ALBUM REVIEW: Hope Hangs Around on Josh Ritter’s Atmospheric ‘Spectral Lines’
In the last nearly 25 years, Josh Ritter has produced an oeuvre defined by thoughtful metaphors that ring truer than truth, all while expressing the constant sense that he is searching for something bigger than the self, and maybe bigger than the world. With his 11th album, Spectral Lines, Ritter
Amanda Shires Announces Album of Classics with Bobbie Nelson
Amanda Shires’ next collaborative project isn’t with husband Jason Isbell or supergroup The Highwomen, but rather with one of her personal heroes, the late Bobbie Nelson.
Loving You, coming June 23 on Silver Knife/ATO Records, is the culmination of years of friendship between Nelson — the piano-playing sister of
ALBUM REVIEW: Joy Oladokun Levels Up Her Sound But Stays True to Herself on ‘Proof of Life’
There’s a strong temptation to frame Proof of Life, Joy Oladokun’s follow-up to her self-released breakthrough album in defense of my own happiness (ND review), as a pop-oriented major label makeover.
On in defense, there was a certain level of homespun charm to the proceedings, with Oladokun’s
Jens Kruger on Doc Watson’s Appalachian American Dream
EDITOR’S NOTE: To mark what would have been the year of Doc Watson’s 100th birthday, we asked Jens Kruger, who knew Watson personally and professionally, to tell us about his friend and what he has meant to music. The Kruger Brothers will host a set at MerleFest this
ALBUM REVIEW: Songs Shine Brightest on Star-Studded Doc Watson Tribute
You don’t really need a reason to celebrate Doc Watson’s legacy. He’s one of the most important artists in roots music history, with an influence that spans generations. That’s worth a tip of the hat on any occasion. But with this year marking the 100th anniversary
ALBUM REVIEW: Del Barber’s Details Make the Songs of ‘Almanac’ Come Alive
When words like “easy” and “familial” and “organic” are applied to Del Barber’s songcraft, it’s important to specify the complimentary nature of such descriptors. The Canadian singer-songwriter is a storied veteran who’s been penning resonant songs for years, and the melodies on his latest LP, Almanac, fit