The debut album from Asheville-based folk quartet the Appalucians, reveals a charming and close-knit vibe within seconds of its opening track.
Tag: album review
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Album review: ‘Song Dogs’ by Taylor Martin
By definition, Song Dogs doesn’t fit neatly into any one genre classification. There’s a kind of good natured-yet-world-weary vibe to these songs, one that calls to mind the literate-yet-accessible work of John Hiatt.
Album review: ‘Agreed Upon’ by STIG
Some might be tempted to label the group a jam band, but the tunes — lengthy as they often are — do adhere to a tight construction aesthetic that belies that label.
Album review: ‘Qalupalik’ by Daydream Creatures
In the end it’s best to forget about summing up Daydream Creatures’ music into a few words. The music and the harmonies will tell us everything we need to know.
Album review: ‘Jawbone’ by The Zealots
At first listen, Jawbone might seem less political, but dive more deeply and you’ll discover that George Terry McDonald remains a reliable composer of songs that are, so to speak, “about stuff.”
Album review: ‘Blue Skies’ by Jazzville
Stylish, sophisticated and subtle, Jazzville’s Blue Skies shows that in the right hands, musical standards can feel new.
Album review: ‘Kindness, A Rebel’ by River Whyless
After taking listeners on the whirlwind musical trip that is Kindness, A Rebel, the group closes its set of 10 songs with “Mama, Take Your Time,” a return to the sound of River Whyless’ earlier work.
Album review: ‘Skeleton House’ by Crooked Ghost
It’s an impressive feat to craft an entire album’s worth of music while limiting the arrangements to little more than two chords for each piece. With the moody and mysterious Skeleton House, Crooked Ghost succeeds, and does so without edging toward monotony in the process.
EP review: ‘Plecia’ by Sister Ivy
Ideal for late-night listening, the three songs that make up the “Plecia” EP are a small window into Sister Ivy’s music. Even though the project runs under 20 minutes, that’s enough time to win over a first-time listener.
Album review: ‘Leave No Trace: Live in St. Louis,’ by Tashi Dorji and Tyler Damon
Dorji and Damon use the contrasts between loud and quiet, harsh and soft, abrasive and soothing. But because their work is untethered from concepts such as meter, the fast/slow dynamic employed by progressive rock artists is not part of the duo’s exploration.
Album review: ‘Little Things’ by Hearts Gone South
The title track brings together sly humor and an understanding of the hard truths of modern life for a memorable number that recalls Kirsty MacColl’s forays into country and western.
Album review: ‘A Circle of Stones’ EP by Ghostdog
Upcoming local dates for Ghostdog include a Saturday, May 26, set at The Odditorium and a Monday, June 18, show at Burger Bar.
Album review: Jonathan Wilson’s ‘Rare Birds’
While Wilson’s earlier material filtered his love of FM radio-style rock of the 1970s though a singer-songwriter sensibility, his sixth album, Rare Birds, finds the multi-instrumentalist fully immersed in those classic rock textures.
Album review: ‘Adi the Monk’
The arrangements are exemplars of economy. Adi plays all of the instruments, but there often aren’t many. The standard guitar-bass-drums setup provides most everything needed to convey the musician’s ideas.
Album review: ‘Heavy Magnolias’ by Hannah Kaminer
The arrangements are pleasantly varied, but once again, the instrumentation exists in clear service to Kaminer’s voice and words.
Album review: ‘Ribcage’ EP by Ian Ridenhour
At under 24 minutes, Ribcage delivers less quantity than the average album (that’s why it’s billed as an EP), but in terms of quality, it’s not lacking in the least.
Album review: ‘Mood Indigo’ by Nina Simone
The song selection displays Simone’s mastery at bending various styles to her own particular musical approach. And Simone’s rural Carolina roots show through even in the urban jazz idiom as she plays and sings the gospel favorite “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands.”
Album review: ‘We Made Ourselves a Home’ by The Rough & Tumble
Recorded in Nashville, The Rough & Tumble’s first full-length album, We Made Ourselves a Home When We Didn’t Know features nearly all new material. Indie label Rock Candy Recordings has scheduled the album for a Feb. 9 release.
Album review: ‘Remember Every Moment’ by Tin Roof Echo
As the album winds toward its end, a lyrical theme seems to emerge: nearly half of disc’s songs concern themselves — at least nominally — with sleep and dreaming.
Album review: ‘Natural Mind’ by The Fritz
Despite all of Natural Mind’s inescapable sonic connection to music of the past, the album sounds fresh and modern. With mere weeks left in 2017, it’s a strong contender for the year’s best album from an Asheville-based act.
Album review: ‘Sup’m Old, Sup’m New, Sup’m Borrowed, Sup’m Blue’ by Sidney Barnes
The album’s title references a wedding tradition, and that’s fitting: Barnes moved to Asheville at the beginning of the 2000s to marry his new love; the couple now lives in nearby Rutherfordton.