The show is always the best way to know what I’m listening to, but in the spirit of T-Bar’s great short reviews at the Steel Belted site (www.steelbeltedradio.com), I’ll try to let you know about the new arrivals that are catching my ear.
Tom Wilson’s new project Lee Harvey Osmond is definitely growing on me big time (as almost all of Tom’s records have done over time). It features Tom (Junkhouse, Blackie & the Rodeo Kings, etc. etc.) as well as a bunch of Cowboy Junkies, a couple o’ Skydiggers, and a bunch of other heavyweights. It’s a more groovy, soulful brand of folk music that should appeal to just about anyone with an ear. It’s available on CD locally at Music Trader or online at Maple Music (although they rip you off with their crazy shipping fees, so I avoid them these days) or you can buy the digital download at a site called Latent Recordings, which is the online source for Cowboy Junkies and a bunch of their pals.
A great US Label called Signature Sounds has some pretty fine new releases. I just got Richard Shindell’s long-awaited new album “Not Far Away,” which is, as usual, pretty great. Richard’s last CD was an album of covers that showed how great he is and got me hungry for some new originals. This one does not disappoint.
Not on Signature, but part of their “discoveries” series is a CD produced by Shindell and featuring some real heavyweights (Shindell, Lucy Kaplansky, John Gorka, and more). The lady’s name is Antje Duvekot, and boy is she impressive. A great looking CD, impeccably produced, and featuring such stellar guests can’t go wrong really, but she’s got the songs and the pipes to back it all up. She sounds like she went to the Shawn Colvin school, but has a distinctive sound all her own. Well worth checking out.
Also on Signature is Jeffrey Foucault’s new CD of John Prine covers, “Shoot the Moon Right Between the Eyes.” Obviously the songs are great (I’m kind of glad to see no “Sam Stone” on here, I mean, it’s such a great song, but such an obvious choice. Many of the choices are obvious, but ther are some lesser known gems as well), but Foucault is as usual great as well. His rich, deep voice and expressive playing really bring the songs to life all over again, and put a distinctive original spin on things. Lots of great guests on here including Foucault’s beautiful wife Kris Delmhorst, their pal Peter Mulvey, and some stellar players. Highly recommended.