Penny Jo Pullus. Through The Glass

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A respected Austin, Texas singer, Penny Jo Pullus opens a window here to some of her favourites on an album that comprises eight cover songs from a total of 11. Backed by a stellar cast of Austin musicians the primary feel here is of a southern soul and rock groove with guttural guitar, sweet organ and occasional fiddle. Covering the likes of Neil Young, Doug Sahm and Mac Rebbenack and accompanied by the aforementioned stellar line up of Austin musicians including Ian McLagen, Will Sexton and Jimmy LaFave, Pullus sings her heart out in a very attractive manner. While most of the attention might go to the covers including a great version of Give Back The Keys To My Heart and a muscular rendition of Look Out For My Love her own songs hold their own in this exalted company. Nowhere To Go is a tough slice of a tough life with some fine guitar while Baby Please stands out with its masterful mix of guitar and fiddle and southern soul on a heart rending hard luck story that is simply magnificent. Rounding off the album with fiesty versions of Son Of A Preacher Man and the Stones’ Dead Flowers this is cracking little listen. Pullus comes across as someone who would be fabulous to see in person. As it is her personality crackles across these songs.

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Raina Rose. When May Came.

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Fourth release from this songwriter from Portland, Oregon, this took some time to come to terms with. Initially it seemed to be a fairly lightweight confection very much in the general female singer/songwriter mode. Repeated listening (one in particular, late at night with some wine to accompany it )offered a greater insight into what is a warm, embracing and comforting album.
The primary problem here was the jauntier songs including the opener, Sun Comes Back which is pleasant but innocuous and Desdemona which trots along at a brisk pace but failed to engage me. The meat of the album is in the slower songs which dominate the latter half of the album. Rose sounds more comfortable on these, her voice assumes a sultry tone missing in the more upbeat numbers. Stone Around my Neck is a particularly effective song with discontented rumblings creeping in on keyboards at one point reflecting the discontented state of the relationship she is singing about. The musicians (a select bunch of Austin players) excel on the following What Do You Bury which is sumptuous and beguiling on an obituary for a drunkard partner with a lyrical tour de force. The mood continues on Heart Broken Open with warm bass notes and a vulnerable vocal performance with great alliterative wordplay.
So overall a grower, an album to sink into, really rather nice.
Have a listen here