Cowboy Junkies – Such Ferocious Beauty There are about a million different ways to say it, but the meaning’s the same – nothing lasts forever. The Timmins siblings (Michael, Margo and Peter) are reckoning with this reality in the way that many families do – losing a parent to dementia. That loss, and “impermanence” (as […]
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CD Art: https://files.constantcontact.com/e8ed6557901/6d7a8ba1-e1ae-4382-afe1-d60ad168fad5.jpg?rdr=true Calista Garcia – Confession The 22-year-old Virginia native’s 8-track is basically folk-pop rock showcased in an expressive mature style. Tunes are vulnerable, challenging but always sensitive. They touch upon the typical in the unrequited love of “The Way I Love You,” — a song idea that never sours for any generation While […]
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Jorma Kaukonen – Live at the Bottom Line – August 8, 2003 This 2-disc recorded live at the now defunct Bottom Line in NYC (Aug. 8, 2003) is quite a performance of distinction & virtuosity. Jorma Kaukonen (vocals/guitar) — a guitarist who began his career in 1965 with the original Jefferson Airplane (a Piedmont-style fingerpicking […]
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David G Smith – Witness Trees This 11-cut assembly of tunes is David G Smith’s (vocals/piano/acoustic guitars/resonator) 11th LP. The subjects are typical – equality, love, death & legacy. Smith is adept at constructing likable songs & has worked with top-tier artists like Keb’ Mo’ & Mary Gauthier. This particular LP turns away from the […]
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Joe Grass – Falcon’s Heart The website states that Joe does country music by deconstructing it & creating a kaleidoscope of sound around it. It is a propulsive sound, but it isn’t country, or I should say it may have the elements of country that are dipped into a cocktail of surreal musical soundscapes. It’s […]
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Dan Tuffy & Song Crew – Country Star Don’t be fooled by the title of this LP admits Dan Tuffy, it’s not a country album. At a stretch, it may border on alt-country. The opening track is an older song from Tuffy’s repertoire but after noodling around with bassist Madelief van Vlijmen, Dan started to […]
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Austin Gilliam – I’m Sorry, I’m Fine – EP While in my NYC ears, this doesn’t register as high-octane country music it does resound with the affirmation of outlaw music with its well-articulated but determined phrasing. There’s a brawniness here that in its beauty doesn’t usually avail itself through pure country music. Gilliam has an […]
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Kassi Valazza Knows Nothing is a misnomer of an album title, because the woman knows how to create a damn mood. Though now based in Portland, Oregon, Valazza’s hazy melodies and lyrics that live just a bit west of reality reflect a youth spent in Arizona’s arid open spaces. Her songs end up as half […]
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Scott Zosel – Saturday’s Child This 9-track is quite upbeat with lots of personality. Scott Zosel has a friendly vocal with bright melodies to go along with his showcase on Saturday’s Child (Drops May 27–Independent) — dedicated to the child in all of us. Interesting statement because I recently recalled a chilly statement my 92-year-old […]
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Americana Highways’ Key to the Highway series — Shawn James Fans always clamor to learn more about their favorite, most beloved musicians and those who travel with them. There’s such an allure to the road, with its serendipity, inevitable surprises, and sometimes unexpected discomforts. This interview series is a set of questions we are asking […]
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