Single Review - Big Man, Small Town - Alan Finlan

It’s that time of year when the big guy with a beard comes and gives us gifts.  No, not Santa, Alan Finlan, with his new single Big Man, Small Town.  Following on from his first single release Whisky Eyes, this track has a much grittier feel to it and takes Alan in a slightly different direction

From the guitar licks to open, to Alan’s vocal over the slightly heavy instrumentation the song appears to be auto-biographical – thinking about where your career and life is taking you and what steps you need to take.  Fresh back from Nashvillle where he got the approval of William Michael Morgan you can sense that this is probably on Alan’s mind!

Big Man, Small Town has that edge to the sound that feels like a live performance, easy to sing along to, especially with a drink in hand!

As we start to think about next year’s festivals, we start to picture artists on stage, and this is one song that is sure to sound great at any live gig, backed by a big rowdy band!

Big Man, Small Town, the new single from Alan Finlan Music is available to download and stream now from all major platforms.

Find Alan on Facebook and in a small town looking to leave….

Single Review - That Girl - Emily Lockett

After a busy summer appearing on a range of line ups and wowing the crowds both inside and outside the inaugural British Country Music Festival Singer Songwriter Emily Lockett is back with a new single That Girl.

As a female performer of Pop Country, the comparisons with Taylor Swift are almost inevitable, but although there is a mid-Atlantic twang underlying Emily’s voice, she is no tribute act, although the inspiration is obviously there.

This comparison can lead us neatly into the message behind the song.   This is a coming of age song, Emily is stating what kind of girl she wants to be – and she wants to be herself. The message is delivered in a very confident way, the track has a very positive feel from the instrumental opening, reflected in the words and the delivery.  Emily is telling herself how she wants to be, essentially singing to herself in her reflection, reminding herself that

life is short and I don’t want to waste it

Considering her age, at a point in her life with her musical career growing, and moving on this song could probably not be timed better in a personal sense, and after such a high profile summer also well timed professionally

With pep talks and songs like this, it won’t be long before we are all hearing Emily when we are  “listening to the radio too loud”

That Girl, the new single from Emily Lockett is available to preorder now and download/stream from all major platforms on 13 December

Find Emily on facebook, online and in front of a mirror, reminding herself...

Single Review - Wildfire - Lauren Jane

Liverpool based artiste Lauren Jane has released her latest single Wildfire. Much of Lauren’s work is based on real life – as good Country and Country influenced music should be!  Wildfire tells the tale of a relationship that has burned brightly but now burned out, but rather than sounding bitter, Lauren sings this as someone who is accepting the reality and is moving on.  Lauren possesses a beautiful voice with a bit of fight in there!

The song itself has a gentle introduction with the guitar plucking and then a stunning voice creates a very visual picture. Drums increase the intensity and you can hear the fight reflected in Lauren's voice.

This is a beautifully produced song, the instrumentation and effects serve to highlight Lauren’s voice, the tempo accentuates the emotion and the words certainly tell us the reality of the story

Just like wildfire spreads, this song grows on you and you can't help but tap along to the beat. 

Wildfire, the new single from Lauren Jane is available now to download from here and you can find Lauren on social media or her own website

Gig Review - Comeback Queen Album Launch - Sam Coe

Breakfast on Friday morning with Sam Coe was interrupted by her constantly checking the iTunes charts – totally understandable as her album had launched and hit Number 3 in the country charts, behind Luke Combs and Lady Antebellum

Keen though she was to check the chart position, sales aren’t the be all and end all for the album (although much appreciated!) Sam is more keen that people enjoy it, and that people come to her shows to hear her music.  Clearly performing her music is what is most important to Sam.

The album launch itself took pace the previous night at the very historic Epic Studios in Norwich.

The evening opened with local singer songwriter Breeze Redwine with her country influenced brand of rock, singing with her acoustic guitar and a backing track.  Ags Connolly was up next on a line up that reflected the excitement of the evening.  Ags brings a real Country feel, with his Oxfordshire burr, his self-deprecating humour and his beautifully honest songs. He doesn’t have many “happy2 songs, but even his downbeat songs feel uptempo!  The Fatherline then too to the stage to really warm up the crowd ahead of the main event.  A very experienced band for one so new – on only their fifth gig together. Tim Prottey-Jones showed the power and range of his vocals as well as his great stage presence, accompanied by Rich Watson and Steven Marks

And so to the main event. With the album 9 months in the making there were some understandable nerves in the green room, but Sam swept onto the stage and powered out that songs from her new album.  Excited to have backing singers for the first time (and more excited that they did the backing singers dance!) Sam effortlessly switched between guitar, keys and just singing. Her vocal range and power is stunning and she utterly filled the room with music. The album itself is a showcase of Sam’s talent and influences, and this launch paid testament to that and more.

Each track was introduced with a little story. We learned that the beautifully atmospheric In The Moments was the track that gave birth to the album, that Concrete was inspired by the TV series Chernobyl and that Bonfire was written on Bonfire night 2018!

Sam was joined on stage by another artist from the Ginger Dog label – Vincent Knight – on guitar, Sam sat at the Keyboard for them to duet on a cover of Chris Isaak’s Wicked Game, which allowed Sam to demonstrate the absolute purity of her voice and the notes hit all four corners of this former TV studio

Simon James, label mate and close friend not only played lead guitar but performed one of his own songs giving Sam the chance of a quick break “To drink some more prosecco”.  In reality, while most singers would have taken the opportunity of a costume change, Sam instead took some quick photos and then prepared her latest toy – her white Gretsch which she brought on stage.

Saving the best till last, the show ended with the title track and Sam’s personal anthem Comeback Queen, but there was more.  As the band came off, the comeback queen came back for one last song – a solo rendition of Merry-Go-Round to end the night.

Comeback Queen is a stunning album, with many musical influences showing off Sam Coe’s obvious talent as a songwriter and performer. The launch evening was the same – a fabulous showcase full of talent from start to finish, and very fitting for such a piece of work

Available to download and stream now, we will be hearing a lot more of this album  and of Sam Coe across 2020 and beyond

Single Review - Stay - Jade Helliwell

After an incredibly busy year touring, receiving awards and encouraging other musicians in her role as a Road To The Main Stage ambassador, Jade has  collaborated again with Jess Thristan on her latest release - Stay.

For the country fans it’s a good old fashioned cheating song; however this one is written from the perspective of the cheater!   Jade explains that she wanted the listener to be able to relate, this song explores the emotional dilemma of falling for someone else, and the guilt that follows. 

In her own words

Its different from anything I've released so far so I hope people will enjoy the storytelling style of song...as that's the part of country music that I love

With a beautiful piano opening, we instantly hear Jade's voice. The rise and fall of her voice explains the situation. There's both clarity and emotion in her voice that takes you on the emotional roller coaster. 

Beautifully held notes add the tension - as well as demonstrating the power of Jade's vocals.  A dramatic finish, the music fades out and I can't help but wonder what happened to these individuals. 

We can't find the fault in this song and a reason for you not to get it!

Stay, the new single from Jade Helliwell, is available to download and stream from Friday 29 November on all major platforms.

Find Jade on facebook and her website 

Single Review - Lonely - Danny McMahon

After a busy summer of festivals, Danny McMahon has returned to the studio and is releasing his latest single Lonely this Friday 

We are used to Danny having big openings to his shows and singles, and this song is no different, although this time whilst a big intro, it isn’t a heavy one, with a nice use of guitar establishing the melody line. Danny’s voice comes in to start telling the story, and the mix is spot on with his vocal not overpowered by the instrumentation.

As the emotion of the song builds so does the music, with a heavier bass line coming in, but dropping away for the emotive line “Baby can we do this one more time?”

Danny himself says of the song

The lyrical theme is reflective of what has become a very desperate situation that someone cannot get out. The listener could relate this to any current scenario they are going through.

Whilst the theme of the song is a downbeat one, the overall vibe is quite powerful and positive, suggesting that whatever situation you find yourself in, don’t give up!

In addition to his festival appearances, Danny has been collecting awards and nominations galore making for a very successful 2019 which is ending with the “Make Mine Country” tour across the UK alongside Stevie O’Connor and Elliott Joseph. 

Lonely, the new single from Danny McMahon is available on all platforms on Friday 22 November

Catch Danny on social media or on tour now

Gig Review - Country In The Afternoon November 2019 - Half Moon Putney

After the success of the first Country in The Afternoon, Cumbrae Promotions treated us again to a mini festival of music, in the iconic venue in the corner of South West London.  The back room with its classic red drapes has hosted many a famous name over the years and is a promoter’s dream since everything needed for a live gig is already in situ including the branded drum kit.  

The twelve thirty to five thirty event is perfect for the winter months, no late-night commute although lots of people will hang around to grab a bite to eat from the bar and if lucky have a photo opportunity or chat with a couple of the artists. However, this year with its incredible line up, Sunday saw people arriving as the venue opened. 

The two days provided something for every type of country music lover imaginable. Gavin had done an amazing job in selecting and balancing the acts.

Day 1 – the Northern take over (Dublin is North of London so Silverball Country is sticking with its description of the day!)

The day was opened by Blackpoolian Emma Moore showing the power of her voice, no stranger to opening after the British Country Music Festival.  Whilst Emma is very humble and acknowledges the talent of others, (especially those that have influenced her music, the 90s powerhouse of country women), she not shy when it comes to giving her opinion – but honesty is what county music all is about right! (We agree Emma).  Although Emma referred to her missing band a few times, this girl doesn’t need a band - her voice and stage presence filled the room. Mixed in with her strong and powerful vocal there was a slight twang and her lyrics are captivating. Emma finished her set in her traditional way with ‘Trouble’, letting the crowd know they could pick up their tall, dark and handsome T-shirts from the merch table.   Emma hung arrive for the rest of the day, friendly chatting away, singing along and even a little bit of dancing at the side of the room. 

Up next were the Jaywalkers, an Americana band from Chester who Gavin discovered at Buckle and Boots.  Sadly Jay, their lead singer was suffering from a cold, something that was pointed out by her partner and mandolin player Mike as she poorly attempted to hide her tissue.  Jay, in good spirit, used this opportunity - with her voice approximately 2 octaves lower than normal - to deliver a show stopping, “where did that come from” Johnny Cash number.  To allow Jay’s voice to rest the trio moved on to an instrumental number which highlighted how they blend the bass, mandolin and fiddle in perfect harmony; the room was transported to the deep south, perhaps Burnt Chilli Creek, the title of one of their songs. As they moved through their set list, we learnt that Mike writes most of the songs from everyday encounters, but discovered more about the group dynamic – the girls had no sympathy for the mandolin struggling with the temperature difference between the stage and the dressing room; its his own fault for having 8 strings, as they both only have 4 and were perfectly fine!  Lucy also had no choice about passing picks back and forth as she had chosen to stand in the middle. 

Next came the Irish Duo, The Remedy Club made up of husband and wife Kj McEvoy & Aileen Mythen. The pair are old school country with an understandably Celtic vibe. The pair played at the 2018 Millport Country Music Festival and still aimed to keep Gavin happy by playing one of his favourite songs.  The pair have been busy in Nashville recording their new album and a new single is expected early next year.  They joked that their music was out there somewhere on digital platforms, which they didn’t really understand but hoped we would.

The room become a little fuller during the final interval, as Gavin warned us to be ready for the force of nature that is Stevie O’Connor.  

Recent Entertainer of the Year award winner Stevie O’Connor was Saturday’s headliner. His band was already in place as he made his way on stage. Surprisingly he opened with a quiet (as least for him) number and said hello before he brought the party with a quick switch from guitar to the banjo. The foot was stamping, the sound grew louder, and he invited the crowd to sing and clap along.  Country Road, lyrics that include ‘waiting on Willy’ and ‘country women make good lovers’ are always going to be crowd pleasers but we saw a more sentimental side with his tribute to the late Amy Winehouse.  Emma More was invited back on stage to perform ‘She’s on Fire’ and the two really did give a great performance dancing along together. Once Stevie thought the crowd was woken up, in his words it was time to go nuts!  Only Stevie could drag 3 ladies on stage to be his backing dancers, get away with wiggling his bum, sticking out his tongue and repeatedly lunging into the crowd.  The crowd was in rapture with everyone singing and dancing along. 

Nobody wanted to go home, but there was the promise of more to come tomorrow as we shuffled out of the room.

Day 2 – Sensational Sunday  

Francesca quickly realised that once you found a space you better stick in it as there was no room to spare in the venue, thus the new tradition of leaving your boots as a place marker was born!  

London based O&O opened with their full band for their first time playing together in London: Jake Stanton, Ash Millburn & Joe Cruise; following a beautiful typed up setlist, something that would not be seen as the day progressed. Orian and Obadiah took turns to talk to the audience, introducing themselves and explaining their history. We were treated to both new and old material and were asked to sing along with one of their choruses. This was a lively set with Orian, dancing around on the stage, it seemed that they were having as much fun as the crowd as their drummer had to call time. 

Next up was Gary Quinn, but having recently received the award for male vocalist of the year it was felt that he needed a bigger introduction than that which could be delivered by Gavin.  The crowd went wild as William Michael Morgan did the honours. Gary opened with a Chris Young cover which quickly turned into his own song, one that many would agree would be great for Chris to sing. We heard the tales of the many Nashville artists that Gary has worked with and how his songs came about, and of course how Kenny Chesney and Ed Sheeran beat him to using the title ‘Tip of My Tongue.  The audience was fully engaged and responded with humour to his questions about being in love.  Gary admits that music can be cheeky, I wonder what Gary thinks while sings some of his songs as there is a cheeky grin on his face. He left the crowd with a question: Am I a boob, bum or legs man?  The answer he would reveal to anyone purchasing a CD.  Gary may have been on his own on stage, but his presence filled the room. 

A trend had been set; it was Megan Louise that introduced the female vocalist of the year, Kezia Gill onto stage.  Kezia admitted that she didn’t come down to the Big Smoke (London) very often, she couldn’t afford the parking but was humbled to be there. Her songs included a dedication to her husband Lloyd for their anniversary and the tear jerker ‘Local Man’s Star’ for her dad. To complete the set, her 3 loves (husband, dad, and Johnny) she had to put in her Johnny Cash number.  The surprise of the night was that Kezia had asked her younger sister, Rosie to sing with her on stage.  Yep, they are a musical family like the Von Trapps and we all agreed that Rosie should sing professionally.  Kezia hoped everyone would remember her name, written on her guitar strap as nobody gets it right and would like her on Facebook - it’s all about the likes.  A high energy set, with Kezia playing both the guitar and keyboard.  She looked and sounded amazing as always and I think she definitely got one or two new fans. 

Headlining was the man that people had travelled for – American artist  William Michael Morgan. There is no mistaking his black stetson and the scarf he was given by fans up in Glasgow.  He also pointed out the pins (badges) he had been given; if he had the pin, he was in, that’s the ways it works, isn’t it?  William gave thanks for O&O whom he had just met, his little buddy Gary and Kezia who “sings her arse off”.   Despite a few songs written on the back of a menu, which manged to get stuck to his foot and therefore seen by all, William asked the audience what they wanted him to sing. We were treated to new material, so new he forgot some of the lyrics to Brokenhearted along with classics: Talking to A Girl,  Missing and Beer Drinker. 

Another treat of the evening was when Megan Louise was invited onto stage to duet with him and given the compliment of being too young to be that good!

William finished his set with the song that started everything off: I Met A Girl. He thanked the crowd for the love that they had shown him and country music and hoped we would receive the same welcome in the States. He left on a humorous note, disclosing to Gavin he had danced with his daughter Fiona at the BCMAs; but it was all her fault and she’s bigger than him. He promised to be back soon, perhaps bringing his buddy Trent Thomlinson with him, who co-wrote Lonesomeville.

So, get your tickets now as he will be headlining Buckle and Boots in 2020!

Francesca

Silverball Country