John Calvin Abney’s ‘Coyote’ Rides The Rail of Atmospheric Emotions (ALBUM REVIEW)
[rating=7,00] If you caught John Moreland on tour any time in 2017, you were treated to a mind-blowing performance from his sideman and sole bandmate, John Calvin Abney. The fellow Oklahoman is a multi-instrumentalist and managed to keep up with the notoriously brisk pace of Moreland’s setlist, switching guitars and jumping on harmonica at lightning […]
Rusty Young Still Has Stories To Tell (INTERVIEW)
It is a song custom made for a sunny spring afternoon, with its lilting melody and sweetly harmonic vocal trails, reminiscing about people who have made you smile over the years. For Poco’s Rusty Young, “My Friend” is the glistening star on his first solo album and since it’s about all the musicians who have […]
Tami Neilson Stays Bold, Brassy & Assertive With ‘Sassafrass!’ (ALBUM REVIEW)
[rating=7.00] As a follow up to her last album, the boldly titled Don’t Be Afraid, Canada’ singer and songwriter Tami Neilson continues to procure a distinctive sound that’s bold, brassy and flush with an assertive ability. That allowed her to make her mark in her adopted home of New Zealand and now promises to bring […]
Chuck Westmoreland Imbues Elements of Petty & Isbell on Gritty ‘Long Winter Rodeo’ (ALBUM REVIEW)
[rating=8.00] Chuck Westmoreland’s homespun sentiment and tenacious trappings make for a durable combination, one that imbues elements of Tom Petty’s enduring anthems and Jason Isbell’s unceasing insurgency. Little wonder then that Long Winter Rodeo is the kind of album that creates an indelible impression, one that ought to establish him for his grit and conviction. […]
Kara Grainger Takes Songs To Unexpected Places On ‘Living With Your Ghost’ (ALBUM REVIEW)
[rating=9.00] It’s not exactly a nice feeling when an album reminds you that you’re a bit of a sexist, but it’s an important one to acknowledge. Because if you’re anything like this reviewer, you’re going to hear some pretty amazing slide guitar on Kara Grainger’s Living With Your Ghost, and you’re going to wonder who’s […]
Phil Cook Channels Soul & Gospel on NOLA-Infused ‘People Are My Drug’ (ALBUM REVIEW)
[rating=8.00] Phil Cook delivers the kind of informal gospel-flavored album you could easily associate with a southern church or simply a bunch of friends singing on a back porch. The informality proves engaging for Phil Cook’s People Are My Drug, a work that taps into Cook’s affection for NOLA rhythms and his drawing together many […]
Ghost Head to New Mainstream Ground on ‘Prequelle’ (ALBUM REVIEW)
Ghost manages to embrace their dark and poppy sides equally on their fourth album.
‘Noonday Dream’ Stakes Out Ben Howard’s Ever-Maturing Territory As Artist (ALBUM REVIEW)
[rating=9.00] When Ben Howard surged onto the global scene with debut album Every Kingdom, there seemed nothing particularly remarkable about him. Oh sure, his sudden fame was remarkable and a Mercury Prize nomination is nothing to be sniffed at, but here was a young man with a very normal name, seemingly riding the tsunami of […]
Neko Case Goes For Pop-Heavy, Creative Sound With ‘Hell-On’ (ALBUM REVIEW)
[rating=8.00] Hearing Neko Case’s voice feels like coming home again. It is all at once powerfully singular and familiar, but still mysterious and bewildering in its beauty. A new Neko Case record is like a gift with endless layers to unwrap, and Hell-On – her first since 2013’s The Worse Things Get, The Harder I […]
Nicki Bluhm Goes Solo With Cathartic “To Rise You Gotta Fall” (ALBUM REVIEW)
[rating=8.00] Nicki Bluhm had a nice six-year stint going with her band, The Gramblers, playing large venues, mega festivals, and sharing the stage with top grossing acts. Then her marriage to husband and bandleader Tim Bluhm fell apart and Nicki had to figure out her next move. She wrote the life-chronicling songs for To Rise […]