Milwaukee’s finest serves up another batch of songs showcasing his monster guitar chops and huge sense of humor. On this new disc, Koch is once again a tour de force of the six-string, playing tracks like “Leg Up Foot Out,” with a feel that can only be described as an odd mix of country and [...]
Whatever else happens to The Clutters, they will never be invited to Sarah Palin’s house for Thanksgiving dinner – the name of their song about her can’t even be printed. But they are clever satirists and seriously talented folk/rock musicians who work from way beyond the edge. Their music is obviously Beatles- (“JonBenet,” “Wear This [...]
Australian Claude Hay is an intensely spirited one-man band. He works himself into such a frenzy performing his multi-layered songs (“How Can You Live Without Yourself”) they become improvisation-like outpourings of a man possessed. Whatever his inspiration, Hay has a knack for writing unique songs. A superf luous cover of Queen’s “We Will Rock You” [...]
Marshall Chapman wrote most of the songs here in tribute to friend (and former guitarist) Tim Krekel, who died of cancer in June of ’09. The result is at once beautiful and very sad. Krekel played on the title cut, his twangy electric guitar, along with floating dobro and steel from Tommy Spurlock, make it [...]
The Lonesome River Band has been around for 30 years. And while he wasn’t a founding member, banjo player Sammy Shelor is the de facto leader of the band by virtue of tenure. On their latest album, the band delivers the same driving sound that has made them fan favorites. The Lonesome River Band’s roster [...]
Faced with the formidable task of following her own recent successes, the queen of gospel music teamed with Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy and scored another artistic bull’s eye. Producer Tweedy wisely used the trio that has been Staples’ touring unit in the wake of 2007’s stripped down We’ll Never Turn Back (featured on 2008’s Live: Hope [...]
First, this Kentucky Thunder has nothing to do with Rickey Skaggs’ band. And instead of bluegrass, they serve up hot-buttered white Southern soul, a la Delaney and Bonnie. Since the band has four lead vocalists (Etta Britt, Vickie Carrico, Jonell Mosser and Sheila Lawrence – all of whom have angelic pipes), no song is carried [...]
Gibson It’s hard to toss a quarter in Nashville without hitting a songwriter holding a tip jar, but few have Scott Gibson’s songwriting chops. On Just Keep Drivin’, Gibson delivers 12 reasons he should be on your radar. Born inWaco, many of Gibson’s songs are stories aboutTexas; the title tune tells the tale of [...]
The Grascals understand that making music professionally is a business, and strategic partnerships are part of being successful. On The Grascals + Friends they partner with some of the biggest names in country music. Though known as a bluegrass band, the music here is more acoustic and electric country; partners include Brad Paisley, Dierks Bentley, [...]
See an instrumental, old-school R&B band consisting of Hammond organ, drums, guitar, and (in this case, added on) bass, and it’s a safe assumption it will owe a debt to Booker T. & The MG’s. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing; the world might be a better place if there were more combos laying down [...]
