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Jon Young

ALBUM REVIEW: Troubadour Cass McCombs Explores a World of Disquiet on ‘Interior Live Oak’

ALBUM REVIEW: Troubadour Cass McCombs Explores a World of Disquiet on ‘Interior Live Oak’

For Cass McCombs, it’s the song, not the singer. Over a career spanning more than two decades, this sly California-born troubadour has specialized in catchy tunes that shun easy categories, even as they flirt with familiar folk-pop tropes. Fascinating and exhausting, Interior Live Oak captures McCombs at full strength,

ALBUM REVIEW: Reggae Greats The Mighty Rootsmen Breathe New Life Into ‘70s Pop Standards

ALBUM REVIEW: Reggae Greats The Mighty Rootsmen Breathe New Life Into ‘70s Pop Standards

Conceived by producer Ralph Sall as a reggae counterpart to The Traveling Wilburys, The Mighty Rootsmen laid down tracks for their self-titled album in 2010, but the sessions went unreleased at the time. It wasn’t for lack of marquee names, though. The lineup features standout vocalists – Toots Hibbert (of

ALBUM REVIEW: Old 97’s Mainstay Murry Hammond Flies Solo on the Wistful ‘Trail Songs’

ALBUM REVIEW: Old 97’s Mainstay Murry Hammond Flies Solo on the Wistful ‘Trail Songs’

Murry Hammond likes to whistle. A lot. With his sophomore solo outing, the longtime second banana to Rhett Miller in Old 97’s shows the world he can put his lips together and blow with the best of them on every single song, sometimes dispensing with lyrics altogether. However, unless

ALBUM REVIEW: Old Sounds Become New on The Wildmans’ ‘Longtime Friend’

ALBUM REVIEW: Old Sounds Become New on The Wildmans’ ‘Longtime Friend’

Aila and Elisha Wildman are on a voyage of self-discovery and you’re welcome to tag along. The Virginia siblings, who released a callow debut album back in 2017, have hit their stride with the belated follow-up Longtime Friend, an enticing buffet of Americana sounds that feels like the start

ALBUM REVIEW: D.K. Harrell Struts His Stuff in High Style on ‘Talkin’ Heavy’

ALBUM REVIEW: D.K. Harrell Struts His Stuff in High Style on ‘Talkin’ Heavy’

D’Kieran Harrell clearly loves his work. With every exuberant turn of phrase, and each sharp guitar lick, the Louisiana-born showman displays a pure joy in performing that’s hard to resist. Intended for both blues purists and fans of a broader range of roots styles, his stellar sophomore album,

ALBUM REVIEW: Neil Young Speaks His Mind Without Apology on ‘Talkin to the Trees’

ALBUM REVIEW: Neil Young Speaks His Mind Without Apology on ‘Talkin to the Trees’

Given his long run, it would be easy to take Neil Young for granted. Going solo in the late 1960s after Buffalo Springfield’s demise, this restless troubadour has been making wonderfully idiosyncratic music ever since. Lately he’s only raised his profile, continuing to record new albums while ramping

ALBUM REVIEW: Reed Turchi Offers a Fresh Take on the Blues with ‘World on Fire’

ALBUM REVIEW: Reed Turchi Offers a Fresh Take on the Blues with ‘World on Fire’

Ask ten people to define the blues, and you’ll get ten different answers. Ask Reed Turchi to define the blues and you’ll also get ten different answers. During a recording career spanning more than a dozen years, the North Carolina-bred singer and guitarist has taken a wide variety