When a critic hears about a new act in music, a relative unknown, often the excitement at discovery is tempered by trepidation at the disappointment. Still, as music writers we attempt to somehow divide our time between trusted acts, the possibility of a new discovery that no one else has heard. With these same ambivalent […]
The Tallest Man on Earth – Live
With a name like “Tallest Man on Earth,” a few questions may come to mind. And the answer to most of them is “no.” First of all, it’s not a band but a single singer/songwriter named Kristian Matsson. No, he’s not from south, the west or the U.S. for that matter. He’s from Sweden. No, […]
Iron & Wine – Around the Well
When it comes to do-it-yourselfers, Sam Beam proved with his first album that he didn’t need anyone to create good music. In fact, he’d already been doin’ it for seven years before anything happened. If his demo didn’t land in the hands of someone who recognized it, Sam may still be creating his beautiful melodies […]
Wilco – Ashes of American Flags DVD
Although mainstream commercial success has consistently eluded them, critics have just as consistently showered the band with praises. Although perhaps not as compelling as Sam Jones’ “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart,” the new documentary shows a very different band whose relentless schedule of arduous tours keeps them away from family and friends. While […]
Vetiver – Tight Knit
If you’re familiar with the “freak folk†movement and the likes of Devendra Banhart and Joanna Newsom, you may not be interested in Vetiver. Although they may have become friends, Andy Cabic (the force behind the band) has certainly broken new ground. On this record Cabic’s acoustic pop aesthetic sounds more like Josh Rouse than […]
Justin Townes Earle – Midnight at the Movies
If there’s one thing that Justin Townes Earle seems intent to prove, it’s that he’s his own man. Whether that means pissing his dad off to no end, pushing deep into country, or showing an uncompromising need to try on different genres for size. While his first EP “Yuma†is an almost exclusively intimate acoustic […]
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
When the Drive-by Truckers and Jason Isbell parted ways last year, the direction of each of the divorcees seemed unclear. Isbell and the Trucker’s first effort were surprisingly strong albeit not extremely different or shocking. Perhaps the most shocking thing was Isbell’s more acoustic bent and Shonna Tucker’s amazing song-writing. For his second record, Isbell […]
James Moore – Crows
With a name as plain as James Moore, I don’t quite know why I clicked on the link to play the sample song. But when I did, I was struck by the power of the melodies. Even with relatively simple arrangements, Moore has managed to pull together some affecting heart-rending tunes. Crows is not Moore’s […]
M. Ward – Hold Time
Matt Ward’s hooks belie his strong messages. While he sings in a mellow rough blue-eyed soul, his acoustic guitar acts as a percussion instrument at the same time. This time around the acoustic guitar’s dominance has certainly diminished in favor of it’s electric counterpart, but somehow the more intricate songs seem strangely similar. The upbeat […]
Lisa Hannigan – Sea Sew
Angelic voices and classical music are like two peas in a pod. Rock, pop, and country, on the other hand, seem a bit more interested in the broken and damaged. Rock voices usually lack the purity of the biblical cherubs. There’s something about a perfect vocal that’s just the antithesis of rock. Now I didn’t […]