Standing on Big Shoulders

From Robert Johnson to the present day, SPECIAL CONSENSUS celebrates the Windy City's musical legacy on their 45th anniversary recording, CHICAGO BARN DANCE. The consensus? It's special.
by David McGee
 

 
 

Glorious Simplicity

Hailing from Portland, Oregon, SILVER LAKE 66 offers an interesting take on folk-country in its new album, RAGGED HEART. Attention must be paid, says our JOSEPH MCSPADDEN.
by David McGee
 

 

 

And Lo, She Flies

Violinist, guitarist and master of the cwrth, EMERALD RAE emerges as a serious singer-songwriter on IF ONLY I COULD FLY.
by David McGee
 

 
 

Live’r Than They’ll Ever Be

From tapes surreptitiously recorded in 1967 comes a smokin' live album featuring JOHN MAYALL'S BLUESBREAKERS with PETER GREEN, JOHN MCVIE and MICK FLEETWOOD supporting Mayall.
by David McGee
 

 

 

Fresh Utterances of Life Force

A gospel, classical and jazz hybrid comprised of original songs by pianist JOHN PAUL MCGEE and stirring, even surprising interpretations of ever-relevant warhorses.
by David McGee
 

 
 

Familiar, Fresh & True to the Human Experience

On a most impressive debut, JOHNNY & THE MONGRELS leap immediately into the front ranks of chicken-fried southern soul and swamp-rock on CREOLE SKIES.
by David McGee
 

 

 

EPs of the Year 2013

Our first-ever citations of the Best EPs we received in 2013--an Elite Four, you might say.
by David McGee
 

 
 

In a Quiet Way, Quietly Moving

IN A QUIET WAY, QUIETLY MOVING--Being about TERRY ALLEN's Bottom of the World; PHARIS & JASON ROMERO's Long Gone Out West Blues; and the WILLIAMSON BROTHERS' Bluegrass!
by David McGee
 

 

 

For Whom These Bells Toll

THREE BELLS, a collaboration between three great dobro masters--MIKE AULDRIDGE, JERRY DOUGLAS and ROB ICKES--is flat-out a beautiful, evocative album with virtuosity always in service to the heart. Is is also the great AULDRIDG...
by David McGee
 

 
 

Wondrous Incandescence

Two folk veterans are at the top of their games: TOM PAXTON on his new REDEMPTION ROAD album and MICKEY CLARK (with his band THE BLUE NORTHER) on REASONS & RHYMES.
by David McGee
 

 

 

Here Comes the Sun

“As fast as we roll, we’re always catching up/as much as we have, it’ll never be enough/as hard/as hard as we work, we just work our fingers to the bone/what do we have to show?” Listening to this catchy chorus of the f...
by David McGee
 

 
 

Intimate and Finely Judged

The mystery of ORLANDO BLOOM's 17th Century consort anthems persists, but his work lives anew and in beauty in CHAINS OF GOLD by the MAGDALENA CONSORT, FRETWORK and HIS MAJESTYS SAGBUTTS and CORNETTS
by David McGee