• Folk,  Indie

    Valerie June’s Two Hearts

    Here’s one that’s impossible not to like: Valerie June.  I didn’t get introduced until a PBS Newshour mini-feature on her just a few weeks ago. It piqued my interest and sent me on my way to her latest album, The…

  • Folk

    Fred Eaglesmith – “Betty”

    One thing I’ve quickly found about Canadian singer/songwriter Fred Eaglesmith is that he has a hell of a lot of great songs. As I skip around his catalog on Spotify (sorry Rdio, you ain’t stocked on your Fred), I’m constantly…

  • Folk

    Bruce’s Opener in Berlin: “When I Leave Berlin”

    This Boss guy sure knows how to endear himself to a crowd, doesn’t he? Last night in Berlin, Bruce kicked off the show with “When I Leave Berlin” by British folk artist Wizz Jones. I’ll admit to knowing next to…

  • Newport Rhode Island
    Folk

    Recap: My 2011 Newport Folk Festival

    The last couple of weeks has been a whirlwind of activity for me and my family. It was our first vacation out East as a family – stops in Boston and NYC, and our first visit not only to the…

  • Folk

    Pokey LaFarge and the South City Three

    Pokey LaFarge & the South City Three play old timey western swing straight out of the 1920’s and 30’s. There’s something about this NPR Tiny Desk concert with Pokey and his boys that make me smile. It’s downright captivating and…

  • Greg Brown Freak Flag album cover
    Folk,  Ick's Pick

    Ick’s Pick: Greg Brown’s ‘Freak Flag’

    I’ve been completely floored – I mean profoundly impacted – by Greg Brown’s Freak Flag. From the first notes of “Someday House” to the last delicate notes of “Tenderhearted Child”, the album flows with beauty and wisdom and grace, all…

  • Phosphorescent Pride album cover
    Folk

    My Dove, My Lamb

    Today, I developed a case of the blahs. Without good reason, really. I’m blessed. Family, work, health…all great, no complaints. But sometimes, even when all’s well, that crap feeling can creep in and take hold. I think they call it…