Brother Elsey Capture the Scary Present in Their Debut LP
Brother Elsey rock out to ease their pain and share their feelings with the rest of us. It’s recommended that this album be played at a loud volume.
Steve Horowitz
Steven Horowitz has a Ph.D. in American Studies from the University of Iowa, where he continues to teach a three-credit online course on "Rock and Roll in America". He has written for many different popular and academic publications including American Music, Paste and the Icon. Horowitz is a firm believer in Paul Goodman's neofunctional perspective on culture and that Sam Cooke was right, a change is gonna come.
Heather Maloney Channels Joni and Father’s Death Into Music
Heather Maloney’s latest release, Exploding Star, suggests the benefits of empathy and mourning when one is not bereaved. Sadness can bring us joy.
Ollee Owens Protects Us When There Is ‘Nowhere to Hide’
Ollee Owen expresses that quintessential blues vibe of “we are all in this together” no matter what troubles come down the road.
The Weather Station Discover Our ‘Humanhood’ in Shared Descent
Humanhood finds the Weather Station going deep to find whatever heaven may exist on the surface above. There is an identifiable signature to the music.
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The 20 Best Americana Albums of 2024
Americana has never been better with the quality of music, diversity of styles, and the artists’ demographics in terms of race, gender, and wealth.
Arlen Roth Plays Lively Folk Pop Acoustic Guitar Standards
Arlen Roth’s Playing Out the String is a blissful treat. The master guitarist delightfully picks and strums his way through well-known 20th-century songs.
St. Lenox Offers a Fifth Installment of Modern American Songs
St. Lenox’s new LP reveals there’s always time for new beginnings while working toward the greater goal of a worthy existence. It’s a sardonic masterpiece.
Loose Cattle Scare the Herd with ‘Someone’s Monster’
Country-rockers Loose Cattle’s Someone’s Monster suggests that we may all be somebody else’s demons while the songs imply we might be our own worst enemies.
Tish Hinojosa Sweetly Sings ‘With a Guitar & a Pen’ in Hand
Tish Hinojosa understands the importance of perspective. Her lyrics look at life from more than one side, knowing we are happier if we search for good.
Diana Panton Sings Soft and Easy Songs of Love
Jazz singer Diana Panton’s voice suggests the present tenuousness is part of love’s charm. That’s vital to its truth and beauty (“soft winds and roses”).
Amy Speace Remembers Her ‘American Dream’
Amy Speace needs to look deeper into herself. What she doesn’t say makes her well-crafted songs easy to swallow. That’s a blessing as well as a curse.
Kasey Chambers Displays Her ‘Backbone’ in a New Bundle
One can take the songs on ‘Backbone’ as a whole to understand how Kasey Chambers sees the world and her relation to it from various points of view over time.