If It's Too Loud...

Photo by Alysse Gafkjen I had assumed that I'm With Her was going to be a one-off project. The folk supergroup of Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O'Donovan, and Sara Watkins formed in 2015, released an album ( See You Around ) in 2018, and won a Grammy for Best American Roots song in 2020 for "Call My Name"). Now it's 2025 and the group has reformed. "Ancient Light" is exactly what we want from I'm With Her. It's laid back folk pop with strong roots in traditional folk music. Jarosz, O'Donovan, and Watkins have perfectly merged their individual styles into this project, so if you're a fan of any of these artists, you're going to love "Ancient Light." The song even meanders off into unexpected directions, making this one of the most interesting folk pop compositions we've heard in a long time. We're thrilled to welcome back I'm With Her, and we know you'll be as well. I'm With Her say of their latest single: “We start...

Photo by Jacob Boll Children's music is basically universally terrible, so when an artist is going to release an album of children's music that will actually be great, we need to make sure you know of it. Sara Watkins (Nickel Creek, I'm With Her, The Watkins Family Hour) is beloved around here, so when she announced she was putting out a kids' album, we knew we had to pay attention. When we find out the first single is a cover of "Pure Imagination" from 1971's Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory ? Now that's a pure delight. Somehow Watkins makes her version even more whimsical than the original. Focusing on her vocals with mostly strings backing her, "Pure Imagination" is wonderfully cinematic even without the visuals of the chocolate factory. You can watch the video for Sara Watkins' version of "Pure Imagination" below. Under the Pepper Tree will be out March 26 on New West Records. You can pre-order a copy here . For more ...

Artist : Long Neck Album : World's Strongest Dog Quick Description : New album from the indie rockers. Why You Should Listen : A solid upgrade from this band. Overall Thoughts : Long Neck is a band I've been watching, and this is a great listen and shows great growth from a band that deserves a lot more praise. The songs here are super tight, and there's so much to love here that I can't drill it down to just a handful. One of the highlights of the week. Recommendation : Make time for this one. Artist : Ultimate Fakebook Album : The Preserving Machine Quick Description : First proper album in sixteen years from the indie rockers. Why You Should Listen : They haven't missed a step. Overall Thoughts : Ultimate Fakebook were always that sort of band that I had wanted to get into more than I did. Then they stopped playing, I stopped thinking about them, and then this drops. Whether absence makes the heart grow fonder, or whether the band has really gott...

Photo by Ken Sears Freshgrass definitely has changed since the last time I made it back in 2012. The courtyard where the main stage was is now the smallest stage and the main stage is now in a large field. Well, large compared to a courtyard. As far as an outdoor festival is concerned, it's still relatively small giving the entire fest an intimate feel. The food choices have definitely improved, too. In 2012 we only had the museum cafeteria which quickly ran out of a lot of choices. Now we could choose from a variety of food trucks and caterers spread through the grounds of MASS MoCA.  I was unable to attend Friday evening, so this will be a Trampled By Turtles free review. I'm going to focus on my favorite aspects of Saturday and Sunday, with plenty of pleasant surprises and new discoveries. Rhiannon Giddens Having seen Caroline Chocolate Drops a few times in the past, I fully expected Rhiannon Giddens to be good, even great. Somehow I didn't expect her performanc...

A slow week with the American 4th of July holiday: Album of the Week : Artist : Bat for Lashes Album : The Bride Quick Description : Newest album from the indie songwriter, more conceptual than her past work. Why You Should Listen : Bat for Lashes is always interesting even if she doesn't absolutely hit it right. Overall Thoughts : A concept album revolving around love and marriage (I suppose), this album is ultimately great not so much because of the nature of the music on its own, but on the quality of the execution. You get the tone almost immediately on the first track, and then you get the full flow of the thing as "In God's House" hits. This is absolutely an album I need to spend more time with, but it's still a strong highlight nonetheless. Recommendation : The only true must-listen this week. Artist : Sara Watkins Album : Love in All the Wrong Ways Quick Description : Latest solo album from the Nickel Creek violinist/vocalist. Why You Shou...

Photo credit: Maarten deBoer I've always liked Sara Watkins. I mean, who doesn't, right? But I've never quite gotten her music before. It's always been something I've listened to, and recognized it was good, but I never connected to it. It's pretty surprising, since she falls squarely into the bluegrass/folk realm that I love. What surprises me the most is how much I love her new song, "Move Me." It's a move away from straightforward Americana and much more into the territory of mainstream pop rock. Watkins' voice is still bluegrass. I don't think she could ever lose that quality if she tried. But musically "Move Me," while being pop, has this slight hard rock edge to it. It sounds like something I'd hate, but instead I truly love this song. Sara Watkins' new album, Young in All the Wrong Ways,  is due out July 1 on New West Records. You can watch the video for "Move Me" below. For more information on Sar...

These three women are among some of my favorite singer-songwriters at present, and they've been touring together recently. They've recorded a few things, and this was a Record Store Day song that really hit me. The three of them blend so well together, it's just absolutely haunting and brilliant all at once.