Welsh-based, UK-focused Country Music Reviews and Interviews
Chloe Jones – Feels Like Fiction
‘Feels Like Fiction’ feels like the work of a seasoned artist. Yet this is Chloe Jones’ debut album. The Manchester-based singer-songwriter may have made waves with her EP ‘A Shore to Circle Back to’ but this latest record finds her crashing firmly onto the country music scene. Blending a mix of genres to rework literary narratives, she succeeds in transposing…
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The Goudies – Hold On Honey
Listen to the debut album from The Goudies and it’s no wonder they are in demand. Supporting the likes of Tenille Townes and Amy Wadge, they are the perfect accompaniment to those most exquisite of storytellers. ‘Hold on Honey’ is dripping with wisdom. Ten songs that may be simple in their musical rendering but invite deep reflection lyrically. It is…
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Izzie Walsh – Where Do We Go From Here?
After a couple of years away, Izzie Walsh picks up where she left off. Her debut album ‘Where Do We Go from Here?’ is a continuation rather than evolution of her sound. That familiar Americana – haunting and enchanting in equal measure – remains the defining feature around lyrics that shimmer with deep simplicity. Whether it be songs of love…
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Susannah Clegg – Good Times are Coming Our Way
‘Good Times are Coming Our Way’ is the title of Susannah Clegg’s album. An understatement if it’s used to describe her debut collection. For these ten songs firmly announce her as one of the stars of traditional country music in the UK. While many others blend pop with the genre to various extents, Clegg stays true to fiddle, double bass…
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Zoe Unsworth – Old Time Soul
The title track is buried in the middle of Zoe Unsworth’s EP. But the artists it quotes are worth starting with to understand where ‘Old Time Soul’ sits. Dolly and Elvis may be two of the most obvious choices when it comes to country music, but their ability to cross-pollinate is Zoe Unsworth’s forte. Here are five tracks that span…
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Rebecca Richards – Stories from the Stable
Rebecca Richards is an artist who is consistently good at what she does. The Welsh singer-songwriter has been gaining recognition and plaudits of late, including an invitation to spend time in Nashville. Her latest EP though has been made closer to home. ‘Stories from the Stable’ refers to four tracks recorded in Stef Judd’s studio in Norfolk. They represent an…
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Bryony Sier – Who Am I
Bryony Sier has managed to sum up her album in nine words. One for each song on the record. It is some feat considering that her sound has always been hard to pin down. ‘Who Am I’ feels like a natural follow-on to 2020’s ‘Personal Monster’. Themes of identity and mental health persist but there is much more positivity than…
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H.B. Whitman – No.1 Best Selling Page Turner
You can be forgiven for thinking H.B. Whitman is an American export. But the traditional country sounds on his debut single ‘No. 1 Best Selling Page Turner’ have been honed in England. Having studied the history and craft as a session musician, the influence of Kris Kristofferson and John Prine can be heard not only in his vocals but his…
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Izzie Walsh – I Need You More
‘I Need You More’, the new single from Izzie Walsh, is a reminder that presence is the most important thing in life. But as many of us experience in “the rat race” of contemporary culture, to be there in practice is not always easy. We “work till we feel the bones” to try and make something for ourselves and that…
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Olivia Lynn – Little Miss Nightmare
Olivia Lynn’s single might have been late to its own release party but its eventual appearance has been worth the wait. Through no fault of its own, ‘Little Miss Nightmare’ was taken down from Spotify (along with the rest of Lynn’s material) and only reinstalled after the tenacious work of Lynn and her parents. The kind of resolve seen in…
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