Before the year closes out, I’d be criminally negligent in not writing up Lavender Country’s Blackberry Rose. Lavender Country, a loose collective headed up by Patrick Haggerty, released their first album, Lavender Country, in 1973. It’s the first known queer…
Back in June, Anna Volpe released her debut EP Call My Name, a heartfelt exploration of pop music with significant influences from Volpe’s country music roots. I know Volpe through her collaborations with James Wilson of Paisley Fields, but I’m…
When art imitates life and then life imitates art, it can be a bit tricky. For Dutch artist Lewin, that scenario came abruptly. As she wrote a series of breakup songs with then-partner and producer Aaron Ahrends, it turned out…
In my interviews with queer country artists, I ask if they think there’s a particular sound to queer country — or if it’s a matter of the artist’s identity. Most artists have demurred — often pointing to the fact that…
As a New York Jew, I tend to avoid Christmas music — even snarky Christmas songs. In fact, “Chinese Restaurant on Christmas” only the third Christmas song I’ve posted here in the 8 years this blog has run. There’s a…