Marty Cooper

American Portraits

Howlin’ Dog, 2025

8/10

Listen to American Portraits

The revered storyteller, Marty Cooper, shares with us a glimpse of his many talents via these 22 songs that might be familiar, but that you’ve never heard quite like this.

The vulnerable singing and warm acoustic guitar of “Stephen” opens with plenty of intimacy, and it isn’t long until the southern spirit of “The Mississippi Blind Boy” recruits subtle drums that suit the cozy guitar and bright storytelling.

Further along, the more rugged “A Little Bit Country, A Little Bit Rock’ n Roll” welcomes Wendy Newcomer’s expressive pipes to the dance floor rocker, while the emotive delivery of “Cowboys And Daddies” enlists keys, pedal steel and bass for a lush first half highlight.

The 2nd half of the listen treats us to the nearly gospel climate of the harmonic “Think Of The Children As Roses”, which showcases Robin James’ pretty voice, and “I Wrote A Song” exits with a timeless folk appeal that’s heartfelt and builds into a fuller version of Cooper’s distinct Americana.

The son of the singer Dr. Henry Cooper, Cooper has seen his work covered by legends like Stevie Wonder, Jimmie Rodgers and The Kingston Trio, to name a few. It’s easy to see why his work is so revered; his relatable and timeless storytelling immediately strikes a chord.

Travels well with: From The Dirt- Broken Edge Of Memory; Fox And Bones- Long Time Honey

Blue Heron/DÜNYA

Lessons From Nightingales: Songs Of Sufi Mysteries

Blue Heron, 2025

9/10

Listen to Lessons From Nightingales: Songs Of Sufi Mysteries

A very involved collaboration between Boston choir Blue Heron and the Grammy-nominated composer/multi-instrumentalist Mehmet Ali Sanlikol, these world premiere recordings take inspiration from the two principal Turkish traditions of Sufi mysticism.

The first half of the listen belongs to the 5 chapters of “The Triumph”, where harmonizing vocals and dense drumming are met with Beth Bahia Cohen’s strategic yaylı tanbur, Mehmet Ali Sanlıkol’s animated ney and worldly percussion thanks to George Lernis and Tareq Rantisi that adds much to the rich textures.

“Devran” occupies the rest of the listen, and blends the sopranos, mezzo-sopranos, tenors and bass vocals into a a cappella masterpiece with strong attention to tonality and color.

A truly captivating effort that recruits jazz ideas and polyphony dynamics, all the players and vocalists in attendance help create a world music and choral masterpiece.

Travels well with: David Handler- Life Like Violence; John Luther Adams- An Atlas Of Deep Time

Emily Duncan/Randall Woolf

Woolf At The Door

Neuma, 2025

9/10

Listen to Woolf At The Door

The flutist Emily Duncan and composer Randall Woolf are joined by an excellent cast for these 3 involved pieces that emit much creativity in a modern-classical sort of way.

“Everything Is Green” leads with David Foster Wallace’s text alongside Kathleen Supové’s well timed keys, Rinde Eckert’s narration and Duncan’s animated flute that even recruits Sara Wendt’s vocal samples.

The middle track belongs to “Scott Somebody”, where the emotive wind and fixed media pay tribute to the memory of Scott Johnson with warmth and a heartfelt mood that’s also adventurous.

“Native Tongues” exits, and enlists plenty of strings for an orchestral meets hip-hop excursion that pairs beatboxing with the flute via a highly inventive vision.

Duncan and Woolf have incredible resumes, and their theatrical performance and ability to balance the delicate nature of the flute with plenty of other textures is both intriguing and memorable.

Travels well with: Shannon Wettstein- Con Grazia- A Century Of Italian Piano Music; Jeannine Wagar- Into The Night

Phillip Schroeder

Radiance Within

Neuma, 2025

9/10

Listen to Radiance Within

The pianist and composer Phillip Schroeder is joined by Margaret Jones and Alan Zimmerman for these 7 original and meditative tunes.

The title track opens with Jones’ atmospheric violin and Schroeder’s elegant keys making for much care and strong attention to mood, and “An Awakening” follows with preparations complementing the piano via a very artistic and mysterious landscape.

“Avian Fields” and “Being In Wonder” land in the middle. The former is a solo violin moment of meticulous energy, and the latter is just the piano that can rumble and also emit eloquence thanks to the precise keys.

Near the end, “Stillness At Night” allows for the emotive keys to cultivate a stirring and thoughtful bout of bare beauty, and “Shed The Pedestrian” exits with a fuller interaction, where the 5 string electric violin, piano, and Zimmerman’s gongs radiate a cinematic appeal.

A body of work that instills solace in a turbulent world, Schroeder and company flesh out plenty of introspection, grace and emotional depth that’s gripping from beginning to end.

Travels well with: Alex Lubet- Amy Levy: Songs Of Love And Loss; Peter Van Zandt Lane- Axils

Alex Lubet/Victoria Vargas

Amy Levy: Songs Of Love And Loss

Neuma, 2025

9/10

Listen to Amy Levy: Songs Of Love And Loss

The composer and mountain dulcimer player Alex Lubet and mezzo-soprano vocalist Victoria Vargas come together for this first major musical project of Anglo-Jewish writer Amy Levy’s poetry.

“Prelude” starts the listen with the attentive dulcimer displaying both beauty and mystery, and “At A Dinner Party” follows with Vargas’ powerful and expressive pipes helping illuminate the poetic landscape.

Moving into the middle, “A Cross-Road Epitaph” pairs the distinct vocals with warm strings, while “To Vernon Lee” offers a mesmerizing backdrop amid Vargas’ booming pipes that illuminate the sophistication.

Arriving late in the listen, “Magdalen” allows for both firm and soft gestures to resonate across the album’s best selection, and “A Farewell” exits with harmonic and brighter ideas from the pair’s inimitable performances.

A very creative body of work that incorporates folk, classical, blues and experimental nods, there’s melancholy, rawness and vulnerability to be appreciated from beginning to end.

Travels well with: Adrianne Munden-Dixon- Vision Mantra; Peter Van Zandt Lane- Axils

Various Artists

á La Carte Records: Sampler Twenty Twenty Four

á La Carte, 2024

9/10

Listen to á La Carte Records: Sampler Twenty Twenty Four

The DC and LA music collective, á La Carte Records, gives us a great way to acquaint ourselves with their stacked roster of diverse and exciting underground outfits.

Holy Wire’s “Lost” opens with a mesmerizing and electronic fueled burst of playful pop ideas, and it isn’t long until Docile Bodies brings the dreamy waves of “Yellow Flowers Bloom”, where post-punk nods won’t be hard to spot.

Further along, Tragic Figures toss in the fuzzy dream-pop ideas of “Brood” that comes with dark vocals, while Welcome Strawberry’s “Stargel” swirls with mystery, cryptic layering and strong attention to ambience.

Residing close to the end, “Last Chance For Romance”, by Don’t Get Lemon, recruits plenty of dizzying synth amid the smooth vocals, and Kai Tak exits with “Midnight Pretender”, where Chelsey Boys’ contributions on vocals help emit a club friendly demeanor via the bright energy.

An excellent way to test the waters of the label’s New Wave, darkwave, synth-pop and shoegaze friendly artists, there’s something for everyone here. Or, if you’re like me, every track is worth exploring repeatedly.

Travels well with: Permafrost- The Light Coming Through; Low-Res- Därför

Aaron Larget-Caplan

Guitar America 250

Navona, 2026

9/10

Listen to Guitar America 250

The always impressive guitarist, Aaron Larget-Caplan, celebrates 250 years of America with these primarily solo pieces that span traditionals as well as covers by artists as diverse as Paul Simon and Eddie Van Halen.

“‘America’ From West Side Story” opens with Larget-Caplan’s playful and intricate guitar that draws us in immediately, and it isn’t long until “America, The Beautiful” radiates much emotion and warmth.

Further along, Irina Muresanu’s stirring violin complements the sophisticated guitar across the intimate “Adoration", while “Midnight Train” is strong on mood thanks to the meticulous guitar and bare moments.

Deeper still, “Mystic Flute, Op. 22”, the album’s best, showcases Larget-Caplan’s expressive and distinct playing, and on the last track, “Bill Of Rights, Amended”, he handles spoken word that’s a good reminder of what our actual rights are and will hopefully always be.

An effort that explores the ideals, contradictions, reinventions and dreams of the nation, other spoken word pieces by Charles Coe, Jeffrey Lependorf and Trevor Neal provide further insight into the artistry of this eloquent commemoration.

Travels well with: Aaron Larget-Caplan- Spanish Gems; Aaron Larget-Caplan- Spanish Candy

Royal Teeth

Hard Luck

Round Hill, 2019

8/10

Listen to Hard Luck

Royal Teeth made quite a dent in the indie-pop scene when their debut album landed in 2013, and now 6 years later this follow up LP shows us a more muscular, mature and energetic vision of their pop prowess.

“Never Gonna Quit” starts the listen with bright, melodic sounds where the music is as animated as the vocals, and “Show You What I Can Do” follows with buzzing electro-pop where Tunde Olaniran offers his inimitable pipes on a hip-hop influenced track.

Elsewhere, “It’s Just The Start” recruits a soulful start with processed vocals on a club friendly anthem, while “The Best” will certainly get your body moving with its frisky pace and strong, unrelenting beat.

Near the end, “Unbreakable” quivers with a playful feeling as busy and loud instrumentation infiltrates the album highlight, and “Arrival” ends the listen as robust as it started, where melodic vocals from both genders collide on radiant pop fun.

The last few years have had their ups and downs for Royal Teeth, but here the band sound invigorated, focused and prepared for the best work of their careers. If you weren’t previously a fan of this New Orleans outfit, you will be after a few spins of Hard Luck.

Travels well with: Fitz & The Tantrums- Fits & The Tantrums;The Dig-Moonlight Baby/Afternoon With Caroline