JOLENE & BARRY - Just Another Love

“Just Another Love” features 13 tracks, and like they do on stage, they deliver a broad mix of popular covers, old & new, which suits dancers and listeners alike.
This time around, they feature long time favourites like Lynn Anderson’s “Rose Garden”, Merle Haggard’s “Lonesome Fugitive” and Crystal Gayle’s “Somebody Loves You”, alongside Alan Jackson’s “Five O Clock Somewhere”, Hal Ketchum’s “Small Town Saturday Night” and Tim McGraw’s “Just To See You Smile”.
The vocals are split with Jolene leading on eight tracks, with Barry taking the lead on five.
The two tracks which stand out for me, are Barry’s version of “Too Gone For Too Long”, which he gives a real old timey feel to, and Jolene’s beautiful version of Dan Hill’s “Sometimes When we Touch”.
After over 30 years on the scene, the Falkirk based duo know their audience, and know the songs that their audience want. This new collection is certainly one for their fans to add to their collection.

GRASS ROUTES - On The Sunny Side Of The Mountain

“On The Sunny Side Of The Mountain” has to be one of the most refreshing albums I’ve heard for a long time. It comes from GRASS ROUTES, who are Roy Bayne, Dave Smith, Murray Wilson and John More, who have been in various bands throughout the years, and bring a wealth of experience to the new group.
As the CD liner notes say, “The roots of Grass Routes are in the 60’s where everyone seemed to be involved in the folk revival, but the next forty years saw the folk bands become country bands, bluegrass bands and rock bands, and musical influences grew to include Flatt & Scruggs, Hank Williams and Gram Parsons”.
Don’t expect a modern sound from these guys. This is real feel good old time bluegrass and western swing. There’s superb fiddle, banjo, steel, double bass and wonderful harmonies.
They are at their best on the uptempo numbers like “Good Ol’ Mountain Dew”, “Lost And I’ll Never Find The Way”, “Corrina Corrina” and “Teardrops In My Eye”, but also add something to the classic ballads they feature , especially “She Thinks I Still Care” and “I Cant Help It If I’m Still In Love with You”.
The band have been featured on STV’s The Hour, and can be seen live on the third Tuesday of every month at The Cedar Inn, Aberdour, with a similar gig on Saturdays at The Halfway House, Kingseat in Dunfermline.
They are also hoping to get back into the mainstream Country clubs, and would certainly be a blast of fresh air, wherever they play.
I loved the album. Superb stuff.

WYNNTOWN MARSHALLS - Westerner

Let me introduce you to The WYNNTOWN MARSHALS. They are a 5 piece Edinburgh based band, who draw their influences from the likes of The Jayhawks, Ryan Adams and Neil Young. Yes this is Country Rock – Scottish style!
Keith Benzie, lead vocalist and songwriter, together with Keith Jones, Iain Sloan,Iain Barbour and Murdo Macleod got together in 2007, and the following year toured as support to Chuck Prophet (whose latest album “Dreaming Waylon’s Dream” is a complete recover of Jenning’s “Dreaming My Dreams” 1975 album).
Now, their debut album, “Westerner” has just been released (Charger Records) . The album was recorded in Fife, with all but one song written by Benzie.
The exception is a superb cover of LA Guns’ “Ballad of Jayne”, which is also out as a single, and has been picking up some credible airplay.
The subject matter of the original songs range from the almost extinct albino gorilla in “Snowflake”, a fateful long Greyhound bus trip in “48 Hours”, and remembering 50’s pin-up in “Gil”.
The vocals are strong, and the instrumentation is superb!.
There’s a lovely slow reflective instrumental interlude,”El Prado”, half way through, which is quite well fitting.
If you like your Country a bit on the rocky side, then be sure to check out The Wynntown Marshals.