Title: Love The Holidays (ATO Records)
You might like if you enjoy: Wilco, Rhett Miller
Tell me more: The members of Old 97's truly do "love the holidays" and have created the wildly spirited Christmas album to prove it. The majority of songs on the 14-track Love The Holidays are original and fully capture the freewheeling spirit of the Texas-spawned band. The rollicking title track "Love The Holidays," '60s-flavored "I Believe in Santa Claus," cowpunk-tinged alt rocker "Gotta Love Being A Kid" and beautiful countrified folk nugget "Snow Angels" are early standouts on the disc. The world's most famous reindeer gets a new musical chapter courtesy of the colorful "Rudolph Was Blue." The reworked versions of traditional material such as "Auld Lang Syne," "Angels We Have Heard On High," "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" and "Up On The Housetop" are equally marvelous, with the quartet using their best instincts to capture the spirit of the originals without abandoning their raw and decidedly raucous approach. Information: old97s.com.
Title: Song Of Our Time (Blackwater Records)
You might like if you enjoy: Bruce Springsteen's "Nebraska," John Mellencamp, Bob Dylan
Tell me more: Michael Ubaldini has released yet another brilliant full-length album; the aptly-titled Song Of Our Time features a dozen cuts finely crafted with nothing more than the artist's signature vocals, acoustic guitar and occasional harmonica. The tracks offer probing and penetrating observations of life in a fast-moving world caught in a state of seemingly-endless turmoil. Ubaldini's sound recalls the acoustic approach of legacy masters Bob Dylan and Neil Young but the Southern California troubadour has a strong voice of his own. The title track reflects the timbre of the age with Ubaldini looking around at a world filled with troubles and admitting "There's nothing I can do, but sing a song for you." Make no mistake that while the artist offers an honest assessment of our world there is a hopeful and uplifting resonance in his songcraft that provides comfort and optimism. Ubaldini's musical pen is wide and aside from the sharp political observations (just listen to "A Clean Mind," "Free Speech Blues" and "Teardrops") and personal defeat ("Walkin' Cane Blues") there are songs of love (the Celtic-flavored "Maddie O' Day") and loss ("When The Chips Were Down," "Gambled Away My Woman"). Song Of Our Time delivers on its stark title more fully with every listen. Information: rocknrollpoet.com.
Title: The Western Tapes, 1983 (Omnivore Recordings)
You might like if you enjoy: Maria McKee, Whitney Rose, Nikki Lane
Tell me more: It's clear listening to the glorious 6-track EP The Western Tapes, 1983 featuring groundbreaking country roots rockers Lone Justice's earliest demo recordings that the band was decades ahead of its time. The strength of these early tracks – five of which are previously unissued – led the troupe on a glorious path to being signed to a major label and releasing several memorable LPs later that decade. The original lineup of Lone Justice (singer-guitarist Maria McKee, lead guitarist-vocalist Ryan Hedgecock, drummer Don Willens and bassist Dave Harrington) carved out a handful of songs that sound as potent today as they did 35 years ago; the rollicking "Working Late," aching "Don't Toss Us Away" and no-holds-barred "The Train" are among this writer's favorites on the disc. The stylish package is excellent and includes liner notes penned by producer Marvin Etzioni, who is spot-on when he writes "I believed we were creating a 21st century country band." Information: OmnivoreRecordings.com.
Title: Sparrow (Warner Music Nashville)
You might like if you enjoy: Kacey Musgraves, Pistol Annies
Tell me more: Although Ashley Monroe's 4th album Sparrow was released in April 2018, yours truly only recently discovered this amazing album. Produced by Dave Cobbin at RCA Studio A in Nashville, the disc features 12 inviting tracks featuring Monroe's sweet and affecting soprano. Among my favorite songs are the poignant opening track "Orphan," the countrified baroque flavored "Paying Attention," tender ballad "I'm Trying To," sparse piano-anchored "This Heaven" and simmering "Hands On You." The songs are nuanced and artfully arranged in a symphonic moodscape throughout, all the better to be immersed in Monroe's authentic neotraditional country music approach. Information: AshleyMonroe.com.
Robert Kinsler
1 comment:
As always - love your reviews. This time a couple of my friends got nice things said about them. Love Ubaldini and the 97's (and Lone Justice but I don't know them!)
Thanks for the reviews!
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