CD Reviews

Dolly Parton
Rockstar

With the possible exception of puppies, the only thing Americans can agree on in this acrimonious era of ours is Dolly Parton. Wherever you may fall on the political spectrum, you'd be hard pressed to find anybody who would dispute her status as a national icon. And it's not just her ...

Shooter Jennings
Shooter Jennings And The Werewolves Of Los Angeles do Zevon

Shooter Jennings' tribute album of Warren Zevon covers is clearly a labor of love. Zevon was a legendary Los Angeles singer/songwriter that somehow has been overlooked by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Jennings, though, has chosen to willfully focus his attention on this great artist's life ...

Jon Pardi
Merry Christmas from Jon Pardi

You know from the first notes of Jon Pardi's "All I Want For Christmas" that this is going to be good album as it starts off with a steel guitar intro. Later, there is also a twin fiddle solo. These elements reveal how this track is a true country version. It's also executed well, ...

Old California
Metaterranea

"Metaterranea" is the sixth album released in collective band Old Californio's 16-year history. They are truly a genre mashup, capable of delivering straight ahead country, folk, rock n' roll and Beatles/Beach Boys-like pop harmonies. All those elements are present in these 10 tracks. ...

Flatland Cavalry
Wandering Star

" Wandering Star" is the fourth album from the Lubbock, Texas/Nashville-based sextet, Flatland Calvary who straddle the line between country and alternative country. Frontman and principal songwriter Cleto Cordero (vocals, acoustic guitar) is joined by Jason Albers, Jonathan Saenz, Reid ...

Jon Byrd
All Your Mistakes

Singer-songwriter Jon Byrd, an authentic country music survivor, is practically legendary in East Nashville, but nowhere near a household name anywhere else. Perhaps this fine effort, his fifth full-length, "All Your Mistakes" will begin to change that. He's made several strong ...

John Baumann
Border Radio

As the title suggests, "Border Radio," the fourth album from John Baumann, the Austin singer-songwriter and member of The Panhandlers, plants us squarely in southwestern Texas. Yet, there's another borderline at play, that between authentic and commercial country. ...

Alex Miller
Country

In some ways you could call Alex Miller a walking contradiction. His baritone is a bit of a surprise when people hear it coming from a baby-faced guy standing 6'6". He's a very young country singer whose heart is in traditional country. And when he got career advice at 17 from a ...

Charlotte Morris
Wild Child

Every so often a new voice appears that one can't help but notice. Welcome Charlotte Morris. Too often, albums are described as "most personal yet," but singer-songwriter Morris sings every note on "Wild Child" with deep conviction, with the kind of reflections and emotions ...

Buddy and Julie Miller
In The Throes

Buddy Miller and Julie Miller, that unusual Americana power couple, don't sound like they're particularly in the kind of throes suggested by this "In The Throes" album title. There's a lot of hope – especially gospel message hope – contained on the married ...

John Surge and the Haymakers
Almost Time

John Surge's 2019 debut "Your Wonderful Life" nodded to several southern California bands such as San Diego's Beat Farmers that made an impression on the budding songwriter in the '80s. Surge is back, but with a different mantra on "Almost Time," recording in Texas ...

Willie Nelson
Bluegrass

Willie Nelson has a winner. How could it not be? It features some of the greatest songs in music history and some of the finest bluegrass players in the business. Most of all, it centers around Willie Nelson, one of the most iconic artists in the history of music, who at 90, has given bluegrass ...

Brothers Osborne
Brothers Osborne

There are no big social statements made on Brothers Osborne's self-titled album. However, as long as this brotherly duo matches John Osborne's funky/twangy electric guitar with T.J. Osborne's deep holler lead vocals, that scintillating sibling sound is more than good enough to satisfy. ...

Colby Acuff
Western White Pines

With "Western White Pines," Colby Acuff reveals many sides of his musical personality. All of them appealing. He is also a young man with a wise old man's soul, and his major label album gives listeners many reasons to love this relatively new country voice. Acuff takes on the big ...

Turnpike Troubadours
Cat in the Rain

"A Cat in the Rain" marks the triumphant return of The Turnpike Troubadours, their first album in six years, reborn after their demise in 2019. A bit more mature, wiser, and, in the case of frontman and principal songwriter Evan Felker, a now sober approach. Their catchy hooks, singalong ...

Old Crow Medicine Show
Jubilee

While they started as a bluegrass band, Old Crow Medicine Show (OCMS) in recent years have won two Grammys and are considered one of our best roots bands, meshing Americana, old-timey music, folk and rock into an appealing sound. "Jubilee," their eighth studio album, is likely named for ...

John Rich
The Country Truth

The title to John Rich's album can be read a few ways. The 'country truth' may refer to the album's traditional instrumentation. No question, this is a country music album. More likely, though, Rich's intention is to give us his thoughts about contemporary political and social ...

Hailey Whitters
I'm In Love

Hailey Whitters smartly plays with words on the title track to this six-song EP. "He's in a Chevy/And I'm in love," she explains contrastingly. With its upfront mandolin part, the track nicely resembles Whitters' hit, "Everything She Ain't," which is reprised on ...

Lori McKenna
1988

Seemingly in a blink, Lori McKenna has released her 12th album, "1988," named for the year she married her husband, Gene. Steady prolific output at about an album every other year, this is the fourth produced by Dave Cobb, the first call producer for Nashville singer-songwriters of McKenna's caliber. ...

Daryl Mosley
A Life Well Lived

In times like these, we could all use a little Mayberry in our lives, and Daryl Mosley serves up lots of it in "A Life Well Lived," his third Pinecastle Records album. Simpler times, honest living and thankfulness for the little things in life are reflected in these easy-paced bluegrass tunes. ...