Paint Still Wet by Peggy James

Paint Still Wet is the fifth album and September 18, 2020 album by singer/songwriter Peggy James on the Happy Growl Records label.  Paint Still Wet is produced by Jim Eannelli, who colors the project from the wide palette of his own background as a multi-instrumentalist rock, pop, folk, blues performer. He played on all tracks with help from some of Milwaukee’s top musicians including guitarist Daryl Stuermer (Genesis/Phil Collins Band/Jean-Luc Ponty), harmonicists Jim Liban and Lil’ Rev, pianist Connie Grauer and drummers John Calarco and Victor Span.  This twelve track album is a mixture of country, country rock, a bit of Americana, which features such great tracks as Lets Fly Away, Holdin’ Hands, Head Over Heels, Nothin’s The Same and much more.  I was quite impressed with the performance on this album as well as songwriting, recording, and production.  I hope in the future to hear Peggy’s earlier work so I can see the growth of her talent over the years. The album releases September 18th in digital and physical formats on Happy Growl Records and many other music outlets. For information on Peggy James please visit http://www.facebook.com/PeggyJamesMusician  In closing want to thank my friend Gary Tanin for turning me on to this great album.

A Complicated Man by Peter G. Olach (PGO)

Yesterday I received a nice package Starburst Records a contact I made from Broadjam.com with several CDs.  The first offering that was in the stack was an album that was released back on February 1, 2013, by  Peter G. Olach (AKA PGO) called A Complicated Man.  This eleven-track album which blends the very best elements of traditional Folk, Celtic, Country, and Americana forge a whole new genre of quiet elegance of all original songs such as Far From Home, the title track Complicated Man, Let Your Love Grow, Our World, Almost Home and much more.  Listening to his voice and style reminds me so much of one of my favorite artists Cat Stevens.  In addition to a great performance, Peter presents a great songwriting style and a superb recording.  It will be very interesting to hear how his later recordings sound like and see the growth of him as a songwriter and artist.  This album is available on CD and digital download from Amazon, FYE, Starburst Records and many other music outlets.  You can learn more about this artist and his music by going to https://www.broadjam.com/PGOmusic  If you folks care to venture to his Broadjam page they will discover his entire catalog is currently “FREE DOWNLOAD” with one purpose, to raise money for Western North Carolina, tri-county, frontline healthcare providers using the “TIP JAR”.  His free download project will come to its conclusion July 4th, Independence Day.

 

Live In Seattle by The Empty Pockets

Live At Seattle is the June 14, 2019 album a and my fourth review for the Chicago, Illinois band The Empty Pockets which features Josh Solomon on vocals and guitar, Erika Brett on vocals and keyboards, Nate Bellon vocals and bass, and Adam Balasco on drums on the MT Pockets Records. This seven-song set features songs from The Ten Cent Tour and Voices, including a new arrangement of Leaving Jackson, special guest Marc Macisso on harmonica and flute in Reprise, along with Erika singing lead on I Am Strong. The remaining tracks on this album include The Bubble, I Hear Your Voice, Empty Pockets and Travelin’ Song.  Most live albums I normally don’t listen to due to the recording, but this album is totally different.  This album features a great performance with great vocals and harmonies, excellent songwriting and a superb recording.  This album is the best thing next to seeing them live. If you have not had the chance to hear this amazing band yet, please give them a listen, you will not regret it.  This great album is available as a digital download from Amazon, Itunes, and all other music retailers.  It is also available on autographed Vinyl from https://the-empty- pockets.myshopify.com  plus you will be able to learn more about this amazing band, their other music releases and their current tour schedule by going to their official website http://theemptypockets.com

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Tanglewoods by The Empty Pockets

Tanglewoods is the January 18, 2019 album and my third review for the Empty Pockets which features Josh Solomon, Erika Brett, Nate Bellon, and Danny Rosenthal on the MT Pockets Records label which features vocals of energetic pop-leaning country Americana, with careful and bright vocal harmonies on such songs on this ten-track album such as The Grind, Asleep On The Subway, Brand New Eyes, the title track Tanglewoods and so much more.  Listening to this album, I hear the growth of this band as performers and as songwriters from the first album I reviewed to this current one.  I was impressed with many facets of this band, their performance, their songwriting talents, the way this album was recorded and their marketing strategy by offering a free CD for the cost of shipping because once you hear one album, you will want to buy more from this band.  In the upcoming weeks, I have one more release to review which is their Live In Seattle album.  If you get an email for a free CD offer from this band, don’t turn it down, it will only cost you shipping and you will enjoy this band enough that you will want the other albums in their library.  You will be able to learn more about this amazing band, their other music releases, and their current tour schedule by going to their official website http://theemptypockets.com/.  In closing, I want to thank this great band for the opportunity to hear their music and support their work.

The Roads We Ride by Wily Bo Walker and E D Brayshaw

The Roads We Ride is an amazing March 15, 2019, double CD album by Wily Bo Walker and E D Brayshaw on the Mescal Canyons Records label.  On this thirteen track album which is a great mixture of classic rock, blues & Americana,  Wily Bo Walker handles the vocals and storytelling and E D Brayshaw wails on the guitars, does the instrumentation and does backing vocals as do a few others here and there on such tracks Storm Warning, Motel Blues, Running Wild, Tennessee Blues, After The Storm and so much more.  I was quite impressed with the performance, songwriting, and recording of this album.  This is an album, I highly recommend you taking a listen to and pick up your own copy on CD and digital download from Amazon, Bandcamp, and many other music retail outlets.  You can also learn more about this artist, the music and much more from the official website https://wilybo.com/

Rise & Fly by The Barefoot Movement

Rise & Fly is the February 7, 2020 release by The Barefoot Movement on the Bonfire Recording Company label.    This band consists of Norah Wall on fiddle and vocals, Alex Conerly on guitar and vocals, Tommy Norris on mandolin and vocals, Katie Blomarz on upright bass and vocals and featuring Josh Hunt on drums.  This five-track EP features excellent vocals and harmonies on the tracks Early In The Morning, Doin’ Alright, Every Little Thing, Lonely Mississippi Blues and At The End Of The Day. I enjoyed this release from start to finish and was impressed with the performance as well as their songwriting style and way this EP was recorded.  This is a band that I would love to see if they played locally live.  This EP is available on CD and digital download from Amazon and all other music outlets.  To learn more about this band, their tour schedule and their music go to their official website http://www.thebarefootmovementofficial.com

Voices by The Empty Pockets

Back in August of 2017, we saw an ad for a CD free for the cost of postage, so I ordered the CD Ten Cent Tour by the band The Empty Pockets.  I was impressed with the sound of it that I decided to write a review on the album.  Moving forward over two and a half years later, I received package in the mail today with two CDs, a nice t-shirt and the signed vinyl copy of the album Voices with a nice note that said “Thanks for such a nice review of our album Ten Cent Tour, It means a lot to us” signed The Empty Pockets.  I also received a message from Josh Solomon thanking me for the 2017 review and that he and Erika Brett first saw the review a few days ago.  I am glad they finally got the chance to read and like the review.  Voices is the September 1, 2017 album by the Empty Pockets which features Josh Solomon, Erika Brett, Nate Bellon, and Danny Rosenthal on the MT Pockets Records label which features vocals of energetic pop-leaning country Americana, with careful and bright vocal harmonies on such songs on this ten-track album such as Voices In My Head, I Am Strong, The Bubble, Need To Know and so much more.  I was quite moved by their performance, their songwriting skills, and how this album was recorded.  If you have not had the chance to hear this amazing band yet, please give them a listen, you will not regret it.  This great album is available as a digital download from Amazon, Itunes, and all other music retailers.  It is also available on autographed Vinyl from https://the-empty-pockets.myshopify.com  plus you will be able to learn more about this amazing band, their other music releases and their current tour schedule by going to their official website http://theemptypockets.com.

 

 

 

Sunny State by South To Cedars

What a way to start your morning.  Sunny State is the November 19, 2016 album by the Americana band South To Cedars which features a country-grass, soft rock sound with the line up of Shawna Stratton on vocals, percussion, aux. guitar and mandolin, Greg Fischer on fiddle and vocals, Jim Eads on bass and vocals and Ben Haugestuen on guitar, harp, mandolin, and vocals.  I enjoyed this album from start to finish with great vocals and harmonies on such tracks as Stupid, People Can Change, Six String Affair, Lightning and much more.  This album showcases their great songwriting talents, excellent performance, and a superb recording.  This is definitely an album you will want to check out by getting your copy from CD Baby, Amazon and other music retailers.  You can learn more about this band, their music and tour schedule by going to their website https://southtocedars.com.

Fabulous Day by Patsy Thompson

It is not very often that I get the thrill of getting the CD and the Vinyl version of a release but yesterday in the mail I received the new album by Canadian born Singer-Songwriter Patsy Thompson called Fabulous Day.  This release was twelve years in the making and is worth every minute of it.  I had the privilege in December to review two of the tracks on this album I Think About You and Dreamin’ which after I hear both of them I knew I had to hear more from this great artist.  Listening to this album, I fell in love with the song from start to finish on this ten-track about that is a nice mixture of country and rock with such tracks as the title track Fabulous Day, Neon Lights, Picking You Up, Someone To Blame and so much more.  I was also impressed with her rendition of the Merle Haggard classic Misery And Gin.  I was impressed with her amazing voice, a great instrumental backup, and her songwriting abilities as well as a superb recording and performance.  I am looking forward to seeing her hit big on the major country record charts.  After hearing this album, I must get hold of her earlier recording to see the growth of her as an artist.  You can learn more about this artist and her music and more by going to her official website https://www.patsythompsonmusic.com where in addition to CD Baby and other music retailers you can get your own copy of this amazing album.

Oh Darlin by Bradley & Adair

February 21, 2020, marked the release of Dale Ann Bradley and Tina Adair’s anticipated duet album, Oh Darlin’ which as released via Pinecastle Records. This stripped-down collection includes 10 new recordings, which are all centered around both powerhouse singer’s vocals.  I have been fans of Dale Ann Bradley, Tina Adair, and Sister Sadie for some time and had done previously done reviews for these artists.  This release is a great mixture of Bluegrass, Roots, and Americana with such tracks as Mommy Please Stay Home With Me, Wicked Twisted Road, the title track Oh Darlin’, Rockin’ Alone In An Old Rocking Chair, Apartment #9 and so much more.  I was quite moved by the vocals, harmonies, and instrumentation on this album as well as a superb recording.  Anyone that is a big bluegrass fan, should grab a copy of this album which is available on CD and digital download from Apple Music, Amazon, Pinecastle Records and all other outlets where music is sold.  If you ever get a chance to see these artists perform live, please do so, you will enjoy it.