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Pat Green was once the King of the Texas/Red Dirt music scene, and if "Songs We Wish We'd Written, Part II" is any indication, he's making a bid to re-claim his crown. The Waco native was maligned by the sub-genre's fans for the supposed sin of "selling out" to Nashville - something that actually paved the way for other Texas artists.
Green followed up the 2001 "Songs We Wish We'd Written" - a collaboration with fellow Texas Tech alum Cory Morrow... »»»
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Well, so much for the sweet, adorable Sara Watkins. After an endearing, cuddly solo debut in 2009 that included her foot-stomping rendition of John Hartford's Long Hot Summer Day, Watkins adds a new wrinkle with her latest effort: an edgy, sometimes angry attitude.
Bathing her songs in a folky-bluegrass setting with an array of way-cool guests, If It Pleases You is a defiant flip-off while Willie Nelson's I'm a Memory seethes with open hostility as Watkins and brother Sean rage... »»»
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In the early '90s, Mark Collie was a rising Nashville star. Part of the wave of Neo-Traditionalists like Mark Chesnutt and Neal McCoy (both of whom he refers to on this live album), Collie landed a couple of top 10 hits and made several albums for MCA. For whatever reasons, Collie slid pretty quickly off the radar after signing with Giant Records, where he released his last major studio album in 1995. "Alive At Bushy Mountain" should give Collie some well-deserved attention;... »»»
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Carrie Underwood's calling card remains intact - her ultra strong set of pipes. "Blown Away" is almost a tale of two CDs. The first half or so tends to be far more pop oriented and at times rocks, while the other half veers far more towards country and even gets traditional on a song or two.
The lead-off hit first single, Good Girl, rocks far more than anything else. It sounds good, catchy, but with Underwood singing hard, the song is geared for arena rock, not anything remotely... »»»
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So much for maintaining momentum. It's been nearly a dozen years since Chelle Rose's striking debut "Nanahally River," a span of time, which by most measures, could be considered an eternity in the music biz. Even so, "Ghost of Browder Holler" isn't so much a comeback as a new beginning for this feisty singer/songwriter. Initial comparisons lean towards older artists like Loretta Lynn and Reba McEntire, given her gritty, no-nonsense sound and her ability to tow... »»»
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For Todd Snider, Jerry Jeff Walker looms larger than a mere musical hero. When Snider first relocated to Austin in the early '90s, Walker was the first singer/songwriter that Snider witnessed in the city's club scene, showing Snider by example he didn't necessarily require a band to achieve his musical goals. Somewhere along the line, Snider even camped out on Walker's sofa for a few months. Given their longstanding professional and personal connection, there can be little... »»»
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The Waco Brothers and Paul Burch teamed up for an album that not only Mrs. O'Leary, but her cow Elsie would most likely enjoy. The Wacos, one of Chicago's better but still underrated rock acts, burn a lot of energy on the rollicking opening title track with backing vocals by Tawney Newsome and Bethany Thomas. But it's a steady dose of rockabilly-fuelled tunes that makes the album come to life, particularly on the tight, perky Give In as Burch accents the song perfectly... »»»
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Lee Brice had a dream run of success with his debut, "Love Like Crazy" - the title track became the most-played song on country radio in 2010. While that set the South Carolina native up for a doozy of a sophomore slump, he sidesteps it with ease. Brice simply has too many weapons - a songwriter's ear, soulful voice and some very able co-writer friends (Rhett Atkins, Eric Church) to veer far off course.
A Woman Like You has already topped the country single charts... »»»
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This project was set into motion by Phil Madeira, who produced, had a hand in writing most of the songs and assembled the wide variety of musicians. There are musicians as renowned and varied in style as Buddy Miller and The North Mississippi Allstars as well as such far lesser known artists as Mat Kearney and Cindy Morgan. Emmylou Harris (Madeira has been in her band) summed up the idea very well: "Not all hymns are found in the pocket on the back of the church pew. Here are some for your... »»»
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Marty Stuart lives and breathes country music. It's in his blood through associations with folks like Johnny Cash. He's a huge collector of country's history, a photographer, and, oh yeah, quite a fine musician.
Stuart returns for another superb disc of only 10 songs (that's the only criticism here in a tight 31 or so minute set) mixing his stellar, full-bodied Mississippi drawl vocals, great playing, an instrumental, a spoken word (not the first time he has done that) with... »»»
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If you're seeking the throne the King of Texas Music, what better way to make your bid than recording a duet with a former king? That's exactly what Josh Abbott did on My Texas, a collaboration with Pat Green that's chock full of Lone Star State references and a not-so-subtle dig at Nashville music. But Abbott, who co-wrote 9 of the 13 songs on his third studio album, has firmly designed an identity for himself among the Texas scene's heavyweights.
While some country... »»»
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Kip Moore's debut, "Up All Night" may be out now, but he is no newbie. He wrote two songs on Thompson Square's debut before surfacing with his singleMary Was the Marrying Kind. Kiefer Thompson returned the favor by co-writing the opener Drive Me Crazy, a teenage romance number with infectious melody.
Moore said he thinks fans still have a lot to learn about him and the depth of "Up All Night." "They'll be surprised from the single. It's a very emotional record... »»»
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Originally released in 1998, "Mermaid Avenue" is a stunning collaboration between English folk singer/songwriter Billy Bragg and the American roots rock juggernaut Wilco that found the artists setting unpublished Woody Guthrie lyrics to music. The initial release was so well received that a second disc of songs from the Mermaid Avenue Sessions was released in 2000.
Now, in conjunction with celebrations of what would have been Guthrie's 100th birthday, Nonesuch Records has bundled... »»»
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In country music, it's common for artists to start off with a traditional bent and gradually veer toward a pop sound. Texas-based Jason Eady has taken a different path. He's always had an independent streak of blues mixed with Red Dirt, but nobody would mistake the Mississippi native's sound for George Jones or Merle Haggard.
Until now.
His fourth studio release, "AM Country Heaven," in which the title track definitely reflects the other 11 songs... »»»
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With their successful collaboration with comedian, actor and pretty good banjo picker Steve Martin garnering the Steep Canyon Rangers much attention over the past two years, some might think the band's own music would take a back seat or at the least get overlooked. Judging from the band's new Martin-less disc, that would be a mistake.
SCR was a great band before hooking up with Martin, and the new album picks right up where they left off on their last album - making... »»»
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"Stars and Satellites," the latest offering from Duluth, Minn.'s Trampled by Turtles, marks a literal change of pace for a group known for technically proficient neo-bluegrass jams at break-neck speeds. By slowing things down a bit, the band manages to produce its most complete and compelling artistic statement to date.
Although the band hasn't completely forsaken high-energy jams on this new album - songs like the ultra catchy pop-grass blitz of Sorry and the hard-charging... »»»
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For the most recent addition to the Johnny Cash Bootleg Series, Columbia Records/Legacy Recordings dipped into the deep well of Cash's gospel and spiritual recordings for Columbia and smaller boutique labels throughout the 1970s and '80s. This set is unique from its predecessors thanks in large part to the three full-length studio albums contained within.
The 2-disc, 51-track collection, released in conjunction with ongoing celebrations of Cash's 80th birthday, gets off to a... »»»
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To some, Rascal Flatts is little more than a trio of pretty boys, existing just on the periphery of traditional country music. And to some degree, these haters are correct. This ain't no honky tonk music. But there is still a lot of goodness wrapped inside all the overly ornate sonic packaging.
This new album's title track, for example, has all the power of a camp meeting revival ballad. Heck, the single Banjo sports some mighty fine picking from the inappropriately named Ilya... »»»
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Like their alt-folk and bluegrass brethren, Crooked Still, Red Molly, Blame Sally and the late, lamented Nickel Creek, The Vespers are adept at conveying back porch harmony with deep-rooted humility and soaring spirituality. They may be young - the two brothers and two sisters who make up the quartet are barely out of their teens (and one is only 19!) - but the reverence for tradition and home-grown sensibilities echoes consistently through every one of these rootsy homilies... »»»
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Without argument, The Boxcars have quickly become one of the prominent bands in bluegrass. Their songs receive considerable airplay, they maintain a packed touring schedule, and they receive about as much press as anyone this side of Steve Martin.
With their second album, the quintet of John R. Bowman (fiddle), Keith Garrett (guitar), Harold Nixon (bass), Adam Steffey (mandolin) and Ron Stewart (banjo) have again succeeded in producing an album that is rich in material and performance... »»»
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Just like his famously troubled father, Justin Townes Earle has often generated as much press for his substance-fueled escapades as his musical prowess. Thankfully, that genetic predilection has been tempered with a similarly potent gift for song craft and creative evolution, two elements that have distinguished Earle's catalog to date, particularly his last album, the sacred-meets-secular traditional modernism of 2010's "Harlem River Blues."
With his fifth and latest,... »»»
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Nearly four decades after forming Chicago-based Special Consensus in 1975, banjo player Greg Cahill and his outfit continue to build on a reputation for solid, dependable traditional bluegrass through a catalog of 16 recordings. A lot of superb musicians have passed through the band over the years - Cahill is the sole remaining original member - and two of them (Chris Jones and Josh Williams) return for guest appearances on "Scratch Gravel Road."
Compass chief Alison Brown (who also... »»»
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From the outset, it's evident that Andra Suchy is a special talent, a young artist who manages to capture the essence of a down-home sound with fresh and fervent enthusiasm. Raised deep in the heartland (North Dakota), the daughter of folk-singing parents, she's proved her mettle by singing on stages with Emmylou Harris, Chris Thile and Brad Paisley, recording alongside the Honeydogs, Dave Pirner, Jonny Lang, Peter Ostroushko, and Jeff Healy and by making regular appearances on "A... »»»
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Country music's definition has devolved to mean almost anything with slightly verifiable Southern roots, which means that Alabama-born Lionel Richie's music is about as country as anything else under the huge country umbrella. Some might call Richie's original songs soul/R&B. However, the singer/songwriter hasn't sounded truly funky since Brick House with The Commodores, and that song dates way back to 1977. "Tuskegee" is Richie's attempt to revive his... »»»
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In 2010, Casey James placed third on the ninth season of American Idol. While that was a relatively strong showing for the native Texan, it's even better if you consider that the winner and runner-up (Lee DeWyze and Crystal Bowersox) have since been dropped by their record labels. James is a senior citizen by Idol standards - he turns 30 this year - and he's still more famous for his smile than his singing. So, there's quite a bit riding on this, his official debut... »»»
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The Grascals' debut release with Mountain Home Music, "Life Finds A Way," couples the instrumental prowess that has become expected of them with heavier themes. The title implies a journey, and the sextet has had an interesting one. Since forming eight years ago, they have garnered multiple IBMA Entertainer of the Year awards and Grammy nominations.
The change from Rounder gave the group a renewed energy and new perspective as well as a new recording venue - their own studio... »»»
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Many might quickly dismiss the soundtrack to "The Hunger Games: Songs from District 12 and Beyond," were it not for the presence of T Bone Burnett as producer. In addition to multiple industry awards, Burnett has evolved into one of Americana music's best friends due to his reliable ear for good music. This album's big commercial draw is Taylor Swift, who sings with The Civil Wars on Safe & Sound, as well as solo for Eyes Open. She's never sounded prettier... »»»
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After taking a step away from country music to create the brilliant concept album "Black Ribbons," Shooter Jennings returns to his roots. In fact, this is his most country album to date.
The lead track The Real Me sounds like a lost Waylon song. Union man and guitar legend Tom Morello steps in to add some flavor to the ultra poppy The Long Road Ahead, which is reminiscent of Jennings sole hit 4th of July. Single The Deed and the Dollar is a heartfelt uptempo love ballad with a strong... »»»
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Genres are helpful directional signs for pointing listeners toward an artist's general sound, a tagging device that is especially helpful on a first album when there is little or no previous exposure to use as a natural guide. The difficulty crops up when an artist doesn't necessarily slip into one of the comfortable pigeonholes that the music industry has invented for that purpose; Sam Lewis is several of those artists wrapped up into one hypertalented knot.
On his self-titled,... »»»
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In the tradition of the Traveling Wilburys singer-songwriters Jon Dee Graham, Freedy Johnston and Susan Cowsill join forces to create a fictional group of musical siblings. Much of the tone is gloomy, as in the darkly humorous I Am Sorry in which Johnston calls an estranged girlfriend for assistance when stranded in hopes of repairing his car and his relationship ("Can you come get me at the Citgo by the airport/My heart may be broken and my battery is dead").
The Hobart name comes... »»»
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The title of Julie Lee's seventh album is somewhat misleading. "Julie Lee and the Baby Daddies" has nothing to do with her own offspring. Apparently, she is a heck of a babysitter. The Nashville-based songwriter continuously received collaboration offers after rendering her child care skills to the likes of Kenny Vaughn (Lucinda Williams' guitarist) and Mike Bub (Del McCoury Band) The Baby Daddies were formed at a gig in 2010. Lee's songwriting incorporates various... »»»
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In his longstanding group work with Blue Mountain and in his subsequent solo efforts, Cary Hudson has always reflected his Mississippi upbringing in some form or fashion, whether by musical inference, turn of phrase or rural perspective. On "Mississippi Moon," his latest solo album, Hudson translates the title conceptually and literally; the album was recorded in Hudson's home state, produced by fellow homeboy and former Squirrel Nut Zipper James "Jimbo" Mathus and... »»»
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Luke Bryan's annual spring break EPs are innocuous distractions in a fairly decent discography. The Leesburg, Ga. Native's fourth and latest, is no exception. The songwriting is an exercise in vapidity with clichéd themes like partying and teenage breakups. The timing couldn't be more ironic.
This four-song bubble gum pop tribute to the young and overserved was put out shortly after his latest full length release, "tailgates & tanlines," garnered some critical... »»»
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After seven years without a studio album, Neal McCoy has been quite busy of late. First came a collaboration with jazz orchestra leader Les Brown Jr., and now comes his first country record since 2005's "That's Life." To help make his return, McCoy has enlisted dome big time players, in the form of producers Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton and Brent Rowan.
While McCoy was a reliable hitmaker in the '90s, he was most known for good-natured, novelty songs and an exciting live show... »»»
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Former BR549 member Chuck Mead's latest collection of country classics was recorded at the Quonset Hut, the legendary Nashville studio founded by Owen Bradley. Mead is at his best on up-tempo tracks such as Johnny Horton's Honky Tonk Hardwood Floor , Del Reeves' Girl On The Billboard and Hank Williams' Settin' The Woods On Fire.
Mead's rockabilly influence is on display with nicely done covers of Carl Perkins' Cat Clothes and Gene Vincent's Be Bop A Lula... »»»
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When Rhiannon Giddens urgently sings the autobiographical Country Girl, which rocks with a distinctly acoustic thump, it's a clear sign that Carolina Chocolate Drops is much more than just an old time music revival band. Granted, this act incorporates a lot of sounds you won't likely hear too often on contemporary radio, such as the hand clap backed gospel rhythm section supporting Read 'Em John.
But to flippantly suggest CCD is somehow lost in the past, would gravely... »»»
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Chris Jones & The Night Drivers disc is an anthology with 4 songs from previous releases dating back to 1997 plus 3 new songs. It features a plethora of excellent pickers including Ron Block, Ron Stewart, Darrin Vincent and Rob Ickes as well as the current Night Drivers: Mark Stoffel on mandolin, Jon Weisberger (bass), fellow satellite radio broadcaster Ned Luberecki (banjo) and Jones playing guitar.
An old Delmore Brothers song, Nashville Blues, from a 1998 album is kicked off by mandolin,... »»»
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People may think of the commercial side of country music when they think about Nashville and Music Row, but the "other" side of the city and its musical industry is just as vibrant and even more diverse. Files loosely under "roots music," the plethora of bluegrass, folk, traditional country, rock and soul singers are every bit as important to Nashville as those singers who routinely appear on the Grand Ole Opry and mainstream country radio.
The Loveless Cafe and its... »»»
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The follow-up to 2009's "Natural Forces" sees Lyle Lovett meandering along the same musical roads he's done for the last few decades, this time though taking some signature songs and trying to put a new sheen on them. The opening instrumental Garfield's Blackberry Blossom isn't nearly as rollicking as Orange Blossom Special, but has a certain Mark O'Connor precision to it.
Meanwhile, the title track is a sweet duet, but doesn't truly leave much of an impression... »»»
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Craig Morgan likes to keep things simple. Once dubbed "country music's champion of the Everyman" he is best known best known for songs that espouse the core values of the genre: Faith ( That's What I Love About Sunday), good times, ( Redneck Yacht Club) and helping others ( Almost Home ).
We get much of the same on "This Ole Boy," his first new music in three years and debut with Black River Entertainment. Disappointingly, the patriotism, religion and love... »»»
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