Tag: Friends & Neighbors

WATCH: The Chicks on Their Comeback, Controversy, and Country Music

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With what many have called a comeback album, the Chicks sported new experiences, new stories, and a new name to top it all off. Their 2020 album Gaslighter is a unique one in the decorated discography of the group formerly known as the Dixie Chicks. In an interview for Today, The Chicks described how they deviated from their normal process of writing all the music prior to arriving at the studio to record the album, and insist they have no regrets about the past controversy that prompted their perceived exit from mainstream country.

For Gaslighter, which is their first new album since 2006, the Chicks collaborated with producer Jack Antonoff to craft the songs in the studio. The result is a fresh sound that retains the characteristic directness for which The Chicks are well-known. The album doesn’t shy away from dealing with heavy themes like family, social justice, and divorce. For example, its title track was written about lead singer Natalie Maines’ bitter divorce, an experience that no doubt was also a primary inspiration for “Sleep at Night.” Take a look at their Today interview with Carson Daly below.

Photo credit: Robin Harper

WATCH: Scott Mulvahill Shows His ‘Creative Potential’ in the Studio

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Some instruments tend to have a pretty specific role in the world of roots music. It takes a great deal of ingenuity and skill to challenge these roles, create something truly unique, and expand the capabilities of an instrument. That is exactly what singer-songwriter Scott Mulvahill has done with his growing catalog of solo material. Not only is he a talented both singing and songwriting, but he is also a world-renowned bass player, previously fulfilling low-end duties for Ricky Skaggs’ legendary bluegrass band Kentucky Thunder.

Mulvahill’s creativity and uniqueness shine in his 2020 release, Creative Potential, a project filled with songs that put a smile on your face. Love, happiness, and joy are each subjects of several of the tracks, making this EP a bright spot in a dull year. Smooth singing and skillful playing abound, but an extra treat in this release is the wonderfully thought-out arrangement and presentation of the music. If you haven’t had the pleasure of listening to Scott Mulvahill yet, we highly recommend you get on the train and hear just what is so special about Creative Potential.

Photo credit: Lindsey Patkos

WATCH: Sierra Hull Draws on Animation in “Beautifully Out of Place”

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Sierra Hull, an accomplished instrumentalist, vocalist, and songwriter who also co-hosted the IBMA Awards this year, notched another career highlight this fall. In her first fully animated music video for “Beautifully Out of Place” she offers a refreshed meaning to the song, now set to the story of a girl walking through her day and noticing beauty in many modest places. Be it a flower growing through the sidewalk or silhouettes forming in the clouds, the main character finds herself more open to the lyrical message of “Beautifully Out of Place.”

Hull’s latest album, 25 Trips, features several heavy-hitting songs such as this, featuring positive themes, skillful singing, and weightless picking. In an interview with American Songwriter, Hull echoes this song’s sentiment, saying that the message holds true in the world even now; during an unprecedented time of uncertainty and unrest, there is still abundant beauty to behold. By the way, her song “Ceiling to the Floor” (also from 25 Trips) is up for a Grammy Award in the category of Best American Roots Song. Watch “Beautifully Out of Place” below.

Photo credit: Gina Binkley

WATCH: Goat Rodeo Returns for a Tiny Desk (Home) Concert

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The Goat Rodeo was back in town in 2020, and while their stay was short, they left behind a new record for us to enjoy until their next visit. The all-star string quartet (no, not literally a rodeo) released their second album Not Our First Goat Rodeo in June, and much like the passing of a comet, audiences everywhere took it in with wonder and awe. The four visionaries that constitute the Goat Rodeo have each accomplished many incredible, out-of-this world feats, but when Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, Chris Thile, and Stuart Duncan join forces, the music made feels less like an album and more like a rare phenomenon you’re lucky to see even once in a lifetime.

This fall, NPR’s Tiny Desk (Home) concert series shared music from their sophomore release. Chris Thile acts as an emcee sharing backgrounds and insights between the three songs featured, all of which can be found on Not Our First Goat Rodeo. As in the 2011 release, the rodeo’s second coming features the beautiful vocal presence of Aoife O’Donovan on the song “The Trappings” (as well as on two other tracks not performed for NPR). Despite their brief reunion, Not Our First Goat Rodeo will surely be considered as one of the highlights of 2020. Watch the Tiny Desk performance here – and read our BGS Artist of the Month interviews with Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer, Chris Thile, and Yo-Yo Ma.

Photo credit: Josh Goleman

WATCH: Sarah Jarosz Puts an Acoustic Spin on a Sinatra Classic

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In the afterglow of acclaim from her latest album, Sarah Jarosz kept her YouTube channel active, another creative COVID outlet for the singer-songwriter and picker. Along with releasing videos for songs from World on the Ground, she also contributed to a charming cover song series throughout 2020. Truly a fan’s artist, Jarosz’s effort to generate a regularly flowing stream of content is one of the many reasons why we at BGS and fans everywhere adore her work. (Read Part 1 and Part 2 of our Artist of the Month interview from June of this year.)

Not only is the Texas native’s talent undeniable and her style unique, but Jarosz enhances our day-to-day experiences with each. Unable to tour, she instead filmed renditions of songs by folks like Kacey Musgraves, Bob Dylan, and Maggie Rogers. Here, Jarosz performs a Frank Sinatra classic on mandocello, alongside bassist Jeff Picker. Beautiful and reminiscent of a bygone era, watch as the two breathe Americana life into this timeless jazz number.

Photo credit: Josh Wool

WATCH: Sister Sadie Sing “Since I Laid My Burden Down” On the Opry

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Sister Sadie, our BGS Artist of the Month in December, got a strong start to closing out 2020. The trailblazing all-female powerhouse performed on the Grand Ole Opry on December 5 and left the audience in ashes after performing a scorching rendition of “Since I Laid My Burden Down.” Folks and fans are wising up to the group since their recent successes at both the IBMA Awards and the Grammys, winning three awards in the last two years from the IBMA and earning their first Grammy nomination in 2018.

For those who might still be new to the band, check out our Artist of the Month interview to gain a deeper appreciation for the incredible music that has arisen so naturally from the tight bonds of friendship and out of the hard-worked hands of these all-stars in the acoustic community. Tina Adair sings and picks mean mandolin over the roaring undercurrent of Gena Britt’s rolling banjo and Deanie Richardson’s screaming fiddle. They’re joined in this performance by singer-guitarist Jaelee Roberts and bassist Hasee Ciaccio. From the famed Opry stage, watch the reigning IBMA Entertainers of the Year tear up some old-fashioned bluegrass.

WATCH: Teddy and Richard Thompson Swap Songs on ‘Woodstock Sessions’

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As we begin to roll into a new year, it is important to remember the important things in life and to be thankful for the goodness around us, like health, family, and music. In this edition of Friends & Neighbors, father and son Teddy Thompson and Richard Thompson grace the camera and perform a lovely set of songs for a Woodstock Sessions crew. With familiarity and comfort that only kinship can produce, the two share laughs, smiles, and charming songs that have decorated each of their respected careers.

The sessions kick off with the title track from Teddy Thompson’s new album, Heartbreaker Please. It’s his first solo release since 2011 and a complete representation of what he describes as a catholic taste in music, enjoying sounds and styles from many eras and genres. In addition, this Woodstock Session includes two of Richard Thompson’s landmark songs, as well as a cover of “Cut Across Shorty.” The fun and joviality this duo has while performing together is enough to warm the heart and kindle the flames of thankfulness and reflection. Watch these British icons share the frame here.

 

WATCH: Andy Hall Plays “Amazing Grace” on Resophonic Guitar

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Not many instruments can match the fiddle for expressive, emotive power, but a few special players have been able to conjure a similar magnetism from the steel guitar. This year, modern dobro icon and member of the Infamous Stringdusters Andy Hall released 12 Bluegrass Classics for Resophonic Guitar, interpreting songs that are pillars in the traditionalist songbook. Hall, a player associated more closely with progressive styles than conventional ones, lends his signature shred to the standards of the bluegrass repertoire.

Upon announcing the project, he stated, “I’ve always striven to push the envelope as a player, but never had the chance to put my stamp on some of the formative tunes I’ve always played at jam sessions. I chose songs that were familiar to me. These are tunes that I’ve been playing for years, and that have shaped my playing.” He told BGS all about it in an interview this fall, too. As 2020 comes to a close, we hope you enjoy Andy Hall’s performance of “Amazing Grace.”

Photo credit: Tobin Voggesser

WATCH: Ondara Opens the Window to Our “Isolation Blues”

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Lockdown has stolen headlines from a lot of great musical releases in 2020. One such release that maybe didn’t get its due is Folk n’ Roll Vol. 1: Tales of Isolation, an album by Kenya-born singer Ondara. Released in May, Folk n’ Roll is a spectral snapshot of the hard times that we all have felt during the global coronavirus pandemic. Ondara (formerly J.S. Ondara) uses his pure vocal tone and raw guitar-playing to communicate the incredible emotions that he and others have felt in a time of separation and uncertainty, with songs like “Pulled Out of the Market,” “From Six Feet Away,” and the tune featured in this video, “Isolation Blues.”

The steady, pulsating drive of the acoustic guitar lays a foundation for Ondara’s ghostly voice to fly over and cut right to the uneasiness that has become familiar to so many in 2020. The video depicts confusion and anxiety in a very relatable way. The first release since his debut, Tales of America, Ondara was quick to write, record, and release the album, making it a true window into the human experience in the early stages of a global pandemic. To reflect on what we’ve come through and to hear our shared human experience manifested into song, watch the video for “Isolation Blues” below.

Photo credit: Ian Flomer

WATCH: Molly Tuttle Reinterprets Rancid’s “Olympia, WA”

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One of Molly Tuttle’s strongest suits is her fluency in an array of instruments and styles. Using her experience as an excellent clawhammer banjo player and a masterful guitarist, she has forged a unique style of clawhammer guitar-playing. Similarly, Tuttle is at home in old-time music, traditional bluegrass, and more modern roots styles. Already an artist who seemingly can do it all, the California native’s newest endeavor is showcasing an even broader range of musicianship.

Her 2020 album, titled …but i’d rather be with you, is made completely of cover songs by artists from many different genres, including the National, the Rolling Stones, and Grateful Dead. In her interpretation of Rancid’s “Olympia, WA,” Tuttle’s ability to match her voice to the energy of the song speaks volumes of the caliber of musician that she is. In her trademark effortless way, she brings an acoustic guitar to a punk rock song and somehow still delivers an inspiring performance. Watch the video here.

Photo credit: Zach Pigg