A now husband and wife duo, Hat Fitz and Cara Robinson resurface with new album ‘Do Tell’ on Manhaton Records. Having been produced by legendary blues artist Jeff Lang, ‘Do Tell’ is an American roots album with a strong regard for the blues, and one that likes to reside in the past due to its ‘old-timey’ qualities but also retain two feet in the present considering the up-to-date feel of the shuffling beat fuelling such examples as ‘Stray Hat’. It is this very song that also showcases the compelling approach of one half of the duo – Hat Fitz who delivers his lines in a deep husky manner and sounding more a resident of New Orleans rather than his native Australia. In stark contrast, Cara Robison offers a sweeter sounding vocal but one that is also far-reaching considering the soulful belter that is ‘Gotta Love’, wonderfully aided by some dextrous blues guitar playing. Not content, however, to let her man steal all of the limelight, Cara Robinson has added various strings musically to her bow by taking up the sticks in addition to flute, tin whistle and, integral to every skiffle band, the washboard. A beautiful and beguiling combination musically and visually, Hat Fitz & Cara Robinson are fast shaping up to be the next creative duo with a strong roots flavour that will be on the lips of many people, especially when packing such quirky tales of lead song ‘Do Tell’  and tender beauties as ‘Long Dark Cloud’.

After three well received solo albums, Jamie Hutchings breaks ranks and returns to the fold with new outfit Infinity Broke. Comprising of members Reuben Wills (bass), Jared Harrison (drums) and Hutching’s brother Scott also providing drums and percussive duties in addition to his creative eye for the band’s photography, the resulting process is an eight-track album conceived in a disused shearing shed in the middle of the NSW Australian outback. While this new line up presents a fresh challenge for Jamie Hutchings, the outlook of ‘River Mirrors’ throws up a few reminders of his former band Bluebottle Kiss, with influences plucked from a variety of sources ranging from Afghan Whigs, Tom Waits, Sonic Youth, Captain Beefheart et al. In fact, it’s the excellent and drawn-out ‘Monsoon’ that really pricks at the senses first, as it harks back (surprisingly) to his former band’s first album ‘Higher Up The Firetrails’ with its near freefall into oblivion of guitar experimentation midway through before finally reappearing the other side and regaining its composure. The doom-laden feel of former single ‘Swing A Kitten’ is expertly handled with its faster, faster, faster approach in the hopeful event that an escape plan will reveal itself before this dream becomes a reality. The pots and pans entry and subsequent rhythm of ‘Gallows Queue’ offers a quieter tone and possibly an offshoot from Hutching’s solo pursuits, only a return to former grounds resurfaces during a brief tetchy moment via the guitar. The final nod to the past is the reinterpretation of ‘Let The Termites Eat Our Riches’ now reduced to ‘Termites’ but making up for it in sound as it takes in a variety of moods of sonic experimentation; swinging from irritable guitar bursts, pounding repetitive drum patterns and fleeting high-pitched vocals. Worryingly, the realisation dawns that ‘River Mirrors’ could be the final chapter in the career of Jamie Hutchings because there are several clues between the layers that point to such a fate. Any such decision would be a great injustice as ‘River Mirrors’ is a stirring return to former glories, and one that equally matches in terms of consistency but also keeps a tighter rein on the experimental endeavours that only experience can bring.

It might be time for the delinquents gracing the front cover of ‘Desperate ‘Rock N Roll Volume Three’ to feel nothing but shame for their collective misdemeanours, but there is no sense of shame when it comes to the magnificent array of rock ‘n’ roll obscurities and near misses gracing the contents of this latest compilation on the Flame imprint. From the outset, the third instalment in the ‘Desperate R N R’ series reveals a series of winning songs, the equivalent in musical terms to a winning lottery ticket with more than a few bonus balls, that should appease even the harshest of critics. Evidence of such lofty praise is instantaneous with Baby Huey & the Baby Sitters ‘Messin’ With The Kid’ which accelerates at considerable speed on the back of splendid vocals and thrusting guitars that brings together rhythm & blues with more than a hint of garage rock. Such intensity is maintained with Steve Alaimo & the Red Coats’ ‘She’s My Baby’ only it’s more of a deep brooding number with Alaimo’s vocal sinking considerable depths and adding to the song’s forceful appeal. There are a few primitive numbers scattered throughout with Clyde Arnold & the Sharps ‘I’ve Got A Baby’ sounding as if put together on a real shoestring budget and a reminder of the still evolving rock ‘n’ roll genre whereas the Floyd Dakil Combo’s ‘Dance, Franny, Dance’ is more the complete package due to arriving later and clearly to its advantage, as it is a sheer delight with its recognisable mid-60s tone complete with handclaps. The country twang that accompanies Willie .B. and his ‘Bad Mouthin’ slows the tempo but equally remains infectious and a worthy inclusion, as are the two rockabilly numbers from Don Feger who, according to the enclosed booklet, remains something of an enigma due to a dearth of information. If you like frantic rock ‘n’ roll with more than its fair share of obscurities spanning from the 50s to the 60s, then ‘Desperate Rock N Roll Volume Three’ is a must have compilation.

Barnstaple is home for indie grunge and punk trio Pretend Happy and the likely source responsible for the majority of songs making up current EP ‘MMXIII: A Collection Of Old Songs’, due to reflecting a plethora of emotions that are all too common when it comes to residing in such a sheltered environment. In spite of this, there is a feeling of transition regarding the entire EP, in both title and sound, as the six songs represented here are a collection of the band’s first two EPs, offering something of a mixed bag ranging from the energetic ‘Innocence’ with its insightful observations, “Another fault of mine, I’ve fallen further behind, my innocence still lives inside of me…” to a more ponderous ‘I Remember’ that despite its honesty, especially by way of a couple of expletives, pales in comparison. ‘Stability’ brings order once more with its taut rhythm, and nicely complimented by the crushed emotions of ‘Torture’ only to fall back on old habits with the generic ‘Purity’.  While ‘MMXIII: A Collection Of Old Songs’ possesses one or two shortcomings, there is more than enough material here to suggest a positive outcome regarding future endeavours for Pretend Happy.

A culmination of Scandinavian neighbours – Swedish and Danish to be precise – joining forces to carve out the largely blues influenced, with moments of rockabilly, that is ‘Artificial Natural’. Starting in fine fashion is the authentic rockabilly-blues of ‘Wrong Doing Woman’, which picks up a steady pace before letting the apron strings fly with some red-hot guitar that is equally complimented by the interesting spin of the narrative with the central protagonist being female (for a change) and possessing an unhealthy love affair for deviant behaviour. Elsewhere, ‘Hook, Line and Sinker’ plays a game of cat and mouse to a lively tempo and drawing more on a straight blues influence. There is humour present with ‘She’s So Skinny (She Can Hide Behind A Fishing Line)’ that is also a reflection of the changing nature of the generational eras that suggests a big difference in terms of the one these Kokomo Kings reside in mentally, and the one they actually find themselves in. Such a theme is taken up once more with the title track ‘Artificial Natural’ that finds the aptly-named Harmonica Sam severely scratching his cranium in a bewildered state due to an increasing trend for cosmetic enhancement. The charm offensive of ‘Charmageddon’ opens the door to rock ‘n’ roll, as it’s a riotous affair of guitars and harmonica with a flair for dark humour, “She’s so evil, she’s banned from hell”. A chance discovery, The Kokomo Kings ‘Artificial Natural’ is a thrilling ride of rockin’ blues with aspects of rockabilly and rock ‘n’ roll, and one that is extremely perceptive of the changing nature of modern society as the band’s wicked sense of humour reveals. There is nothing artificial to report when it comes to The Kokomo Kings.

Accusations of philistine rightly abound and no doubt fuelling new single ‘Bookburner’ from Norway’s This Sect. Being described as ‘post-punk with disco tendencies’, This Sect is the kind of band that deserve to be clutched tightly to one’s chest as they resuscitate memories of a dying breed of bands, often the staple during the 80s despite remaining on the fringes of any music scene and holding a strong social conscience. ‘Bookburner’ fits such a description with its jagged rhythm, 80s sounding guitars and anxious vocals which all suggest nothing but a tantalising prospect when the full-length player is set for release next month. Clearly rubbing against the grain as far as fashion (yawn) is concerned, This Sect is one that is worth taking note of because their relevancy in the present state of things is more vital than ever.