Sign in Become a member

John Amen

ALBUM REVIEW: Madi Diaz Mines Her Grief on 'Fatal Optimist'

ALBUM REVIEW: Madi Diaz Mines Her Grief on 'Fatal Optimist'

On her seventh album, Madi Diaz questions her identity in the wake of a relationship’s end. Stripped to essentials – acoustic guitar and vocal – Fatal Optimist spotlights Diaz as she vacillates between confidence and doubt, congratulating, then criticizing herself, embracing fresh possibilities, then lamenting the life she has left behind.

ALBUM REVIEW: With 'Finer Things,' Clover County Blends Humility and Talent

ALBUM REVIEW: With 'Finer Things,' Clover County Blends Humility and Talent

With her debut LP, Finer Things, A.G. Schiano, aka Clover County, reflects on love and relational dynamics, sublimating a restlessness fueled by big dreams. Building on her 2024 EP, Porch Lights, Schiano offers heartfelt vocals and catchy tunes, occurring as both down-to-earth and wise to the ways of the

ALBUM REVIEW: With ‘Double Infinity’ Big Thief Are Even-Tempered and Introspective

ALBUM REVIEW: With ‘Double Infinity’ Big Thief Are Even-Tempered and Introspective

ALBUM REVIEW: Charley Crockett Offers a Riveting Set on ‘Dollar a Day’

ALBUM REVIEW: Charley Crockett Offers a Riveting Set on ‘Dollar a Day’

ALBUM REVIEW: Charley Crockett Offers a Riveting Set on ‘Dollar a Day’ 2024’s $10 Cowboy spotlighted Charley Crockett’s range and a production style that referenced the Las Vegas Strip as much as the Honky Tonk Highway. With Lonesome Drifter, released earlier this year, Crockett strove to reembrace the

ALBUM REVIEW: Rebecca Porter Tackles Tough Themes On 'Roll with the Punches'

ALBUM REVIEW: Rebecca Porter Tackles Tough Themes On 'Roll with the Punches'

With her debut LP, Roll with the Punches, Rebecca Porter builds on previous work, including her 2023 EP, Queen of the Local. That said, virtually every aspect of her M.O. has been tweaked, honed, and, in the case of several tracks, perfected. Her songs brim with hooks, even as

ALBUM REVIEW: Wild Mountain Mystics’ Debut ‘Fire & Honey’ is Infectious from Start to Finish

ALBUM REVIEW: Wild Mountain Mystics’ Debut ‘Fire & Honey’ is Infectious from Start to Finish

Rick Deering’s and Lisa Miller’s songcraft, musicianship, and vocal skills, honed over years of live performing, are now boldly displayed via their 10-song debut, Fire & Honey. Deering and Miller, a.k.a. Wild Mountain Mystics, have clearly absorbed the Americana canon, infusing their rootsy templates with touches

ALBUM REVIEW: On 'Who Wants to Talk About Love?' Jade Bird Does

ALBUM REVIEW: On 'Who Wants to Talk About Love?' Jade Bird Does

With her first two albums, Jade Bird demonstrated an affinity for country, folk-rock, and pop templates. On her latest, Who Wants to Talk About Love?, she again explores genre intersections and overlaps. While the integrations she reaches for don’t always come to fruition, the project does highlight her evolving