by Chris Familton The Glorious revolve around the songwriting of Melbourne singer Dave Mather and they’ve been peddling their classic pop rock sound in a variety of incarnations since 2004. Their sophomore album Sweetwater makes a strong case for the appeal of well crafted songs that succeed on nuance and feel rather than a band … Continue reading
Tag Archives: Album Review
Album Reviews / Americana / Blues / Country / Videos
ALBUM REVIEW: Delaney Davidson and Marlon Williams | Sad But True – The Secret History of Country Music Songwriting Vol. One
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
Album Reviews / Americana / Country / Rock / Stream
ALBUM REVIEW: Greg Fleming and The Trains | Edge of the City
by Chris Familton Amid the current bountiful run of country and folk music releases coming out of New Zealand is the latest album from songwriter Greg Fleming. Fleming has been writing and recording since the late 80s, exploring his muse and refining his art with each of his handful of albums. His latest, Edge of … Continue reading
Album Reviews / Americana / Country / Folk / Videos
ALBUM REVIEW: Bernie Griffen & The Grifters | Everything So Far
by Chris Familton People who say they hate country music have generally only been exposed to crass country pop, that shallow veneer that exists on the surface of a genre that has much more to offer. Real country music, whether it be outlaw country, alt-country, americana or tex-mex, has deep, rich roots both historically and … Continue reading
Album Reviews / Blues / Rock / Soul / Stream
ALBUM REVIEW: Gary Clark Jr. | Blak and Blu
by Chris Familton Roots music of the kind that encompasses blues, folk and country is often perceived as still living in the past. Most artists choose to work within the boundaries of their chosen genre, maybe mixing in some soul, jazz or funk but still operating in a safe zone. When a musician decides to … Continue reading
Album Reviews / Americana / Country / Folk / Rock
ALBUM REVIEW: Two Gallants | The Bloom And The Blight
by Chris Familton In the five years since their last record Adam Stephens and Tyson Vogel played in different bands and in Stephen’s case spent time recovering from a van accident. Reconvening as Two Gallants seemingly allowed them to reflect on the experiences of those years and create a batch of songs that swing wildly … Continue reading
Album Artwork / Americana / Country / Folk / Stream
ALBUM REVIEW: Shovels & Rope | O’ Be Joyful
by Chris Familton Country couples have always been an integral part of the genre with the likes of Johnny Cash and June Carter, George Jones and Tammy Wynette and more recently Gillian Welch and David Rawlings mixing business and pleasure. South Carolina duo Cary Ann Hearst and Michael Trent continue that lineage as Shovels & … Continue reading
Album Reviews / Americana / Blues / Folk / Indie Folk / Videos
ALBUM REVIEW: M. Ward | A Wasteland Companion
by C. Familton When Matthew Ward began to gather curious listeners and build his audience with his fourth album Transfiguration of Vincent in 2003 he felt like somewhat of a mysterious figure with that husky, otherworldly voice that conjured up images of dusty country roads, dimly-lit juke joints and back porch sunset strumming. As his profile has grown and … Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: The Lumineers | The Lumineers
by Chris Familton The Lumineers are a trio from Denver, Colorado who deal in folk-leaning americana and on this, their debut album, they’ve managed to capture the essence of their sound pretty effectively. They work in a similar realm to the Avett Brothers with various 60s pop influences infusing the songs with heady melodic pop … Continue reading
Album Reviews / Americana / Country / Folk / Videos
ALBUM REVIEW: Neil Young & Crazy Horse | Americana
by C. Familton When news first broke that Neil Young & Crazy Horse were reconvening there was a palpable sense of excitement in the virtual air online yet for many that initial burst of joy quickly turned to apprehension when word seeped out that their first new release was going to be a collection of … Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: Chimes of Freedom | The Songs of Bob Dylan
by Chris Familton Bob Dylan must surely be the most covered artist of the last forty years so when another compilation of versions of his songs comes along it is easy to dismiss it as another batch of standards reinterpreted. The hook with this one though is twofold. Firstly it is a fantastic cause with … Continue reading
Album Reviews / Americana / Country / Folk
ALBUM REVIEW: Lambchop | Mr. M
by Chris Familton Kurt Wagner is a unique musician in that he has managed to build a career out of musical understatement. His work carries with it a slight of hand, bursting with subtleties, be it of the lyrical or instrumental kind. He is also quite the unassuming frontman with his white shirt, jeans and … Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW : Justin Townes Earle | Nothing’s Gonna Change The Way You Feel About Me Now
written by Chris Familton Justin Townes Earle has made a habit of changing it up on each of his three albums. The Good Life found him very much in the traditional country and folk songwriter mould while Harlem River Blues saw him using New York as a source of inspiration. Now Earle has shifted geographically … Continue reading
Album Reviews / Americana / Blues / Folk / Videos
ALBUM REVIEW: Jolie Holland | Pint of Blood
written by Chris Familton Jolie Holland returns with her fourth studio album and this time she has made a discernible effort to reduce her jazz and folk flavoured americana to simpler structures and cleaner palettes. In many cases the songs benefit from these amendments but they also lose some of what made Holland such an … Continue reading
Album Reviews / Blues / Folk / Indie Folk
ALBUM REVIEW: Tiny Ruins | Some Were Meant For Sea
written by Chris Familton With modern technology making everything so accessible these days it is easy to become blasé about music – such is the deluge of acts touted as the ‘next big thing’ and just the sheer volume of music being released. In that environment it comes as a pleasant surprise when you slide … Continue reading
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