Posts Tagged Country
Archive
September 2, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Kacey Musgraves: Golden Hour
Kacey Musgraves Golden Hour MCA Nashville She’s built her the career the right way – solid work. Turning up. Putting it down. Self-released albums and loads of shows. And then – in her “official” catalogue there are no duds; each album improving on the one previous. Her strong debut, Same Trailer Different Park is still […]Archive
July 12, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Songs For Nobodies: Theatre
Songs For Nobodies Direction: Ross Gumbley (written by Joanna Murray-Smith) Circa Theatre; Circa One (July 7 – August 4) [Ali-Cat Productions Ltd] Ali Harper here performs ten roles, a dozen voices, as – variously – the famous singers Judy Garland, Patsy Cline, Edith Piaf, Billie Holiday and Maria Callas. But she is also the “nobodies”, […]Archive
June 22, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Sweetman Podcast: Episode 121 – Barry Saunders
Welcome to episode 121 of Sweetman Podcast with support from our sponsors – T Leaf T, Yeastie Boys and Le Petite Chocolat. I reckon I first met Barry Saunders some 15 years ago or so. He used to come in for chats in the music store where I worked. He was a new dad. His little girl – now a university […]Archive
May 15, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
John Oates: Arkansas
John Oates Arkansas PS Records One of the strangest things you’ll hear – or hear about – in music this year is John Oates doing a country album. Yes, he of Hall & Oates, the Maneater/She’s Gone co-creator. There’s nothing on this album that sounds like anything he did with Daryl Hall. And there’s no […]Archive
April 15, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
The 1001 Albums Challenge # 52: Waylon Jennings – “Honky Tonk Heroes”
Funny that I’d never heard this album because I’m a Waylon Jennings fan – and also, about 15-20 years ago I got pretty hooked on country and in particular the whole outlaw movement, of which this album is key. I also got right into Billy Joe Shaver’s works – as a writer, in particular – […]Archive
March 17, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
The 1001 Albums Challenge # 44: John Prine – “John Prine”
John Prine – class act. Songwriter’s songwriter. I feel like everyone knows this. Or should. Some don’t – but then they’ll know some of his songs at least. Like Sam Stone, famously covered by many and perhaps in particular Johnny Cash. But the original is here. This is Prine’s first album and I say all […]Archive
January 19, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
The 1001 Albums Challenge # 27: Loretta Lynn – “Don’t Come Home a Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ on Your Mind”
Of all the artists/albums I’ve covered in this series so far, and along with Elvis Presley and perhaps Dusty Springfield, I’m most familiar with the work of Loretta Lynn. I’ve heard plenty of her records, I have a few. I like a lot. But…I hadn’t ever heard this one. I knew the song already. And […]Archive
January 15, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
The 1001 Albums Challenge # 25: Merle Haggard & The Strangers – “I’m A Lonesome Fugitive”
Like Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson and – really – just a small handful of others Merle Haggard was the perfect mix of brilliant ability and kick-arse back-story. I was a fan long before I really knew much of his work. As a retailer, called on to recommend great country artists he was always a name […]Archive
December 14, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
Sweetman Podcast: Episode 94 – Adam McGrath (The Eastern)
Welcome to episode 94 of Sweetman Podcast with support from our sponsors – T Leaf T, Yeastie Boys and Le Petite Chocolat. I had a terrific chat with Adam McGrath of The Eastern. Adam is also a solo artist – with his debut solo record due out early next year. But for the last half-decade and more he’s been the frontman […]Archive
November 7, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
Margo Price: All American Made
Margo Price All American Made Third Man Records Just as Janet Frame released To The Is-Land as a volume of her autobiography and then Owls Do Cry as fiction – the two linked, and it could even be argued that there’s more truth in her fiction, more creativity in her alleged non-fiction, the same sort […]Archive
October 20, 2017 by Simon Sweetman