Reviews

The much maligned genre of country music seems to have been experiencing something of a revival in recent years.

Julie and Meg

Personally, I blame Ryan Adams. If he hadn't gone and released album after album of quality music, we'd never have got ourselves into this predicament. Darn his rootin' tootin' tunes.

More locally, of course, we have had the joys of the Bad Ass Cowboys, a spoof County and Western outfit whose songs include such classics of "(I've Decided Not to Kill You) Because it's Christmas".

You Can't Beat…

Now, though, comes the real thing. A Cheltenham based Alt-Country group made up of Julie and Meg.

Together they form Go See Gretchen. And they're rather good.

Armed with two acoustic guitars that go by the names of Dolly and Debbie (that's right - their guitars have names), Julie and Meg perform gentle sounding melodies with a bitter twist. Theirs are a mixture of original songs and covers.

Not Quite Clones of Dolly

The cover versions are impressive, featuring songs as diverse as a (no doubt) crowd pleasing rendition of Dolly Parton's "Jolene" through to the less well know "Cocaine Habit", once made famous by the Memphis Jug Band in the 1930s.

"Cocaine Habit" is perhaps a controversial song to re-introduce to the ears of a world in which tabloid headlines regularly expose the drug fuelled excesses of the rich and famous.

It does, nevertheless, retain a certain charm while putting across the message that the drug is "the worst darn habit that I ever had".

Even better, it comes complete with a kazoo solo between verses. Unfortunately, the name of the kazoo is currently unknown.

Gretchen's Originals

Elsewhere, Go See Gretchen's original material betrays a sensitive heart and beautiful, simple melodies.

Julie and Meg busking

"Something Outta Nothing" treads familiar Country themes of a hard life and a much put upon woman.

The song bemoans a one way relationship: "It's just take, take, take/I can't stretch anymore/you want something out of nothing".

This is the complete opposite of Tammy Wynette's "Stand by your Man" with the song's narrator deciding that she'll be "better off on my own/I won't be alone/when I go back to who I was before you".

See For Yourself

In three short songs , Go See Gretchen have produced snap shots of love, loss and human weakness.

This duo are one of Gloucestershire's hidden treasures.

Go find Go See Gretchen. Go hear Go See Gretchen. And, when you get the chance make sure you go see Go See Gretchen.

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This article is an external contribution and expresses a personal opinion, not the views of BBC Gloucestershire.