At only 11 days old, this year already looks to be a stellar one for roots music. From Marlon Williams to John Prine, Sunny War to Bettye LaVette, artists young and old are making some of the best records of their careers, and it is a thrilling thing to behold. Here are some of the releases that our writers are most excited about you hearing.
Brandi Carlile: By the Way, I Forgive You
Marlon Williams: Make Way for Love
Anderson East: Encore
HC McEntire: Lionheart
Courtney Marie Andrews: May Your Kindness Remain
John Prine: TBD
Gretchen Peters: Dancing with the Beast
Sunny War: With the Sun
Lindi Ortega: Liberty
— Kelly McCartney
* * * * *
Stick in the Wheel: Follow Them True
Belle Adair: Tuscumbia
Julian Lage: Modern Lore
Red River Dialect: Broken Stay Open Sky
Jerry David DeCicca: Time the Teacher
Ed Romanoff: The Orphan King
Haley Heynderickx: I Need to Start a Garden
Various: The Ballad of Shirley Collins OST
Bettye Lavette: Things Have Changed
— Stephen Deusner
* * * * *
Brandi Carlile: By the Way, I Forgive You
First Aid Kit: Ruins
Lucy Dacus: Historian
Anderson East: Encore
Kacey Musgraves: Golden Hour
Jack White: Boarding House Reach
Darlingside: Extralife
I’m With Her: See You Around
Calexico: The Thread That Keeps Us
Sunflower Bean: TBD
— Desiré Moses
* * * * *
Anderson East: Encore
Marlon Williams: Make Way for Love
First Aid Kit: Ruins
Loma: Loma
Femi Kuti: One People One World
Joan Baez: Whistle Down the Wind
S. Carey: Hundred Acres
They Might Be Giants: I Like Fun
— Amanda Wicks
* * * * *
Jack White: Boarding House Reach
Brandi Carlile: By the Way, I Forgive You
Ashley McBryde: TBD
Brothers Osborne: TBD
Joshua Hedley: TBD
Traveller: TBD
Bruce Springsteen: TBD
Courtney Marie Andrews: May Your Kindness Remain
John Prine: TBD
Kacey Musgraves: Golden Hour
— Marissa Moss
* * * * *
High Fidelity: TBD
I’m With Her: See You Around
Ms. Adventure: TBD
Hawktail: TBD
Missy Raines: TBD
Jeff Scroggins & Colorado: TBD
— Justin Hiltner
* * * * *
Sunny War: With the Sun
I’m With Her: See You Around
David Byrne: American Utopia
Hawktail: TBD
Jamie Drake: TBD
Bahamas: Earthtones
Fruition: Watching It All Fall Apart
Darlingside: Extralife
— Amy Reitnouer
