Josh Rouse Museums and Women I’ve been a fan of Josh Rouse‘s work since he released his debut album, Dressed Up Like Nebraska in 1998. Since then, I’ve looked forward to every new release like a kid does Christmas. Speaking of Christmas his holiday album from a couple years ago is a modern classic. That […]
Lyal Strickland – Shooter of Truth This is Lyal Strickland’s first full album in 10 years & within that time he documented a fully lived life in song. It’s a personal set that led to a new kind of clarity. Nothing is embellished, decorated, since all the trials & tribulations are on the table. Face-up. […]
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JP Harris’ Dreadful Wind & Rain – Shaving a Dead Man This vividly reimagined collection of mainly traditional songs doesn’t so much feel like it’s been curated by JP Harris, it feels much more like he’s gone out and summoned up these half-remembered songs, wresting them from ancient ghosts still haunting an abandoned, tumbledown cabin […]
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Charlie Parr – Rooming House This is Mr. Parr’s 20th album & it comes as a conceptual narrative. A folk opera though it only features 7 descriptive tracks. The story is rather intense since it explores the hardships of ordinary people with economic insecurity, finding strength in harsh conditions. Parr’s haunting Delta-blues guitar & gritty […]
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Re Mattei “Stories Lived” Re Mattei has a new album just out, Stories Lived. Her music is a version of heartland country, with driving rhythms and vocals that provide a timeless big stage feel. Not a flashy pop “big stage” over the top entertainment feel; this is a driving, Charlie Daniels or Shania Twain quality […]
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Dave Martin Donegal Tweed & Cowboy Chords Dave Martin is a folk singer-songwriter who pens songs with light poetic imagery and relatable experiences, as evidenced here in his new release: Donegal Tweed & Cowboy Chords. Dave’s song offer lighthearted humor and gentle honesty in observation of life though Midwestern experiences and natural metaphors, all set […]
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Derrick Procell – My Incredible Heart This bluesy-soulful set comes off the presses with a full sounding showcase suffused with clever, whimsical wordplay lyrics, the aggressive authoritative baritone vocals of Derrick Procell who has the voodoo distinguished style of Dr. John mixed with the bite-sized fragments of a soulful Solomon Burke tint (not to be […]
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Bruce Cockburn – The Blood of Others This is a beautiful album. Especially from a singer whose been around for years & is known for his own songwriting. Here, Bruce Cockburn honors the tunes that shaped the road toward his own success. 5-decades into that career he is Canada’s other epic singer-songwriter/guitarist (the other 3 […]
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Richard Thompson Hippies, Thugs and Heroes There’s something about Richard Thompson that reminds me of LeBron James. Or maybe it’s the other way around. Both have been so good for so long that we’ve almost stopped noticing just how good they remain. Every new season brings another round of stories about LeBron’s remarkable longevity, as […]
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Amanda Cook – Love Through Time This critically acclaimed bluegrass unit led by award-nominated songwriter & vocalist Amanda Cook has been plucking the strings & singing the high lonesome since 2013. Ms. Cook’s band does maintain a traditional bluegrass tempo but adds insightfully a contemporary sound. Ms. Cook’s prior album “Restless Soul” reached #2 on […]
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