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Old Crow Medicine Show Sing on Through Total Devastation
Social unrest, a global pandemic, and an industry that has forever been changed? No problem. Old Crow Medicine Show's Ketch Secor stares down the future.
Jedd Beaudoin
24 Jun 2020
Music
Sarah Jarosz Finds Inspiration in Her Texas Roots on 'World on the Ground'
By turning to her roots in central Texas for inspiration on World on the Ground, Sarah Jarosz has crafted some of her strongest songs yet.
03 Jun 2020
Music
Chatham County Line Drum Up Something New for 'Strange Fascination'
Bluegrassy Chatham County Line expand their sound into alternative country with a natural fluidity on Strange Fascination.
21 May 2020
Music
The 10 Best Americana Albums of 2007
If 2007 didn't invite any gripping controversies, it was certainly filled with competitive comparisons -- between young and old, past and present, and among splintered factions -- and both surprising hits and disappointing misses. All in all, a dynamic and at times resurgent year for the broad scope of Americana.
12 May 2020
Music
Americana's David Bromberg Band Tackle the 'Big Road'
On Big Road, David Bromberg's Americana music is steeped in the nostalgia for a simpler past with an awareness that some topics like heartbreak, prayer, and having a good time, are timeless.
13 Apr 2020
Music
"I'm an Audience Member, Playing This Music for Us": An Interview With Keller Williams
Veteran musician Keller Williams discusses his special relationship with the Keels, their third album together, Speed, and what he learned from following the Grateful Dead.
09 Apr 2020
Music
Steep Canyon Rangers Go Symphonic on 'Be Still Moses'
Celebrated bluegrass band Steep Canyon Rangers collaborate with their hometown Asheville Symphony on a new collection that will appeal to longtime fans, as well as those who only know of the band through a banjo player named Steve Martin.
06 Mar 2020
Music
The 10 Best Country Albums of 2019
This was a major year for country music. With Lil Nas X, the world saw the shift. But others are helping to move country from near homogeneity to a diverse pastiche.
19 Dec 2019
Music
'World Full of Blues': The Return of Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley
On their third album, World Full of Blues, Americana guitar masters Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley expand their horizons, while still playing up a storm.
04 Nov 2019
Music
Old Crow Medicine Show Feel Right at Home on 'Live at the Ryman'
Old Crow Medicine Show honor history on Live at the Ryman, while continuing to show more interest in new, charged versions of tradition.
Justin Cober-Lake
18 Oct 2019
Music
The Dead South's 'Sugar and Joy' Is One of 2019's Most Entertaining Albums
The Dead South combine bluegrass and string band sounds into one excellent package with Sugar and Joy.
07 Oct 2019
Music
The Po' Ramblin' Boys Present Tales of 'Toil, Tears & Trouble'
The Po' Ramblin' Boys' Toil, Tears & Trouble proves that the expanding universe of bluegrass music always has room for a contemporary take on tradition.
01 Oct 2019
Music
Shut Up and Sing? Che Apalache Thinks Not
Multinational acoustic band Che Apalache vow to tear down the wall (yes, that wall) as they confront issues of immigration and identity on Rearrange My Heart.
25 Sep 2019
Music
Gaelynn Lea Celebrates Dedication, Love Via "The Long Way Around" (premiere)
The new single from folk violinist and vocalist Gaelynn Lea arrives on 27 September. Fans of Karen Dalton, Andrew Bird, and the British folk boom will want to hear "The Long Way Around".
24 Sep 2019
Music
The Broadside Effect: An Interview With Old Crow Medicine Show's Ketch Secor
Ketch Secor looks back on Old Crow Medicine Show's relationship with country music, discusses addiction, the importance of the Ryman, and music's ability to carry important messages.
Jedd Beaudoin
24 Sep 2019
Reviews
Ben Winship's Stringed Instrument Adventures in Americana
Ben Winship's two new Americana albums give listeners the choice of tight and focused or loose and eclectic. But it is perfectly fine to choose both.
26 Jul 2019
Music
Albi & the Wolves Bring Their Bluegrass to New Heights on 'This Is War' (album stream) (premiere)
New Zealand bluegrass band Albi & the Wolves renovate their sound with their electrifying new album, This Is War.
26 Jul 2019
Mixed Media
Scythian Invite You to "Experience Appaloosa" with a Live Performance of "New York Girls" (premiere)
Ahead of the fifth annual Appaloosa Roots Music Festival, festival hosts Scythian share a rousing live performance of "New York Girls" from last year's outing.
18 Jun 2019
Music
Molly Tuttle's Vibrant Musical Prowess Shines on Tour
Molly Tuttle's When You're Ready steers her bluegrass towards pop and is deservedly earning her a new audience.
28 May 2019
Music
Lonesome River Band Takes Up the Murder Ballad With "Outside Looking In" (premiere)
Bluegrass veterans Lonesome River Band create a narrative complex enough to fill a novel in a harrowing tale of family discord and hidden lives on "Outside Looking In".
21 May 2019
Music
Unspoken Tradition Make Fun, Breezy Bluegrass on 'Myths We Tell Our Young'
Unspoken Tradition's Myths We Tell Our Young is an enjoyable, breezy album. It's fun to listen to and it's well played, but it could use a bit more variety.
09 May 2019
Music
The Infamous Stringdusters Follow the Light on 'Rise Sun'
Progressive bluegrass band the Infamous Stringdusters follow up the Grammy-winning Laws of Gravity with Rise Sun, a journey into the light.
22 Apr 2019
Music
Della Mae Are Bluegrass Bad-Asses on 'The Butcher Shoppe EP'
The Butcher Shoppe succeeds in partially shoving the boy's club out of the way. In doing so, Della Mae's regain their position as bluegrass bad-asses.
11 Apr 2019
Music
The Way Down Wanderers Examine Love, Friendship and More on 'illusions' (album stream + interview)
Smart songwriting and gorgeous harmonies dominate on the Way Down Wanderers' illusions. The primary songwriters discuss their place in the musical and landscape and reveal just who a certain love song its about.
19 Feb 2019
Music
Mile Twelve Weave an Ominous Tale in "City That Drowned" (premiere)
Described as "a dark parable of events that may come", Mile Twelve's latest track from their forthcoming album, City on a Hill, blends contemporary and traditional influences on a haunting bluegrass tune.
08 Feb 2019
Music
Greensky Bluegrass Plug in and Jam Out on 'All for Money'
Greensky Bluegrass has always been a band prone to jamming, but in the studio, they have generally kept the songs briefer. But All for Money finds them confidently stretching out on multiple occasions. And they manage to make it work each time.
04 Feb 2019
Music
The Lonely Heartstring Band Strike a New Chord in 'Smoke & Ashes' (album stream) (premiere)
Smoke & Ashes is a fine culmination of the Lonely Heartstring Band as individuals and as a collective soul, showcasing their newly-refined progressive bluegrass sound.
28 Jan 2019
Music
Wood & Wire and Danny Barnes Join Forces for "Just Don't Make 'Em (Remix)" (premiere)
With his "barnyard electronics", notable banjo player Danny Barnes brings psychedelic flair to this Wood & Wire tune in his remix.
10 Jan 2019
Music
The Gibson Brothers Go Country on 'Mockingbird'
Mockingbird is distinct from the Gibson Brothers' overall oeuvre. The album eschews bluegrass for divergent soundscapes while firmly taking root in the 1970s country music.
26 Nov 2018
Music
Mountain Heart's Bluegrass Shows a Wide Range of Influences on 'Soul Searching'
Mountain Heart is a veteran quartet who rely on their musical wisdom to create a polished yet rustic sound on Soul Searching.
19 Oct 2018
Music
Meadow Mountain Produce Mysticizing, Progressive Bluegrass with "Radio Waves" (premiere)
Gearing up for a self-titled debut produced by the Infamous Stringdusters' Chris Pandolfi, Meadow Mountain showcases their newgrass talents in the mystifying cool of "Radio Waves".
04 Oct 2018
Music
Trampled By Turtles and the Sometimes Hearty Effects of Hiatus
Trampled By Turtles' stunning bluegrass cred hasn't been without strife and separation, yet their post-2016 hiatus found a way to reinvigorate. Interview with Erik Berry.
07 Sep 2018
Music
Luke Cissell Is Joyfully All Over the Map with 'Thinking/Feeling'
Musical polymath and classical composer Luke Cissell releases another album that's impossible to categorize but very easy to love.
18 Jul 2018
Music
The Slocan Ramblers' "Just to Know" Brings Gritty Bluegrass to the Table (premiere)
Toronto-based bluegrass band the Slocan Ramblers aren't afraid to bring raw prowess to the forefront with their fiery original number "Just to Know".
15 Jun 2018
Music
Sweet 'Dreams' Are Made of Twisted Pine Covering Blondie's "Heart of Glass" (premiere)
Four musicians from various parts of the country with varied influences found a common bond in Boston as Twisted Pine, and take on some heavy hitters as they release a seven-song EP full of spark, light and irresistible force.
05 Jun 2018
Music
Pharis & Jason Romero "Leave the Garden Gate Open" (premiere)
Pharis & Jason Romero's offering from their upcoming album is a breezy, sweet, and nostalgic folk tune, "Leave the Garden Gate Open".
16 May 2018
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