By Brian Rock Canadian honky tonkers, Nicolette & The Nobodies eschew short cuts on their debut album, The Long Way. Coming ten years after the band’s inception, they took their time perfecting their synergy before committing it to tape. Furthermore, lead singer/songwriter Nicolette Hoang’s parents took the long trip from Vietnam to Canada to flee their war-ravaged homeland fifty years ago. That spirit of patience, persistence and powering through obstacles is reflected in Hoang’s songwriting. The lead track, “Better Days,” introduces the band with honky tonk guitar riffs and Hoang poundi ..read more

By Brian Rock Athens, GA meets Greenwich Village on Driftwood’s new album, December Last Call. The upstate New York based band continues to push the boundaries of folk on this, their sixth album. From alt rock to country to cosmic cowboy and beyond, Driftwood follows the musical current wherever it takes them. The Title track is a cheerful folk-rock anthem that exudes the joy and magic of the last week of the year between Christmas and New Years. Jangly, alt-rock guitar chords are complemented by classical violin strains, Hammond organ pulses and Beach Boys style vocal harmonies. The ly ..read more

By Brian Rock Ted Russell Kamp may just be the hardest working man in Americana. While many artists are just now releasing their first new albums since the onset of Covid 19, California Son, marks Kamp’s third full length album of original music in that period (and his fourteenth overall). In addition, he has been an in-demand session musician, co-writer, and touring musician (most notably with Shooter Jenning’s band.) The fruits of his tireless work ethic are evident on this new album. The title song is both a mini biography for Kamp and a love letter to his adopted home state. Chronicling h ..read more

By Brian Rock Minnesota’s The High Hawks soar on their sophomore album, Mother Nature’s Show. Composed of members from Leftover Salmon, Hard Working Americans, and Great American Taxi, The High Hawks create an eclectic, backwoods country/rock that defies easy genre labels, but feels instantly recognizable. Despite their abode in the North Star State, their music is infused with an anatopistic Southern twang. The title track recalls the southern Funk of Little Feat. rock and roll guitar and organ are offset by bluegrass fiddle as the band seeks to, “Jump off the pavement and into the river flo ..read more

By Brian Rock Nashville folk/americana artist Vinnie Paolizzi makes a name for himself on his debut album, The Vinnie Paolizzi LP. Combining traditional folk and Laurel Canyon rhythms, with just a hint of soul, Paolizzi creates a middle American folk rock sound that’s earnest and occasionally uplifting. His voice is infused with a warmth that’s equal parts Jackson Browne and Jason Isbell. “It Ain’t Easy,” starts off with slinky, drawn-out electric guitar notes layered over a bluesy rhythm section arrangement of piano, bass and drums. Paolizzi then laments his condition, singing, “It ain’t eas ..read more

By Brian Rock North Carolina Americana artist, Colin Cutler takes inspiration from Flannery O’Connor on his fourth album, Tarwater. The title is a reference to the main character from O’Connor’s short story, “You Can’t Be Any Poorer Than Dead” (which should give you an idea of her general tone). This and several other of her Southern Gothic short stories inspire and shape Cutler’s musical vision on this album. Although O’Conner often paints a bleak picture of humanity where the only two options are self-centered atheism or merciless religious dogma; Cutler finds nuance and celebrates O’Connor ..read more

By Brian Rock Grammy Hall of Famer and original country outlaw, Jessi Colter makes her triumphant return to her honky-tonk roots on her 13th album, Edge of Forever. Forever associated with her late husband, Waylon Jennings, Colter often softened his rough edges. She was the musical yin to his yang. Twenty years after his passing, she has processed her grief (with the cathartic help of her 2017 collection of hymns, “The Psalms,”) and has allowed herself to reveal another side of her persona, including her own rough edges. Produced by Margo Price and mixed by her son, Shooter Jennings, Edge of ..read more

By Brian Rock Classic Country revivalist, Victoria Bailey rides again on her sophomore album, A Cowgirl Rides On. Combining Appalachian bluegrass with Sons of the Pioneers era western music, Bailey takes us on a cross country tour through 1950’s country AM radio. Eschewing the Bakersfield sound of her debut, and incorporating more country gospel, this disc is more Dale Evans than Jean Shepard. But Bailey’s voice channels Loretta Lynn and Eilen Jewell to create a timeless elegance in her songs. The title track is a mediation on solitude. Strains of fiddle and alternating bass notes set a spars ..read more

By Brian Rock Funky folkster, Jeff Plankenhorn unplugs to recharge on his fourth album, Alone At Sea. A story/cycle in three acts, Alone At Sea, addresses our hectic lives, the need to get away from our worries, and the need to come back refreshed. In more subdued tones than his previous rock and blues influenced album, Sleeping Dogs, this album showcases his acoustic talents in folk hues with occasional soul and Piedmont blues flourishes. The first act in Plankenhorn’s saga is, “The Mess.” An exotic salsa rhythm slinks along as he recounts the sorry state of his current condition. Singing ..read more

By Brian Rock Folk poet extraordinaire, Forest Sun shares a dozen well-crafted new songs on his twelfth album, Hey Magnolia. Unlike the optimistic romanticism of last year’s Follow The Love, Hey Magnolia, finds Sun in a more contemplative, meditative, and occasionally spiritual mood. Dealing primarily with feelings of loss and loneliness that result from the time or distance that separates us from our loved ones, Sun gives a voice to the unspoken emotions that haunt us in our darkest hours. His deft turn of phrase and nuanced instrumentation (including mandolin, cello, dobro, fiddle, and Hamm ..read more