Sierra Ferrell Trail Of Flowers Rounder Sierra Ferrell's ascent from the humble beginnings of street performances and truck stop gigs to the illustrious stages of the Grand Ole Opry and The Ryman in just a few years is a captivating narrative that stands as one of the most thrilling success stories in contemporary country music. Her debut album for Rounder Records, LONG TIME COMING, was a bold departure from the norm. Born in West Virginia, she defied conventions, creating her own sub-genre of gypsy music and seamlessly transitioning between old-time country, folk, and New Orleans-styled jazz. TRAIL OF FLOWERS, her latest offering, continues this eclectic musical journey, coinciding with a nationwide tour that includes two nights at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Old-timey in sound and sentiment, Fox Hunt, with a heavy bass and drum beat and raging fiddle, harks back to days of self-survival and hunting for any available nourishment long before the convenience of the local store or supermarket. The protagonist in the front porch sing-a-long I Could Drive You Crazy may well be the ideal suitor for the woodsman in Fox Hunt ('Well, I can't hunt and I can't fish/But I can drive you crazy'). The murder ballad Rosemary, with little more than vocal and acoustic guitar before the song's climax, also transports the listener back to those former times.  Nikki Lane and Kristen Rogers provide backing vocals on the instantly catchy and audacious Dollar Bill Bar. Her cover of Fiddlin' Arthur Smith's Chittlin Cooking Time in Cheatham County is a delightful slice of ragtime heaven. Money Train is a poignant lament for lost love, and the album concludes in a similar vein with the acoustic country No Letter.  To her immense credit, despite being extremely marketable, Sierra Ferrell has avoided the temptation of travelling down a more mainstream path with TRAIL OF FLOWERS and instead stuck with what is close to her heart. Keeping the engines of country music well and truly stoked, she continues with her purple patch both in the studio and on stage. Long may it continue.  Declan Culliton Kimmi Bitter Old School Self-Release Kimmi Bitter’s debut full-length album, OLD SCHOOL, transports the listener back to 1962 when Patsy Cline was ruling the airwaves with her velvety vocal tones and aching tales, alongside Loretta Lynn, who was No.1 with the Johnny Mullins-written Success. The album is not simply retrospective in revisiting that period; Bitter has the vocal deftness and songs, lock, stock, and barrel, to champion that period in classic country. Following several singles, some of which are included on this album, and a relentless touring schedule, Bitter and her band of ten years, The Westside Twang, are generating the kind of industry attention that has opened doors for similarly old-school artists, Charley Crockett and Sierra Ferrell. Those band members are Willis Farnsworth on guitar and Ben Neal on bass, and their decade of sleeping in the touring van and surviving on a shoestring should be rewarded with this eleven-song collection. In reality, this album might never have seen the light of day had it not been for the success of Bitter’s single My Grass is Blue which was nominated as single of the year in the Saving Country Music publication, giving her exposure to a broad audience and also the confidence and motivation to go ahead and record an entire album of similarly styled songs. Bitter gives great credit to her co-writer, co-producer, and accomplished guitar slinger, Michael Gurley (Ringo Starr, Mick Taylor, Kiefer Sutherland), who not only ‘got’ exactly what she was trying to achieve but worked with her over a two-year period, co-writing and eventually recording the record.  Bitter’s vocals perfectly reflect the song’s moods throughout. The title track is loaded with twangy guitar, pounding upright bass and slick backing vocals (courtesy of Gurley). She namechecks Patsy Cline and Johnny Cash in case the listener is in any doubt as to where her heart lies. If that opener is classic bubble-gum 60s country/pop, other tracks like I Can’t Unlove You and I Dream of You are classic country heartbreakers. The pedal steel-drenched Cowboy Kind of Girl is full-on honky tonk, and Aquamarine conjures up images of sun-kissed blue seas and desert islands.  Bitter’s hometown, San Diego, voted her Best Country / Americana Artist of 2023 and OLD SCHOOL will most certainly lead to greater recognition. Her style, a voice that sounds like a latter-day Patsy Cline, a crack band and catchy songs all combine to create a unique stock of old-school country. With that brand and an uncomplicated, vintage and delightful album that showcases her flair for easy-to-access melodies, the sky is the limit for Kimmi Bitter and The Westside Twang.  Declan Culliton Sentimental Family Band Sweethearts Only Tomika Some of the finest country music in recent years has been recorded by artists and bands whose initial launch into the genre was via indie rock or punk. A case in point is Austin, Texas, three-piece Sentimental Family Band, whose debut full album is a throwback to former times with ten tracks that slot into an old-timey country groove. Like many adolescents, they rejected the traditional country music and bluegrass that their parents consumed. Still, after forays into indie, they have revisited the music of their childhoods with SWEETHEARTS ONLY.  The three core band members are Kyle Albrecht (vocals, bass, guitar), Camille Lewis (vocals, guitar), and Matthew Shepherd (vocals, drums). They share co-writing credits, lead vocals, and harmonies. Other contributors to the recording were J.J. Swinn (Piano), Thibault Ripault (Guitar), Jack Montesinos (Guitar), and Simon Page (Pedal Steel Guitar). There is a charming unfussiness to the album. Ignoring mainstream, overproduced crossover pop/country, their retro-sounding album doesn’t quite make the thirty-minute mark but is certainly quality over quantity. Camille Lewis takes the vocal lead on the majority of the tracks, and her striking vocals exhibit a delightfully understated quiver, perfectly suited to the country genre.  Sweet melancholic songs Never Love Again and Fallen Petals sit comfortably alongside barroom honky tonk two-stepper Drink, Smoke, Cuss and Cry, and the wistful mid-tempo ballad Hung Up On The High Times. Other highlights are the opener Face to a Name, and the mellow Theo Lawrence co-write Hot House Flower.   Sentimental Family Band isn’t breaking new ground with its debut album. They offer a suite of fine country songs supported by quality vocals and elegant instrumentation. It’s refreshing to add another act to the growing list of young bands immersing themselves in traditional country.  SWEETHEARTS ONLY is a wholly heartfelt album that sounds like it’s been around forever. Hopefully, it will raise their profile and lead to more recordings and industry recognition. It’s more than deserving of that. Declan Culliton Carsie Blanton After The Revolution Self-Release 'Fevered, drugged up, and quarantined in my backyard shed, I had a semi-hallucinatory reverie about the future. The REAL future; not the one being pedalled by ad campaigns or political parties. A big, deep wave of hope and grief welled up and hit me upside the head,' explains Carise Blanton on the origin of the title track of her latest album. Many artists assert to have written their finest songs while in a fever and semi-hallucinatory condition. A Covid-related illness presented Blanton with a disturbing, dreamlike depiction of the future for that title track.  It is impossible to pigeonhole Blanton's musical canon even in the ever-expanding Americana genre. Her canon incorporates country, soul, folk, punk, and rock (in fact, lots of rock). The common denominator in her writing is hard-hitting political protest and anti-fascist songs, and the title track ticks that particular box.   She vents her anger and frustrations on that title track, and Empire ('Trash in the gutter and trash in the sea, trash in the hearts of the powers that be') is a plea for empathy and humanity. It's not all doom and gloom, either. Alongside the more solemn side of her writing are light-hearted offerings. Ain't We Got Fun, complete with a Walk On The Wild Side bass line, is a funky mid-tempo affair that revisits Blanton's carefree days as a sixteen-year-old enjoying life in a shared house in Oregon with similarly bohemian friends. Labour of Love is a co-write with the equally gifted artist Devon Sproule, and her punk sensibilities shine through on the full-on tracks Cool Kids and Right In The Middle Of It. Despite the exasperation at the administrative and governmental issues surrounding her, optimism and hopefulness ring through on the tracks Hope and Suddenly the Spring.   Following a hugely successful series of dates in Ireland last year supporting Declan O'Rourke, Blanton returns to our shores in April with shows in Dundalk, Dublin, Kilkenny, Cork, Galway, and Limerick. She will showcase the material from this powerful album, so booking is highly recommended.  Declan Culliton Claudia Gibson The Fields Of Chazy Self Release Currently a resident in Austin, Texas, this third release from singer songwriter Gibson follows on from her debut album, Step By Step (2016), and the Louisiana Sky EP (2019). Chazy is a town in northeastern Clinton County, New York and Claudia Gibson pays tribute to her ancestors and their years of building a life and contributing to the local community. The title track honours the memory of her grandfather, a farmer, who worked the land and planted apple trees that Gibson sees fully grown in later years ‘Today I walk a winding road, I touch the trees my Grandpa sowed, My heart’s here in the North Country, Among these fields of Chazy.’ On Promised Land we have a tale of young immigrants arriving in NYC. Two sisters trying to redefine their lives and hoping to rise above the grim reality of factory work. It is a song that references the life of Gibson’s grandmother as an Eastern European immigrant ‘Oh Lina, sister take my hand, There’s the lady with the torch, We’re living in the promised land.’ Elsewhere, Unbound is about fresh starts and new beginnings, moving on from a relationship and hoping for better days ahead ‘Headed back from where I came, Where everybody knows my name, Unbound, I'm starting out again.’ In contrast, The Days is a love song to the dedication and eternal bond involved in standing faithfully by your chosen partner in life ‘We laughed till we nearly cried, And loved so hard, I thought that we would break.’ The traditional Scottish song The Night Visiting Song is included and highlights the vocal of Pat Byrne, an Irish singer who duets nicely with Gibson’s sweet voice. Laura’s Song is an interesting story song that tells the tale of Laura Bullion, an outlaw and the only woman to ride as part of Butch Cassidy’s infamous Wild Bunch gang. Angels Fly is a beautiful song that channels loved ones that have left us and the sense that their essence remains in the air that surrounds us ‘So vividly you laughed and spoke, Still heard your voice as I awoke, Saying, “You can talk to me anytime, I’m always listening nearby.” The blues-tinged Rain dedicated to the memory of the great Valerie Carter who passed away in 2017, and who was a big influence on Gibson as a younger artist The final song is Shine On and the message that we can rest in the acceptance of a life well lived, is one that we could all benefit from ‘Sometimes the world feels so heavy, The burden of years as we toil and strive, When luck is not even or steady, Keep your hand on the tiller, And eyes on the prize.’ Indeed.. The album is produced by Walt Wilkins and Ron Flynt who both contribute as musicians and they are joined by a coterie of studio players who add greatly to the easy feel of these tunes throughout. A very enjoyable experience across almost forty minutes of music that comes highly recommended. Paul McGee True Foxes Howl Self Release This musical duo is comprised of cousins Amie Parsons and Chloe Payne who are based in Cornwall, England. Their debut album is filled with impressive vocal harmonies that are wrapped in a big production sound. The opening track is Devil’s Calling and it’s a murder song which carries a warning that ‘If you go down to the woods today, You might just find his resting place, The ending of his laughing.’ Other songs like Follow the Leader carry a jaunty air that flies along on the banjo and fiddle melody and it has radio play and single written all over it.  Another commercial song is 17 and it highlights the harmony vocals of this duo, along with a strong rhythm and driving beat. To these ears, the production feels somewhat crowded, with the lyrics squeezed into the song arrangement. Cry Wolf is a warning against a predatory male that is lurking in the shadows, always looking for an opportunity to take advantage. The duo sound close to fellow English trio Wildwood Kin and their contemporary Folk sound is certainly the product of a range of influences. Thrive is a warning against being too open to the vagaries of romance and vulnerable to the troubled path of passion. Equally, Higher is wrapped in regret for youthful mistakes but looking to empowerment as adulthood brings self-belief and confidence. The vocals again seem to be squeezed into the song arrangement as the upbeat tempo carries the message of ‘aspire to be free.’ Things slow for the more reflective Other Girl and a song that charts relationship woes. How Are You Now? is the strongest song here and seems to touch on issues of mental health and the strength to find a way through the challenges ‘How are you now? Now that you’ve found your way.’ Leave the Light On has a theme of comfort running through it with the sense of insecurity being replaced by the joy of a partner ‘ I am not who I was yesterday or a year ago, I was trying to be everybody’s friend but not my own,’ leading into the admission that ‘Now I honestly couldn’t see me with anyone else, You leave the light on, You’re like coming home.’  The gentle sway of Wanderer looks to the spirit of wanting to be free in discovering life ‘Time won’t stand still for no man, Run and get out while you still can, Take your insecurities and flaunt them.’ The final song is also the album title and deals with the pain of separation, and all that comes with looking for your place in the world. Danny Hart features strongly throughout on both banjo and fiddle, with Sam Gerrard also contributing on banjo, together with Annie Baylis-Gray on fiddle. Bo Payne also contributes on both drums and electric guitar. File under contemporary folk with a commercial twist. The harmony vocals are lovely and although the production is somewhat busy in places this doesn’t detract too much from the overall positive feel of the album. Paul McGee Charlie Parr Little Sun Smithsonian Folkways The talents of acoustic blues musician Charlie Parr first came to the notice of the music community in the new millennium and his debut album appeared in 2002. Parr is famous for his DIY approach to recording and a preference to go with the first take. This time out he allowed more collaboration with his friend Tucker Martine having a significant contribution as producer. This is album number eighteen in the career of this roots artist and his ability on banjo, resonator/ 12-string  guitars and harmonica always delivers music that is both compelling and engaging. The eight songs included on this new release blend seamlessly together over forty minutes and the album was recorded in Portland, Oregon. The two longest tracks are meditative pieces that run for over seven minutes each and both are celebrations of nature in all its glory; Bear Head Lake is a timeless slice of kicking back to enjoy the surroundings ‘I remove my shoes to accept the cool October water;’ with Pale Fire describing the glory of a desert drive, falling asleep to the sunset and waking to the sunrise – same sun, different day. There is also a strong message of community running through the album with local neighbours deciding what constitutes generosity these days. On the song Stray Charlie Parr is concerned about a man who has fallen on hard times ‘How can you say there’s a stray, In the middle of your town, He can feel the anger in your eyes, Where empathy should be found.’ Sloth examines the need to do as little as possible in search of the perfect state if idleness ‘My career goals are a little patch of sun, Or maybe that little bit of shade.’ Ten Watt is about growing old and not caring what others think anymore. There is a sense of freedom in not conforming to type and the lyric ‘Climbing fences? at my age? Yeah, but I’m just an old man when the cops are called’ sums up the attitude nicely. Portland Avenue ponders just how much we acknowledge the characters in our communities with the sudden disappearance of a colourful local character, and on Boombox we are urged to enjoy neighbourhood music and dancing, in all its variety and vibrancy. Throughout, the music is beguiling in its easy delivery and the quality of the musicians interplay. There is such a sense of synergy in the different textures brought to the song arrangements with Marisa Anderson (guitar), Victor Krummenacher (acoustic and electric bass), Asher Fulero (Keyboards, piano) and Andrew Borger (drums, percussion) playing seamlessly and with subtle flair. Anna Tivel contributes on backing vocals, Mary DuShane adds fiddle on one song and Mikkel Beckmen (percussion), with Liz Draper (bass) supply the rhythm section on Ten Watt.    Charlie Parr plays both harmonica and guitar, in addition to providing all lead vocals, and producer Tucker Marine brings a delicate balance to everything with plenty of space in the song structures. The album title refers to Tony “Little Sun” Glover, a folk and blues musician who was revered for his harmonica skills and who released many albums, either as a solo artist or as a member of Koerner, Ray & Glover. The song lyric says ‘The music it plays everywhere, was it better when we were young, Or have we lost our focus, We need you here Little Sun.’ Tony Glover passed away in 2019 and the legacy he left behind is honoured on this album with the measure and meaning of community and the spirit of timeless music woven like a silken thread through these songs. A very rewarding album. Paul McGee Son Of the Velvet Rat Ghost Ranch Fluff and Gravy When it comes to atmospherics and dynamics then there is no better music than a new album from the performance vehicle, Son Of the Velvet Rat. Formed in 2003 by Austrian husband and wife duo Georg Altziebler and Heike Binder, their impressive catalogue of twelve album releases is witness to their creative muse and their dream to bring music of substance into the collective consciousness. Currently living in Joshua Tree, California it could be argued that the strong influence of the Mojave desert has found its way into both their consciousness and the music created. Opening with the intriguing Bewildering Black and White Moments Captured On Trail Cams the song takes on the notion of life, and love,  as a passing collage of images that blur and extend over time, leaving us all none the wiser ‘Is it just bewildering black and white moments, captured on trail cams that you see, Or maybe just some long gone kind of twisted series of memories.’ It all sounds very cerebral but the deep groove of the music delivers a real emotion and punch in the song structure. Are the Angels Pretty? follows and again we are given a slice of country noir with a classy slow blues tempo and the longing in the lyric ‘do we really keep our secrets or do we leave them at the door?’ These songs conjure up great imagery in the themes and the words, with a sense of loneliness running through tracks like Deeper Shade Of Blue, New Frontier and Golden Gate with tales of immigration, dented dreams and the hopes for a better life. Rosary is a song that channels a Tom Waits influence in the offbeat arrangement with the warped image of a mass shooting scenario running as a narrative ‘Daddy’s gonna take me to the shooting range for my birthday, Mama’s gonna give me a rosary.’ The theme of bullying is at the core of the song and the use of theremin by Heike Binder adds a surreal quality to the song. Standout track Kindness Of the Moon carries a sense of foreboding and tension in the arrangement and a creeping sense of isolation in city life. The musicians that serve up this feast of atmospheric sounds and creative playing are; Georg Altziebler (vocals, acoustic and electric guitar, harmonica, optigan),  Heike Binder (vocals, harmonium, theremin, Omnichord, percussion), Marc Ribot (electric guitar), Jeff Bellerose and Danny Frankel (drums), Janie Cowan (acoustic bass), Jennifer Condos (electric bass), Tony Patler (B3 organ, piano), Jolie Holland (vocals, whistling, processed violin) & Bob Furgo (violin). If you are new to the music of this artistic couple then this album is as good a place as any to start your love affair. Highly recommended. Paul McGee Sue Decker Keeping Time Self Release Canadian musician Sue Decker releases her second album and the seven songs are very much focused in the blues/roots stable of the music map. Employing the stellar talents of Steve Dawson as both producer and musician is a fine move and one that almost guarantees a successful outcome and a calling card for future projects. Steve really pulls out all the stops on these songs and his creative playing across a range of guitars is a pure masterclass. He is joined by Dave Jacques on bass guitar and Justin Amaral on drums, both of whom add a dynamic and understated support to the song arrangements. As with any Steve project, there is a great sense of space and freedom in the recording and the vocals of Sue Decker are very much front and centre in the mix. Her vocal tone is warm in the production and her sassy songs such as Cheatin’ Side Of Town are filled with personality. It’s the type of song arrangement that would suit Bonnie Raitt and perhaps that avenue would be of interest in exploring. Love Made For A Lifetime is a song that explores ageing and dementia and it is handled with both understanding and a sense of letting go of the past. We all fear what the future may deliver.. Elsewhere, Nobody’s Mother is an acoustic-based song that reflects upon a decision to not opt for family life and children. The life of a travelling artist has its sacrifices and demons and perhaps the true key to contentment is learning how to live with compromise. Pretty Words and Flowers dissects a relationship and past memories, a romance that has run its course and the sense of forgiveness that now hangs in the air. The Lost Ones tackles the grim reality of the homeless and disenfranchised on our streets and the way in which they are forced to live on the margins and the outskirts of society. Hummingbird is a great track that highlights the bluesy bottleneck guitar of Steve Dawson and the pedal steel of Never Asked To Be So Strong has a traditional country arrangement that charts the fading star of an ageing performer whose best days are behind him. All songs are written by Sue Decker, with one co-write, and the album was recorded at the Henhouse Studios in Nashville, Tennessee. The album is a very enjoyable listen and it points towards another collaboration into the future that involves these impressive musicians as a creative ensemble. Paul McGee

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