Here’s some the best Americana and roots-type music releases for February 16th, 2024. Click the artist or album links to find out more. The artist’s names link to their websites and the CD title links go to either Amazon, iTunes, Bandcamp or the artist’s site for ordering or downloading. A + sign means although not a featured release, it’s a notable album that’s still worth checking out. Also, this page will be updated as I find out about other new releases so check back again.
Eric Brace and Thomm Jutz
Simple Motion (Red Beet Records)
It was inevitable that following the tragic death of Peter Cooper in 2022, that his musical compadres (and personal friends) Eric Brace and Thomm Jutz would get together to make a record. For more than ten years the three of them had toured together and collaborated on songwriting and recordings as they built up a solid body of work. Together, Eric and Thomm have fused their respective sensibilities in a manner not unlike the way a painter brings to life once-hidden features in a landscape painting. Majestic songwriting, genuine authenticity, incredible insight on a record filled with their pristine harmonies wrapped around stories of everyday life, struggles, triumphs, love, loss and redemption. The greatest strength of Simple Motion is the stylistic choices that were made. You’ll hear bluegrass, with blues and swing influences; soft, reflective ballads; Celtic-flavoured tunes; and folksy yarns played and sung with acoustic guitars, fiddle, banjo, accordion, mandolin, Dobro, tin whistle, and upright bass. It’s a tie-dye swirl of smooth yet familiar sounds and great songs. All the musicianship and singing is on point. (edited from Alan Clackett review)
The High Hawks
Mother Natures Show (LoHi Records)
Expect good vibes when you encounter Mother Nature’s Show, the sophomore outing from The High Hawks. This easygoing sextet exhibits the kind of special team spirit that can’t be faked, working like an efficient, albeit nicely scruffy, groove machine as it spans a variety of roots styles to evoke Little Feat, The Grateful Dead, The Bottle Rockets, and other like-minded dudes. A true group effort, The High Hawks features four writers, all of whom sing their own material with ample gusto, and arrangements designed to highlight the tunes rather than instrumental prowess. The members have overlapping resumes: Leftover Salmon’s Vince Herman and Chad Staehly of Hardworking Americans co-founded Great American Taxi, while the other four — Tim Carbone (fiddle, guitar), Adam Greuel (guitar), Brian Adams (bass), and Will Trask(drums) — all have a Taxi connection of some sort. The instantly familiar songs cover a lot of ground, ranging from dark visions of societal dysfunction to the joys of good fellowship. Although the players check their egos at the door, occasional hot licks provide a glimpse of an alternate, more forceful version of the album. The intensity rises whenever Carbone lets fly on his thrilling fiddle, and dashes of boogie-woogie piano and spiky guitar add stronger spice to the mix. Mother Nature’s Show is an understated pleasure, but extra sparks wouldn’t hurt a bit. (edited from No Depression review)
Also new this week…
Blackberry Smoke – Be Right Here (3 Legged Records)
Albert Cummings – Strong (Ivy Music Company)
Béla Fleck – Rhapsody in Blue (Béla Fleck Productions) +
Phil Hurley – Stay Gold (self-released)
The Price Sisters – Between The Lines (McCoury Music)
Kyle Tuttle – Labor of Lust (self-released) +
Coming out soon … Hurray for the Riff Raff, Vanessa Peters, Joe Pug, Corb Lund, Waxahatchee, Anna Moss, Sierra Ferrell, Rees Shad, Kitchen Dwellers, Sarah Shook & The Disarmers, JJ Grey & Mofro, Aoife O’Donovan, The Coal Men, Charley Crockett, Pi Jacobs, Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams, Lost Dog Street Band, Pokey LaFarge and more!
