Advantages: Beautiful voice, incredible harmonies, every song tells a story
Disadvantages: None

...Having pretty wide musical tastes, I enjoy all sorts of music from rock and jazz to country, but I’ve always had a passion for folk music and used to be a regular visitor to the local folk clubs in our area before we had kids and stopped going out for about 15 years. At this stage I'd like to make it clear that I don't sport a tangled beard, own badly fitting Aran sweaters, wear sandals with socks or break-out in unaccompanied song when I'm in my local. Nevertheless, I like all sorts of folk music, traditional and modern, Irish and Scottish, with perhaps a preference for American and in particular singer songwriters such as Paul Simon, John Prine and Leonard Cohen. One of the best of my recent CD acquisitions is a cd by singer/songwriter Kate Rusby who I believe has an abundance of talent and is capable of making... Read review

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Advantages: A very good, varied album.
Disadvantages: Some people hate Frank Turner.

...Sleep is for the Week is Frank Turner's second album since leaving the hardcore band Million Dead. He also has a new one out recently, but I'll get to that some other time. What we have here is a clean sample of British folk-rock, acoustic singer-songwriter, anti-folk, alternative.... However you classify it, it's a somewhat angry guy with a guitar and some backing musicians. It's a really nice album, longer than it's predecessor Campfire Punkrock, and it's got some interesting songs on it. So the first track is called The Real Damage, and it's got a simple texture. The song is about waking up the night after a party, feeling melancholy, thinking about life. We've all done it, and he captures it quite effectively. Vital Signs strikes you straight away, it's a stand-out track that was distributed a lot on demos and promotional CDs... Read review

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Advantages: Still the same excellent voice, lyrics, thoughts and tunes. More listenable than her other albums, nice enhanced content.
Disadvantages: Some may argue this is targeted at a more saturated market. The UK probably isn’t really the market for this, the odd weak track and no obvious outstanding track.

...This Way is Jewel Kilcher’s latest album. Jewel is a worldwide multimillion selling singer songwriter, poet, actress etc etc… She’s originally Alaskan but resides in the US and seems to be very popular worldwide but not in the UK. This is Jewel’s fourth album (if you include the Christmas one in 1999) and Jewel fans waited for 3 years for this. The previous albums, Pieces Of You and Spirit were of the folk/country variety, it may be off putting for some but I can guarantee the intelligent music listener a great piece of art. Highlights of her work include “Foolish Games”, “You Were Meant For Me” and “Hands”. In a nutshell, This Way continues from where Jewel left us with Spirit (1998) but the sound is more pop and more diverse, is this a good or bad move??? •... Read review

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Advantages: The songs are clear, pure, well written and performed
Disadvantages: None to speak of

...Never a week seems to go by at my home without a CD from someone I've never heard of but taken a chance on dropping onto my doormat. A couple of weeks ago, it was the turn of Claire Holley and her second album "Dandelion". Again, the purchase hinged upon a recommendation from buying something else and I was once again pleasantly surprised. Whilst labelled as 'country rock', the album covers more territory than that - if I was pushed, it would apply to the first track only. Claire Holley is nowhere near being a household name - which for me scores points towards actually liking what I'm going to hear. Whilst there are literally hundreds, probably thousands of female singer-songwriters coming up with similar material in the US, the fact that she's not been swallowed by the mincing machine that seems to eat up 'the next great thing' has... Read review

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Advantages: An album fullof great songs with thoughtful lyrics and sublime melodies.
Disadvantages: It would be nice if it was longer...

...existence has to have something going for it… and I’m happy to say it does. As a bit of background this is actually David Gray’s fourth album and is a remarkable achievement in the face of adversity. He has been in legal dispute with his previous two major record labels and had to record White Ladder in a London flat on his own label IHT. Apparently the album was recorded with the ‘windows open and the trucks rumbling past…’ So to the music… the songs are generally simple in composition relying on all, or a combination of sampler, guitar, and piano and of course Gray’s inimitable voice. It is true that some have drawn comparisons to Dylan and as a singer songwriter there are similarities but with whilst lyrically Dylan is in front there is no doubt in my mind that Gray’s vocal... Read review

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Advantages: Wonderful mature and bluesy collection of Larry Klein produced songs
Disadvantages: None from where I am sitting!

...India.Arie) Missing Man Foolish Thing Butterfly It's Another You Day Something Right Roadside Angel Alleluia (featuring Joe Henry) Hidden Track (after a few seconds of silence after Alleliuia, Julia sneaks in an version of Minni Ripperton's "Loving you") Opinion Julia really delivers with a beatifully eclectic set of songs which will match a whole rainbow of moods, and really show off her amazing voice. If you like Julia, I'm confident that you will love this. If your interested in a talented British singer songwriter with an amazing voice then I'm interested in who else you might suggest to listen to - I'm saying listen to Julia! If you want to preview this album, then I-tunes and Amazon have 30 second snippets of the tracks for you to and decide for yourself.... Read review

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Advantages: Relaxing music with Taylor's characteristic sound
Disadvantages: Some may find it bland

...Beautiful laid-back music. Can be found on Amazon for £6.97, Wea (Audio CD) - April 1984. James Taylor is famous for his acoustic guitar and soothing vocals with laid-back accompaniment (including influential singer/songwriter Carole King on piano). These songs draw on folk, soul, and rock influences. The cover reads: "Built around a winning collection of songs, including the major hit "Fire and Rain," James Taylor's second LP as a solo performer features the country-flavoured musicianship of such notables as bassist Randy Meisner (of the Eagles), steel guitarist Red Rhodes, fiddler Chirs Darrow and pianist Carole King. When it first appeared in 1970, Sweet Baby James thrust Taylor into the forefront of the emerging singer/songwriter movement of the Seventies, achieving Top Five chart status and remaining a best-seller for some... Read review

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Advantages: You'll read about artists you've never heard of
Disadvantages: You'll read about artists you've never heard of

..." as one of the great rock anthems of all time. The stark bluntness of the lyrics gets me every time: "And it's true we are immune When fact is fiction and TV reality. And today the millions cry We eat and drink while tomorrow they die. " Sadly, more than 20 years on and the lyrics are more applicable than they were when written. "Seconds" - I love the rythym to this song. "In an apartment on Times Square You can assemble them anywhere. Held to ransom, hell to pay A revolution every day. U.S.S.R., G.D.R., London, New York, Peking. It's the puppets, it's the puppets pull the strings, yeah. Fall, rise and... Fall, rise and... Say goodbye, say goodbye. " 9. Little Earthquakes - Tori Amos, 1991. Another first album - Tori Amos is one of the most accomplished musicians and singer/songwriters I know of... Read review

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Advantages: One of Dylans Best Albums, packed with songs from the heart.
Disadvantages: You may not like Dylans voice! Its an aquired taste!

...Anyone reading this, who has read previous music reviews that I have written, will begin to realise that I tend to favour singer/songwriters in the country/ folk/ pop/rock genre. I like music/songs that have something to say. A ballad written with a broken heart, or lyrics showcasing an outpouring of anger or strong opinions, can create a very powerful statement, in a positive way, which people will relate to for many years. Bob Dylan (Robert Allen Zimmerman) was born on May 24, 1941 in Duluth, Minnesota. He is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author and poet whose career has spanned over 40 years. His early songs are known by millions and have had many cover versions, probably the most well known being 'Blowing in the wind' 'The times they are a-changing' 'All along the watchtower' and 'A hard rain's a-gonna fall'. Some... Read review

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Advantages: Great pop songs, meaningful lyrics, wonderful voice
Disadvantages: Sadly no more

...to Kirsty’s talents; she was a brilliant songwriter who managed to fuse together so many different musical styles. If you confined Carole King, the Clash, Ralph Mctell, Bob Dylan and Phil Spectre to self imposed exile on a desert island for twelve months, they would have invented Kirsty. As the daughter of a legendary Irish folk singer, it was only to be expected that she would develop a style based on passion and conviction and she held very strong socialist views which her fans could relate to, so unlike the mega-rich stars of today. She was a very imaginative and evocative song writer who was able to absorb new musical influences. She was also very highly rated amongst her musical peers, David Byrne from Talking Heads, rated her talents highly and once said, “She has the wit of Ray Davies and harmonic invention of the Beach... Read review

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