As we move into the autumn of another turbulent year, we’ve got some music to help us slow down. This month I was drawn to music that pushed the envelope a little — music that quested and questioned the very boundaries of Americana itself (as well as some global music for good measure.) Allons-y!
- Katayoun Goudarzi and Shujaat Husain Khan — “One” (This Pale) — This album is a beautiful, ethereal piece perfect for the autumn. Read more about Goudarzi’s explorations of ancient sufi poetry in her compositions here.
- Miko Marks — “Long as I Can See the Light” (Race Records) — I can’t think of enough good things to say about Race Records, but I sure did try on No Depression. The album is a joyful celebration of roots music — and a subversion of the genres that seek to divide us.
- Laurel Premo — “On My Way to See Nancy” (Golden Loam) — Gorgeous, swooning guitar work, bending the conventions of traditional mountain music into a gorgeous exploration of the guitar. Read more about how Premo came to these compositions here.
- Gregory Dwane — “Gimme a Solution” (Gregory Dwane) — This album has Tom Petty love out the wazzoo and sports some poignant reflections on fatherhood. Dwane told us about growing up with music and his diverse influences over here.
- Dwight + Nicole — “Heart is Home” (Further) –The duo has some understandable chemistry, given that they’re partners. What can’t be denied is Dwight + Nicole’s sense of cool. Further is a case study in how you can do country pop right — replete with catchy grooves and beats evocative of ‘80s R&B, Dwight + Nicole prove you can have it all with this EP.
- Katie Callahan — “In a Garden” (The Water Comes Back) — Callahan draws from all the good features of Christian music (that irresistible yet chaste GROOVE) to inform her meditations on evangelical Christianity — and rejecting it. You can read about her process here.
- Jackson + Sellers — “Waste Your Time” (Breaking Point) — When you get Jade Jackson and Aubrey Sellers together, how can you help but have a good time? The duo has fun painting with a diverse palette, but it’s this fuzzed out Sheryl Crow homage that gets me.
- Ike Reilly — “Little Messiahs” (Because the Angels) — Reilly has a Dylan-esque approach to political folk songs, though he delivers his pronouncements with a surlier sneer at the establishment. Reilly also knows how to have a little fun, even at his expense, such as his tale of trying to score weed at the Muhammad Ali Museum. Because the Angels is a wry album that packs a punch.
- Buffalo Nichols — “These Things” (Buffalo Nichols) — During his time in Nickel and Rose, Nichols has proven himself to be a powerful writer of political songs. That’s also true on his debut solo album, but I wanted to focus on “These Things,” which shows Nichols’ vulnerability in a way I haven’t heard it before. The whole album is replete with blues licks as hot as Nichols’ lyrics are poignant and heavy. It’s a wonderful debut and I can’t wait to see what’s next.
- Jeremy Pinnell — “Red Roses” (Goodbye LA) — A rare example of an artist who is able to glitz his production up and stay true to himself and his sound.
- Natalie Hemby — “Hardest Part About Business” (Pins and Needles) — Consummate storytelling with delicious ‘90s country excess. “Hardest Part About Business” is one of the best songs you’ll hear this year.
- Joshua Ray Walker — “Flash Paper” (See You Next Time) — I adored Walker’s first album, but this one didn’t quite land with me. It’s fun, it shows off his pipes, but it feels less vulnerable. I’m glad it’s catching ears and I can’t wait to see what happens next for the stellar crooner.
- Erin Enderlin — “When I’m Drinking Whiskey” (Barroom Mirrors EP) — Enderlin’s cornered the market on sad honky tonk and “Barroom Mirrors” is no exception. The EP is a party and a breakup all in one little disc.
- Angelica Garcia — “Paloma Negra” (Echo Electro) — One of my favorite pop artists right now, Garcia knocks it out of the park here with nothing but a synthesizer and loops of her own voice making each of these compositions almost a cappella.