Different Cultures, Styles, and Tunings Elevate Walter Strauss’ Mesmerizing ‘For Melody, Wherever She May Find Me’
The California-based acoustic fingerstyle guitarist expresses himself in a joyous, ebullient chorus of guitar voices.
Album Reviews
Joe Henry and Friends Collaborate on the Enigmatic but Satisfying ‘All the Eye Can See’
The songs on Joe Henry’s latest album 'All the Eye Can See' refuse to give up their mysteries, the melodies wandering like question marks with the lyrics threading a thin line between knowing and unknowing.
Veteran Minnesota String Band Trampled by Turtles Is Still Getting Better on ‘Alpenglow’
Alpenglow is Trampled By Turtles' best-sounding album, filled with a sonic richness that keeps these songs driving forward.
Great Picking, Singing, and Songs on ‘Kin Ya See That Sun,’ a Fitting Tribute to the Late Maggie Roche
The album brings together 15 previously unreleased live and studio tracks by two of the three singing Roche sisters, Terre and Maggie, who were a performing folk duo dating back to their teen years.
The Elijah McLaughlin Ensemble Weaves a Rich Sonic Tapestry on its Second Album
On Elijah McLaughlin Ensemble II, the Ensemble’s three players have draw closer together, and their sound has grown deeper, subtler, more sympathetic.
Kate Koenig’s ‘Immortal Rhythm’ is a Compelling Slice of Alternative Folk Autobiography
Kate Koenig describes Immortal Rhythm as “alternative folk," and there is a folk purity to the mostly crystalline vocals and much of the fingerpicked and strummed acoustic guitar parts.
‘Travelers Rest’ Showcases the Foreign Landers’ Transatlantic Acoustic Spirit and Soul
The husband-and-wife duo the Foreign Landers' album Travelers Rest instantly puts a smile on your face and lift your spirits.
‘Once Upon a Harp’ is a Sparkling Collection of Turlough O’Carolan Pieces by Steve Baughman
Steve Baughman’s guitar playing on Once Upon a Harp has the perfect combination of a light touch, rhythmic surety, and deeply melodic sensibility.
John Moreland’s ‘Birds in the Ceiling’ Packed with Darkly Powerful Songs
The spareness of Birds in the Ceiling frees John Moreland to dig deeper into the darkness of these songs, to focus on a life where death is the only certainty.
Cristina Vane’s Slide Guitar Takes Center Stage On ‘Make Myself Me Again’
On Christina Vane's album Make Myself Me Again, the slide guitarist is exploring what it means to reconnect with herself in a new, unfamiliar city where she seems to fit right in.