Articles Index
Sara Watkins - 'Sun Midnight Sun'
Sara Watkins began her career as one third of the bluegrass trio Nickel Creek. But, since that illustrious group of innovators split, Watkins has divided her time between playing backup for bands like the Decemberists and forging her own trail as a solo artist. Now, on her second solo album, 'Sun Midnight Sun,' she explores territory well beyond the bounds of her bluegrass upbringing. Check out this full review of 'Sun Midnight Sun'.
Pete Seeger - 'The Complete Bowdoin College Concert 1960'
This new live album from Pete Seeger captures a concert he played at Bowdoin College back in 1960. The result is a double-disc collection of traditional labor, protest, and other songs including Weavers hits like "Goodnight Irene" and "Tzena Tzena Tzena".
Jay Farrar, Will Johnson, Anders Parker, Yim Yames - 'New Multitudes'
New Multitudes is the latest album release from a long-standing project resurrecting thousands of Woody Guthrie's lost songs. Here, indie roots and folk artists like Jay Farrar (Son Volt), Yim Yames, Will Johnson, and Anders Parker unite to give Guthrie's work a spin as part of the Woody 100 celebration. Check out my album review of 'New Multitudes.'
Justin Townes Earle - 'Nothing's Gonna Change the Way You Feel About Me Now'
Justin Townes Earle is easily one of the most promising young singer-songwriters on the Americana and roots music scene these days. With his fifth studio album, 'Nothing's Gonna Change the Way You Feel About Me Now', Earle takes a more solid step toward establishing his own distinct sound rather than following the traditions which spawned him. Check out this full review of that album.
Carolina Chocolate Drops - 'Leaving Eden'
Carolina Chocolate Drops are one of the most celebrated new traditional folk bands, pulling from traditions as variant as old timey jugbands and contemporary R&B. Their latest album 'Leaving Eden' builds even further and more strongly on that foundation. Check out this full review of Carolina Chocolate Drops 'Leaving Eden.'
Anais Mitchell - 'Young Man in America'
Anais Mitchell's sixth studio album, 'Young Man in America,' continues on her path of intense narrative storytelling through almost mythological themes. She pulls from various traditions and stories for this collection of remarkable, haunting, stirring songs. Check out the About.com Folk Music full review of Anais Mitchell's 'Young Man in America'.
'Chimes of Freedom: The Songs of Bob Dylan'
An unprecedented, impressive roster of artists donated tracks to a new album paying tribute to Bob Dylan and Amnesty International this year. The three-disc set, titled 'Chimes of Freedom', features songs as performed by artists as variant as Adele, Ani DiFranco, Miley Cyrus, the Gaslight Anthem, Bettye LaVette, Pete Seeger, Sinead O'Connor, Ke$ha, Dierks Bentley, and the list goes on. Check out the About.com Folk Music full review for more information.
Ani DiFranco - Which Side Are You On?
On her 21st album in as many years, Ani DiFranco pulls out her politics and tackles one of the most provocative old labor hymns. Joined by Pete Seeger on banjo for that tune, she spends much of the rest of the album wrestling with issues as variant as pot-smoking and abortion. Check out my full review of 'Which Side Are You On?' by Ani DiFranco.
Various Artists - 'My Favorite Gifts'
Ramseur Records has, for several years, been one of the finest indie labels on the folk music circuit, giving rise to such bands as the Avett Brothers, Paleface, and Carolina Chocolate Drops. In 2011, the fine folks at Ramseur decided to produce a Christmas album. Check out this full review.
Erin McKeown - F*ck That
Erin McKeown has long been known as one of contemporary folk music's most daring troubadours. Through the years, she's dabbled in jazz, rock, world music, electronic music, and so much more. So it was about time she cast her hat into the world of Christmas music with a completely anti-Christmas-music record for cynics, agnostics, and anyone with a sense of humor.
Paul Simon - Songwriter
Paul Simon has, for decades, been considered one of the finest folk-influenced singer-songwriters in contemporary American music. Now, with a two-disc retrospective collection titled 'Songwriter,' Simon's work is presented in a way which seems mostly geared to long-time fans. Check out this full review of Paul Simon's 'Songwriter' collection.
Indigo Girls - Beauty Queen Sister
Indigo Girls have been making music for more than 20 years and have become one of the most beloved and reliable duos in contemporary folk music. So how does their 2011 album 'Beauty Queen Sister' measure up to the rest of their catalog? Check out this review of Indigo Girls - Beauty Queen Sister.
Note of Hope: A Celebration of Woody Guthrie
Woody Guthrie would be turning 100 years old in 2012, had he lived so long. In preparation for his centennial birthday, artists of all persuasions have come together to record his stories and songs - an album tribute to Woody Guthrie titled 'Note of Hope.' Find out how well this recording honors the great folksinger's legacy with this full review.
Bob Dylan - New Morning
The initial seed for New Morning came from an entirely unrelated project. Sometime in 1969, playwright Archibald MacLeish proposed that Dylan write some songs for a musical he was composing based on the play The Devil and Daniel Webster... Read more about Bob Dylan's New Morning here!
Bob Dylan's “Hurricane”: The Story Behind the Song
Although Dylan played the song every night during the Rolling Thunder Revue tour in 1975, he dropped “Hurricane” from his live set after the Night of the Hurricane II benefit in January 1976 and hasn't performed it to this day. It's every diehard Dylanite's deep-seated fantasy that someday, somehow, he or she will be in the front row when Dylan finally decides to shake the tree. Readore about Dylan's song "Hurricane" here!
Jolie Holland & the Grand Chandeliers - Pint of Blood
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 parting the Be Good Tanyas, things get personal. More than usual. Check out this review of Jolie Holland - 'Pint of Blood'.
Gillian Welch - The Harrow and the Harvest
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...
Updated Edition of The Old, Weird America, by Greil Marcus
In 1997, Greil Marcus' book "Invisible Republic" was published—an in-depth, critical look at Bob Dylan's Basement Tapes and the mythology that lay behind them. With its title changed to "The Old, Weird America" for its 2001 reprint, the book has become a trusted manual on American folk music and Dylan's context within it. On May 5th an “Updated Edition” of Marcus' now-classic is being released in light of Dylan's 70th birthday.
Sarah Jarosz - Follow Me Down
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 songs. It's also easily one of the year's finest Americana recordings.
Loudon Wainwright III - 40 Odd Years
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 one of the finest such collections released by any artist in recent years.
Wailin Jennys - Bright Morning Stars
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 Morning Stars'.
Bob Dylan - 'Another Side of Bob Dylan'
Dylan didn't like the album title (it was producer Tom Wilson's idea). By calling it Another Side of Bob Dylan, Columbia Records seemed to be playing it safe, indicating that this could be a temporary departure from the norm, as if to say “stay tuned, if this album is a commercial flop, Dylan will be back with some finger-pointing songs.” But for Dylan, the album was an artistic breakthrough Read more about this classic album at About.com.
Alison Krauss & Union Station - 'Paper Airplane'
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 another step in this direction.
Emmylou Harris - Hard Bargain
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.
'Bob Dylan: Revealed' Documentary
Bob Dylan: Revealed is a 110-minute documentary covering Dylan's career from 1962 through the 1990s, and features interviews with a handful of Dylan's stage and studio alums over the course of his career. A decent, kinda cheesy introduction for new Dylan initiates, the movie touches on all the basics, leaving plenty of questions unanswered. Read the About.com review here.