by Chris Familton Being an evening of minimal and sparse folk this was a seated show and those that took their seats early were treated to the solo songs of Melody Pool who immediately took the room in the palm of her hand with just her vocals and guitar. She possesses a sweet mix of … Continue reading
It has been two decades since Uncle Tupelo split and gave birth to the Jeff Tweedy-led Wilco and Jay Farrar’s Son Volt. Wilco have been the more adventurous while Son Volt have mostly remained loyal to the traditional tenets of folk and country music. Honky Tonk sees them extending that stylistic allegiance by honouring honky tonk, … Continue reading
Last year The Weeping Willows released their excellent album Till The North Wind Blows (review) which showed them to be wonderfully authentic proponents of bluegrass, folk and country music. With voices that contrast and blend perfectly the couple write songs around their voices and the superb guitar playing of Andrew Wrigglesworth. We spoke with singer … Continue reading
by Chris Familton Veritable veterans of country music, Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell have been friends ever since she heard a cassette demo of his song Bluebird Wine (covered here) back in 1975. She included the song on her debut album and he joined her band so it is surprising this is their first true … Continue reading
by Chris Familton Melbourne duo The Weeping Willows released Till The North Wind Blows last year but their superb collection of songs could have dropped at any time in the last hundred years, such is the timeless quality they bring to their music and songwriting. The album drips with authenticity which can be a hard … Continue reading
by Chris Familton Finding artists that can straddle the worlds of folk and country music while still harnessing the pure and honest elements of those genres can often be a hard thing. Contemporary songwriters like Justin Townes Earle, Ryan Adams and Will Oldham come to mind and now, with his debut album Photographs, you can … Continue reading
Last year Fanny Lumsden and her merry men played a series of shows at country halls in places like Ganmain, Tallimba and Boree Creek to fundraise money for flood relief. Next month they are doing the same thing again, this time with the proceeds going towards the continued upkeep and maintenance of the buildings they are … Continue reading
New Zealand duo Delaney Davidson & Marlon Williams released a fine love letter to country music last year with their LP Sad But True – The Secret History Of Country Music Songwriting Volume 1 and now they’ve released a second single from it in the shape of How Lucky You Are. The pair are about to head … Continue reading
Jay Farrar’s band Son Volt have a new album, just released last week, called Honky Tonk via Rounder Records. The album features eleven new songs that are inspired by the classic honky tonk sound of Bakersfield. Check out the video for the opening track, an Rdio stream of the LP and the band’s upcoming US tour dates. http://rd.io/x/QUN9AiJ31oE … Continue reading
Two of the greats, Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell have finally got around to recording an album of duets together after thirty years of friendship and playing music together. Old Yellow Moon is made up of four Crowell originals and eight covers by the likes of Kris Kristofferson, Roger Miller and Patti Scialfa that the … Continue reading
by Chris Familton The practice of an established artist giving a relative newcomer a leg-up by taking them out on tour is an admirable one and in the case of Texan singer/songwriter Robert Ellis it was a real treat to watch and listen to such an affable singer with a firm grasp of a number … Continue reading
by Chris Familton In a strong year for New Zealand americana music comes yet another release to boost the profile of a genre that has mostly lurked on the musical fringes. Delaney Davidson has been on the scene for a number of years touting his folk, blues and country music through endless tours and living … Continue reading
by Chris Familton This night of folk and country music kicked off with the soft and lilting sounds of Patrick James who was accompanied by a banjo/mandolin player and who showed right from the opening notes that he is another of the many outstanding new singer/songwriters emerging on the local americana scene. His was an … Continue reading
In the wake of Patterson Hood’s solo record Mike Cooley has also decided to release a new solo album of some fan favourites in an acoustic style, live. Fool on Every Corner is out Dec 11, 2012 and features Carl Perkins Cadillac, 3 Dimes Down, Marry Me, Shut Up And Get On The Plane and more plus one … Continue reading
Due for release on February 5th, Townes Van Zandt, Sunshine Boy: The Unheard Studio Sessions and Demos 1971-1972 (Omnivore Recordings, 2013) consists entirely of previously unreleased music from Van Zandt’s classic albums High, Low & In Between and The Late Great Townes Van Zandt. Both albums were originally released in 1972 on the Poppy label. … Continue reading
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