In the last couple of weeks I’ve written about North Of Nashville and True North. Â Unwittingly, I was leading up to this week’s review–Anna Lynch. Â As residents of Anchorage, Alaska, Anna and her bandmates are waaaay north of Nashville. Â You’d never know that by listening to Anna’s self-titled release, though. Â It has love songs and […]
Nickel Creek – New Day in Boston
Although my recent interest in bluegrass has certainly been controlling lots of airtime on my  stereo, Nickel Creek bridge the gap of old and new. Somehow, they managed to sneak into the Americana/Indie Rock section of the record store in my college days and I’ve been a fan for the near decade of their existence. When I […]
Mayer’s Playlist for May 2014
ALBUM OF THE MONTHS All Or Nothin’, by Nikki Lane Nikki Lane’s sophomore effort caught me by surprise. I’d be lying if I said that I had more than a cursory exposure to her 2011 debut, but the just released All Or Nothin’ has grabbed my attention. Lane’s songs are rooted in country, albeit with […]
True North – Elsebound
For the first few decades of bluegrass music, it tended to lean toward the high, lonesome sound invented by Bill Monroe, or an old-timey vibe like the Carter Family or the Osborne Brothers.  Then in the 70’s a few artists emerged that pushed the boundaries of the genre; John Hartford, New Grass Revival, Hot Rize, to name […]
Katie Deter – The Brooklyn Sessions
It isn’t every day that a sixteen year old singer songwriter can captivate a producer through a social media post. In fact, the same would go for a 26 year old songwriter. However, that is exactly what happened in this case. When Brooklyn based producer/musician Brian Murphy saw a video of Katie performing posted on […]
More Than a Feeling: A Special Boston Playlist*
FEATURED ALBUMS Smith & Weeden, by Smith & Weeden It’s always a treat to stumble across a band that, quite simply, sounds like they are having fun. Such is the case with the Providence-based quartet* Smith and Weeden, whose songs run the gamut from harmony-laced country to guitar-fueled rock. In the country category are ambling […]
Photos that ROCK! Barnstar! in the studio
Barnstar! at Dimension Sound Studios Jamaica Plain, MA On a lovely spring night I arrived at Dimension Sound Studios, a dozen donuts in hand. Somehow, the stars had aligned and I was invited to photograph my favorite bluegrass super-group as they finished up their second album. As I mentioned before, Barnstar! is comprised of Mark […]
Joseph Huber – The Hanging Road
Joseph Huber is a 21st century cowboy. Â Back in the middle of the 19th century, a type of individual emerged in the American West who learned to take advantage of a new opportunity. Â No longer did you have to live within sight of your neighbor and define yourself by your community. Â You could go live […]
John Mayall – A Special Life
A Special Life, indeed. John Mayall is often called the “Godfather of British Blues,” but his legacy may include more than just pioneering the British blues; he arguably had a hand in saving the blues as an active music form by introducing the music to a new audiance at a time in the 1960s when elderly bluesmen were […]
Chatham County Line – Tightrope
With blurred lines connecting all different subgenres of country music, it”s often hard to know where to start. But fans of americana/roots rock/singer-songwriter genres have an entry point for bluegrass with Chatham County Line. The band”s lead singer Dave Wilson has put together another stellar set of songs that include, but are not limited to, […]