If It's Too Loud...

Back in March, Canadian roots artist Heather Valley was on a writing retreat in West Virginia when lockdown happened. When she was able to return home, she quarantined alone on a farm and started recording covers of some of her favorite songs. One of the most interesting is a cover of Lucero's "The Last Song." Ben Nichols's voice is notoriously gruff to an almost extreme level. Heather Valley's voice is the exact opposite, with a warm feeling it's impossible not to be drawn in by. Musically her cover of "The Last Song" keeps the gruff feeling by dropping Valley's normal rootsy, Americana sound with a whining rock guitar solo that lasts the entire length of the song, provided by Matty Simpson. The result is this combination that shouldn't work at all, but ends up melding together perfectly. You can listen to Heather Valley's version of "The Last Song" below. Wildflower Radio , the upcoming album from Heather Valley, will be out i...

Photo by Brian Lima It's been a while since I've updated everyone with the Newport Folk Festival line up, and it truly just keeps getting more and more outstanding. Since I last gave an update, Newport has added classic musicians such as reggae legend Jimmy Cliff and Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter, established current stars such as a reunited Nickel Creek and Conor Oberst, to next big thing acts like Phox and Reignwolf. I'm particularly excited for Reignwolf, who sound like a more raw version of The White Stripes and The Black Keys. They've also added Rodrigo y Gabriela (somehow making their Newport debut), Puss n Boots featuring Norah Jones, Newport favorite Dawes (pulling double duty as Conor Oberst's backing band), Lucius, Lake Street Dive, The Milk Carton Kids, Gregory Alan Isakov, Lucero, Aoife O'Donovan, Willie Watson of Old Crow Medicine Show, and more! If you're planning on attending Saturday or Sunday and haven't bought tickets, you...