Aside from tributes and fund-raisers, the idea of concept albums fell out of favor about the time disco came into vogue. Sometimes though, there’s a theme that runs through a record. It doesn’t necessarily drive what gets put on disk, but it ties the songs in the project together. That’s the case with the sophomore […]
The Ransom Brothers – Resurgence
There’s much to be said for being old enough that something you loved as a kid has become cool again. In this case I’m talking about the multiple lead guitars with fiddle or pedal steel fed by a driving rhythm section that became known as Southern rock. Several new albums heavy on that style have […]
AmericanaFest 2022 – Shawn’s Favorites
I was once again fortunate enough to attend the fall celebration of all things roots music, AmericanaFest. Taking place across most of a week, the traditional kick-off is the Americana Music Awards on Wednesday night. The official showcases also started Wednesday, and ended Saturday night. And this year the unofficial events started on Tuesday and […]
2022 Americana Music Awards
In what’s become a signature event in the roots music scene, the Americana Music Festival was back in full swing this year in the third week of September. Although unofficial events start on Tuesday, the traditional kick-off is the Americana Music Awards held on Wednesday night at the amazing Ryman Auditorium. It’s a chance to […]
Moontricks – Currents
Imagine you’re driving through a winding valley deep in the mountains of British Columbia when you happen upon a barn along the side of the road. You stop, open the door to investigate, and it’s a full-on rave; keyboards, synthesizers, flashing strobes, and a bass line threatening to turn your insides to jelly. Oh, and […]
Ben Balmer Premiere – I’ve Got You Under My Skin
Ben Balmer plays with a lot of folks around the Austin area and last fall he released an album, Honky Tonk Macbeth, that featured many of them. He has a new record coming out soon under the moniker of Ben Balmer & Friends, so we can assume that it will likewise feature a number of […]
John Fullbright – The Liar
It’s been 8 years since John Fullbright last released an album. For a Grammy-nominated artist headlining festivals, that’s an eternity. He has a new record coming out later this month, called The Liar, and it’s clear he put all that time to good use. He embraced a new band in the studio and developed a […]
Triggers & Slips – What Do You Feed Your Darkness?
You’ve undoubtedly heard the line that country music is three chords and the truth. It goes deeper than that, though. It’s not just the truth, but more often than not it’s self-truth. Opening up about one’s own foibles and self-doubts adds an integrity to the twang that you just don’t get observing from a distance. […]
Sunny Sweeney – Married Alone
Popular culture is littered with references to the drifter, the rambling man, the loner. Soul tormented by assorted demons, both real and imaginary, they never get attached to anyone and deal with their insecurity by show of bravado. These characters are nearly always men. Sunny Sweeney takes exception to that on her latest album, Married […]
Jonathan Terrell – A Couple 2, 3
There are a thousand examples of country music artists who didn’t grow up anywhere near anything “country”. That doesn’t make them any less good at their craft. Occasionally though, you hear someone whose weary optimism reflects a lifetime of making do in rural America. That’s the case with Austinite Jonathan Terrell on his upcoming EP, […]