featuring the very best of americana, alt.country and roots music
February 25, 2024
Scott Foley, purveyor of dust
Just a glimpse behind the curtain before we reach the important stuff. I'm out of the country for a couple weeks. This might or might not have repercussions on what's published here and when. For those who have planned your weeks around our regular Sunday Spotify ROUTES-cast and review, just keep the faith. At the very least, we'll keep on top of our playlists, and we'll get to those original reviews as time permits. As we understand it, time is different where we're going ...
As is our habit on the final Sunday of the month, we turn our restless attention to our ten favorite songs from the weeks passed. For our shortest month, February has delivered a diverse assortment from which to choose, even if it is absolutely dwarfed by the heaving mountain of stuff which awaits us in March. Something something Spring something. In addition to offering the rewarding singles below, February debuted a few collections that will likely be in consideration for our year-end favorites: Frontier Ruckus? Tucker Riggleman & the Cheap Dates, Hurray For the Riff Raff, Leslie Stevens!!
WHAT's SO GREAT ABOUT FEBRUARY?!!
1. Hurray For the Riff Raff, "Hawkmoon" Past Is Still Alive (Nonesuch, Feb 23)
2. Frontier Ruckus, "Mercury Sable" On the Northline (Sitcom Universe, Feb 16)
3. Bonny Light Horseman, "When I Was Younger" single (Jagjaguwar, Feb 21)
4. Scott Ballew, "Suicide Squeeze" Rio Brava (La Honda, Mar 29)
5. Laney Jones, "Stay At Home" single (AHPO, Feb 7)
6. Britti, "Keep Running" Hello I'm Britti (Easy Eye, Feb 2)
7. Phosphorescent, "Revelator" Revelator (Verve, Apr 5)
8. Pernice Brothers, "I Don't Need That Anymore (ft Neko Case)" Who Will You Believe (New West, Apr 5)
9. Blitzen Trapper, "Cosmic Backseat Education" 100s of 1000s Millions of Billions (Yep Roc, May 17)
10. Blackberry Smoke, "Be So Lucky" Be Right Here (3 Legged, Feb 16)
We invite you to turn your attention to the obsessively updated release calendar we lovingly call A Routes & Branches Guide To Feeding Your Monster. This week, we've added the long-rumored new collection from Old 97s. First accidentally revealed by Steven King, American Primitive is set for an April 5 release (ATO). California indie-folk artist Jessica Pratt announced a date for her fourth full-length. Here In the Pitch reportedly finds inspiration in the dark side of the California dream, landing on shelves May 3 (Mexican Summer). New West introduced singer-songwriter Emily Nenni via their Normaltown imprint in 2022. Now on New West proper, they've slated Drive & Cry for a May 3 release. While he was never especially embraced by the country community during his lifetime, a forthcoming album pays tribute to the music of Tom Petty in a big way. Petty Country: A Country Music Celebration Of Tom Petty (Big Machine, May 31) will feature contributions from Chris Stapleton, Margo Price, Luke Combs and more. Sorta surprise recipients of some strong americana attention for their 2022 Easy Eye collection, Hermanos Gutierrez have landed on a date for their follow-up. Also on Dan Auerbach's label and produced by the man, Sonido Cosmico will arrive on June 14.
ROUTES-cast February 25, 2024
- Bonny Light Horseman, "When I Was Younger" single (Jagjaguwar, 24) D
- Adrianne Lenker, "Fool" Bright Future (4AD, Mar 22)
- Staves, "I'll Never Leave You Alone" All Now (Nonesuch, Mar 22)
- Magic Tuber Stringband, "Twelfth House" Needlefall (Thrill Jockey, Mar 22)
- Rhiannon Giddens, "Ballad Of Sally Anne" My Black Country: Songs Of Alice Randall (Oh Boy, Apr 12)
^ Hurray For the Riff Raff, "Hawkmoon" Past Is Still Alive (Nonesuch, 24)
- Pernice Brothers, "I Don't Need That Anymore (ft Neko Case)" Who Will You Believe (New West, Apr 5)
- Glass Hours, "Hurricane" Glass Hours (Cornelius Chapel, Mar 1)
- Teddy & the Rough Riders, "Scratch a Liar Catch a Thief" single (Rough Rider, 24) D
- Corb Lund, "Girl With the Stratocaster" El Viejo (New West, 24)
- Emily Nenni, "Get To Know Ya" Drive & Cry (New West, May 3) D
- Katie Pruitt, "All My Friends" Mantras (Rounder, Apr 5)
- JJ Grey & Mofro, "Waiting" Olustee (Alligator, 24)
- Khruangbin, "May Ninth" A LA SALA (Dead Oceans, Apr 5)
- Billy Allen + the Pollies, "I Thought You Wanted Him" single (Single Lock, 24) D
- Kaia Kater, "Fedon (ft Taj Mahal)" Strange Medicine (Free Dirt, May 17) D
- Leslie Stevens, "Taken" Leslie Stevens (Stevens, 24)
- Rachel Baiman, "Equine Elvis (ft Pony Bradshaw)" single (Signature Sounds, 24) D
- Alejandro Escovedo, "Castanuelas" Echo Dancing (Yep Roc, Mar 29)
- Ken Pomeroy, "Cicadas" single (Pomeroy, 24) D
- Matthew Logan Vasquez, "Bushwick Blues" Frank's Full Moon Saloon (Vasquez, 24)
- Sarah Shook & the Disarmers, "Motherfucker" Revelations (Abeyance, Mar 29)
- Old 97s, "Where the Road Goes" American Primitive (ATO, Apr 5) D
- Nicolette & the Nobodies, "Show Up" Long Way (ArtHaus, Apr 12) D
- Tucker Riggleman & Cheap Dates, "Paradise" Restless Spirit (WarHen, 24)
- Daniel Romano, "Where's Paradise" Too Hot To Sleep (You've Changed, Mar 1)
- Nathan Kalish, "Nepo Baby" Southern Poverty Guitar Center Vol 2 (Yellow Canary, Mar 22)
- Lucy Rose, "Whatever You Want" This Ain't the Way You Go Out (Communion, Apr 19)
- Mama Zu, "Four Leaf Clover" Quilt Floor (Cosmic Twin, 24)
- Hour, "Hallmark" Ease the Work (Dear Life, Apr 12) D
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To enjoy our weekly 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:
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