USM - United State Of Mind (Album Review)

March 02, 2021 by David Vousden in Album Reviews, Blues, R&B, Reggae, Soul

United State of Mind shouldn’t work as well as it does. On paper the idea of Robin Trower the guitar ace and Procol Harum founding member - who sold millions of records in the 70s and 80s with his brand of power-trio, blues-rock - forming a band with Maxi Priest the British singer who enjoyed chart success in the 1990s (‘Close To You’ was a US No.1 in 1990) with a sound that merged elements of reggae and R&B seems at the very least unlikely (The pair aren’t quite David and Bing but it’s a pretty close run thing). Any fears prove unfounded as there is plenty of musical chemistry on show here. Robin initially met Maxi by chance in the studio of producer Livingstone Brown who recalls “When Robin first met Maxi; I thought this cannot end well. Wow, this record is proof I was so wrong!” Livingstone Brown is the glue that holds USM together utilising his bass and keyboard skills alongside his duties as the producer on as soulful a record as you’re likely to hear this year.

Chris Roberts - Red Feather EP (Album Review)

February 24, 2021 by David Vousden in Album Reviews, Americana, Country Rock, Southern Rock, Country

Chris Roberts’ career path is an interesting one. The Austin native had worked on ranches and construction sites in Texas while laying carpet and even washing cars further demonstrate a willingness to get his hands dirty. Roberts would eventually find business success with the launch of Aspen Hatter a highly regarded hat-making business (I kid you not) in Colorado. Needless to say, he’s got the life experience down and with his debut EP ‘Red Feather’ he’s also got his music down.

Downes Braide Association (DBA) - Halcyon Hymns (Album Review)

February 04, 2021 by David Vousden in Album Reviews, AOR, Classic Rock, DVD, Melodic Rock, Pop, Progressive Rock, Rock

Downes Braide Association aka DBA originally started as a collaborative studio project in 2012 between Christopher Braide a Brit working in the USA writing and producing music for film scores, advertising campaigns and with a host of rock and pop artists (Sia, Lana Del Rey, Christina Aguilera, Beyonce, Paloma Faith, Britney Spears, Marc Almond) and keyboardist Geoffrey Downes of YES, Buggles and Asia fame. Eight years later and the duo had three albums under their belt while tentative forays into live performance in 2018 (resulting in a live record) and again in 2020 had proved successful. After the live shows in early 2020, Braide found himself in a bit of a funk when Marc Almond called and suggested he look at the possibility of a new DBA record to get the creative juices flowing. Braide delved into some musical ideas from Downes and inspiration struck immediately. Compositional ideas and snatches of melody quickly began to take shape and resulted is Halcyon Hymns, a record that perfectly captures feelings and memories of a time and a place when everything seemed so much simpler.

Lucero - When You Found Me (Album Review)

January 29, 2021 by David Vousden in Album Reviews, Alt-Country, Alternative Rock, Americana, Classic Rock

My belated introduction to Lucero was via their 2018 release ‘Among The Ghosts’ which proved to be one of the very best releases of that year. The tone was dark, the sound widescreen and the songs dragged you in and held on tight. I was lucky enough to catch Lucero at the Black Deer Festival in 2019 where on a bright sunny afternoon deep in the English countryside their songs proved equally effective as they would in a sweaty club. It was a powerful, gritty performance that reinforced my opinion that Lucero is at the top of their game. For the follow up to ‘Ghosts’ frontman Ben Nichols has expanded on the third-person, character-driven approach that had crept into his writing for ‘Ghosts’. Nichols mixes up family-driven tales of love and redemption firmly rooted in reality with interesting diversions into campfire tales and folklore. The other innovation to the Lucero sound finds Rick Steff employing a host of vintage synth sounds to bolster his usual organ/piano armoury. The resulting album could well turn out to be one of the best records of their career.

Mark Vennis & Different Place - Fighting On All Fronts (Album Review)

January 28, 2021 by David Vousden in Album Reviews, Punk, Rock, Reggae, Roots Rock

Mark Vennis is probably best known as a film producer with an impressive list of screen credits including the Maxine Peake comedy ‘Funny Cow’ (a Mark Kermode ‘Film Of The Week’ with music by Richard Hawley no less) and musical biographies of The Slits ‘Hear To Be Heard’ and Don Letts ‘Rebel Dread’. Away from what might be called his day job, Vennis has also released three records the latest of which ‘Fighting On All Fronts’ in late 2020 via Cadiz Music. A glance at the subjects featured in Vennis’ films will point the way to where he’s going musically but, as luck would have it, there’s rather more to ‘Fighting On All Fronts’ than initially meets the eye.

World Goes Round - S.T. (Album Review)

January 21, 2021 by David Vousden in Album Reviews, 80s, Pop

If you have a healthy obsession with all things music, then I’m pretty sure you will have been drawn into conversations on the subject of the unreleased album (music fans love to obsess about what might have been). Musical history is awash with lost sessions, lost tapes and probably the odd lost mind, as fans debate the existence of some unheard masterpiece. Some “lost” albums do eventually appear as artists and labels raid the vaults (Neil Young) while others are probably figments of a fertile imagination relating to recording sessions that might have produced an album if completed successfully (who wouldn’t want to hear Jeff Beck’s Motown sessions from 1970?). Others have crept out via other means (KISS/Wicked Lester). Whatever the reason, music fans love to talk about music almost as much as they like to listen to it, which brings us to a late 80s band going by the name of World Goes Round.

Cats In Space - Atlantis (Album Review)

December 01, 2020 by Rich Barnard in Album Reviews, AOR, Classic Rock, Hard Rock, Melodic Rock, Rock

UK rock sextet Cats In Space are back - in the biggest of ways - with their fourth studio album, Atlantis. Songwriter and guitarist Greg Hart promises that compared to previous outings, this LP “has more symphony” (a delightfully Spinal Tappian claim, making reference to the orchestrations by renowned arranger Mike Moran). While it remains a mystery as to whether or not it was recorded in Dobly, Atlantis is certainly the band’s most grandiose statement to date, as the band persist in indulging all the musical excesses of classic seventies rock (think Queen, think ELO), with no acknowledgement of the four full decades that have since passed. Of course, this sort of enterprise is the purest of love affairs and each of these songs has been crafted with the utmost care. Every guitar break, synth wig-out and quadruple-tracked vocal is era-perfect; this is the majesty of Rock, writ large.

JuBillee - You And I (Album Review)

November 24, 2020 by David Vousden in Album Reviews, Country, Pop

Over the last few years, as the UK public has slowly reembraced country music with an ardour not seen in decades, the previously underground UK country scene has stepped into the light with marked success for the likes of Ward Thomas and The Shires. The latest UK hopefuls to come to the attention of RGM are JuBillee featuring Justine Wilson and Billy Warren whose debut album You And I is available now via new label Vacancy Records who put out the excellent Ashley Campbell album.

Leith Ross - Motherwell EP (Album Reviews)

November 16, 2020 by Rich Barnard in Album Reviews, Folk, Indie, Singer-Songwriter

22 year-old Leith Ross’ debut EP, Motherwell, is a quietly brilliant and deeply affecting collection of confessional songs. The Ottawa -based singer songwriter (who is presumably of Scottish heritage) recorded the eight-song set in a single afternoon, giving it an unpolished charm and uncommon immediacy. The frailty of human experience; the loneliness of early adulthood and the emotional resonances of family and personal history are captured in intimate, lo-fi detail, on what is one of the most remarkable releases of the year so far.

Patrik Jansson Band - IV CD (Album Review)

November 02, 2020 by David Vousden in Album Reviews, Blues

Patrik Jansson isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel on ‘IV’ but by stripping away the horn and string flourishes of previous albums the Swedish singer/guitarist shifts the focus to the songs with the emphasis firmly on a band aesthetic. This approach shines a light on new keyboardist Lars Eriksson whose contributions are vital to the overall sound and success of the album.

Sam Brookes - Black Feathers (Album Review)

October 26, 2020 by Rich Barnard in Album Reviews, Folk, Singer-Songwriter

It’s been six years since Sam Brookes emerged with his warmly-received debut Kairos and its follow-up, Black Feathers, is the product of a period of change and loss for the artist. Following the passing of his father, the breakdown of a relationship and the death of a close friend, the album that Brookes felt compelled to make next is, as you might expect, a reflective and soul-scouring affair - he calls it a “meditation on grief” - but remarkably there’s little about Black Feathers that feels maudlin or macabre.

The Explorers Club - S.T. / To Sing And Be Born Again (Album Review)

October 22, 2020 by David Vousden in Album Reviews, Classic Rock, Pop

As the modern world seemingly goes from bad to worse, wouldn’t it be fantastic to fire up the DeLorean and disappear to some other time and place? I’m not naive enough to expect things to be all sweetness and light in my chosen destination, but a change is as good as a rest, or so they say. In the meantime - while I’m inventing my take on a flux capacitor - I’ll let The Explorers Club aka Jason Brewer magically transport me back to the classic pop sounds of the sixties/seventies via two albums that luxuriate in the sweet, summery sounds of yesteryear. Two albums that should put a smile on the face of those in need of a little pick me up as the nights draw in and, for many of us; hibernation is starting to look like a sensible option.

Jon Gomm - The Faintest Idea

October 14, 2020 by Rich Barnard in Acoustic, Album Reviews, Folk, Singer-Songwriter

Jon Gomm has long been known as a guitar-playing pioneer, using a Michael Hedges-inspired brand of percussive fingerstyle wizardry as the backdrop to his songwriting. While you - yes, you - clock up millions of hours sat on your posterior in front of Netflix, you can be certain that Jon Gomm is putting in the equivalent practising. I suspect he even practises while having a wee, but let’s not linger on how that might work. Anyway, as your teachers always told you, practise pays off and everything about Jon Gomm’s playing is flawless on his latest record, The Faintest Idea. While similarly gifted artists like Newton Faulkner have successfully crossed over into the mainstream, Gomm has gathered his successes more quietly, remaining fiercely independent (this is the first of his albums not to be self-released) and retaining the respect of his peers while still winning thousands of fans around the world.

Ashley Campbell - Something Lovely (Album Review)

October 08, 2020 by David Vousden in Country, Singer-Songwriter, Album Reviews

Ashley Campbell’s back story is pretty well known, but for any newcomers, Ashley is the daughter of country legend Glen Campbell whose impressive musicality would rub off on her as she learned to play the guitar and latterly the banjo, which became her primary instrument - initially for an appearance in a play she was acting in at the time. Ashley is the youngest of Glen’s eight children and would follow, in what became something of a family tradition, and join his touring band as Glen bravely battled Alzheimer’s, and spread awareness about this most devastating of diseases. Ashley released her debut album ‘The Lonely One’ in 2018 which highlighted her sweet vocals, banjo prowess and emotive songwriting supporting the album with regular visits to the UK, including shows at C2C and Black Deer Festival. As with most debut albums, ‘The Lonely One’ struggled a little to stay focused as Ashley dabbled with country-pop and a more traditional sound, but the album flowed well and was an enjoyable listen. Ashley seemed equally adept in both genres - and the good was very good – so I was eager to see which Ashley Campbell would deliver her sophomore release.

Darlingside - Fish Pond Fish (Album Review)

October 07, 2020 by Rich Barnard in Album Reviews, Acoustic, Folk

Darlingside are back with more bucolic future-folk on their new album Fish Pond Fish. The Massachusetts quartet have not lain idle since their last full-length LP, 2018’s Extralife, having released the Look Up & Fly Away EP in 2019 and a 20-track collection of instrumentals earlier this year. Where Extralife imagined a post-apocalyptic future, Fish Pond Fish is essentially a love letter to the natural world, rooted in the here and now. Work that began in late 2019 - with the band living together in the studio with producer Peter Katis - had to be halted and the record was subsequently completed with each member working remotely from home. For a band whose character is reliant on - and embodied by - a finely balanced synergy (live, they perform around just one central mic) this sudden change must have thrown up significant challenges. Ultimately, though, these have worked in Darlingside’s favour, the resultant album having more in the way of space and intimacy than those that came before.

Scott Cook - Tangle Of Souls (Album Review)

October 06, 2020 by Rich Barnard in Album Reviews, Americana, Folk, Singer-Songwriter

Ordinarily I have little time for what I call the dungaree-thumbing end of the country music spectrum. Yet I find myself irresistibly drawn to rootsy Canadian singer songwriter Scott Cook. Tangle of Souls is the seasoned troubadour’s seventh album and is accompanied by a whopping 240-page cloth-bound, hardback book. This little tome, of which I confess I have only scratched the surface, is an autobiographical work of folk-philosophy that deserves a review or three all by itself. In it, the self-confessed “full-time rambler” weaves the story of each song through the pages with honesty, self-awareness and uncommon academic flair (quotes! references! footnotes!). But, at the risk of doing Mr Cook a disservice, I am going to focus on the music.

Jake Allen - Affirmation Day (Album Review)

October 01, 2020 by Rich Barnard in Album Reviews, Singer-Songwriter, Folk, Pop

There are some people in this world who are so multitalented that it’s just plain rude and accomplished American fingerstyle guitarist, singer and songwriter Jake Allen is one of these preposterously blessed human beings. Where so many others have failed, Allen’s new album succeeds in keeping the guitar right at the centre of things without compromising any sonic vision. And, on Affirmation Day there is sonic vision in abundance.

Shannon LaBrie - Building (Album Review)

September 25, 2020 by Rich Barnard in Album Reviews, Singer-Songwriter, Soul, Country, Blues

Shannon LaBrie’s 2017 album War & Peace was met with the kind of critical acclaim most musicians only ever dream of and, while it put the honey-voiced singer on the map, her musical identity remained a little elusive, with her lyrically sharp songwriting left shrouded in smokey soul and easy-country robes.

Lisa Lambe - Juniper (Album Review)

September 08, 2020 by David Vousden in Album Reviews, Americana, Folk, Singer-Songwriter

As many far more literate than yours truly have concluded over the years “The best-laid plans of mice and men” are often subject to the fickle hands of fate. Irish actress and singer Lisa Lambe has enjoyed a highly successful career in her home country with a string of well-received roles mainly on the stage. The multi-talented Lambe was also a member of Celtic Women who unsurprisingly found enormous success in America (10 Million+ worldwide CD/DVD sales) with their blend of traditional and contemporary Irish music. In 2015 she embarked on a solo career, recording an album in Nashville ‘Hiding Away’ that received cautiously positive feedback with reviewers praising Lambe’s voice while adding that the album of folk-infused songs - in the main by outside writers including Paul Brady -had been given a Nashville sheen that wasn’t necessarily required.

Mick Hayes - My Claim To FAME (Album Review)

September 04, 2020 by David Vousden in Album Reviews, Blues, Soul, R&B

Back in the days of LP records (the first time, not the recent resurgence of interest) part of the joy of a 12” album jacket was the sleeve notes. You’d hope for a lyric sheet but if all else failed there was the absolute joy of digging into all that additional info (this was in the days when I didn’t need a magnifying glass to read the small print). Many hours would be spent pouring over the credits to ascertain who played what, the colour of the bass players socks and, most importantly, where was the album recorded? Various studios gained positive notoriety for sound and a feel that you couldn’t quite put your finger on that lay deep in the grooves. Abbey Road would instantly shout The Beatles, Rockfield conjured up visions of Ozzy in a barn with sheep watching the sessions while much further afield Compass Point painted glamourous pictures of lazing by the pool cocktail in hand. Then there was the FAME studio in Muscle Shoals Alabama…