It takes a strong man to stand onstage with Mavis Staples. You gotta be able to carry the weight of her reputation and back catalog as well as stand up to the pressure of being showered with her distinctive, magnificent […]
Smoke ’em if you got ’em — that seems to be the guiding philosophy behind Lydia Luce’s debut album, Dark River. The singer-songwriter is classically trained in violin and has worked with artists from Dolly Parton to Eminem. On Dark […]
Willie Nelson’s latest reveals the venerable troubadour as a stoned Sinatra, laid back and groovy, a ripped philosopher pontificating on the mysteries of life. It’s a world-class performance, not bound by any cabaret conventions or corralled by any industry cowboys […]
The bright psychedelia of “Sleeve,” the opening track of Edie Brickell & New Bohemians’ new album, whirls in a circling, spinning dance as the song rockets off on Brandon Aly’s skittering snare shots, floats along Matt Hubbard’s organ and synth, […]
Authenticity is currency in the Americana world: Sure, you can sling a guitar, but do you mean it? Is the wide-brimmed hat and affinity for bourbon an affectation or a way of life? Authenticity is impossible to define, but it’s […]
The Hold Steady’s latest album, Open Door Policy, is another exhilarating blast of crimes, capers, and melancholic mayhem. That the LP comes some 17 years into the indie institution’s recording career is both a surprise and a delight. From a […]
Credit Andrew Marlin for investing his time meaningfully over the last year. Like the rest of us, Marlin and his bandmates in Mandolin Orange were forced to shelve numerous live dates and whatever other musical activities they had planned in […]
Passions run high on It’s a Beautiful Day and I Love You, the gripping third album from Nashville-based storyteller Jillette Johnson. She’s not talking about “a beautiful day” in the Mr. Rogers way. Her vivid vignettes are soaked in regret, […]
You may not realize how much you’ve missed The Staves until you hear Good Woman, the group’s first new album in six years, but it won’t take long. The sister trio — Emily, Jessica, and Camilla Staveley-Taylor — were primed to […]
Expanding on Beth Lee & The Breakups’ big-Texas/roadhouse-blues sound exemplified by 2016’s Keep Your Mouth Shut, Beth Lee releases her impressive solo debut, Waiting On You Tonight. An 11-song sequence that highlights the Austin-based artist’s songwriting craft and performative charisma, […]
