by Jonathan Frahm • • Comments Off on Album | Christian Heath – One
Following the split of the aptly-named Christian Heath Band, the South African singer-songwriter has since moved on to produce work of his own. Velvet-covered pop defines the majority of his new EP, One, slinking in elements of Latin soul and rock…
by Jonathan Frahm • • Comments Off on Album | C.K. & the Rising Tide – American Romance
Taking cues from the likes of Springsteen and Petty before them, C.K. & the Rising Tide develop palatable Americana that just about anyone can sink their teeth into. It isn’t without its contemporary flair, of course, featuring reverb-friendly production that…
by Ian Parker • • Comments Off on Video premiere | Jessica’s Brother – Humdinger
Jessica’s Brother is the eclectic project of songwriter Tom Charleston, former Ramshackle Union Band bass player Charlie Higgs and Wave Pictures drummer Jonny Helm. They mix elements of jangly indie, gothic country, and psych but while the styles change the…
by Jonathan Frahm • • Comments Off on Premiere | Skin & Bones – ‘Sending Love From Mars’
Following a move from their North Carolina home, violinist Peter Blackwelder and frontman Taylor Borsuk formed the folk duo Skin & Bones. Their humble beginnings saw them busking on Venice Beach to make their ends meet. Now, they’re set to…
by Jonathan Frahm • • Comments Off on Watch | James Labrosse Collective / Antonio Serrano – ‘Un Lugar’
James Labrosse is quickly becoming a notable force in the roots music world. Playing with the natural permutations of the jazz world, his compositions tend to push the envelope on genre-blending down successfully innovative new paths. His new album, Orange Night,…
by Jonathan Frahm • • Comments Off on Album | Suki Rae & the Company – Can’t Stop Now
At the center of folk music and roots music of all kinds is a spirit for social action. Wherein some of her contemporaries have shied away from carrying on such a passion for human rights in the stories they tell,…
by Jonathan Frahm • • Comments Off on Album | David Williams – Tipping My Hat to Leonard Cohen
If you’re reading this, chances are that you know of Leonard Cohen. Ever since his emergence as an artist over 60 years ago, he has garnered respect from the folk world for his poetic and evocative songwriting. It would be…
by Jonathan Frahm • • Comments Off on Album | Greg Jacquin – Hudson River
Like many artists, Greg Jacquin’s musical origins are steeped in family history. Growing up in Tarrytown, Jacquin was first exposed to the likes of the Beatles and Cat Stevens alongside his grandparents. As a result, he took on his stepfather’s…
by Lorenzo Righetto • • Comments Off on Album | Thomas Bartlett & Nico Muhly – Peter Pears: Balinese Ceremonial Music
The inscription on the imaginary doorstep leading to this record should read: “Have no fear, ye who enter here”. No 12-minutes long sessions of gamelan and drones are waiting beyond, but the vague fascination of two well-acquainted musicians for the…
by Jonathan Frahm • • Comments Off on Album | Crooked Flower – Darkness and Light
For native Californians, hearing that a notably psychedelic outfit calls Berkeley its home might be a lot like saying that Michael Jackson’s Thriller was a hit record, or that the sky is blue. The city is, after all, San Francisco’s chill stoner…