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Take a spin with Golden Graham's choice album reviews

 

John McCane  John McCane

Straight From The Heart

Echo Park

 

Manchester based band John McCane and The Last Of The Breed are one of the leading bands on the British country music scene. Recipient of several British country music awards including the prestigious U.K. Country Radio Awards, John picked up the Listeners' Choice Award for the track "Who's Gonna Hold Me" from this album at the 2004 award ceremony which took place in February 2005.

Straight From The Heart is the third CD released by John containing a mixed bag of 12 tracks featuring a diverse selection of appealing covers and original songs. Alongside the already mentioned "Who's Gonna Hold Me" which was written by British songwriter Lorna Flowers we can also find John and Lorna combining their songwriting talents for "Touch Me With Your Tenderness". Another fine gem that John had a hand in writing with Last Of The Breed band member Pete McDonald is the emotive "Second Time Around", a song about lost love and how a new love can pull a body out of that downward spiral of CD Cover despair. Picking up the pace, John's own western swing styled "The Lady" lifts the spirits with this tale of a fun loving girl.

The first track to hit the listener is a great honky tonker "Holdin' Heaven", closely followed by the Curly Putman/Bucky Jones weepy "Couldn't Love Have Picked A Better Place To Die". Sonny Throckmoton's "Last Cheater's Waltz" has long been a popular number in John's set-list during his live shows and finally many of his fans will be pleased to see it included here. Harley Allen/John Wiggins' "Spread A Little Love Around" sits well as does "I Do But I Don't", and the Tommy/Jimmy Swarbrigg composition "Kiss Ass Country" appeals to many.

Straight From The Heart offers a traditional country music style in its purest form with a generous helping of steel licks. A seasoned performer, John's strong voice has a richness that makes everything sound effortless. So give this album a spin, let the sounds swirl in the air around you while you take in a deep breath.

Just one last note…from the back cover it appears that John has a budding drummer in the making with his three-year old son pictured at the helm of his very own drum-kit. The future of country music looks safe!!!