There’s something endearing about a handwritten note in a promo or review album copy. And that’s what this writer found in Old Californio’s Sundrunk Angels. Some might see it as currying favor, but when an album is this strong, no note is really necessary.
After years in the Big Apple, singer-songwriter Amy Speace headed back to Nashville and it appears that the change in scenery certainly hasn’t hurt her songwriting by the dozen offerings on Land Like a Bird.
Blues rock guitarist Joe Bonamassa was known to many music fans over the years, but a 2009 sold-out show at London’s Royal Albert Hall – featuring Eric Clapton – definitely put him into another sphere of acclaim. And so it is with Dust Bowl that Bonamassa sounds like a great axe man with a set of pipes that are vintage Paul Rodgers
Singer-songwriter Kip Boardman is the type of singer-songwriter which sticks to the idea that less is much more, especially regarding bombastic flourishes compensating for any quality shortcomings. Here Boardman adheres to a bare-bones approach in the vein of Ray LaMontagne, Ryan Adams and a roots-y Jason Mraz on the sincere opener “All Fall Down,” the groovy “All That Bad” and the laidback toe-tapper “Mysterious Stranger.”
After calling it a day with Guided By Voices, then releasing a ton of material, then reforming Guided By Voices, Robert Pollard still has time to keep releasing material. As meticulous as some artists are in tossing their songs out into the general public, Pollard’s workmanlike approach has meant some misses but more often than not delectable, infectious hits.
Greg Dulli is a very talented singer-songwriter. From his days in Afghan Whigs to his more recent collaboration with Mark Lanegan in The Gutter Twins, he has continued to make passionate, purposeful music. And Dynamite Steps, his latest offering under The Twilight Singers comes extremely close to matching the beauty of 2003’s Blackberry Belle.
The paths of the late Vic Chesnutt and Canadian darlings Cowboy Junkies crossed a few times during tours, recording sessions and a possible collaboration Chesnutt and the band’s Michael Timmins discussed a few years ago. Chesnutt’s suicide would prevent that from happening, but the group has decided that a fine tribute would be to cover his material in the similar ramshackle, keep-the-tape-rolling manner he would have loved. And the result of that is this extremely strong collection of performances, many of them bittersw
On Hardcore Will Never Die But You Will, as was the case on earlier albums and more recently on 2008’s brilliant and often under-appreciated The Hawk Is Howling, Scottish rock outfit Mogwai knows how to set a mood early and occasionally explode from that jumping off point. With a bit more texture in spots a la The Cure-meets-Coldplay which fuels “White Noise” (and later during “Letters To The Metro”) Mogwai settle things down with a decent if not delectable “Mexican Grand Prix” with, dare I say it, vocals?
Ryan Adams can be easily heard in the opening moments of “The Father,” the rootsy, warm and inviting keeper by Vancouver-via-Los Angeles band HoneyChild. Led by Tobias Jesso, the group nails the opener by balancing delicacy with heaviness. Think of an Americana answer to The National and you might get the gist of the first track.
It only takes a near death experience with an arsonist to make great music. Before making their new album, Lubbock roots rock band Thrift Store Cowboys had a stranger set fire to their trailer filled with merchandise and gear. But it appears that brush with the end fuelled this new effort, one with confidence, consistency and brilliant verve.
