Shovels & Rope Curate the High Water Fest

The summer music festival season keeps creeping earlier and earlier every year. Some announcements just started popping up yesterday, and one of them has us ecstatic. Shovels & Rope have put together a weekend festival in their hometown of Charleston, SC (well, NORTH Charleston, but close enough) and the line up might be one of the best of the year. Besides the obvious choice of Shovels & Rope to play their own festival, they're also bringing along some of our favorites including The Avett Brothers, The Shins, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Dawes, Lucius, Margo Price, Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaires, Deer Tick, JD McPherson, The Suffers, Matthew Logan Vasquez, The Deslondes, and more! If you've been a regular reader of this blog for any amount of time this is pretty much a dream line up for all of us. It's going to be a challenge for any other festival, particularly Americana and roots based ones, to come close to matching High Water this year.

Tickets for the inaugural High Water Fest go on sale Friday November 18 at 10:00 a.m., and the festival itself will take place April 22-23 at Riverfront Park in North Charleston, SC. You can find out more information, including ticket prices at the festival's website or Facebook.

Jack White & Margo Price - "I'm Lonely (But I Ain't That Lonely Yet)"

This week saw the debut of Chris Thile (Nickel Creek, Punch Brothers) take over as host of NPR staple A Prairie Home Companion. I was always shocked that more "hip" bands didn't do the show back when Garrison Keillor was the host, since it's hokey, old-timey format seemed to be a perfect fit for most of the current crop of Americana artists. That might finally be happening with the new, younger host, as Thile's first show featured the big guns of Lake Street Dive and Jack White. Best of all is Jack White brought out Margo Price for a rendition of The White Stripes' "I'm Lonely (But I Ain't That Lonely Yet)." While the original had more of a gospel feel to it, this version felt like the song might have started out as a Carter Family song. Just add some twang and the beyond classic feel of Price's voice, and any song can be an old standard.

You can watch Jack White and Margo Price perform "I'm Lonely (But I Ain't That Lonely Yet)" below. For more on Margo Price, check out her website. Also, if you're a Margo Price fan, be sure to check out the interview Marc Maron just did with her on his WTF podcast. You'll probably want to be sure to keep up with the new edition of A Prairie Home Companion, which you can here.

Live Shows: Green River Festival, Greenfield, MA 7/9/16 and 7/10/16

Shakey Graves
Photo by Ken Sears

Here in New England, we're in the middle of a pretty terrible drought. We need rain desperately, and would take any rain that we can get. Unfortunately, rain finally came during this year's Green River Festival. Saturday was just cold and wet all day, while Sunday offered a short break before the downpour took over the day. Hooded sweatshirts aren't the usual clothing of choice at an outdoor music festival in July, but they dominated the weekend. The weather was so bad all hot air balloon rides were cancelled, which hasn't happened in decades, if ever. Luckily, the music was stellar enough to save the weekend. Here are some of the best things we saw.

Leland Sundries
Photo by Ken Sears

Leland Sundries
Leland Sundries' new album, Music for Outcasts, didn't connect with Jeff when it was released last month. To be honest, it didn't really work for me, either. I was surprised to find out that the songs work much better live. It's great retro rock with a folk edge to it that, while they have a sense of humor to them, aren't too precious to be taken seriously. Maybe it's just that frontman Nick Loss-Eaton has a great indie rocker stage presence, but I'll definitely be giving Music for Outcasts another shot.

And the Kids
After previously seeing And the Kids in a small Allston club, I was a bit hesitant to see if they could make the transition to a giant outdoor festival stage. Turns out they were the highlight of Saturday, making the most of their set with their upbeat, quirky take on indie dance folk. Maybe it's because they are local heroes around Western MA and had their diehard fans packed right up front singing along with all the words, but I don't think I've ever seen a band that beloved play so early. 

Shovels & Rope
Photo by Ken Sears

Shovels & Rope
It took three attempts, but I finally got to see a full set by Shovels & Rope. I had seen the last three songs of two sets at Newport, so I had an idea of what to expect. They started off a bit slower than I would have expected, with Cary Ann Hearst and Michael Trent both switching off between guitar and drums, but they were just building. By the time they got to the set closer "Hail Hail," which I'm pretty sure they closed with the other times I had seen them, they had mesmerized the crowd with their hyped up countrified rockabilly. Completely worth the wait.

The Suffers
I always mean to listen to more soul, and The Suffers are a huge reason why. It's rare to see such a young band just own a stage like they did, but... wow. Singer Kam Franklin worked the crowd with more confidence than most lead singers twice her age. They are a must see live act.

Oh Pep!
Photo by Ken Sears

Oh Pep!
I didn't want to leave the stage during The Suffers, but I really wanted to check out Oh Pep! Sometimes the folk/pop thing can get a bit too cutesy for me, but Oh Pep! just nail it perfectly. Using the obvious comparisons, they fall right in the middle of Lucius and Tegan & Sara. While they have the perkiness and upbeat side of Lucius, they lean very strongly on the folk side, like when Tegan & Sara play as an acoustic duo. That being said, maybe it's their Australian roots, but in their beautiful, happy sounding songs is a true sense of heaviness. As hard as it was to leave The Suffers, I was glad I did.

Winterpills
Photo by Ken Sears

Winterpills
Winterpills are just mature, adult indie rock at it's absolute finest. Back in the 90s they would have straddled the middle ground between "alternative" and "adult contemporary." I think now we just call it Americana. They weren't folky at all in the normal sense, but combined American rock and roll with indie hooks perfectly. They are one of those bands that should be far bigger than they are, but somehow aren't.



Mal Devisa
As the only main stage performer on Sunday that wasn't part of the Wheels of Soul Tour, Mal Devisa was at a disadvantage. Taking her spot on a stage that was filled with the plastic covered instruments of the larger bands, she could easily have been dismissed as a time filler. But then she started singing. Playing solo with a bass and occasional drum, she blew away everyone that showed up before the stars of the day. She has the kind of voice that only comes around every so often, but she didn't constantly belt it out to show it off. Instead, by using the true power of her voice sparingly, it just brought this whole new texture to her performance. I'm thrilled I saw her perform, but I wish she had more than 20 minutes.

Margo Price
Photo by Ken Sears

Margo Price
Margo Price was the absolute highlight of the weekend for me. Her blend of down home 70s country is perfect to see live, and despite the downpour that started just before her set, she thrilled the audience. She doesn't feel like you're watching a modern day country singer. She has the poise and sound of a more seasoned, old school performer. It's great seeing a true country performer who is right on the verge of breaking out. When she broke her guitar string during her first song, she just did a Loretta Lynn cover while it was being fixed. While she closed with "Hurtin' On the Bottle," the big hit song she's playing on every tv show available, the true highlight was "Four Years of Chances." Seeing that song live was just next level amazing. Her performances are what will make her a household name in the next five years.

Green River Festival 2016 Must See Acts

Now that we're just a month out, the Green River Festival has announced their schedule for 2016. It's a doozy of a line up, and with any all day festival with three stages, some major decisions will need to be made. Luckily for you, we're here to help you along and pick some of the must see acts of Green River 2016. (Note: We're only going to make it for Saturday and Sunday, so those are the two days we'll focus on.) Also, if past history with festivals are any indication, these plans could be completely scrapped once the music actually starts. Tickets are still available for the Green River Festival. You can get yours, and see the entire line up and schedule here.

Lula Wiles
The three members of Lula Wiles met at Maine Fiddle Camp, which apparently is a thing. They honed their talents at Berklee College of Music, and are now this beautiful traditional Americana group. While most Americana groups tend to be either a throw back or progressive, they really bridge the gap between the two and play traditional folk with a modern pop sensibility. 
Lula Wiles are playing two sets on Saturday. The first is a quickie to open the day on the main stage from 12:40-1:00. They play a longer set from 3:20-4:05 on The Parlor Room Stage.

And the Kids
I first caught And the Kids opening for Sallie Ford. Ok, well maybe I just caught maybe 3 songs of theirs. But it was a great three songs, and I've been obsessed ever since. At Green River, I'll finally get a chance to see a full set of their weirdo dance folk. They have a unique, fun sound, and are just about perfect to be what starts to pull the crowd out of their early afternoon music haze to get moving.
And the Kids are playing the Main Stage Saturday from 3:30-4:20.

Shovels & Rope
This one get a bit personal for me. I had fully meant to check out Shovels & Rope both of the years they played the Newport Folk Festival, but I got completely sidetracked by bands that played opposite them. Since those artists were Frank Turner and Benjamin Booker, it's nothing personal. Each time I caught the very end of their set, and I've been determined to catch a full set of their fiery country/garage rock/rockabilly set. This year I finally (hopefully) will.
Shovels & Rope play the Main Stage Saturday from 4:40-5:50

The Suffers, The Felice Brothers, and Oh Pep!
I can't believe that these three bands are all playing at literally the same time. The Suffers and The Felice Brothers were a huge draw for me once the line up was announced, and Oh Pep! are my big discovery as I checked out the rest of the line up. Deciding will be next to impossible, but here is what I plan on doing, and this might just work for me. I've seen The Felice Brothers do their rowdy folk rock thing, plus they're playing at Prescott Park in August, so I might have to miss them. I've never seen The Suffers and their amazing soul, so I have to see them. But I can't miss Oh Pep!'s fun, dance party folk, so... I guess half of The Suffers and then half of Oh Pep!? Maybe since Oh Pep! are from New Zealand I should catch just a bit more of them? Like I said, this is the most frustrating decision of the entire festival.
The Suffers are playing the Main Stage Saturday from 6:15-7:15. The Felice Brothers are playing the Four Rivers Stage from 6:25-7:40. Oh Pep! is on The Parlor Room Stage from 6:35-7:25. Good luck!

Shakey Graves
I almost debated putting Shakey Graves on this list, because you know you're going to see him. How could you not? His live show surpassed buzzed about and has pretty much landed on religious pilgrimage. Yet, he's somehow someone I've always missed at other festivals. This year I'm ready to have my life changed, even though he broke up Julie and Matt.
Shakey Graves plays the Main Stage Saturday from 7:35-8:45.

Winterpills
After an entire day of music on Saturday, you might want to sleep in a little, maybe go out to brunch to chill out a bit, and get to the festival later in the afternoon. But then you'd miss Winterpills. You're going to want to check them out. There are a ton of bands doing the folky indie rock thing these days, but Winterpills do it really, really well. Just check out their release from earlier this year, Love Songs, and you'll be dragging yourself to the campus early on Sunday to check them out.
Winterpills play the Four Rivers Stage Sunday from 1:10-1:55.

Mal Devisa
For Green River to place an artist like Mal Devisa on the Main Stage is pretty bad ass. She's folk, but not really. She takes the most traditional of all American music and completely throws it off kilter, including elements of hip hop without percussion. It's bizarre and absolutely perfect. 
Mal Devisa plays the Main Stage Saturday from 2:10-2:40.

Margo Price
I can not wait to see Margot Price live. Her debut album, Midwest Farmer's Daughter, came out earlier this year and has generated the best kind of buzz. Everyone seems to genuinely love her 70s era style take on country, and really legitimately, too. It's buzz by fans, not false buzz from record companies. Plus, add in her already nearly legendary performance on SNL, and Price might be the runaway hit of the entire shebang this year.
Margo Price is playing Sunday from 3:35-4:35 on the Four Rivers Stage.

First Listen: New Releases for March 25

Some very solid stuff out this week.

Album of the Week:

Artist: Margo Price
Album: Midwest Farmer's Daughter
Quick Description: Debut classic country album via Third Man Records.
Why You Should Listen: If you have any sort of love for classic country in the vein of Loretta Lynn, you need to add this to your list.
Overall Thoughts: I enjoyed this far, far more than I anticipated, as it's the perfect blend of the modern and the old school and results in one of the more fun albums of recent times for me. There's not a missed note on this, and really just further demonstrates that Third Man is putting out just some of the highest quality music out there. Margo Price is a name you need to know, because this might end up blowing up unexpectedly, it's that good.
Recommendation: One of the best things I've heard in 2016 so far. A must listen.

Artist: RJD2
Album: Dame Fortune
Quick Description: Latest album from the electronica producer.
Why You Should Listen: You like electronic music with diverse influences.
Overall Thoughts: RDJ2 is different than most electronic acts I listen to in his unpredictability and the interesting soundscapes he puts out there. What I find interesting about this album, though, is that it feels, on first listen, a little more straightforward than his previous works. I want to spend more time with it, but I didn't find this nearly as sonically interesting as his previous work. Not bad, just different.
Recommendation: Worth it for fans, maybe be wary otherwise.

Artist: The Thermals
Album: We Disappear
Quick Description: Newest album from punk-esque band The Thermals.
Why You Should Listen: The Thermals are typically a good time, and this is a return to form.
Overall Thoughts: I think "Pillar of Salt" might be the song that got me hooked on this band, but their more recent albums have left me a little cold. Thankfully, We Disappear feels like a return to form, a more typical Thermals record with a lot to love here. I felt like this was what I've wanted from this band for a while, and that should say something. So if those golden albums of a half-decade ago are your thing, jump on board, you'll love this.
Recommendation: A great release this week.

Artist: Skating Polly
Album: The Big Fit
Quick Description: Great indie punk-adjacent tunes from a female-led duo.
Why You Should Listen: You miss Be Your Own Pet?
Overall Thoughts: I kind of love this album. It was very nearly my album of the week, but that's not a slag on this, which is such a fun listen and has a lot of fun stuff going on. The softer side with "Cosmetic Skull," the great "Perfume for Now," I just love what's happening here. This tends to be down my alley in terms of the female-fronted stuff, so give this a listen.
Recommendation: Awesome album this week, tons of fun.

Artist: Bob Mould
Album: Patch the Sky
Quick Description: Latest album by the indie legend.
Why You Should Listen: It's Bob Mould, yo.
Overall Thoughts: There's nothing I can say about this that will change anyone's mind, but Bob Mould can still rock as hard 30+ years into his career as anyone, and that's just awesome. Patch the Sky is more of the same, for sure, but when the same is this good, why complain? Great album.
Recommendation: A must listen.

Artist: Birdy
Album: Beautiful Lies
Quick Description: Third album from the British pop singer.
Why You Should Listen: She's only 19 and is hitting a groove.
Overall Thoughts: I figured she was 10 years older than she is given the leaps and bounds made with this album. It sounds a lot like the current pop trends, which is fine, but she's always had a slightly different take on things on a whole, and this does shine through. And, again, she's only 19. We're past the point of cover albums for her and starting to get an idea as to what to expect moving forward and, so far, this is some truly good stuff.
Recommendation: If you like pop music, you need to check this one out. If you don't, you might still find something to love.

Artist: Lee Harvey Osmond
Album: Beautiful Scars
Quick Description: Unfortunately titled band with some fortunate blues-rock.
Why You Should Listen: This will definitely hit those looking for a more deliberative blues rock.
Overall Thoughts: This won't be for everyone, but this has a bit of an old-style, grungy feel to it that sometimes worked for me. I can't say I absolutely loved this, and I have little to say about it, but it's a pretty good release.
Recommendation: Good for those looking for this genre.

Artist: Parker Milsap
Album: The Very Last Day
Quick Description: Solid Americana.
Why You Should Listen: It's more modern but more mainstream than Margo Price.
Overall Thoughts: Another solid Americana release, for sure, and one I definitely enjoyed. Another album I don't have a ton to say about, in part because it's just so well done and perfectly executed that it's just something Americana fans should really just be adding to their lineup this week as well. If the title track doesn't grab you, I honestly don't know what to tell you. A great listen, another one of the best of the week.
Recommendation: A must listen.

Also out this week:

* Littler - Of Wandering
* The Joy Formidible - Hitch
* Open Mike Eagle and Paul White - Hella Personal Film Festival
* Plague Vendor - BLOODSWEAT

Margo Price - "Hurtin' (On the Bottle)"

Photo by Angelina Castillo for Third Man Records

Margo Price is going to be a tough one to categorize for most people. She's definitely country, like real country as opposed to whatever passes for mainstream country now. She's too mainstream and polished to be considered outlaw country. But she's not a throwback to the days of Johnny Cash or Patsy Cline. Margo Price is straight outta the sparkling, rhinestone 70s country of Dolly Parton and Gram Parsons. I think her only current contemporary would be Jason Isbell. She's raw enough for the alt-country crowd but accessible enough for your mom to like her.

Margo Price's debut album, Midwest Farmer's Daughter, will be out March 25 on Third Man Records. You can listen to "Hurtin' (On the Bottle)" below. For more information, please check out her website. She also happens to be playing the aforementioned Green River Festival this year. Get your tickets for that here.