Album Review | One Row Records | Review by Allan Wilkinson When the first few notes of the opening tunes “Market Rasen Feast” and “Louth Quickstep” rang out of the speakers, I thought I’d inadvertently put on something from the folk revival era, if not the original source singers and musicians from the turn of … Continue reading Mossy Christian – Come Nobles and Heroes

Album Review | Blonde on Blonde Direct | Review by Allan Wilkinson By the time we reach track five “I Want the Blues”, there’s a strong sense that we’ve begun to accept that this new album by Dave Thomas is pretty much entrenched in the urban blues of Chicago, albeit from the docklands of Newport … Continue reading Dave Thomas – One More Mile

Album Review | Birnam | Review by Allan Wilkinson In lieu of last May’s popular Knockengorroch Festival, artists gathered for an interactive live stream in an attempt to capture something of the atmosphere of what is usually experienced up there in the Carsphairn hills in south west Scotland.  The organisers of the long running event, … Continue reading Various Artists – Sounds Like Knockengorroch

Album Review | Bite Records | Review by Allan Wilkinson The twelve new songs that make up Lamentations, the tenth album release from the British-born, now New York-based singer songwriter Rupert Wates, whose fragile voice and delicate finger-picked guitar have something of the Nick Drake about them, looks at the cycle of life, from birth … Continue reading Rupert Wates – Lamentations

Album Review | Couper Records | Review by Allan Wilkinson People talk of sibling harmonies quite a lot, that special familial connection which makes for such enduring musical partnerships from the Louvin Brothers and the Everly Brothers to the Dransfields and the McGarrigles. This empathy and musical dove-tailing can also be found in instrumental music, … Continue reading Ross and Ryan Couper – An Den Dey Made Tae

Album Review | Fish Tail Records | Review by Allan Wilkinson A good catchy moniker has always served some of our blues men (and women) well, whether the name derives from a physical disability (Blind Boy Fuller, Peg Leg Howell), a town or city from whence they came (Memphis Minnie, Mississippi Fred McDowell), a description … Continue reading Catfish Keith – Blues at Midnight

Album Review | Self Release | Review by Allan Wilkinson Several boxes are ticked here, in the crowd pleasing stakes that is, something we’ve come to expect from one of the UKs most vibrant live acts.  There’s really no disputing that Merry Hell are a great live band, their full-on stage presence does seem to … Continue reading Merry Hell – Emergency Lullabies

Album Review | Wild Biscuit | Review by Allan Wilkinson Having already brought to life the feel and atmosphere of the Inner Hebridean islands of Scotland in her stories as a published author, Judy Fairbairns now reflects on her place in the world, namely the Isle of Mull, in song. Delicate in places, Judy has … Continue reading Judy Fairbairns – Edge of the Wild