Here’s some the best Americana and roots-type music releases for May 23rd, 2025. Click the artist or album links to find out more. The artist’s names link to their websites and the CD title links go to either Amazon, iTunes, Bandcamp or the artist’s site for ordering or downloading. A + sign means although not a featured release, it’s a notable album that’s still worth checking out. Also, this page will be updated as I find out about other new releases so check back again.
Taj Mahal & Keb’ Mo’
Room On The Porch (Concord Records)
Both Keb’ Mo’ and Taj Mahal have been playing their music for over half a century. Taj is approaching seven decades. We throw the term ‘legend’ rather casually these days, but these two have long attained that status. A successful collaboration almost inevitably leads to a second, so we are here eight years later from 2017’s TajMo to Room on the Porch. When one carefully listens, the history of Black American music unfolds over just ten tracks. These two trust their instinct,s and their artistry is well-rounded and rather boundless. This time, there’s more original material with six co-writes, a tune from Taj, two from contemporary writers, and one old blues chestnut. Taj sings on most tracks, but he brings out his trusty ukulele several times and his resonator on the uncluttered closing duet, Jontavious Willis’ “Rough Time Blues.” Room on the Porch will inevitably be labeled a blues album, yet it’s a mingling of cultural influences and genres that only these two iconic artists could produce. (edited from Glide Magazine review)
Also new this week…
Evan Bartels – To Make You Cry (UMG Recordings)
Jeffery Broussard & the Nighttime Syndicate – Bayou Moonlight (Fairgrounds Records)
Silverado – Texas 42 (Prairie Rose Records) +
SteelDrivers – Outrun (Sun Records) +
Sam Stoane – Tales Of The Dark West (Cloverdale Records)
Gordie Tentrees & Jaxon Haldane – Double Takes (independent)
Coming out soon … Watchhouse, Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives, The Shootouts, Lukas Nelson, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Kelsey Waldon, Shelby Means, S.G. Goodman, Tim O’Brien and Jan Fabricius, James McMurtry, The Wildmans, Hayes Carll, Neil Young And The Chrome Hearts, Phil Madeira and more!
