Low Cut Connie Provides a Soundtrack to the Struggle
Low Cut Connie’s Adam Weiner is angry, energetic and eloquent. So is his music. These Livin in the USA songs resist and inspire.
Steve Horowitz
Steven Horowitz has a Ph.D. in American Studies from the University of Iowa, where he continues to teach a three-credit online course on "Rock and Roll in America". He has written for many different popular and academic publications including American Music, Paste and the Icon. Horowitz is a firm believer in Paul Goodman's neofunctional perspective on culture and that Sam Cooke was right, a change is gonna come.
Willow Avalon Has a Pink Pistol and Knows How to Use It
On her new album, Willow Avalon combines retro country wit with a feminist bullet that reveals heartbreak, humor, love, and vengeance can share the same trigger.
Presenting Classic Live 1970s Jazz from Chicago
These 1970s jazz albums can generally be described as “post-bop” and were made during the mid-to-late 1970s, with top-notch sonic quality for live recordings.
Tucker Zimmerman Says Goodnight and Offers a Wonderful Dream
Life is but a dream, and the dream has a life of its own. We wake up only when we sleep. Tucker Zimmerman’s final opus offers a lullaby of love.
Jenny Reynolds Keeps Things Flexible on ‘Willow & Stone’
Jenny Reynolds’ story songs on Willow & Stone keep things simple. Her lyrics wryly address our existential challenges with a nod to love as the redeemer.
Alone Together: Mike Richmond’s ‘Without an Audience’
Mike Richmond doesn’t leave us entirely in the dark. The almost hopeful moment arrives with “You Are Not Alone”, which reframes solitude as a shared condition.
Teddy Thompson Delightfully Remains the Same
We may never be the same, just by being the same, but the song remains the same. Like Teddy Thompson’s record, it’s worth repeated listening.
Braxton Keith Finds the ‘Real Deal’ in Classic Country
Braxton Keith’s charm lies in part in his ability to keep things light. Let’s sing about love, cheating, drinking, and forget about our heavy concerns.
Whitehorse Rediscover Their Folk Rock Roots
Whitehorse’s new album turns the eccentric and unconventional into a new normal. Musically, what starts as pop can twist into noir.
Guy Clark’s ‘Old No. 1’ Revisited By Americana’s Best
This tribute to Old No. 1 shows what made Guy Clark so special. The Texan wrote plaintive songs that used quotidian details to express elegiac emotions.
Ghost Hounds Party Like Its 1969 with “Gimme Shelter”
Ghost Hounds’ cover of the Rolling Stones’ “Gimme Shelter” evokes the feeling that we’re on the edge of something dangerous.
Sarah Blasko’s Latest Songs Are Too Good to Be ‘Forgotten’
The beauty of this EP lies in Sarah Blasko’s creative use of her personal demons to share deep feelings without being overwhelmed by them.