Neal Casal – Book of Stories (Home Recordings 1998-2003) When Neal Casal died in 2019 at the age of 50, the Americana, folk and roots-rock community lost one of its most admired and respected musicians. A gifted singer-songwriter, guitarist and photographer, Casal built an impressive career both as a solo artist and as a collaborator, […]
Shea Rafferty “Livin’” I host my own radio show each week, so when I was asked to review Shea Rafferty’s new album Livin’, a small smile crept across my face. I’ve already been championing several of the advance singles on air, and the prospect of hearing the full record felt like a genuine treat. A […]
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Boulder Fields Nothing Age The Scottish music scene has long been a place of invention and emotional clarity, from the melodic intelligence of Aztec Camera and Postcard Records to the widescreen sincerity of The Proclaimers and Deacon Blue. Nothing Age, the second album from Edinburgh collective Boulder Fields, sits comfortably within that lineage while carving […]
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The HillBenders Live at the Grand Ole Opry Vol. 1 Short is sweet, they say — and with Live at the Grand Ole Opry Vol. 1, The HillBenders prove that brevity can still leave a strong impression. Across just three tracks, they offer the first glimpse of their upcoming BeatleGrass project, and it’s an enticing […]
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Bill Kirchen Cat Out of the Bag Some artists are excellent, some become heroes, and a rare few cross into the realm of the truly legendary. Bill Kirchen has long occupied all three spaces at once. On Cat Out of the Bag, released via Last Music Co., the Titan of the Telecaster sounds as alive, […]
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Dirk Powell Wake For those unfamiliar with Dirk Powell, Steve Earle offers the most succinct introduction imaginable: “Dirk Powell is a badass. To the bone… the greatest old‑time banjo player alive… a singer, songwriter, producer, recording engineer and, all in all, an artist of unique vision and unbending integrity.” It’s a fitting prelude to Wake, […]
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Alela Diane Who’s Keeping Time? Alela Diane’s Who’s Keeping Time? arrives as a beautifully realised, quietly ambitious work shaped by an exceptional cast of musicians and collaborators. Produced by Sam Weber and Alela Diane, the album was recorded primarily in the attic of her rambling 1892 Victorian home—where every song was also written—before additional tracking […]
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Jim Reynolds – Bird on a Wire Jim Reynolds’ new album, Bird on a Wire, arrives as a lovingly crafted, deliberately retro-leaning collection shaped by an impressive cast of musicians and studio hands. Produced, engineered, and mastered by Frank Kennedy, whose warm, analogue‑friendly touch defines the record’s sonic character, the album features contributions from Tom […]
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Josiah and the Bonnevilles have a new album “As Is”
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Karen Dahlstrom Love These Days Some albums immediately reveal the hand of a mature songwriter—someone who has lived, reflected, and distilled experience into craft. Love These Days, the new release from Karen Dahlstrom, is unmistakably one of those records. Its ten songs draw on traditional Americana and folk sensibilities, arranged with understated drums and bass, […]
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