Song Premiere: “The Bathtub Song,” by Meaghan Collins Featured Track Music Features by Ken Templeton - October 3, 20220 Every day, people say to each other some variation of this exchange: “How’s it going?” “Good! How about you?” “Good, thanks!” And there is no doubt that for a significant number of people it is not, in fact, good. But there’s an unspoken social agreement to put on a happy face. And so we go home and feel isolated. And we’re sure that we’re the only ones. Meaghan Collins’s new song, “The Bathtub Song,” gets right at those feelings of isolation. Meaghan was born and raised in Boston and now makes her home in Asheville, NC. Our friend Lisa Bastoni painted scenes for the video of “The Bathtub Song,” which we are so excited to premiere on Red Line Roots. (Shout out to Abby Altman
Newport 2022 Music Features by Ken Templeton - September 27, 20220 It’s taken me some time to put words to a truly incredible three days of music. It’ll never be enough, but here are a few thoughts on Newport Folk Festival, 2022. The New Folk Family Came to Play Jay Sweet was a very busy man at Newport this year. He has a tradition of introducing every act who is playing the Festival for the first time and it seemed like every other set he was up on stage welcoming a new member of the folk family. What was striking was how quickly the new acts to the festival endeared themselves to the crowd. In Rick Massimo's excellent book on Newport Folk Festival, he quotes Jay telling artists to “let the audience know
Live Review: Jake Blount (The Pinhook, Durham, NC September 7, 2022) Concert Reviews Music Features Reviews by Ken Templeton - September 13, 20220 Last Wednesday was kind of a homecoming for Jake Blount (he/they). They told the crowd at The Pinhook here in Durham that years ago they played his first professional show in Durham, North Carolina. The concert was the kickoff of Jake's tour in support of his forthcoming album The New Faith, one of the best records I have heard this year. The New Faith is an Afrofuturist consideration of our ongoing climate catastrophe. Jake alluded to the speculative fiction of N.K. Jemisin and Octavia Butler, but also reminded us that Afrofuturism has been around for a long while–ever since the invention of race. They shared scholar Isiah Lavender III’s notion that science fiction is exactly how Black people should engage
Autumn Nicholas: (Dis)comfort (podcast) Music Features Podcast by Ken Templeton - September 12, 20220 I had the good fortune to hear Autumn Nicholas at Newport Folk Festival this summer. I was taking photos as she began her song to start the Black Opry Revue set. And, after just a few notes, I had to stop snapping pictures because I had to listen. Her voice and performance were so captivating. After the Festival, I listened to everything she’s released on repeat. Autumn’s EP Shades of Beige features beautiful songs like “Light” and “Back When.” She’s released several singles since that 2020 EP, including the powerful anthems, “On a Sunday,” and “Not Gonna Do This Anymore.” Autumn is an incredible songwriter and artist and I am so thankful that she joined us for the latest episode
Rachel Sumner: Come Along (podcast) Music Features Podcast by Ken Templeton - August 9, 20220 Rachel Sumner & Traveling Light released their debut, self-titled album last week and it is fantastic. The first song, “Hunting Doves,” introduces this group well, showcasing their virtuosity and creativity. As we discuss in this episode of the Red Line Roots podcast, the song came together from finding pieces of songs in Rachel’s notebooks and Jame Joyce’s novel Ulysses. Intrigued? The entire record is beautiful, and we were so lucky to catch up with Rachel this summer about it. Listen to the episode for Rachel’s reflections on songwriting, on forming a new band, and find out which Bill Callahan song she added to our BEST SONG EVER playlist! Photo by Lindsay Straw
Navigating Newport 2022 Music Features by Ken Templeton - July 22, 20220 Every year, the Newport lineup is so stacked and first-timers think they might actually see all of those amazing acts. Then, the schedule is announced and you see that you have some tough choices to make. So, we thought we’d help, because sometimes when you’re having a hard time deciding between good and good, a sympathetic friend can step up and say: “do this,” and it’s a heckuva gift. So, consider this a gift to all you conflicted folk family and know we’re right there with you. Here are some principles that have helped us have some really transformative experiences at Newport. Stay present. You will not see and hear every magical moment. It can be easy to hear about something you
The Dead Tongues: It Doesn’t Have to Be (podcast) Music Features Podcast by Ken Templeton - July 19, 20220 I first heard one of Ryan Gustafson’s songs at the Phil Cook & Spirit Family Reunion Newport Aftershow in 2016, one of the most joyful musical experiences of my life. Ryan was playing in The Guitarheels, and played “Graveyard Fields,” one of the songs he’d written under the moniker The Dead Tongues. While playing with Hiss Golden Messenger on the Heart Like a Levee tour, Ryan released Unsung Passage, a truly beautiful record. This year, he released Dust, and I cannot recommend the album enough. The songs have so much space in them. They are both rich and spare, lyrically, and the band that Ryan assembled is loose and creative. We got to chat with Ryan ahead of his set at Newport Folk Festival on Friday, July 22.
The Kentucky Gentlemen: Love Language (podcast) Music Features Podcast by Ken Templeton - July 12, 20220 It was such a pleasure to talk with Brandon and Derek Campbell, also known as The Kentucky Gentlemen. The twin brothers moved to Nashville in 2013 and started writing songs. Years of hard work are paying off, as they release their EP The Kentucky Gentlemen, Vol. 1. They’ve had videos featured on CMT and have been featured in showcases sponsored by The Black Opry, an organization dedicated to changing the fact that Black people have been overlooked in country music, as artists and as fans. The Black Opry Revue set at Newport Folk Festival on Saturday, July 23 is sure to be a highlight of the weekend. We spoke with the Campbell brothers ahead of their appearance at Newport and we can’t wait to see them live! Photo Credit: Laura
Show Review: Andrew Marlin at The Nightlight (Chapel Hill, NC June 9, 2022) Concert Reviews Music Features Reviews by Ken Templeton - June 16, 2022June 16, 20220 “I’ve seen a lot of shows here, and it’s real nice to finally get to play The Nightlight,” Andrew Marlin said last week. The Nightlight, in Chapel Hill, has low ceilings, a few skylights, a bar, and a reading nook in the back corner with a couple of couches, a coffee table, and bookshelves with paperbacks tumbling onto each other. It kind of felt like we were in a ship bottom, so even though I knew the music would be excellent, I was curious if the room would swallow up the sound. It was awesome—as I was walking out, I heard three different people go up to the sound engineer and thank him. Nightlight is one of the few venues I
Chatham Rabbits: Old Souls (podcast) Interviews Music Features Podcast by Ken Templeton - June 15, 20220 Sarah McCombie describes herself and her husband, Austin, as “old souls.” They like old things, old people, and old songs. It’s no surprise then, that many of the songs on their new album, If You See Me Riding By, feel timeless. This record has kept me good company this spring, and it’s exciting that as of June 3, it’s out in the world for everyone to hear. We had a wonderful chat a couple of months back as Sarah and Austin braved the New Jersey Turnpike on a spring tour. Take a listen and check out the new record!