Martin Simpson - Cool And Unusual
Martin Simpson's recordings are a utopia of the acoustic guitar. Across them coalesce British, Irish, Scottish, Indian, Mississippi Deltan, Ozarkian, gypsy and European character alike. But Simpson's signature glows through: the trilling and surging dynamics, that raw thunk of thumb punctuating a phrase.
His records have
Corey Harris - Fish Ain't Bitin'
Four times, now, I've started this CD just to hear the effortless little woebegone slide in Corey Harris' voice as he sings, "High fever got me-e-e." It's not a fearful, pneumonial plea, but it perfectly imparts the considerable discomfort of chickenpox.
Harris is
Will Oldham - Joya
On first listen, I hated this record. I hated Will Oldham. I hated his pomposity, his faux mystery-man pose, his pretentious lyrics and his boring music. On the second listen, I discovered the kernels of some very good songs -- but I still hated his reedy, whiny voice. I wished
Donnie Fritts - Everybody's Got A Song
I'll be surprised if another record comes out this year that features as much quality talent as the new album from Donnie Fritts -- who himself is not particularly well-known, though his songs have been covered by everyone from the Rolling Stones to UB40.
Fritts may be most
Chuck Prophet - Brother Aldo
Originally issued in the U.K. seven years ago on a tiny label while Prophet was on hiatus from the now-defunct Green On Red, Brother Aldo quickly disappeared despite receiving some outstanding reviews in the British press. But Velvel has wisely picked up the rights and issued it for the
Waco Brothers - Do You Think About Me / Jon Langford - Skull Orchard
The Waco Brothers put out the gnarliest of a more sentimental crop of roots rockers last year -- twice, for good measure. Mostly a collection of outtakes, the ten-song CD Do You Think About Me was intended to be the kicker that last January's Cowboy In Flames needed