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Julie Rhodes - Bound to Meet the Devil

For many, being able to record part of an album at FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama and to work with a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and a Grammy-award-winning producer would be the apex of a successful musical career. But for New England-based singer Julie Rhodes, it’s just the beginning. On her debut album, Bound to Meet the Devil, Rhodes fits right in with a star-studded cast that includes cameos by Spooner Oldham, Sara Watkins, Greg Leisz, and Sheldon Gomberg. Exhibiting a combination of talent, soul, and grit often unmatched by debuting artists, Rhodes seems poised to become a mainstay in the Americana blues music scene for years to come.

Two years ago, however, all of this would have seemed improbable to Rhodes, as she hadn’t yet written or performed a song. She was slinging ice cream cones and sundaes at an ice cream parlor, spending 50 to 60 hours a week trying to get by. But attending a house show featuring New Jersey-based folksinger Jonah Tolchin changed everything for Rhodes. After Tolchin heard Rhodes sing along to his set, he motivated her to start writing songs herself. Rhodes then embarked on a two year journey of writing and recording, which culminated in the release of Bound to Meet the Devil, an 11-track opus of Americana blues, equal parts traditional and contemporary.

Tedeschi Trucks Band - Let Me Get By

After 2013's Made Up Mind, Tedeschi Trucks Band hit the road hard, racking up 200 dates in 2014. After Derek Trucks played the Allman Brothers Band's final shows, and TTB's parting with Sony, the 12-piece band and friends (including Doyle Bramhall II) entered their Swamp Raga Studios behind Trucks' and Susan Tedeschi's home, and began recording jam-style rehearsals; everyone was encouraged to contribute ideas, songs, etc. They'd break to work the road then return to record some more. The end result is Let Me Get By, produced by Trucks, recorded by Bobby Tis, and released by Fantasy. Jazz bassist Tim Lefebvre joined permanently (he was also part of David Bowie's band on Blackstar), and Alecia Chakour was enlisted to balance Mike Mattison and Mark Rivers on backing vocals.

The lineup is rounded out by keyboardist Kofi Burbridge, drummers Tyler Greenwell and J.J. Johnson, and a three-piece horn section. Trucks proves a fearless producer here. This collaboratively written ten-song set showcases the band's skill at playing and composing through Southern soul, roots rock, blues, greasy funk, jazz, Indian classical, film music, and African and Brazilian polyrhythms. An obvious studio offering, it's warm and resonant, yet crackling with energy and ideas. The feel is loose and grooving, the performances hot. Over TTB's last two albums, Tedeschi has become comfortable as the lead singer of a large band. She's almost iconic here, taking chances with phrasing, finding hidden spaces in lines and syllables, and emoting from the belly. She never oversells a song but always sings the hell out of it. (Check "Anyhow" if you want shivers.) She plays a mean guitar, too: her solo in the gritty, punchy, party funk number "Don't Know What It Means" is a highlight. But everybody gets to shine here -- Mattison with lead vocals on the Brechtian-esque carny rock of "Right on Time," and the modal soul of "Crying Over You/Swamp Raga for Hozapfel, Lefebvre, Flute and Harmonium" -- adding character and depth to TTB's signature.

Lefebvre's syncopation and invention create new possibilities for harmonic and rhythmic dialogue. His bass pushes the funky dual drum breaks and biting electric piano and organ on the title cut, allowing roaring horns, soaring chorus vocals, and Trucks' spiraling slide to collide with and flow through one another. The unusual meld of Memphis soul, Bollywood-style strings, Eastern electric slide, and strummed acoustic guitars creatively come together to support Tedeschi's wrenching, affirmative vocal in the passionate "Hear Me. The rave-up dancefloor R&B in "I Want More" is guaranteed to put any party into overdrive. The meld of gospel, soul, doo wop, and blues rock on closer "In Every Heart" offers a Trucks' solo that digs deep in the emotional grain to contrast with the sweet vibe. Never has TTB sounded so organic, relaxed, and free. Let Me Get By is the album this group has been striving for since their formation. You need this.

Ariela Jacobs – Yesteryear

-Ariela Jacobs has a “high art” voice. Her articulation is almost perfect. She reminds me of what I love about Billie Martin and every bit at that level. If you’re a fan of popular artists like Daniela Andrade, you really have to try out Jacobs. Her singing is crystal clear and each word just jumps out of your listening device. The backing work is just enough to keep you comfortable while enjoying the vocal quality and good stories. This is a stunning album.

NPR & CBC Premiere Sera Cahoone's New Album

NPR Music in the United States and CBC in Canada, two of the largest music media outlets in both countries are premiering the new album from Sera Cahoone in full! You can hear Sera's return to her Americana roots with From Where I Started, and let these lovely songs and melodies sweep you away! The new album drops March 24, with a March 20 radio add date.
NPR MUSIC FIRST LISTEN:

"Sera Cahoone has specialized in shy folk music, but 'From Where I Started' marks a shift toward putting more of herself into her warm storytelling." -NPR Music
CBC MUSIC FIRST PLAY
(geo-locked to Canada)

"There is a gentle, dusty sway to the album — it’s hard not to just lean back and daydream while listening."
-CBC Music
Sera Cahoone Spring Tour
* - with Gregory Alan Isakov
# - with Son Volt
4/19 - Lawrence, KS / Liberty Hall *
4/20 - Tulsa, OK / The Shrine *
4/22 - Sante Fe, NM / Meow Wolf *
4/23 - Flagstaff, AZ / The Orpheum Theatre *
4/24 - Tucson, AZ / Rialto Theatre *
4/26 - Santa Barbara, CA / Lobero Theatre *
4/27 - Santa Cruz, CA / The Catalyst *
4/28 - Petaluma, CA / McNear's Mystic Theatre *
4/29 - Sacramento, CA / Crest Theatre *
4/30 - Arcata, CA / Humboldt Brews *
5/1 - Eugene, OR / HiFi Music Hall *
5/3 - Vancouver, BC / The Imperial SOLD OUT *
5/4 - Vancouver, BC / The Imperial *
5/5 - Calgary, AB / Commonwealth Bar & Stage *
5/6 - Billings, MT / Pub Station Ballroom *
5/7 - Laramie, WY / Gryphon Theatre *
5/9 -  Boise, ID / The Olympic #
5/10 - SLC, UT / State Theatre #
5/11 - Fort Collins, CO / The Armory #
5/12 - Denver, CO / Bluebird #
5/13 - Boulder, CO / Fox Theatre #
MORE INFO ABOUT THE ALBUM
The world of American roots music is no stranger to Seattle songwriter Sera Cahoone. Even though her last three albums were on Sub Pop Records and she spent years at the top of the indie charts, she’s always had a streak of Americana that ran through her music, a love of the humble folk song that bolstered her art. She’s returning now to these earliest influences with her new album, From Where I Started (to be released March 24, 2017). Growing up, Cahoone first found her voice in Colorado dive bars, backing up old blues musicians at age 12 on the drums. Her father, a Rocky Mountain dynamite salesman, took the family along to mining conferences and old honky-tonks in the state. The sounds she heard there—the twang of country crooners, cowboy boots on peanut shells—have stayed with her all the way to Seattle, where she lives now, and the seminal indie rock bands she’s been a part of in the city (Carissa’s Weird, Band of Horses).
To make From Where I Started, her first new album since 2012’s Dear Creek Canyon, Cahoone traveled south to Portland to work with producer John Askew (Neko Case, Laura Gibson, Alela Diane). Askew brought together key Portland musicians like Rob Berger (Iron and Wine, Lucinda Williams), Dave Depper (Death Cab For Cutie) and Annalisa Tornfelt (Black Prairie) with Cahoone’s Seattle bandmates - Jeff Fielder (Mark Lanegan, Amy Ray) and Jason Kardong (Son Volt, Jay Farrar). The band lays a deep bedrock beneath Cahoone’s songs, supporting her arcing vocals and innovative guitar and banjo playing. The album is driven by a strong rhythmic sensibility, owed to Cahoone’s background as a drummer for indie rock bands. “A lot of my songs start as a beat, I add guitar, then lyrics at the end,” she says. “When I write songs I usually sit at my drum kit playing both drums and guitar at the same time.”
From Where I Started plays on the rougher, darker edges of the traditional love song. Like any good country album, the songs here deal with love and loss, but Cahoone also knows how to surround loss with hope, to temper a sad song with a turn in the major key. The optimism of the love song “Up To Me,” buoyed by fingerpicked guitar and banjo, gives way to the weary resignation of “Taken Its Toll,” with its plaintive pedal steel and echoing vocal harmonies. “Ladybug,” is a poignant song that followed the tragic death of Cahoone’s cousin Tawnee.
From Where I Started represents a refocusing for Sera Cahoone. It positions her as a songwriter beholden to the old country sounds she grew up with, a songwriter who’s always been able to deftly translate a personal perspective into a universal view. It’s an album about falling in and out of love, finding new hope, and learning that the best way to move forward is to remember where you began.

Passenger - Young as the Mourning Old as the Sea

Passenger's eighth studio album, 2016's Young as the Morning Old as the Sea, is a lushly produced album rife with subtle melodies and lyrics that reveal singer/songwriter Mike Rosenberg's soul-scratching itch to wander windswept rural landscapes. While Young as the Morning Old as the Sea follows on the heels of his stripped-down 2015 effort, Whispers II, given Rosenberg's use of orchestral arrangements and varied instrumentation from organ and trumpet to lap steel guitar, the album has more in common with 2014's Whispers. As on that album, Rosenberg here pairs with producer Chris Vallejo, a longtime collaborator. Together, they decamped to Neil Finn's Roundhead Studios in Auckland and, later, Linear Studios in Sydney to capture these nuanced, often delicately rendered compositions. Once again, the primary focus with Passenger is Rosenberg's folky, poetic, acoustic guitar-based songs built around his idiosyncratic voice. It's a distinctive combination that brings to mind the fantastical combination of an elfin troubadour and Van Morrison, as well as more grounded comparisons like Amos Lee minus the R&B influence or Brett Dennen with the Southern twang replaced by a British lilt. An air of wanderlust and a celebration of the life-renewing power of nature pervade the album. As Rosenberg sings on the title track, "I wanna feel a Russian winter/I wanna go to my Polish grandmother's home/I wanna see Hungarian lanterns/I wanna walk on a road that leads to Rome/I wanna be free as the wind that blows past me." And while there is a palpable joy in many of these songs, there is also a bittersweet quality, as if Rosenberg has been through a breakup or other loss. It's a tone he strikes best on his gossamer, Elizabethan-tinged duet with U.K. folk siren Birdy, "Beautiful Birds." They sing, "One day you asked for a different song/One that I just couldn't sing/I got the melody sharp and the words all wrong/Those were the last days of spring." Certainly, there are hooky, anthemic moments on Young as the Morning Old as the Sea, including the rambling, waltz-like "If You Go" and the rousing, declaratively romantic "Anywhere," both of which bring to mind a pleasing mix of Mumford & Sons and the Beautiful South. That said, these are deeply thoughtful and sophisticated songs that may take more than one listen to truly appreciate. Ultimately, with Young as the Morning Old as the Sea, Passenger has crafted an album that, not unlike the oceans, fields, roads, and relationships that inspired it, remains with you, calling you to return.

Fanny Lumsden – Small Town Big Shot

Small towns and the escape from them or retreat to them are often the subject of songs in country music. In recent times we’ve had Jenny Queen (Small Town Misfits) and Hurray For The Riff Raff (Small Town Heroes) address the topic in their album titles and now NSW songstress Fanny Lumsden has dug into the geographical and emotional psyche of small towns on her debut album.
Lumsden has proven over the last few years that she’s a born entertainer with a voice that swings between pop, soul and country and by surrounding herself with fine musicians (The Thrillseekers) she’s never failed to leave an imprint on an audience by way of her personality and performance. The good news is that she’s bottled that live experience and poured it into her first album. There’s a clean and bright production quality that leans towards an indie pop sensibility whilst still draped in the traditional trappings of banjo, upright bass, fiddle and pedal steel. It sounds tailored for radio and instant accessibility but scratch the surface and there is plenty of substance to match the polish.
The title track is the first standout song with its weeping pedal steel framing the tale of so many individuals who rule the rural roost in small towns at the expense of creating a positive life for themselves and those around them. It’s an accusatory song but also one steeped in pity. It talks of lost chances and spoilt potential, all for short term gain, with the song’s musical restraint perfectly matches the lyrical sentiments.
‘Rattle & Your Roll’ explores a similar melancholic feel and it’s the most emotionally striking song on the album. Putting herself in the shoes of someone who has the house and family and all the things expected of people in the name of ‘making it’, yet is still unhappy with their life, Lumsden paints a tragic picture. She dials into the sadness via her voice which soars through weary melodies. It has that effortless, lilting quality that country music is built on.
The songs that contrast the more frantic and bluegrass leaning ones are the most effective examples of Lumsden’s songwriting. There is space and time for her to weave lines that pick up on small details in social situations, objects in the corners of a song’s canvas. ‘I Choose You’ is another shuffling masterpiece. ‘Wait for the penny to drop and show it’s silver lining’ she sings in a sweet and soulful tone.
The balancing act between commercial country music and the more earthy alt. country world can be a tricky one. Kacey Musgraves and Lindi Ortega are two examples of how a singer/songwriter can exist in both worlds, finding popular success and maintaining favour with the critics. In Australia Lumsden is the finest exponent of just that. A country girl living in the city, embracing technology and bar gigs while investing time and money putting on country hall tours and writing songs that reflect her life experiences. Small Town Big Shot is an accomplished album that deserves to be recognised in Tamworth and Newtown (and on the world stage) for its accessible, strong and honest songwriting.

Michael Kiwanuka - Love & Hate

(This one is a bit outside of my usual box. Jasmine)
On his ambitious sophomore set, London native Michael Kiwanuka expands outward from the warm retro-soul of 2012 debut, Home Again. With its trio of producers and transatlantic recording locales, Love & Hate arrives with the weight of high expectations. Announcing his intentions from the start, Kiwanuka challenges listeners with "Cold Little Heart," an exquisitely arranged, ten-minute opus of lush strings and elegant backing vocals whose first line doesn't arrive until the halfway point. It's a Homeric bit of heartbroken prog-soul that shows off its creator's lead guitar chops as much as his rich, sandy voice. Co-produced by Danger Mouse and Inflo, it also introduces the heavy tonal palette that runs through the remainder of the album's ten tracks, even those produced by Kiwanuka's longtime collaborator, Paul Butler. Where Home Again was ultimately an intimate and gentler affair, Love & Hate puts some distance between singer and audience as he offers his worldweary introspections against the framework of '70s R&B, funk, and spaced-out rock. The timely social commentary of lead single "Black Man in a White World" feels lonesome and heavy in spite of its uptempo, hand-clapped rhythm and nimble guitar groove. Throughout the album, the space between parts is somehow wider, yet each tambourine hit, backing vocal, or funky guitar lick feels darker and more severe. The mildly psychedelic title cut is a mid-album standout whose slow-burning swagger and epic seven-minute length is countered by the tight, punchy "One More Night." Overall, Love & Hate has very little of the breezy, quietly strummed charm of its predecessor, but it represents serious growth from an artist deliberately pushing his boundaries. With this release, Kiwanuka has delivered a dark, graceful, and affecting artistic statement that is worth the patience it takes to experience it.

Seth Lakeman - Ballads of the Broken Few

British folk crossover Seth Lakeman turns in one of the most organic records of his career with 2016's Ballads of the Broken Few. A collaboration with sisters/cousin trio Wildwood Kin, Ballads is pares down even further from his semi-rustic 2014 effort Word of Mouth, offering spare single-mike renderings of seven new originals and four traditional and cover songs. As is occasionally his custom, Lakeman once again eschews a proper studio, opting to record at an old Jacobean manor house, with Ethan Johns capturing the sessions in all their harmonic glory. The vocal pairing of Exeter-based sisters Beth and Emillie Key and their cousin Meghann Loney with Lakeman's warm tenor is a good one and they make the most of their rich blend on tracks like "Innocent Child," "Fading Sound," and the soulful title cut, the latter of which is given some extra grit thanks to some wild distorted guitar work from Johns. Recorded in single takes around a lone mike, Lakeman and his collaborators gamely work the dynamics of the room, accentuating the liveliness of the affair with stomps, claps, and the spontaneous nuances of each unique performance. The instrumentation is generally minimalist with Lakeman's fiddle often providing the sole accompaniment to the vocal arrangements, which occasionally take on a gospel feel depending on the material. A mix of bluesy Americana and classic folk balladry, Ballads is finely crafted and passionately sung with plenty of stirring moments such as the beautiful "Silence Reigns" and "Stranger." It's a nice direction for Lakeman as he moves even more distinctly away from anything resembling pop music and into the timeless elegance of classic folk

Tyler Grant - Earth & Wood

Guitarist Tyler Grant, a National Flatpicking Champion and winner of the RockyGrass and Wayne Henderson guitar contests, among others, has spent much of his career in the jam band realm, playing with Drew Emmitt and Bill Nershi of Leftover Salmon and the String Cheese Incident, respectively. He’s also spent time with Abigail Washburn, Casey and Chris Henry, and April Verch. His latest album, Earth & Wood, is touted as a return to acoustic bluegrass for Grant, and is his first all-acoustic album since 2010’s instrumental record Up the Neck.
Grant wrote or co-wrote half of the album’s fourteen songs, proving himself not only a skilled composer but an adept writer, as well. Opening track Last Day on the Job is a smooth, reflective look at leaving a longtime job. It’s no quitting-man’s anthem, but a triumphant celebration of putting in years of hard work. With gentle (yet intricate) instrumentation and clever lines like “I got no badge and I don’t care no more, the only clearance I need is under my 4×4,” it’s a strong track. West Texas Wind, written by Grant with Benny Galloway, has a neat old west, cowboy song feel, telling the story of a rambler traveling through Texas with only his guitar and the wind as companions. Grant’s guitar break after the first chorus is worth a second listen, while dobro from Sally Van Meter and mandolin from Jordan Ramsey flesh out the song’s Texas vibe.
Galloway and Grant also collaborated on One Town One Tune, another rambling song about a musician who’s just trying to get home to the girl he loves while he’s making his way through the country “one town, one tune at a time.” It has a pleasant, rolling melody with an Americana/acoustic country sound. Grant’s Sweet Talking Angel is more classic country, with Van Meter’s dobro of particular note.
As is to be expected from a guitar champion, Grant contributes several instrumentals to the project. The Old Time Country Guitar is, as the title says, influenced by pre-bluegrass country guitar playing, with shades of Maybelle Carter in its mostly peaceful melody. Pick It is a grassy romp, calling on a full band to round out its sound and allowing each musician to interpret the tune in their own manner. It is obviously influenced by traditional bluegrass, but with progressive-leaning banjo and a bit of a jam at the end, it also allows Grant to show off his own musical sensibilities. Tyler Trail is a return to the solo guitar style that has brought Grant much acclaim, played smoothly and with obvious skill and care.
Another highlight here is the easygoing version of Albert Brumley’s I’d Rather Live By the Side of the Road, a Gospel number that highlights the virtues of living simply and living for the Lord. Fans of fluid guitar playing will also enjoy Grant’s renditions of the traditional Shove That Pig’s Foot a Little Further Into the Fire and Byron Berline’s Huckleberry Hornpipe.
On Earth & Wood, Grant definitely demonstrates why he has collected so many guitar contest wins. His picking is strong and confident; he effortlessly interprets traditional favorites and takes on various styles with ease. I particularly enjoyed the old West sound of West Texas Wind. The pickers he has assembled to support him are also talented. In addition to Van Meter and Ramsey, his band includes Adrian Engfer (bass), Patrick Hoeper (fiddle), and Dusty Rider (banjo). Guitar fans and those who enjoy original acoustic music should certainly check this one out.

Paul Kelly – Seven Sonnets & a Song

The argument about whether the lyrics to pop songs are poetry -- a debate that has been simmering since the '60s amongst academics and rock fans -- may never be settled. But poetry can certainly be adapted to pop songs, and the veteran Australian singer/songwriter Paul Kelly has brought us a surprising and effective example of the latter process in action. For the EP Seven Sonnets & a Song, Kelly has written music for six of William Shakespeare's sonnets, as well as adapting the song "O Mistress Mine" from the play Twelfth Night, and Sir Philip Sidney's poem "My True Love Hath My Heart." In the hands of many artists, this sort of project would sound stuffy and pretentious, as the tunesmith strives to write up to the level of Shakespeare. But here, Kelly appears to take the tack that Shakespeare was considered popular entertainment in his day, and rather than struggling to go arty, he fits these verses to smart but rootsy melodies that walk somewhere between rock, folk, and alt-country. Kelly approaches the sonnets not as fragile art, but as engaging writing that speaks eloquently of love, fury, passion, and the strongest of human emotions, and the music, simple but muscular, brings forth the strength of the words instead of watering them down. Kelly puts plenty of spirit and soul into the performances (as does Vika Bull, who takes the lead vocal on "My True Love Hath My Heart"), and there's a bold, easygoing vigor to this music that seems respectful to both the source material and Kelly's musical instincts. At less than 20 minutes, the only serious drawback of Seven Sonnets & a Song is that it ends too soon, and this is certainly a project Kelly should revisit someday.

Will Varley - Kingsdown Sundown

When it comes to most music scenes, it seems their rises and falls in terms of prominence is fairly well documented. Folk seems to break that pattern – away from the likes of Frank Turner, Laura Marling and Mumford And Sons, most of the genre’s modern success stories take place away from the spotlight. And to get to that point now, getting signed to behemoth folk label Xtra Mile Recordings is not a bad route to take. But for Will Varley, supporting The Proclaimers, Billy Bragg, and aforementioned stalwart Frank Turner has already given him plenty to put on his CV. He’s built up a modest but loyal fanbase, who have fallen in love with his storytelling – both the witty, hilarious side, and the emotional, often politically charged, serious side. On new album Kingsdown Sundown, Will’s said goodbye to songs akin to Talking Cat Blues and I Got This Email, focusing on more mature themes.

 Those sillier songs were often the focus of Will’s previous releases (especially if you’ve been in attendance of one of his legendary live performances), so it’s certainly a noticeable change not having one in this tracklisting. What is present is eleven gorgeous tracks which totally immerse you in the lyrics of the wordsmith. What’s more is that personal experience on Varley’s part is drawn upon often this time around. Tracks that explore general issues or characters like Let Your Guard Down (which touchingly describes the story of a relationship from beginning to end) are less of a focus in favour of more autobiographical material like February Snow, a particularly heartbreaking account of loss, or Too Late, Too Soon, a poignant ode to bad timing. But of course, it wouldn’t be a Will Varley album without politics being at its core, and if you’re unsure on his own personal views, To Build A Wall and We Want Our Planet Back are perfect crash courses.
 While there’s a large variety of topics being discussed on Kingsdown Sundown, it’s rather a different story instrumentally. All of the songs are accompanied with pretty picked acoustic guitar (with the occasional electric stab on We Want Our Planet Back). You’d be right to have doubts over the stark arrangement, but it does truly work – if the intricacy of the guitar isn’t enough to keep you hooked, then Will’s husky narration will do, and vice versa. Luckily though, there aren’t many times where this is needed, and it saves six and seven-minute-long tracks from feeling like just that. The minimalism is helped by the album’s production, too. In fact, there’s hardly any. All the tracks don’t seem to have had much done to them since the studio live rendition – it’s far from the clean, filed Postcards From Ursa Minor, but it does help make this Varley’s most consistent album to date.
 The eleven songs all seem to be on a par with each other in the sense that there’s no particular standout. There aren’t many singalong choruses here, but the lyrical content is something to be admired more than anything else. That might make the album more forgettable in comparison to previous releases in some peoples’ eyes, but it cements the idea of the artist Will Varley wants to be. Maturity suits him well, and this album only shows that he is one of music’s best-hidden storytellers.

Paul Cauthen – My Gospel

Those who have heard the two albums from Sons of Fathers, Paul Cauthen’s previous under-the-radar outfit, may not be surprised by the power and grit of the singer-songwriter’s voice. But the rest will be immediately transfixed by his vocals when we push play on his solo debut.

As soon as Cauthen starts singing “I’m still drivin’, when’s this break gonna come,” in a baritone that recalls a combination of Waylon Jennings, later day Guy Clark and the Maverick’s Raul Malo, you know you’re in for a dose of the unadulterated “outlaw country” that artists such as those took to the people, if not always the bank. Despite an erratic recording schedule that encompassed multiple musicians and audio engineers working in studios located in three states over as many years, these tracks have a consistent thread that makes this feel like a unified recording. Credit producer/mixer/multi-instrumentalist Beau Patrick Bedford who tethers these disparate threads together into an album that’s consistently moving, emotional and never hints at its erratic recording.

But his work wouldn’t have been possible without Cauthen’s tough/tender approach to songs as gutsy and passionate as his voice. Even when background vocals appear to punctuate his Elvis-inspired ballad “Grand Central” atop pedal steel and a resigned but determined voice singing “Lord if you hear me, I could surely use some help,” the effect stays rooted in the dusky honesty that pervades every selection. The same holds for the following “Saddle,” perhaps the most perfect example of Cauthen’s pure, occasionally eerie Texas flair mixed with his booming voice, unnerving backing vocals, a lonely bull Mexicali trumpet solo and a churchy attitude implied by the album’s title. A few tunes such as the galloping “I’ll Be the One,” a promise to be a better man to his romantic interest, enhance the mood by changing to a more sprightly style.

But the majority of My Gospel boasts driving, intense dramatic ballads reverberating with desire and the fortitude of a decent, if somewhat flawed guy determined to leave a bitter past behind in search of a better future. There is not a moment on any of these eleven cuts where you don’t believe Cauthen’s intent, making this not only a hard fought comeback but a powerful first solo statement that any lover of authentic, unsullied outlaw C&W will love.

David Bromberg - The Blues, the Whole Blues, and Nothing but the Blues

David Bromberg is a godfather of Americana, his career spanning all areas of American roots music whether as a sideman, a solo artist, or a bandleader. A multi-instrumentalist of the highest prowess, he has recorded with Richie Havens, Bonnie Raitt, Carly Simon, Willie Nelson, and Bob Dylan. After a highly prolific early period, having been signed to Columbia Records following an impromptu set at 1970’s Isle of Wight Festival, Bromberg stepped away from recording in 1990. During his long hiatus, which ended with 2007’s Try Me One More Time, he devoted time to becoming a master violin builder/repairman. He now splits his time between quietly running his violin shop in Wilmington, Delaware, and making joyful noise whenever the spirit moves him.
The spirit is in full motion on The Blues, the Whole Blues and Nothing But the Blues, recorded with the David Bromberg Band—Butch Amiot (bass), Josh Kanusky (drums), Mark Cosgrove (guitar), Nate Grower (fiddle), and Peter Ecklund (cornet)—and produced by Larry Campbell. The album is a master-class in blues-oriented Americana as Bromberg and his accompanists bring to life a collection of 11 smartly chosen covers and two Bromberg originals that fit seamlessly into the flow.
The album opens with a Howlin’ Wolf-inspired riff that electrifies Robert Johnson’s “Walkin’ Blues” and sets the tone for what’s to come. These aren’t museum pieces; Bromberg and band breathe new life into these old songs, paying homage to folk song traditions while making music in the now. The big blues band sound of “How Come My Dog Don’t Bark When You Come ‘Round” turns this unattributed and almost lost song from the clueless cuckold tradition of the medicine show era into a barn burner. Similarly, the band embraces the hokum blues of John Willey Henry’s “You Been a Good Old Wagon”. These songs also reflect Bromberg’s longstanding affection for humor in song, and his delivery maximizes the comic effect.
The band jumps from one folk tradition to the next with finesse, turning Sonny Boy Williamson’s “Eyesight to the Blind” into a Chicago blues strut, while going full-on gospel with “Yield Not to Temptation”. “900 Miles” becomes another low-burn scorcher given the full band treatment, with Bromberg coaxing a wailing train whistle from his guitar that gives way to a driving lead solo. Bromberg plays slower here than earlier in his career, going for depth instead of flair. Bromberg’s voice, too, has weathered and matured into an evocative instrument, its wavering on Ray Charles’ “A Fool for You” adding another emotional layer to the song. That world-weary voice combines with his sparse playing to haunt the listener of “Delia” (not to be confused with the version Johnny Cash recorded) with a chilling refrain of “She’s all I got is gone”.
The band fills out each song handily, its unusual instrumentation (violin… cornet!) making more sense with each track. Early American music, after all, had lots of room for a variety of instruments before getting somewhat formalized during the folk revivalist periods of the ‘60s and ‘80s. The precision of the players and the interplay of instruments gives them the freedom to move from the country blues of the Mississippi Delta to the jug band tradition of the urban South, and from New Orleans to Chicago, embracing the breadth of American music in its myriad places and times. In doing so, they have made a timeless album for the current moment.

Rhonda Vincent and the Rage – All the Rage

Rhonda Vincent has been a solid voice of bluegrass music since the 1970's. She first performed with a family band (The Sally Mountain Show), before going solo. Her career took a country turn for a few years, but she's mostly a bluegrass artist these days, and bluegrass is the beneficiary.

Vincent has found her voice (literally and figuratively) fronting The Rage. Anyone who has seen her live show knows that she can tear it up, whilst remaining true to mountain music sensibility. "All The Rage" is a live set in May 2015 at the Bethel Performing Arts Center in northwestern Tennessee, nicely capturing her stage show, and showcasing the musicianship of not only Vincent, but her estimable Rage-mates. From the opening trickle-down banjo line (which then launches into a full-on rendition of "Muleskinner Blues") to the tight harmonies of "Run Mississippi," the band demonstrates stout command of the material. Vincent's phrasing is remarkable for its sureness and empathy, most notably on "Missouri Moon" and "I've Forgotten You."

"All The Rage" admirably displays the ebb and flow of a bust-out stage show, and it's best listened to start to finish. In that way, the listener settles into the outstanding mountain harmonies of "Midnight Angel," say, before being launched into a scorching banjo instrumental ("Wow Baby") displaying some daring licks from Aaron McDaris. To the same effect, not surprisingly, is "All About The Banjo." Josh McWilliams, guitar/mandolin and vocals, left The Rage for a while, but has returned, and his singing complements Vincent's with intensity and tone as does the voice of Dobro player Mickey Harris

Williams' turn on "Freeborn Man," a bluegrass staple, is well executed and true to the form. It takes both confidence and nerve to invite comparisons to Tony Rice, but Williams is up to the challenge. There's a strong theme of bluegrass gospel toward the end of the set ("You Don't Love God If You Don't Love Your Neighbor" and "Old Rugged Cross"), but the devotional tunes never turn treacly.

In all, "All The Rage" nicely delivers the listeners to the sweet spots of a Rhonda Vincent Show. That's encouraging and entertaining. "All The Rage" is all that and more.