Wade Bowen "If We Ever Make It Home" (Sustain, 2008)

Dale Ann Bradley "Don't Turn Your Back" (Compass, 2009)
(Produced by Alison Brown)
Dale Ann Bradley is one of the rocks of contemporary bluegrass -- she's a reliably satisfying, comforting presence, with a sweet, sincere voice, solid musicianship and impeccable taste in song selection. This is another fine album, with material from a wide range of sources. There's a nice Carter Family gospel tune -- "Fifty Miles Of Elbow Room" -- a couple of rock cover tunes (Tom Petty's "Won't Back Down" and "Over My Head" by Fleetwood Mac are two pleasant surprises) and a slew of tunes from divergent sources. Songwriter Louisa Branscomb, from the band Gypsy Heart, contributes three songs, including the title track and "Will I Be Good Enough," a sentimental but effective song about the self-doubts of parenthood. Two of the best tracks are Bradley originals, her adaptation of the traditional tune "Blue Eyed Boy" (with fine banjo plunking by Stuart Duncan) and "Music City Queen," which closes the album on a sweet, nostalgic note. Also playing banjo on a couple of tunes is album producer (and label owner) Alison Brown, who lends a measured, mellow vibe throughout. Good contemporary truegrass; Bradley and her crew keep things pretty down to earth here -- there aren't any breakneck, high-test breakdowns but the picking is solid throughout. Definitely worth checking out.
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Ed Bruce "The Tennessean/Cowboys And Dreamers" (Hux Records, 2009)
A twofer reissue of a couple of albums by cowboy crooner Ed Bruce. This disc includes 1977's The Tennessean and Cowboys And Dreamers, from 1978.

Samantha Crain & The Midnight Shivers "Songs In The Night" (Ramseur, 2008)
(Produced by Danny Kadar)
This one's best suited for the indie-rock/folk-freak crowd, although there is an undeniable element of twang, 'billy and blues in there as well. Not quite my cup of tea: the music is original and compelling, but I can't get past Crain's vocals, which seem a bit too mannered and slurry, reminiscent of the whole Be Good Tanyas/Jolie Holland vortex. Interesting as they are, I find it hard to concentrate on the lyrics, and the overall effect is mildly frustrating. Of course, artsier music fans might go ga-ga over this one -- I think Crain is a unique and compelling artist and, at the tender age of twenty-two, she'll continue to have a lot to offer the indie scene. Worth checking out.

Dailey & Vincent "Brothers From Different Mothers" (Rounder, 2009)
(Produced by Jamie Dailey & Darrin Vincent)
Their previous album was one of the finest traditional bluegrass albums of the decade, and Jamie Dailey and Darrin Vincent keep up the pace on this fine, frolicking follow-up. There's simultaneously a greater emphasis on gospel material and a more modern, country-ish tone on a few tunes (particularly on "Years Ago," where they sound for all the world like the young Statler Brothers did on the similarly-themed "Flowers On The Wall.") Above all, though, there's the gorgeous harmonies and fine picking that define this duo's strengths. These guys sound fully committed to their music and engaged with it emotionally. They don't overdo anything, but they play and sing better than nearly anybody around, with feeling and power to spare. Highly recommended!
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Dailey & Vincent "Teach Bluegrass And Gospel Duet Singing" (Homespun, 2009)
While we're on the topic, I bet this instructional video is pretty great, too. (If anyone tests it out, let me know what you think... :-)

Steve Earle "Townes" (New West, 2008)
(Produced by Steve Earle)
A real stunner, sure to rank as one of the best alt-country albums of the decade. Ragged but right, middle-aged country-rocker Steve Earle pays homage to his longtime friend, the late singer-songwriter Townes Van Zandt, who he was pals with in the early 1970s, back when the Austin alt-country scene was just beginning to coalesce. Here Earle journeys through Van Zandt's catalog, embuing each track with a fierce conviction and loyalty to his friend's talent and artistic vision. Now -- ulp -- at the risk of being tarred, feathered, and drummed out of the Americana fan club, I have to confess I've never been that big a Townes fan myself -- I know, I know; hate me if you will, but that's just how it is. But Earle, performing with a ferocity and grit that the more demure Van Zandt eschewed, brings a radical new intensity to these songs that really forces us to hear them as living compositions, and not as finished works. While many fans may see Van Zandt's recordings as definitive and canonical, this record brings them into the wider world, opening them to interpretations beyond their acoustic coffeehouse folk-scene roots. With a few extra layers of electricity, grunge and grime, Earle makes Van Zandt's blues tunes sound more plausible (whereas on the originals, I often heard them as affected) and helps me hear the songs themselves, and not just Van Zandt's persona. It's a great record, packed from start to finish with strong performances and great songs -- highly recommended!

Matt Flinner "Music Du Jour" (Compass, 2009)
(Produced by the Matt Flinner Trio)
A swell set of newgrass instrumentals, with bright, bouncy melodies that don't get weighed down by cutesy arrangements or cloying overproduction. Mandolinist Matt Flinner keeps it simple and straightforward, with joyous, playful tunes and heartfelt performances. Joining him are guitarist Ross Martin and bassist Eric Thorin -- this compact trio keep the vibe light and all three contribute new songs that are both inventive and restrained. We've had plenty of overly-florid "new acoustic" music over the years, but Flinner and Co. don't go overboard, they just go for what works... Firmly rooted in old-school bluegrass, with a nice poppy lilt, these tunes are pretty fun and engaging. Nicely done!

The Gibson Brothers "Ring The Bell" (Compass, 2009)
(Produced by The Gibson Brothers)
Over the last few years, the Gibson Brothers have made remarkable, multi-layered explorations into the folk-tinged field once called "progressive bluegrass..." Here, they return full-force into the high-lonesome traditional truegrass camp, with a beautiful, compelling set of secular and gospel tunes, and plenty of sweet, hot picking. Highlights include the uptempo "Jericho" and the joyous title track, "Ring The Bell," which each have an irresistible singalong chorus. The sentimental songs are nice, as well, in particular "Farm Of Yesterday," which philosophically reflects on America's disappearing rural heritage. If you like Del McCoury or old stuff by Jimmy Martin, you might want to check this out as well. Lots of great solos and solid musicianship all around.
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The Cornell Hurd Band "American Shadows: The Songs Of Moon Mullican" (Behemoth, 2008)
(Produced by Cornell Hurd, Bert Winston, Brad Moore & Alan Crider)
A sweet, funky, surprisingly heartfelt homage to 1940s honkytonk/hillbilly boogie piano player Moon Mullican, a figure long revered in the rockabilly-retro scene as an early pioneer of the 1950s rock sound. Bandleader Cornell Hurd has long been an amiable, down-to-earth figure on the Texas indie scene; here he plays host to a number of likeminded pals, including twangbar king Bill Kirchen, singers Tommy Alverson and Justin Trevino, as well as pianist Floyd Domino, a relatively refined player who still does justice to Mullican's rough-hewn sound. It's a nice set, with a mellow DIY twangtune feel, and plenty of great songs, including a few that may be shockingly raw. The album's opener, "Fools Like Me," is one of those old-time tunes that can shock modern listeners with its real-life rawness; although not sexually explicit, it sure doesn't beat around the bush about what its like to hook up with the wrong person, night after nght, while drawing your misery in the bars. There is a sad coda to this album: it is the last album recorded with Hurd's longtime lead guitarist Paul Skelton, who passed away right when the record came out. He sure got some sweet licks in on this record, though!

Charlie Louvin "Less And Less/Lonesome Is Me" (Hux, 2009)
A tasty twofer reissue of two great 1960s solo albums by Charlie Louvin, of the fabled Louvin Brothers. Less And Less was his first solo album, and it's a pretty solid effort which made a name for him in the world of 1960s Top Forty country. It includes the novelty-song title track, as well as the divorced-daddy mega-weeper, "See The Big Man Cry," and "Once A Day," which is one of his best solo pieces. Great stuff; probably Charlie Louvin at his best.
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Scott Miller & The Commonwealth "For Crying Out Loud" (F.A.Y. Recordings, 2009)
(Produced by Michael Webb)
Try as I might, I've just never been able to connect with this guy. Yeah, he's well-meaning and enthusiastic and rootsy and all, but his music is a little too bar-band rock-oriented for me, reminding me of the J. Geils Band as much as anything else... It's also a little too emphatic and slightly frantic; Miller falls into the emotional/artistic range that I perceive as subtle or graceful... So even though I can appreciate the good intentions and the range of musical interests -- from acoustic-strummy to clattering and electric -- it just doesn't do much for me. The one song on here that I could see myself going back to is a duet with Patty Griffin, "I'm Right Here, My Love" (a pretty-sounding song about comforting a dying lover). Otherwise, not so much. Which isn't do say others of you out there might not dig this guy a lot... But it's just not my cup of tea.
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Arum Rae "Arum Rae" (Hyperreallist, 2008)
(Produced by Michael Bongiorno)
Gritty electric blues, seen through an indie-rock/folk filter. Originally released in '06 under the title Too Young To Sing The Blues, this disc features songwriter Arum Rae Valkonen, backed by a solid band of guys that've played with pros such as Ani Difranco, Paul Simon and Tom Waits. The songs range widely, from a robust opening number, "Lookin' For Love," which echoes Lucinda Williams in her more Delta-y moments to more diffuse, spacy material that pulls us further from roots-music turf and more deeply into the orbit of indiedom and its cultural reappropriation committee. It's a strong record with a singular vision; might not be for everyone, but those who are game will really dig it. (Note: this reissue has a different sequencing and fewer songs than the original edition.)
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