Fervor Coulee’s Favourite Roots Albums of 2020…so far

As the first half of 2020 comes to a close (and thank criminy for that) and inspired by Exclaim! magazine’s request that I participate in their ‘top albums of the year…so far’ project (shocker: none of my albums made their list, and I even eliminated the bluegrass albums because I knew there was no point),…

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Shock! Horror! Meet the new IBMA HOF Nominees, same as the old IBMA HOF Nominees

When the International Bluegrass Music Association named their Hall of Fame ‘class of 2020,’ one thing was immediately apparent: the selection of Hazel & Alice in 2017 would remain the only time female front-women would be welcomed to the hallowed confines of the HOF, at least for the time being. I went on a bit…

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High Fidelity- Banjo Player’s Blues review

High Fidelity Banjo Player’s Blues Rebel Records Capsule: Bluegrass music performed to the highest level by youthful revisionists. Paragraph to get to the point: When the history of bluegrass music is discussed, it is largely done so from a male perspective. The IBMA’s own Hall of Fame (previously Hall of Honor) is just one piece…

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Special Consensus- Chicago Barn Dance review

Outside Dale Ann Bradley, I am hard pressed to find a bluegrass act that has been more consistently excellent over the last decade than mid-west bluegrass band (The) Special Consensus. Chicago Barn Dance adds to the vigour of that assertion. Read all about it over at Fervor Coulee Bluegrass. Highly recommended. Jeff at Country Standard…

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Dale Ann Bradley & Tina Adair and Jesse McReynolds reviews

Two reviews have been published at Country Standard Time. Dale Ann Bradley & Tina Adair have worked together previously, but this is their first album of duets. We don’t hear from Grand Ole Opry and Bluegrass Hall of Fame member Jesse McReynolds as frequently as once we did, but when the 90-year old legend decides…

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Della Mae- Headlight review

Della Mae Headlight Rounder Records Walking in the footsteps of a woman I don’t knowAnd though we’ve been moving slow we’ve gotten somewhereWalking in the footsteps of a woman I haven’t metBut I’ve seen her on the internet a-crying. These words open the latest album from Della Mae. It is a powerful initial statement, one…

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The SteelDrivers- Bad for You review

 The SteelDrivers Bad For You Rounder Records With multiple Grammy nominations under their collective waistbands, and a win for Bluegrass Album of the Year for their latest, The Muscle Shoals Sessions, expectations are always high for The SteelDrivers. Almost five years since their latest was released, and with a third lead singer now in the…

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Thunder and Rain- Passing in the Night review

Thunder and RainPassing in the NightThunderAndRainMusic.com A most pleasing recording, Thunder and Rain’s latest continues the acoustic Americana magic the Golden, Colorado-based group has shown over two previous albums and a couple EPs. The quartet resides in that sweetest of spots, a natural sounding meeting of bluegrass, country, folk, and pop, more aggressive and grounded…

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Jeremy Garrett- Circles review

Jeremy Garrett Circles Organic Records The Infamous Stringdusters have been creating their increasingly lively and diverse interpretation of bluegrass for almost fifteen years. As the group’s fiddler and one of three primary vocalists, Jeremy Garrett has been central to their development as the music’s most progressive (and subsequently perhaps divisive) group. While recent songs are…

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The Gina Furtado Project- I Hope You Have a Good Life review

The proverbial kiss-off: I hope you have a good life. Does anyone actually mean it? Aren’t you actually hoping the ex- quietly withers within a life of misery and solitude? My review of The Gina Furtado Project’s I Hope You Have a Good Life is published at Country Standard Time. Furtado, most recently of Chris…

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