The Loving Cup “One Last Hard Goodbye”

Independent, 2011

Wales provides some Country. Music that is.

• From the rolling hills of North Wales, The Loving Cup arrive in Hertfordshire with a swagger in their stride and probably some spurs clinking as they ride into town.

• Feted by Mark Lamarr and Whispering Bob, who both raved over their last release “Goofer Dust’, they follow it up with an album packed with songs that bring to mind Gram, The Band and especially The Flying Burrito Brothers. Described as “Southern rock’n’soul”, due to the occasional presence horns, their tunes are full of country rock rhythms and earnest guitar with a penchant for some serious slide, courtesy of Andy Vickers, and the tracks of note include opener ‘Hard Goodbye’, ‘Tennessee Lake’ and ‘The Price I Pay’.

  That’s not to say they can’t do gentle and simple too. ‘When I’m Gone’ displays their Stones influences, circa their ‘Wild Horses’ country phase, and the blues influenced opening acoustic country rock of ‘Took A Mile’ that swings and soars with little idea of where it’s going, which surprisingly, works very well. Final track ‘Way Down’ finishes the album off with its mellow approach supported by more fine slide guitar.

  This album is a grower. The first couple of listens merely float past you, but stick with it and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the range and depth of their songs. And I bet they put on a stirring and raunchy live set too.