ALY COOK'S COUNTRY STORM IS HEADING ACROSS THE TASMAN IN THE DIRECTION OF TAMWORTH

New Zealand is not really famous for creating and nurturing
country music stars and country music in general, although
it has been a fairly productive place for giving rise to new
new rock, pop and even folk talent in the past there has al-
ways been a miserable amount of the rock moulded type
of country music in NZ which Australia is just overflow-
ing with presently. Like Lee Kernaghan & Troy Cassar-
Daley country, a bit rocky and a bit bluesey but still
genuine country. The output from females is even
more lame when it comes to New Zealand music
in general compared to the blokes, no sexism is
intended. But the persistent and talented Aly
Cook is trying to brake down the australasian
country music barrier with a new album which
was recorded in NZ and the US and is full of
rootsy songs tinged with an amalgam of pop,
folk & traditional country. I find it so easy
to make the comparison between Aly and
Australia's Beccy Cole, both are anything
but polished and airbrushed but in stark
contrast tend to win you over with their
boisterous unrefinity and sheer passion
to belt out a riveting vocal in a brazen
sort of manner. But Aly like Beccy also
knows how to tone it down quite a few
notches and go into a slowed down di-
va mode depending on the occasion or
what song she wants to record at any
one moment. COUNTRY STORM does
sound like one of Aly's more tradit-
ional country song's if you ask me,
at least out of the ones i have had
a chance to hear, it has an upbeat
and well choregraphed video clip
to go with it which was half re-
corded in the US & half in New
Zealand, and i love the choice
of dresses that the lovely Aly
chose to wear for this clip as
well (laugh). Ally is going to
Tamworth this year, if you're
down there in two weeks time
do check her out when she is
playing a gig in the country
music capital of Australasia.