The Feels

I was bummed to learn Sam Outlaw recently moved from LA to Nashville. This dismay is multifaceted. The West Coast is lacking in traditional country voices, Nashville has corrupted the sound of more than one artist, and I like the fact Outlaw writes songs about things beyond the country norm. Such as this one from his 2017 album Tenderheart ... But I get it. Artists have to chase the dream and yes, Tennessee is rife with song factories pumping out Bro-Country pablum to the masses, but it is also home to John Prine, Jack White, Jason Isbell, Sheryl Crow and countless others creating genuine music across many genres. I hope Outlaw doesn't get swayed by the execs sitting behind the desks. Now on to a closer look at this new EP. Billed as a six track EP, we are actually looking at a trio of songs with introductory skit before each. But hey, the complete package is clever and funny, though tough to discern the dialogue. The premise is a night out for a cowboy, looking...

I am fresh out of stones so I'll throw one post at two birds. Or something like that. I've wanted to review this album for a while and since I had the privilege of catching Sean McConnell open for a band Called NeedToBreath the other night, I decided to tack on a concert review. I will admit I went specifically to see Sean and knew next to nothing about the headliner. My appreciation for Sean McConnell began in 2012 with the release of his album Midland . The Fox Theater in Riverside, California is a nice venue with comfortable seating and ample leg room. One of those places that doesn’t offer a bad seat. Capacity is 1600, but   the space feels much more intimate than that.  There is power in a talented singer/songwriter standing below the lights with only his guitar. McConnell wielded this power well. The emotion and history of every lyric floated straight from the stage into the listening crowd. Despite the sold out show, I suspect very few attendees ha...

Good music is about emotion. The simplicity of a good beat can be enough to put a little bounce in your step, but it takes more to dig deep into the psyche. Music is the art that distills feelings into bite-sized chunks, and at its very best, music transcends beyond the simple mirroring of emotions by revealing things we've never quite understood before. Musical greatness reveals something new. It teaches, enlightens, and allows people to empathize by offering a glimpse into the soul of others. Often music can do this unobtrusively through the power of melody and words, as well as the universal truths of humanity. Such is the case with Hemingway , an album by Dan Johnson on State Fair Records . The album is a contemporary masterpiece that pays homage to humanity, as well as Johnson’s musical and literary influences. Hemingway unfurls over a mere five songs. Such projects can feel incomplete, but not this one. And while the interwoven stories do leave you wantin...

Ray Wilson is an old soul. That is apparent from the first note on Troubador . The album builds momentum taking the listener on a pleasurable time-warp of delicious funk and soul.   The opening track, “ Rebel In Faded Old Jeans,” is smooth and smoky and perfectly sets the tone for the album. A hard guitar lick underscores the passion of the unnamed rebellious troubadour, but somehow it is understood this track is Wilson’s pledge to give his all to both the album and his audience. “Racin’ Jake”   is a haunting coming of age tale about the challenges that make us who we are. Musically, it is perhaps my least favorite, but the tune is one everyone can relate to on some level. The third track “ Misty Waters” showcases Wilson’s vocal smoothness, but is otherwise only a prelude of the album’s real emotion and power which shines through on the back half. The folksy emotion of Wilson and the range of his voice materializes with “ Sit Beneath The Tree” and carries...