Energy – Rise From The Fall – Review
Pyramid Records The story behind Rise From The Fall is one of survival, loss and unfinished business. These songs were not written from a place of comfort. Instead, they were forged through years of setbacks, perseverance and a determination to finally complete what had been left unfinished. The emotional heart of the album lies in […]
Parker Barrow – Hold The Mash – Review
Parker Barrow’s Hold The Mash arrives with confidence, energy and a strong sense of identity. Drawing inspiration from Southern rock, blues and Americana, the Nashville-based band deliver a release that feels equally at home on a festival stage or blasting from the speakers during a long drive down an open highway. Named after the infamous […]
Leeann Atherton – Good God – Review
Rainstorm Records Leeann Atherton’s Good God is an album filled with conviction, warmth and purpose. The Austin-based singer-songwriter has spent years exploring the spaces between blues, country, rock, soul and Americana, but on this release she turns her focus entirely to gospel music, producing a collection that feels both natural and deeply personal. From the […]
Jeff Saxon – Happy Travelling – Review
Relevant Records Award-winning New Jersey singer-songwriter Jeff Saxon returns with Happy Travelling, his sixth album and a collection of upbeat contemporary blues songs designed to lift the spirits. At a time when the world can feel increasingly complicated, Saxon offers what he describes as a dose of musical medicine, delivered through memorable melodies, thoughtful songwriting […]
Chris O’Leary – Blue Collar – Review
Alligator Records Chris O’Leary’s Blue Collar is exactly what its title promises: honest, hard-working blues built on lived experience. The veteran singer, songwriter and harmonica player has always brought authenticity to his music, but this latest release feels particularly personal, turning a lifetime of stories into a collection that is both timeless and relevant. The […]
Bywater Call – Broken Souvenirs – Review
Independent Bywater Call have delivered their most assured and emotionally resonant album to date with Broken Souvenirs. Fronted by the outstanding Meghan Parnell and driven by the tasteful guitar work of Dave Barnes, the seven-piece Canadian band continue to blur the lines between blues, soul, rock and Americana, creating a record that feels both deeply […]
Albert Castiglia – Grits & Glory – Review
Grits & Glory is Albert Castiglia’s fourth album for Gulf Coast Records and the fifteenth release of his career. It also arrives with an impressive footnote, having been recorded at London’s legendary Abbey Road Studios, specifically Studio Three, where Pink Floyd recorded Wish You Were Here. While the location is noteworthy, it is the music […]
Steve Cropper & The Midnight Hour – Watching The Tide – Review
Watching The Tide was completed before the sad passing of Steve Cropper in December 2025. Released posthumously, it serves as a reminder that even at the age of 84, Cropper still possessed the spark, creativity and musical authority that made him one of the most influential figures in modern music. Cropper’s professional career began in […]
BURNING ROPE, DISSOLUTION – review
Burning Rope return with Dissolution, a confident second album that continues to move beyond the musical foundations established by Catfish. Rather than relying on familiar blues-rock formulas, the band explore a wider palette of influences, blending blues, rock, soul, funk and progressive elements into a collection that consistently surprises. Opening track Waste sets the tone […]
SAMANTHA FISH, PAPER DOLL LIVE – review
Rounder Records On Paper Doll Live, Samantha Fish bottles the kind of high-voltage energy that separates good live performers from truly unforgettable ones. Captured at the legendary Bijou Theatre, the album doesn’t merely revisit the songs from Paper Doll, it tears them apart and rebuilds them as fierce, hard-hitting blues-rock workouts loaded with swagger, soul, […]