The Elite Half Hundred of 2016, Part 2
Albums 26 through 50 in Part 2 of the Elite Half Hundred of 2016
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.
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.
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.
Soothing Music in a Troubled Time
Self-released and Kickstarter funded, Hawaii's PACIFIC HARP PROJECT quartet has reimagined works by revered composers such as RAVEL and DEBUSSY, and added scintillating originals to the mix.
Undaunted
On WE RISE UP, RAVEN AND RED confront all manner of romantic debacle and emerge undaunted. Attention must be paid to these young artists.
Dispatches From Solitude
Forced into isolation by the pandemic, JOHN McCUTCHEON began writing songs, and more songs, came up with a moving tribute to front line workers and to his friend John Prine, found some humor in his plight, and voila! CABIN FEVE...
Little Richard, Ascending
‘It’s Just Like An Unfinished Diamond’ Richard Penniman has at various times, often without prompting, referred to himself as “the originator, the instigator, the facilitator” of rock ‘n’ roll. To varying degree...
Whither Passionate Kisses?
Boston-based Juliet and the Lonesome Romeos make a favorable impression on their debut album, No Regrets, by serving up pop-country with a bite. The long player shows Juliet Simmons Dinallo to be a songwriter with immense promi...
The City in Rags
Ragtime is alive and well and ever more vibrant when pianist-composer DAVID CHESKY brings some new, contemporary twists to the style in his love letter to New York City, THE NEW YORK RAGS. Scott Joplin is up there smiling, and ...
When Vintage Becomes Timeless
DAVID IAN did it in 2011 with Vintage Christmas, and does it again in 2012 with Vintage Christmas Wonderland: gather the combo, pare the set list to five songs and deliver a Christmas gem.
Hearts in Flux
On DULCIE TAYLOR's moving new album, ONLY WORN ONE TIME, the singer-songwriter offers Finely etched reflections on mortality, heartbreak, self-reliance, self-doubt, commitment and similar weighty topics.
