January 2012
Various Artists – Blind man blues (2 x c.d) (2011) 3.5***
Covers a wide area of the blues and is certainly worth having
Truckstop Honeymoon – Steamboat in a Cornfield (2011) 3.5***
Really good New Orleans/Vaudeville feel. A little too much lightheartedness at times but an excellent jazzy/bluesy/country album that they fairly obviously enjoyed making! (Review to follow)
http://www.truckstophoneymoon.com/
Various Artist - The Real Country Blues, Vol.1 4****
A difficult to get hold of obscurity. Don’t even know when it was released but contains 22 tracks by some of the greats of the genre!
Lonesome Brothers – Mono (2006) 3***
Mellow sparse sound with plenty of dobro from this underrated trio. Well written, quite poetic songs.
http://www.lonesomebrothers.com
Thirty Dollar Stella (2012) 3.5***
Has a similar feel to J.J. Cales music i.e. laid back, blends blues, folk, country into a highly palatable stew but despite the laid back feel still has impact and feeling. (Review to follow, maybe!)
http://thirtydollarstella.blogspot.com
June Star - Slow Dance (2012) 4****
Another tremendous alt. countryish album by this genre defining band!
Karen Dalton – 1966 (2012) 4****
Incredible vocals and some excellent playing on an album of patchy sound quality demos.
Megafaun (2011) 2.5**
Decent folksy psychedelia.
http://megafaun.com
Adriana Spina – Never coming home (2011)2.5**
Not terribly original but none the less a really pleasant folksy country album with nice vocals and well written songs that could do well with decent promotion.
http://adrianaspina.squarespace.com
Real Estate - Days (2011) 2**
Jangling guitars and perfect harmonies! Pleasant but no really new ideas
Countrycide - The rise and the fall (2011) 3***
Pleasant enough modern country rock with excellent playing, strong vocals and decent harmonies.
http://www.myspace.com/countrycide
Charlie Parr - Keep Your Hands On The Plow (2011) 5*****
http://www.charlieparr.com/
Dennis Crommett - In the Buffalo surround (2011) 3***
http://denniscrommett.com/
The James Low Western Front - Whiskey Farmer (2012) 3.5***
http://jameslowwesternfront.com/
Ruby Muse - Red guitar in a blue room (2011) 3***
http://www.myspace.com/rubymuse
Mark Mulholland - The cactus and the dragon (2011) 2.5**
http://markmulholland.net/
The Coloradas (2011) 3.5***
http://www.thecoloradas.com/
Old Tire Swingers (2011) 4.5****
http://oldtireswingers.com/
Jason T. Lewis - The Fourteenth Colony (2011) 4.5****
http://www.sadironmusic.com
The Carper Family - Back When (2011) 4****
http://www.carperfamilyband.com/
The Kentucky Struts - The Year of the horse (2011) 3.5***
http://kentuckystruts.com
Laura Repo - Get yourself home (2011) 4****
http://laurarepo.ca
Ziggy Moonshine and the Bootleggers - Music in the key of Z (2011) 3***
http://www.ziggymoonshine.com/
Glen Jones + The Black Twig Pickers with Charlie Parr - Even to win is to fail + Eastmont syrup. (2011) 4.5****
Nathan Bell - Black Crow Blue (2011) 3.5***
http://www.myspace.com/nathanbellmusic
Rebecca Pronsky - Viewfinder (2011) 4****
http://rebeccapronsky.com/
Various Artists – Blind man blues (2 x c.d) (2011) 3.5***
Covers a wide area of the blues and is certainly worth having
Truckstop Honeymoon – Steamboat in a Cornfield (2011) 3.5***
Really good New Orleans/Vaudeville feel. A little too much lightheartedness at times but an excellent jazzy/bluesy/country album that they fairly obviously enjoyed making! (Review to follow)
http://www.truckstophoneymoon.com/
Various Artist - The Real Country Blues, Vol.1 4****
A difficult to get hold of obscurity. Don’t even know when it was released but contains 22 tracks by some of the greats of the genre!
Lonesome Brothers – Mono (2006) 3***
Mellow sparse sound with plenty of dobro from this underrated trio. Well written, quite poetic songs.
http://www.lonesomebrothers.com
Thirty Dollar Stella (2012) 3.5***
Has a similar feel to J.J. Cales music i.e. laid back, blends blues, folk, country into a highly palatable stew but despite the laid back feel still has impact and feeling. (Review to follow, maybe!)
http://thirtydollarstella.blogspot.com
June Star - Slow Dance (2012) 4****
Another tremendous alt. countryish album by this genre defining band!
Karen Dalton – 1966 (2012) 4****
Incredible vocals and some excellent playing on an album of patchy sound quality demos.
Megafaun (2011) 2.5**
Decent folksy psychedelia.
http://megafaun.com
Adriana Spina – Never coming home (2011)2.5**
Not terribly original but none the less a really pleasant folksy country album with nice vocals and well written songs that could do well with decent promotion.
http://adrianaspina.squarespace.com
Real Estate - Days (2011) 2**
Jangling guitars and perfect harmonies! Pleasant but no really new ideas
Countrycide - The rise and the fall (2011) 3***
Pleasant enough modern country rock with excellent playing, strong vocals and decent harmonies.
http://www.myspace.com/countrycide
Charlie Parr - Keep Your Hands On The Plow (2011) 5*****
http://www.charlieparr.com/
Dennis Crommett - In the Buffalo surround (2011) 3***
http://denniscrommett.com/
The James Low Western Front - Whiskey Farmer (2012) 3.5***
http://jameslowwesternfront.com/
Ruby Muse - Red guitar in a blue room (2011) 3***
http://www.myspace.com/rubymuse
Mark Mulholland - The cactus and the dragon (2011) 2.5**
http://markmulholland.net/
The Coloradas (2011) 3.5***
http://www.thecoloradas.com/
Old Tire Swingers (2011) 4.5****
http://oldtireswingers.com/
Jason T. Lewis - The Fourteenth Colony (2011) 4.5****
http://www.sadironmusic.com
The Carper Family - Back When (2011) 4****
http://www.carperfamilyband.com/
The Kentucky Struts - The Year of the horse (2011) 3.5***
http://kentuckystruts.com
Laura Repo - Get yourself home (2011) 4****
http://laurarepo.ca
Ziggy Moonshine and the Bootleggers - Music in the key of Z (2011) 3***
http://www.ziggymoonshine.com/
Glen Jones + The Black Twig Pickers with Charlie Parr - Even to win is to fail + Eastmont syrup. (2011) 4.5****
Nathan Bell - Black Crow Blue (2011) 3.5***
http://www.myspace.com/nathanbellmusic
Rebecca Pronsky - Viewfinder (2011) 4****
http://rebeccapronsky.com/