Reviews
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Robert Ellis: The Lights from the Chemical Plant
If country music is defined merely by the presence of pedal steel guitar and vocal twang, then, sure, Robert Ellis fits the bill. But to limit expectations or opinions of The Lights from the Chemical Plant based on that measure alone would be thoroughly misguided. There’s so much more to it — some of which is blatant,…
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Old Black Kettle Brings a Harmonic Convergence to Station Inn
For the past few years, the folk and Americana genres have been infiltrated by a bunch of artists who are far more flash than substance. This “Genericana” trend is full of pretentious posers who sport banjos and beards as semblances of their authenticity. (I\’d use the lipstick on a pig metaphor, but I don\’t want…
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Sugar + the Hi-Lows with Nashville Ballet
It\’s easy to imagine why both Sugar + the Hi-Lows and the Nashville Ballet would share an affinity for the work of Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash. To interpret and incorporate that music into a live performance, however, would be quite a feat. But last night, the Valentine\’s Day crowd witnessed just that with Christopher…
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Peter Bradley Adams: The Mighty Storm
There are some artists who continually push and pull themselves into new artistic terrain with each release. And there are some artists who stay within their creative comfort zone and try to make it the best it can be with every effort. Peter Bradley Adams belongs in the latter group and has, for years, been…
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Amy Stroup: Tunnel
It\’s always fascinating to hear artists harken back, musically, to eras they were hardly old enough to experience other than through cultural osmosis or historical exploration. Not sure which path was tread by Amy Stroup on her new Tunnel release, but she somehow finds her way back into the \’80s, and brings numerous modern accoutrements…
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Ashley Monroe Gets Glory-Bound at Music City Roots
While I understand that country music is a big tent genre, as I stood in the Loveless Café\’s barn last night listening to Ashley Monroe, I couldn\’t help but think, \”This is how country music is supposed to sound.\” That\’s also the thought that fills my brain when I listen to Like a Rose, Monroe\’s fantastic…
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Megan McCormick Takes Flight with "Angel"
Most Nashville insiders know what a guitar phenom Megan McCormick is, but not all of them are aware of her songwriting prowess. Over the past seven or so years, what started as roughly hewn talent has been honed into a brilliantly burnished craft. The edges are smoother, the finish is finer. McCormick has always exhibited…
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Julie Lee: Till and Mule
With her past few releases, Nashville singer/songwriter Julie Lee has explored old-timey folk and various other pathways in and out of roots music. But with her new Till and Mule, she has truly hit her stride. While this set draws from the wisdom gleaned from those previous explorations, it stands as its own work, through and…
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Trent Dabbs: The Way We Look at Horses
Both great songs and big hits come out of Music City, and the two categories aren\’t mutually exclusive. By putting his craftsmanship front and center, Trent Dabbs echoes the Nashville ethos that the song always comes first. Dabbs\’ artistry, though, digs deeper than most big hits ever dare to. He isn\’t content to sing about…
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Lissie: Back to Forever
With Back to Forever, singer/songwriter Lissie takes a nice step forward in her artistry. Though it forsakes a bit of the rough and tumble charm of her previous releases — most notably Catching a Tiger — this effort feels more consistent both in tone and content. And, it\’s Lissie, so there is still plenty of…
