Seventeen seems to be a seminal year for country artists. Shay Gastonand Rebecca Hurnhave already covered the age in their own way and now Evelyn Cornell offers her perspective. ‘Seventeen’ is her debut single and is just as wonderfully reflective. Nostalgia here coming in the form of
“Garden parties in the yard… /
Driving through the night… /
Country artists sing on the radio”
Young love features, “sweet as strawberry wine”, helping to evoking a typical heady summer. The slow pace of the guitar adding to the longing for a return to those carefree days. Her elongated vocals and deliberate use of pedal steel in the chorus ensuring the scene is perfectly set. It all makes for a lovely introduction to this singer-songwriter from Kent.
I am normally passing through Chester to go to gigs. So it was a pleasant surprise to find the first date on Amy-Jo’s new tour within the city itself. Keeping the same title as her last one, ‘Friends You Meet Along the Way’, her two companions for this one were Grace Elizabeth Harveyand Bella Wright. Both brought different facets to the singer-songwriter mould. The former steeped in earthy Folk. The latter influenced by Musical soundtracks. They represent the narrative storytelling that runs through Amy-Jo like a stick of rock. The ideal support acts for her particular brand of Country-Pop.
For anyone who has tuned into her album recording sessions, the stage at The Live Roomssought to recreate that studio. Dusty pink lighting with a smattering of red and blue protruded onto blackened drapes, providing an intimate backdrop for various instruments and a mic stand blooming with LED flowers. It captured in visual form Amy-Jo’s bright and sensitive temperament. The set which followed a mix of pleasing bass-lined earworms and beautifully reflective ballads. Callum Mangold-Jackson brilliantly bouncing between acoustic, bass, keyboard and kickdrum to amplify a sound stripped of its full production.
One of the advantages of hearing her songs in this way is the emphasis upon elements sometimes masked in the final edit. Those soulful vocals became evident in ‘Shoulder Pads’. There was some luscious RnB poured out onto ‘Take the Backseat’. A touch of Lainey Wilson (one of her country music idols) lined ‘Hypocrite’. Her versatility is stronger now than ever. Matched by a quiet confidence which sees her slip from a clearly emotional performance of ‘I’d Fill You In’ to a measured rendition of ‘February 14th’. ‘Cascade’ follows, showcasing her musical progression, with a deceptively gentle guitar playing against an incessantly juicy beat. One of a number of new songs from her upcoming album which seem to push for the latter without compromising on the lyrical quality she is known for.
Twelve months on from when I last saw her live, I felt like I was witnessing a more refined performer. Someone who, in the process of making her debut record, has solidified the best parts of herself while chasing down the next level of finesse. She does so with such joy and grace that one can’t help but be caught up in the excitement of her journey. And it’s partly through coming to these ‘lesser’ places that fans outside of the major cities become real champions of the cause.
You can catch Amy-Jo along with a host of other ‘Friends’ at the venues below. Visit her website for tickets.
Caitlin Mae has become well and truly versed in the sounds of Nashville. Her latest single ‘Your Truck’ is straight down the middle country at its modern best. A chorus fit for the dancefloor as pop mixes with banjo and pedal steel. It belies a narrative of nostalgia which transplants a Miss Havisham protagonist into an F-150 pick-up truck. Its driver long since moved on while she reels from “our last conversation… goodbye, good luck”. Not the first-time that the man in her song has upped and left, but there is a greater sense of unresolved heartbreak here. The bridge offering some form of acceptance – “you wanted safe / I was a flight risk to you” – without ever being tied to a neat ending. Caitlin leaving the listener hanging somewhere between ‘Mr Moving On’ and ‘House Sitting’. Two singles that would fit nicely with this one (on an upcoming EP perhaps?).
The tears shed by Rosey Cale in the composition of her latest single have been transformed into the most poignant ballad. ‘Coffee Cup’ distils so eloquently her experience of a break-up into lines which ache with hurt and wonder. The solemnity of the piano adds to a painful reflection on gaslighting and deceit. The two-timing guy so rightly criticised while the girl he chose instead receives a strange sympathy. There are moments when it feels like the soundtrack to a musical such is the emotional outpouring in her deft vocals. Revealing the strength of a narrative that shatters the dream of what could have been. After the joyful aroma of ‘Blue Skies, Tan Lines’, this leaves a bittersweet taste. Rosey performing one of her punchiest songs yet.
Without denying a pop sensibility, Ellie Marie emphasises the traditional sounds of country on her latest EP ‘Don’t Take It to Heart’. The Bristolian Cowgirl, as she’s aptly named, layers all four tracks with a luscious pedal steel, drawing inspiration from the American South more than most UK artists. The effect conjures up an image of a honky-tonk bar in opener ‘Rock Bottom’, and a Downtown Nashville atmosphere on the title song. There is plenty of energy in the latter, blasting into life after a light acoustic intro, reflecting a no-cares attitude with plenty of ‘Shake It Off’ sentiment. The Swiftian influence is keenly felt, both in themes of love and heartbreak as well as lyrical loveliness and sass. “Loving you is what I’m living for” goes deep (‘Living For’), while “Maybe you think I’m out of line / it’s true” speaks of assurance and self-belief (‘Without You’). There is no denying that Ellie Marie is a force to be reckoned with. And with this new EP, it looks like a bright future ahead.
What a beautifully written debut album from Ezmay Grace. Her collection of folk tales on ‘Lien Gwerin’ make for avid listening. Unashamed in length. Detailed in description. This is traditional storytelling at its contemporary best.
It features a mix of both original and true stories. Drawing on her Cornish identity to weave fascinating accounts featuring a cast of characters often imbued with a mystical air. Opening track ‘The Blackbird’, for example, sketches a female traveller “with bangles of gold / … irises emerald and the blackest jet curls” who is always met with suspicion by townsfolk. Her place “on the outskirts of town” is a minor theme not only here but throughout. Stretching into the tragedy of ‘Joan’ and ghostly horror of ‘Koswick’. The vivid descriptions that EzmayGrace uses in her lyrics add to their emotional draw. Deep listening becomes a requirement.
She refuses to sacrifice the detail in any of her stories. A refreshing approach in an age where the radio edit could increase exposure. ‘The Lighthouse’ stands at a good seven-and-a-half minutes but is wholly needed to illustrate the devotion of John Henry. Both to his position as lighthouse keeper and his affection for the woman he saves from a watery grave. The repetition of “two hundred steps and twenty-two” acts not only as plain description but further metaphor for his character. In the same way as the light in ‘Faina’ shines on the natural world to reflect, in various ways, the essence of the title character.
Most tracks on ‘Lien Gwerin’ represent a classic Folk sound but moments like the piano-led ‘Moonbeam’ and string-heavy ‘Siren Song’ pepper the album with subtle variance. It keeps the listener engaged as well as speaking to the scenes and settings of each of these tales. All of which invite our undivided attention, and succeed in transporting us into their worlds when we do. They have been lovingly crafted by Ezmay Grace over time, and the result is nothing short of sublime.
You can purchase ‘Lien Gwerin’ via Ezmay Grace’s website here.
I don’t often stray from UK shores to write about songs from across the pond. So it shows how much I value the music of Samantha Ebert to do so on this occasion. Her latest track, ‘No One Knows’, is just as striking as the first time I came across her. ‘Overthinking‘ was a song that spoke deep into my heart. There are flecks of the same feelings here too. And though I cannot relate as directly, the lyrics still hit powerfully enough to cause my emotions to rumble. They do so in part because of the delicacy of Samantha‘s delivery. Vulnerability at its most beautiful. When coupled with honesty, one cannot help but be touched in some way by her situation and circumstance.
“cancelling plans / when I need people most… / and I don’t get outside much / because the sunlight hurts my eyes”
She entwines such lines with a faith in Jesus that is delightfully subtle. A mark of authenticity that leaves the listener, whatever their own belief, with assurance in empathy. The central tenet of the biblical verse on which Ebert bases this song. It invites connection and comfort. A skill that she possesses and utilises to great effect within her music. I think this is why ‘No One Knows’ strikes such a chord, and finds her as the exception to my rule.
There’s a lovely simplicity about Fiona Lennon’s new single. From its title to its theme to its musical arrangement, nothing is complicated about love. Contentment is communicated through a beautiful blend of soft rock and country-pop. Giving ‘I Love You Baby’ a dreamy summer vibe. Lines such as “got me holding up my hands / and begging everything will last” are always at risk of becoming cheesy. Instead, they hold an innocence here marked with sincerity. In which lines like “there ain’t no question you’ve got me and I’ve got you” are totally believable. Proclaiming a gentle yet solid truth to make for a positive and affirming track.
Mia Ramo is a new face to the UK Country scene. And she has opted for a classic trope as part of her debut offering. ‘Mud on Your Boots’ is a typical cheating song. The lies unfolding to leave sadness, heartbreak, hurt and exasperation in their wake. Ramo weaves a simple story of how signs like “the smell of perfume and cheap red wine” feed the growing doubt around the stories and excuses told. Until eventually “I’ll leave you this time” because the evidence is overwhelming. The electric and slide guitars ensure that the pain of such experience is at the forefront. Mia Ramo opting not for an ass-kicking but rather quietly-enraged take on the breakdown of a relationship. Such emotion keenly felt on a track that represents a promising start for this aspiring singer-songwriter.
Nia Nicholls is no stranger to the heartfelt ballad. Her latest single ‘If I Were a Song’ is up there with her best. A love-song in the particular sense, it also speaks more universally to anyone low on confidence and self-esteem; to those who have been shaped by the opinions of others or focus too readily on their flaws. Here, Nia presents a beautiful counteraction. Full of encouragement. Not least in a set of lovely images that line the chorus. Chief among them,
If you were a planet then you’d be the moon /
Because, baby, my tide is pulled in by you”.
Her use of metaphor is, as always, uniquely creative. The calm and measured tempo and delivery inviting inward reflection. Like a sea washing up on the shore of hearts that need to hear such positive affirmation. Very different, in some ways, from her last single. But with the same sincere truth at its heart.
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