Third preview of Moment in the Sun – the forthcoming album and audio book project from Ohio singer-songwriter, Matt Palka. The project documents Matt’s recent 5-week sojourn by bicycle across some of the highest and most remote roads in the USA, and revisits the experiences he enjoyed and the people he met.

Ramblin’ Rose, the latest of the project’s three (so far) tasters recalls the time that Matt spent with a lady he met in Grand Lake, Colorado, during his trip, as he explains: “I was three weeks into my solo cross-country bicycle trip when I decided to take a day off from biking . I had just ridden over the highest highway in America and nearly died by riding off the peak. When checking into the Grand Lake Youth Hostel, I met an earthy, soulful girl who was driving from the east coast and taking a break from her boyfriend. We spent a couple of days together, exploring the area and I saw the Milky Way for the first time, while sprawled out at midnight along the lake. I knew that our time was fleeting but I was happy for the gift of connection and even considered ending my bike trip right there, to spend whatever days we could together. Ramblin’ Rose is about that time.”

Deftly-picked, bluesy acoustic guitar provides the bright, summery accompaniment to Matt’s resonant, sometimes mellow, sometimes soaring voice. Sparkles of pedal steel add to the song’s ‘dusty road’ imagery and the picture is completed by sweeps of free ‘n’ easy fiddle (or is it a viola?) “Let’s spend some time together,” sings Matt – “This moment is forever.” Indeed so.

The countdown to Moment in Time is now well underway and Matt’s songs seem to get better, the quicker they come!

Often referred to as ‘The Scouse Springsteen,’ Ian Prowse is something of a legend, particularly on his home turf of Merseyside. He’s got 11 albums to his name, and album #12 – No Names – is in the pipeline and scheduled for a July release.

No Names is going to quite something, that’s for sure. The album features guest appearances from Elvis Costello, Steve Wickham and Damien Dempsey, as well as from Ian’s 14-year old daughter Rosalita. It promises to be a landmark in Ian’s career and he’s very excited: “It’s rock, it’s roll, it’s Celtic soul,” he says. “Half the songs address the wider world; radical hope – protest songs, if you like. The other half map out where my emotional life and memories are at in 2026. Just like John Lennon used to.”

Keynote Speech is the album’s lead single, and it offers a tantalizing glimpse of what’s to come. The accompanying video sees Ian and a bunch of mates performing the song in Liverpool’s iconic Peter Kavanagh’s ale house and the setting underlines the singalong nature of the song. Acoustic guitar, organ and handclaps provide the bulk of the sound, with a couple of stunning sax solos thrown in for good measure. It’s raucous and it’s joyful – but take a look below the partying: there’s some poignant messaging here, too.

“Keynote Speech is a communal singalong,” says Ian. “Like an exasperated, updated version of Lennon’s Give Peace a Chance. We recorded it in the same way too.”

The anticipation builds…

Abigail Lapell is a regular presence within these pages and she’s likely to remain that way as the build up to her forthcoming album, Shadow Child (out on 8th May) continues. Shadow Child features nine tracks – one for each month of Abigail’s recent pregnancy – and we’ve already had the pleasure of two of those months with previous singles Hazel and Shadow Child – the album’s title track.

Single #3, So Long, is a ballad of marine tragedy and reproductive choice. It’s a beautiful country waltz tune, held aloft on waves of baritone guitar and accordion. But – make no mistake – this one’s all about the vocals, with Abigail’s rich, reassuring tones lifted to another level entirely by Pharis Romero’s stunning harmonies. The guitars are strummed with intent, a single twngy electric guitar adds a few highlights and the net result: A song that is utterly captivating.

And the really good news? There’s more to come, very soon…

Bedouine is the project of Syrian-American musician, Azniv Korkejian. It’s a name she chose because she relates personally to the Bedouin way of life. Bedouine’s 2017 self-titled debut album was inspired by memories of her early life in Syria. For Neon Summer Skin, her forthcoming (4th) album (out on 5th June), she turns attention to her experiences in Saudi Arabia after Bedouine and her family relocated there when she was 10 years old.

Always On Time is the second foretaste of Neon Summer Skin and it sees Bedouine returning to her seat at the piano. Bedouine’s intimate, bluesy voice sends shivers down the spine right from the outset. We’re over a minute into the song before any serious instrumentation kicks in but, such is the presence of Bedouine’s voice, the absence is scarcely noticed.

Strings add a lush sweetness to Bedouine’s voice and piano and, when the pace picks up, there’s an air of playfulness evident in her delivery – a sense that’s driven home by the children’s playground scenes in the video.

Glad Town Ghost is the nom-de-performance of Teeside singer-songwriter Dale Husband. Dale takes his musical inspiration from the sounds of the Appalachian Foothills, to which he adds the gritty reality of the environment – and the stories – of his native Cleveland.

New single, Riverbank, is the first of a tranche of songs that we can expect from Glad Town Ghost over the coming months. Fluently-fingerpicked guitar and Dale’s soft vocal tones immediately recall Nick Drake – and that’s even before the Riverbank-River Man references strike home.

There’s quite a lot going on here: dreamy backing vocals and piano add an intensity as Dale sings his refrain: “She was a map of the waterways” and his admission: “I’m too scared to get my cold, black, heart broken all over again.”

Riverbank is enchanting, pastoral and evocative. The type of song that would make even The Incredible String Band sit up and take notice.