featuring the very best of americana, alt.country and roots music
January 26, 2026
Scott Foley, purveyor of dust
This week's haul features quality stuff from British rock outfit Langkamer, and a project that finds Sammy Brue partnering with the late Justin Townes Earle. We're also drawn to the return of talented folk duo Lowest Pair, and the reliably reliable Lucinda Williams.
IF YOU ONLY LiSTEN to ONE RECORD THiS WEEK
Under the marquee of Sophie and the Broken Things, Sophie Gault delivered an excellent 2022 debut in Delusions Of Grandeur, and followed it as a solo artist with an even more promising Baltic Street Hotel in '24. Gault returns with well-earned confidence for Unhinged (Torrez, January 23), a session which suggests she merits a place alongside Margo Price as one of the foremost artists in our sort of music.
Where those first albums dwelt on the songwriter's relationships and mental wellbeing, there is a looseness and abandon to Gault's new set. With producers Alex Torrez and David Dorn, the record boasts a live, guitars-forward mix. Atop its nasty groove, the title cut remarks, If winning was whiskey / We'd be on a binge. Her run through Robert Johnson's "Stop Breaking Down" turbo fuels the original, at the crossroads of alt.country and juke joint blues.
Sophie Gault is a strong writer, but demonstrates a personal touch on tunes by Buck Owens, Mando Saenz and others. Unhinged explodes with her take on "Love's Gonna Live Here", splitting the difference between Bakersfield and Memphis. The original "Last Call Rock and Roll" is a nod to country-rock, while "Merlot Dodge Dart" simmers: I must admit it felt so good / When I dug my key into the hood. Gault celebrates the undersung Gurf Morlix on a cover of his "Is There Anyone Out There", laying down a lovely, soulful vocal.
The songwriter has acknowledged that Unhinged isn't the project she initially expected to record, but fate and label politics intervened to encourage this largely live-in-studio rock 'n roots session. Recording alongside seasoned pros like Fred Eltringham, Adam Kurtz, and Sol Littlefield, Sophie Gault has produced a deeply satisfying reminder of the valued places where rock rubs shoulders with country and blues for a shot of last call rock and roll.
ROUTES-cast January 25, 2026
^ Sophie Gault, "Merlot Dodge Dart" Unhinged (Torrez, 26)
- Sammy Brue, "Older Than I Thought I'd Ever Be" The Journals (Bloodshot, 26)
- Pokey LaFarge, "Pickup Truck" Travelin' With Pokey LaFarge (ONErp, Feb 13)
- Jobi Riccio, "Buzzkill" single (Yep Roc, 26) D
- Milk Carton Kids, "Friend Like You" Lost Cause Lover Fool (Far Cry, Apr 24) D
- Clover Country, "Airpark" Finer Things (Deluxe Edition) (Undercover Lover, 26)
- Bill Callahan, "Stepping Out For Air" My Days Of 58 (Drag City, Feb 27)
- Spencer Cullum, "Rowan Tree" Coin Collection Vol 3 (Full Time Hobby, Mar 27) D
- Lowest Pair, "Diamonds" As Young As We'll Ever Be (Delicata, 26)
- Montvales, "World Of Trouble" Path Of Totality (Free Dirt, Mar 20) D
- Glass Hours, "Not Your Ordinary Heart" Chapel Glass (Cornelius Chapel, 26) D
- Donovan Woods, "I Talk About You" Squander Your Gifts EP (Meant Well, Feb 27) D
- Molly Parden, "I Envy the Wind" single (Parden, 26) D
- Natalie Prauser, "Dice" Everything Is Fine (Prauser, 26) D
- Hannah White, "Melody Of Love (ft Dirk Powell)" single (Last Music Co, 26) D
- Bella White, "Dream Song" single (Rounder, 26)
- Cat Clyde, "Another Time" Mud Blood Bone (Concord, Mar 13) D
- John Craigie, "Edna Strange" I Swam Here (Zabriskie Point, Feb 6)
- Leah Blevins, "Diggin' In the Coal" All Dressed Up (Easy Eye, Mar 20)
- Danny George Wilson, "Distant Seasons" Arcade (Loose, Mar 20) D
- Old 97s, "Off My Mind" single (ATO, 26) D
- John Andrews & the Yawns, "Something To Be Said" Streetsweeper (Earth Libraries, Apr 3) D
- Wendy Eisenberg, "Meaning Business" Wendy Eisenberg (Joyful Noise, Apr 3)
- Lindsey Troy, "Love Is Deeper" single (Troy, 26) D
- Builders and the Butchers, "Blood/Death" No Tomorrow (Badman, Apr 3) D
- Langkamer, "Summer That I Hit the Wall" No (Breakfast, 26)
- New Pornographers, "Votive" Former Site Of (Merge, Mar 27) D
- Courtney Barnett, "Site Unseen (ft Waxahatchee)" Creature Of Habit (Mom + Pop, Mar 27) D
- White Denim, "(God Created) Lock and Key" 13 (Bella Union, Apr 24) D
- Cat Power, "Nothing Compares 2 U" Redux EP (Domino, 26)
--------------------------
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:
No comments:
Post a Comment