ADDS 3.31.08

Victor Wooten/Miss U (Heads Up) - the venerable bass master returns with another incredible album of funk, jazz and jams called "Palmystery."  Guests on the album include Jeff Coffin, Karl Denson, Keb Mo, and the Lee Boys (several of whom play on this song). 

Danielia Cotton/Testify (Cottontown) - the Atlanta vocalist rocks again on her sophomore effort "Rare Child," out May 20. 

Tommy Womack/If That's All There Is To See (Cedar Creek) - the creative force behind the '90s indie band Government Cheese surfaces with a strong solo album entitled "There, I Said It!"  He'll be touring with Will Kimbrough this spring.

Cipes and The People/Wash Away (KG2) - Greg Cipes (pronounced SYps) is better known for his work as an actor on TV (Without A Trace, Deadwood, House, 24/7, ER, Ghost Whisperer) and movies (John Tucker Must Die, Club Dread, Holes) and is the creative force behind this hot reggae/rock band.  From their debut album "Conscious Revolution"

American Babies/Swimming At Night (SCIFidelity) - Tom Hamilton (formerly of Brothers Past) joins forces with drummer Joe Russo (Benevento/Russo Duo) to form this new band and release their self-titled debut album.

Biscuit Burners/Sweet Red Wine (Indidog) - this great NC-based acoustic band features Mary Lucey, the talented songwriter/fiddler who also plays with Uncle Earl.  From their new release "Take Me Home"

Gibson Brothers/Somewhere Trouble Don't Go (Sugar Hill) - Eric and Leigh Gibson grew up in Ellenburg Depot NY, just a stone's throw from the Canadian border, where iron ore mining and town baseball were the order of the day.  Thus the title for their great fourth album, "Iron and Diamonds."

The Waybacks/Nice To Be Alone (Compass) - powered by the songwriting of James Nash and fiddle virtuoso Warren Hood, these purveyors of "acoustic mayhem" continue to make great music on their new album "Loaded"

Screamin' Lords/Say What You Will (Brannick Records) - a balls-out rock and roll band from LA in the style of AC/DC or Montrose, their debut album "Long Live Me" features guest appearances by Kelly Keeling (Trans-Siberian Orchestra), Robin McAuley (Survivor, MSG), George Lynch (Lynch Mob) and others.

ADDS 3.24.08 Stone Coyotes/Tomorrow Is Another Day (Red Cat) - Barbara Keith, her husband and son Doug and John Tibbles are back with another great rock and roll record "VIII," available at www.stonecoyotes.com Dan Colehour/This Time (MCA Nashville) - on his debut album "Straight to the Highway," Dan Colehour (COLE-ow-er) is remniscent of John Mellencamp and Steve Earle with a little Jackson Browne thrown in. Wood Brothers/Postcards From Hell (Blue Note) - Chris Wood (of Medeski Martin Wood) and Oliver Wood (of King Johnson) collaborate for the second time with John Medeski returning as producer on "Loaded," this time collaborating not just in the studio but also writing together with excellent results. Ryan Bingham/Bread And Water (Lost Highway) - 2nd single from "Mescalito" Jakob Dylan/Something Good This Way Comes (Columbia) - first single from his upcoming album "Seeing Things," in stores May 13th. Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder/Goin' Back to Old Kentucky (Skaggs Family) - Ricky pays tribute to Bill Monroe and his Original Bluegrass Band (Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs, Chubby Wise & Howard Watts) with his new album "Honoring The Fathers Of Bluegrass." This song features a guest appearance by Earl Scruggs. Rod Parker & Fifty Peso Reward/Wild Man From Borneo (self-released) - with a sound like Robert Earl Keen on steroids, Texas-based Rodney Parker and his band Fifty Peso Reward rock hard on their debut album "The Lonesome Dirge"

ADDS 3.17.08

James McMurtry/Cheney's Toy (Lightning Rod) - a follow-up song to his Americana Song of the Year "We Can't Make It Here," from his new album "Just Us Kids."

Johnny Neel/Temperature (Breakin' Records) - the venerable keyboard player, formerly of the Allman Brothers Band, continues his soulful southern rock on his new album with his new band "Johnny Neel & The Criminal Element Vol. 1"

Jackie Greene/Shaken (429 Records) - first single from his upcoming album "Giving Up The Ghost," out April 1st.

American Gun/Neil Young Mood (Diamond D) - from the sophomore effort from this Columbia SC band "The Means & The Machine," featuring special guests Chris Stamey (Whiskeytown, Yo La Tengo) and Al Perkins (Flying Burrito Bros., Bob Dylan)

Smash Palace/She (Zip) - 2nd single from "Everybody Comes & Goes"

Billy Bragg/I Keep Faith (Epitaph) - from his upcoming release "Mr. Love & Justice"

Rocky Alvey/Blackberry Jam (Muddy Sunshine) - bluegrass/americana artist by night, Astrophysicist by day, from the album "Blackberry Jam and other fresh ingredients"

Interstate Cowboy/Take The "A" Train (Ranch Ruckus) - in the tradition of Bob Wills, this Colorado western/swing band does great justice to Duke Ellington's classic

Robin Danar (DAY-nar)/Chances Are (Shanachie) - on the album "Altered States," producer Robin Danar has assembled a cornucopia of great musicians and singers for an experimental album taking classic songs and creating "sonic revisions" of them.  Here Inara George (Lowell's daughter and member of The Bird and The Bee) sings the classic Johnny Mathis tune in the style of Patsy Cline.  Other interesting experiments include a Pink Floyd tune done in the style of the Andrews Sisters, and "Use Me" done in a fusion of latin & electronica.

ADDS 3.10.08

Albert Castiglia (ca-STEEL-eya)/Bad Year Blues (Blues Leaf) - one of the truly great up-and-coming blues guitarists, Albert outdoes himself on his third effort "These Are The Days"

Bravo Johnson/Ace In The Hole (Stone Junction) - this British band shows it's stuff in a major way on its eponymous debut release, a double-cd set (very rare for a first album) full of great songs.

Taylor's Universe/Sandwich (Marvel of Beauty) - Danish guitarist Robin Taylor does it again, another wonderful album of progressive rock called "Soundwall." It's available exclusively on CDBaby.com

Eric Bibb/Spirit I Am (Telarc Blues) - this guitarist/vocalist may remind you of Keb Mo, but he is truly his own artist and shows it on his new album "Get On Board." A wonderful album that features guest performances by Bonnie Raitt and Ruthie Foster.

Lizz Wright/Leave Me Standing Alone (VerveForecast) - hailing from Valdosta, GA, "The Orchard" is Lizz's sophomore effort and she delivers in high fashion. Writing with Toshi Reagon and covering artists from Led Zeppelin to Patsy Cline, the album is a soul-drenched delight.

Markus James/Are You Ready (Firenze) - an artist who's influences range from Hill Country Blues to West African music, from his album "Snakeskin Violin"

Kaki King/Pull Me Out Alive (Velour) - she started out as an amazing instrumentalist, showed us she could sing on her second album, and now on her third effort "Dreaming of Revenge," she shows us she can rock too. 

The Quarter After/See How Good It Feels (Cargo) - as a leader in Britain's "3rd wave of psychedelia," The Quarter After offers its second album "Changes Near"

Alice Smith/Woodstock (Epic) - 2nd single from her debut release "For Dreamers, Lovers and Me"

ADDS 3.03.08

Township/Big Bad (self-released) - from this Boston-based band's first full-length release "Coming Home"

Smokin' Joe Kubek & Bnois King/Troubled Dreams (Alligator) - Texas bluesman Smokin' Joe Kubek (KOO-beck) and Louisiana bluesman Bnois (b-NOY) King have been a team since 1989, putting out several albums on different labels and playing everywhere from small Texas roadhouses to huge concert halls. From their Alligator Records debut "Blood Brothers"

Deadstring Brothers/Ain't No Hidin' Love (Bloodshot) - you may remember this band from their great appearance at the Alex City Jazz Fest...this comes from their excellent sophomore effort "Silver Mountain"

Steve Winwood/Dirty City (Columbia) - the first single from his upcoming album "Nine Lives," out April 29th. This tune also marks the first time Eric Clapton has recorded with Steve since 1969's Blind Faith LP.

Chatham County Line/Chip Of A Star (Yep Roc) - this North Carolina band is truly one of the "New Traditionalist" bands, using their love of traditional bluegrass as a base and expanding it to new horizons on their new album "IV"

The Mystix/Yolanda (Mystix Eyes) - this Boston-based band boasts players who've played with Peter Wolf (J.Geils Band), Donald Fagen & Duke Robillard. From their debut album "Blue Morning"

Oakhurst/Down The Lane (Big Bender) - a hot bluegrass band out of Denver known for their wild high-energy shows, from their debut album "Jump In The Get Down"

Patrick Bloom/Moses (Mud Dauber) - born in East LA, raised on the south shore of Long Island, and now transplanted to the black dirt of Iowa, this singer/songwriter blends styles in a unique way. This is the title cut from his new sophomore effort. 

Punch Brothers/Punch Bowl (Nonesuch) - a bluegrass/newgrass supergroup led by Chris Thile (Nickel Creek), with Greg Garrison & Noam Pikelny (Leftover Salmon), Chris Eldridge (Infamous Stringdusters) and Gabe Witcher, a much sought-after session fiddle player who's been heard on such soundtracks as "Toy Story" and "Brokeback Mountain." From their debut album "Punch," which centers around a bluegrass "symphony" in four movements called "The Blind Leaving The Blind."