ALBUM REVIEW: Patty Griffin Mines Gems From Her Private Collection via ‘TAPE’
Patty Griffin wants you to know she’s sorry in advance for the sound quality.
Prior to the release of Griffin’s new album, TAPE, the acclaimed songwriter put out a statement about her latest album with the tongue-in-cheek apology, knowing full well that the beauty of her
ALBUM REVIEW: Andrew Bird Turns Worries Into Tunes on ‘Inside Problems’
Inside Problems is a record built from tangled sheets and night sweats. The relentlessly inquisitive Andrew Bird takes fevered late night/early morning thoughts and turns them into songs. Across Inside Problems he seeks reassurance and answers to both big and everyday uncertainties. He battles the what-ifs (“Underlands”) and
ALBUM REVIEW: After 16-Year Break, Blue Dogs Regain Their Bite With ‘Big Dreamers’
The Blue Dogs hail from South Carolina, but their sound pulls as much from the heartland rock of John Mellencamp as it does from the groovy melting pot of Little Feat. Their influences inform, but don’t overshadow, the 11 new songs contained on their first new album in 16
ALBUM REVIEW: Charlie Musselwhite Reaffirms His Roots on ‘Mississippi Son’
Charlie Musselwhite must have access to some magic formula unavailable to the rest of us mere mortals. His music is timeless, his voice virtually unchanged since he started putting out music six decades ago. He's toured and recorded with a stellar array of artists as diverse as Hot
ALBUM REVIEW: Nicki Bluhm Confronts Loss and Seeks New Beginnings on ‘Avondale Drive’
Faded love and the struggle to move on after a relationship dies take center stage on Nicki Bluhm’s powerful Avondale Drive. Balancing self-help pep talks and laments about an ex, the Nashville-based singer-songwriter crafts a vivid, unsparing portrait of a heart in flux. The tug-of-
ALBUM REVIEW: A Clear-Eyed Look at ‘Glory Days’ on Drive-by Truckers’ ‘Welcome 2 Club XIII’
Nostalgia roughly translates from Greek to mean “suffering to return,” a deep and intense yearning for what was.
Welcome 2 Club XIII isn’t a nostalgic record.
With Welcome 2 Club XIII, The Drive-by Truckers — Patterson Hood (guitar, vocals), Mike Cooley (guitar, vocals), Brad Morgan (drums), Jay Gonzalez (guitar,