Ghost Party recorded ‘Cardboard Moon’ as part of the sessions for their album ‘A La Sala…’, and it is a gorgeous nightful of Cosmic American Moonlight and Music, swaying like a tree in a soft wind.  It features Will Van Horn on pedal steel, drums played by Victor Sanchez, whilst bass, piano, rhodes, and celeste are played by Kendrick Ballard.  McCullough Ferguson sings vocals, plays guitar, and plays the mellotron. As Ghost Party explain, the song uses a phrase coined by a departed friend of the band:  “When everything else stinks in life..at least there’s this cardboa ..read more

Towns and venues across the Highlands of Scotland are not often listed in an artist’s tour itinerary. Last month, it came as a pleasant surprise to find out that Robert Vincent was playing a venue in Kyle of Lochalsh. Skye Bridge Studio 123 is on the mainland and provided a small and intimate space for the audience to enjoy some excellent live music. Before heading West to the gig, I played a fair bit of Vincent’s back catalogue and discovered his version of ‘Killing the Blues’. Then I was off down another rabbit hole. There are some notable artists who have covered this song. Notably Robert P ..read more

Off then to this recently endangered venue in Edinburgh’s Leith Walk to see Neil Bob Herd, a man described by some (AUK actually) as a Scots Nick Lowe on the eve of his latest release, ‘5-reel Feature’, an EP recorded with his “Dirty Little Acoustic Band.” Despite the band’s name the EP is a sumptuous dive into noirish americana with plenty of twang on show and although Herd is playing solo here he still manages to summon up the darker and more devilish moments from the record. Herd has a long pedigree but he’s probably best known for his stint in The Coal Porters along with Sid Griffin. His s ..read more

Pokey LaFarge continues his idiosyncratic take on americana with his new single, ‘One You, One Me’.  The video for the song looks like found super 8mm footage from a decades-old honeymoon trip.  LaFarge and his bride are seen in holiday locales in the throes of a new love.  The track is a lilting Latin rhythm that befits the album title.   The song would have been right at home on the soundtrack to Mad Men with its retro-leaning backing vocals. The video was directed by LaFarge’s wife Addie Hamilton who is also featured joyfully frolicking throughout the footage. Refle ..read more

Confessional words and a fine supporting cast make for one of the best country-based albums you’ll hear this year. Kicking in with a Ry Cooder style slide from Audley Freed and a gently plucked banjo Heather Little’s ‘Five Deer County’  is a tale of hunting and a bitter break up, with one line that sets it apart from the many other similar songs: “I ain’t no ball and chain, I’d rather give him back his name, and let him have all he’s ever dreamed”, which has to be one of the best views from the woman’s side of the story that I’ve heard. A theme develops quickly. ‘Hands Like Mine’ talks of ..read more

The Fugitives are a Vancouver-based acoustic folk-roots group headed by songwriters Adrian Glynn and Brendan McLeod, and joined by banjo player Chris Suen (Viper Central) and violinist Carly Frey (The Coal Porters). They released their sixth album, ‘No Help Coming,‘ last year. The record is about living in the climate emergency.  The normal human and events and feelings are present – fraught friendships (‘Dead Money’), career changes (‘Wing and a Prayer’), coping mecha­nisms (‘Not Burning Out’), romance (‘It Might Just Rain Like This For Days’) – but all under the spectre of environmental ..read more

Pub rock from Down Under for the 21st Century. Sin City are new to Americana UK, but not to Australian and New Zealand roots music audiences. They were formed by New Zealanders Nick Armstrong and Jack Beesley who moved to Australia and added Christopher Hockey, Andrew Blackman, and Cameron Hicks. They are essentially a bar band who mix ‘70s rock and roll with country soul and country rock. The band’s name gives a good clue to their music, and if anyone was in any doubt the album cover of ‘Another Round’, their second album, shows the band’s natural home. The album was recorded over four days i ..read more

Stephanie Sammons’ song ‘Billboard Sign‘ sadly draws on her own experiences – sadly since it tells a story of a period of rejection by her family just for being who she is.  It’s a song that can’t help but question why any parent would be so careless of their love for their own child.  The Dallas based singer-songwriter spins a beautiful tale out of it though, wistful and poignant and shot through with truth – one of her songwriting mentors Mary Gauthier is full of praise for Sammons’ new album ‘Time and Evolution‘ of which she says: “a beautiful collection of songs that reflect her ..read more

A continuum of songs, novels, opera and variety shows. There was a time in the ‘80s when Demon Records seemed to be a beacon for good music in the UK with its reissues and new releases helping to sow the seeds for what we now know as americana. In 1988 a young artist with the eye-catching name of John Wesley Harding released his first album on Demon, ‘It Happened One ht’, and he fit right into that melting pot of singer-songwriters who were influenced by classic pop, folk, and roots rock. His first studio album, 1990’s ‘Here Comes The Groom’ included the Attractions’ rhythm section, Tom Robins ..read more

Another superbly crafted album, from one of the finest songwriters of our time. From the first bars of ‘Two Pairs of Hands’ this could only be Mark Knopfler. That signature lead guitar line over a chugging rhythm accompanies his familiar drawl. Produced with his Dire Straits, and Notting Hillbillies bandmate Guy Fletcher this is actually his tenth solo record. When you add in collaborations with Emmylou Harris and Chet Atkins, amongst others, as well as soundtrack work and he has had a busy 20 years or so. Single ‘Ahead of the Game’ continues the lazy mid-tempo groove of the opening song meani ..read more