Tag Archives: album

Morganway, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham, 10 April 2025

The Hare and Hounds has featured many, many acts over the years and with the characterful interior and musical history it is a venue of choice for performers wanting fine acoustics and immediate atmosphere.

First on stage was Savannah Gardner, showcasing her striking country voice, adept guitar playing and cleverly structured songs, many drawn from recent album ‘Recovering Good Girl’. With her confident stage presence and warm personality she was a strong opener for the show.

Halfway through an extensive tour Morganway were ready to raise the roof; as first song ‘Hurricane’ nearly did. The band have many strengths, able to create a full country rock sound driven by guitar and violin or down in the audience sharing the campfire singalong of ‘Halfway Tonight’. Through it all the power vocals of SJ Mortimer and the band harmonies take the songs to another level. An outstanding song tonight was the storming ‘Devil’s Canyon’, a relentless dark groove from their new album ‘Kill The Silence’. Full of sparkling highlights, this was a brilliant set.

https://www.morganway.co.uk/

https://savannahgardner.com/home

Morganway, Relevant Records, Cambridge, 31 January 2025

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Morganway celebrated the release of their third studio album with some in-store preview shows, kicking off in the hallowed basement of Cambridge vinyl shop and cafe, Relevant Records.

The band created a mellow, engaging sound with the space created by the acoustic line-up allowing each instrument to shine through. Starting with the punchy ‘Devil’s Canyon’ the six-piece showcased a variety of styles, from the smooth country-rock of ‘Boy On The Train’, the heartfelt ‘Don’t Turn The Lights On Yet’ to the environmental call to action of the album title track ‘Kill The Silence’ and the gentle anthem ‘We Sing’. The strong lead vocals of SJ Mortimer, subtle band harmonies and soaring violin are a key part of the sound but the individual contributions of all the members combined make this band a considerable force.

https://www.morganway.co.uk/

https://www.relevantrecordcafe.co.uk/

Mammoth Penguins : Here, LP released May 2024

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The long-awaited new album from Mammoth Penguins arrives, opening with the powerhouse blast of ‘Species’, previously released as a single and superbly showcasing their musical clout and lyrical acuity. Following next is the light touch of ‘I Know The Signs’ where the simplicity of the words ‘…It’s all in the way you smile…I had my guard down…I wasn’t trying to impress anyone…’ belie the deeper feelings.

The attractive dissonance of ‘Flyers’ fires another neat anthem; a mini-history of many a struggling band. ‘Everything I Write’ is a pure but dark pop gem ‘…you don’t listen to what I say….I have to tell you the same thing two to three times a day…’. The title track ‘Here’ departs into a lusher sound featuring strings and builds a rich atmosphere over five and a half minutes.

The staccato guitar of ‘Old Friends’ underpins a realistic sentiment delivered wistfully by band composer Emma Kupa ‘….I can’t believe we made two lemonades last all night….why did we wait twenty years to laugh like old times?….’ while ‘Lost Friends’ acoustically echoes some of the same regrets.

And there are more tracks to savour on this excellent collection; the sleeve artwork may be monochrome but the songwriting, performance and production is full of depth and colour.

(Catch Mammoth Penguins Live!, at The Blue Moon in Cambridge 23/05/2024 with support from Huia Fun Club and Broken Chanter)

https://www.facebook.com/MammothPenguins

Psychic Lemon : The Unheimlich Kingdom, LP released 29 February 2024

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The much anticipated new long player from Cambridge-based psychedelic stalwarts, Psychic Lemon…

Trepanning For Gold The band drill into your head with this brash opener; a repeating three chord hyper-distorted guitar riff and a hypnotic drum pattern enhanced by cymbal clashes. Halfway through the guitar solo ascends into space and drifts off into the ether.
Cognitive Dissidents This sparse intro could be the start of an edgy sixties pop song, but don’t be fooled; the guitar smashes in and the track becomes an inverted twist on Pink Floyd’s Interstellar Overdrive.
National Psycho Geographic Frenetic drumming and doom-laden bass with a siren call from a guitar duelling with itself and eventually unleashing the dark hordes of Mordor.
The Unheimlich Kingdom The band have now reduced to two members but there is no decrease in their creativity as this 21-minute title track clearly shows. Underpinned by a rich and unchanging bass pedal root, the instrumentation subtly evolves at the speed of tectonic plates, pulling in the listener to a weird world of metronomic percussion and guitar strings being tortured and deformed. It is a triumphant achievement; bleak, despairing…..but totally addictive.

http://www.psychiclemon.co.uk

Chloe Mogg : The Crazy One, LP released September 2023

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The debut album from singer/songwriter/guitarist Chloe Mogg opens with the dark country blues of the title track ‘The Crazy One’, the noisy guitar duelling with Chloe’s bitter words. ‘Permission’ is another strong vocal performance with a great hook ‘…I don’t recall asking for your permission….I was in control all the time, wasn’t I?…’. ‘Bryony’ revels in an atmosphere of sinister nostalgia with an unusual rhythmic pattern while the compact pop of previously released single ‘Heaven Sent You’ revolves round a neat hook and another bold vocal.

‘Better Off’ has the changing dynamics of Chloe’s voice weaving around a stealthy guitar riff to great effect. ‘Understood’ is a key track on the LP, an extended musing pivoting around the anguish of the recurring phrase ‘…..Oh it must be love or something close…. ‘cause I’ve never understood….’ with the song being given plenty of time and space to immerse the listener. There are quieter moments; the acoustically driven ‘Cut Me Off’ and the reflective swirling waltz of ‘The Only One’ all add to the rich emotional depth and musical texture of this impressive debut.

https://www.facebook.com/chloemoggmusic/

Soloman Smith : Y’dig That !, LP released 1 August 2023

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The new album from singer/songwriter Soloman Smith is full of jazzy and thoughtful tracks, laced with some acerbic social comment but always retaining the sanctity of the groove.

Opener ‘Analog’ bemoans the passing of simpler forms of communication ‘…only reel-to -reel feels real…’ in a dense lyric over a relaxed backing from his band. This is followed by the more insistent ‘System ain’t equal ain’t fair’ using examples from US politics and bringing in some spicy electric guitar from key collaborator Chris Newman. The lightness of touch of ‘Toulouse’ is a pleasure to listen to, with the travelogue lyric woven through with sparkling piano.

‘Nora’ is possibly my favourite on this LP; a simple ballad in waltz time, infused with introspective emotion. ‘The Devil and Mister Leech’ is an upbeat rendition of a macabre local folk tale, before the wistful piano ballad finale ‘The Crooner’s Elegy’.

With this mixture of styles and immersive lyrics along with warm playing and production there is plenty to enjoy on this fine collection of original songs.

solomansmith.com

Panic Pocket: Mad Half Hour, LP released June 2023

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A new LP from Panic Pocket starts with the bold ‘Get Me’, a two chord fuzzy guitar riff underpinning an unsettling lyric, before the playfully acerbic ‘Still the Bad Guy’ restores the balance musically. Title track ‘Mad Half Hour’ has the catchiest chorus to lodge in your brain then big ballad ‘Say You’re Sorry’ features sweeping sixties vocal and instrumental flourishes which is all rather gorgeous and is my favourite song on the album.

The darkish heart of the collection is reached with stories that inhabit the melancholic minutiae of relationships in ‘Boyfriend’ (‘….I’m so glad you’re happy…but don’t swap every “I” for “we”….) and ‘Cheryl (Red Is The Bluest Colour)’ (‘…everyone else has a plan…comfort’s no substitute for romance…’).

This album is recorded as a four piece with a full sound but it is the vexed fun of older songs ‘Mr Big’ and ‘Don’t Get Me Started’ that bring bank the duo’s lo-lo-fi origins and as on all these tracks their knack for strong song writing continues to shine through.

https://www.facebook.com/panicpocket/

Jo Ash : Growing Flying Falling, LP released June 2023

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A new album release from singer/songwriter and keyboard player Jo Ash, a follow-up to her twin EPs Matinee/After Dark from the end of 2021. Jo’s sound has developed to produce her strongest collection so far, from the electronic dramas of opener ‘The Phoenix’ with its impressionistic lyrical touches (‘… scarlet wings beat against the grey….looking out to an untouched maze…’) to the elegant beauty of solo piano and voice on ‘The Painter’; probably my favourite track on the collection.

Her self-production skills lend extra textures to the pulsing ‘Under The Sky’ followed by the moody ‘Tidal Wave’ with its elaborate orchestration fully realised. The gorgeous distant echoing sound of ‘Anybody’s Fool’ is framed by cello and gentle piano and features a subtly catchy chorus. ‘Apparition’ shows Jo’s baroque storytelling side while ‘The Willow Tree’ is driven by a strong melody and a confiding vocal.

The final two tracks show possible future directions; the pounding electronic sequencer and synthetic drums of the brilliant ‘Run’ and the acoustic guitar drifting around Jo’s soulful voice in ‘Under The Giants’. This is an excellent collection, full of light, shade, musical commitment and strong song-writing.

http://www.joashmusic.com

Forthcoming 2023 live dates….

02 July Aquafest, Ely, United Kingdom

07 July Ely Folk Festival 2023, Ely, United Kingdom

13 July Acoustic Night with Jo Ash, The Commemoration Hall, Huntingdon, United Kingdom

03 August The Acoustic Club, Bishop’s Stortford, United Kingdom

Carterband : How Do I Work This?, LP released June 2023

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A new recording from Carterband, led by musician David Carter, a member of multi-talented Cambridge collective Lizard Brain. Featuring a full range of genres and moods, the LP is crafted carefully into neatly structured songs that invite the listener to become part of David’s unique musical world.

The opening pair of sparse poppy three minute bursts roll along nicely with a bonus of sonorous sax on ‘Calling Any More’. The gentle jazzy meditation of ‘Waterloo Station 20/07’ is an attractive listen with thoughtful lyrics (‘…harmonies are harder in a minor key…’, ‘….riding tandem with the random traffic in our lives…’) then ‘Good Men Do Nothing’ features some bitter political reflections. The next two tracks are longer, intriguingly dense and dark with mellow instrumentation that fits perfectly, especially the piano and saxophone to frame the inverted domestic bliss described on my favourite track ‘Everything Is Fine’.

‘Jet Pack’ is fizzing punk energy followed by ‘Safe From Harm’, featuring a string quartet and haunting vocal. ‘Always’ is a classy end to this excellent album; an effortless ballad with acoustic guitar, trumpet and the definitive final statement ‘….the times we’ve spent together are the best days of my life…..and the best part of me is with you……I’ll always love you….’

http://www.carterband.uk

Bouquet Of Dead Crows : Hemispheres Part 2 – Cerebral, EP released October 2021

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A new EP from Cambridge quartet Bouquet Of Dead Crows, following on from Part 1 ‘Celestial’, released back in April 2020 (see review below)……

1.Idle Thoughts : Don’t be fooled by the quiet intro, the deep dark guitar and bass soon steers the track into raw rock territory, as the vocal calls across the wasteland in this ever-changing epic.

2.Standing At The Precipice : Faster work-out for the band, especially the fireworks drumming, but full of surprises with time signature and dynamics changes all packed into two minutes thirty.

3.One More Sunrise : Straight into the soulful tones of a thoughtful ballad structure which alternates with some of the heaviest rock on the collection.

4.The Longest Road : The Crows are adept at creating longer conceptually rich pieces; this elegantly brooding anthem has the time and space to deliver the full emotional impact.

5.Somewhere In The Static : Built around the most satisfying bass and guitar riff at the start the vocal builds over the descending chord pattern to a false finish part way through. This song has many moods; weaving together the finesse of some of the prog rock directions of the band with sections of sledgehammer power to make it a fitting end to the double EP.

https://bouquetofdeadcrows.bandcamp.com/

Bouquet Of Dead Crows : Hemispheres Part 1 – Celestial, EP released April 2020