, Bob Dylan to Devendra Banhart, not so much avoids generic labels but rather rise above such unnecessary limitations. And so does... Continue Reading →
If Bye London Bye , which helped pave the way for this release, showed Matthew Austin Hunt’s more subtle and reflective side, on this, his debut album, he gets to really let rip. American Made which acts as the opening sonic salvo is a proud statement of identity but one which rings with an honesty which... Continue Reading →
If rock and roll is all about the swagger and the spectacle and country music based around more deft and emotive song crafting, then it is in bands such as 32 Below that the two genres manage to marry up perfectly. A rock yin to a rootsy yang. As Such a Waste nearly demonstrates, the... Continue Reading →
If there is a more powerful metaphor for protection against adversity in the great American story than the image of wagons being circled up to keep out wild beasts and perhaps even wilder men, then I don’t know what it is. And whilst Love Me In The Dark’s latest release is high in detail about... Continue Reading →
Whilst I have always used a few very obvious handles to try to convey Joe Mayk’s sound -Americana, alt-rock, alt-country, indie - you know the usual shorthand of the lazy journo’, A Century Entirely seems to defy even those broad literary brush strokes. I guess all of those sounds and styles are in there somewhere... Continue Reading →
I must admit, writing this from an ocean away I don’t know the difference between alt-country or Americana, I can’t really tell you where country music becomes bluegrass or even folk music. I’m sure, like genre debates across the world, no-one will ever really agree where these demarcations lay and to be honest does it... Continue Reading →