Anjana Vasan’s bold EP Too Dark For Country bears a double entendre. The songs here, like most good country songs, are not particularly buoyant (though “Key Lime Pie” is delectable). But the London-by-way-of-Singapore singer-songwriter addresses the near-constant racism she endures…
Back to First Street, blues singer Julez’s debut album, does such a good job of being a young 20-something woman that I felt shivers. At times brash, ambitious, anxious, and self-doubting, Back to First Street, will take you back to…
Kye Alfred Hillig has led a colorful life. Having worked among some of the most morbid aspects of life (and death) as a trauma cleanup specialist, working in institutes for the mentally ill, and a funeral parlor attendant, it’s no…
Sometimes you need to take a break from trawling out your insides just to feel something. At least that’s how I am (musically!) Alan Barnosky’s Old Freight does the trick — a classic-sounding folk and bluegrass album that features some…
When we left off with Bobby’s Oar frontman Greg Hughes, he was making the transition between Florida and Seattle. Based on Not What I’m Looking For, it was an eventful fall for the folk-inflected punk rock singer. Not What I’m…
Fountains of Wayne hit the big time when I was in middle school. For me, they were the first band from New York that I truly fell in love with, and hearing about my hometown in songs I related to…
Do you remember where you were a year ago? I was steadfastly ignoring the inauguration and mentally girding my loins for a long, tough year ahead. In some ways, it’s been worse than anyone imagined. Terra Naomi’s heartrending “Machine Age”…
If there’s one narrative I’ll never get tired of, it’s the jaded sad-sack guy. It’s been a little bit since I’ve been broken through that headspace myself (is that what adulthood is? Or could be?) But something still leads me…