Willy Tea Taylor and Jeffrey Martin – “Bakersfield”-This song discusses the classic American music town of Bakersfield, California. It’s an homage to the “devil in this town” about country music’s arrival in Bakersfield. If you listen closely to the words, though, it’s not …
Category: Americana
Featuring a pair of alt country tunes that will make you throw out your radio and all contemporary country music
Weepin’ Dave and the Diamond Boys – “She’ll Never Settle”-If you’re a fan of honky tonk country music, you’ve come to the right place. This track rips! The guitars are really clean, reminding me of a bygone era of country music from the …
Three Americana tracks that will remind you that classic music never gets old
Tricia Collins – “In the Light of the Moon”-From the first guitar notes of this song, I was hooked. Collins has a beautiful voice that is the heart and soul of the song. The combination of thoughtful lyrics and a great vocal make …
Sunday “Sermon”: Music to Ponder Life To
Steve Stout – “Sunday Stars” (demo) We have covered Stout and his multiple projects for years now. However, with “Sunday Stars”, we hear a new level of thought and pondering that is rare of any artist. The track is an easy going, yet …
Three Americana tunes that pull from the past to inform the present
John Davey – “Summer Nightwind”-When I first heard this track from John Davey, I couldn’t help but think of Andrew Combs. That’s high praise in these Americana circles. Everything from the guitar work to the vocal phrasing is at a high level on …
Featured Bluegrass Single: J.M. Clifford – “Complicated Man”
J. M. Clifford – “Complicated Man”-This is a fantastic example of bluegrass music executed with precision. The string work is great and invites the listener in. The imagery in the lyrics parallel the classic gospel roots of bluegrass while confessing the perspective of …
Three emotionally moving folk duos you *must hear* in 2023
The Sweeplings – “Can I Have Forever With You?”-If you’re a fan of folk duos, you’ll find a lot to like in this remarkable song from the Sweeplings. The vocal performance is particularly magical. The instrumentation is good, but the jazzy style of …
Three folk tracks heavily influenced by classic pop music (in the best way possible!)
Jordan Hart – “The End”-I’m a sucker for great harmonies, so you know I had to say “yes” to this track on the intro alone. The rest of the track is also incredible. Hart’s songwriting uses dynamics to really pull the listener into …
Three acoustic tracks with an Americana soul and a moving emotional sensibility
Jon Kenzie – “The Heart of This”-If you’re a fan of acoustic, bluesy music, you’ll find a lot to like in this song from Jon Kenzie. There’s a heaviness to the track that is unavoidable. It feels like an emotionally weighty track that …
Album Review: Ernest Aines debut Spiral Bound – Trailblazing pop singer songwriter
Layered vocals on the first track piqued my interest right away with this new album from Ernest Aines. From there, I was interested in the pointed variety of the songs on the album. This review introduces Ernest Aines to the wider pop singer …
