Tag: Album Stream

STREAM: Christopher Jones, ‘Bach: The Goldberg Variations’

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Artist: Christopher Jones
Hometown: Morgantown, West Virginia
Album: Bach: The Goldberg Variations
Release Date: May 7, 2021

Editor’s Note: Christopher Jones is director of the Appalachian Music Ensemble, a performing group at West Virginia Wesleyan College. He got his start, however, in the classical world. He holds a bachelor’s degree in cello performance, and a master’s and doctorate degree in music composition from West Virginia University. For his newest project, he has reworked Bach’s iconic Goldberg Variations for mandolin, banjo, and guitar.

In Their Words: “This project is something that I had thought about for a long time. Not necessarily that I wanted to record it myself, but that it was something that I really wanted to hear. When everything shut down last year and the world was upended, I made a split-screen video of the ninth variation, and then the second, and realized I might as well do a studio recording of the entire thing. I think I turned to this piece as something that had that satisfying and comforting sense of order and normalcy, even though the scope of the whole thing can feel chaotic. Each variation is an exercise in perspective, begging the question of ‘How many different ways can I look at the same problem?’ It was a lens to try and make sense of things.” — Christopher Jones

Photo credit: Lauren Smith

STREAM: The Wild Feathers, ‘Medium Rarities’

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Artist: The Wild Feathers
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Album: Medium Rarities
Release Date: November 20, 2020

In Their Words: “Medium Rarities is a group of songs that we’ve always loved, but just kinda fell through the cracks when it came to sequencing each record. We wrote and recorded some new songs and had some fun doing some covers of tunes we’ve always loved. Putting new music out into the world is always a great and strange feeling. We’re so proud of it and can’t wait for people to hear them.” — Ricky Young, The Wild Feathers

Photo credit: Rachel Moore

STREAM: Alan Barnosky, ‘Lonesome Road’

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Artist: Alan Barnosky
Hometown: Durham, North Carolina
Album: Lonesome Road EP
Release Date: January 17, 2020

In Their Words: “I typically have a less-is-more approach when it comes to writing music. My first record from 2017 definitely reflects that, it was a stripped-down songwriter album with all songs performed solo or as a duo. However, when it came to recording again I felt that six of my songs really worked best in more of a full-band arrangement, so I pulled together some of my musical collaborators and good friends and we recorded this EP to showcase those songs specifically. The focus of this record is still very much on the song, but it also features musical aspects that are harder to achieve as a solo or duo, like instrumental solos, some three-part harmonies, and an instrumental tune that highlights the individual players. Although there are more musicians on this record than my last, it is still very simple in terms of production.

“Since the EP compiles a variety of songs that I felt would work best with a band, not all of these songs are new to me. In fact, one, in particular, is pretty old. I wrote ‘Might Be a Call’ over 10 years ago using my mom’s old Gibson Hummingbird guitar that has long since been sold at a garage sale. I sat on the song knowing that it would only sound right if it was on a full-band recording. Other songs were written within months of recording, including the third track ‘Ain’t It a Shame’ and the instrumental ‘Sawtooth Ridge.’ Though the timeline of these songs spans a wide period of my life, the themes are actually pretty consistent. They carry imagery of weary traveling and a search for something better.” — Alan Barnosky

Photo credit: Mick Schulte

STREAM: The Infamous Stringdusters, ‘Live From Covington Kentucky’

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Artist: The Infamous Stringdusters
Album: Live From Covington Kentucky
Release Date: November 15, 2019
Label: Tape Time Records

In Their Words: “I remember walking off stage that night in Covington, Kentucky and everyone in the band feeling like everything connected. The crowd, the music, the band — all felt like one for the night, and so we decided right then and there to release this show. [I] took the files to my studio and remixed the show, intentionally leaving as much audience in the mix as I could because, as in all our shows, I felt like they were as big a part of the energy as anything else. The goal was to bring the feeling of actually being at the show in to the mix. We believe it succeeded and, hope everyone can feel the love and gratitude we have for our fans in this release.” — Andy Falco, The Infamous Stringdusters

Photo Credit: Tony Hume

STREAM: Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer, ‘WAHOO!’

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Artist: Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer
Hometown: Silver Spring, Maryland
Song: “High on a Mountain”
Album: WAHOO!
Release Date: October 11, 2019
Label: Community Music, Inc.

In Their Words: “The ukulele has as many Americana and roots music voices as the player has, and that’s what we’ve explored on WAHOO! From the Turlough O’Carrolan Irish piece ‘Morgan Megan’ to a bluesy version of Ola Belle Reed’s ‘High on a Mountain,’ we’re pushing the ukulele into places that are new and exciting and love creating unique combinations with uke and cello banjo, uke and guitar, baritone and tenor uke, uke and electric guitar, songwriting and vocals. Somehow, all of our musical worlds come together on this little four string piece of magic.” — Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer

Photo credit: Irene Young

STREAM: Kacy & Clayton, ‘Carrying On’

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Artist: Kacy & Clayton
Hometown: Wood Mountain, Saskatchewan
Album: Carrying On (produced by Jeff Tweedy and recorded by Tom Schick.)
Release Date: October 4, 2019
Label: New West Records

In Their Words: “Jeff and Tom have taught us a lasting lesson on what’s important and not important when making music. I can recall moments when their suggestions caused me to feel panicky and vulnerable, but I can see now that they were encouraging us to let go of unnecessary fixations. And those moments have all ended up being my favourite parts of the two records we’ve made with them. It’s easy to cling to your own ideas out of insecurity but trusting someone else’s judgment can allow you to be very free.” — Clayton Linthicum

“Making this record felt purposeful. The songs came together nicely and we integrated them into our live set with Mike Silverman and Andy Beisel leading up to recording. Returning at The Loft in Chicago seemed like, ‘Hey guys! We’re back again and we’ve been practicing so let’s make a better record now.’ It was three or four days and the whole thing was tracked and marked with a B. Working with Jeff Tweedy has been a mystical and Midwestern experience for Clayton, Mike, Andy and I. He shies away from seeming authoritative and that style of leadership has strongly resonated with us.” — Kacy Anderson

Photo credit: Mat Dunlap

LISTEN: Michael Cleveland, ‘Tall Fiddler’

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Artist name: Michael Cleveland
Hometown: Charlestown, Indiana
Album: Tall Fiddler
Release Date: August 23, 2019
Label: Compass Records

In Their Words: “This album has been something I’ve wanted to do for a very long time. I’ve been thinking for a while that it would be awesome to have my band, Flamekeeper, collaborate with some of my musical heroes, and just wondered what it would sound like. I knew it was going to be awesome about an hour into the first day in the studio. Tommy Emmanuel came in to record ‘Tall Fiddler’ and about an hour after he got there, we had the track. Also, I had the honor of co-writing a song with Béla Fleck, recording a Memphis rock song that talks about stealing one of Elvis’s Cadillacs… had so much fun along the way. Thanks to everyone who was involved in the making of this album and especially to my co-producers, Jeff White and Sean Sullivan, for making this dream a reality.” — Michael Cleveland

Photo credit: Stacie Huckeba

STREAM: Lonesome River Band, ‘Outside Looking In’

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Artist: Lonesome River Band
Hometown: Floyd, Virginia
Album: Outside Looking In
Release Date: May 24, 2019
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “We are so excited about this new release! It is a diverse mixture of great songs that we tried to deliver in our traditional, yet edgy approach. We feel there is something here for every listener — without changing our ‘Lonesome River Band approach.’ We hope everyone will enjoy this project as much as we enjoyed recording it.” — Lonesome River Band vocalist/guitarist Brandon Rickman

Photo credit: Anthony Ladd

STREAM: Dravus House, ‘Dravus House’

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Artist: Dravus House
Hometown: Seattle, Washington
Album: Dravus House
Release Date: April 19, 2019

In Their Words: “We recorded this record on Bainbridge Island, just across Puget Sound from Seattle. In some of the songs you can hear the hints of the island forest. We would pause after recording each song, and we could hear the sounds of the rain and the wind in the trees. It’s in the spirit of the recording. This is our debut album, and it feels really special to share with the world. These songs are reflections on the lifelong journey of finding wholeness within yourself, of thinking of yourself as more than the sum of your parts. I feel closer to feeling whole when I get to play and sing the songs I’ve written on this record with Cooper. His sensitive tone and melodic style that weave through the songs compound the feelings of joy I feel when singing and playing. I hope that this record helps people find a sort of a self-acceptance from any perceived shortcomings or feelings of unworthiness, and that they’ll have a moment’s peace and reflection.” — Elena Loper

“There’s a melancholic feeling, and the sense of introspection on the record, yet is comes with a silver lining. I hope that people who meditate on the record will feel that and find it comforting.” — Cooper Stouli

Photo credit: Kendall Rock

STREAM: The Honey Dewdrops, ‘Anyone Can See’

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Artist: The Honey Dewdrops
Hometown: Virginia, but now living in Baltimore, Maryland
Album: Anyone Can See
Release Date: March 1, 2019

In Their Words: “Anyone Can See came out of wanting to record the feeling of our live show. It’s the sound of us playing and singing together side by side and letting the songs unwind themselves down the paths they wanted to go. This is a record about what we’ve been thinking and feeling over the last few years. The songs are about what we can and cannot see, and the process of trying to see even when we’re not sure what we’re looking at.” — The Honey Dewdrops

Photo credit: Michael Patrick O’Leary