I Like It Down Here, is a fascinating look at the incredible singer/songwriter, Will Kimbrough, and the stories he tells through his lyrics and music. Whether wearing the producer hat, as he did for this album and for artists from Shemekia Copeland to Jimmy Buffett, or lending his guitar talents to artists like Todd Snider, […]
Back in 1993, Bruce Springsteen guitarist Little Steven—who cofounded Southside Johnny’s Asbury Jukes in the mid 70s—teamed up with Southside to perform an acoustic benefit concert that aired on New York radio. The show, which embraced several of their best-known originals as well as a long menu of well-chosen covers, featured Asbury Jukes guitarist Bobby […]
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I first saw Patty Griffin at a release show for her still to this day stunning release Flaming Red. While I loved the recorded effort, I was blown away by her ferociousness on stage and I became a life long fan. I judge everything she does against Flaming Red regardless of how different the style […]
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It’s this reviewer’s opinion that Nils Lofgren is one of the most severely underrated guitarists and songwriters in the world of rock music. He’s crazy good, and often referred to simply as “that guy in a band.” Lofgren was a founding member of Grin, a solo artist, is a current member of the mighty E […]
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It’s not often I hear a pop-oriented band of young musician’s tackle politics lyrically and with finesse. With no fear of addressing current events this group drapes it all in a cross between Beatlesque arrangements, Bob Dylan early 60’s political lyrical settings with words not ordinarily pop lyrical. The creativity on the opening track “Undress,” […]
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If I’m being honest, I’m fairly new to Caroline Spence’s music, but having heard great things about her and her music, I jumped at reviewing her newest album, Mint Condition (Rounder Records); Spence’s third album is set to release on May 3rd. Nothing that I had heard about her prepared me for hearing her voice […]
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An old saying tells us that if some is good, more must be better. On the new album Honest, Ordinary Elephant shows that sometimes less can be pretty good too. Specifically, the duo shows what can be done with just a guitar (Crystal Damore), banjo (Pete Damore), and vocals. “Scars We Keep” is powerful song. […]
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Have you ever listened to an album for the first time and immediately knew you liked it and you couldn’t put your finger on why? Then as you continued listening, you realized in this instance it’s because it reminds you of music of your youth? This was exactly my feeling listening to the Kentucky based […]
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Joy Williams is one of the more intrigue-laden personalities in Americana. Her immensely popular and gifted duo, The Civil Wars, broke up roughly five years ago, ostensibly over the mythical “creative differences.” Previous to teaming up with John Paul White, she’d mostly been known as a Christian artist, but her first post-CW album, 2015’s Venus, […]
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Unbeknownst to many, the Gloria Dei (aka, Old Swedes’) Episcopalian Church in the historic Queen Village area of Philadelphia has been home to a burgeoning Americana-centered music scene. Fostered by the church’s on- site Sexton, Jim Minacci, and his wife Paula, their Sexton Sideshow collaborative has been welcoming up-and-coming as well as established singer-songwriters and […]
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