Come To Me, the new release from Carmen Ratti Band featuring Jill Dineen, is a satisfying mix of soul, gospel, funk, and modern blues. It delivers 11 tracks, full of heart, soul, and a band that plays together with a consistently aligned musical coordination that is refreshing. These are players who clearly appreciate each other, … Continue reading
Good Crook, the latest album from Chris Vincent & The Raw Deals is very good indeed. The refreshing strength of Good Crook comes from its streamlined and powerful delivery of raw emotion. The album showcases Chris Vincent’s intimate, storytelling vocals and slide guitar, alongside the guidance of drummer Johnny Vidacovich and given dimension from Dean … Continue reading
From the opening notes, it’s clear that Chris Vincent has something to say. The energy that drives the album title, first track on the new album, Good Crook, ropes the listener in and doesn’t let go for the next twelve songs. Chris Vincent & the Raw Deals have delivered an amazing deal. The album positively … Continue reading
David Deacon makes music that makes you want to really listen. His new album, Four, released on Slammin Media, is a tribute to the breadth of his writing ability and his mesmerizing storytelling talent. Four spans a range of heartfelt emotions, relying on songs that require no explanation, just attentive ears and a willingness to … Continue reading
The title of one of my favorite songs captures it best: “So Much Good Right Here.” There’s no other way to (and certainly no reason not to) put it as honestly, for The Lonely Pines—the new album from Jesse Brewster (released by Crooked Prairie Records)—is such a pure experience that it deserves nothing but a … Continue reading
The Nighthawks – Tryin’ to Get to YouLabel: EllerSoul Records Is there anything these days as reliable as am album from The Nighthawks? I think not. The Nighthawks, the seminal American roots music group based in Washington, D.C., have been consistently creating dependably satisfying blues, roots and rock ’n’ roll for decades. Their latest release, … Continue reading
Manx Marriner Mainline — Hellbound For Heaven Label: Stony Plain Records Having a stack of recently released CDs to choose from, I decided to go for the most promising title. Scanning the stack of CD spines, I spied the words “Hellbound For Heaven.” Now this, I thought to myself, sounds like the source of some original … Continue reading
Mike Younger — Little Folks Like You And Me Release Date: July 21, 2017 If there’s anything that recent history has shown, it’s that everyone has an opinion. And there’s never been a shortage of independent musicians using their songs as a platform for whatever causes they espouse. What are often lacking, however, are songs … Continue reading
Beth Garner — ‘Snake Farm’ (Release date: 2/24/17) Don’t let the title scare you away; this album is a very good time. Nashville-based roots singer/guitarist Beth Garner’s new album, Snake Farm, features mostly original songs written or co-written by Garner, with the exception of the title track, authored by Texas country legend Ray Wylie Hubbard. It’s great … Continue reading
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