Jay Farrar and Son Volt are kicking off an extended national tour in support of Notes of Blue, their impressive new album. Inspired by, but not anchored by, the blues, it is a welcome return to a more rocking sound. The album showcases Farrar’s ability to tell vivid stories while simultaneously painting rich Americana landscapes, […]
Rhiannon Giddens – Freedom Highway
Freedom Highway may be the album that followers of the Carolina Chocolate Drops have been waiting for in the fledgling solo career of Rhiannon Giddens. The second of Giddens’ solo efforts, Freedom Highway showcases her songwriting talents in a tour de force demonstrating her ability to move nimbly between roots genres from the primitive, folky jug-band and […]
Monday Morning Video – Rose Cousin’s “Grace”
Although she lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Rose Cousins has spent enough time in Boston to become an honorary member of the local folk family. The singer-songwriter has just released Natural Conclusion, an album both graceful and poignant. Cousins worked with producer Joe Henry who, as he had done with others, takes a restrained approach […]
Otis Taylor – Fantasizing About Being Black
Otis Taylor is a fascinating artist.  Each of his albums, at least over the past few years, have some theme – some linkage between the songs or the listening experience Taylor is trying to create. With his Hey Joe Opus in 2015, Taylor tossed out the rule book by including Billy Roberts’ classic “Hey Joe,” made […]
Monday Morning Video – A Visit To Beer Town
Session Americana, my hometown faves, sure know how to throw a party. Here’s a clip of them bringing their revelry to Nashville last year.
Son Volt – Notes Of Blue
For avid fans of a particular musician or band, it’s usually the case that through interviews and side projects you can hear the influences that set them down the path to create their own unique sound. Â That’s hard to do for a particular branch of the musical genre tree, however. Â There are just too many […]
Romantica – Shadowlands
It has been seven years since we heard from Romantica. Of course we have heard from front man Ben Kyle in the meantime. He has done two acclaimed albums. One was a duet with Carrie Rodriguez and the other was a solo project. The wait for new material from Romantica was well worth it. The […]
Monday Morning Video – Jim Croce Live in Concert
The catalog that Jim Croce created during his short life and career is awe-inspiring. From the entertaining storytelling of “You Don’t Mess Around with Jim” to the heart-tugging beauty of “Operator (That’s Not the Way It Feels)” he demonstrated a mastery that leaves us wondering what could have been if he hadn’t died in a […]
Music With a Purpose – Revived and Revitalized
Several years back I did a series about music released with an eye towards social impact or change. Called Music With a Purpose, it was one of the more enjoyable series that I’ve written. The starting point was some great music, made all the more significant given the underlying meaning. Well, the time has come […]
The Traveling Ones – Meet Me There
Peanut butter and jelly, Luxardo cherries and good rye whiskey, banjos and mandolins. Â Some things go well together, like Justin Ahmanson and Emily Villareal, a duo that goes by the name The Traveling Ones. Â Their debut album is called Meet Me There and offers plenty of proof that this couple belongs together musically. Philosophically the […]