Between this and the Bandcamp acquisition/layoff last year the future of music journalism ain’t looking bright. Obviously there are still great outlets out there but, yeah, not loving how things are trending
Been getting in a rabbithole of modern Euro-pop. French Alt-Pop is soo goddamn good. Angèle is so rad.
Hey random question for whoever; I think @cshadows2887 has a high probability of having a good answer: What are some good, like, bluegrass/country gospel/hymn/etc albums? Particularly any with a woman singing. I grew up with my mom having Bill Gaither’s “Homecoming” performances on tv and have a soft spot for that general sound, but I… don’t really wanna listen to the Gaithers specifically, lol. My mom the other night had an Alan Jackson special on; I’ve found his Precious Memories album to be quite enjoyable. And I’m gonna revisit Daniel Martin Moore’s In the Cool of the Day. Don’t know how many specifically religious albums y’all know, but thought I’d see if there’s anything specific you think I should check out.
That's an excellent question and I don't know a lot of explicitly religious music but I assume that if anyone has good recs of any kind of Americana, bluegrass included, @jdr2187 is the man. I haven't heard them as yet, but I know Ralph Stanley did a fair amount of religious albums and he's a legend in bluegrass. Also probably not as traditional as you have in mind, but for country, Willie Nelson's The Troublemaker is a masterpiece.
Definitely agree about Troublemaker. I’ll also throw out a handful of others that might fit the description. Hopefully one of these is close to what you are looking for. Doc Watson - On Praying Ground The Steel Drivers - Tougher Than Nails The Staple Singers - Faith & Grace The Como Mamas - Move Up Stairs The Branchettes - Stay Prayed Up (This one is only on bandcamp I believe) Brent Cobb - And Now Let’s Turn To Page Mavis Staples - Have A Little Faith Sister Rosetta Tharpe - Gospel Train Josh Turner - I Serve A Savior Bob Dylan - Trouble No More: The Bootleg Series Vol 13 San Fransisco Christian Center - The Sounds of The San Fransisco Christian Center Pastor Champion - I Just Want To Be A Good Man Pastor T. L. Barret and the Youth for Christ Choir - Like A Ship (Without A Sail) Supreme Jubilees - It’ll All Be Over King Britt - King Britt Presents Sister Gertrude Morgan Iris Dement - Lifeline Morris Belknap - Jesus Saves Staple Jr Singers - When Do We Get Paid Blind Boys of Alabama - I’ll Find A Way
What’s the story with The Branchettes? Were there studio albums before this new live one? It’s cool stuff
I don’t believe there was. From what I understand they’ve been leading worship in a small church in Raleigh NC for years and years, and somehow they got linked up with Phil Cooke (Hiss Golden Messenger, Megafaun) a couple years ago and he took an interest. He ended up starting a record label, called Spiritual Helpline I believe, and produced and released their first album. There’s also a short documentary out there about it.
If you do vinyl, a Sister Rosetta Comp I produced came out last week: Sister Tharpe Rosetta - Shout Sister Shout (Gate) (Ofv) | RECORD STORE DAY I’d still say get Gospel Train first, but this version of “Every Time I Feel The Spirit” is my fave by any artist:
I heard that MJ Lenderman live album from last year and fucking loved it. I guess there is kind of a wave of country tinged indie rock right now that he's a part of? I've known Big Thief a while who seem to skirt that line a lot and recently I've dived in to some of MJ's contemporaries like Hotline TNT, Wednesday, Ratboys, and some of the stuff on spotify's "indie twang" like Waxahatchee. Mojave 3 is an older band that touches on that sound too to me but is a lot softer and gentler than the rest of these. Anyway all of these scratch the itch that that MJ live album did for me to varying degrees but what that live album does that none of these have hit for me is basically sound like early 70s Neil Young sometimes. Anyone have any recs for "indie twang" style stuff especially with pedal steel that also sounds like On The Beach? I generally have not kept up with indie rock so don't not mention something assuming i already know it
All of these I kind of lump into that same space as the bands you mentioned and they all put out new albums last year. (Other than Rosali, her last album came out in 2022 and a new one on the way in 2 months) Rose City Band Rosali Florry Ryan Davis & The Roadhouse Band Mystic 100s Fust
I'm not really into this band or this kind of music at all, but I wish more bands still made studio documentaries like this.
blast from the past is listening to razia's shadow and getting the songs stuck in my head again. it was so good when it came out and kind of does hold up all these years later.
I tried listening to it again recently but sucks that Chris and Max are fucking scum and ruin that song
Oh Brother - Caracara World Turn - Copeland All the Way - Jimmy Eat World, Paradisin' - Rina Sawayama
you got me started. Steely Dan: Aja, Caves of Altamira, Black Cow, Deacon Blues, Doctor Wu, Gaucho, West of Hollywood, FM, etc Steely Dan is the only rock band with saxophone that matters. Springsteen too I suppose. Plus: old Jazz: Coltrane: Sweet and Lovely (from Carnegie Hall 57) Albert Ayler: Ghosts Sonny: St Thomas Coleman Hawkins: Body & Soul Mingus (Dolphy on Sax): Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting from Mingus at Antibes Donald Byrd: Street Lady Nu Jazz: Binker & Moses: Children of the Ultrablacks Chris Potter: Rumples Sons of Kemet (Shabaka Hutchings): My Queen is Ada Eastman Nubya Garcia: Lost Kingdoms