Helen Maw has a great deal of heartbreak to share on debut album ‘Growing Pains’. The Liverpool singer/songwriter puts the piano centre stage in a series of songs that feature break-ups, shake-ups and the odd take-up of relationships. Mixed in with these emotional stories are a variety of instruments that all serve to enhance theContinue reading “Helen Maw – Growing Pains”
Category Archives: UK Country Music
The Wandering Hearts – ‘Mother’ Tour
The Wandering Hearts will always soothe the soul. None more so than on nights like this. For such has the frustration, expectation and manipulation weighed heavy on me this past Easter week, that to enter Gorilla and experience the refreshing tones of the trio’s harmonies is a gift duly embraced. An air of nostalgia alsoContinue reading “The Wandering Hearts – ‘Mother’ Tour”
Sarah Louise – Change of Plan
On a night when I’m not at my best, there are moments on ‘Change of Plan’ that still capture my attention. This 14-track collection from Sarah Louise is an assortment of sounds and genres. A selection box of different flavours from Country to Pop, Jazz to Folk. It is hard to pin her down, butContinue reading “Sarah Louise – Change of Plan”
Taynee Lord – Heavy Air
Taynee Lord is diverting down a darker road for her latest single. Country turns to Blues on ‘Heavy Air’: electric guitars creeping over her like shadows; haunted by the harmonies in the chorus. It perfectly resembles the situation in which she finds herself: trapped by a gaslit narrative that has moulded her into an anxiousContinue reading “Taynee Lord – Heavy Air”
Girls’ Night In @ The Philharmonic Music Room
Each of the members of Girls’ Night Inbring something different to the show but friendship runs through them all like a stick of rock. The camaraderie between the four is a joy to behold, and is one of the reasons this Songwriters’ Round works so well. The quality of their voices and the variety betweenContinue reading “Girls’ Night In @ The Philharmonic Music Room”
Elles Bailey – The Night Owl & The Lark
The team around Elles Bailey has solidified over these past couple of years. And it’s only when hearing ‘The Night Owl & The Lark’ do you realise how integral they have become to her sound. Not that this latest EP disrupts in any negative way. There are notable differences though from her previous records. WhileContinue reading “Elles Bailey – The Night Owl & The Lark”
Neeve Zahra – Rub a Little Dirt On It
Stunningly beautiful. Nothing sums up Neeve Zahra’s new single better. ‘Rub a Little Dirt On It’ is one of those rare moments when the magic of the acoustic guitar works to unbelievable effect. The delicacy with which this Country-Folk track is played is matched by very few UK artists in the genre. It is classicContinue reading “Neeve Zahra – Rub a Little Dirt On It”
Amy-Jo – On Days Like These
Amy-Jo puts a contemporary twist on a well-loved classic for her first release of 2024. Not many have attempted to rework ‘On Days Like These’, perhaps because Matt Munro’s original is so definitive. Rather than make massive alterations then, the producers of Amy-Jo’s version merely update it using the latest techniques. It means a farContinue reading “Amy-Jo – On Days Like These”
Lisa T – Easy to Love
Lisa T starts 2024 with a deftly-pointed finger. Through a simple pop production that has a touch of classic Cheryl Cole about it, she presents the reality of what real relationship looks like. The stripped-back nature of the guitar chords at the beginning of ‘Easy to Love’ have more than a touch of romanticism aboutContinue reading “Lisa T – Easy to Love”
Jodie Marie @ The Tin Shed
“It’s like being in my living room”, says Jodie Marie. And the audience quietly agree. Last time I was at The Tin Shed, the Spring sun was streaming through the windows from the green hillside: the perfect accompaniment to Ellie Gowers. Tonight, in mid-December, it’s a different story. The black night coats the glass toContinue reading “Jodie Marie @ The Tin Shed”