ROUTES-cast August 17, 2025

ROUTES & BRANCHES

featuring the very best of americana, alt.country and roots music

August 17, 2025

Scott Foley, purveyor of dust

IF YOU ONLY LiSTEN to ONE RECORD THiS WEEK

Last week we were pressed for time, but would've tagged Ada Lea's when i paint my masterpiece for your listening assignment. This Episode, we're recommending an ambitious seven-piece prog-folk outfit, Racing Mount Pleasant. In 2023, a band named Kingfisher shared an ill-lit video of "Your New Place" for NPR's Tiny Desk Submissions. In a remarkably small space, the members shoehorned cinematic strings, bright horns, gritty electric guitar, and celebratory vocals for a dramatic result. That song introduces Racing Mount Pleasant, the new thirteen-track studio project from the group, now recording under that same name. While several writers have likened RMP to Black Country New Road, another act with plenty of members, these sessions seem more purposeful, perhaps less self-aware. Even with evolving rhythms and key signatures, there is an abiding laid-back spirit that is more pretty than indulgent. Racing Mount Pleasant catches an ensemble still exploring the boundaries of their collaboration, a musical snapshot on the road from one place to the next. 

ROUTES-cast August 17, 2025

^ Racing Mount Pleasant, "Outlast" Racing Mount Pleasant  (R&R, 25)

- Floating Action, "Shell of Former Self" A Hand Carved Garden Tool  (Airloom, Aug 29)

- Wicca Phase Springs Eternal, "Magic Moment" Mossy Oak Shadow  (Run for Cover, Sep 19)

- Trace Mountains, "Dark Don't Hide It" I Will Swim to You: Tribute to Jason Molina  (Run for Cover, Sep 5)

- Foot Ox, "Bed of Violets" Lighthouse With Silver Dog Eyes  (Ernest Jenning, Aug 29)

- Neko Case, "Winchester Mansion of Sound" Neon Grey Midnight Green  (Anti, Sep 26)

- Cataldo, "Cathode Glow" Two Way Mirror  (FIIJDIM, Oct 10)  D

- Margaret Glaspy, "Jesus Etc (ft Norah Jones)" Golden Heart Protector EP  (ATO, Sep 12)  D

- Cass McCombs, "Asphodel" Interior Live Oak  (Domino, 25)

- Carson McHone, "Idiom" Pentimento  (Merge, Sep 12)

- Dillon Warnek, "Pistol and a List of Demands" As the Neighbors Tried to Sleep  (Soggy Anvil, 25)

- Fruit Bats, "Let You People Down" Baby Man  (Merge, Sep 12)

- Katie Pruitt, "Risk" single  (Rounder, 25)  D

- Hans Chew, "She's a Seer" Land of Dreams  (Chew, Sep 5)  D

- David Newbould, "Rainy Day Heart" Average Fidelity Vol 1  (Blackbird, 25)

- Silver Synthetic, "Happy Ever After" single  (Curation, 25)  D

- Joey Kneiser, "Haint Blue" Nothing's Wasted on the Soul  (Young Buffalo, 25)  D

- Caitlin Canty, "Electric Guitar" Night Owl Envies the Mourning Dove  (Canty, Oct 2)

- Third Mind, "Reno Nevada" Right Now!  (Yep Roc, Sep 19)

- Kyle Morgan & Tamar Korn, "Life's Railway to Heaven" Darkening Green  (Jalopy, 25)

- Joseph Decosimo, "Glory in the Meetinghouse" Fiery Gizzard  (Dear Life, 25)

- Jonny Fritz, "Debbie Downers" Debbie Downers  (Gar Hole, Oct 24)  D

- Joelton Mayfield, "Turpentine (You Know the One)" Crowd Pleaser  (Bloodshot, Oct 24)

- Ruston Kelly, "Waiting to Love You" Pale Through the Window  (Rounder, Sep 12)

- Langhorne Slim, "Dream Come True" single  (Dualtone, 25)  D

- Molly Tuttle, "Everything Burns" So Long Little Miss Sunshine  (Nonesuch, 25)

- LC Franke & Silverada, "Prisoner (Southern Bloom)" The Prisoner EP  (Side Hustle, Sep 23)  D

- Mike Reid & Joe Henry, "Weather Rose" Life and Time  (Work Song, Sep 5)

- St Paul & the Broken Bones, "Full Moon" St Paul & the Broken Bones  (Oasis Pizza, Oct 10)

- Jeb Loy Nichols, "First Night Away From Home" This House is Empty Without You  (Timmion, Oct 7)  D

--------------------------

To enjoy any Spotify ROUTES-cast, just open Spotify and search for "routesandbranches" to access this most recent playlist, as well as many others from past months.  Or click here for a preview:

ROUTES-cast August 10, 2025

ROUTES & BRANCHES

featuring the very best of americana, alt.country and roots music

August 10, 2025

Scott Foley, purveyor of dust

ROUTES-cast August 10, 2025

^ Ada Lea, "Bob Dylan's 115th Haircut" when i paint my masterpiece  (Saddle Creek, 25)

- Chris Staples, "San Pedro Avenue" Don't Worry  (Hot Tub, 25)

- Big Thief, "Los Angeles" Double Infinity  (4AD, Sep 5)

- Nadia Reid, "Not Giving It Out" single  (Chrysalis, 25)  D

- Trevor Sensor, "New York Mourning" A Few Tears of Eros  (High Black Desert, 25)

- Otis Gibbs, "Ditchweed" Ditchweed EP  (Gibbs, 25)

- Robbie Fulks, "Workin' No More Blues" Now Then  (Compass, Sep 5)  D

- T Hardy Morris, "Poets in the Mist" Artificial Tears  (Normaltown, 25)

- Far West, "Joshua Tree" Everything We Thought We Wanted  (Blackbird, Sep 26)  D

- Last Revel, "Wasted Time" single  (Revel, 25)  D

- Clover County, "Good Game" Finer Things  (Undercover Lover, Sep 26)

- Rhett Miller, "Come As You Are (ft Evan Felker)" A lifetime of riding by night  (ATO, Oct 10)  D

- Caroline Spence, "Heart Go Wild" Heart Go Wild  (Spence, Aug 29)

- Kathleen Edwards, "Little Red Ranger" Billionaire  (Dualtone, Aug 22)

- Grant-Lee Phillips, "Little Men" In the Hour of Dust  (Yep Roc, Sep 5)

- Jamie Lin Wilson, "Ways to Be Wicked" single  (JLW, 25)  D

- Nicki Bluhm, "Simple Side of Me" Rancho Deluxe  (Bluhm, Oct 3)

- Hayes Carll, "May I Never (ft Gordy Quist, Shovels & Rope, Darrell Scott, Nicole Atkins, Ed Jurdi, Ray Wylie Hubbard)" We're Only Human  (Hwy 87, 25)

- Charley Crockett, "Tennessee Quick Cash" Dollar a Day  (Island, 25)

- Abby Hamilton, "Midnight Call" single  (Hamilton, 25)  D

- David Newbould, "If You Won't Take My Hand" Average Fidelity Vol 1  (Blackbird, Aug 15)

- Lera Lynn, "Beige" Comic Book Cowboy  (Ruby Range, Sep 19)

- Jack Schneider, "Stone's Throw Away" Streets of September  (Jeffers, Sep 19)  D

- Joan Shelley, "Everybody" Real Warmth  (No Quarter, Sep 19)  D

- Mariel Buckley, "Swim Practice" Strange Trip Ahead  (Birthday Cake, Oct 17)  D

- Jason Eady, "Am I the Only One" single  (Old Guitar, 25)

- Rachel Baiman w/Viv & Riley, "Hold On Magnolia" Kissing Other ppl  (Peacedale, 25)

- Cass McCombs, "I Never Dream About Trains" Interior Live Oak  (Domino, Aug 15)

- Lucy Dacus, "Bus Back to Richmond" single  (Geffen, 25)  D

--------------------------

To enjoy any Spotify ROUTES-cast, just open Spotify and search for "routesandbranches" to access this most recent playlist, as well as many others from past months.  Or click here for a preview:

ROUTES-cast August 3, 2025

ROUTES & BRANCHES

featuring the very best of americana, alt.country and roots music

August 3, 2025

Scott Foley, purveyor of dust

This Episode delivers a very good solo debut from Travis Roberts, a very good solo debut from Emily Hines, and the return of Patrick Sweany. But ...

IF YOU ONLY LiSTEN to ONE RECORD THiS WEEK

... we're recommending a solo, live set from songwriter-guitarist Rosali, Slow Pain: Live and Solo from Drop of Sun. If you've been lurking at R&B HQ for a couple years, you've caught our reviews of Rosali Middleman's last few projects, Trouble Anyway (2018), No Medium (2021) and last year's Bite Down. Her 2024 album presented Rosali as a fiery frontperson for David Nance's band Mowed Sound, capable of whipping up a chunky guitar squall. Slow Pain calms that storm, offering many of the record's studio tracks stripped to vocal and electric guitar, showcasing Rosali's soulfully resonant delivery. Set to tape before a small and very well-behaved audience at Drop of Sun Studios in North Carolina, this is the rare live session without crowd noise (just like we like), sounds that will draw the listener in for an intimate experience. 

ROUTES-cast August 3, 2025

^ Rosali, "My Kind (solo)" Slow Pain: Live and Solo from Drop of Sun  (Merge, 25)

- Nathaniel Rateliff, "A Little More Too (demo)" Nathaniel Rateliff & Night Sweats (10th Anniversary Edition)  (Stax, Oct 10)  D

- Otis Gibbs, "Holy River Blues" single  (Gibbs, 25)

- Patrick Sweany, "Golden Fields" Baby It's Late  (Nine Mile, 25)

- Ben Chapman, "Tulsa Turnaround" Live From Overnite Studio EP  (Hippie Shack, 25)  D

- Wood Brothers, "Slow Rise (to the middle)" Puff of Smoke  (Honey Jar, 25)

- Nude Party, "Not That Bad" single  (Nude Party, 25)  D

- Emily Hines, "Cowgirl Suit" These Days  (Keeled Scales, 25)

- Joseph Decosimo, "Billy Button" Fiery Gizzard  (Dear Life, Aug 15)

- Glass Hours, "Colorado" single  (Cornelius Chapel, 25)

- Karen Jonas, "arson games" single  (Yellow Brick, 25)  D

- Greensky Bluegrass, "Reverend (ft Billy Strings)" XXV  (Big Blue Zoo, Oct 31)  D

- Molly Tuttle, "Old Me (New Wig)" So Long Little Miss Sunshine  (Nonesuch, Aug 15)

- Tommy Prine, "Standing in the Middle" Love Circle EP  (Nameless Knight, Aug 20)  D

- Kathleen Edwards, "When the Truth Comes Out" Billionaire  (Dualtone, Aug 22)

- Tift Merritt, "Last Day I Knew What to Do" Time and Patience  (One Riot, Aug 29)

- Van Plating, "What About Tomorrow (ft Mike McClure)" single  (Singular, 25)  D

- Angela Autumn, "Garbage" single  (Gar Hole, 25)  D

- Kolton Moore & Clever Few, "Strawberry Thief" A Place That I Call Home  (Motion & Thought, Sep 26)

- Hannah White, "Hard Hitting Memories" Fine Day  (Last Music Co, Sep 19)

- Caleb Elliott, "I Don't Believe You (ft Secret Sisters)" single  (Single Lock, 25)  D

- Pink Stones, "Real Sad Movies Big Jet Planes" Thank the Lord ...  (Normaltown, Sep 19)

- Zach Williams, "Killed a Man" Jesus Saves  (Provident, Dec 12)  D

- Sunny Sweeney, "Last Hard Bible" Rhinestone Requiem  (Aunt Daddy, 25)

- Morgan Wade, "Parking Garage" Party is Over (recovered)  (Ladylike, 25)

- Travis Roberts, "Rebel Rose" Rebel Rose  (New West, 25)

- Foot Ox, "Bleached Yellow" A Lighthouse With Silver Dog Eyes  (Ernest Jenning, Aug 29)

- Keaton Henson, "Lazy Magician (ft Julia Steiner)" single  (Play it Again Sam, 25)  D

- Iron & Wine w/Bed Bridwell, "Luther" Making Good Time EP  (Black Cricket, Sep 12)  D

- Floating Action, "Moving in a Perfect Arc" A Hand Carved Garden Tool  (Airloom, Aug 29)  D

--------------------------

To enjoy any Spotify ROUTES-cast, just open Spotify and search for "routesandbranches" to access this most recent playlist, as well as many others from past months.  Or click here for a preview:

ROUTES-cast July 27, 2025

ROUTES & BRANCHES

featuring the very best of americana, alt.country and roots music

July 27, 2025

Scott Foley, purveyor of dust

Um ...

IF YOU ONLY LiSTEN to ONE RECORD THiS WEEK

... maybe we can't help you. One of the year's most crowded weeks for mainstream americana releases brings us new LPs from some of the more prominent names in our kind of music. What's more, we're also graced with new stuff from genre outliers and fringe dwellers. Honestly, just print out this week's playlist, mount it to the wall, and toss a dart. You're bound to land on something that's worth your time: The welcome return of Patty Griffin, our first true full solo LP from Lucero frontguy Ben Nichols, a fine dose of roots-pop from Night Moves, exquisite folk from Yoshika Colwell. Not to mention good stuff from Tyler Childers and Cory Hanson. Pressed to select just one (1), we might lean towards the intro of Australian indie/folk outfit Folk Bitch Trio, Now Would Be a Good Time (Jagjaguwar). The Staves with a subversive edge, or Haim gone acoustic. The Trio wrap it all in lovely harmonies that speak to tradition, while embracing an attitude and outlook that are entirely of today. 

ROUTES-cast July 27, 2025

^ Folk Bitch Trio, "Hotel TV" Now Would Be a Good Time  (Jagjaguwar, 25)

- Ada Lea, "Midnight Magic" when i paint my masterpiece  (Saddle Creek, Aug 8)

- Why Bonnie, "Fast (Demo)" Bedroom EP  (Fire Talk, 25)

- John Calvin Abney, "Last Chance" Transparent Towns  (JCA, Sep 19)  D

- Yoshika Colwell, "Last Night" On the Wing  (PIAS, 25)

- James Yorkston, "Oh Light Oh Light (ft Johanna Soderberg)" Songs for Nina and Johanna  (Domino, Aug 22)

- Mike Reid & Joe Henry, "Life and Time" Life and Time  (Work Song, Sep 5)  D

- Patty Griffin, "Way Up to the Sky" Crown of Roses  (PGM, 25)

- Briscoe, "Heat of July" Heat of July  (ATO, Sep 19)

- Shovels & Rope, "Hopes & Dreams" single  (Dualtone, 25)  D

- Jr Thomas, "Never Be Another" Jr Thomas in the Eraserhood  (DeepMatter, Sep 26)

- Tyler Childers, "Snipe Hunt" Snipe Hunter  (Hickman Holler, 25)

- Ben Nichols, "While the Stars Disappear" Into the Heart of the Mountain  (Liberty & Lament, 25)

- Will Hoge, "Another Planet" Sweet Misery  (Edlo, Aug 15)

- Cody Jinks, "Lost Highway" In My Blood  (Late August, 25)

- Sierra Ferrell & Nikki Lane, "Lesson in Leavin'" single  (Rounder, 25)  D

- Charley Crockett, "All Around Cowboy" Dollar a Day  (Island, Aug 8)

- Honeydogs, "Kill Switch" Algebra for Broken Hearts  (Jullian, 25)

- Droptines, "Take Too Much" single  (Big Loud, 25)  D

- Wednesday, "Pick Up That Knife" Bleeds  (Dead Oceans, Sep 18)

- Cory Hanson, "Texas Weather" I Love People  (Drag City, 25)

- Chris Staples, "A Cold New York Morning" Don't Worry  (Hot Tub, Aug 5)

- Geckos, "El Techno" Geckos  (Org, Sep 26)

- Bright Eyes, "1st World Blues" single  (Dead Oceans, 25)  D

- Case Oats, "Nora" Last Missouri Exit  (Merge, Aug 22)

- Night Moves, "Trying to Steal a Smile" Double Life  (Domino, 25)

- Trevor Sensor, "When I Had the Gall" A Few Tears of Eros  (High Black Desert, Aug 8)

- Anna Tivel, "White Goose" Animal Poem  (Fluff & Gravy, Aug 29)

- Gwenifer Raymond, "Last Night I Heard the Dog Star Bark" Last Night I Heard the Dog Star Bark  (We Are Busy Bodies, Sep 5)

- Nathan Evans Fox, "Hillbilly Hymn (Okra and Cigarettes)" single  (Free Dirt, 25)  D

--------------------------

To enjoy any Spotify ROUTES-cast, just open Spotify and search for "routesandbranches" to access this most recent playlist, as well as many others from past months.  Or click here for a preview:

ROUTES-cast July 20, 2025

ROUTES & BRANCHES

featuring the very best of americana, alt.country and roots music

July 20, 2025

Scott Foley, purveyor of dust

In consideration for this week's One Record were a Bandcamp-released celebration of Michael Hurley from Jolie Holland & Max Knouse, a live reminder of Dougie Poole's strong catalog, and Alex G's superb Headlights. While Mr Giannascoli's new project might be the week's best choice, it's always our intention to present as diversified a selection as possible. Towards that end:

IF YOU ONLY LiSTEN to ONE RECORD THiS WEEK

This year we've been suitably distracted by a lot of the alt.country and indie folk stuff that's been floated our way. Last Revel's Gone for Good  (Hassle House) reorients us at least temporarily in the roots music wilderness. Marking the outfit's sixth full-length, Gone is produced by fellow Minnesotan Dave Simonett, frontman for Trampled by Turtles. While there are differences and originalities, Last Revel share Trampled's fiddle-fueled energy. At the hands of Vinnie Donatelle, there is a fiery intensity to even the more restrained cuts. The sessions are delivered with a decidedly live and unhewn vibe, an impressive feat given the trio's super-natural harmonies and instrumental interplay. There is a bluegrass accent to Ryan Acker's banjo and Lee Henke's guitar, though Last Revel aren't a genre-bound act. Vocalist Henke wraps his delivery in a grit and a rasp that ensure his band's well-earned alt- , matching the cohort's instrumental passion and emotional investment. 

ROUTES-cast July 20, 2025

^ Last Revel, "Solid Gone" Gone for Good  (Hassle House, 25)

- Whiskey Myers, "Midnight Woman" Whomp Whack Thunder  (Wiggy Thump, Sep 26)

- Margo Price, "Don't Wake Me Up (ft Jesse Welles)" Hard Headed Woman  (Loma Vista, Aug 29)

- Steve Earle & Reckless Kelly, "Bad Girls" single  (Earle Kelly, 25)  D

- Jason Isbell, "Should I Go Missing" Something More Than Free (10 Year Anniversary Edition)  (Southeastern, 25)

- Daniel Donato, "Better Deal Blues" Horizons  (Retrace, Aug 22)  D

- Brothers Comatose, "25 Miles" Golden Grass  (Swamp Jam, Sep 12)

- Caroline Spence, "Fun at Parties" Heart Go Wild  (Spence, Aug 29)

- Dougie Poole, "Beth David Cemetery" At Tubby's  (Wharf Cat, 25)

- John Prine, "Hey Ah Nothin'" Lost Dogs + Mixed Blessings (Deluxe Edition)  (Oh Boy, Sep 12)  D

- Dean Johnson, "Death of the Party" I Hope We Can Still Be Friends  (Saddle Creek, Aug 22)

- Janet Simpson, "Tonight" single  (Cornelius Chapel, 25)

- Amanda Shires, "A Way It Goes" Nobody's Girl  (ATO, Sep 26)  D

- Billie Marten, "Planets" Dog Eared  (Fiction, 25)

- Natalie Bergman, "My Home Is Not In This World" My Home Is Not In This World  (Third Man, 25)

- Julianna Riolino, "Seed" Echo in the Dust  (MoonWhistle, Oct 24)

- Wood Brothers, "Above All Others" Puff of Smoke  (Honey Jar, Aug 1)

- Hermanos Gutierrez, "Elegantly Wasted (ft Leon Bridges)" single  (Easy Eye, 25)  D

- Curtis Harding, "Time" Departures & Arrivals: Adventures of Captain Curt  (Anti, Sep 5)

- St Paul & Broken Bones, "Sushi and Coca-Cola" St Paul & Broken Bones (Oasis Pizza, Oct 10)  D

- Yola, "Amazing" single  (S-Curve, 25)  D

- Alex G, "Oranges" Headlights  (RCA, 25)

- Boo Boos, "Total Thunder" Young Love  (Play it Again Sam, Sep 19)

- Fruit Bats, "Creature From the Wild" Baby Man  (Merge, Sep 12)

- Whitney, "Dandelions" single  (Whitney, Nov 7)  D

- Anna St Louis, "Summer Song" single  (St Louis, 25)  D

- Jeff Tweedy, "Enough" Twilight Override  (dBpm, Sep 26)  D

- Carson McHone, "Downhill" Pentimento  (Merge, Sep 12)

- Autumn Defense, "The Ones" Here and Nowhere  (Yep Roc, Oct 10)  D

- Kyle Morgan & Tamar Korn, "Anthem (ft Wyndham Baird)" Darkening Green  (Jalopy, Aug 15)

--------------------------

To enjoy any Spotify ROUTES-cast, just open Spotify and search for "routesandbranches" to access this most recent playlist, as well as many others from past months.  Or click here for a preview:

ROUTES-cast July 14, 2025

ROUTES & BRANCHES

featuring the very best of americana, alt.country and roots music

July 13, 2025

Scott Foley, purveyor of dust

Back in The Day, MTV would present artists in their Unplugged series. Acts from Nirvana and Alice in Chains to 10,000 Maniacs and Clapton would perform their songs before a live audience, trading in their electric instruments for acoustic. Results were varied. More often than not, familiar arrangements wouldn't be tweaked much, simply allowing viewers to enjoy quieter versions of these songs. 

IF YOU ONLY LiSTEN to ONE RECORD THiS WEEK

As a longtime member of Philadelphia's Purling Hiss, Mike Polizze unplugged very seldom, encouraging his guitar to fuzz and growl in a maelstrom of psychedelic noise. In 2020, he celebrated the pandemic and parenthood with his debut solo record. Paradise of Bachelors has released a follow-up, Around Sound, a primarily acoustic set that finds Polizze repurposing his band's psychedelia without simply swapping electricity for wood. Guitar remains his focus, though Polizze plays every instrument on the collection, layering keys, drums, bass, and additional guitars in addition to his own Westerberg-esque voice, typically laden with echo. Reportedly inspired by Robbie Basho, Around Sound is loose and charmingly raggedy, from the pastoral trickle of "After the Deluge" to the shambling "Fast Blues". On the title track, Mike Polizze proclaims, I'm just fine when it's simple. It's not Purling Hiss Unplugged, but the artist's sophomore solo project is a lovely swirl of sound for a momentary surrender. 

ROUTES-cast July 14, 2025

^ Mike Polizze, "After the Deluge" Around Sound  (Paradise of Bachelors, 25)

-  Foot Ox, "Horseshoe" A Lighthouse With Silver Dog Eyes  (Ernest Jenning, Aug 29)

- Neko Case, "Wreck" Neon Grey Midnight Green  (Anti, Sep 26)  D

- Geese, "Taxes" Getting Killed  (Partisan, Sep 26)  D

- Jessica Pounds, "Believe Me (ft Nathan Kalish)" single  (Yellow Canary, 25)  D

- Natalie Bergman, "Lonely Road" My Home Is Not In This World  (Third Man, Jul 18)

- Scott Ballew, "Hey Baby" single  (Leisure Rodeo, 25)  D

- David Newbould, "Broken Hearts Are Paint" Average Fidelity Vol 1  (Blackbird, 25)

- T Hardy Morris, "Don't Kill Your Time (to Shine)" Artificial Tears  (Normaltown, Aug 8)

- Laney Jones, "Another Rolling Stone" single  (AHPO, 25)  D

- Marcus King Band, "Here Today (ft Jamey Johnson, Kaitlin Butts)" Darling Blue  (Republic, Sep 26)  D

- Miranda Lambert & Chris Stapleton, "Song to Sing" single  (Republic, 25)  D

- Sunny Sweeney, "Traveling On" Rhinestone Requiem  (Aunt Daddy, Aug 1)  

- Joelton Mayfield, "Speechwriter"  Crowd Pleaser  (Bloodshot, Oct 24)  D

- Travis Roberts, "Hereford Blues" Rebel Rose  (New West, Aug 1)  D

- Brent Cobb, "In Our Hands" Ain't Rocked in a While  (Ol Buddy, 25)

- Ben Nichols, "In the Heart of the Mountain" In the Heart of the Mountain  (Liberty & Lament, Jul 25)

- Hayes Carll, "We're Only Human" We're Only Human  (Hwy 87, Aug 8)

- Otis Gibbs, "Raze" single  (Gibbs, 25)  D

- Dougie Poole, "Vaping On the Job (live)" At Tubby's  (Wharf Cat, Jul 18)  

- Clover County, "Virginia Slim" Finer Things  (Undercover Lover, Sep 26)  D

- Wildmans, "Any Day Woman" Longtime Friend  (New West, 25)

- Molly Tuttle, "Highway Knows" So Long Little Miss Sunshine  (Nonesuch, Aug 15)

- Ruston Kelly, "Pickleball" Pale Through the Window  (Rounder, Sep 12)

- Rachel Baiman w/Viv & Riley, "Kissing Other People" Kissing Other ppl  (Peacedale, Aug 8)

- Waxahatchee & Kevin Morby, "You Found Me" single  (Anti/Dead Oceans, 25)  D

- Rosali, "Slow Pain" Slow Pain: Live and Solo From Drop of Sun  (Merge, Aug 1)  D

- Racing Mount Pleasant, "Your New Place" Racing Mount Pleasant  (R&R, Aug 15)

- Big Thief, "All Night All Day" Double Infinity  (4AD, Sep 5)

- MJ Lenderman, "Just Be Simple" I Will Swim to You: Tribute to Jason Molina  (Run For Cover, Sep 5)  D 

--------------------------

To enjoy any Spotify ROUTES-cast, just open Spotify and search for "routesandbranches" to access this most recent playlist, as well as many others from past months.  Or click here for a preview:

ROUTES-cast July 6, 2025

ROUTES & BRANCHES

featuring the very best of americana, alt.country and roots music

July 6, 2025

Scott Foley, purveyor of dust

What with Independence Day falling on Friday this year, there isn't more than a smattering of new full-lengths this week. That said ...

IF YOU ONLY LiSTEN to ONE RECORD THiS WEEK

Fact is, even on the busiest of release days, I would still strongly recommend the sophomore record from Ryan Davis & the Roadhouse Band, New Threats From the Soul (Sophomore Lounge). A one-time force behind such monikers as State Champion, Davis issued Dancing On the Edge in 2023, falling roughly into the lineage of Kurt Wagner, David Berman and Bill Callahan. New Threats is even less beholden to expectations, with songs that stretch beyond the seven-minute mark, characterized by the Kentucky artist's free-associating lyrics. The effect is mesmerizing, like piling elements of your average alt.country band into a box, adding extraneous sonic paraphernalia, then shaking it vigorously. See, f'rinstance the squelchy synths on "Mutilation Falls", the breeze of flute (and clinky toy piano) beneath the lovely "Mutilation Springs", the terrifically complimentary backing vocals throughout (Myriam Gendron, Catherine Irwin, Will Oldham, Grace Rogers, Lou Turner, etc etc). Despite the decidedly generous song length, there is little meandering on New Threats. While it's not easy to say what his pieces are "about", Ryan Davis is a surprising and expressive lyricist, unspooling one worthy phrase atop another: I learned that time was not my friend or my foe / More like one of the guys from work. 

ROUTES-cast July 6, 2025

^ Ryan Davis & the Roadhouse Band, "Simple Joy" New Threats From the Soul  (Sophomore Lounge, 25)

- Vandoliers, "Valencia" Life Behind Bars  (Break Maiden, 25)

- Honeydogs, "Attic Brain" Algebra for Broken Hearts  (Jullian, Jul 25)  D

- Pink Stones, "If I Can't Win (with You)" Thank the Lord ... It's the Pink Stones  (Normaltown, Sep 19)  D

- Alien Eyelid, "Vinegar Hill" single  (Tall Texan, 25)  D

- Harvest Thieves, "Cowboy Song" single  (Harvest, 25)  D

- Pat Hatt, "Drunk on Leaving" Pat Hatt EP  (Hatt, Jul 11)  D

- James Yorkston, "Moment Longer (ft Nina Persson)" Songs for Nina and Johanna  (Domino, Aug 22)

- Christian Lopez, "Know Your Name" Christian Lopez EP  (Paradox, 25)

- Lera Lynn, "Comic Book Cowboy" Comic Book Cowboy  (Ruby Range, Sep 19)  D

- Boo Boos, "That's Not a Thing" Young Love  (Play It Again Sam, Sep 19)

- Laura Stevenson, "Domino" Late Great  (Really, 25)

- Kolton Moore & the Clever Few, "When We Were Young" A Place That I Call Home  (Motion & Thought, Sep 26)  D

- Kathleen Edwards, "Pine" Billionaire  (Dualtone, Aug 22)

- Grant-Lee Phillips, "She Knows Me" In the Hour of Dust  (Yep Roc, Sep 5)

- Caitlin Canty, "Don't Worry About Nothing" Night Owl Envies the Mourning Dove  (Canty, Oct 2)

- Wildmans, "Take Me" Longtime Friend  (New West, Jul 11)  D

- Ryan Bingham, "Americana (ft Texas Gentlemen)" single  (Bingham, 25)  D

- Tyler Childers, "Oneida" Snipe Hunter  (Hickman Holler, Jul 25)

- Zach Bryan, "Streets of London" single  (Belting Bronce, 25)  D

- Charley Crockett, "Crucified Son" Dollar a Day  (Island, Aug 8)  D

- Ian Noe, "Born in the USA" single  (Lock13, 25)  D

- Nicki Bluhm, "Cumberland Banks" Rancho Deluxe  (Bluhm, Oct 3)  D

- Jesse Welles, "Wild Onions" Pilgrim  (Welles, 25)  

- Son of the Velvet Rat, "Wagon Wheel (ft Ghost and the Machine)"  single  (Rat Music, 25)  D

- Low Water Bridge Band, "Trust the Dark" Honky Tonk Process  (Mountain Sound, Aug 1)  D

- Willi Carlisle, "Wildflowers Growin''"  Winged Victory  (Signature Sounds, 25)

- Jackson & the Janks, "Windowsill" Write it Down  (Jalopy, 25)  D

- Third Mind, "Darkness Darkness" Right Now!  (Yep Roc, Sep 19)  D

- Emily Hines, "UFO" These Days  (Keeled Scales, Aug 1)

--------------------------

To enjoy any Spotify ROUTES-cast, just open Spotify and search for "routesandbranches" to access this most recent playlist, as well as many others from past months.  Or click here for a preview: