Mike Davies

Della Mae say that ‘Headlight’ is their contribution to keep up the tradition of trail-blazing women and “leave the world a better place than when we found it”.  It’ll certainly brighten yours.

Infused with the soul of the great Irish writers and such visionary boho barroom bards as Waits, Morrison, Burroughs or Bukowski, Keenan’s album is surely unlike any other album you’ll hear this year, the breathtaking arrival of a luminous talent.

The Unconquerable past is an album that grows on you the more you listen,  the message is clear,  while the past may seem to be unconquerable, that’s no reason to give up the fight.

Exposed and honest, Weber has regrets but no apologies for who he is, for what drives him, for the heartache in his wake, in the search of making the music in his head. It’s a high price, but this album repays every wounded moment in full.

There are, undoubtedly, many out there who, like Joseph back in 1973, remain ignorant of Phil Ochs and for whom, as the notes say, this will afford a nudge forward. That it also happens to be one of Joseph’s finest albums is an added bonus.

Landry’s fifth solo album is described as “reflections and thoughts on the collective hallucination that is America”…it’s a hugely accomplished and at times troubling album that has already earned its place in “Best of” year-end lists.

Mike Davies shares his Top Ten albums of 2019 including Emily Mae Winters, Luke Jackson, Caroline Spence, Allison Moorer, Danny Schmidt, Daria Kulesh, Rachel Harrington and more.

Having taken a four-year break from her own material, Catherine MacLellan returns with an album containing life-affirming philosophical sentiment, compassion, understanding and wisdom.

In 1971, despondent about the state of America, torn apart by hatred, suffering, and injustice under the divisive policies of Richard Nixon, Marvin Gaye created his greatest work, an album for and about those times. Second Sight is May Erlewine’s  ‘What’s Goin’ On’.

Confronting the demons, celebrating her mother but recognising that her troubled father, Allison Moorer has emerged into the light, bringing with her the finest music of her career to date.

Thirty Pounds of Bone and Philip Reeder board Girl Emily, a 1974 fishing boat to perform nine new arrangements of traditional fishing/maritime songs, as the skipper and his mate go about their business of fishing.

Band Together cuts across Americana genres but maintains a cohesive sound and identity with melodies and choruses designed to fire up any crowd – a terrific album.