Elvis Costello’s ‘Almost Blue’ Was Rescued by Its Bonus Tracks… for a While
The release history of Elvis Costello’s Almost Blue provides a framework for examining how the delivery of recorded music can relate to our experience of it.
country
Americana’s Shelby Lynne Writes Through the Pain
Americana singer-songwriter Shelby Lynne talks to PopMatters about her acclaimed new album, Consequences of the Crown, and the long road it took to get here.
Gillian Welch and David Rawlings Trace Landscapes of Connection and Resilience
Throughout Woodland, Americana songwriters Gillian Welch and David Rawlings underscore the sinews of relationships that are stretched but never torn.
Caleb Caudle Tells Stories of the South on ‘Sweet Critters’
Caleb Caudle has a soft spot for the natural beauty of the South, its woodlands and memories of the people who live there, and that’s just part of the story.
The 15 Best Americana Albums of 2014
If forced to define Americana, it’s the one genre where honest craftsmanship is required, respected, and rewarded, something the best of 2014 lived up to.
Bella White Gives Her Fans Five More Songs
The title of Americana artist Bella White’s new EP, Five for Silver, comes from the magpie rhyme about good things about to happen. These songs are gifts.
Andrew Combs Paints ‘Dream Pictures’ in Blues and Gold
Andrew Combs’ new album serves as the robin in spring, a sign that seasons have changed. It’s not a chronicle of happiness as much as a statement of normalcy.
Shelby Lynne Wears the ‘Crown’ on Her Latest LP
Country’s Shelby Lynne doesn’t sing about wearing a crown, but she implies she is the queen by surviving her past affairs. Love’s consequences are mostly pain.
Charlie Overbey Finds Himself ‘In Good Company’
It isn’t easy to get a bead on Charlie Overbey. He’s a rock and roll singer who veers from punk to country and claims they all merge at the root.
Overlong Tom Petty Country Tribute Falls Short of Its Subject
This country tribute LP honoring Tom Petty could have been half as long and twice as good with Rhiannon Giddens, Dolly Parton, and Jamey Johnson as highlights.
Yarn Unspool Themselves Once Again After Eight Years
Brooklyn Americana band Yarn’s new music on Born, Blessed, Grateful, & Alive reverberates with echoes of past classic rock and country from the 1970s and 1980s.
If You Love Her, Let Her Know: How Olivia Newton-John Became a Country Star
Olivia Newton-John’s chart-topping 1974 album remains a touchstone for 1970s culture, bringing the best of country music into mainstream pop.