Beth Nielsen Chapman. UNCOVERED. BNC/Proper

Like your country mild-mannered with strong pop sensibility,loving sentiments and maximum performance. Think no further than Beth Nielsen Chapman who came to my attention way-back-when with the release of an album devoted to her deceased and much loved husband. Her voice and songs moved beyond words but with a tone that was more optimistic than maudlin. This latest album features songs written by BNC but recorded by other major USA artists. UNCOVERED therefore features not only these previously personal unrecorded songs but some of the artists whom she has written for.

And it’s an album that endears from track 1, ‘Simple Things’ performed with Kim Carnes (rememeber her?). It’s a cracking song with powerful melody, characteristically strong lyrics and the most sincere, quality vocals. This is followed by a song of driving pace called ‘Here We Are’ this time with Vince Gill adding his magical vocal touch. Wonderful! Next up ‘Sweet Love Shine’ with the unmistakable guitar of Duane Eddy making itself strongly felt. It’s a rhythmic humdinger with a hint of darkness in BNC’s voice with some great vocal harmonies performed by BNC and Jessie Colter Jennings.

The pace and feelings of songs are diverse. Take ‘Pray’ performed with passion and high emotion with Amy Grant lending her voices to some hair-raising harmonies. Muriel Anderson’s instrumental passages are stunning on a song with a distinct Celt folk flavour. Together with its beautiful melody could easily be released as a single. In sumamry, this is one of BNC’s best albums where her songs have come home to roost and I suspect sound better performed by her than anyone else. There’s more than a few number one songs here for artists such as Willie Nelson, Faith Hill, Tanya Tucker, Jim Brickman, Pam Tillis and otehrs. Highly recommended.

4.5/5

Tin Soldiers. THE PROTESTER. Broken Star Media

“We wanted to write and play music that meant something,” singer-guitarist Rich Crossingham says of his creative motivations. “We wanted to write something that was a little bit different to another song about boy loves girl - something that was right for the time and that was passionate about a theme. I wouldn’t say we’re a political band. Then agin ‘Ohio’ is a pretty political song, so maybe on some level we are.”

From the opening drum roll and military vibe followed by the ebb and flow of powerful guitar passages this album signals its intention to rock us out of our complacency. For me, it’s one of the most powerful and dark openings to any album I’ve heard in recent years, and is stunning. The title track, ‘The Protester’, explodes out of my speakers with Crossingham sounding as genuine and as passionate as ever. The melody is powerful, the instrumental performances powerful and the overall sonic vibe is one of a live performance rather than a highly over-polished studio recording. The sound is distinctive and if there’s any justice this should be played widely over the airwaves. Terrific! ‘Fight The Fever’ is another radio-friendly guitar rocker while ‘Take Back The Streets’ with its mixed pace and rhythmic underbelly could become the anthem of a lost generation - think Ukrain, think People Power!

‘Talk’ rumbles uncomfortably along at deathly pace with vocal harmonies to-die-for. It’s a reflective song with a wonderfully expressive vocal from Crossingham. ‘Alarms’ goes snare-drum-military with some distinctive guitar chords before the crashing instrumental choruses enter to create a memorable and stupendous close. This is a rock instrumental track par excellence… Then ‘Falling’ thunders in - an epic rock song with melody at its heart and passion in its soul. Track after track delivers rock thrills and I believe has fulfilled the band’s aims and objectives. It’s distinctive and deserves teh support of radio, the media and fans of the genre. Favourite tracks? I love most of them but ‘Forced To Fight’ is a complex song which somehow manages to mix pace and vibe like few other songs I’ve heard. ‘Not Everything Is Lost’is also a compelling listen, while ‘The Butterfly Effect’ is a slow-moving, emotional heatrbreaker. Hell, in truth, there’s thirteen tracks here of top quality and enocurage me to want to see the band performing them live. I reckon that’s job done.

4/5