The result is the Sun Canyon Band and the album ‘You Never Can Tell‘, a blend of breezy Americana, Western swing and California folk-pop. The album is split between originals (written by Hubka and Rick Mayock) and covers of classics by artists like Bob Dylan, Randy Newman, Chuck Berry and Guy Clark, and it features the playing of legendary English guitarist and mandolinist Albert Lee.
Begin your day with this uplifting new song from husband and wife folk-duo Raveis Kole. The main take-away from ‘So Nice’ is the simple joy Laurie Raveis and Dennis Kole take in one another’s company and in performing together. The chorus melody and harmonies soar, lifting the we listeners and bringing light into our days. In the video, the couple play and sing, walk and drink, with genuine smiles on their faces; such delight is both refreshing and welcome in challenging times. Indeed, the song was inspired by the collective, joyous experience of playing to an appreciative crowd after pandemic restrictions were lifted. the audience were thankful as Raveis sang and this reflected in the lines: “So nice to be right here // Hanging out with friends old and new..Right now can you feel the wind’s at your back // Take a deep breath, relish this moment.” The sentiment is simple and direct and all the more powerful for that. Sonically and thematically, ‘So Nice’ feels free. Kole considers the song’s meaning: “I couldn’t help but reflect on the simplicities of life unfolding, that sense of expanded joy because people hadn’t been able to participate fully in life and were almost glowing with excitement to be out, to be together, enjoying live music.” Further exclusive reflections from Laurie Raveis and Dennis Kole about the song are below; huge thanks to them for their thoughtful comments and insight.
Recorded in Vermont, Maple Run Band’s ‘Used To Be The Next Big Thing’ is described by their songwriter Trevor Crist as reaching for a mid seventies soft rock album with a retro-vintage country sound. And by and large the band have been quite successful in their quest. There’s a hint of the Allman’s circa ‘Brothers And Sisters’ in the opening song ‘Used To Be The Next Big Thing’ while ‘Loretta‘ would sit comfortably on any number of singer/songwriter albums of the period albeit that it harks back to an earlier age with Crist explaining that the Louvin Brothers were an inspiration here.
Today’s song has a stompin’ bluesy swamp-rock feel, as Prinz Grizzley told Americana UK: “I am pretty sure I wrote this song while I was deep into Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters. It started out as just a delta blues kind of song but after I heard The London Howlin’ Wolf Sessions, I thought why not try and do it like the Rolling Stones did, take a blues song and lean it more into a rock n roll direction. I wanted this to sound like Richards and Jones on guitars with the rhythm section of AC/DC and Prinz Grizzley turning the wolf up in my singing.“
Moon Shine (aka Angie Glasscock) is a Brooklyn based singer-songwriter whose debut album ‘The Land in Between‘ will be hitting the streets on November 11th. The name Moon Shine was chosen because, Angie explains, “The Moon is a female symbol, the name ‘Moon Shine’ refers to women shining.” And it’s certainly true that this is a shimmery take on the country end of Americana, bringing to mind the approach of Emmylou Harris or say, for a more modern comparison, Courtney Marie Andrews.
“Immediately engaging. It’s rich and warm and the production allows Scott-Phillips’ clear voice and heartfelt words to be the focus. Her words really are disarmingly beautiful… reflecting happiness and contentment and genuine, deeply-held love.”