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Album:Not In the House

Website: http://www.myspace.com/maggiecouncil

It's been way too long since there was a new release from Maggie Council. That's all changed with "Not In The House", Maggie's first album in nearly ten years. Florida based, Maggie has a knack or writing episodic material, a story in a song. She writes with such a passion. Whilst injury has unfortunately curbed her playing opportunity, she continues to reach out through songs that contain slices of life. Big issue material sits alongside the day to day sits alongside the personal. It's an album that can make the mudane special and the heart react, some great musicians to boot.

Album:How've You Been All This Time

Label:Yellowroom Music

Website: http://www.myspace.com/ukdoghouseroses

Until now we've only had singles and mini albums to judge Doghouse Roses by. Their releases have always left us wanting more. We've been waiting for a full album of this Scottish duos take on folk blues. The combination of Iona's voice and Paul's picking casts a magical spell. It draws you into the songs. It's not something you can put on as background because you'ld have to stop what you were doing to listen, regardless of it just being the two of them or with guest musicians. Ultimately "How've You Been All This Time" is not long enough you want more.

Website: http://www.myspace/NigelClothier

Don't be fooled by the cover, "Book Of Days" is not a dark album from folk's industrial tradition lamenting the past, rather an album with an English take on the West Coast singer/songwriter scene. It's an album rich in image, you know a lot of the references, some drawing on popular culture others on the human condition. Clothier's style is like bumping into someone you knew from years back. You're on familar ground you have some of the same stories, but you can't quite remember where you know them from and anyway theu had a slightly different perspective, one to make you think.

EP:Complaints & Privileges

Website: http://www.myspace.com/wheelerstreet

There seems to be a trend for bigger bands in folk music these days, which bodes well for Kent based seven piece, Wheeler Street. I was lucky enough to catch one of the band's live performances at Cambridge Folk Festival. They are a band full of the enthusiasm of youth and a talent that would seem beyond their years. Able to switch from out and out folk rock to tight harmony vocals in the space of a pin head. There is a joy de vive in their live sound that seems to be captured in their recording. This is fresh and vibrant, Wheeler Street are poised to reach a bigger audience.

Website: http://www.myspace.com/thisisbellowhead

Bellowhead must be the ultimate in twenty first century minstel troupes. Songs to dance to, songs to listen to. Tales from both near and far and a musical backdrop to enjoy them to. There's an old adage that sex sells, well when it comes to folk music, so does murder, death and hauntings. Bellowhead cut their cloth accordingly and "Matachin" reflects that darkness, at least as far as tghe majority of the lyrics are concerned. The arrangements are tight bringing string, percussion, concertina and brass together for delightful cacophany of sound and emotion. A great show.

Album:The Phenomenal Ruthie Foster

Website: http://www.ruthiefoster.com

America is not known as a country for understatement or having a tongue in the cheek, so what an artist calls their album "The Phenomenal Ruthie Foster" you've got to believe they mean it. The album has been out Stateside for a while, but Proper have brought it out here. I saw Ruthie when she stormed Cambridge last year. She's currently one of the best blues artists in the world. Her understanding of the soul side of the genre, the gosple tinges are sublime and probably second to no living artist at the moment. Phenomenal? Without a doubt!!

Album:I Dreamt Of Cows

Website: http://www.folkwit.biz

Ok this isn't a full album, that comes later in the year, but just click on the Folkwit website above and grab yourself a slice of things to come. Ash Cooke, aka Pulco has an experimental approach to his songwriting, at times valuing the dischordant as much as the harmonics. It takes some getting used to and I think it's that lack of instant accessibility that has counted against him in trying to get his songs heard. It doesn't always work but then most innovation needs time to bed in. It's difficult to describe so grab yourself and copy and decide if it works for you.

Monte Montgomery

Album:Monte Montgomery

Website: http://www.myspace.com/officialmontemontgomery

Monte Montgomery was named one of the top 50 all time greatest guitar players by guitar magazine and has picked up seven consecutive Austin Music Awards and yet both his blues and songwriting fail to move me. Yes he's a blistering guitar player, both plying licks and slower material, technically it's very good, I could see this getting a lot of plays on a pub jukebox, but it doesn't move me. I don't know if I was looking in the wrong place, but I just couldn't seem to find the passion. Without passion and spirit, blues doesn't feel right. Montgomery needs to trust his heart.

Album:The Neptune Blues Club

Website: http://www.myspace.com/marcfordmusic

I get the feeling that on off member of the Black Crowes, really enjoyed himself in the studio making this. It conveys a sense of fun as it drifts between blues rock, r 'n' b and good old rock 'n' roll. Ford's wearing his heroes on his sleeve, a touch of Jerry Lee, a touch of Little Richard and a touch of Chuck(not all guitarist note) all find their way into songs that are at their heart, Marc Ford. You can almost feel the smile on his face as he works his way through "The Neptune Blues Club". At times it's down and dirty sawdust and spit. Honest hard rockin, high kickin blues.

Jefferson Pepper

Album:American Evolution (Red)

Label:American Fall Out

Website: http://www.myspace.com/jeffersonpepper

We're a little out of order on this one, having reviewed the second part of the "American Evolution" trilogy "White" earlier in the year. Pepper, is cut from the same cloth as Guthrie, Seeger and Elliot, a man that is proud of it's country, but not of what it does in his name. Red looks at the early days of American history, the early injustices against the original inhabitants, the pioneers, the territorial disputes between the original European powers and the destructive seeds the sowed. Had he been born forty years ago Pepper would have been an acknowledged leader of the US folk movement

The J. Evans Band

Website: http://www.thejevansband.co.uk

It's hard to portray bitter without the twisted. Most of the songs on "Survivor" pull it off, with the exception of "Famous For Being Famous", which is a blues rant at what is frankly as easy target. You get the feeling J.Evans has a love hate relationship with London, a city that came close to killing him, aided and abetted by Amsterdam and to a lesser degree Paris. Evans learnt his craft in a drink and drug fueled haze busking around three of Europe's most ecclectic capital cities. It's a cathartic process that brings in some great songs along with redemption.

Chris Duarte Group

Website: http://www.thechrisduartegroup.com

I quite liked the Chris Duarte Group's previous cut, "Blue Velocity" and I quite like "Vantage Point", but it's hardly an evolution. There's plenty of guitar dynamics, it's high energy blues rock and it'd difficult to avoid references to Stevie Ray Vaughan and Duarte is never going to come top of that debate. I guess the problem is there doesn't seem to be a guitarist/innovator to bring the genre forward. Consequently there seems to be a period of stagnation. This is good, but I feel I've heard it before. The two bonus tracks are extended versions of songs on the album, says it all really.