If It's Too Loud...

Willie Watson, Photo by Ken Sears Old Crow Medicine Show are one of the giants of modern folk music. Earlier this year, Willie Watson released an excellent solo album that sucked me straight into fandom for the modern traditionalist. When it was announced that Watson was touring behind that album, I couldn't resist checking out his show at The Sinclair. It wasn't until just before the show that I found out Viv & Riley, one of my favorite folk duos, was opening the show, which just sweetened the deal. Willie Watson, Photo by Ken Sears Playing as a trio with a standup bass player and a fiddler, Willie Watson took the stage in front of an adoring crowd. Throughout the set, Watson had to battle a loud HVAC unit (New England in the winter...), but I don't think it bothered the crowd as much as he was concerned it did. Playing in support of September's self-titled album, Watson chose to play more traditional covers instead of the usual playing the new album that most arti...

Photo by Hayden Shiebler Somehow Willie Watson (Old Crow Medicine Show) has never released a solo album of original songs during his twenty year career. That ends on Friday with the release of his self-titled album. We've dropped the ball on bringing you previous singles, so hopefully "Already Gone" makes that up to you. "Already Gone" is the kind of quiet folk/singer-songwriter song that is so impossibly engaging it reminds you of why you fell in love with the genre in the first place. Musically, it's Watson's vocals over a soft guitar and even softer drums, and it's absolutely perfect. Even if you've been falling off the folk bandwagon lately, "Already Gone" is going to pull you right back on. Watson has crafted a song that is perfect in its simplicity. Willie Watson says of his latest single: "The song seems to be a centerpoint of this whole record. It’s a guy just trying to look at himself in the mirror and it’s hard. I’ve trie...

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...