By Ken Paulson –Today marks a couple of important moments in the 2012 presidential race. The Democrats open their convention in Charlotte and Ian Hunter declares his own candidacy for the nation’s top office with the release of his 20th studio album, When I’m President. Of course, Hunter’s announcement is tongue in cheek, but the release of a new album is…
Category: Reviews
The 1861 Project: “From the Famine to the Front”
Americana Music News – Now this is the way history needs to be told. The 1861 Project has announced a second volume of contemporary songs that revisit the Civil War and the events of 151 years ago. We admired the first collection and look forward to From the Famine to the Front, which features Jerry Douglas, Maura O’Connell, Peter Cooper,…
Review: World Famous Headliners
By Ken Paulson –(The World Famous Headliners will perform at the Americana Music Festival on Sept. 14 at 10 p.m. at the Rutledge in Nashville.) The World Famous Headliners’ name is tongue-in-cheek, but at the band’s core are some world-class songwriters. Al Anderson (ex-NRBQ), Shawn Camp, Pat McLaughlin have teamed with the expert rhythm section of Michael Rhodes on bass…
Review: Janis Martin’s “The Blanco Sessions”
By Ken Paulson –We came to know Rosie Flores when she lived in Nashville in the late ‘90s, and have always been impressed with her music – and her heart. Both are in abundance on The Blanco Sessions, the final album from Janis Martin, the late rockabilly pioneer, set for release on Sept. 18. Martin was billed as the “female…
Review: Natasha Borzilova’s “Out of My Hands”
By Paul T. Mueller –It’s hard enough to write a CD’s worth of intelligent, engaging songs in one’s native language. To do so in one’s second language, as Russia-born singer-songwriter Natasha Borzilova has with Out of My Hands, is a pretty impressive achievement. On her third solo release (she’s a former member of Bering Strait, a country band she started…
Radney Foster’s “Del Rio, Texas, Revisited: Unplugged and Lonesome”
Americana Music News: Out today: Radney Foster’s Del Rio, Texas, Revisited: Unplugged and Lonesome, a revisiting of his debut solo album 20 years ago. Foster, then fresh off his collaboration with Bill Lloyd in Foster and Lloyd, quickly established himself with the energetic and impressive Del Rio, Texas, lauching his solo career with classic songs like “Just Call Me Lonesome”…
Review: Mary Chapin Carpenter’s “Ashes and Roses”
By Ken Paulson –It’s been 20 years since Mary Chapin Carpenter’s Come On Come On dominated country music, a top 10 album with seven hit singles. “I Feel Lucky,” “Passionate Kisses,” “He Thinks He’ll Keep Her” and other tracks were equal parts energy, insight and irreverence. Two decades on, Ashes and Roses reflects a much more somber Carpenter. Her albums…
2012 Americana Music Festival line-up announced
Americana Music News — The Americana Music Association issued its 2012 festival schedule today, bringing a great mix of long-established and emerging talent to Nashville in September: WEDNESDAY SEPT. 12 THE BASEMENT 10:00 Sallie Ford & the Sound Outside 11:00 Blue Mountain 12:00 Shovels and Rope THE STATION INN 10:30 Carper Family Band 11:30 Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson…
Review: Chris Smither’s “Hundred Dollar Valentine”
By Terry Roland — At the end of Chris Smither’s latest album Hundred Dollar Valentine, there is a hidden track, “Rosalee,” a rough demo-like recording. According to the comments at the end of the session he wrote it 35 years ago and it has rarely been performed. If Smither’s career still holds such hidden treasures, this is reason enough to…
Review: “Kin” by Rodney Crowell and Mary Karr
By Terry Roland —Kin is among the best Americana albums of 2012. It may be among the best albums of 2012 without the genre qualification. It takes a restless sense of risk and some degree of confidence in your artistry and craft to make a bold move crossing the border between lyrical songs and modern literature. Imagine if Stephen Foster…
Review: The BoDeans’ “American Made”
By Ken Paulson — Americana Music News – Continuing its steady climb on the Americana music radio charts, the BoDeans’ American Made moves into the top 30 this week. It’s a pivotal album for the veteran band, marking Sam Llanas’ departure and leaving Kurt Neumann front and center. Disruptive personnel moves, particularly those involving founders and songwriters, have sunk many…
Zach Broocke: “Enjoy the Ride”
Americana Music News —In a town full of co-writers, Zach Broocke has chosen to make Enjoy the Ride Solo Writes 2001-12 all his own. The Nashville-based singer-songwriter has compiled a collection of his solo compositions from an 11-year span, melding unreleased material with some of his best work from past albums and EPs. It’s a smart step for a talented…
Review: “O’ Be Joyful” by Shovels and Rope
By Ken Paulson–On the new Shovels and Rope album, O’ Be Joyful, there’s a recording of a club manager admonishing the audience to listen to the band and not talk. That shouldn’t have been a problem. It’s very hard to talk with your jaw dropped. Shovels and Rope are just that surprising. The Charleston, South Carolina duo of Cary Ann…
Review: Kelly Willis and Bruce Robison in concert
By Paul T. Mueller–Titles are easy to throw around, and sometimes they’re just so much music-biz hype. Not so in the case of Bruce Robison and Kelly Willis. Partners both on and off the stage, they have been called “The First Couple of Texas Country Music” and “Americana royalty,” among other things. At McGonigel’s Mucky Duck in Houston on June…
New to Americana chart: Mary Chapin Carpenter, BoDeans
Americana Music News – The first five positions in this week’s Americana Music Association radio chart remain stable, with Willie Nelson’s Heroes, JD McPherson’s Signs and Signifiers and Paul Thorn’s What the Hell Is Goin’ On? in the top three positions. New to the chart this week are albums by veteran performers with deep and impressive bodies of work. Mary Chapin Carpenter’s…
Americana Music Festival releases 2012 line-up
Americana Music News – The Americana Music Association has announced an impressive line-up for the Americana Music Festival & Conference September 12-15 in Nashville , with more performers to be named later. As usual, the roster includes a good mix of accomplished veterans and emerging artists. Among the biggest names: Billy Joe Shaver, the Punch Brothers, Brandi Carlile, Richard Thompson, Sara Watkins,…
Review: “Steve Poltz’s “Noineen Noiny Noin”
Americana Music News: We first saw Steve Poltz in 1998 after the release of One Left Shoe. It was pretty clear from the performance that this was a talented singer and songwriter who would be sticking around. What was less clear was whether he would build on the success of writing the pop hit “You Were Meant for Me” and…
Review: New Christy Minstrels 1962-1970
By Ken Paulson –The New Christy Minstrels, a highly commercial folk ensemble formed in 1962, is perhaps best known today for the musical achievements of alumni, including Kenny Rogers, Kim Carnes and Gene Clark. Former band members went on to play in the Byrds, the Association and the First Edition, a measure of the rich recruiting done by founder Randy…
Review: Maia Sharp at the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville
By Ken Paulson—Maia Sharp teamed with guitarist Linda Taylor in a surprisingly rocking set at the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville. Maia told the audience they wanted to prove you could rock without drums, a bass guitar – or guys. They backed it up. Much of the evening’s set was drawn from Maia’s upcoming album Change the Ending. It sounds very…
Review: The Trishas’ “High Wide & Handsome”
By Ken Paulson –The Trishas’new album is called High, Wide & Handsome, but could easily have been sub-titled (And deep in talent.) That applies to the young women comprising the quarter – Savannah Welch, Liz Foster, Kelley Mickwee and Jamie Wilson – as well as a remarkable array of talented collaborators. The Trishas boast tight harmonies and a fresh sound,…