​Dwight Yoakam (from the album Brighter Days available on Via Records/Thirty Tigers) (by Bryant Liggett)
There’s a lot of Rock’n’Roll in Dwight Yoakam’s Country. Hell, there’s a lot of everything in Yoakam’s Country sound, from the Paisley Underground influences to the Punk Rock, the influential singer/songwriters to modern Pop music, Dwight Yoakam’s been a dude that crafts his songs with his eye and ear outside the box. You’ll hear subtle hints and a healthy sampling of those sounds on his latest album release Brighter Days. 
There’s an out of the gate charge with track one, “Wide Open Heart” having a pushy pulse and drive, and if Yoakam has a fan crush for The Byrds, he shows it in “Bound Away”. The cut kicks off with an airy jangle as it proceeds to be thick with late 60’s Country Rock vibe. “Can’t Be Wrong” is loaded with Dwight Yoakam-style boogie, part old-school rockabilly, part dance-hall score, while the Brighter Days title track is straight from Buck Owens-Bakersfield.
Dwight Yoakam will likely sell a load of singles by pairing up with the decades younger Post Malone on “I Don’t Know How To Say Goodbye (Bang Bang Boom Boom)”  which is a dose of dance floor, classic Country. It is a gutsy move that could bum some of his more conservative fans out, and it’s another reason to love the guy. “Keep on the Sunny Side” starts with layered acapella vocals before blasting into a solid Country Rocker. He closes with more dance-floor boogie in “Every Night”.
Dwight Yoakam’s 16th proper release coming after a nine-year break was worth the wait. This is a musician that’s covered The Clash, and opened for the Grateful Dead. While this release is all Country, listen close and you’ll hear a dude where’s a load of hipster influences. (by Bryant Liggett)
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​Parchman Prison Prayer (from the album Another Mississippi Morning available on Glitter Beat Records) (by Lee Zimmerman)
 
A sequel to the critically acclaimed first Parchman Prison Prayer album, Some Mississippi Sunday Morning, released in 2022, a new collection entitled Another Mississippi Sunday Morning maintains the same creative concept and high bar of its predecessor. Here again, producer Ian Brennan attains the high standard established the first time around, utilizing the talents of a dozen prisoners ranging in age from 23 to 74. Each of the participants are credited with their ages added. 
 
So too, as before, it was a daunting task. Several of those involved were hardened criminals and none had any previous professional experience, at least in any actual sense. Regardless, the album was recorded completely live in a single take and completed in a matter of a few hours with no overdubs.

As a result, the sentiment and spontaneity remain completely in sync. Each of these poignant and passionate performances make for a series of memorable, moving encounters. They’re stirred by little more than sheer emotion and a distinctive dynamic that’s evidenced by all involved. That’s evident at the outset, courtesy of the wordless improvised read that defines “Parchman Prison Blues,” a powerful and passionate expression of drama and despair. 

Of course, that expression of emotion isn’t confined to any one track. It’s evident in each of these offerings, whether it’s the solitary and sobering “Grace Will Lead Me On,” the unadorned hip-hop delivery of “MC Hammer”, the plaintive plea found in “Po’ Child”, or the ghostly echoes that whirl within “Take Me to the King”. The syncopated rhythm of “God Is Keeping Me” and the gospel-infused acapella approach that marks “Living Testimony”. “I Shall Not Want” and “I Won’t Complain” testify to the participants’ clear commitment. Only the concluding track, “Jesus Will Never Say No” features instrumental accompaniment, but like all the entries that came before, the music rings and resonates with an unequivocal clarity. 
 
Redemption isn’t always a given, and yet, in this particular case, there’s a depth of devotion that’s clearly manifest in its honesty and humility. That presence is pervasive throughout, making Another Mississippi Sunday Morning something akin to a sacred sacrament for all the ages. (by Lee Zimmerman)
 
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For more information, please visit the Parchman Prison Prayer website
 

​Early James (from the album Medium Raw available on Easy Eye Sound) (by Bryant Liggett)
Everything about the latest from Early James is old-school cool. With a little push from producer Dan Auerbach (The Black Keys), Early James and his band took to a century old house in Nashville to record his latest release, Medium Raw. The aging house, and the 1950’s tube console they brought in for the recording, are the perfect setting and equipment to lend some historic ambience to Early James’s vintage sound. The result is something sounding like a classic Blues record but with a Punk Rock vibe, a record as new as tomorrow but also as old as the house where the recording took place. 
The opener in “Steely Knives” has dirty drive that sets the tone of Medium Raw, a tone that’s agressive and underproduced. “Tinfoil Hat” opens with a classic Rockabilly riff before treading into Trance Blues that nods to North Mississippi, with its video giving you a glance into that aforementioned makeshift studio. “Rag Doll” is bopping’ Boogie Blues, “Gravy Train” features fabulous guitar picking, and “I Could Just Die Right Now” is a slowed down ballad that screams heartache, complete with the wonderful admission of ‘I’m pretty good at singing the Blues’. This writers favorite is “Dig to China”, a take on Psychedelic Blues pushing past the five-minute mark.
With Dan Auerbach and others, including Langhorne Slim, sharing co-writing credits, Medium Raw is a lot done with a little and that’s glorious. It is a nod to simplicity, but that doesn’t mean sleepy, for the whole thing is a wonderful sound that packs a lot of punch.  (by Bryant Liggett)
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For more information, please visit the Early James website
 

​John McCutcheon (from the album Field of Stars available on Appleseed Productions, Inc) (by Bryant Liggett)
He’s got 45 albums under his belt and on the shelf. Reflective, passionate, and downright kitchen table friendly, John McCutcheon is a life-long Folkie whose sound on his latest, Field of Stars, hits all the Folk-buttons, from traditional to Celtic inspired ballads, stripped-down sounds and Appalachian-influenced string band narratives. No matter the style, John McCutcheon hits you in the head with heart and history.
The hominess starts with the opener in “Here” as McCutcheon presents a piano ballad that’s vivid with imagery of past instances from anyone’s life. Beautiful piano playing is prevalent on “The Hammer”, where McCutcheon nods to Hank Aaron and his home-run record; in four minutes and sixteen seconds he presents a song alongside a history lesson in baseball and civil rights. “Redneck” is another history lesson in a traditional Bluegrass cut, McCutcheon putting the labor uprising from the West Virginia mines to the music of Bill Monroe, and he again digs into civil rights and sports on “Peter Norman”, putting the narrative of Olympians Norman, John Carlos, and Tommie Smith to song.
There are also beautiful duets when John McCutcheon is joined by Carrie Newcomer on Field of Stars title track, Claire Lynch on “Only Ones Dancing”, which also features a lovely and lonely fiddle, while the album closer, “Blessing”, features the vocals of Windborne. The cut is a lovely, voice-only ballad of giving thanks with wonderful vocals.
This is an album to educate while also delivering a load of feeling, as John McCutcheon provides history and tales of home for your head and heart.  (by Bryant Liggett)
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For more information, please visit the John McCutcheon website
 

​Cave Flowers (from the album Western Spectre available on Hard Bark Records) (by Bryant Liggett)
Cave Flowers have nailed the casual Garage Rock sound and the sentimental ballad. Their sophomore effort is a little bit of both, Western Spectre is delivered with a care-free looseness, those ballads scoring a slow dance and the Rockers packed for your road-trip and/or backyard party. It’s a great, Paul Westerberg (The Replacements)-style vibe.  
They dig into early 70’s Rolling Stones on the opener “Garbage and Gold”, a rambling guitar riff that harkens to that aforementioned looseness. It’s also got a killer bar-room piano and a guitar solo perfect for the song. Cave Flowers continue to alter between up-beat Rockers and slowed-down weepers for the first half of the record. Cuts like “Good Love” and “Invisible Tonight” are both sweet and sentimental, the latter delivering larger riffs between verses.  They shine, however, on the lazy Rockers. “Leave Your Light On” has a reverb overtone with a Psychedelic touch as an echoey, trippy guitar fills all of “Heart of Hearts”. “Good Luck Charm” while both dramatic and beautiful, treads into dreamy jam territory clocking in over five minutes. “Living Like a Rodeo” has both elements of Indie and Classic Southern Rock, and the album closer in “Old Sunglasses” is a dreamy lullaby.
The Rock and ballads are accentuated by Andy McAllister’s rough vocal delivery, driven by this stacked band, who keep an ear to Surf Rock and Cosmic Country, giving those touches to every song. (by Bryant Liggett)
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For more information, please visit the Cave Flowers website
 

​Teddy & The Rough Riders (from the album Down Home available on Appalachia Records Co.) (by Danny McCloskey)
A frenetic fiddle leads the charge as Teddy & The Rough Riders aim and fire at Down Homewith “Bullet”, the opening cut on their recent release. Cosmic Americana fuels the songs of songwriting partners Jack Quiggins and Ryan Jennings, the words and music behind the tunes captured for Down Home. There is a forward thrust to the movement of the songs as “Hippies” barrels across the tracks whenTeddy & The Rough Riders proclaim ‘hippies make the best Country music’. The playing on “Mountain Girl” tumbles and rolls like a downhill run as “Fast Livin’” hits a stride out of the gate that keeps on cooking and “Golden Light” matches the pace as they band describe their goal for a perfect day.
 
While Teddy & The Rough Riders careen through Down Home at a powerful clip, the songs take a breather when “Love After Life” taps a toe for a front porch picker and “Trouble Sleeping” follows a solid strum into the gentle sway of the tune’s rhythms. Firm footsteps walk into the promises penned for “Edna’s Song” as a goodbye finds its way in “Bird Has Flown” and a rattling beat propels “Catfish Summer”. Exiting Down Home on a bounce, Teddy & The Rough Riders finger-point a bit of advice with “Getting’ High”. (by Danny McCloskey)
 
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For more information, please visit the Teddy & The Rough Riders website
 

​Kasey Chambers (from the album Backbone available on Essence Music) (by Danny McCloskey)
Over soft Country Rock chords, Kasey Chambers lets her voice rise above in Soul shouts for “A New Day Has Come”, the opening track for her recent release, Backbone. As genres come and go, Kasey Chambers has successfully navigated all styles shifts with the power of her voice as the driving wheel. Her ability to emotionally charge vocals to fit the narrative is present in equal measure to her 1999 debut, The Captain, and her break-through 2002 release, Brickwalls and Barricades. Backbone shares its title with “Backbone (The Desert Child)”, the song strumming scratchy Australian grit into chords as Kasey Chambers raises her voice in harmony to enter the dark rhythms of “Dart N Feather”, quiets to a hush becoming “Silverado Girl”, and riding a shuffle-on-steroids beat to back “Take Me Down the Mountain”.
 
A healthy spinning wheel of Australian Americana packs Backbone with a hefty fifteen tracks, including a banjo reverie to begin the live version of Kasey Chambers covering Eminem with “Lose Yourself”, the sonics layering electric guitar before blasting open with an arena worthy Rock’n’Roll struts. Guitar sparkle surrounds the wishes of “A Love Like Springsteen” while a honky tonk slow dance pushes the promises of “For Better or Worse” as Backbone lets voices and a lone guitar be the bed for “My Kingdom Comes” while Kasey Chambers asks for directions and guidance in “Broken Cup”, as she relates a fairy tale over a Back Alley Jazz beat with “Little Red Riding Hood”, and follows a hammering righteous rhythmic march into the Rock Gospel of “Something to Believe In”. (by Danny McCloskey)
 
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For more information, please visit the Kasey Chambers website
 

​Yonder Mountain String Band (from the album Nowhere Next available on Frog Pad Records/Thirty Tigers) (by Bryant Liggett)
The passage of time playing performing and recording hasn’t slowed down Yonder Mountain String Band. As they push past a quarter century as a band, whether on stage or in studio, they keep a foot down on the gas pedal. Their latest release, Nowhere Next shows maturity while still staying true to the NuGrass genre; they remain a band with limitless influences on a path that finds them moving string band music fast and forward to another level. 
The album opener in “The Truth Fits”  has that typical Jam Band-Grass drive, banjo player Dave Johnston leading the charge from the first solo, and that aforementioned ‘fast and forward’ description couldn’t be more present than on the cut “Cruisin’”. “Didn’t Go Wrong” starts with an Outlaw Country riff before Adam Aijala adds repetitive, Prog-Rock acoustic guitar while Ben Kaufmanns scats vocals; call it Prog-Boogie. This reviewer has always loved the songs of Johnston, and “Leave the Midwest” continues that fandom. Dave Johnston’s croon always homey and warm, this is a tale of leaving your home to head-west and make dreams into a new life; a front-porch sing-along that’s a straight-ahead song, the instrumentation solid but not theatrical, as Yonder Mountain String Band play it straight and true.
While this band has certainly toyed with other genres, they’ve always had their heart in Bluegrass, “Secondhand Smoke” nodding to that love. With plenty of boogie and plenty of jam, longtime fans will revel in this Yonder Mountain String Band release, as it has all of the elements that made you fall for this band back in 2000. (by Bryant Liggett)
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For more information, please visit the Yonder Mountain String Band website
 

Ringo Starr (from the album Look Up available on Roccabella Records/UMG) (by Brian Rock)
Ringo Starr brings his inimitable star power to the Country genre on his new album, Look Up. Despite his Rock’n’Roll pedigree, Ringo has always had a love for Country music, as evidenced by his cover of Buck Owens’ “Act Naturally” and especially his 1970 Country album, Beaucoups of Blues. Staying true to the golden age of Country, Ringo brings his charm and wit (and several guest artists including Alison Krauss, Billy Strings, Molly Tuttle, and T Bone Burnett, who produced the album), to these songs of love, loss, and occasional levity.
“You Want Some” finds Ringo in an amorous mood. A walking bass line and weepy pedal steel introduce the song as the band evokes the feel of a Texas roadhouse. Ringo taking the microphone to sing ‘I’ve got love to give. Baby, that’s better than none. You want some?’. His trademark wit and humor shine through as the band kicks up a rousing Western Swing with plenty of steel guitar and rollicking ragtime piano. Ringo’s drumming holds all the pieces together. His drumming, like his vocals, exudes a casual cool that’s neither forced nor contrived. He takes a page from Bob Wills and makes it flirty and fun. 
Ringo goes full Sons of the Pioneers on “Come Back”. An authentic range-riding, campfire-crooning Country & Western ballad where Ringo is joined by Lucius for a tender ode to a distant lover. Yearning for her return, he sings ‘when you go away as night turns into day, I walk alone and feel you gone.” A meandering acoustic guitar and a humming background chorus capture the feel of a gentle breeze blowing across the Great Plains, mountain ranges, and the Southwest desert. Sincere and direct, his vocals and lyrics express the naked truth. No philosophical metaphors, nor flowery poetic devices; he says exactly what any of us would say in a similar situation, if only we had the courage to express it. That earnestness serves him well on the tender ballad, “Time 0n My Hands”. With a generous helping of pedal steel, Ringo moans ‘I used to have a true love, everything was fine. But now she’s found a new love, she’s no longer mine… Now these arms are empty and I’ve got time on my hands’. Again, Ringo’s voice conveys an everyman quality of warmth and vulnerability. “I Live for Your Love” explores the happier moments of love in gentle Countrypolitan tones. Ringo combines West Coast Folk with Country on the cheery “Never Let Me Go”. Harmonica and a staccato drumbeat punctuate his devotion as he coos ‘when you call my name I will be there. If you want me, I won’t go anywhere”. The optimistic “Look Up” incorporates Cosmic Cowboy soundscapes to encourage us to find the silver lining in life’s darker moments. “Rosetta” combines the same Cosmic Cowboy, joining with Billy Strings and Larkin Poe to blend elements of Bluegrass to mourn a lost lover. The Bluegrass touch again comes to the fore in the lovely declaration of devotion, “Can You Hear Me Call”; Molly Tuttle singing counterpoint with Ringo to assure the feelings are mutual. Ringo pays tribute to Carl Perkins and the original Country Rock pioneers as he is joined by Billy Strings on the Rockabilly-tinged T-Bone Burnett original, “Breathless”. Rounding out the set, Ringo Starr duets with Alison Krauss on the tender, Bakersfield influenced, “Thankful”. Paying tribute with an homage to someone special in his life, Ringo sings ‘I’m thankful for the stars above, hoping for more peace and love… Thankful for this moment here. And thankful you are here’. “Peace and Love” is, of course, Ringo Starr’s trademark salutation; so, we can indeed, all be thankful for a little more of Mr. Peace and Love in our lives. (by Brian Rock)
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For more information, please visit the Ringo Starr website
 
 

​MJ Lenderman (from the album Manning Fireworks available on Anti- Records) (by Danny McCloskey)
Slow sluggish acoustic guitar notes walk beside MJ Lenderman into his recent release, Manning Fireworks. The title track opens the album, the pace of the plucked guitar string cadence alongside vocals that match the slow steps. With several solo releases, MJ Lenderman (Jake Lenderman) delivers the song on Manning Fireworks carefully. Nothing is rushed. The tempos are tempered, the beat decelerated. Even amid the power chords of “Wristwatch”, the overall feeling in his presentation remains nearly sensual in its rhythmic touches. Folk Rock for 2025 is the style selection for Manning Fireworks, MJ Lenderman strumming for a campfire singalong in “You Don’t Know the Shape I’m In”, as he walks with heavy strides across “Joker Lips”, crunches electric chords for the Rock’n’Roll strut of “On My Knees”, and blends the sounds of “Bark at the Moon” into a seductive groove before closing out with trace-inducing sonics as it closes out the album.
 
Based in Ashville, North Carolina the 25-year-old songwriter has releases under both MJ Lenderman and Jake Lenderman as well as playing with Alternative Rock outfit, Wednesday.  In addition to his own release, he contributed guitar and vocals to Waxahatchee’s Tiger’s Blood album. Manning Fireworks uses heavy footstomps and pedal steel twang to introduce “Rudolph” while MJ Lenderman layers the instruments, building into a roller coaster rhythms, tredding softly before rising up with a sonic blast for “She’s Leaving You”. (by Danny McCloskey)
 
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For more information, please visit the MJ Lenderman website