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
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
Bobby Hicks - Fiddle Patch
Even in bluegrass, where instrumental ability is an across-the-board prerequisite, sidemen are often overlooked, and for a long time there's been no more egregious a case of insufficient acclaim than that of Bobby Hicks, former Blue Grass Boy, member of the Bluegrass Album Band studio supergroup,
Sid Griffin - Little Victories
Beginning with his early '80s work as frontman for the Long Ryders and through his more recent output via the London-based Coal Porters (plus a writing credit for his bio of Gram Parsons), Sid Griffin has been channeling the roots of American music for quite some time now.