ROUTES-cast January 19, 2025

ROUTES & BRANCHES

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

January 19, 2025

Scott Foley, purveyor of dust

^ Jason Isbell, "Bury Me" Foxes in the Snow  (Southeastern, Mar 7)  D

- Hailey Whitters, "Casseroles" single  (Pigasus, 25)  D

- Will Stewart, "Firebird Fever" Moon Winx  (Earth Libraries, Feb 28)  D

- Jason Boland & the Stragglers, "Drive" Last Kings of Babylon  (Proud Souls, Mar 14)

- JD Clayton, "Dirt Roads of Red" Blue Sky Sundays  (Rounder, Feb 28)  D

- Angela Autumn, "Roving Jewel" single  (Autumn, 25)  D

- Lola Kirke, "Hungover Thinkin'" Trailblazer  (One Riot, Mar 21)  D

- Low Gap, "If a Song Could Change Your Mind (ft Brendan Walter)" single  (Cloverdale, 25)  D

- Michaela Anne, "Me And Willie" single  (Georgia June, 25)  D

- Melissa Carper & Theo Lawrence, "Thank You But No Thank You" Havin' a Talk  (Tomika, Mar 14)  D

- Sean McConnell, "Never Enough" Skin  (Silent Desert, Feb 28)

- Olivia Wolf, "Weed King" Silver Rounds  (Wolf, 25)

- Matt Woods, "Burning Bed" single  (Lonely Ones, 25)  D

- Justin Wells, "Sad Tomorrow" Cynthiana  (Wells, Feb 20)

- Lilly Hiatt, "Kwik-E-Mart" Forever  (New West, Jan 31)

- Pug Johnson, "Believer" El Cabron  (Break Maiden, Mar 28)

- Sierra Hull, "Boom" Tip Toe High Wire  (Hull, May 7)  D

- Them Coulee Boys, "Up Close" No Fun in the Chrysalis  (Some Fun, Feb 28)

- Pigeon Pit, "Josephine County Blues" Crazy Arms  (Ernest Jenning, 25)

- Sunny War, "Cry Baby (ft Valerie June)" Armageddon in a Summer Dress  (New West, Feb 21)

- Luther Russell, "Midnight Flame" Happiness For Beginners  (Curation, 25)

- Cave Flowers, "Do You Ever Know Someone" Western Spectre  (Hard Bark, 25)

- David Ramirez, "I Got People" All the Not So Gentle Reminders  (Blue Corn, Mar 21)

- Weather Station, "Mirror" Humanhood  (Fat Possum, 25)

- Samantha Crain, "Dart" Gumshoe  (Real Kind, May 2)  D

- Patterson Hood, "Pool House" Exploding Trees & Airplane Screams  (ATO, Feb 21)

- Califone, "every amnesia movie" Villager's Companion  (Jealous Butcher, Feb 14)  D

- Benjamin Booker, "Slow Dance in a Gay Bar" Lower  (Fire Next Time, Jan 24)

- Savannah Conley, "Dear Someone" single  (Good Boy Leo, 25)  D

- Droptines, "Old Tricks" single  (Droptines, 25)  D

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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:

A ROUTES & BRANCHES GUiDE to FEEDiNG YOUR MONSTER (January 18, 2025)

A ROUTES & BRANCHES GUiDE to FEEDiNG YOUR MONSTER

good news about good noise

January 18, 2025

Scott Foley, purveyor of dust

Red Clay Strays have earned a reputation as a terrific live act. Their set on NPR's Tiny Desk speaks to their genuine appeal.   

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We're strongly pondering a review of Weather Station's great new Humanhood. Line of Best Fit checks in with Tamara Lindeman about her typically heady ideas behind the record.   

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We were previously unfamiliar with a site called The Influences. Portland singer-songwriter Jeffrey Martin joins them to cover a couple obscure guys named Neil Young and Bob Dylan, and performs a song of his own. 

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Adrianne Lenker and Phil Weinrobe discuss "Sadness As a Gift" on the Song Exploder podcast. Follow the link for a video of the conversation and performance.   

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The late Kinky Friedman is the subject of a New York Times piece, focusing on an unexpectedly sincere, posthumous LP, Poet of Motel 6. 

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Variety reports that Orville Peck will be stepping in to replace Adam Lambert as emcee in Cabaret. 

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We've been following the lead-up to the January 28 release of Neko Case's memoir, The Harder I Fight the More I Love You. Per this week's New York Times profile, she's also been working on a new album and a 'musical adaptation of Thelma & Louise.'

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PBS' mainstay Austin City Limits is streaming a bill featuring Norah Jones and Hurray For the Riff Raff until Feb 9. Norah is always a stronger performer than she's given credit for, and Alynda Segarra is terrific. 

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River Shook has taken to their social media with the announcement that Sarah Shook & the Disarmers will disband following their current tour, ending June 29.  Saving Country Music has the info, and/or you can watch River's thoughtful Facebook message. 

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Uncommonly busy week at A Routes & Branches Guide To Feeding Your Monster, our resolutely updated new release calendar. We'll focus on just five (5) additions. JD Clayton has announced a follow-up to 2023's Long Way From Home. Rounder will be releasing Blue Sky Sundays on March 28. Jason Isbell's next project will be his first true solo album. Featuring nothing beyond the man and his acoustic guitar, Foxes in the Snow will land on your porch March 7 (Southeastern). Following several singles, covers, and a holiday EP, Sierra Hull is ready for her first full length in five years. Tip Top High Wire is set for a March 7 appearance. Samantha Crain has chosen May 2 to drop her next album. Gumshoe will appear courtesy of the Real Kind label. That same day we're eagerly awaiting something new from Kassi Valazza. Fluff & Gravy will be sharing the songwriter's From Newman Street. 

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WHAT's SO GREAT ABOUT THiS WEEK?!! (January 17, 2025)

ROUTES & BRANCHES

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

January 17, 2025

Scott Foley, still purveying dust

We're exceptionally happy to be back in the mode of having to make decisions on what to keep and what to cut with regard to new music. As we'll see on Sunday's Spotify ROUTES-cast, the past seven days have brought us a terrific torrent of the stuff. For today, we'll just showcase the five (5) songs we enjoyed more than the others. 

WHAT's SO GREAT ABOUT THiS WEEK?!!

Tobacco City, "Autumn" Horses  (Scissor Tail, Mar 7)

Chicago duo Chris Coleslaw and Lexi Goddard are planning a March 7 release for their second album, Horses. Per Mr Coleslaw: Autumn is about the hilarious pains of growing up in a shitty small town. Hilarious pains aside, we appreciate the tune's sardonic humor and generous pedal steel, along with the duo's classic harmonies. 

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Benjamin Booker, "Slow Dance in a Gay Bar" Lower  (Fire Next Time, Jan 24)

Benjamin Booker recorded his new album with indie rap producer Kenny Segal, adding an unexpected contemporary slant to the songwriter's punk-blues. The accompanying video features Booker at the wheel of a van driving through New Orleans' French Quarter (of course, shot prior to the recent attack).

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Jason Isbell, "Bury Me" Foxes in the Snow  (Southeastern, Mar 7)

At his present level of popularity, there was some concern that Isbell had possibly worked himself into a corner with regard to his next artistic step. We're pleased to hear that Foxes will be a genuine solo project, featuring just the songwriter and his mahogany 1940 Martin 0-17 guitar. He writes: Still got so much to learn / Still feel alive / One lonely girl is all I need / To tie me to this world.

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Low Gap, "If a Song Could Change Your Mind (ft Brendan Walter)" single  (Cloverdale, Jan 10)

We still enjoy pretending we're an americana blog, so it's nice to include stuff like this that toes the genre line. We're new to the music of young brothers Gus and Phin Johnson, but this simple ramble delivers a sweet appeal: If a song could change your mind / I'd write one better than John Prine.

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Pug Johnson, "Believer"  El Cabron  (Break Maiden, Mar 28)

The video for "Believer" features Pug Johnson as a ladies man. The artist says of the song, which actually co-stars his wife Mindy: On our first date I just kind of laid out everything that was wrong with me. I was like 'I've got a cocaine problem, and I've been trying to fix it.'  I think I asked her for a couple weeks to dry out. And I let her know I wanted to date her. Today they are married, and she serves as his manager. 

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CAVE FLOWERS - WESTERN SPECTRE

ROUTES & BRANCHES

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

January 15, 2025

Scott Foley, purveyor of dust

Lately, the biggest news coming from Los Angeles involves the tragic toll wind-blown fire has taken on the surrounding communities. Of course, our foremost concern must be with the impact on human life and property, in addition to the ravage of the natural world. As artists begin to gather for benefit concerts and recordings, and as concerts and tours are postponed, we can't help but wonder as well about the effect on the local and national music scene. 

LA-based Cave Flowers had planned a record release show to coincide with the January 17th debut of Western Spectre, their second full-length album. While that event has been delayed, the record will be released as scheduled. In the footsteps of acts like Flying Burrito Brothers, the Byrds, and Gram Parsons, Andy McAlister and his band bring together strains of rock and country for a distinctly Californian sound.

Prior to convening Cave Flowers, McAlister served with the psychedelic folk act Vanish Valley. In this current iteration, the songwriter pairs with guitarist Henry Derek Elis, whose background includes several stints with metal acts. While those harder roots are well buried on Western Spectre, Elis' heavy string work largely defines the new sessions. His thick electric guitar slices through "Do You Ever Know Someone", dropping a gutty throwback solo unheard in most contemporary music. Elis displays his blues tendencies on "Invisible Tonight", another of a handful of Cave Flowers songs bearing an anthemic solo. See also the widespread keys from GospelbeacH's Jon Neimann, tipping the balance in a retro direction. 

Like the band's 2020 debut, Western Spectre is recorded with the help of Chris Rondinella, who had previously worked on Levon Helm's Midnight Ramble sessions. Songs like "Good Love" bear a timeless stamp, the sort of roots 'n rock blend in which the Band traded. Andy McAlister's papery vocals even recall a younger Robbie Robertson at times: There's someone that's flying right towards you / To fill the half of your whole. The singer, who serves as a film editor in his day job, has commented: My songs are like little movies. The lyrics are like the script. There is indeed an almost cinematic expansiveness to Cave Flowers' sound, a subtle reverb and a desert-like openness. In the melodic "Living Like a Rodeo", McAlister sings, When it comes to us / You and I are broken horses. "Leave Your Light On" casts a songwriterly eye on details, the Whitesnake button on those denim jeans. 

Similar to GospelbeacH, Hanging Stars, or Band of Horses, Cave Flowers are a rock act with country abilities. With Elis' guitar, drummer Curtis Pettygrove and bassist Ben Coil (along with additional organ and pedal steel from Jordan Walton) play their California country with a Stones-y rock spirit. "Good Luck Charm" grows from a chiming ballad to a six-minute arena-sized rock roar with a suitably striking vocal from McAlister. Behind chunking glam guitar and barrelhouse piano, "Garbage and Gold" is a highlight, with a chorus that reads like an ode to Cave Flowers' LA home: There's a town full of lost souls / They treat you like garbage, they treat you like gold / They give you a hearty hug before you get old. On Western Spectre, Andy McAlister and his act add their own line to the town's storied musical legend. 

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ROUTES-cast January 12, 2025

ROUTES & BRANCHES

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

January 12, 2025

Scott Foley, purveyor of dust

- Gary Louris, "Getting Older" Dark Country  (SHAM, Feb 14)  D

- Joe Pug, "The Great Despiser (live)" Live at the Old Town School of Folk Music  (Pug, Apr 18)

- Sarah Klang, "Last Forever (ft Fruit Bats)" Beautiful Woman  (Nettwerk, Feb 7)

- Will Stratton, "Temple Bar" Points of Origin  (Bella Union, Mar 7)

- Zack Keim, "25 Years" Battery Lane  (Super Sport, Feb 7)

- Bonnie Prince Billy, "Downstream (ft John Anderson)" Purple Bird  (No Quarter, Jan 31)

- Echolalia, "Blood Moon" Echolalia  (Full Time Hobby, Feb 28)

- Kora Feder, "Rambling Man" Some Kind of Truth  (Feder, Apr 18)  D

- Arny Margret, "Day Old Thoughts" I Miss You I Do  (one little independent, Mar 7)

- Heather Maloney, "Labyrinth in the Weeds" Exploding Star  (Signature Sounds, Jan 31)

- Tobacco City, "Autumn" Horses  (Scissor Tail, Mar 7)  D

- Rose City Band, "Radio Song" Sol y Sombra  (Thrill Jockey, Jan 24)

- Fust, "Spangled" Big Ugly  (Dear Life, Mar 7)  D

- Drayton Farley, "Time (Acoustic)" single  (Hargrove, 25)  D

- Old Crow Medicine Show, "Ain't It Strange" Let's Go Dancing  (Tasty Goody, 25)

- Olivia Wolf, "High Life (ft Taylor McCall)" Silver Rounds  (Wolf, Jan 17)

- Muscadine Bloodline & Josh Meloy, "Ain't For Sale" single (Stancaster, 25)  D

- Madison Hughes, "Nobody Knows Your Love (ft Brent Cobb)" single  (Hughes, 25)  D

- John R Miller, "Garden of Fools" Heat Comes Down (Deluxe)  (Rounder, 25)

^ Marty Bohannon, "Josephine" A Scar is Born  (Cornelius Chapel, Feb 28)  D

^ Matt Bohannon, "Home Alone" Go Back to Your Roots  (Cornelius Chapel, Feb 28)  D

- Jared Hart, "The Condor" The Condor EP  (Mt Crushmore, 25)  

- Tony Logue, "Cinnamon Blonde" Dark Horse  (Logue, Feb 21)  D

- Cold Stares, "Automobile" The Southern Pt 2  (Artic, 25)  D

- Peter Mancini, "Technicolor Days" American Equator  (Mancini, Mar 7)  D

- Katie Pruitt, "Worst Case Scenario (Acoustic)" Mantras (Deluxe)  (Rounder, Feb 7)

- Jim White & Trey Blake, "Rushing in Waves" Precious Bane  (Fluff & Gravy, Jan 31)

- Mekons, "Mudcrawlers" Horror  (Fire, Apr 4)  D

- Trampled by Turtles, "For Emma (ft Sumbuck)" single  (Banjodad, 25)  D

- Yo La Tengo, "Driving Home" Old Joy EP  (Mississippi, Feb 28)

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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:

A ROUTES & BRANCHES GUiDE to FEEDiNG YOUR MONSTER (January 11, 2025)

A ROUTES & BRANCHES GUiDE to FEEDiNG YOUR MONSTER

good news about good noise

January 11, 2025

Scott Foley, purveyor of dust

In all our enthusiasm to share all the year-end lists we could find, it looks like we might've overlooked one. In advance of his forthcoming February 21 record, Patterson Hood has taken to Facebook to post his own favorites list. 

  

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Legends in their native Canada, but less appreciated her below, Blue Rodeo are the subjects of Lost Together, a career-spanning documentary. Follow the link for more information as well as a trailer featuring screaming Canadians.   

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Congrats to all of you who predicted that the next Waterboys album would be a two-LP concept project in tribute to Dennis Hopper. Brooklyn Vegan has more info about the record, which features contributions from Steve Earle, Bruce Springsteen, Fiona Apple, and more. 

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And speaking of unexpected juxtapositions, Texas fingerstyle guitarist Hayden Pedigo has apparently been recording with noise rock band Chat Pile. We have tentatively reserved a space on our turntable for this unlikely marriage. You can read more at Stereogum. 

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Americana UK checks in with Nick Gusman & the Coyotes about their 2024 release, Lifting Heavy Things. 

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Rolling Stone apparently caught wind of our premature declaration of the quarter-century, and has shared their guess at the 250 Greatest Albums of the 21st Century So Far. Since RS lives behind a paywall, we're forwarding you to Brooklyn Vegan's account, featuring the top twenty-five. In an unremarkable turn of events, absolutely none of these are on our own early draft. 

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NPR's World Cafe hears the story of how Tucker Zimmerman came to collaborate with Big Thief. As of this posting, NPR is inexplicably referring to Buck Meek as "Buck Merl". We expect that will be repaired very soon. 

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Visit guitar.com for a talk with Benjamin Booker about his January 24 release, Lower (which the songwriter originally wanted to name The Highest I've Ever Been Was At a Bob Dylan Concert, but decided against it for legal reasons. 

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Twangville presents Them Coulee Boys with some questions surrounding the February release of No Fun in the Chrysalis. See also: The Cap Times, who ask fewer questions about the Wisconsin outfit's touring van. 

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It's been a less quiet week at A Routes & Branches Guide to Feeding Your Monster, our prudently updated new release calendar. Evan Westfall from CAAMP is planning his first solo record. An all-instrumental project, Is This Our Exit drops on January 24  (Super Sport). While we await a new studio collection from Drayton Farley, please enjoy Live & Acoustic From Germany  (Hargrove, Jan 31). Youth Lagoon has announced his follow-up to 2024's Heaven is a Junkyard. Fat Possum will release Rarely Do I Dream on February 21. On the heels of a superb EP of Morphine covers, Will Stewart has prepared his next original full-length. February 28 will serve as the street date for Moon Winx  (Earth Libraries). Finally, Fust is readying their third collection. Expect Big Ugly on March 7, courtesy of the Dear Life label. 

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WHAT's SO GREAT ABOUT THiS WEEK?!! (January 10, 2025)

ROUTES & BRANCHES

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

January 10, 2025

Scott Foley, purveyor of dust

Welcome to our first proper WSGATW since Nov 22! Just a reminder that each and every week we select just five (5) of our favorite songs released over the past seven days, including a streamable video where available. For this week's Episode we're cheating a bit to include at least one tune that was released just prior to Christmas. If this upsets you we can put you in touch with our lawyer. We don't have a lawyer. 

Just the last day or so things have relaxed a bit, allowing for several nice singles and/or new release announcements like we like. Matter of fact, our trademarked Routes & Branches Guide To Feeding Your Monster is fairly bursting with very recent additions, a couple of which we'll highlight on Saturday's post. To cap your first full week back from the holidays, we offer the following diverse assortment of our kind of music. We call it: 

WHAT's SO GREAT ABOUT THiS WEEK?!!

Fust, "Spangled"  Big Ugly  (Dear Life, Mar 7)

Please consider this week's news of the release of Fust's third full-length The Very Best News of 2025. And add that the thing will feature contributions from People We Like such as Merce Lemon, Alex Farrar, members of War on Drugs, the Deslondes, and more. Frontguy Aaron Dowdy shares his thoughts about this terrific first single: I wanted to write a personal, pained kind of national anthem made up of esoteric and American themes like trauma and time out of joint, self-destruction and intoxication, frailty and hubris. Count us in!!

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Matt Steinfeld, "Resurrect the Tender" single  (Steinfeld, Dec 20)

We came across this in Saving Country Music's playlist, a fine source for more trad country stuff. With a phenomenal delivery and thoughtful lyrics, the simple ballad makes a strong impression: What's turning me into a stranger / Was my protection from the danger / Sometimes making your own savior takes your soul. We're featuring a live solo shot of the songwriter from last year. 

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Pigeon Pit, "bronco"  Crazy Arms  (Ernest Jenning, Jan 17) 

It was just a couple days ago that we published an appreciation of this Olympia sextet's forthcoming full-length. This second advance single epitomizes the punk/country ethos, as well as Lomes Oleander's ability to smash so many words into a lyrical breath. It's everything we want in a band. We're offering an electric take from October with the members pinballing around the small stage of Waller's Coffee Shop in Decatur, Georgia. 

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Sarah Klang, "Childhood"  Beautiful Woman  (Pangur, Feb 7)

While Klang is apparently quite popular in her native Sweden, this lovely folk-pop gem is the first we've heard of her. Produced by Eric D Johnson of the Fruit Bats (and Bonny Light Horseman (and the Shins)), the song is all kinds of evocative, focusing on the anxiety and trauma of the songwriter's childhood: I want this to be the last time / That I have to go down / That I have to drown / In my childhood memories. 

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Zack Keim, "25 Years" Battery Lane  (Super Sport, Feb 7)

We've been watching as Pittsburgh's Zack Keim has been steadily releasing singles from his February 7 full-length, variations on a pop-centric singer-songwriter. With its Strokes-inspired electric edge, "25 Years" is the first song from the record to lean hard into the boyish Keim's garage pop roots. The accompanying fan-shot video speaks to the song's abandon, fueled by a restless yearning to move beyond the promise of his youth. 

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