Various Artists SHINE ON (A Tribute to Pete Ham)

Various Artists
SHINE ON (A Tribute to Pete Ham)
Y&T Music

A Fabulous and Varied Tribute to One of Our Most Influential Songwriters.

Here’s a thing.
A few weeks ago I was driving home from my weekly radio show and already thinking about what to play the following week; and for no real reason the name ‘Badfinger’ sprang to mind. Obviously what I remembered of them they would fit in; but why?
I’ve never owned a single track of theirs.
Once in the house I went to check my e-mails ….and …. this tribute to Badfinger leader and founder Pete Ham was waiting for me!
Spooky.
As I uploaded it a couple of things sprang to mind while skimming through the tracks – I hardly recognised anyone here; but those I did couldn’t have been more disparate if the compilers had been being contrary ….. Punk Rocker turned Folkie Wreckless Eric, Blues Rock guitar legend Albert Castiglia, Melanie and even Shelby Lynne all peeped out from between the covers.
So, the following morning it was with a mixture of excitement and trepidation that I pressed ‘play’ on the office stereo.
Save two singles I vaguely remembered, I had no way of comparing and contrasting anything with the originals; so I have to just take everything as it comes.
With what is to follow it seems to be a strange choice to pick Amy Allison singing Apple of My Eye as the opening song on Disc #1. I love it; but her twee ‘girly’ vocalising won’t appeal to everyone (Mrs Magpie being a prime example!); that said she really does inhabit the words and story.
This; bizarrely is followed by gnarly guitars and a distinctive rasping male vocal. The singer is RMHQ Favourite Dan Baird and the band are the Chefs, put together specifically for this project; and as a fan of Dan’s I Can’t Take It is as good as anything he’s done in the last 25 years.
The rest of the double album follows a similarly contrary programming of tracks; but with the killers far outweighing the fillers here and there.
Shelby Lynne gives something of an Alt. Country Masterclass on the brittle Day After Day; and on the second disc Sweet Lizzy Project go all Lo-Fi and charm personified on Perfection while Melanie reminds me why I fell in love with her and her voice on a staggering and mystical version of Without You (made famous by Harry Nilsson of course).
The Albert Castiglia Band featuring Mandy Maylane on vocals set my hair on end with Red Piano; turning in a New Orleansy swamp infused five minutes of Soulful and sinful Southern Rock filtered through the back door of the Muscle Shoals studios.
The last of the acts that I’d heard of, Wreckless Eric and Amy Rigby do things with the claustrophobic and sultry Midnight Caller that are still illegal in three Southern states!
Which leaves us with ‘the rest’ …. acts that I’d generally not heard of, so was in for a barrow full of fun and excitement.
Know One Knows by The Deleventes and later No Matter What by The Speaker Wars are probably the only songs here that sound a bit like the originals; which leaves plenty of room for singers like Diane Ward with Lay Me Down, Nelson Bragg’s Carry On Tomorrow and Tobin Sprout’s haunting version of Dear Father to put their own indelible stamp on songs from before they were born.
For a Favourite Song I’ve deliberately discounted those acts I already knew; as I love discovering new singers and/or bands from projects like this …. and I’ve narrowed that down to three.
Nathalie Archangel is another with a distinctive voice; and one I fell in love with the first time I heard the floaty and almost Lovin’ Spoonful inspired Blodwyn, is my first pick.
Second will have to be Rob Bonfiglio who adds some tear inducing guitar and piano to Only You; and again has a voice that demands further investigation.
Last but not least in this trio, it’s Mic Harrison And The High Score (no relation btw!) and a song called Meanwhile Back at The Ranch; which is as crunchy a piece of Alt. Country with honeyed harmonies as I’ve heard in many a year; imagine The Jayhawks (original version) trying to sound like Buffalo Springfield singing a Steve Earle song and you will ‘get it.’
There are probably another 8 or 9 songs here that are well worthy of your attention; but then again the couple of songs I didn’t like will certainly appeal to someone with different musical taste … so what do I know?
Apart from bringing the immense talent of Pete Ham back to the fore, which is obviously no bad thing …. all profits from this release will go to Mental Health America of Southeast Florida, the wonderful organization that is doing very important work in the field of mental health care and suicide prevention.
So; what’s not to like? 35 songs by some fascinating and interesting acts and your money goes to a great cause.

DISC 1

1. Mary Lee Kortes – No More                                                    
2. The Chefs – I Can’t Take It                                                      
3. Smokin’ Novas – Shine On
4. The Speaker Wars (featuring Susmita Datta) – No Matter What (world version)
5. Sweet Lizzy Project – Perfection
6. The Delevantes – Know One Knows
7. Shelby Lynne – Day After Day
8. Rob Bonfiglio – Lonely You
9. Amanda Green – Name of The Game
10. Fernando Perdomo – Savile Row
11. Mary Lou Lord – Baby Blue
12. Arlan Feiles – Walk Out in the Rain
13. Tobin Sprout – Dear Father
14. Nineteen Hand Horse (featuring Nathalie Archangel) – Blodwyn
15. Electric Piquete – Matted Spam
16. Balsamo Collins Riley – Keep Believing
17. Timothy LaRoque – I’m In Love
18. Mary Karlzen – We’re For The Dark
 

DISC 2 

1. Amy Allison – Apple of My Eye

2. The Speaker Wars – No Matter What (pop version)

3. Albert Castiglia Band (featuring Mandy Marylane) – Piano Red

4. Mic Harrison And The High Score – Meanwhile Back at The Ranch

5. Wreckless Eric & Amy Rigby – Midnight Caller

6. Diane Ward – Lay Me Down

7. Dennis Diken – Dennis  

8. Melanie – Without You

9. Elsten Torres – Take It All 

10. Nelson Bragg – Carry On Till Tomorrow

11. Jim Camacho – They’re Knocking Down Our Home

12. Claudia Hoyser – Midnight Sun

13. The Parlophonics – Song For A Lost Friend

14. Life Boat – Crimson Ship

15. Jolynn Daniel – I Miss You

16. Ken Sharp – Just a Chance

17. Voice in Fashion – Timeless

Released 23rd June 2023
https://www.ytmusiconline.com/

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Laura Cantrell at Sunderland Fire Station

Laura Cantrell
Fire Station
Sunderland
June 27th 2023

Mrs Magpie and myself have seen Laura Cantrell 5 times previously, mostly with a guitarist in tow and once as a solo act; so tonight was a bit exciting seeing her with a 4pce band alongside her.
The evening started with a new name to me, singer-songwriter Doug Levitt who ‘has travelled 12,000 miles on Greyhound busses, meeting people and writing songs about them.’
An interesting concept; and one that drew a few really good and interesting songs; the first of which, Cold Comfort came very early on in the set; and particularly struck me as he really inhabited the character in the story; something he did with most everything else too.
This may sound odd, but one of the highlights of this set was a ‘Murder Ballad’ Edge of Everywhere where he sang about ‘Berta who witnessed his friend murder Buddy Gray’.
During the break I bumped into a few ‘gig going friends’ from further ‘up North’ and all of whom were visiting this venue for the first time; and two were even attending their first gig since before Covid.
Laura Cantrell started with a particularly punchy version of Churches off The Interstate, the band giving it plenty of Twang and … drums too; which not quite ‘drowned’ the singers’;’ voice but didn’t aid it.
To my ears this seemed to be an ongoing ‘issue’ with both the drummer himself and sound engineer ‘tweaking’ the sound …. but it appeared no one else though it a problem as such.
That apart there was an interesting mix of songs; quite a few older songs interspersed with new ones from Like a Rose,THE ANNIVERSARY SESSIONS which celebrates the 20th Anniversary of her 2000 release NOT THE TREMBLING KIND, which was blown off course by The Lockdowns; but as she explained this actually gave her time to change and build the new songs.
Without ever feeling the urge to shout “Judas!” I struggled through several clever and intricate electric guitar and mandolin solos; especially on songs I knew …. but Mrs Magpie made it very plain that that was ‘me being me – bloody awkward!” and I should just “‘get over myself and enjoy the gig!“
Now I’ve had 24 hours to reconsider my notes, the new ‘rockier’ versions of Sparrow and Two Seconds both have two ‘stars’ next to them, so maybe I was being ‘bloody awkward‘ after all.
Then of course there were the new songs which (to my mind) were far better suited to the full band renditions; most memorably I’m Gonna Miss This Time, AWM and especially the Amy Rigby song Don’t Break The Heart, who happened to be standing right beside my seat when Laura asked her to make herself known!
The only ‘old song’ on the new Album, When The Roses Bloom Again, also got the new ‘rocky treatment’ in line with the recorded version when Laura sings it as a duet with Steve Earle; and following an intro that described that session, I was disappointed that no one on stage took over the Earle part.
As usual these day, the concert ‘ended’ after about an hour, only for the band to return lass than a minute later.
The biggest and loudest response from the audience greeted the intro to Not The Trembling Kind and an even louder response which included from the ‘Pop Star’ sitting in front of me and it was all genuinely justified …. a great song was made even better with this new arrangement.
Then following an intro that included her ‘thanks’ to Newcastle promoters Jumpin’ Hot Club who first took a chance by booking her many years previously and gave her the opportunity to play some ‘wonderful venues’ on other appearances; then dedicated the final song of the night, The Whisky Makes You Sweeter to them.
As we made our way across the foyer it was quickly apparent that more members of the audience seemed to agree with Mrs Magpie’s approach and thoughts than my own; but I did chat to one hardy ‘two or three gigs a week’ warrior that I’ve known fr years who felt similarly to me about the ‘sound’ early on … so I wasn’t all wrong.
In my defence if I’d not seen Laura Cantrell before, which probably accounted for the majority of the Sunderland audience; I too would have been head of heels in love with what I’d just witnessed; and Laura Cantrell is very much entitled to furthering her career and ‘sound’ in any way she feels she wants …. I am but one voice in the wilderness; but I still feel some of the intimacy and nuance in her songs got a bit lost tonight …. but as Mrs Magpie huffed in the car “I can be quite contrary for the sake of it, at times.”

https://lauracantrell.com/home

photo-set https://www.harrisonaphotos.co.uk/Music/Laura-Cantrell-and-Doug-Levitt-June-2023/i-g9xJZp8

Amanda Shires & Bobbie Nelson

Amanda Shires & Bobbie Nelson
Loving You
ATO (UK)

A Cathartic Tribute That Works Best When Things Are Stripped Back to Bone and Gristle.

Recorded shortly before Bobbie Nelson’s death in 2022, aged 91 and while she was recovering from serious medical issues, the album sees the light of day in tribute to one of Country Music’s iconic musicians.

There’s a difficulty in reviewing an album like this – separating the story behind the songs and the songs themselves is left to each different listener – and without historical intertextual knowledge of those involved, then the responses might be very different.

Strip away the stories and the characters and this is an album of the American songbook and other Standards – in that sense it might be criticised for its lack of adventure – but then there’s still the question of how those standards have been reinvented and given new life. I guess what I’m trying to wrestle with, is that this album, as for me is a bit of a curate’s egg.

Opening with the fairground waltz of “Waltz across Texas”, there’s a looseness to the playing – Shires’ voice holds its tremulous character and Nelson’s piano barrels delicately across the rhythm – the production brings both named players to the fore – the looseness and separation to the mix takes away a bit of the drive of the song though.

“Always on My Mind” is one of those songs that’s been done a million times – this particular arrangement is a bit strange here – Nelson and Shires, at times seem to be playing two different versions of the same song – and the strings that attempt to hold it together seem a bit superfluous, apart from when they stop suddenly and allow space for Shires’ vocal to break through.
I can’t make my mind up whether the incongruity is deliberate, or there’s uncertainty of how to make the different parts work.

“Old Fashioned Love” works in a much more conventional way, jollying along and featuring traditional fiddle playing from Amanda Shires that follows of her later solo career may be less accustomed to, plus jaunty piano from Bobbie Nelson – it’s old school Western Swing in feel.

“Summertime” is the old standard and Nelson’s piano on this is jazzily inflected and on point – Shire’s vocal responds well to it – but the use of Willie Nelson’s vocal – well – I can see why – but it acts against the arrangement of the song and to be honest, it jars.
I’d like to have heard an alternate version without it.

A contribution from/nod towards Willie Nelson is handled much better on the duo’s take on “Angel Flying Too Close to The Ground”.
Shires’ impassioned vocal set against the delicacy of Bobbie’s piano – without anything unnecessarily added – works and works very well – and it’s one of the album’s highlights.

“Dream a Little Dream of Me” is not a song that I’d ever expected to hear from Amanda Shires, but it suits her vocal style beautifully.
Once again, I’m not too keen on the use of strings, which cut against Bobbie Nelson’s piano when Shires is singing, making the arrangement sometimes a bit cluttered.
There’s a far less cluttered arrangement on “Tempted and Tried” which is pretty much just Shires and Nelson – and even the ubiquitous strings are used with a better sense of dynamic impact towards the end of the song.

“La Paloma” is a showcase instrumental workout and favourite of Bobbie Nelson – both players display a jazzy sensitivity to the melody and to each other.
This is followed by the album’s title track “Loving You” – a pure Bobbie Nelson instrumental which demonstrates a proud melancholy joy.

Things draw to a conclusion with “Over the Rainbow”. Nelson’s piano battles against the string section near the start before dropping back to let Shires take over, which she does with appropriate pacing and quirkiness.

So, going back to my comment about this being a bit of a curate’s egg of a release – perhaps it’s not surprising given the less than ideal circumstances in which it was conceived, but for me, this album works better where the arrangements are stripped back – less is definitely more in this case.
A cathartic tribute no doubt, nonetheless.

Review by Nick Barber
Released June 23rd 2023
https://amandashiresmusic.com/

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John Lee Hooker ALONE: LIVE AT HUNTER COLLEGE NYC 1976

John Lee Hooker
Alone: Live at Hunter College, NYC 1976
BMG
A Blues Masterclass From a True Master.

Where was the ‘sound desk’ that this was recorded on in 1976 when I was buying bootlegs in the 70’s and 80’s?
The quality on offer here is as clear and sensitive as any ‘Live recording’ I’ve heard this current century; and coupled with John Lee Hooker’s ‘special delivery’ means that this album is essential listening for Blues enthusiasts anywhere and everywhere.

Apparently some of these songs and, most notably the first album have been released before; but on this release both sets are here in all of their righteous and stereophonic glory… for the first time.
Neatly Hooker’s set list here as an intriguing mix of old and new, hits and misses too, with everything sung with the self-confident swagger we associate with the great man; starting with I Miss You So, which features some of the sharpest and scariest guitar I ,ay ever have heard and Hooker drops each and every note in as if they are musical time bombs.
Hooker introduces the second song in his trademarked slow drawl; the dark and mysterious “I’m Bad, Like Jesse James” thus …
“I hope you dig the lyrics on this
… Dig what I’m gonna do to this cat...”
and you’re compelled to do just that …. and the outcome will have you smiling and still working out the meaning several songs later.
Growing up, as I did in the 1970’s while there was a Blues Boom’ in the NE of England (that never went away’, I wish I had a pound for every version I think I’ve heard of I’ll Never Get out of these Blues Alive, Boom, One Bourbon One Scotch One Beer, Boogie Chillun and of course Crawling King Snake (all of which can still be heard somewhere tonight) but hearing John Lee Hooker 50+ years after this recording was made of him sitting by himself in a College venue with just his semi-acoustic for accompaniment is really and truly spell binding.
History shows that in 1976 John Lee Hooker and his contempories was ‘out of fashion‘ with the British Blues Boom being replaced by Glam Rock and America diving head first into Heavy Rock; so hearing the crowd’s loud appreciation for every song here and Hooker’s own confidence oozing out of every note and word has to be heard to be believed in many ways.
As well as the obvious songs we’d all expect there are some stunners here that I don’t believe I’ve heard before, with When My First Wife Left Me, the punchy You Ain’t Too Old To Shift Them Gears and the shear heart break throughout all 7 minutes of I Wish You Could Change Your Ways will stay with me forever; and show not just what a great songwriter John Lee Hooker was; but what a Poets heart he had too.
Primarily this album appears to have been released fr the burgeoning vinyl market, but my download copy still sounds as sharp as a tick on the office hi-fi ….. so don’t worry if you’re not a hipster.
It would be all too easy to tell you that any of the Classic Songs of his are my Favourite Tracks; but as usual I’m going left of centre and choosing something I’d not heard before; and even then it’s a tie between two magnificent songs ….. Put Your Hand on Your Hip and Dark Room which somehow for one man and a single guitar sounds as ‘heavy’ as most everything from Cream or Moby Grape’s canon of work (yes, that’s a gross exaggeration on my behalf but listen once and tell me I’m totally wrong.)
Whichever way you look at his age; Hooker was in his 50’s when this concert took place, and ‘Greatness’ hadn’t quite been bestowed on him by the Blues Cognoscenti, but Hooker sings and plays these songs with as much confidence and self-belief in his skills as if he’s headlining a sold-out stadium full of fawning acolytes … and I love him even more because of that.

Released 23rd June 2023
https://johnleehooker.com/

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Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors STRANGERS NO MORE

Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors
STRANGERS NO MORE
Magnolia Music

A Declaration Of Identity as Devotees of Laurel Canyon, Explorers of Amplified Americana, and Passionate Heartland Rock & Rollers. 

Drew Holcomb celebrates community with Strangers No More, his ninth studio album with his fine band, The Neighbors.
A record about our fragile human relationships with time and love, triumph and tragedy, and the essential need to mine for joy in the face of chaos. 
Strangers No More feels like a lyrical and emotional growth spurt, a lightening bolt, a musical age of enlightenment that punctuates an arrival for Holcomb and his longtime bandmates who aren’t just reveling in one another’s presence after a long hiatus; they’re declaring their identity as timeless songwriters, modern-day Laurel Canyon folk-journeymen, explorers of amplified Americana, and the passionate devotees of heartland Rock & Roll. 

“Fly” brings us into the record with what feels like an aerial, bird’s eye view of the landscape that is the record to come.  If this song was a ride at a theme park, I would spend the entire day on it, knowing that each time, I would see something new, noticing all of the details of what lay below, a map of humanity that would no doubt help to guide us to “Find Your People.” 

Each song flows like a river, leading to a bigger “A-ha moment” to settle in on.
The range of emotions is broad but also microscopically relatable in the best way. The melodies are familiar and yet each song is crafted so well you feel connected to it, personally.
“Dance With Everybody” needs to be used on-screen immediately and make Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors a billion dollars!
What a feel good anthem for the troubled times we are all living in. 
Thank you, Drew.

There are moments that this record truly feels like the soundtrack from a modern Broadway musical; the linear trajectory of character development is palpable and the thru-line of existential awakening is uplifting and feels intentional. 

Drew Holcomb’s voice is authentic.
It has an ease that instantly appeals and conveys a feeling of comfort, calm and reassurance.  The production is stellar and the band is Aces. 
The “pop” charm drips from this record and begs for radio turned up LOUD.

As a child of 70’s American AM radio, “Strange Feeling” enchanted me in all my chart-topping musical “parts.”
It conjured Todd Rundgren and I couldn’t stop dancing.
Well done, Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors!

To start a record with a song called “Fly” and end with one titled, “Free (Not Afraid to Die),” is a very bold and declarative statement for an artist and a band.
This record is an honest, enjoyable musical journey that Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors have released as a generous gift of friendship to the listener so that we are decidedly, “STRANGERS NO MORE.”
Pure delight to be seduced by melody, musicianship, truth and honesty. 

Review by Emily Duff 
https://www.drewholcomb.com/
Released 9th June 2023

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Lucinda Williams STORIES FROM A ROCK & ROLL HEART

Lucinda Williams
Stories From a Rock & Roll Heart
Highway 20/Thirty Tigers

Desperately Emotional Songs From a Voice That Has Lived a Life and Needs To Tell Her Stories.

By my reckoning this is Lucinda’s 14th studio album and I now own 10 of them; with a couple of ‘rarities’ too.
While every one of those albums is completely different from what preceded it or followed; they are always distinctively ‘Lucinda Williams’ albums because of not just her magnificent voice; but her astute and deceptively simple songwriting.
All of that said; I actually had no idea she had suffered a stroke in 2020, meaning she’s been ‘through the mill’ in the last two years desperately trying to get back to full fitness; but apparently still can’t play her guitar …. but her brain is still as feisty as ever…. if not even feistier!
Opening track, Let’s Get The Band Together Again comes at you snarling and growling as Lucinda recites a story/tale that must have been a source of great darkness while she was in the recovery process; and if I’m not mistaken that title may just be a metaphor for us her fans too.
This is followed by New York Comeback; which actually sounds quite tranquil; but (and this won’t come as a surprise) listen closely and you will hear some spiky and thought provoking lyrics in there too.
It’s impossible to say whether these songs are better or worse than anything that’s preceded them; as they are just ‘new’ and very much 2023 in not just personal essence but as an overview of what faces all of us these days.
Even in her darkest of moments Lucinda can still find beauty and even romance; with Stolen Moments, the delicious Where the Song Will Find Me and album closer Never Gonna Fade Away which not just wraps up the album quite perfectly but allows us all to know that Lucinda sees light at the end of her very own dark tunnel.
Even before I’d read the accompanying notes, I’d already fallen in love with the slow burning and starkly melancholic Jukebox; and you will too as her voice simply carries the experience of her years like a desert breeze.
That’s the thing I like best about Lucinda’s songs; while our lives couldn’t be any more different; she still sings like she’s both singing about me and to me in equal quantities; and that’s definitely how I feel about the gut wrenching Where The Song Will Fine Me.
There’s not enough time for me to go into any real depth on every song here …. that could take years! But there are another two really special songs that I can’t decide between as my Favourite Song, This Is Not My Town sounds quite claustrophobic with the band making every note becoming essential in the background while Ms Williams simply sizzles on the microphone.
Then of course there is the title track, Rock and Roll Heart …. which rocks, rolls, bounces and slides along like ‘Bambi on ice’ …. it feels like it’s going out of control; but there’s plenty of grace in there too and at the end you know it was really ‘mild peril’ all along.
BTW there are a myriad of guest appearances here too; from Bruce & Patti, through the Replacements Bob Stinson and Buddy Miller and Margo Price too, all aligned to an A-List of studio musicians who all come together to create a Hallmarked Lucinda Williams ‘sound’ but nobody will buy this album because they are on it …. this 100% Lucinda Williams from start to finish.

Released June 30th 2023
https://www.lucindawilliams.com/

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RMHQ Radio Show Ep:57 @NovaRadioNE #Newcastle

RMHQ Radio Show
Episode 57
Nova Radio NE
Newcastle
25th June 2023

Stuck in the middle of Music Festival Season it’s a bit tempting to do ‘themed nights’ in the radio show; but as no one is prepared to pay me for doing that …. I merrily tread my own musical path; although I weakened tonight by closing the show with Elton John who was headlining Glastonbury and probably/possibly his last ever UK concert.
Before that there was the normal eclectic mix of songs ranging from Superstar actor Kevin Costner, Bruce Springsteen and Little Feet rubbing shoulders with the likes of Malcolm Holcombe, Laura Cantrell and Beth Nielsen Chapman plus introducing Phoebe Bridgers, Leroy From the North and Milly Raccoon to our listeners.
Last week I included a track from Otis Grand who had recently died and this week it was Groundhogs track from their debut album in memory of Tony TS McPhee RIP.
The good news though was we had a couple of ‘world exclusive’ first plays of singles by Luke Combs, LeBarons and Wyatt Easterling which sort of proves we must be doing something right.

Kevin Costner	Top Down
ZZ Top	Cheap Sunglasses
Brooke Graham	Easy Does It
Dion with Patti Scialfa & Bruce Springsteen	Hymn to Him
Bruce Springsteen	Pink Cadillac
Jimmy Regal and the Royals	Mickey Two Suits
Laura Cantrell	California Rose
Rosie Flores	The Blue Side of Town
Luke Combs	Where The Wild Things Are
Christina Martin	Little Princess
Charley Crockett	Black Sedan
Leroy From the North	Laid Off
Milly Raccoon	That Girl I Left Behind Me
LeBarons	Through to You
Wyatt Easterling	Love Says it Best
Groundhogs	Natchez is Burning
Ana Popovic	Turn My Luck
Popa Chubby	I’d Rather Be Blind
Luther Black & The Cold Hard Facts	Black & Blue
John Wilkins	Beer O’Clock
Mary Gauthier	I Drink
Little Feet	Willin
Long Haul Paul	Truckers and Troubadours
Malcolm Holcombe	Windows of Amsterdam
Phoebe Bridgers	Motion Sickness
Beth Nielsen Chapman	Back to the Moment
Elton John	Madman Across the Water

Eliza Gilkyson HOME

Eliza Gilkyson
Home
Realiza Records

A Musical Gem That Straddles Folk and Americana With Ease and Grace.

Although hers is a name I’ve certainly been aware of for a long time; even though she released her first LP in 1969, I don’t think I’ve ever heard a song by Eliza Gilkyson before receiving this album.
Like most music fans I’m probably guilty of having preconceptions regarding singers and bands I don’t know; which was probably the case here.
It was only out of courtesy that I played the first song True North; after downloading the package and even though she accompanies herself on a banjo; my eyes nearly popped out of my head!
Dear Lord!
What a voice and … of course ….. what a songwriter!
The next hour was something of a nightmare as I had other albums to download/upload and register them on the database; all the while desperately wanting to play HOME in full.
The time finally arrived and; coffee and Hobnobs at hand away I went into Elizaland head first with a pretend ‘Do Not Disturb’ notice on the office door.
Obviously after a recording career lasting over half a century you’d presume an artist would be able to write a memorable song; add a melody and be able to sing it in tune …. but Eliza Gilkyson takes those basics and adds musical gold and diamonds to every single level.
While there are messages filtering through nearly every song here; they never stop being entertaining the way Eliza and producer Don Richmond have gone to great lengths to walk the tightrope between being edgy and commercial at the same time.
Of course Eliza Gilkyson has a Folk background, and all of these songs could find a home at a Folk Festival; but How Deep, the starkly beautiful Witness and the title track itself, Home transcends that pigeonhole with ease and grace; with hints of Country Music in the holes missed by Americana.
As is my won’t, I don’t read the Press Release while listening to an album during the first couple of plays; so I was taken aback when I first heard Sparrow which features a delightful duet with May Chapin Carpenter that actually unravels to become breathtaking; which is a first for me.
There’s another fabulous duet earlier, which had me scratching my head for who the male voice belonged to …. only Robert Earl Keen! Even without his gruff, world weary tones it would still be a memorable song … so you can only imagine how good it is with him accompanying Ms. Gilkyson.
Where songwriters get their ideas from never ceases to amaze me; so when I found out that Eliza was imagining ‘a Ukrainian mother’s wish for normalcy and safety‘ for Sunflowers it genuinely brought a tear to my cynical old eyes.
Then in the wandering ballad Man in the Bottle, Eliza uses snippets of her Dad’s songs, the songwriter Terry Gilkyson (Bare Necessities from Jungle Book!!!) and features longtime family friend Van Dyke Parks for added pathos; not that it needs it.
This only leaves me to decide which of Here Comes The Night and Safety Zone is my actual Favourite Song here.
The former is a bit of a toe-tapper, with a punchy bass/drum combo and some funky guitar too; while the latter is a slow and funky Blues/Gospel tune with razor sharp and whip smart lyrics …. so I’m probably siding with Safety Zone, but that could easily change with the wind tomorrow.
Discovering the multi-layered talents of Eliza Gilkyson over the last few weeks is really what The Rocking Magpie has always been about for me ….. unearthing musical gems that many of us would normally miss in this turbulent world we find ourselves in … you’re welcome.

Released June 23rd 2023
https://elizagilkyson.com/

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The Watson Twins HOLLER

The Watson Twins
Holler
Bloodshot Records

Edgy Americana Sung Beautifully and Filtered Through a Fine Classic Country Sieve

It seems a lifetime ago when ‘sibling acts’ alongside ‘female duos’ were ‘all the rage’ in the Americana world. As you’d expect some were better than others and just being able to harmonise just wasn’t enough, and most just didn’t have the songs to to carry on in the limelight.
While I was aware of The Watson Twins from their album with Jenny Lewis, way back in 2006 they’ve pretty much passed me by until now; apart from a couple of friends who caught their act in America (SXSW?) who raved about them.
So; this was a double header for me finally getting to hear what the fuss is about; and it being released on the newly resurrected Bloodshot label.
The title track Holler opens the album with a presbyterian organ intro followed by some punchy acoustic guitar; then ….. their voices #swoon come into the mix …. and even if it wasn’t such a punchy ‘modern political’ acutely observed song I’d be happy wallowing in the Honky-Tonk ruckus that the band make …. but the song actually makes listening well worth why.
I nodded knowingly as it ended; Nick and Martin were right to bring them to my attention all those years ago.
Oddly enough this is followed by the Olde Time Swing enhanced Sissy Said …. try to imagine the Andrews Sisters granddaughters getting a band together after hearing the Waco Brothers?
I know it’s natural for them; but Chandra and Leigh really do bring a freshness to their harmonies in a way very few other sibling acts manage; not least on Hundred Miles, the edgy Southern Manners and across the polka melody of My Name with all three also having lyrics that need to be listened to on a secondary level.
As you’d expect in many ways; these songs are all ‘easy on the ear’ and certainly fit into what I regard as Americana; and the two songs I’m torn between as a Favourite are both charm personified but with a razor sharp edge that will make you go “Oh!” when the penny finally drops.
I’ve played this album in the car, the garden and the office too; but on headphones two songs, Honky Tonk Heart and the kick-ass finale Two Timin’ really came to life …. I don’t know why; but they most certainly did …. making Mrs Magpie giggle as I sat ‘dancing/wiggling’ in my chair.
The tender Love You The Most is almost breathtaking the way their shimmering voices combine with baddass electric guitar, a rolling bar-room piano, tear inducing pedal-steel and a bass n drums combo straight outta Muscle Shoals …. what’s not to like.
But, I like to go , not just with my heart but my gut too … which takes us back to The Palace, which whizzes us back to the Golden Years of Country Music and into a saloon two blocks down from The Opry and an ‘unrequited love’ song, the type of which we associate with Patsy, Kitty and Loretta too; but with a 21st Century edge that means neither Watson Twin is going to sit around moping for very long.
There are clever twists and turns all along this particular journey, bringing out the very best in these articulate and memorable songs.
While not exactly ‘genre bending’ The Watson Twins (Chandra and Leigh) find a couple of different playing styles along the way to bring their words to life; and the sum total is very much a fabulous way to spend an hour or two on a regular basis.

PS A very welcome back to the fold for Bloodshot Records btw

Released June 23rd 2023
https://www.thewatsontwins.com/

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RMHQ EXCLUSIVE – Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Dusseldorf

Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band
Merkur-Spiel Arena
Düsseldorf
21st June 2023

While not being ‘quite’ as obsessive about the Boss as some of my friends who’ve seen him double figures of times, I’ve managed to, I think, make up for the lack of quantity with quality, having seen the Human Rights Now! tour at Wembley and the first run of the solo Broadway show, bookending lengthy stadium shows in Sheffield and Coventry over the years.

So, it was a no-brainer to attend this tour, with the likelihood of it being the band’s last big run.
Unable to get anything under £475 for a ticket for Edinburgh or Villa Park in Birmingham, I ended up with three days in Düsseldorf, a flight, gig ticket and a hotel for less than that… I wasn’t the only one – I met a group of lads from the Shetland Isles who’d had an identical experience.
Damn you, dynamic pricing.

The day of the gig was boiling hot; 31C heat; but once inside the Merkur-Spiel Arena, home of Fortuna Düsseldorf, it was a much more comfortable temperature. 

Bang on the stated start time of 7pm, the band launched into a tour debut – and first performance since 2017 – of “The Ties That Bind” followed by an anthemic “No Surrender” and didn’t pause, Ramones-style, for the next 45 minutes.
I was worn out just being in the audience but was especially impressed by the stamina of drummer Max Weinberg who drove the whole thing along. 

As with any Springsteen show, you know that this is going to be a long emotional ride and this one wasn’t any different, but with the added spectre of our inevitable mortality hanging over it all, which Bruce (I think I can call him that) himself referred to, in a speech plucked from the Broadway show about the shifting perspectives in life.
Knowing that you’ve far less time than you’ve enjoyed encourages a certain carpe diem in one’s autumnal years.

Musical highlights for me included a poignant “The River”; “Badlands”, where the stadium literally bounced; the mass singalong of “My Hometown”; the sinister vibe of “Candy’s Room” and the wonderfully sentimental (but not cloying) farewell of “I’ll See You in My Dreams”.

All through the show, the famous lines from Dylan Thomas’ “Do not go gentle into that good night” were on repeat in my head 

“Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”

There’s no doubt that this is where Springsteen’s head is right now – like Bowie, he’s curating his legacy and ensuring that quality control is maintained – and fair play to him for that. 

If that was my last time in the presence of Bruce Springsteen, (I presume that to be the case every time I see him!) – it was bloody great.

Photos and review  by Nick Barber

Photos – https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjAJGSL