The dynamic between siblings is always interesting to observe, and when those two siblings are singing sisters transported thousands of miles from home to perform unadorned in front of hundreds of people, the sparks and exchanges take on a theatrical quality that becomes fascinating to watch. Or rather it does in the case of The Secret Sisters.

Alabama duo Laura and Lydia Rogers have arguably two of the best voices in contemporary American country music. Their harmonies are easy and flawless. They seem to choose the perfect notes every time. Yet they sing mostly covers – although new material will be more plentiful on the second album – to a bare minimum of guitar accompaniment from Lydia. It shouldn’t really feel particularly special, and yet somehow it does.

Part of this magic is the Secret Sisters’ schtick. Laura plays the dominant personality to Lydia’s shy and quietly brilliant wallflower. Laura does the jokes and the storytelling, while every so often Lydia pops up with a vocal performance to crush hollow muscular organs.

And yet they are still a work in progress. They litter the evening with admittedly superb covers – George Jones’ Why Baby Why, Skeeter Davis’ Am I That Easy To Forget?, All I Could Do Was Cry by the recently departed Etta James – but it’s their own songs that really stand out. Somewhat disappointingly, Laura descends into a lengthy spiel about how much they both dislike the superlative Tennessee Me, one of only two original songs from their eponymous debut album, and one of the best traditional-sounding contemporary country songs of recent times. Still, there’s no accounting for taste.

Most exciting was a taste of what’s to come on album number two: Tomorrow Will Be Kinder recalls the devastation caused by a storm that ripped through the Southern States; King Cotton is a tender homage to their home state. The raw and electric River Jordan a nod to their religious roots.

The evening ends with a surprise appearance from the always lovely Brandi Carlile for a rousing a capella version of Amazing Grace. It’s all over in what seems like an instant, but really, for these two, it’s only just begun.

Video from the Night

Bad Habit

Etta James Tribute – All I Could Do Was Cry

The Secret Sisters featuring Brandi Carlile – Amazing Grace (song starts about 3.10 in to the clip)

At Glasgow’s Old Fruitmarket, Kris Drever played a set in support of Thea Gilmore’s Don’t Stop Singing to launch a new EP. On stage, Kris was joined by multi instrumentalist Megan Henderson of Braebach (vocals, fiddle, harmonium) and Dublin man Éamonn Coyne (banjo, guitar, tenor guitar), who now lives in Edinburgh. Éamonn Coyne has played previously with Kris Drever on their much acclaimed Honk Toot Suite. Among many achievements, Éamonn has also produced sterling work with Salsa Celtica.

The Old Fruitmarket is a popular venue with musicians and fans alike, Kris Drever describing it as ‘a bonny room’ as he took to the stage. The set opened with the EP’s second track Mazurka / Highland /Guns, which features an Irish/Polish Polka variant, and Fintan McManus’s The Guns Of The Magnificent Seven. This introduction served as an impressive start for Éamonn’s banjo and Megan’s fiddle.

For the EP’s opening track, Parcel O’ Rogues, Megan switched to harmonium. Interesting timing from Kris, releasing this track, given the current cross-border constitutional debates. The song derides the Scottish Parliament of 1707 for selling out to the English in the Treaty Of Union – “We’re bought and sold for English gold / Such a parcel of rogues in a nation!”

While extolling the virtues of classic Sandy Wright songs such as Posh Gwendoline’s A Bam – Kris has opted to include his more sedate Wild Hurricane on the EP. This new arrangement by Kris and Éamonn (the song featured on Mark The hard Earth) makes fine use of Éamonn’s tenor guitar and Megan’s harmonies. Tagged on the end of the song, both live and on the EP, is Lament For Glencoe (which featured on Honk Toot Suite), complimenting Wild Hurricane perfectly.

Included in the live set, but not on the EP, is Duncan Drever’s evocative song of exile Crown Of London, described by brother Kris as ‘a historical novel in four and a half minutes’.

The evening closed with a set of fiery reels, The 20 quid set, arranged by Kris, Éamonn and Megan. A relatively short appearance, but, none the less, enthusiastically enjoyed by the capacity crowd.

The EP closes with a long overdue studio visit to a Kris Drever favourite – Shady Grove, with fiddle and banjo adding pace and dynamism.

Its great to see Kris Drever and Éamonn Coyne working together again. Honk Toot Suite was a lovely piece of work and left many fans hoping from more from the duo. The addition of Megan Henderson into the mix is a major bonus.

Kris Drever and Éamonn Coyne will be touring together throughout February and March.
19/02/2012 The Portland Arms, Cambridge
20/02/2012 Topsham Folk Club
21/02/2012 Winchester Folk Club
22/02/2012 The Slaughtered Lamb, London
24/02/2012 The Rock at Maltby, Rotherham
25/02/2012 Paisley Arts Centre

07/03/2012 National Centre for Early Music, York
08/03/2012 Howard Assembly Rooms, Leeds
09/03/2012 Ruskin Mill, Stroud
10/03/2012 Bristol Folk House
15/03/2012 Tyneside Irish Centre, Newcastle Upon Tyne
16/03/2012 Assembly Rooms, Derby
18/03/2012 Crofthead Hall, Glasgow

Kris Drever Trio
16/06/2012 The Big Session Festival, Derbyshire

Track: Parcel o’ Rogues (EP released 26th January 2012)

photo credit Michael Farrant

In 2006 John McSherry (Uileann pipes, whistles) and Donal O’Connor (fiddle) released their collaborative  work, Tripswitch, an invigorating and energetic collection of tunes that was very well received. In 2011 the duo were joined by Tony Byrne (guitar), Michael McCague (bouzouki), Francis MacIlduff (pipes, bodhran), and Ciara MacCrickard (fiddle, vocals) to form At First Light. Their album, Idir (reviewed by Folk Radio UK in December), was hailed just as enthusiastically and proved them to be at the forefront of contemporary Irish roots music.

At First Light took to the stage at the splendid City Halls in Glasgow, in support of Jaadu, as part of Celtic Connections with a set that delighted the audience from start to finish.

The first set, Rose In The Gap, started with Byrne, McSherry and O’Connor in a steady hornpipe which exploded into life as McCague, MacIlduff and MacCrickard joined in for two scintillating reels. John McSheery’s Tripswitch is a reel in two parts – sedate and soothing before picking up to a pace that gained tapping feet and whoops of approval from the audience.

These changes in pace were one of the hallmarks of the evening, calming and invigorating the audience in turns. Throughout the set McSherry and MacIlduff combine their talents on the pipes and low whistle to perform duets such as The Pipers of Roguery, Bethan’s Dance and The Magnificent Six. All the while with Tony Byrne’s guitar, Michael McCague’s bouzouki and Francis MacIlduff’s bodhran providing dynamic, driving rhythms.

In addition to providing supporting fiddle, Ciara MacCrickard enchanted the audience with two songs: Aird Uí Chuain (The Quiet Land of Erin), and Courting Is a Pleasure, sung in her own husky style that seems to carry even more clearly in a live setting than in the studio. The Asturian El Garrotín brought the show to a joyous conclusion, leaving the audience in no doubt that At First Light have already established an enthralling repertoire that clearly produces a memorable performance, both live and in the studio.

Video for Idir

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★★★★
Neil Cowley Trio’s latest offering: The Face of Mount Molehill is one of best jazz albums I’ve heard this year. It’s groove laden and briming with great orchestral choruses and hooks alongside which Cowley stabs out his trademark piano with incredible relish and precison. The interplay between Cowley, Rex Horan’s bass and Evan Jenkins percussion are jaw droppingly clever and they bring along a few extra magical ingredients that really make this album shine. The album title Molehill reference is very appropriate as the results far outweigh the simplicity of the ingredients.

Rooster Was a Witness nailed it for me, just watch the video of them performing this track in Nelsons Brewery at Chatham dockyard and you can see the chemistry at work. The bass and drum backbeat on this and other tracks draw you in…they have an almost cinematic soundtrack quality that is slightly reminiscent of Lalo Schifrin. When the string section come in it’s the musical equivalent of grape bursting in your mouth…

The album is built on Cowley’s intuition for rythmn and an insane talent for weaving in-between groove patterns. The temptation to to go prog is resisted giving the album a possibly wider appeal than his previous work. Cowley still manages to spin out on the ivory but he doesn’t stray too far from the central theme which keeps a nice balance…but you have to admire his dexterity at those keys.

The album has some surprising moments of lush orchestration which transcend above the trio giving it an emotional brightness. Leo Abrahams also makes an appearance and brings some beautiful guitar effects into Cowley’s ever growing recipe book. He manages to throw in some quirky effects as well, especially on Mini Ha Ha which builds around a looping baby laugh…the inclusion of the effect seems at odds with the rest of the album initially but the mood gradually changes with the orchestral strings. It provides emotion to the track which intensifies with Cowley’s reflective piano playing and Rex Horan’s gorgeous bass playing in the final section.

Overall this is a wonderful album that will bring the Neil Cowley Trio new admirers…it has a magnetic quality that is very difficult to resist. It’s also incredibly playable and a joy to explore.

Tracks

Free Track:
Neil Cowley Trio
“Meyer” (mp3)
from “The Face Of Mount Molehill”
(Naim Jazz)

Buy at Amazon

On tour in 2012 with the Mount Molehill Strings

15th March, LONDON, Queen Elizabeth Hall
21st March CARDIFF, RWCMD
22nd March LIVERPOOL, Capstone Theatre
23rd March GATESHEAD, The Sage Gateshead
24th March LEEDS, The Venue
13th April BIRMINGHAM, CBSO
14th April SOUTHAMPTON, Turner Sims
26th April BRISTOL, St Georges

www.neilcowleytrio.com

photo credit: Tom Barnes

★★★★
Never Joy is not a grower – it’s love at first listen. But can this debut album from frighteningly talented 18 year old Ed Tullet be the real thing?

Clearly Ed wears his influences on his sleeve. ‘Silver Dive’, ‘Teeth’ and ‘Mezzanine’ all have roll and repeat guitar strumming combined with falsetto vocals and a slow build which owe much to the alt-folk artists who’ve done so well in recent years. Never Joy was written, recorded and produced entirely in one room (a nod to Bon Iver’s ‘Emma, Forever Ago’ recorded entirely in a cabin perhaps).

As the album progresses, you can hear a process, a growth in confidence as Ed becomes himself. By track 5 you could well be smitten: ‘Faker Death’ begins slowly, a haunting banjo riff makes an appearance, Ed sings (in deeper tones this time) and is joined by the uncommonly beautiful voice of Ffion Atkinson. This is the standout track on the album, the one you’ll play on repeat. In ‘Thaw’ Ed really shows his vocal range – a combination of fragility and power and in ‘OD’ the lyrics sound mature, not that of someone still cutting his teeth. A download of the digital album reveals 3 extra untitled tracks which see him really blossom.

Whether there’s enough material on here that sounds entirely unique is the question and Never Joy may well get lost in the crowds of new folk releases every week. When Ed trusts his own style, his music moves from lovely to outstanding. Only time will tell whether this is infatuation or something longer lasting.

Tracks

Listen to and Buy the album:

Video

Ed Tullett (Facebook)

★★★
Hirsute Hollywood heartthrob Ashton Kutcher seems an unlikely champion of Scouse soul-folk, but when the actor chanced upon the music of Liverpool-born strummer Alex Highton, he took to Twitter to register his approval. Spurred on by that – and the influx of new fans it brought – Highton raised the cash (via Sellaband) to record his debut album Woodditton Wives Club.

Woodditton Wives Club pre-Kutcher was recorded on one mic in a garage in rural Cambridgeshire, where Highton headed after losing his job in London to become a full time stay at home dad.

The more polished version retains a heartfelt simplicity but employs brass and strings to flesh out the dynamic of his unadorned but powerfully direct guitar arrangements. Highton uses his own lilting accent to weave tales of real people in an engaging manner. The mood shifts effortlessly from gentle observation to brutal reveal, but in a way that provides coherency and a sense of narrative conflict.

In essence Woodditton Wives Club documents Highton’s journey from the city to the country, exploring basic questions about the human condition along the way. The hypnotic Stupid borrows a bar or two of the chorus from Python Lee Jackson’s In A Broken Dream but gets away with it through a clever interplay of melodic ideas, and some disarmingly frank lyrics that deal with the fall-out of a family hit by alcohol and drug problems.

Oh shut up you stupid git
Your life it is my one regret
Your teachers all think you’re thick
I’m not surprised they think you’re sick
I really ain’t got time for this
I’ve got to go out on the piss

A Song For Someone is a poignant reflection on love and achievement, straight out of the Beatles’ songbook. Village Life provides a thoughtful change of pace, while The Sweet Taste of Defeat examines the nature of blame and regret. The gently meandering Little Rocks closes the album, offering a satisfying epilogue of sorts:

Don’t you ever think that I could step out without you
We are just little rocks spinning around and about you

Highton’s ‘spinning around‘ is a wonderfully fresh and perceptive look at a world many of us will recognise.

Tracks

Gigs

Wed 1 Feb 7:30 PM The Slaughtered Lamb, London
Fri 24 Feb 7:30 PM King’s Place, London

www.alexhighton.com

★★★★
Paper Box is the opening track from Ben Calvert & The Swifts latest release ‘Festive Road‘, the deep sonorous cello playing alongside Calvert’s introspective and often melancholic vocals offer the perfect picture window to redeeming an era of sound from the likes of Nick Drake, something that resonates throughout the album. His voice has a quirky edge that is reminiscent of a male Vashti Bunyan and the lushly orchestrated music, courtesy of The Swifts, keeps an equilibrium that works really well.

The musical arrangements are moulded around Ben with a helping hand from prouducer Bob Lamb (Ocean Colour Scene) and Dave McCabe, but the orchestral sounding magic rests with his band who have a really rich full sound. The uplifting violin on ‘Where the Wind Blows’ contrast perfectly to sombre toned vocals. You find yourself going through a slight re-adjustment on first listen after which the album begins to grow on you, it’s a nice place to be. Calvert’s biopic doesn’t hide this:

…an album that takes Post-Folk as it’s base then nods schizophrenically in the direction of both Scott Walker’s darkest moments and Syd Barrett at his most LSD-soaked and child-like.

All comparisons aside this is an enjoyable album, if you like your folk music served up with a splash of dark psychedelia then give it a go, it has a charm about it that makes it a lot warmer than you expect…a nice surprising grower that will draw you in, a bit special!

The Band

Ben Calvert: Vocals, Guitar.
Hannah Lawson: Violin.
Saul Hillier: Bass.
Dave McCabe: Guitar.
Carlo Solazzo: Drums.

http://bencalvert.bandcamp.com/album/festive-road

★★★★
Gretchen Peters is a singer-songwriter based in Nashville. Although best known as a songwriter for Bryan Adams, Faith Hill and many others, she also has nine (yes, nine) solo albums to her credit and is steadily building a fan base in the UK. Hello Cruel Worldis due for release at the end of January.

Hello Cruel World is a collection of eleven self-written songs that offer a wry, and often intimate view of life and what we make of it. The title track opens the album, with viola and cello (courtesy of Chris Carmichael and David Henry) adding a dark tone to Gretchen’s beautiful and arresting voice. It’s a strong opening lyrically too; we’re reminded that, as the years tumble by, there are indeed regrets, and they’re often the ghosts that haunt our later lives. It’s clear that this album’s greatest strength lies in its highly accessible song-writing, which invites, and rewards, close scrutiny.

Saint Francis has a more gentle approach, with a light Mediterranean vein running through it, thanks to Will Kimbrough‘s bouzouki. Co-written with Tom Russell, the song invokes the memory of the ecologically minded saint, and asks questions of humankind’s custodianship of the planet.

There’s an excellent vocal duet with Rodney Crowell in Dark Angel, quite possibly the first song on the album that could really fit the ‘country’ tag applied to Greatchen’s music. In Paradise Found the string section comes to the fore again in a bluesy exaltation of self, and sensual awareness…

“I worship no idol I seek no god / I don’t believe in no holy jihad / I don’t believe in original sin / I believe in the heat underneath our skin”.

The gentle guitar and piano backing of Five Minutes belies the protagonist’s close call between the struggle to survive and losing the will to carry on.

Former collaborators Matraca Berg & Suzy Bogguss joined Gretchen once again to co-write Camille, an earthy and heartbreaking chronicle of a life that’s lost its way, with Vinnie Ciesielski’s muted trumpet painting rain spotted neon reflections in a Chandler-esque setting. Natural Disaster suggests that there’s no avoiding the inevitable trials of life, especially the (potentially) most destructive one of all.

For me, Idlewild stands head and shoulders above the other tracks on this album. With its soft introduction and warm cello, this haunting and deeply personal song about childhood memories and the Human Rights movement outshines the other notable achievements…

“We shoot our rockets, we shoot our presidents / We shoot the commies and the niggers and the Viet Cong / Everything changes, everything stays the same / And the moon hangs over Idlewild as the planes touch down”

In writing about this song Gretchen said

“The political is personal; the personal is political. We think we’re walking on the moon, but we are dancing in the dark.”

Little World closes the album on a lonely note, a gentle retreat into a world removed from the strains of the big world outside.

In support of Gretchen’s fine songwriting we also have Viktor Krauss on double bass and Barry Walsh on piano. Doug Lancio, in addition to his excellent work in producing the album,  plays several guitars, not least a beautifully soulful baritone. This musical canvas on which Gretchen paints her poetic songs bring light to the darker side of her lyrics and lift the listener towards a glimmer of hope, rather than a gloomy twilight. For those who appreciate a well presented melody, accomplished lyricism and the kind of vocal performance that draws the  audience ever closer, this album gets 2012 off to a strong start.

Track

Video

Tour Dates

March 1st The Sage, Gateshead, UK
March 2nd The Arc, Stockton on Tees, UK
March 3rd The Met, Bury, UK
March 4th The Arches, Glasgow, UK
March 5th Buxton Opera House, Buxton, UK
March 7th Robin 2, Bilston, UK
March 8th Fibbers, York, UK
March 9th Kelly’s, Galway, Ireland
March 10th Damer Court Hotel, Roscrea, Ireland
March 12th Village Arts Centre, Kilworth, Ireland
March 13th Whelan’s, Dublin, Ireland
March 14th Roe Valley Arts and Cultural Centre, Limavady, Northern Ireland, UK
March 15th Errigle Inn, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
March 16th Coliseum, Aberdare, UK
March 18th The Assembly, Leamington Spa, UK
March 19th Norwich Arts Centre, Norwich, UK
March 20th Bush Hall, London, UK
March 21st The Phoenix, Exeter, UK
March 23rd Fabrik, Hamburg, Germany
March 24th Crystal Club, Berlin, Germany
March 25th Studio 672, Köln, Germany
March 27th de Schalm, Westwoud, Netherlands
March 28th Transvaria, Den Haag, Netherlands
March 29th Paradiso, Amsterdam, Netherlands
March 30th In The Woods, Lage Vuursche, Netherlands
March 31st Muziekgebouw, Eindhoven, Netherlands
April 2nd Komedia, Brighton, UK
April 3rd The Apex, Bury St. Edmunds, UK
April 4th The Stables, Milton Keynes, UK
April 5th The Glee Club, Nottingham, UK

Hello Cruel World is released on Proper Records (30 Jan 2012)