Best New Music from the Blue Ridge and Beyond
Every month our editors curate a playlist of new music, mainly focusing on independent artists from the South. In March, we’re highlighting new tunes from My Morning Jacket and Lucy Dacus.
Craig Finn
“People of Substance”
The front man of the Hold Steady has a new solo album in the hopper, with “Always Been” coming into the world on April 4. Finn’s fresh set of tunes was produced by Adam Granduciel of the War on Drugs, and the sonic touch of the latter can certainly be heard on this pulsing heartland rock track. Lyrically, Finn remains a steadfast storyteller, and although this song has an upbeat arrangement, the character at its center is dealing with internal strife. – J.F.
Nels Cline
“The 23”
When he’s not playing lead guitar in Wilco, experimental ax man Nels Cline explores the outer limits of jazz in his solo work. On March 14, he’s releasing an eponymous debut album from a new group, the Consentrik Quartet, which includes saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock, bassist Chris Lightcap, and drummer Tom Rainey. The record’s lead single blends a dark and deep groove with some free-form solos. Fans of both old school be-bop and later-year avant-funk from the likes of Medeski, Martin, and Wood will be pleased. – J.F.
The Seldom Scene
“Farewell, Angelina”
Bluegrass icons The Seldom Scene refuse to be overwhelmed by change on “Remains to Be Scene,” the first release since the passing of Ben Eldridge, the last remaining founding member of the band, and the final record to feature longtime guitar player Dudley Connell. Instead, the Scene returns as tight as ever, delivering masterful licks and powerful harmonies on “Farewell, Angelina,” a Bob Dylan tune made famous by Joan Baez, and embodying the same spirit possessed by the band since its inception in 1971. – D.S.
My Morning Jacket
“Time Waited”
The members of My Morning Jacket teamed up with producer Brendan O’Brien (Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam) to make their tenth studio album, “is,’ which comes out on March 21. The lead single is a sentimental rock tune built around a warm piano loop that features front man Jim James waxing poetic about seizing the right moments during the inevitably fast passage of time. – J.F.
Mike Farris
“Heavy on the Humble”
Mike Farris has been churning out bluesy, gospel-tinged rock and roll throughout a musical career now some three decades old. “The Sound of Muscle Shoals,” his latest record, was recorded at the renowned Fame Studios and features session work from members of the iconic Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section. The album’s first single, “Heavy on the Humble,” is classic Farris, with soaring vocals and a bluesy groove rooted deeply in the sounds that put Northern Alabama on the musical map. – D.S.
MikelParis
“MoveIT”
Longtime O.A.R. keyboardist MikelParis happened upon his distinctive guitar drumming style after banging some devil sticks across his acoustic guitar strings. With a history of creating music via percussive means—MP was also a cast member of the Broadway musical “Stomp”—he set about crafting a style where both the body and strings of his guitar are tapped and strummed. “MoveIT,” from his latest record, features an intricate cacophony of knocks and notes and a grooviness that sneaks up on the listener while putting MP’s technical prowess on full display. – D.S.
Lucy Dacus
“Ankles”
After spending time with the supergroup boygenius, Lucy Dacus is getting back to her solo work, releasing the new album “Forever is a Feeling” on March 28. Lead single “Ankles” starts with ornate strings, adding chamber-pop flair to the native Richmonder’s confessional indie rock style as she bluntly examines romantic entanglements. – J.F.
Wyatt Ellis & Peter Rowan
“Winds of Rowan County”
Prodigious 15-year-old mandolinist Wyatt Ellis initially wrote “Winds of Rowan County” while barely a teenager, not long after playing at Peter Rowan’s induction into the Bluegrass Hall of Fame. After hearing from Rowan that he was working on lyrics to the melody, a musical collaboration between two masters separated by some 67 years in age was born. Ellis’s nimble mandolin work and Rowan’s wispy vocals feature prominently on a musical bridge between the then and now of contemporary bluegrass. – D.S.
Cover photo: My Morning Jacket’s new album, “is,” comes out March 21. Photo by Silvia Grav
