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He can do irony, too, and proves it on America Is A Hard Religion. Hardcore blue- grass, about as Christian a country music form as you’ll find (listen to some of the older lyrics sometime) forms its own comment. The man is good, very good, in fact (and quite dynamic and quietly charismatic in a baseball cap-wear- ing sort of way live). Maybe the world is read for him now. After all, it’s only been 23 years.


www.robbiefulks.com Chris Nickson KACY & CLAYTON


Strange Country New West Records NW6349


The Saskatchewan duo’s eagerly awaited third album finally gets a European release, via the good folks at New West Records. While 2013’s The Day Is Past And Gone featured seven traditional songs and three originals, that ratio is exactly reversed on Strange Coun- try. Producer Shuyler Jansen keeps the focus firmly on the symbiosis of Kacy Anderson’s sublime voice and Clayton Linthicum’s master - ful acoustic guitar, whilst effectively deploy- ing other musicians including Linthicum’s Deep Dark Woods bandmate Lucas Goetz on drums, and Chris Prpich on bass.


This is an album of songs whose power often lies in the beautiful contradictions between ethereal sounds and worldly subject matters. Take Brunswick Stew – a memorable tale of anguish, infanticide and expanding torsos that sounds like it’s been around forev- er, or Dyin’ Bed Maker – not the Blind Willie Johnson or Charlie Patton song, but a slow- burning murder ballad enhanced by a Jansen string arrangement worthy of Led Zeppelin.


Their deep immersion in tradition also informs both their occasional deft use of arc - ane phrasing – “when first into this city, no trouble did I see,” and the direct, world-weary resignation of (the album’s least ‘trad’- sounding song) If You Ask How I’m Keeping – “everything I’m doing has already been done”. Down At The Dancehall finds Ander- son in flirtatious mood as Linthicum breaks- out his melodeon in three/four time, while Seven Yellow Gypsies gets a psych-folk treat- ment with shuffling drums and wiggy guitar solos, and The Rio Grande opens with a tip- of-the-hat to Davy Graham.


Any young duo with these kind of chops could be forgiven for throwing in a few cartwheels and handstands, but Kacy & Clay- ton resist all temptations to over-sing, over- play or over-produce. Strange Country sounds natural and effortless, but is a brilliantly accomplished album that is fantastic on the first listen, and then just keeps getting better.


Kacy & Clayton are touring in the UK in


May. www.kacyandclayton.com Steve Hunt


SAM CARTER


How The City Sings Captain Records CAP005


Sam Carter’s third solo album is his London record. Not a homage exactly, more a slightly regretful reflection on a decade living in the city which he contemplates is reaching its end (his time there, not London itself). This, con- sequently, is an album suffused with poignan- cy, anger, regret, confusion, doubt and won- der. London does that to you…


Certainly the opening track From The


South Bank To Soho – sung in that gently vul- nerable voice he does so well, part Nic Jones, part David Bowie – is a real heartbreaker about a relationship reaching the end of the line and you settle back to wallow in his glori- ous misery. That and the anthemic title track turn out to be the best song on the album.


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