alt-country Archive

30 Days Out, May 2023 #2: Jonny Couch, Acid Mothers Temple, Sierra Ferrell, Randall Bramblett

Four nationally-touring acts are among the live music highlights in Asheville in the coming 30 days. Go see ‘em, and support local artists as well. Artist: Jonny Couch Venue: Fleetwood’s […]

Old 97’s: Turn on the TV (Part 2 of 2)

Continued from Part One… Ken Bethea says that he’s lost count of how many times he’s engaged in conversation with a stranger, only for the dialogue to unfold like this: […]

Old 97’s: Turn on the TV (Part 1 of 2)

With their winning combination of rock energy and Texas twang, Dallas-based Old 97’s have carved out a unique place for themselves on the music landscape. Across a dozen albums, their […]

30 Days Out, April 2023 #1: The Church, Skinny Puppy, New Pornographers, The Sadies

With each edition of “30 Days Out,” I endeavor to shine a light on noteworthy music events in and around Asheville. I generally include at least one local or region […]

Hundred-word Reviews, February 2023 Part 1

It’s been ages since I did one of these, and since my backlog has got out of hand, it’s time. As ever, each of these merits deeper discussion, investigation, discussion […]

EP Review: Merciful Heavens – For Now

I’ve been reviewing albums for, oh, close to 20 years now. I’m on many music publicists’ mailing and e-mail lists, and I’m grateful for that. Occasionally, though, I receive unsolicited […]

30 Days Out, June 2022 #1: Seth Walker, Cosmic Collective, Jayhawks, Music of Cream

Live music option are once again plentiful in Western North Carolina. Over the next 30 days, there are myriad choices. Here’s a look at four of the most notable live […]

30 Days Out, May 2022 #2: Albert Cummings, Jason Isbell, Gov’t Mule, Destroy Boys

In the next 30 days, there’s all manner of live music to be experienced in Asheville. This roundup focuses a bit more on c&w, but there’s something for every taste […]

Album Review: Amanda Anne Platt and the Honeycutters — The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

By now, gentle reader, you’re likely tiring of reading stories of the making of new albums that spend a lot of time focusing on just how much the pandemic affected […]

30 Days Out, February 2022 #2: Rev. Peyton’s Big Damn Band, Jill Sobule, Pimps of Pompe, Bob Mould

I endeavor to shine a light on local artists in “30 Days Out.” This time I only cover one of those, because the touring acts coming to town are so […]