Your Front Row Seat To Americana Music
Magic, folklore, and mysterious worlds are brought to life on Welsh singer-songwriter SERA’s latest album, When I Wake Up. Pulling from a variety of influences, SERA challenges the pervasive concept that folk and Americana artists have to live in a perpetual melancholic funk or, in the alternative, reel out a slew of toe-tapping country jams. ... Continue Reading →
From the very first notes of “Tuscarora,” the opening track of Strong Water’s latest album Bearfoot, we sonically soar through the verdant Virginia landscape that the band calls home. With stretches of singing fiddle and bubbling banjo rolls, the band puts down their proverbial kickstand in the inclusive soil of the Americana landscape with resolve... Continue Reading →
It's a common understanding that the strongest trees have the deepest roots--in their new EP In Bloom, folk-pop trio VON GREY celebrates their acoustic roots and spreads their wings of independence. The six-song gem features new tunes and breathes life into previously-released ones, all anchored by the sisters’ signature blood harmony, stringed mastery, and gut-punching lyricism. ... Continue Reading →
When American Aquarium releases new recordings every couple of years, the bulk of their songs often come straight from the observations and life experiences of lead singer BJ Barham. In their upcoming June 1st release Things Change, that fact garners even more credence. You see, the American Aquarium that many of their fans knew no... Continue Reading →
Anthemic acoustic guitar riffs mixed with contemplative finger-picked melodies. Lyrics spanning from reflective to whiskey-drunk. Dramatic vocal builds alongside gentle harmonies. Waves of folk crashing against shoals of rock and blues. Together, these traits define both the heart of Americana music as well as the soul of Great Peacock’s new album, Gran Pavo Real. It... Continue Reading →
The combination of great songwriting and great singing causes a chemical reaction in the brain--not that lightbulb, ah-ha kind of moment, but a subtle click that causes an ensuing tsunami of emotion and harmony that works so well together, you can’t quite explain the magic. I have felt that way about Brandi Carlile’s music for... Continue Reading →
See You Around, the much-anticipated debut album from I’m With Her, sounds as natural and opiate as one would expect of a release combining the talents of three of folk music’s most accomplished musicians, songwriters, and vocalists. What’s more is that the trio, comprised of Sara Watkins (Nickelcreek, Watkins Family Hour), Aoife O’Donovan (Crooked Still), and... Continue Reading →
Undiscovered musical talent is all around us; sometimes, it opportunely breaks into the national consciousness—and, through the magic of the internet, there are no limits to music’s reach, and sharing it has become simple. Austin-based Johnny Dango’s new album Dear Everybody, I Love You is one worth sharing. With solidly set tongue-in-cheek sentiment wrapped in quality... Continue Reading →
It’s so refreshing when artists challenge themselves to push the boundaries of their previous work, when you can’t help but know that each word, phrase, and musical note is carefully crafted and precisely placed. Siblings Tyler and Maggie Heath, who together are folkicana duo The Oh Hellos, have taken intelligent creativity to a new level... Continue Reading →
Trout Steak Revival has nothing to prove, yet everything to show off in their fourth album, Spirit To The Sea, set for release on November 3rd. This Colorado-based quintet displays growth and maturity as they reach great heights in their expression and their harmonies, with a richer and tighter sound than their previous endeavors. The... Continue Reading →