Blues with a Conscience I grew up in New Mexico, where the history and culture are permeated by the proud legacy of America’s native peoples. The darker legacy of Native American removal and oppression – including grinding poverty, lack of […]
The New Year is fast approaching, and the folks at No Depression recently sent out a call to their bloggers for the Top 10 albums of 2012. I tried to strike a balance in terms of genres, labels, and mainstream […]
Solo albums by hotshot electric guitarists can be a mixed bag. Some stand out as works of art that showcase the player as an individual artist; others are merely a platform for shameless pyrotechnic wankery. Fortunately, Guitaresqe by Boston-area guitarist Tony Savarino […]
While I certainly have a shortlist of favorite guitar players, I find it hard to choose just one that stands out as my “all-time” favorite. Everyone on that list brings something unique and interesting to the music. That said, if […]
I’m a big Bob Dylan fan and would be remiss if I didn’t devote some space to his latest studio album, Tempest. That said, plenty of intellectual energy has already been spent dissecting the lyrical content of the disc; I really […]
I wasn’t familiar with Coty Hogue until I received a press release regarding her latest CD, When We Get to Shore. While scanning the track list, my eyes instantly gravitated to three words — “I’m on Fire.” Could this be a […]
Listening to the eleven tunes on Searching for the Song is like feeding quarters into a dusty juke box in a throwback honky tonk. Fans of classic country are rewarded by strains of Hank, Waylon, and Buck. Guitars, pedal steel, and even […]
As readers may gather from previous reviews, I have a conflicted relationship with country music. I love the guitar-based sound, two-step rhythms, and well-worn themes of heartbreak and hard-living. That said, I have a really hard time with what contemporary […]
I posted a few weeks back on the New Yorker’s recent profile of Bruce Springsteen. Reading the article – which does a magnificent job of describing Bruce’s dedication to both songwriting and live performance – inspired me to check out his August 15th show […]
You wouldn’t know it from tuning in the radio dial, but country music is alive and well. Quite well in fact, if the debut Cow Island Music release from J.P. Harris and the Tough Choices is any indication. I actually […]
