Tag Archives: Americana music

Kaia Kater’s Nine Pin

Kaia Kater’s follow-up to her strong 2014 debut disc Sorrow Bound fulfills that album’s promise and more. The African-Canadian banjo player, singer and songwriter has delivered a personal and social manifesto on Nine Pin. In the tradition of Carolina Chocolate … Continue reading

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Anna Tivel’s Heroes Waking Up

Anna Tivel sings her songs of world-weariness and hope in a voice that sounds a lot younger than her words. The Northwest-raised Tivel currently calls Portland home, but she’s spent a lot of time on the road and with her … Continue reading

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Tara Nevins’ Mule to Ride 

Brendan Foreman penned this review. Rather than bask in the typical “vanity press” atmosphere of most solo outings, Tara Nevin — fiddler and lead vocalist of Donna the Buffalo (see our review of Rockin’ in A Weary World) — acts here … Continue reading

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Donna the Buffalo’s Rockin’ in the Weary Land

Chris Woods penned this review. Wow! What an incredible debut album from this New York based six piece band. It’s not often I play a CD by a band I have never heard of and am captivated within seconds. Plenty of … Continue reading

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Popcorn Behavior’s Hot Contra Dance Tunes, Journeywork and Strangest Dream

Naomi de Bruyn wrote this review. It is rather disconcerting at first to listen to this group. The music is impeccable and surpasses much of what I have heard in my life. This in itself is not all that remarkable. However, … Continue reading

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Jay Ungar and Molly Mason’s Relax Your Mind

Jay Ungar and Molly Mason are best known for their waltz, “The Ashokan Farewell,” which became the centerpiece tune of the Ken Burns/PBS documentary about the American Civil War. They’re more than a one-trick pony, though, as they demonstrate on Relax … Continue reading

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Jay Ungar and Molly Mason’s Harvest Home: Music For All Seasons 

Brendan Foreman wrote this review. Most famous for their sparse yet sublime fiddle tune “Ashokan Farewell,” the eventual theme to Ken Burns’ Civil War series, Jay Ungar and Molly Mason are seasoned veterans of the old-time circuit. Besides being excellent musicians (Ungar … Continue reading

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Eli West’s The Both

This release combines the talents of some of my favorite musical discoveries of the past couple of years, starting with Eli West. I first learned of the Seattle-based roots musician through his 2014 release with Cahalen Morrison, I’ll Swing My … Continue reading

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Richmond Fontaine’s You Can’t Go Back if There’s Nothing To Go Back To

Richmond Fontaine is capping a 22-year career as Portland, Oregon’s top alt-country band with one of its best albums. You Can’t Go Back if There’s Nothing To Go Back To is the band’s 11th studio album and intended to be … Continue reading

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Rosanne Cash’s Blue Moons and Broken Hearts: the Anthology 1979-1996

Rosanne Cash is the daughter of the legendary Johnny Cash and his first wife, Vivian. She has a brand new album out which is being strongly promoted. This disc, Blue Moons and Broken Hearts, is an anthology of her earlier work. … Continue reading

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