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Chris Griffy

CROWDFUNDING RADAR: Three Campaigns with Vinyl Perks

CROWDFUNDING RADAR: Three Campaigns with Vinyl Perks

Periodically, my fellow No Depression columnist and analog enthusiast Amos Perrine publishes a column detailing the state of vinyl in roots music. Certainly vinyl is continuing its recent comeback as the primary physical media form. With CD players in cars disappearing, CD sales have plummeted while vinyl continues to rise,

CROWDFUNDING RADAR: Album fundraising campaigns from England, Scotland, and Germany

CROWDFUNDING RADAR: Album fundraising campaigns from England, Scotland, and Germany

“Everybody's got roots” as the saying goes, and that's especially true for roots music. While much of the press is focused on American roots music, artists from all over the globe are producing quality music, either in the style of American roots music, or exploring the

CROWDFUNDING RADAR: Three Projects that Offer Lessons and More Perks

CROWDFUNDING RADAR: Three Projects that Offer Lessons and More Perks

Being a professional musician is tough. For every one who can make a living through albums and touring, there are thousands who have to supplement their income with other kinds of work. In some cases, these musicians turn to teaching for that extra income. So it's no surprise

CROWDFUNDING RADAR: A Handful of Projects with International Flair

CROWDFUNDING RADAR: A Handful of Projects with International Flair

Before I get to my usual three album campaigns, I wanted to highlight two crowdfunding campaigns of a more personal nature. Both involve roots musicians with recent health concerns using GoFundMe to crowdfund not an album, but the ability to survive. The first is Joshua Ray Walker, whose recent cancer

ALBUM REVIEW: Nada Surf is Back, Gazing into the 'Moon Mirror'

ALBUM REVIEW: Nada Surf is Back, Gazing into the 'Moon Mirror'

Thirty years after their debut single - and four since their last album - Nada Surf is back. Their new album, Moon Mirror, is their first on New West Records. Appropriate to their new label, the band includes some touches of Laurel Canyon into their familiar mix of alternative and

CROWDFUNDING RADAR: Homemade Perks Add Heart to Campaigns

CROWDFUNDING RADAR: Homemade Perks Add Heart to Campaigns

As creatives, it's no surprise that musicians are often multi-talented, masters not only of their particular instruments or voices but also of other art forms, like painting or jewelry making. This can be a real boon for crowdfunders, as these products are the kind of highly personalized backer

ALBUM REVIEW: Blind Pilot Finds Its Wings Again on ‘In the Shadow of the Holy Mountain’

ALBUM REVIEW: Blind Pilot Finds Its Wings Again on ‘In the Shadow of the Holy Mountain’

It's been eight years since Blind Pilot released their last album, 2016's And Then Like Lions. That long interval was the result of a period of personal and musical upheaval for frontman and primary songwriter Israel Nebeker, who experienced a lengthy period of writer's