Our Country is a remarkable statement of Marks’ rightful place at the fore of modern country music. In the mid-2000s, Miko Marks recorded a couple of albums of straight-down-the-middle mainstream country that came and went with minimal notice and even less industry support. As…
My Savior is not just an impressive work of gospel, but is Carrie Underwood’s best record to date. At no point in her career has Carrie Underwood hidden her Christian faith; after American Idol, and the coronation single that followed, both ran their course,…
Lynn’s latest, unfortunately, is another instance of her merely repeating herself without much beyond her legacy to justify its existence. In referencing one of her signature hits for the title and opening track of her latest album, Loretta Lynn tips her hand: Still Woman…
Aaron Lee Tasjan’s latest is a confident, audacious work that earns all of its explanation points. Because he’s found a home on the New West label and has generally adopted a retro-minded style, Aaron Lee Tasjan has been characterized as an Americana act. But…
Shovel & Rope’s kid-friendly latest covers album has its heart in the right place, but is an absolute sonic disaster. Americana duo Shovels & Rope have settled into a predictable pattern with their album releases, alternating between new studio projects and entries in their…
While Willie Nelson boasts a pretty high floor and That’s Life is indeed a pleasant enough listen, it’s the also the songwriter’s least essential album in the past decade. With That’s Life, Willie Nelson finds himself two albums deep into a cycle of Frank Sinatra…
By Request is a thrilling jukebox collection, more rarified that typical covers album, and a profound response tragedy. Though barely perceptible in the music itself, A.J. Croce’s By Request arrives with an undercurrent of tragedy. Following the sudden death of his wife in 2018, Croce…
Yasmin Williams’ sophomore release builds upon the impressive instrumentation and technical expertise shown in her first album, and exhibits her ability to produce cheerful, magical compositions. Yasmin Williams composes music almost exclusively for solo guitar — a fact that’s worth emphasizing because, listening to…
When You Found Me is an emotionally mature, classic rock riff on Lucero’s singular sound. Lucero has always found themselves at intersections; sonically, the southern rockers have incorporated, and reconstituted, elements of alt-country, punk rock, cinematic soul, and bluesy folk, which their albums reflect. A…
Greenfields is a little muddled from numerous star-studded features, but still puts the Bee Gee’s classic songbook on display in a new light. On his third-ever solo album, last living Bee Gee Barry Gibb rarely sounds like the star of the show; at best,…
