Rodney felt the time is right for the songs he cut in 2005 with Guy Clark and Emmylou Harris to be released as Then Again.
Here's the scoop on Then Again...
“I guess you could call it a lost album,” says Rodney Crowell. “I stumbled upon it in my vault at home. I’d forgotten about it completely.” He’s referring to Then Again, which he recorded and shelved two decades ago before moving off into new directions. Since then, the album has been biding its time, waiting for the moment when its songs would hit hardest. And they hit incredibly hard now, largely because age and experience have granted Crowell a richer perspective. “I’m glad I put it on the shelf, because now is the time for it. It may not be the time for it for the rest of the world, but it’s time for it for me. That’s why I wanted to call it Then Again. I thought that was a clever way of saying that what was happening then is happening now.
Back in 2006, Crowell was in high cotton. He was coming off a trilogy of albums—The Houston Kid in 2001, Fate’s Right Hand in 2003, The Outsider in 2005—that re-established him as a fearless voice in Americana and attracted new generations of fans drawn to his compassionate storytelling, his detail-laden songwriting, and his eloquent outrage over political injustices. In 2005 he went into Treasure Isle Studios in Nashville to record what would become Then Again. But when he heard the masters, something didn’t feel quite right. The band was smokin’ hot and the songs sounded good, but the album just didn’t move him and he struggled to figure out exactly what was wrong or what was missing. Twenty years later, when he found the album in his vaults, he couldn’t remember exactly what tripped him up. He decided it was finally time, if only because “I heard a record I wasn’t sick of. I was no longer sick of myself. That’s what 20 years will do for you.”
Once lost and now found, Then Again is something the Rodney Crowell of the 2000s could never have predicted but something the Rodney Crowell of the 2020s recognizes instinctively: a work of nuance, insight, and sensitivity that considers death but celebrates life. “I’m trying to understand that this spirit of mine is going to leave this body and go off somewhere else. I’ve got a pretty good idea that it’s going to be someplace good, but I still need to perfect some part of my spiritual journey here before I check out. I can see that in these songs now.”
Rodney Crowell's Then Again is out 6/26 via New West Records. Check the tracklisting followed by "Are You One Of Us" featuring the voice of Guy Clark below. You can pre-order copies on vinyl (or CD) right here.
Rodney Crowell - Then Again
Side A
I Won’t Lie
Are You One of Us? (feat. Guy Clark)
If I Could Speak To Leonard
Bring It on Home To Memphis
The Ballad of Artemis and Orion
Side B
Sing Your Heart Out (feat. Kieran Goss & Annie Kinsella)
Whatcha Gonna Do Now #2 (feat. Lyle Lovett & Chely Wright)
The Has-Been Vents His Spleen
40 Winters
Go Light a Candle (feat. Emmylou Harris & Lera Lynn)
Blues harp hero Charlie Musselwhite joins GA-20 for their"Blues Now" LP on New West Records. Check out "Crazy Love"
GA-20 with Charlie Musselwhite
Blues Now
Released via New West RecordsJuly 31, 2026
BLUES NOW! The title says it all. Blues in all caps – honest, emphatic, and raw. This collaborative album unites GA-20, one of today’s most celebrated young Blues trios, and Charlie Musselwhite, a legendary statesman of the genre. Musselwhite’s name is synonymous with the blues, a harmonica virtuoso and esteemed vocalist with a 60-plus year career forged in authenticity and excellence. Charlie remembers seeing Buddy Guy playing in Chicago back in the early 60s right here.
GA-20 burst onto the scene in 2018, garnering a quick reputation for dynamic live performance, built on a deep respect for the originators and an enduring commitment to carrying the torch forward. Together with BLUES NOW (New West Records), the Grammy award winning Musselwhite and Billboard chart-topping GA-20 shine with a chemistry that blends the spirit of the Blues pioneers with an electrifying modern energy.
With BLUES NOW, the collaboration between GA-20 and Charlie Musselwhite embodies a living musical conversation that spans generations. It is an ongoing dialogue and testament to the enduring spirit of Blues music. It reaffirms its timeless appeal and reminds us that the Blues is a living, breathing art form. It’s also a hell of a good time.
You can pre-order GA-20's forthcoming Blues Now LP via Bandcamp right here. Check out "Crazy Love" off the album below.
Here's Charlie Musselwhite (far right) sharing a laugh backstage with S.P. Leary (left) and Billy Boy Arnold back in the day.
Pokey LaFarge makes a rare Toronto appearance at Lee's Palace on Friday. Tickets are $42.38. Get 'em below.
Pokey LaFarge – Rhumba Country
After crisscrossing the nation for the last half-decade looking for a home, Pokey LaFarge found himself in Mid-Coast Maine. Upon arriving, the Illinois-born singer/songwriter/actor pursued a major life change, working 12-hour days on a local farm—a turn of events that catalyzed an extraordinary burst of creativity and redefined his sense of purpose as an artist. Rhumba Country was initially shaped from material that emerged while LaFarge was deep in work on the farm.
“I’d be pushing a plow or scattering seeds, and the songs would just come to me,” he recalls. “It was tremendously inspirational and made me realize that apart from singing, farming is perhaps the oldest human art form.”
While farming, LaFarge began dreaming up a kaleidoscopic sound informed by his love of music from far-ranging eras and corners of the globe, including mambo, tropicália, rocksteady, and mid-century American rock-and-roll. “The songs that naturally come to me are upbeat and make you wanna dance or at least bop your head—they’re all very colourful,” says LaFarge.
“I used to think of my music in dark blue, but now I see it in technicolor.” Co-produced along with Chris Seefried and Elliot Bergman and recorded in L.A., the resulting Rhumba Country is an invitation to come together to celebrate life and love.
Get a copy of Pokey's Rhumba Country album via Bandcamp right here. Get tickets for his show at Lee's Palace on Friday (October 17) right here. Watch a few performance clips, videos along with an interview and a discussion of so-called "Americana" music you may have missed.
Watch the video for "Sister André" from Pokey LaFarge's forthcoming Jorge Ben-inspired recording Rhumba Country.
Here's the scoop on Rhumba Country...
Pokey LaFarge returns with Rhumba Country on May 10th via New West Records. The 10–song set was co-produced by Chris Seefried, Elliot Bergman, and LaFarge and was recorded in Los Angeles, CA & Chicago, IL. On Rhumba Country, he reveals his newly heightened devotion to making music that channels pure joy. He says, “There was a time when I glorified sadness because I lost sight of who I was, but now I understand that creating and expressing joy is my gift, and gifts are meant to be shared.” Reclaiming his voice, LaFarge has recorded his boldest album yet.
After criss-crossing the nation for the last half-decade looking for a home, LaFarge found himself in Mid-Coast Maine. Upon arriving, the Illinois-born singer/songwriter/actor pursued a major life change, working 12-hour days on a local farm—a turn of events that catalyzed an extraordinary burst of creativity and redefined his sense of purpose as an artist. As he immersed himself in the album’s creation, LaFarge began dreaming up a kaleidoscopic sound informed by his love of music from far-ranging eras and corners of the globe, including mambo, tropicalia, rocksteady, and mid-century American rock-and-roll. He pares his songs down to the essential throughout the album, ornamenting each track with subtle details and showcasing his distinct voice and ineffable charisma.
His boundless curiosity for music from other cultures was vital in shaping the album’s captivating sound. “Listening to a lot of music from around the world helped simplify my approach,” he notes, naming Brazilian singer/composer Jorge Ben among his key inspirations. “The more you listen to music from around the world, you realize everybody’s got their form of country music,” he says. “It goes back to why I named the album Rhumba Country in the first place: it’s poking fun at the futility of boxing everything into a few genres, ‘What is folk music? What is country or soul?’ I’ve always bucked at all those boundaries and found it much more exciting to create my own genre.”
Today, Pokey shared a video for the album’s first single, “Sister Andre.” LaFarge said, “Sister André is a love song for those who are lonely and looking and waiting to love and be loved. An encouragement to never give up the patient pursuit. It could come at any time! Encouragement, in this case, comes from Sister André, who inspired this song the day of her passing after 118 years of age.”
You can pre-order Rhumba Country via New West Records right here. Watch the video for "Sister André" followed by a list of Pokey's upcoming tour dates which, unfortunately, doesn't include a stop in Toronto. Oh well, maybe next album.
Pokey LaFarge on tour
3/20 & 3/21 – Boise, ID – Treefort Festival
5/3 – Woodstock, NY – Levon Helm Studio
5/4 – Washington, DC – Kennedy Center
5/5 – Pawling, NY – Daryl’s House
5/10 – Indianapolis, IN – Hi Fi Annex
5/11 – Bloomington, IL – Castle Theatre
5/12 – Nashville, TN – 3rd and Lindsey
5/14 – Davenport, IA – Redstone Room
5/15 – Madison, WI – Majestic Theater
5/16 – Duluth, MN – The West Theatre
5/18 – Viroqua, WI – Historic Temple Theater
5/30 – Frankfort, KY – The Grand Theatre
5/31 – Pittsburgh, PA – Three Rivers Festival
6/1 – Cincinnati, OH – Memorial Hall
6/2 – Columbia, MO – Rose Park
6/4 – Omaha, NE – Waiting Room
6/6 – Ft Collins, CO – Washington’s
6/7 – Denver, CO – Bluebird
6/8 – Salt Lake City, UT – Fort Desolation
6/10 – Portland, OR – Aladdin Theater
6/11 – Vancouver, BC – The Pearl
6/12 – Seattle, WA – The Crocodile
6/14 – San Francisco, CA – The Chapel
6/15 – Los Angeles, CA – Troubadour
6/21-6/23 – Mount Salon, VA – Red Wing Festival
8/9-8/11 – Lyons, CO – Rocky Mountain Folk Festival
Texas tunesmith James McMurtry – a favourite of Stephen King & Patterson Hood – plays a rare T.O. show at the 'Shoe on Friday.
Here's the scoop on James McMurtry's The Horses and the Hounds:
In James McMurtry’s new effort, The Horses and the Hounds, the acclaimed songwriter backs personal narratives with effortless elegance (“Canola Fields”) and endless energy (“If It Don’t Bleed”). This first collection in seven years spotlights a seasoned tunesmith in peak form as he turns toward reflection (“Vaquero”) and revelation (closer “Blackberry Winter”). Familiar foundations guide the journey. “There’s a definite Los Angeles vibe to this record,” McMurtry says. “The ghost of Warren Zevon seems to be stomping around among the guitar tracks. Don’t know how he got in there. He never signed on for work for hire.”
The Horses and the Hounds is a reunion of sorts. McMurtry recorded the new album with legendary producer Ross Hogarth (Ozzy Osbourne, John Fogerty, Van Halen, Keb’ Mo’) at Jackson Browne’s Groovemaster’s in Santa Monica, California. Hogarth recorded McMurtry’s first two albums, Too Long in the Wasteland and Candyland and later mixed McMurtry’s first self-produced album, Saint Mary of the Woods. Another veteran of those three releases, guitarist David Grissom (Joe Ely, John Mellencamp, Dixie Chicks), returns with some of his finest work.
Get a copy of James McMurtry's great new double album The Horses and the Hounds via New West Records right here. Check out the title track followed by a recent performance below.
Congratulations to Willie Nelson on his Grammy win last night! The legendary songwriter was awarded Best Country Album for "A Beautiful Time" and Best Country Solo Performance for his rendition of Billy Joe Shaver’s “Live Forever” at last night’s 65th Annual Grammy Awards. It's a big win for Willie, Billy Joe and real country music.
The song is the opening track of the critically acclaimed album Live Forever: A Tribute to Billy Joe Shaver which was released last year on New West Records & Pedernales Records. The 12-song set was co-produced by Charlie Sexton & Freddy Fletcher and featured renditions of Shaver songs lovingly recorded by George Strait, Miranda Lambert, Nathaniel Rateliff, Ryan Bingham and Nikki Lane, Steve Earle, Edie Brickell, Rodney Crowell, Margo Price (featuring Joshua Hedley), Allison Russell, and Amanda Shires in addition to Nelson. Upon its release, Nelson, who once stated “Billy Joe Shaver is definitely the best writer in Texas,” said “He was just real; there wasn’t one phony drop of blood in him.”
About Billy Joe Shaver
In 1965, Billy Joe Shaver hitchhiked to Nashville and convinced the country singer Bobby Bare to listen to his songs. Bare quickly signed Shaver to a $50 a week job as a songwriter and recorded his song “Ride Me Down Easy.” Kris Kristofferson’s rendition of “Good Christian Soldier” and Tom T. Hall’s recording of “Willie the Wandering Gypsy and Me” soon followed. Shaver’s breakout moment came in 1973 when Waylon Jennings’ landmark album Honky Tonk Heroes was released. Hailed as the first “Outlaw Country” record, ten of its eleven songs were written or co-written by Shaver. One of which, “You Asked Me To,” was a top 10 hit for Jennings and was later recorded by Elvis Presley. Shaver’s legendary debut album, Old Five and Dimers Like Me, was produced by Kristofferson and issued in 1973 as well. He went on to release more than 20 albums, including the Grammy-nominated Everybody’s Brother in 2007. His final album, 2014’s acclaimed Long in the Tooth was his first to chart in Billboard’s Top Country Albums. Shaver's songs have been recorded and performed by Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, The Allman Brothers, and countless other legendary artists and his signature song, “Live Forever,” was performed by Robert Duvall in the 2009 film Crazy Heart. He was honored with the first ever Americana Music Award for Lifetime Achievement in Songwriting in 2002, was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2004 and the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame in 2006. Billy Joe Shaver died on October 28th, 2020.
Get a copy of the Billy Joe Shaver tribute album Live Forever from New West Records right here.
Listen to Willie's version of "Live Forever" followed by Billy Joe Shaver's performance of his song on Austin City Limits with support from his pal Willie Nelson and son Eddy Shaver below.
Joe Pernice and crew are celebrating 25 years of Overcome by Happiness with an expanded 2LP reissue of their 1998 album.
Here's the scoop...
The Pernice Brothers will release Overcome by Happiness: 25th Anniversary Deluxe Edition on May 19th via New West Records. The original mixes were remastered by John Golden and will be available on vinyl for the first time, 25 years to the day of its original Sub Pop issue on May 19, 1998.
The 25th Anniversary Deluxe Edition includes a 13-track bonus LP featuring 8 unreleased home demos (often recorded minutes after the songs were written by Joe Pernice). The 2 LPs will be pressed on orange-and-white splatter vinyl and packaged in a hardbound, full-color, 52-page book featuring extensive liner notes written by Stephen Deusner, an introduction and track-by-track written by Joe Pernice, the Overcome by Happiness lyrics printed for the first time, and countless unpublished photographs. A 5x7 print autographed by Joe Pernice is also included in every copy. Check the pre-release trailer below.
The story of Overcome by Happiness is one of great risk and greater payoff. It’s the story of a songwriter just finding his voice, an artist so desperate to express himself that he scrapped one band (the alt-country-adjacent Scud Mountain Boys) to form another, a frontman who jeopardized his contract with Sub Pop Records so that he could put what he heard in his head onto tape. It’s the story of a musician embracing the sounds of his childhood: AM easy listening, sophisticated chamber pop, baroque lounge music, Bread, the Carpenters, Bacharach, Manilow. The album was widely praised upon its release. The New York Times said of the debut, “Overcome taps an all-American yearning that recalls neon-lighted fairgrounds and lovers’ cars parked at the edge of a Great Lake… Beneath the beauty, each song is haunted by bitterness, but its fatalism is characteristic, too, of a land — and a season — in which dreams can be won or dashed at a sideshow roulette wheel.” AllMusic called Overcome by Happiness “...a near-perfect modern songsmith swoon album” while The Sunday Times in London exclaimed, “Let the Pernice Brothers overcome you.”
As Joe Pernice explains, “Pouring over the demos and song sketches, photos, notebooks and of course the album itself triggered some profound memories for me: Those involving the making of the album were all good. Memories of the songs’ geneses—as one who has heard the album might imagine—ran the gamut. I’m very grateful to the people at New West Records for both involving me so completely in compiling the material for this deluxe vinyl issue, and for the stunning edition they’re releasing. To have my songs and the stories behind them treated with such care and out of a sense of love is something I neither expect or take for granted. I’m so happy about how this turned out. I honestly don’t think a more complete Overcome by Happiness ‘experience’ could have been put together.”
The Pernice Brothers also announced two special engagements where they will perform Overcome by Happiness in its entirety with a string quartet on May 18 at the Crystal Ballroom in Somerville, MA, and May 19th at Racket NYC in New York City. Tickets for each performance go on sale this Friday, February 3, at 10:00 am Eastern.
Joe Pernice has kept the Pernice Brothers going for twenty-five years now, weathering almost constant lineup changes and releasing seven studio albums that have sharpened, expanded, commented on, and elaborated upon the elegant orchestral pop sounds of Overcome by Happiness. But his catalog extends well beyond that band. In addition to recording a handful of solo albums (including a Barry Manilow tribute), he reconvened his first band, the Scud Mountain Boys, in the early 2010s for a new album and tour, and in 2014 he released Into the Lime with the New Mendicants, a supergroup featuring Teenage Fanclub’s Norman Blake. He also writes frequently for television, most notably as a staff writer for the Canadian crime drama The Detail. Joe has published a book of poetry and several works of fiction, including a novella about the Smiths for the 33 1/3 book series. And in 2009, he released a 7-inch single under the alias the Young Accuser via his first label Sub Pop Records—a tie-in with his novel It Feels So Good When I Stop. 2019 saw the release of the Pernice Brothers’ acclaimed album Spread The Feeling.
The Pernice Brothers Overcome by Happiness: 25th Anniversary Deluxe Edition is available for pre-order via New West Records right here. Check the track list followed by clips of the Pernice Brothers rippin' through "Monkey Suit" in 2019, Joe Pernice performing a solo acoustic version of "Chicken Wire" at the Dakota Tavern in Toronto and the Sub Pop single B-side "Jimmy Coma".
Overcome By Happiness - Pernice Brothers
1. Crestfallen
2. Overcome by Happiness
3. Sick of You
4. Clear Spot
5. Dimmest Star
6. Monkey Suit
7. Chicken Wire
8. Wait to Stop
9. All I Know
10. Shoes and Clothes
11. Wherein Obscurely
12. Ferris Wheel
13-Track Bonus LP
1. Jimmy Coma (1997 Sub Pop Single)
2. Monkey Suit (1997 Sub Pop Single)
3. Square World (1997 Summershine Single)
4. In Plain Sight (1997 Summershine Single)
5. Love My Way (Psychedelic Furs Cover / Clear Spot UK CD Single B-Side)
William Bell joined North Mississippi Allstars for "Never Want To Be Kissed" off their new album Set Sail out January 28th.
Here's the scoop...
North Mississippi Allstars will release Set Sail on January 28th via New West Records. The 10-song set was produced by Luther and Cody Dickinson and follows their Grammy Award nominated 2019 album Up and Rolling. Set Sail features an appearance by Stax Records legend William Bell on the album standout “Never Want To Be Kissed” (which Bell also co-wrote and co-produced). The album has already been met with critical acclaim with Uncut Magazine stating, "Bloodlines and geography figure into every NMAs album, but on Set Sail, Luther and Cody Dickinson make family and setting the conjoined theme..." in their 8 out 10 Star rated review.
The video for “Never Want To Be Kissed” was shot at William Bell’s recording studio outside of Atlanta, GA. Luther Dickinson said of working with Bell, “He had the whole plot of the song conceptualized, as if it was a movie. I’ve never seen a song written like that before. Usually, for me, story lines unfold as they are written. We simply helped William turn the plot into lyrics and added music but we were truly only helping William realize his vision. We recorded a voice memo at the session and built the song up from there. Some of the audio on the record is from the original voice memo. It’s an honor to work with a living legend and soul music pioneer.” William Bell said, “Luther and Cody are my kind of people, locked in the tradition of Blues and Soul stories and songs. Pure perfectionists at their craft!” Watch the Cartter Fontaine-directed “Never Want to Be Kissed” video below.
After 25 years, twelve albums, four Grammy Award nominations, and sold out shows everywhere, North Mississippi Allstars open up their world once again on Set Sail, welcoming other family into the fold. As sons of the legendary producer and musician Jim Dickinson, Luther and Cody Dickinson started the band in 1996 as a loose collective of like-minded second-generation musicians who shared a local repertoire and regional style. Over the years, the lineup has shifted by design, and with Set Sail, they mined the talents of Jesse Williams on bass and Lamar Williams, Jr., the son of Allman Brothers bassist Lamar Williams, Sr, on vocals. During the Allman Betts Band Family Revival, the Dickinsons first linked up with Lamar, becoming fast friends and collaborators, paving the way for Set Sail.
“The chemistry we have with this lineup is powerful,” observes Luther. “We are all second-generation musicians and share a telepathic, relaxed ease about creating and performing. I believe music is a form of communion with our loved ones and conjuring this vibe with members of musical families can be inspirational. Lamar and I are like-minded. I’ve never had the pleasure of working with a singing partner like Lamar. He has a true-blue quality in his musicality that will pull you in and break your heart. At the same time, Jesse grew up playing music with his brothers and his father—as did we. He plays like a sibling. I’m drawn to musical families, regardless of style. Playing with second- or third-generation players allows us an easy unspoken musical dialog. It’s not a big thing; it’s just what we do. We never had to figure out what it means and takes to be a musician. We all inherently know.” He continues, “Each generation has to reinvent itself and shed the skin of the elders. On Set Sail, we feel as if we’ve once again ‘broken the code,’ and know what we want and how to get it.”
Set Sail continues the band’s tradition of creating roots music that displays remarkable variety. The record sizzles with hard yet understated groove, grown folk music. Luther’s wide-ranging guitar style features jazz riffs, psychedelic sounds, and soulful slide. Drummer and multi-instrumentalist Cody draws on roots music, rock, jazz, rap, and other styles to create rhythms that propel the band’s sounds and move it forward. Their two aesthetics combine to create the band’s unique style, “Primitive Modernism,” melding the new and the old. Luther notes, “We leaned into our other greatest influences: folk, soul, and psychedelic rock, but everything we play feels like North Mississippi.”
Set Sail will be available across digital retailers on January 28th, 2022. Standard Compact Disc and Vinyl editions will be released on April 1st. A limited “Gotham Color” vinyl & compact disc edition featuring exclusive variant packaging & a download with two unreleased bonus tracks will be available at Independent Retailers. An autographed & limited “Cloudy Day” Blue vinyl edition and a limited, autographed compact disc edition are both available for pre-order right here.
Scheduled for release today, Pokey's latest, In The Blossom of Their Shade, will now be out October 15th. Photo: Eliot Lee Hazel
Here's the scoop...
Pokey LaFarge has delayed the release of his new album In The Blossom of Their Shade to October 15th. Originally scheduled for release Friday (September 10) via New West Records, the 10-song set has been moved due to manufacturing delays. In The Blossom of Their Shade was produced and arranged by Pokey LaFarge and Chris Seefried and recorded in Chicago, IL & Los Angeles, CA. The collection is the follow up to LaFarge’s critically acclaimed 2020 studio LP Rock Bottom Rhapsody.
Pokey just shared an audio clip for “Drink of You,” saying “Still in the sway of my Rock Bottom Rhapsody, I suppose, in both mind and spirit, having just recorded the album back in early 2019, here’s another self-indulgent heartbreak song. Deep in the bottle and the only way I wanted to get out was by drinking my way out and singing about it. I don’t drink anymore but it’s still an enjoyable song to sing because of the ¾ time. It sounds like a jazz club / barroom sea chanty.” Check out the studio version of "Drink of You" followed by a pre-pandemic performance clip shot at Boston's Brighton Music Hall show on November 10, 2019.
Following that solo tour, LaFarge packed up and left his Los Angeles abode behind in March 2020, putting his belongings in storage in anticipation of spending extensive time on the road in support of his then-forthcoming album, Rock Bottom Rhapsody. He couldn’t wait to head down to Austin a few weeks later to showcase those songs and launch the album with his band at SXSW. Then the pandemic hit and all of LaFarge’s well-laid plans went into thin air.
Speaking to NPR Music, LaFarge offered, “This album is a result of my 2020 experience. Before the pandemic, I was in a dark place but the pandemic actually created the much needed space for me to reflect. Turns out that being completely sedentary for once was a good thing. I found peace in the stillness. I was able to recalibrate what it is I do and why I’m doing it. Who I’m to do it with and most importantly, who I’m doing it for.”
Unlike its melancholy predecessor, In the Blossom of Their Shade showcases the positivity of coming out of the darkness and into the light and is one of his strongest and most mature lyrical efforts to date. The record was nearly titled Siesta Love since it captures the thematic notion of being the perfect summer afternoon soundtrack and is a far cry from the swing and blues-infused songs of his earlier work. Looking in, inspired by the deep soul not just from these shores, but from distant geographical places like Africa or South America, LaFarge set out to create a body of work that paired emotional lyrics with a killer groove and grabby melodies.
Pokey LaFarge will be going on tour in October in support of In the Blossom of Their Shade with a two-night stand planned for The Horseshoe in Toronto on November 19 and 20.
Pokey LaFarge’s In the Blossom of Their Shade will be available across digital platforms, on compact disc, and standard black vinyl. A limited to 2,000 Translucent Orange Vinyl Edition will be available at Independent Retail and packaged with a bonus Peach Colored 7-inch featuring an unreleased bonus track. A limited to 1,000 Green Vinyl Edition will also be packaged with the bonus Peach Colored 7-inch and is now available for pre-order right here.
"Get It Fore It's Gone" is off Pokey's new album In The Blossom of Their Shade due Sept 10. He's at the Horseshoe Nov 19 & 20.
Here's the scoop from New West Records...
Pokey LaFarge will return with In The Blossom of Their Shade on September 10th via New West Records. The 10-song album was produced and arranged by Pokey LaFarge and Chris Seefried and recorded in Chicago, IL & Los Angeles, CA.
Speaking to NPR Music, LaFarge offered, “This album is a result of my 2020 experience. Before the pandemic, I was in a dark place but the pandemic actually created the much needed space for me to reflect. Turns out that being completely sedentary for once was a good thing. I found peace in the stillness. I was able to recalibrate what it is I do and why I’m doing it. Who I’m to do it with and most importantly, who I’m doing it for.”
Check out the Brandon Bernath-directed video for “Get It ‘Fore It’s Gone” below.
In March 2020, LaFarge packed up and left his Los Angeles abode behind, putting his belongings in storage in anticipation of spending extensive time on the road in support of his then-forthcoming album, Rock Bottom Rhapsody. He couldn’t wait to head down to Austin a few weeks later to showcase those songs and launch the album with his band at SXSW. Then the pandemic hit and all of LaFarge’s well-laid plans went into thin air.
Stuck in East Austin with nowhere to go, LaFarge did what he does best: he got to work. He used the sudden change in plans to his advantage, having perhaps his greatest period of personal growth in the midst of the crippling pandemic.
Unlike its melancholy predecessor, In the Blossom of Their Shade showcases the positivity of coming out of the darkness and into the light and is one of his strongest and most mature lyrical efforts to date. The record was nearly titled Siesta Love since it captures the thematic notion of being the perfect summer afternoon soundtrack and is a far cry from the swing and blues-infused songs of his earlier work. Looking in, inspired by the deep soul not just from these shores, but from distant geographical places like Africa or South America, LaFarge set out to create a body of work that paired emotional lyrics with a killer groove and grabby melodies.
Pokey LaFarge has also announced his initial tour dates in support of In the Blossom of Their Shade. He'll begin the tour with a handful of solo appearances in Switzerland on August 7th. A full band tour featuring a brand new live lineup will follow on September 1st with Toronto dates slated for The Horseshoe Tavern on November 19 and 20.
Pokey LaFarge’s In the Blossom of Their Shade will be available across digital platforms, on compact disc, and standard black vinyl. A limited to 2,000 Translucent Orange Vinyl Edition will be available at Independent Retail and packaged with a bonus Peach Colored 7” featuring an unreleased bonus track. A limited to 1,000 Green Vinyl Edition will also be packaged with the bonus Peach Colored 7 inch and is now available for pre-order via New West Records right here.
Watch the video for "Get It For It's Gone" followed by the track listing and Pokey's upcoming tour dates.
Pokey LaFarge – In The Blossom of Their Shade
1. Get It ‘Fore It’s Gone
2. Mi Ideal
3. Fine to Me
4. Drink of You
5. Rotterdam
6. To Love or Be Alone
7. Long for the Heaven I Seek
8. Killing Time
9. Yo-Yo
10. Goodnight, Goodbye (Hope Not Forever)
Pokey LaFarge On Tour:
August 7 - Bagnes, Switzerland - Palp Festival Rocklette (Solo)
August 24 - Ridgefield, CT - CHIRP (Solo)
August 25 - North Truro, MA - Payomet Music Tent (Solo)
August 26 - New Haven, CT - Folk at the Edge Concert Series (Solo)
September 1 - Rotterdam, Netherlands - Maassilo
September 2 - Nijmegen, Netherlands - Doornroosje
September 3 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Paradiso
September 4 - Schijndel, Netherlands - Paaspop
September 5 - Groningen, Netherlands - De Oosterpoort
September 6 - Eindhoven, Netherlands - Effenaar
October 2 - Paducah, KY - YAC-toberfest
October 6 - Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom *
October 7 - Detroit, MI - Magic Stick *
October 8 - Kalamazoo, MI - Bells Back Room *
October 9 - Milwaukee, WI - BackRoom @ Colectivo *
October 12 - Madison, WI - Majestic Theatre *
October 13 - Iowa City, IA - The Englert *
October 15 - Columbia, MO - The Blue Note *
October 16 - Kansas City, MO - Knuckleheads *
November 3 - Minneapolis, MN - Fine Line *
November 4 - Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall *
November 5 - Grand Rapids, MI - Wealthy Theatre *
November 6 - Indianapolis, IN - HiFi *
November 7 - Charleston WV - Mountain Stage
November 9 - Pittsburgh, PA - Thunderbird *
November 10 - New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom *
November 12 - Philadelphia, PA - World Cafe Live *
November 13 - Boston, MA - Brighton Music Hall *
November 14 - Fairfield, CT - The Warehouse *
November 15 - Holyoke, MA - Gateway City Arts *
November 17 - Burlington, VT - Higher Ground Showcase Lounge *
November 18 - Ottawa, ON - Club Saw * November 19 - Toronto, ON - Horseshoe Tavern * November 20 - Toronto, ON - Horseshoe Tavern *
* with Esther Rose (duo)
John Hiatt and dobro great Jerry Douglas didn't need a drummer for Leftover Feelings. Watch the first two videos below.
Here's the scoop from New West Records...
John Hiatt with The Jerry Douglas Band will release Leftover Feelings on May 21st via New West Records. The 11-song set was produced by Jerry Douglas and recorded at the historic RCA Studio B in Nashville. A meeting of two American music giants in a legendary setting, Leftover Feelings is neither a bluegrass album nor a return to Hiatt’s 1980s days with slide guitar greats Ry Cooder and Sonny Landreth. There’s no drummer, yet these grooves are deep and true. And while the up-tempo songs are, as ever, filled with delightful internal rhyme and sly aggression, The Jerry Douglas Band’s empathetic musicianship nudges Hiatt to performances that are startlingly vulnerable.
The collaboration follows Hiatt’s 2018 studio album The Eclipse Sessions. Receiving widespread critical acclaim, The New York Times said “Hiatt still writes, as evidenced by his latest release, The Eclipse Sessions, a collection of timeless tunes that show his unassuming mastery,” while Guitar Player called him “...an artist on par with American greats such as Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Paul Simon, and Bruce Springsteen.” Jerry Douglas is a Dobro master who reinvented the instrument and is responsible for bringing it to popular presence in modern times. The Jerry Douglas Band’s 2017 studio album What If was nominated for a Grammy Award in the “Best Contemporary Instrumental Album” category with Rolling Stone saying, “Even after 14 Grammys, Jerry Douglas is still exploring unlikely musical pairings…”
Historic RCA Studio B was one of the cradles of the “Nashville Sound” in the 1950s and 60s. A sophisticated style characterized by background vocals and strings, the Nashville Sound and Studio B played major roles in establishing Nashville’s identity as an international recording center. Hitmakers in Studio B included Country Music Hall of Fame members Eddy Arnold, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Elvis Presley, and more. Songs recorded within its walls span decades, genres and emotions, with Presley’s forlorn “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” and Parton’s autobiographical “Coat of Many Colors” among them.
Built when Hiatt was five years old, Studio B was designed for music to be made in real time by musicians listening to each other and reacting in the emotional moment. That’s what happened here: Five players on the studio floor, making decisions on instinct rather than calculation. “I was immediately taken back to 1970, when I got to Nashville,” said Hiatt upon entering the studio. A half-century ago, Hiatt lived in a ratty, $15-a-week room on Nashville’s 16th Avenue, less than a mile away from RCA and Columbia studios that were the heartbeat of what had come to be known as “Music Row.” “You can’t not be aware of the records that were made there…Elvis, the Everly Brothers, Waylon Jennings doing ‘Only Daddy That’ll Walk the Line’ (which is referenced in the new song “The Music is Hot”). But that history wasn’t intimidating, because it’s such a comfortable place to make music.”
John Hiatt with The Jerry Douglas Band’s Leftover Feelings will be available May 21st on compact disc, standard black vinyl and across all digital platforms. A limited to 750 edition autographed by John Hiatt & Jerry Douglas and pressed on clear & black splatter vinyl will be available exclusively at Barnes & Noble, a blue marble vinyl edition limited to 2,000 copies will be available at Independent Retailers worldwide, while a gold marble vinyl edition limited to 700 copies is available for pre-order via New West Records right here.
Check out the videos for “Mississippi Phone Booth” and “All The Lilacs In Ohio,” both directed by Lagan Sebert and Ted Roach.
Listen to "End Of My Rope" off the new Pokey LaFarge album Rock Bottom Rhapsody out April 10. Pokey plays the Horseshoe June 26 & 27.
Pokey LaFarge On Tour
April 24th Rotterdam, Netherlands - Maasilo
April 25th Amsterdam, Netherlands - Paradiso
April 26th Berlin, Germany - Roadrunners Paradise
April 29th Paris, France - La Maroquinerie
April 30th Antwerp, Belgium - De Roma
May 1st Lessines, Belgium - Roots & Roses Festival
May 2nd London, UK - Islington Assembly Hall
May 8th Asheville, NC - The Grey Eagle
May 9th Mt. Airy, NC - The Earle
May 10th - Charleston, WV NPR’s Mountain Stage
May 13th - Lexington, KY The Burl
May 15th St. Louis, MO - Off Broadway
May 16th St. Louis, MO - Off Broadway
May 17th Nashville, TN 3rd & Lindsley (Lightning 100)
June 2nd Maquoqueta, IA - Codfish Hollow
June 3rd Minneapolis, MN - Fine Line
June 4th Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall
June 5th Grand Rapids, MI - Pyramid Scheme
June 6th Indianapolis, IN - HiFi
June 9th Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom
June 10th Pittsburgh, PA - Thunderbird
June 11th Philadelphia, PA World Cafe Live
June 12th Annapolis, MD - Rams Head Live
June 13th Jersey City, NJ - White Eagle Hall
June 16th Fairfield, CT - The Warehouse
June 17th New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
June 18th Boston, MA - Sinclair
June 19th Burlington, VT - Higher Ground
June 20th Albany, NY - The Egg
June 23rd Rockport, MA - Shalin Liu
June 24th Portsmouth, NH - Prescott Park June 26th Toronto, ON - Horseshoe Tavern June 27th Toronto, ON - Horseshoe Tavern
Pokey's new album Rock Bottom Rhapsody will be out April 10th on New West Records. Listen to "Fuck Me Up" below.
Here's the scoop... Pokey LaFarge is set to release Rock Bottom Rhapsody on April 10th via New West Records. The 13-song set was produced by Chris Seefried (Fitz and the Tantrums). The album was recorded at Reliable Recorders on Chicago’s Northwest Side during the polar vortex of 2019 and features the guitarist Joel Paterson, keyboardist Scott Ligon, upright/electric bassist Jimmy Sutton, and drummer Alex Hall. Rock Bottom Rhapsody is LaFarge’s first album in over three years and follows 2017’s acclaimed Manic Revelations.
“The man singing these songs isn’t exactly the same man that wrote them,” says LaFarge. “This album is about the story of who I used to be.” In early 2018 he relocated from his longtime home base of St. Louis to Los Angeles. New songs came quickly to LaFarge in his new environment, but new temptations soon found him, as well. He admits that he experienced a significant “fall from grace” during the last months of 2018. “Things started to unravel in my mind. I was letting evil spirits and demons rule me, and I came into certain agreements with them, and it took me down. I was giving too much power to darkness, and I got in too deep, and I made some bad decisions. The reality of the situation is that I hit the closet to rock bottom that I ever had, and I’ve definitely had some hardships in my life.”
While the songs on Rock Bottom Rhapsody were mostly written before LaFarge’s life went into a downward spiral, their lyrics definitely speak of a soul in crisis — even though their author himself wasn’t fully aware of it at the time. “It’s a case of me writing the story and writing the song, and then unfortunately living it,” he reflects. “I was going towards the darkness. Destruction definitely ensued; self-sabotage and self-destruction definitely happened.”
But shortly before the recording of Rock Bottom Rhapsody began, LaFarge experienced a spiritual awakening — and the faith he re-embraced in his hour of darkness helped to buoy him through the making of the album. “I wrote this record before the fall from grace, and then it was recorded after the fall from grace. So you see how that could be kind of odd,” he says. “What I was searching for was peace and humility in the aftermath of carnage, of things I had wrecked, and — seemingly at the time — completely destroyed. I was just trying to survive; I had to fight every time to get up to that microphone and just sing. It was kind of a last stand.”
During the recording of the album, LaFarge took a break to take a “dark, sad, villainous role” in the forthcoming Netflix film The Devil All The Time which was produced by the notable music supervisor Randall Poster and the actor Jake Gyllenhaal. “The irony wasn’t lost on me that, one month after finding God, the first feature film opportunity that comes across my table has that for a title,” he chuckles.
Pokey LaFarge has also announced his initial tour dates in support of Rock Bottom Rhapsody, launching April 24th in Rotterdam and beginning in the U.S. on May 8th in Asheville, NC with a two-night stand in Toronto at The Horseshoe Tavern on June 26 and 27! Check out all of his dates below.
Pokey LaFarge’s Rock Bottom Rhapsody will be available across digital platforms, on compact disc, and standard black vinyl. A limited to 500 Pink coloured vinyl edition will be available at Independent Retail and a limited to 300 Buttercream coloured vinyl edition is available for pre-order now exclusively via New West Records. Now watch Pokey's new video directed by Keene McRae & Brandon Bernath belowd.
Pokey LaFarge On Tour:
April 24th Rotterdam, Netherlands - Maasilo
April 25th Amsterdam, Netherlands - Paradiso
April 26th Berlin, Germany - Roadrunners Paradise
April 29th Paris, France - La Maroquinerie
April 30th Antwerp, Belgium - De Roma
May 1st Lessines, Belgium - Roots & Roses Festival
May 2nd London, UK - Islington Assembly Hall
May 8th Asheville, NC - The Grey Eagle
May 9th Mt. Airy, NC - The Earle
May 10th - Charleston, WV NPR’s Mountain Stage
May 13th - Lexington, KY The Burl
May 15th St. Louis, MO - Off Broadway
May 16th St. Louis, MO - Off Broadway
May 17th Nashville, TN 3rd & Lindsley (Lightning 100)
June 2nd Maquoqueta, IA - Codfish Hollow
June 3rd Minneapolis, MN - Fine Line
June 4th Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall
June 5th Grand Rapids, MI - Pyramid Scheme
June 6th Indianapolis, IN - HiFi
June 9th Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom
June 10th Pittsburgh, PA - Thunderbird
June 11th Philadelphia, PA World Cafe Live
June 12th Annapolis, MD - Rams Head Live
June 13th Jersey City, NJ - White Eagle Hall
June 16th Fairfield, CT - The Warehouse
June 17th New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
June 18th Boston, MA - Sinclair
June 19th Burlington, VT - Higher Ground
June 20th Albany, NY - The Egg
June 23rd Rockport, MA - Shalin Liu
June 24th Portsmouth, NH - Prescott Park June 26th Toronto, ON - Horseshoe Tavern June 27th Toronto, ON - Horseshoe Tavern
Buddy & Julie's new album Breakdown On 20th Ave. South is out June 21st on New West Records.
Here's the scoop...
Their first album together in nearly 10 years, Breakdown On 20th Ave. South is an album of Julie Miller songs produced by Buddy Miller. As a couple and individually, Buddy and Julie have been nominated and received multiple awards including Grammy’s, Americana Awards, Dove Awards among others. Julie Miller’s songs have been recorded by a diverse range of artists including Emmylou Harris, Lee Ann Womack, Levon Helm, Solomon Burke, and Miranda Lambert. Buddy Miller is known for his work as a guitarist, performing live and in the studio with artists such as Robert Plant, Alison Krauss and Emmylou Harris. Buddy’s production credits include albums with Plant, Harris, Patty Griffin, Shawn Colvin and many more.
Breakdown On 20th Ave. South is a first rate showcase for Julie’s finely crafted lyrics. There is a line from the track “Spittin’ on Fire” (listen below) that best illustrates Julie’s sharp edged word play: “You’re a dangerous little storm, one part cold and one part warm.” The song “War Child” is a cry for help that usually goes unheard. A cry for help from thousands and thousands of children stolen from their families, forced to carry a gun at ages as young as 7 or 8. Never to see home again. Tracks like, “I’m Gonna Make You Love Me” and “Everything Is Your Fault” hint at the ups and downs of love. The entire album is tied together by Buddy’s unfussy production style. Breakdown On 20th Ave. South is a treat for long time fans of Buddy & Julie and a delightful discovery for new listeners.
Buddy & Julie Miller – Breakdown On 2Oth Ave. South
Breakdown On 20th Ave. South Feast Of The Dead Everything Is Your Fault Unused Heart I’m Gonna Make You Love Me Till The Stardust Comes Apart Underneath The Sky Spittin’ On Fire Secret War Child Thoughts At 2am Storm Of Kisses
On October 6th, JD McPherson returns with his first new album in three years, Undivided Heart & Soul on New West Records. The 11-song set was produced by McPherson and Dan Molad (Lucius, Tweedy), and was recorded at the Historic RCA Studio B in Nashville, TN. The new album features collaborations with Parker Millsap, Butch Walker, and Aaron Lee Tasjan. In addition to his longtime band members (Doug Corcoran on guitar, Raynier Jacob Jacildo on keys, Jimmy Sutton on bass, and Jason Smay on drums), the album also features guest appearances by Jack Lawrence (Raconteurs, Greenhornes), Jess Wolfe & Holly Laessig of Lucius, and Nicole Atkins. The video for "Lucky Penny" depicts McPherson and his band performing the song at RCA Studio B and was directed by George Salisbury (Flaming Lips, Nathaniel Rateliff) can be seen below. Undivided Heart & Soul will be available digitally, as well as on compact disc and vinyl which you can now pre-order right here.
Prior to writing and recording the new album, McPherson moved his family from their longtime home of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma to the burgeoning artist community of East Nashville, TN. His decision was based on opportunity and one he was reluctant to make, but notes the profound influence the city has had on his new work. “Up to this point, I thought I knew what I was doing with songwriting, that I don’t do this or that,” says McPherson. After collaborating with multiple artists in the scene, he began to experiment, exploring personal themes and injecting more of himself into his work (including a co-write on the album with his wife Mandy). Opening up his process was no easy task. “I was having nightmares every night, thinking, ‘Wow, they’re going to hate this.”
With a group of songs taking shape, McPherson and crew scheduled studio time to begin work on the album. After initial tracking began, it quickly became apparent that the sessions were not going to work, bringing his momentum to a halt. At the invitation of his friend and longtime supporter Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age, who was also recording at the time, McPherson, Homme, and his Queens bandmate Dean Fertita jammed together over a weekend in Los Angeles. They played around with some songs, with Homme pushing McPherson outside of his comfort zone in a no-stakes environment. McPherson calls the getaway “the most fun I’ve had since I was 15 years old” and returned to Nashville with a clear head, internal filters successfully stifled, and ready to move forward with a new co-producer in Dan Molad (also the drummer for the band Lucius). “There’s a pretty broad gap in our tastes, what we do and what we’re into,” McPherson says of Molad. Where McPherson is as likely to lean on The Cramps as he is Irma Thomas for inspiration, Molad’s left-field production suggestions influenced a new perspective on his sound. “We ended up learning a lot from each other, and he did a lot of stuff I’d have never thought to do.”
JD McPherson has also just announced his initial North American tour dates in support of Undivided Heart & Soul, launching in Wichita, Kansas and continuing throughout the fall with a Toronto show at Lee's Palace on November 10th. Check the complete list of dates after the "Lucky Penny" clip.
JD McPHERSON ON TOUR:
AUG 8 • Barleycorn's • WICHITA, KS
AUG 11 • Okoboji Blue Water Festival • ARNOLDS PARK, IA
AUG 19 • Wildwood Revival • ATHENS, GA
AUG 25 • Wolf Trap • VIENNA, VA
AUG 31 • The Back Room at Colectivo Coffee • MILWAUKEE, WI
SEP 1 & 2 • Minnesota State Fair • ST. PAUL, MN
SEP 3 • The Villages at Copper Mountain • COPPER MOUNTAIN, CO
SEP 7 • Central Park Sessions • MADISON, WI
SEP 8 • Bell's Eccentric Cafe • KALAMAZOO, MI
SEP 22 • Medicine Stone • TAHLEQUAH, OK
SEP 23 • John T. Floore Country Store • HELOTES, TX
SEP 28 • Knuckleheads • KANSAS CITY, MO
SEP 30 • Gothic Theatre • ENGLEWOOD, CO
OCT 1 • Mesa Theater • GRAND JUNCTION, CO
OCT 2 • The State Room • SALT LAKE CITY, UT
OCT 4 • Neumos • SEATTLE, WA*
OCT 5 • Crystal Ballroom • PORTLAND, OR*
OCT 7 • The Mountain Winery • SARATOGA, CA
OCT 8 • The Independent • SAN FRANCISCO, CA*
OCT 11 • Belly Up • SOLANA BEACH, CA*
OCT 12 • Pappy & Harriet's • PIONEERTOWN, CA*
OCT 13 • The Observatory • SANTA ANA, CA*
OCT 14 • The Regent • LOS ANGELES, CA*
OCT 15 • Crescent Ballroom • PHOENIX, AZ*
OCT 18 • The Kessler • DALLAS, TX*
OCT 19 • Scoot Inn • AUSTIN, TX*
OCT 20 • Gruene Hall • NEW BRAUNFELS, TX*
OCT 21 • Continental Club • HOUSTON, TX*
OCT 22 • One Eyed Jacks • NEW ORLEANS, LA
NOV 2 • The Grey Eagle • ASHEVILLE, NC
NOV 3 • Cat's Cradle • CARRBORO, NC
NOV 5 • World Cafe Live • PHILADELPHIA, PA
NOV 7 • Music Hall of Williamsburg • BROOKLYN, NY
NOV 8 • The Hangar • TROY, NY
NOV 9 • The Haunt • ITHACA, NY NOV 10 • Lee's Palace • TORONTO, ONTARIO
NOV 11 • Tralf Music Hall • BUFFALO, NY
NOV 14 • Magic Bag • DETROIT, MI
NOV 15 • Skully's • COLUMBUS, OH
NOV 16 • Thalia Hall • CHICAGO, IL
NOV 17 • Headliner's Music Hall • LOUISVILLE, KY
NOV 18 • The Basement East • NASHVILLE, TN
*with Nikki Lane
