Gig Diaries – Good Company (Jun 2026 edition)

The celebration of Good Company’s first anniversary was rather understated. At least in terms of sound. For rather than some of the punchy country and acoustic rock that have been a staple so far, this songwriters’ round leant heavily into whimsical folk. Not that the genre that host Katy Hurt is known for took a backseat entirely. Owen Morton championed a classic honky-tonk sound. But he was sandwiched between Jessica Dives and Martha Cowan who, between them, lent a thoughtful and ethereal air to proceedings. The tempo was sedate. The mood meandering. As a result, the night’s emphasis on storytelling took on extra significance. It reminded me of an Al Olender gig that I attended earlier in the year. And indeed, Cowan in particular was reminiscent of her. With each line of her lyrics holding a weight of meaning. Stringing them together to create an atmosphere that was highly conducive to listening. And with songs like ‘The Wind Project’, Dives was equally enchanting. Combining the jazz-like vocals of Hailey Tuck with the wistfulness of Ellie Gowers to tell tales that were both interesting and emotional. It seemed that Katy herself was attuned to their vibes as ‘All We Ever Have’ and ‘Seasons’ melded beautifully with their choices. And even Morton, with ‘Scrap Metal’, added a poignancy that was in keeping with the general ambience. Along with some random diversions into conversations about watches and the Wirral in between their songs, this sixth outing for Hurt’s baby at Thornton Hough Village Club proved to be a quiet success. Here’s to many more at this hidden gem of a venue.

Featured Image (C) Katy Hurt

Nia Nicholls – Marionette

What I love most about the new EP from Nia Nicholls is the surprising styles that have arisen in her music. For all that the Swiftian comparisons of the past remain, there are also elements of pop that have been hard-pressed into ‘Marionette’ to create sounds more retro than Taylor herself. Take ‘Movies from Cannes’ for instance. The production smacks of late-90s band vibes in the best way. It brings sass and attitude which are reflected in lightly humorous, lightly stinging lyrics. As always, Nia adopts a “subtle sarcasm” in her storytelling which, like on ‘Goldilocks’, tends to make the best of heartbreak. ‘Sad in London’ is another case in point. Its techno-heavy approach used to convey the frustration and chaos now associated with a city tainted by the actions of an ex-lover. Despite its highly divergent approach stylistically, it nevertheless lends itself to the narrative that Nia wishes to convey. This points to an evolution in her music which is no longer just acoustically-driven but rather is shaped by the stories at the heart of her songs. Thus, ‘If You Were a Song’, with its “heartfelt” and “positive affirmation”, is channelled through the piano. And ‘I’m a Marionette’ features music-box rhythms and accordion-like beats to playfully subvert friendship. This expansion of musical flavours is what lands this EP in more unfamiliar territory when it comes to her catalogue. But thankfully the twists in her lyrical storytelling remain, making this a pleasantly refreshing listen for fans of Nia Nicholls’ music.

You can listen to ‘Marionette’ on your chosen listening platform or contact Nia via her socials to purchase a physical copy.

Featured Image (C) Nia Nicholls

Hollie Rogers – Everything’s Fine

There is a seamless transition between the last and most recent of Hollie Rogers’ albums. The eclectic nature of both ensures that ‘Everything’s Fine’ builds on the strong foundations laid with ‘Criminal Heart’. Once again, she travels along a spectrum of genres on her latest record, using the music to compliment her storytelling which remains her greatest strength.

The title track is by far the standout piece here. Capturing a quintessentially British sensibility to unpack and unpick its oxymoronic meaning. From its first lines – “put my face on / paint my smile” – it draws on the “keep calm / carry on… style” of the stiff upper lip. The chorus is clever insomuch as it voices the internal monologue of emotional honesty before ending humorously with “but everything’s fine”. What adds to the comedic value of these final words is the change of pace and sudden softness of the music. The recognisable vocals of Elles Bailey soothing a heart clearly close to breaking point but unwilling to share its struggles. It really is deft at naming a pervading feature of our society.

Elsewhere, the album deals mainly with the theme of love and relationships. For example, ‘Spaceman’ is a metaphor for an absent lover. And with an orchestral arrangement performed by The Budapest Symphony Orchestra, it takes on an expansive quality. The soaring violins painting a picture of a vast universe which, in turn, creates a feeling of distance and longing. Meanwhile, ‘Sunday Rain’, with its easy listening jazz, conveys a confidence in the long-term possibilities of what could be “a powerhouse couple”. And ‘Unholy Trinity’ is suitably sultry in its desire to make the best of what has become a love triangle.

There is also the inclusion of religio-spiritual elements as ‘Good God’ prays for an escape (“give me a break”) and quick fix (“flick of your wrist”) from the everyday – its mundanity and misery. In addition, the closing track, ‘All for You’, is worship-like in its sacrificial intentions. The mutuality expressed between the two people at its centre leading to “every song, every little tune / every line, every single word / every mood, every time I cry… [being] all for you”. The musical theatricality showcasing one final aspect of Hollie Rogers and her wonderfully multifarious style.

You can listen to Hollie’s new album on most streaming platforms or download it from her Bandcamp here.

Featured Image (C) Hollie Rogers

Amy-Jo – Hold Your Horses

Pathetic fallacy. A literary term for when the weather reflects a character’s emotions. And here, looking out the window at the rain and blue sky beyond, is what represents mine after the song I’ve just heard. ‘Hold Your Horses’ could have been written for the teenage me. With my “head to the ground” as I “bury the tears” – a description that encapsulates my history of low self-esteem and suppressed vulnerability. If I’d heard Amy-Jo sing this back then I would have found solace and comfort in her words. Now, with hindsight, I see the truth in them. This is what makes her music so endearing. Her sensitivity to others woven into lyrics that make you feel seen. And whilst I’m still to find “that someone who loves you / just for being you”, I am nevertheless encouraged by how much I’ve grown when I “remember that kid”. It is like the silver lining in the grey cloud, and Amy-Jo has named it.

Featured Image (C) Amy-Jo Clough

Mared – Everything I Left Behind

Mared’s latest EP washes over the listener like waves on a shore. If Sian Eleri is yet to play it on her Chillest Show then it’s strongly recommended. ‘Everything I Left Behind’ exists in a liminal space, floating between alt-folk, RnB and electro-pop. Fellow Welsh artists Georgia Ruth and Al Lewis come to mind in both in its sonic delivery and vocal whimsy. There is a real dividing line between third-person, character-driven narrative and first-person, metaphoric introspection. The former so strong in its imagery (‘Consequential’) and powerfully portrayed (‘Unwinding’) as to invite the listener to invest emotionally in their stories. The latter so honest in its rendering that, when mixed with an amplified electronic sound, communicates a transitional state between past and present, loss and possibility, in the context of relationship (‘Numbing’) and self (‘Everything I Left Behind’). Holding the two sides together is ‘Bore Hir’, a sensuous track whose inclusion of real water trickling alongside guitar strings exemplifies the overall vibe of this record. It is one that invites reflection – amser i anadl – as Mared combines lyrical vulnerability with mellow musicality. An approach that has worked for her before, and in the case of this EP, is a winning formula.

You can listen to Mared’s new EP on your preferred streaming service or, like me, you can purchase a copy on her Bandcamp page.

Amy-Jo – Hypocrite

Sat between a mainstay of UK Country music and a Nashville singer-songwriter, Amy-Jo holds her own. It is testament to how far she’s come that the level of performance between her, Two Ways Home and Regan Stewart is seamless. Her rendition of ‘Hypocrite’ at the latest Good Company Songwriters Round self-assured and unwavering. It is surprising how close the actual single is – the first to be released from her debut album – to this acoustic rendering. Stripped of the pop that I’d been expecting and instead filled with a multitude of strings, mandolin chief among them. Not so much as to create an orchestra but the track itself is certainly orchestrated to ensure that the lyrics are front and centre. A familiar approach that will delight fans of Amy-Jo’s storytelling, which is at once personal and relatable; provocative and whimsical in this instance. And intriguing enough to want to hear more from this next chapter that she’s calling her “purple era”.

Featured Image (C) Amy-Jo

Taynee Lord – Still Searching

Taynee Lord continues her country mash-up of pop and rock with her latest single ‘Still Searching’. Taking popular symbols from fairytales to tell her own story of love in a modern world. She is honest and unrelenting in her pursuit of ‘the one’. The central image of the frog is two-fold: both representative of those relationships that haven’t worked out, and the one, still to be found, that turns into a prince. This is the ‘happy ending’ she is searching for – where love respects vulnerability (“the castle walls came down”) and appreciates beauty (“I dusted off the ballgown”). The seminal guitar riff and ceaseless drumbeat her refusal to give up on it, despite yet “another trip around the sun”. It all makes ‘Still Searching’ the perfect way to tee up an EP that will no doubt continue her musical flair when released next month.

You can follow Taynee Lord on social media for the latest updates on her upcoming EP, links for which can be found on her website.

Featured Image (C) Taynee Lord

Annie Dressner – Dumb Boy

The nostalgia spilling through from Annie Dressner’s latest single sure hits the spot on a lazy Sunday afternoon. ‘Dumb Boy’ takes me back to my late 90s childhood when its soft punk sound penetrated the airwaves much more than it does these days. Its story of unrequited love never goes out of fashion though. The push and pull of attraction, false reciprocation, and ultimate heartbreak painting a classic picture of romance amid a Wheatus-style arrangement. Indeed, this song could have come straight from their ‘Teenage Dirtbag’ playbook. Except the ‘dumb boy’ of the title is not so much listening to a band like Iron Maiden as being in one. His allure that of a rock star whose shine fades, and with it, the hopes of the protagonist. Their assessment an honest one. Dressner capturing well, as she always does, the complexity of emotion.

You can catch Annie Dressner supporting Kris Drever on tour throughout April. For more info, visit her website here.

Featured Image (C) Annie Dressner

Gig Diaries – The Jaywalkers

Away from the bright lights of the O2 last weekend, I made my way to the Tin Shed in rural North Wales. Such has been the growth of country music in the UK over the past decade, it is not just the C2C Festival that is now on offer for fans of the genre. And so away from the crowds dressed in Stetsons and cowboy boots, I found myself in a more sedate but no less appreciative atmosphere – among a sell-out audience of some 100 people here to listen attentively to the Jaywalkers.

I have come across this three-piece band before. Their festival appearances always welcome. In an age where pop and rock are often added, to hear the more folk and bluegrass elements brought (and mixed to produce some swing-time fare) was a personal delight. As such, to be graced with a whole evening’s worth was far more joyous than I had anticipated.

The trio seemed to be having fun themselves too. Smiles spread ever more widely across their faces as the night went on. It meant that songs such as ‘Playsuit’ and ‘Whiskies’ became more playful while ‘Leaving Lerwick’ and ‘Ain’t Nobody’s Business’ were light-hearted and unrestrained.

The stories behind the songs, told in a conversational tone between the three, only added to the geniality of the evening. It meant that ‘Gone Forever, with a more serious message, never felt preachy; the frustration of ‘Never Been Played on the Radio’ taken with a pinch of salt.

There was a lovely moment to end – this little crowd singing along to the refrain of ‘December in the Desert’:

“I hope that this year is better than the last”.

I thought about how opposite it was to a full stadium, belting out hits by some of country’s biggest acts in unison, to create a tidal wave of sound, but how, in this more intimate setting, this felt more hopeful; tangible. Perhaps it’s just me, but I find these kinds of gigs far more fulfilling these days. Evidenced by the fact that I have no regrets at missing out on Country’s biggest event. Content, as I drove home through country lanes in the dark, at having listened to the Jaywalkers here instead.

This was written after attending the Jaywalkers show on 14th March 2026 at the Tin Shed in Treuddyn, North Wales. You can find further dates for future shows on their website here.

Gig Diaries – Northern Songbirds 2026 Tour

The final leg of the inaugural ‘Northern Songbirds’ tour came to Liverpool, in the ever more intimate setting of the Kazimier Stockroom. It felt small enough on my first visit a month ago but this time a curtain across one side and a lengthy merch stand on the other meant a tighter squeeze. It took nothing away from the atmosphere, full of dependable listeners and excitable fans of the four girls who graced the stage.

Unlike the other dates, which took the form of a writers round, this one was a series of mini sets by first, Susannah Clegg, then Zoe Unsworth, followed by Amy-Jo and finally Bronnie. What stood out was the eclectic mix of styles – showcasing the breadth of Country Music in the present day. We went from Clegg‘s old-style classic to Unsworth‘s blues-soaked sound; Amy-Jo‘s catchy Country pop to Bronnie‘s passionate punk rock. Threaded throughout was a penchant for storytelling, and a championing of each other’s music that felt refreshing.

Susannah Clegg began proceedings, with a solo performance that demanded no accompaniment. Her strong Midwestern vocal and accomplished guitar playing were enough to echo the sounds of yesteryear. Zoe Unsworth then brought a dash of the contemporary – piano and bass mixing well with fiddle to communicate heartfelt (‘Home’) and happy (‘On the Dancefloor’) to great effect. Her final song was ideal in setting up Amy-Jo, whose first ever live set with a full band drew out her usual pop and RnB vibes well. It was just a shame that the feedback from her mic was so distracting. It was a rare blot on a night that saw Bronnie headlining with some of her more anthemic tracks. ‘Own Girl, Own World’ and ‘Tea for Two’ going down well with a home crowd who were treated to a version of her earlier punk incarnation in the form of ‘Scream’ to end.

All four then took to the stage for an extended encore, in which each of the four cover tracks matched their respective styles. Clegg’s fabulous rendition of Loretta Lynn’s ‘You Ain’t Woman Enough (To Take My Man)’ was a highlight, with ‘Girl Crush’ bringing the curtain down on a tour that seems to have had enough success for future dates to have already been mooted. And when someone as highly esteemed as Katy Hurt has enjoyed herself, singing along and dancing at the back, one can only assume that they’ve done something right, and will indeed be back.

This was written after attending the Northern Songbirds tour on 8th March 2026 at the Kazimier Stockroom Liverpool. You can check out the music of Bronnie, Susannah Clegg, Zoe Unsworth and Amy-Jo by clicking on their respective names here.

Featured Image (C) The Northern Songbirds