James Robert Webb’s Weekend Outlaw Is the Soundtrack to Your Friday Night Identity Crisis Review by Someone Who Didn’t Expect to Enjoy This and Now Feels Emotionally Compromised You know those country songs that are basically just a guy screaming “FRIIIIIDAY” over a fiddle while a truck does donuts in the background? James Robert Webb’s Weekend Outlaw is… not that. I mean, yes — there are trucks. Yes, there’s a…
“Single of the Year,” the new single from Maddye Trew (out May 23 via TLG/Virgin/Trew Blue), is a slow-burning triumph of barroom melancholy and clever lyrical craftsmanship. More than just a fun country ditty, it’s a layered and emotionally resonant track that sits comfortably at the crossroads of modern Americana and classic Nashville storytelling. WEBSITE: https://www.maddyetrew.com/ Where many artists chase the sonic trends of pop-country, Trew digs her boots deeper…
There’s a rare kind of magic that happens when an artist opens a window into their soul and invites you in. Laura Sawosko’s Not What I Do does exactly that. With a warm blend of Americana and modern country, Laura crafts a 12-track journey that feels personal yet universally relatable. URL: https://www.laurasawosko.com/ Right from the opening notes of “You Just Being You,” you know you’re in for something special. It’s…
Every once in a while, a game comes along that transcends its medium. It stops being just a pastime and instead becomes a testament to ingenuity, persistence, and the human spirit. Q-Less, the crossword solitaire game from 80-something-year-old inventor and TikTok savant Tom Sturdevant, is one such game. This isn’t Sturdevant’s first foray into the world of games—he’s been crafting brainy diversions for decades, including the wildly successful Blockbuster Movie…
B.B. Cole’s Of Love and Loss doesn’t just sound like an album. It looks like one. In a bold move that places her among artists like MGMT, whose 2010 album Congratulations was accompanied by a vibrant visualizer, Cole favors a visual storytelling format that deepens the listener’s experience. Each of the 12 tracks on her sophomore album is paired with an illustration inspired by the Major Arcana of tarot cards, crafted by French illustrator Ariane Dudych.…
Birdie Nichols’ debut album, Into The West, captures a dusty, desert-tinged nostalgia for the raw, unvarnished roots of Western Americana. The music is gritty, personal, and reflects a sense of place that feels untouched by modern polish. Birdie, just 17, emerges as a storyteller whose voice and lyrics resonate with a rugged authenticity that recalls old-time country, yet avoids leaning into predictable pop-country stereotypes. Her album isn’t a slick Nashville…
Pouring old wine into new bottles, as an ongoing musical concern, isn’t as easy as it sounds. This is especially true when we’re discussing genres such as bluegrass. Bluegrass’ stylistic kingdom, like other territories of Americana, is relatively narrow; there’s only so much you can do before you aren’t playing bluegrass anymore. You’re doing something else. URL: https://rockheartsbluegrass.com/ Inventive bands seize upon hybridization. This means they pick their shots with…
Steve Alex’s excellent, acoustic soft-rock album Never Heavy Is One Full of Light likely owes a lot of its strengths to Alex being a veteran of the music industry since the nineties. This was a time when the squeaky-clean, corporate-controlled glamazons currently dominating the charts were considered boy band material, rock still ruled the radio slots, and people appreciated great art with commercial prowess, if a little more than the…
The bold and charismatic command of Trevor Drury’s music reaches a new peak with the release of his latest EP, Alice (It’s All in Your Head). This well-traveled and schooled artist shows an impressive breadth of talent throughout Alice. Managing to produce such a forceful and precocious outing while studying at Boston’s Berklee College of Music testifies to a genius for multi-tasking if nothing else. However, there’s fortunately much more going on…
Athens, Georgia has been known as a hub for great music over several decades. Heart of Pine continues that tradition with their high-powered fusion of a handful of rootsy genres and keen, often quite fun, songwriting that never loses its freshness. Their second full-length collection Southern Soul Revival hits the streets as the band is nearing their 10th anniversary and should solidify their standing as one of the best musical acts working…
Taylor Jules will be with us for many years to come. This is a singer/songwriter with staying power. She’s early in her career, but already exhibiting veteran characteristics and an aesthetic far beyond her years. Her new single “MIA” reveals these traits to anyone paying attention. It doesn’t rely on the latest sonic flavor of the month to ensnare listeners. Producer Marc Swersky, a two-time Grammy award winner, wouldn’t be…
Danny Paisley’s “Till Lonesome Comes Around” will please both longtime country and bluegrass fans as well as casual listeners. The three-time IBMA Male Vocalist of the Year returns from a three-year health-related layoff with a stunning solo rendition of this Brink Brinkman and David Stewart-penned tune. His bluegrass chops have a transformative effect on the performance while likewise appealing to county music aficionados. I’m bowled over by the vast span…
Strange Company’s “Lois Lane” has timeless pop-rock qualities that make it an instant winner with me. The Memphis/Nashville outfit’s debut album, Eyes Wide Open, promises to be one of 2024’s best efforts in this vein based on the promise of this number alone. Vocalist Chris Burris and lead guitarist Aaron “Crash” Robinette lead the way for this outstanding young band, but it isn’t a glorified vehicle for their talents alone. Make no mistake – Strange Company plays as a cohesive and full-fledged band,…
Let’s take a trip down the rabbit hole of moody ambient rock with b.d. Gottfried’s latest offering, “Ghosts and Girls.” This ain’t your typical album, folks. No sir, this is a sonic journey into the depths of emotion and existence, crafted by a true musical maverick who dances to the beat of his own drum. Now, if you’re expecting your run-of-the-mill rock album, you’re in for a surprise. b.d. Gottfried…
I’m a steadfast admirer of Universal Dice’s past releases and expect that their pending release Misfit Memoirs matches or exceeds the standard set by Gerry Dantone and his bandmates. The forthcoming collection’s first two singles “Curse”, and “Once Upon a Time”, establishes a high bar. “Once Upon a Time” is the latest track from Universal Dice’s pending album and leaves a lasting effect on the listener. I applaud Dantone and his band’s faithful adherence to traditional songcraft and eschewing any bells and whistles abundant in many modern releases. It…
When you encounter the likes of “Ride That Money Train,” one of the more formidable excerpts from Jonathan Brenner’s Instagram Success, the first thing you’re going to hear is a powerful melodicism that only gets more potent as we drift further down the line with the arrangement. This opening salvo of play is searing and propellant of a textural melody that will be hard to get out of your head after indulging in its charisma for the…
From the striking tone beneath its title track to the more aggressive melody of the climax of “My Sweetheart,” the movement of the music is always playing an important part in telling us a story in the new EP from Phoenix-based Dorsten, To the River. It’s fairly common to try and pull different elements together within a mix to generate a vibe to match lyricism, but I would be lying if I…
Memory Lane is the third full-length release from Steve Wilson’s skilled bluegrass project Wilson Banjo Co. Wilson has built a reputation as one of the genre’s most formidable talents as a bandleader, producer, songwriter, and engineer for numerous recordings. He’s played alongside top-tier talents such as Deeper Shade of Blue, Dale Ann Bradley, Kim Robins, and Jesse Brock, among others. Wilson Banjo Co. enjoys two critically acclaimed prior releases titled Spirits in…
With a sturdy foundation from the beat, bd Gottfried’s “Live, Fight & Die” kicks into gear on the back of a memorable string melody that is as glowing as it is effervescent. The rhythm is relaxed, but there’s an underlying sense of urgency in the music pouring out of our speakers so seamlessly. In this colorful, guitar-powered release, texture and tonality are as important as lush lyricism and a sensational…
Alice the G00n’s single “CYA” has enjoyed considerable chart success, and she’s poised it for even greater heights with the recent release of its accompanying music video. Directed and conceptualized by Alice, the action-packed clip reflects a full-on effort to capture realistic physical action balanced with her artistic ambitions in footage that has no clear equal. The video for “CYA” fleshes out the song’s story of one tough ass-kicker dispensing…