Ona — American Fiction
It’s impossible to resist the deep, power-pop grooves on Ona’s debut album. But you get the sense that the band’s members know a thing or two about swaying hips. American Fiction is replete with songs of tragic women who keep…
Sam Gleaves — Ain’t We Brothers?
You don’t need to know anything about Sam Gleaves’ backstory to hear the truth and power in “Working Shoes,” the lead-off track on Gleaves’ masterful Ain’t We Brothers? To judge from the powerful lineup on the album, I’m not the…
TICKET GIVEAWAY: The Ghost of Paul Revere — Believe
“After Many Miles” kick off Believe with a startling punch. After listening to the song a few times, I had to look up the lyrics: the song has such a timeless quality that I was sure The Ghost of Paul…
The Nouveaux Honkies — Blues for Country
It’s hard to imagine a more picturesque life than the Nouveaux Honkies’. Tim O’Donnell and Rebecca Dawkins travel the country in a souped-up RV, complete with solar panels and a mini recording studio. The couple set up shop in a…
MakeWar — MakeWar
How many times can you record an album without seeming self-indulgent? MakeWar would like to let you know that the answer is three. You may remember the band as Sad and French, but drummer Greg Taylor crashed the party and…
The Mad Doctors — Snake Oil Superscience
If you’re bummed that Halloween is over, fret not. The Mad Doctors’ sophomore album calls to mind a Frankenstein’s monster of the Ramones, obscure C-movie sci-fi, the hardcore rage of the ’80s and the resigned nihilism of the early aughts.…
Cashavelly Morrison — The Kingdom Belongs to a Child
Cashavelly Morrison’s debut album, The Kingdom Belongs to a Child, is a remarkable pearl. Though the album bears Morrison’s name, the project is co-piloted by her husband, classical guitarist Ryan MacLeod. Cashavelly’s story is unusual in and of itself: a…
Samuel Barker — These Lonesome Nights
Samuel Barker is both a gentleman and a scholar. I know this to be true for the first because I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my e-mail correspondence with him (and I owe him a follow-up) and for the second, he used to…