Terry Klein – Hill Country Folk Music This is Austin, Texas-based Terry Klein’s 5th album with the 11 tracks produced by Thomm Jutz (acoustic/electric guitars/harmony) & recorded in Nashville, TN for Hill Country Folk Music (Dropped Nov 7/Independent/41:30). The songs are all well-written, & one touches upon suicide from the perspective of a surviving loved […]
Ethan Daniel Davidson – Lear Old-fashioned in style but effective in a good troubadour warm tradition. The songs are well-crafted with coherent vocals. Nothing raw like Dave Van Ronk, or monotone like David Blue, or dry as Bill Morrissey, but textured with a Don McLean, Eric Andersen & Luka Bloom-oriented approach. The first 3 tracks […]
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Nina Simone A Single Woman – The Complete Elektra Recordings This is considered the final studio work by North Carolina-born contralto/pianist/civil rights activist Nina Simone (1933-2003). The set was recorded between August/December 1992 & released in 1993. Initial songs represent an interesting variety of composers: Rod McKuen, Jerome Kern & Oscar Hammerstein II, the Bergmans […]
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your friend juniper – sonder First, the “style” of the band name & song titles is all lowercase before anyone accuses me of not spelling words correctly. However, I admit, several of the tracks have a big, capitalized sound. Quite good. The Nashville-based indie artist has a pleasant, young voice that’s plaintive & appealing. The […]
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Jennie Arnau – A Rising Tide This artist explores her struggle & emotional journey during the last decade through these highly personal songs. However, coupling this with activism can, in some respects, limit the reach of the music. But Jennie Arnau’s intriguing voice is captivating. She doesn’t lack the value-added necessity of being entertaining. She […]
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Amy Jay – Mnemonics There are 10 musical devices in NY-based indie alt-folk singer Amy Jay’s Mnemonics (Dropped Nov 7/Mother West/51:00). Ms. Jay designs her music with a therapeutic approach, posing themes such as how do you love yourself when you don’t feel likable. The melodies are prickly; Amy’s observations can be like the short […]
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Miss Emily – The Medicine Some older music aficionados will find several songs that come across (“My Freedom”) as a reminder of the bluesy vocals of Lydia Pense (Cold Blood) & Genya Ravan (Ten Wheel Drive). Both ladies possessed the vocal roots application Miss Emily provides so well & remarkably pristinely. Not as gutsy & […]
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Henri Herbert – Get It While It’s Hot This is a straight-out driving old school rock ‘n’ roll collection. Though it dips its head in a barrel of retro influences, it does not come up wet with vintage, antiquated, scrapyard oldies. Instead, it does what the original rockers did – made it sound challenging, danceable […]
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The Tasty Kings The Kindness of Numbers Founded in New York City, this band has shaped its fourth studio album into a jangly, dusty Americana-dominant landscape. Their forte is part Del Lords, through ear-caressing “Tess of Soho,” that brings an earthiness to an urban geography that glides into a partially rootsy Grateful Dead-era (“Sunset”) plaintive […]
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The Unfaithful Servants – Fallen Angel Coming in under the wire is the late entry Canadian bluegrass group The Unfaithful Servants. They possess all the necessary ingredients to matter in this vast music genre that was once ridiculed & predicted as something that wouldn’t last. Much the same as R&R. They debuted in 2019 & […]
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