April means springtime, and with it the beginning of festival season. There are many choices, from the multi-weekend, party-with-half-a-million-friends behemoths to the local and regional celebrations of singular musical styles. Falling closer to the latter is one of my favorites, Old Settler’s Music Festival. Held an hour southeast of Austin, it leans heavily toward string […]
Melissa Ruth Video Premiere – Poor Man’s Daughter
A few weeks back I posted a review of Melissa Ruth’s latest album, Bones. It was a noteworthy record because on first listen it’s upbeat Americana music, with hints of gospel, jazz, and classic rock. Dig a little deeper though, digest the lyrics and pace of the songs, and you find a number of stories […]
Monday Morning Video – Guy Clark’s “Hell Bent on a Heartache”
I was looking for a video of Clark performing his brilliant ode to heartbreak but, alas, I couldn’t find one. Of the covers that I did find, this one by Korby Lenker and Betsy Phillips best captured the longing and loneliness of Clark’s song.
Larry & Joe – Nuevo South Train
One of the most amazing things I heard at this year’s Folk Alliance was a performance from Larry & Joe. Comprised of Larry Bellorin, a legendary Llanera musician from Venezuela, and Joe Troop, of Che Apalache fame, they created a new mashup of bluegrass and South American traditional folk music. Both currently residents of North […]
SXSW 2023 – The Sounds, Part 4
SIR WOMAN Sir Woman celebrated their 2023 Austin Music Awards Band of the Year award by, well, playing all over town. I caught their last set – on Sunday afternoon – where singer-songwriter Kelsey Wilson led the group, including featured vocalists Spice and Roy Jr., through a wonderous and soulful performance. GOODNIGHT TEXAS Another band […]
SXSW 2023 – The Sounds, Part 3
ROANOKE Another on my short list of new to me artists for me this year was Roanoke. They bore more than a passing resemblance to the fictional Daisy Jones and the Six in both song and spirit. A good thing in my book. JAKE BLOUNT Jake Blount is a true student of American music. So […]
Mighty Poplar – Mighty Poplar
One of the great characteristics of bluegrass and Americana music festivals is the impromptu jam sessions. Backstage, in the campground, at the hotel, on the tour bus, there’s a lot more great music that gets played than ever hits the stage. Not for the first time, those informal sessions have been the impetus for new […]
Melissa Ruth – Bones
There’s no doubt writing songs can be cathartic for most musicians. Sometimes they take the form of a comment on current events, while other times they encapsulate a lifetime of emotional attachment. You can hear some of both in the latest album, Bones, from Oregonian Melissa Ruth. It features her husband (and partner in the […]
Say ZuZu – No Time To Lose
Thirty years ago a group of young New Hampshire musicians bonded over the burgeoning alt-country music scene. They formed a band, Say ZuZu, and met with success, putting out half a dozen albums over the next decade. But, as they say, life happens, and in 2003 the members went their own separate ways. Fast forward […]
The Brothers Comatose – Ear Snacks
If YouTube is a major contributor to your music consumption habits, you’ve probably run across The Brothers Comatose by now. As an antidote to cabin-fever during the days of Covid lock-down, the band started monthly sessions of getting together to jam. They captured some of the better results on video and started posting. They did […]