Tag Archives: Americana music

José Medeles’s Railroad Cadences & Melancholic Anthems

It’s great to know that there’s still so much great music coming out of Portland, Oregon. This one is as eclectic and as Portland as they come, matching up three excellent and quite different Portland guitarists with a Portland drummer … Continue reading

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Frog Holler’s Haywire

My biggest problem in writing this review of Frog Holler’s excellent new album is how to classify their music. “Alt-country” has become so ubiquitous a tag as to be virtually meaningless these days. And it’s too bad one even has … Continue reading

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The Youngers’ Heritage

I was attracted to The Youngers by the presence of frontman Todd Bartolo, who plays guitar in one of my favorite bands, the Pennsylvania-based alt-country outfit Frog Holler. Though also based in rural Pennsylvania, The Youngers is quite a different … Continue reading

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Bruce Springsteen’s We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions

“In 1997 I recorded ‘We Shall Overcome’ for Where Have All the Flowers Gone: The Songs of Pete Seeger. Growing up a rock’n’roll kid I didn’t know a lot about Pete’s music or the depth of his influence. So I … Continue reading

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John Cohen’s That High Lonesome Sound: Films of American Rural Life and Music

John Cohen is perhaps better known as a member of the New Lost City Ramblers. This group of city boys playing the old time music of America influenced almost every musician interested in traditional American music who came along. Bob … Continue reading

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Mama’s Broke’s Narrow Line

When it comes to Americana music, I’m pretty definite about what I prefer. Simple acoustic instrumentation – say, a fiddle plus a banjo or a guitar or sometimes a mandolin. Playing music that combines Appalachian styles with influences from all … Continue reading

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Donna the Buffalo’s Positive Friction

Chris Woods wrote this review. At last! The second album from Donna The Buffalo. I have been waiting for this since I heard the first one a couple of years ago. Why is it that second-rate bands can bring out … Continue reading

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Jim Lauderdale with Donna the Buffalo’s Wait ‘Til Spring

Jim Lauderdale is one of the most respected and sought-after songwriters in country music. And what’s most impressive is that he’s equally popular with the Nashville establishment and the alt-country crowd. He’s also a prolific recording artist, waxing numerous solo … Continue reading

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Freakons’ Freakons

“How much more is there left to lose?” That’s a good summary of the spirit of this eponymous album, born of the fortuitous conjoining of two of the greatest underground bands on the globe – alt-country outliers Freakwater and U.K. … Continue reading

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Allison de Groot & Tatiana Hargreaves’ Hurricane Clarice

The coronavirus pandemic of the early ’20s has played a huge role in all kinds of arts and entertainment, which I’m sure scholars will be studying for decades to come. One thing I’ve noticed is that every musician or musical … Continue reading

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