JAKE BLOUNT – Single-Footing Horse
After two excellent albums focusing on Afrofuturism, both of which made The List, Blount goes back to his Appalachian folk roots. Fans of Rhiannon Giddens will love this. (8)
MARGO CILKER – Little White Cross
If you’re in the mood for a good, traditional folk-country record (think Townes, Gillian, the Flatlanders…) then look no further. (8)
SHERYL CROW – Pick You Up
My love for Sheryl Crow has been well documented, and with these earworms sounding like The Eagles on estrogens I’m not about to give up on her now. (7)
DEAFHEAVEN – At Work In the Fields Of The Bomb (EP)
Surprise-dropped to coincide with an arena tour supporting Mastodon, this includes two long, ferocious songs plus a brief instrumental interlude. Very little of the shoegaze stuff present here, it’s one of their heaviest (and best) releases. (8)
GREG FREEMAN – All Set The Bone
Critical darling’s excellent new album sounds more like prime Pixies than alt-country. (8)
GRAVEYARD – Fever
If you’re into the whole Witchcraft/Uncle Acid/Kadavar vintage groovy heavy rock thing you know these guys already, and their latest won’t disappoint. (8)
JUNE McDOOM – Follow The Light
An intriguing debut, a dub-reggae/shoegaze hybrid that sounds like Lee Scratch Perry producing the Cocteau Twins. (7)
CHARLIE PARR – Rooming House
An acoustic blues veteran, after 20 albums Parr seems to have created his masterpiece – a concept album about poverty and hard life in America that’s a punch to the stomach. But even if you decide not to follow the plot, the musicianship (mainly just acoustic guitar and drums) is extraordinary. (8)
TODD SNIDER – My Second Rodeo
Posthumous album based on Snider’s final demos, completed by his producer and engineer friends. His ambition to reimagine “the sound of country music 10 years from now”, end up sound much like 70’s country soul. (7)
RICHARD THOMPSON – Hippies, Thugs And Heroes
The quintessential English folk rocker has been on a roll since 2018’s “13 Rivers”, making The List twice, and his latest is another strong addition to the canon. (8)
TWIN TEMPLE – Doomed Lovers
Like I predicted when discussing their previous album, the joke has started to wear a bit thin. (6)
