I’ve just finished listening to Bob Harris on BBC Radio 2 on listen again. It’s the show that goes out between midnight and 3am early Sunday morning when I and probably most sensible people are tucked up in bed. The highlight of this show, which was broadcast on Sunday March 23, came an hour into the programme and featured British country singer Alan West and his talented trio. The music was superb; Alan performed three original songs All Things For A Reason, A Fine Line Between Yes And No and You’re On Your Own, but equally enthralling and interesting was the interview segments that Bob Harris conducted with Alan West between the live music. This illuminated the life and work of a UK country musician with a brutal honesty and disarming frankness and should be essential listening for any self-respecting country and Americana music fan, not to mention all aspiring singer-songwriters and musicians. Alan West tells it how it is and the master interviewer that he is, Bob Harris teased the responses from Alan in a way that a lesser person could never have done. All too often country and Americana music fans have dismissed UK acts out of hand, in many instances this is understandable, but when it comes to a talent like Alan West, all natural prejudices should be cast aside. I urge you to listen to this programme with a totally open mind. I am convinced that you will be hooked. I certainly was.
Alan Cackett
Press Quotes
"I have just listened to Alan's Cd, as expected it's top class vocally and musically and must rank among among the top country albums of ANY year, let alone 2011."
- Gerry Ford
"Alan West possesses a voice to die for. His rich, slightly edgy tones are made for true life yarns and this all-too-brief six-song EP features some classics from an idiom that appears to be a lost art form in today’s country mainstream."
- Alan Cackett, Editor - Maverick Magazine
"I liked them a lot" (on receiving NEO Music Artists Alan West and Steve Black's latest CDs)
- Alan Cackett, Editor - Maverick Magazine
“The distinct voice of a reliable witness living his way through the wayward landscape of the heart”
- Katy Moffatt
“This is a good’un - a classy, totally authentic-sounding new album from Alan, a performer with a deep-rooted passion for the better end of mainstream country music”
- Net Rhythms
“This is the work of 2 men who could hold their own in the bars of Austin & Albert Lee adds class to the proceedings.”
- Country Music People
“….on home territory it will take a good man to better him no matter from where they hail.”
- Maurice Hope - Flyingshoes Review
“I’m certain Alan will be back in business with this amazingly good album. The combined talents of Alan West & Steve Black add up to an absolute winner.”
- Online Country.com
“It's a quality piece of work that should go down a storm on the country / folk circuit”
- Get Ready to Rock
“This is country/Americana at its best and deserves a good listen from any fan of that genre.”
- Alan Cackett, Editor - Maverick Magazine
“Alan West is a UK Treasure. His masterful interpretation of both classic and original Americana songs, together with his easy going stage demeanour, gives the impression of a laid back, front porch musical presentation, but with the professionalism that very few can carry off so effortlessly.”
- Alan Cackett, Editor - Maverick magazine
“Most British efforts at classic Country come with a strong health warning but with England’s own session legend Albert Lee sitting in, West simply fires up the truck & heads for Nashville without a backward glance.”
- Acoustic Magazine
“Alan effortlessly extracts the maximum of emotion out of each song and the result literally takes your breath away at times. His version of Hugh Moffatts How could I love her so much had this old softie close to tears.”
- The David Allan Page - Country Music People