Last years album "Time Off" by Steve Gunn firmly located him in that loose category as a supreme guitarist who occasionally sings. This reviewer commented at the time that "many who listen to this album will detect clear hints of Bert Jansch, John Fahey and a host of other great fingerstyle pickers". Gunn of course has a wider rock pedigree playing in the Violators the supporting band of Philadelphia rock titan Kurt Vile. On this new album "Way out Weather" he finally stakes a claim to be a singer songwriter of real maturity and depth.
Read More© Julian Baird 2014 www.julianbaird.com
INTRODUCING THE WELL TRAVELLED SINGER SONGWRITING SENSATION STU LARSEN
Stu Larsen is an Australian folk singer-songwriter, currently of no fixed abode, he's not homeless, he just currently has nowhere to call home as he's always on the road, playing here, exploring there, just getting around and using his huge network of friends all over the world to stay a few days before moving on.
We caught up with Stu after his show at the Exeter Phoenix Arts Centre where he supported the superb Paper Aeroplanes, we chatted about travelling, relaxing and how he came to play on a certain track that went on to become 'the' anthem from 2013, here's how we got on....
Read MoreINTRODUCING BRISTOL BASED DYNAMIC DUO MEADOWLARK....
Kate McGill and Daniel Broadley are Meadowlark, a Bristol based duo who play sublime music which appeals to all, we caught up with them after they supported the Ben Watt Trio in Exeter recently, here's how we got on....
Read MoreTHE BARR BROTHERS - SLEEPING OPERATOR - ALBUM REVIEW
It is an interesting fact that Canadians often do "Americana" better than Americans. Think The Sadies, Cowboy Junkies, The Tragically Hip circa "Wheat Kings" and of course giants like the Band and Neil Young. Montreal's Barr Brothers are firmly in this tradition comprising Brad Barr (guitar, vocals), Andrew Barr (drums, percussion, vocals, keys), Sarah Page (harp, vocals, percussion) and Andres Vial (keys, bass, vibes, percussion, vocals).
Read More© Julian Baird 2014 www.julianbaird.com
PAPER AEROPLANES AT EXETER PHOENIX ARTS CENTRE NOVEMBER 19TH - LIVE REVIEW
The Exeter Phoenix looked different, not different in a bad way, just different….Never before had I seen cabaret style tables added to the floor area in front of the stage, it took on the look of a comedy club minus the stressed waiters and heckling punters.
Tonight was a special evening as it was the first time I had seen Paper Aeroplanes play as a 5 piece band. I’ve seen them a number of times in more intimate surroundings as a duo, a 4 piece with a double bass but never as a quintet, were the additional instruments going to add to the sound or take away the fragility and emotiveness of some of their classic tracks? Read on to find out….
Read MoreMARK ERELLI - MILLTOWNS - ALBUM REVIEW
Hands up, how many music lovers have heard of the New Hampshire folk singer Bill Morrissey? The evidence from the number of Amazon UK reviews of his many albums is none. This reviewer can claim no special insight since it was not until hearing Mark Erelli's new release "Milltowns" that Morrissey's name came into view.
Read MoreANAIS MITCHELL - XOA - ALBUM REVIEW
Anais Mitchell really has nothing left to prove with her deeply imaginative songwriting. In recent years her records have dominated the end of year lists with 2010's "Hadestown' in particular being close to the greatest record of that year.
Read MoreJAMES KING AND THE LONEWOLVES RELEASE 'LOST SONGS OF THE CONFEDERACY'....
In the early 1980s, while Scottish pop was getting brighter and shinier, Glasgow was home to a bunch of misfits who were kicking up a storm with their sinister Americana influenced compositions. James King and the Lonewolves would eventually become the epitome of 'Cursed, Poisoned and Condemned', to quote a line from the New York Dolls and Johnny Thunders' ‘Subway Train’… But in the early eighties, they were on the edge of greatness. The only obstacle they faced would be themselves.
Read MoreINTRODUCING SAN FRANCISCO BASED MUSICIAN, JOURNALIST, AUTHOR, MODEL AND ALL ROUND GREAT PERSON JORDANNAH ELIZABETH....
Jordannah Elizabeth is a musician, music journalist, author, model and the founder of The Process Records Media Group. Jordannah started Jordan’s River Promotions in 2004 in Denver, CO where she specialized in art and music event coordination, and artist and model management at 18 years old.
We met up at Humphry Slocombe Ice Cream Parlor (2790 Harrison, San Francisco, CA 94110) Tel 415-550-6971 to indulge in some hardcore ice cream tasting, I opted for the bacon and Vietnamese Coffee, I could tell that Jordannah was going to go for the Banana and Beetroot, whilst we were waiting to be served, we chatted about divine intervention, advice about men and singing in the shower, here's how we got on....
Read MoreELEPHANT STONE'S NEW ALBUM 'THE THREE POISONS' IS AVAILABLE NOW....
Montreal psych advocates Elephant Stone released their new album The Three Poisons at the end of October via Hidden Pony Records.
Read More18+ RECENTLY RELEASED THEIR DEBUT ALBUM 'TRUST'....
“Gothic R&B made with a sparse post-internet aesthetic.” DazedDigital
“18+'s music sounds like a visceral amble through a fog-filled sex club, brimming with the sleaze and innuendo of secret fetishes and sado-masochistic desires.” DUMMY
Read MoreHOZIER - HOZIER - ALBUM REVIEW
Andrew Hozier-Byrne passionate outpouring on his single "Take me To Church", seemed to suggest the next big thing when it lodged near the top of the Irish Republic's singles chart last year.
Read MoreGRAVENHURST ANNOUNCE TENTH ANNIVERSARY REISSUES....
FLASHLIGHT SEASONS and BLACK HOLES IN THE SAND – Ten Year Anniversary Reissues, and exclusive additional album OFFERINGS: LOST SONGS 2000 – 2004
Releases to be followed by touring under the banner “Gravenhurst Plays Flashlight Seasons – Ten Year Anniversary Tour”. Dates to be announced soon.
RELEASED 1ST DECEMBER 2014 ON WARP RECORDS
THREE VINYL ALBUMS | TRIPLE CD | DIGITAL
Read MoreFROM THE JAM - EXETER PHOENIX ARTS CENTRE 15TH NOVEMBER 2014 - LIVE REVIEW
We heard that ‘From The Jam’ were playing at the Exeter Phoenix Arts Centre and were invited to check them out, make some notes and take some pictures, were we to see a failed attempt at re-igniting the raw power that The Jam once injected into the music world or was it to be an evening that goes down in history? Read on to find out….
Read MoreCHECK OUT AVEC SANS' VIDEO FOR 'ALL OF TIME'....
Following on from last single ‘SHIVER’ London based duo Alice Fox and Jack St. James have spent the last 18 months steadily building their credentials within the electronic pop arena, with notable tipping points including their recent remix of the Brooklyn synth pop favourites Haerts’ ‘HEMPIGLEGIA’ which has racked up nearly 120,000 plays in under a month.
Read MoreBLACK FOXXES DEBUT EP 'PINES' SET FOR RELEASE ON NOVEMBER 24TH....
South west three-piece Black Foxxes will release their debut EP ‘Pines’ on 24th November. Doing so totally independently, the trio have cultivated a sound incorporating a dynamic mix of raw noise, extremely immersive vocal breaks and guitar hooks that are almost disconcerting, so considered is their drive.
Read MoreJACKSON BROWNE - STANDING IN THE BREACH - ALBUM REVIEW
The cover of Jackson Browne's new album "Standing in the Breach" tells of some of its preoccupations. A picture of conflict and destruction as a man and woman navigate burning buildings. Songs on the album like "Which Side" pronounces that the "battle lines are drawn" and are essentially protest anthems.
Read MoreART DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCE NEW ALBUM & WORLD TOUR....
INTRODUCING RUISLIP METALCORE SEXTET DESPITE MY DEEPEST FEAR....
Having formed in 2010 from the remnants of high school bands and a shared vision for UK metal, Despite My Deepest Fear (DMDF) burst onto the underground metal scene without hesitation.
Drawing influence from the then-booming deathcore community, their first release, "This Dies With Us", was released digitally and was received with critical acclaim, putting DMDF in a strong position for their debut album "Dimensions".
We met up with Aaron (guitarist) from the band at the Ruislip Lido where we were stood for 20 minutes waiting for a turn on the miniature train, to top it all, it was raining, hard.....I broke out a couple of cans of strong cider and we had a good old chat about films starring Anne Hathaway, corporate tattoos and living with 40000 fans on Facebook, here's how we got on....
Read MoreTHE NEW PODCAST PLAYLIST IS TAKING SHAPE....
Apologies for being so slack with the podcasts recently, I have been knee deep in major property renovations over the past couple of months, couple this with being out and about 2-3 nights a week, reviewing live shows and carrying out interviews with a load of A-Listers and it doesn't leave much time for the more important things, like keeping YOU informed as to what music you should be listening to....
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