ROUTES & BRANCHES
featuring the very best of americana, alt.country and roots music
February 8, 2025
Scott Foley, purveyor dust
Whitey Morgan & the 78s, "Somewhere Along the Way" single (Morgan, Feb 7)
While we haven't seen a definite date for a forthcoming Whitey Morgan full-length, the Michigan frontman has begun sharing singles from his sessions with Shooter Jennings. Written by Cody Jinks and Eric Allen, "Somewhere" is a melodically rocking outlaw anthem, with guitars, pedal steel, and piano sparking like high summer fireworks.
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Esther Rose, "New Bad" Want (New West, May 2)
On her substack, the New Mexico songwriter identified her new single as Everclear in an arm wrestling match with the Strokes. Always a both/and artist as opposed to an either/or, her albums embrace roots as well as well as the swagger of rock. On "New Bad", a rush of guitar sweeps us into a sharp edged chorus: Underneath / Trapped inside / All my fear is desire / And I want to set it free.
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Ken Pomeroy, "Stranger" Cruel Joke (Rounder, May 16)
The wind keeps on hitting me like my mother used to. It's a breathtaking first line, bold and direct for a song that never pushes beyond an acoustic guitar and vocal. From Cherokee lineage, the Oklahoman is Rounder's most recent signing, an artist we've already heard covering Richard Thompson on the Twisters soundtrack, and alongside John Moreland on "Coyote".
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Caroline Rose, "goddamn train" year of the slug (Rose, 24)
A standout from the LA alternative folk artist's surprise album, "goddamn train" recalls both Johnny Cash and Ani DiFranco. With its psychobilly acoustic and rapidfire lyric, the song is in and out in under two minutes. To quote Rose: Sometimes it's nice to have a pearl before it's polished.
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Waxahatchee, "Mud" single (Anti, Feb 4)
Yet another post-Tigers Blood single from Katie Crutchfield and her illustrious touring band: MJ Lenderman, Spencer Tweedy, Brad and Phil Cook. The song arrives with the announcement that Waxahatchee will be joining the carnival at Willie Nelson's Outlaw Fest Tour come September. I'm a fool in angel's clothing / I'm a glutton for being let down.
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