
Review: Kate Rusby LIFE IN A PAPER BOAT
Kate Rusby LIFE IN A PAPER BOAT Pure records 4.5 stars Another gem from the award winning Yorkshire folkie Soon to be celebrating 25 years in the folk business, Kate Rusby albums never fail to impress and LIFE IN A PAPER BOAT is up there with the best. Kate’s fragile but hauntingly beautiful vocals are perfectly suited to the mix of self-penned and traditional numbers. Producer husband Damien O’Kane has done a sterling job and there is nothing approaching a sub-standard track on the album. Rusby has surrounded herself with some of the best supporting musicians from the folk world with Dan Tyminski and Ron Block from Alison Krauss’ Union Station guesting on a couple of tracks. Her song writing is as innovative as ever and I really loved the imaginative lyrics on ‘Hunter Moon’ and the two songs with a seafaring theme, ‘The Mermaid’ and of course, the title track. Just one cover, Archie Fisher’s The Witch of Westmorland; a great tale of a witch with amazing healing powers. One bonus track is included; the catchy Big Brave Bill, a ‘Superman’ like character from Barnsley who comes to the rescue on numerous occasions and derives his strength from drinking
Green Rock River Band – 'Edgelands' Review
Green Rock River Band Edgelands Self-released ✭✭✭✭⭐︎ Following up on their debut album in style Green Rock River Band were
Matt Saxton: A country-rock breakout sensation
Matt Saxton I Wasn’t Looking For Love Self-released **** An expert fusion of rock and country Returning with
Upcoming country star hitches on to the Christmas bandwagon
Sarah Darling WINTER WONDERLAND Self released Clearly a rising star, Sarah Darling has built up a significant fan base
Interviews

Drake Milligan: Running from Elvis
Drake Milligan burst onto the scene as a young Elvis in CMT’s ‘Sun Records’, a drama mini-series based on the musical ‘Million Dollar Quartet’. Milligan was just a schoolboy but

UK Americana Award Winners Announced
Last night, in a glittering ceremony at Hackney Empire in London, the winners of 2023’s UK Americana Awards, powered by Sweet Home Alabama, were revealed. During a remarkable evening celebrating

Doug Levitt: All aboard the greyhound bus
Doug Levitt has had a long and varied career, travelling the world with his journalism but his true calling was in music. For his latest album, Levitt has beautifully married

Kids of Country: John Carter Cash
John Carter Cash, the only child of Johnny and June, is sitting in his studio, Cash Cabin Studio as he talks to me, preparing for his recording session later on

Kane Brown’s successful UK tour
Kane Brown has just embarked on an energetic tour of the UK and received rave reviews up and down the country. Accompanied by opening act Restless Road anyone who went

Clare Dunn: New found freedom
At gigs recently, I’ve been asking our subscribers who they’d most like to see here in the UK and who they’d like to hear off in the magazine. One name

Callista Clark
Callista Clark was one of the talking points of Country 2 Country last year. It was her international debut performance and the young songstress didn’t waste much time in returning

Classic Album: Million Dollar Quartet
With the passing of Jerry Lee Lewis late last year, it was officially the end of an era as he was the last surviving member of the Million Dollar Quartet.
Live Reviews

Drake Milligan: Running from Elvis
Drake Milligan burst onto the scene as a young Elvis in CMT’s ‘Sun Records’, a drama mini-series based on the musical ‘Million Dollar Quartet’. Milligan was just a schoolboy but

UK Americana Award Winners Announced
Last night, in a glittering ceremony at Hackney Empire in London, the winners of 2023’s UK Americana Awards, powered by Sweet Home Alabama, were revealed. During a remarkable evening celebrating

Doug Levitt: All aboard the greyhound bus
Doug Levitt has had a long and varied career, travelling the world with his journalism but his true calling was in music. For his latest album, Levitt has beautifully married

Kids of Country: John Carter Cash
John Carter Cash, the only child of Johnny and June, is sitting in his studio, Cash Cabin Studio as he talks to me, preparing for his recording session later on

Kane Brown’s successful UK tour
Kane Brown has just embarked on an energetic tour of the UK and received rave reviews up and down the country. Accompanied by opening act Restless Road anyone who went

Clare Dunn: New found freedom
At gigs recently, I’ve been asking our subscribers who they’d most like to see here in the UK and who they’d like to hear off in the magazine. One name