Live Review: Mason Levi and Bronnie at Bolton Spring Farm

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photo by Geoff Wilbur

Mason Levi and Bronnie

Bolton Spring Farm, Bolton, MA

October 11, 2026

It was a crisp October day in the outer Boston suburbs – one of the coldest days so far this year and cooler than typical for the first half of October – and the rain that, just a day earlier, had been forecast to miss the time slot delivered light sprinkles a few hours earlier than expected. But that didn’t matter because Bolton Spring Farm had prepared a really cool set-up for the day’s performance from talented, rising Nashville artists Mason Levi and Bronnie. And a little ingenuity kept the rain off the performers when it arrived, while some of the rest of us grabbed the umbrellas from our cars. Add to that some truly inspired pizza (and donuts, I believe, though I had the pizza) from food truck – rather, food trailer – vendor Wheat + Water Crafted Doughz, and the setting was still pretty ideal for a fun early fall concert in a very cool, unique setting.

photo by Geoff Wilbur

So how did I come across this show? Simple, half-accident: social media. Then, of course, I checked out Mason’s and Bronnie’s music, their solo releases, plus their collaborations, including “Memory Lane,” which reached number five on the UK country charts, and I was sold. How does that UK charting happen? Well, though both are Nashville-based, Bronnie’s from Liverpool (while Mason’s from Pennsylvania). Plus, “Memory Lane” is a catchy, fun, hit-worthy song. Obviously hit-worthy in the UK because it is a hit there, but I’ve gotta say globally, too. Bronnie’s also earned a nomination for Female Artist of the Year nomination from this year’s British Country Music Awards and released her Sedona Sunrise album, containing a bunch of catchy tracks, including “Memory Lane,” this summer. Mason, in his own right, had a high-energy hitworthy solo release this summer, “Wrong One Right Time.” Yowza! Suffice it to say, this was a pair of talented artists I was excited to see live.

The Bolton Spring Farm had a nice stage set-up for the duo, on the back of a flatbed truck. Mason and Bronnie largely swapped lead vocal roles, alternating songs during the performance. Mason kicked things off with a fun rendition of Toby Keith’s “Should Have Been a Cowboy.” Other first set highlights included Mason’s leads of “Dixieland Delight,” “Every Rose Has Its Thorn,” and “Boondocks,” while Bronnie delivered exceptional performances of Taylor Swift’s “You Belong With Me,” Shania Twain’s “Still the One,” Carrie Underwood’s “Before He Cheats,” and the Beatles’ “Let It Be.”

The first set also featured the aforementioned original Mason Levi-Bronnie duet, “Memory Lane.” One of the best things about a well-written, properly-chosen original is that they’re able to truly play to the artists’ strengths, and this song, like pretty much all of the originals I’ve sampled from these two online, absolutely does. It’s not surprising they had a hit on their hands with this fun song.

photo by Geoff Wilbur

The final two songs of the first set were notably fun. Mason served up one of my favorite Joe Nichols songs, “Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off” – I’ve been a Joe Nichols fan ever since I interviewed him in connection with his self-titled debut album on the Intersound label back in the mid-’90s, and to this day, I can’t hear the song without laughing about the plot twist in its music video. Bronnie then closed the set out strong with her rendition of Dolly’s “Jolene.”

After a short break, the duo returned for the second set. Mason kicked it off with a great performance of Luke Combs’ “When It Rains It Pours.” Bronnie followed with a cool performance of Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire,” and I really enjoyed the lilt in her voice on this one. Mason then delivered a performance of Craig Morgan’s “Almost Home” with well-placed strained emotion in his vocal delivery. Highlights of the rest of the set included Bronnie’s performance of Fleetwood Mac’s “Go Your Own Way,” the pair swapping Randy Travis covers, and Mason serving up Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues.” Of course, I dig originals, and, just as in the first set, Bronnie served one up during the second set, an energetic performance of the catchy “Sedona Sunrise,” the title track from her current album, an album that’s a big hit in the UK and, of course, worthy of the same in the US.

Mason and Bronnie performed a third set, as well, making this a 3-set, 4-hour concert for those who stayed for the entire show, though I was only able to stay for the first two sets. This weekend kicked off the current U.S. leg of their tour, kicking off with 4 shows in the Boston area. This Instagram post shares their full slate of tour dates, landing next in Pennsylvania before continuing through Tennessee, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and Kentucky, with Hawaii, Colorado, Utah, and California dates yet to be announced. Absolutely catch them if you can!

Album Review: Girl with a Hawk – Regenesis

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photo by Kelly Davidson; photo courtesy of Knyvet

Album Review of Girl with a Hawk: Regenesis (Rum Bar Records)

Two of the songs on Girl with a Hawk‘s Regenesis were part of my GWAH 3-singles review last year. But “Share It All” and “No One Like You” are joined by 7 other cool old-school rock numbers on this full-length release.

As on the singles, Linda Viens (lead vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar) is joined by Richard Lamphear (keyboards), Daniel Coughlin (guitars), Daniel George Bernfeld (bass), and Nancy Delaney (drums), a line-up whose tight working relationship helps deliver the cohesive sound that ties together this classic, rollicking, varied rock ‘n roll effort with all the musicianship of a strong collection of instrumentalists while maintaining the loose, jamming, raw vibe of a top-shelf garage band.

cover art by Carissa Johnson; image courtesy of Knyvet

The record kicks off with the steady, swaying “Way with Words,” a modest rockin’ complaint of a number that keeps things musically light even when the lyrics suggest annoyance, resulting in a fun disc-opener. (Apologies to those who walk by when I listen with headphones on, since there are a couple spots where I always sing along. I can’t seem to stop myself.)

It’s followed by perhaps the signature song on this record, “I’m in Love with My Friends,” a cheerfully reminiscent, uptempo number with a totally sing-along chorus. Locals will also dig the shout-out to favorite Cambridge live-music-and-drinkin’ spot the Plough and Stars.

“No One Like You,” part of last year’s GWAH singles review, slots in nicely in the third slot, keeping the energy lively and positive. Things then get a little more “real” on “The Fighter,” a thoughtful, dense-feeling, heavy power rocker.

The lightness returns immediately on the pleasantly melodic “Share It All,” which was also part of last year’s review and remains one of my favorites on this record. It’s followed by “Full Moon,” an interesting, thumping amalgam that hides a thoughtful treatise on modern society within a moderately rueful relationship song that, musical, doesn’t change direction throughout the song, unique as part of this collection.

Girl with a Hawk slows things down with gravelly ballad “Beautiful Today.” A waltz, in fact. Very cool! “It’s the Way” follows, hinting at progressive rock influences during its opening before settling into a relatively GWAH-typical, steady rocker with harmonies, musical flourishes, a singalongable “woo hoo hoo,” and vocal and lyrical nuances to keep the attentive listener happily occupied for at least a few dozen listens.

Finally – and far too soon – Regenesis ends with another of my personal favorites, “Wasn’t It Just Yesterday,” an energetic, buzzy rockin’ ode to being a rocker, notably an aging rocker, noting “the only trouble is I forgot I’m getting old.” Young at heart, though. And cool af. Both this song and the life of a rocker.

And the album, Regenesis. If you’ve got a collection of ’70s/’80s rock albums, this belongs as one of your new classic entries. And I noticed Rum Bar is selling it on vinyl, too, if you’re so inclined. Just sayin’. It’s also worth getting to know these songs in preparation for seeing Girl with a Hawk perform them live, something I wholeheartedly recommend!

Single Review: Eric Bibb – “Didn’t I Keep Runnin'”

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photo by Jan Malmstrom; photo courtesy of Mark Pucci Media

Single Review of Eric Bibb: “Didn’t I Keep Runnin'” (Repute Records)

Eric Bibb is a Grammy award-winning bluesman. “Didn’t I Keep Runnin'” was the third single released in advanced of Bibb’s winter album release, One Mississippi. Musically, the song is catchy, with a deeply engaging rhythmic groove, the uplifting of spring of frequent fiddle work bowing its way through and offering well-placed flourishes, Bibb’s occasionally emphatic banjo playing, and vocal depth lent by a the song’s backup singers. And, of course, Bibb’s vocals, tuneful even when often close to being spoken word.

image courtesy of Mark Pucci Media

Throughout, the song maintains a feeling of being off-balance, with the swift entrance and exit – over and over – of different instruments lending to the unpredictability, while still remaining tuneful and cohesive. All the while, the steady, relentless rhythm carries forward the feeling that there’s a pursuit in progress. And indeed, in the lyrics, there is a chase going on. Bibb summed up the story behind the song in his quote from the song’s press release. Said Bibb about the song, “This song was inspired by an old photograph, depicting a peg-footed banjo player, who was surely a slave who had tried to escape. Runaway slaves who were captured after unsuccessful attempts to flee, were often punished with the amputation of afoot to prevent further flight and to discourage other slaves from trying. As I see it, we’re all still on the road to freedom.” That’s some heavy subject matter for such an enjoyably engaging song.

The musicianship plays a huge role in this song’s appeal, so it’s worth mentioning the performers. On “Didn’t I Keep Runnin’,” Eric Bibb (lead vocals, 6-string banjo) is joined by Robbie McIntosh (slide Angelus guitars), Zosha Warpeha (hardanger fiddle), Glen Scott (drums, percussion, bass, electric guitars, backing vocals, handclaps, string programming, keyboards), and Sara Bergkvist Scott and Shaneeka Simon (backing vocals, handclaps).

I’ve heard some of the other tracks that appear on One Mississippi. Great songs, too, but whew, I was really drawn to “Didn’t I Keep Runnin'” and wanted to give it its own review. (Also, I’ve simply listened to this song so many more times than the others that it’s the only one I can really do justice in a review.) Whatever draws you to this song – and there’s so much to appreciate – I suspect a broad swath of music fans will really enjoy it. And from the brief sampling I’ve done of the rest of the record, if “Didn’t I Keep Runnin'” piques your interest, you may want to check out the full album, where you’re likely to find other new favorites.

Album Review: D.C. Anderson – Songs Stay Sung

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image courtesy of D.C. Anderson

Album Review of D.C. Anderson: Songs Stay Sung

D.C. Anderson has a versatile, very showtune-styled performance style adeptly combined with a singer-songwriter’s sensibility and an uncanny ability to turn a phrase. That’s showcased repeatedly, in all its glory, on his most recent full-length album, Songs Stay Sung. Often, D.C.’s albums can be heavy, thoughtful, introspective – all reasons I’ve enjoyed and reviewed them. This one doesn’t stray far from his bailiwick, but it does contain some truly lighter moments. Song Stay Sung is, indeed, an exploration of songs that are… worth staying sung? OK, well, that’s a severely strained sentence, so let’s just say the album’s hella cool to listen to.

This album grabbed me right from the start with the uplifting-flavored “Oh Man,” a Harry Chapin-penned number that leaps to life with D.C.’s emphatic vocal performance atop playful strumming and picking, thanks to enthusiastic acoustic guitarwork from Gantt Kushner. It flows nicely into the piano-led old standard “The Very Thought Of You,” wherein D.C.’s voice soars and squeezes every ounce of style and tunefulness out of this classic favorite. David Robison’s impeccable pianowork combines with D.C.’s emotive delivery produce a rendition of this song that’ll find its way to my favorites playlist.

“Something in the Valley,” next, transports the listener to a backwoods town. D.C. notes the song originated from the Perch Creek Family Jug Band. I guess I have a new band to research, but this does sound like a jug band’s kinda song, and guitarist Kushner is joined by harmonica-player Rob Paparozzi, whose eerily haunting opening notes foreshadow what’s to come. D.C. delivers great big, powerful vocal bellows, as if into a “holler,” or perhaps the bellows holler into a dark, unsettlingly foggy valley. D.C.’s voice rattles in the ideal spots during the lyrics “I got shivers runnin’ up and down my spine” before shaking in audible fear, letting you know all is not right because “mama, there’s something in the valley tonight!”

photo courtesy of D.C. Anderson

Never fear, though. Apparently D.C. survived whatever was in the valley, because he lived to sing song number four, “The Touch of an Old Friend’s Hand.” This may sound odd, but the sparse guitar strumming and the first few lyrics remind me of Kermit singing the opening of “Rainbow Connection.” Indeed, even in a later lyric, “I’ll just singing songs about leaving,” I half-expect the last word of that phrase to be “rainbows.” Muppet comparisons aside, this is a thoughtful song, as D.C.’s slow-paced vocals and little bit of harmonica work combine with Kushner’s widely-spaced guitar strums to deliver a pleasantly heartfelt rendition of this sweet Guy Drollinger-penned number.

There’s a nifty little guitar flourish on “Time,” next, that causes lightness in what would otherwise be a heavy song, with D.C.’s theatrical vocals rising sharply to add well-placed intensity here and there throughout this cover from Jonatha Brooke’s 2014 album My Mother Has 4 Noses. Perhaps moreso than any other song on this record, it showcases the full spectrum of D.C.’s vocal capabilities, ranging from softness to extreme power and forcefulness.

“Oh, This Time,” next, is a D.C. cowrite, with D.C.’s lyrics paired with Matt Vinson’s music. Robison mans the piano on this number, while D.C. forcefully delivers his own words, which plumb the emotions of loss, providing, over the course of the song, glimpses of the wide range of emotions experienced during such a time. D.C. follows it with a rendition of Mary Chapin Carpenter’s “Between Here and Gone” that’s sensitive and graceful, supported well by Kushner’s patterned strumming, rising and falling with D.C.’s vocal power.

“Summons” is D.C.’s musical portrayal of a poem written by Aurora Levins Morales, a poem that carries a grandmother’s – or, rather, every grandmother’s – hope for piece. So yeah, this album does get deep and heavy. And it doesn’t stop there. “Promised Land” follows; it’s the Alan Chapman-penned song about a journey across the ocean hoping for a better life, a sentiment brought to life by the nooks and crannies of D.C.’s vocals, capturing the range of emotions while painting pictures that tell a story.

The mood gets lighter when D.C. takes on the playful Roy Zimmerman-penned “I Approve This Message,” which may carry a solid political message but is also frequently downright silly. If you’ve never heard D.C. perform a song like this, well, he’s a master. His voice can spin from serious to ridiculous on a dime, delivering just the right tone at the right time to tie the whole friggin’ thing together. This song is in most ways very different from “Pelican,” which I reviewed as part of my review of D.C.’s Believe, Breathe and Sing album, but, at least with respect to D.C.’s ability to provide the right tone to an otherwise ridiculous lyric, the two songs remind me a fair bit of each other.

Finally, D.C. closes the record with its title track, “Songs Stay Sung.” There’s a little feeling of an Irish dirge to this Zoe Mulford cover. Simultaneously dark and playful. A light ode to human impermanence, circling back to the lyric “love stays loved and songs stay sung.”

Indeed, this collection of songs stay sung. And enjoyably listened to. I’m a big fan of D.C.’s work as a recording artist, but this might be my favorite collection of his, at least the few albums I’ve listened to (and mostly reviewed) since I first encountered his music.

More Recently

image courtesy of D.C. Anderson

I had thought I might set aside Songs Stay Sung when I received my copy of D.C.’s next recording, the EP For Woody, which dropped just a few months later. But I really wanted to review Songs Stay Sung, so it remained the “feature” review, with For Woody relegated to a mere paragraph at the end here, certainly much less than it deserves. Regardless, here’s a quick overview of the EP. “For Woody,” you might guess, was inspired by Woody Guthrie. It’s the first of the five protest songs on this 5-song record, a disc comprised entirely of D.C. Anderson-penned lyrics, no covers. The rest of the songs are “Be Thou Our Vision,” “In Case I’m Disappeared,” “Twenty Twenty Six,” and “What a Time to Be Alive in America.” You can hear them all on the For Woody EP. They are also 5 of the 16 songs on D.C.’s “Songs for the Resistance” Spotify playlist, which you might enjoy if you’re looking for a larger collection of, as D.C. puts it, “songs for the resistance.”

 

Live Review: Britt Connors Band at The Haymarket Lounge

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photo by Geoff Wilbur

Britt Connors Band

The Haymarket Lounge at City Winery, Boston, MA

October 1, 2026

A few months ago, I caught a Britt Connors performance for the first time, opening for Danielle Miraglia at Sanctuary in Maynard, MA. That show was an acoustic performance, with Britt on acoustic guitar accompanied only by bass player Ed Lucie. As much as an acoustic performance can be fun and can help you discover an artist you’re happy to learn about, it’s never quite the same as a full band performance. A full, live, plugged-in performance often showcases an artist’s songs in a new light, closer to what he or she envisions, which is why I prefer them. Of course, I’m aware my opinion isn’t universal. But hey, it explains I was so excited to get this opportunity to hear Britt perform with a full band on Thursday night. For this particular concert in City Winery’s Haymarket Lounge, Britt was joined by Mike Connors on drums, Ed Lucie on bass, Jim Kelly on guitar, and Bethany Weiman on cello.

Britt and company opened the show with “Hummingbird,” a crowdpleaser that immediately impressed upon me how cool some of these songs would be with the addition of strings (cello). Next up, Britt performed “Innocence and All,” a song with a nifty, cool edge and a kinda spooky vibe a little when the music got low. “Cecilia” followed, thumpin’ along like a rockin’ version of a sassy old-school country song. Or maybe blues, especially with the blues feel in the guitarwork and Britt’s very bluesy wails in the vocals.

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Before the next song, Britt explained how a Dolly Parton-inspired song seemed to arrive inside of her brain, how it was brought into the world. Indeed, “Waltz for Dolly” really painted a picture like an old-school Dolly-style song, but Britt has her very own bluesy vocal edge that makes this song entirely hers, even if she thinks it should be credited to Dolly. Worth noting, too, is that the stringwork is neatly prominent here. A very cool lyric, “were we living or just doing time?” also especially caught my ear.

“Anchor Me” does a great job of showing off the power of Britt’s vocals in spots. I also love the cheerful tone in the music during the verses and how the instruments kind of take it up a notch about a line into each verse and here and there elsewhere. It’s the sort of thing that shows attention to detail in the songwriting process and a sense of how different elements play into the feel of a song. Very cool, indeed!

Next up was “Distance,” and while the band’s harmonies lift other songs in the set, Britt called them out specifically in advance of this particular song, a powerful, slower-paced number with a neatly whirling feeling. I suppose I could also call it haunting, but I use that word too often in reviews, so let’s go with whirling in this instance, with perhaps a side order of haunting. And, yeah, the harmonies are key players during “Distance,” particularly in the chorus.

“Beaufort Breakdown” was next, and if I can paint a picture for you, think of an uptempo number with a Hee Haw-ready rhythm – you know, fast-paced. But that’s not really fair because the guitar, in places, and vocals are a bit bluesier. Regardless, this song is a real crowd favorite. And my wife and I actually spent about an hour in Beaufort once many years ago, enjoying its cute waterfront park, but now I feel like we were cheated by not witnessing a breakdown while there.

“Killing Frost” was one of my favorites of the evening. It’s a sweet, floating autumn song that leans into portions of the sweeter end of Britt’s voice and features some big, flowing cello swoops and a cool Ed Lucie chord progression Britt mentioned as the backbone of the song during her introduction. By this point, it had become obvious that Britt really does have great depth and variety in her vocal arsenal, and it’s quite something when she uses them in the same song.

photo by Geoff Wilbur

The first set closed with “Restless,” a song sporting a rich, full sound while advancing unevenly, kind of staccato, though technically I’m not using that word exactly right. Regardless, it features a cool effect where it slows to nearly nothing then comes back forcefully, first just vocally then in a bit of a band-all-in way. A great ending to a first set.

After a short break, the band returned with an emotionally heavy song, “Steppin’ In,” written following the Minneapolis killings. A serious number with a funky vibe. And the some of the most soulful vocal runs of the evening. The song packs a punch. “Exhale” followed, a song gets you swaying in your seat and yet another example of how having a cello onstage can adds some unique flavor to a performance.

“Just One Time” featured insistent vocals and a nifty guitar part with some noodling runs, delivered with some attitude. This song ended with a full-blown guitar showcase, an impressive performance, as the increased unleashing of some of the band’s instrumental talents during the second set lent a fresh dynamic to the back half of the evening. It was followed by “I Told You So,” which continued the attitude from its precedessor on the setlist. It also made me wonder, do Britt’s angry songs all feature her guitarist’s best solos?

“Days Like This,” next, was a throwback to a ’70s light pop singer-songwriter style, smooth and summery and nostalgic because, well, Britt wrote it about the house she grew up in. Next was a cover – I believe the only one of the evening. Britt noted her love of Deb Talan‘s “Unraveling” in the pre-song banter and, indeed, it was a great cover choice. The band’s rendition fit well into the set, showing off some of Britt’s dynamic vocal skills while thumping along stylistically in line with many of her originals.

“Cinderella Blues” is a fun, uptempo, rockin’ song, and the band’s performance included a cool bass solo, allowing Ed to show off his chops a bit. Ah, but there was a guitar solo at the end, where Jim was able to show off some of his serious skills, too.

The evening closed with “Lay My Head,” a soft song, but not a lullaby. No, it was soulful and rather gospelly. Depending on how many years you’ve been going out for entertainment, you may recall the days when Van Halen’s “Happy Trials” closed the bars, and then how it was replaced by Semisonic’s “Closing Time.” Well, this, too, is a great send-off song, stylistically. On this particular evening, it also offered the band a chance to show off, with the cello showcased during a musical run, followed by a weeping guitar solo and a plucky bass solo before Britt brought it to a close, reminding everyone of the textured vocals she’s capable of in slower songs. And with that, the Britt Connors Band brought to a close an enjoyable evening featuring an interesting mix of well-crafted, entertaining songs. It was well worth a Thursday night trip into the city to catch these talented performers! I know I’m looking forward to catching another Britt Connors Band concert one of these days.

Looking Ahead

Be sure to check the “Shows” page of Britt Connors’ website for future performances. She has 3 more “second Saturdays” afternoon performances on tap this year at Sanctuary in Maynard, MA, with the next one coming up Saturday, October 10th at 2:30 PM. She also has a “songwriters in the round” performance scheduled on November 18th at Cafe Zing in Porter Square in Cambridge, MA, in a more typical evening time slot, 7:30 PM. You can check back at the website periodically for updates and/or follow Britt on social media at Facebook or Instagram to learn about upcoming shows. And, if you’re lucky, you’ll get to hear the next big hit variety show theme song, too.

Album Review: Florence Sommerville – Endless Horizon

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image courtesy of AFC Management & Publicity

Album Review of Florence Sommerville: Endless Horizon

Acclaimed young British country music artist Florence Sommerville shows her talent and range on Endless Horizon, her full-length album featuring 12 songs plus 4 CD-only bonus tracks.

Sommerville has a classic country vocal sound, sort of. Her style has a hint of folk-country storyteller but with the carefree energy of a Stevie Nicks. Coincidentally, one of the “bonus” songs on her CD is “Landslide,” so she clearly leans into that persona. It’s a sound that comes off as intimate but with the power to entertain a big crowd from a festival stage. In fact, I’ve noted on Sommerville’s Instagram – yes, I follow most of the artists I add to my review queue on one or more social media – that she’s been a big hit on the festival circuit in the UK this summer. What else have I noticed on Sommerville’s Insta? Well, Endless Horizon won UK Country Album of the Year at the UK Country Music Awards this month. So I’m in broad company when I tell you this is a must-hear record from a talented artist.

photo courtesy of AFC Management & Publicity

The record itself is a broadly-pleasing collection of appealing songs. Well-written, frequently storytelling. Many of them come from the voice of a free spirit, and Sommerville presents herself as someone who fits that persona. Several songs are sung from an American perspective, though there’s a mention of London on one track that befits a UK country-Americana artist like Sommerville. At the same time, she’s convincingly American where the song calls for it. Some songs are fresh and young, while others are backward-looking stories that are sung with the wisdom and from a perspective of someone well beyond Sommerville’s years. All that is to say, she’s a helluva performer, a great storyteller, and not at all bound by age or geography in her ability to spin a convincing yarn.

I have so many favorites on this record, I barely know where to start. At the beginning, I suppose. First song “(I’ll Be Your) Best Broken Heart,” which kicks off with a big, swaying sound and leans into the whole free spirit thing: “I’m all in for the moment. I’ll be the best thing you have going. Even when I leave a mark, I’ll be your best broken heart.” Add softly wailing soft rock guitar mini-runs in the bridges and verses, and you’ve got potential hit number one right at the start.

“Fearless” is a fun, rowdy number – lyrically, at least, more mid-tempo by tempo – that celebrates youth and bad decisions. Next track “Overton” is a poignant storytelling song that does that cool thing where it’s told in the third person until late in the song when the story turns first-person, prompting the thought of “Aha! It was you all along! I knew it!” Of course, Sommerville’s too young for this to be her first-person song, but you forget that, since the character in the song is convincingly much older, looking back.

photo courtesy of AFC Management & Publicity

“Broken Pieces,” next, has a fiesty honkytonk feel, one that’ll have you swaying in your seat or, almost certainly, paying rapt attention if seeing it performed live.

Next up, “California” is slower, more wistful, seemingly exhausted. And yet, when it gets to the chorus, hopeful. And the chorus reveals that the story behind the song takes the same journey as the song’s sound itself takes from verse to chorus, then starts over with the next verse, though slightly less wistful and perhaps a little more reminiscent that the first verse. And the cool chorus lyric that begins with “I would drive down to California” and ends with “finding me without you.” As with the album opener, there are spots for crying, wailing soft rock guitar, and it’s appropriately used mostly in the bridges at first, though seemingly throughout the song by the end. It’s a soft, smooth, and wickedly cool tune.

“Out Where the Love Grows” is a warm, proud proclamation of small-town life and, in particular, of one’s hometown. There’s a country bounce and twang, musically, to this most country of all country sentiments, a song subject that’s immensely popular among those country music fans who’ve grown up in small towns, whether they’ve stayed or left. Sommerville’s entry into this category is impeccable, by the way. No surprise there. Ideal for a county fair. Or a soft, intimate, moderate-tempoed moment on a big concert stage.

photo courtesy of AFC Management & Publicity

“Silly Little Things,” next, lightens things up. It’s not as if the preceding song had a heavy mood. Not at all. And it’s not as if this isn’t reminiscent; it most surely is. But somehow it’s still a little lighter, even though it’s about changing one’s life. Like so much of this album – and this exceptionally talented artist – the songs are straightforward and, at the same time, a contradiction. It’s a nifty, clever song, though, quite likely some people’s favorite from this album.

Some of the songs to this point have been thoughtful and a little heavy, but for the first time the songs get darker on “Forget the Water”: “No there ain’t no similarity. Your ever-changing personality. I don’t know if I can live this way much longer. Forget the water, there’s something in the whiskey.” It’s a song about the contradictions. Sad, wistful, thoughtful, a song with a slow pace and careful voice inflections that tell not just a story but the emotions behind the story. It’s not the first serious song on the record, but it’s the first hard-swallow, lump-in-your-throat number. Whew!

After that, some relief is needed, and Sommerville provides just such relief with the playfully cheerful sound of “Love Me Then.” Oh, the subject is of love unrequited, but it’s fun journey through a love-not-quite and one of my (many) favorite songs along this Endless Horizon.

“Boots in the Rain” is a thumping, very country-sounding twanger of a travellin’ song, a free-spirited view of enjoying life wherever country music takes you. Oh, and this is the one song that clearly references England rather than the U.S. – it contains the lyric “it’s cold here in London,” something I mention for no real reason other than I wrote about it earlier in the review.

photo courtesy of AFC Management & Publicity

“Molasses,” next, opens with an almost ominous guitar chord, and the song, both stylistically and musically, keeps the listener off-balance throughout. I keep hoping this song is somehow connected to the Great Molasses Flood of Boston, but, alas, no. Rather, it’s a haunting song whose style matches its well-crafted lyrics.

The the final song is “Cut and Run,” a warm, summery, hopeful song about a mismatched romance. And perhaps Sommerville in the role of the romantic with the “gypsy mind” is what starts the Stevie Nicks comparison. It is the last song on the album, so it’s a mental picture that endures. And it is a damn fun song. More likely, though, it sets the table for the comparison, allowing the bonus cover on Nicks’ “Landslide” to seal the deal.

As for it actually being Endless Horizon‘s final song, that’s only sometimes true. It’s the end of the digital album, but the CD contains four acoustic “bonus tracks.” And four very cool ones, too.

The first bonus track, “Whisky in the Morning,” is a wailer in which Sommerville’s voice rises, falls, and connects with the song’s character, a downtrodden man whose day starts with, you guessed it, whiskey in the morning. The song’s delivery really connects with the lyrics’ depression and hopelessness. But, you know, in an appealing way.

Bonus song two is the aforementioned “Landslide.” Sommerville sings it with all the requisite fragile vocal nuance, accompanied by a soft, sparse strum.

“Love Me Then,” next, is the only duplicate song in the collection, an acoustic version of one of my favorite electric tracks on the disc. The acoustic treatment adds a different feel to the song, to the point that I’m not sure which one is my favorite.

The CD version of the album then closes with some Guns N’ Roses. Yes, really. Somerville delivers a tremendous cover of GN’R’s “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” convincing making the case that it always should have been a country song.

I look forward to one day, I hope, catching a Florence Sommerville concert here in the States. She’s an exceptional talent, stylistically serving up music with the potential for broad appeal, with impressive songwriting and storytelling skills, and the performance presence of a country music industry veteran. If you’ve not yet heard of Sommerville, give this album a listen. You’ll be glad you did.

Single Review: Savvy Haze – “Hip Thrust”

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photo courtesy of Savvy Haze

Single Review of Savvy Haze: “Hip Thrust”

Nayla Savannah is a versatile creative force whose music, as she notes, combines hip-hop and grunge, as well as a variety of other influences for an original, edgy sound. Her talent is readily apparent to anyone who spends a lot of time with cutting-edge creative artists, as you can hear from her solo recordings Savy World and Be Free, as well as Savvy Haze Live, the latest full-length recording from her band Savvy Haze. “Hip Thrust” was shared with me this spring, as it was being released to popular streaming platforms, and I knew I was listening to something special.

image courtesy of Savvy Haze

Indeed, while a description of Nayla’s might make it sound as if it inhabits – and perhaps invents  a niche subgenre – Savvy Haze’s initial single release, “Hip Thrust,” is a broad appeal song you absolutely have to hear. The studio single, separate from Savvy Haze Live, is an aggressively catchy earworm. Not just casually catchy. I’m talking the kind of song you hear played at sports arenas during breaks in the action where everyone stands up and dances. Or maybe struts; that’s really more what I do when I listen to the song. It’s an awkward, weird strut, but I’ve got a great big ol’ smile on my face.

The song is primarily one big, long, hooky, plucky, funky groove. Add a thumpin’ rhythm section. And Nayla’s – er, Savvy’s – vocal stylings on top. There’s even some mid-song guitar shredding for guitar rock fans. But the rhythm is so memorable I always forget it’s even in there. The production is a little raw, but that’s all just part of this song’s appeal. Trust me, you’ve never heard anything quite like “Hip Thrust.” And it’ll be stuck in your head for days after each listen.

Not only will “Hip Thrust” appeal across most musical fanbases (anyone who likes unadulterated fun, really), but like any good hit single, it also gets the listener accustomed to the artist’s sound. Now, personally I’m not a fan of live albums, so I’m not likely to get past the external noisiness I heard upon a quick sample of Savvy Haze Live – that might appeal to you if want to capture the atmosphere of a live performance, though, so if that’s you, check it out – but Savvy Haze also has a second guitar-infused funky hip-hop studio single, “Section,” that I find more enjoyable with each listen, in part because I play it back-to-back with “Hip Thrust,” and it’s slowly becoming a favorite, too.  So think of “Hip Thrust” as a gateway song. Everyone’s gonna get hooked on it. So start with “Hip Thrust” and see where it leads you. You know you want to.

Single Review: David Myhr – “Summer Summer Summer”

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image courtesy of Earshot Media

Single Review of David Myhr: “Summer Summer Summer”

So, what am I doing sharing the sound of summer with you when summer’s over? Yeah, I don’t know. But hey, if there’s ever a song that could bring summer back, it’s David Myhr‘s “Summer Summer Summer”!

David released this song before the beginning of the summer, the first single of three pre-release singles from his album Everything Is All About You. Indeed, there’s plenty of good music on the album, but this single has been riding my playlist for months, so I’m just going to review it. Quick, while there’s maybe a warm day or two left for you to play the song while cruising the avenue with your windows rolled down.

photo courtesy of Earshot Media

Yes, “Summer Summer Summer” has that California beach/surf vibe. The Beach Boys, Jan & Dean. I’m not saying David Myhr sounds like them, but you can hear that influence, even if Myhr combines it with more straightforward fifties rock influences, as well. Myhr might be best known for fronting Swedish power-pop band The Merrymakers, but “Summer Summer Summer” is chock full of California melodic bubblegum pop-rock.

In any case, there’s only so much you can say to describe a sugary-sweet, sunshine-drenched, timeless pop-rock single like “Summer Summer Summer,” and I’ve run out of words. Indeed, though this fun song will now exit my review queue, I’ve added it to my personal playlist. And if this review has piqued your interest, you should definitely give it a listen on your streaming service of choice!

About the Album

Everything Is All About You, on which “Summer Summer Summer” appears, can be ordered on CD or vinyl now. You’ll have to wait until October 2nd for the album’s digital release.

Album Review: Paul Sherry – Peace in Mind

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photo courtesy of Cobra Promotions

Album Review of Paul Sherry: Peace in Mind

The anguished rock ‘n roll voice of Paul Sherry. It’s a gravelly voice that conveys itself as weary but full of wisdom and sincerity. There are a handful of rockers out there who does this with the same gravitas Sherry carries, but there ain’t many, and it’s worth taking notice when you run across one of the few. In this case, Paul Sherry.

Last year, I reviewed an advance single from this record, “Fades,” and it’s still one of my favorites, thanks to its jangly rockin’ness, its coolly swaying tempo, and its descent (ascent) into raucousness as it heads into its fade. But let’s talk about some of the album’s other tracks, too, some of which have become new favorites.

You can almost divide the album into two halves. (“A” side and “B” side, anyone? Is Piece in Mind available on vinyl?) Disc-opener “Rise” kicks off a noisy, loud, grainy five-song bender, as each song features Sherry’s voice at its glass-garglingest, forcefully pounding skinswork, near constant guitar buzz, and the occasional nifty guitar run. Within that framework, though, each song has its own personality, and while the five-pack feels similar, and they all seem to be a well-fitted first half of the record, each has its own distinct character, providing the variance that keeps things interesting.

image courtesy of Cobra Promotions

“Rise,” for example, is a noisy, raucous rocker. “Peace in Mind” has a little slower pace, carves out some white space inside the wall of noise from time to time, and even sports the occasional tuneful noodling on the axe, all befitting the song’s lyrical introspection. “Show Your Love” has a warmer guitar buzz throughout than its neighboring numbers, as its “show your love right here before you go” lyric is repeated like a mantra atop a methodical, always-moving-forward heavy rhythm.

The steady nature of “Show Your Love” is an ideal set-up to one of my favorite songs on the record, “Soul Searching,” a jangly, grainy rock song that seems to be always lifting upward, providing a hopeful underpinning to the “soul searching” lyric, helped along by some “ooh-ooh” support vox in the bridges. It’s just a plain-ol’ cool, broad-appeal noisy rock song.

To be honest, though, I think “Feel the Glow” will be the most popular number among these first five, with a primary guitar riff that’s the most memorable on the record so far.

“Meditation Instrumental,” next, kicks off the “B” side, and it feels like a palate cleanser, like ginger if, in this metaphor, you consider the songs before and after to be sushi. The instrumental number has a jazz-like feel, or is perhaps more reminiscent of something you’d hear on progressive or experimental rock albums, with light guitarwork dancing across a synthetic buzz before the guitar sound increases in density, slowly building to a moderate intensity before fading toward the end. Again, it’s so unlike anything before or after on the album that it stands out for that reason alone.

photo courtesy of Cobra Promotions

Sherry stays mellow for a couple more songs. Well, one at least. “Here Lies the Way” comes across as a grainily, at least initially, plaintive plea before it builds in, well, I’d have to say confidence, if it were possible for a song to have confidence. Indeed, I’m sure it is confidence, at least to the extent its composer or creator can breathe that trait into a song. In this case, the song grows into its message of “Here Lies the Way.” It’s well-followed, both lyrically and musically, by “Serenity.” Indeed, the moderately uptempo rock ‘n roll swagger, tunefulness, and recurring cheerful guitar flourish help establish this as another of my personal favorites on the record, replete with a fun, late song, ’70s/’80s-style dancing guitar line. I wouldn’t say it’s exactly like a Dirty Guv’nahs song, but I’d stick it back to back on a playlist with some of the Dirty Guvs’ best.

“Fades,” next, is a song I was incredibly familiar with already before hearing Piece in Mind, since I reviewed it in the spring of 2025. It’s a fun, kickass, mid-tempo guitar-rock number, just as memorable as when I reviewed it more than a year ago.

The record closes with the fittingly-entitled “It’s All Over.” Even more fittingly, it includes the lyric “It’s all over. Start again.” The guitarwork absolutely drips hard-rockin’ blues, even as the rhythm section powers forward as if it’s a strict rock ‘n roll song. Put those elements together, and the resulting song is rockin’ and cool, a strong album-ender… unless, of course, it convinces you to “start again” from track one, in which case it ain’t over yet!

There’s a reason Paul Sherry is a decorated professional musician. His music is catchy. Sherry’s energy – and that of his music – is the sort that’s designed to absolutely rock a stage as small as a dive bar or as massive as a festival main stage. And Peace in Mind is a strong rock ‘n roll record. The music is electric and will leave you buzzing long after the album ends. Or, if it compels you to catch one of Sherry’s live shows, you’ll clearly be feeling the buzz long after the concert ends.

Single Review: Crymwav – “Everything Turns Grey”

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photo courtesy of BJF PR

Single Review of Crymwav: “Everything Turns Grey”

Los Angeles-based power rockers Crymwav are Roger Deering (lead singer, rhythm guitar, bass), Lloyd Stuart Casson (lead guitar, vocals, bass), Pat Muzingo (drums), and Bruce Braddock (bass). Yeah, I know, that strikes me as far too many bass players, too, but that’s what their bio says. Regardless, the foursome recently released an inspired version of “Everything Turns Grey,” a energetically-performed track you’ve just gotta hear!

image courtesy of BJF PR

The song “Everything Turns Grey” is a cover of a 1981 Agent Orange release. As was true of that era’s punk rock, Agent Orange’s production was quite raw. Well, Crymwav beefs that up a bit in this rendition, which adheres pretty faithfully to the original while amping up the sound, providing a more tuneful vocal delivery, and more or less bringing the song forward into a more modern era.

As far as which fan based will most dig it, I’m not going to try to put this song into a box. Rather, I think a broad swath of rock ‘n roll fans are likely to enjoy this single. It’s raw enough for those who lean a little punk. Its energy is likely to appeal to those who like songs that promote physical movement, from a subtle head-nod to a full-on thrash-dancing seizure. The nifty guitar part shreds a little, albeit tunefully and with maybe even a hint of surf guitar. Bottom line: If you like rock ‘n roll of any stripe, this song is worth at least a few listens. If you’re anything like me, it’ll intrigue you at first and then grow on you with each subsequent spin.