I initially wanted to pass on Hatteras Night. Will Johnson, of Centro-matic fame, has produced a tidy collection of songs with a country flare and carefully precise, minimalist production that felt challenging to me. But the more time I spent…
I recently found out about some pretty cool guitar tech for you players out there. The Roadie tuner can be pre-programmed for various tunings. It fits over the turning gear of your stringed instrument (doesn’t have to be a guitar!)…
If you’re an aficionado of public radio, you have no doubt heard Laura Marling’s latest song, “Wild Fire” and its truly genre- and mind-bending guitar licks. In addition to wrists and a serious set of pipes, Marling’s got a true…
Old Nobodaddy — nee Ian Francis — knows how to dig deep into that Southern Gothic feel. “Bury the Hatchet” begins with an eerie, gospel-like chorus and slowly but surely ramps up into a full-on boot stomper. Old Nobodaddy specializes…
I never really quite know what to make of a Moonage Shine EP but I always enjoy where it takes me. Catacombs is murkier than the Texas-based band’s previous releases. Instead of channeling heat stroke-induced visions, Catacombs asks us to…
Sera Cahoone’s newest solo album is, in a word, delightful. It serves as an interesting bookend to Caroline Spence’s Spades and Roses. Where Spence is hurt and vulnerable, Cahoone’s songs come from the same wounds but are playful and healing.…
Man, I thought my relationship history was dysfunctional. But compared to McKelvie’s L Word-worthy messes, mine are just Sweet Valley. McKelvie’s got an aloof self-deprecation that makes these painfully awkward and tense standoffs a little more bearable to listen to.…
What is a virago, you may ask? It used to be a slur for a woman who had “masculine” traits. Like being brave, pugnacious, and bawdy. I can’t for the life of my remember her name, but there was a…