ALBUMS OF THE MONTH American Kid, by Patty Griffin It’s hard, if not impossible, to avoid being mesmerized by Patty Griffin’s new release. Long revered for both her passionate songwriting and enchanting voice, both are in exceptional form on American Kid. Just one listen to album opener “Go Wherever You Want to Go” and you […]
Monday Morning Video: Dan Blakeslee
Wow, what a great incredible time at the Twangville Music Festival in Cambridge, MA this past weekend. We will be back with some coverage once we catch our breathe. In the meantime, here’s Boston musician Dan Blakeslee serenading Harvard Square in Cambridge while riding through the streets in a pedicab.
Josh Halverson – One Shot
One Shot, the latest album from Josh Halverson is full of love songs. Â The thing is, there’s a time machine aspect to them. Â Some of them are about love that’s gone. Â Some are about love that’s here and now. Â And some are about love that’s going to be, or more specifically, going to be again. […]
Rory Block – Avalon
Rory Block’s acoustic blues guitar picking has reserved her a special page in blues history.  Since the 1960s, the Manhattan-raised prodigy has pursued delta blues styles with the passion of a pilgrim.  Since the mid-1970s she has built a body of work that demonstrates her deep understanding and mastery of acoustic blues. Avalon, the fourth in Block’s “Mentor Series,” pays […]
Josh Ritter is Boston Strong
Josh Ritter & The Royal City Band House of Blues Boston, May 18 2013 It’s clear that Josh Ritter has a special place in his heart for Boston. This was a hometown show for band members Zack Hickman, Austin Nevins, and Sam Kassirer. Ritter brought his A-game and gave the Boston fans a lot to […]
Monday Morning Video: John Prine with Kris Kristofferson and Joan Baez
It occurred to me that we haven’t written much, at least lately, about John Prine. Well, I went searching for a good song to share and stumbled across this incredible video. It features Kris Kristofferson and Joan Baez singing alongside Prine on the his classic “Hello In There.” ‘Ya gotta love Baez’s comment as she […]
Patty Griffin – American Kid
It is hard to describe songs that leave you speechless. The breathtaking tracks on “American Kid†mesmerize from beginning to end. This is Patty Griffin’s first album of original material in six years. Since then she has recorded an album of Gospel songs and hymns, “Downtown Churchâ€, and toured with Robert Plant’s Band of Joy. […]
Old Settler’s Music Festival 2013
In the middle of April, a few weeks after the madness of SXSW, one of the more under appreciated events on the Austin music scene happens about 30 miles southwest of town; The Old Settler’s Music Festival. Â Here are some of the highlights from this year’s festivities. Who Was That Band? Festivals like this always […]
Caitlin Rose- The Stand-In
Writing this review is difficult for me, and not because my feelings about the album are ambiguous. I almost uniformly adore the record. The difficulty arises in attempting to write about the record. Because, despite my adoration of The Stand-In, I can’t really put my finger on the reason why. Every thought comes across as […]
Lisa Biales – Singing In My Soul
Lisa Biales (pronounced “Be-Alice”) has a uniquely clear voice reminiscent of Patsy Cline, whom she once portrayed in a community theater musical production. That clear, soothing voice of hers is a fresh change from the scorching vocals of many country and blues singers today. The Oxford, Ohio based Biales has independently released seven previous albums […]