Single Review - Driftwood - Mike Ross

Teasing his forthcoming album – The Clovis Limit Tennessee Transition – Mike Ross has today released the single Driftwood.  We have been sent the full album ahead of its scheduled release on 28 May and it is so tempting to listen to the whole album rather than just this one track!

Moderation in all things though! For now, Driftwood.

I’m not sure if I should be describing this single as pure or raw.  Perhaps it is both.  Mike is a multi-instrumentalist and, apart from the occasional guest collaborator, his albums are all him on both vocals and instruments.  Driftwood opens with a count in, a guitar and pure Mike – although the lyrics are far from “pure”!  The sound, with a bit of slide and a certain gruffness summons up the image of a log cabin, or perhaps a shack with a singer plying his trade. The song, the music, the vocals are bluesy, rocky and raw.

This isn’t just a flight of fantasy – Mike really has recorded in a shack – or “a cabin retreat” – but despite the heavy southern influence very evident in his sound, Mike is actually a Durham lad.  When you discover that he was raised on 70s rock you begin to understand his influences.  Don’t try to pigeonhole though, Mike is a bit of rock, a little blues, some folk, Americana… his style is recognisable and at the same time uniquely him.  From shack to Nashville to Brighton, Mike Ross is happy to incorporate styles and environments into his music and the outcome is incredibly listenable. 

With Driftwood as a teaser, it is so tempting to listen to the rest of the album, and ahead of its release we certainly will do so, but for now it’s a pleasure to listen to Driftwood, in a shack, accompanied by sips of a fine whiskey.  Trust me – try it!

Driftwood, from the forthcoming album The Clovis Limit Tennessee Transition is available now to download and stream.

 

You can find and follow Mike on Facebook, Instagram, his website and on Spotify

Single Review - As Much As I Miss You - Adele & Andy

 

The story of a soldier going off to war is not a new theme in country and folk music – The Dixie Chicks with Travellin’ Soldier, Toby Keith’s “American Soldier, the Australian song “The Band Played Waltzing Matilda” by Eric Bogle among many others tell stories of going to war, being at war or returning from war.  Fighting for your country is a strongly held belief, especially in America.

With their new single As Much As I Miss You, Adele and Andy have brought their own angle to the soldier’s story.  The boy in this tale is the son of a soldier, his father died when the boy was very young.  It tells of being caught between following in his father’s footsteps and honouring his memory, and the love for his mother.  The title is the words that he “hears” when he visits his father’s grave “The place upon the Hill” – “as much as I miss you, your momma she needs you more”. Despite this, he heads off to war, has a battlefield realisation and survives so he can return home to the love of his mother.

Although the song is about the young soldier, it is also about the sacrifices the mother makes in life – first seeing her husband go to war and not return, then watching her son making the same journey.

Musically, the song is essentially Adele’s vocals over a simple guitar backing from Andy with a little percussion.  The mix is very much biased to the vocal, presumably to accent the storytelling, but although the instrumentation is simple, it deserves a little more exposure!  A slow song, which will perhaps have you thinking rather than dancing or foot tapping.

Overall, the song is heartfelt, well written and well performed by this Midlands based duo who seem to have kept busy throughout lockdown!

 

As Much As I Miss You, the new song from Adele and Andy is available to download and stream from all major platforms from Friday 30 April

You can connect with the pair on Facebook, Instagram, and on Spotify

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Single Review - The Mess I Made - Kezia Gill ft Sarah Jory

 

Kezia Gill has spent around 17 years becoming an overnight success, and we boarded the Kezia bus around two years ago.  It is a joy to see that she is now enjoying the recognition that her talent so richly deserves, not just by winning awards (triple winner at the last Silverball Country awards) but with radio airplay on national station Radio 2 – and on mainstream shows as well as Bob Harris Country.

Kezia’s new releases now go to Whispering Bob for first play amongst the great and good of the Country Music world, but Kezia shows why she is probably UK Country’s favourite home girl by attracting a massive and loyal audience to her Friday night livestreams live from her lounge whilst wearing her fluffy slippers!

Kezia is promising us a new EP to be released in the Summer, and the first track from that EP is The Mess I Made.  For this new single Kezia is making the most of her powerful and Bluesy vocal and to support that Kezia turned once again to two times Silverball Country Musician of The Year Sarah Jory to provide the incredible guitar to back her voice.  Although best known for her pedal steel, Sarah is an amazing guitarist, putting raw power and passion into everything chord she plays, and her performance here is no different.

When you have a single combining the two most talented women in UK Country, you hit play with an assumption that you will be hearing something good.  Just a simple guitar strum warms you up before Kezia comes in with a soaring, wailing vocal which transports you to the deep South.

I shouldn’t have played the games I played

A story of not so much regret but acceptance of “The Mess I Made”.  A semi cautionary tale, reminding us that if you get it wrong you must face the consequences, but to be honest you are going to listen to this just wrapped up in Kezia’s powerful singing and Sarah’s slide – the two complementing each other completely.

Kezia can embrace a range of styles – from her Irish roots to pure Country, a little modern Nashville/Pop country – and her willingness to experiment and her variety not only set her apart as a talented writer and performer but has also allowed her to bring this Americana influenced song to us.

You will for sure raise a glass, and sing along with this, and perhaps reflect on any games you have played, and any mess you may have made.

 

Kezia has clearly kept busy during lockdown, not just with this new single and her weekly livestreams, but also some fabulous videos along with husband Lloyd and there is also a fascinating behind the scenes video of the journey involved in getting The Mess I Made out to the world.  As lockdown eases Kezia is booking live shows – probably most notable an appearance at Buckle and Boots Country festival as well as Craic by the Creek at the same venue.  A theatre show, and more intimate performances are also already on the calendar.

The Mess I Made, the new single from Kezia Gill is available to download and stream from Friday 16 April

You can try to keep up with Kezia (!) by following her on Facebook, Instagram, her website and on Spotify

Single Review - Until I Do - Tim Prottey-Jones ft Stephanie Quayle

 

Looking back to when we had our first sit down with Tim Prottey Jones after he had opened for Jessica Lynn with his new band The Fatherline we were struck by how reserved he was, almost shy, and not making a big deal of his quite incredible musical CV.  You almost have to drag out of Tim some of his stories of appearing in the West End, on stage at Hyde park and a memorable night at the Grand Old Opry

Fast forward to now, and Tim seems far more comfortable in his “new” guise as – well, as Tim really!  With his single releases under his own name, his production work, his many collaborations during lockdown and his near legendary videos, staring into the camera!

With this apparent comfort comes his new single “Until I Do” – a duet with American artiste Stephanie Quayle.  Although Tim is a skilled songwriter in his own right, the new song was written by Nashville Songwriter Jeff Cohen who was also the link to Stephanie, with Tim wanting to have a cross Atlantic duet.  Stephanie too seemed very keen on the project

Tim is an incredible artist and human and when he reached out about the opportunity to collaborate on his song ‘Until I Do’, it was an honour to be a part of it

So to the music – opening straight into Tim’s vocals, deep and mellow over a simple piano track before the instrumentation starts to grow in the background – drums, mandolin, guitar provide a wonderful platform for the combination of Tim and Stephanie’s voices.  Although recorded on opposite sides of the ocean, the two combine so beautifully, so seamlessly you would swear that they are in the same studio, looking at each other as they sing of searching for love

I’d search the whole world over to find you, till I do

Until I do is modern Nashville at its best, a well written track performed by two perfectly matched singers, possibly the best that we have heard from Tim…so far!

Tim will be performing at this year’s Buckle and Boots Country Festival, and we can’t wait to hear him back on stage where he belongs

Until I Do, the new single from Tim Prottey-Jones featuring Stephanie Quayle is available to download and stream from Friday 16 April

Find and follow Tim on Facebook, Instagram, his website and Spotify

For additional information on Stephanie Quayle and to listen to new music, please visit: stephaniequayle.com

Connect with Stephanie on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook

Single Review - God's Own Country - Sam Turner

 

There are many reasons why Yorkshire is called God’s Own Country, and in his new single Sam Turner lists many of them!  It would take an album to list all of them, but Sam has done well to squeeze the highlights into just under three and a half minutes of boasting about his birthplace!

 

With just his vocals and a guitar Sam presents us with a folk/country crossover with a definite nod to the songwriters of modern English folk – think Kate Rusby and Village Green Preservation Society – with a country leaning guitar style.  His debut single was more pop country with a rocky edge, so it is safe to say that Sam is not only finding his style but is adaptable with his singing.  The clever song writing and uplifting style is ever present.  Sam writes songs that you will sing along to, and smile as you do.

 

With a list of Yorkshires musical greats - The Human League, Pulp, and the Kaiser Chiefs, Arctic Monkeys and The Housemartins, plus Festivals, historical  successes and Yorkshire Tea Sam is obviously a proud Yorkshireman, but his real love is clearly the scenery and especially Flamborough Head where he shot a video for the song.  In fact the final chorus reflects that everlasting love as he says

“Take me Flamborough where the white cliffs meet the sea

Throw me in the air and let me scatter in the breeze

Say your last goodbyes, then let me rest in peace”

 

If Sam keeps up this level of song writing, his well deserved success will surely see him included on future lists of Yorkshire’s finest.  And as they say in Yorkshire

That’ll do

God's Own Country, the new single from Sam Turner is available to download and stream now

You can find and follow Sam on Facebook, Instagram,  and on Spotify