There is a skepticism, perhaps the wrong word…there is an automated assumption made when you see someone with a mandolin in their hands. “Bluegrass” is the name of that assumption [ … ]
Category: Reviews
Wilco “Schmilco” Album Review
Last year, during their tour, Wilco rearranged the stage for the encores into a setup for an all-acoustic hootenanny, trading the showmanship of their main show for intimacy. Pat Sansone [ … ]
Rising Up: Mandolin Orange’s “Blindfaller” Sets Sights High and Delivers Beauty & Grace
Its really once in a lifetime that a band comes around like Mandolin Orange. The voices of Andrew Marlin and Emily Frantz were seemingly destined to make music and beautiful [ … ]
Joyful Noise: Newport Aftershow with Phil Cook and Spirit Family Reunion
Phil Cook and The Guitarheels Spirit Family Reunion Newport Aftershow – July 23, 2016 The Cafe at The Parlor It’s 1:30 in the morning. I can’t go to sleep because [ … ]
All The Right Moves: Sara Watkins “Young In All The Wrong Ways” Album Review
As an artist there is a large amount of change and metamorphosis that can be undertaken as you progress in your career. At least, for some of us this is [ … ]
100Words : Parker Millsap “The Very Last Day”
If a voice was a knife, then Parker Millsap’s vocal could cut out my heart with one swift, clean swipe. “The Very Last Day” is the songwriter’s latest and has [ … ]
100Words: Kacy & Clayton “Strange Country”
There is something of a timeless quality to the music of Kacy & Clayton. An almost medieval meets modernity that confounds sensible reasoning, but the blend works beautifully. Clayton Linthicum’s [ … ]
Album Review: Levi Parham “These American Blues”
A couple of years ago, I clicked play on Levi Parham’s daytrotter session and by the end of the first song I was checking to see when he’d be touring [ … ]
Album Review: Muddy Ruckus “Pretty Bones”
Broke down, broke open, broke up, and plain-ole-flat broke—Muddy Ruckus wants you to dance in the ditch and and bless the blues that make you feel alive. Hailing from Portland [ … ]
Above the Tide: Sarah Jarosz’s “Undercurrent” Sails Strong
Last week I spent a road trip consisting of six hours in a car, each way, with the latest effort from multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter Sarah Jarosz. I then got home and [ … ]