The Kitchen Table Sessions Volume 1

It's a curious thing that in New Zealand where country and alt.country of various persuasions has become increasingly popular that an album like this slips past most people. It slipped past me until very recently, although I'm pleased to note her previous one Red Dirt Angel, didn't go around the judges at the 2009 music awards who picked it as the country album of last year. Without having heard the other contenders for next year I'm prepared to bet this will be pretty far ahead the rest of the pack. It shifts easily from being moving to upbeat fun, delightful to raunchy . . . Canadian-born Neilson grew up in a family of musicians and was part of their traveling band (a country music Partridge Family, she jokes) but has moved to this far side of the world. While back in Canada seeing family they were sitting around the kitchen table swapping songs and so the idea of an equally informal album was born.