EP Review - Senses - Danny McMahon

Danny McMahon is back in the studio and the result is his new 6 track EP Senses. 

With that number of new songs it is almost an album, but we won’t quibble over a name.  If we are being pedantic – he’s not back in the studio, as the EP was recorded at Danny’s own Puzzlemaker studio in Bristol. 

But enough of the English lesson – what about the music?

Many artists hope to recreate the studio quality sound when performing live.  In a way Danny does the opposite – he brings his liver performance energy into to the studio and onto the recording.  In each track you can hear the trademark sound, which I have likened in the past to Chesney Hawkes!  It has the same exciting energy, the same clever use of sounds and effects.

The EP has pulled in a range of musicians and features co-writes, but is of course centred on Danny’s distinctive vocal style.  As you would expect from any Puzzle Maker release, the production is spot on, balancing vocals with backing instruments perfectly – the subtle drum line on Good or Gone, the exquisite steel on Its Too Late.  Parachutes has a rocky, guitar driven edge, but a surprisingly reflective theme to it – very cleverly woven into race car metaphors. Senses has the pop country  style we are familiar with when listening to Danny’s music.  These Hands strips right back musically, which really suits the story being told about your hands experiencing life’s journey with you – an unusual take but done well.  Lights Of Our Hometown was previously released as a single, and musically it acts to draw together all the elements of the EP.

Danny takes song writing very seriously – as seriously as he takes performance, and every song on the EP has its own story – how it came about, why it is on the Ep and its own personal meaning.  This whole work deserves a storytelling session in a writers round style.  Its Too Late is obviously a very personal song, and one that I will be excited to hear sung with the extra emotion that naturally comes with a live performance.

Senses is exactly what I have come to expect from Danny – great writing, superb production, excellent instrumentation and on top of it all, Danny’s trademark “give it everything” performance.

In support of the release, Danny and the band are taking to the road this month with a mini tour taking in Fife, Birmingham and Bristol.

 

Senses, the new EP from Danny McMahon is available to download and stream from Friday 18 February

 

Find and follow Danny on Facebook, Instagram and on Spotify – and at his live dates (details on his website)

 

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Single Review - Better Than That - Jessica Lynn

Unusually for a song from Jessica Lynn the pace and feel of her new song Better Than That are set by the pedal steel (rather than the usual guitar driven tune), which provides the opening to this almost ballad.

I say almost as it isn’t quite a slow song and isn’t quite a love song. Its about a very familiar love triangle – him, her - “the one”, and the third party - our storyteller who knows you Better Than That and is more likely to actually be “the one”.  She’s the one you come to, the one you talk to, the one who knows you and certainly the one who thinks that you’d be better off with her!

She knows this man "Better than that", hoping he will see what is in front in of him, the person who has always been there. 

Is there a touch of the green eyed monster, is she hoping he will see, so she can be that one.  The other girl brings him down, but we don't know anything else about that relationship. 

If you’re hanging in there for the one, this song will relate and hopefully spur you on. 

The feminist within me says, don't open that door at 2am, stop being the fool, maybe, just maybe, that will make him think twice.

Photo - Scott Vincent

The whole band is present on the backing, and the country roots are certainly evident.  It is a great mix of the stripped back songs that Jessica has released recently and that haunting steel sound.

The pace of the song reflects the feelings involved, and shows that Jessica can not only swap between genres but also between heartfelt storytelling and her well known stage rocking style!

It is a catchy little tune that will have you singing along, perhaps even a sway or a little dancing too, especially the opening. 

 

A great piece of song writing, Better Than That is a co-write with Clay Mills who has a distinguished pedigree, having written for artists including Darius Rucker, Trisha Yearwood, and Little Big Town.

 

Jessica and the Band will be in the UK for their long awaited return, starting in London on 9 May, moving on to Southampton, Birmingham, Derby, Swansea and more through the month.  Full details on the website - tour dates

Better Than That, the new single from Jessica Lynn is available to download or stream from Friday 4 October.  Find and follow Jessica on Facebook, Instagram and Spotify

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Single Review - Lights Of Our Hometown - Danny McMahon

We first met Danny McMahon in the camping field at Buckle and Boots in 2018 and since that first encounter we have seen him perform, and introduced him on to festival stages, many times.  As a performer Danny is probably best known for his energetic shows, his big personality on stage - wherever he is and however large the crowd is

With his new single, his first duet, it is a joy to hear the softer side of Danny.  Lights Of Our Hometown is undoubtedly Danny – his voice is instantly recognisable although this time out it seems a little more mature. The instrumentation is his brand of modern country and the pairing with Nashville based Jenny Grace is spot on as their voice complement each other, and the song, perfectly.

The theme is love, old love, the type of love that just never dies, held in place by memories expressed perfectly by the title “Lights of our hometown” – it is great imagery!  The pacing of the song, the guitar at the back, the softness of Jenny’s vocals all come together to make the whole song feel like the memory that it is describing, the up-tempo chorus jolting us back to reality and to the present.

The production is – as always with anything from Danny – spot on.  The song has had its own journey, from Canada where co-writer Ryan James is based, to Nashville to collect Jenny’s sublime vocals to Puzzle Maker studios in Bristol for it all to come together.  A Transatlantic duet can’t be easy, but you would easily believe that these two were sharing a recording studio - and sharing a memory of the Lights of their Hometown!

Well written, well produced and well performed, this will have you swaying along with bursts of foot tapping.  Will live shows feature a guest to duet?  Here’s hoping!

Lights of Our Hometown, the new single from Danny McMahon featuring Jenny Grace is available from Friday 22 October on all usual platforms.

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Single Review - Sounds Good In A Bar - Katy Hurt

 

Katy Hurt’s new song – Sounds Good In A Bar – is so real it just jumps out and grabs you, by the ears and by the heart!

Real, in that the vocal, the instrumentation are exactly what you expect from a Country song (and that steel, oh that steel!)

Real in that the pace and tone absolutely transport you to a bar at night, perhaps close to closing time when the staff are cleaning up and reflecting on the night and on how they got there

Real in that the story of working in a bar, or a diner, or a gas station while pursuing your dream is absolutely spot on.

Katy has based this new track on her own experiences of working odd jobs – and the writing can only have come from genuine experiences.  There is a wistfulness to the words and the performance that not only captures the dreaming and wishing that all performers feel while waiting for their big break but also captures the late-night bar feeling.  Anyone who has worked behind a bar will recognise their own life in this song, anyone who has tried to make it in the industry will recognise the “If I could just”

If I could just get the crowd singing along

With that one line you can sense the longing, just one step to getting out of this bar, just one step to your dreams, just one step to success.

It isn’t a dance along song, it won’t have you out of your seat, but Sounds Good In A Bar will have you singing along from the heart, drinks (served by the dreaming bartender) waved in the air and it might even make you think about your own dreams.

 

Another drink please bartender, another step, another dream.

 

Sounds Good In A Bar, the new single from Katy Hurt is available to download and stream from Friday 8 October

Find and follow Katy on Facebook, Instagram, her website and on Spotify

You can also see Katy on her current Face to Face tour

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EP Review - Medicate - Emilia Quinn

 

It hard to believe that anyone who follows the UK country scene is unaware that Emilia Quinn is releasing her new EP this week – an almost unprecedented promotional campaign started back in July and has featured guest comments on the tracks, photo shoots and lots of social media posts.

Billed as “The most personal EP to date”, Medicate is Emilia’s 3^rd EP release.  Her first – “Wrote Off” - followed her stunning debut at Buckle and Boots CMF  in  2019 and showcased Emilia’s vocals, her second – “Firecracker” - seemed to show her gritty, raw true self.  Sam Coe loved it, and described the music as “new outlaw country” and commented on the gruffness of Emilia’s voice and the traditional elements to her sound.

 

So how does EP 3 measure up?  Has Emilia found her sound?  Well, yes – and no.

Yes, in that her voice is still fantastic, and the traditional country sound is certainly there, especially with the fabulous pedal steel provided by Steven Hicken Jr.

No, because she has changed the style again, away from the gritty delivery of Firecracker.

With the new EP, Emilia has gone deep inside herself, writing about the pains and struggles of coping in the pandemic hit world of the past eighteen months, with reference to vices and coping strategies, leading to the EP title Medicate and the various track names – Worse than Whisky, High, Pretty Pink Pills and Head Rush, backed up by the imagery that has accompanied the press for this release.  Covid-19 has provided a rich seam for songwriters.

 

The first track Worse Than Whiskey is opened with a slow drum beat, and the tempo continues throughout the song.  The drum is almost jarring although the pedal steel cuts through to give the song a Country authenticity.  The vocal is also slow, almost despairing. The vice here is a relationship, with a nod to alcohol dependency.  High is almost light by comparison, acoustic guitar setting the tone, with a much lighter vocal.  The sound and the style have shades of Kacey Musgraves, the lyrics are a little Brandy Clark – in fact you can almost work your way through the current roster of contemporary female singer songwriters while listening to this track.  Pretty Pink Pills is huskier, with the vocal very much leading over a softer instrumentation while Head Rush possibly owes a little to Girl Crush.

 

Overall, this project feels a little like Kacey Musgraves’ 2018 album Golden Hour.  A change of style, an introspective album and not quite in the confines of previous releases or the genre.

 

Medicate isn’t a release that will be belted out to rock a festival stage as Firecracker was, but it is an EP that demonstrates Emilia’s versatility and willingness to try different styles and write from the heart. 

Open and honest, we’ll leave the final words to Emilia

 

Medicate, the new EP from Emilia Quinn is available to stream and download from Friday 8 October

Find and follow Emilia on Facebook, Instagram, her website and on Spotify

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Single Review - Smoke - Jade Helliwell

 

It is always said “There’s no smoke without a fire” -  well Jade Helliwell is setting us alight with her latest single Smoke.

A country favourite, song about lying and heartbreak but its blends pop and country perfectly and will apply to a wide audience, as it is a situation many people have found themselves in.  Jade's description is

It's about trusting your instincts and realising that rumours don't come from thin air. 

With a very modern sounding instrumental opening the song doesn't let up and captivates you until the end.

Jade sings with clarity, hiding the West Yorkshire accent all her fans easily recognise. She makes it easy to see the imaginary she is creating, a relationship filled with rumours and doubt. The line "The ashes cover all your clothes" is a very clever way to say it's obvious that something is going on, a tribute to her writing ability. 

This is an easy listening track, but there will also be many people singing passionately on a night out when it stirs emotions about previous relationships. 

Recorded at Chamber Studios in Edinburgh - a first for Jade – and produced remotely with Grammy winning writer and producer Femke Weidma this single really showcases her vocal ability.

Jade hopes her single will help empower others.  She is going from strength to strength, with outstanding performances at all the big festivals but also featuring alongside other big names in country music including Kezia Gill and Candi Carpenter. 

Smoke, the new single from Jade Helliwell is available to download and stream from Friday 17 September.

 

You can catch Jade on her forthcoming joint headline tour with Kezia Gill, and you can connect with Jade on Facebook, Instagram, her website and on Spotify

 

The British Country Music Festival 2021

 

Forget your buckle and spade, we might be off to Blackpool but to attend The British Country Music Festival, a weekend of Americana, Roots and Country Music.

Friday 3^rd September:

Trying to miss the illuminations traffic, people checked into hotels/B&Bs and made their way to the Winter Gardens. From the outset it was clear that something different was occurring in Blackpool as the queue outside the box office was full of cowboy boots, a few hats and plenty of denim. We took our place and made it into The Arena to catch Jack & Tim mid set.

Eddy Smith & The 507 were next up, recently seen at Buckle & Boots. Eddy has a beautifully deep voice and the band is upbeat getting the first dancers up. 

The Remedy Club set up on the 2^nd stage to the side of the room. This is a husband-and-wife duo from South East Ireland. Silverball Country has introduced them previously at Millport. Sally Haden was host for the room, her introduction explained that they were called the Remedy Club because they cured all ills and elements and were good for the soul.  She reflected that due to the pandemic the lyrics of the songs had more significance.

Juna N Joey closed The Arena. This is a very young duo from Florida, they found their way into the British Country Music Festival because they are currently supporting Twinnie. Very interesting and uncommon for them to play to a backing track rather than having a band.

There were queues outside The Empress Ballroom before 7pm as nobody wanted to miss Kezia Gill. She looked amazing in a short, sequinned jumpsuit and along with The Good Old Boys they kept everyone on the dance floor. After finally getting a capo she admitted she could have missed the next song out but it was where it all started and therefore the crowd sang along to Build It Up.  The Friday night crew were not to be missed waving around a large flag.  We managed not to cry as she sang Local  Man’s Star and The Mess I Made was a nice plug for the merchandise table.

The Essex duo Holloway Road who claimed to have travelled “a long, long way to get there” changed the musical style.  Promoting their own brand of beer, which unfortunately is currently out of stock, we got to be the first to hear the newly released (as in that day) single (if you don't count their mums). If you looked closely, that was Luke Thomas supporting on the guitar.

Nathan Carter showed off his skills on the accordion and flattered the ladies in the audience with a rendition of She Don't Know She's Beautiful.  With classics such as Rhinestone Cowboy and Wagon Wheel the crowd were clearly having a good time. Despite the Liverpool accent, he did his Irish followers proud with Donegal, with a request to shine your mobile light, and Irish Rover.  His band were amazing, all the usual instruments but the sax added something extra.

 Sadly the room emptied out a little before Peter Donegan and band took to the stage. He played his dad's songs along with other covers including Strawberry Wine.

Tucked into the corner of the stage Matt Spracklen who as acted as host to the stage closed the night off with a disco, there were several people who just didn't want the night to end or to sit down.

At 1am, many a merry reveller, in tassels and Stetson embraced the bars around Church Street, particularly The Galleon Bar.

 

Saturday 4^th September:

12 noon saw the start of the second day of the festival with Demi Marriner on The Arena stage in an amazing pair of silver sparkly boots. Acts then alternated between stages 1 and 2 throughout the afternoon including Tennessee Twin, who we discovered were named after a deal on Jack Daniels, a more confident and at ease Robbie Cavanagh, and Hayley McKay who is completely new to Silverball Country. She is an ambassador for the Prince's Trust and has been compared to Kate Bush and Eva Cassidy. There was a strong folk feel to stage 2.

We switched to the Horseshoe Pavilion at 14:40 to witness the Songwriters Carousel hosted by Tim Prottey-Jones featuring Wildwood Kin, Elles Bailey and Pete Riley. Always a festival favourite to hear how the songs came to be, we heard songs about: walking on water (EB), childhood fashion (PR), sunrise (WK), regret (EB) and sticking it to the man (WK). Tim PJ’s humour was present with a great line about tagging the 'to be confirmed music festival' and his desire to start the chav genre of country, complete with trainers and trousers above the ankle. Oops -  the sound engineers put the background music on before Wildwood Kin played their last song.

Back in The Arena, we watched Blue Rose Code - our find of the festival, Pete Riley, Morganway - who have not been slowed down by the pandemic and gave a very energetic performance, lifting the atmosphere of the room and seeing dancers take to the floor. Tommy Atkins was the last to perform on stage 2 and was joined by Eleri Angharad to provide the female harmonies. Last but not least, Bailey Tomkinson was the last performer in the room. The afternoon saw a decline in the sound quality, and it was difficult to hear the introductions which was a real shame. 

At 7pm the Ballroom was set alight by Katy Hurt, my floor buddy from the carousel (full house so we sat on the floor in front of the stage with Gasoline and Matches) with Unfinished Business.  Who would have guessed it was her first gig back, and despite the early hour the crowd obliged with mobile phone lights.

Followed by Elles Bailey, as she promised in the Songwriter's Carousel her set was much happier, moving into Americana. Giving a shout out to Katy, she explained it had been too long since she had performed and was happy to be amongst friends again.

Next up were Wildwood Kin, a trio of sisters that have more contemporary folk sound, dividing opinion within the crowd. By self-admission they love country music but don’t feel country, especially given the other artists but thanked Bob Harris without whom they wouldn’t be where they are.

Just as everyone was tiring a new burst of infectious energy was released from Gareth Nugent. Starting with a couple of covers he had the audience rocking along with him. Accompanied by an almost full band (Keys has covid) they blended covers and his own material perfectly, encouraged a little drinking alongside a rendition of happy birthday and a congratulatory message on the engagement of Sinead (which we now know is Irish for Jane). 

The night was again rounded off with a DJ set from Matt Spracklen and revellers spilled out into the neighbouring bars whilst the sensible headed to bed.

 

Sunday 5^th September:

It was an earlier start to the day, but it didn’t stop us and there was a strong turnout to watch Tim Prottey-Jones with a full band. Tim took the time to explain the background to each song, strongly featuring his family members before knocking it out of the park with the upbeat Fire.

Fine Lines, the six-piece roots infused Americana group took the stage next. There was great banter between David and Zoe but the crowd wasn’t buying in, not even when Paul asked how the beer was. The tale of covid changing their Lanzarote filming plans to the Wirral in March is something we sympathised with.

Martin Harley brought a touch of the blues to the stage next and went down well with the audience who were growing in number and by now slightly more awake. Seated for his 1^st number to show off the slide guitar, it was hard not to tap along.

Candi Carpenter stole the hearts of the majority of the attendees, with the biggest meet and greet queue we saw all weekend. Her first performance in the UK, she smashed it. She was even complimented on her outfit by Matt Spracklen, sparkling like the star she is. With her gospel roots, her performance focused on her vocal quality but as an American we are not sure how she met the criteria for the festival – but we were glad she was there!

Lisa McHugh may be Scottish but it’s evident she now lives in Ireland, “living the dream” in her own words, as she has mastered the winning formula seen by fellow Irish artists of mixing covers and original material to get a party started and keeping everyone on their feet. Despite the baby on board she gave a great performance and treated the audience to the unreleased About Last Night, a first date song that paid off for her. We will forgive the trainers because we loved the glitzy guitar strap.  

This festival stands out because it is indoors but what it really offers is diversity! Therefore, we much appreciate that not everything will be to everyone's liking, but hey it’s in Blackpool so there are plenty of other attractions that can help pass the time.

The Winter Gardens is a beautiful historic building but is it the right setting for this event? Whilst it is great to see a festival approached in a different way, there were numerous times when the atmosphere was flat, it lacked the outdoor festival feeling. We can’t help but wonder if the table and chairs make it too relaxed and should be removed but then is it too big of a venue? Unfortunately, the sound quality was an issue and the lighting seemed to be the wrong way around - a photographer’s nightmare - and the bar staff were another let down, with little knowledge and speed causing big queues to form throughout the event. We had hoped that these problems would have been resolved from the event back in 2019 but there have been some changes and hopefully as time goes on, the event will improve and grow.