Sarah Borges & The Broken Singles – “Love’s Middle Name” (Blue Corn) **** Borges rocks out even more than usual on this excellent disc full of big fat guitar chords, colored by producer/guitarist Eric “Roscoe” Ambel.
10-12-18
1
Greg Hawks – “I Think It’s Time” (self) *** Chapel Hill, NC vet effortlessly combines honky tonk and pop while reflecting on these troubled times. ‘The King of Hate’ gets right to the point.
10-12-18
2
John Hiatt – “The Eclipse Sessions” (New West) **** Swampy roots rock and singer-songwriter fare from an iconic artist who’s at his best when howlin’ on rockers like “Poor Imitation of God” . Guy’s never made a bad album.
10-12-18
1
Southern Culture On The Skids – “Bootleggers Choice” (Kudzu) *** Fun collection of 16 new recordings, including 14 of the most requested songs from SCOTS’ out-of-print ‘Dirt Track Date’ and ‘Plastic Seat’. Good ‘n greezy.
10-05-18
1
Paul Collins – “Out Of My Head” (Alive) **** The “King of Power Pop” is on top of his game. There’s a Buddy Holly-esque sweetness to many of the tracks; no surprise given the album cover shot resembling the man himself.
09-28-18
1
Graham Parker – “Cloud Symbols” (100%) **** GP returns to the swingin’ R&B sound of his 1976 debut, ‘Howlin’ Wind’, and the results are mighty fine; first rate from start to finish.
09-28-18
1
Adam’s House Cat – “Town Burned Down” *** Lost 1990 album from Patterson Hood (who recorded new vocals) and Mike Cooley, who would go on to form Drive-By Truckers; includes a few tracks that would become DBT staples.
09-21-18
2
Ben Pirani – “How Do I Talk To My Brother?” (Colemine) **** If you dig Motown, Philly soul or Ocean Drive, South Carolina beach music, you’ll love this old school R&B record. Crank this at your next multi-generational party and shag.
09-21-18
1
The Band of Heathens – “A Message From The People Revisited” (BoH) *** Kudos to BoH for this timely, ambitious, and passionate re-imagining (and acknowledgement!) of Ray Charles’ 1972 album calling for social justice and unity.
09-14-18
2
Escondido – “Warning Bells” (Kill Canyon) *** Nashville duo of Jessica Maros & Tyler James makes twangy Americana heavily influenced by the spaghetti western sound of Ennio Morricone. Very tasty.
From pure pop for now people to pure slop for cow people; from three chords and the truth to two chords and a sack of lies; Radio Free Americana is non-discriminating free-form radio for the discriminating listener.
