Here we are right before the “end of year” list season, we’d like to offer a few gems that have come across our desks in the past few weeks. Foxwarren – “To Be” -Andy Shauf’s the name, killin’ the folk scene is the …
Category: Roots
Exploring some late 2018 folk artists
Fairground Saints – “Somewhere Down the Line” -I really appreciate the almost Partridge Family quality of the vocals here. You laugh, but honestly it’s such a good time, positive-vibes kind of sound I can’t get enough of the Fairground Saints. If I was …
New Music Potpourri – Trust us on these and find a new favorite
Kelsey Waters – “I Pour” -Sometimes it can be hard to believe that “country music” in its current iteration is anything like its roots. But honestly, artists like Kelsey Waters come along and remind me that all is not lost. The lyricism in …
These singer songwriters are going to steal your heart
Xenia Dunford – “Tell Me” -If apples are crispy and sweet, then this song is kind of the sonic version of an apple. Of course it’s jazzy, but more than the jazzy is the sweetness in the vocal and the crispness of the …
A soundtrack for a journey home – folk and acoustic joys
Southern Pine – “Way Back Home” -The song that inspired the title of the piece, Southern Pine’s track about journeying home is delightful. It teases some genre differences, all while capturing an honest sense of a journey home. I find the more melodic …
Find your new favorite songwriter – A playlist of rising stars!
Cam Monroe – “I’ll Never Forget You” -This is a beautiful love song. The songwriting reminds me of Ben Rector, which is high praise. It’s a quaint style that really pulls the listener in. It’ll probably make you think of someone special. Go …
Five tracks for your moon-lit dance party
Bear Paw – “Moonshaped” -I don’t know if they have a genre description for this song, so I’m calling it Americana. There’s definitely some old school rock guitar action here. But more than that, it’s just a really great feel good song. It …
Five acoustic singer songwriters that will pull you into their stories
LeWis – “Mathilda” -There’s something charming about the way LeWis phrases his music. It’s thoughtful and delicate, with each line put in place purposefully. The song feels at times like standard pop fare, yet other times setting out on something a bit more …
Artist Interview: Oregon singer songwriter Jeffrey Martin brings working class music to the Rust Belt
Standing in front of the Rialto Theater in Akron, Ohio, I awaited the rental car of Jeffrey Martin and his duo partner, fiddle-playing singer songwriter in her own right, Anna Tivel. Martin parked and walked over, tall, bearded, with working man’s hands and …
Album Review: Dawn and Hawkes – The Other Side
I was so excited about the interview I did with Dawn and Hawkes that I thought I had written this review already. My word! But here we are, finally spending some dedicated time with the album to reflect on the beautiful folk songwriting …



