Is this a folk record? Or perhaps another CD by a Singer Songwriter with a bit of Americana cleverly interspersed throughout? Does the genre matter? In this case, an emphatic no.
Folk is ever evolving and in the hands of a singer songwriter, such as Shane Papatolicas, it is taken to new heights and what a musical journey it is.
Shane has released previous CDs both here and back in his homeland of the USA; this time not only is there a biting reality to his lyrics, but a musical collage we can all be carried away by and the opening track, Inside Out, has a sense of urgency about it with its rock intro gently moulding into a folk based number which would sit very comfortably in Cat Stevens’ repertoire. Despite there being various nods to other artists, Shane is his own person and any semblance to other artists is solely the same as any other performer and he is fully in charge of his own lyrics and melodies.
Protest songs work best when they are subtle and interwoven with other distractions, as the listener then catches the gist of such lyrics in his/her own time. Something That Might Have Happened is the musical epitome of this and is not a gloomy in your face song by any means, but it does hold the thoughts of many of us to which we can easily relate: Half the world is dying, half the world is dead. Does it need to get any clearer than this? There is no proselytising or preaching here, just factual lyrics mixed in with everyday thoughts. Clever. All of this with an appealingly simple musical backing gives this track its inner strength.
The title track, Broken Lines, carries its own wisdom within it and Shane’s outlook on life shows a journey well-trod: I let you go and you let me down, I make an excuse and you beg me to stay. With lyrics such as these, the album flows through from track to track, almost like a seasonal trek through a musical wonderworld.
Is this a concept album? Well, yes and no; there are links between all the tracks, as Shane cleverly carries the subject matter over from track to track without saturating one. This gives the album, BROKEN LINES, a fresh definition and by listening to it an insight to a mature and personal outlook on life and all its complexities. This is an album to listen to, to chill to, to learn from and to purchase.
Tony Bates
Uncut and Unsigned
www.3MDR.com    

Seraya never ceases to amaze and with the release of ANYTIME, one is immediately drawn into new musical perspectives as so cleverly conceived by her.
Any similarity to previous works finishes with the opening chord (and what a statement that is) of Destiny and Seraya is all set to take us on yet another musical journey to a destiny of our choosing; I say yet another, as each and every album from Seraya has different counterpoints and musical differences that draw one on board, as an aural passenger, to one’s ultimate destination.
With that slightly sensual sultriness, Seraya takes us on an organic musical ride through the second track on the album and who better could sing those words ‘Gonna rise above your hotel love’, in fact, who else could have written such lyrics? Seraya has always used her literary skills to make her writing that bit more personal, insightful and exciting and when that is coupled with a great musical manuscript, we are all winners. The mix of organ, percussion and guitar with Seraya’s vocals on this track carry it to another dimension and show that she is a voice for all ages, all seasons and all people.
Peace, Love and Understanding is far from an understatement and is a (dance) track for our times, which shows Seraya's versatility at work as only she can do; who would (and could) take a serious topic and turn it into a dance track without losing the message? Few others, I can assure you. This is an important track and yet also the wild card on the album, but it sits comfortably and intelligently here  amongst the other tracks.
With some clever keyboard playing accompanied, not only by Seraya’s vocals, but by some tight string and vocal harmonies, Beautiful Mess is almost anthemic but just holds back from being so, thus making it far more personal and almost visual for all of us, no matter our age or gender.
ANYTIME portrays Seraya at her glorious best and shows that she is not held hostage to the past; this is all part of a musical sojourn that we are pleasantly drawn into and onto by Seraya. May the journey continue………….
 
Tony Bates
Uncut and Unsigned
www.3MDR.com

Nowadays, in this age of electronic music, sound boards, pedals, and loops, how often does one get to hear the real band behind the recorded sound? Not often. Apollo’s Attic are the exception and they have managed to capture that rudimentary and gig like sound on their album; that is not a put down, but a compliment, as what they play live has been cleverly transposed to a CD and, like a painting, what you see is what you get. The interpretation is then yours.
The band’s very straight recording gives an insight into how independent working bands manage to pull the punters in and this with this album, one could almost be at a gig in the same room with them.
The vibrancy and urgency of their playing is there for all to take in, without any unnecessary technical wizardry and if you have been to one of their gigs, I am certain that this album will replicate what you heard live.
The opening chords to the first track, Easy Street, could well have come from the early Who back in their playing days at the Marquee and other such clubs, but Apollo’s Attic have managed to not only capture that retro sound but have made it their very own and very much of this decade as well.
The very fact that this band has taken time out to record their own self composed numbers, shows a certain self-certainty and why not! Apollo’s Attic defy the genres and mix and match sounds to make them their own, but listen carefully to that neat guitar playing (whether it be acoustic, or electric) and one can hear elements of space rock, post punk, pop and more. This band has borrowed from nobody and their playing shows how they have honed their craft over many months (and more) of live playing.
One Step Away has those elements of space rock and throughout the album the playing is tight, inter-active and lyrically sound.
For bands such as Apollo’s Attic, there is, unfortunately, no such way to the top via ‘easy street’ but the punters will still be there for them long after chart bands have faded into the mists of time. That is what music is about and the story of Apollo’s Attic will be a fascinating one to follow.
With eleven tracks on their album, Apollo’s Attic has proven its credentials and the band’s followers will be lapping the album and the band’s gigs up; we at Community Radio, have heard, listened, liked and played and the rest is up to the mainstream media ……..   
 
Tony Bates
3MDR.com

Recorded on a rainy evening, surrounded by friends, wine, other assorted drinks and friends, Khristian Mizzi has managed to capture the essence and spirit of troubadours past and present.
Mellifluous is the word for this EP and its contents are full of lessons learnt and yet to learn. The lyrics invoke the likes of Guthrie, Paxton, Seeger and more; folk is an ever evolving genre, but Khristian remains faithful to the original foundations and takes us visually to places only a true folk player can. There are no hidden messages here, purely tales and powerful ones at that too.
Opening up with Tomorrow Is A New Day, Khristian conjures up, as only he can, phrases such as “….as soon as I can leave yesterday behind.” This places us in a quandary, for we know that tomorrow never comes and that yesterday becomes today. The harp playing comes in at just the right moment and compliments the song and leads us straight back into the chorus where “regrets cast shadows in my mind.”  Who hasn’t been there?
This is truly a song of the human condition and all the dilemmas one faces in life; beautifully crafted and sung.
Introspection is a hard topic to write about, but Khristian comes across with some outstanding lyrics: “some are drowning in the sea of endless riches, some are sailing on the ruins of it all”. Yes this is a soul searching number, but not one written at a puerile or distant level. It is there for us all to grasp the reality of it and take a fresh look at ourselves and the chaotic world that surrounds us.
“The more I learn the less I know” Khristian sings on World Turns and unexpectedly Megan Bernard’s electric guitar playing storms in, but assertively and gently so.
Khristian is a singer/songwriter who relates our times in a way only he can, whilst, admittedly, also wearing his heart on his sleeve, but not in an ego-centric manner. His tales, for that is what his songs are, are truisms for our time and no matter what age one is these songs belong to us all.
This EP is filled with sadness, joy, regrets and more but is far from sorrowful and shows that folk is in good and capable hands.
 
Tony Bates
Uncut and Unsigned
www.3MDR.com

Foxy’s Farm by The Safety Of Life At Sea is a genre diverse and genre defying album cosily wrapped up for your delectation. The intro track, ‘New Orleans’, takes you straight to that city with some clever use of brass and woodwind fused with some early rock n roll. Where do these ideas come from? The song comes visually alive and the vocals just give that certain sound of yesteryear; a very cleverly produced and performed track. The keyboard playing holds the whole track together without swamping it.
With a total of ten tracks on this album, SOLAS have shown how creative they can be and ‘Take You Home’ is a good example of this; the guitars come in hitting you unexpectedly but at just the right moment. The keyboard playing has the hallmark of one Leon Russell in his younger days and in fact one could say that his spirit lives on in this album as elements of the 70s are suddenly thrust up against the sounds of 2017.
‘Moira’ is very radio friendly and is one of those ‘pop’ songs (and no, that is not meant detrimentally) one could imagine many established acts wanting to get their hands on; tough…it’s taken!
Further on into the album one comes across ‘Sing For Me’ which has that slightly Southern feel to it and if Richards/Jagger had written this it would be a shining star in their repertoire. This again shows how SOLAS are capable of writing songs for themselves but also have that uncanny knack of having written material which one can imagine others performing and not all writers are capable of this.
The whole album gently rolls from one track into another demanding a second listening and finalises, very subtly, with ‘So Dog Tired’.
There is nothing dog tired about this album at all and it requires ardent listening so that one can take in all the melodies, lyrics, subtleties and musical interaction.
This should be in your collection and if not, well…there’s a wasted space there.
 
Tony Bates
Uncut and Unsigned
www.3MDR.com

Who said 13 is an unlucky number? Whoever it was has not taken the liberty of listening to The Hollerin’ Sluggers latest release, GYPSY MOJO. Unlike the Kardashians, there’s no filler here whatsoever, just good ol’ blues infused rock.
Train to Nowhere is somewhat reminiscent of a Bad Company number that they never got around to either record or write! The Hollerin’ Sluggers know how to construct a song and deliver it powerfully without going overboard; no false economies here and there is no sight of a synth (fortunately) anywhere. This is ballsy music made for all to enjoy. True music as the maestros of this genre performed back in the heady days of the 70’s.
‘Shut Up And Dance’ is a song for our times with powerful lyrics and revivalist rock that sets The Hollerin’ Sluggers apart from others; take in that percussion and listen to those guitars inter-weaving with the vocals, outstanding!
That harp on ‘Hush Hoggies’ would not be amiss on an early Yardbirds’ track, but the guys have, again, made this their very own and the guitar work that follows would easily please the likes of Mick Taylor. Harp The Hollerin’ Sloggers Sing!
The other tracks are of the same high standard, so listen out for that acoustic guitar playing and you’ll know that this is a band that has no bounds.
Many might aspire to such a recording, but they would have had to be highly disciplined and dedicated musos to come out with anything like this. This is an album of musical intuitiveness and not one of contrivance.
Grab this album while you can and in years to come you can tell your grandchildren how real music sounded!
 
Tony Bates
Uncut and Unsigned
3MDR.com 97.1 FM

Scotty Mac is not a brand of raincoat but is a relatively new brand in the world of Australian Music and I have witnessed his work progress over the years.
I can sit back now and feel amazed at the way Scott has mastered so many different instruments and the way he has taken to song writing; he is one of those people who totally immerses himself in his work-plays hard and gigs hard too.
Complicated Generation has some very mature lyrics and is a dissertation upon current ‘youth’, almost article like but the music carries it through to make it a song of our times. Scott’s music has that uncanny ability to include a retro feel but is totally modern; a sound many others might well aspire too.
On listening to Out In The Rain one could almost imagine that this could have been an early Cat Stevens/Yusuf Islam song as it has that same continuing story within it and the bass line plays along beautifully adding an additional dimension to a song that deserves wider attention and appreciation.
Scott’s music is also very visual and conjures up images of his lyrical content and there are not many up and coming or even established musos who have that ability. I forecast a bright future for Scott and wish him well on his journey-one that is only just starting but he is already well ahead of many of his contemporaries.
Song writing is not easy these days for independent musos, as there is so much competition and one needs that certain edge to get ahead of the crowd. Scott’s music has the ability to do this and when one considers that these are home recordings imagine how a full studio production could alter these numbers. So if there are any producers out there looking for some hit material, go knocking on Scott’s door before others beat you there!
Tony Bates
Uncut and Unsigned
www.3MDR.com

I LEFT MY HEART IN AFRICA is Seraya Young’s latest musical journey which started with THE PRODIGAL DAUGHTER and the intervening years have seen more releases and more musical inventiveness.
I Left My Heart in Africa is not a diary of a time lost nor of regret, but it does have an inner message not only for Seraya, but for us the listeners too.
‘Peace, Love and Understanding’ starts off with some haunting chords and then goes electro with a lyrical visit to the past; a very personal visit but one that is relevant to us all and if you have (still) the inner hippy in you, this track will resonate, especially in these current troubled times. Words and lyrics have a power of their own and by taking in songs such as this we could all become better people…..but then that is, perhaps, the inner hippy in me.
‘Let’s Go Retro’ starts off with both the music and Seraya singing straight at you from the moment the track starts. We all, at times, tend to look back and whilst this track relates to that it brings the present very much into context too. There’s a great musical mix going on in the background and the groove is there to get you moving, perhaps involuntarily so!
By bringing C-FO Bailey onto ‘Sista Earth’, Seraya adds a different dimension to her song writing and performance. He endorses the message within the song, but the song, whilst being totally apolitical pleads with us all to respect our only planet. There is no preaching or threat here, purely common sense : ‘We CAN turn this ship around’ sings Seraya and if it fails to move you I suggest you take a few moments out and listen to the track again later on. This could be the ‘protest’ song that our times need and I hope that Seraya’s lyrics catch on and make one think.
Having read all of the above, do not fall into the trap of thinking that this is hippy clap-trap or leftist propaganda; this is music with a message at its best and we can enjoy it all the more so for being brutally honest as well as it being open to one’s own interpretation.
Seraya started off as a Singer/Songwriter in the alt folk genre and despite the use of technology on these tracks, this EP is still a measurable form of folk music as it carries a tale with it. The bards of yesteryear would be proud to see that their means of carrying messages to distant people and villages is alive and well in the hands of Seraya.
 
 
Tony Bates
Uncut and Unsigned
3MDR.com

DUSKEN LIGHTS
IN THE SERVICE OF SPRING

Phoenix like, Dusken Lights have arisen from the ashes of two well remembered (for all the right reasons) bands, being The Cannanes and Rabbits Wedding.
Paul O Watling has gathered his cohorts together and Francesca Bussey, Philip Rawlinson and Alex Salter are now Dusken Lights, a band full of lush harmonies, rich production and sometimes dark meanderings.
Unlike many of their contemporaries, there are no fillers on this album – not a cavity in sight!
Opening with Superman, Wondergirl the band have performed a track that Simon and Garfunkle would have been proud to have recorded back in those heady days of folk, folk rock and all of its sideshoots. To place the band in the indie/alternative folk genre is a bit of a misnomer as this band are purely expanding folk as many have done before, except they are taking it further; folk, like the English language, is an ever evolving entity and Dusken Lights are proving to be maestros within this field.
Immerse yourself in the lyrical content of IN THE SERVICE OF SPRING and let the melody flow around you; Sun Above might seem dark, but it is not bleak, a mistake often made by other composers. It is musically tight and full of sound phraseology.
Mother Nature Wants Him Dead is, in its own way, a protest song but does not immediately hit you as one; ‘Now the wind carries a message-mother nature wants him dead’; beautifully phrased, immaculately sung and played with a message for us all. Minstrels of olden days often carried songs around the country with them, full of stories such as this and more; these are tales we should all listen to, but will we?
Dusken Lights traverse the folk field and follow in the steps of Guthrie, Seeger, Baez, Pentangle, Dylan and Donovan gradually moving and nudging the genre into new areas; areas that we might seem familiar with but which upon listening are new, exciting and poignantly relevant.
There’s more, but you need to purchase this album now and it does not matter if you are not a folk aficionado as Dusken Lights will aurally accompany you into realms anew.
Tony Bates
Uncut and Unsigned
Wwww.3MDR.com