Author: Admin
For our second Americana story we have a contribution from Vicki Wilson, a journalist, poet, playwright, songwriter, and fiction writer. She lives with her husband and son in New York. She has also sent us one of her songs, Coyotes In the Yard, which you’ll find at the end of the story. The story itself looks at how children signal independence and growing up through what they wear. Something many parents and grandparents will recognise.Keeping WarmBy Vicki WilsonIn the right pocket of the red down jacket, they found sheet music for violin.*“Sammy, get your coat on. Time to go,” she…
Photo credit: Ethan CoveyTeddy Thompson has never been shy about his love of classic country; heck, in 2023 he released a full album of country covers titled simply My Love of Country, but before that, back in 2007, his third full length release was Upfront & Down Low, another covers album filled with his take on tracks recorded and popularised by artists like Dolly Parton, The Everly Brothers and Ernest Tubb. The standout on that album, however, was Thompson’s version of She Thinks I Still Care, written by Dickey Lee and Steve Duffy and released by George Jones in 1962.Now,…
There’s a particular kind of energy that follows Matt and Jeff Hardy into any room, or in this case…any Zoom call. For over three decades, the Hardys have been the glitch in pro wrestling’s system, the weird kids from North Carolina who grew up on trampolines, DIY rings and alternative culture, and somehow dragged all of that into the mainstream to become legends. They were the ones in fishnets and baggy cargos while everyone else was in trunks, the outcasts who became icons. Now, in 2026, they’re talking about the same things that have always defined them –art, risk, survival,…
Photo credit: Catherine PowellThe Royal Albert Hall is large and atmospheric, impressing physically whilst looming large in the national psyche. It recalls a nation’s history whilst representing a vast cultural heritage, and it vibrantly continues to foster the joy of live performance. Built in memory of Prince Albert and not Albert Einstein, as was suggested by someone seated nearby, this almost timeless memorial remains as contemporary and culturally significant as ever. Most artists view playing the Royal Albert Hall as a ‘rite of passage’, and who would seriously claim that Isbell and his highly accomplished band have not earned their…
A Forest Of StarsFortress Festival 2026 – Sunday (see Saturday here)Scarborough Spa, North Yorkshire 30th to 31st May 2026Fortress Festival delves in to dungeon synth and hosts the live set no one thought would happen.As we move into the second day, we can reflect that the black metal community in attendance at the festival are serious listeners, who discuss and are well-informed about the genre. Conversations and online forums buzz with information and commentary about the bands playing at the festival.We start the second day with West Yorkshire’s very own A Forest Of Stars playing the main stage, a seven-piece…
My Adventures With Superman returns on Adult Swim and HBO Max for its third season, and Jake Wyatt has ensured that this is the best outing yet of the entire show. Here’s what Season 3 gets right and why more from this world is needed. When My Adventures With Superman first released back in 2023, it wasn’t my favourite iteration of the character, and in fact, the only reason I continued watching was so that I could catch wind of one of my favourite characters in DC, Supergirl. Luckily, Season 2 was an improvement from the first season, and it…
“If you dare to experiment a little bit,” Paul McCartney told Uncut in 2020, “it’s good for you.” Looking back at his prodigious post-Beatles career, which began in 1970 and found its most recent outlet in 2026’s The Boys Of Dungeon Lane, McCartney has repeatedly pushed against what is expected of him, from the solo experiments of the McCartney albums, through the collective spirit of Wings via collaborations, one-offs, sound collages, high-class easy listening, ambient dance and some of the finest songwriting of the last six decades. As you’ll see, there’s a bit of everything in this list – ample…
Barcelona artist Msb Mario, known as ‘El Niño de la Pili’, is arriving in the UK for two live dates at Newcastle’s The Cluny and Brighton’s Folklore Rooms – June 27th – cop tickets HERE.Msb is a writer and spoken word artist, blending poetry with flamenco, reggaeton, rock and electronic elements. Fresh from 25 shows across his home town, including at renowned venues such as Pacha Barcelona, City Hall, Apolo Bar and Hotel Ocean Drive Barcelona, he took on Hootananny Brixton in London, becoming the first Spanish, spoken word artist to take the stage there.The upcoming shows in the north…
Fresh from the acclaim of her deeply personal EP Seriously Love, Go Home, Blackburn born singer songwriter Charlotte OC returns with Start Of Summer, a track that initially shimmers with warmth and nostalgia before revealing a more poignant emotional core.Built around sun drenched melodies and a sense of carefree summer optimism, the song explores grief, memory and the lasting impact of loss. Written as a tribute to her late father, Charlotte describes it as a reflection on holding on to someone’s presence long after they’re gone, capturing the feeling of conversations left unfinished and love that continues beyond absence.Musically, Start…
Tanis opens a new chapter with The Bad One, an alt-pop single built around soft electronic detail, close vocal pressure, and the messy mechanics of post-breakup blame. “I know I’m no angel, but my dear you weren’t a saint,” she sings, placing the track inside a space where memory, guilt, and self-protection start to blur.The arrangement keeps its frame controlled: crisp pop structure, low-glow electronic texture, and a vocal mixed close enough to carry the tension without overloading the drama.The hook lands with quiet bite: “you can be the good one baby / I can be the bad one.” Instead…
Credit: Mia Al-TaherSusto are an American indie band who have managed to build their own following with their individual take on alt-country and americana that reflects the fact that they were formed in Charleston, South Carolina. Justin Osbourne is the frontman and prime songwriter of the band and is also the guiding force behind Susto Stringband, which he formed after moving to Asheville, North Carolina. He was so enamoured with the local music scene that he formed Susto Stringband with local Asheville musicians, with the aim of playing his Susto songs with bluegrass and old-time arrangements. Americana UK’s Martin Johnson…
Flesh Creep are taking aim at conspiracy theory culture on their new single Flake. The track arrives ahead of their show in London as part of Kerrang!’s Breach showcase at Blondies Taproom, where they’ll play alongside Still In Love, So Far So Good and Shooting Daggers. The song took root when bassist Jack Miles went to the Palestine benefit show in the band’s native Birmingham that Scowl, Pest Control and Speed played after they boycotted Download in 2024. “The instruments for Flake were written after attending a Palestine benefit show at Centrala in June 2024. It was one of those…