Five Festive Country Tunes for 2025

Christmas has crept up on me this year. So much so that I’ve already missed a fair few singles with an undeniably festive feel. To put that right, I thought I’d do a quick rundown of five tunes with which to fill your musical stocking. Four from the UK, plus a bonus track from oneContinue reading “Five Festive Country Tunes for 2025”

Laura Evans – Out of the Dark

Laura Evans returns with a second album as good as the first. If ‘State of Mind’ was a revelation then ‘Out of the Dark’ cements her reputation. That signature Blues/Rock sound once again echoing from the speakers with anthemic precision. ‘Wherever You Are’ begins an album that is heavy on the beat. Expressing with intentContinue reading “Laura Evans – Out of the Dark”

Evelyn Cornell – Seventeen

Seventeen seems to be a seminal year for country artists. Shay Gaston and Rebecca Hurn have 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… /Continue reading “Evelyn Cornell – Seventeen”

Amy-Jo – Friends You Meet Along the Way (Chester)

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 Harvey and BellaContinue reading “Amy-Jo – Friends You Meet Along the Way (Chester)”

Caitlin Mae – Your Truck

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 intoContinue reading “Caitlin Mae – Your Truck”

Rosey Cale – Coffee Cup

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-timingContinue reading “Rosey Cale – Coffee Cup”

Ellie Marie – Don’t Take It to Heart

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 imageContinue reading “Ellie Marie – Don’t Take It to Heart”

Mia Ramo – Mud on Your Boots

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 signsContinue reading “Mia Ramo – Mud on Your Boots”

Nia Nicholls – If You Were a Song

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 tooContinue reading “Nia Nicholls – If You Were a Song”

See Emily Play – Still Playing

See Emily Play has produced one of the most authentic and original EPs that I’ve heard in a while. Combining alt-country with punk-rock and contrasting with balladeering-pop, ‘Still Playing’ is a highly entertaining amalgamation of sounds and experiences tied together with threads of self-acceptance. Whether in the “rapid and rocky sounds of contemporary bluegrass” toContinue reading “See Emily Play – Still Playing”