Time Sawyer

Dig A Little Deeper

Self-Released, 2023

9/10

Listen to Dig A Little Deeper

The folk-rock outfit Time Sawyer return with a 7th album, where they explore the pursuit of true connections and authenticity in modern society, and their lush, North Carolina bred alt-country sounds better than ever.

“Little Black Cat”, a song about superstition, opens the listen with Sam Tayloe’s dense guitar and deep voice guiding the rich, rootsy flavor, and “Shame” follows with Court Wynter’s strategic upright bass amid the gentle melodies and soothing vocal harmonies.

In the middle, the intimate “It’s What It Is” allows Jordan Nelson’s fluid drumming to illuminate the cautious yet anthemic climate, while “Goodbye Forever, I Guess” examines dating in today’s world, and enters ballad territory with strong attention to detail.

The last track, and perhaps the best, is the thicker, rural rocker “210 (It’s Over)”, where Damon Atkins’ spirited electric guitar and banjo player Houston Norris help cultivate a powerful, timeless formula of murder ballad and jazz nods.

There’s certainly no lack of bands playing this sort of indie-rock/Americana hybrid, and Time Sawyer are among the best, as evidenced by this well thought out and substantial body of work.

Travels well with: Aaron Burdett- Dream Rich, Dirt Poor; 49 Winchester- III

Carl Weingarten

The Simian River Collection 1980-2020

Multichase, 2023

9/10

Listen to The Simian River Collection 1980-2020

A collection of 41 tracks across 3 discs that spans 4 decades, the guitarist, photographer and record label owner Carl Weingarten’s instrumental and atmospheric song craft is as alluring as ever across The Simian River Collection.

“Laughing At Paradise” opens the listen with Weingarten’s precise and warm guitar playing that’s as mesmerizing as it is pretty, and later on the frisky synth patterns of “Somber Grease” make for a very exciting and memorable highlight.

The middle disc offers the dreamy warmth of the cautious yet exploratory “Local Journeys”, which uses bass strategically and welcomes some prog-rock nods, while “Holographic Blues” showcases Weingarten’s distinct guitar playing alongside soft drumming that’s very agile.

The final disc is home to hypnotic, lush tracks like the nature-esque “Sing Like Water” and the meticulous mood and cinematic qualities of “The Simian River”. “Ember Days” exits the listen, and it’s full of cascading beauty, soothing wordless vocals and, of course, Weingarten’s mature guitar playing.

Whether you’re a long time fan or a newbie to Weingarten’s work, there’s just so much to enjoy here via the lifting melodies and ambient texturing.

Travels well with: The Royal Arctic Institute- Sodium Light; Carl Weingarten- Stop Me Try

Victoria Hallman

From Birmingham To Bakersfield

Omnivore, 2023

8/10

Listen to From Birmingham To Bakersfield

A former cast member of Hee Haw and whose career goes back to age 4, the legendary Buck Owens took Victoria Hallman under his wing, and helped her flesh out a debut album in 1981 that was lost until a record collector found it decades later, and now it’s finally available.

“You’re My Favorite Song” begins the listen with Hallman’s pretty voice alongside the soaring and warm climate that recruits some classical nods, and the playful and soulful “Bottle Up My Tears” is quite lively and will certainly get your body moving to the animated melodies.

Elsewhere, “Please Please Me” brings hints of twang to the crisp and rootsy rocker, while “Rainy Day Games” finds a more intimate place to reside, where a cozy dreaminess surrounds Hallman’s very expressive voice.

Further still, “Sexy Movies” showcases bright brass and firm guitar strumming for the album’s best, and of the bonus material, the stirring piano of the powerful and emotive “Close Enough For Me” illustrates Hallman’s remarkable singing and timeless demeanor.

A long overdue package that contains photos, ephemera, and liner notes from Randy Poe, who produced the release, it also features new interviews with Hallman about her career and the discovery of this lost piece of Country Music history still sounds great after all these years.

Travels well with: Buck Owens And The Buckaroos- Bakersfield Gold; Buck Owens And The Buckaroos- In The Palm Of Your Hand

Jakub Polaczyk

Union Square

Albany, 2023

8/10

Listen to Union Square

The Polish composer and pianist Jakub Polaczyk now calls New York City home, and his work has gained him plenty of awards and has been performed around the world. Here, he finds plenty of chamber sounds to be absorbed, where each track welcomes different players.

“Combinations On Olympus” begins the listen with Pawel Cieslak’s animated trombone that finds both calm and adventurous tones, and “Ginko-Ya "Pendula" follows with the Argus String Quartet making for an intimate, cinematic climate of mystery and warmth.

Further on, “Three Earth Poems” recruits Kofi Hayford’s bass and Polaczyk’s keys for the expressive musicianship and firm baritone pipes, while “Mazurka-Fantasy” showcases Polaczyk’s very meticulous and dreamy piano playing that pays close attention to mood.

The last two tracks are among the best, where “Union Square At Dusk” emits cultured and unique percussion from the Blow Up Percussion Rome, and “Yoolcoo-Yoolcu-Yoolcou” exits with flute and harp from the aFraH and telF Duo for a highly articulate and pensive finish.

Polaczyk compares his music to playing chess, and his vision is certainly well planned out, strategic and thought provoking, where each track brings new surprises.

Travels well with: Carolina Trombone Project- Mountain Ascent; Larry Bell- Thoughts And Prayers

Romeo Void

Live From Mabuhay Gardens: November 14, 1980

Liberation Hall, 2023

10/10

Listen to Live From Mabuhay Gardens: November 14, 1980

Romeo Void put out 3 very well received albums in the early ‘80s, where their New Wave meets post-punk ways even made its way onto the charts. The band reunited briefly a couple times over the years, but this recording was captured when they were laying down their debut album.

“Guards” opens the set with Jay Derrah’s thumping drums and front woman Debora Iyall’s distinct vocals guiding the energetic and melodic post-punk that welcomes Benjamin Bossi’s jazzy sax, and “Nothing For Me” follows with Peter Woods’ animated guitar and Frank Zincavage’s throbbing bass swirling for the darker climate.

Further into the evening, “Charred Remains” gets a bit jangly, where the brighter musicianship suits Iyall’s expressive singing, while “Love Is An Illness” showcases her powerful pipes and the band’s strong attention to mood amid the mesmerizing delivery.

Approaching the end, “Talk Dirty To Me” offers a playful and rhythmic moment of proto-punk ideas, and the swift “Double Shot Of My Baby’s Love” finishes with an infectious New Wave rocker that is so well done, it alone should have made the band a household name.

An outfit who possessed all the greatness of legends like Joy Division and Siouxsie Sioux, it’s unclear to me why Romeo Void’s name doesn’t carry the same clout cause this is some excellent music from a dramatic, artistic and articulate vision that still sounds so great and raw all these years later.

Travels well with: APB- Something To Believe In; The Mutants- Curse Of The Easily Amused

Melissa Pipe Sextet

Of What Remains

Self-Released, 2023

9/10

Listen to Of What Remains

The saxophonist and bassoonist Melissa Pipe makes quite an impression on this first album as leader, where the Montreal musician surrounds themes of time, form and being, and she’s got an all star cast along for the 9 tracks.

“Complainte du vent” begins the listen with Pipe’s expressive sax alongside Solon McDade’s careful bass playing in the quick leadoff, and “La part des anges” follows with Geoff Lapp’s dreamy piano and Mili Hong’s subtle drumming in the very atmospheric climate that uses brass strategically.

In the middle, “Ici, ainsi” places Michael Sundell on contrabassoon for the rhythmic and melodic highlight that employs Lex French’s trumpet superbly, while “Apothecium” benefits much from the meticulous rhythm section amid playful brass for the energetic landscape.

“Day” and “Puudutus” exit the listen, where the former is quite intimate and graceful via the mature keys and Philippe Côté’s well timed clarinet, and the latter spotlights Pipe’s emotive baritone sax in a more bare execution.

Pipe is well versed in jazz, hip-hop, indie and classical ideas, and bits and pieces of those ideas are present across this diverse affair that is moody, ambient and sometimes even possesses traditional styles like minor blues, and it’s all delivered flawlessly.

Travels well with: The Artie Roth Quartet- Resonants; Redline Trio- Underdog

Olivia De Prato

Panorama

New Focus, 2023

9/10

Listen to Panorama

The violinist Olivia De Prato returns with a sophomore solo album, where she explores the vision of the composers Missy Mazzoli, Jen Shyu, Angélica Negrón, Miya Masaoaka, and Samantha Fernando across the 5 very multi-faceted and eloquent pieces.

Mazzoli’s “Tooth And Nail” leads the listen with a mysterious quivering, as De Prato’s precise strings and Mazzoli’s hypnotic electronics mesh with much intrigue, and “Jeom Jaeng Yi (Fortune Teller)”, by Shyu, follows with just the expressive and emotive violin emitting much beauty and grace.

The title track, by Negrón, lands in the middle, and is full of dreamy ambience thanks to the glowing electronics from Negrón and the stirring strings, while “Masaoka’s “Mapping A Joyful Path” buzzes with a nearly mechanical presence via Masaoka’s sound manipulation amid tonally distinct violin. The final track, Fernando’s “Balconies”, then has De Prato blurring her instrument in the radiant and hypnotic exit that’s quite soothing.

A listen that truly takes into account the personal journey we each embark on, De Prato’s strong attention to tone, timbre and mood is certainly much appreciated on this absorbing experience.

Travels well with: Reiko Füting- Mechthild; Max Johnson- When The Streets Were Quiet

Paddang

Chasing Ghosts

Noise Circle, 2023

9/10

Listen to Chasing Ghosts

The debut album from the French rockers Paddang, these 8 energetic tracks mash punk, noise and garage-rock into an unforgettable formula.

“The Cave” starts the listen with a mysterious atmosphere before buzzing guitars and thumping drums enter the loud, powerful, post-punk haze, and “Terima Kasih” follows with a more jagged approach of dense, swirling math-rock ideas.

Halfway through, “3.0” offers a fragmented and thick, charged display of throbbing psyche-rock, while “Dead On Tuesday” buries plenty of melody amid the fluid bass lines and dreamy guitar work.

“The Way You Move” and “Island Of Gods” exit the listen, where the former showcases plenty of harmonic bouts alongside bouncy instrumentation, and the latter touches on hard rock sensibilities via the mesmerizing and meticulous song craft.

An incredible starting point, it would be wise to keep a close eye on Paddang, especially if other French outfits like Cosse or You Said Strange appeal to you.

Travels well with: You Said Strange- Thousand Shadows Vol. 1; The Poison Arrows- War Regards

Marc Ciprut

Blue House

White, 2023

8/10

Listen to Blue House

The New York guitarist, songwriter and producer Marc Ciprut brings a diverse set of influences to his craft, where is blues, fusion and jazz ideas are in abundance across these 9 tracks that recruits some of the best players in the world.

“Roll It Out” gets the listen off to a rhythmic start, where Ciprut’s warm guitar is met with Etienne Lytle’s moody organ and Tommi Rautiainen’s agile drums, and “Jack Be Nimble” follows with a swift and upbeat demeanor that welcomes Jimmy Haslip’s powerful bass and Jon Cowherd’s lively Wurlitzer.

In the middle, “Closer” places James Genus on bass and Steven Santoro on vocals for the cautious delivery, while “Smooth” emits cozy grooves thanks to Ciprut’s glowing guitar and the dynamic rhythm section of Haslip and Rautiainen.

Nearing the end, “Cissy Strut”, originally by The Meters, is full of timeless guitar acrobatics from Ciprut that flow with a bluesy appeal, and “Kiss You Again” exits the listen with Santoro’s laid back vocals guiding the breezy demeanor.

Although he has spent most of his career as a sideman, these days Ciprut is front and center, and he’s making some top notch sounds that will appeal to fans of Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Wonder, George Benson and Grant Green.

Travels well with: Wayne Alpern- Saxology; Jeff Richman- XYZ

Jan Cronin

I Thought About You

Scooter, 2023

8/10

Listen to I Thought About You

The inimitable vocalist Jan Cronin brings her sultry pipes to this stripped back listen where Andy Reiss and Jim Ferguson accompany her across 10 selections from the Great American Songbook.

“S’wonderful” opens the listen with Ferguson’s frisky bass and Reiss’ spirited guitar alongside Cronin’s warm singing, and “The Shadow Of Your Smile” follows with a cozy intimacy that’s expressive and romantic, as Cronin’s smooth voice is quite inviting.

“The Scent Of Breakfast And You” arrives at the halfway point, and showcases the meticulous bass playing as Cronin’s vivid storytelling shines bright, while “Peel Me A Grape” puts Reiss’ gentle guitar front and center in the delicate, rhythmic album highlight.

“Lullaby Of Birdland” and “Some Other Time” exit the listen, where the former is playful and illustrates Cronin’s impressive range, and the latter is an emotive and calm finish to a very thoughtful body of music.

Cronin brings a lifetime of experience and much talent to the listen, where her past in pop, blues and rock certainly give her a unique perspective on this primarily jazz affair that can swing adventurously, just as it can land in heartfelt balladry.

Travels well with: Vanessa Racci- Jazzy Italian; Aimée Allen- Love & The Catalyst

Sarah Morris

Here’s To You

Self-Released, 2023

9/10

Listen to Here’s To You

The 5th album of original material from the Minnesota songstress, the always impressive Sarah Morris pens an intimate listen that surrounds conversations between partners, lovers, friends and family, and she’s joined by Dave Mehling, Thomas Nordlund, Andrew Foreman and Lars-Erik Larson.

Morris places the title track in the lead off spot, where Foreman’s precise bass plucking and Larson’s agile drumming complement her eloquent singing, and “You Are (Champagne On A Wednesday)” follows with a frisky pace of rhythmic, dance floor friendly song craft that benefits much from cozy synth.

In the middle, the sublime intimacy of “Staggering” showcases Morris’ poetic pipes amid soft acoustic guitar, while “Something That Holds” displays an absorbing dreaminess that’s layered with much beauty.

“Come Back” and “Hello, My Name Is” exit the listen, where the former offers a hazy bit of modern indie-folk that’s minimally gorgeous, and the latter continues the delicate climate that builds into a subtly powerful, ebullient finish.

The singer-songwriter pool in the Twin Cities is deep with talent, but I feel very confident saying that Morris is among the best, and Here’s To You is another excellent body of work in the area of Americana, country and folk song craft.

Travels well with: Kelley Smith- Moon Child; Madeline Rosene- Everyday Existential Crisis

Wooden Cities

PLAY

Infrasonic Press, 2023

8/10

Listen to PLAY

The Buffalo collective Wooden Cities made quite an impression with their debut 4 years ago, and this follow up certainly continues their experimental vision that revolves around the Baltimore composer Will Redman’s graphic score, as well as spoken word.

Redman’s “Book: Wooden Cities” opens the listen with Nicholas Emmanuel’s unpredictable keys alongside the squealing strings of Evan Courtin’s violin and cello from T.J. Borden and Katie Weissman for the atypical chamber setting, and Kurt Schwitters’ “Ribble Bobble Pimlico” follows with swift vocal acrobatics in the uniquely rhythmic linguistics that don’t use instruments.

Redman’s work lands in the middle and end, as well, where Megan Kyle’s atmospheric oboe and Brendan Fitzgerald’s well timed guitar make for minimal versus hectic moments, and the final spoken piece, Evan Courtin’s “Good Form”, has Courtin, Fitzgerald and Ethan Hayden using repetition strategically with the layered voices executed via a mesmerizing tactic.

The musical portion here is highly expressive in an avant-garde sort of fashion, and the spoken pieces range from whispers to chants to nonsensical talk. Certainly impossible to classify, the sound poetry and iconoclastic chamber mashing present is positively interesting.

Travels well with: The Evolution Of The Arm- Sounds Like; Jeff Stadelman- Signaling

Mike Tod

Mike Tod

Self-Released, 2023

8/10

Listen to Mike Tod

A Canadian ethnomusicologist and musician, Mike Tod pens old time flavored songs with a timeless folk quality across these 10 organic tracks that welcome plenty of excellent help.

“The Coo Coo” gets the listen off to an atmospheric start, where the strings make for a very distinct mood, as Melodie Ayoungman’s expressive voice complements Tod’s deeper pipes, and “The Blackest Crow” follows with warm acoustic guitar amid the glowing pedal steel from Wayne Garrett.

“Undone In Sorrow” occupies the middle spot, and enlists Keith Rodger’s rumbling bass and Nathan M. Godfrey’s bright mandolin to the dense climate, while “Back To My Home” places more emphasis on Travis Miller’s percussion amid Tod’s chanting like vocals.

The final two tracks, “Wait For Me” and “My Albera Rose”, are among the best, where the former showcases Ayoungman’s pretty voice alongside Tod’s more gruff demeanor, as the pair harmonize with beauty, and the latter makes great use of violins for a very stirring finish.

An excellent debut album that’s often cinematic and unpredictable, Tod and company put a modern spin some very old songs where he retains the spirit of the originals, but injects a very authentic, rural appeal that suits the small town in the Rocky Mountains that he calls home.

Travels well with: Jaimee Harris- Boomerang Town; Jarrod Dickenson- Big Talk

Mirna Bogdanović’

Awake

Berthold, 2023

9/10

Listen to Awake

The Bosnian-Slovenian vocalist Mirna Bogdanović returns with a sophomore album, where a rich and textured 11 songs that lyrically surrounds a deep bag of emotions stemming from a break up make a sizable impression.

“I Love” leads the listen with Mirna Bogdanović’s stunning and soaring voice alongside Povel Widestrand’s poetic piano in the very expressive opener, and “Only Child” follows with stunning vocal acrobatics amid Philip Dornbusch’s agile drums and Povel Widestrand’s glowing synth stabs.

“Moving On” and “Wish I Didn’t Miss You” land in the middle, where the former possesses a stirring intimacy via the eloquent singing and dreamy keys, while the latter carries a distinct mood of emotive song craft that benefits much from Felix Henkelhausen’s meticulous bass playing.

Nearing the end, the energetic and frisky “Dancing In The Dark” recruits Peter Meyer's firm guitar playing that can steer it into more rock focused areas, and “Finding Closure” exits the listen with a stylish buzzing and busy climate of bright and dynamic jazz-pop that injects Asger Uttrup Nissen’s charming sax

A highly creative and intricate listen that touches on contemporary jazz and art-pop, Bogdanović’s vision is complex but universally relatable, powerful yet delicate, and colorful in very mature ways.

Travels well with: Luumu- Elephant Love Song; Tigeroak- Living And Living

Bruce Cockburn

O Sun O Moon

True North, 2023

8/10

Listen to O Sun O Moon

Bruce Cockburn has enjoyed a career spanning 5 decades now, and even at 77 the Canadian legend shows no signs of slowing down, as evidenced by this exceptional 35th album.

“On A Roll” opens the listen with Cockburn’s distinct voice and warm resonator guitar alongside Gary Craig’s fluid drumming and Viktor Krauss’ playful upright bass, and “Orders” follows with Jim Hoke’s moody clarinet and marimba that adds much to the mysterious landscape.

Halfway through, “Into The Now” welcomes Jeff Taylor’s accordion to the intimate landscape of beauty, while “To Keep The World We Know” has Cockburn playing dulcimer amid Susan Aglukark’s harmonies and Sarah Jarosz’s mandolin.

“O Sun By Day O Moon By Night” lands near the end, and unfolds with a mix talking and singing that showcases Hoke’s marimba, clarinet and sax in the dreamy climate, and “When You Arrive” exits with Chris Brown’s agile drums and vocals from Shawn Colvin, Allison Russell, Buddy Miller and others for the collaborative finish.

An artist whose vision has been shaped by politics, spirituality, and diversity, Cockburn embraces folk, jazz, rock, and worldly ideas on yet another top notch installment of thoughtful song craft.

Travels well with: Lynn Miles- TumbleTweedyWorld; Meredith Moon- Constellations

Rodney Rice

Rodney Rice

Self-Released, 2023

8/10

Listen to Rodney Rice

A highly diverse body of work from Colorado’s Rodney Rice, the 9 songs here span ideas from New Orleans to Nashville to Laurel Canyon to Woodstock, and they’re all executed with plenty of warmth and sincerity.

“How You Told Me So” opens the listen with Micah Hulscher’s frisky keys illuminating Rice’s friendly and smooth pipes in the rootsy climate, and “Get To Where I’m Going” follows with Sean Thompson’s radiant guitar contributing much to the gritty yet melodic country rock.

In the middle, the intimate spirit of “Rabbit Ears Motel” has Dennis Crouch’s precise bass complementing the thumping versus reflective climate, while “Roll River Roll” showcases the rhythm section of Jack Lawrence (bass) and Dave Racine (drums) for the soulful and cozy album highlight.

Close to the end, the bouncy and dance floor ready “Wonder Where I Came From” carries a bit of honky tonk fun via the frisky energy and “Every Passing Day” exits with a heartfelt and eloquent demeanor that populates the entire listen.

This is Rice’s 3rd album, and his guitar playing and singing are immediately enjoyable, and the company he keeps, especially with the many backing vocalists, sure does make these rowdy, sometimes subdued and always relatable songs worth many listens.

Travels well with: The Waymores- Stone Sessions; The Shootouts- Bullseye

Michael Davis/Hip-Bone Big Band

Open City

Hip-Bone, 2023

8/10

Listen to Open City

The trombonist and composer Michael Davis has an impressive resume that includes playing with the Rolling Stones, Frank Sinatra, James Taylor, Michael Jackson, Bob Dylan and Aerosmith, to name a few. Here, along with a very large cast, he pens a listen of fusion big band ideas that make great use out of every meticulous moment.

“Hossland” begins the 10 tracks and makes an immediate impression with the warm piano, bright brass and fluid drumming from Jared Schonig, and “Open City” follows with Andy Ezrin’s intimate key playing amid the soulful sax in the reflective mood.

“State Of The Art” arrives in the middle and is layered precisely with animated horns and lively rhythm, while “Underdog” builds into a dense jazz-rocker that soars high and is full of dynamic, melodic and uplifting song craft with stunning bass playing.

Approaching the end, “Ladybug” recruits more intimate avenues of dreamy jazz, and “Bone Man Walking” exits the listen with the vivid brass front and center and very much memorable.

This is Davis’ 14th album as leader and his 2nd with the Hip-Bone Big Band. Let’s hope it’s nowhere near his last cause the talent, the vision and the execution here is superb.

Travels well with: Nicholas Brust- Daybreak; Tony Kadleck Big Band- Sides

Stranger Still

The Songs Which Are

All Set!, 2023

8/10

Listen to The Songs Which Are

A project spearheaded by the Toronto artist Pete Johnston, as Stranger Still the multi-instrumentalist finds himself in a folk quartet that illuminates texts by the poet Alden Nowlan.

“Snapshot” gets the listen off to a melodic start, where Mim Adams’ pretty, lifting voice is met with Johnston’s warm acoustic guitar and “Five Days In Hospital” follows with poetic singing amid Rob Clutton’s strategic bass plucking that emits much beauty.

Further along, “The Bhikku” flows with a dreamy quality that showcases a soothing chamber demeanor, while “Sparrow Come In My Door” uses Johnston’s precise banjo plucking to help complement Adams’ very expressive pipes.

“Reunion” and “Nancy” exit the listen, where the former uses vocals from Randi Helmers and Andrew Killawee, and the latter finishes with stirring vocal harmonies in the absorbing and touching conclusion.

A listen that successfully recruits experimental, improvised and progressive ideas with a Celtic twist, this is folk music of a very atypical kind and it sure does leave an indelible impression.

Travels well with: Joseph Petric- Seen; Joseph Haydn- Heretic Threads

Joe Normal

Public Works

New Jersey Phonograph, 2023

9/10

Listen to Public Works

A collection of working class anthems about his hometown, Elizabeth, New Jersey, Joe Normal blends glam-rock, folk ideas and timeless Americana into a formula that might remind you of Springsteen, Westerberg or Petty.

“Small Town Factory” gets the listen off to a warm start with swift strumming and charming bass lines, as Normal’s gritty yet inviting vocals tell the story of life on the production line, and “Setbacks” follows with bright piano and a mix of talking and singing amid some soulful nods that recruits grooves.

Further along, the bright and breezy “Living In The Borough” finds itself in melodic folk-rock territory, while “Summer Jobs” is a more garage rock spirited album highlight that comes with descriptive storytelling.

Closer to the end, the lush and pretty “We Are The Normal” showcases Normal’s infectious brand of blue collar rock perfectly in a dreamy sort of way, and “Bayway Refinery (At The Refinery)” finishes with a raw, tuneful, acoustic fueled anthem.

You might not realize it, but you’ve probably already heard Normal’s work, as he co-wrote a Sammy Hagar tune, and has played on TV and radio alongside Bobby Flay, Eric Estrada and Loni Anderson, to name a few.

Normal wrote, performed and produced this entire album himself and he did a great job capturing topics like worker’s rights, criminalization of the homeless and suicide prevention via his rugged rock’n’roll that tips it hat to his time spent with the Sunset Strip glam-pop legends The Zeros.

Travels well with: Jesse Malin- Outsiders; Gary Louris- Jump For Joy

Francesca De Fazi

Craft Songs

Noja, 2019

8/10

Listen to Craft Songs

An Italian guitarist and songwriter, Francesca De Fazi has 2 decades of experience under her belt, including playing blues, pop, jazz and TV work as well. With Craft Songs, the songstress is aligned with much talent on brass and keys, in addition to her esteemed band.

“Making Miracles” starts the listen with a lively beat and horns in a festive setting of soulfulness, especially from Fazi’s vocals, and “Message In The Bottleneck” follows with a bluesy aspect to the busy, yet calculated atmosphere.

Elsewhere, “Danubio Blues” trims the pace back to cautious yet inventive with a hazy and rock filled experience, while “At The Bottom Of The Glass” recruits harmonicas and dizzying keys to the multifaceted approach.

Near the end, “Heart In Mind” strategically delivers retro-rock fun with great results, and “Barbecue Blues” exits the listen with keys from Dom Pipkin in the sassy and frisky execution.

A record that was recorded in Torino, Italy and with an all new band, it certainly doesn’t sound like it as De Fazi and company clearly have much chemistry across these varied, animated and well fleshed out tunes.

Travels well with: Lucinda Williams- Sweet Old World; Bonnie Raitt- Luck Of The Draw