Author: jerobear
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Matt Patershuk: If Wishes Were Horses
This is a warm and likable album that combines the blues, country and rock. Patershuk says of the album: “It’s a mixed bag, which is how I like my bags. You’ll hear country and western, folk, rock ‘n’ roll, singer songwriter and blues songs.” And you do. Opener The Blues Don’t Bother Me is a…
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David Keenan: A Beginners Guide To Braver
This is an album that’s going to be a classic; the only question is whether cult or mainstream. Keenan sings with an intensity and directness it’s impossible not to like, with lyrics that make sense, and often a full band; this isn’t just some earnest folk singer strumming a guitar. The intensity is perhaps explained…
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Sam Lewis: Solo
Lewis is a grizzled looking American dude and sings the songs you might expect; modern life and its many facets, just him and guitar. He’s good because he has a soft voice, lyrics that can be thoughtful, amusing or silly, and makes honest, simple music. This is just him and an audience in what sounds…
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David Gray: White Ladder (20th Anniversary Reissue)
Long ago there must have been genetic mutation that made it impossible for humans to dislike David Gray’s White Ladder. A final joke from the Neanderthals, maybe. Statistics show that every house in Ireland owns at least one copy, and many have dormer extensions made solely of White Ladder CDs. We vaguely remember the era…
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Lil Pump: Harverd Dropout
Ah the States: first they give us Donald Trump, now it’s Lil Pump. All our scatological dreams are coming true. Sadly no musical ones with this debut from Pump. His schtick is that he’s really smart but dropped out of “Harverd” to rescue rap. He’d probably have been better going to college and doing some…
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Erik Simmons: Portals, Carson Cooman Organ Music Vol 11
This came out a while back but we overlooked it — Simmons/Cooman are prolific to say the least — so we saved it for Easter, as it’s got a contemplative feel to it, while not being too heavyweight. (Though as Simmons is sat at the pedals of the Sun Organ of St Peter and Paul,…
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Folk Music of China, Vol 3: Folk Songs of Yunnan
We Are Family is the opening piece but there’s no Sister Sledge in sight on this collection of traditional songs. The CD is the latest in a series exploring China’s diverse musical heritage. The songs featured in this recording are folk songs of three of the minority ethnic groups of Yunnan province — Wa, Blang,…
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Nils Landgren and Jan Lundgren: Kristallen
You wait, as they say, ages for an album of modern chamber music and then two come together, this and the Salt House album (folk, if you can’t be bothered clicking). Landgren (trombone and vocals) and Lundgren (piano) play similarly organic music to Salt House, and while it is jazz, it’s got an intimacy that…
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Mike Batt: The Penultimate Collection
Mike Batt’s long and varied career is celebrated on his new Penultimate Collection double album, with 35 tracks highlighting his work as performer, composer, arranger and key British musical figure — but especially as performer. Not only does it feature Batt’s original solo material — including his international solo hits — but also his own…
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Skylark and The Scorpion: Weather The Storm & Melanie Martinez: K-12
You wait ages for a multimedia concept involving film and music to come along, and then two arrive at the same time. Weather The Storm is accompanied by a 10-part short film set against the Jurassic coastline of the Shetland Isles. Musically, it’s heartfelt and gentle folk; it’s on Guy Garvey’s record label so think…
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