Brandy Clark Presents Herself With Brandi Carlile’s Help
Brandy Clark is a mixed bag. The country singer-songwriter sees herself and others with a well-trained eye but doesn’t always reveal what she has learned.
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.
Paul Simon Is Still a Rock on ‘Seven Psalms’
Seven Psalms is Paul Simon’s 15th solo album and in it, he confronts his mortality head-on and wonders about God, the reasons for existence, and death.
Doug Levitt Rides the Bus to the ‘Edge of Everywhere’
Doug Levitt is a journalist with a guitar, and Edge of Everywhere tells the tales of his 12 years and 120,000 miles riding the Greyhound bus all over America.
Robert Ellis Looks Backward for Inspiration in ‘Yesterday’s News’
Robert Ellis’ Yesterday’s News is different from what came before. This is soft rock with a singer-songwriter edge. Just being cool can be its own reward.
Bluegrass’ Iron Horse Pick on Pearl Jam This Time
Pearl Jam’s songs are too prescient to be ignored. Bluegrass kicks butt. Put them together, and voila! Iron Horse’s Pickin’ on Pearl Jam does just that.
Pirate Rickie Lee Jones Plunders Great American Songbook for ‘Pieces of Treasure’
Rickie Lee Jones is a pirate who plunders the treasures of the Great American Songbook for all of its riches. The music is as timeless as she is.
Del Barber Understands the Value of Having an ‘Almanac’
Del Barber’s sense of humor and wordplay reveals how well-crafted his material is. His willingness to be funny shows his confidence in sensitive topics.
Eilen Jewell Is Ready to ‘Get Behind the Wheel’ and Get on with Life
There’s something very outdoorsy about the music in Eilen Jewell’s Get Behind the Wheel, a sense of the Western outdoors with a big sky and empty landscapes.
Josh Ritter Haunts Listeners with ‘Spectral Lines’
The prevailing mood of Josh Ritter’s latest album could be accurately described as haunting. There’s something mysterious going on between the Spectral Lines.
Bruce Robison and Company Pay Tribute to the Red Headed Stranger
Bruce Robison gathered several Americana-style country’s best-regarded performers to pay homage to Willie Nelson on the eve of his 90th birthday.
Taj Mahal Takes Us to Harlem on ‘Savoy’
Taj Mahal’s latest album, Savoy, reconstructs the music of his youth in its original style for a contemporary audience. It’s good time music for most times.
Trapper Schoepp Writes New Songs of Warning in ‘Siren Songs’
Trapper Schoepp goes to Johnny Cash’s cabin and discovers the roots of his music lie in the continued tradition of making things new.
