ROUTES-cast June 29, 2025

ROUTES & BRANCHES

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

June 29, 2025

Scott Foley, purveyor of dust

IF YOU ONLY LiSTEN to ONE RECORD THiS WEEK

There's a remarkable story behind Vandoliers' fifth full-length. The course of events began very early in frontperson Jenni Rose's life, but was truly set in motion in 2023 at a Tennessee concert when the Texas outfit took the stage in dresses as a protest against the governor's anti-drag bill. As she tells Rolling Stone, that served as her official debut as a trans woman. We encourage you to read the story,  but especially to listen to the Vandoliers' great Life Behind Bars (Break Maiden). Always a fiery performer, Jenni Rose and her band step into their role as the most likely heirs of Old 97s' country-punk mantle. Generously peppered with dashes of pedal steel, fiddle, and trumpet, Vandoliers never wander far from their Texas country roots, especially pairing with Joshua Ray Walker and Taylor Hunnicut on "You Can't Party With the Lights On". Life Behind Bars is driven by Jenni Rose's own story, but is not fettered by the life-and-death subject matter. On the contrary, in embracing her best way forward she has re-energized her band's glorious spectacle. 

ROUTES-cast June 29, 2025

^ Vandoliers, "Bible Belt" Life Behind Bars  (Break Maiden, 25)

- Willi Carlisle, "We Have Fed You All For 1000 Years" Winged Victory  (Signature Sounds, 25)

- SG Goodman, "I'm In Love" Planting By the Signs  (Slough Water, 25)

- Katie Pruitt, "Backseat Driver" single  (Rounder, 25)  D

- Kelsey Waldon, "Let It Lie" Every Ghost  (Oh Boy, 25)

- James McMurtry, "Pinocchio in Vegas" Black Dog & the Wandering Boy  (New West, 25)

- Patty Griffin, "Born in a Cage" Crown of Roses  (PGM, Jul 25)

- Christian Lopez, "Let It Sink In" Christian Lopez EP  (Paradox, 25)  D

- David Mead, "Maybe You've Had Enough (ft Kathleen Edwards)" January San Fernando  (Mead, Sep 19)  D

- Rodney Crowell, "Sometime Thang" Airline Highway  (New West, Aug 29)

- Morgan Wade, "Left Me Behind" Party is Over (recovered)  (Ladylike, Aug 1)

- Cody Jinks, "The Others" In My Blood  (Late August, Jul 25)

- Ashley McBryde, "Rattlesnake Preacher" single  (Warner, 25)  D

- Jason Eady, "Some Things Are Wrong (and that's alright)" single  (Old Guitar, 25)

- Caitlin Canty, "Bird Dog" Night Owl Envies the Mourning Dove  (Canty, Oct 2)

- Owen Temple, "Drought or Flood" single  (El Paisano, 25)  D

- Joseph Decosimo, "Ida Red" Fiery Gizzard  (Dear Life, Aug 15)  D

- Tommy Prine, "Purple Paint" single  (Nameless Knight, 25)  D

- Billy Allen + the Pollies, "Run Baby Run" Black Noise  (Single Lock, 25)

- Durand Jones & the Indications, "Rust and Steel" Flowers  (Dead Oceans, 25)

- Alex G, "June Guitar" Headlights  (RCA, Jul 18)

- Greg Freeman, "Gallic Shrug" Burnover  (Transgressive, Aug 22)

- Laura Stevenson, "I Want to Remember It All" Late Great  (Really, 25)

- Kurt Vile, "Classic Love (ft Luke Roberts)" Classic Love EP  (Verve, Jul 25)  D

- Briscoe, "Roughnecks" Heat of July  (ATO, Sep 19)  D

- Case Oats, "In a Bungalow" Last Missouri Exit  (Merge, Aug 22)

- Ada Lea, "something in the wind" I paint my masterpiece  (Saddle Creek, Aug 8)

- Scott McMicken and THE EVER-EXPANDING, "Heart 'n Split" NEW PURPLE DRESS  (Press On, 25)

- Nadia Reid, "Moment By" single  (Chrysalis, 25)  D

- Folk Bitch Trio, "Moth Song" Now Would Be a Good Time  (Jagjaguwar, Jul 25)

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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:

ROUTES-cast June 22, 2025

ROUTES & BRANCHES

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

June 22, 2025

Scott Foley, purveyor of dust

One big challenge with our If You Only Listen strategy is that weeks like this offer several likely candidates. In principle, we disagree with selecting a single album, but we're also aware that it's better than resorting to your old, musty favorites. This Episode, we've considered recommending Kelsey Waldon's impressive new project, a lovingly fractured album from Little Mazarn, and a reminder that James McMurtry continues to make music that matters. But ...

IF YOU ONLY LiSTEN to ONE RECORD THiS WEEK

... you should spend some time with SG Goodman's Planting By the Signs. Simplicity ain't easy. On her third full-length album, the Kentucky songwriter presents her Songs of the Haunted South with as minimal accompaniment as we've heard. Matt Pence's drums are direct, while electric guitars ring ("Fire Sign"), buzz ("Michael Told Me") and fret ("Solitaire"). Without layering or reverb, Goodman's tattered voice is both deeply traditional and reliably unconventional. Even in its untamed state, her delivery is beautiful on "I'm in Love" and on the stirring "Solitaire". The magic Goodman weaves on Planting has become darker, fueled by compassion and loss, her lyrics often repeated like an incantation. It's a striking collection from one of the genre's increasingly valuable voices. 

ROUTES-cast June 22, 2025

^ SG Goodman, "I Can See the Devil" Planting By the Signs  (Slough Water, 25)

- James McMurtry, "Laredo (Small Dark Something)" Black Dog & Wandering Boy  (New West, 25)

- Lukas Nelson, "American Romance" American Romance  (Sony, 25)

- Kelsey Waldon, "Ghost of Myself" Every Ghost  (Oh Boy, 25)

- Will Hoge, "Sweet Misery" Sweet Misery  (Hoge, Aug 22)  D

- Joshua Ray Walker, "I Don't Wanna Be Alone" Tropicana  (East Dallas, 25)

- Brent Cobb, "Take Yer Meds" Ain't Rocked in a While  (Ol' Buddy, Jul 11)

- Carson McHone, "Winter Breaking" Pentimento  (Merge, Sep 12)  D

- Chris Staples, "Doesn't Matter Now" Don't Worry  (Hot Tub, Aug 5)

- Cass McCombs, "Peace" Interior Live Oak  (Domino, Aug 15)

- Billie Marten, "Clover" Dog Eared  (Fiction, Jul 18)

- Bonnie Dobson & Hanging Stars, "Get Together" Dreams  (Loose, Jul 11)

- Scott McMicken and THE EVER-EXPANDING, "One Good Reason" NEW PURPLE DRESS  (Press On, 25)  D

- Wood Brothers, "The Trick" Puff of Smoke  (Honey Jar, Aug 1)

- Left Lane Cruiser, "Broke Down Lines" single  (Alive Natural Sound, 25)  D

- Deep Dark Woods, "Traded in Your Name" single  (Victory Pool, 25)  D

- Dean Johnson, "Before You Hit the Ground" I Hope We Can Still Be Friends  (Saddle Creek, Aug 22)

- Kyle Morgan & Tamar Korn, "Everything is Free" Darkening Green  (Jalopy, Aug 15)

- Jeffrey Martin, "Edge of Lost" single  (Fluff & Gravy, 25)  D

- Anna Tivel, "Animal Poem" Animal Poem  (Fluff & Gravy, Aug 29)  D

- Ben Nichols, "Darkness Sings" In the Heart of the Mountain  (Liberty & Lament, Jul 25)

- Cory Hanson, "Lou Reed" I Love People  (Drag City, Jul 25)

- Little Mazarn, "Great Divide" Mustang Island  (Dear Life, 25)

- Lucius, "Joyride" Joyride EP  (Fantasy, 25)  D

- Fruit Bats, "Stuck in My Head Again" Baby Man  (Merge, Sep 12)  D

- Dears, "Babe We'll Find a Way" single  (Next Door, 25)  D

- Boo Boos, "C'mon Baby" Young Love  (Play it Again Sam, Sep 19)  D

- Wednesday, "Wound Up Here (By Holdin On)" Bleeds  (Dead Oceans, Sep 19)

- Max Knouse, "Chipmunk'd Away" Chipmunk'd Away  (Jealous Butcher, 25)

- Steve Gunn, "Slow Singers on the Hill" Music for Writers  (Three Lobed, Aug 15)  D

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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:

ROUTES-cast June 15, 2025

ROUTES & BRANCHES

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

June 15, 2025

Scott Foley, purveyor of dust

For this week's Episode, we'll forego our traditional one-album recommendation to make room for our traditional half-year favorites list. We'll call it: 

IF YOU ONLY LiSTEN to TEN RECORDS THiS WEEK

While we dearly miss the pace of last year's post-a-day, we feel no less invested in our mission of new music discovery. The first half of 2025 has brought us a wealth of stuff to consider for our First Half Favorites list. In compiling our top ten below, we began with a list of more than forty (40) records that have resonated with us over the past six months. The following appear in order of appearance: 

Weather Station, Humanhood  (Fat Possum, Jan 17)

Pigeon Pit, Crazy Arms  (Ernest Jenning, Jan 17)

Fust, Big Ugly  (Dear Life, Mar 7)

Jason Isbell, Foxes in the Snow  (Southeastern, Mar 7)

Free Range, Lost & Found  (Mick, Mar 28)

Brown Horse, All the Right Weaknesses  (Loose, Apr 4)

Will Johnson, Diamond City  (Keeled Scales, Apr 4)

Colin Miller, Losin'  (Mtn Laurel, Apr 25)

Florry, Sounds Like ...  (Dear Life, May 23)

Alan Sparhawk & Trampled by Turtles, Alan Sparhawk & Trampled by Turtles  (Sub Pop, May 30)

If we're being perfectly honest (we are), in the next couple months, we're most looking forward to the release of albums by SG Goodman, Ryan Davis & Roadhouse Band, Ben Nichols, Ada Lea, and Greg Freeman. And Anna Tivel. You can see a complete, up-to-the-minute accounting of stuff on the horizon on our Routes & Branches Guide To Feeding Your Monster. Now, onto to process of building our favorites list for the second half of 2025. 

ROUTES-cast June 15, 2025

^ Max Knouse, "Mint and Tobacco" Chipmunk'd Away  (Jealous Butcher, Jun 13)  D

- Janet Simpson, "Used to Be" single  (Cornelius Chapel, 25)

- Ryan Davis & Roadhouse Band, "Monte Carlo/No Limits" New Threats From the Soul  (Sophomore Lounge, Jul 25)

- Laura Stevenson, "I Couldn't Sleep" Late Great  (Really, Jun 27)

- Mike Polizze, "Around Sound" Around Sound  (Paradise of Bachelors, Jul 11)

- Julianna Riolino, "On a Bluebird's Wing" Echo in the Dust  (MoonWhistle, Oct 24)  D

- Trevor Sensor, "Heaven's a Big Disgrace" A Few Tears of Eros  (High Black Desert, Aug 8)

- Hallelujah the Hills, "Superglued to You (ft Lydia Loveless)" DECK  (Discrete Pageantry, 25)

- Kathleen Edwards, "Say Goodbye Tell No One" Billionaire  (Dualtone, Aug 22)

- Iron & Wine, "Robin's Egg (ft I'm With Her)" single  (Sub Pop, 25)  D

- Kissing Other ppl, "Ashes of American Flags" Kissing Other ppl  (Peacedale, Aug 8)

- James Yorkston, "A Moment Longer (ft Nina Persson)" Songs for Nina and Johanna  (Domino, Aug 22)

- Los Straitjackets, "High Wire Act" Somos Los Straitjackets  (Yep Roc, Sep 19)  D

- Last Revel, "Go On" Gone for Good  (Hassle House, Jul 18)  D

- Jesse Welles, "Pilgrim" single  (Welles, 25)  D

- Joshua Ray Walker, "Keys to the Tacoma" Tropicana  (East Dallas, 25)  D

- Kashus Culpepper & Sierra Ferrell, "Broken Wing Bird" single  (Big Loud, 25)  D

- Margo Price, "Don't Let the Bastards Get You Down" Hard Headed Woman  (Loma Vista, Aug 29)  D

- Tyler Childers, "Nose On the Grindstone" Snipe Hunter  (Hickman Holler, Jul 25)  D

- Bones Owens, "Old Time Low" Best Western  (Black Ranch, Sep 19)  D

- Caroline Spence, "Where the Time Goes" Heart Go Wild  (Spence, Aug 29)

- Otis Gibbs, "Eastside" single  (Wanamaker, 25)  D

- Gasoline Lollipops, "Tennessee Nights" Kill the Architect  (ALP, 25)

- Patrick Sweany, "Ain't it Hell" Baby It's Late  (Nine Mile, Aug 1)

- Murder by Death, "Sorry" Egg & Dart  (MbD, 25)

- Yoshika Colwell, "In Bloom" On the Wing  (Blue Flowers, Jul 25)

- Micah P Hinson, "Oh Sleepyhead" single  (Ponderosa, 25)  D

- Leon Bridges, "Hold On" single  (Columbia, 25)  D

- Jr Thomas & Eraserhood Sound, "By Your Side" Jr Thomas in the Eraserhood  (DeepMatter, Sep 26)

- Mavis Staples, "Godspeed" single  (Anti, 25)  D

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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:

ROUTES-cast June 8, 2025

ROUTES & BRANCHES

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

June 4, 2025

Scott Foley, purveyor of dust

This week's candidates for If You Only Listen (etc) included a striking collection from the increasingly essential Caamp, Sam Blasucci's second solo project in half a year, and the sudden appearance of a full-length Lonesome Shack album. But ...

IF YOU ONLY LiSTEN to ONE RECORD THiS WEEK

There are many band names worse than Attention Bird Utopia, but we'd understand if listeners responded to the LA duo's moniker with a subtle eye roll. But the pair of Harrison Whitford (Phoebe Bridgers, Conor Oberst) and Eli Hirsch (Suki Waterhouse) are more than just their awkward moniker. From the folk pop of "Cary" to the beautiful, furry guitars of "I'll Come Find You", they alternately check Elliott Smith, Tallest Man on Earth, Wilco, and Oberst himself. When the piano and acoustic guitars of "Infinity Inside a Shopping Cart" briefly give way to sputtering electric strings, or "Company of Hamsters" finally achieves release from its disciplined roots, the effect can be stirring. 

Been awhile since we took stock of A Routes & Branches Guide To Feeding Your Monster, our resolutelyl updated new release calendar. Recently, we added news of forthcoming stuff from artists like Joshua Ray Walker, Ben Nichols, Molly Tuttle, Big Thief, and Caitlin Canty. Keep tabs on us by clicking on the link. 

ROUTES-cast June 8, 2025

^ Attention Bird Utopia, "One Step at a Time" Best of Kings  (here here, 25)

- Big Thief, "Incomprehensible" Double Infinity  (4AD, Sep 5)  D

- Julie Doiron, "Everybody Misses You (ft Chris Sheppard)" single  (Numero, 25)  D

- David Newbould, "Into the Deep" Average Fidelity Vol 1  (Blackbird, 25)

- Michael Nau, "Smokeflowers" single  (Karma Chief, 25)  D

- Scott Ballew, "Harmony" single  (Leisure Rodeo, 25)  D

- Little Mazarn, "Mustang Island" Mustang Island  (Dear Life, Jun 20)

- Benjamin Dakota Rogers, "Coyote" This Ol' Way  (Good People, Jul 11)

- Hailey Whitters, "Shotgun Wedding Baby" Corn Queen  (Pigasus, 25)

- Drayton Farley, "Trembling Teeth" single  (Hargrove, 25)  D

- Jesse Daniel, "Child is Born" Son of the San Lorenzo  (Lightning Rod, 25)

- Whiskey Myers, "Tailspin" Whomp Whack Thunder  (Wiggy Thump, Sep 26)

- Jamie Lin Wilson, "Simple Enough" single  (JLW, 25)  D

- Drunken Prayer, "Tramp on the Street" Thy Burdens  (Dial Back Sound, 25)

- Kathleen Edwards, "Save Your Soul" Billionaire  (Dualtone, Aug 22)  D

- T Hardy Morris, "Juvenile Years" Artificial Tears  (Normaltown, Aug 8)  D

- SG Goodman, "Michael Told Me" Planting By the Signs  (Slough Water, Jun 20)

- Ben de la Cour, "Christina (ft Emily Scott Robinson)" New Roses  (Jullian 25) 

- Patty Griffin, "Back at the Start" Crown of Roses  (PGM, Jul 25)  D

- Ruston Kelly, "Wayside" Pale Through the Window  (Rounder, Sep 12)  D

- Nikki Lane, "Woodruff City Limit" single  (Lane, 25)  D

- Molly Tuttle, "That's Gonna Leave a Mark" So Long Little Miss Sunshine  (Nonesuch, Aug 15)  D

- Night Moves, "Ring My Bell"  Double Life  (Domino, Jul 25)

- Sam Blasucci, "Passionately Bad" All Blue  (Amateur Circus, 25)  D

- Adeem the Artist, "Cowards Together" single  (Four Quarters, 25)  D

- Caamp, "Millions" Copper Changes Color  (Mom + Pop, 25)

- Allo Darlin', "Cologne" Bright Nights  (Slumberland, Jul 11)

- Curtis Harding, "True Love Can't Be Blind" Departures & Arrivals: Adventure of Captain Curt  (Anti, Sep 5)  D

- Gwenifer Raymond, "Jack Parsons Blues" Last Night I Heard the Dog Star Bark  (We Are Busy Bodies, Sep 5)  D

- James Yorkston, "Love/Luck (ft Johanna Soderberg)" Songs for Nina and Johanna  (Domino, Aug 22)  D

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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:

ROUTES-cast June 1, 2025

ROUTES & BRANCHES

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

June 1, 2025

Scott Foley, purveyor of dust

This Episode offers a healthy handful of possibilities for If You Only Listen, including the second full-length from Andy Shauf's Foxwarren and the strongest Pine Hill Haints LP in a dog's age. We're also humbly acknowledging that we wiffed on Caveman Wakes Up, a fantastic collection released by Friendship on May 16. But ...

IF YOU ONLY LiSTEN to ONE RECORD THiS WEEK

Alan Sparhawk with Trampled by Turtles (Sub Pop) is already the least obvious pairing of the music year. In light of hearing the complete project, it might also be one of the year's best. The collection encourages both parties in directions that showcase their respective best. With the late Mimi Parker in Low, Sparhawk created some absolutely lovely noise. Trampled by Turtles have never fully committed to any one musical focus, but might have been at their most engaging when they flirted most precariously with the edges of their bluegrass sandbox. On With, Sparhawk and his new buddies explore music that is sharp and haunting, precisely what we'd hoped for from the collab. The songwriter sounds as engaged as he's been since the regretful end of Low, and in their support of Sparhawk's songs Trampled are both disciplined and unleashed. One's imagination only wonders what the record might have been with Parker's bewitching contributions. A listen to the heartbreaking "Not Broken" hints at what could have been, as Sparhawk and Parker's daughter Hollis carries the chorus: It's not broken / I'm not angry. 

ROUTES-cast June 1, 2025

^ Alan Sparhawk & Trampled by Turtles, "Get Still" Alan Sparhawk & Trampled by Turtles  (Sub Pop, 25)

- Foxwarren, "Deadhead" 2  (Anti, 25)

- Case Oats, "Bitter Root Lake" Last Missouri Exit  (Merge, Aug 22)  D

- Emily Hines, "All Our Friends" These Days  (Keeled Scales, Aug 1)

- Sam Blasucci, "Don't Speak" single  (Amateur Circus, 25)  D

- Whitney, "Darling" single  (Whitney, 25)  D

- Minus 5, "Last Hotel" Oar On Penelope  (Yep Roc, 25)

- Hallelujah the Hills, "Animals in Love (ft John Vanderslice)" DECK  (Discrete Pageantry, Jun 13)

- Ben Kweller, "Oh Dorian (ft MJ Lenderman)" Cover the Mirrors  (Noise, 25)

- Billy Allen + the Pollies, "Invited" Black Noise  (Single Lock, Jun 20)

- Low Cut Connie, "Livin' in the USA" single  (Contender, 25)  D

- Anderson East, "Worthy" Worthy  (Rounder, 25)

- Durand Jones & the Indications, "Lover's Holiday" Flowers  (Dead Oceans, Jun 27)

- Sunny Sweeney, "Diamonds and Divorce Decrees" Rhinestone Requiem  (Aunt Daddy, Aug 1)  D

- Lukas Nelson, "Born Runnin' Outta Time" American Romance  (Sony, Jun 20)

- Morgan Wade, "Party is Over" Party is Over (recovered)  (Ladylike, Aug 1)  D

- Pine Hill Haints, "Riverside Diner Blues" Shattered Pieces of the True Cross  (Single Lock, 25)

- Ben Nichols, "Fading Back Into the Night" In the Heart of the Mountain  (Liberty & Lament, Jul 25)  D

- Lola Kirke, "Stronger Storm" single  (One Riot, 25)  D

- Joe Kaplow, "Fly Away" Fly Away EP  (Sonder House, 25)

- Caitlin Canty, "Strangers/Lovers" Night Owl Envies the Mourning Dove  (Canty, Oct 2)

- Hayes Carll, "High" We're Only Human  (Hwy 87, Aug 8)

- Rodney Crowell, "Taking Flight (ft Ashley McBryde)" Airline Highway  (New West, Aug 29)  D

- Cody Jinks, "Better Than the Bottle" In My Blood  (Late August, Jul 25)

- Jade Jackson, "Pretending" single  (Jackson Star, 25)  D

- Glass Hours, "Man Who Had Everything" single  (Cornelius Chapel, 25)  D

- Son of the Velvet Rat & Ghost and the Machine, "Day of the Dog" single  (Rat, 25)  D

- Alex G, "Afterlife" Headlights  (RCA, Jul 25)  D

- Greg Freeman, "Curtain" Burnover  (Transgressive, Aug 22)

- Magnolia & Johnson Electric Co, "Big Beast" single  (Keeled Scales, 25)  D

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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:

ROUTES-cast May 25, 2025

ROUTES & BRANCHES

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

May 25, 2025

Scott Foley, purveyor of dust

IF YOU ONLY LiSTEN to ONE RECORD THiS WEEK

It's been demonstrated time and time again that an act can't stay loose and ramshackle forever. At some point, that amateurish naivete gives way to professionalism and experience. Time will tell if the same fate awaits Francie Medosch and Florry, whose Sounds Like ... (Dear Life) is a big lovely mess. What took (very) rough shape with 2023's Holey Bible begins to congeal on Medosch's new set, now more purposeful and (dare we use the word) mature. Produced by Colin Miller at the same No.Carolina studios that birthed similar alt.country gems by Fust, MJ Lenderman, and Wednesday, Sounds Like ... still sounds like a broken and scratched CD discovered in a roadside ditch, but Francie Medosch demonstrates a self-awareness as a writer that makes these more than drunken reveries. She exercises more control of that slurring, yowling delivery, while Florry's instrumentalists teeter knowingly atop the porch railing. Where Fust might be more literate and Lenderman is prettier, Florry is currently atop the swagger game in this insular community. 

ROUTES-cast May 25, 2025

^ Florry, "Truck Flipped Over '19" Sounds Like ...  (Dear Life, 25)

- Wednesday, "Elderberry Wine" single  (Dead Oceans, 25)  D

- Grace Rogers, "Divine Safety in God"  Mad Dogs  (Sophomore Lounge, 25)

- Wood Brothers, "Pray God Listens" Puff of Smoke  (Honey Jar, Aug 1)

- Patrick Sweany, "My Time Ain't Long" Baby It's Late  (Nine Mile, Aug 1)  D

- Johnny Irion & US Elevator, "Knew Any Better" single  (Irion, 25)  D

- Hallelujah the Hills, "It's Undeniable" DECK  (Discrete Pageantry, Jun 13)

- Silverada, "Wake Me Up" Texas 42  (Prairie Rose, 25)

- Great Lake Swimmers, "One More Dance Around the Sun" single  (Harbour Songs, 25)  D

- Floating Action, "Diamond Store" single  (Airloom, 25)  D

- Ben Chapman, "Humming In My Head" single  (Hippie Shack, 25) D

- Eli West, "Rock and Trees" Shape of a Sway  (Tender and Mild, Jul 11)  D

- Kevin Gordon, "Buddy Montgomery" single  (Little Rain, 25)  D

- James McMurtry, "Sailing Away" Black Dog and the Wandering Boy  (New West, Jun 20)

- Ryan Bingham, "Song for the Stone" single  (Bingham, 25)  D

- Grayson Jenkins, "Hard Heart to Hold" Country Parables  (Jenkins, Jul 25)  D

- Ken Pomeroy, "Wolf in Sheep's Clothes" Cruel Joke  (Rounder, 25)

- Brothers Comatose, "Golden Grass" Golden Grass  (Swamp Jam, Sep 12)  D

- Caitlin Canty, "Hotter Than Hell" single  (Canty, 25)  D

- Amble, "Treehouse Wings" Reverie  (Warner, 25)  D

- Marc Ribot, "Death of a Narcissist" Map of a Blue City  (New West, 25)

- Sally Anne Morgan, "Eye is the First" Second Circle the Horizon  (Thrill Jockey, Jun 20)

- Grant-Lee Phillips, "Closer Tonight" In the Hour of Dust  (Yep Roc, Sep 5)  D

- Caroline Spence, "Effortless" Heart Go Wild  (Spence, Aug 29)  D

- Laura Stevenson, "Honey" Late Great  (Really, Jun 27)  D

- Natalie Bergman, "Dance" My Home Is Not In This World  (Third Man, Jul 18)

- Shilpa Ray, "I'm a Ghost" single  (Northern Spy, 25)  D

- Sister., "Two Birds" single  (Mtn Laurel, 25)  D

- Kieran Hebden & William Tyler, "If I Had a Boat" 41 Longfield Street Lat 80s  (Temporary Residence, Sep 19)  D

- Kyle Morgan & Tamar Korn, "Life's Railway to Heaven" Darkening Green  (Jalopy, Aug 15)  D

--------------------------

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:

ROUTES-cast May 18, 2025

ROUTES & BRANCHES

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

May 18, 2025

Scott Foley, purveyor of dust

This week's Spotify ROUTES-cast features another generous batch of singles, several of them really excellent (see, f'rinstance, SG Goodman, Alan Sparhawk, Grace Rogers, Ada Lea). But perhaps you're more the album type, hoping to meet our challenge to commit to regular new music discovery. In that case: 

IF YOU ONLY LiSTEN to ONE RECORD THiS WEEK

Ken Pomeroy / Cruel Joke (Rounder)

Ken Pomeroy first landed on our busy radar when they were touring in support of John Moreland - this is also how we discovered SG Goodman, incidentally. Some people just know good people. Following a cycle of satisfying singles, Native American singer-songwriter from Oklahoma has released her debut, Cruel Joke on Rounder. Co-produced with Gary Paczosa, Colton Jean and Dakota McDaniel, the project features understated contributions from Chris Scruggs, Muskrat Jones and Jedd Hughes, and a beautiful duet vocal from Moreland himself. Pedal steel and strings ping across wide-open arrangements, with Pomeroy's lyrics often as brittle and overcast as Gillian Welch's. Cruel Joke's grand gestures are measured, dealt out sparingly in an especially expressive vocal here or a fiery electric solo there. The songwriter begins "Stranger": The wind keeps on hitting me like my mother used to. It a collection that's remarkable in its quiet, but the dozen songs will resonate deeper than a record that makes three times the noise. 

ROUTES-cast May 18, 2025

^ Ken Pomeroy, "Grey Skies" Cruel Joke  (Rounder, 25)

- Alan Sparhawk & Trampled by Turtles, "Not Broken" Alan Sparhawk with Trampled by Turtles  (Sub Pop, May 30)

- Ada Lea, "Baby Blue Frigidaire Mini Fridge" When I Paint My Masterpiece  (Saddle Creek, Aug 8)  D

- Folk Bitch Trio, "Cathode Ray" Now Would Be a Good Time  (Jagjaguwar, Jul 25)  D

- Kissing Other ppl, "Where'd All the Time Go" Kissing Other ppl  (Peacedale, Aug 8)  D

- Lemonheads, "Sad Cinderella (ft Erin Rae)" single  (Fire, 25)  D

- Cash Langdon, "Warbird" Dogs  (Well Kept Secret, 25)

- Grace Rogers, "Mad Dogs" Mad Dogs  (Sophomore Lounge, 25)  D

- Good Looks, "I Don't Want To Die" Lived Here For a While (Deluxe)  (Keeled Scales, 25)  D

- Jazmine Mary, "My Brilliance" I Want To Rock and Roll  (Flying Nun, Jun 13)  D

- Vandoliers, "Your Picture" Life Behind Bars  (Break Maiden, Jun 27)

- Mariel Buckley, "Vending Machines" single  (Birthday Cake, 25)  D

- SG Goodman, "Snapping Turtle" Planting By the Signs  (Slough Water, Jun 20)

- Sweet Megg, "New York Love Song" Never Been Home  (Sweet Megg, 25)

- Ben de la Cour, "Devil Went Down to Silverlake (ft Elizabeth Cook)" New Roses  (Jullian, Jun 6)

- Briscoe, "Hold On" single  (ATO, 25)  D

- Murder by Death, "Lose You" Egg & Dart  (MbD, Jun 13)

- Joe Kaplow, "Alligator Woodslide" single  (Sonder House, 25)  D

- Willi Carlisle, "Beeswing" Winged Victory  (Signature Sounds, Jun 27)

- Kelsey Waldon, "Falling Down" Every Ghost  (Oh Boy, Jun 20)

- Drayton Farley, "Carving of a Dove" single  (Hargrove, 25)  D

- Jason Eady, "Things I Keep Telling Myself" single  (Old Guitar, 25)  D

- Milk Carton Kids, "Ribbon" single  (Far Cry, 25)  D

- David Newbould, "Straight Shot To Bakersfield" single  (Blackbird, 25)  D

- Brent Cobb, "Even If It's Broke" Ain't Rocked in a While  (Ol' Buddy, Jul 11)

- Little Mazarn, "Dark Pleasure of Endless Doing" Mustang Island  (Dear Life, Jun 20)

- Yoshika Colwell, "Poem About Walking" On the Wing  (PIAS, Jul 25)

- Billie Marten, "Swing" Dog Eared  (Fiction, Jul 18)

- Scott Hirsch, "Hey Perdido" Lost Padres  (Echo Magic, 25)

- Joseph Allred, "Ditch Lily Suite" Old Time Fantasias  (Scissor Tail, Jun 13)  D

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