Allison Moorer will be releasing her first new album proper since 2015’s ‘Down to Believin’’ on October 29th through Thirty Tigers. The album will be called ‘Blood’ and will be followed by the release of her memoir of the same name, which will be published by Da Capo Press. She’s released the first track from it, called ‘The Rock and the Hill’ which is described as a blues rocker and whose foundation rests with Moorer’s mother who was murdered by their father before committing suicide in the 1980s – some of this is covered in the memoirs, which are essentially a companion piece to the new record. Have a listen.
Author: Mark Whitfield
Mark Whitfield has been the Editor of Americana UK for the last 17 years and still feels like this is his pretend job, mainly because it is.
Joshua Radin records video for animal charity – Watch
We leave you this weekend dear reader with a lovely video from the lovely man singer-songwriter Joshua Radin for his song ‘Here, Right Now’, the title track from his upcoming full-length album due out 4th October on Nettwerk. The video shines a light on animal rescue with footage and facts from North Shore Animal League America (NSALA), the world’s largest no-kill rescue and adoption organisation. It also features musician Maria Taylor (Azure Ray) and “the perfect rescue pup”. Have a good one.
Stream Rodney Crowell’s new album featuring Steve Earle
Rodney Crowell’s new album ‘Texas’ is a 11-track release out in the UK today on Crowell’s RC1 Records imprint, which finds the legendary singer-songwriter enlisting the help of several fellow Texans, including Willie Nelson, Lyle Lovett, Ronnie Dunn, Randy Rogers, Lee Ann Womack and Steve Earle, Ringo Starr and Vince Gill. Continue reading “Stream Rodney Crowell’s new album featuring Steve Earle”
Pick of the political pops: Kacey Musgraves “Oh, What A World”
Kacey Musgraves this week expressed her anger over the US government’s stance on gun reform, following two mass shootings in the US this past weekend. “I don’t know what the answer is but obviously something has to be fucking done,” the singer told a crowd at Lollapalooza . “Maybe somebody will hear us if we all yell together and say, ‘Somebody fucking do something.’” Not everyone was happy however. Fox News pundit Ainsley Earhard told the channel: “She sings two great songs that I have downloaded … but now I’m gonna look differently at her because she is chanting that vulgar language.” Oh what a world.
Hiss Golden Messenger release new track from forthcoming album – Listen
North Carolina americana band Hiss Golden Messenger have released a new song called ‘Happy Birthday, Baby’ a month before the release of their forthcoming seventh studio album ‘Terms of Surrender’. Frontman M.C. Taylor told RS: “It’s mostly a love letter to [my daugher], part apology, part plea for forgiveness, and part recounting of the day she was born, when all the roads boiled over with rainwater and thunder and lightning filled the air. There are also many secret things in this song that only my family knows about.” ‘Terms of Surrender’ comes out on September 21st.
Rosanne Cash, Isbell and more voice support for gun control
Rolling Stone carried an interesting piece yesterday on americana and country artists who in the wake of the recent mass shootings in the US have voiced their support for gun control. In several recent incidents, the guns used were semi-automatic assault weapons which more than half of Americans favour a ban on owning. Continue reading “Rosanne Cash, Isbell and more voice support for gun control”
Songs for the apocalypse: Whiskeytown “Houses on the Hill”
It’s sobering to think that North Carolina band Whiskeytown formed 25 years ago now, and while they’re best known for being Ryan Adams’ first project, they were more than the sum of their parts and very much a group effort, with Caitlin Cary and Mike Daly in particular being a key part of what made their sound so appealing (notably the Smashing Pumpkins’ James Iha was a member of the band at one point too). ‘Houses on the Hill’ was the highlight of the elegiac ‘Strangers Almanac’ album and not just Whiskeytown’s canon but Adams’ whole output for me. The lyrics and melody are still unbearably moving, and regardless of anything that’s gone on personally for Adams, I will always love this song dearly.
Dylan LeBlanc heads to UK next month for dates
Following on from the release of his new album, ‘Renegade’ which we waxed lyrical about earlier this summer, Dylan LeBlanc will return to Europe this month for a series of dates including three in the UK before we pull up our drawbridge and never allow anyone in again. Continue reading “Dylan LeBlanc heads to UK next month for dates”
Americana acts cover David Berman songs in tribute – Watch
With thanks to BrooklynVegan for highlighting this – tributes are still coming in for David Berman who died last week (we now know sadly from suicide) and some artists have covered songs from Silver Jews over the weekend, including Phosphorescent who performed ‘Trains Across the Sea’ from the 1994’s album ‘Starlight Walker’ and Hiss Golden Messenger who covered the wonderful ‘Dallas’ from 1996’s ‘The Natural Bridge’ album. You can watch both of those performances below. The Brooklyn band Activity, Pennsylvania’s The Districts and the National have also covered Berman’s songs in recent days. Continue reading “Americana acts cover David Berman songs in tribute – Watch”
Silver Jews “How to Rent a Room” – Listen
There couldn’t be a sadder end to the week than the news yesterday of David Berman’s death, even if in a tragic way it bought him into top-sellers lists for the first time in living memory. Berman was one of the great lyricists of our time, and some songs such as ‘How to Rent a Room’ with its opening line: “No I don’t really want to die; I only want to die in your eyes” feel unbearably poignant. Here’s to you and the peace you’ve hopefully found David. Have a good weekend dear reader.