Julie Doiron

Friday 1st February, the Keep, Guildford, Carson McHone. Keeping it female country this week after the fantastic Ashley Monroe show on Tuesday its a local one down the road in a snowy Guildford for the equally talented ‘newcomer’ Carson McHone.

Bucking the trend of the seemingly endless Nashville country acts (not a criticism) coming over here, this time it’s a bit of Texan honky tonk country. Carson is over here promoting her excellent ‘new’ album ‘Carousel’ which has some reworked songs from her first release and some new ones. Most of these get an airing tonight along with a handful of brand new songs.

Her slight fragile frame belies that deep honeyed voice as she takes us through her largely autobiographical set of country songs taking in sadness, spiders, rose related horticulture and like my visit here ending with a wee dram or two.

The attentive crowd are rapt and respectful throughout each song and with the simple one guitar, one microphone setup the sound is spot on as we are all taken in on her musical journey through her albeit short life. It’s not always a fun journey aboard the McHone bus as she takes us though the emotions but when the songs are this beautiful and moving I am happy to pay the ticket.

‘Spider Song’ and ‘Lucky’ stand out for me but the new songs sounds great too and I was especially pleased she had room for my request of ‘Dram Shop Gal’ to end the evening.

The comparisons, not necessarily vocally, with Courtney Marie Andrews who trod the same boards a couple of years ago at this venue are there as you can only see the number of fans growing exponentially over this tour and the coming months. A real talent in the making.

Till next time keep on country rockin’ y’all.