Richard Hawley In This City They Call You Love BMG
A Freshness Amid Plenty of Emotions and a Musical Range of The Very Highest Grade and Class.
It’s been a very good few years for Richard Hawley, what with the runaway success of the “Standing at the Sky’s Edge” musical, which started to soar, just after the release of Hawley’s last album “Further”. There’s no doubt that the (richly deserved) publicity generated by that has sparked even greater interest in the man’s music – and so this latest release – backed with a major tour and several festival appearances – has been hotly anticipated.
Opening song “Two For His Heels” when issued as the first track issued from the album caused a bit of a stir – being a ‘psychedelic chain gang song’ with Link Wray underscoring things, as there were some who were anticipating a drift towards the guitar driven sounds of the “Standing at the Sky’s Edge” album. While they needn’t have worried on that score (there’s loads of variety on the album) it’s turned into a dynamic grower, and is going to really come in to its own in the live arena.
“Have Love” benefits from the contrast of an opening sharp guitar figure over a “Tequila” style beat, contrasting with lots of space for the Hawley vocal. Dean Beresford performs some sterling work on shaker/percussion and Colin Elliot’s bass drives the song insistently forward too – the juxtaposition of melody and angular guitar glue it all together.
When Elvis went into the army, he produced a number of catchy earworms to keep his audience hooked, in the days before the Beatles – “Prism in Jeans” has its roots in that in-between time – an insanely catchy singalong with shuffled brushes, it’s absolutely joyous. “Heavy Rain” which follows is probably, in style, the most Hawleyesque production so far here, with Jon Trier’s lush keys/strings acting as an emotional counterpoint to the drip drop rhythm throughout.
The title of the album surfaces in the heartbeat bass focused “People”, which offers a kaleidoscopic view of Sheffield and reveals an acute lyrical side to Hawley that’s not often been lauded enough over the years as there’s a mix of classic river/mountain/hard times imagery mixed with idiosyncratic observations on details – sparrows, crows (influence of RH’s twitcher/guitarist neighbour Martin Simpson?) and Blue John (famous caverns/mines) all getting a mention.
I did wonder, upon seeing the title whether “Hear the Lonesome Whistle Blow” was a cover – but no – although its acoustic roots are firmly in Classic Country territory – this one has the feel of early Ray Price and Eddy Arnold and mines similar territory to San Francisco’s Logan Ledger. “Deep Space” lifts the tempo several notches with its crashing power chords and garage punk tempo and there’s a 60’s twelve string in there too as well as an abrasively gorgeously scorching guitar break. In the press material, RH mentions that he’s cut down the number of solos on the album “I deliberately only played a handful of guitar solos to keep it focused on voices, the song and space…” – but, those that remain are – to use the words of The Fast Show – “Scorchio!”.
The space referred to is indeed evident in “Deep Waters”, which is acoustic Hawley – just a bottomless voice and guitar before Jordanaire type backing vocals add some heavenly harmony. “I’ll Never Get Over You” adds a bit more instrumentation, but remains in low-key reflective territory and adds to the Hawley repertoire of sad love songs – which really are the best kind. “Do I Really Need to Know” jumps straight out of a 1960s TV show, and it’s late night smoochathon music for those that enjoy such things, with a soft Latin rhythm, silky smooth backing vocals and a deep down low wah wah pedal puts this into easy listening Philly Soul land.
“When The Lights Go Out”, with its Shez Sheridan jangle keeps things nocturnal and romantic, before the closing low key track “’Tis Night” which could do for Hawley what “I’ll See You In My Dreams” is doing for Bruce Springsteen as an emotional set closer.
Probably Richard Hawley’s most emotional album since “Truelove’s Gutter”, “In This City They Call You Love” sees Sheffield’s finest continue to grow and expand his musical and lyrical range. Each Hawley release has its own focus and the desire here to concentrate on “voices, songs and space” gives this album a freshness and emotional musical range of the highest class.
Proudly Flying The Flag For the Folk Troubadour Singer-Songwriter.
Americana singer-songwriter Tim Easton has been at this game for thirty years now, and touring heavily during that time from Alaska to Spain, plus he’s busked in Paris and Prague during a seven year adventure that also took in Madrid, London and Dublin playing their clubs and streets before returning to North America stopping off in New York City, Los Angeles, Joshua Tree, California before settling on Nashville.
Find Your Way follows his albums, You Don’t Really Know Me (2021) and North American Songwriter in 2023, (a set of fan picked favourites recorded acoustically) on the Oklahoma label weren’t only recorded in Victoria, Canada, but only uses musicians from the North too.
A genuine day in day out working musician, songwriter and steeped in fine attributes, Easton really is a modern day Folk troubadour, and a ‘decent observer’ of humankind and the ups and downs of our behaviour; he also knows how to lay down a cool groove or two.
His latest album, title-track Find Your Way is an unbending affair, aided by fine harmony vocals he sings “everyday is another chance to find your way. I went slow across the tracks just to catch my breath, just after another wake up call, a wreck within a wreck. How long it takes”. Whimsical vocals and a soulful lap steel guitar, it’s a big song, inspired from a close call with death that came after doing a recording session with Texas’ act, Band Of Heathens. Easton shares wisdom learnt from that near fatal day and how much a wake up call it was.
Everything You’re AfraidOf speaks of removing yourself from everything you’re afraid of. Unlocking the chain and asking yourself ‘why?’, and to send a meaningful prayer to all your enemies. Give yourself a shake. “Remove yourself from everything you’re afraidof” goes the chorus as a wonderful guitar break that’s pounding alongside a hypnotic rhythm. Easton draws the listener into his world, as he’s a master of sharing his emotions, fears and highs making his stories reachable and memorable for the listener.
Here You Are is warmed in acoustic guitar, banjo and mandolin while his relentless questioning speaks of taking stock, “I fell asleep with the lights on. No matter what you told your friends I’m always here for you. Even when I’m gone“ Whether that be good or less so.
Easton picks up the ante on Jacqueline; “Let’s go down to the river’s edge. Don’t it make you feel alive. Jacqueline, what’s the deal with you ever changing mind, Jacqueline turn the wheel. It’s only time on the line. When will you ever take your foot off those foot breaks”. Young lovers? What great music.
Little Brother has a stripped bare, echoey feel as he sensitively reflects on the past reliving his time in Upper Bangor, Maine, “We found girls with pills. Little brother I don’t know what to tell you. We have both been on the run. Mama, won’t you come back now.” He quietly shares his advice, and speaks of how he wished his mother hadn’t taken her own life, leaving him having to answer questions she might otherwise have done. Fact or fiction?
Of a wondrous Blues feel, Bangin’ Drum (Inside My Mind) has him carving out a superb groove with relentless force fuelled by mandolin, harmonica and acoustic guitar which had me thinking of Malcolm Holcombe. A tribute in itself.
Arkansas Twisted Heart is a brilliantly jaunty number, full of striking finger-picked acoustic guitar, banjo, fiddle and harmonica accompanied by a strong, restless rhythm that will hook you in. Easton speaks of having some ‘Tennessee times‘, ‘having another Stanley Brothers’ song to sing‘ and having ‘a mess of a wounded heart’ all amidst swirling harmonica it really burns a trail.
John Hiatt fans should take a listen to Dishwasher’s Blues; it’s got an old American car, girls and a super cool groove from some smart acoustic, drums and a roving fiddle plus an unlimited supply of energy to ensue you follow that white line alongside him, as the song buzzes along. Easton is so descriptive in his songwriting the listener can’t help but become hooked on the entries.
What Will It Take has his raspy vocals, singing ‘It’s no use looking back. When I do I suffer knowing. What will it take to get for you to love me again, all these dusty questions still expecting answers.”
then …
“I was young and careless, breaking all my chances. Bound to my impossible desire”. All warmed in fine harmony vocals as the story rolls along as he seeks retribution. Produced by longtime friend, Leeroy Stagger (see also Easton, Stagger, Philips) it’s heart-tugging till the last. Nice harmonies too.
By The End Of The Night opens in an idiosyncratic fashion as gentle, chugging rhythmic drums and guitar escort his mellow musing that speaks of not wanting to be alone. “I don’t want to be foolish, or dangerous, well a little. By the end of the night, if it is to be you’ll be with me, there’s nothing more to do than fall in love with you“
Dreamy? It’s message that two is better than one and being alone and, maybe even lonely too. Doo-wop hinted, whatever. A pretty darn cool album, if you were to ask me.
Elaine Palmer Half Moon Rising Butterfly Effect Records
Bewitchingly Intimate Singer-Songwriter Country From a Late Night Grande Hotel.
I guess I’m as guilty as the next person for ‘taking for-granted’ local musicians, regardless of their talents. While I know Elaine Palmer is very talented and I loved her last release THE LAND BETWEEN, that hasn’t stopped me continuously pushing this CD to one side in favour of newer ‘more interesting’ acts over the last month. Then, last week we were returning from a weekend at Son #2’s 200 miles away and as I scrolled through my phone’s playlists this showed up, and I nonchalantly pressed ‘play’ not expecting anything other than an Elaine Palmer song (I know that sounds odd – but stick with me.) and what came out of the speakers stunned me like a Vulcan death grip! “Check that this is Elaine Palmer” I asked my wife as I carefully drove along the country roads. “Yes it is … why?” was her reply. Well, dear reader …. opening track Heart and Soul is as good a heartbreakingly dark Country song as you are going to hear this year or next! In my head Elaine normally straddles the Folk/Americana fence and her last album even included a bit of Twang guitar, but here she’s gone full on Lucky Spoke Country singer-songwriter … and I couldn’t be happier. Don’t get me wrong, there’s no Twang here but there is some sublime pedal-steel and best of all, Elaine Palmer finding a home for her distinctive singing style. Her songwriting hits new levels too, with the intricate musicality and frailty in her voice on So Long and later On The Way Up taking Ms Palmer deep into Linda Ronstadt and Suzy Boggus territory with barely a look over her shoulder. The latter opens with the profound … “Youth is wasted on the young Wisdom lies with the old So don’t get fooled by the sun It’s not spinning ’round on its own All the flowers I plant in Spring Every June they start to bloom” Elaine has always had the ability to conjure up pictures in the listeners’ minds with her songs; but here it’s on another level, not least with Last Dance, A Love Like That and Let Me Fall (Revisited) which all conjure up clear imagery negating the need for an accompanying video … or that might just be me and my vivid imagination; but I think not. Perhaps it’s Mike Butler’s razor sharp production or the fact the songs were recorded ‘as live’ with very little post production noodling; but Elaine Palmer genuinely has never sounded finer or better, which brings me to my choice of Favourite Song, at first it was always going to be Freebrourgh Hill an epic and brooding few minutes that deserves its place in everyone’s music collection. Then, as the days have gone by I keep being drawn to the intimate Not Lost, a song that I’d probably have associated with Nanci Griffith circa Late Night Grande Hotel, as Elaine and that damn pedal-steel compete to break your heart into tiny little pieces; and as I’m a sucker for that type of song … it is my Favourite Song on a really special Mini-Album of 8 perfectly formed songs. I could be wrong of course, but it’s only going to take a tiny bit of luck with radio or TV picking up on this record and it could/should be a game changer for this talented Yorkshire born and Arizona bred lass.
Stephanie Sammons Time and Evolution Self Released
A Fully Formed Debut Album From an Exceptional New Texan Singer-Songwriter.
The first day that I played this was one of those when I couldn’t decide what I wanted to listen to – at first I was skimming through the files for something Bluesy and possibly even noisy; and it was by randomly pressing ‘play’ that I stumbled on opening track Make Me Believe and I was smitten in under thirty seconds. FYI Stephanie Sammons is the polar opposite of Bluesy and/or noisy …. as she’s a ‘certified financial planner’ by day and charming singer-songwriter by night! That opening song took me off into a whole new universe from the one that I expected, although one inhabited by the likes of Nanci Griffith, Beth Neilsen Chapman and Mary Gauthier, of whom the latter two she cites as mentors. The first thing that hit me was Stephanie’s voice … simple yet expressive and not without the strength and wisdom that only comes from a woman who has worked hard to succeed in life. Second song Innocence Lost finds the singer looking back at events from her childhood and youth too that have stayed with her throughout life; “I feel shame like I feel the wind,” and I’m sure many who listen to her song will nod along in unison. While the arrangements are very easy on the ear; much like the two mentors I mentioned earlier Sammons writes from the bottom of her heart and when you scratch the surface of Faithless, Mend and the final song on the record, Holding On To Jesus you will be caught in her trap and find yourself stunned and stung by her intricate musicality and the way she sings making them more profound on every play. Especially on debut albums writers are advised to ‘write about what you know’ and Stephanie does just that of course; but that still didn’t prepare me for the powerful Lazarus which trundled along nicely the first few times I played the album, then one day I was in the car and had a Eureka! moment. Man! Sammons took my breath away the way she tells a bittersweet story of small town hypocrisy that meant she had to hide her sexuality “Maybe if I pray a little harder for the rain that’s gonna fall Maybe if I wait for the seasons to change These big things will be resolved,” Billboard Sign follows a similar stony path, as she tells us of the challenges internal and external she endured while coming to terms with and accepting herself:starting with “her mother claiming she’d yet to meet the right man; a father who told her she was only welcome in his home if alone; and the person she saw in the mirror each morning, who sat in a pew each Sunday praying for salvation despite living like a saint.” The production here, by Mary Bragg (who joins Sammons on Living and Dying) is really quite exceptional, especially for a debut record, as everything you hear has a place and nothing sounds even remotely out of kilter with Stephanie’s lead vocals and Bragg allows the singer the freedom to let the songs flow like a country stream. It was only when I was thinking of what would be my Favourite Song that I began to worry about where to fit this album into my collection. Why? Well there’s plenty of pedal-steel littered throughout, so that must make it a Country album – no? Well, not really – perhaps Americana, but the structure of most songs are from the modern Folk idiom I think; so I’ve decided to go back in time and label it simply under Singer-Songwriter … which is a very apt genre at the end of the day. The dilemma came about as I listened to Grow Up (featuring Vernon Thompson), Year of The Dog and Billboard Sign in my quest, and all three are built quite differently but all three sound almost perfect in a way I associate with those songwriters I mentioned earlier. Although it’s far removed from my own life, I’m going for the bravery coiled inside the challenging Billboard Sign as my Favourite Song as I’m sure it will live with me for many years to come. I think this album is quite sublime especially for a first attempt …. Stephanie Sammons is a ‘keeper’ that’s for sure and I look forward to any visits to the UK where there will be an appreciative audience waiting for her.
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 a summer breeze With the wind in our hair, breathing mountain air And the world far below will never know We are there.” Some of the words I will use to describe Thompson’s songs will make many raise their eyebrows, but some of our greatest songwriters have produced a canon of work that has a powerful spine aligned to an ‘easy on the ear’ melody that’s full of lusciousness and thoughtfulness designed to make you smile (as well as ‘think’) and that’s what we have here. When I first heard Now The Sun Is Up and Time and Tide I wrote ‘channeling his inner Donovan and Ralph McTell’ and I can’t see beyond that now; and that’s certainly meant to be a compliment. I’m sure Paul does listen to a lot of 1960s Folk music; but when you delve deeper into this album, there are hints of Bluegrass and the type of songs that came and went in the blink of an eye when Mumford & Sons ruled the charts too, not least Light a Little Fire and/or Nightfall spring to mind, but there are others too. I doubt Paul ever thinks he will ever headline Glastonbury, but he has played the smaller tents (which real music fans inhabit?) to wall to wall packed crowds and I presume that’s the case with other festivals too … he’s that type of act. This is Thompson’s sixth album, and while I can’t compare and contrast with the first two, I think it’s fair to say that his writing and observations have matured since 22’s LONE STAR, which to my ears comes across ever so well on the torrid tale of a man leaving his family, in Child In Me “Left you standing by the garden gate Superman pyjamas and a teddy bear You waved goodbye Too late” While I’m a man in his mid 60s and not particularly a Folk fan; but with songs like the haunting part spoken word Spirit Guide and Lady In The Lake in his play book Thompson will win over music fans of all generations from teens to my elders with his eminently listenable arrangements and velveteen vocals. As usual I’ve played this album a few times now in a few different locations, but best of all was when I was in the conservatory on a sunny day editing photos, with no distractions apart from making copious cups of coffee. This brings me to my choice of Favourite Song, it was nearly the metaphorical Baby Hedgehog which is a pure delight and very thought provoking too … “But I’m lost just like you Trying to find my way back to A safe place to hibernate I’d rather just hide away with you.” The other; and song that really caught my attention this morning as I was writing the review; The Crow Calls Nightly which is one of those songs where it’s difficult to put into words why another’s words and emotions mirror your own; and that’s the case here. I listen to copious amounts of angsty singer-songwriter fayre on a weekly basis; and in fairness they suit my mood after an hour or so watching the news or scrolling through Social Media … but the world needs more like Paul Thompson!
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’ …. and a week later I still feel the same way; perhaps even more so. Nicky Murray has a slight Scottish ‘burr’ to his singing; but not so much that you will ever pinpoint where he comes from; as you will be so enamoured by his soft and emotional style that every thing else seems irrelevant. His songs are far, far from ‘irrelevant’ by the way. He obviously writes from the heart and is a keen observer of the world around him; bringing us the brittle beauty of 100 Horses, Fox Behind the Snow and The Days We Had too; but that description could probably be a catch-all for everything else here too. I’ve used the expression a couple of other times over the years, but Nicky Murray is a songwriter with a poet’s soul; such is the imaginative way he constructs his songs and arranges them too. I hadn’t really noticed before today; but there’s a gorgeous Celtic edge to So It Seems and the final song on the album, Sweet September; something that conjures up misty mountains and glistening rivers that feels as natural as breathing for the singer. Of course this is where I’m legally bound to say that this is a long playing record that needs to be played from start to finish with absolutely no distractions to get the best from his deceptively powerful modern folk songs. Track #2 Hearten is simply breathtaking, not just for the way Murray purrs the story, but the instrumentation behind his voice too; not least the shimmering cymbals, violin and soft piano playing too. That said; two songs have haunted me in between plays; which must be a good thing, so I will point you to the tragically gorgeous The Days We Had and the delicately intricate Take Time as joint Favourite Songs; but I’m sure something else will touch you in the exact same way these have effected me. Although Murray has released a couple of songs as singles in the run up to this release; I’m not sure where they will fit in on radio; as his whispering delivery must surely get lost on that format. My gut feeling is that in much the same way as I’ve found him; word of mouth and judicious use of Internet forums and Social Media will beget him more sales and fans than print advertising or diverse radio plays ever will. *a bit quirky and I like it; but a few tracks start with Nicky, unedited introducing the songs as ‘take 3’ or such. Mischa Stevens: Bass Fergus McCreadie: Piano Alex Palmer: Drums Ellen Torrance: Harmonies Chloe Bryce/Juliette Lemoine/Selina Ross/Laura Wilkie: Strings Nicky Murray: Guitar/Vox
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 paid her dues over the years, earning the respect of her peers in the process. Apart from being a founder member of the critically acclaimed Canadian band since 2002 and from 2010 she has also won favour through her solo recordings too. In 2015, a year prior to her musical sabbatical (due to motherhood) the multi-instrumentalist both toured, and recorded with renowned guitarist, singer-songwriter, pop star etc, Mark Knopfler, and he appeared on her second album, These Wilder Things (following her 2010 debut solo record, The Garden) as did Moody on two of his!
Already Free opens the record, and by her standards features a big production, and finds her pure soprano voice in fine form. Written by Moody and about which she says, ‘it is for anyone who is ready to let go of the weight they are carrying and be free’, adding, ‘I wrote the lyrics during the pandemic. This is me, saying I’m not coping well. I’m losing my grip’. She found strength in that admission, and inspired by her heroes, Joni Mitchell and Laura Marling its’ open tuned guitars are expertly utilised.
Twilight continues the whimsical feel of the former, warmed in harmony vocals and gentle instrumental work allowing Moody to take flight, with a beautiful arrangement and pristine lead vocals.
Aided by claw-hammer banjo, folk ballad The Spell Of The Lilac Bloom featuring vocalist, Joey Landreth has an abundance of beauty running through its veins. Simplistic in format, this wistful delight enjoys tender, amazingly performed harmony vocals etched in sensitive guitar (Anthony da Costa), timely keyboards (Kai Welch) and an upright bass, creating a perfect platform for their duetting vocals. It’s Moody at her best, and I could listen to them, and the accompanying music all night long. It doesn’t get much better than this.
Seventeen, is a true-life story (a homage to her hometown of Winnipeg) driven by a steady rhythm with a little electric lead guitar giving it a Pop Folk feel as Ruth edges forth artistically. Michigan sees her voice become the central point, especially during early exchanges as it soars artfully prior to the additional instrumentation taking charge. Here you have tasteful pedal steel guitar (courtesy of Nashville’s in demand session man, Russ Pahl) keyboards and more; not least her partner, Sam Howard on upright bass and harmony vocals, plus her older brother, Richard Moody, who’s been an ever-present on her recordings.
The gentle The Way Lovers Move has Moody singing with great poise and sensitivity as she speaks of the various stages of a relationship and eventually being doused in tempered pedal steel and extra soft drums the song edges home perfectly. The album in general reflects the joys and pain of relationships, from motherhood to the longing for home especially on occasions when you are in need of a place of solace.
Coyotes has more tenderness in its arrangement, with Ruth Moody’s enchanting lead vocals captivating the listener from start to finish, and with a gradual build on the instrumental side the track is well centred. Moody speaks of ‘wearing your shirt, and how there’s a fire in her heart. I’ve been trying so hard not to feel. I swear I’ll feel a sense of it yet.’ It sounds like it was written during a time she was parted from the love of her life, as it contains more than its fair share of anguish as a strong resonance rings throughout.
With claw-hammer banjo back in the mix, North Calling offers a feeling of space, and reflective observations as the singer takes stock of her life, which is something she shares, generously across the record.
Wanderer is a solid low-key track, where she’s wistfully found her muse and speaks of times when she was afraid of change. The album closes with Comin’ Round The Bend which finds Moody’s vocals in top form again, as she speaks of coming out of a darkness, ‘coming round the bend’ and feeling that a metaphoric dawn is near and It brings the album to a close amidst gentle instrumental tones. A most compelling album that is perfect accompaniment for the personal hard times many of us are feeling .
It’s always great to hear a familiar voice; and I have been listening to Kim Richey’s voice since the mid-90s. She once played as my special guest at a charity show in Nashville and we had only known each other a few weeks, such is her generosity. As most fans can attest to, her voice is sweet and she comes by her song material and humour honestly. As she mentions in our interview ‘unless I’m writing with an artist to help them find their voice, I wouldn’t write a song that I wouldn’t want to sing myself.’ Which brings us to the conversation we have about her new album, her songs and collaborations, her studio band and touring.
We start with the pleasantries and Kim admits she’s been under the weather with Nashville allergies, as a former Nashville resident, I can relate but she says she’s on the tail end of it and doing fine. I compliment Kim on the photos (taken by Stacie Huckeba) she used for her new album and promotion too. Kim looks luminous, and casual, like she’s happy just to chat about life and such. I got a sneaky listen to the new album and it sounds sweet, Doug Lancio, a frequent collaborator, produced it using returning musicians Dan Mitchell, Neilson Hubbard, and new addition Lex Price. The album features some co-writes (Don Henry and Aaron Lee Tasjan to name two) and songs she’s written solo, in recent times and others coming out of the extensive back catalog Kim has stashed away. It’s important to mention that Kim is a songwriter through and through, she is prolific and has so many choices when it comes to picking songs for a new album, in this case she found songs that felt like the time was right.
I ask Kim how the journey for this new album differs from previous albums. ‘This record had a lot more parameters on it because I had a lot less money to work with, so you know, it was just important to get it finished within the time we had to work. The cost of the studio and musicians, you know how that goes. I think that’s the biggest difference. I’ve been doing this for so long it’s gone from when there was nothing but money and big studios – and most of those studios are gone now – to where people can now make their records in their own home studios and they sound pretty decent too. I’ve been around for the whole spectrum. We worked in a beautiful little studio to make this record and we also did a little bit of work … well, Doug did a lot of work with the guitars and loops and stuff down in his basement after we did the tracking.’ The studio Kim is referring to is Skinny Elephant and engineer Dylan Armitage where I recorded my own Cardinal in the Snow album, and it’s a great choice nestled in the neighborhood of East Nashville.
I take a moment to run over the names of the musicians that were involved – Neilson Hubbard and Danny Mitchell are on Kim’s new album, and she has plenty of other incredible players on board too, Lex Price on bass and, if you don’t know him, Danny Mitchell is also an incredible keyboard player and tours with country star Miranda Lambert. She tells me, ‘I had always admired Lex and I really wanted to work with him, if I ever make another record I wouldn’t even consider doing it without Dan (Mitchell). He’s the ringer. He’s a beautiful flugelhorn player and a beautiful singer too.’ Kim continues, ‘He’s actually one of my most favourite people to sing with and Dylan is such a sweetheart to work with too, Doug’s fantastic, I love everything about him, then there’s Neilson, he’s not really a drummer, so it was this different kind of feel. Dan and Neilson and I were going out as a trio for years and at first we were carrying all this stuff with us to try and recreate the record we made and then we figured out our best thing is singing, so we just concentrated on that. Neilson taught himself how to play drums, so he was playing drums and bass and Dan was playing keyboards. I mean both those guys are great musicians. Dan was playing the flugelhorn on one hand and bass with his other while sitting at the keyboard! They’re both pretty great. (Going back to the current album) and then also Aaron Lee Tasjan who sang and played on a couple songs. He’s ridiculously good.’ I mention here that Aaron is so intriguing and that the best thing about him is you don’t know what you’re gonna get; he has such range. ‘I love him!’ Kim enthuses. ‘He used to be my ‘across the alley’ neighbour and then they had to move out, but it was before I got to know him. Stacey, the photographer, she said ‘that’s Aaron Lee Tasjan over there’ and I was like, really? ‘Cause I could sit in my carport which we used as a patio and he would be out on his carport playing the guitar. But the first time he came over to write with me, we wrote Joy Rider, and you know how it is when you write with someone for the first time, it’s like a blind date. He came over and I didn’t know what was going to happen. It could have gone terribly wrong but we just had a blast, he’s so funny. I just love him to bits. He’s one of my favourite people.’
I mention to Kim at this point that after listening and reading through the album notes it feels quite ‘nostalgic’. There are goodbyes, looking back, childhood memories? I ask her if that was a thread she was pulling when she was looking for songs that were contenders or did it just happen to be the way that some of the songs came together.
‘Well, some of the songs are older songs and some of them were written around 2020, our favourite year? (laughs) I mean that bit of time there, a lot of people, myself included, were looking back over things and we didn’t know what was gonna happen. I don’t know if you had the same thing but all of a sudden you’re hearing from old friends you wanna get in touch with, family too and you’re looking a bit over your life. I think I do a bit of that (on this record) but I write a lot of personal relationship songs and that is always looking back ‘here’s what happened’. Also when I go to pick out songs for an album I do that with a producer and they have songs that appeal to them and then me as the writer, I have songs that are really important to me, and we’ll figure out what to do. It’s a joint decision, but I have the final say. I’m just a serial collaborator and I really like working with other people, so I like doing that when I’m picking songs for an album as well. I mean I’ve been doing this for thirty years and the first five years I just wrote songs full time, I have a massive back catalog and even after I was making records and I wasn’t on the road nearly as much as I am now, I was always writing, writing, writing because that’s what I love to do, sit and hang out with my friends and write songs.’
‘Some songs when you write them they don’t ‘speak’ to you at the time or until you’re older. I had a song on my album Edgeland ‘Chase Wild Horses’ and that’s about looking back over my life and I was crazy and all that sort of stuff. It didn’t seem like a song I felt like singing at the time that I recorded it and then years later I think … ‘ah, ok, I get this song now.’
‘On the other hand there are some songs I don’t sing now (like Commercial Country) but even then I would say ‘ok, would I sing this song?’ I never had any luck writing FOR other people. I’m trying to write songs that I would stand up in front of people and sing, unless you’re helping another artist with THEIR project. That’s different.’
I ask her did anything surprise her after she listened to the finished product. ‘I don’t know if surprising is the right word but when we were sequencing the record which is always hard to do and you’ve got the ‘bangers’ up front and the nice quiet song at the end, that’s kind of the generic way. With the song Chapel Avenue, Doug says that would be a nice song to end it on and when I was listening back to all the mixes and trying to put them in order, I listened to Chapel Avenue. It hit me so much and I love the arrangement and how it turned out. I’m not burying it at the end of the record … I’m gonna put it right up front and I’ll start off the record with a quiet introspective song and if that’s what people like then come on in and if that doesn’t appeal to them – skip it! (and we both laugh).’
Mentioning Chapel Avenue brings up Don Henry, her co-writer on the song. Don’s a wonderful songwriter and collaborator. Kim tells me ‘we really did have a good time talking about being kids and everything, we had so much fun. And that song was written in just one sitting but then I felt it needed something else rather than just…(she takes a pause) it’s nice to reminisce but I like things that have more elements to it. Like I would rather see (the film) Pulp Fiction rather than a film that is all happy or all sad or all scary. There are more things going on and I like things like that so I felt like it needed a little bit of something else so I wrote a bridge to it. But I loved writing the verses and the chorus with Don.’
I mention the power of reminiscing and Kim adds ‘it gets to a lot of people. I remember I recently played that song at a show with John Cowsill and Vicky Petersen and I finished playing that song and John has tears in his eyes. The verse that got him was ‘the sissy bars and banana seats’ and he said that was me when I was a kid.’
I mention that Kim’s voice in Chapel Avenue put me in mind of Kirsty MacColl and she says ‘wasn’t she great’ and A Way Around has Fleetwood Mac vibes to which she agrees. Floating on the Surface which is the demo that couldn’t be bettered in the studio with Kim’s secret love of playing percussion, Kim explains ‘It sounds completely different from everything else on the record which I think is ok because, I mean it’s nice to have something different … I wrote that with Roger Nichols, we also had so much fun writing that song. He’s such a good friend. That’s the first song we ever wrote together. When he came over to write I was listening to this band, I think a duo? Ultimate Painting? I think they’ve since broken up. Their stuff was really simple, it sounded like there was a drummer and electric guitar, there wasn’t a lot going on but there was a lick going on underneath the song, I don’t write that way, I’m a strummer, I’ve never built a song on top of something like that so when I got together with Roger, he’s a great guitar player, I said let’s try to write a song on top of a really cool guitar lick and he came up with that and that’s how we got started off recording that song.’ I agree with Kim in that it sounds different and that it’s a good thing because it gives you a bit of an interlude but it isn’t so different that it doesn’t take you out of the album. Then I bring up Feel This Way and its old school R&B vibe with Danny on the keyboards. It fits beautifully but has a little bit of sass and attitude. ‘ Yeah, Jay Knowles and I wrote that, he’s a really great guy he’s a great ‘old school classic’ songwriter… I had a blast writing with him.’
I realise we are nearing the end of our chat and I want to make sure we talk briefly about Kim’s upcoming UK tour in May. I ask her about her relationship with being on the road. Kim answers, ‘There are things I love about it and there are things that are hard. We are going to go out as a trio for some shows and then I have a band show in Nashville after the UK. But for the most part it’s me and another person and I usually end up doing all the driving which I don’t love. That’s physically hard on you. My job is I just carry shit from one place to another (she gives a little laugh), a sherpa? You know, you can relate to that, putting it all in the car, taking it all out, setting it up, putting it all back in the car, taking it all out again when you get to the hotel. So I don’t love that part. I love the people I tour with luckily, and I have a great time with the people I play with. What I love about touring is just seeing different places, man, ‘cause I must have a tiny attention span, ‘cause I’m always wanting something new. What I do love about touring; is if you’re in a bus, a bus is awesome to tour in, you have your berth to read and hang out in, but you don’t have as many experiences as you would have if you’re travelling in a car. I can say ‘whoa what’s that?’ and pull off and go see what that is and I go to these places I never knew existed let alone choose them to go on a vacation. Especially in the States, or anywhere, really all these smaller towns I would never end up going to see. I mean London and Glasgow you might go there for vacation, but all these other smaller towns, I mean the last tour, Dean and I were driving along and we were on our way to play a show that night and we were hungry for lunch so we just pulled into this diner and it was a fantastic place. We sat up at the counter and it had oysters for breakfast. (she laughs) I mean it was just fantastic. Then I have met so many really super nice people in the audience over the years and the house concerts too, some I have played four or five, six times and those people have now become friends. Some nights are better than others, and when the energy is happening, man, between us and the crowd and that interplay … it’s just electric and it’s awesome. That’s the music business. Just performing is like WHOA whoa WHOA whoa! (She raises her voice high and drops it down low). I can’t think how many times I’ve quit the music business in a month. There’ll be a few times where I say I’m not doing this anymore and then I’ll have a show where I’m like WHOA I LOVE THIS. It’s kinda funny.’ I tell her it’s like being in a relationship with a person you can’t break up with. Go away! No, wait I love you, and we have a good laugh. Like you do when you’re talking to a friend and just having a conversation and laughing with each other.
On stage Kim Richey is the same, like a friend, and I think that is what draws people to her. She has no pretences, no airs, she’s just happy to be there, sharing these moments with her band and the audience. Whatever happens, happens.
Kim tells me Scottish artist Carla J Easton, a songwriter she met at the BANF workshops in Canada, is opening some Northern shows for her. She is also going to play with the guitarist Paul Kelly. Luke Brighty is playing some shows with Kim as well and FYI Glasgow is already sold out, The Green Note in London is with a band and it will sell out … so get a ticket. Check out her website for more tour dates. Enjoy Every New Beginning out on May 24, although not officially out on the early part of the tour Kim says there might be some exciting merch still on offer to her UK fans.
Charles Esten Glasshouse Music Centre Gateshead Tyne and Wear Thursday 24th April 2024
I guess pretty much everyone reading this will already know who Charles Esten is; but for the uninitiated he was Deacon Claybourne in the TV programme Nashville. Even a cursory look at his history tells you that he was already a regular on TV shows in the US while having a successful career as a songwriter too, plus played a lot of bars etc. learning his craft. All of that combined to make the venue formally known as The Sage pretty full for a school night, even though it was his second appearance under his own name in only a couple of years. The evening started with a solo acoustic slot for Charlie Greene from a band called Betcha, who coincidently is the fiancée of Esten’s daughter … what a coincidence. Wearing double stone-washed denim, Greene delivered a set of mostly, his (band’s) own songs which in this format came across as a heady mix of punk passion and channelled anxiety. There were a couple of songs that suited this format; Calm Down and Coincidence spring to mind; when he used his vocal talents at their best; notably his key changes and authentic Country slur/rasp. Just as I was scribbling that he owed more to Ed Sheeran than Townes Van Zandt; Greene introduced a cover song while extolling the quality of songwriters in and around Nashville …. Then delivered a heartfelt and slightly twisted version of Paul Simon’s This House! In fairness it really suited his voice. He finished with two more songs that I’ve labelled Country-Punk in my notes; and perhaps with a band behind him Jaded and July could be barnstormers. There was a twenty-minute break before Charles Esten appeared out of the shadows to join the pianist; Andy on stage …. With the crowd whooping and a’ wailing like teenyboppers! With only his trademarked smile, the two broke into a raw and stark version of Love Ain’t Pretty from the new album of the same name, that sent the crowd into ecstasy as it faded at the end. When we saw him a couple of years ago it was apparent that a number of people (women?) thought that it really was Deacon on stage; but tonight they were here to see and listen to Charles Esten and it was a pleasure watching so many people mouthing the words to such new songs. Although I knew some of the back stories to the songs from the album’s press release; but it was a key part of the evening that he explained where songs like One Good Move, Make You Happy and especially The Whispering Goes come from. Maybe because success like he’s achieved took so long to arrive; Esten seems very comfortable on stage and had the whole audience in the palm of his hand all night not least when he sang the self-depreciating One Good Move which was followed by the haunting In a Bar Somewhere too. Esten’s wife and daughter were in the audience tonight, which added an extra touch of romanticism to Make You Happy and the surprising choice of Dire Straits’ Romeo & Juliet but the tearjerking story before it, made the choice quite perfect. I’m beginning to think that Simon & Garfunkel might be having a resurgence, as I heard two different singers include their songs last week; and tonight the duet between Esten and his future son in law Charlie Greene on The Sound of Silence was extraordinary and deserved the spontaneous standing ovation at the end. Pretty much all of the new album were there somewhere tonight; and a couple of songs from Nashville too, Halfway Home and No One Will Ever Love You which he crooned from a bar stool while the pianist, Andy like he was in a Vegas lounge. For Mrs Magpie and myself, the highlight of the night was next, and that was the staggeringly powerful stripped down version of Candlelight which very nearly had me waving my phone in the air if I could have only found the bloody torch! As the time flew by Esten strapped on the Stratocaster again and told us to get ready to party! Another self-depreciating song; All Downhill From Here followed and bled seamlessly into Bruce’s Pink Cadillac and the Stones’ Honky Tonk Woman that had about a dozen dancing in the aisles. Of course there was an obligatory encore; and it was actually one of Mrs Magpie’s favourite song from the TV Show; the soft and thoughtful ballad, Life Is Good …. And the smiles on the faces as everyone left the hall told their own story. A good night was had by all.
Crisp, Astute, Articulate and Always Worth Your Time and Effort to Listen And Absorb
The first thing that caught my attention with this release was the artist’s name – Heather Little, which is the same as my favorite Sister in Law who sadly died 10 or so years ago and is still missed today. This Heather Little appears to be a completely different proposition all together! Texas Heather is what is known as a ‘songwriters songwriter’ with only one album from 2013 to her name; but several hits from top-shelf acts that you hear regularly on the radio; to her name. Many of our favourite female acts at RMHQ fall under that same banner; with their own albums being exemplary in our opinion; but regularly falling under the radar. The album opens with Five Deer County, a drole and gut wrenching ballad featuring the wonderfully monikered Randy Van Sickle; about a couple with no money to spare, yet the man still finds enough to finance his hunting trips …. “San Saba, you can have him cause I can’t compete That five deer county is the girl of his dreams Ain’t no babies crying in that old Airstream I was strangling that boy with my apron strings Choking that boy with my apron strings” “ It’s a very clever and articulate song, that by Country Music standards actually borders on ‘poetry,’ but more of that to come. The pace drops on the second song; the harrowing Hands Like Mine which features the fabulous Patty Griffin on BV and harmonies, while both voices also make your spine tingle. While not sounding like either, Heather Little’s voice and songs will most certainly appeal to fans of Patty Griffin and late dear departed Nanci Griffith, by the way, There are ‘no laughs here’ as Heather digs deep for her songs; mostly observational like the dark Landfall, This Life Without You (again alongside Patty Griffin) and the world wearying Bones too. I guess it’s no surprise that after all these years Heather Little’s songwriting is crisp, astute and always worth your time and effort to listen to and absorb; Transistor Radio being a prime example … “Seventeen ain’t what it was when my grand dad was a boy And he lied about his age so they’d let him fight the war Then my brother took his turn Lord did our family foot the bill They just thanked him for his service And pumped him full of pills.” I said ‘poetry’ earlier and I believe that to be an influence on Little’s writing; but invariably what she’s created here are a series of short stories, set to music the way they are constructed; with several …. the horrible story inside My Fathers Roof, then Sunset Inn and the Hill Country Noir of Better By Now, all deserve storyboard videos to run alongside them. While I’d love to hear any or all of these songs on radio; there’s absolutely nothing that fits into what Country Radio deems to be worthy of their time these days; probably because they are all too ‘real’ in content and arrangement; but there’s always the shows on Community/College Radio who are less afraid and a whole lot more adventurous in the music they play. Which brings me to my selection of Favourite Song; at first it was going to be the vividly detailed and powerful Gunpowder and Lead alongside Van Plating that features a stark fiddle and some very angry acoustic picking as well as two bewitching voices. Then on a car ride (in the dark) Better By Now featuring Ronnie Bowman and sounds like Heather is channeling her inner Ashley McBryde at times; caught me by surprise and became a contender; but at the end of the day I can’t see past the the harrowing mixed up love song, California Queen which nearly microwaved my heart at one stage and still takes my breath away, a week later… which shows you the power Heather exudes through her words and music. “I will always be the queen of your California king While all the jesters come and go with no strings attached They don’t know I am a fixture I am a mixture of confusion and the surest thing you will ever know Believe your California queen is on her throne.” Perhaps it’s the mood I’m in at the moment; not as dark as a few months ago, I hasten to add; but every one of these songs has touched me in one way or another, and several made me think about friends and family who are or have gone through the torments that Heather Little has not just wrote about, but put her heart and soul to singing them too.
The Rocking Magpie 