In light of what has happened as a result of the coronavirus, I’ve been wondering how best to offer my support during this incredibly tough time. I know that others are doing their bit to help promote you and your music, and I want to do the same. I don’t want to replicate what others are doing, but instead try and compliment their efforts. As a result, I have taken inspiration from a fellow arts website (that I also write for) to create a feature that I am calling Top Tunes with…. The idea is to send me your top five albums/singles and write a sentence or two about why you have chosen them and/or how they have influenced your own music. I also want to include a sixth choice, which will be one of your own songs. Pick one that you think would be the perfect introduction to your music for people who may not have come across you before. At the end of the feature, I will then include links to encourage people to: stream your music, purchase items from your online store; and donate where possible. I hope that by doing this, I can help support you in some small way and you have a little bit of fun choosing your favourite tracks in the process.
So inconspicuous is Phase One, one of Liverpool’s newest music venues, I initially walk right past. When I eventually spot the white neon sign hanging over the door on my way back down Seel Street, I am overcome with a sudden anxiety about the size of the place. But as I look in, over the shoulder of the man in front, my fear is eased. I walk into a fairly spacious room that, on closer observance, is pretty basic too. Aside from the portable loos outside that fill me with a sense of unease, the bar is constructed of plywood, the red brick walls are fully exposed, and the electric cables can be seen openly trailing along the walls. Large white sheets are used to frame the room and stage. Décor is not fancy. But as I sit on a small stool in a corner of the room, there is something about this place that I warm to. The quirkiness perhaps, exemplified by the presence of two garden sheds that stand next to an upright piano acting as ‘vinyl listening booths’. Or maybe it is the makeshift simplicity – the reclamation of a derelict unit for the promotion of music in the city.
Tonight, it is two of Liverpool’s own on show. One, Laura Oakes, is returning to her roots, stopping off as part of her Spring tour. The other, who she has invited as support, is Eleanor Nelly. Nelly still lives in the area and has been regularly gigging around it for a while. Slowly building a reputation as a singer-songwriter, her impressive talents have been noticed by the likes of Bob Harris who, last year, invited Eleanor to open up the Liverpool leg of his ‘Under the Apple Tree’ tour. This is where I first encountered her, and I was struck not only by her sharp sense of storytelling but also by the distinct twang in her vocals. Both remain evident here, particularly in songs ‘Eventually’ and ‘The Best is Yet to Come’, inflecting her music with a certain style that is captured in her choice of wear: a floral dress with black doc martens that conveys beauty laced with a hint of attitude.
When Oakes walks out on stage, she does so in a t-shirted dedication to Elton John, and wearing a pair of sparkly silver trousers that exude sass. She is ever the laid back professional, capable of putting on a first-class show without it ever seeming like an effort. The effect, as is evident here, is a set that is warm and inviting, easy-going and free-flowing, as her and guitarist Pete Darling stroll pleasantly through a list of old favourites and brand-new tracks. The back catalogue that Oakes has compiled over the last few years is impressive. The standard of her new material only adds further credence to her emergence as a major talent on the UK Country scene. We are treated to all the new songs off her forthcoming EP here. These include recent single ‘Welcome to the Family’, whose acoustic rendering is no less infectious than the original, and ‘Old Ghosts’, which sees Oakes wind into a more traditional country sound. She gets excited at the fact that Shania Twain has just added ‘Better in Blue Jeans’ to her Spotify playlist. Given its catchy chorus and crowd-pleasing sound, I am not surprised. She draws on the emotional backstory of ‘Learn to Be Lonely Again’ to provide the most breathtaking moment of the evening. Her solo performance is so soft in its delivery that the song floats into the hearts of the audience. And she provides plenty of opportunity for participation, not that these fans need it. During ‘Nashville Stole Your Girl’, I cannot help but give a wry smile as I scan the crowd and see them singing along, unprompted, to this most glorious of ballads.
She ends her set with a barnstorming rendition of ‘Don’t Let It Hit Ya’. It is a chance to go out all-guns-blazing. But the shouts for more are too many to ignore. She duly obliges, performing a cover and then an audience request which, together, epitomise her musical range. The first is a lovingly light rendition of Stevie Nicks’ ‘Landslide’. The second is the infectious and pop-infused ‘Snakes and Ladders’. This ebb and flow through reflective storytelling and toe-tapping tunes seems to be a hallmark of an evening with Laura Oakes. I leave feeling sprightly and with a deep sense of enjoyment as I make my way back to the train station and head for home.
Click here for more info on Laura, her new EP, and tour dates.
The debut album of alt-country duo Two Ways Home has been a long time coming. The anticipation building up to the release of Break the Silence has felt so great at times that the weight of expectation has become almost fragile. For such a lengthy build-up, the risk of disappointment becomes ever greater. No such concern here however. The record is every bit as good as was hoped, and more.
The opening track is enough to fizzle away any doubt that Lewis and Izzy would not deliver on the promise of their earlier sound. ‘Broken Hearts Club’ carries the same uplifting, rock-infused sound found on 2017’s Closest Stranger EP into this album with gusto. Whilst ‘Speed of Anything’ may bring the tempo down slightly, it maintains the anthem-like qualities found in much of Two Ways Home’s music. This includes a catchy bassline, a generic meld of country, rock and pop, and the strong vocal delivery of lyrics that are both memorable and meaningful. It is this last point that is particularly pressing as the album progresses.
Both Lewis and Izzy allow one another to venture into the spotlight, to showcase the warmth and slight wistfulness of their vocals. When the former takes the lead, as on the title track, it is a voice that is distinctly British but imbued with a Southern US twang. Meanwhile, the latter’s softly-tended notes strike an almost dream-like state if not for the hard-worn edge that creeps through, particularly at the start of ‘Nostalgia’. Here, Izzy bookends the song beautifully with a performance that matches the emotional depth of the lyrics. It is perhaps the reason why this song, more than any other on the album, draws you into its story so powerfully.
‘Standing Still’ comes a close second to the brilliance of ‘Nostalgia’ on a personal level. If the best music is that which speaks to us then, for me, it must. For, like the fatal hope found in The Wandering Hearts’ ‘Wish I Could’, the chorus of ‘Standing Still’ is one which aches with that prescient feeling of being caught between one’s present and future self: ‘are you lost in the crossfire of hope and broken dreams, between you and who you want to be’.
The album ends with a quietly defiant song called ‘The Ocean’. After the hard drumbeats and amplification of guitars on songs like ‘Tattoo’, ‘Prove Me Wrong’ and ‘Conquer the World’, the stripped back production here is surprising but welcome. Its folk-laden sound is a gorgeous way to finish off what is a thoroughly enjoyable record. The lightness of touch provided by Izzy’s vocals adds a striking final touch of sincerity that leaves you completely satisfied. Two Ways Homehave delivered on their promise. Break the Silence was worth the wait.
The first original TV drama of 2020 to emerge from Wales is a short one-off piece called Handstand. It may be quirky and slightly clichéd on the surface, but there is a dark underbelly that gradually reveals itself over the course of half an hour. Director Peter Watkins-Hughes has chosen to shine a spotlight on domestic abuse through what is essentially a love story between the hardworking and compassionate Luke (Darren Evans) and his new neighbour Sarah (Mabli Jen Eustace).
Evans and Eustace demonstrate a wonderful onscreen chemistry from the get-go, their characters’ first meeting being the perfect mix of socially awkward and humorously sweet. The telling camera angles and silently knowing looks to one another add to the sexual tension between them, whilst the synth-pop soundtrack and cinema setting coat their relationship in youthful possibility and nostalgic innocence respectively. It is this portrait of young love that makes the turning point in the story all the more dramatic and affecting, as Luke hears the raised voice of Sarah’s father, Alan, resonate angrily through the ‘shockingly thin’ walls of his bedroom. What follows is a moral dilemma centred on the public and private dichotomy, where the question of intervention is explored rather well, given the drama’s brief running time. Christian Patterson is excellent as the two-faced Alan, whose jolly exterior slowly slips away to reveal a manipulative man whose obsession with power and control is ultimately his undoing.
As a stand-alone piece, Watkins-Hughes has created something that is both entertaining and informative. It is also educational insofar as it deals with the subject of domestic violence, thereby reflecting the three Reithian ideals that the BBC was founded on. I believe that this is important to highlight as the BBC and its licence fee comes under increased scrutiny and ever sharper criticism. There is no doubt a conversation to be had about its future funding model, but I believe Handstand is an example of what publicly-funded broadcasting does best, supporting projects that have no commercial value but nevertheless tell important stories that need to be heard. It is also why public service broadcasting is needed, because without it, I fear that the voices wanting to tell such stories in Wales may be bereft of opportunities to do so in a media marketplace driven solely by profit.
You know you’ve hit on something good when the support act is as good as the headliner. It may have been The Trials of Cato that we had come to see, but it was the five-piece female band Tant that we went away talking about. Running slightly late, we wandered into the theatre at Pontio Arts Centre and were immediately transfixed by their magical and melodic tones. They proceeded through a half hour set that traversed the boundaries of folk and pop with tremendous subtlety, producing a sound that felt highly original and resultantly captivating. All are clearly talented musicians, whether on harp or guitar, but it was their combined vocals that really struck me. Performing acapella on the song ‘Gwydyr Glas’, their voices played together like wind chimes, singing in beautiful harmony whilst also producing distinct tonalities that made this a really fascinating piece to listen to.
At the end of their set, Tant were wildly applauded off stage. Recognising their popularity, The Trials of Cato twice paid tribute to them during their own set, where the praise was again handed out, and deservedly so. It was clearly an inspired choice to have them open. Only the best could follow. The Trials of Cato are certainly that, having already scooped up Best Album at the Folk Awards in spite of their relatively short career. Opening with an instrumental piece before going straight into ‘Tom Paine’s Bones’, these early numbers demonstrated the toe-tappingly catchy rhythms that make their music such a joy to listen to. ‘Haf’ added a lightness of touch to proceedings before ‘Cân John Williams’ was given a Lebanese vibe thanks to a particularly strong instrumental section at its end. The only slight melancholy in the evening came courtesy of ‘My Love’s in Germany’, but even here the performance was more rousing than depressing.
We were then treated to some new material in the form of ‘Dog Valley’, from an album that should be out later this year. It was a track to sit back and enjoy, reminiscent of freestyle jazz and showcasing their skills as truly accomplished musicians. This and ‘Gawain’ are highly recommended for first-time listeners, the latter their “prog rock” offering, which turned this intimate venue into a few thousand seater stadium through excellent lighting and amplified sound. Two favourites in ‘Aberdaron’ and ‘Gloria’ then followed before they closed out with an excellent rendition of ‘Kadisha’. So good was this final number that there was no need for an encore. Indeed, in hindsight, there should not have been one, for it was hijacked by a woman intent on playing tambourine with them on stage. The intervention of security a few moments later meant that any chance of the band making the best of this unexpected entrance was lost. A chorus of boos followed, and the subsequent final song fell a bit flat. It was a disappointing end, but the only blot on what was an otherwise incredible night of Welsh folk music. The strength of and sheer originality on the national scene at the moment is inspiring. The Trials of Cato most definitely reflect that, and after their performance here, Tant are undoubtedly doing the same.
Click here to visit The Trials of Cato’ website, and/or here to watch a live performance by Tant.
Featured Images (C) Trails of Cato/Tant
Originally written for Get the Chance on 18th January 2020.
I am walking up the High Street in St Asaph on an unseasonably warm January evening. The final remnants of Christmas hang in shop windows. The town’s tree is already stripped bare. It stands awkwardly on the side of the street. Meanwhile, opposite, a yellow glow emanates from the inside of the Cathedral. It stands, as always, resplendent at the top of the hill. As I reach the door, I can hear Robert Guy, Artistic Director of the NEW Sinfonia Orchestra, introducing the opening piece. I pull out my phone to show my ticket and notice that I am three minutes late. As a result, I decline the kind steward’s invitation of a seat at the front, and wander to a row of seats at the back. It helps that I know the place, for it allows me to settle immediately and enjoy the final section of Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty Waltz. It receives the first of many rapturous applause’ on the night, and deservedly so. Made up of professional musicians from across North Wales and beyond, Robert and his brother, Jonathan, have assembled a talented cast whose collective sound brings the bricks of this ancient venue to life. It is no wonder that the well-dressed crowd in front of me look relaxed and fully engaged in every bit of what follows on this mild eve.
Robert Guy
Jonathan Guy
There is a rousing rendition of Strauss’ Thunder and Lightning Polka, a sprightly performance of Chit-Chat Polka, and a fascinating piece by Vittorio Monti called Czardas. However, it is a special guest appearance by Erin Rossington that particularly grabs my attention. Winner of the ‘International Voice of the Future’ at the Llangollen International Eisteddfod in 2019, the Guildhall School of Music student both looks and sounds like a future star. Dressed resplendently in a silk dress, she delivers a note-perfect performance of Porgi Amor from the Marriage of Figaro. Following that up with Waltz of My Heart, I am struck by the gentle power of her vocals. Hers is a voice that never overwhelms. Instead, it reaches out and softly touches the wooden beams that adorn the roof of the Cathedral. It is strong, but not overbearing; confident without being arrogant. It sits beautifully alongside the orchestral score.
Rossington is indeed a rising talent, as is Jonathan Guy, who showcases his aptitude for composition with a new piece called Fire Dance. Coming at the start of the second half, it is an intriguing bit of music that reflects the tempestuous element of the title. The low tones of the introduction speak of danger, before a more uplifting section produces something of a magical effect that, in the final part, produces a majestic sound that captures the awful beauty to be found in flickering flames. It is a far cry from those fireside images of Christmas which are now fast being extinguished from the memory for another year. In their place, thoughts turn to those caught up in the Australian bushfires. It is fitting that an encore of Auld Lang Syne is touched with poignancy. The string section is solemn, and the audience, in unison, lend a certain pathos to the closing moments of this excellent concert. Thunderous clapping gives way to a politely crowded exit. And as I walk out into the pleasant calmness of the weather, I wonder if there could have been any better way to start the New Year? The answer, I conclude, is no.
Emily Frith’s new EP would make a great companion piece to the new adaptation of Little Women. Having fallen in love all over again with the characters in Louisa May Allcott’s tale, thanks to the excellent direction of Greta Gurwig and a commanding performance from Saoirse Ronan as Jo, I notice that the same themes of female empowerment and fulfilment beyond romantic love crop up in Open Book. It is a sign that, at the start of a new decade, the female voice is finally being given some serious room to speak.
Where artists like Taylor Swift and Maren Morris paved a way in the 2010s, now the next generation of female musicians have the opportunity to cement their path. Frith is among them. You can hear the influence of Swift in her music, most potently in opening track ‘Better’, where the pop production mixes wonderfully with lyrical honesty. These lyrics reflect both a vulnerability and defiance that ultimately send a message of empowerment to her listeners, as Frith sings that, despite words that hurt, break ups that wound, and lies that make you cry, ‘everything that hurt you made you better’.
Frith is speaking out of her own experience, laying bear the inherent contradictions that make us such complicated beings in the process. So, in ‘Out’, we get lost in order to find ourselves. And even as she declares that she is ‘Giving Up on Love’, she also has this undeniable urge to ‘Want to Love’. This push-and-pull of romantic expectations and individual value is pertinently reflected in the character of Jo March. In perhaps the standout scene in Little Women, she declares that “Women… have minds, and they have souls, as well as just hearts. And they’ve got ambition, and they’ve got talent, as well as beauty, and I’m so sick of people saying that love is just all a woman is fit for. I’m so sick of it!”
Frith embodies all of the above in her music. ‘Giving Up on Love’ is a kind of anti-lovesong, in the same way as Kelsea Ballerini, in ‘I Hate Lovesongs’, rejects the social stereotypes around love. Neither of them dismiss love entirely however. Rather, Kelsea’s admittance ‘but I love you’, and Emily’s ‘I want to love somebody so much’, recognise that it is mind and soul and heart. It is this truthful expression of the female experience, told through infectious choruses and high-end production (none more so than on ‘The Blue‘), which makes Frith a credit to her industry. Open Book displays immense maturity for one so young. Bigger things surely await the Essex-based songwriter.
Click here to stream the EP or here to purchase a physical copy.
In 2018, it was the Christmas EPs of Charlotte Campbell and Jess Thristan respectively that helped get me in the festive mood. In 2019, it is a couple of cracking Christmas singles that are making the run up to the big day all the more enjoyable. Click on the images below to watch/listen:
Padraig – Blue Christmas
This cover evokes the spirit of Elvis vocally whilst drawing on the big band sound of Michael Bublé’s version musically. It may not be an original take on a Christmas classic but it still makes for an enjoyable listen.
Little Folk – Christmas is Here
This charity single provokes a poignant smile every time. Its relaxed feel reminds me of Driving Home for Christmas. Everything you could want from a festive country song, with all proceeds going to an incredibly worthy cause.
To purchase the single, and thereby make a donation, click here.
Rosey Cale – I’ll Be Your Baby
Cale can be proud of this addition to her catalogue, a festive-tinged ballad written and performed solely by her. The video is worth watching, her performance warranting comparisons with the likes of Ingrid Andress. A beautiful recording.
It has been a tough day. And on tough days, music is one of the things that sees me through. Earlier I drove to work listening to the meditative sounds of Wildwood Kin. This evening, I just wanted a pick me up. I had planned on listening to Lily Garland’s new EP Rise Above the Ashes anyway. I am so glad that I did. Her rock-infused sound was the perfect tonic. I write this with a renewed sense of purpose and vigour. Garland knows how to lift one’s spirits.
Think Liv Austen. Think Carrie Underwood. The opening title track certainly seems to borrow from the latter’s ‘Before He Cheats’. Its opening lyrics include the lines: “I took your keys, dug them in your car and slashed all four tyres”. Garland has attitude. She means business. The sprinkling of piano alongside revved up guitars adds sass and style. She says that “I wanted to write a track that felt empowering”. Well, Lily, you have done just that.
She describes the rest of the EP as a retrospective of her musical journey so far. It is one that is filled with good vibes and catchy sounds. ‘He’s Not the One’ is a luscious piece of music that has been marinated in gospel and slow cooked in soul. ‘Time to Fly’ is much more poppy, evoking many a chart hit from the late-90s/early noughties. It was exactly the kind of song that I was looking for to bring a beaming smile to my face.
It is a smile that remains there as the anthemic ‘I’m Coming For You’ finishes. I end the day in a much better place than I started. It may not be festive, but Garland has, nevertheless, brought some real cheer to the Christmas season.
“The maker of her destiny, the keeper of her faith”
My bruises may have healed but my mind is still the same”
Visit Lily Garland’s website here to order your copy.
I am sat listening to Molly-Anne’s new EP Autumn Leaves on a sunny but chilly afternoon. After a night of hard frost, the sun has finally managed to break through, leaving a watery coat on the red, yellow, brown and green of the trees and bushes. They glisten gently in the garden, a decorative space that is busy with birds. A magpie stops temporarily on top of the hedge in front of me. I imagine him there, for a moment, pausing for breath as he takes in the melodious sound emanating from my phone.
‘Little Cove’ is playing, a sweet little track sandwiched in the middle of Autumn Leaves. It captures perfectly the soft, daydreaming tones of this Gloucestershire-based artist whom I managed to catch at Buckle & Boots earlier this year. Then, she was reminiscing about her time in California, her songs fizzing with the brightness and optimism of summer. Now, she is much more mellow and contemplative. Autumn Leaves captures beautifully the changing of the seasons from autumn to winter. The rawness of its live recording, in which the gentle but unproduced vocals of Molly-Anne come through with startling clarity, act like a metaphor for the weather outside: the cold slowly starting to bite down on the warmth of the sun’s rays.
The sun’s light remains undimmed however. The magpie’s coat flashes resplendently in it before he flies off. He misses out on the high and hopeful tones of ‘Yellow Sky’, the final and best track on the EP. The sound of the guitar here is heartening, speaking of promise and urging expectancy. It makes me think, as my window begins to cloud over, masking the radiant colours of autumn, that even as the dark nights close in, this season is not over just yet. Nature retains a sense of vibrancy. And even when it finally gives way to winter, the calm and spirited delivery of Molly-Anne signals that spring is never too far away.
“I’ll be yours under the Cornish sun until morning comes”
“I hope the wind blows you back to me”
Visit Molly-Anne’s website here to order your copy (only 100 available)
desperatelylostcity.com 