Steep Canyon Rangers is poised to drop their latest LP this fall (September 2023), Morning Shift. Hominy Valley (seen/heard here) is the first single released ahead of the LP and it is quite a teaser! The band has redefined bluegrass music in its own image for over two decades and still finds ways to make it sound fresh. The group is instantly recognizable to many due to their close relationship and co-touring with comedian and banjoist Steve Martin. Hominy Valley is…
Read MoreNote: Vodka is on vacation and will return to regular posting on January 18th, 2023. Have a great holiday season! The Dead South have only appeared on Vodka a couple of times before, but I love their sound. Think of them as outlaw bluegrass. The band’s latest LP, Sugar & Joy, was released just a couple of months ago, and Heaven In A Wheelbarrow can be found on that LP. You can find more information on The Dead South by…
Read MorePart countrified dirty blues, part bluegrass, part Americana, and 100% fun is the latest single from Maygen & The Birdwatcher, He Ain’t Me (seen/heard here). Maygen described the video this way in the promotional material that Vodka received: ” [the song] originated from a conversation Noah from our band and his wife jokingly had about all the small things about ourselves that make us feel important. Those small things tend to be what ends up making your relationship feel…
Read MoreNew to Vodka, Maygen & The Birdwatcher present a beautiful blend between folk stories and styles, with nods to both bluegrass and country thrown in for good measure. Enter Antidote (seen/heard here), from the band’s recent long-player Moonshine (October 2021), which is a different twist on the classic love song. Lyrically, Antidote highlights the stubborn self-sufficiency of the protagonist, which is just fine with their status alone and in control, until someone comes along with the tools to crack open the protective shell: “It’s always been my way, or no…
Read MoreClear back in 2013, Vodka posted a single, Carolina Calling, from bluegrass-tinged folk-pop group Mipso. Since that time, Mipso has been busy, continuing to carefully craft folk-pop gems. Moonlight (seen/heard here) is from the band’s latest (April 2018) long-player, Edges Run, containing twelve thoughtful and fun tracks. At the time of the original review for Carolina Calling, the band had an earlier long-player, Long, Long Gone, which is apparently, um, long, long gone. No mention of that appears on their website. That said, there are two EP’s and another long-player, Coming Down…
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