Tag Archives: Americana music

Howe Gelb’s The Listener and The Band of Blacky Ranchette’s Still Lookin’ Good to Me

Howe Gelb is one of the most prolific of American independent recording artists. He’s based in Tucson, Arizona, although he now spends about half of his time in Denmark, where his wife is from. Recording under his own name, or … Continue reading

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Suzy Bogguss’ Swing!

Suzy Bogguss is a highly popular country star, and something of a Nashville maverick. Which means she got famous enough before Music City was totally taken over by the big labels and the suits that she can continue to make … Continue reading

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The Handsome Family’s Singing Bones

Brett and Rennie Sparks, a.k.a. The Handsome Family, have been releasing records for the better part of a decade now. Singing Bones, their sixth regular release (not counting the internet-only rarities disc Smothered and Covered in 2002), is their first … Continue reading

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Robert Earl Keen’s Farm Fresh Onions

OK, I confess! I’ve occasionally judged a book by its cover. And I’ve sometimes judged a musician by his or her fans. Robert Earl Keen, f’r instance. Keen’s a good ol’ Texas boy best known for his frat-guy party anthem, … Continue reading

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Various artists’ It’ll Come to You … The Songs of John Hiatt

If any American popular songwriter is due a tribute, it’s John Hiatt. He’s been writing and recording his pithy, blues-influenced songs for some three decades, and had songs covered by dozens of more popular artists, but has never had his … Continue reading

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Little Sue’s Crow

One of the mainstays in Portland’s thriving alt-country community, Susanna Weaver performs and records as Little Sue, with backing from a host of other local musicians. Crow, her second CD, is an endearing disc. The 10 songs on Crow cover … Continue reading

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Andrew Bird’s Weather Systems

Andrew Bird first came to my attention in the late ’90s as a guest player on records by the swing revivalists Squirrel Nut Zippers. Since then the Chicago native has put out four solo albums, three backed by his own … Continue reading

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Vic Chesnutt’s Silver Lake

Vic Chesnutt is a Southern singer-songwriter who’s more respected by other musicians than by the marketplace or the public. Partially paralyzed since a drunken-driving accident at the age of 18, he’s put out a series of albums with songs that … Continue reading

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The Richard Thompson Band’s Ducknapped! and Richard Thompson’s 1000 Years of Popular Music

To counter widespread bootlegging of his music, Richard Thompson decided to from time to time issue “unofficial” live recordings. With the birth of his official website “Beesweb” and a label of the same name, the number of these releases has … Continue reading

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Darrell Scott’s Family Tree

Brendan Foreman wrote this review. Rarely does an album cover come as teeming with subtexts as that on Darrell Scott’s newest release Family Tree (his second after Aloha from Nashville released by Sugar Hill). A picture of his son in … Continue reading

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