Hailing from the St. Louis area, The Bottle Rockets show some of the same influences that inspired Uncle Tupelo and their progeny. In Lean Forward , their tenth release, the Rockets have a record that’s a rich bouquet of rock and roll, but nonetheless retaining some twangy alt country aromas. What distinguishes many of the […]
John Moreland/Rob’s House Demos
John Moreland and the Black Gold Band’s website states the following:  We’re from Okalahoma. We’re loud as hell. We don’t give two shits.  That may sum up the band when in full force, and it may sum up their 2008 album Endless Okalahoma Sky, but it doesn’t really capture the feeling of Rob’s […]
Grant Langston – Stand Up Man
These days, there seems to be a retro honky-tonk style act pop-up every 10 minutes. I regularly listen to acts that really want to be Dale Watson, or really wish that they were as rebelliously reckless as they try to be. I also get plenty of albums that showcase lyrics that are supposed to be […]
Joe Pug, American Troubadour
Chicago musician Joe Pug has spent the better part of the past year with a guitar over his shoulder. Since releasing his debut ep Nation of Heat in spring of 2008, Pug has followed in the figurative footsteps of Woody Guthrie by performing his music whenever and wherever he can. And like the great folk […]
Andy Friedman & the Other Failures- Weary Things
Art country? Country noir? I’m not sure how to define Andy Friedman’s new record Weary Things, his first with the spectacularly successful The Other Failures. The record is restrained letting Friedman’s conversational lyrics play across an eerie sounding background that falls closest to Mr. Dylan circa Time Out of Mind. Friedman’s acoustic guitar is often […]
Scott Warren – Quick Fix Bandage
I have really enjoyed digging into the new album from Californias’ Scott Warren. Quick Fix Bandage (Jungular Music), is one of those great singer/songwriter albums that deftly tosses folk, rock, country and pop into a wholly satisfying creation. Warren’s vocals contain a gentle rasp that seems to help the fusion of different styles, much in […]
Danny Schmidt- Instead the Forest Rose to Sing
I first heard of Texas singer-songwriter Danny Schmidt awhile back. A frequent recommendation of a good friend of mine (whose taste and breadth of knowledge about Americana music vastly exceeds my own), Danny Schmidt is just another in a long string of artists I dismissed upon first listen only to latter realize that they are […]
The Deep Vibration – Veracruz
The Deep Vibration, out of Nashville, know how to leave a guy wanting more. Their EP, Veracruz (Dualtone), seems to tease the listener with only a total of 5 songs. All 5 songs are made up of high-quality, bluesy rock and it just doesnt seem like enough. Matt Campbell’s vocal performance is strong and the […]
Welcome Back Will Hoge!
One wouldn’t blame Nashville musician Will Hoge for wanting to pull a Rip Van Winkle this past year. Last August he nearly lost his life when he was struck by a van while riding his scooter home from the studio. After months of surgeries and undoubtedly painful therapy, Hoge is back with a new album […]
Leeroy Stagger- Everything Is Real
We last heard from Leeroy Stagger on his 2006 disc Depression River, a modern day country rock masterpiece. Stagger synthesized Steve Earle, Ryan Adams, and Neil Young into his own unique take on the alternative country genre teeming with sprawling electric guitars, twang, and heart. Since then, he’s joined the folk super group Easton, Stagger, […]