Of the twelve tracks featured on Emily Duff’s album “Maybe in the Morning,” I was impressed by nine. That’s how captivating and diversified this collection is. Sometimes CD’s come that have better art on its packaging than music but this time […]
An album of snarling rockers, clear lyrical pronunciation, an interesting powerful vocal similar to Pat Benatar at times but more strongly inclined toward 1994’s masterful Karen Lawrence (“Cadillac Blues” – live on YouTube), Genya Ravan (Ten Wheel Drive – “Morning […]
I am not a huge fan of banjo music. But this album is a fiery and incredibly well-recorded roots album. I sincerely feel listeners not completely dedicated to this type of down-home rollicking foot-stomping barn burning music are going to enjoy […]
Where to begin with this review? I’ve been an admirer of Minnesota’s Peter Himmelman since I picked up his first album “This Father’s Day,” for $1.99 in a thrift shop. That’s right. A thrift shop. Back then that was the best way […]
Loretta Hagen – an award-winning folk artist from New Jersey — has been at this independent artist gig for many years now. I recall listening to her for the first time in 1993 when I acquired a copy of her self-titled […]
Portland-based Americana singer-songwriter and acoustic guitar/harmonica player John Craigie has put together a basically fine collaboration with musician-friends on his “No Rain, No Rose” 13-song collection. To my ears, the majority of the songs are of a high quality and the […]
I admit that I am a little old school. I have known many successful producers of records from the past who gave me advice on what to do and what not to do to balance an album out. They believed that […]
Some new music comes as standard stuff and some come with inspiring ideas; good performances. Jayme Stone’s “Folklife,” arrives with enthusiasm that instantly rubs off on the listener’s ears like a big slice of cheese cake with whipped cream. There’s banjo – but this banjo is fiery […]
Sometimes the most endearing vocals are the ones that have some peculiarity to them. Some may say I am being rude when I say that. But think about it: Bob Dylan, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Lyle Lovett, Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen, Karen […]
Another EP (extended play) 5 track CD that crossed my desk recently and performed by Diana Hickman. “South of Your Thoughts” exemplifies Hickman’s crystal-clear adult-contemporary / jazz voice and she has experience enough to slide some cool vocalizing into her lyrical pronunciation. That’s what […]
