I can talk about him as he’s on his holidays this week, but my better radio half, Richard Murdoch is the reason Another Country does not descend into weekly chaos. Patiently he takes my mad ramblings and assembles a script which, hopefully, comes across as thoughtful and still exciting each Tuesday evening.
When he goes quiet I know there’s something interesting him and he’s off down one of his audio rabbit holes. Last week I got an excited missive from him telling me he’d found a little journey we could take on the show. It was inspired by a new discovery for us, Elaina Kay, whose debut album, Issues, contains the song, Daddy Issues. This song of daughter-to-father conversation has inspired us to play some sister songs along the same lines. So you’ll hear daughters and sons on dads and moms featuring Elaina, Taylor Swift, Gretchen Peters and Sean McConnell. You’ll also hear that great daughter/father ballad from Ashley McBryde with which you’ll be very familiar by now I’m sure…but as the special bonus you’ll also be delighted to hear the brand new track from Ashley.
As you read this and I write it I can almost hear you submitting further suggestions of family themed ballads along similar lines. So, if we have provoked some suggestions do join in and we might get one or two more songs in on the weeks to come.
As well as these family conversations we will be bringing you some new music from new names. Listen out for CAAMP, The Commonheart then hear too some old friends as we celebrate new releases from Midland, Joan Shelley, Trisha Yearwood and Chip Taylor.
We’ll also be listening in to where Miranda Lambert went next. I’m intrigued by Miranda’s career. Firstly she made her breakthrough via a now defunct TV talent show which she didn’t win. That was in the early 2000’s and since then she’s gone on to carve out a successful career as a great interpreter of classic country (The House That Built Me, Look At Miss Ohio) as well as radically confounding music-row expectations (Vice) to releasing pitch perfect modern country self-penned songs (Automatic, Get Away Driver). Recently she’s championed the wonderful Pistol Annies which has brought Angeleena Presley into the spotlight. For that alone, we’re grateful. On the new album she’s working with the Love Junkies and producer Jay Joyce and on her brand new single, Natalie Hemby. It’s a winning formula and I for one would love to see Miranda back at the top of the country tree.
I hope you got a chance to hear the new Sunday Soundtrack. I’m enjoying being back on the radio on Sundays and getting a chance to play new things on air. This Sunday I’m looking forward to welcoming Playwright and Director, Zinnie Harris as her production of The Duchess opens at the Citz. We’ll talk about our appetite for horror with Zinnie and Sergio Casci whose own thriller, ‘The Lodge’ arrives on cinema screens very soon. We’ll have Dani Garavelli and Sara Sheridan as our house guests and an album’s worth of hand-picked songs to make your Sunday morning complete.
