sam butler raise

Tested In the Furnace of Affliction

SAM BUTLER, former lead guitarist with the Blind Boys of Alabama, makes his solo debut with a most unusual spiritual album--with songs by Springsteen, Waits, Curtis Mayfield, Johnny Cash, et al.
by David McGee
 

 
 
johnny mongrels creole

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
 

 

 
bill curreri hard road

Believe

Being about the moment and the moment far ahead, BILL CURRERI's HARD ROAD HOME sends a message of buoyant self-realization at a time when it's most needed.
by David McGee
 

 
 
james montgomery detroit

Blues As Biography

It's blues as biography on the JAMES MONTGOMERY BAND's new album, FROM DETROIT...TO THE DELTA, with guests JAMES COTTON, JOHNNY WINTER and others.
by David McGee
 

 

 
John Primer Teardrops Magic Slim cover

And Magic Slim Says ‘Well Done’

JOHN PRIMER is on fire in paying tribute to hid former boss, Magic Slim, with the surviving Teardrops and Slim's son, SHAWN HOLT, on the blues giant's latest outing.
by David McGee
 

 
 
darin brooke snapshots

Being About The Enduring Values

One of the hottest new bluegrass releases of this young year, DARIN & BROOKE ALDRIDGE's SNAPSHOTS centers on the enduring values of faith and love.
by David McGee
 

 

 
susie blue lonesome 260x152 1440400623

Way Out Western Swing…

Best known as a jazz singer, SOLITAIRE MILES, in the guise of SUSIE BLUE, makes a convincing western swing chanteuse on her new album.
by David McGee
 

 
 
mcartney111

The Mad Scientist Deep in Experimentation

'Good, not great,' says our DHRISTOPHER WALSH in in his deep dive into Sir Paul McCartney's McCARTNEY III, adding: '...it shows an artist still reaching, ideas still flowing.'
by David McGee
 

 

 
sean shibe bach 1

Fashioning a More Thoughtful World

Scottish classical guitarist SEAN SHIBE, playing with lovely clarity and thoughtfulness, adds his own innate sense of the elegant to a trio of BACH lute compositions he has seamlessly transposed to his own instrument.
by David McGee
 

 
 
Devon Allman Turquoise Front

His Own Man

DEVON ALLMAN's solo debut, 'Turquoise,' tells us the son of Gregg is his own man--more to the point, that he knows who he is as his own man. No mean feat, that.
by David McGee
 

 

 
bj thomas1

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
 

 
 
lisa somebodys baby

Between Rock and a Traditional Place

Lisa Matassa's impressive EP Somebody's Baby is not for country traditionalist, but fans of contemporary arena-style mainstream country will find much to admire in the rock-fueled anthems, but there is evidence here of a sensit...
by David McGee