Steve Forbert (from the album Daylight Savings Time available on Blue Rose Music) (by Lee Zimmerman)
 
It’s been nearly 50 years since Steve Forbert, a small-town boy from Mississippi, followed his dream and made his way to New York City, where, in short order, he was proclaimed by the media as another ‘new Dylan’. He was in good company at the time. Bruce Springsteen and John Prine also took that title. Nevertheless, it signaled an auspicious beginning for his career, but given his boyish, down-home charm and unassuming affability, he quickly made his mark as a Folksinger who boasted a good measure of populist appeal. Happily, despite the early kudos he was accorded, and a hit record of sorts, the earnest and engaging “Romeo’s Tune”, Forbert never fell into the trap of being a one hit wonder, and while his residency in the top 40 was limited, he was still able to claim a consistent string of impressive albums that were soon to follow.
 
With Daylight Savings Time, his 20th studio album to date, Forbert reaffirms that affable attitude and the easy-going charm that have always been so central to his sound and style. In this case, it’s based on a decidedly upbeat and optimistic set of songs, one that basks in the glow of sunny sentiments and ever-present affirmation. He expresses contentment and contemplation, easily apparent in the optimistic glow of “Clouds Roll Past the Day” — a paean to the joys of nature, and the album’s eagerly affirmative single, “Sound Existence” -
 
‘Yeah, to chirping crickets and to daylight savings time!
The best ain't yet to come, but you could still get by just fine’
 
That agreeable, easy-going attitude pervades the album overall, from the joy and jubilation that rings through “Pour a Little Glitter on It, Baby”, to the wistful repast of “Tomorrow Song”, the wisdom and reflection found in “One Lone Leaf”, and the life lessons shared in “The Blues”. So too, when Steve Forbert opts for a boogie beat for “Simon Says” or takes on a jaunty rhythm with “Guilt Tripper”, the unbounded appeal is fully fueled.

Granted, these are troubled times, but leave it to Steve Forbert to find happiness within reach. And that makes Daylight Savings Time well-timed indeed. (by Lee Zimmerman)
 
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India Ramey (from the album Baptized by the Blaze available on Mule Kick Records) (by Bryant Liggett)
India Ramey comes with a lot of attitude. That approach is delivered via a record reminiscent of an honky tonk jukebox circa 1960. Come on in for the Cow Punk, stay for the Outlaw Country and crooned ballads, all put together in the kick-ass package that is Ramey’s latest release in Baptized by the Blaze.
She charges out of the gate with a more than confident vocal push, and loads of personality, on the album opener in “Ain’t My First Rodeo”, following up the dance floor ripper with the title track; a cut with a mysterious, old-west and campfire story vibe that’s ripe for a Spaghetti Western. “Silverado” is a tune that could be decades old, something ready for the past and present Opry.
That croon is on full display on “The Mountain”, while you can cue the tears, and the beer ready to catch the overflow, as “It Could Have Been Me” can have you reaching for a box of tissues. Baptized by the Blaze wraps like it begins, with a ripper. “Go On Git” is a ‘get out of my life’ tune; a cut with a solid flat-picking break and even more bounce, it’s fun and ready for a celebratory, if not drunken singalong.
While that voice and the whole package screams classic Americana Country, the band deserves a big nod. A stacked group of pickers, that click-clack train rhythm is ever present as it drives the forward motion in the songs, while the players can also hang back and do the Cowboy-Western soundtrack. India Ramey’s another fine example of someone accenting the Rock in Country Rock, and the rebellion in Outlaw Country. This bucks any Commercial country trends and strays from the low hanging fruit that makes people turn their nose at Modern Country, making it easy for you to not pass up a record that revels in a Classic Country that is looking towards the future. (by Bryant Liggett)
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The Deslondes (from the album Roll It Out available on New West Records) (by Brian Rock)
The Deslondes roll out their fourth album, appropriately named, Roll It Out. The five piece Folk collective rolls up Country, Western, Folk, Rock, and a touch of Jazz to create their own mellow blend of Americana. Bridging the infamous late 60’s musical rift between the hippies and the heartlanders, The Deslondes combine Country melodies with Bay Area Folk vibes while somehow staying true to both genres. It is Merle Haggard meets John Sebastian in a feel good family reunion of cousins who haven’t talked in years.
The album’s lead radio single, “Take Me Back,” is a joy to behold. A lively lament for times gone by; the song has a driving Folk/Rock rhythm as the band sings, ‘take me back to the days that used to be, when fish were jumpin’ and birds were all laughing at me. Before we troubled the waters and poisoned the deep blue sea’. The deceptively spritely tempo continues as the band mourns the past, ‘like an old buried bone from a dog who’s put down to rest’. Despite the melancholy lyrics, the band finally finds a ray of sunshine to match the giddy melody, as they sing, ‘roll me in your arms baby, it’s alright. Do me how you please, I won’t put up a fight’. And just like that, love transforms misery to magic. The Deslondes harness the power of love and music to bring light to the darkness.
“I’ll Do It” captures the feel-good Folk of The Lovin’ Spoonful. Trying to match, and even outdo, the love they receive, the band gleefully pledges ‘if you’re asking for love, there is no limit’. “Mercury On Parade” taps into that same era to make another pledge of love. “Who Really Loses” ventures further into the trippy, experimental Folk of Quicksilver Messenger Service. Subtle touches of Cosmic Cowboy linger on in the Country/Folk of “Hold on Liza”. Returning to earth, the band mellows out on the Country/Folk cover of J.J. Cale’s “Drifters Wife” as pedal steel helps bridge the gap from Folk to Country. “Old Plank Road” goes full on Western; with a rhythm of a horse at slow trot, the band captures the spirit of Marty Robbins. Celebrating a favorite watering hole, the band recalls watching sunsets, and watching the sun come up again in a little ‘bar in a one horse town’. “Find The Ground” conveys the spirit of campfire songs on the western plains. “Grand Junction” captures the Country/Folk feel of a Gordon Lightfoot ballad. “Line To Go” is a more somber take on the passing of time and the fading of hope. Transitioning from Country to Jazz, The Deslondes combine pedal steel and ragtime piano on “Go Out Tonight”. Once again, the band salutes the power of music – this time the power to rouse us out of our comfy home to go see a live band every now and again. “Pour Another Round” leans more heavily into Ragtime to celebrate another day of being alive. From teary ballads to joyful odes to love, The Deslondes help you celebrate every circumstance that life rolls out to you.  (by Brian Rock)
 
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Steve Cropper (from the album Friendlytown available on Mascot Label Group/Provogue Records) (by Lee Zimmerman)
 
Steve Cropper’s imprint on modern music — soul and R&B in particular — has made him one of the most important and influential guitarists of all time. One of the inventors of the Stax sound, Steve Cropper played a key role in forwarding the careers of such iconic artists as Booker T & The MGs, Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Rufus Thomas, Carla Thomas, Johnnie Taylor, The Blues Brothers, and many, many more. When Sam & Dave gave him that immortal shoutout on the classic “Soul Man” of ‘play it again, Steve!’ little did they know he’d do exactly that for the next 50 years. (playitsteve.com is Steve Cropper’s website – editor)
At this stage of his career, having reached the age of 82, he could be clearly content to rest on his laurels. Aside from being indelibly inscribed in the history books, he’s reaped two Grammys and songwriting and/or production credits for any number of contemporary classics. Beginning with his first solo effort, 1969’s With a Little Help From My Friends, Cropper can claim twelve individual albums, two recordings with Rascals’ frontman Felix Cavaliere, and credits on efforts by John Lennon, Rod Stewart, Ringo Starr, John Prine, Paul Simon, Buddy Guy, The Jeff Beck Group, Joe Feliciano, and Tower of Power.
His new offering, Friendlytown, is credited to a new namesake outfit, Steve Cropper & The Midnight Hour, featuring vocalist Roger C. Reale, keyboard player Eddie Gore, drummer and percussionist Nioshi Jackson, and, perhaps most notably, ZZ Top guitarist Billy Gibbons. Cropper takes co-production credits along with friend, producer and bassist Jon Tiven, while Felix Cavaliere, Brian May, and Simon Kirk elevate the star strata courtesy of cameo appearances.
That said, the music comes across as one might expect, an assortment of sturdy, stomping R&B with a big beat and a riveting rhythm. The title track, “Hurry Up Sundown”, “Reality Check”, “There’s Always a Catch”, “Let’s Get Started”, and “Talkin’ Bout Politics” each take an authoritative stance, courtesy of a solid strut that matches the grit with the groove. So too, “In God We Trust” sounds like it was spun out of the Stax factory early on. On the other hand, “I’ll Take Tomorrow” provides a solid, soulful ballad that allows Reale to belt the Blues. For its part, “Lay It Down” comes across as a reliable Rocker, a propulsive combination of flash and frenzy.
All in all, Friendlytown adheres to the timeless template that Steve Cropper helped establish early on, and that in itself ought to be enough to ensure satisfaction. Those that want evidence and reassurance that the master is still firmly engaged and inspired will clearly find it here. (by Lee Zimmerman)
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Caleb Caudle (from the album Sweet Critters available on Caleb Caudle/Missing Piece Records) (by Bryant Liggett)
Caleb Caudle is cool. This isn’t in reference to a thumbs up, leather jacketed, style of cool, although I’m sure this Folkie has an air of textbook hip about him. This reference is in his sound, as the songs on his latest, Sweet Critters, comes complete with a laid-back vibe, it is a casual and care-free offering that oozes smooth from a dozen cuts, tracks that thread through touches of Folk and gritty Gospel, Blues and rough around the edges Roots.
 
The album introduction in opener “Great High Mountain” is Gospel Goth, referencing mountains moving as the narration calls out for help from above while pleading belief.  “The Devil’s Voice” is a cut of temptation, using vivid language as Caleb Caudle paints a tale of a dark bar while “The Brim” is a cut of Folk tenderness, adding more linguistic vividness. When Caleb Caudle sings ‘loud as acorns pouring down on a tin-roof’ you can’t help but hear that battering sound in your head; a bonus in the song are the harmonies of Aoife O’Donovan, a hushed addition that’s cotton soft.
 
“Hollywood Ending” is front-porch Lounge, and a bouncer hit is “The Garage”, an aptly titled cut that fits into the Roots/Garage Rock realm as Caudle reminisces in song while nodding to start up gigs and the venues giving those baby bands a chance. He also dips into North Mississippi Blues Boogie on the trancey “Knee Deep Blues”. Caleb Caudle plays the field and covers lots of Roots Rock ground on Sweet Critters, dropping an abundance of coolness in a record of gritty Roots.  (by Bryant Liggett)
 
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The Hooten Hallers  (from the album The Devil’s Egg available on The Hooten Hallers/Garlic Press Records) (by Lee Zimmerman)

Using their rambunctious approach and incendiary live performances as an example, The Hooten Hallers rarely conform to expectations. Yet, having been bred in Missouri, those unaware might think they’re simply another pack of down-home denizens inevitably tied to tradition. As their new album, The Devil’s Egg, demonstrates so decidedly, The Hooten Hallers are anything but predictable. A propulsive power trio, the band consists of vocalist, guitarist, bassist John Randall, drummer, percussionist, vocalist Andy Rehm, and vocalist, multi-instrumentalist Kellie Everett, all of whom play a role in driving a steadfast sound.
 
Indeed, while the line up’s relatively sparse instrumental arsenal might suggest a low-key approach, the results prove otherwise. A concept album that lacks precise parameters, The Devil’s Egg is raucous and irrepressible, sounding something like the bastard child of Tom Waits, Motorhead, and Ozzie-era Black Sabbath. It’s not for the faint of heart, nor for those who may expect the tried and true.
 
The story centers around three disillusioned teenagers who find themselves transported to an alternate universe. It could be considered a Rock opera given the thematic narrative and the eerie spoken intro voiced by special guest David Dearnley. However given the solid stomp of songs such as that title track, the decidedly descriptive “It’s Getting Hard to Be a Kid These Days”, the gruff “Touch It”, and the majority of the tracks that follow, it’s clear that the band are out to make a formidable impression. In that regard, it’s an edgy, uncompromising set of songs that propel the plot along, making for a journey that’s both compelling and chaotic all at the same time.

Inevitably, the listener is challenged to understand the action, given the emphasis of sound over substance. Nevertheless, those who admire the mettle of metal will likely find much to appreciate as far as this brazen bluster is concerned. Clearly, the devil’s in the details. (by Lee Zimmerman)
 
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Pony Bradshaw (from the album Thus Spoke the Fool available on Black Mountain Music (by Lee Zimmerman)
 
One thing ought to be made clear at the outset. The title aside, there’s nothing foolish about any of the music or the sentiments it conveys on this latest offering from Pony Bradshaw. They’re offered with honesty and authority, gleaned from lessons learned as an army brat whose family moved about while he was coming of age. Consequently, Thus Spoke the Fool makes a formidable impression with stoic statements that resonate through earnest intent.
 
For the most part, the ten tracks that make up this LP come across as descriptive narratives, each setting a specific scene while providing the perspectives of individuals who have observed much and learned even more. Consequently, the slow paced “Viva Appalachia” doesn’t deny the defiant attitude that seems to permeate the proceedings. So too, the plaintive approach given “Rebel,” an ode to a wayward father, suggests Bradshaw is also determined to maintain his own outlaw stance.
 
‘Daddy, when I grow up
I want to paint my portrait true
Daddy when I grow up
I want to be a rebel like you’
 
So too, as the dark and didactic “Hiwassee Lament”, the rugged “In the Cinnamon Glow”, and the assertive strains of “Young Eudora” clearly suggest, these songs are mostly cautionary tales that come across as  both honest and exacting. That’s not to say Bradshaw isn’t an agreeable sort; the down-home designs of “By Jeremiah’s Vision”, the steady ramble of “The Long Man”, and the easy, amiable “Housebroke” reflect his otherwise unassuming stance. Granted, there’s no mistaking his clarity and conviction, but at the same time he manages to avoid any actual hint of real preaching or pontificating. He simply reflects on what he’s observed, and, in so doing, the conclusions become clear. No fool he; Pony Bradshaw clearly knows of what he speaks. (by Lee Zimmerman)
 
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Maggie Rose (from the album No One Gets Out Alive available on Big Loud Records) (by Danny McCloskey)
 
A single piano note slowly opens the door leading into No One Gets Out Alive, the recent release from Maggie Rose. A solid backbeat supports a somber melody as Maggie Rose walks the floors of the title track, memories of the past coming face to face with hopes of the future. Of the storyline, Maggie Rose explains that ‘No One Gets Out Alive as a title sounds ominous on its own, but the song isn't hopeless at all. So many events have reminded me that time isn't guaranteed, and that I'm right where I need to be. I want people to hear the urgency in the song and stop dwelling on what they're missing out on- the present is all you have, so make the most of it’. The power of the song is matched by each of the dozen tracks included on No One Gets Out Alive. Piano notes march into the advice on “Too Young” while “Vanish” writes forgiveness into the words and Rock’n’Roll guitar riffs announce finger-pointing and chest-poking to a former lover now named “Dead Weight”.
 
Musically, No One Gets Out Alive is the sound of Americana music drifting through the woodlands of Laurel Canyon circa 1970-something. The melodies blend without claiming any one musical style for their own, mirroring the vocals of Maggie Rose, her chameleon voice collecting touches of Rock, Country, and Soul to build each note. Maggie Rose speaks to higher power decision makers as she questions the ways of fellow humans in “Under the Sun”, beckoning seductively into “Mad Love” as she takes aim at heart burns, and warning the world of her intentions over the funky rhythms in “Underestimate Me” as No One Gets Out Alive wages a “Lonely War” on a dreamscape of sound, delivers “Fake Flowers” as a declaration, and exits on the piano reverie of “Another Sad Song”. (by Danny McCloskey)
 
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Wild Ponies (from the album Dreamers available on Warner Records) (by Danny McCloskey)
 
For a whole bunch of reasons, Dreamers, the recent release from Wild Ponies, is a keeper. The collection of tunes is top shelf, the band upping their game for album their fifth album release, not an easy feat given the sonic brilliance of Radiant and the fragile beauty string band renderings of Galax. That being said, the title track is an anthem and should be heard by the vast of community of creatives on any rung of the ladder, maybe once their feet touch the floor each morning, afternoon, or evening. Wild Ponies roar into the story announcing ‘I’ve always the dreamers, ones who can’t sleep at night, they worry and they wonder, if they’ll ever get a right. Wound too loose and hold too tight but the world won’t change without a dreamer, so they whisper, work, and scream to bring a new dream into light’. The idea for the song came from a fan in Germany, asking Wild Ponies while on tour ‘Where are your dreams now?’, the band recalling that t stuck with us. Not what are your dreams, but WHERE are your dreams. Where do they live? Just in your head? In the stars? Somewhere between? Do they take up space in the people around you - community and family’.
 
 
East Nashville is homebase for Wild Ponies (Doug and Telisha Williams). Over the last twenty years, amid recording five albums, the Folk duo have hosted the long-running ‘Wild Ponies Happy Hour’ radio show on Nashville’s WSM and led 10 annual distillery tour Trail Rides for fans and friends. Politics take over the news stomping over the very real horrors of conflict. Wild Ponies remind of how war affects families in “Bury the Young” as a mother bids goodnight to a child “Love You Right Now”, completely the evening pattern as a father escorts a sleepy youngster into dreams with “Morning Come”.  Dreamers shines a spotlight on Doug and Telisha when they share the microphone for the 50’s two-part harmonies of “Hurt Your Heart”. Haunted melodies soundtrack the ominous tale in “Wind Love and Water” as Doug Williams sing a fathers love into “Heartbeat” while, backed by The Sea The Sea, Telisha Williams seduces like a siren as she walks across a dreamy soundscape when Wild Ponies exit the album on “Night Sky”. (by Danny McCloskey)
 
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