This is an album that can only be described as very pleasant (and I’m going to use that word a lot). Good writing, excellent performances both vocally and musically all brought together with a simple production that lets all the constituent parts shine through. Very pleasant indeed. And that may, unfortunately, be its downfall.

I can’t find anything here to criticise. Well, I can but more of that later (and it’s not the band’s fault). It is possibly only the lack of ‘edge’ here that leaves me gently warmed and comfortable with this album, but not forced to sit up and take notice.

Am I being too harsh on Red Sky July? Quite possibly, so perhaps my cautious approach should be taken with a healthy dose of salt (or unhealthy dose, depending on this week’s government advice).

Red Sky July compromise Husband and wife team Shelley Poole (Alisha’s Attic) and Ally McErlaine (Texas) with mutual friend Charity Hair (The Alice Band) so there’s proven talent and pedigree here and that shines through the music. Remember my remark about a lack of edge? Well it probably doesn’t exist due to the depth of experience in RSJ. Knowing how to drive always helps before you jump into a car!

That pedigree proves itself in some really good songs here. Already Gone, How To Get Your Love, Evening Song, Loving You’s Easy and the simply wonderful The Happiest Girl In The Whole USA really stand out for this listener. They are beautifully crafted songs that promote the huge appeal of Shelley and Charity’s vocals. This is very accessible country music that doesn’t laden itself with all the typical US-country trappings that usually have yours truly running for the hills clutching a sick-bag.

And therein lays my problem. Red Sky July are described as “Alt-Folk”. This is country music to my ears and shouldn’t be dragged into the ‘folk’ domain simply because that’s what seems to be popular this month. I have written before about the broad grey area that exists between folk and country in the USA that seems to have been designed to allow artists to meander musically and be classified randomly depending on which side of the bed they got out of on any given morning. I’m not the greatest fan of pigeon-holing music but it is part of the world we live in and US Radio seems totally dependent on it. As for Red Sky July being described as a counterpoint to its members earlier work, I would suggest a listen to the ‘Texas’ back catalogue - there’s more country-rock there than you can shake a pigeon-holing stick at.

From my perspective Red Sky July have their feet planted firmly in that lighter pop end of the country spectrum but most definitely country. And it is none the worse for that.

I like this album. It is an extremely pleasant listen which has already whiled away many hours and miles and will no doubt continue to do so. Is it chart material? A difficult one that, so I’ll just have to duck it and say probably more so in America than here due to the greater availability of radio time it will need to establish its audience.

I would recommend this album to anyone wishing to find a pleasant, unchallenging way to while away half an hour or so with music to calm the soul. It is a genuinely nice album; lovely vocals, good music and songs that you will probably find yourself singing-a-long to on the second listen. But it doesn’t do much more than that during its 37 minutes. It isn’t going to embed itself in your memory and if one of the tracks gets played on the radio and you don’t hear the band’s name you’re not likely to be too bothered.

This is a beautifully crafted piece of work by three musicians who obviously enjoyed recording it. So maybe that’s what this album is; a chance to hear three accomplished musicians entertaining themselves. And that perhaps is its real downfall. Messrs Poole, McErlaine and Hair may have produced an album primarily for their own entertainment. Me, I’ve enjoyed it too but I do wonder what’s coming up next on my iPod.

Reviewed by d-jaysea.

Red Sky July's album of the same name is out on 17 October 2011, but available to pre-order from Amazon now.