JILL JACKSON - Are We There Yet?

Long time readers will recall JILL JACKSON from her days with bands called Hogtied and Jacksonville. She then went on to pop stardom with Speedway, who had a handful of pop hits including “Genie In A Bottle”, which was a Top 10 hit.

But, as Jill says in the publicity for her new album recalls, “Being signed to a major label is an amazing experience when you are 22. But with a major comes the moulding into something you never intended to be. I was touring arenas when all I wanted was to play at The Bluebird in Nashville”.

She has been involved with several projects over the years, including forming a band called “The Chaplins”, inspired by Charlie Chaplin.

Her new album, her 5th, is “Are We There Yet?” , which not only takes us on a personal journey throughout her life, but also encompasses all the various influences she’s picked up over the years.

The title track is inspired by the packing the car for the annual summer holiday trip from Paisley to Blackpool, with one Buddy Holly tape for entertainment. We’ve all been there, and Jill really captures the mood well. I love the simple solo mandolin intro.

The album kicks off with “1954”, the story of her grandparents, who met that year, and closes with “Goodbye”, a song she started when her gran was sick, and finished after she passed. That’s how personal this album is for Jill.

Every track is different. The most Country tracks include “Worries”, which is so catchy, whilst

“Hope And Gasoline” is a moody number, which takes her back to being 17 years old, leaving school, and wanting to meet the world. This is probably the strongest song on the album.

She does have a few softer ballads, like “Sweet Lullaby”, which features folk singer Kathleen MacInnes. It’s a really sweet number, and their voices blend beautifully.

“Dynamite” is a modern upbeat number, which recalls the effect crippling anxiety had on her.

From her Chaplin influence from an earlier project, Jill has a 1930’s jazzy style on a few of the songs, and, I have to say, they’re really irresistibly catchy. They include “My Baby”, “Needles And Thread”, which she refers to as her “Lindy Hop”, and “Finally” which has quite a swing to feel to it.  This style really suits Jill’s vocals.

Jill has really matured as a singer and songwriter over the years. She displays incredible versatility in the material here, some of it recalling quite traumatic times in her life.  Her voice is so pure, it just melts in your ears, and the production, led by the highly acclaimed Boo Heweredine, is just so perfect.

It’s a wonderful album. I cannot recommend it highly enough! 

THE DADDY NAGGINS - Live At Celtic Connections 2018

Next up, we have a new CD from Glasgow based bluegrass band, THE DADDY NAGGINS. The band originally formed back in 2010, and have had several line up changes along the way.

Currently the five piece outfit features original members Darren Young (guitar), Garry McFadden (banjo), Laura Beth Salter (mandolin), Hazel Mairs (double bass) and Aileen Reid (Fiddle).  They all share lead and harmony vocals.

Their new 10 track was recorded “Live at Celtic Connections 2018”, in two sessions. The first five tracks were performed at The Danny Stage (broadcast live on Celtic Music Radio) at the Royal Concert Hall, and the rest in a live session at Celtic Music Radio’s studios for the “Celtic Country” programme.

The instrumentation is superb throughout, and the harmonies, as I say, are fantastic.

Their song choice is also quite wide. If you think bluegrass music not you’re cup of tea (or moonshine!), then here’s a band who will change your mind.

Yes, they can play mean bluegrass classics like “Roll On Buddy”, and instrumentals like “Flint Hill Special” and “Salt Spring”, but can also breathe new life into The Eagles’ “How Long”, Johnny & June’s “Jackson” and even Elton John’s “Rocket Man”. The also do a cover of the Merle Haggard/Tommy Collins song “Poor Broke Mixed Up Mess Of A Heart”.

The CD opens with Hazel leading the vocals on “Old New Straitsville Moonshine Run”, a good upbeat number, followed by Darren’s bikers song “1952 Vincent Black Lightening”. One track I especially liked was Michael Martin Murphy’s “Carolina In The Pines”.

But I loved every note on this album. A superb album, which shows that you don’t have to travel to East Tennessee or Kentucky to hear first class bluegrass music.

www.facebook.com/thedaddynaggins/

MICHAEL McMILLAN -Cross Country

Another home-grown album comes from Glasgow based singer songwriter MICHAEL McMILLAN . Michael is not new to music, having started off playing bagpipes and drums, before discovering The Beatles and The Stones. But it was the American acts like The Eagles, Jackson Browne and Bruce Springsteen that really influenced him.
He has had three albums released before he released “Cross Country” earlier this year. The album, largely influenced by a coast to coast American road trip, featuring 14 self penned tracks, produced at The Foundry Lab by Graeme Duffin (Wet Wet Wet/Ashton Lane).
The projects kicks off with “Alive Again”, which has been a popular Hotdisc Top 10 single. It’s a good radio friendly commercial number, and it’s easy to hear why radio have picked up on it.
The other track which has stirred some reaction is “Scars And Stripes”, another upbeat number, which tells of the “unseen” homeless population across America. It’s a really well constructed song, with a strong message, which hopefully might just hit a nerve or two.
Michael has made a play on words and phrases, not only on “Scars And Stripes”, but also on the likes of “Forgotten But Not Gone” and “Three’s A Cloud”.
There are quite a few ballads, including “Death By Broken Heart”, “My Best Friend” and “Turn Up The Silence”. “My Son” is one of the slower numbers which really stood out for me.
Amongst the other tracks that really worked for me was the catchy “Miracles” and “The Man”.
I really enjoyed this album. A good set of songs, well written and produced.
A homegrown talent you should certainly check out.
https://michaelmcmillanmusic.com