GuideReviews Index
Wil - 'By December'
Wil was one of my favorite new artists at the Folk Alliance official showcases during the 2008 conference. He showed up with only a drummer and his acoustic guitar as accompaniment but, on his CD [i]By December[/i], he's backed by a full band.
Emily Elbert - 'Bright Side'
The buzz at Folk Alliance 2008 around Emily Elbert was that she looked like she was 12 years old, and then she sang these beautiful songs that bring to mind Norah Jones, among others. In fact, there is a subtle quality to her songs that sounds a little like Norah Jones, but there's also a little Catie Curtis quality.
Krista Detor - Robert Johnson Has Left Mississippi CD Sampler
Judging from this sampler of Krista Detor's work, which I received at Folk Alliance '08, I would definitely be interested in checking out one of her full-length albums.
Brandi Carlile - (self-titled)
Brandi Carlile's debut self-titled album is full of songs that have touching lyrics and infectious melodies.
Erin McKeown - Sing You Sinners
On [i]Sing You Sinners[/i], Erin McKeown expands her musical mastery even further, bringing classic Americana standards from jazz, swing, vaudeville and beyond, through a wringer of surf-rock, rockabilly and more.
Guy Clark - Americana Masters Series ... Best of the Sugar Hill Years
Guy Clark's expertise is narrative story-songs, and Sugar Hill has done an exquisite job of compiling some of his best work in one place at one time on this [i]Americana Masters[/i] CD.
James McMurtry - Americana Masters Series ... Best of the Sugar Hill Years
When a record company with taste buds the likes of Sugar Hill puts out a series of greatest hits CDs, you know you're in for some great music. James McMurtry's [i]Americana Masters ... Best of the Sugar Hill Years[/i] is no exception. McMurtry's brand of roots rock—blending blues, jazz, rock, and country-folk—is well represented on this CD. This record is certainly a great introduction to a wonderful artist.
Jerry Douglas - Americana Masters Series ... Best of the Sugar Hill Years
Jerry Douglas is an exquisite instrumentalist, and often considered one of the best dobro players to have ever met the instrument. This collection aptly captures his artistry and musicianship.
Grateful Dead - Live at the Cow Palace, New Years Eve 1976
The Grateful Dead are legends and pioneers, and that's largely due to performances like the one they gave ten years into their 30-year career, on New Year's Eve, 1976, [i]Live at the Cow Palace[/i].
Tony Trischka - Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular
[i]Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular[/i] is everything its title claims to be. Tony Trischka starts the album out with a fireball dueling banjo tune featuring the legendary Earl Scruggs, follows it with "Bon Aqua Blues," which feels like it rose straight out of a Louisiana Bayou, and keeps the mastery alive all the way through to his final duet with Steve Martin—"Plunkin' Rag."
Anais Mitchell - The Brightness
Anais Mitchell starts her latest album, [i]The Brightness[/i], with this line: "Come out, come on, come outside ... I wanna see you half-lit ... laughing with the whites of your dark eyes." With the whimsically simple guitar part and Mitchell's reticent, pixie-ish voice, it's a tempting invitation. It may take a few listens, but sooner or later, your bound to follow Mitchell into [i]The Brightness[/i] ...
Patty Griffin - Children Running Through
Once again, Patty Griffin slays us with her well-cooked blend of blues, jazz, and American folk melodies. Griffin's career has played out like one homerun after another, and [i]Children Running Through[/i] is no exception. After years of great albums, one has to wonder, how is it possible for one woman to keep knocking out more great albums.
KT Tunstall - Acoustic Extravaganza
[i]Acoustic Extravaganza[/i] feels like a [i]real[/i] KT Tunstall album. That she was able to churn it out in a relatively short amount of time with few missteps is a testament to the wealth of talent we can expect to hear from KT Tunstall in the future.
Xavier Rudd - Food in the Belly
Xavier Rudd has all the qualities that make an artist great: timeless songs with memorable melodies, masterful instrumentation, and infectious energy. His American debut, [i]Food in the Belly[/i], only cements his stance as a force to be reckoned with in contemporary folk music. Marrying the genres of reggae, jazz, and folk-pop, [i]Food in the Belly[/i] makes a case for indigenous cultures everywhere, social awareness, and environmental conservation.
John Waite - Downtown Journey of a Heart
With Downtown - Journey of a Heart, John Waite tours through what are some of the most prevalent forces in contemporary Americana, including a deliciously ragged version of Bob Dylan's "Highway 61 Revisited," and a duet with Alison Krauss. From "The Hard Way" to "When I See You Smile," Waite tells melodic stories that, like their characters, are only heartbreaking when you listen closely. Let them play in the background, and it can feel like a real good time.
Yusuf - An Other Cup
Cat Stevens is an incredible songwriter. We know this because he's released a heap of inimitable songs through the years, beginning with his classic album, [i]Tea for the Tillerman[/i], to which, no doubt, his latest effort refers. Where [i]Tea[/i] was a refreshing blend of folk and contemporary pop music, infused with the inspirations of nature and peace—two things still vital in his latest work—[i]An Other Cup[/i] tastes like what's left in the pot after a long day at work.
Dan Bern - Fifty Eggs
Dan Bern has made nearly a decade's-worth of great records, but if you want to get a good idea of his witty and insightful style, [i]Fifty Eggs[/i] is a great place to start!
Dan Bern Live in Seattle
On Thurs, Oct. 6, Dan Bern came to the Tractor Tavern in Seattle for a night of good cheeky humor, long drawn-out Folk songs, and yodeling.
This Bird Has Flown - Various Artists
Razor & Tie has released a 40th anniversary tribute to the Beatles' "Rubber Soul" album, with all the songs performed in the same order by some of today's favorite singer/songwriters.
Various Artists - City Folk Live 8 (WFUV)
One of New York City's best radio stations, WFUV, has released the eighth compilation of recordings made during its show, City Folk Live. The disk, featuring Patti Smith, Moby, M Ward, Mary Gauthier, Nancy Griffith, and others,
The Mountain Firework Company - A Rough Guide to Feeling Rough
Check out this debut release by Brighton, UK, Folk Rock/alt.country band The Mountain Firework Company. These boys are bright, intuitive players with a great unique sound.
Grayson Capps - Wail and Ride
Grayson Capps' fourth album, [i]Wail and Ride[/i] is a testament to the vitality and resilience of New Orleans. There are songs about his hometown, like "New Orleans Waltz," and then songs that just feel like they've beed rolling around on Decatur Street, hopped up on raw oysters and daiquiris. Like the Big Easy, you'll leave this record feeling a little hungover, but more alive than you were when you started.
Various Artists - City Folk Live 9 (WFUV)
From David Grey to Alejandro Escovedo, Brandi Carlile to Rosanne Cash and T Bone Burnett, there are just not very many places you can go for this many great songs in one place at one time. WFUV's taste is impeccable once again, as they have compiled 18 of the year's best songs for their [i]City Folk Live 9[/i] CD.
Be Here to Love Me: A Film About the Life of Townes Van Zandt
Hard-core fans of Townes Van Zandt have seen some of this footage before. For new fans, friends of hard-core fans, or people who are just curious about the life of a singer/songwriter, this is an incredible introduction to a man and his music. The die-hards will be impressed with the rare footage they haven't seen. And everyone will leave the theatre feeling sad and lonely.
Bluegrass Hits: Twenty Timeless Favorites from Yesterday and Today
From Rounder Records - a compilation of some of the best bluegrass recordings "from Yesterday and Today." Featuring artists from Ricky Skaggs and Alison Krauss to The Cox Family and Weary Hearts.