Natalie Jane Hill - Solely | Dear Life Records This album opens with the song “Euphoria”, which itself opens with a confident finger-picked guitar, underpinned by some moody bow strokes, reminiscent of some of those that embellish one or two of Nick Drake’s finest songs, yet it’s Natalie Jane Hill’s immediately alluring voice that brings … Continue reading Issue 17

The one thing that all live music events have in common, whether it’s a major league outdoor rock concert, a living legend’s twilight appearance on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury, or perhaps a classical symphony performed within the hallowed walls of the Royal Albert Hall, or maybe even an unaccompanied octogenarian warbling away about whale … Continue reading Issue 16

Liam Ó Maonlaí Live | The Greystones, Sheffield | 05.10.21 “It’s been ages since I last saw you Liam” I tentatively pointed out upon entering the Green Room, situated up a short flight of stairs at The Greystones in Sheffield, a room that has no doubt served as a retreat between sets for many a … Continue reading Issue 15

Granny’s Attic - The Brickfields | Grimdon Records The fourth album by Granny’s Attic sees the folk trio return to exclusively instrumental music after one or two songs filtered into their set for their previous couple of albums.  Seemingly more at home with just their instruments, Lewis Wood (violin), Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne (concertina/melodeon) and George Sansome … Continue reading Issue 14

Audrey Spillman - Neon Dream | Self Release Neon Dream is the second full length solo album by the Nashville-based singer-songwriter Audrey Spillman, the title of which appears in a lyric less than a minute into the lead song “Austin Motel”, a song that recalls an important and special time in the singer’s burgeoning relationship … Continue reading Issue 13

Martha Wainwright - Love Will Be Reborn | Cooking Vinyl There’s nothing quite like the subject of love to get one’s creative juices flowing, yet strangely enough, the subject of divorce, the other end of the emotional pole, equally engages the pen in terms of art, poetry and songwriting.  Martha Wainwright’s latest album, her fifth … Continue reading Issue 12

Joe Troop - Borrowed Time | Free Dirt Records There are just two letters of difference between the surname of ‘Troop’ and that of Joe’s chief adversary, yet the two men are world’s apart in terms of ideology and personality.  Joe Troop has spent a good deal of the last couple of years campaigning for … Continue reading Issue 11

Josienne Clarke - A Small Unknowable Thing | Corduroy Punk A few years ago I was tasked once again with the job of introducing several acts at the Wath Festival, the long running music event tucked away in the Dearne Valley.  One of the eagerly awaited acts to appear over the weekend was a popular … Continue reading Issue 10

Chris Cleverley - Live From the Glass Isle | Self Release It really can’t be overstated just how difficult it has been over the last fifteen months or so for singers and musicians around the globe, whose lives (and livelihoods) have been deeply affected, when standing in front of audiences was almost always something they … Continue reading Issue 9

Lady Nade - Willing | Self Release It seems that every once in a while a voice comes along to stop us in our tracks, a voice that manages to convey just the right emotion for each of the songs; one moment deep and soulful, the next breathy and wistful. The third album by the … Continue reading Issue 8