Here’s some the best Americana and roots-type music releases for May 30th, 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.
The Shootouts
Switchback (Transoceanic Records)
Hailing from Akron, Ohio, The Shootouts are known for their energetic fusion of Rustbelt Americana, roots rock, and country music, which fans often refer to as “country music for people who don’t like country.” With their fourth album, the band are expands their vision, “Country music can come from anywhere,” says leader Ryan Humbert. “We just so happen to come from northeast Ohio. We’re rooted deep in the Rust Belt. I think that influence informed many of our choices on this record, more so than in the past.” Humbert continues, “We are a band that very much focuses on country music and the roots of that genre. But with every record we’ve done, we’ve shown more of what we can do. And Switchback feels like the beginning of a new chapter. In fact, it might sound more like us than any of our other records.” (edited from band bio)
Watchhouse
Rituals (Tiptoe Tiger Records)
In 2021, Emily Frantz and Andrew Martin released their debut album, appearing as Watchhouse, after more than a decade of making music as Mandolin Orange. On their new album, Rituals, the duo weave their rich vocals through crystal clear layers of instrumentation, producing in the mosaic of their music the swirling patterns of familiar rituals that shape and sustain life and love. Like such rituals, Watchhouse’s emotionally resonant intimate songs brings deep comfort. Rituals builds on the strengths of their exquisite first album, delivering ingenious lyrical and musical meditations that uncover the patterns, rituals, and shapes of our physical and psychic lives and to live into them in order to experience the beauty and richness of life. (edited from Folk Alley review)
Also new this week…
Imogen Clark – Choking on Fuel (independent)
Anderson East – Worthy (Rounder Records)
David Lowery – Fathers, Sons and Brothers (Cooking Vinyl Limited)
Shelby Means – Shelby Means (independent) +
Reed Turchi – World On Fire (Xenon Records)
Coming out soon … Tim O’Brien and Jan Fabricius, North Mississippi Allstars, Crowe Boys, Lukas Nelson, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Kelsey Waldon, S.G. Goodman, James McMurtry, The Wildmans, Hayes Carll, Neil Young And The Chrome Hearts, Phil Madeira, Sunny Sweeney, Rodney Crowell and more!
