Tom Chapin

Songs Of Hope

Self-Released, 2026

9/10

Listen to Songs Of Hope

The veteran folk singer-songwriter Tom Chapin treats us to 14 personal tunes that emit hope and positivity during the difficult times we live in.

“Hymns” opens with Chapin’s warm voice and upbeat guitar that kind of lets us know what we’re getting into, and “Follow The Light” continues with John McCutheon and Michael Mark’s contributions adding much beauty and warmth.

Deeper into the listen, The Chapin Sisters are present for the flowing vocal harmonies of the lush “Quite Early Morning”, while “Woody Guthrie’s Dream” offers an upbeat moment that’s still ultimately a protest song thanks to the insightful wordplay.

Nearing the end, “Jubilation” recruits Scott Ainslie and Mark for a Harry Chapin cover that enlists 3 part harmonies and much folk fun, and “We Will Not Stop” exits with The Chapin Sisters present for the sing-alongs that are powerful and relative.

An artist who plays music akin to Pete Seeger’s vision, Chapin’s foundation is folk, but there’s also roots and bluegrass ideas present, too, where the help from his daughters (The Chapin Sisters) and plenty of friends shows us just way he’s racked up 3 Grammy wins and 29 well received albums.

Travels well with: Tom Paxton and John McCutcheon- Together Again; John McCutcheon- Field Of Stars

Michael Stephen Brown

Twelve Blocks

First Hand, 2026

9/10

Listen to Twelve Blocks

This first album from Michael Stephen Brown as composer brings us tributes and character portraits that point at lost loves, lifelong mentors, atypical performers and couples we might know.

“Four Lakes For Children” starts with Brown’s rich and emotive keys populating the 4 chapters, and “Pas De Trois” follows with Paul Neubauer’s stirring viola and Anne-Marie McDermott’s complicated keys illuminating Susanna Phillips’ striking voice.

Further along, “Relationship” recruits Osmo Vänskä’s adventurous clarinet and Erin Keefe’s gripping violin for the animated climate, while the title track enlists Jereome Lowenthal and Ursual Oppen’s firm, sometimes haunting keys and narration that radiates mystery, ambience and unpredictability.

The final 2 tracks are Brown solo. “Breakup Etude for the Right Hand Alone” rumbles in a lower register and offers dizzying playing, and “Pour Angeline” finishes with a dreamy and introspective atmosphere via the love letter to Brown’s fiancee.

A diverse, technical and often intimate body of work, Brown’s careful chamber vision makes an immediate impression across very thoughtful subject matter.

Travels well with: Miró Quartet- Hearth; New York Polyphony- Sky Of My Heart

Dwight + Nicole

Day Or Night

Westwalk, 2026

9/10

Listen to Day Or Night

The Vermont duo, Dwight + Nicole, bring their blues, soul and R&B roots to these 12 new songs that touch on dream-pop and alt-rock that steers their sound into an exciting new direction.

The soft mood of “One Morning” opens with Nicole’s soulful voice alongside Dwight’s warm guitar and Ezra Oklan’s reserved drums and “Beautiful” follows with haze via Jon Solo’s cozy keys and Nicole’s playful bass that suits Dwight’s smooth pipes.

Landing in the middle, “In The Middle” places Leon Campos on keys and Tony Maimone’s on bass, which complements the duo’s vocal harmonies and fuller rock template, while “Wasting All My Time” benefits from Sean Walsh’s acoustic guitar and Dwight’s keys in a playful and melodic climate.

Inching to the end, “Straight Back To You” resides in dreamy territory thanks to the heartfelt music and poetic singing, and “Do The Best I Can” exits in piano balladry, where the pair both sing in a heartfelt demeanor that builds into an ebullient finish.

Nicole’s 4 octave range and the 2 well thought out covers only enhance the allure, as Dwight + Nicole pen a diverse outing where each track brings different ideas and plenty of timelessness.

Travels well with: Dwight + Nicole- The Jaguar, The Raven, & The Snake; Tobacco & Rose- Tobacco & Rose

Michael G. Ronstadt

Ronstadt Plays Sowash

Kickshaw, 2025

9/10

Listen to Ronstadt Plays Sowash

The cellist and multi-instrumentalist Michael G. Ronstadt interprets the work of Rick Sowash, where solo, duo and trio settings unfold with strong attention to harmony and tonality.

“The Neverending Melody” starts with the keys and piano interacting with much care and beauty, and “A Winter Night” follows with dueling cellos that play off each other in a mesmerizing and meticulous fashion that can also be firm.

In the middle, “A Joyful Fugue” pairs Nora Barton’s cello with Ronstadt via the dense and intricate songwriting, while “Blues” offers a solo setting that’s emotive, sparse and manipulates space well.

Residing near the end, “Prayer For Ukraine” recruits Jennifer Higgins Wagner’s cello alongside Ronstadt’s amid the sublime intimacy and “Piano Trio No. 6 "Brickdust & Buttermilk"“ exits upbeat and lush thanks to Annette Misener’s violin and Phillip Roberts’ piano that complement Ronstadt’s precise cello with a swirling energy.

Just about all the selections are world premieres, where Ronstadt explores many avenues with his instrument, and the excellent guests help illuminate the classical, folk, jazz, Americana, and New Age nods.

Travels well with: Rick Sowash- Voyageurs; Aaron Nathans and Michael G. Ronstadt- Hello World

Ye Vagabonds

All Tied Together

River Lea, 2026

9/10

Listen to All Tied Together

The Irish brothers Brían and Diarmuid Mac Gloinn, i.e. Ye Vagabonds, place much harmony into these humble folk songs that were tracked live.

The soft balladry of “On Sitric Road” opens with gentle guitar and stirring synth amid the heartfelt singing, and “The Flood” follows with animated fiddle and pretty vocal harmonizing across the textured haze.

In the middle, “I’ll Keep Singing” offers a mature waltz that enlists cozy harmonium, while “Gravity” is an intimate moment that examines love with a distinct intensity that welcomes soft cello.

Moving closer to the end, “Four Walls” uses meticulous guitar and gorgeous singing that’s heartfelt, and “Long Grass” exits with the guitars, percussion, bouzouki and rich voices emitting much lushness.

A thoughtful body of work, the songs embrace memory, tribute and gratitude, where plenty of sincerity and global appeal leaves us enamored with each authentic track.

Travels well with: Amy Speace- The Blue Rock Session; Chris Rusin- Songs From A Secret Room

Aristo Sham

Timeline

Universal, 2026

10/10

Listen to Timeline

The Hong Kong pianist, Aristo Sham, fleshes out pieces from his recent world tour, where his inimitable playing shows us just why he’s picked up so many awards and won so many competitions already.

Bach’s “Toccata in C Minor, BWV 911” starts with the lively keys that emit much warmth and radiate tremendous fluidity across busy and soft gestures, and “Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, BWV 645”, also by Bach, follows with strong attention to melody via the meticulous progressions.

Landing in the middle, “6 Chorale Preludes” illustrates Sham’s attention to color and tonality across the Brahmns pieces, while Bosuni’s “10 Variations on a Prelude by Chopin, BV 213a” enlists firm keys, bare moments, dizzying bouts and profound detail to his craft.

Grieg’s “Holberg Suite, Op. 40” exits, and presents quick and dynamic fingers that illuminate the setting with wonder, awe and incredible skills.

An intelligent, emotional and rich performance, in the area of solo piano in a classical setting, you’d be hard pressed to find anyone as luminous as Sham.

Travels well with: Víkingur Ólafsson- Opus109; The Kanneh-Masons- River Of Music

Max Richter

Hamnet: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Decca, 2026

9/10

Listen to Hamnet: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

The esteemed composer Max Richter soundtracks Chloé Zhao’s film, Hamnet, where the powerful story of love and loss is met with profound beauty from the orchestral sounds plus some creative electronic moments.

“Of Agnes” starts with a chilling ambience, as powerful, wordless vocals enter the elegance which floats lightly, and “Of Orpheus” follows with the gentle strings complementing the minimal and soothing climate.

Deeper into the tracks, “An Abysm Of Time” glides with an ambience somewhere between haunting and soothing, while “Of The Sky” drones with intrigue and stunning vocals that radiate tremendous beauty without any actual words.

Further still, “Of A Ghost” textures the strings and synth via much emotion that eventually recruits thundering drums, and “Of The Undiscovered Country” exits with a rich, dreamy and introspective appeal.

An ethereal score that enlists piano, harp, choral vocals, string orchestra, bass lines and hurdy-gurdy to name a few, Richter blends the layers in a way where it all meshes into a listen that’s as moving as the movie itself.

Travels well with: Eric Lu- Chopin; David S. Lefkowitz- Preludes And Fugues For Piano

Motu

Idiot At The Wheel

Self-Released, 2026

9/10

Listen to Idiot At The Wheel

The Long Island artist, MOTU, is now 25 albums deep, and his fusion formula is still very much intact across these 10 adventurous songs that welcome some new players.

“Just Another Day In America” opens with Ed Modzel’s thumping drums and MOTU’ sturdy guitar licks and deep voice across the bluesy climate, and “The Fading Melody Of A Song” follows with Dee Michelson’s cozy harmony vocals amid the warm and heartfelt delivery.

Halfway through, “Excuses Are Thin” is a bit more gritty and embraces classic rock nods, while “Pushing Darkness To The West” benefits much from Rich Fry’s guitar in an eloquent and intimate landscape.

“Original Sin (Garage Band Version)” arrives late and offers a scrappy moment thanks to Susan Karejwa’s colorful bass and the raw sing-alongs, and “Last Man Standing” exits with MOTU’s dizzying guitar acrobatics and animated bass plucking via the charming, instrumental and memorable prog finish.

A diverse outing that embraces blues, rock, Americana and jazz, MOTU never falls into a single category and thankfully that’s not likely to ever change.

Travels well with: MOTU- Awareness Or Illusion; MOTU- The Water Is High

Darren Litzie

On My Own Time

Summit, 2026

9/10

Listen to On My Own Time

The pianist and composer Darren Litzie returns with a sophomore album, where mostly originals take help from Chris DeAngelis and John Riley for a very diverse effort.

“On My Own Time” starts the listen with Litzie’s warm keys before Riley’s frisky drums enter the stylish climate, and “Moonlight In Vermont” follows with the flowing piano and crisp drums alongside DeAngelis’ ambient bass.

Entering the middle, “If Only I Could Forget” offers an upbeat and melodic display of timeless jazz ideas, while “Busy Work” enlists meticulous bass plucking, quick keys and scrappy drumming for the album’s best.

Inching towards the end, “In Walked Bud”, by Thelonious Monk, showcases the dynamic interaction between the trio with both adventurousness and restraint, and “Time Of The Season” exits with mature keys, chilling drums and moody bass that cultivates beauty and mystery.

A timeless effort that swings playfully, touches on straight ahead ideas and is never short on melody, Litzie and his companions make modern sounds that also embrace tradition respectfully.

Travels well with: Dave Wilson Quartet- When Even Goes East; Dave Slonaker Big Band- Shifty Paradigms

The Grand Undoing

Songs For The Sleeping

Secret Candy Rock, 2026

9/10

Listen to Songs For The Sleeping

This 5th album from the Boston outfit spearheaded by Seth Goodman has the many players of The Grand Undoing displaying their multi-faceted version of rock where each track takes on a new identity.

Dave Westner’s thumping drums open the listen with “Sing A New Morning”, where Goodman’s distinct voice guides the hint of psychedelia, and “I’m Being Called” follows with playful hand clapping and scrappy drums that suit the soulful and harmonic textures.

At the halfway point, “The Knowing” emits spirited guitar and lush dynamics, while Andy Plaistead’s drums are present amid the buzzing keys of the power-pop fueled “Black Rivers”.

Residing near the end, “Savior” makes great use of backing vocals via the retro ideas and powerful songwriting, and “Now I’m Going Home” exits with Peter Bloom’s well timed flute that complements the heartfelt and reflective finish.

An unclassifiable listen that embraces power-pop, psychedelia, prog and punk, Goodman and crew are forging a path entirely their own and it makes for a really fun listen for anyone who enjoys any version of rock.

Travels well with: The Grand Undoing- In A Vigil State; Randy Armstrong- Echoes Of Tomorrow

Tom Salvatori

Lullaby For Jude

Self-Released, 2025

9/10

Listen to Lullaby For Jude

The inimitable guitarist, Tom Salvatori, offers us 2 originals and 2 interpretations with this quick EP, where his strong attention to detail and superb playing is always impressive.

The soft and poetic mood of the title track opens with much warmth, as Salvatori dedicates the selection to an infant lost in childbirth in his family, and “With This Love”, by Peter Gabriel, follows and emits much beauty and sophistication via this stripped back version.

On the back half, Salvatori’s “I Wait And I Wonder” offers an emotive and introspective moment of meticulous guitar playing, while “Suite #1 From Peer Gynt 2nd Mvmt” maintains the somber, haunting quality of the 1879 piece by Edvard Grieg with sublime attention to mood.

An engaging EP, Salvatori once again showcases a complete mastery of his instrument, where his eloquent, mature and intricate vision is timeless.

Travels well with: Tom Salvatori- La Bella Vita; Tom Salvatori- The Nylon String Guitar In Ensemble

Dedicated Men Of Zion

Coming Up Through The Years

Music Maker, 2026

9/10

Listen to Coming Up Through The Years

Anthony ‘Amp’ Daniels, Antwan Daniels, Marcus Suggs and Tyjon Harris, i.e. Dedicated Men Of Zion, bring their inimitable vocals to these 10 harmonic and gospel tinted songs that make up their ‘sacred soul’ formula.

“Coming Up Through The Years” opens with Scott ‘Paco’ Goolsey’s funky guitar that suits the soaring and expressive voices of the rhythmic climate, and “I Don’t Know Why” follows with a playful energy that enlists frisky drums and John Kveen’s bouncy bass which aligns with heartfelt vocals.

At the halfway point, “No Ways Tired” is a soft moment of sublime beauty via warm guitars and powerful group vocals, while “Victory” carries some ruggedness amid the animated rhythm section and spiritual singing.

Getting near the end, “Tone Them Bells” thumps and buzzes with a stylish mood, call and response singing and Jimbo Mathus’ well timed keys, and “No Way Tired (A Capella)” exits with just the quartet’s inestimable pipes illuminating the timeless finish.

The members are all part of the same extended family, and this 3rd album touches on balladry, blues, doo-wop and, of course, their signature soul, and it just might be their best yet.

Travels well with: The Crimestoppers- On The Case; Leonard ‘Lowdown’ Brown- Street Party

Emily Scott Robinson

Appalachia

Oh Boy, 2026

9/10

Listen to Appalachia

This 5th album from the singer-songwriter Emily Scott Robinson pulls from Appalachian ideas, where plenty of friends are along for the authentic listen.

“Hymn For The Unholy” starts with Duncan Wickel’s elegant cello that complements Robinson’s gorgeous voice in a gentle climate, and “Appalachia” follows with a mountain-esque appeal thanks to Wickel’s bright fiddle and Robinson’s warm guitar playing and distinct voice.

Arriving in the middle, “Time Traveler” lands in balladry thanks to Lizzy Ross’ warm voice and Josh Kaufman’s cozy dulcimer, while “Dirtbag Saloon” isn’t short on harmonies and bright storytelling via Otto Hauser’s playful drums and Annie Nero’s meticulous upright bass.

Later on, “The Water Is Wide” makes great use of intimate piano that complements the emotional English folk song, and “The Fairest View” exits with Ross’ pipes alongside the soft guitar, well timed organ and soaring harmonies that enlists Harmonica Jerry, too.

An extremely well thought out record that thematically surrounds love, grief, resilience and hope, Robinson has a voice that will stir the soul, and the excellent help blends bluegrass, country, folk and Americana into a timeless formula.

Travels well with: The Lowest Pair- Horse Camp; Andrea Von Kampen- Sister Moon

Charlie Roth

I’m The Smile

Self-Released, 2019

8/10

Listen to I’m The Smile

An appropriately titled 8th album, Minnesota troubadour Charlie Roth can’t help but smile when involved in his craft, which had him traveling to Texas to flesh out this warm and expressive folk-rock album with his friends John Inmon, Ray Bonneville, Bill Kirchen and Lloyd Maines, among others.

The title tracks lead the listen with Roth’s warm, comforting vocals as organs help punctuate the mood, and “Good Times” follows a similar path with Bonneville’s spirited harmonica.

Elsewhere, “Serenity” is a warm and playful folk tune with Roth’s soothing, wise pipes, while “Gloves” benefits greatly from Maines’ dobro on the genuine tune about Roth’s father where he alternates between singing and talking.

Some of the best tracks reside on the back half where “Where You’ll Be” recruits a cello and vocal harmonies for a haunting twist on his sparse folk sound, and “Pretty Little Lights Of Town” brings in a pair of telecasters on a snappy, honky tonk rocker you won’t help but want to dance to. Near the end, Roth makes Effron White’s “Yankee Dime” his own with a pensive and sincere execution, and “I’m The Smile (Reprise)” ends the fun with a stripped back version of the opener, where keys and strings are in attendance.

An extremely accomplished collection of originals and covers, Roth and company pen authentic, timeless, rural sounds here, that any fan of blues, folk, country and Americana will adore.

Travels well with: Bob Dylan- The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan; John Prine- The Missing Years