Vote, Vote, Vote.

Over at Americana UK we have just completed the official, as voted for by the "experts" best Americana albums ever. So now we are asking the audience, better known as the real experts. 

Vote for your 3 favourite albums HERE, and if you don't know what is classed as Americana then have a read round the site while you are there.  

We love a list...

 Over at Americana UK the search for the top 10 best Americana albums ever is reaching its climax. All the writers have submitted their opinions, and now the final list is being counted down. Some interesting albums have emerged from the lists, and the top 10 as published so far has at least two that I wouldn't have seen coming. 

Find all the top 10s here, as I write this we are at number 7 so check back over the next few days to see who makes the top slots...

In case you care my list, which may turn out to be a bit of a minority report, is here. 

And here's a soundtrack for your reading, Alan Freeman's chart rundown music...

 

 

Still under the radar - Reviews roundup

When you have been reviewing for a bit, you inevitably end up on the mailing lists of some of the P.R. companies. Talking to our editor at Americana UK the other evening he believed at least some PRs get it badly wrong when blanket mailing their music out for review. Thrash Metal and R&B are never going to be AUK's bag so why send it. Information filed away for acting on in my own Marketing 4 Music venture, where I do try hard to match up the recipient with something they may actually be interested in. 

One company that gets it spot on is Dutch promoter Continental Record Services. I reviewed their fab new album from Robert Jon and The Wreck over at AUK recently.  This led me onto their mailing list and to hearing some more of their artists. They focus on the singer songwriter, Americana and roots corner of the forest, and the quality of their releases is remarkably high.

Emma Swift’s ‘Blonde on The Tracks’ is a case in point. An album of Dylan covers is hardly a new idea, but Swift’s Australian background possibly separates her from some of the reverence for Dylan that always seems present when Americans cover his songs. She just sings them. ‘Queen Jane Approximately’ drips Dylan and Emmylou Harris in about equal measure.

Swift says; “The idea for the album came about during a long depressive phase... the kind where it’s hard to get out of bed and get dressed and present to the world as a high-functioning human. I was lost on all fronts no doubt, but especially creatively.” Her Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands” reflects this, closer to Hope Sandoval than Dylan, and for me one of the best songs of the year so far. These are just two highlights in an album full of not quite obvious song choices. The videos that go with some of the songs are also worth a watch. Highly recommended.

Southern Rock from the Netherlands, who would have thought it? Copperhead County did and their album due out about now ‘Brothers’ is proof it can be done. Opener ‘Be Different’ shows why they named themselves as they did, more than a touch of Steve Earle about it. The guitars are quite Rolling Stones in places, but the influences don’t overwhelm the songs. The Neil Young flavoured title song is especially good. Other songs live in roughly Tom Petty territory. Another fine album.

I’ve never really dug into Cajun or Zydeco music but Cary Morin’s ‘Dockside Saints’ may be changing that. I’ve been playing this for a few days now and it continues to grow on me. Bits of rock, jazz, and blues mix with the Southern influences. Some of it reminiscent of Willy DeVille’s later work – which is a good thing. Best song by a country (swampy) mile is single ‘Come the Rain’.

Over the last few months, I have been featuring more and more independent music here and that is because that is where the action is. Find Continental Record Services roster at Bandcamp and support some cracking good music, from a company that is promoting artists who we wouldn’t otherwise get to hear.  

Meanwhile in another part of the forest...

It may have gone a bit quiet here in the last couple of weeks, blame being able to earn a living - of sorts - again for that, but over at Americana UK I have been busy, busy. busy.

I wrote a piece on Karen Dalton for the feature AmericanA-Z. I had if I'm honest all but forgotten about her before someone suggested her as my subject. I'm not going to dwell on the

"tragic life story" thing because it doesn't relate to the music, which was a mix of early blues, country, and folk traditions imported from as many cultures as arrived at Ellis Island. The earthy, primitive sound is unlike anything else, try it.

Next up was an article on Willy DeVille/Mink DeVille. If you only know Spanish Stroll then try this 3CD set that covers his career as Mink, and afterwards. It does miss a couple of early highlights but is better than the alternative collections. Mojo have featured his album Cabretta as a lost treasure in their latest issue. So, 160gigblog first with the news again!

I wrote up a couple of top 10 features as well. One easy  - Internet radio and podcasts. There are some fab ones out there and the comments suggest at least one more that I hadn't tried. And one

harder - my top 10 ever Americana albums. Although looking back at things I've written here and at AUK the choices did end up being fairly obvious in some cases. I love exercises like this and as I'm never going to get on Desert Island Discs, especially not after this previous piece here, I take any opportunity to share my thoughts.

Lastly a shout out for my colleague Rick Bayles' obit on Judy Dyble. One of those artists who flew just under the radar her whole career. Mostly famous for being a "nearly" with Fairport Convention and the proto King Crimson of Giles, Giles and Fripp, both Trader Horn and particularly her late period solo albums are very much worth your attention. Visit Burning Shed for the best choice. Weavings of a Silver Magic gets my vote.