JM Stevens Nowhere To Land Crosstie Records Dusty and Occasionally Ambient Americana and Alt. Country Drenched Modern Country Austin, Texas-based JM Stevens’ second album, Nowhere to Land, is not as raucous as his debut of 2019, Invisible Lines, but is still full of the same solid songwriting, with a clean, modern production, and Stevens voice up front. Stevens has a clear bright voice destined for country pop, and it shines on these ten tunes. Modern Country has learned much from Americana/Alt-Country over the years and 25 years ago Modern Country was trying to sound more ..read more

The Avett Brothers The Avett Brothers Ramseur Records/ American Recordings/Thirty Tigers Excellent Genre Fluid Americana Imbued Bluegrass and Alt. Country With Folk Flourishes Too. Brothers, Scott (banjo, vocals) and Seth (guitars, vocals) Avett; aka The Avett Brothers from Concord, North Carolina have been around for over two decades; with longtime band member Bob Crawford (acoustic, electric bass) with them most of the time and Joe Kwon (cello) and Mike Marsh (drums) are the band’s other mainstays. They have carved out a well respected niche in the music business, with twelve full length al ..read more

Bowen Young US Snakefarm Records Alt. Country to Invest Time In To Get The Best Out Of and They Will Repay You Many Times Over. This review should have been a lot simpler and quicker off the mark, but I only received my copy a couple of days before the release. As Mrs Magpie still plays the previous Claire Bowen album religiously every week, it’s ingrained in my psyche making the follow up something short of a ‘cut n paste’ exercise surely? Nothing could be further from the truth it turns out, for several reasons … not least because this is definitely a duo album, with Bowen’s husband Brandon ..read more

Paul Thompson Baby Hedgehog Self Release Modern Folk Songs Aligned To ‘Easy On The Ear’ Melodies Full of Lusciousness and Thoughtfulness. We’ve met Paul Thompson before; when Anita reviewed his last album LONE STAR in 2022; and while the world has disappeared further towards Hell on a handcart; this singer-songwriter and his songs remains in the wings charming all who sit before him. The opening song Traveling Light is a sweet love song that thankfully falls well short of Hippy-Trippy whimsy; and somehow made my heart flutter a tad when I played it last week …. “And we’re travelling light on ..read more

Laurie Lewis Trees Spruce and Maple Music Amazing, Timeless Acoustic, Bluegrass and Californian Infused Folk Songs. Singer-songwriter, guitarist, champion fiddler, Folk, Bluegrass and Country act, Laurie Lewis has been at the top of her game as a musician and bandleader for over five decades. Dating back to her days with the Good Ol’ Persons and Grant Street among others and her occasional recording partner, Kathy Kallick (also of Good Ol’ Persons) she’s long been a model of consistency. ‘Her voice is a rare combination of grit and grace, strength and delicacy. Her stories always ring true ..read more

Nicky Murray How Long Self – Release Deceptively Simple Modern Folk Songs With a Tragic Celtic Edge Scots singer-songwriter Nicky Murray is a friend of one of our reviewers, one who felt uncomfortable writing about his music objectively, so the task has fallen to me. I knew next to nothing about Mr Murray when I pressed ‘play’ on the office hi-fi, so I was surprised; nay … stunned when the first song, the titular How Long slinked out of the speakers. WOW! What a voice! The song was barely a minute old when I scribbled ‘this is an album that took a lot of hard work to make it sound so simple ..read more

Bacon Brothers Ballad of the Brothers Forty Below Records Plenty of Rocking and Rolling Sizzle For Your Buck Lovable lads that seem to have a real good time making music is how I would sum up the Bacon Brothers in general. Their most recent effort, The Ballad of the Brothers, spins the genre-dial from track to track and seems to cover every style and influence these boys have ever absorbed into their shared DNA.  The lead off track, “Take off this Tattoo” had me fa-fa-fooled into thinking that this was going to be a nostalgic, throw-back Rock record that would give Def Leppard a run ..read more

Ruth Moody Wanderer True North Records/ Blue Muse Records A Most Compelling Album That Is The Perfect Accompaniment For the Personal Hard Times Many Of Us Are Feeling. Canadian Folk Singer-Songwriter, Ruth Moody’s much awaited new solo album, Wanderer finds her in complete control of the recording process, from writing the songs to the finished article being primed for release. Recorded at the echo chamber of the legendary Sound Emporium Studio A and East Iris Studio; it greatly enhances Moody’s standing as a folk singer-songwriter. Wailing Jennys’ founder member, Ruth Moody has certainly pa ..read more

The Often Herd The Pump, Trowbridge Wiltshire Friday 26th April 2024 This was my first visit to this historic, VERY West Country venue: cue a characterful old barn converted into a Folk Club back in the 1970s and still houses the original water pump by the stage! I cannot think of a more perfect setting to catch The Often Herd, as RMHQ loved their debut album Where the Big Lamp Shines, describing it as “Pedigree bluegrass meets folk to become classy and classless newgrass” and that’s exactly why I have been so keen to see this Newcastle band live as they offer something quite refreshing and g ..read more

Chris Smither All About The Bones Signature Sounds Intelligent American Folk Swathed in a Cloak of Bayou Mystery and History. Chris Smither’s twentieth album opens with All About The Bones and is full to the brim with Smither’s distinctive vocals and also fully primed with acoustic guitars, a fiddle and a haunting melody giving hints of the bayou and old New Orleans. Support here comes by way of Zak Trojano (drums), Chris Cheek (saxophone), Betty Soo (harmony vocals), and David ‘Goody’ Goodrich (guitars, and producer). Smither has been the real deal for decades, as honest as the day is long ..read more