WHAT's SO GREAT ABOUT THiS WEEK?!! (October 16, 2026)

ROUTES & BRANCHES

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

October 16, 2026

Scott Foley, purveyor of dust

If everything is working properly, change is inevitable in music (and we're very grateful for that). It's just a matter of where that change is happening, where on a genre's frontier conditions are ripe and ready. Last year, it happened at the cutting edge of alternative country. For 2026, it seems to be taking place in the wilds of folk music. Just in the past couple months we've enjoyed great examples from acts like Mary In the Junkyard, Ruby Of Thanks, Hour, and Arborist. And @ (this week's most difficult act to research, given the fact that the duo's name is just a typographical symbol. 

WHAT's SO GREAT ABOUT THiS WEEK?!!

^JW Francis, "Scootin' Boogie"  Route 66  (Mutual Friends, 26)

This new single is so unforgivably cheesy, from the title to the jacket art. We were prepared for a pass, til the thing sunk its charm deep into our ears. Following an LP inspired by a trip on the Mississippi River, the New York writer's second project of the year pays tribute to the asphalt equivalent. Shout out to Francis' mesmerizing hair. 

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Gwenifer Raymond, "Bird Songs For Atomic Skies" single  (Fat Possum, 26)

We're not typically enchanted by solo guitar music. But we're making a strong exception for this debut single celebrating Raymond's signing to Fat Possum. Especially when it careens into the weeds around the four-minute mark. One commenter sagely suggests a collaboration with Chat Pile, a'la Hayden Pedigo. We won't stand in the way.

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@, "I Know You Are (But What Am I Thinking)" Autosmile  (4AD, 26)

We've been spending a fair amount of time wrapping our ears around this new album, and there's a good chance you'll hear more about that early next week. This final single might be the best entry point yet to the teasing, teeming Autosmile. It's wonky without pretension, quirky without indulgence. 

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Aaron Lee Tasjan, "Good Luck Now!" single  (Blue Elan, 26)

Oh good. We've been hoping for a chance to air our fondness for Tasjan's July Get Over It Underdog. This disconnected single is just the thing. Perhaps he's too pop for the roots crowd, and overly acoustic for indie fans, but we'd classify Tasjan as among the most capable pop songcrafters in our kind of music: There went Lady Luck / In a pickup truck / With the radio on / And a song turned up / Albert King was singing / About a man who was clinging / To his troubles. 

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Frances de Vargas, "The Band's Got Your Gun" Graduation  (Nudie, Nov 13)

We discovered this Brooklyn singer-guitarist via the worthy New Commute blog. This second single from her November full-length opens the door to a honky tonk where maybe something is just a little off. All that means is that de Vargas is probably not just another earnest artist toeing the trad party line. Consider that a complement. 

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A ROUTES & BRANCHES GUiDE to FEEDiNG YOUR MONSTER (October 15, 2026)

A ROUTES & BRANCHES GUiDE to FEEDiNG YOUR MONSTER

good news about good noise

October 15, 2026

Scott Foley, purveyor of dust

>Welsh guitar prodigy Gwenifer Raymond has found a new home with the Fat Possum label. As God Is In the TV notes, she has celebrated her signing with a new song, "Bird Songs For Atomic Skies", about which she notes: Lyrebirds are perched in irradiated nests and have grown new heads. Foxes bark in the night, but the barks are all wrong ... New limbs are springing up by the hour. Sounds pretty. 

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This is the kind of stuff we love to share. KLOF publishes a long-form meditation on David Berman's essential Silver Jews project, Natural Bridge on the occasion of its thirtieth anniversary. As we stated in our own Lookback Machine playlist Berman is a patron saint of what we do here at R&B HQ. 

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The internet broke when MJ Lenderman began featuring a couple new songs on the occasion of his return to the concert stage for Sylvan Esso's Good Moon festival. You can find out more in Paste Magazine's account, and as of right now there is also a crowd-sourced video of some of the new stuff. And it's also followed by a piece on Kim Petras that we're okay if you ignore. 

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We had a chance to interview Charlie Parr back in The Radio Days, and can attest to the fact that he is a pretty nice fellow. Glide digs for dirt in their own interview, wherein the songwriter acknowledges that he discovered music in large part due to Johnny Horton's "Battle Of New Orleans", and that listening to Albert Ayler made him wonder if Ayler knew how to play the sax. 

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We've been making noise about Big Thief lately. But wait, there's more. This week the act introduced us to a new site where they would be archiving live sets for free streaming, like we like. It's all reportedly inspired by percussionist James Krivchenia's own fondness for digging around the Grateful Dead archives. Consequence of Sound completes the picture, including a nice recent live take on Big Thief's "Incomprehensible", recorded in Ireland. 

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We're admitted fans of Largehearted Boy's Book Notes features, wherein the site prompt authors to share a playlist related to their recently published book. This week Lee Bains released a collection of poetry, Work Lunch. The instrumental music that inspired his book includes everything from Aphex Twin to J Dilla and William Tyler. New maybe Bains can focus more on recording something new for us. 

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This week would've marked John Prine's 80th birthday. Saving Country Music recounts a star-packed Chicago Theatre celebration that brought together folks like Andrew Sa, Alynda Segarra, Noeline Hoffman, and host John C Reilly, who has inexplicably maintained a presence in the americana community for several years. 

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Are we sending you to the Playboy website? Yes, we are (though it's only for the articles). F'rinstance, Greg Freeman plays 20 Questions as he continues his victory lap for the release of All Set the Bone. 

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If you're still with us, we will refer you to Paste once again, and their nice features on the sprawling ensemble of friends and coworkers called Hour. Assembled by Michael Cormier-O'Leary, they've just released a captivating project called Ghost Bridge. As noted in the profile, depending on the time of day Hour can feature members of 2nd Grade, Fust, Friendship and more. 

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We do a couple things pretty well here at R&B HQ. One of those is to congregate a list of forthcoming releases beneath the heading A Routes & Branches Guide To Feeding Your Monster. We're always adding new stuff when there's new stuff to be added. This time of year the New Music Pipeline starts to sputter and spit, not unlike an automatic sprinkler system being shut down for the season. Nevertheless, we'll keep milking that turnip as long as we're able. Portland's Alien Boy is going acoustic. Fronted by Sonia Weber, the act will release Rearrange My Mind tomorrow (Friday), via Get Better. Wilder Maker has always been acoustic. The New York outift will share Smoking the Bunny via Western Vinyl on November 6. We'll be setting the table for new Johanna Warren just after the New Year. Well Kept Secret has announced a January 29 date for her Frog In the Belly Of a Snake. Finally, just in time for the week after Valentines Day, Marika Hackman will release False Dogs on the Chrysalis label by February 19. 

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LOOKBACK MACHiNE: Wilco

ROUTES & BRANCHES

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

October 14, 2026

Scott Foley, purveyor of dust

On last week's Lookback Machine, we declared Big Thief one of the foremast live bands of their generation. Meet Wilco. Featuring the same lineup since 2005, it's tough to name an act that has proven so consistently excellent for so many years. While they are often considered among the more experimental mainstream outfits, we could argue that Jeff Tweedy is a master pop songwriter in the direct lineage of the Beatles (esp Lennon). 

For our thirty favorites, we chose to limit our options a bit, focusing exclusively on studio tracks from Wilco's thirteen original LPs (and one EP). No apocryphal stuff. No live cuts. No Mermaid Avenue (though this playlist was largely prompted by the announcement that the band would release an even more expanded edition of their Mermaid Avenue: Complete Sessions, an essential document in our kind of music). Even in light of those restrictions, it was a challenge to pare down our list to just thirty (30) favorites, especially given our fondness for championing obscure tracks. And, given the preponderance of classic songs on Wilco's early- and mid-period projects, it pushed us to representing later records (which are really good) with just one song in many cases. 

While we have actually never featured a review of a Wilco LP,  no other band as fully represents the reach and embrace of all we try to do at R&B. 

WiLCO: thirty favorites

- "Box Full Of Letters" AM  (1995)

- "Passenger Side"

- "Outtasite (Outta Mind)" Being There  (1996)

- "Forget the Flowers" 

- "I Got You (At the End Of the Century)" 

- "Can't Stand It" Summerteeth  (1999)

- "Shot In the Arm"

- "I'm Always In Love" 

- "I Am Trying To Break Your Heart" Yankee Hotel Foxtrot  (2001)

- "Jesus Etc"

- "Ashes Of American Flags"

- "Heavy Metal Drummer"

- "Handshake Drugs"  A Ghost Is Born  (2004)

- "Theologians"

- "The Late Greats"

- "Either Way" Sky Blue Sky  (2007)

- "Impossible Germany"

- "What Light"

- "You and I" Wilco (the Album)  (2009)

- "You Never Know"

- "Whole Love"  The Whole Love  (2011)

- "Random Name Generator"  Star Wars  (2015)

- "If I Ever Was a Child" Schmilco  (2016)

- "Love Is Everywhere (Beware)"  Ode To Joy  (2019)

- "Cruel Country" Cruel Country  (2022)

- "Tired Of Taking It Out On You"

- "Falling Apart (Right Now)" 

- "Evicted"  Cousin  (2023)

- "Meant To Be"

- "Annihilation" Hot Sun Cool Shroud EP  (2024)

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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:

IF YOU ONLY LiSTEN to ONE RECORD THiS WEEK (October 13, 2026)

ROUTES & BRANCHES

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

October 13, 2026

Scott Foley, purveyor of dust

As we mentioned this weekend, last week's release date dropped several good options onto our digital doorstep, and we honestly considered no fewer than half-a-dozen of them before settling on the choice that lent itself most readily to our embrace. 

IF YOU ONLY LiSTEN to ONE RECORD THiS WEEK

On the closing number on her sixth album, A Mile South Of Heaven (New West), Jess Williamson tells a story about "The Gem and Mineral Show". I am a tourist here, she sings, I come and I go. As she relates it, it came to her attention that Jack Antonoff really really liked her 2024 song, "Hunter". Reaching out to the uber-producer, Williamson was invited to the year's Grammy afterparty, where she rubbed sequined shoulders with a who's who of the industry (including, of course, Taylor Swift): With the queen of americana / Sipping champagne at the Chateau. At some later date, the singer was driving through Terlingua, Texas, where she stopped by a gem and mineral show, rubbing camouflaged shoulders with the locals. Upshot: Jess Williamson questioned her belonging both beneath the blinding lights of LA and in the dusty parking lot of small town Texas. 

That pivotal 2024 album, Time Ain't Accidental, was structured around the dissolution of a long term relationship, one that found her making that long trip between California and Texas. Produced by Brad Cook, the project was released following her collaboration with Katie Crutchfield (Waxahatchee) under the Plains moniker. Both records chronicled Williamson's artistic journey to devote an increasing amount of her indie-folk sound to roots music influences. Even with its programmed percussion and atmospheric textures, Time spoke clearly to this trend, and hinted both musically and thematically at the direction of her follow-up. 

Produced by Shooter Jennings, A Mile South Of Heaven presents Jess Williamson fronting a band of consummate country and roots professionals, including The Mastersons (Chris Masterson on guitar and Eleanor Whitmore on acoustic guitar and mandolin), bassist Bonnie Whitmore, Jamie Douglass on percussion, and pedal steel and dobro from John Schreffler. Musically, the collection is poised with one boot each in LA and Texas, equally literate in both expressions. The opener, "Goodbye To All That", immediately strikes this balance, placing Williamson's sweetly accented voice further forward in the mix than we'd heard to date. Inspired by Joan Didion's essay of the same name in which the author weighed her decision to leave New York for California, Williamson seems poised at the brink of her own decision: Goodbye to the dreamers, the poets and their songs / I'm afraid there's so much that I still haven't done. Schreffler's pedal steel, so central to the vibe of Mile South, speaks to expanse and distance. "Hum Of the City" adds Shooter's Hammond to the fabric, in addition to Eleanor Whitmore's sturdy fiddle and Chris Masterson's banjo: I've been running out of reasons to stay, the singer notes. 

Both Brad Cook and Shooter Jennings have established themselves as central craftsmen of the current americana sound, even as their expressions are quite different. On "Hum" and elsewhere, Jennings leans into the warmth of a live studio tone, clearly outlining the sound of each individual instrument. Williamson sings, Just play some old country music / Where they find true love / Or lose it, and come back home to everyone they missed. On "High Heels and Blue Jeans" she beckons for the simplicity of a night on the town with friends. Much of the new work is set in the cab of a truck, as portrayed on the album's jacket - if Williamson is equally uncertain about belonging in either locale, she finds her groove in the space between: Now I got a little money, there's gas in the car / And I can drive alone for days / Honey, it's an art. 

It's there in the balance that Jess Williamson decides to remain. She finds a resolution in both/and, as opposed to either/or. As we've learned across her previous work, she is well grounded in mysticism. The writer who claimed I see God in everything recognizes that belonging can rely upon perspective. although some Alice Coltrane / On the floor by the fireplace doesn't hurt. Williamson's transition from her earlier sound to the California-by-way-of-Austin of A Mile South Of Heaven seems more of a natural evolution than her friend Waxahatchee's leap into her own pickup. "Legends Die" presents a fine example of Williamson's suitability for the roots setting, so ably suggested by Jennings and his players: Bring me flowers / Pour me wine, and trust that the rest will apparently take care of itself. 

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ROUTES-cast October 11, 2026

ROUTES & BRANCHES

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

October 11, 2026

Scott Foley, purveyor of dust

Sundays are ROUTES-cast, and Tuesdays are review. But our considerations for that review begin much earlier. On a week like this, we're posed with several legit choices for IYOLtOATW. Frankly, there is an abiding temptation to reach beyond the obvious choices (Jess Williamson, Margo Cilker) to bring a new artist to your attention - thinking Cooper Kenward or Brody Price. We're also fretting good new stuff from Left Arm Tan and Tallest Man On Earth. Give us space.

For today, we bring you thirty (30) good songs from this week's offerings. You'll definitely want to visit our Spotify account and follow us. You can access our ROUTES-casts and Lookback Machine playlists either way, but formalizing our relationship is a real sign of status and commitment. 

ROUTES-cast October 11, 2026

^ Brody Price, "Waste" Leaf Miner's Daughter  (Gar Hole, 26)

- Anna McClellan, "Drank Earlier" South Of Dodge EP  (Exploding In Sound, Nov 20)  D

- Cory Branan, "What Gave Me Away" You'll Live  (Blue Elan, 26)

- Cooper Kenward, "Billy Come Back" Call Me the Knife  (Soggy Anvil, 26) 

- Left Arm Tan, "What's Left Of Me" When Tigers Smoked  (LAT, 26)

- Ben Chapman, "Saving Grace" Porch Sessions EP  (Hippie Shack, 26)  D

- Ags Connolly, "Yesterday's Man" Yesterday's Man  (SofaBurn, Oct 30)  D

- Sylvie, "Not Looking Back Anymore" New Season  (Ghostly, Nov 6)

- Jess Williamson, "Hum Of the City" A Mile South Of Heaven  (New West, 26)

- Kacy Lee Anderson, "Keep Quiet" Hello I'm Irrelevant  (Earth Libraries, Oct 23)

- Foot Ox, "Sagittariat" Topanga Canyon  (Lauren, Oct 23)

- Queen Of Jeans, "Bucks County" hard/SWEET  (Memory Music, 26)

- Small Pond, "Everything's Quiet" single  (Small Pond, 26)

- Woke County Speedway, "Reverse GB" Woke County Speedway  (Halloween On Raspberry Hill, 26)

- Twisted Teens, "Stalks" Holy Cross Tigers  (Sub Pop, Nov 6)

- Star Moles, "Born Again" single  (Dead Oceans, 26)  D

- Tallest Man On Earth, "In the Silver Wire Up the Hill" Just Beyond Endless Mountain  (Anti, 26)

- Johnny & Lillie Flynn, "Rambling Man" Beam Cottage  (Flynn, Nov 6)

- Jess Kerber, "Louisiana Song" World Is Dark But I Want It To Be Funny  (felte, Nov 6)

- Panamint, "Feather" single  (Panamint, 26)  D

- Muireann Bradley, "Last Kind Word Blues" Blackwood Pew EP  (Verve, Oct 23)

- Amble, "Church Bells" Love and All Its Wares  (Warner, Jan 29)

- Margo Cilker, "State Line" Little White Cross  (Fossil, 26)

- Sheagles, "Peaceful Easy Feeling" single  (Mae, 26)  D

- Lowest Pair, "What I Think About When I Sing About Running" single  (Delicata, 26)  D

- Liv Greene, "I Can't Know Now (demo)" Long Memory: 20 Years Of Free Dirt Records  (Free Dirt, Nov 6)

- Hour, "Sky Is Blue" Ghost Bridge  (Dear Life, 26)

- Cameron Winter, "It All Fell In the River" Live At Carnegie Hall  (Partisan, 26)  D

- Menahan Street Band, "There Before the Sun" Illusions  (Diamond West, Nov 13)

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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:

WHAT's SO GREAT ABOUT THiS WEEK?!! (October 9, 2026)

ROUTES & BRANCHES

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

October 9, 2026

Scott Foley, purveyor of dust

WHAT's SO GREAT ABOUT THiS WEEK?!!

^Star Moles, "Born Again"  single  (Dead Oceans, 26)

We really didn't represent Emily Moales' Highway To Hell sufficiently upon its February release. This follow-up single arrives as the songwriter comes on board with the Dead Oceans label. Of the song, Moales notes it's a painting of real frustration, and the best way I can express that feeling is with a strong voice and words that mythologize. I wouldn't say I'm religious, but I think sometimes my emotions are. 

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Anna McClellan, "Drank Earlier" South Of Dodge EP  (Exploding In Sound, Nov 20)

Originally from Nebraska, McClellan provided backup vocals on Greg Freeman's remarkable new record. Now in New York, she has announced her second EP of the year - almost be easier just to assemble everything into an LP as god intended. A sweet and seemingly simple number, "Drank" features everything from a flute and low brass to a pitch perfect jangle guitar. 

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Lowest Pair, "What I Think About When I Sing About Running" single  (Delicata, 26)

The PNW duo of Kendl Winter and Palmer T Lee released Always As Young As We'll Ever Be way back in January. This new single repeats that record's title, the pair's voices weaving and twining beautifully above acoustic instrumentation that never wears out its welcome. Long as we have your attention, you might want to check out Kendl Winter's lovely 2018 Stumbler's Business. 

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Twisted Teens, "Stalks"  Holy Cross Tigers  (Sub Pop, Nov 6)

Yeah, we're not going to let this one get away. While we've featured just about every Twisted Teens single this year (and there have been plenty), that's more of a comment on the quality of the duo's prolific output as opposed to a result of our lack of imagination. Like most of their output, the video for "Stalks" hits like it was recorded off a late-night public access TV broadcast. 

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Iconic Fugues, "2025 Dream / 2025 Blues"  single  (L'Arme, 26)

Finally, it's a new project/band from Andrew Savage of Parquet Courts. Actually, it's two songs jammed together, sounding a bit like a younger Bill Callahan fronting ... well, Parquet Courts. Please watch your step as you enter the stream-of-consciousness: I recognize everything / From the coin-colored carpet / To the little room I slept in / Where I once found a scorpion / Oh its tail had a lilt / Just like a drunk with a pocketknife. 

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A ROUTES & BRANCHES GUiDE to FEEDiNG YOUR MONSTER (October 8, 2026)

A ROUTES & BRANCHES GUiDE to FEEDiNG YOUR MONSTER

good news about good noise

October 8, 2026

Scott Foley, purveyor of dust

A Routes & Branches Guide To Feeding Your Monster eliminates any excuse for being caught off-guard with any new release in our kind of music. This week we added news of the second volume of Brent Cobb's Live a Song Write a Memory series. That thing will land on shelves wherever music matters tomorrow (Ol' Buddy, Oct 9). Bay Area acoustic ensemble Crooked Jades returns with Beautiful World on October 26. You can hear their sweet take on New Order's "Temptation" on their Bandcamp camp. British traditionalist Ags Connolly will be freeing his next work in time for Halloween. Yesterday's Man is set for an October 30 release (SofaBurn). Time will tell if it's available for streaming, but we're happy to see Westelaken's In It For the Lack given a street date (Vain Mina, Nov 13). Finally, following her stint in support of Greg Freeman's new record, Anna McClellan returns with something all her own. South Of Dodge EP will be delivered by Exploding In Sound on November 20. 

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Chicago Reader boldly declares that America still needs John Prine (in case you doubted). Their thoughtful longform piece relates the legendary songwriter's story, with an eye towards his recurring jabs at The Man. 

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Ahead of Friday's release of A Mile South Of Heaven, there are several new online appreciations for Jess Williamson. F'rinstance, American Highways interviews the songwriter, who recalls hearing Dolly Parton on the radio as a youngster, and deciding she would be just like Dolly. Paste adds their voice to the tumult with a piece where Williamson chats about dividing her time between Marfa and LA, settling on Shooter Jennings to produce her new sessions, and embracing her banjo. 

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Do we need more supergroups? Turns out that yes we do. This week, Stereogum introduced us to Tommy, a project that brings together Courtney Marie Andrews, Cornelia Murr, Lola Kirke, and Katie Pearlman. No recordings just yet, but you can check out their origin story, inspired by 80s folk music. 

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As you've heard here, Elvis Costello has released a 49th Anniversary edition for his iconic My Aim Is True. The Real Elvis appears on Amoeba's What's In My Bag, providing some great insight into his own musical inspirations and distractions. These weekly things can be very hit-and-miss, but Costello's contribution is thoughtful and revealing. 

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While everything is definitely not right with the world, we took one step in the right direction this week with the first full-scale reunion of Drive-by Truckers and Jason Isbell. JamBase provides details about their Shoalsfest appearance, performing Decoration Day in its entirety. The piece includes a handful of great videos, in addition to the ensemble's take on "Rockin' In the Free World". 

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We've featured plenty of pieces lately on the reconvening of Alabama Shakes. Here is one more. DIYmag visits with Brittany Howard, who shares about waiting for Prince to appear on stage for his planned guitar solo, how plans for an EP blossomed into a proper LP, and Why data centers?

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Our Tuesday appreciation of Greg Freeman's All Set the Bone is still warm. And yet there's more. Our Culture devotes their artist spotlight to him. In addition to including the word bleaken, the interview includes info on the transient nature of Freeman's new project, writing songs about current events without being corny or cheesy, and soundtracking a long drive across the desert Southwest with so much MF DOOM and older hip hop. 

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Are we ready for Friday's new live Cameron Winter album? Then how about the forthcoming documentary from Paul Thomas Anderson? Winter bears his soul, talking to Vulture about the experience: Having Paul close up like he was, I was able to watch his nostrils flare, left-right, left-right, like lights at a train crossing ...

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Americana Podcast: the 51st State features a tet-a-tet between Hayes Carll and Robert Earl Keen. We're hoping Mr Earl Keen doesn't give up his day job, even as the thing relaxes into more of an informal chat, like we like. Hayes delivers a progress report about new recordings with Band of Heathens, a collection of duets, and a project with Corb Lund and John Evans called The Ego Brothers. 

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