Country music (for those who want to call it such nowadays) is among the mot popular of genres across the musical universe. From radio to television, it seems like it is inescapable. Just look at how many so-called country musicians get onto all of the karaoke contests across all of the TV networks. Look at all of the pomp and circumstance around all of the country music awards shows on television. While country music gets so much attention, sadly its brethren (of sorts) in the realms of bluegrass, Americana and folk get far less attention and credit from the mainstream. This is the case despite the reality that all of the genres are so tightly interwoven. That is why each year, Phil’s Picks has put them all together into one year-end list honoring the best of all four of those genres, which are all really part of one bigger family of music.
This year has seen plenty of notable releases from across those genres, too. Case in point is Delta Rae’s latest album, The Dark. This group, originally from Durham, North Carolina, has walked that blurred line of country and Americana so well over the years and continues to do so to this day, and its new record proves that so well. Bela Fleck’s latest album, My Bluegrass Heart, is unquestionably among the best of the year’s new bluegrass albums, on another hand. Ronnie Milsap also returned with a great new, pure country music record in the form of A Better Word For Love, showing that thankfully, real country music is not dead yet. Even Alan Jackson – another pure country artist – thankfully released new material this year that is noteworthy in the form of Where Have You Gone. The record is another nice reminder that there is still hope for real country in a sea that is so awash in pop music that masquerades as country. All of these records and more are part of Phil’s Picks’ 2021 Top 10 New Country/Bluegrass/Americana/Folk Albums list.
As with each list done annually, it consists of the year’s Top 10 New titles, plus five additional honorable mention titles. That brings the total to 15, yes, but the title remains, Top 10. Those honorable mention titles just deserve their own special recognition.
Without any further ado, here for your consideration is Phil’s Picks’ 2021 Top 10 New Country/Bluegrass/Folk/Americana Albums list.
PHIL’S PICKS 2021 TOP 10 NEW COUNTRY/BLUEGRASS/FOLK/AMERICANA ALBUMS
John Hiatt with the Jerry Douglas Band – Leftover Feelings
Delta Rae – The Dark
David Crosby – For Free
Bela Fleck – By Bluegrass Heart
Ronnie Milsap – A Better Word for Love
Stoney Creek Bluegrass Band – A Miner’s Life
Alan Jackson – Where Have You Gone
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats – The Future
Langhorne Slim – Strawberry Mansion
Blackberry Smoke – You Hear Georgia
Valerie June — The Moon and the Stars: Prescriptions For Dreamers
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss – Raise The Roof
The Felice Brothers – From Dreams to Dust
Son Volt – Electro Melodier
Rick Faris – The Next Mountain
That’s all for this year’s list of top new Country/Bluegrass/Americana/Folk records. It is still not the end of this year’s top new music lists, though. Still on tap are lists for the year’s top new rock and hard rock/metal albums, new live CDs, and the year’s top new albums overall. That is all on the way, so stay tuned!
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Delta Rae is revisiting its 2020 album, The Light for its latest single and video.
The band premiered the video Wednesday, for its single, ‘No One Will Miss Me.’ The video finds band member Eric Holljes in a suit on a beach. Holljes’ character keeps running into the waves, pulling bottles from the water, hoping each will have something in it, but only disappointed each time.
The visual is an artistic translation of the song’s lyrical theme, which seems to address someone who is dealing with a lot of mixed emotions. The cries of “No one will miss me” in the song’s chorus seem to put forward thoughts of hopelessness. That seeming hopelessness is somewhat illustrated as Holljes’ character sees nothing is in any of the bottles. At the same time, there is that sense of determination as he sings, “Baby, I’m leaving tonight/I got to find my reasons/I got to come back to life.” That seeming determination would perhaps explain why Holljes’ character keeps running back to the waves, hoping beyond hope that there is something out there in one of the bottles; some sense of hope. That combination of the song’s lyrical theme and its visualization makes for an interesting presentation in its own right.
The musical arrangement featured in this song is a familiar pop type sound and stylistic approach for which the band has come to be known. The steady hand claps, multi-part harmonies and the equally strong solo vocals work with the steady beat to make the arrangement itself so immersive.
Courtesy: Delta Rae
In other news, Delta Rae announced last month it will launch a new tour in support of The Light and its companion, The Dark (2021) beginning Oct. 11 in Dallas, TX. Tickets and VIP packages are available now here. VIP packages feature exclusives, such as early entry and priority check-in, meet and greets with the band, and exclusive signed 8X10 poster.
Raye Zaragoza, Carrie Welling, Wyn Starks, and Frances Cone will share time as support for the tour.
More information on Delta Rae’s new tour dates is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:
Delta Rae has announced the dates for its new tour.
The band made the announcement Thursday through a news release. The document states the band’s “The Light + The Dark Tour” is scheduled to launch Oct. 11 in Dallas, TX and to run through Dec. 10 in Raleigh, NC. The tour features performances scheduled to take place in cities nationwide, such as Seattle, WA; Madison, WI and Los Angeles, CA.
Courtesy: Delta Rae
Tickets and VIP packages are available now here. VIP packages feature exclusives, such as early entry and priority check-in, meet and greets with the band, and exclusive signed 8X10 poster.
Delta Rae’s new tour is in support of its latest album, The Dark and its predecessor, The Light. Raye Zaragoza, Carrie Welling, Wyn Starks, and Frances Cone will share time as support for the tour.
More information on Delta Rae’s new tour dates is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:
More than a year after its most recent in-person event, Delta Rae is scheduled to holds its next in-person event. The band is scheduled to hold a free event dubbed “The Light + The Dark Happy Hour at 5 p.m. Friday at Living Waters Brewery in Nashville, TN. The free beer-tasting event is meant to celebrate the debut of two new drinks inspired by the band’s album’s The Light (2020) and its follow-up, The Dark, which the band released March 19. Nashville, TN-based record store Grimey’s New and Pre-loved Music will be on hand for the event, selling copies of each album. The Dark, released through Never Say Die Records, is a successful new offering from the band. Additionally, it is an equally positive companion piece to The Light. That is due to the album’s musical and lyrical content. the record’s musical arrangement continue to show the evolution of the band’s hybrid Americana/pop sound while its lyrical themes are themselves diverse. One of the most notable entries that shows the impact of the album’s overall content comes midway through its 12-song body in the form of ‘Shadows of Vegas.’ This song will be discussed shortly. ‘Pay No Rent,’ which closes out the album, is another notable entry in this latest offering from Delta Rae. It will be discussed a little later. The socially conscious ‘All Good People (ft. Vocal Rush)’ is yet another way in which the album’s musical and lyrical content proves so important to the album’s presentation. Each item noted is important in its own way to the whole of the album. When they are considered with the rest of the album’s presentation, they make the record another work that Delta Rae’s fans will agree is a success.
Delta Rae’s latest album, The Dark (its fourth album), is a presentation that the band’s established audiences will agree is another successful outing for the band. That is proven from the album’s opening to its end through its musical and lyrical content. One of the songs that best serves to support the noted statements comes halfway through the album in the form of ‘Shadows of Vegas.’ The song’s musical arrangement is the epitome of heavy without being heavy. The simplicity of the vocals and piano line that serve as the arrangement’s foundation makes for such depth. The addition of the choral approach that the rest of the band adds deepens the song even more. What is really interesting here is that as the song progresses, the addition of the guitar, bass, and drums conjures thoughts of works from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Clearly, there is a lot going on here, looking at all of this, but the band and those behind the boards are to be commended for bringing it all together and making it whole. The end product is a composition that is one of the album’s best. The sense of melancholy that the arrangement exhibits does well to help translate the seeming message in the song’s lyrical theme.
The lyrical theme that seems to be presented here is a social commentary. Specifically, the commentary focuses on the challenges that face everyday people. It is all presented in allegorical fashion, using the influence of Las Vegas as the center of that commentary. It is an original way to address the challenges that people face, too. The whole thing opens in the lead verse and chorus, which state, “Drive all night through a sleepless desert/Neon lights like a northern star/I could ride these roads forever/Babe, we’re never gonna get that far/’Cause the odds are stacked in their favor/We’re just working for a rich man’s crumbs/Get so far into the darkness/Forget where you’re coming from/And we’re standing in the shadows of Vegas/Yes, we’re/dancing at the edges of thе city of sin/Everyday we try to play the hand wе’re given/But the house always wins.” Again, what audiences get here is an allegory of sorts here equating everything in life to gambling, and the odds being at times very overwhelming, thus the use of Las Vegas as its center. The song’s second verse adds even more to that seeming allegorical commentary as it states, “And the banks became casinos/And they anted up our homes/Golden parachutes filled up the sky/That’s when I knew we were alone.” The mention of homes would seem to hint at the housing bubble that burst back in the mid 2000s. All things considered here, this seeming overall commentary proves itself to be a unique approach to a familiar lyrical theme across the musical universe. The really good thing here is that it did not just go the full melancholy route that it could have taken. Rather, it took a more heartfelt approach. The same can be said of the approach taken to the song’s musical arrangement. Keeping all of that in mind, the overall presentation here makes clear why ‘Shadows of Vegas’ one of the most notable additions to The Dark. It is just one of the songs that exhibits the impact of the album’s musical and lyrical content. ‘Pay No Rent’ is yet another example of that impact.
‘Pay No Rent’ is a touching, folk style song whose celebratory approach will touch listeners at the deepest level. The dichotomy of the simplicity in the verses and more energetic approach to the verses adds even more to that impact. The overall approach makes for a good accent to the song’s seeming lyrical theme that apparently comments on the acceptance of one’s mortality.
The noted suspected theme is inferred in the song’s lead verse and chorus, as they state, “When my time comes/Put me under the ivy/Next to the willow/In my parents’ garden/Let the flowers grow from my body/Out in the fields where the children run/Oh, I won’t pay no rent/For the land that I’m under/I won’t feel any pain/I won’t know any hunger/So don’t cry for me/Cause Lord I’m free.” It continues in the song’s second, brief verse, which states, “When my time comes/Think of the living/Be good to your neighbors/And ask for forgiveness.” The verses that follow (three in all) are similar in style. Between those verses and everything presented in these first two verses, the seeming theme becomes even more certain. Add in the fact that few people like having to address their mortality and that makes this song even more notable. It is not the first time that Delta Rae has addressed mortality. They addressed it some years ago in the even more touching ‘Dance in the Graveyard.’ However, this song is not just a rehashing of its predecessor. To that end, this song lyrically becomes that much more important to the album’s overall picture. When it is paired with its musical counterpart, the whole makes the song that much more memorable an addition to the album. It is still just one more song that shows the album’s strength. ‘All Good People (ft. Vocal Rush)’ is yet another key entry in this record.
The musical arrangement featured in this song and its lyrical content partner to present the song very much in the vein of a spiritual, adding to the song’s impact even more. At one point in the song, there is even a throw back to the timeless song ‘Amazing Grace.’
The lyrical theme that accompanies the song’s musical arrangement is a clear social statement in response to everything that happened nationwide in 2020 with the protests that happened. The band addressed the song’s lyrical content in a prepared statement.
”We are running full tilt in search of true Justice, not a deified force who upholds unjust law,” the statement reads. “We hope you’ll run with us. Everyone is at different points in this journey — some people have been sprinting for longer than we’ve been alive, and so many are desperately tired. Wherever you are on the road, we hope you see yourself reflected in this video. It’s up to All Good People to continue to carry the fire. Vote. Wear a mask. No doom-scrolling. Take care of yourselves this week. Hold up each other.”
When the statement in this song is paired with its musical arrangement, the whole here makes just as clear why this song is also a key addition to The Dark. For all of the darkness presented throughout this record, it really is its own ray of light, much like ‘Pay No Rent.’ It puts a positive light (no pun intended) on such a dark topic. Keeping this in mind, this song and the others examined here work with the rest of the album’s songs and make the album in whole that much stronger and worth hearing.
Delta Rae’s recently released album, The Dark is a surprisingly engaging and entertaining new offering from the neo-folk/Americana act that got its start in Durham, North Carolina. Its success comes through its musical and lyrical content. All three of the songs examined here serve well to support the noted statements. When those songs are considered along with the rest of the album’s entries, the whole becomes a work that Delta Rae’s establishes audiences will enjoy just as much as any Americana and folk fan. The Dark is available now.
More information on The Dark is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:
Singer/songwriter Allison Russell’s debut album, Outside Child is one of the most unique and powerful musical presentations released so far this year. The 12-song record is really a surprising record because of its musical and lyrical content. The depth and impact of that collective content, which is largely autobiographical about Russell’s own life, resonates so loudly in its simplicity. One of the songs that serves so well to illustrate that impact comes early in the form of ‘Nightflyer.’ This song will be discussed shortly. ‘The Runner’ is another example of how the combination of the album’s musical and lyrical content makes the record so impacting. It will be discussed a little later. ;All of the Women’ is yet another example of the power in this record’s simplicity. It will be discussed later, too. When this song is considered along with the others noted here and the rest of the album’s works, the whole makes Outside Child one of the biggest surprises of 2021 and one of this year’s best new overall albums.
Allison Russell’s debut album Outside Child is a surprisingly powerful first offering from the singer/songwriter. That is proven from beginning to end of the album’s 53-minute run time through its combined musical and lyrical content. It touches listeners in ways that they never would have expected, and sticks with them long after the album ends. That is proven early on in the form of ‘Nightflyer.’ The musical arrangement featured in ‘Nightflyer’ is a soft, gentle composition that is grounded in Russell’s subtle vocal delivery and even more subdued performance on guitar. The addition of the organ as a supporting element adds even more to the enjoyment here. The whole lends itself to comparisons to works from maybe Rhiannon Giddens, or Tracy Chapman. One could just as easily make a comparison to works from Delta Rae here, too. Interestingly enough, for all of the positive vibes that this song’s musical arrangement creates, it seems to be in stark contrast to the powerful statement in the song’s lyrical content.
The lyrical content featured in this song comes across as a confident statement, describing the song’s subject as someone and something quite powerful. This is inferred in the song’s lead verse and chorus, in which Russell sings, “I’m the melody and the space between/Every note the swallow sings/I’m fourteen vultures circling/I’m that crawling, dying thing/I’m the smoke up above the trees, Good Lord/The fire and the branch that’s burning, Lord/Maybe you were sleeping, Lord/But Mary she’s not weeping no more, no, mm-mm/ Yeah, I’m a midnight rider/Stone bona fide night flyer/I’m an angel of the morning too/The promise that the dawn will bring you, you, you.” That mention of Russell being the “vultures circling” and the “fire and the branch that’s burning” is a statement of power. At the same time, the chorus, which finds Russell comparing herself to the “angel of the morning” creates an interesting dichotomy of sorts. It’s as if she is saying, she’s strong, but also vulnerable and caring all at once. It makes for such an interesting statement and presentation, especially when this is set against the song’s so gentle and simple musical arrangement. One really would not expect such a statement to be paired with the kind of arrangement featured here, yet here it is, and it works in some surprising way. The whole becomes just one example of what makes Outside Child such an interesting debut for Russell. ‘The Runner’ is another way in which the album’s overall content proves so interesting.
The musical arrangement featured in ‘The Runner’ is more energetic than that featured in ‘Nightflyer.’ It has a sort of Americana rock sense in its presentation. That energy does well to help compliment the seeming sense of relief from having to “run” from everything that was going on in her life.
Russell sings of this flight and “escape” in the song’s lead verse and chorus, “Oh, I had to run, to run, to run/From Mont Royale/Aux Portes des Lions (to the Lion’s Doors)/But no freedom would come my way/Yeah, no freedom from/What he’d done to me/Then I heard that Rock and Roll/Outside the South Hill Candy Store/Felt myself walking in/I was up above me, I was standing right beside me, oh/And I saw my deliverance/Deliverance.” The song’s second verse enhances the song’s impact even more as Russell sings, “Oh, I had to sing, to sing, to sing/From the western sea/To the old country/Oh, I had to bleed, to bleed, to bleed/Till his poison left my veins/Left me.” This seems to be a statement of the feeling of needing to just get out the pent up emotions even more. The emotion in those words and in the song’s musical arrangement works to make the song in whole powerful in its own way. It is just one more way in which the album’s overall content proves the record’s overall impact. It is just one more example of what makes the album stand out. ‘All of The Women’ is one more example of the impact of the album’s content.
‘All of The Women’ is another work that bears similarity to works from Delta Rae and Giddens. It is such a mournful, bittersweet composition. From the simple instrumentation to the rich vocal delivery, the song offers so much engagement just from this part of its presentation. The sense of sadness and mournfulness in the arrangement pairs well with the song’s lyrical content to make the song stand out even more.
The lyrical content featured in this song seems to hint at a commentary in support of female escorts (prostitutes). She sings of seeing the women as more than just prostitutes, but people and that when one in particular is not there “I worry.” The woman in question tells the subject that she is strong and still gets up even after being mistreated, adding that she makes no apologies for her choice in life. It is an interesting, empowering statement overall. When one really stops and thinks about it, the mournful, bittersweet musical arrangement that accompanies this overall statement makes more sense. It serves as a translation for the mix of strength and sadness that the subject and the woman in question each feel about the woman’s situation. This is a topic that is rarely if ever addressed in mainstream music. That is because of the stigma attached to the profession. For Russell to tackle the topic and do so in such distinct fashion is worthy of applause in itself. The manner in which she handled the topic is just as worth applause. When this is considered along with the other songs examined here and their impact, as well as the rest of the album’s songs and their impact, the whole makes Outside Child one of this year’s most impressive musical surprises.
Allison Russell’s debut album, Outside Child, is a strong first outing for the singer/songwriter who is herself unique. The record stands out because of its musical and lyrical content alike. That is proven through all three of the songs noted here. When they are considered along with the rest of the album’s entries, the whole makes the album one of the best of this year’s new overall albums. Outside Child is available now. More information on the album is available along with all of Russell’s latest news at:
Late last month, Delta Rae released its debut live recording Coming Home To Carolina to the masses through Cleopatra Records. The recording, captured in December 2019 at the Lincoln Theater in Raleigh, NC was a homecoming for the band following its big move “out of the nest” some years ago from its home town of Durham, NC to Nashville, TN. The recording is an intriguing first live outing for the band. That is due in part to the concert’s set list, which will be addressed shortly. The band’s performance of its set list plays well into the overall presentation and will be discussed a little later. The recording’s overall production is interesting in its own right. It will also be discussed later. Each item noted here is important in its own way to the whole of the recording’s presentation. All things considered, the record is enjoyable, but does leave audiences wanting for more.
Delta Rae’s debut live recording Coming Home To Carolina is an intriguing new offering from the neo-folk-americana-pop act. That is proven in part through its featured set list. While not necessarily a career-defining performance, the 65-minute set list does do well to highlight the band’s albums past, present, and future. It reaches all the way back to the band’s 2010 self-titled EP – its very first studio recording – and as recent as the band’s while also lifting from its then forthcoming album The Light and its then latest album Carry The Fire. There is even at least one song from the band’s now forthcoming album The Dark featured in the set list. The band’s 2017 EPs A Long and Happy Life and The Blackbird Sessions are omitted, as is its 2015 EP Chasing Twisters. What’s more, a close look at the concert’s set list shows that the majority of the set’s featured songs – six to be exact – are from Carry The Fire, the band’s debut album. The Light got three nods in this set while After It All was represented by just one song, along with the band’s noted 2010 debut EP. All things considered, the set list gives audiences a good picture of where the band was at that time and where it was going.
The set list featured in Delta Rae’s new live recording is just one of the elements that deems examination. The band’s performance thereof makes for its own enjoyment. The band’s performance of its featured set list feels wholly natural throughout its hour-plus run time. The energy exuded by the band members in each of the songs – some of which are light and others slightly more energetic – ensures audiences’ engagement and entertainment. The band really makes it feel like it is working to give audiences something memorable in that performance, between the moments when the group is together on center stage and separated into its respective spots across the stage in the intimate venue. If for no other reason than the performance, audiences will find the concert worth watching at least once.
For all that the performance put on by Delta Rae’s members does for the band’s debut live recording, it is just one more of the aspects worth noting in examining the recording. The overall production of the recording is also important to address.
The production of Coming Home To Carolina is important to discuss because it is definitely unique. There is no other way to put it here. The production put into Coming Home To Carolina makes the concert look like a live concert that was used to look like a music video more than a normal live recording. The grainy look throughout and the added video effects really do detract from the look. Adding to the issue here is the lighting in the presentation. The lighting was clearly not taken into account, as the picture overall was decidedly dark. This could have been addressed in post production, but clearly was not. It’s as if it was used to play into the concert’s overly artistic approach in terms of the production.
The audio is of its own concern along with the video. Early on, there is a moment in which the audio level fluctuates. It cannot be ignored. From there, there are moments in which the audio seems a bit “airy” like the mic levels were not fully addressed in post, either. Luckily, this does not happen enough to make the concert a failure, but it is just as audible when it does happen as the video issues are throughout. Keeping all this in mind, the production presented in Coming Home To Carolina proves to be interesting as the record’s set list and the band’s performance thereof. All things considered, this first live offering from Delta Rae is a good try, but ultimately leaves audiences wanting for something more.
Delta Rae’s debut live recording Coming Home To Carolina is a good first try from the band. It is a presentation that is worth watching at least occasionally. That is due in part to the concert’s set list. The 14-soong, hour-plus concert does pull from each of the band’s three albums, but it focuses largely on the band’s debut album. The band’s performance of the set list actually is the strongest aspect of this presentation, as the group’s performance feels so natural and organic. The production of the concert detracts from its presentation what with its artsy music video style presentation and audio concerns, but thankfully not enough to make the concert unwatchable. Each item noted here is important in its own way to the whole of the recording. All things considered, they make Coming Home To Carolina a presentation that is worth watching at least occasionally. It is available now.
More information on Coming Home to Carolina is available along with all of Delta Rae’s latest news at:
Live music and live music venues took a big hit this year thanks to the global COVID-19 pandemic. That goes without saying. Music acts and venues from the independent level all the way up to the big names were force to put their live music plans on hold indefinitely as a result of the pandemic. However a glimmer of hope rose this week when Live Nation head Joe Berchtold was quoted by major media outlets as saying that he believed live music would return by summer 2021. One can only hope that Mr. Berchtold is right, and that when it does return, audiences will welcome its return rather than let the germaphobes control their minds. Until then, audiences do have lots of live music to enjoy on CD, DVD and Blu-ray that was released this year. Hammerfall released its latest live recording Live!Against The World this year. Dream Theater also dropped its new live recording Distant Memories: Live in London. Metallica even celebrated the anniversary of its landmark S&M show with the release of S&M2. These are just some of the recordings that made Phil’s Picks 2020 Top 10 New Live Recordings. They were joined by new live material from the likes of Myrath, The Rolling Stones, and Kamelot.
As with each list from Phil’s Picks, this collection features the Top 10 new titles in the given category and five additional honorable mention titles for a total of 15 titles. Without any further ado, here is Phil’s Picks 2020 Top 10 New Live Recordings.
PHIL’S PICKS 2020 TOP 10 NEW LIVE RECORDINGS
Hammerfall – Live!Against The World
Jimi Hendrix – Live in Maui
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra – A Swingin’ Sesame Street Celebration
Def Leppard – London to Vegas
The Rolling Stones – Steel Wheels Live
Devin Townsend – Order of Magnitude: Empath Live Volume 1
John Lee Hooker – Live at Montreux 1983 & 1990
Waylon Jennings – The Outlaw Perrformances
Myrath – Live in Carthage
Kamelot – I Am The Empire Live from the 013
Dream Theater – Distant Memories: Live in London
Metallica – S&M2
Delta Rae – Coming Home To Carolina
Bush – Live in Tampa
Dee Snider – For The Love of Metal
Up next from Phil’s Picks is one of the last three music categories of the year, Phil’s Picks 2020 Top 10 New Rock Albums. After that will be the year’s top new hard rock & metal albums, and then last but not least, the year’s top new albums overall. From there, it’ll be on to the DVDs and Blu-rays in all of their categories. Stay tuned for all of that.
Country music, bluegrass, folk, and Americana fans have had a lot to be happy bout in 2020. That is because the genres, which are so closely related to one another, have seen a lot of enjoyable new albums released. Bluegrass fans saw Steep Canyon Rangers release its new album Arm in Arm. The country music world saw Chris Stapleton’s new album Starting Over, which is some of his best work to date in his still young career. Steve Earle and his fellow musicians The Dukes released a new album that audiences can easily put into the Americana category while the folk world while Delta Rae’s new album The Light can just as easily be added to the folk/neo-folk category just as much as the Americana category. All three albums are featured in this year’s Phil’s Picks 2020 Top 10 New Country/Bluegrass/Folk/Americana Albums list along with lots of others, including Chatham County Line’s new album Strange Fascination and the recently released independent band Royal Horses’ new album A Modern Man’s Way To Improve. That album crosses the border of country, bluegrass and Americana.
As with each year’s past lists, this year features the year’s Top 10 best new albums from the noted genres along with five additional honorable mentions for a total of 15 albums. Without any further ado, here is PHIL’S PICKS 2020 TOP 10 NEW COUNTRY/BLUEGRASS/FOLK/AMERICANA ALBUMS.
PHIL’S PICKS 2020 TOP 10 NEW COUNTRY/BLUEGRASS/FOLK/AMERICANA ALBUMS
Chris Stapleton – Starting Over
The Okee Dokee Brothers – Songs For Singin’
Josh Turner – Country State of Mind
Delta Rae – The Light
Reckless Kelly – American Girls/American Jackpot
Steve Earle & The Dukes – The Ghosts of West Virginia
Chatham County Line – Strange Fascination
Jack The Radio – Creatures
Royal Horses – A Modern Man’s Way To Improve
Steep Canyon Rangers – Arm in Arm
Brothers Osborne – Skeletons
Bruce Springsteen – Letter To You
Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit – Reunions
Mile Twelve – Roll The Tapes All Night Long
Special Consensus – Chicago Barn Dance
Next up from Phil’s Picks is 2020’s Top 10 New Rap & Hip-Hop Albums. Stay tuned for that.
Delta Rae is voicing its thoughts on the current state of the nation with its latest single.
The band debuted its new single ‘All Good People’ and its video Monday. The song and is taken from the band’s new album The Dark, which is the companion to the band’s most recent album The Light.
The video opens with the band asking, “In a system built on colonization and enslavement, the Justice that the founding fathers invoked works works in service of whom? Can we trust the goddess Justice when she remains blind to the world she’s meant to oversee, her sword unused and her scales unbalanced?”
From there, the video opens with an African-American man out for a late night run through his town. Meanwhile others sit in their homes going about their business when red and blue lights start flashing outside their homes. Everyone takes notice and goes to their windows to see what is happening. Not to give away too much, but the man who went for the run even sees the lights ahead of him in the distance as he returns home to his family.
As the man is joining his family for a celebration, the lights start up again, leading him and others to take to the streets. The man makes his way to a church where he meets with the Goddess Justice, at which point the song ends.
Courtesy: Delta Rae
The band discussed the video in a news release distributed Tuesday.
Making this video was an emotional process for us all, and we can’t send enough thanks to everyone involved in its creation,” the statement reads. “Our collaboration with gifted individuals, film and tech experts, and generous friends is proof of the strength of relationships, empathy, honest communication, and vulnerability. It’s the first video we’ve made as a fully independent band and the conversations we had along the way helped turn this into a project that we’ll be proud of for years to come.
The musical arrangement featured in this song and its lyrical content partner to present the song very much in the vein of a spiritual, adding to the song’s impact even more. At one point in the song, there is even a throw back to the timeless song ‘Amazing Grace.’
The band additionally addressed the song’s lyrical content in its statement.
”We are running full tilt in search of true Justice, not a deified force who upholds unjust law,” the statement reads. “We hope you’ll run with us. Everyone is at different points in this journey — some people have been sprinting for longer than we’ve been alive, and so many are desperately tired. Wherever you are on the road, we hope you see yourself reflected in this video. It’s up to All Good People to continue to carry the fire. Vote. Wear a mask. No doom-scrolling. Take care of yourselves this week. Hold up each other.”
Proceeds from sales of Delta Rae’s new single and associated apparel will benefit The Poor People’s Campaign and other African-American-led community organizations.
More information on Delta Rae’s new single and video is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:
Delta Rae debuted the video for its latest single this week.
The band debuted the lyric video for its new song ‘From One Woman To Another‘ Friday. The song’s musical arrangement presents a sound with which audiences have come to be familiar throughout the years from the band. Its lyrical content is an empowering work for women that encourages them to move past their broken relationships.
‘From One Woman To Another’ features backing vocals from The McCrary Sisters. The song is the first written by group member Brittany Holljes to be featured on a Delta Rae record.
Holljes discussed the story behind the song in a posting to the group’s official Facebook page recently.
“I wrote ‘From One Woman To Another’ in the aftermath of a few typical modern dating experiences that left me feeling empathy for the next woman in line, worrying about the danger that a person just passing through poses to those to those with their hearts wide open,” she said. “I’ve dated a few men who I knew were going to be hard to hold onto, and because I was aware of their intention it was easy to enjoy the moment and let go. But sometimes, even when we have our guard up we might let ourselves hope — And what about the next woman charmed by this easy cowboy spirit? I yearned to send her comfort.”
She continued, “This song, despite the name, has no real gender boundaries. But I am a woman. I love supporting fellow women, and i reject the narratives that pit us against each other. I wrote this song not looking to chastise folks looking for a casual connection, but to say to those holding out for love: let go of the people not meant for you. make room for a true love to come along and know you’re not alone. This is the first song I took the lead in writing for the band, and I hope you love it.”
‘From One Woman To Another’ is the second single that Delta Rae has released from its new album. The band released the album’s lead single ‘Take Me There‘ last month.
Delta Rae is taking part in the annual Sail Across The Sun cruise. After the band returns from the cruise, it will take time to rest up before launching a tour in support of The Light beginning Apr. 7 in Charlottesville, VA. According to information on the band’s official Facebook page, the tour is scheduled to run through April 25 and to feature performances in cities, such as Concord, NH; Washington, D.C. and New York, NY.
More information on Delta Rae’s new single, tour news and more is available online at:
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