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Testifying is cut from the same country/soul/gospel cloth as such American south-born '90s gems as Arthur Alexander's Lonely Just Like Me, Dan Penn's Do Right Man, and Donnie Fritts' Everybody's Got A Song. Of course, that makes sense because Fritts

When last heard from, Marianne Faithfull was playing the devil in Robert Wilson's stage version of The Black Rider, making Faustian bargains with unsuspecting mortals. You could call that typecasting, given Faithfull's image of wizened decadence. On the other hand, you can imagine Faithfull herself making

Over eighteen albums, balladeer Tom Russell has written lasting songs that have been recorded by everyone from Johnny Cash to Doug Sahm, and sung them in a smooth, cleanly enunciated baritone that make even his collections of songs by others compelling. He's been devoted to all things Americana,

Fred Eaglesmith and producer Scott Merritt must've been listening to a lot of Daniel Lanois and Bob Dylan -- and Dusty Springfield -- lately. With its ambient mood and obtuse instrumentation, Dusty is a drastic departure from Eaglesmith's rock 'n' bluegrass sound, which will

Kelly Joe Phelps has a naturally resonant voice that walks a fine line. He can sound richly appointed but untethered to the earth, a fate that sometimes befalls others with naturally beautifully timbres, such as John Martyn and even the over-earnest Bruce Cockburn (who shoots himself in the foot in

One of the most creative and energetic forces on the indie-rock scene, Ted Leo broke out with the D.C.-based Chisel in 1990. Following seven years and three discs fronting that mod/punk crew, Leo polished off the decade playing guitar with the Spinanes, fronting the fleeting but powerful