15 March 2019

Patty Griffin PATTY GRIFFIN Thirty Tigers ***** Guiding listeners with warm imagery and human emotion The loveable and free-spirited Patty Griffin has released her highly anticipated album and delivers pure gold. Her fiery, rustic vocals are empowering and soulful – she guides listeners with warm imagery and human emotion and gives a sense of home and comfort. Griffin’s powerful track River is a definite highlight as she provokes liberation with a sense of pride and compassion with simple, sombre chords underneath haunting vocals. Additionally, Luminous Placesis full of luscious images as well as striking piano chords that are sure to tug on heart strings. Griffin’s dynamic, wide-ranging canon is poignant and whimsical. She brings a new level of country diversity with a real sense of charm and produces an echo of Stevie Nicks with her dream-like sound. Very nostalgic and extremely moving as it was written during a personal crisis in her life, Griffin has shaped a musical miracle from a tragic experience and does this with sincerity and grace. Effortlessly indulgent to listen to – Patty Griffin’s latest album is truly masterful. Zoe Deighton-Smythe www.pattygriffin.com

Dale Watson CALL ME LUCKY Compass Records **** One for the traditionalists  For 30 years now, Dale Watson has been in and around the country music scene and his latest offering, ‘Call Me Lucky’, is one that will certainly appease his legion of fans that he’s collected along the way. Very much inspired by the more traditional elements of country, Watson covers a lot of ground with this release ranging from honky tonk to straight up country to rockabilly. The core subject for the album is Watson’s affection for his girlfriend – and singer – Celine Lee and the majority of the tracks are under three minutes, making for a very quickfire listen. Tracks like Restless and Johnny And June are sure to go down very well amongst his fans and while there isn’t a great deal here for fans of newer country/country pop, those who are purists will be lapping this up from both a lyrical and an instrumental point of view. Rob Ramsey www.dalewatson.com  

Danni Nicholls THE MELTED MORNING Self-released ***** “An incredibly well-crafted album with depth and originality for each composition” Danni Nicholls is renowned for her grace and elegance in music and ‘The Melted Morning’ epitomises this beautiful style on a whole new level. An incredibly well-crafted album with depth and originality for each composition, Nicholls is delicate in delivery but fierce in spirit. Her vocals are similar to the talents of k.d. lang and Linda Ronstadt – equally gorgeous artists that provide poetry behind their buoyant vocals. With her echoing voice whimsically moving around each track, her imagery remains firmly planted within the world of Americana while also providing profundity in her outlook on love, fear and the power of human connection. Nicholls has written a stunning piece of work that does a remarkable job of merging light with dark. From a soothing but upbeat performance in Losing It to a passionate and poignant rendition in Unwanted, Nicholls captures the classic trope of country music by exposing real-life experiences and the complexities of human emotion and makes it into something wonderfully timeless. A really stunning piece of musical work – Danni Nicholls is an artist full of soul and wisdom. Zoe Deighton-Smythe www.danninicholls.com