Country - The Ginger Quiff

Richard Davies and the Dissidents Human Traffic album cover

Richard Davies & the Dissidents – Human Traffic – album review

May 26, 2020 By neilho27@sky.com

After a weekend of bullshit, lies and pretence, I needed something good and honest to replenish my faith in humanity. The new album from Richard Davies and the Dissidents does just that. The former Tiny Monroe/The Snakes guitarist takes on lead vocal duty and is joined by other alumni from the alt-rock/alt-country scene. Former The Snakes bandmate and Mega City Four drummer Chris Cannon and Case Hardin/Last Great Dreamers bass guitarist, Tim Emery. With Nick Beere (guitars) and Neil Scully (keyboards) completing the “last gang in town”.

This album is an antidote to all those self-righteous, self-serving, so-called public servants. Those whose only interest is themselves and the green folding stuff.… Read the rest

The Countess of Fife – Live EP – review

May 17, 2020 By neilho27@sky.com

The quality lockdown releases are coming thick and fast. With the lack of ability to go crate digging in these times, I’m relying on one of my favourite people just now, the postman, to bring me my regular fix.

This week has seen a few quality releases drop on the doormat including the new 4 track live EP from The Countess of Fife. The EP dropped hot on the heels of their debut online live performance, and arrived with me just shy of last nights second such event. This was one of the best online sets I’ve seen since I started attending remote gigs…

Powerful rich vocal

I first heard the band when they supported Goodbye Mr MacKenzie on their triumphant return to Glasgow’s Garage last May when I wrote: “The Countess of Fife, the band fronted by Fay Fife of Rezillos fame, still drew a substantial crowd.… Read the rest

Tenement & Temple – album review

August 27, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

Tenement & Temple aka Smillie and Queen, highly sought after legends of the Scottish music scene, have released what is set to be possibly one of the most heart-meltingly beautiful albums of 2019.

Thrum

In one of their previous incarnations, Thrum, they delighted with songs like So Glad & Illegitimate Clown, and a magnificent cover of Crying (more about magnificent covers later) gigging regularly and generally being an abundantly talented pair, resulting in them being sought after for many collaborations over the years. Recently contributing in no small part to two of my favourite albums of the last few years – Daniel Wylie’s Cosmic Rough Riders Scenery for Dreamers and Reaction’s Keep it Weird Keep it Wired.… Read the rest

Ginger Wildheart Interview

May 1, 2018 By neilho27@sky.com

Ginger – Ghost in the Tanglewood

Ginger Wildheart has recently released his latest solo album, Ghost in the Tanglewood, recently reviewed on my blog. Personally, I found the album to be inspirational. I wanted to talk to Ginger about the background to this very personal album, much of which focuses on his own battle with depression.

While people are more open about talking about Mental Health these days, there is still too much of a stigma around it. The more people like Ginger are willing to share their personal experiences, the further society can progress. It can only help in understanding and supporting those who do battle depression and other Mental Health issues.… Read the rest

Ginger Wildheart – Ghost in the Tanglewood – album review

April 18, 2018 By neilho27@sky.com

Ginger Wildheart

It took me a while to finally get round to picking up a copy of Ginger Wildheart’s latest album. Historically I have this image of Country & Western music being depressing and this generally draws me away from it. I don’t know why that has been the case, perhaps it is a perception I have built over the years through mis-representation and falsehoods. Maybe similar to strange beliefs some people have about mental health based on mis-conceptions and false perceptions.

With Ginger having had some public battles with his own mental health over the years, I wondered how this would play out.… Read the rest