THROUGH THE LENS: New Roots Music Releases Blooming on the Horizon

We may still be in the throes, somewhat, of winter’s short days, but spring promises nicer weather, longer days, and a slew of new roots music releases. This week’s column highlights five releases — three albums and two singles — that should not get lost in the shuffle.

While all five artists mentioned below have distinctly different sounds, what they have in common is that I have seen each of them live on numerous occasions. When listening to recordings, I am not necessarily gauging how well they capture a performance, but having seen an artist live often results in a greater appreciation of what they’ve accomplished in the studio. These recordings have something else in common, too: I cannot recommend them highly enough.

The Price Sisters – Between the Lines (Feb. 16)

With Trevor Holder’s hard-driving banjo that kicks off the opening track, “Midnight,” The Price Sisters punch the throttle full bore, leaving no doubt that they are 100% steeped in the Bill Monroe bluegrass style. While most sibling bluegrass duos feature strong vocal harmonies, sisters Leanna (fiddle) and Lauren (mandolin) also specialize in their instrumental interplay. Nowhere is this more apparent than on “There’s a Song In There Somewhere,” penned by Cowboy Jack Clement and Don Robertson, with lines like “I’m looking for love and some some banjo pickin’ / With a fiddle and mandolin.” (Aren’t we all?) Their somber, reflective take on Peter Rowan’s “The Harvest” would not have been out of place at long-ago Sunday church socials.

The surprise, as well as my highlight, is their melodic take on The Black Keys’ “Ten Cent Pistol.” Jerry Douglas’ swirling dobro takes the protagonist, a “jealous girl with blood in her eyes,” deep into a whirlpool where “the laws of man don’t apply.” And it’s a toe-tapping hummer, too. All total, the swagger and maturity The Price Sisters demonstrate on this marvelous album belie their otherwise young-ish years. It’s bluegrass with heart and soul, grounded in tradition, yet also moves it forward.

Martha Scanlan & Jon Neufeld – Save It For Later (March 1) 

While I am familiar with about half of the songs on this album, it took me a couple of listens, and looking at the credits, to realize that all the songs were written by others. The songs flowed so effortlessly that they seemed to have come from the artists’ own river of experiences. To call this a covers record almost does an injustice to Scanlan and Neufeld’s sensibilities, the way they approach a song. That is what has always captivated me about their music and makes it so haunting.

From Beyoncé’s “XO” to The Grateful Dead’s “Bird Song” Neufeld as the producer (as well as guitarist) weaves together the spare acoustic instrumentation so well that it gives the album a lushness that is absent from other contemporary duos. In their capable hands the album feels like a hymnal that seamlessly melds together nature and the human spirit. You don’t simply hear these songs; they come into you, and as if by some effervescent alchemy you look at the world differently as a result.

Jody Carroll – Banjolero and Live From Japan (out now)

While Carroll has always incorporated the banjo in his music, on Banjolero he plays it exclusively. But it is the way Carroll engages the instrument, converses with it, that sets him apart from his contemporaries. He often plays it as if it were a National steel guitar, and I hear a certain irreverence that permits him to dig deeper into the instrument’s melodic and dissonant possibilities. Together with a voice that signifies he’s seen and lived it all, he takes the blues to a different and intriguing destination.  

The live album is just that, with all the playing and stories you could ever hope for. In some ways Carroll could be viewed as the epitome of the itinerant bluesman, but hopefully these two new stellar albums, released in the past two months, will raise his profile.

Singles 

Rachel Brooke – “The Only One” (March 1)

The Queen of Honky-Tonk is working on a new album, one we may not see till late this year, but this new single will help soothe that heartache in the meantime. She’s one of those performers whose recordings fully capture her live performances. So you’ll want to catch a live set when you can.

The HawtThorns – “Trouble” (out now) 

The first couple of East Nashville are releasing a new album, Zero Gravity, April 5, and they’ve just dropped its first single. “Trouble” further develops the power pop sound they explored so well on 2022’s criminally overlooked Tarot Cards & Shooting Stars. I was also able to sample the new album’s title track, a sumptuous take on romantic longing, one of the best I’ve heard since Lucinda Williams’ “Essence.” But instead of waiting on someone’s back steps, it’s an interstellar journey. I can’t wait to hear the entire album.

Click on any photo below to view the gallery as a full-size slideshow.