KATEE KROSS -Show Your Hand

Young Bishopbriggs based singer songwriter KATEE KROSS has been making a name for herself over the past few years, with some notable support gigs and festival appearances.
Now comes her 4th album, “Show Your Hand”, which I think is her strongest yet. The variety of styles which Katee shows here, really is quite impressive.
With a whole album of original material, Katee has produced a 10 track offering, which will appeal to Country fans, but will find equal appeal to wider audiences too.
The title track kicks off the album. It was also the track selected as a single to promote the album. It is a particularly strong song, having quite a haunting “old west” feel to it. A really good, upbeat number to get the party started.  Do check out the video for this track.
That’s followed by “Two Outlaws”, which is much slower ballad, which really works for me.
The tempo lifts again, on “Diamonds In The Dust”, quite a catchy number.
“Dancing With My Past” is a strong ballad, which really showcases Katee’s sensitive side. It has to be one of my favourite tracks on the album.
By contrast, “Bumblebee” has a bright and breezy feel to it. It’s equally as effective, but completely different to the preceding number.
“Still The People Talk” has more of an edgy, rockier feel to it, but, again works for her. It’s a powerful song, well delivered.
“Please Stay” has quite a vintage feel to it, especially with the self harmonies, which I really liked.
“Never Meant To Be Forever” is another quite upbeat, catchy numbers, which I’m sure will get radio plays. Another of my favourite tracks.
“What Will Be” has quite a Country vibe to it, despite the instrumentation being a bit on the rocky side. It just emphasises how Katee can cover different styles, even within the same song.
The album rounds off with “Keep On Keepin’On”, which is another of the more upbeat rockier numbers, but whether it’s upbeat or slow and sensitive, Katee Kross delivers.
She puts on a very strong performance throughout the album, covering different styles, which defy genre boundaries – if you need to label the music, let’s just say it’s “Katee Kross”.
Say No more!

DEAN OWENS - The Man From Leith (Eel Pie)

DEAN OWENS has been a leading light on the Scottish & Americana scene for the past 20 years, and before that, as part of The Felsons.
“The Man From Leith (The Best Of Dean Owens)” (Eel Pie Records) has just been released, which is a great catch up on his career, if you’ve missed any of it. It features 17 self penned original tracks, scanned from seven different albums from 2001’s “The Droma Tapes” through to “Southern Wind”, released in 2018.
Dean’s appeal to me has centred around the inspiration that his homeland has played in his music. That’s evident from the biographical “Man From Leith” (about his dad) , which opens the album, through “Dora”,  ”My Town” and “Closer To Home”, to “Raining In Glasgow”, an appreciative tribute from a songwriter from Edinburgh.
But he isn’t afraid to tell of other places too, whether it be “New Mexico”, or on “Southern Wind” (one of two co-writes with Will Kimbrough, which feature on the album – the other being “The Last Song”).
Some of the stand out songs for me include “Whisky Hearts” and “Strangers Again”, which features Scottish folk singer Karine Polwart.
“Elvis Was My Brother” has always been one of my favourite tracks, and is featured here, as Dean recalls his childhood, and one of his main influences.  Johnny Cash was also an important influence, leading to his involvement in the “Cashback In Fife” Festival last month. Dean recorded “Cash Back – The Songs I Learned From Johnny” back in 2012, and features “The Night Johnny Cash Played San Quentin” here.
Dean has been involved in several other projects in recent years, including Buffalo Blood, Redwood Mountain, and a Hank Williams tribute, which don’t feature in this collection. But it does cover a good selection of songs from his 7 solo albums. The album is complimented by sleeve notes by author Irvine Welsh.
As well as CD and digital versions of the album, there’s also a 10 track LP version available.
This is a great catch up collection of one of Scotland’s Americana troubadours”!

BRANDON McPHEE - The Brandon McPhee Experience (Pan Records)

BRANDON McPHEE has really established himself on the Scottish & Country music scene in recent years. The accordion champion has really came on leaps and bounds singing Country music, as well appealing to traditional Scottish dance band fans.
His latest album, “The Brandon McPhee Experience” (Pan Records) encompasses both sides of Brandon. Alongside a number of traditional ceilidh tunes (which he really does well), there is a good mix of Country songs. His latest single “I’m Gonna Find A Way” is a really catchy number, which was first recorded by an American Country band, The Remingtons, who had a handful of chart hits in the early 90’s. This wasn’t one of them, so well done to Brandon for unearthing a hidden gem and quickly making his own.
The album also includes “Walking On The Waves” the catchy Skippinish number which features Foster & Allen.
“Good Ole Boy” is one of the other highlights on the album, another that I wasn’t familiar with, and there’s also “Ties That Bind” an old Don Williams/Brook Benton song, which Brandon does his own way, and certainly not copying the previous versions.
Better recognised will be Highway 101’s “Barely Beating Broken Heart” and a couple of big ballads “Go Rest High On That Mountain” and “Hallelujah”.
A big Billy Ray Cyrus fan, Brandon has included his version of “Old Town Road”, the hit Billy Ray had last year with rapper Lil Nas X.
With the exception of “Waves”, which was recorded in Co.Westmeath, the album was recorded in Wick at Studio-D, with addition recording from Phil Anderson, steelie Steve Hinson and fiddler Aubrey Heaney in Nashville.
A superb album giving the listener the complete Brandon McPhee Experience!

NEIL BOB HERD - Every Soul A Story" (Cattlecall Music)

If you’ve ever caught the eclectic UK- American alt-bluegrass band, The Coal Porters, you’ll have seen the amazing talent that is Scots born NEIL BOB HERD. The Coal Porters were a formidable force on the Americana music scene for 17 years, releasing 6 highly acclaimed albums.
After the band’s demise in 2018, Neil formed a new band, The Dirty Little Acoustic Band, as a vehicle for continuing his writing and performing career. And now the recorded result is “Every Soul A Story” (Cattlecall Music) which is released on Vinyl LP & CD on Valentines Day.
For a guy who has lived for many years down in Kent, he has never lost his Scottish twang, which really comes over on this album.  Neil says the album is an extension of the Coal Porters, but with a bit more electric sound and a bit more rockabilly influenced.
It’s certainly a sound that defies any categorisation. But there’s enough Country/Bluegrass influence to interest readers.
The 10 track album, which was recorded in Folkestone, kicks off with a the catchy “Badlands”, which mixes a pop beat with rockabilly rhythms, followed by “As Much As I Need To”, which had a distinct Country feel, again with a rockabilly beat.
Andrew Stafford’s  double bass keeps the rockabilly flavour going on the catchy “Book Inside Them”, which also features fellow ex Coal Porter Gemma White on fiddle. I really liked this track.
“Leave Only Love (Old Dog)” has bluegrass echoes of his Coal Porters days, but with his Caledonian vocal style shining through, making for a really nice listen.
“The Colour Of Spring” has quite a folksy feel to it, and features some lovely accordion, courtesy of Lucy Edwards, who some may recall as one of The Well Oiled Sisters, an Scottish Alt-Country band of years gone by. This track really stood out for me.
I also liked the soft ballad, ”Coming Back As Jason”, with some really nice steel licks.
To close the album, “Best Song” isn’t! (in my opinion). It’s just too pop/rock, but, I had enjoyed the album immensely by then.
Well worth checking out this exiled Scotsman.

SYDNEY DEVINE - I'm Back (Scotdisc)

Back home, and SYDNEY DEVINE has had a long and colourful career, having started out as part of The White Heather Group in 1953. He has sold records by the millions and sold out theatres all over. And Country music has always been a main part of his music, and without a doubt, responsible for its popularity here in Scotland.

Despite well reported health problems, Sydney keeps busy. He toured Scottish theatres earlier this year, and, in between concerts, spent time in Scotty’s Sound Studios in Kilsyth recording this new album, “I’m Back”.

The title track is one that Sydney has recorded before, and has been something of a signature song for him.  Some of the other songs have also been recorded before, but these are all new recordings.

The album kicks off with Bruce Springsteen’s “Hello Sunshine”. I have to say that Sydney really handles the song really well, and the song stands out on the album.

There are Country favourites like “A Fool Such As I”, “Funny How Time Slips Away”, “Paper Roses”, “57 Chevrolet” and “Half As Much”, alongside pop covers like “Beautiful Dreamer”, “Wedding Bells”, “Are You Lonesome Tonight”  and “Always On My Mind”.

I liked his version of “I’ll Be All Smiles Tonight”, an old song that goes all the way back to The Carter Family, and the gospel classic, “In The Garden”.

“Makes Me Wonder If I Ever Said Goodbye”, an old Johnny Rodriguez song, really stood out for me. It could also sum up Sydney’s career. He’s definitely here for the long haul.  But in the meantime, in the words of the title track, he’s back and the fans know just what to expect- “bring me my usual”!