Album Reviews
Reg Meuross “Fire and Dust”
Stunning song cycle for Woody Guthrie. Commissioned by Pete Townsend (yes, that one), who also produces and plays on the record, ‘Fire and Dust’ is a song cycle by folk luminary Reg Meuross. It is a […]
Articles by Jonathan Smith
Essentials
Essentials: The Top 10 Paul Simon Americana Songs
Is Paul Simon americana? For all his early involvement with the folk scene (including the British one), and his movement into various different world music threads, Paul Simon can ultimately be seen as a writer whose […]
Album Reviews
Jaywalkers “Move On”
Intricately alive music from UK-based americana old time music virtuosos. The Jaywalkers are a three piece band hailing from the UK, but with a sound that is steeped in classic Appalachian old time and bluegrass music. […]
Album Reviews
Sidewalk Diamonds “Dreams of Dance Floors”
Raucous, heartfelt garage Americana. In 2020, Minneapolis-based singer-songwriter Tony Thomas invited Beth Pyper-Holz to sing on his solo ‘Dog and Tony Show’ release. With Thomas having returned the favour for Pyper-Holz’s EP ‘The Heartbreaker’ soon after, […]
Can't Live with it, Can't Live without it
Can’t Live With It, Can’t Live Without it – Nanci Griffith
Writing about music generally forces you to adopt a critical stance; it’s not enough to say ‘I like this’ or ‘I don’t like that’, you have to drill a little deeper to try to find a […]