Heather Berry & Tony Mabe The Heather Berry & Tony Mabe Show (Mountain Fever Records)

Review by Art Menius for http://artmenius.com

The Heather Berry & Tony Mabe Show

North Carolina’s Heather Berry and Tony Mabe have found a wonderful niche in country couples duet music, from whence sprang folks from Lula Belle and Scotty Wiseman (Old Mountain Dew,” “Have I Told You Lately that I Love You”) to Robin & Linda Williams. Supported by Tom T. and Dixie Hall, who placed nine songs on their previous outing, Before Bluegrass,  and aided on the new Heather Berry & Tony Mabe Show by Darrin Vincent, Jamie Collins, and Randy Cook, the pair offers a delightful blend of a 1940s sound, classic and original material, and the sublime enthusiasm of young lovers of traditional music.

Heather and Tony are some of the finest singers of Carter Family material of their generation. This project offers a version of “Little Darling, Pal of Mine” that I shall be playing on my WMMT-FM radio show a lot along with the straight up old-time “Live the Right Life Now.” Yet, they also venture out of their comfort zone successfully on the more contemporary (actually somewhat “Gentle on My Mind” sounding) “I Miss You Old Friend.” The different setting proves that Heather’s voice is everything Dixie and Tom T. say it is. Not that they are adverse to bluegrass, as demonstrated on “Freight Train,” one of the couple of tracks where Tony gets to sing lead. Heather handles most of the lead vocals, while playing clawhammer banjo, Autoharp, and guitar. Tony primarily picks lead guitar but also banjo and Autoharp.

Berry and Mabe convey an infectious joy in making music together. Despite their youth, they keep both their picking and singing understated like those they endeavor to emulate. Once again, Heather and Tony take us on a charming and consistently pleasant journey through the past.

The Heather Berry and Tony Mabe Show projects a more confident, diverse, and accomplished effort than the quite successfully Before Bluegrass.

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Sarah McQuaid, The Sun Goes On Rising – 3 Track Single (Waterbug Records)

Review by Art Menius for http://artmenius.com

I met Sarah McQuaid at the Folk Alliance International Conference in February 2010. Sarah was born in Spain, grew up in Chicago, lived in Ireland from 1994 to 2007, and now resides in Penzance, Cornwall. She performs her own carefully crafted originals along with traditional songs and ballads from Ireland and America. Her second album, I Won’t Go Home ‘Til Morning, provided her interpretations of American traditional music CD.

The three song single, The Sun Goes On Rising, however, demonstrates her artistic growth and an emphasis on her original music. In her hands, John Martyn’s “Solid Air” sounds much more like Joni Mitchell than Appalachian ballad singing with the horn backup lending it an understated jazz feel. The title cut, which she co-wrote with Gerry O’Beirne, provides original music by a contemporary artist grounded in traditional song. Backed by a small ensemble, it shows that Sarah is evolving rapidly as a lyricist, becoming a musical creator rather than an interpreter of the old songs. Not that McQuaid has abandoned the traditional. On the 16^th Century tune “The Duke of Somersette’s Dompe” she delivers precise guitar work that references and mimics the sound of the harpsichord.

The Sun Goes On Rising is a bold development and an artistic risk. Based on these three tracks, I cannot wait for Sarah McQuaid’s next full album, The Plum Tree and the Rose. It will include the two songs heard here.

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Grant Dermody, Lay Down My Burden http://www.grantdermody.com/

Reviewed by Art Menius for http://artmenius.com 2/10/2012

Seattle’s Grant Dermody long ago earned a reputation as an excellent harmonica blower equally comfortable in blues, old-time, and roots music while also capable of quite good singing and songwriting. Lay Down My Burden, his late 2011 release featuring more than two-dozen collaborators, marks only his second solo release and first in eight years. He recorded it while processing the passing of his wife, both parents, and mentor John Cephas, who makes his final recorded appearance here. Indeed, Cephas’ lead vocal over his guitar and Dermody’s harp on “Hard Time Killing Floor Blues” from Skip James provides a highlight. The deceased are all pictured in the oddly hard to find CD brochure.

Dermody has gained a good deal of attention over the past couple of years by touring with acclaimed blues guitarist Eric Bibb, whose clear, authoritative guitar playing powers the opening Gary Davis’ cover “I’ll Be Alright” alongside Dermody’s harp and warm voice. Grant has recorded one CD with the old-time ensemble The Improbabillies, whereas his second CD as part of Johnson, Miller & Dermody has appeared since the release of Lay Down My Burden.

“So Sweet,” adapted from John Jackson with additional lyrics, displays again Dermody’s charming singing voice, while showcasing his blowing in a traditional Piedmont blues setting. He gets to visit similar territory with octogenarian Durham bluesman guitarist John Dee Holeman, whose voice belies his age on “You Don’t Have to Go.”

Whatever the genre or group, Dermody fits in because his playing is authentic. The old-time and roots tracks ring just a true as the blues. Grant and Mark Graham turn Henry Whittier’s “Rain Crow Bill” into a raucous two harmonica shout. He and Richie Stearns on delicate, precise banjo provide a winning interpretation of “Waterbound” (which have been playing on WMMT) that leads into an equally successful “Twelve Gates to the City” in a twin mouth harp arrangement. Stephen Foster’s “Hard Times” gets an acapella quartet arrangement that shines. “Amazing Grace” shows his ability to slow down into a deeply soulful groove that sets up Orville Johnson on Dobro and Darick Campbell on lap steel for some engaging jamming. “David’s Cow” proves a fun trio effort to combine both blues and old-time.

Of the original songs, I preferred “First Light” with his hokum feel reminiscent of the African-American string bands that, like Grant, combined blues and old-time. The title track, “Lay Down My Burden,” is a full band electric blues with perhaps too heavy a rhythm section.

Lay My Burden Down is the most down-to-earth, straight from the heart recording with such a large cast of stellar collaborators I have heard by anyone not named Mike Seeger. Grant Dermody and his many friends have produced a lovely hour of honest music from “I’ll Be Alright to the closing Tibetan Buddhist prayer with harmonica and Dobro.

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5 norteno musicians, 4 others killed in Mexico.

Pharis & Jason Romero, A Passing Glimpse (Lula 1102) http://www.jasonandpharis.com/

Pharis & Jason Romero

Reviewed by Art Menius for http://artmenius.com 2/3/2012

From British Columbia, Pharis & Jason Romero offer a tastefully understated and dependably captivating set of original and classic old-time and roots music on the outstanding 2011 release, A Passing Glimpse. Little wonder it hit the top of the Folk-DJ chart last fall. Including their stint as 2/3 of the Haints, A Passing Glimpse marks their third release. Jason has long been noted as a top open back banjo builder, while she was a member of roots ensemble Outlaw Social.

The title track is one of five strong songs penned by Pharis, but the true beauty of A Passing Glimpse is how seamlessly the originals blend with the carefully (I have to assume from the results) chosen covers. Wearing your influences on your sleeve proves a virtue in old-time music. Pharis and Jason touch all the right basis, pulling from the Carter Family (“Engine 143”), Karl & Harty (“I’m Just Here to Get My Baby Out of Jail”), and lesser known Uncle Dave Macon (“Hillbilly Blues”). On the other hand, the Romeros show their open ears and ability to apply their old-time method liberally with the Rambo’s pop-gospel hit “It’s Me Again Lord.”

A Passing Glimpse finds the couple paired down to focus on their singing and his playing. They have thus produced a gorgeous, ethereal set that is powered by its restraint. Pharis and Jason thus manage to sound fresh and old simultaneously, connecting 2011 to 1927 in a most soulful way.

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John Batdorf One Last Wish http://www.johnbatdorfmusic.com

One Last Wish

Reviewed by Art Menius, February 2, 2012, for http://artmenius.com

One Last Wish proves an uplifting, positive release from veteran John Batdorf. As he sings, it no longer bothers him that even though “in real life, sometimes the girl says ‘no’.” because “in real life, each day is a new surprise.”

John Batdorf comes out of a time and place when a singer-songwriter could become a pop star. Signed by Amhet Ertegun for Atlantic Records with Mark Rodney as an 18 year old in 1970, he soon found himself on the road opening for Bread, Poco, and the Youngbloods. He played Carnegie Hall before he turned 21. David Geffin, another industry legend, lured John away to Asylum. With the band Silver (which also included pre-Dead Brent Mydland), Batdorf even managed a forgettable summer of 1976 Billboard Top-20 pop hit, “Wham Bam.”

Forty-five years after leaving Ohio for the West Coast, One Last Wish, proves just the fourth solo release for Batdorf, recorded during 2010 and 2011. He and Michael McLean wrote the five songs in August of 2010, including the lead off “Don’t Give Up On Dreams.”

Oh my love, don’t give up on dreams
Just because it seems you’re all alone
And I’m not there
Since our only time together’s when
You’re dreaming
Don’t give up on dreams
Don’t give up on dreams
Don’t give up on dreams

John even admits to getting “stupid happy” on “Life is Good.”

Don’t need to win the lottery,
I’m feelin’ happy and it all came free
Keep hearing this melody, that sings to me
In two part harmony

One Last Wish is by no means a stripped down guitar and vocals outing. This proves a stunning album if you like a lot of sound. It offers excellent musicianship and exquisite, but dense pop production that rings true to Batdorf’s roots. Lush, perfect west coast harmonies are featured throughout with background singing from Dan Navarro, Bill Batstone, James Lee Stanley, Brett & Mathew Batdorf, and others.

Batdorf provides a voice you either love or don’t singing well-conceived and crafted songs that are very hard not to like. This is an old pro doing his thing after four decades of practice. At its best, say on the closing “Revolution” One Last Wish compares most favorably to Gene Clark’s tour-de-force No Other. If you want teen age angst and dance beats, look elsewhere.

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Jonathan Ross, Hence the Blues www.jonathanrossmusic.com

Jonathan Ross

Reviewed by Art Menius, January 31, 2012, for http://artmenius.com

Hence the Blues proves a promising debut for Houston singer-songwriter Jonathan Ross featuring acoustic and electric material, plenty of guitar and fiddle, drums and bass, and the occasional banjo. With a nice hand for clever couplets and a facility for finding a good, vaguely country groove, Ross compares well to Jonathan Byrd.

Despite nine original songs ranging from professional to very good, the absolute killer track on Hence the Blues is the only cover, the traditional “Coo Coo.” Ross reconstructs it, much like Fairport Convention was doing four decades ago, into an angst-driven, rocker.

Other standout cuts include “Heavy Load (Gone, Gone, Gone),” a conventional, semi-acoustic blues that is as close as Hence the Blues actually comes to the blues. This is a serious concern since some folks may buy the album thinking it is blues and others not buy for the same reason. “Suzanne Gold” falls easily into classic acoustic singer-songwriter or Americana, while “Hence the Blues (Lady Adelle)” proves not a blues at all, but an excellent country rock with the first electric guitar appearance on the release. “Up and At Em” features bluegrass banjo rolls throughout the song, giving it an up tempo, lighthearted mood that contrasts with darker lyrics. “Covenants are for Killjoys” proves an engaging, fun electric honky-tonker with some electric guitar riffing (“Covenants are for Killjoys/They hold you as you run”).

The rest of Hence the Blues suffers from a simple lack of originality. “22 Miles” sounds took much like Guy Clark wrote it. The closing “Songbird Classic” returns to mainstream singer-songwriter with a nice melody and excellent groove lost to lyrics sounding, again, too much like Guy. “Highway Mama” proves a pleasant but pedestrian Texas campfire sing along, while “Pasadena Rose” – standard Americana fare.

Ross exhibits substantial skills as a songwriter and singer, with a nice ear for both language and melody. For me, the electric guitar pieces seemed more original and better realized than the more conventional Americana songs with acoustic guitar lead. Ross has a way to go to mature fully as an artist. I look forward to his development.

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American coal: A burning issue | The Economist.

The Economist takes an in depth look at coal in America