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Jim Shahen

Rising Appalachia Captures Spontaneity on ‘The Lost Mystique of Being in the Know’

Rising Appalachia Captures Spontaneity on ‘The Lost Mystique of Being in the Know’

After the past few years, the unexpected has become something to dread. Something that wasn’t previously known or anticipated pops up and it’s cause for concern, not celebration. You can forget that sometimes, it’s a whole lotta fun to receive a surprise. Luckily, Rising Appalachia is here

Israel Nash Weaves Introspection with Wider World on ‘Topaz’

Israel Nash Weaves Introspection with Wider World on ‘Topaz’

Man, the new Israel Nash album is a corker. The backstory behind Topaz is fascinating: Nash built a Quonset hut recording studio a few hundred feet from his Texas home and spent most of last year holed up in it, writing, recording, and producing. Friends and collaborators (most notably, Adrian

‘A Real Kinship’: Jimbo Mathus and Andrew Bird Team Up for ‘These 13’

‘A Real Kinship’: Jimbo Mathus and Andrew Bird Team Up for ‘These 13’

Andrew Bird and Jimbo Mathus are more than two accomplished musicians that work well with each other. They’re friends, with a creative, open-minded chemistry built upon 25 years of mutual respect and a desire for continued artistic growth. It’s out of this relationship that These 13, their first-ever

Compassion Guides Ani DiFranco’s Fight on ‘Revolutionary Love’

Compassion Guides Ani DiFranco’s Fight on ‘Revolutionary Love’

For Ani DiFranco, the personal and the political aren’t merely intertwined; they’re the same thing. If there’s a throughline that can be traced across her 30-plus years as a feminist and DIY icon, it’s that just merely existing, thinking, and emoting are political statements. That message

William Prince Visits Intersection of Native Roots and Christian Upbringing on ‘Gospel First Nation’

William Prince Visits Intersection of Native Roots and Christian Upbringing on ‘Gospel First Nation’

“We are living through an age of grief; grieving our lives, routines and families at the hand of a pandemic,” writes William Prince in a statement on his website. “Through my adjustment, I found myself singing songs that made me feel better. I found myself wishing to return to this

Cordovas Couch Deep Thoughts in a Good Time on ‘Destiny Hotel’

Cordovas Couch Deep Thoughts in a Good Time on ‘Destiny Hotel’

“Summer is gone,” laments Cordovas frontman Joe Firstman on “Afraid No More,” the fourth song his band’s new LP, Destiny Hotel. Given the autumn wind and the state of the world, it feels like a profundity. But Destiny Hotel isn’t merely a reflection on the change in seasons

Crooning and Creativity Highlight Logan Ledger’s Debut

Crooning and Creativity Highlight Logan Ledger’s Debut

At first blush, singer-songwriter Logan Ledger sounds like he just wasn’t made for these times. His singing is a throwback to a bygone era, stirring up echoes of the lonesome voices of a Glen Campbell or Roy Orbison. Ledger’s eponymous debut LP, produced by T Bone Burnett and