Andy Short

Album cover for Hell of Helene compilation

Various Artists “The Hell of Helene Songs of Appalachian Relief”

October 29, 2024 Andy Short 2

An exceptional compilation of Appalachian music. On September 26th, 2024, Hurricane Helene made landfall at peak intensity in the Big Bend region of Florida near Perry. Helene was a category four hurricane, bringing winds over 140 […]

Artwork for Mac Leaphart album "Motel Breakfast"

Mac Leaphart “Motel Breakfast”

October 15, 2024 Andy Short 0

Upbeat honky-tonk, rock and roll – play loud. Riotous, exciting, and right out of the bar room, Mac Leaphart returns with his album “Motel Breakfast”, where waffles are shaped like Texas and life is good. This […]

Album Art for Sam Palladio album "Perfect Summers Day"

Sam Palladio “The Perfect Summer’s Day, Before We Lost The Light”

October 9, 2024 Andy Short 0

Nashville, this is something completely different. Sam Palladio could have played it safe and produced an album of the TV series “Nashville”-inspired country songs. Almost certainly, it would have been a massive hit with the show’s […]

Artwork for The Clearwater Swimmers self-titled album

The Clearwater Swimmers “The Clearwater Swimmers”

October 1, 2024 Andy Short 0

Not just treading water in the shallow end. The Clearwater Swimmers describe their self-titled debut album as “a collection of field notes exploring gratitude”. The collection is an indie rock, alternative folk affair with a heavy […]

More People Really Should Know About: Dean Fields

September 24, 2024 Andy Short 0

If Dean Fields were ‘Special Ops, ’ he would fly under the radar, avoid all security cameras, sneak onto your music system, and hi-jack your playlist. Many years ago, while scrolling through the then-aptly named Twitter, […]

RE: What are you listening to at the moment?
Chris Knight - Chris Knight
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RE: What are you listening to at the moment?
Hurray for the Riff Raff - Live Forever
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RE: What are you listening to at the moment?
Old 97s - Too Far to Care
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RE: What are you listening to at the moment?
R.E.M. - New Adventures in Hi-Fi
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RE: What are you listening to at the moment?
Whiskeytown - Strangers Almanac
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Wilco - summerteeth
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RE: What are you listening to at the moment?
Matthew Sweet - 100% Fun
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Calling fiction writers - we want to publish your stories
Americana UK is putting out a call for original short f...
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RE: What are you listening to at the moment?
Rolling Stones - Some Girls
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Elgin and the Marbles “The Sun Never Sets”

March 23, 2026 0

An ambitious debut album that bravely tackles some very British subjects with an americana-folk twang. The genre may be americana – and America is most certainly struggling with its own set of problems right now – […]

Jack Studer “Falling Forward”

March 23, 2026 0

An album with some credible moments and interesting songs which lay the foundations for his solo career. Country music can divide opinion at the best of times. It’s praised for its tropes and cliches as often […]

Sounds from beyond the Shed 228 “Don’t Panic”

March 23, 2026 0

The last three weeks have been a struggle. The events in the Middle East have been horrific in their scale and scope. These are events of global significance, and if we didn’t know it then, we […]

Interviews

Interview: Bob Lind on “It Oughta Be Easy”

March 12, 2026 0

Folk icon talks life, hope, and his 2026 record. Bob Lind recently released his fourth studio album of new material in the past fourteen years, “It Oughta Be Easy,” a characteristically literate, introspective, and often humorous […]

Interviews

Video Interview: Dave Alvin on The Third Mind’s “Spellbinder”

March 11, 2026 2

While Dave Alvin is regarded as one of the greats of American roots music, his taste in music and his own music from the Blasters onwards has included hints of his musical eclecticism. Evidently, he always […]

Interviews

Interview: Toad the Wet Sprocket – forty years of awkward grace

March 4, 2026 2

At 55, Glen Phillips sounds both reflective and lightly amused when he talks about the band he co-founded as a teenager in Santa Barbara, California. Four decades later, Toad the Wet Sprocket is still touring, still […]

Album Reviews

Ella Ruby “Baby Blue”

October 26, 2022 0

Debut filled with the subtle beauty of love, pain and hope. ‘baby blue’ is the first collection from ella ruby (in lower case), a singer-songwriter from Seattle. Comprising five tracks of acoustic music with softly whispered, […]

Album Reviews

Marshall Crenshaw “From the Hellhole”

August 29, 2025 1

Marshall Crenshaw emerges from the Hellhole with a solid collection of recent recordings. It’s been over 40 years since Marshall Crenshaw burst on the scene with his eponymous debut, and he returns with a collection of […]

Album Reviews

Lucero “Among the Ghosts” (Thirty Tigers, 2018)

July 19, 2018 0

OK, let’s break the rules and get straight to the point – ‘Among the Ghosts‘ is a very good album. No need to read through, or (heaven forbid) even skim over a few hundred words describing […]

Articles by Andy Short

Various Artists “The Hell of Helene Songs of Appalachian Relief”

Mac Leaphart “Motel Breakfast”

Sam Palladio “The Perfect Summer’s Day, Before We Lost The Light”

The Clearwater Swimmers “The Clearwater Swimmers”

More People Really Should Know About: Dean Fields

Elgin and the Marbles “The Sun Never Sets”

Jack Studer “Falling Forward”

Sounds from beyond the Shed 228 “Don’t Panic”

Track Premiere: Bill Scorzari “Open Door”

Video: Jay Buchanan “Sway” – always wanting to do it better