lowland hum glyphonic

A Gift of Transcendence

LOWLAND HUM returns with its fifth album, GLYPHONIC, and our JOSEPH MCSPADDEN finds it to be ;a song cycle that challenges the artist and listener alike to resist the gravitational pull of the material world and to choose to li...
by David McGee
 

 
 
dick dale featured

Swingin’ and A-Surfin’, All Summer Long: Revisited

A fresh look at one of our 2014 summer picks, SUMMER BEACH PARTY, a collection of tunes from the beach movies of the '60s, with some curious omissions to account for.
by David McGee
 

 

 
ian tyson carnero

Of Life and Hearts in the Balance

The earth and the hearts of people living on it are in the balance in the potent songs on IAN TYSON's memorable new album, CARNERO VAQUERO. It's a Tyson classic.
by David McGee
 

 
 
ralph stanley constant sorrow

With Carter Hovering Overhead

With friends such as DIERKS BENTLEY, DEL MCCOURY, LEE ANN WOMACK, JIM LAUDERDALE, BUDDY MILLER, RICKY SKAGGS, et al., how could RALPH STANLEY go wrong? He doesn't.
by David McGee
 

 

 
cash classic christmas1 880x385 13868177601

Christmas As He Knew It

JOHNNY CASH's CLASSIC CHRISTMAS ALBUM is a sampling from the three Yule albums the Man in Black recorded for Columbia Records. Family and faith are the major, moving themes here.
by David McGee
 

 
 
albert cummings believe featured

The Cummings Imperative

The first outstanding blues album of 2020 comes in the form of ALBERT CUMMINGS's BELIEVE, a tour de force of expressive, soulful vocalizing and guitar mastery of a higher order.
by David McGee
 

 

 
junior load wagon

In Praise of the Torch Holder

In his second solo outing, JUNIOR SISK honors Polonius's advice: "To thine own self be true." In doing so, he creates a traditional bluegrass gem in LOAD THE WAGON.
by David McGee
 

 
 
dave stryker trio prime cover

In The Prime Time Mood

DAVE STRYKER's first studio album with his trio will get you in the mood.
by David McGee
 

 

 
John Primer Bob Corritore Gypsy

Blues Built to Last

Chicago blues masters BOB CORRITORE and JOHN PRIMER have delivered blues built to last on THE GYPSY WOMAN TOLD ME, containing performances every bit as classic as the cover art by VINCE RAY.
by David McGee
 

 
 
chris smither call me 1

If It Weren’t for Good Luck…

On this, his 18th long player, Chris Smither emphasizes—then re-emphasizes--the irony of the collection’s title while taking interesting detours into vintage classics.
by David McGee
 

 

 
gabrielle louise uending alteration

Places in The Heart

Find yourself in THE UNENDING ALTERATION OF THE HEART if you will, but GABRIELLE LOUISE is addressing herself in unvarnished interior monologues, leading by example in facing head-on hard truths about life, love and loss. Behol...
by David McGee
 

 
 
Nick Moss Band Get Your Back cover

Coasting With the Blues

THE NICK MOSS BAND with DENNIS GRUENLING spans the continent on one of its finest outings.
by David McGee