Here’s some the best Americana and roots-type music releases for October 25th, 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.
Grayson Capps
Heartbreak, Misery & Death (Royal Potato Family)
For this latest effort, Capps turned his attention to 16 long-lost folk songs and traditionals performed by artists ranging from Doc Watson and Jerry Jeff Walker to Randy Newman and Gordon Lightfoot. Introduced to these timeless touchstones as a child by his father, they’d catalyze Capps’ love for music at a young age, while informing the Southern Gothic vernacular that he’s gone onto so eloquently explore and reimagine in his own body of work.As Capps explains it “I grew up with music, whether hearing my dad, Ronnie Capps, and his friends singing around the house on weekends I gravitated toward was Doc Watson. I first found my own voice by emulating him singing “Wake Up Little Maggie.” We had The Essential Doc Watson, and I wore those records out. “Columbus Stockade Blues” was one of the first songs I learned to play on the guitar. As the album title Heartbreak, Misery & Death suggests, I have always gravitated toward dark songs, and probably the darkest one on this album is “Saint James Hospital,” but no matter how forlorn it is, it somehow makes me feel good to sing it. (from label’s bio)
Lone Justice
Viva Lone Justice (Afar Records)
From the band who invented Alt-Country, this is the first album from Lone Justice in nearly 40 years. Featuring original band members Maria McKee, Ryan Hedgecock, Marvin Etzioni and Don Heffington. In 1983, Lone Justice started playing the clubs in Los Angeles. Word spread like wildfire. By 1984, Lone Justice was on Geffen Records, and by 1985, the self-titled debut album emerged. The LA Times gave it “Album of the Year”. They played shows with U2, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers and Willie Nelson. By 1986, Lone Justice broke up. McKee, Hedgecock, Etzioni and Heffington would begin their solo careers…. Now, through the advent of technology, sweat and tears, a new Lone Justice album has been completed, featuring the original debut album band Maria McKee, Ryan Hedgecock, Marvin Etzioni and the late Don Heffington. Special guests include string arranger Tammy Rogers, multi-horn player David Ralicke, Greg Leisz on steel guitar and Benmont Tench on piano. (from press release)
Also new this week…
Ashtyn Barbaree – Sent Through The Ceiling (independent)
W.C. Beck – Facecomber (independent)
Paul Cauthen – Black on Black (Atlantic Recording Corporation) +
Nicolai Dunger – Melody Rules (Declared Goods Records)
Fancy Hagood – American Spirit (Fancy Hagood Enterprises)
Beth Hart – You Still Got Me (Provogue Records)
Amythyst Kiah – Still + Bright (Rounder Records)
Laura Marling – Patterns in Repeat (Partisan Records)
Ollee Owens – Nowhere To Hide (Ollee Music Inc.)
Chuck Prophet – Wake The Dead (Yep Roc Records) +
Josh Ritter – Heaven, or Someplace as Nice (Pytheas Recordings)
The Wild Feathers – Sirens (New West Records) +
Coming out soon … Jeremie Albino, Paul Kelly, Yonder Mountain Stringband, Caleb Klauder & Reeb Wilms, Willie Nelson, Jamey Johnson, Dwight Yoakam, Lucinda Williams and more!
