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Album:I Think We Both Know

Label:Weeks Weeks Weeks

Website: http://www.krismorris.com

When we first heard Kris Morris' 'Little Light EP' we thought we'd found an artist with potential. That was back in 2007 and whilst it's taken a while for his debut album to follow, it has proved us right. The acoustic guitar can be raw and powerful, rock out and become intimate. "I Think We Both Know" is a phrase that often signals a new beginning. The time to reflect is over, the time to act is now. Morris' writing captures that sense of uncertainty and turns it into music. Consequently the album is edgy and blue, cathartic and positive, tough love and kindness. It lives on the nerve and jangles.

Single:Trippy Kind Of Love

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

If you're thinking that "Trippy Kind Of Love" is going to have that laid back jazzy pop type vibe, you'ld be bang on the money. It wears it's heart on it's sleeve and doesn't disappoint. It proudly sits at the junction of jazz and trip hop as well as picking up a sunny climes feel, it's fun. Personally it's the flip side, "Rainbow Song" that does it for me. Looser, more fluid, simpler even it draws on colour to describe mood and feeling almost chameleon like in it's interpretation of the emotional interaction between people and the wider aspects of their life. Deeper and more reflective.

Maclaine Colston & Saul Rose

Label:Get Real Records

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

It's wonderful what happens when people have a passion for their musical history, where they come from, where they're going. The Celts have been very adapt at it, but the English have made huge strides to catch up in recent years. Maclaine Colston & Saul Rose have delivered an album that's as rich in history as it is the sound. Shirker songs, sailor songs, fighting songs and anti war songs. Dulcimer and melodeon drive the sound and provide a great counter to the rough around the edges vocal. It's earthy stuff, as the title suggests, and bang on the mak to boot.

Album:The Best Of Clive Gregson

Website: http://www.clivegregson.com

Best Of Packages are a great way of judging an artists career some are just one or two good tracks and a load of filler. Some really are a genuine best of, you like most of the tracks on the album, but can't think of anything or much that's been missed and some are like this, eighteen tracks you can't find fault with, but still missing a number of tracks you'ld have added and that's not including tracks from a number of side projects. More than anything "The Best Of Clive Gregson" highlights his ability as a songwriter, his wider appeal, not just as a consumate performer.

Website: http://www.kimmierhodes.com

With Kimmie coming over later in the year, it's an opportune moment to remind us all of Kimmie's talent as both a writer and performer of songs. As the title implies, the tracks on this album are drawn from ten years of recording 1995-2005 and provide an opportunity for Kimmie to showcase her talent to the budgeoning Americana scene on this side of the pond. Rhodes has a sound that gets close to the torch side of country without ever getting too sentimental. The album also features a host of duets with the instantly recognisable smorgusboard of talent she has worked with.

Album:Great Rock 'n' Roll Instrumentals Vol3

Website: http://www.smithco.nl

Dutch label Smith & Co provide a new volume in the series every year. Each album is double providing sixty odd tracks. Rock 'n' Roll Instrumental pulls in names and tracks that you'll probably be familiar with, Fats Domino, Bill Haley, Ritchie Valens, Duane Eddy, "Tequila", "Thunderbird" and "38 Special" and blends them with artists and tunes you haven't heard in years if at all. Guitars, piano, sax, horns and percussion all get run outs as the instrumental lead over a couple of disks that are a real riot of sound and style. Speaks volumes with barely a word.

Album:Great Brittish Skiffle Vol 3

Website: http://www.smithco.nl

With a mini skiffle revival going on its a good opportunity to remind ourselves of how influential the original skiffle wave was on the music of Britain. It's arguably the first music that youth claimed for it's self. Bands appeared out of nowhere. Instruments were often literally knocked together. Dave Travis has put together a selection that reflects both the self build and more professional approaches that would lead into the likes of rock 'n' roll. Guns, girls transport and American place names abound in a quintisentially British style. Teenage rebellion in prototype.

Album:Great British Rock 'n' Roll Vol3

Website: http://www.smithco.nl

Skiffle migrated into rock 'n' roll and some of the artists from the skiffle compilation migrate across to this one, The Vipers now finding themselves alongside Cliff, Marty, Tommy and other coffee shop discoveries. Once again it's the artists who failed to remain household names that provide a number of the real points of interest on this compilation, as well as the artists that were better known for their efforts in other genres, but who thought that there was a good time to cash in on the popularity of rock 'n' roll and rushed off to tin pan alley for a song or two and some radio play.

Album:Great Rockabilly Vol 3

Website: http://www.smithco.nl

I guess the likes of Johnny T. Talley, Bob Luman and Kenny Parchman never imagined thay would get to share a compilation with Elvis, Johnny Cash, Buddy Holly and Eddie Cochran, but judging by their contribution, they could have made it on merit, thems the breaks. Like it's predecessors, Vol.3 hits the mark pretty much most of the time. Rockabilly was a wide genre. Country, folk, blues and rock all have a home on this set, to varying degrees. It also draws on the genuinely indie labels of the day small town stuff and puts it in context with a detailed, well written booklet.

Album:The Amplication Of Mr Ballad

Label:Creating Reality

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

Featuring his trademark megaphone on the front cover, "The Amplification Of Mr Ballad" builds on the groundwork laid down by "Unexploded Bombshell". There is a rawness in Chapman's writing, a sense of not quite belonging, a need to find occasional solace on ones own as well as in the heart of a relationship and occasional rifts between the two. It's reflected in the music, leads instrumentation, guitar, piano simple and direct laid over a more complex orchestrated backing. The result is an album that really moves you and identifies Chapman as a writer to keep an eye on.

Bernice MacDonald

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

I have one quibble with "Garden", at times I think Bernice's voice is buried to far down in the mix and it makes some of the songs feel cluttered. It's a shame because it detracts from what would otherwise be a very strong debut album. MacDonald knows how to pen a song, there's a real wordsmith quality to the lyrics. Her voice is highly suited to this style of folk with it's hints of American Songbook and jazz/blues flavours running through like raspberry ripple and giving a real tang to the sweetness. "Violet" showcases some dynamic vocal interplay in a choral lead piece.

Website: http://www.prussianblue.com

Ok, this one's been out for a while, but as we felt it was definitely worth an outing as we've only recently rediscovered Prussian Blue. Sometimes music is about the soundtrack to our lives. The bit that makes the mundane that much more fun. "Room At Night" works well on that level, pop rock/folk infused with a blues edge to provide a soundtrack to our lives. Even if it only worked at that level it would be a good fun album, but it also works when you want to put some time aside and really explore the music and the songs, the quality of the writing and production. It stands on it's own feet.