written by Chris Familton Mavis Staples rose to fame in the 50s and 60s as a member of the gospel group The Staple Singers before releasing a string of soul and spiritual albums as a solo artist. In 2007 she worked with Ry Cooder and now Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy has been assigned the producer task … Continue reading
Category Archives: Album Reviews
ALBUM REVIEW: Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan | Hawk
written by Chris Familton Isobel Campbell (ex Belle & Sebastian) continues her collaboration with Mark Lanegan and over six years she has produced three albums that delve deeper into brittle Americana blues, folk and dark country at each turn. With the latest, Hawk, the good news is that she has produced her best work yet. … Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: The Black Crowes | Croweology
written by Chris Familton The Black Crowes were somewhat out of step with the times when they first emerged amid the hysteria of grunge in the early 90s. Their sound was traditional blues soaked American rock with flashes of gospel influence, southern rock and nods to americana and country. They really had little in common … Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: The Drive-By Truckers | The Big To-Do
written by Chris Familton Drive-By Truckers return with their tenth album, a landmark in any band’s history, proving that they are still remarkably consistent with their quality control and ability to create musical stories that captivate and enthrall the listener. This time round The Big To-Do loosely deals with crime and (self)-punishment but these heavy subjects … Continue reading
REVIEW: Mark Moldre | The Waiting Room
written by Chris Familton The intimacy of songwriting is a difficult skill to master for the best of musicians. When they do you find yourself pausing, experiencing a physical reaction to the music as it halts your progress and you allow it to wash over you, taking hold of your emotions and ushering them inside … Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: Damien Jurado | Saint Bartlett
Over-population in the male singer songwriter realm of americana and folk is a constant risk and there are many pretenders who attempt to step up to the standard set by the likes of Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, Jason Molina, Phosphorescent and more recently J. Tillman. Damien Jurado is another who is treading the same forest path and … Continue reading
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