Sunday 22 November 2015

CAUGHT LIVE: John and Jacob @ The Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh 19/11

John Davidson and Jacob Bryant, of John and Jacob, have just finished touring in the UK as the special guests of the brilliant Striking Matches but their Edinburgh date, a remnant date of their own headlining UK tour that unfortunately didn’t happen, was proof that these guys – as well as the other 3/5ths of the band – should and will be headlining more dates very soon.

They brought their guitars, trademark suits and a lot of passion to a dreary Edinburgh.


With only one full album to their name – their self-titled debut, John and Jacob – one could be forgiven for thinking that this would be a set on the shorter side…but one would also have been very wrong. Their set lasted over an hour and a half and was comprised of album tracks, EP tracks, covers and some pretty special songs from their next album – some material that the boys themselves confessed they were playing for one of the first times. ‘Norway’ was one of the new songs and looks likely to be the single they’re going to lead their new album with and it had the room captivated. If you haven’t been lucky enough to hear this track on their travels then definitely keep an ear out for it in the future…this could, and if all is right with the world, should be a very big song for these guys.



‘Be My Girl’, arguably one of their most popular songs – no doubt, in some respect, thanks to the TV show Nashville- went down a treat and ‘I’d Go Back’ had everyone one in the audience united in one big, and beautiful choir. But the highlight of the night was when the boys unplugged their guitars, jumped off the stage and took to the floor to perform ‘Breaking the Law’ in the middle of the crowd. It was loud and it was rowdy and I couldn’t help but feel incredibly lucky to be a part of this night. And I had only paid a little over £12 to be a part of it…I would have happily paid much, much, much more.


Afterwards, as always, John and Jacob took time to talk to everyone, take photos and to sign. A class act both on and off stage and it’s hopefully only a matter of time before we get the full band over here.

Support Act: It’d be mad NOT to mention the support for the evening, which came from Holloway Road a band that, admittedly, I was only really familiar of the name and not their music. But after their decent sized set (it’s really nice when a support act gets longer than 15 minutes and I think these guys got a little more than double that) I will definitely be checking out more of their stuff and you should too. They’re yet another very welcome addition to the growing UK country scene.

Monday 16 November 2015

INTERVIEW: A Few Questions with Angaleena Presley

Angaleena Presley visited us only a few months back and left a lasting impression. I don't think I saw a single tweet or comment on Facebook about her debut shows over here in July, that wasn't singing her praises. People wanted her back and, thankfully Angeleena granted our wishes in swift fashion, announcing new dates in the new year.

We were fortunate enough to have the opportunity to ask Angaleena a few questions about last summer, the reappearance of the Pistol Annies and more!



SC: You only just toured over here. It must feel great to have the opportunity to come back over here so soon, yeah?

AP: It feels absolutely amazing. I had been dreaming about Europe since I was a little girl, almost like I was destined to spend time there. When I finally got the chance to go, it felt like home right from the minute I stepped off the plane. I'm looking forward to clocking a lot of hours in the UK and eventually all over Europe.

SC: Of course this is only one date, as part of the Celtic Connections festival. Can UK fans expect to see more of you in 2016?

AP: YES, I announced the tour yesterday! I'll be over there in January. The fans in the UK seem among the most loyal variety so I have faith that they'll provide the support that I need to visit as often as I can.

SC: Let’s talk about the last time you were in Glasgow because that was a truly special night. I still remember that night very fondly and it has to be one of the best concerts I’ve been to and I know others left feeling the same. For your first ever UK show, you killed it. Were you expecting such a warm reception?

AP: I had no idea what to expect and I was a nervous wreck. When you play solo acoustic, you might as well be naked. I always say it feels like getting in bed with the audience. I can honestly say that Glasgow was one of the most intimate and special shows of my career and I think it always will be. When I get nervous I forget lyrics and when it happened, they embraced it whole heartedly. They laughed at all my jokes and they were as quiet as mice during my darker moments. It's definitely one for the history book of my little life and I can't wait to do it again. You know, I'm a McCoy of the original Hatfield's and McCoy's... I have Scotland in my blood and the connection I felt was as real as it gets

SC: You had a pretty full on week of shows in July. Did you get the chance to do much sightseeing?

AP: Yes, I brought my son, sister and niece with me and we squeezed in everything we could. The London Eye, Tower of London, The Mona Lisa, Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, and lots of train rides

SC: Miranda and Ashley are also headed over in 2016 as part of the Country to Country festival. Do you think we might get to see the three of you together over here one day?

AP: I sure hope so. The whole time I was there I kept thinking how inspired we would get, tooling around Europe together. It would definitely spark interesting song ideas

SC: Of course, you girls reunited recently on Miranda’s tour and finally put an end to all the speculation about the hiatus that ranged from ‘they drifted apart’ to ‘they hate each other’. I think one of the more popular ‘stories’ was that you and Miranda were sworn enemies. What did you think of the rumours? 

AP: I thought they were exactly what I'd dream up if my favorite girl band suddenly canceled a tour. I think we need to put labels on things so our brains can figure out how to sort through them. I try not to get caught up in celeb gossip. The music is what I connect with and try to stay focused on.

SC: Miranda’s tour featured some talented ladies. Was it always the plan to use this tour as a chance to bring the Pistol Annies back or was it simply impromptu?

AP: No, we never really planed anything. That's what was so special about it. We just started hanging out and then things began to happen. Songs happened, a record happened, shows happened and then it started happening all over again. We never put much thought into it and we kept doing it until it became too much to manage alongside our solo careers. We looked at the calendar in September and realized there was a weekend where we could all be in the same place at the same time so we took advantage of it. I'm sure that's what we'll keep doing.

SC: Your album, American Middle Class has received a lot of praise both here and in the States. A lot of people want to know if you’ve started thinking about, or even started work on the follow-up. So…have you?

AP: I've noticed a few blossoms in the vine... I feel like my records grow from seeds that get planted in my soul. Once the fruit is good and ripe, It'll be harvest time. To me, a record is a cohesive body of work, not just a collection of songs. So, yes, I definitely have a direction and now I'm just waiting for it to take shape

SC: American Middle Class is a very personal album, with songs such as ‘Knocked Up’ and ‘Drunk’ being directly inspired by your personal life and songs like ‘Pain Pills’ inspired by the community you grew up in. Would it fair to say that the album is kind of your own diary?

AP: You bet. I worry about putting all my business out there until a fan comes up to me and says it helped them feel like they weren't alone. I tell the truth about my pain and joy because I don't know how not to.

SC: Finally, what artists/albums are listening to right now? 

AP: I'm in love with Sound and Color by Alabama Shakes and I also love Robert Ellis's Lights from the Chemical Plant. I've been listening to both of those records like it's a school project. The writing and the originality of the production are top notch.


Angaleena's critically acclaimed album, American Middle Class is available to buy now and she returns to the UK this coming January. Check out below for dates and tickets.

January 17th - The Louisiana, Bristol
January 18th - Greystones, Sheffield
January 21st - Tron Theatre, Glasgow (Celtic Connections w/Noah Gunderson and Anderson East)
January 22nd - The Ruby Lounge, Manchester
January 23rd - Bodega, Nottingham
January 24th - Con Club, Lewes
January 25th - Bush Hall, London

Friday 13 November 2015

This Week's Releases (13/11)

Each week and every week, Somethin' Country brings you the news on the latest albums that we think you should check out! Here is our selection for the week commencing Friday 13th November.

Chris Young - I'm Comin' Over (RCA Nashville)

Fresh from a short, but sold out UK tour, Chris Young brings us his fifth studio album, I'm Comin Over. The eleven track album features the hit song of the same name - that is, at time of writing, certified Gold - as well as a duet with rising star Cassadee Pope and country legend Vince Gill. Undecided country fans not so famillar with Young are in luck: Chris has been sharing some songs over on his YouTube page, including the fantastic 'Sober Saturday Night' that features Vince Gill. It's another solid album from Young and with the fastest selling single of his career as the lead single, this album looks a good bet for the top spot.



Lizzie Wilson - Lizzie Wilson EP

We featured this five track EP last week (you can read our review HERE) and it is a worthy addition to our list of releases for this week. This debut EP by the up and coming UK singer was recorded in Nashville earlier this year and was co-written by Lizzie with a wealth of other talent, including Holloway Road and Payton Taylor. Country music over here is - thankfully- finally growing and we have a wealth of homegrown talent ready and waiting to shine. Lizzie Wilson is one of these names you should keep and eye out for and this EP is proof.

At only £3.95 on iTunes, this release is, frankly, a steal.



Eric Church - Mr. Misunderstood (EMI Nashville)

*Technically* this was released last week during the craziness that is CMA awards week but it's only just become available on UK iTunes and it'd be silly to not include it. The album, Eric's fifth, was written over the summer and recorded during the last two months before it was sprung on us in a Beyonce-esque move. Stylistically, it's a more diverse Church record than we are used to, with rock, soul and gospel being just some of the influences we can hear on it, to but it is another really strong one. Whilst we may not get another album in such a surprise fashion come next year's CMAs week, we can definitely expect some nominations for this one.



Any albums that you think we missed? Want your EP or album featured on here? Tweet us @SomethnCountry or drop us a line on here! 

Wednesday 4 November 2015

ALBUM REVIEW: Lizzie Wilson - EP

Lizzie Wilson is a name that some members of the UK country community will be familiar with. She’s active on social media and has been playing around the country and recently performed her first headlining show at Fort San Antone. She is definitely a name to keep an eye out for.

The five track debut EP was recorded in Nashville with Grammy Award Winning producer Larry Beaird, with all tracks being co-written by Wilson alongside fellow UK artists such as Alex Jordan, Holloway Road and Megan O'Neill as well as Nashville recording artist Payton Taylor. The result? The perfect blend of country music from both sides of the Atlantic.


1. Do You Think About Me (Lizzie Wilson/Holloway Road)
It's pretty incredible to think that this is her debut single. Not only is this song incredibly catchy (think catchy as in Taylor Swift pre-genre change (not that Taylor's recent discography isn't catchy, it's just that this blog is Somethin' Country, rather than Somethin' Pop)), it's also a very assured performance and it's lovely to hear an artist feeling so confident, especially on their first release. It's very radio friendly and hopefully it'll find its way to radio soon enough. I've linked the music video down below to listen/watch (disclaimer: the video documents Lizzie's trip to Nashville so you may very well end up feeling jealous watching it) and the single is also available right now on iTunes.

2, Ask Me To Stay (Wilson/Megan O’Neill)
I wasn't familiar with co-writer Megan O'Neill before this EP but I immediately looked her up after hearing this song as she, along with Lizzie, have written a great, great song that would be at home on any radio station. The arrangement leans more to the country side yet I think the relatable lyrics and the easy on the ear vocals would win over even the most ardent anti-country fans. It narrowly missed out on being my favourite track on the album. Very narrowly, ultimately losing out to:

3. Infinity (Wilson)
This slower song showcases Lizzie's voice but it's the lyrics on this entirely self-penned track that really shines. It's sweet and it's beautiful and, even though this reviewer has a penchant for faster songs, this is definitely my favourite song on this EP. It's that good and you should buy the EP for this song alone.

4. The Way You Lie (Wilson/Alex Jordan)
This song steps up the pace but only ever so slightly for this brooding song. Over three minutes and eighteen seconds, like a good country song it builds, the story and lyrics developing, and leads into a nice guitar solo. This song whilst it sounds good recorded is one, I feel, that is really made to be performed live and I hope to hear it live in the not too distant future.

5. Living Out Loud (Wilson/Payton Taylor)
'I shine through the dark like a city light/I've waited my turn now it's my time'
These two lines screamed at me when I listened to it because they are so, so true. Lizzie Wilson is a great singer and a excellent songwriter and her time truly is coming and it is very well deserved.

If all is right with the world, we will hopefully see Lizzie on one of the pop-up stages at next year's Country 2 Country festival. Until then, you're missing out if you don't treat yourself to this gem of an EP. It comes out the 13th of November so until then, go get the lead single 'Do You Think About Me' now on iTunes HERE and go give her a follow HERE on Twitter.