Reviews

We promote a large number of releases across genres featuring some very talented up and coming new artists please see reviews below and click on the link below for our Spotify playlist

Listen to the Playlist

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4zicO75loCL8FH9SNOqE38

Album Review – TangleJack “ The Ragged Edge”

March 16, 2025

TangleJack took its current form and name in 2013 when old friends and bandmates John-Paul Davies and Duncan Leigh began to perfect the two-part harmony and double guitar duet style that is now the duo’s signature sound.

There latest album The Ragged Edge is a wonderful mix of sounding familiar yet stamping their own mark making the whole album feel accessible and comfortable to listen to. The opening harmonies to the first track In The Light of the Setting Sun immediately draw you in mixed with intricate fingerstyle guitar playing and a catchy chorus getting of top a great start.

The title track The Ragged Edge has a familiarity about it which I can’t quiet put my finger on, which is a sign of a great song. Sharing a history that began some 30 years ago, as the arty outsiders in the brass bands of the South Wales valleys, John-Paul and Duncan formed a friendship that outlasted their teenage rock band years and this evident ion their music.

You’ve Never Had It So Good is a political song with a Boris Johnson speech appearing in the middle along with a clap along section which I found joining in with at home on my own. It is the role of Folk singer’s to reflect what people are going through when times are tough and that’s what these two do perfectly.

The Garden of Your Heart is a complete contrast, a song of hope and jubilation that slows down towards the end before reaching a crescendo , this song shows the duo at  their best with great songwriting and harmonies. Nightingale is a gentler song with a beautiful almost Spanish guitar solo before the vocals kick back in.

Wild Roses paints a picture and conjures up images of the duo’s South Wales landscape. White Hats kicks off with acapella vocals it is a really enjoyable song although we left unsure what the White Hats are! Players Not The Playwright starts of with harmonica and is a lot clearer to understand with the lyric “We are the stewards not the seller, the players not the playwright” and a deeply spiritual song.

Brockwell is a beautifully gentle song again which encapsulates everything good about TangleJack evocative lyrics, wonderful harmonies and great guitar playing. Draw Another Breath is a lively song about taking a breath and seizing the day with a catchy chorus and a wahoo singalong ending. The final track (This is Not) The End ends on a gentle note a song about faith and trust.

The Ragged Edge is a fabulous introduction to TangleJack if you haven’t come across them before packed full of great harmonies, intriguing lyrics and wonderful musicianship and I am sure this comes across even more at their live shows.

Album Review Tommy Eric ‘Origami Hearts’

February 17, 2025

Origami Hearts is the debut album from Tommy Eric a musician and songwriter who has spent many years working with and producing music for other artists until now where we get so witness his talent in the spotlight. The first single and opening track ‘Like Lightning’ Tommy describes as “the paralyzing experience of loving someone who isn't right for you, especially when the feelings aren't reciprocated”, This is a proper album production with a steady bass and drum beat that rocks with a rip roaring guitar and funky bass solo with about 10 words a second ( well that is an exaggeration but not much of one) this song Rocks and sets the tone for the rest of the album.

‘You and Me’ is a beautiful love song with a solid rhythm and interweaving guitar melody, you can tell there many influences behind the music and words of these songs but Tommy manages to create his own distinctive sound, which isn’t an easy thing to do. ‘City Boy’ extols the virtues of leaving the big city and following his love to the place where the flowers grow. You have probably noticed by now that there is a theme to these songs and you would be right, released on Valentine’s Day this is an album about love and dedicated to his wife and a wonderful gift it is too and well as being a personal narrative these songs have a global message that can speak to us all.

‘Autum Sun’ is a catchy song about Tommy’s favourite time of the year which features that rare thing a whistle solo, not a penny whistle or any instrument that is a derivative of one, but a blowing wind through your lips solo, no mean feat, I tried and couldn’t get close. The opening sequence to ‘Stars Align’ has a Marc Bolan and T Rex vibe to it which reappears throughout the song and at one point all the music stops apart from drums and vocals which creates light and shade in the song. You can imagine that the idea for ‘Home’ came about driving late at night after a performance as it evokes that sense of nearing your destination as the street lights whiz pass and the stars shine brightly in the night sky.

‘Hold Me’ is a song about needing to feel safe which builds with intricate guitar playing and shows off Tommy’s vocal range as drums and bass kick in before settling into a rhythm. ‘I Got That Feeling Too’ has a swagger about it and is a fast paced rock song that really lets rip. The penultimate track on the album is ‘Signals’ about looking for a sign with a beautiful almost jazzy guitar solo. The album ends with a cover, the only one on the album of ‘Fell In Love With a Girl’ by White Stripes.

Overall this is album is an impressive debut with finally crafted songs with great musician ship and well produced. In a World full of uncertainty this album reminds us of the things and people that are important to us and make us feel safe. Highly recommended.

Bandcamp - https://tommyeric.bandcamp.com/album/origami-hearts

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/artist/2UnhLUc7nqAu5qPa9ZFz3G

Website - https://tommyeric.com

Single Review – Pebble Beach’ by Maud’s Dog

July 11, 2024

Maud’s Dog is a captivating acoustic songwriting duo featuring Mark Fisher and Jackie Pryce that weaves soulful melodies and heartfelt lyrics into a musical tapestry. Drawing inspiration from legendary artists like James Taylor and the ethereal Kate Bush, they infuse their compositions with a touch of jazz, a hint of blues, and the energy of rock.

Their debut single starts with gentle lapping of the sea with seagulls chirping in the background that leads into a gentle melodic guitar from mark before we are introduced into the rich soulful vocals of Jackie. Pebble Beach evokes a feeling of the loss of loved one and creates a feeling to melancholy that is comforted by the environment. Overall this is a great introduction to this duo and I look forward to future releases.

To listen go to :- https://songwhip.com/maudsdog/pebble-beach

Album Review - The Lost Trades 'Petrichor '

March 1, 2023

The dictionary definition of Petrichor the title of the new album from The Lost Trades is “a pleasant smell that frequently accompanies the first rain after a long period of warm, dry weather” and for this Wiltshire based trio they have been basking in glowing praise since the release of their debut Award Winning album ‘The Bird, The Book & The Barrell’ which received rave reviews  and spent 8 months in the Official UK Folk Albums Chart.and now finally the follow up album is due for release accompanied by a UK Tour.

Consisting of Tamsin Quin, Phil Cooper and Jamie R Hawkins all three were and still are established solo performers before they joined together as The Lost Trades and as good as their debut album is Petrichor feels like time has enabled them to develop their own sound even more, but still enabling their individual talents to shine through. With four of the twelve songs previously released as singles in the run up to the launch there was a fear that we may have heard the best songs already, but that is certainly not the case, make no mistake, this is a corker of an album.

The opening track Old Man of the Sea is an emotional and personal obituary written in memoriam for a late family member, reminiscent of Crosby, Stills Nash & Young and it does that wonderful thing where all voices are in unison and then one strips away to the emphasise a lyric that packs a punch which CSN&Y did so well. There is a wonderful video to accompany Keep My Feet Dry which tell’s the story of breaking away from personal relationships that don’t do you any good and standing your own ground and I love the guitar break in this song.

Atlas is the first track on the album that hasn’t been released as a single and therefore a good indication of how good this album truly is and it’s a great pop song which tells of taking the weight of the world on your shoulders, but strangely leaves the listener full of hope. Long Since Gone is a beautiful song in remembrance of those people dear to us who are no longer here, which is followed by Daffodils which tells of the importance of good friends in troubled times, which includes the line “ You are my Devil's Avocado” which is one of my favourite lyrics and the harmonies on this show the trio at their best.

Throughout Petrichor we are treated to three people who are at the top of their game vocally, musically (the musicianship throughout is excellent and comes across as effortless) and as songwriters who sound wonderful together but at the same time as individuals as is the case with Hornbeam, Fireflies and Best Step Forward.  Little Black Bird is another great song with a fabulous bass line running throughout and more fabulous harmonies asking the question “do you remember what you dream” to the little bird.

The title track to the album ‘Petrichor’ wouldn’t go a miss being sung in any Folk Club or Folk Festival and is a song of hope in these strange times that we currently live in. This Dark Forest has an almost cinematic feel to it as it takes the listener on a journey and you feel all three of The Lost Trades are with you every step of the way. The final track on this fine album Valhalla is currently my favourite of all tracks on offer (but the more I listen to the album the more I feel this will change as they are all so very good), with just a slow evocative drum and acapella vocals this is a stirring song with a message to turn off the TV and put down your newspaper and to take in all that is around you in nature and I can’t help but feel this song performed live will become a firm favourite with audiences.

Petrichor is a fine album and like the meaning of the word it awakens the senses, the lyrics are thought provoking and you come away with a sense of hope, just how good this album is only time will tell but based on the number of times I have already had it on repeat it is likely to be in the running for album of the year.

 To order the album :- https://shop.thelosttrades.com/album/petrichor

The Lost Trades UK Tour Dates :- http://thelosttrades.com/tour-dates/