If It's Too Loud...

Alison Brown and Steve Martin teamed up on last year's "Foggy Mountain Breaking" and that went so well the duo has released another song. "Bluegrass Radio" sees Martin taking lead vocals on a song that showcases Martin's sense of humor perfectly. It also features banjo solos from both Brown and Martin, which is exactly what we all want from a song featuring both artists. "Bluegrass Radio" is a fun song that allows some of the top bluegrass musicians (Sam Bush, Stuart Duncan, Trey Hensley, and Todd Phillips) a chance to shine. It's also an ode to the various genre radio stations and festivals throughout the country. You can watch the video for "Bluegrass Radio" below. The single is out now on Compass Records, and is available here . For more on Alison Brown, check out the artist's website .

Another busy week, so let's play two! Album of the Week : Artist : Phoebe Bridgers Album : Stranger in the Alps Quick Description : Debut album from a buzzy singer-songwriter. Why You Should Listen : You will love her. No question. Overall Thoughts : I’ll be honest: I only added this to my playlist rotation for this week because the title of the album made me laugh out loud. Ken had the same reaction to it when I told him to listen to it, and if a good album title gets this into a few more hands, all the better, because this is a GREAT folk album. Easily the best release of the week, Phoebe Bridgers successfully balances an often-sparse instrumentation effort with some really melodic stuff and interesting… well, everything. It’s a hard space to innovate in, and Bridgers is making a definite effort in modernizing a genre that is very rooted in its past. She’s a little profane, a little fun, and ridiculously talented... Recommendation : ...so make this a priority listen...

This is a real feast or famine week, let me tell you. Album of the Week : Artist : Laura Stevenson Album : Cocksure Quick Description : Fourth album from a favorite here at the blog. Why You Should Listen : Just outright saying it, this is one of the best indie rock singer-songwriter albums of the year. Overall Thoughts : This shouldn't be happening. Laura Stevenson's first album was okay. Second album solid with two incredible songs. Her third album was great from start to finish, and there was no way, I thought, that Cocksure could get even better. Yet it does. The lead singles ("Torch Song" in particular) were solid, but the album as a cohesive whole ends up being truly outstanding. In the last few albums I feel like she's found her footing, and the album title is just as much a truism as it is a double-entendre. Recommendation : Album of the week, will certainly feature on my end of year list. Artist : Gems Album : Kill the One You Love ...