Keb’ Mo’ – The Breakdown Years ago, I was impressed with some early Taj Mahal albums. I’d been overdosing on progressive rock, mainstream pop, country rock, singer-songwriters, & all kinds of rehashed blues. But Taj Mahal was an oasis. Something rural, fresh, front porch, free & easy. After a good few years of Taj, I […]
Cory Branan – You’ll Live This 10-track orphan set of songs written over 20 years by Memphis-native Cory Branan (vocals/guitars) is a set of songs that never fit on other LPs. He’s filled these shelved tunes with punk grit, heartland rock, Southern storytelling, & folk fluency. So, don’t expect a focused album; it’s a potpourri. […]
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Michael Rubin – 5 Minutes of Passion Produced by Josh Fulero (guitars), the 11 originals of Michael Rubin’s (vocals/harmonica (chromatic & diatonic)/bass harmonica) sophomore LP 5 Minutes of Passion (Drops August 21/Many Hats Records/41:43) are pop-storytelling-oriented pieces. Originally from NJ, Rubin is now Texas-based. Thematically, the album can be controversial since Rubin tackles subjects such […]
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Downstate July and August 2026! This is a nice list, with frequent and fresh quality updates. Please follow and heart Americana Highways’ Apple Music playlist, “Downstate,” curated by Rodney Metoyer, which has just been newly updated! Find new quality music that maybe you haven’t heard of, or hadn’t realized they had something new, or heck, […]
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Garett Gunderson – Anywhere Anytime This starts with the rousing pop-inflected title track “Anywhere Anytime,” & it’s skillful, sumptuous, radiant & memorable. “I Want To” comes across deliciously with Jimmy Buffett island musical flavors. Should’ve been called “I Want To Meet You In the Moonlight.” That’s at least romantic & the song is. At times, […]
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Joanna Connor – Live On 11/11 Well, the live performance certainly gets off to a rollicking, hot jam as the band warms up with high-octane musical gasoline & every member circles around with their lit matches. “Cissy Strut” has the quick-strike ingredients to ignite a show like this. All from Chicago’s masterful guitarist Joanna Connor, […]
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American Cosmic Revival Vol. 2: Miles From Nowhere This showcase features musicians who play & maintain the inspiration & tradition of artists who contributed to the California country movement. The LP includes many covers by Gram Parsons, Chris Hillman, The Byrds, & the Flying Burrito Brothers. There are songs by songwriters with familiar names like […]
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The Kennedys – Smoketree Another bright, pristine album from the Hudson Valley, upstate NY area (about as popular as Woodstock & Laurel Canyon in the 60s) is the new self-produced 12-track album Smoketree (Drops August 21/Independent/40:04) recorded in Tarrytown, NY. The Kennedys provide all-new originals played fairly sparingly by the ever-skillful Pete Kennedy (electric, acoustic […]
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Sarah McCulloch Live with the White Knuckle Flyers Sarah McCulloch opens her new live album, Live with the White Knuckle Flyers, with a manifesto of sorts: “Hippie Tattoo” (“I’m a country girl with a hippie tattoo”). It is her way of asserting an independent, countercultural spirit within the country and folk traditions. The Miami native, […]
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It’s About the Fucking Songs: Sittin’ With Blaze Shows What’s Great About Tribute Albums A new Blaze Foley album came out last week, no mean feat for a songwriter who died in 1989. Sittin’ With Blaze: A Tribute to Blaze Foley brings together artists from across generations to interpret the revered Texas songwriter’s work, including […]
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