CD releases, artists touring, festival previews, news from UK venues and anything else that people are talking about
Conversations with international and UK artists about their music, their inspiration and their future plans
Sorting through the mass of new releases for the hidden gems, as well as reviews of live shows, festivals, books and movies
Some ideas for thematic CD samplers or iPod playlists. Add your own suggestions or submit an entire list
Irishman Tony McLoughlin’s fourth album, produced by Ben Reel, is not bad by any means, but it is mediocre. The songs are bland – for an album that blends rock with folk there is not a single memorable song. According to the release information that came with the CD, Ride The Wind is ‘undoubtedly going to rattle the cage’. It fails to mention that it will be rattling either in frustration or because the music is playing in an old-fashioned elevator.
Steve Earle has lost out to Randy Newman at the Emmy awards.
Earle had received his first ever Emmy nomination in the category of Outstanding Music and Lyrics for his song “This City”. The song, produced by T Bone Burnett, was written specifically for the series "Treme", a drama about people in New Orleans rebuilding their homes and lives after Hurricane Katrina. The song closed the season finale of the show.
Larkin Poe – comprising two sisters from Georgia, Rebecca and Megan Lovell, plus a four-piece band – have produced a debut release which is interesting without ever being fully satisfying. Still aged only 19 (Rebecca) and 20 (Megan), there’s enough here to suggest that they could go on to produce bigger and better things.
Four people were key to the making of Willie and the Wheel: the late Jerry Wexler had the original idea for Willie Nelson to produce a Western Swing tribute album; the spirit of Bob Wills, who originally performed many of the songs, looms large; Ray Benson produced the album, chose the songs with help from Wexler and created new arrangements for many of them; and finally, Nelson sings and brings his popular appeal to the project. Don’t expect anything groundbreaking or startlingly original, just a collection of classic songs, all easy on the ear and immaculately performed.
When Drew Nelson first started going into schools to play his songs and run workshops for the students, the bookings came from the music department. But as time has gone on, he’s found that increasingly he’s getting called by English departments – and that’s where he feels more at home.
“At the end of the day what I am is a storyteller, more than anything else,” says the Michigan singer-songwriter, who is touring the UK this summer in support of his latest album Dusty Road to Beulah Land.
Chris Smither at Harvest Time Blues, Monaghan
Pokey Lafarge and the South City Three at Jumpin' Hot Club, Newcastle
Kirsty McGee at The Woodend, Glasgow
The Water Tower Bucket Boys at Appalachian and Bluegrass Music Festival, Castletown, Omagh
Rachel Harrington at Porter's Coffee House, North Shields
When Drew Nelson first started going into schools to play his songs and run workshops for the students, the bookings came from the music department. But as time has gone on, he’s found that increasingly he’s getting called by English departments – and that’s where he feels more at home.
“At the end of the day what I am is a storyteller, more than anything else,” says the Michigan singer-songwriter, who is touring the UK this summer in support of his latest album Dusty Road to Beulah Land.
Steve Earle has lost out to Randy Newman at the Emmy awards.
Earle had received his first ever Emmy nomination in the category of Outstanding Music and Lyrics for his song “This City”. The song, produced by T Bone Burnett, was written specifically for the series "Treme", a drama about people in New Orleans rebuilding their homes and lives after Hurricane Katrina. The song closed the season finale of the show.
Irishman Tony McLoughlin’s fourth album, produced by Ben Reel, is not bad by any means, but it is mediocre. The songs are bland – for an album that blends rock with folk there is not a single memorable song. According to the release information that came with the CD, Ride The Wind is ‘undoubtedly going to rattle the cage’. It fails to mention that it will be rattling either in frustration or because the music is playing in an old-fashioned elevator.
Most of the women in these songs are fighting back. Some are the victims of very serious situations, such as Eliza Gilkyson’s song based on the true story of a woman driven to kill after a lifetime of abuse. Others are just discovering they can live their lives differently, such as the woman in Mary Chapin Carpenter’s song, inspired by a 1970s TV commercial: a man lists his wife’s many attributes and sums up with “I think I’ll keep her.” The woman has other ideas.
