Jerry Joseph Balances the Current and Timeless on ‘The Beautiful Madness’
At the end of the Bible, John the Revelator writes one of the most apocalyptic, prophetic pieces of text in history. Though the book of Revelation is full of images and stories that conjure visions of the end of times, it also presents the culmination of this world as being
Chuck Prophet Remembers the Past on ‘The Land That Time Forgot’
Chuck Prophet has always seemed to be operating on a completely different wavelength than the rest of us. The prolific songwriter has made 15 (yes, you read that right) solo records, all singular, each special. His energy for writing and recording music feels unmatched in some respects, and even amidst
The Mavericks Celebrate Their Roots on ‘En Español’
Some might be surprised to learn that The Mavericks have never in their 30 years as a band released an all-Spanish album, but it makes some sense when you know their story. Mavericks co-founder Raul Malo is a first-generation American (his Cuban-born parents escaped the Castro
FreshGrass Foundation Signs On for Next Phase of Steve Martin Banjo Prize
Since 2010, actor and comedian Steve Martin’s banjo prize has awarded $50,000 each year to a banjo player with outstanding technical achievements and contributions to the bluegrass community, including Rhiannon Giddens, Noam Pikelny, and Jens Kruger. As it moves into its second decade, the award will continue under
Kris Delmhorst Opens Her Door on ‘Long Day in the Milky Way’
The heart of Kris Delmhorst’s Long Day in the Milky Way is, fittingly, in the middle of the record when, on “Skyscraper,” she softly sings: “You could be an open door. What are you waiting for?”
Across her eighth album, Delmhorst is inspiringly open and honest and is not
Arlo McKinley Keeps It Simple and Sublime in Debut ‘Die Midwestern’
If there’s one lesson to take away from Arlo McKinley’s Die Midwestern, it’s the importance of getting back to basics. Musically, the 40-year-old’s solo debut — released on the late John Prine’s Oh Boy label and championed by Prine himself — is the kind of