ROUTES-cast May 17, 2026

ROUTES & BRANCHES

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

May 17, 2026

Scott Foley, purveyor of dust

This week brings us back to a stronger slate of new stuff, from Kevin Morby to Jobi Riccio. We also gave some consideration to quality collections from 49 Winchester and Ryan Bingham (with Texas Gentlemen). When it comes down to brass tacks, however ...

IF YOU ONLY LiSTEN to ONE RECORD THiS WEEK

Honestly, Alejandro Rose-Garcia has almost never layered the production onto his folk-blues songs. Even with the growth of his reputation, the Austin artist has maintained the spirit of a street busker with little more than a suitcase and an acoustic guitar (although street performing has never been his style). Nevertheless, the artist known as Shakey Graves characterizes his new collection as a full creative reset - emphasizing a grittier, lo-fi sound and analog warmth. 

His fifth full-length, Fondness Etc (Dualtone), follows 2023's Movie Of the Week, arguably the most ambitiously produced of Rose-Garcia's projects. More soulful and inventive than a simple folky strummer, there is typically more to a Shakey Graves song than meets the ear. These are full songs rather than demos, watery synth textures beneath guitars and vocals on the languid "Don't Change a Thing". The groove-happy "When the Love Is New" lopes along on the slap of a drum machine and Rose-Garcia's melodically bluesy guitar. A pair of instrumentals included on Fondness attest to his inventiveness, overflowing his folky reputation. 

Shakey Graves took hold for his early lo-fi projects, reissued as Roll the Bones and And the Horse He Rode In On. Similar to M Ward's early work, except that Rose-Garcia managed to maintain his appeal as he added polish and popularity (whereas M Ward has been unable to match his initial appeal). An obscure cover, "Time Flies" is a string-sweetened early pop number, with the singer exercising his upper register. "On My Own" epitomizes that grittiness, its tuneful appeal projecting through the session's lo-fi buffer. Fondness, Etc succeeds as a reset as opposed to a reinvention, a reminder of Alejandro Rose-Garcia's abiding ability as a writer and musician. 

ROUTES-cast May 17, 2026

^ Shakey Graves, "The Boilermaker" Fondness Etc  (Dualtone, 26)

- Ryan Bingham, "Let the Big Dog Eat" They Call Us the Lucky Ones  (Bingham, 26)

- Mac Cornish, "Wayfaring Woman" single  (Cornish, Sep 25)  D

- Charles Wesley Godwin, "Better Than Way (ft Luke Combs)" Christian Name  (Big Loud, Jul 24) D

- 49 Winchester, "Heavy Chevy" Change Of Plans  (New West, 26)

- River Shook, "Country Angel" River Shook  (Blackberry River, Jun 26)

- Wilder Blue, "High Livin'" single  (Hill Country, 26)  D

- Old Crow Medicine Show, "Last American Waltz (ft Molly Tuttle)" Union Made  (Hartland, Jun 5)

- Fruition, "Oh Well" Something More  (Bloodshot, Aug 28)  D

- Jobi Riccio, "Idaho" Face the Feeling  (Yep Roc, 26)

- Pokey LaFarge, "Rent Money" Rent Money  (ONErpm, Sep 11)  D

- SG Goodman, "Planting By the Signs (ft Senora May, Tyler Childers)" Planting By the Signs (Deluxe)  (Slough Water, 26)

- Bella White, "Better" Sign In the Weather  (Rounder, Jun 5)

- Scott Ballew, "Summer Baby" single  (Leisure Rodeo, 26)  D

- Katie Pruitt, "Same Boat" single  (Rounder, 26)  D

- Sera Cahoone, "Say Something" single  (Sub Pop, 26)  D

- Ramsey Thornton, "Chase After You" Called It!  (Gar Hole, 26)

- Ken Pomeroy, "Look At Miss Ohio" Tonight's News EP  (Rounder, Aug 21)  D

- William Matheny, "If I Were a River" Material Witness  (Diamond Teeth, Jul 10)

- Teddy Thompson, "Worst Two Weeks Of My Life" Never Be the Same  (Royal Potato, 26)

- Pieta Brown, "Dreamin' Of" Dreamin' Of  (Righteous Babe, Aug 21)  D

- Angus & Julia Stone, "Karaoke Bar" Bar  (Stone, Sep 4)  D

- Jerry Joseph, "I Think I'm Here" single  (Cavity Search, 26)  D

- Alex Amen, "California Blues" Sun Of Amen  (ATO, Jun 12)

- Kevin Morby, "Bible Belt" Little Wide Open  (Dead Oceans, 26)

- Widowspeak, "Soft Cover" Roses  (Captured Tracks, Jun 5)

- Fruit Bats, "That Goddamn Sun" The Landfill  (Merge, Jun 12)

- Caroline Rose, "Yip Yip Yow" single  (SUCK, 26)  D

- Jon Spencer, "Orange Slice Blues" Songs Of Personal Loss and Protest  (Shove, Jun 12)

- Clem Snide, "Afterlife" Turpentine Rags  (Only One On the Mountain, 26)  D

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