The full band sound on Hollie Rogers’ debut album, ‘Criminal Heart’, compliments well her style and delivery as a singer-songwriter. After hearing her live only as an acoustic act, it came as somewhat of a relief that the added layers of instrumentation on the record do not overpower the lyrics or vocal sentiment that makeContinue reading “Hollie Rogers – Criminal Heart”
Category Archives: Album Reviews
Motel Sundown – If You Were Listening
There is no better description of the sound on Motel Sundown’s debut album than that of their own: “layered acoustics”. They sum up perfectly in two words the sumptuous blend of uncomplicated yet sophisticated that makes ‘If You Were Listening’ a rich easy listening experience. It is a delight to get lost in their mixContinue reading “Motel Sundown – If You Were Listening”
Elles Bailey – Shining in the Half Light
Elles Bailey’s latest album, ‘Shining in the Half Light’, has been forged in the fire of the last few years. It is a record that speaks to the experience and perspective of the independent musician over a particularly turbulent period. There are hints and nods to both Brexit and Covid without ever being explicit aboutContinue reading “Elles Bailey – Shining in the Half Light”
Dan Jordan and The Warbirds – Road to Ruin
Dan Jordan and The Warbirds evade categorisation. They are poetry. They are music. They are outlaw country. They are moody blues. They are folk storytelling. They are heavy metal vocals. The only seminal thread that runs through their latest album, Road to Ruin, is main man Dan’s clear connection to the music of Bob Dylan.Continue reading “Dan Jordan and The Warbirds – Road to Ruin”
The Rising – No Hope Without Love
One of the privileges in discovering new artists is witnessing their progression from early single releases to a later, more refined sound. Over the course of time, the raw material with which they start out matures into something that comes to represent their core identity. And it is this identity, once found, that allows themContinue reading “The Rising – No Hope Without Love”
Katherine Priddy – The Eternal Rocks Beneath
Prepare to be transported into the stories told by Katherine Priddy on her debut album, ‘The Eternal Rocks Beneath’. The folk artist does not just tell her tales. She makes you feel them too. Her stirring soundscapes are enough to stir the imagination, give cause for reflection, and transform the poetic form into lyrics thatContinue reading “Katherine Priddy – The Eternal Rocks Beneath”
Rae Sam – The Great Escape
There is something incredibly uplifting about Rae Sam’s debut album The Great Escape. The Welsh singer-songwriter has found a winning combination of positive lyrics, upbeat sounds and pleasant vocals. All contribute to a feel-good sound that makes you want to get up and dance for the most part, with only a couple of tracks windingContinue reading “Rae Sam – The Great Escape”
Megan O’Neill – Getting Comfortable with Uncertainty
Two years ago, Megan O’Neill gave a spellbinding performance of her song ‘Ireland’ at C2C. It was one of those spine-tingling moments that live long in the memory, and has meant the release of her second album has been highly anticipated. The wait has been longer than expected, but the moment has finally arrived. GettingContinue reading “Megan O’Neill – Getting Comfortable with Uncertainty”
Jess and The Bandits – My Country Christmas
If there’s one Christmas album that is determined to lift you out of your lockdown blues then it is the new release from country band Jess and the Bandits. My Country Christmas is a barnstorming record that has happiness and joy written all over it. Opening track ‘Sleigh Ride’ is emblematic of the album’s resemblanceContinue reading “Jess and The Bandits – My Country Christmas”
Philippa Hanna – Stained Glass Stories
When Philippa Hanna released her latest album Stained Glass Stories, it was with nervous anticipation that I pressed play. The sometime-Country singer-songwriter has journeyed into the world of Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) to make a worship album for the first time.
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