At last year’s Folk Alliance I had the pleasure (pun intended) of seeing a new-ish duo from Australia, Catherine Britt and Lachlan Bryan, who now perform as The Pleasures. Both had already established themselves at solo artists, Britt as an internationally respected country music award winner, and Bryan as a veteran rock and roll road […]
Dar Williams – Hummingbird Highway
Over the years I’ve heard many singers comment about how to write good songs. Frequently it’s a variation on the theme of “live the life you want to write about.” In the case of Hudson Valley, NY, resident and folk music icon Dar Williams, that’s a life of traveling troubadour and social crusader. In addition […]
Grant-Lee Phillips – In the Hour of Dust
I looked up the word “cinematic” and, not surprisingly, all the definitions center around visual elements. Yet, it’s one of the first words that came to my mind as I listened to the new record from Grant-Lee Phillips, In the Hour of Dust. The album’s title is taken from an 1800’s painting of cattle being […]
East Nash Grass – All God’s Children
A few years ago a friend of mine told me about a Monday night bluegrass show at Dee’s in East Nashville. He said it was like a romper room for string band musicians, where fun was favored over taking the traditions of bluegrass too seriously. The lineup was always a little different, but had a […]
Hillary Reynolds – Changing Seasons
Life happens, as the saying goes. Angeleno Hillary Reynolds can attest to that. What started as a project 6-ish years ago got waylaid by the pandemic, pregnancy, and raising a child. While she could have dropped making the album, and was at times tempted to do so, it became important to finish. Unlike many of […]
KP Hawthorn – Til the Glitter End
Over a decade ago, KP Hawthorn and a few of her friends/musicians decided to put together CALICO the band, a vehicle for their love of the California Country sound. KP, Jaime Wyatt, and Manda Mosher co-wrote several songs and the band’s debut, Rancho California, came out in 2014. Fast forward those ten years and KP […]
Henhouse Prowlers – Unravel
The modern theme for a 20th anniversary gift is platinum. That’s relevant because this year is the 20th year Chicago bluegrass group Henhouse Prowlers have been a band. They have a new album out, Unravel, and I’m sure they’d be happy to have it certified platinum. In this day and age, though, they’ll probably have […]
Hayes Carll – We’re Only Human
I’ve heard several musicians state they don’t know what they would have done if they weren’t musicians. It’s all they’ve ever been any good at, or even really known how to do. I have no idea how Hayes Carll feels about that notion, but I’m pretty sure he could have been a standout comedian or […]
Wild Mountain Mystics – Fire & Honey
I was reading the other day about the Horseshoe Theory, which suggests that the extreme right and extreme left have surprisingly similar points of view on many things. I won’t comment on the political validity of that, but I discovered a musical version of the idea. Imagine combining the DIY aesthetic of punk rock and […]
Nate Currin Song Premiere – The Tamiami Trail
There’s a subset of musicians commonly known as road dogs. They’re out there doing 100 shows a year, sometimes for decades. Between the tour van/RV and sympathetic fans, their home is defined by the bed underneath them tonight. Nate Currin is one of those guys. He may claim a place in Florida, or some remote […]