Life is always in motion around us. Just when we think we have things figured out, a new day will bring fresh challenges to knock us back down to square one. The world is endlessly growing and changing, and it expects the same of us in order to keep up. Thankfully there are a few constants in life for us to cling on to, such as how the good will balance out the bad in the end if you give it time. For every heartbreak there’s a new love that blooms, with each ending there’s a chance for a new beginning, and even on the darkest days there’s a silver lining to be found. For instance, there’s no day bleak and dreary enough to dull the warm glow of Belwood favourite Hannah Grace’s soulful honeyed vocals. Her new EP Devoted contains some of her most raw and personal lyricism to date, detailing her own struggle to find a guiding light in the darkness, and yet at every turn her tender voice offers a comfort and familiarity that feels like a safe port in a storm. We were lucky enough to chat with her about this gorgeous new collection of songs and how they came to be. Continue reading
It’s important to look for silver linings in times of uncertainty. They say that when a door closes a window opens, or words to that effect, and it’s just a matter of finding it. There’s a lot that we’ve been lacking in this year, but one thing we have no shortage of right now is time. Time that can be spent discovering new music; finding records to get lost in and absorbing every last note, stumbling upon artists whose words resonate in the deepest recesses of your soul. One of my favourite such discoveries from this year has been the incredibly talented Francesca Louise, whose debut EP 
It’s safe to say that 2020 doesn’t have a lot going for it. That does mean however that each little oasis of joy and beauty that we stumble upon in this monumental clusterfuck of a year feels all the sweeter. There’s plenty of great new music despite everything, and one of the finest escapes I’ve stumbled across in the past six months has been the brilliant 
Belwood favourites Miccoli have been having a whirlwind 2019 thus far. The Birmingham based trio of siblings first won us over with the glowing melodies and infectious hooks of their debut EP 1/2 back in 2017. This year has already seen them release a full album and share the stage at packed out arenas up and down the country. It’s such a joy seeing them on the up and up, so we grabbed a moment out of their busy schedule for a quick catch up. 
With a focus on honest and heartfelt lyricism, up-and-coming singer/songwriter Scott Lloyd has certainly been making a name for himself in the Manchester scene, standing out from the crowd with his mature and meaningful mix of folk and Americana. With an enviable string of independently released EPs to his name, and a relentless touring schedule over recent years, his work ethic has rightfully yielded him praise and acknowledgement as he now moves forward as a newly signed artist. I had a chat with him about his most recent single and his journey thus far: 
Though album releases have been a little inconsistent thus far this year, 2018 has been proving to be the strongest year for singles since this site started. Some of the best examples have come from Pennsylvania based artist Caleb Kopta and his synth tinged Americana, evoking the likes of Ryan Adams and Bear’s Den. His latest track ‘Anything’ is the kind of song that you could look back on one day as an important part of the soundtrack to the best days of your life. I had a quick chat with him about how his enthralling Americana sound came about and where it may lead him next: 
With their latest EP I Thought You’d Be Bigger, Florida based duo Big Kettle Drum dabble in the kind of music that you don’t listen to, so much as feel every note from somewhere deep within. Brant Christopher Menswar and JT Keel have explored their soulful side with this latest release, but while still maintaining their hard-wearing signature sound steeped in old-school blues and Americana that won them their fiercely loyal fanbase. I fired a few quick questions their way to find out more about this latest release. 
With his debut solo record The Mad Ship, consummate songwriter Ash Johnson offers a diverse range of lyrical viewpoints adorned with rich imagery and memorable hooks. With songs about everything from love and dearly departed friends, to dealing with change and trying to find light in dark corners of our lives, it’s proving to be one of the most engaging and relatable releases of the year thus far. I caught up with Ash to find out more about how the record came about: 
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