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REVIEWS

TAMWORTH COUNTRY MUSIC CAPITAL NEWS

FRIENDLY DISPOSITION

INDEPENDENT

This album promised “countryfied indie folk with tons of heart, soul and swagger” and it delivered!  Brenda Lee Kelly fronts a band featuring fiddle, twangy guitars, lapsteel and dobro, drums and a somewhat edgy outlook on music and life. I immediately gravitated to Wildhorse Mountain with its bluegrass tinges and western story and the slightly quirky Closing Time At The Cemetery Gates – inspired by a visit to the French burial place of Jim Morrison.

Brenda wrote the songs during treatment for cancer and recorded these songs that tell stories of love, healing and the twists that sometimes cross one’s path – check out Punk’s Not Dead (It’s Gone Country) or Hand Me Down Kisses or Barnard’s Star. She has a unique vocal tone and style, and it stands out amongst today’s saccharine female country output and rings of genuine country leanings. Maybe file under Alt Country, but that just means this is more country than most of the songs on the radio charts at the moment.

WFB01

JON WOLFE

https://capitalnews.com.au/   March/April 2023

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Americana UK review

From down under, Waiting For Brenda started life as a Billy Bragg covers band as they were fed up waiting for him to play Australia. They have moved on since then and ‘Friendly Disposition’ is a slightly grungy set of songs which remind one of the heydays of alt-country. The band are just on the right side of ramshackle with wayward fiddle and Dobro solos galore while singer Brenda Lee Kelly strikes just the right attitude. For a grand swatch of gothic country have a listen to ‘Closing Time At The Cemetery Gates‘ and, for an insight into Brenda’s mindset, there’s the fast and furious ‘Punk’s Not Dead (It’s Gone Country)’. File next to The Knitters. 

Americana UK – Paul Kerr, Album reviews, Columns, Features - March 31st 2023 https://americana-uk.com/auk-shortcuts-march-2023-frances-luke-accord-nicholas-johnson-seamus-foley-taradiddle-nashville-ambient-ensemble-brigid-oneill-and-daniel-meade

Tamworth Songwriters Association - March 2023 Newsletter

Waiting for Brenda - 4th July - single review - YORK CALLING - MONTHLY FAVOURITES - JANE HAWKINS

As my regular readers will know, I’m a big fan of the Americana/folk genres, and Waiting for Brenda contain those genres in spades! 4th July is a haunting folk song that has all the hallmarks of the genre, as well as a fast, country beat. The violins sound particularly stunning in the background, laid out against the gorgeous electric guitar lines that make up the main instrumentation on this pretty tune. Vocalist Brenda’s voice sounds perfect here, with her lyrics suiting the style of music exceedingly well. https://yorkcalling.co.uk/2023/03/03/monthly-favourites-14/

QUOTES

“She has a unique vocal tone and style, and it stands out amongst today's saccharine female country output and rings of genuine country leanings. Maybe file under Alt Country, but that just means this is more country than most of the songs on the radio charts at the moment.” - Jon Wolfe

— Tamworth Country Music Capital News (March-April edition 2023)

“Bob Dylan-esque sensibilities are heard in the profound lyricism adding a thought-provoking poignancy to the light-hearted tune. ” - Nicole Mendes

— The Other Side Reviews

“The band are just on the right side of ramshackle with wayward fiddle and Dobro solos galore while singer Brenda Lee Kelly strikes just the right attitude.” - Americana UK – Paul Kerr

— Americana UK – Paul Kerr, Album reviews, Columns, Features - March 31st 2023

SHORT BIO

WAITING FOR BRENDA

Friendly Disposition

Tunes to tap your feet..or break your heart. Originals outfit Waiting for Brenda weave lyrics from songwriter Brenda of love, despair and humour with the sounds of Dobro, Fiddle, Bass, Drums, Guitar & Vocals.

Waiting for Brenda brings together countrified indie folk with tons of heart, soul & swagger.

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