Shannon Curfman [Loud Guitars Big Suspicions] 

This was one of those discs that i picked right off the shelf without knowing a single thing about it, those were the days where you either risked things that way, or you just left them on the shelf for good, now you can listen to an album on all sorts of sites before you buy, yes i had to do things the only hard way, but these risks sometimes paid off handsomely, and that was certainly the case here, i bought it because it 'looked good enough to eat' as i thought at the time, the title of the album comes from the lyrics in a Sheryl Crow song [Hard To Make A Stand], which Curfman records here, this appeared in my Blog in 2011 [3rd August 2011].

Shannon Curfman is American, still only 27, she recorded this disc in 1999 at the incredible age of 14!, she sounds like a veteran on the guitar, but even more incredibly sounds like Janis Joplin with her voice, the front cover photograph is just tremendous [by Marina Chavez], it shouted out of the racks 'buy me!', and so i did!, it's a great pose, and the colours are great, and the lettering slightly leaning is nice too, a phenomenal debut from Curfman.

Well on this listen it just has to be track 2 'No Riders' which astounded me yet again, it's a Shannon Curfman original, and it's probably the most Bluesy track on the album, love the guitar intro [0:00-0:09], probably by Curfman, but it's the mandolin played by Kevin Bowe afterwards that really makes the song, makes a powerful vibe, lots of different guitars in the mix, Curfman plays a strong electric guitar solo inbetween the verses [1:15-1:48], in the second verse i just love the way it stars off quiet, but then the strong beat comes in [1:58+], a magical moment, Pat Hayes plays the harp [harmonica] in the background, really going quite wild, it's the constant mandolin vibe that just drives me crazy.

Here's Shannon Curfman playing 'No Riders' on YouTube.

Shannon Curfman [Loud Guitars Big Suspicions]

Back in 2001, i set in motion a new programme to discover new music, i would go into a big store record in London, and just systematically search through the racks, singling out discs that looked absolutely stunning, that was the only consideration, forget about the actual music!, i picked up some phenomenal discs this way, some real duds too!, but it widened my musical love no end, i got into some genres / Artists that i wouldn't have otherwise tried, this is one of the first i got, and i'm so glad i did, and looking at her website, it reminds me to check out her other albums also.

Shannon Curfman is American, born in 1985, she's was 26 last week, she recorded this album in 1999 at the tender age of 14!, but her songwriting and vocal skills are such that she sounds like a Blues veteran!, like i said above, the visuals for this release are stunning, both the booklet and the back insert are lighted wonderfully, great poses too, a really great product all round.

I enjoyed tracks 2, 4 & 6-8, but it's always been track 2 'No Riders' which remains my favourite track, the intro sounds like an electric mandolin [Kevin Bowe], but it could be Shannon Curfman playing the guitar, this riff really makes the whole piece [0:00-0:10], very old time delta bluesy, when the chorus bursts in [0:43+] so do the drums, a nice ratcheting up of another notch, the vocals and drums [Michael Bland] fit together perfectly, the second verse is fantastic, things quiet down with the acoustic mandolin playing solo [1:46+], and the start of the verse is sparse and restrained [1:50+], but the drums and harmonica [Pat Hayes] burst in [1:58+], making a superb transition, it's a fantastic Blues track, really developing a great intensity.

Here's Shannon Curfman singing 'Playing With Fire' on YouTube.

Diane Birch [Bible Belt] 

Early last year i posted this album on my Blog [15th January 2010], that was the first time i listened to this disc, now here's my second listening experience, and yes i really do let things stew on the back burner for a year, you hear about these people who say 'the disc hasn't been out of my player for weeks', well this disc has been out of my player for months [in fact over a year], that doesn't mean i'm very lukewarm over it, in fact i've been looking forward to playing this again for ages, when you have over 1600 treasurable discs in your collection, you just can't keep any on 'heavy rotation', playing a disc often for me is three times a year!, music works it's way into my heart over decades, and stays there.

Diane Birch is American, born in 1983, now 28 years old, this album was released in 2009, the front cover picture is fantastic [by Melodie McDaniel], showing a close up head shot of Diane Birch, lower face out of focus, but those eyes... with the fringe, i delved into this album because of that shot, plus the name of the album was intriguing, and i got my copy cheap on Ebay for £1, a nice bargain, i was not disappointed.

Well on this second listening, i must admit i was a little less wowed, but still wowed nonetheless, she's so hard to pigeonhole, certainly she's Gospel influenced, some tracks seem a little rough around the corners, but i certainly enjoyed tracks 2, 5, 8 & 10, with 8 & 10 the real highlights, and here's a short synopsis of each,

2 Valentino, lovely percussive intro [Stanton Moore], Birch is so good at Chorus's, with a small Gospel choir, i like the lyrics 'playing piano in that pink hotel, just like you said i would', and right at the end the way she vocalises down to a stop is brilliant [2:43-2:47]. 

5 Rewind, a sad and introspective song, much more gentle than most, the chords stamped out by the piano at the start really makes the song [0:00-0:26], and keep coming back throughout, a song of loss and regret, the lyrics 'oh stupid pride it just can't hide, the holes inside my heart'.

8 Don't Wait Up, probably the most gospel drenched song, with Birch playing organ and wurlitzer too, lovely Gospel choir in the chorus, and it's that chorus where she just takes off [0:46-1:02] with the piano just hammering up in the treble, very infectious, i love the lyrics right at the beginning, 'i said to the river running through my heart, you got a long way to go until the waters part', very religious and appropriate.

10 Ariel, pronounced R-E-EL, is the track that i find the best, she plays piano, she has a real soulful gospel voice, it's an upbeat track, the acoustic guitar [Anna Wayland] at times can slightly sound like a vibraphone [1:48+], and it would have been wonderful to have used one, the chorus is just simply stunning, everything just comes together in perfection, i love the lyric 'ive been crying on the pillow where you lie', she gets more emotional towards the end, and there's a delicious little abrupt piano ending to boot.

Here's Diane Birch singing a live version of 'Ariel' on YouTube. 

The Black Crowes [The Southern Harmony And Musical Companion] 

It's been over two years since i last played this album, many people would think that means that i don't really like this album anymore, nothing could be further from the truth, this resides at No50 in my all time favourite list, it's just that it's evaded my CD player somehow, but i always catch the good ones in the end!.

The Black Crowes are an American Rock band formed in 1989, they have had different line ups over the years, but their mainstays are two brothers, Chris and Rich Robinson, they play some nice southern bluesy Rock, a bit like the Allman Brothers or The Rolling Stones, in my mind this is their best album, drenched in swampy but loud Blues / Rock, the booklet is really nice, the front cover is by Mark Seliger, showing what i believe is a car junkyard, the booklet within has the full lyrics written in a nice scrolling type.

Well in giving this disc another spin today, and i really liked all of the tracks, except the last one, which i feel is really quite poor, but it was track 6 'Hotel Illness' which got me marvelling at the lyrical prowess of these guys, the words conjure up some nice images in my head, consider this line,

I got a head full of sermons

and a mouth full of spiders

i don't know why, but this vision just excites me, what does it mean?, a clear head full of perfect sermons, but when it comes time to preach, a whole load of horrible spiders come out instead, i suppose a block between brain and tongue, the music is incredibly contagious, the harmonica and drums really kick in at [0:08], and it's this harmonica that plays inbetween the vocal lines, the chorus comes in at [0:57], at the intensity of the vocal delivery goes up a notch, on the second verse the national guitar comes in [1:24], giving a lovely atmospheric twang to the mix, the lead electric guitar takes up a solo [2:24], and straight after this is cleverly supported by the rhythm guitar, there's a degree of jamming in the outro, and there's a nice touch right at the end as the electric guitar slowly 'dies' [3:49] but not a fade out, other tracks are similarly loaded, a great 'road album'.

Here's the Black Crowes singing Hotel Illness on YouTube.