Category Archives: Commentary

What’s New for the 10th of May: books reviewed by Jennifer Stevenson, music by Teddy Thompson, Americana music from all over, and some live music from John Fogerty

Posted on 10th May 2026 by Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

When I was young and in my prime (in my prime) I left my home in Caroline Now all I do is sit and pine, for all those folks I left behind I got the Blue Ridge mountain blues, and … Continue reading →

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What’s New for the 26th of April: the nature of Stories; some new and newish SF, plus new world, jazz, folk and Americana music

Posted on 26th April 2026 by Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

But that is the nature of grammar—it is always tense, like an instrument, aching for release, longing to transform present into past into future, is into was into will. — Amal El-Mohtar’s The River Has Roots Everything has a story to … Continue reading →

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What’s New for the 12th of April: Some new and recent SF; new Americana, Norwegian folk rock and jazz; and thoughts on War For The Oaks

Posted on 12th April 2026 by Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

Dan played a keyboard line like a question that demanded an answer, and Willy punctuated it with a harsh chord. After two of those, Carla joined Willy with a distant growl of thunder on one of her toms. Hedge’s bass … Continue reading →

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What’s New for the 29th of March: Beer and spirits, in song and text, some new Scandinavian fiddle music and jazz flute music, and more

Posted on 29th March 2026 by Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

There were two things Janey Little loved best in the world: music and books, and not necessarily in that order. Her favorite musician was the late Billy Pigg, the Northumbrian piper from the northeast of England whose playing had inspired … Continue reading →

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What’s New for the 15th of March: some DeLint stories for early spring; lots of polskas, Serbian folk rock, progressive jazz, and Nordic music from the archives

Posted on 16th March 2026 by Reynard

Maybe there’s something you can learn from being a cat instead of a little girl. — Charles de Lint’s The Cats of Tanglewood Forest Iain here. So winter ends in just six days; sure, tell that to the weather outside. It’s been warm with temperatures … Continue reading →

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What’s New for the 1st of March: Emma Bull’s War for The Oaks, Rosanne Cash’s ‘Runaway Train’, Johnny Cash at San Quentin, plus new Americana and jazz music

Posted on 1st March 2026 by Reynard

I’m worried about you I’m worried about me The curves around midnight Aren’t easy to see Flashing red warnings Unseen in the rain This thing has turned into A runaway train Rosanne Cash’s ‘Runaway Train’ There’s always music playing here … Continue reading →

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What’s New for the 1st of February: Kage Baker retrospective; new Americana, Buddhist chants and Finnish songs, new and reissued jazz, and more

Posted on 1st February 2026 by Reynard

I don’t think humanity just replays history, but we are the same people our ancestors were, and our descendants are going to face a lot of the same situations we do. It’s instructive to imagine how they would react, with different … Continue reading →

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What’s New for the 4th of January: Favorite books and music of 2025

Posted on 4th January 2026 by Reynard

To everything (turn, turn, turn) There is a season (turn, turn, turn) And a time for every purpose, under heaven Pete Seeger’s “Turn! Turn! Turn!” We’ve given over this edition to Gary, our music editor extraordinaire, who’s telling us about the … Continue reading →

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What’s New for 23 November

Posted on 23rd November 2025 by Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

Weather like this makes me want to write ‘Death’ on all the leaves. — Marianne C. Porter I can smell garlic, cumin, nutmeg, cardamom, and even a hint of ginger on the whole baby lamb being slowly cooked as I … Continue reading →

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What’s New for the 9th of November: rhymers and ravens, folk songs and folk tales, jazz guitar and dark forests and constellations put to music, Hungarian tunes and knights and rakes and tinkers and fools, and more

Posted on 9th November 2025 by Reynard

The fiddle playing that tune had a mute on its bridge, substantially reducing the volume of the music, but it was still loud enough for the woman to lift her head and smile when she heard it. She knew that … Continue reading →

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