Ben Wright is a singer/songwriter/guitarist from Manchester, UK – a city with a vibrant music scene, from which have come several artists and bands I’ve previously featured on this blog. I’ve also been a little amazed by the number of singer/songwriters in the UK that play folk or Americana music, some of whom I’ve also featured on this blog. But then I remember that American folk and country music has its roots in the music that British, Scottish, and later Irish settlers brought to America. In Ben’s case, his pleasing style of acoustic folk/pop is influenced by blues, rock, and even a little reggae. He released a wonderful debut single “Starry Nights” in October 2016, which I reviewed. Now he’s returned with a seven-track EP Lifeline, released in early June through Sound-Hub Records.
For the recording of the album, Ben played guitars and sang all vocals, the esteemed musician/producer Barrington Mole (White Moor, The Further, Ejector Seat) played bass, and Dan Williams played drums. The EP kicks off with the title track “Lifeline,” a lovely song about not letting fear of failure keep you from pursuing your dreams. Ben sings of his struggle to make it as a musician, though the lyrics could apply to any type of performance art. His smooth, calm vocals are incredibly pleasing as he sings: “Cause I’ve been waiting so many years to see this blurry silhouette coming through these tears. Cause I don’t want to be waiting for another lifetime. So I’ll throw these dreams a lifeline.”
The song’s arrangement and production are on-point, and Ben’s slide guitar work is positively sublime. I really like the video that shows him and his fellow musicians performing the song. For the video, the supporting musicians are Chris Bull on acoustic guitar, Dave Fox on bass, and Alex Bayley on drums.
Ben states that he was inspired to write the beautiful second track “Starry Nights” “whilst travelling and sleeping in the middle of nowhere in New Zealand.” The poetic lyrics describe the simple beauty of a starry night in the rural countryside, unblemished by the artificiality or pretense of urban life. “Looking down from high above, they’re flickering til the day is born. No artificial beams can reach the sky. No piercing sounds will break the night. Starry nights reveal innocence. There’s no delusions and no hollow men.” The song has a lovely melody and acoustic rhythm guitar riff overlying gentle percussion and bass. Ben’s soothing vocals convey a sense of tranquility – that everything’s alright with the world. The charming video, which shows Ben walking and/or performing the song by a lake, nicely complements the track.
“Visions of You” is an upbeat folk song about celebrating the love he feels for his girl, while the cheerful “My Hometown” has a peppy reggae vibe. One of the things I like about this track are all the different guitar textures, including the wobbly little riff that can be heard throughout.
A favorite track is “She’s Leaving Town,” a bittersweet song about the end of a relationship that leaves him blindsided: “She’s leaving town tonight. The boy has no idea what it’s all about./ That smile is just an illusion.” The track has a bluesy feel, and the funky guitars and bass are really terrific. “Home Beyond the Pines” is another great track – oh hell, they’re all great! It starts off with a a bewitching little guitar note that expands into a pleasing acoustic riff, set to a happy toe-tapping beat.
As I listen to each track, I’m struck by the serene beauty of Ben’s voice, and no more so than on the gentle folk song “Fight Against the Tide.” His vocals are tender and heartfelt as he sings the inspirational lyrics about not letting self-doubt and the setbacks that life sometimes throws our way keep you from moving forward and living your own truth: “Wash away your pride. Don’t neglect your mind’s eye. Trust the strength you have inside, and fight against the tide.” It’s another favorite of mine.
Lifeline is a marvelous, well-crafted EP filled with songs that make you feel good, even when the subject matter is not particularly happy. Ben’s songwriting, musicianship and vocals are all first-rate, and he should be very proud of this work. An accomplished musician, he also teaches guitar lessons on his YouTube channel, which you can check out here.
Teisan is an exceptionally talented and prolific young singer/songwriter from Mannheim, Germany who I learned about when he followed me on Instagram. He started playing guitar at the age of 14, and quickly began writing songs in a predominantly ambient acoustic style. His songs tend toward a more introspective side, with heartfelt, personal lyrics. In his bio, he states “I like to make music about things I experienced in my life. What I write down in the lyrics helps me in dealing with past events.” In early 2016, when he was only 17, he released an excellent debut album Different Point of View. He followed up with an equally impressive second album Impatience in October 2017, and I strongly encourage my readers to check them both out.
Teisan has been writing and recording new songs for his forthcoming third album From Ten Thousand Miles Under the Ocean, and recently dropped a new single “Anchor Pt. 2,” which will be featured on that album. The song is a second part to “Anchor,” one of the tracks on Different Point of View. “Anchor” is a bittersweet song with simple lyrics that speak to a loved one who’s letting her fears of the unknown drag her down, the anchor representing those fears. On “Anchor Pt. 2” he’s come to the realization that she’s now dragging him down too:
I write a song, rip out my heart You didn’t care and laughed That’s the reason we’re apart You think gossip makes you smarter Heavy on my shoulders, I couldn’t swim to the surface But time made me bolder Ain’t the one that I need You’re the anchor bound to my feet
Musically, the track is built around a wistful but pleasing acoustic guitar riff. Delicate, airy synths are layered over the riff, along with sounds of snapping fingers, gentle percussion and added subtle guitar chords to create a serene and beautiful soundscape. Teisan has a smooth, lovely voice, and sings with an earnest vulnerability that’s calm yet quite touching. It’s a wonderful song.
Having no musical talents whatsoever, I’m always impressed by people who do, and especially when they’re also quite young. Needless to say, I was blown away when I listened to the debut album Perfect on Paper by Welsh artist Georgia Fearn. Only 17 years old, the singer/songwriter from Carmarthen has a remarkable artistry and maturity far beyond her years. She writes all her own songs and plays guitar and piano, with session musicians playing the other instruments.
Released in March through Grapefruit Records, Perfect on Paper sounds like the work of a seasoned artist, which is actually the case in a sense. Georgia began writing songs at the age of nine, and at 17 she’s an accomplished wordsmith, penning thoughtful and frank lyrics about the joy, pain and complications that arise when we enter into relationships. She’s already performed in many different venues, most notably the famous Cavern in Liverpool, and her songs have received airplay on BBC Wales, and other radio stations in the UK.
Georgia incorporates a myriad of music styles, including pop, rock, jazz, hip hop and even Celtic folk, to create songs that are surprising, unique and always compelling. The superb opening track “L’Amour” beautifully illustrates what I’m talking about. The song features all sorts of interesting sounds and instruments like accordion, banjo, horns and strings, and the result is delightfully saucy track with a sophisticated French vibe. As if all that weren’t enough, she injects a bit of a Celtic feel in the chorus interlude. Didn’t I say that she likes to surprise us?
The lyrics describe a relationship doomed from the start: “You told me you were leaving ’cause I smoked too many cigarettes. I broke the bad habit, and I drove straight to your address. I saw you pressing your lips to someone new. It’s time to break my other bad habit. You.” Bloody brilliant.
Perfect on Paper is an ambitious work with 12 tracks, all of them suberb. “Catch Me If You Can” is an infectiously catchy number that had me humming the melody long after hearing the song. “Misty Mae” was inspired by a character in the TV series American Horror Story. A beautiful mandolin riff and flute lend a bit of a gypsy flair to the rousing track, while distorted electric guitar adds an edgy feel. “Does It Make You Wonder” is a sweeping ballad featuring a haunting piano riff, mournful violins and a military drumbeat. Georgia’s heartfelt vocals are extraordinary as she croons: “I’m living in a glass house, where the person I used to be, she’s buried six feet under. She’s trying to scream. She’s blocked out by the thunder. Does it ever make you wonder, what could have been?”
“Sharp Objects” is a dark rock song about the proverbial town without pity. The track opens with what sounds like helicopter blades and men shouting in the distance. Georgia snarls the biting lyrics about hypocrisy and evil that lie beneath a rosy exterior: “Home is where the lies are. Pretty quiet village, that’s where all the scars are. Tiny little village, that’s where all the hate is. / Ooh I’m gonna drown. Something about this nuclear town. Toxic.”
And speaking of dark, one of my favorites is the dramatic, searing title track “Perfect on Paper,” about a woman serving prison time for killing the man that done her wrong: “I know he never loved me. He just loved the thought. He thought there was a girl out there who’d do what he wants. She’d smile in a loving manner to her man perfect on paper. Not knowing soon she’d see every awful heartbreaking, sickening, ugly thing he could be.” Wow, those are some of the best lyrics I’ve seen in a while!
Another great track is the bluesy “Master of Jazz.” The sensuous song speaks of the cool allure of a jazz musician who can sweep a girl off her feet: “Heart on his sleeve and mic in his hand. I heard he was a part of some out of town band. He liked to think he was the king of swing. And the king of swing would have you hanging by a string He’s a master of jazz, when he sings you come alive.” The melancholy “Emptiness” is a piano-driven track with mournful violin. The lyrics address the feelings of pain and loss when love has gone: “We judge people for judging, ’cause judging is wrong. The only way to stay OK is writing a song. Food has lost it’s taste. Get me out of this place. If you cut me open, I would bleed his name. It hurts so much.”
Georgia injects a hip hop beat and lots of distorted guitar into “No Need to Hide,” while “Always Be Yours” is a lovely, uplifting ballad about how she was saved by another’s love and devotion. The Latin-infused album closer “You Wouldn’t Do This if You Did” is a kiss-off to a lover with a chronic drinking problem: “How am I supposed to love you, when you only see me through bottled eyes. And every time I smell the liquor, a little part inside of me dies. You’re not who you were when I first met you. / I know you don’t love me. Cause you wouldn’t do this if you did.”
Perfect on Paper is a brilliant album, and an outstanding debut from this gifted and promising young artist. I expect – and hope – we’ll be hearing more great music from Georgia Fearn before long.
Century Thief is a six-piece indie folk/rock band based in Toronto, Canada. Drawing from influences like Broken Social Scene, Radiohead, Jeff Buckley, Wilco, and Elliott Smith, they’ve developed a melodic, unconventional and captivating sound. Thanks to an impressive array of instrumentation, including brass, woodwinds, keys, guitars, bass and drums, as well as lush vocal harmonies, their music has a rich orchestral quality, yet is very accessible and down to earth. A sound engineer in Montreal once described their sound as “trash lounge folk prog rock” – a fitting description they liked so much they use it in their bio.
Century Thief is comprised of Michael Legere (guitar and vocals), Kathryn Kearns (keys, woodwinds and vocals), Omar Shabbar (guitar and vocals), Dante Matas (bass), Adam Reid (brass) and Colin McNally (drums). They released their debut EP Reverie in 2015, and this May dropped their stunning new EP Deaf Beneath the Waves. The band provided a bit of background about the EP to webzine Live in Limbo: “Deaf Beneath the Waves is about coming to terms with your place in the world. The songs interrogate past patterns of behavior, and struggle to light a path forward. The EP is a nostalgic inquiry into mortality, futility and the desire to find meaning and purpose in life and love. It was recorded at a farmhouse in Madoc, Ontario.”
The first track “406” is a hauntingly beautiful but melancholy song about acknowledging the hurt one has caused another in a relationship, and wanting forgiveness and a second chance: “How could I mess up this bad? Please forget these mistakes I have. And I can’t stop thinking about you.” The track starts off with an enchanting, almost magical intro, with delicate xylophone and strings, then acoustic guitar and keyboards are gradually added along with lovely harmonizing vocals. The instrumentals expand to include moody trumpet, fluttering flute and smooth percussion as the track builds to a climax. It’s a gorgeous song whose melody stayed with me long afterwards.
“You Are Here” is a beautifully moving track with a bit of a jazzy vibe. Lovely keyboards and trumpets take a starring role, and Legere’s vocals are really wonderful as he sings about feeling unsure of how to continue in the relationship: “I’ve been pacing around the same ideas. Haven’t worked before, this time I’m not sure.” The backing vocal harmonies are sublime.
The band states that the third track “Science of Solace” is “about waking up submerged in a lake and deciding whether to return to the surface, to grow some gills and start a new life, or just sink into the next world.” It has more of a pop song feel, with Kathryn’s charming vocals dominating, backed with an extended horn riff, pleasing tempo and some discordant synth sounds.
All three tracks are marvelous, and over far too quickly. Century Thief is an amazingly talented group of musicians, and we need to hear more of their innovative music, hopefully soon!
As EclecticMusicLover, I like to feature many different kinds of music on this blog. With that in mind, I’m pleased to review the wonderful new single “In the City” by Novus Cantus, a unique band from Poughkeepsie, New York who look and sound like they could be from Spain or Greece. Novus Cantus, Latin for “new music,” is a collaboration of brothers Alexander (vocals and guitar), and Christian Herasimtschuk (drums and percussion), with assistance by Greg Hayden on bass. Their innovative, melodically beautiful songs draw from an eclectic mix of influences such as traditional ethnic music like flamenco and Hungarian folk, classical Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque, and rock, particularly that of Jethro Tull, but also Metallica and Alice in Chains. They’ve recorded a number of superb tracks over the past few years, and I strongly encourage my readers to check them out on your favorite streaming service, some of which I’ve listed at the end of this review.
“In the City” is a beautiful, optimistic song celebrating the dichotomies and drama of the city, and the diversity and resilience of it’s residents that allows them to flourish despite the odds. I’m guessing the city they sing about is New York, but the lyrics could really apply to any large city anywhere in the world.
In the City, on the sidewalk An urban scene does play People motioning toward the crosswalk By the redwood made by man Apartment windows reveal the fallacy Of rich and poor living in harmony Unaware of their great inequality Existing in homogeneity
I’ve roamed among the barren forests Of the streets of urban nothing And yet, life does seem to flourish in the city The habitat of humanity.
In the city, on the sidewalk A lengthy story unfolds As trees came down, buildings were born The perfect angles of chiseled stone The wilderness has long since been gone But the spirit remains in the form Of people willing to transform City life into a vital storm.
I’ve roamed among the barren forests Of the streets of urban nothing And yet, life does seem to flourish in the city The habitat of humanity.
The song opens with sounds of a rushing subway train, then Alexander’s gorgeous and intricate Spanish guitar washes over us, accompanied by Christian’s robust beating of his conga and bongo drums, evoking the fiery passion and drama of the city and the people in it. In addition to Greg’s bass, the guys employ other instruments like flute and Maracas to add dimension to the track. Alexander’s fervent vocals have an exotic quality that, combined with the instrumentals, gives the song a dynamic, international vibe. It’s brilliant!
Novus Cantus is completely fan-supported, meaning they’re not beholden to a label, so please consider supporting them by following them on social media and purchasing their music. The more fans they have, the more they can compete for gigs in your area. Also consider donating to their music efforts via their Patreon site.
I’ve written previously about singer/songwriter Chris Watkins, and how his music stays with me long after hearing it, drawing me back for another listen. His pleasing music is a style of alternative folk-rock reminiscent of Bob Dylan, Shawn Mullins and Lou Reed – simple, pure and honest, but always with a compelling story. Based in Anchorage, Alaska, Chris has been making music since his teens, when he first formed his band Drunk Poets. He’s continued performing and recording under that band name, though the members have changed over time. Drunk Poets currently consists of Chris, who writes the songs, sings and plays acoustic guitar, Eric Cobb, who played all the other instruments and also produced the album, and Chris’s niece Flower Evenden, who provides some of the lovely backing vocals.
The primary components of their sound are acoustic guitar and Chris’s quietly intense and almost seductive vocal style that’s closer to speaking than singing. Following up on their superb albums London Can Take It, from 2015, and Lights All Askew a year later (which I reviewed), in January Chris Watkins & the Drunk Poets dropped a stunning new concept album Derevnia’s Daughters. In preparation for my review, I sent Chris some questions to gain a bit of insight into his creative process for the album, which he kindly answered.
Me: Hello Chris. As you know, I’ve been a big fan of yours for a while. Your songs always tell engrossing stories through poetic lyrics, and your warm, soothing vocals and acoustic style make for an incredibly pleasing listen, even when the lyrics are melancholy. Where do you draw inspiration for your songwriting?
Chris: Thank you Jeff. I don’t know, it just comes into my head.
The new album has several songs that are set in or reference places in your home state of Alaska. A few of them even reference Russian words like “babushka,” and I’m guessing even the title name Derevnia is Russian. I know Alaska was once a Russian territory. Is it that heritage you’re trying to evoke or celebrate with your album?
Yes, I am interested in the integration of cultures that occurred on Afognak Island at the turn of the century.
Continuing on that theme, who or what is Derevnia? And what is the significance or meaning of her “daughters?” Is it meant to symbolize a celebration of women, since you make references to girls from California and San Francisco, as well as a White Sister, your grandmother, and a song about a daughter writing to her father?
Derevnia was the Russian section of the village on Afognak Island. Her daughters are the offspring of a Swedish immigrant that assimilated into contemporary society in the early twentieth century. I am fascinated with the contradictions and juxtapositions of rural pastoral culture and its collision with modern technological industrial evolution.
(I looked up “Derevnia’s Daughters” and learned it’s an historical novel, written by Lola Harvey and published in 1991, about the island of Afognak, which is situated immediately north of Kodiak Island.)
Two tracks have Russian or Slavic titles. I Googled them and found “Kristos Voscrese” means “Christ is Risen,” and “Kristos Razhdaetsya” means “Christ is born.” The second track also makes reference to Spruce Island Chapel. Is there a religious significance intended?
Yes. The orthodox Christianity that existed on Afognak and the ethos that runs through the book is identical to Tolstoyan Christianity and early Calvinist enlightenment theory.
(Tolstoyan Christianity advocates an ascetic, chaste and simple life, with no smoking, drinking, or eating of meat. Another basic tenet is non-violence, loving one’s enemies and fighting evil with good.)
Your niece has a greater singing role on this album, and her spoken vocals in the Intro and “Seattle, WA Oct, 13, 1937” are especially compelling. What is the meaning of that particular track?
The spoken word on “Seattle, WA Oct, 13, 1937” was actually performed by Meghan Kim. It is only one in a series of letters that are the narrative backbone of the book, all of them reflect the daughters assimilation and acceptance of modern civilization.
Many artists have mixed feelings about social media, but you’re pretty active and have amassed a considerable following. Do you think it’s helped with getting your music heard by more people, as well as sales?
My opinion is that we are on the precipice of a new paradigm involving the distribution and consumption of intellectual property. It is my hunch that in the near future sales will matter very little compared to exposure.
Do you ever perform live locally in Alaska? What about Canada or other parts of the U.S.? If not, do you have any plans to?
I will be more than happy to perform anywhere if somebody asks me.
If you could perform or record with any other artist or band, who would you choose?
Erica
Are there any final things you’d like your followers to know that I haven’t asked?
Never let the sun go down.
All right, let’s dig into Derevnia’s Daughters. It’s an ambitious work, with 13 tracks that touch on various aspects of what life would have been like on Afognak in the past. The songs seem to address three dominant components of life on the island: the salmon fishing industry, church, and family (all pretty much still the same dominant features that exist today for a lot of small or rural single-industry towns).
The first track is a brief intro that consists of a reading by Eric’s daughter Emma of a letter from the book that was written by a young woman named Enola to her papa and family, updating them on goings on in her life and asking for a few dessert recipes. Her spoken vocals are accompanied by gentle acoustic guitar and strings. It immediately segues into “Black Iron Birch,” which is sung by Flower. The lyrics seem to be from the point of view of a woman telling her story about arriving in Derevnia to start a new life: “Arriving are the salmon ships. Oh my housemate. Where are my keys?”
“Tea and Cigarettes” is a perfect example of Chris’s sound, with a simple but arresting acoustic guitar riff, accompanied by a steady drumbeat and beautiful strings. He sounds wistful as he sings “When there’s nothing left,” and Flower’s gentle backing vocals are sublime. “Devil’s Town” starts off quite pretty with sounds of seagulls and delicate synths, but gradually keyboard synths, guitar, bass, drums and rattles are added to create a decidedly somber mood to match the rather sinister lyrics about a cold, cruel place where everyone seems to be ruthless: “They’ll cut you for a dollar, if they can count that high. Like a dog under the collar, in a 3-piece suit and tie. / Everyone’s talking but no one says a word. And that’s the price of inhibition, when you’re running with the herd. I ain’t goin’ back.”
The influence of the Orthodox church is addressed on several tracks. “The White Sister” speaks to the contradictions between the good and malevolent aspects of religion. Early in the song, Chris sings of the nun’s support: “The white sister takes my hand. I was lost in Afghanistan.” But later in the song “Rasputin throws his coat around her neck, around her throat./ She keeps knocking on my door. It’s a song I’ve heard before.” The little riffs of electric guitar at the end give off a bit of a sinister vibe, contrasting with the beauty of distant sounds of nuns singing. “Spruce Island Chapel” seems to touch on the internal struggle between our chaste and sinful sides: “You only speak in Latin when they bring you wine. On bedsheets made of satin, over Hollywood & Vine. In the morning, when you wake up. You’re gonna fall down on bended knee. In the evening, when it gets rough, you’re gonna get tough like St. Timothy in Rome.”
“Kristos Voscrese” is an interesting track that opens with discordant sounds like static from dialing through stations on a radio and heavily distorted guitar chords. Eventually, guitars and drums take over as Chris sings the rather depressing lyrics “The Salvation Army band doesn’t come around no more. I think we lost them in the fire.But I can remember the dark of December. The winter had you under the heel. With Dickens and Capra, the sugar the safra. The wolves circling the spinning wheel.” “Prayers For the Damned” has a darker, harder rock feel, with menacing distorted guitar riffs layered over acoustic guitar. And on “Kristos Razhdaetsya” the rather haunting repetitive acoustic guitar riff and eerie synth gives the track a disquieting tone.
Meghan Kim does the spoken vocals on “Seattle, Wa Oct 13, 1937,” another letter featured in the book that was written by a woman named Eunice to her father. Eunice asks her father for advice with her dilemmas of being unmarried and becoming an old maid, obligations of having to care for her sister Enola and her children, and trying to finish college so she can have gainful employment as a teacher, instead of the physically demanding job she now has.
Several songs touch on the difficulties – both physical and emotional – of Alaska’s long, cold and dark winters. Besides some I’ve already discussed earlier, “Swallow Tail Cape” seems to address the desire to escape: “When the winter takes it toll. When the kerosene goes cold./ Don’t you wanna fly home?” And on the “Kodiak Flyer,” Chris sings of making it “over the mountain to the other side.” The catchy, melodically complex album closer “Mother of Sorrows” has some great riffs of psychedelic surf guitar layered over acoustic, and is one of my favorite tracks from a music standpoint.
Derevnia’s Daughters is a truly outstanding work that’s beautifully conceived and flawlessly executed. Chris Watkins once again shows us his skill for weaving powerful narratives out of often spare lyrics and instrumentals, and his music has a raw yet pristine quality that sounds honest and never over-produced.
Anna Mitchell is a singer/songwriter based in Cork, Ireland, and she’s released an astonishingly beautiful album. Her self-titled Anna Mitchell dropped in January, and it’s as close to perfection as any recent album I’ve heard. This is Anna’s second studio album, which follows her 2015 debut effort Down to the Bone. With a lot of albums, it can take a couple of listens for the music to grow on me, but with Anna Mitchell I was blown away the moment I heard it. Each new track was a revelation, leading me to quickly recognize that here was an exceptional work of musical art.
Drawing inspiration from some of the best singers and songwriters in music – including Joni Mitchell, Emmylou Harris, Bonnie Raitt, Linda Ronstadt, Ray LaMontagne, Stevie Nicks, Tim O’ Brien, Bob Dylan, Shawn Colvin and Gillian Welch – Anna melds folk, country, Americana, rock’n’roll, pop and blues influences to create exquisite songs that speak to oft-covered subjects of love and relationships, and the joy and pain they bring. Her strong, clear vocals could easily go toe to toe with many of the aforementioned singers. The album was recorded independently, with musical assistance from well known Irish musicians Davie Ryan on drums, Brian Hassett on bass and Alan Comerford on guitar. It was engineered and co-produced by Brendan Fennessy.
Anna Mitchell opens with the gorgeous ballad “All These Things.” Anna immediately casts us under her spell with captivating vocals that seem to float and soar above layers of stunning, richly-textured guitars and a humming bass line. Davie Ryan provides just the right amount of percussion, and the lush horns add a jazzy flourish later in the track. The song’s unusual video is extraordinary:
Anna dials up the tempo on “It Pours,” a great pop-rock song with the kind of strong driving beat that I love. The bluesy guitars are terrific, and Anna’s sultry vocals turn passionate as she admonishes one to stop whining and start living: “Hold your tongue, hold your tongue, I’m not listening. You’re not the only one with sadness or sin. I feel the weight of the world creepin’ in. And if you don’t start kicking you won’t stop sinking. It pours outta you, outta you.” The trippy video shows blacklit images of faces painted with phosphorescent colors in the dark.
“Radio Waves” is a lovely but bittersweet Country-rock song with slide guitar, piano and organ as the primary instruments. Anna earnestly sings of escaping from life’s troubles through music: “Radio waves, audio slave, turn me up ’cause I’m down.” On “Never Learn,” Anna’s smooth vocals are accompanied by a bewitching piano melody as she tells someone their broken relationship is beyond repair: “You can waste your time, but keep your hands off mine. Past the point of no return.” Staying with that theme, on the Country-rock track “Get Out” Anna tells a man in no uncertain terms that she’s through with him: “It would be nice to stop and chat, but I don’t like you. Well they say that you’re a really good catch, but I don’t want you / Do you just feel like a man when you shout? Oh, get out! Just get out!”
One of my favorite songs is the rousing foot-stomper “Dog Track.” Thanks to heavy, distorted electric guitar, buzzing bass and pounding drum beat, the track’s harder and edgier than the others. And like the music, Anna’s echoed vocals are more aggressive as she snarls the lyrics about a guy she finds attractive who’s also bad news: “Is that a wolf howlin’ or is it just the wind?Well I met him down at the dog track. He was walking around like he was on the attack.”
Here’s an electrifying live performance of “Dog Track” with the Cork Opera House Concert Orchestra.
Anna’s impressive songwriting talents are showcased on the melodically complex “Better Life.” The mysterious and powerful song features a strong bass line overlain with tremolo-heavy guitars and an array of instruments, including piano, slide guitar, organ, violin, and drums. “Slice of the Pie” is a call for respect for the working class in their struggle to make a living: “You don’t judge a man, just by the way he found to feed his children. Everybody wants a slice of the pie. They’re just like you and I, trying to get by.” The album closes with Anna acknowledging she was wrong, asking her man to “Come Home.” She teases: “I like your bedside manner / Come home, when you coming back to me?”
Anna Mitchell is a phenomenal album that needs to be heard by as many ears as possible. I’m so glad Anna reached out to me, and I’m thrilled to do what I can help promote her and her incredible music.
Those of you in Ireland can see Anna and her band at one of these upcoming shows:
Saturday, February 10 Levi’s Corner House, Ballydehob 8 PM Friday, February 16 Whelan’s, Dublin 8 PM Sunday, February 18 John Cleer’s Bar & Theatre, Kilkenny 8 PM
I’ve always liked songs that tell a story, and what genre does it better than Americana/Country? One such artist who’s extremely skilled at weaving compelling stories is Rich Evans, a singer/songwriter based in London, UK. He’s a prolific songwriter, and has recorded music in several genres, including rock, blues, and punk, but his greatest love is Americana. He’s been involved in a number of music projects and bands for more than 20 years, including The Mariachis (who toured with Joe Cocker, Bill Wyman and Jimmy Cliff) and the Americana band Roosevelt Bandwagon, as well as recording music for labels in Chicago and Nashville. He formed the Rich Evans Band to record and perform his solo material, an astonishing output of songs! As Rich Evans Band, he’s released several albums and songs over the past decade or so, which he’s been re-issuing over the past year through his label Baby Dylan Records (named after his son Dylan).
One of those albums is B Sides and Outtakes, a collection of seven wonderful tracks that address common themes of life, love, relationships and the struggles of being a musician through honest, deeply-moving lyrics. A talented multi-instrumentalist, Evans plays many of the instruments on his songs with help from his backup band. But guitar, mandolin and harmonica seem to be his specialties, and are beautifully featured on the opening track Roll on Mississippi. Evans’ vocals sound raspy yet soothing on this sweet Country ballad, and backed by a lovely chorus of female vocals.
As good as Evans is on his guitar and harmonica, it’s his skill at writing tender, heartfelt lyrics where he really shines. On the poignant Old Midnight Special he sings about an aging musician unable to accept his growing irrelevance in the music business:
Guess the talent that he’s got has worn a little thin Time was when he played they’d line up outside the door Still plays the same bars, but they don’t come round no more They’ve all grown up, got old and settled down Guess he still fools himself he’s the new kid in town
These days the kids call out for songs that he don’t know They don’t care unless they’re ones they play on the radio He can’t reconcile himself that his better days are gone Guess he’s still in the same place while the world keeps movin’ on He still got the ticket stubs, pictures in frames Of him up on the billboard when people knew his name
One of my favorite tracks is Bad Turns, where an upbeat, bass-driven tempo belies the bittersweet story line about a son inheriting his father’s penchant for making poor life choices:
Must have been about five or six When Momma set me down and she told me this Don’t go doin’ like your daddy done I don’t believe it’s gotta be like father like son Left us before you turned one Yeah, the son of a bitch been a long time gone He’s been making bad turns for so long I can’t put my finger on what went wrong
Thought history wouldn’t happen again They wouldn’t do to me what they done to him But the devil come a knockin’ in the middle of the night I was good and drunk there was a barroom fight Swear I never touched that guy Told me later that he’d up and died Judge sentenced me to death just to help clear up the mess I been making bad turns for so long I can’t put my finger on what went wrong
Evans sings about a life compromised by a lifetime of alcoholism on the melancholy Blues Are Gonna GetYou. And on the song about a hardscrabble life in Bakersfield, he touches on other California locales such as the Kern River, Bakersfield’s oil-producing neighbor Oildale, Los Angeles, Santa Cruz and Highway 99, as well as Illinois – all places I know well. I’m impressed that a musician from Britain would have such a good working knowledge of California geography.
He turns romantic on the sensual Irresistible, pleading with a woman he still loves to leave her new boyfriend and come back to him. “Have to steal your love away from him. Have to steal your love right back again.” The bluesy guitars and bass line on the track are particularly good. The album ends on a high note with the bouncy rock’n’roll track Midnight Creeper. Evans tells the object of his desire that nothing’s gonna stop him from winning her love: “I don’t care if your Momma won’t let you. Honey I’m gonna come and get you. I’m the midnight creeper, gonna slide right through your door. It’s a good metaphor to describe how, through his music, Evans slides right into our hearts and minds with his catchy melodies and relatable lyrics. Good stuff!
Anca is a lovely young indie singer/songwriter from Sydney, Australia who released her equally lovely debut EP Tomorrow in Sight in December 2017. She writes heartfelt lyrics based partly on her own personal experiences, and sets them to delicate piano-driven melodies. She played piano and drums on all the tracks, with assistance from Ian Craig on guitar and JimmyJay Lovelace on bass.
Her folk-pop music style contains elements that at times remind me a tiny bit like Jewel, yet sounds totally fresh and original. In her bio info, Anca shares her feelings about the EP: “This is my debut EP of the best songs I wrote before turning 21. Recorded on the piano I grew up with, I am incredibly excited to share the music from this period of my life. After the release of this record, tomorrow is in sight with my adult songs coming next year!”
Opening track “Trainwreck” sets the tone with a sweet piano riff and gently strummed electric guitar creating a mood that’s soothing, yet lighthearted. ANCA’s delicate vocals are enchanting as they skitter across the soundwaves. She explains the meaning of the song and its charming video:
“Trainwreck is a song where I am laughing at myself for how terrible I am when it comes to dating. The particular story starts with me starting to see a guy and things going really well until we hang out and I have a few too many and make an absolute idiot out of myself. The video definitely goes overboard – I didn’t really break a glass in the original but the catastrophe level was pretty close! But hey, if you can’t laugh at yourself then what can you do? At least one of us found it funny!“
On “Red Flags” Anca muses on whether she should open herself up to a possible relationship: “I could be wrong, maybe I should let you in“, yet she has reservations, afraid of being hurt: “Red flags run from my eyes. I know it’s hard to see when you’re so high.” The track features a beautiful little guitar riff, accompanied by subtle piano and gently pummeling drums.
“Learning to Let Go” has her coming to terms with the pain caused by a failed relationship and moving on: “Learning to let go was the hardest thing I’ve ever known.” Continuing on that theme, Anca closes the door on any hope of a reconciliation on “Talk About It.” “Why don’t you run away. I don’t know why you want to talk about it. I know why I don’t want to talk about it. You’re not gonna change my mind.” And though the song is clearly pop-oriented, her vocals at times have a bit of a hip hop quality in their cadence.
Anca turns somber on the haunting “Hey Anna,” addressing the pain and despair of someone having the unattainable goal to be perfect: “Hey Anna, get out of my head. You made your point, I heard what you said. / What the mirror shows, is someone I don’t know. You know I’d give anything to be perfect.” But then she sings an emotional tribute to the strength and inspiration she gains from her grandma on the folk ballad “Nana’s Song.” “When I’m with you, I don’t have to be afraid. If I cry, you chase the monsters away. When I’m with you, I don’t have to wear a mask. If I tried, you see right through it anyway.”
It’s an uplifting finish to a fine EP that takes us on Anca’s journey of self-discovery and life lessons learned. I hope she delivers on her promise of new music very soon.
Andy K Leland is an Italian folk singer/songwriter who sounds British, and has a wicked sense of humor. In his bio, Andy – who was born Andrea Marcellini – calls himself Andrea’s “shadow-self, and the two selves fear each other.” That dichotomy is evident in his songs, in which rather negative, biting lyrics contrast sharply with his simple, catchy melodies and pleasing acoustic guitar. In September, Andy dropped his debut EP Happy Daze, a collection of six tracks including two that I previously reviewed – “The Kingdom” and “Home Grown Muck”.
Perhaps the most unique aspect of Andy’s sound is his quirky, off-kilter vocal style, in which he clips his words, sometimes dropping a letter or two. It all sounds charming in an off-beat sort of way, and perfectly suited to his lo-fi sound. Despite his cynical, often dark lyrics about life and relationships, as the EP’s title suggests he may be telling us to not take them so seriously after all, or at least resign oneself to their inevitability. Because his music is fairly straightforward, I’ll emphasize Andy’s lyrics instead.
“The Kingdom” seems to be speaking from the perspective of someone who is dying or already dead, and now describing their observations of the afterlife with a blithe sense of irony:
Got up one day in the kingdom surrounded by some strange folks They held in hand their relics and really dug my antics So we danced together took some rest however They were all plugged and wet so they got electrocuted
Well outside it’s dawning la-la-la-la I won’t see the morning la-la-la-la I’ll be dead or dazzled by our own black nature
To a gentle, pleasing acoustic guitar riff, “Home Grown Muck” addresses the feelings of isolation and disillusionment increasingly prevalent in society today:
Once I was clever now I’m more than numb But I’m just trying to oh… I’m trying nothing at all There’s a lack of sharing however we just pretend we’re gold But the point is that we’re the scum of the world Oh, lord please bring me something warm just like opium But don’t dare to keep the change
A failing relationship seems to be the subject of “Bistro Nights,” a short track only 1:51 minutes long. Andy sings the melancholy lyrics about giving up:
I’m wasting my time spending the night Counting the days that I’m leaving that I’m trading For you to be thinking I’ll be ok And I’m tired sick of it all, all Please don’t tell me to get on the track Or wave my goodbyes I can’t cross the line
On “Half Dead Dog” he sings of his broken spirit to a rather somber acoustic guitar:
I mend a a few bits of my poor brain You’re wrong when you think that I’m strong I’ve been worn out for so long
“Mr. Panic” has an upbeat vibe, with a nicely strummed guitar, but the lyrics confuse me a bit. Though I may be way off, Mr. Panic seems to represent death, who’s come for the singer:
So you’re great, you’re grand, you’re smart you’re “Hey!” But ask your body and ask your brain as you often don’t recall my name Well it’s P.A.N.I.C. What? Oh… I’m fine thanks
‘cause I’m wildish and stylish a bit childish don’t you know? Now pack your bags and just follow me I swear you won’t regret… oh no
“Farewell” is the most melancholy track of the bunch. Andy sings from the perspective of someone who has come to terms with the fact no one likes him, including his girlfriend who left him, because of his own failings. Consequently, he’s decided to end his life. Pretty depressing stuff here:
My friends pretend they have a job They all pretend they’re having fun Miss my dog, will miss my time with tomorrow’s morning light My life is dreary and my girl My girl adores me but she left ‘cause I’m weird but I am glad Glad to know she’s doing well There’s a truth I can’t avoid Nobody likes me I’m a boy who hates you all, that’s so mean No one to blame but me
Those of you in Italy can catch Andy performing at these upcoming shows:
ECLECTIC MUSIC LOVER 