Joshua Ray Walker’s Wish You Were Here (State Fair Records) draws tight character studies, a world of steel mills, working girls, truckers, and lovelorn characters in 10 songs with language that rises well above the norm for a debut album. This man’s original writing and soulful, twangy voice are a more than welcome addition to […]
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While AmericanaFest may take place in Nashville, the story of Americana is largely one that occurs outside of Music City. Originally from New York and now based in Asheville, North Carolina, Amanda Anne Platt and her band, the Honeycutters plug into the grand panorama that is Americana music. On the Sunday evening before Martin Luther […]
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Haunting. Gothic. The Flesh Eaters’ I Used To Be Pretty (Yep Roc) can also be described as dark poetic punk, with ambition and tone on the order of Nick Cave, executed by veteran master musicians. Musically anchored by Dave Alvin’s searing guitar work and Steve Berlin’s sax, this album transcends punk to, strange as it […]
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Local bands and rock legends gathered at Pearl Street Warehouse on Tuesday to celebrate Elvis’s birthday and to hold a benefit for the Love Hope Strength Foundation. The foundation, created by three-time cancer survivor Mike Peters of The Alarm and named after one of the band’s songs, raises awareness about and gets people on the […]
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Indie roots band the Woodshedders, out of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, regaled Washington DC’s Hill Country BBQ last Friday night with their unique roots music blend of gypsy jazz, Old Time, Country, rhythm & blues, and bluegrass. “We love all kinds of music,” the Woodshedders say, “so that’s what kind we play.” Beginning their first […]
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“Cold, Cold Heart” and “How Deep Is Your Love” are very different songs. On Heart Songs, they occupy the first and second track of the album, and guitar virtuosos Tommy Emmanuel and John Knowles make them both shimmering, creating, with two guitars, a full, awesomely beautiful sound, as every note and chord rings perfect and […]
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On their last album, Half a Native (New West/2015), Buxton began incorporating more pop into their alternative country-rock sound. Stay Out Late (New West), released this October, sees Buxton, inspired by Talk Talk’s 1991 post-rock masterpiece, Laughing Stock, evolving their sound in the direction of piano-driven experimental pop. Stay Out Late radiates warmth and pleases […]
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The Swedish faces of Americana may belong to the angel-voiced young ladies of First Aid Kit, but Christian Kjellvander stands at the heart of the Scandinavian Americana scene. A fixture since the mid ’90s, when he released the outstanding low-fi country rock album For Sale By Owner as a member of the Loosegoats, Kjellvander has […]
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Americana Highways recently spoke with Austin-based Americana musician Darden Smith, who serves as creative director for Songwriting With: Soldiers. Founded in 2012, the organization holds retreats where songwriters work with veterans to help them express their stories and feelings, to promote healing. Mary Gauthier was recently nominated for a Grammy for her work with Smith’s […]
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A sense of promise has long surrounded Cat Power. Through all travails, through all the rough shows, her fans have stuck with her, because they knew she had incredible talent. Chan Marshall’s 10th album, Wanderer (Domino Recording), fulfills that promise, delivering everything she was always thought to be capable of, and more. Her husky, soulful […]
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