AltWeeklies Wire
A Review of the Country-rock Mason Dixon Band's Debutnew
Every classic country album needs a sappy romance song, and "Unspoken Promises" delivers it with a slow tempo and whining steel guitar in the background. "Ain't Dead Yet" is the best track because it sounds more like a snippet from life on the road than just another folk diddy.
Charleston City Paper |
Patrick McGinn |
12-16-2009 |
Reviews
Chuck's Wagon Makes Australia Safe for Alt-Countrynew
Chuck Stokes learned to love American country-rock the old fashioned way, through a Wyoming construction worker who earned extra money skinning and gutting animals.
Colorado Springs Independent |
Bill Forman |
09-10-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
A Half-True History of Shelton Hank Williamsnew
Shelton Hank Williams -- known on stage as Hank III -- might only be the most recent generation of three Hank Williams boys to make his name in music, but, with or without the legacy, he's an absolute American original.
INDY Week |
Chris Parker |
07-02-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Shane Tutmarc Heads South to Search for His Soulnew
With his pencil-thin mustache and bowler hat, Tutmarc looks like he could be the star of a 1930s European film. But when he opens his mouth to sing, out comes a brass twang halfway between Dwight Yoakam and a young Steve Earle.
Seattle Weekly |
Brian J. Barr |
06-15-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
A Chris Gaffney Tribute Brings Near-Perfect Mix of Blue-Eyed Soulsters and Roots-Rockersnew
What started out as a rallying cry to help a sick friend in need turned into a post-mortem tribute album.
Creative Loafing (Atlanta) |
David Lee Simmons |
05-21-2009 |
Reviews
Carrie Rodriguez Balances Melody and Dissonancenew
Live in Louisville is marked by Carrie Rodriguez' impassioned delivery and the explosive performance of her band.
Tucson Weekly |
Gene Armstrong |
05-07-2009 |
Reviews
Stripped: 'Naked Willie'new
On Naked Willie, tainted, schmaltzy tunes take on a whole new life, and the rediscovery of these gems is an aural epiphany.
Creative Loafing (Atlanta) |
James Kelley |
04-10-2009 |
Reviews
Unconventional Alt-Countrynew
Hungry Bird is a quietly triumphant reintroduction for Clem Snide, the Brooklyn-turned-Nashville band that spun more than a decade of charms from the quirky and clever songwriting of Eef Barzelay.
Tucson Weekly |
Eric Swedlund |
04-02-2009 |
Reviews
Charlie Louvin, Aging Legendnew
Despite some help from some big names, Charlie Louvin's two new CDs are for trad-country completists only.
Tucson Weekly |
Jarret Keene |
01-22-2009 |
Reviews
Country Music Rediscovers Its Whiskied Small-Town Rootsnew
Taylor Swift's recent album, Fearless, is such a triumph, both artistically and commercially, that you'd think it would be the answer to all of country music's problems. But it's not -- because it's not really a country record.
Baltimore City Paper |
Geoffrey Himes |
01-06-2009 |
Music
Brit Cult Fave Holly Golightly Tries it Twangynew
By her own admission, Holly Golightly isn't overly familiar with country music. But that hasn't kept her from affecting a twang and recording Dirt Don't Hurt, a rootsy album of hayseed duets with her partner in musical crime, Lawyer Dave.
NOW Magazine |
Tim Perlich |
11-10-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Indie Rockers Aren't Playing Americana, They're Playing Dress-Upnew
Don't be fooled by the faded denim and snap-button cowboy shirts.
Seattle Weekly |
Justin F. Farrar |
09-29-2008 |
Music
Ruby Dee and the Snakehandlers Create No-Nonsense Honky-Tonk Musicnew
From out of the great Pacific Northwest come Ruby Dee and the Snakehandlers, armed and taking no prisoners with their contemporary take on classic country, rockabilly, Western swing and Bakersfield-style honky-tonk music.
Tucson Weekly |
Gene Armstrong |
09-25-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Taking Apart Rock Journalism and Loving Country with David Berman of Silver Jewsnew
Berman is a really fun -- gabby, even -- intelligent, well-read, and eminently likable dude, willing to break it down with sincere, self-effacing erudition and venture off on thoughtful tangents.
San Francisco Bay Guardian |
Kimberly Chun |
09-24-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Jailbird Countrynew
Fans of country music, rejoice: 10 of Merle Haggard's early Capitol Records albums have been remastered and released.
Style Weekly |
Brent Baldwin |
04-13-2006 |
Reviews
