The Deep Roots Elite Half-Hundred of 2018, Pt. 1

Part 1 of the Deep Roots Elie-Half Hundred of 2018 features ROGER MCGUINN, MELODY GARDOT, RORY BLOCK, RODNEY CROWELL, et al.
by David McGee
 

 
 

The Royal Family of Guitar In a Festive Mood

After a half-century at the pole position of the guitar quartet, Los Romeros have finally recorded their first Christmas album. If ever an ensemble was capable of making you believe in the validity of Christmas again, this is it.
by David McGee
 

 

 

And A Proud Mama She Would Be

AUTUMN IN AUGUSTA, the blues-jazz-folk combo led by the wondrous LUCY SMITH, has a winner in SONGS MY MAMA WOULD LIKE. It's Ms. Smith's tribute to the music her mother loved. Mama, Ms. Smith writes, 'had awesome taste.' We agree.
by David McGee
 

 
 

A Final Flowering

ANONYMOUS 4 is closing out its near-30-year career with one of its finest albums, 1865--SONGS OF HOPE AND HOME FROM THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR, the final installment of its Americana Trilogy.
by David McGee
 

 

 

The Throw of the Dice: Josquin’s ‘Missa Di Dadi’

With PETER PHILLIPS directing , THE TALLIS SCHOLARS return with their eleventh disc of JOSQUIN masses, a welcome release featuring two quirkly early masses, including 'Missa Di Dadi,' or 'The Dice Mass.'
by David McGee
 

 
 

Exuding the Joy of Connection Through Music

FRANCESCA DEGO's exceptional album of concerti by NICCOLO PAGANINI and ERMANNO WOLF-FERRARI merits an exceptional review by JOSEPH NEWSOME
by David McGee
 

 

 

Thirst No More

The world-weariness welling from deep within the Nashville-based singer-songwriter SUSAN McCRACKEN's soul expresses not helplessness but hopefulness on PATIENT KINGDOM, as if giving testimony to the cyclicality and potentiality...
by David McGee
 

 
 

Summit Sessions: B.J. Thomas on Scepter

For those of a certain generation, the radio of their youth never seemed to be long without a new, great B.J. Thomas single. Indeed, between 1966 and 1972 he had 19 charting singles, some way bigger than others, some more regio...
by David McGee
 

 

 

Steeldrivers: Regrouped, Renewed, Revitalized

Regrouped, renewed and revitalized, THE STEELDRIVERS are back with with Hammer Down, a new album comparable in every way to the group's two previous Grammy nominated long players.
by David McGee
 

 
 

Engaging the Heart

Ace guitarist AMOS GARRETT gathers his Jazz Trio together for a scintillating outing on JazzBlues in which he channels his inner Maurice Chevalier.
by David McGee
 

 

 

And The Truth Will Set You Free

JAMES KING, one of our greatest roots singers, takes some classic and relatively low-profile country and bluegrass tunes, puts a great backing band together, and delivers a bonafide classic of interpretive vocalizing.
by David McGee
 

 
 

Christmas, Close to Home, Hearth and Heart

In his songs about home, hearth and heart, RICK LANG evokes a down-home Christmas celebration, with the help of some talented musicians who took his songs to unexpected places.
by David McGee