Rob Miller The Hours Are Long But The Pay Is Low – A Curious Life In Independent Music There are 27+ compelling little chapters to this story, told with enthusiasm & nostalgia with an inspired delivery. Even the introduction has some sharp sentences about what the music perceives to be. Music, commercially, has been […]
Afton Wolfe Ophiuchus Admirers of Tom Waits & singers of that ilk will find Afton interesting. While his voice is not like “Louis Armstrong” as Tom Waits is, he does have a raw, indulgent tone that’s absorbing as it accompanies a light guitar touch & deft storytelling. His range is fragile, but that’s part of […]
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Kate & Brendan – One Year Since – EP This is a debut EP filled with what’s basically old-time style American tunes, some with an Irish flavor & the duo’s originals written in a folky, traditionally inspired manner. Primarily driven by Kate’s fiddle & Brendan’s cello, combined with their warm vocal harmonies, makes for an […]
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The Lucky Losers – Arrival The San Francisco-based decades-old The Lucky Losers features six-time Independent Blues Awards winners Cathy Lemons (vocals) & Phil Berkowitz (vocals/harmonica). Their 6th studio album Arrival (Dropped November 7/Dirty Cat Records/MoMojo Records/46:57) has 11 cuts produced by Grammy Award winner Kid Andersen (guitar/bass/keys). The music is rooted in a variety of […]
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Steve Boyd & the Loners – King of the Loners This is a debut which basically follows the path dipped ever so gently in a cauldron of classic pop-rock that permeated the ’60s/‘70s. The varied influences include the swampy rock of Creedence Clearwater Revival (from California), Bob Seger (a hard rock, bolts & nails Detroit […]
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Joshua Singleton – The Promised Land This is Asheville, North Carolina’s Joshua Singleton’s third album & the expressive singer-songwriter continues to blend his Americana, roots rock, blues, country & soul mix into something consistently unique. With a voice that navigates bare-knuckle melodies with skill, Joshua applies his authoritative vocal to some highly melodic tunes. “Heart […]
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Breanne Marie & The Front Porch Sinners – Two Trees This is an alt-country/Americana effort by Breanne Marie Tepler (guitar/vocals/piano/all songs) & her Minnesota group The Front Porch Sinners. The 10-tracks were produced by Jillian Rae (violin/bgv) for Two Trees (Dropped Nov 14/Independent/37:56). A showcase of originals that deal with childhood trauma, being a teen […]
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Tulare Dust – A Songwriters Tribute To Merle Haggard (Various Artists) This reissue has a variety of artists who contribute to the songs of Merle Haggard. There are 36 total for a comprehensive overview of Mr. Haggard’s career & how much these artists enjoyed his work. In over a 55-year career (1961-2016). It’s an all-star […]
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Billy Branch & The Sons of the Blues – The Blues Is My Biography This showcase begins with a more upbeat shuffle-blues blast (“Hole In Your Soul”), which falls into the category of entertainment & not traditional blues. It’s good, but this isn’t where Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, or Sonny Boy Williamson fans would reside. […]
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Steve Howell & Fats Kaplin – Know You From Old This trio interprets early American music with generous dips into genres like rural blues, ballads, gospel, folk, & early jazz traditions. With a dash of spontaneity, they polish dust off vintage melodies & present them as newly minted coins. It’s a rediscovery that leads to […]
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