Kete Bowers is a singer / songwriter born in Liverpool. His music crosses many genres from Country, Rock, Americana, Folk and Blues.

Liverpool born singer/songwriter makes a confident début with this joyous and well produced CD.

Gifted in his use of words his lyrics sing of experience and love.

Bowers has a poet’s heart and a musician’s sensitivity.

Initially classed as a folk/country release his music will cross many more boundaries than just these.

Self produced this CD presents a new and interesting talent to keep an eye on and check out when he sets out on the ‘Road’ to play for a live audience.

I feel sure after listening to his album you will certainly not be disappointed.

Seamus Doran: Showbiz and Entertainment Magazine.

A Liverpool born-and bred singer-songwriter; Kete Bowers’ debut album is one of the finest debuts I’ve heard in many a moon. Though there is a strong American country flavour throughout, Bowers doesn’t make the mistake of trying to sound American, but sings in a strong and compelling style all his very own. He is also a top-notch songwriter, up there with such other rootsy country tunesmiths as Guy Clark, Rodney Crowell and John Prine. His songs come from deep down in his soul and are coloured by his own experiences.

Alan Cackett: Maverick Country Magazine.

Alt.country singer Kete Bowers is a man of one word titles (when he's not just using symbols) and bucket loads of expression. "Road" is an album that could highlight the finest that the Austin scene has to offer. Kete is a self taught musician who listened to the country greats at his grandmother's house, an event he acknowledges on "Isobel" the second cut on the album, named after said relative. Bowers is an artist raised on the greats, greats he's come to emulate and add his own style to. His sound and musical heritage are an American dream, lived in Liverpool.

Review Editor: Fatea Magazine.

It’s a selection of country and Americana-flavoured, elegantly understated compositions that evoke memories of heartbreak regret and lost love, delivered in a marvellously weatherworn voice. The songs luxuriate in deliciously warm arrangements with rich country atmosphere .The Tex-Mex flavours of ‘Shine’, enhanced by the harmony vocals of Lily Gonzalez, the emotional intensity of ‘Rain’ and the delicately delivered beauty of the poignant ‘Isobel’ stand out. It’s left to the stripped-back vocals and acoustic guitar of ‘Stay’ to fully reveal what a powerful and compelling voice Bowers possesses.

Steve Caseman: R2 Rock “n” Reel Magazine.

Kete Bowers is a country singer who plays with such heartfelt emotion that it’s hard not to relate to his poignant lyrics and melodies. Listening to artists such as Elvis Presley and Johnny Ray, Bowers has an older touch to his songs that seems to close the gap from generation to generation. Bowers has music in his blood, since his father played numerous instruments and helped Bowers on his journey to realise his true potential.

College News, Editor, USA.

The CD "Road" offers solid songwriter music for the connoisseur. No volatile consumption or enjoyment trendy songs but extremely fragile and heartbreaking songs, sometimes worn by a beautiful acoustic guitar. It provides a pure and honest album with songs of high quality.

Alt Country Magazine: Holland.

It is very refreshing to hear that country music is made all over the world. The most surprising aspect about this is that a lot of international country artists are more authentic than the ones here at home. Kete Bowers is one of those artists.

Pure Country Magazine. USA.

Drop D Magazine. UK.

Listening to the debut album of Kete Bowers one could easily mistake him for being a seasoned pro as the album Road is mature in both lyrics and sound. Hailing from Liverpool originally he now lives in London while also spending time in Nashville. The album is set in the genre of American Country and Folk. His early musical influences include Hank Williams, Dolly Parton, Roy Orbison and Elvis Presley. These influences are apparent while listening to the record where some songs like the opening track Road are classic American Country songs whereas others such as Stay would be more MOR (middle of the road).

The various themes throughout the album include love, loss and family where the influence of his grandmother is huge. Indeed the second song on the album is named after her and is called Isobel. Quite possibly the strongest song on the album, this song traces his memories of her and of listening to songs with her as a child. He sings of still singing the songs she sang to him and Jim Reeves is even mentioned in the song. His loss at her passing is acutely felt especially with the lyrics “And I don’t want the flowers to see you cry, If they do they’ll surely die”. The lyrics are accompanied with a beautiful melody and with the soft backing vocals of Lily Gonzalez.

Another song of note and indeed my favourite song on the album is Stay. It is a beautiful lament for lost love and while on most of the other tracks on the album feature a full band here there is just Bowers’ on acoustic guitar with the delightful Gonzalez on impressive backing vocals. While the whole song has beautiful lyrics I especially like the verse “Pretty little snowflakes fell they fell on you and me, we chased the snow down across the fields and through the arms of English trees”. This verse is more of duet than actually having Gonzalez on backing vocals but it is a ploy that works.

An interesting fact about the album is that all the tracks are a simple one word name with the final song being a symbol which looks like the Sun. The ever present theme throughout the entire album is one of lost love. I’m unsure if this is about the loss of his grandmother or of a lover in some of the songs. However either way it is a theme that works and when the deep lyrics are mixed with the easy listening melodies it is marriage made in heaven.

Another song of note would the afore mentioned Sun Symbol song. This song has the most beautiful melody and it must be noted that the piano playing of Roger Eno is sublime. Bowers’ vocals are exceptional here and blend perfectly with Eno’s piano. As with Stay it is a song of the loss of a loved one.

Looking at the album as a whole it is structrually sound with both the lyrics and melodies blending well together. As a debut album it is impressive that there are no songs that could be considered fillers, which in any album is an achievement.

Drop-d Rating 9/10 Review from Drop D: by Gwen Langford.

Review from Real Roots, Holland.

From England comes a very sensitive and personal CD by newcomer Kete Bowers. Kete was born in Liverpool, was at a young age "music"of his grandmother Isobel, during sleepovers her grandson turned her favorite LPs. So were Dolly Parton, Jim Reeves, Hank Williams, Jimmie Rodgers, Slim Whitman, Roy Orbison and Elvis Presley part of his upbringing. On one of the finest songs from the CD, its node to his grandmother, "Isobel, " he sings about these early influences: "Isobel, I still sing the songs you Taught me, I roll to my mind way back then. Jim Reeves singing on the record player he have to compromise to go '. "Isobel" is just one of the beautiful songs on the CD, which Kete With beautiful, pleasant voice is accompanied by the pick of the English country scene, in particular steel guitarist BJ Cole (active since early 1970, he has played with virtually all the greats of the British pop scene and with appropriate Americans) are stampcan printed . But the backing vocals of Lily Gonzalez, accordion and keyboards by Roger Eno and the guitar of Mark Flanagan are simply brilliant.

Kete Bowers with 'Road' is placed in a blow at the very pinnacle of British country music world. The atmosphere at the CD I am often reminded of those wonderful English band from Iain Matthews early in 1970 (Matthew's Southern Comfort). Wonderful songs, all 10 have a one-word title, with a beautiful steel guitar accompaniment which constantly over everything beautiful "sings".

(Fred Schmale) May 2011.

f you are the pedigree of the Liverpool-born songwriter was sifting get to visit great-grandparents who played music and sang as a hobby or even professionally indispensable as his Scottish great-grandmother, Mary Ann. His grandmother Isobel had a record collection that Kete Bowers made love to the country music of Jim Reeves, Jimmie Rodgers and Hank Williams. At sixteen he taught himself guitar and therefore mounted especially the songs of others. But in the autumn of 2007 he started his own poetic writing songs and this self geproducet 'Road' debut is the result.

With his warm voice that something about Gordon Lightfoot, Pete Morton reminds performed his folky country songs. Pedal steel guitar of BJ Cole the female backing and Lily Gonzalez contribute to the Americana sound. Besides Kete Mark Flanagan also guides him on guitar. On the nostalgic 'Regret' accentuates the cello a painful undertone. Most of the songs are about Kete Brower loss and mortality, memories fade or even the full force of light. Kete Bowers paints with images as if the pages of an album and turns the dreams of a revived but always surrounded with the shadow of loss. "Isobel" is also dedicated to his grandmother, with whom he shared intimate moments.

In the songs that Roger Eno plays accordion like 'Shine' and 'Rain' to give to Kete's disillusionment a poignant resonance. The poignant "Stay" interpreted as a plea Kete, similar to a drifter with only his guitar as a companion and the distant faint female backing. But the best gem keeps it until the last, partly a reprise of textual 'Shine', but devoid of any guidance, Kete's guitar and Roger Eno's sublime piano exception. The song sounds like a hymn, rending and chilling at the same time beautiful.

With great empathy and a poetic soul plays the British singer of the legendary troubadour of the old land Albion are yearning love songs, where dreams slipping away like sand slips through your fingers loose granular heat just behind. Any music club Liverpool who brings Bard to Belgium may be assured of a night full of beauty in which inspiration, poetry, expression and universal themes of country will touch the audience.

Marcie: Review from Roootstime, Belguim July 2011.

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