Old 97’s’ ‘American Primitive’ Confronts the Here and Now
After spending a record ruminating about the past, Old 97’s are back and “better than brand-new”. American Primitive is timely and engaged with the larger world.
ato records
Old 97’s ‘American Primitive’ Sports Hits and Misses
Old 97’s American Primitive features some of their most vital work since their first decade as a group, but it’s front-loaded with the hits.
Dylan LeBlanc’s ‘Coyote’ Has No Regrets
Dylan LeBlanc’s Coyote is suspenseful because the listener can sympathize with its main character and still wonder if he is a monster of his own making.
Old Crow Medicine Show Celebrate a ‘Jubilee’ After 25 Years
Old Crow Medicine Show have never really changed their old-timey style and show that keeping one’s roots exposed in the musical world can be a smart decision.
Amanda Shires and Bobbie Nelson Make Beautiful Country Music
Amanda Shires and Bobbie Nelson’s Loving You is a tribute to their talents and essential listening for piano-based country music fans and Americana listeners.
Altın Gün’s ‘Aşk’ Is a Satisfying Return to Classic Anatolian Rock
The new Altın Gün album Aşk makes it clear where they are headed: back to their retro roots, bringing forth the sounds of classic 1970s Anatolian rock.
Will Sheff Finds Everything in ‘Nothing Special’
Okkervil River’s Will Sheff sounds like someone shrugging off burdens, his music built on steady patience and willingness for difficult but freeing reflection.
The Power of Amanda Shires’ Voice Reverberates Throughout ‘Take It Like a Man’
Emotionally Amanda Shires’ Take It Like a Man interlaces heartache and disappointment with the profoundly temporal joys of new beginnings and aches of desire.
Drive-By Truckers Forge Ahead By Looking Back on ‘Welcome 2 Club XIII’
Drive-By Truckers’ Welcome 2 Club XIII is more introspective and subdued than the previous raw, unfiltered laments and analyses of American culture.
My Morning Jacket’s Infinite Jest
On My Morning Jacket, Jim James sifts through perceptions about technology and nature, offering a treatment for getting washed away by modernity.
Altın Gün Shift Toward Contemporary Synthpop Sounds on ‘Yol’
Yol proves Altın Gün’s versatility, reassuring listeners that the group can walk down many paths and still take us on a fabulous trip.
My Morning Jacket’s ‘The Waterfall II’ Can Hypnotize
Whereas My Morning Jacket's The Waterfall contemplated conflict, The Waterfall II identifies healing and personal transformation as the next stage of being.