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Lyndon Bolton

ALBUM REVIEW: Dean Owens and Calexico Dive Into Southwestern Sounds on ‘Sinner’s Shrine’

ALBUM REVIEW: Dean Owens and Calexico Dive Into Southwestern Sounds on ‘Sinner’s Shrine’

Three years ago while on a tour break in Tucson, Arizona, Scottish singer-songwriter Dean Owens met Calexico’s Joey Burns completely by chance. They hit it off and kept in touch. Burns suggested Owens should record with him and some of his Calexico compadres at their studio. In January 2020,

Acceptance and ‘Non-Control’ Guide Dar Williams on ‘I’ll Meet You Here’

Acceptance and ‘Non-Control’ Guide Dar Williams on ‘I’ll Meet You Here’

Pondering some kind of central theme that links the 10 songs on I’ll Meet You Here, her first album release in six years, Dar Williams finally settled on “acceptance.” Not in a passive sense, but an acknowledgement that being true to yourself is the only true way, Williams exudes

John Hiatt and The Goners with Sonny Landreth Celebrate Slow Turning's 30th Birthday

John Hiatt and The Goners with Sonny Landreth Celebrate Slow Turning's 30th Birthday

In our record collections there are many albums that have become old friends. We may not meet that often, but when we do the pleasure is undiminished. For these pals we may even celebrate special anniversaries, of their release or perhaps what was going on when we bought them. One

'We Traveled So Far': Mary Chapin Carpenter at The Barbican, London

'We Traveled So Far': Mary Chapin Carpenter at The Barbican, London

A feeling that has frequently dominated Mary Chapin Carpenter's shows is reflection. An artist who bares her soul through her songs sends audiences home musing over the emotions she so lucidly expressed. Reflection was the theme of Carpenter’s London appearance, deepened this time by her new album

A Truly Special Relationship: The Transatlantic Sessions, Royal Festival Hall, London

A Truly Special Relationship: The Transatlantic Sessions, Royal Festival Hall, London

A highlight of my musical year for nearly a decade has been the Transatlantic Sessions, the series of shows put together by Jerry Douglas and Aly Bain. Each year they and their house band are joined by a select group of guests from both sides of the pond. Once again

Now Be Thankful for Fairport Convention

Now Be Thankful for Fairport Convention

“Come all ye rolling minstrels, and together we will try to rouse the spirit of the earth…” as goes the Fairport Convention anthem and title of this magnificent seven CD set of 131 tracks. And they do. Released tomorrow, July 28, Come All Ye is a comprehensive selection of Fairport

The Strength of Samson

The Strength of Samson

This is the recently released second full length album from Canadian singer-songwriter, John K. Samson. His first, Provincial, came out in 2012. There is a clue here to the man and his work; despite Winter Wheat containing 15 songs, Samson does not rush them out, writing only three or four