It’s like the beer bottle you never saw coming. One moment, everything’s fine. The next, you’re looking up to the underside of the table. Jesse Daniel, on his latest record, Rollin’ On, wields a Bakersfield bucket of sound like a drunk with a longneck, intent on righting a mighty load of wrongs. The album blasts […]
Rory Block – Prove It On Me
Rory Block has had her own little corner of the blues world since she broke out as a solo artist in the 1970s. Known for her thoughtful interpretations of acoustic country blues, the New York City native has long been recognized as a master, netting six Blues Music Awards over the years, including “Acoustic Artist […]
Andrew Alli – Hard Workin’ Man
If you’re someone who enjoys really good blues harmonica in the tradition of Little Walter, Andrew Alli is your guy. A relative newcomer from Richmond, Virginia, when Alli blows the harp he can capture the blues vibe of the Mississippi Delta, Memphis, Chicago and points in between. In his early thirties, Alli is part of […]
Pi Jacobs – Two Truths And A Lie
“Divorce…whiskey…legal problems…cheaters…lies. I’m a pro at what not to do.” Whatever story comes next, it’s going to be a good one. That line comes from Broken Cup, the opening cut on Pi Jacobs’ latest release, and what comes next is indeed good. Two Truths And A Lie is collage of stories about female characters that […]
Sonny Landreth – Blacktop Run
Louisiana slide guitarist Sonny Landreth is a great musician who doesn’t get nearly enough attention. Blacktop Run is a great addition to Landreth’s prolific output. Originally from Lafayette, Louisiana, Landreth got his first gig in the 1970s as a sideman to zydeco king Clifton Chenier. It was that job that prepared him for a lifetime […]
Nick Pagliari – Midway
You can picture it, the big old Impala cruising slowly down the street, spring humidity from the nearby river making late spring feel like mid-summer, the music from the radio originating from the nearby Stax Studio. Memphis in the late 60’s gave rise to a soulful line of rock, resplendent with horns and electric organ. […]
Marcus King – El Dorado
If you have ever listened to The Marcus King Band, you know that the group’s namesake has some serious Electric Blues chops on the guitar. He also exhibited solid vocal skills and songwriting on the band’s recent release “Carolina Confessionsâ€. However, his power as a vocalist has never been put on display as it is […]
Best of 2019- Chip’s Picks
This was a tough year to rank best albums. The sheer volume of good releases made it difficult. This is especially true in the Americana genre with it’s ever expanding boundaries. All the same, I gave it my best shot. 1)Yola- “Walk Through Fire” Released early in the year, from my first listen I knew […]
Jimmy “Duck” Holmes – Cypress Grove
Jimmy “Duck” Holmes’ Cypress Grove is a great album that I almost missed. I may have been slow to check this release out, but I’m happy I finally got to it. It encompasses everything the blues is supposed to be. The son of sharecroppers and the owner of a juke joint himself (you can see […]
Triggers And Slips – The Stranger
Like a 5-year-old watching the parade as the circus comes to town, I just sat there mesmerized as the latest from Triggers And Slips, The Stranger, passed by. Equal parts classic rock and country, front man and leader Morgan Snow has captured a musical style that transports you back in time if you lived through […]