ROUTES-cast July 27, 2025

ROUTES & BRANCHES

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

July 27, 2025

Scott Foley, purveyor of dust

Um ...

IF YOU ONLY LiSTEN to ONE RECORD THiS WEEK

... maybe we can't help you. One of the year's most crowded weeks for mainstream americana releases brings us new LPs from some of the more prominent names in our kind of music. What's more, we're also graced with new stuff from genre outliers and fringe dwellers. Honestly, just print out this week's playlist, mount it to the wall, and toss a dart. You're bound to land on something that's worth your time: The welcome return of Patty Griffin, our first true full solo LP from Lucero frontguy Ben Nichols, a fine dose of roots-pop from Night Moves, exquisite folk from Yoshika Colwell. Not to mention good stuff from Tyler Childers and Cory Hanson. Pressed to select just one (1), we might lean towards the intro of Australian indie/folk outfit Folk Bitch Trio, Now Would Be a Good Time (Jagjaguwar). The Staves with a subversive edge, or Haim gone acoustic. The Trio wrap it all in lovely harmonies that speak to tradition, while embracing an attitude and outlook that are entirely of today. 

ROUTES-cast July 27, 2025

^ Folk Bitch Trio, "Hotel TV" Now Would Be a Good Time  (Jagjaguwar, 25)

- Ada Lea, "Midnight Magic" when i paint my masterpiece  (Saddle Creek, Aug 8)

- Why Bonnie, "Fast (Demo)" Bedroom EP  (Fire Talk, 25)

- John Calvin Abney, "Last Chance" Transparent Towns  (JCA, Sep 19)  D

- Yoshika Colwell, "Last Night" On the Wing  (PIAS, 25)

- James Yorkston, "Oh Light Oh Light (ft Johanna Soderberg)" Songs for Nina and Johanna  (Domino, Aug 22)

- Mike Reid & Joe Henry, "Life and Time" Life and Time  (Work Song, Sep 5)  D

- Patty Griffin, "Way Up to the Sky" Crown of Roses  (PGM, 25)

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

- Shovels & Rope, "Hopes & Dreams" single  (Dualtone, 25)  D

- Jr Thomas, "Never Be Another" Jr Thomas in the Eraserhood  (DeepMatter, Sep 26)

- Tyler Childers, "Snipe Hunt" Snipe Hunter  (Hickman Holler, 25)

- Ben Nichols, "While the Stars Disappear" Into the Heart of the Mountain  (Liberty & Lament, 25)

- Will Hoge, "Another Planet" Sweet Misery  (Edlo, Aug 15)

- Cody Jinks, "Lost Highway" In My Blood  (Late August, 25)

- Sierra Ferrell & Nikki Lane, "Lesson in Leavin'" single  (Rounder, 25)  D

- Charley Crockett, "All Around Cowboy" Dollar a Day  (Island, Aug 8)

- Honeydogs, "Kill Switch" Algebra for Broken Hearts  (Jullian, 25)

- Droptines, "Take Too Much" single  (Big Loud, 25)  D

- Wednesday, "Pick Up That Knife" Bleeds  (Dead Oceans, Sep 18)

- Cory Hanson, "Texas Weather" I Love People  (Drag City, 25)

- Chris Staples, "A Cold New York Morning" Don't Worry  (Hot Tub, Aug 5)

- Geckos, "El Techno" Geckos  (Org, Sep 26)

- Bright Eyes, "1st World Blues" single  (Dead Oceans, 25)  D

- Case Oats, "Nora" Last Missouri Exit  (Merge, Aug 22)

- Night Moves, "Trying to Steal a Smile" Double Life  (Domino, 25)

- Trevor Sensor, "When I Had the Gall" A Few Tears of Eros  (High Black Desert, Aug 8)

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

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

- Nathan Evans Fox, "Hillbilly Hymn (Okra and Cigarettes)" single  (Free Dirt, 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 July 20, 2025

ROUTES & BRANCHES

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

July 20, 2025

Scott Foley, purveyor of dust

In consideration for this week's One Record were a Bandcamp-released celebration of Michael Hurley from Jolie Holland & Max Knouse, a live reminder of Dougie Poole's strong catalog, and Alex G's superb Headlights. While Mr Giannascoli's new project might be the week's best choice, it's always our intention to present as diversified a selection as possible. Towards that end:

IF YOU ONLY LiSTEN to ONE RECORD THiS WEEK

This year we've been suitably distracted by a lot of the alt.country and indie folk stuff that's been floated our way. Last Revel's Gone for Good  (Hassle House) reorients us at least temporarily in the roots music wilderness. Marking the outfit's sixth full-length, Gone is produced by fellow Minnesotan Dave Simonett, frontman for Trampled by Turtles. While there are differences and originalities, Last Revel share Trampled's fiddle-fueled energy. At the hands of Vinnie Donatelle, there is a fiery intensity to even the more restrained cuts. The sessions are delivered with a decidedly live and unhewn vibe, an impressive feat given the trio's super-natural harmonies and instrumental interplay. There is a bluegrass accent to Ryan Acker's banjo and Lee Henke's guitar, though Last Revel aren't a genre-bound act. Vocalist Henke wraps his delivery in a grit and a rasp that ensure his band's well-earned alt- , matching the cohort's instrumental passion and emotional investment. 

ROUTES-cast July 20, 2025

^ Last Revel, "Solid Gone" Gone for Good  (Hassle House, 25)

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

- Margo Price, "Don't Wake Me Up (ft Jesse Welles)" Hard Headed Woman  (Loma Vista, Aug 29)

- Steve Earle & Reckless Kelly, "Bad Girls" single  (Earle Kelly, 25)  D

- Jason Isbell, "Should I Go Missing" Something More Than Free (10 Year Anniversary Edition)  (Southeastern, 25)

- Daniel Donato, "Better Deal Blues" Horizons  (Retrace, Aug 22)  D

- Brothers Comatose, "25 Miles" Golden Grass  (Swamp Jam, Sep 12)

- Caroline Spence, "Fun at Parties" Heart Go Wild  (Spence, Aug 29)

- Dougie Poole, "Beth David Cemetery" At Tubby's  (Wharf Cat, 25)

- John Prine, "Hey Ah Nothin'" Lost Dogs + Mixed Blessings (Deluxe Edition)  (Oh Boy, Sep 12)  D

- Dean Johnson, "Death of the Party" I Hope We Can Still Be Friends  (Saddle Creek, Aug 22)

- Janet Simpson, "Tonight" single  (Cornelius Chapel, 25)

- Amanda Shires, "A Way It Goes" Nobody's Girl  (ATO, Sep 26)  D

- Billie Marten, "Planets" Dog Eared  (Fiction, 25)

- Natalie Bergman, "My Home Is Not In This World" My Home Is Not In This World  (Third Man, 25)

- Julianna Riolino, "Seed" Echo in the Dust  (MoonWhistle, Oct 24)

- Wood Brothers, "Above All Others" Puff of Smoke  (Honey Jar, Aug 1)

- Hermanos Gutierrez, "Elegantly Wasted (ft Leon Bridges)" single  (Easy Eye, 25)  D

- Curtis Harding, "Time" Departures & Arrivals: Adventures of Captain Curt  (Anti, Sep 5)

- St Paul & Broken Bones, "Sushi and Coca-Cola" St Paul & Broken Bones (Oasis Pizza, Oct 10)  D

- Yola, "Amazing" single  (S-Curve, 25)  D

- Alex G, "Oranges" Headlights  (RCA, 25)

- Boo Boos, "Total Thunder" Young Love  (Play it Again Sam, Sep 19)

- Fruit Bats, "Creature From the Wild" Baby Man  (Merge, Sep 12)

- Whitney, "Dandelions" single  (Whitney, Nov 7)  D

- Anna St Louis, "Summer Song" single  (St Louis, 25)  D

- Jeff Tweedy, "Enough" Twilight Override  (dBpm, Sep 26)  D

- Carson McHone, "Downhill" Pentimento  (Merge, Sep 12)

- Autumn Defense, "The Ones" Here and Nowhere  (Yep Roc, Oct 10)  D

- Kyle Morgan & Tamar Korn, "Anthem (ft Wyndham Baird)" Darkening Green  (Jalopy, Aug 15)

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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 July 14, 2025

ROUTES & BRANCHES

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

July 13, 2025

Scott Foley, purveyor of dust

Back in The Day, MTV would present artists in their Unplugged series. Acts from Nirvana and Alice in Chains to 10,000 Maniacs and Clapton would perform their songs before a live audience, trading in their electric instruments for acoustic. Results were varied. More often than not, familiar arrangements wouldn't be tweaked much, simply allowing viewers to enjoy quieter versions of these songs. 

IF YOU ONLY LiSTEN to ONE RECORD THiS WEEK

As a longtime member of Philadelphia's Purling Hiss, Mike Polizze unplugged very seldom, encouraging his guitar to fuzz and growl in a maelstrom of psychedelic noise. In 2020, he celebrated the pandemic and parenthood with his debut solo record. Paradise of Bachelors has released a follow-up, Around Sound, a primarily acoustic set that finds Polizze repurposing his band's psychedelia without simply swapping electricity for wood. Guitar remains his focus, though Polizze plays every instrument on the collection, layering keys, drums, bass, and additional guitars in addition to his own Westerberg-esque voice, typically laden with echo. Reportedly inspired by Robbie Basho, Around Sound is loose and charmingly raggedy, from the pastoral trickle of "After the Deluge" to the shambling "Fast Blues". On the title track, Mike Polizze proclaims, I'm just fine when it's simple. It's not Purling Hiss Unplugged, but the artist's sophomore solo project is a lovely swirl of sound for a momentary surrender. 

ROUTES-cast July 14, 2025

^ Mike Polizze, "After the Deluge" Around Sound  (Paradise of Bachelors, 25)

-  Foot Ox, "Horseshoe" A Lighthouse With Silver Dog Eyes  (Ernest Jenning, Aug 29)

- Neko Case, "Wreck" Neon Grey Midnight Green  (Anti, Sep 26)  D

- Geese, "Taxes" Getting Killed  (Partisan, Sep 26)  D

- Jessica Pounds, "Believe Me (ft Nathan Kalish)" single  (Yellow Canary, 25)  D

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

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

- David Newbould, "Broken Hearts Are Paint" Average Fidelity Vol 1  (Blackbird, 25)

- T Hardy Morris, "Don't Kill Your Time (to Shine)" Artificial Tears  (Normaltown, Aug 8)

- Laney Jones, "Another Rolling Stone" single  (AHPO, 25)  D

- Marcus King Band, "Here Today (ft Jamey Johnson, Kaitlin Butts)" Darling Blue  (Republic, Sep 26)  D

- Miranda Lambert & Chris Stapleton, "Song to Sing" single  (Republic, 25)  D

- Sunny Sweeney, "Traveling On" Rhinestone Requiem  (Aunt Daddy, Aug 1)  

- Joelton Mayfield, "Speechwriter"  Crowd Pleaser  (Bloodshot, Oct 24)  D

- Travis Roberts, "Hereford Blues" Rebel Rose  (New West, Aug 1)  D

- Brent Cobb, "In Our Hands" Ain't Rocked in a While  (Ol Buddy, 25)

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

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

- Otis Gibbs, "Raze" single  (Gibbs, 25)  D

- Dougie Poole, "Vaping On the Job (live)" At Tubby's  (Wharf Cat, Jul 18)  

- Clover County, "Virginia Slim" Finer Things  (Undercover Lover, Sep 26)  D

- Wildmans, "Any Day Woman" Longtime Friend  (New West, 25)

- Molly Tuttle, "Highway Knows" So Long Little Miss Sunshine  (Nonesuch, Aug 15)

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

- Rachel Baiman w/Viv & Riley, "Kissing Other People" Kissing Other ppl  (Peacedale, Aug 8)

- Waxahatchee & Kevin Morby, "You Found Me" single  (Anti/Dead Oceans, 25)  D

- Rosali, "Slow Pain" Slow Pain: Live and Solo From Drop of Sun  (Merge, Aug 1)  D

- Racing Mount Pleasant, "Your New Place" Racing Mount Pleasant  (R&R, Aug 15)

- Big Thief, "All Night All Day" Double Infinity  (4AD, Sep 5)

- MJ Lenderman, "Just Be Simple" I Will Swim to You: Tribute to Jason Molina  (Run For Cover, Sep 5)  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 July 6, 2025

ROUTES & BRANCHES

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

July 6, 2025

Scott Foley, purveyor of dust

What with Independence Day falling on Friday this year, there isn't more than a smattering of new full-lengths this week. That said ...

IF YOU ONLY LiSTEN to ONE RECORD THiS WEEK

Fact is, even on the busiest of release days, I would still strongly recommend the sophomore record from Ryan Davis & the Roadhouse Band, New Threats From the Soul (Sophomore Lounge). A one-time force behind such monikers as State Champion, Davis issued Dancing On the Edge in 2023, falling roughly into the lineage of Kurt Wagner, David Berman and Bill Callahan. New Threats is even less beholden to expectations, with songs that stretch beyond the seven-minute mark, characterized by the Kentucky artist's free-associating lyrics. The effect is mesmerizing, like piling elements of your average alt.country band into a box, adding extraneous sonic paraphernalia, then shaking it vigorously. See, f'rinstance the squelchy synths on "Mutilation Falls", the breeze of flute (and clinky toy piano) beneath the lovely "Mutilation Springs", the terrifically complimentary backing vocals throughout (Myriam Gendron, Catherine Irwin, Will Oldham, Grace Rogers, Lou Turner, etc etc). Despite the decidedly generous song length, there is little meandering on New Threats. While it's not easy to say what his pieces are "about", Ryan Davis is a surprising and expressive lyricist, unspooling one worthy phrase atop another: I learned that time was not my friend or my foe / More like one of the guys from work. 

ROUTES-cast July 6, 2025

^ Ryan Davis & the Roadhouse Band, "Simple Joy" New Threats From the Soul  (Sophomore Lounge, 25)

- Vandoliers, "Valencia" Life Behind Bars  (Break Maiden, 25)

- Honeydogs, "Attic Brain" Algebra for Broken Hearts  (Jullian, Jul 25)  D

- Pink Stones, "If I Can't Win (with You)" Thank the Lord ... It's the Pink Stones  (Normaltown, Sep 19)  D

- Alien Eyelid, "Vinegar Hill" single  (Tall Texan, 25)  D

- Harvest Thieves, "Cowboy Song" single  (Harvest, 25)  D

- Pat Hatt, "Drunk on Leaving" Pat Hatt EP  (Hatt, Jul 11)  D

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

- Christian Lopez, "Know Your Name" Christian Lopez EP  (Paradox, 25)

- Lera Lynn, "Comic Book Cowboy" Comic Book Cowboy  (Ruby Range, Sep 19)  D

- Boo Boos, "That's Not a Thing" Young Love  (Play It Again Sam, Sep 19)

- Laura Stevenson, "Domino" Late Great  (Really, 25)

- Kolton Moore & the Clever Few, "When We Were Young" A Place That I Call Home  (Motion & Thought, Sep 26)  D

- Kathleen Edwards, "Pine" Billionaire  (Dualtone, Aug 22)

- Grant-Lee Phillips, "She Knows Me" In the Hour of Dust  (Yep Roc, Sep 5)

- Caitlin Canty, "Don't Worry About Nothing" Night Owl Envies the Mourning Dove  (Canty, Oct 2)

- Wildmans, "Take Me" Longtime Friend  (New West, Jul 11)  D

- Ryan Bingham, "Americana (ft Texas Gentlemen)" single  (Bingham, 25)  D

- Tyler Childers, "Oneida" Snipe Hunter  (Hickman Holler, Jul 25)

- Zach Bryan, "Streets of London" single  (Belting Bronce, 25)  D

- Charley Crockett, "Crucified Son" Dollar a Day  (Island, Aug 8)  D

- Ian Noe, "Born in the USA" single  (Lock13, 25)  D

- Nicki Bluhm, "Cumberland Banks" Rancho Deluxe  (Bluhm, Oct 3)  D

- Jesse Welles, "Wild Onions" Pilgrim  (Welles, 25)  

- Son of the Velvet Rat, "Wagon Wheel (ft Ghost and the Machine)"  single  (Rat Music, 25)  D

- Low Water Bridge Band, "Trust the Dark" Honky Tonk Process  (Mountain Sound, Aug 1)  D

- Willi Carlisle, "Wildflowers Growin''"  Winged Victory  (Signature Sounds, 25)

- Jackson & the Janks, "Windowsill" Write it Down  (Jalopy, 25)  D

- Third Mind, "Darkness Darkness" Right Now!  (Yep Roc, Sep 19)  D

- Emily Hines, "UFO" These Days  (Keeled Scales, Aug 1)

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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 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

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

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

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

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 11, 2025

ROUTES & BRANCHES

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

May 11, 2025

Scott Foley, purveyor of dust

IF YOU ONLY LiSTEN to ONE RECORD THiS WEEK

Not a gob of new albums added to our digital shelves this week, but that's no excuse for not treating your ears to something new. We've been awaiting a breakout record from Kristina Murray since her 2013 Unravelin'. While '18's Southern Ambrosia was a terrific collection, this week's Little Blue will usher her to the upper echelons of our kind of music. The East Nashville songwriter fits snugly in the country corner of the americana pocket ("After Midnight Special", "Watchin' the World Pass Me By"), songs like "Has Been" and "Get Down To It" with Logan Ledger add enough extraneous edge to keep the collection original. 

Week-in and week-out you'll catch us adding stuff to A Routes & Branches Guide To Feeding Your Monster, our habitually updated new release calendar. Since our last report, we've added announcements from artists like Micky & the Motorcars, Ryan Davis & the Roadhouse Band, Dougie Poole, Cory Hanson, Chris Staples, and several more. In our handsome playlist below, debuts are noted with a "D". 

ROUTES-cast May 11, 2025

- Ryan Davis & the Roadhouse Band, "New Threats From the Soul" New Threats From the Soul  (Sophomore Lounge, Jul 5)  D

- Chris Staples, "Two Carat Diamond" Don't Worry  (Hot Tub, Aug 5)  D

- Cash Langdon, "Lilac Whiskey Nose" Dogs  (Well Kept Secret, 25)  D

- Janet Simpson, "Violet" single  (Cornelius Chapel, 25)  D

- Mike Polizze, "Everybody I Know" Around Sound  (Paradise of Bachelors, Jul 11)  D

- Daniel Romano, "Even If It's Obscure" single  (You've Changed, 25)  D

- Jack Van Cleaf, "Shouldn't Have Gone To LA" JVC  (Dualtone, 25)

- Florry, "Pretty Eyes Lorraine" Sounds Like ...  (Dear Life, May 23)

- Cory Hanson, "Bird On a Swing" I Love People  (Drag City, Jul 25)  D

- Drunken Prayer, "Long Ago Far Away" Thy Burdens  (Dial Back Sound, Jun 6)

- Gasoline Lollipops, "Holy Rebel" Kill the Architect  (ALP, Jun 13)

- Marcus King Band, "Honky Tonk Hell" single  (American, 25)  D

- Jr Thomas & Eraserhood Sound, "I Can't Leave You Alone" Jr Thomas in the Eraserhood  (Deep Matter, Sep 26)  D

- Lucy Rose, "Pink" single  (Rose, 25)  D

- Allo Darlin', "My Love Will Bring You Home" Bright Nights  (Slumberland, Jul 11)

- Caamp, "Mistakes" Copper Changes Color  (Mom + Pop, Jun 6)

- Matthew Doc Dunn, "Forbidden Life" single  (Cosmic Range, 25)  D

- Gold Dust, "Germs Burn" In the Shade of the Living Light  (Gold Dust, May 16)

- Jesse Daniel, "Mountain Home" Son of the San Lorenzo  (Lightning Rod, Jun 6)

- West Texas Exiles, "Division (ft Kelly Willis)" 8000 Days  (Floating Mesa, Sep 12)  D

- Ole 60, "Nancy Avenue" single  (Three Twenty Four, 25)  D

^ Kristina Murray, "Get Down To It (ft Logan Ledger)" Little Blue  (Normaltown, 25)

- Dougie Poole, "Heaven Sent An Angel and We Got Stoned" At Tubby's  (Wharf Cat, Jul 18)  D

- Michaela Anne, "Is This What Mama Meant" single  (Georgia June, 25)  D

- Drew Kennedy, "Nerves" Drew Kennedy  (BMG, May 16)  

- Civil Wars, "If I Didn't Know Better" single  (Sensibility, 25)  D

- I'm With Her, "Wild and Clear and Blue" Wild and Clear and Blue  (Rounder, 25)

- AJ Lee & Blue Summit, "Tear My Stillhouse Down (ft Lindsay Lou)" single  (Signature Sounds, 25)  D

- Hayden Pedigo, "I'll Be Waving As You Drive Away" I'll Be Waving As You Drive Away  (Mexican Summer, Jun 6) 

- Racing Mount Pleasant, "Racing Mount Pleasant" single  (R&R, 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 4, 2025

ROUTES & BRANCHES

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

May 4, 2025

Scott Foley, purveyor of dust

A Routes & Branches Guide To Feeding Your Monster is our patented new release calendar, our assiduously updated account of what's on the horizon for our kind of music. This week, f'rinstance, we added new albums from Billy Allen + the Pollies, Cody Jinks, Vandoliers, Hayes Carll, Whiskey Myers, and so many more. 

Long as we're fiddling around with the stuff, let's identify five (5) records we're most looking forward to in the months to come: Greg Freeman, Burnover; SG Goodman, Planting By the Signs; Scott Hirsch, Lost Padres; Alan Sparhawk & Trampled By Turtles, s/t; Ken Pomeroy, Cruel Joke. 

And, as we do every Sunday, generally without fail, we present our weekly ROUTES-cast, thirty (30) songs that didn't exist last week. There's an abbreviated preview following the playlist, and you'll want to follow us over to our Spotify page where you can listen to the entire playlist over and over (and over) again, as well as ROUTES-casts from the past several months. 

ROUTES-cast May 4, 2025

^ Samantha Crain, "Trap Door" Gumshoe  (Real Kind, 25)

- Trevor Sensor, "The Farm" A Few Tears Of Eros  (High Black Desert, Aug 8)  D

- Kassi Valazza, "Market Street Savior" From Newman Street  (Fluff & Gravy, 25)

- Yoshika Colwell, "Fighting On the Wing" On the Wing  (PIAS, Jul 25)  

- Erin Durant, "Greening" Firetrail  (Ruination, May 16)  D

- Geckos, "Dance Of the Gecko" single  (Org, 25)  D

- Sam Blasucci, "Ice Blue" single  (Amateur Circus, 25)  D

- Lucius, "Final Days"  Lucius  (Fantasy, 25)

- Emily Hines, "My Own Way" These Days  (Keeled Scales, Aug 1)  D

- Jessica Lea Mayfield, "Something Good (ft Rhett Miller)" Choose Myself EP  (JLM, 25)

- Esther Rose, "Scars (ft Dean Johnson)" Want  (New West, 25)

- Bones Of JR Jones, "Car Crash" Radio Waves  (Bones, Jun 20)

- Cody Jinks, "Found" In My Blood  (Late August, Jul 25)  D

- Hailey Whitters, "I Don't Want You (ft Charles Wesley Godwin)" Corn Queen  (Pigasus, Jun 6)

- Sterling Drake, "Calusa" Shape I'm In  (Calusa, 25)

- Kacey Musgraves, "Lost Highway" single  (Lost Highway, 25)  D

- Murry Hammond, "Take This Heart and Lock It Up" Trail Songs Of the Deep  (Fluff & Gravy, Jul 11)  D

- Angela Autumn, "Faeries" I'm Not Around EP  (Autumn, 25)  D

- Ruston Kelly, "Half Past Three" single  (Rounder, 25)  D

- Molly Parden, "Another Friend" single  (Parden, 25)  D

- Benjamin Dakota Rogers, "Virginia's Daughter" This Ol' Way  (Good People, Jul 11)  D

- Roadside Graves, "People Are Talkin'" Interlude (Aquarium Drunkard Lagniappe Sessions) EP  (Our Days Are Numbered, 25)  D

- Colin Miller, "Little Devil" Losin'  (Mtn Laurel, 25)

- Sweet Megg, "Canberra (Baby Blue)" Never Been Home  (Sweet Megg, May 16)

- Marc Ribot, "Daddy's Trip To Brazil" Map Of a Blue City  (New West, May 23)

- Drew Kennedy, "I Can't See Your Face" Drew Kennedy  (BMG, May 16)

- Adrianne Lenker, "No Limit" Live At Revolution Hall  (4AD, 25)

- Sally Anne Morgan, "I Saw a Heron" Second Circle the Horizon  (Thrill Jockey, Jun 20)  D

- Pine Hill Haints, "Loser" Shattered Pieces Of the True Cross  (Single Lock, May 30)

- Attention Bird Utopia, "Cary" Best Of Kings  (here here, Jun 6)

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

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 April 27, 2025

ROUTES & BRANCHES

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

April 27, 2025

Scott Foley, purveyor of dust

We're approaching the one-third point for 2025, so maybe it's time for a list. Following are our thirty (30) favorite albums for the year-to-date, listed in order of appearance. We call it:

IF YOU ONLY LiSTEN to THiRTY RECORDS THiS YEAR

Weather Station, Humanhood  (Fat Possum, Jan 17)

Luther Russell, Happiness For Beginners  (Curation, Jan 17)

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

Benjamin Booker, Lower  (Fire Next Time, Jan 24)

Jim White & Trey Blake, Precious Bane  (Fluff & Gravy, Jan 31)

Massy Ferguson, You Can't Tell Me I'm Not What I Used To Be  (North and Left, Feb 4)

Horsebath, Another Farewell  (Strolling Bones, Feb 7)

Gary Louris, Dark Country  (SHAM, Feb 14)

James Felice, Little Ones  (Million Stars, Feb 14)

Sunny War, Armageddon In a Summer Dress  (New West, Feb 21)

Patterson Hood, Exploding Trees & Airplane Screams  (ATO, Feb 21)

Jesse Wells, Middle  (Wells, Feb 21)

Will Stewart, Moon Winx  (Earth Libraries, Feb 28)

Fust, Big Ugly  (Dear Life, Mar 7)

Tobacco City, Horses  (Scissor Tail, Mar 7)

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

Jason Boland & the Stragglers, Last Kings Of Babylon  (Proud Souls, Mar 14)

Charley Crockett, Lonesome Drifter  (Island, Mar 14)

David Ramirez, All the Not So Gentle Reminders  (Blue Corn, Mar 21)

Lola Kirke, Trailblazer  (One Riot, Mar 21)

Palmyra, Restless  (Oh Boy, Mar 28)

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

Rachel Brooke, Sings Sad Songs  (MAL, Mar 28)

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

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

Bon Iver, SABLE, fABLE  (Jagjaguwar, Apr 4)

Turnpike Troubadours, Price Of Admission  (Bossier City, Apr 4)

Julien Baker & Torres, Send a Prayer My Way  (Matador, Apr 18)

Jerry David DeCicca, Cardiac Country  (JDC, Apr 25)

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

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ROUTES-cast April 27, 2025

^ Greg Freeman, "Point and Shoot" Burnover  (Transgressive, Aug 22)  D

- Colin Miller, "Lost Again" Losin'  (Mtn Laurel, 25)

- Joe Kaplow, "Part Of My Heart" single  (Sonder House, 25)  D

- Jerry David DeCicca, "Frozen Hearts" Cardiac Country  (JDC, Apr 25)

- Foxwarren, "Yvonne" 2  (Anti, May 30)

- Minus 5, "Let the Rope Hold Cassie Lee" Oar On Penelope  (Yep Roc, May 30)

- Hallelujah the Hills, "Crush All Night (ft Sad13)"  DECK  (Discrete Pageantry, Jun 13)

- Adrianne Lenker, "Two Reverse (live)" Live At Revolution Hall  (4AD, 25)

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

- Durand Jones & the Indications, "Flower Moon" Flowers  (Dead Oceans, Jun 27)

- Curtis Harding, "There She Goes" single  (Anti, 25)  D

- Billy Allen + the Pollies, "If You Want Me To Stay" Black Noise  (Single Lock, Jun 20)  D

- Sweet Megg, "Bridge and Tunnel (Dance With Me)" Never Been Home  (Sweet Megg, May 16)  D

- Jessica Lea Mayfield, "Groomed (ft Scott Avett)" Choose Myself EP  (JLM, 25)  D

- Hayes Carll, "Progress Of Man (Bitcoin & Cattle)" We're Only Human  (Hwy 87, Aug 8)  D

- Mike Frazier, "Oregon Stars" April Days  (Geneva, 25)

- Lukas Nelson, "Pretty Much" American Romance  (Ace, Jun 20)

- Lowtimers, "Charlotte" Cracks  (Alabama Sound Co, May 16)  

- Turnpike Troubadours, "Searching For a Light" Price Of Admission  (Bossier City, 25)

- Whiskey Myers, "Time Bomb" Whomp Whack Thunder (Wiggy Thump, Sep 26)  D

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

- Steve Earle, "Long May You Run" Heart Of Gold: Songs Of Neil Young Vol 1  (Cinema, 25)

- Kelsey Waldon, "Tiger Lillies" Every Ghost  (Oh Boy, Jun 20)

- Drayton Farley, "Everything Goes South" single  (Hargrove, 25)  D

- Jobi Riccio, "Wildfire Season" single  (Yep Roc, 25)  D

- Shinyribs, "Salt On My Tail" Leaving Time  (Nine Mile, 25)

- Nicole Lawrence, "When I Get Home" Time In Love  (Durango, May 13(

- Wood Brothers, "Witness" Puff Of Smoke  (Honey Jar, Aug 1)  D

- Muireann Bradley, "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" single  (Verve, 25)  D

- Amanda Fields, "Redbird (ft Megan McCormick, Odessa)" single  (Are and Be, 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 April 20, 2025

ROUTES & BRANCHES

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

April 20, 2025

Scott Foley, purveyor of dust

Of course, our intentions are pure, even if we struggle (re: fail) to publish a review every week. Will this spotty record improve going forward? No, likely not. Nevertheless, we'll continue to float our weekly Spotify ROUTES-cast every Sunday, populated with precisely thirty (30) new tracks. We also forge ahead with A Routes & Branches Guide To Feeding Your Monster, our prudently updated  new release calendar. Just recently we've added new stuff from artists like Foxwarren, Pine Hill Haints, Murder By Death, Gasoline Lollipops, James McMurtry, Vandoliers, Willi Carlisle, Brent Cobb and so many more. 

ROUTES-cast April 20, 2025

^ Julien Baker & Torres, "Bottom Of a Bottle" Send a Prayer For Me  (Matador, 25)

- Adrienne Lenker, "Happiness (live)" Live At Revolution Hall (4AD, Apr 24)  D

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

- Bonnie Dobson & Hanging Stars, "Baby's Got the Blues" Dreams  (Loose, Jul 11)  D

- Yoshika Colwell, "There's Got To Be a Loser Babe" On the Wing  (PIAS, Jul 25)  D

- Billie Marten, "Leap Year" Dog Eared  (Fiction, Jul 18)  D

- Elijah Johnston, "Ideas" Stupid Soul  (Strolling Bones, Jun 20)  D

- Ruen Brothers, "Mama Don't" single  (Yep Roc, 25)  D

- Buffalo Nichols, "In the Name Of God" single (AFB, 25)  D

- Brittany Howard, "Pale Pale Moon" Sinners Soundtrack  (Sony, 25)  D

- Dead South, "Joey" single  (Six Shooter, 25)  D

- Kristina Murray, "After Midnight Special" Little Blue  (Normaltown, May 9)

- Drew Kennedy, "Halo" Drew Kennedy  (BMG, May 16)  D

- Ken Pomeroy, "Flannel Cowboy" Cruel Joke  (Rounder, May 16)

- Jesse Daniel, "Time Well Spent For a Man (ft Charles Wesley Godwin)" Son Of the San Lorenzo  (Lightning Rod, Jun 6)

- I'm With Her, "Standing On the Fault Line" Wild and Clear and Blue  (Rounder, May 9)

- Mike Frazier, "Pyramids In the Sky" April Days  (Geneva, Apr 25)

- James McMurtry, "Black Dog & the Wandering Boy" Black Dog & the Wandering Boy  (New West, Jun 20)  D

- Turnpike Troubadours, "Heaven Passing Through" Price Of Admission  (Bossier City, 25)

- Gold Dust, "Whatever's Left" In the Shade Of the Living Light  (Gold Dust, May 16)

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

- Lillie Mae, "Hardest Part" Let's Go Dancing: Songs Of Kevn Kinney  (Tasty Goody, 25)

- Brent Cobb & the Fixins, "Ain't Rocked In a While" Ain't Rocked In a While  (Ol Buddy, Jul 11)  D

- Young Gun Silver Fox, "Late Night Fast Train" Pleasure  (Blue Elan, May 2)  D

- Pearl Charles, "Just What It Is" Desert Queen  (Taurus Rising, Apr)

- Angela Perley, "LA Cowgirl" single  (Perley, 25)  D

- Nicole Lawrence, "Way It Is" Time In Love  (Durango, May 16)  D

- Louisa Stancioff, "Strange Currencies" single  (Yep Roc, 25)  D

- Folk Bitch Trio, "The Actor" single  (Jagjaguwar, 25)  D

- Beirut, "Villa Sacchetti" Study Of Losses  (Pompeii, 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 April 13, 2025

ROUTES & BRANCHES

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

April 13, 2025

Scott Foley, purveyor of pollen

ROUTES-cast April 13, 2025

- Bon Iver, "There's a Rhythm" SABLE, fABLE  (Jagjaguwar, 25)

- Ben Kweller, "Killer Bee (ft Flaming Lips)" Cover the Mirrors  (Noise, May 30)

- Esther Rose, "The Clown" Want  (New West, May 2)

- David Newbould, "Coin Flip" single  (Blackbird, 25)  D

- Joe Kaplow, "Favorite Song" single  (Sonder House, 25)  D

- Glass Hours, "Adaline" single  (Cornelius Chapel, 25)  D

- Mike Delevante, "Don't Count Me Out" September Days  (Truly Handmade, 25)

- Clarence Tilton, "Fred's Colt (ft Marty Stuart)" Queen Of the Brawl  (Tilton, 25)  D

^ Turnpike Troubadours, "A Lie Agreed Upon" Price Of Admission  (Bossier City, 25)  D

- Muscadine Bloodline, "Hittin' My Stride (ft Ben Chapman)" And What Was Left Behind  (Stancaster, 25)

- Brown Horse, "Far Off Places" All the Right Weaknesses  (Loose, 25)

- Florry, "First It Was a Movie Then It Was a Book" Sounds Like ...  (Dear Life, May 23)

- Matt Woods, "Children Of the Children" single  (Lonely Ones, 25)  D

- Eli Winter, "For a Fallen Rocket" Trick Of the Light  (Three Lobed, May 2)

- Will Johnson, "Unfamiliar Ghost" Diamond City  (Keeled Scales, 25)

- Caroline Spence, "Soft Animal" single  (Spence, 25)  D

- Dean Johnson, "Lake Charles" single  (Sub Pop, 25)  D

- Murder By Death, "Wandering" Egg & Dart  (MBD, Jun 13)  D

- Caamp, "Drive" Copper Changes Color  (Mom + Pop, Jun 6)  D

- Kassi Valazza, "Shadow Of Lately" From Newman Street  (Fluff & Gravy, May 2)

- Cold Specks, "Cold Goodbye" Light For the Midnight  (Mute, 25)

- Anderson East, "I'd Do Anything" Worthy  (Rounder, May 30)

- Valerie June, "Inside Me" Owls Omens & Oracles  (Concord, 25)

- Gasoline Lollipops, "Humanity" Kill the Architect  (ALP, Jun 13)  D

- Hayden Pedigo, "Long Pond Lilly" I'll Be Waving As You Drive Away  (Mexican Summer, Jun 6)  D

- Paco Cathcart, "Invasive Species" Down On Them  (Wharf Cat, May 2)

- Liam St John, "Greyhound Bus Blues (ft Molly Tuttle)" single  (Mercury, 25)  D

- Drunken Prayer, "Selfishness Of Man" Thy Burdens  (Dial Back Sound, Jun 6)

- Willi Carlisle, "Work Is Work" Winged Victory  (Signature Sounds, Jun 27)  D

- Scott Hirsch, "Future King" Lost Padres  (Echo Magic, 25)  

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: