CD Reviews

With this 2-disc set, Pete Seeger is shown to be the champion of American folk music he has always been. Learn more about this fantastic archival recording with this review of Pete Seeger Live at Bowdoin College in 1960.

Check out this full review of Justin Townes Earle's fifth studio album, 'Nothing's Gonna Change the Way You Feel About Me Now' (Bloodshot, 2012).

This is not the first - nor, likely, the last - collection of music paying tribute to Bob Dylan. But, it's certainly one of the most provocative. Check out my full review of 'Chimes of Freedom: The Songs of Bob Dylan'.

Christmas folk music doesn't always follow the straight line of traditional carols. Check out these contemporary tunes compiled by the fine folks at Ramseur Records.

Erin McKeown has dabbled in everything from folk to jazz and beyond. Now, she touches Christmas music...or at least the opposite of Christmas music. Check out this full review.

Paul Simon has been considered one of the best songwriters in folk-pop for decades. Learn more about his collection of great songwriting, titled, aptly, 'Songwriter.'

In celebration of Woody Guthrie's 100th birthday in 2012, a number of tributes and celebratory recordings and events are in the works. Check out this first major contribution - a celebration of Guthrie's legacy and influence, featuring Pete Seeger, Tom Morello, Ani DiFranco, and more.

Jolie Holland can play pretty much any instrument you might place in her hands, from piano to guitar to homemade fiddle and beyond. She has a certain knack for understanding the intrinsic melody of things. So much so, it would seem she doesn't have to reach too far for the songs she writes. On 'Pint of Blood', her fifth studio effort since...

It's been eight years since Gillian Welch released her last studio effort - and EP titled 'Soul Journey.' To say 'The Harrow and the Harvest' is long-awaited by her fans and critics alike would be an unfortunate understatement. So would saying the disc was worth the wait. Read a full review of Gillian Welch - 'The Harrow and the Harvest' here...

Sarah Jarosz's 2009 debut, 'Song Up In Her Head,' was a surprisingly mature and creative statement from an artist who was, at the time, barely at the end of her teen years. The disc's follow-up, 'Follow Me Down,' takes a more daring direction, veering from her traditional roots. But, the result is an imaginative collection of richly personal...

Loudon Wainwright III has had an impressive and prolific 40+ years in the music industry. He's become known for delivering songs which capture the nuances of daily life in a way which is at once stark, contemplative, humorous, and provocative. His greatest hits box set '40 Odd Years' represents a solid cross-section of his greatest hits, and is...

On 'Majestic Silver Strings', Buddy Miller teams up with Marc Ribot, Bill Frisell, Greg Liesz, and a team of Americana music's most notable women singers to deliver an outstanding revival of traditional folk-country standards.

The Decemberists have become one of the most popular and influential indie folk bands to emerge from the Portland, Ore., roots music scene. Their sixth studio album, 'The King Is Dead,' leans ever closer to catchy indie pop, further from what had, on previous albums, appeared to be a strong narrative muse.

Anais Mitchell may be a relatively unknown singer-songwriter to most folks, although she's been working her way up the proverbial food chain for a few years. Her last full-length album, The Brightness dropped on Righteous Babe in 2007, followed by a brief EP the following year. Neither could possibly compare, however, to Hadestown.

Released alongside The Original Mono Recordings (the new limited-edition box set of Bob Dylan's first eight albums), here comes the long-anticipated Bootleg Series Vol. 9, The Witmark Demos, capturing the young songwriter performing 47 stripped-down versions of his vintage best from 1962-64. Read the review here!

If you thought Bob Dylan was beginning to slip into a predictable songwriting formula, his April 29, 2009 release, Together Through Life, should alleviate any fears. This is Dylan's biggest departure from anything resembling a groove since his mid-'60s experimental peak. Read the About.com review here!

It's been three years since the Carolina Chocolate Drops made their unforgettable debut with 'Dona Got a Ramblin' Mind'. Where that record was more solidly traditional, its follow-up, 'Genuine Negro Jig', pulls together elements of traditional Americana with Eastern European melodies and even a mainstream R&B cover tune.

Dar Williams has had an illustrious career over the past couple of decades, and this double-disc collection is an excellent overview of her finest compositions. Check out this full review of Dar Williams' Many Great Companions album.

Joni Mitchell is, inarguably, one of the finest singer-songwriters in the history of contemporary American music. Her 1971 album 'Blue' is often considered her best collection of songs, and it's hard to argue with that assertion. 'Blue''s ten tracks feature collaborations with Stephen Stills, Sneeky Pete, and James Taylor.

Justin Townes Earle's third full-length album, 'Harlem River Blues', was released September 14, 2010, on Bloodshot Records. Learn more about how 'Harlem River Blues' compares to Justin Townes Earle's earlier efforts with this full album review.

Justin Townes Earle's 'Harlem River Blues' was released by Bloodshot Records on Sep. 14, 2010. Check out some reader reviews of the disc, or submit your own review of Justin Townes Earle's 'Harlem River Blues.'

Paul Simon's 11th studio album demonstrates what it is which separates this hugely influential singer-songwriter from the scores of other artists forging a path in contemporary folk music over the past half-century. Pulling together musical elements from around the world, Paul Simon's lyricism is, as always, front and center. Check out this full...

Alison Krauss may have started her career in bluegrass, but she's moved through a few other genres since her 1987 debut, 'Too Late to Cry.' Her music has become a much more unique and personal venture, veering from the standard stylistics of bluegrass and instead using bluegrass instrumentation to reach toward new directions. 'Paper Airplane' is...

Emmylou Harris is one of the most respected singers in contemporary American folk music and Americana. Her vocals are smooth as honey and hugely emotive, and her new album 'Hard Bargain' delivers more of the same delicious sad songs we've come to expect from Emmy.

The Wailin Jennys have long been a fixture on the folk festival circuit, bringing beautiful three-part harmonies to their original contemporary songs. On 'Bright Morning Stars' - their fourth studio album - the trio's emotionally daring lyrics traverse the precarious terrain of heartbreak. Check out this review of the Wailin Jennys - 'Bright...

Read this review of the new album - Beauty Queen Sister - from the Indigo Girls.

Check out this full review of Ani DiFranco's 2012 release 'Which Side Are You On?'

Anais Mitchell's followup to 'Hadestown' is a straight-up singer-songwriter album full of equally heartbreaking and enlightening songs. Check out my full review.

Check out our full review of the Carolina Chocolate Drops' new album 'Leaving Eden' and see how it measures up to their previous efforts.

Check out this full review of the latest installment in the project to resurrect Woody Guthrie's lost songs and stories. How does this collection fare?

Check out this full review of Sara Watkins' second solo album 'Sun Midnight Sun'.

Learn more about the sophomore release from folk music humor duo Cathy Guthrie and Amy Nelson (i.e. Folk Uke). Joined this time by Arlo Guthrie and Willie Nelson, along with Shooter Jennings, this 2011 release is not to be missed.