BONUS TRACKS: The Importance of Public Media
Just 11 days into America's new administration, it's obvious that the the cruelty and the overwhelm are the point. For anyone who hasn't been able to keep up with the barrage of bad news, here's one that pertains to the music industry:
ALBUM REVIEW: Bonnie 'Prince' Billy Contemplates Life's Meaning on 'The Purple Bird'
Will Oldham is no stranger to collaborative endeavors. But unless specifically noted otherwise —the 2022 Blind Date Party team-up with BIll Callahan and Superwolves with Matt Sweeney, for example—his releases under the Bonnie “Prince” Billy moniker are solo endeavors, consisting of material conceived and composed by Oldham.
For his
ALBUM REVIEW: On 'Precious Bane' Jim White Teams Up with Long-Time Pal for Project Inspired by Book She Gave Him
Jim White and Trey Blake present a layered composition in their intriguing project, Precious Bane. As complex as the music itself is, the album will require some context. White is an Americana outsider, “discovered” by David Byrne in the ‘90s and the subject of a 2002 BBC4 documentary about his
THE READING ROOM: Eddie Huffman Illuminates Doc Watson in 'Doc Watson: A Life in Music'
As the twenty-first century dawned, Doc Watson looked back over his life and declared—in his typically humble and understated fashion—“If I had planned to do a certain thing and then done it, it’s that I’ve played music that I loved and I did my best to
ALBUM REVIEW: Pat Kearns Tells Dusty Tales of Tough Times on ‘Together and Alone’
Pat Kearns likes to tell stories. On the first Kearns Family album, the Mojave Desert resident unspools stark tales of cursed outsiders and sentimental fools with an empathetic touch, presenting these dusty sagas without passing judgement or romanticizing tough times. Sharing musical DNA with John Prine, Leonard Cohen, and other
ALBUM REVIEW: For Lilly Hiatt, "Forever" Means Letting Go of Expectations
What happens when you get everything you dreamed of, when you find love and a comfortable place to land? For Lilly Hiatt, a lot of loud guitars, fuzz and distortion of the garage rock variety. The sound of Forever, Hiatt’s sixth studio album, unexpectedly suits this current moment she’