Perhaps more than ever in its history, Nashville is a city asserting itself on the national scene. The larger image of the city is one of Southern cosmopolitanism, a fitting home even for hipster aristocracy such as the Black Keys […]
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Roots and folk music seem to have gone through a few different cycles of cultural relevance over the years. The first major boom, of course, was the folk revival of the 1950s and 60s, which helped to establish or reinforce […]
The term “roots musician” tends to make me think of a stripped down artist, taking inspiration from American folk and traditional forms to make personal music of a rough-hewn nature. The visual equivalent would be an old-school letterpress print or […]
I arrived at Nashville’s historic Exit/In about 20 minutes before Trampled By Turtles embarked on an inspired set last week. The crowd was decidedly young (at least in the eyes of this blogger rapidly approaching middle age.) Comprised of fleece-wearing […]
Last weekend, I had the pleasure of seeing Bela Fleck’s Concerto for Banjo and Orchestra with the Nashville Symphony. Overall, the largest impression I was left with is that Bela Fleck is a raging, benevolent maniac. His virtuosity as a […]
Ok, I’m pretty damn late to the Tune-Yards party (and, sorry, I refuse to use the tUnE-yArDs typography preferred by Merrill Garbus, the creative force behind the project.) As a somewhat insular roots music fan, I don’t spend a lot […]
I’m not sure how I came across Bobby Charles’ self-titled album from 1972. I think it was a random discovery through an Amazon search about a year ago. Since then, this album has burrowed itself into my brain with its […]
I’ve recently been thinking about the sheer volume of albums released per year, even within the genre of roots music, and the relative small number that speak deeply to individual listeners. For me, I’d guess that only about 5-7 albums […]
The Farewell Drifters wear their 60s influences on the sleeves of their Members Only jackets. The title of their newest album, Echo Boom, is a reference to the extended resonance of the Baby Boom generation’s hopes, failures, idealism, and projections […]
Black Keys (Photo courtesy of Bonnaroo.com) In my prior post, I left off having just finished an inspiring set by Loretta Lynn. As the set concluded, my cohort and I decided to grab a bag of ice and head back […]
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