ALBUMS OF THE MONTH: One Last Century, by The Damnwells “Somewhere between nothing and something is everything,” sings Alex Dezen about halfway through the band’s latest release. It seems an apt, if cryptic, explanation for his decision to make the album freely available on the internet. Freed from music industry obligations but still possessed by […]
Heartless Bastards – “The Mountain”
When I first heard the Heartless Bastards a few years back, I thought, “there’s someone who listened to a *lot* of Zeppelin when they were young.” That’s not a unique thought, by any means. It will get further reinforcement on their latest release, The Mountain. In addition to the guitar-fueled wall of sound, the lyrics […]
The Weight – Are Men
Grab a bowl. Place a few New Yorkers in the bowl. Give one of them an almost Dwight Yoakam-like vocal. Mix in a little jingle, a dash of jangle. Throw in a few nods to the glory of 70’s Southern-Rock while folding in some serious Country sensibility that retains a sense of humor and you […]
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 […]
Pierce Pettis is Born Again
Pierce Pettis has never gotten credit he deserves. He is a thoughtful lyricist. He delivers his stories and messages with a twist of irony and poignancy that is hard to ignore. Pettis has been laying low for the last 4 years. With the release of That Kind of Love it is apparent that Pettis has […]
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 […]
Sarah Borges & The Broken Singles – The Stars Are Out
First things first. The new album from Sarah Borges and The Broken Singles, The Stars Are Out (Sugar Hill) is a Rock & Roll record. The quicker we all accept that and move on, the better. The reason I implore any possibly heartbroken twangophile to quickly end their season of mourning and embrace the present […]
Brett Dennen — Hope For The Hopeless
Everyone should be so lucky as to live in a place that inspires the kind of love song to a city as "San Francisco", the opening track in Brett Dennen’s latest album, "Hope For The Hopeless". Dennen grew up in Oakdale, CA, a couple of hours from the city by the Bay, but it seems […]
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 […]
Derek Trucks – Already Free
Virtuosos can sometimes be so esoteric that it makes them less accessible. So it has been at times with Derek Trucks. It is not his fault he is just on another plane musically. His brilliant improvisation has garnered wide acclaim but it also makes it hard for him to reach a wider audience. The release […]