Blogcritics Category: Music: Country and Americana

Music Review: Mark Olson & Gary Louris - Ready for the Flood

Bill Sherman — Thu, 8 Jan 2009 21:34:11 EST

Two former Jayhawks reunite for a new disc of largely acoustic alt-country.
Fourteen years after Mark Olson departed the Jayhawks to strum alongside Ms. Williams' Guitar, the singer/songwriter has reunited with his fellow Minnesotan Gary Louris for a new set of largely acoustic alt-country. Ready for the Flood (New West Records) contains the twosome's appealing blend of raggedy Louvin Bros.-style harmonies and...

Music Review: Rory Block - Blues Walkin' Like A Man

Lou Novacheck — Thu, 8 Jan 2009 08:27:52 EST

�The blues got so bad that they manifested into human form and began walking down the road beside you ��
Rory Block is on a mission. She’s a missionary with a holy mission. She’s out to convince people to become more aware and appreciative of the Southern blues troubadours who started the Country Blues, the blues troubadours who made it famous, too, since they’re not always one and the same.Rory Block Blues Walkin’ Like A Man...

Sugarland's Rising Star

Alie James — Tue, 6 Jan 2009 10:07:59 EST

The White-Hot Star Quality of Country Music's Sugarland!
Dovetailing with my last article, "Taylor Swift & Friends - Millennial Entertainers Remove the Gloom", I’d like to pose this question: Why does one artist become a star and another one not? How does one artist win the hearts and minds of the public over another one? Whether it’s music, movies, art, books, business or...

Retro Redux: Granddad and the Victrola

Big Geez — Tue, 6 Jan 2009 09:20:53 EST

Music affects each of us in a different way.
When I look at old pictures, I sometimes see beyond the obvious subject matter and sort of re-imagine it. Or to be more accurate, I guess I should say that I combine what I see in the picture with selected memories, and throw in a touch of guesswork. The result can be interesting. Recently I ran across an unusual old picture of my maternal...

Jayson Harsin's/Djay Indie Eclectique's Top 10 Indie Albums of 2008

Jayson Harsin — Sun, 4 Jan 2009 11:42:38 EST

Critic/DJ Jayson Harsin/DJay Indie Eclectique gives you his Top 10 indie albums of 2008.'
Many of the following are apples and oranges, thus the rankings could be somewhat interchangeable. They're all good, depending on your taste or musical openness. An excellent year in indie rock, pop, folk.1. My Morning Jacket, Evil Urges (Ato Records). As with several of my top picks for 2008, MMJ demonstrates a virtuosity of generic...

Music Review: Alan Tyler & The Lost Sons Of Littlefield - Lonesome Cowboys

Jeff Perkins — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 17:10:02 EST

All the way from Nashville, North London.
So, just who are The Lost Sons of Littlefield, you may ask? To answer that, we need to go way, way back. Back to Waylon Jennings birthplace, in fact. Yes Littlefield is where the great man comes from but his inspiration has spread a great deal further. It’s not quite that simple though and we need to go digging a little deeper. Alan Tyler,...

Saleski's Choice: Favorite Albums of 2008

Mark Saleski — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 02:28:36 EST

Rock, pop, jazz, country, and things that can't be stuffed in a category.
As the year ends and the economy continues to shrivel (or whatever it's doing, I'm not here to debate), it seems like I can't go a day or two without seeing yet another printed report of how CD sales have continued to fall. For whatever reason (laziness?), the articles never bother factoring in online sales. For all I know, maybe that's not making...

Book Review: Smart Blonde - Dolly Parton by Stephen Miller

Anna Creech — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 01:27:45 EST

This unauthorized biography may satisfy inquiring minds until Parton finishes her impending autobiography.
In his acknowledgments, author Stephen Miller makes it clear that his book, Smart Blonde: Dolly Parton, is not an authorized biography of the singer, songwriter, and actress. Despite not being able to interview Parton or most of her closest associates for the book, he has been able to gather an impressive collection of anecdotes and factual...

Music Review: Willie Nelson - Red Headed Stranger

David Bowling — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 19:39:47 EST

Red Headed Stranger returns to its original vinyl format.
Sony/BMG (through their Legacy program) has returned the classic Red Headed Stranger album by Willie Nelson to its original vinyl form.1975 found Willie Nelson almost twenty years into his career as a respected songwriter and recording artist. His relocation to the Austin, Texas area and signing with the Columbia label would culminate in his...

Concert Review: Raul Malo Christmas Show at Antones in Austin

Dave Nalle — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 18:16:43 EST

Dancing the night away with the cougars of Westlake to the very excellent voice and rocking Christmas tunes of the great Raul Malo.
When I go to a concert these days it's as much a cultural experience as it is a musical experience, because as I get older I get more and more interested in observing the crowd at a concert as well as listening to the music. I like music, but I'm also fascinated by who else likes and listens to that music. So when I write a review it's often as...