The 2021 Roots N Blues Festival Celebrated Women in Roots Music
Fans reveled in the return of the 15-year-old Roots N Blues Festival and its celebration of roots music women amid a sun-drenched weekend in Missouri.
folk pop
Sufjan Stevens Collaborates With Labelmate But the LP Is All Sufjan
Sufjan Stevens is taking aim on A Beginner’s Mind with catchy alt-folk that soothes the ear while placing bitter contents below the surface.
Spencer Cullum Drops the Twang for a British-Folk Solo Debut Destined to Be a Cult Classic
A peerless session musician looking to branch out on his own, Spencer Cullum mines his British-folk inspirations for a lush and lovely solo album.
The Way Down Wanderers Look for Peace on ‘More Like Tomorrow’
Roots band the Way Down Wanderers find a sort of rest in their self-development and in the connections they make on More Like Tomorrow.
Allie Dunn Feels the Power of “Tom Petty” (premiere)
Allie Dunn has more than a little Laurel Canyon in her soul, as evidenced by the folky and introspective nature of her song “Tom Petty”.
The Grahams Deliver Dreamy Indie Pop with “Pilgrims and Punks” (premiere)
The Grahams take their cinematic approach to songwriting to new heights with “Pilgrims and Punks”, a song that’s more pop than Americana.
Dori Freeman Humorously Declares “I Am”
Americana artist Dori Freeman’s humorous, self-deprecating ditty falls midway between Popeye the Sailor Man and Neil Diamond on the “I Am” scale.
Lorde Misses the Mark with the Highly-Anticipated ‘Solar Power’
Lorde’s Solar Power is a disorganized, hackneyed collection that doesn’t deepen her existing body of work but introduces a woman riddled with white privilege.
Dar Williams’ “Today and Every Day” Strikes an Optimist’s Chord (premiere + interview)
Brimming with optimism, folkie Dar Williams’ “Today and Every Day”, poses the thought that we are capable of changing the world for the better.
Ben Stalets Calls “E.G.B.A.” His Best Swing at Prayer (premiere)
“‘E.G.B.A.’ is my best swing at prayer,” says Ben Stalets. Musically, it’s lush, optimistic, and flush with pedal steel in its up-tempo groove.
Folk Pop’s Casey Dubie Offers Earnest Reflections on “I Tried” (premiere)
Casey Dubie navigates a vein of folk-pop that avoids the saccharine. Layered arrangements, plaintive melodies, and thoughtful lyricism feature on “I Tried”.
Darrin Bradbury Presents an ‘Artvertisement’ For Himself
The 12 tracks on Darrin Bradbury’s latest album Artvertisement reveal what happens when the imagination hits the fan and splatters its contents far and wide.