Philadelphia-based Mir Stavola pulls off a difficult act on Gypsy Heaven, expertly balancing between two seemingly disparate worlds. She longs for and appreciates the rich cultural history associated with these traveling tribes, but also the ways that this world now encroaches from all sides.

by Tom Johnson Where I liken 2002′s darkly beautiful, but depressing Yankee Hotel Foxtrot to the sound of a man about to hit bottom, 2004′s A ghost is born is the sound of someone at the bottom, looking up: It’s hopeful, in other words.

Natural History, out now on eOne Music, is just the the second J.D. Souther solo effort in 25 years — following 2008′s If The World Was You. That curious quietude from such a talented creative voice has only deepened Souther’s essential anonymity

by Tom Johnson My favorite guitarist released, at long last, his second live album in 2005. How a guitarist this amazing and talented had gone so long between live releases is beyond me. Whereas his first live album, the intriguingly titled Live, captured Frisell at the peak of his noisy period, East/West found Frisell at the far end of the [...]

by Derrick Lord Four large letters printed across the top of a black and white photo on a CD cover: CASH. A picture of him sitting quietly, microphone hanging before him, head bowed, eyes closed and listening to the music track over headphones.

by Mark Saleski Most people think of the mandolin as being a rootsy, countrified kind of instrument. Surely there is no denying the rich history of the bluegrass side of the mandolin.

Tough times call for angry protest records, for political records, for records that produce rueful smiles. Ry Cooder has done that and more with “No Banker Left Behind,” a tart treatise on the recent financial meltdown

Americana singer-songwriter Mike McGuire travels a land of heavy weather, echoing church bells, sad tales and long memories. But he never lets go of the one thing that binds us together: Faith, in ourselves, in our future paths, in our country. It’s something that adds a sustaining power to Beyond the Ark, even as the Louisville, Kentucky, resident deals with [...]

By Tom Johnson I spent most of the morning flipping between one disc and the next, restless for something that actually fit my mood. I just didn’t want to, you know, as they say, deal and nothing particularly appealed to me. On days like this, I tend to gather up a pretty disparate grouping of artists to accompany me to [...]

by Tom Johnson Following her fantastic 2000 release Red Dirt Girl, this found the angelic-voiced Emmylou Harris continuing down the path she started with Daniel Lanois on the equally fantastic but slightly more stunning 1995 album Wrecking Ball, and that’s just fine with me. Once a country-goddess, Harris has incorporated new sounds and influences that really prevent her from being [...]