THE READING ROOM: James Talley Weighs Music and Meaning in ‘Nashville City Blues’ Memoir
In 2000, Oklahoma-born singer and songwriter James Talley released an album called Nashville City Blues on his label, Cimarron Records. In the title track, he tells a defiant yet poignant tale of his experience in a town where “the music, it don’t mean a thing / It’s all about
ALBUM REVIEW: John Leventhal Steps Into the Spotlight for ‘Rumble Strip’
John Leventhal’s visionary musical genius allows him to dwell in a tune, seeing the notes and the spaces in between them, and to create elegant tunes that capture the imagination. After decades of composing, producing, songwriting, singing, and playing for others, Leventhal is finally releasing his debut solo album,
ALBUM REVIEW: Willi Carlisle Carves a Welcoming Path Into ‘Critterland’
When the youth use the phrase “say it with my whole chest,” it means that they are speaking sincerely. For Willi Carlisle, this metaphor applies with all its meanings: Declaiming like a medieval bard on his evocative new album, Critterland, Carlisle finds the union between his past life as a
ALBUM REVIEW: On ‘Desert Pavement,’ ISMAY’s Songs Teem With Life
On Desert Pavement, ISMAY crafts a world that exists somewhere in between past and present, reality and fantasy, country and city. The title was inspired by the bluegrass lifer’s interest in cowboy poetry. Desert pavement is a natural phenomenon described in the book Home Ground: A Guide to the
Midwest Melancholy: A Page From Willi Carlisle’s Zine
Willi Carlisle’s folk music is truly about folks, and he loves connecting with people at his live shows any way he can.
In addition to connecting through songs and handshakes and conversations as he travels, he’s also launched a periodic zine collecting what he calls his “ramblings and
ALBUM REVIEW: Songs Reveal the Self on Katy Kirby’s ‘Blue Raspberry’
Processing a relationship and all its messy complications through songwriting is a daunting enough feat, but exploring your identity at the same time could be enough to do some artists in. Katy Kirby, though, is sturdy and steady on Blue Raspberry, the follow-up to her 2021 debut Cool Dry Place.