Americana Music Releases for Sept. 15th

Posted on September 14, 2023 by

Here’s some the best Americana and roots-type music releases for September 15th, 2023. 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.

 

Margo Cilker
Valley Of Heart’s Delight (Fluff & Gravy Records)

Cilker’s 2021 debut Pohorylle was one of those records that never dredged up a torrential hype storm but became a treasured favorite for many. Produced by Sub Pop alum Sera Cahoone, Pohorylle presented Cilker as a chronicler of the world’s less explored corners, with a knack for smart, funny wordplay and a musical style that blurred the lines between country and folk-rock. Valley Of Heart’s Delight runs it back with subtly spectacular results. Cahoone is once again on board as drummer and producer, as are Cilker’s bandmates, mostly from Portland. As if mirroring the mix of thoughtful precision and cheeky playfulness Cilker brings to her lyrics, the band plays just loose and carefree enough that every meticulously plotted arrangement seems to breathe with spontaneity. But these travelogs just as often blur with the ache that haunts Cilker’s songwriting.  (edited from Stereogum review)

 

Willie Nelson
Bluegrass (CBS)

Bluegrass is one of the hottest commodities in country music at the moment. All the more reason for Willie Nelson to jump on the bandwagon and release twelve of his solo written signature songs interpreted in bluegrass style. It’s quite remarkable when you consider that Willie Nelson has released nearly 100 original albums of one sort or another, but this is the first time he’s veering into the bluegrass realm. Once again produced by long-time collaborator Buddy Cannon and includes top-shelf bluegrass greats  like Rob Ickes, Dan Tyminski, Aubrey Haynie, Ron Block and more. Constantly on tour yet still finding time to get in the studio and release two albums a year, Willie Nelson isn’t slowing down any time soon. And fans are here for it.  (edited from Saving Country Music review)

 

Viv & Riley
Imaginary People (Free Dirt Records)

A bittersweet nostalgia lies at the heart of Imaginary People, the new album from indie roots duo Viv & Riley. Over ten tracks, the pair applies an indie folk sheen to pop gems, a reworking of an ancient ballad, and even an original fiddle tune, deftly weaving together the old and new. In contrast to the sunny, lush production, the lyrics lean melancholic. Both musicians trace their original artistic inspiration to the deep roots music they learned in their youths on opposite sides of the country. The duo’s continuing musical expansion is in part the fruition of their new home of Durham, NC which is known for it’s cross-genre collaboration and creatively articulated roots music. However, the track list is still peppered with pedal steel and the rootsy fiddle and banjo trappings the pair employed to acclaim on their previous two releases. As much as Imaginary People looks back to nostalgic yesteryears, it importantly marks the beginning of a new direction for these songwriting virtuosos.

 

Also new this week…

Briscoe – West of it All  (ATO Records)
Buxton – A Family Light  (Strolling Bones Records)
Cruz Contreras – Cosmico  (Cosmico Records)
Wyatt Edmondson – Made for the Road  (self-released)
Mick Flannery – Goodtime Charlie  (Oh Boy Records)
Jim Lauderdale and The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys – The Long And Lonesome Letting Go  (Sky Crunch Records)
Buffalo Nichols – The Fatalist  (Fat Possum Records)
John Surge and The Haymakers – Almost Time  (Blackbird Record Label)
Dave Sutherland – Dear John  (self-released)

Coming out soon… Brent Cobb, Jenny Owen Youngs, Charles Wesley Godwin, Charley Crockett, Owen Temple, Adam Hood, Jeff Plankenhorn, Ray Bonneville, Mick Flannery, Buddy & Julie Miller, The Steel Woods, Ida Mae, John R. Miller, Tré Burt, Robert Rex Waller Jr., Eli Paperboy Reed, Jessi Colter, Jonah Tolchin, Chris Stapleton and more!

Check out Americana Boogie Radio!

Bill Frater

Posted in Americana CD releases, Americana Music, Americana Music Assoc. Conference, Bluegrass, Country Music, New music releases, Roots Music | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Americana Music Releases for Sept. 8th

Posted on September 7, 2023 by

Here’s some the best Americana and roots-type music releases for September 8th, 2023. 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.

 

Tyler Childers
Rustin’ In The Rain (Hickman Holler Records/RCA Records)

Rustin’ In The Rain was recorded in the home studio of Tyler’s pedal steel player and guitarist James Barker above his garage. The new album was produced by Tyler and his backing band The Food Stamps. Childers says of the album via press release, “This is a collection of songs I playfully pieced together as if I was pitching a group of songs to Elvis. Some covers, one co-write, and some I even wrote in my best (terrible) Elvis impersonation, as I worked around the farm and kicked around the house. I hope you enjoy listening to this album as much as I enjoyed creating it.” Tyler says that the album is mostly love songs, with the deeper tie-in being the mules that make numerous appearances in the lyrics.  (from Saving Country Music review)

 

Nick Shoulders
All Bad  (Gar Hole Records)

As All Bad unspools, Shoulders’ “conversation” with country music sharpens into focus: Shoulders dares to speak the quiet part aloud, eloquently illustrating how the country music most people think of — Nashville’s primary export — is white supremacist propaganda. Yet the part that people connect with, the storytelling, the sounds of resistance, intergenerational bonds — these are the parts of country music that are actually worth saving. But this is a slow build: Shoulders slowly tweaks our noses by overlaying traditional country sounds with sly parodies. He pokes at revered country songs with titles like “Mama Tired” (about the ills of doom-scrolling) and “Won’t Fence Us In.” But Shoulders never even approaches parody or camp on All Bad: His own reverence for classic country sounds is as deadly earnest as his lyrics. In a year that has seen just about every facet of the “culture war” flame its way across the commercial country music world while industry insiders drop their jaws in dismay, All Bad transforms those questions into conversation. (edited from No Depression review)

 

Steep Canyon Rangers
Morning Shift  (Yep Roc Records)

The North Carolina Bluegrass band leans into their Appalachian musical instincts heavily on this, their 14th studio album. The band worked with producer Darrell Scott on Morning Shift, with everyone moving into the Inn Bat Cave, eating and sleeping together when they weren’t in the studio recording the album. “We’re a product of who the band was in the past as well as who we want to be in the present and future,” says Graham Sharp, the band’s lead vocalist and banjo player. This record also marks the first one with new band member Aaron Burdett on guitar and vocals. “This recording session felt really good, because there was no pressure to be anything but ourselves in that moment. It was important that we came in without any preordained expectations about what kind of record this would be, and Darrell Scott was the perfect producer to provide guidance from an open perspective.” (edited from Americana Highways review)

Also new this week…

Sandy Bailey – Daughter Of Abraham  (Red Parlor Records)
Bill and the Belles – To Willie from Billy  (self-released)
The Blind Boys of Alabama – Echoes Of The South  (Single Lock Records)
Blue Water Highway – Year of the Dragon (self-released)
Goldpine – Two  (self-released)
Logan Ledger – Golden State  (Rounder Records) +
Lillie Mae – Festival Eyes  (s||c records)
maeve & quinn – Another Door  (self-released)
Ashley McBryde –The Devil I Know (Warner Music Nashville)
Joan Osborne – Nobody Owns You  (Womanly Hips Records)
Joyann Parker – Roots (self-released)
Jobi Riccio – Whiplash  (Yep Roc Records) +
Allison Russell – The Returner  (Fantasy Records)
The SteelDrivers – Tougher Than Nails  (Gaither Music Group)
String Cheese Incident – Lend Me A Hand  (SCI Fidelity Records)
Various Artists – A Song for Leon: A Tribute to Leon Russell  (Primary Wave Records)

 

Coming out soon… Margo Cilker, Brent Cobb, Willie Nelson, Briscoe, Jim Lauderdale, Viv & Riley, Jenny Owen Youngs, Charles Wesley Godwin, Charley Crockett, Cruz Contreras, Owen Temple, Adam Hood, Jeff Plankenhorn, John Surge and The Haymakers, Ray Bonneville, Mick Flannery, Buddy & Julie Miller, The Steel Woods, John R. Miller, Tré Burt, Robert Rex Waller Jr., Jessi Colter, Chris Stapleton and more!

Check out Americana Boogie Radio!

Bill Frater

Posted in Americana CD releases, Bluegrass, Country music new releases, New music releases, Roots Music | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Americana Music Releases for Sept. 1st

Posted on August 31, 2023 by

Here’s some the best Americana and roots-type music releases for September 1st, 2023. 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.

Labor Day weekend in the US, not much happening!

Chris Pierce
Let All Who Will  (Calabama Recordings)

This L.A. artist delivers with precision & power & is always expressive. With a firm folk aesthetic Chris Pierce tries & succeeds to make a difference through his music. Protest songs aren’t always universally accepted or understood but Pierce has pieced together a fairly logical approach with attractive music in solid arrangements. He isn’t stabbing but a performer who obviously wants to make what he says matter. Chris’ storytelling, musicianship & soulful vocals compel justice & compassion through his showcase & he does it admirably with a voice that has a vivid tone. Chris provides a musical backdrop with equal ingredients of folk, blues & soul applied to his message songs without being too over-wrought. What makes Chris’ music affirming is that no matter what is sung Chris never adds vinegar to the mix, or gets aggressive or angry.  (edited from Americana Highways review)

Also new this week…

The Paper Kites – At The Roadhouse  (Nettwerk Music Group)

 

Coming out soon… Tyler Childers, Steep Canyon Rangers, Margo Cilker, Brent Cobb, Willie Nelson, Briscoe, Jim Lauderdale, Viv & Riley, Jenny Owen Youngs, Charles Wesley Godwin, Cruz Contreras, Owen Temple, Nick Shoulders, Adam Hood, Goldpine, Jeff Plankenhorn, Allison Russell, John Surge and The Haymakers, Mick Flannery, Buddy & Julie Miller, John R. Miller, Tré Burt, Robert Rex Waller Jr., Jessi Colter, Chris Stapleton and more!

Check out Americana Boogie Radio!

Bill Frater

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Americana Music Releases for Aug. 25th

Posted on August 24, 2023 by

Here’s some the best Americana and roots-type music releases for August 25th, 2023. 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.

 

Old Crow Medicine Show
Jubilee  (ATO Records)

Jubilee harnesses the wild exuberance that Old Crow Medicine Show channels in their live show, and finds the band doubling down on their commitment to creating roots music that encompasses everything from jug-band tunes and Irish folk songs to gospel jams. The project showcases the musicality and storytelling that has made Old Crow Medicine Show an influential force in American roots music for more than two decades. The record features a return cameo from OCMS co-founder Willie Watson as well as appearances from legend Mavis Staples and rising star Sierra Ferrell. The result encompasses everything from jug-band tunes to Irish folk songs to exultant gospel jams.

 

Turnpike Troubadours
A Cat in the Rain  (Bossier City Records)

A Cat in the Rain marks a long-awaited return for the band following their self-imposed hiatus in 2019. With these ten new songs, Turnpike Troubadours is back with a refreshed perspective on the authentic songwriting and signature foot-stomping sound that first captivated their deeply devoted fanbase. Pioneers of the Red Dirt music scene, Turnpike Troubadours has amassed a massive following throughout their career. The band recently spoke with Rolling Stone, who declares, “lead singer Evan Felker is more focused and lyrically crisp than at any point in his life. He’s a poet, but he’s direct.” Produced by Shooter Jennings and recorded at Muscle Shoals’ Fame Recording Studios and Dave’s Room in Los Angeles.

Also new this week…

The Clements Brothers – Dandelion Breeze  (Plow Man Records)
Cup O’Joe – Why Live Without (self-released)
Nina De Vitry – What You Feel Is Real  (self-released)
Hiss Golden Messenger – Jump For Joy  (Merge Records)
The Kennedys – Headwinds  (self-released)  +
Buck Meek – Haunted Mountain  (4AD Records) +
Mipso – Book of Fools  (self-released)
Randy Steele – High Cold Wind  (South Willow Music)
The Two Tracks – It’s a Complicated Life  (self-released)  +
The Waymores – Greener Pastures  (Chicken Ranch Records)
Steve Yanek – September (Primitive Records)

 

Coming out soon… Margo Cilker, Chris Pierce, Brent Cobb, Willie Nelson, Briscoe, Viv & Riley, Jim Lauderdale, Charles Wesley Godwin, Cruz Contreras, Owen Temple, Nick Shoulders, Adam Hood, Goldpine, Allison Russell, Tyler Childers, Steep Canyon Rangers, John Surge and The Haymakers, Mick Flannery, Buddy & Julie Miller, John R. Miller, Tré Burt, Robert Rex Waller Jr. and more!

Check out Americana Boogie Radio!

Bill Frater

Posted in Americana CD releases, Americana Music, Americana Music Assoc. Conference, Country music new releases, New music releases, Roots Music | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Americana Music Releases for Aug. 18th

Posted on August 17, 2023 by

Here’s some the best Americana and roots-type music releases for August 18th, 2023. 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.

 

Rhiannon Giddens
You’re The One   (Nonesuch Records)

Giddens, the singer, songwriter, banjo player, fiddler and actress has devoted herself to serious, high-concept, deeply researched projects. You’re the One is Giddens’s closest approach to pop material since her 2015 solo debut album, Tomorrow Is My Turn, which was filled with songs made famous by some of her idols. Giddens’s songs reflect music she admires and add her own twists. “Me, I don’t do genres. I just do songs,” she continued. “Some songs have a twang and some songs have a scoop and some songs have a vibrato, and I just follow what they need.” Dirk Powell, a longtime collaborator who co-wrote three songs and plays multiple instruments,  said, “One of the beautiful things about Rhiannon is that vocally and musically and energetically, she can step into so many different spaces. It’s not a matter of putting on a different garment for a different style. She literally has the ability to go all the way in and sing from that place, from that source. She completely inhabits this full range of who she is.” Giddens has only gradually emerged as a songwriter, and You’re the One may turn out to be her only full-length original album. “I’ve already started getting complaints that it’s too poppy,” Giddens said with a shrug. “I just think it’s catchy, and it came straight out of my banjo.” (edited from NY Times review)

Teddy Thompson
My Love of Country  (MRI Records)

Country music is in Thompson’s DNA, even though he was born in London. His parents, Richard and Linda Thompson, are revered British folk rockers who found room for a few Nashville standards in their 1970s stage shows. Their son has long been partial to classic country, and his zeal for the peal of a pedal steel — and mandolin, and fiddle — is evident on this album. Thompson’s disciplined, almost reverent interpretations shun showboating in the vocals or arrangements; his vibrant tenor is more than enough to make the songs shimmer. Most are weepers. They range from Patsy Cline tunes and the Charlie Louvin hit “I Don’t Love You Anymore” to more unpredictable selections. Among those contributing backing vocals are Vince Gill, Rodney Crowell and Aoife O’Donovan. Producer David Mansfield provides subtle support on multiple instruments while keeping the focus on the lead singer.  (edited from AP News review)

 

Also new this week…

Taylor Ashton – Stranger To The Feeling   (Signature Sounds Recordings)
Sandy Bailey – Daughter of Abraham  (Red Parlor Records)
Philip Bowen – Old Kanawha  (self-released)
David Dondero – Immersion Therapy  (Fluff and Gravy Records)
East Nash Grass – Last Chance to Win ( Mountain Fever Records) +
Josh Gray – Walk Alone  (self-released)
Gregory Alan Isakov – Appaloosa Bones  (Suitcase Town Music) +
Dennis J. Leise – Fightstarter (Towering Gringo Records)
Mapache – Swinging Stars  (Innovative Leisure Records)
The One Eighties – Minefields (self-released)
Christian Parker & Earl Poole Ball feat. Jaydee Maness – Sweethearts: A Tribute to the Byrds’ Sweetheart of the Rodeo  (Edgewater Music Group)
Bobby Rush – All My Love For You  (Deep Rush Records)  +
Sofia Talvik – Center of the Universe  (Makaki Music)
Nathan Mongol Wells – From A Dark Corner  (State Fair Records)
Woody Woodworth & The Piners – Outlaws & Saints  (PineHoller Records)  +

 

Coming out soon… Buck Meek, Mipso, The Clements Brothers, Margo Cilker, The Kennedys, Turnpike Troubadours, Nina De Vitry, Brent Cobb, Willie Nelson, Briscoe, The Two Tracks, The Waymores, Viv & Riley, Charles Wesley Godwin, Old Crow Medicine Show, Cruz Contreras, Owen Temple, Nick Shoulders, Allison Russell, Tyler Childers, Steep Canyon Rangers, Buddy & Julie Miller, John R. Miller, Tré Burt and more!

Check out Americana Boogie Radio!

Bill Frater

Posted in Americana CD releases, Country Music, Country music new releases, New music releases, Roots Music | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Americana Music Releases for Aug. 11th

Posted on August 10, 2023 by

Here’s some the best Americana and roots-type music releases for August 11th, 2023. 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.

 

Darrell Scott String Band
Old Cane Back Rocker  (Here Records)

With Old Cane Back Rocker, his first full-length studio album since 2016, Darrell Scott and Band showcase what happens when talented vocalists, instrumentalists, and songwriters capitalize on the dynamics they can create together. On the first track, “Kentucky Morning,” Scott introduces himself as “the one who stayed behind,” touching on the experiences of many Southern families: Some headed north to work in mills and factories in hopes of better pay, some never left, and some gravitated back and forth between opportunity and home. He acknowledges a preference for the “a good piece of land and an old cane back rocker” over the bright lights of the city, without judgment on those who chose to leave. That preference for the people and the comfort of home infuses the album. Scott also reworked a couple of classics — Crosby, Stills, and Nash’s “Southern Cross” and his own “It’s a Great Day to Be Alive.” More than 25 years after the latter’s original release on his first solo album, Aloha from Nashville. Old Cane Back Rocker is equally suited for back porch listening or the drive back home.  (edited from No Depression review)

 

Also new this week…

Ryan Bingham – Watch Out For The Wolf EP  (The Bingham Recording Co.)  +
Cordovas – The Rose of Aces  (ATO Records)
Brooks Dixon – Rhododendron Highway  (Ackley Records)
Jason Eady – Mississippi  (Old Guitar Records)
The Great Get Gone – Westerlies (self-released)
Painted Mandolin – Sweet Rain  (Blender Logic Arts)
Neil Young – Chrome Dreams (Reprise Records)
Raye Zaragoza – Hold That Spirit  (Rebel River Records)
Emma Zeck – Emma Zeck  (ZeckTone Records)

 

Coming out soon… Rhiannon Giddens, Teddy Thompson, Buck Meek, Mipso, The Clements Brothers, Margo Cilker, The Kennedys, Josh Gray, Turnpike Troubadours, Nina De Vitry, Brent Cobb, Willie Nelson, Briscoe, The Two Tracks, The Waymores, Charles Wesley Godwin, Old Crow Medicine Show, Nick Shoulders, Tyler Childers, Steep Canyon Rangers, Buddy & Julie Miller, John R. Miller, Tré Burt and more!

Check out Americana Boogie Radio!

Bill Frater

Posted in Americana CD releases, Bluegrass, Country music new releases, New music releases, Roots Music | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Americana Music Releases for Aug. 4th

Posted on August 3, 2023 by

Here’s some the best Americana and roots-type music releases for August 4th, 2023. 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.

 

Vince Gill & Paul Franklin
Sweet Memories: The Music Of Ray Price & The Cherokee Cowboys  (MCA Records)

A decade after Vince Gill and steel guitar virtuoso Paul Franklin crafted Bakersfield, which paid homage to the central California country sounds made famous by Buck Owens and Merle Haggard, the two musicians have reunited to shine a light on the music of Country Music Hall of Famer Ray Price. Gill and Franklin eschewed recording many of Price’s biggest hits; instead, Sweet Memories largely favors more obscure Price recordings. “I’ve told everybody that in the making of these records, it’s more about the musician in both of us than it is about me as the singer,” Gill says. “We chose the songs we chose because it gave us more freedom to play than maybe we would have had on some of those big ballads.” Franklin and Gill hope Sweet Memories will bring listeners deeper into Price’s works.  (edited from Billboard review)

 

Also new this week…

Blue Mother Tupelo – Take Me With You  (JukeTonk Records)
Beth Bombara – It All Goes Up  (Black Mesa Records)
Evan Charles – Between Two Worlds  (Mr. Pink Records)  +
Tom Ciurczak – I Ain’t Ever Growing Up, Vol. I  (self-released)
William Matheny – That Grand, Old Feeling  (Hickman Holler Records)  +
The Pleasures – The Beginning Of The End  (self-released)
Shannon Leigh Reynolds – Triple Shot  (Good Bygone Records)
Screaming Orphans – Paper Daisies  (self-released)
Joshua Ray Walker – What Is It Even?  (self-released)  +

 

Coming out soon… Cordovas, Raye Zaragoza, Teddy Thompson, Brooks Dixon, Darrell Scott String Band, The Great Get Gone, Buck Meek, Mipso, Margo Cilker, The Kennedys, Josh Gray, Turnpike Troubadours, Nina De Vitry, Brent Cobb, Willie Nelson, Briscoe, The Two Tracks, The Waymores, Charles Wesley Godwin, Old Crow Medicine Show, Nick Shoulders, Rhiannon Giddens, Steep Canyon Rangers, Tyler Childers, Buddy & Julie Miller, John R. Miller and more!

Check out Americana Boogie Radio!

Bill Frater

Posted in Americana CD releases, Country Music, Country music new releases, New music releases, Roots Music | Tagged | Leave a comment

Americana Music Releases for May 12th

Posted on May 11, 2023 by

Here’s some the best Americana and roots-type music releases for May 12th, 2023. 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.

 

Bruce Cockburn
O Sun O Moon  (True North Records)

In 53 years of writing and recording, there’s been an undercurrent of spirituality in the music of Canadian Bruce Cockburn. He’s always had a knack for painting a picture of his Christian faith in a way that doesn’t hit you over the head, using the beauty and mystery of the natural world to illustrate the wonder of it all.  Cockburn will turn 78 this month, and after a tough collective few years for all of us, Bruce brings out themes of faith, mortality, love, conflict and climate in this beautiful collection of songs. Recorded at on/off band member, album producer & pal Colin Linden’s backyard studio in Nashville, the album features some quality guests – from Buddy Miller and Sarah Jarosz to Shawn Colvin and Allison Russell.   (edited from ICKmusic review)

 

Abe Partridge
Love In The Dark (Baldwin County Public Records)

Love in the Dark, previously heralded by a tour-only EP called Alabama Skies. The whole collection of songs derives from a previously readied album that, paused by the pandemic, then became an expanded edition bringing in newer songs, too. The songs run the gamut of heaviness and humor but the underlying earnestness of Partridge’s approach to songwriting, which he takes very personally, creates common threads that you’ll find throughout his work. One of Partridge’s musical activities is in field recording the music of Appalachian Serpent Handler traditions, which resulted in the podcast Alabama Astronaut, documenting some of his experiences. Partridge is also an established painter with a large art show currently running in Alabama and painting takes up a fair amount of his time. Devoted to these different pursuits, he continues to write songs and perform to create a very specific connection and communication with audiences.  (edited from Americana Highways interview)

 

 

Also new this week…

Kevin Daniel – The Life and Adventures of Kevin Daniel  (Organic Records) +
Bill Filipiak – aka Billium  (Vidlicity Records)  +
Graber Gryass – Waking Up  (Spaceman Orbits)
The Malpass Brothers – Lonely Street (New Day Entertainment)
Parker Millsap – Wilderness Within You  (Okrahoma Records)  +
The Rough & Tumble – Only This Far  (self-released)
Special Consensus – Great Blue North  (Compass Records)


Coming out soon… Marty Stuart, The Milk Carton Kids, Robert Ellis, Caitlin Canty, Leftover Salmon, Paul Simon, Special Consensus, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Austin Gilliam, The South Austin Moonlighters, Jess Williamson, Ruen Brothers, Sara Petite, Son Volt, Lucinda Williams, Shinyribs, Tim O’Brien, Queen Esther, Miles Miller, Rufus Wainwright, Brennen Leigh, Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, Parker Ferrell, Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors, Caitlin Canty, Lori McKenna and more!

Check out Americana Boogie Radio!

Bill Frater

Posted in Americana CD releases, Americana Music, Country music new releases, New music releases, Roots Music | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Americana Music Releases for May 5th

Posted on May 4, 2023 by

Here’s some the best Americana and roots-type music releases for May 5th, 2023. 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.

Rodney Crowell
Chicago Sessions (New West Records)

Produced by Jeff Tweedy, this cross-generational collaboration finds Crowell delivering an incisive, engaging collection that balances careful craftsmanship with joyful liberation at every turn. Sounding both fresh and familiar, it’s among Crowell’s very best work. As Tweedy puts it, “The way that Rodney writes is deeply connected to a classic era of country songwriters that I’ve always loved. In my estimation, it’s as close as I can get to working with Townes Van Zandt or Felice and Boudleaux Bryant — people who crafted songs with a very specific sensibility. And I like being near that.” While looking at the cover of The Chicago Sessions, listeners might recognize a familiar callback to Crowell’s 1978 debut, Ain’t Living Long Like This. “In a lot of ways, this album feels like that very first record to me,” Crowell reflects. “When my daughter suggested we lay the artwork out similarly, the connection made perfect sense. There’s something very simple, very innocent about it. It’s just me and the band in a room together, loose and live and having fun.” The songs are vital and timely, touching on everything from love and mortality to race and religion, and the performances are nothing short of intoxicating, fueled by raw guitars, honky-tonk piano, and tight, punchy drums. Tweedy wields a light touch as a producer, his influence subtle yet unmistakable.  (edited from press release)


Eilen Jewell 
Get Behind the Wheel  (Signature Sounds)

Eilen Jewell is an individualist. Original as much in her vocalizing as in her songwriting. When both are put together it’s like a salty potato chip with dark chocolate & a kaiser roll. She’s a delight. Loaded with story songs Eilen doesn’t recycle song ideas written & performed countless times before. She goes deeper, digs for the motherlode & reaches for something lesser songwriters don’t seem to grasp.Her word clever choices are colorful & imaginative. She relies more on her storytelling instincts than just adding carbonation to her musical oeuvre. The instrumentation is somewhat laid back but not production-wise – more for atmosphere. (edited from Americana Highways review)

 

Also new this week…

Babaux And The Peacemakers – Moments In Time  (Cristian Basso Music) 
Caleb Elliott – Weed, Wine & Time (Single Lock Records)
Vance Gilbert – The Mother of Trouble  (self-released)
Logan Halstead – Dark Black Coal  (Logan Halstead Records)  +
Ward Hayden & The Outliers – South Shore  (Faster Horses Records)
Dean Johnson – Nothing for Me, Please  (Mama Bird Recording Co.)
Ana Popovic – Power  (ArtisteXclusive Records)
Angelica Rockne – The Rose Society  (Fluff & Gravy Records)  +
David Wax Museum – You Must Change Your Life   (Nine Mile Records)

 

Coming out soon… Marty Stuart, The Milk Carton Kids, Robert Ellis, Caitlin Canty, Bruce Cockburn, Abe Partridge, Leftover Salmon, Parker Millsap, Paul Simon, Special Consensus, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Austin Gilliam, The South Austin Moonlighters, Jess Williamson, Sara Petite, The Rough & Tumble, Lucinda Williams, Shinyribs, Tim O’Brien, Queen Esther, Miles Miller, Rufus Wainwright, Brennen Leigh, Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, Parker Ferrell, Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors, Caitlin Canty and more!

Check out Americana Boogie Radio!

Bill Frater

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Americana Music Releases for April 28th

Posted on April 27, 2023 by

Here’s some the best Americana and roots-type music releases for April 28th, 2023. 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.

Tommy Emmanuel
Accomplice Two  (CGP Sounds)

Tommy Emmanuel is a guitarist’s guitarist, and this is another master class in hot licks and crisp guitar stylings put on by Emmanuel and his “accomplices” — some of the best guitarists and string instrument musicians playing today. (Accomplice One came out in 2018 and featured Jason Isbell, Ricky Skaggs, and many more.) Emmanuel and company take flight from the first note and seldom come down from the sonic stratosphere. Guests include Billy Strings, Jorma Kaukonen, Molly Tuttle, Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams, Jerry Douglas and more. Accomplice Two showcases Emmanuel’s melodic range as he traverses the musical landscape from old time to bluegrass to jazz to pop, and he does so with effortlessness and grace, all the while having a blast with friends that throw back the licks as fast as he can pitch them.  (edited from No Depression review)

 

Taj Mahal
Savoy  (Stony Plain Records)

With a voice as instantly recognizable as Louis Armstrong, Ray Charles, or Johnny Cash, throughout his career Taj has pushed the envelope of American roots music forward by incorporating sounds from the Caribbean, Africa, traditional blues and jazz. The album is a loving throwback to the sounds of the swing jazz big band era. Taj talks about his parents meeting for the first time at the famous Savoy Ballroom in Harlem during the initial run of Ella Fitzgerald with the Chick Webb Band in 1938, “I heard these songs as a kid when all of those people who made those musics were alive and speaking to us through the records. Those weren’t just records to collect. Those were like listening to your relatives, your uncles, your cousins, your grandparents speaking to you through that medium, the medium of music.” (edited from Blues Rock Review)

 

Various Artists
One Night In Texas: The Next Waltz’s Tribute to The Red Headed Stranger  (The Next Waltz)

On May 1, 2022 an all-star lineup of guests backed by The Next Waltz founder Bruce Robison’s house band performed as part of an 89th birthday celebration for Willie Nelson in his very own backyard in Luck, TX.  Robinson says, “To put together a night of Willie Nelson music is a bit of a dream for me. His songs and the vibe of The Family band was so formative that it is hard to measure. The music has always been a part of my life – a North Star. When we got together a bunch of friends for the band, playing this music, after these couple years – honestly, it felt like it was about more than just Willie. Then, the crazy group of guests signed on for the show, Margo Price, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Sheryl Crow, Robert Earl Keen and many more. When I heard what was on tape it sounded like magic to me. It sounded like 1973. It is definitely the sound of people having fun. This was a great night in Texas. The band was a runaway train and the singers were insane. Thanks to everybody who lent their talents to this.”

 

Also new this month …

Del Barber – Almanac  (Acronym Records)
The Bootstrap Boys – Hungry and Sober  (Letter S Records)
Mya Byrne – Rhinestone Tomboy  (Kill Rock Stars)
Victoria Hallman –  From Birmingham To Bakersfield  (Omnivore Recordings)
Rickie Lee Jones – Pieces of Treasure  (Modern Recordings)
Donovan Keith – Heartbreak Soliloquy  (self-released)
Joy Oladokun – Proof of Life  (Amigo/Republic Records)  +
The Riffters – The Enchanted World  (Howling Dog Records)
Josh Ritter – Spectral Lines  (Pytheas Recordings) +
Run Katie Run – Cowboy Boots with Fishnet Tights  (self-released)
Various Artists – I Am A Pilgrim – Doc Watson at 100  (FLi Records)  +

 

Coming out soon… Eilen Jewell, Hayden & The Outliers, Rodney Crowell, Angelica Rockne, Logan Halstead, Marty Stuart, The Milk Carton Kids, Robert Ellis, Caitlin Canty, Bruce Cockburn, Abe Partridge, Leftover Salmon, Parker Millsap, Paul Simon, Special Consensus, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Austin Gilliam, Jess Williamson, Sara Petite, The Rough & Tumble, Lucinda Williams, Shinyribs, Tim O’Brien, Queen Esther, Miles Miller, Brennen Leigh, Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, Parker Ferrell, Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors, Caitlin Canty and more!

Check out Americana Boogie Radio!

Bill Frater

Posted in Americana CD releases, Bluegrass, Country music new releases, New music releases, Roots Music | Tagged , , | Leave a comment