Red Line Roots Summer Celebration Artist Announcement: Ron Gallo with Satellite Hearts Featured Artist by Brian Carroll - April 27, 2015February 2, 20160 In the past two years "the circle" has expanded slightly to include some musical family that may be slightly outside of the New England home that I most frequently focus on. When folks from outside that area enter into the family, its for damn good reason. Ron Gallo came to me by the way that many of my favorite new finds do...a friend said you have to hear this band. He was talking about the band Toy Soliders, and "he" was Joe Fletcher. In an interview for the Newport Folk Festival a couple years back, Fletcher said: "I just got back from a tour with this band from Philadelphia called ‘Toy Soldiers’ (http://ohnotoysoldiers.com/). Not sure if you are familiar with them? They
Red Line Roots Summer Celebration Artist Announcement: Jay Psaros Featured Artist by Brian Carroll - April 10, 2015February 3, 20160 (Photo by Andrew Cavanaugh, courtesy of the artist) We are having a party and you are all invited. June 13th Red Line and a whole bunch of friends will ascend on my favorite venue in the city, Club Passim to celebrate local musician and musicians from Camberville, the Northeast and beyond. This, ladies and gentlemen, is our first announcement. The first time I saw Jay Psaros play guitar my jaw hit the floor. It's as if Buckethead and Bob Dylan had a musical love baby and it came out as this guy. Jay writes great, pensive tunes and plays his acoustic guitar like a bat out of hell, with a tapping style that hits like a hurricane and lyrics that dig deep
RLR Monthly Feature Artist March 2015: Smith&Weeden Featured Artist by Brian Carroll - April 2, 2015February 3, 20160 The greatest rock n' roll band of the 21st century? Honestly, quite possibly. If not the greatest, then the funnest and most excellent group of gents that I have ever had the pleasure of seeing live. Smith&Weeden took home my personal favorite act of 2014 in the Big Red's, just played the 2 year show at the Lizard Lounge to a sold out crowd who stuck around all night to catch their closing set, and their self titled LP has been on constant play since I first listened to it. I love Smith&Weeden, and you will too... https://smithandweeden.bandcamp.com/
Feature Artist/Album Friday: Caroline Cotter Featured Artist by Brian Carroll - March 20, 2015January 21, 20160 Caroline Cotter speaks loudly with a soft voice. While delicate and airy , it is also purposeful and strong. The first track off of her album "Dreaming as I Do" called "Bella Blue" dances a line that I love to walk myself. That careful mix and mingling of folk storytelling and bluegrass arranging. The melodic march of the mandolin, a deep bass pushing from the depths the lightness of Cotter's gorgeous tone. There is something simple in a repeated chorus line, a story dotting the verses, and fills in the vein of bluegrass music. A beauty in simplicity, the harmonious....ummm, harmony when she harmonizes with herself. It gives me chills. Caroline makes me smile in this listen and I think she will
Artist Highlight Friday: Marina Evans Featured Artist by Brian Carroll - March 13, 2015February 3, 20160 Today we highlight an artist from the Cape Ann area, Marina Evans. With a background that blends jazz with folk and indie pop, Evans has the vocal chops that say "I've been around the block" with writing that is catchy and defined by great hooks and infectious melodical goodness for the listener to eat up. I caught up with Marina to ask her a couple questions. Check it out below and be sure to stream (and buy!) her latest "Unbound". 1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. Who are your influences? What inspires you to make music? Marina Evans: I grew up in a home surrounded by music -- between my mother's piano playing and my father's unbelievable vinyl collection, I was
February 2015 Artist of the Month: Haunt the House Featured Artist by Brian Carroll - March 2, 2015February 3, 20160 From my review of HtH's 'Jack Rabbit Jones': It has taken me nearly 3 months since I have first heard this record to write about it. That is not for lack of trying or listening extensively to this record. It’s because in listening I constantly beg the question of myself “how do I justify writing about this music where the songwriting is so much better than I could possibly hope to elucidate in words?” I still find it difficult to place into words the feeling that this record and Will Houlihan's songwriting has on me. It's visceral, ethereal, beautiful, and moving. The addition of harmonies via Bessie and Amato, the swirling together of the acoustic guitar, accordion and upright bass...it all
RLR 2 Year Anniversary Show Artist Spotlight: Haunt the House Featured Artist by Brian Carroll - February 27, 2015January 21, 20160 It only seems fitting that our February Artist of the Month plays at the two year anniversary show on the last day of that month. Haunt the House came to me through the conduit of a group of people I hold very dear to my heart. I guess you would call it my "Dirt Floor Family". Both Eric Lichter and Ian Fitzgerald told me I had to check out Will Houlihan's songwriting and group of wonderful folks that help breath life into those songs. Since I first listened to his Rural Introspection Study Group (recorded with Eric at DF), I have been fascinated, charmed, and inspired by the songs that come from the (now) trio called Haunt the House. What's more,
RLR 2 Year Anniversary Show Artist Spotlight: Smith&Weeden Featured Artist by Brian Carroll - February 26, 2015January 21, 20160 I recently mentioned that I owe a lot to friends who turn me on to amazing music. Michael Panico's suggestions probably account for 99.9% of that amazing music. Such is the case with Smith&Weeden. I had seen the posts, heard him talk about the boys, but it took me meeting Jesse while he was running sound at Newport Folk last year to really dig my teeth into the music of S&W...and boy, am I a f*cking idiot for waiting so long to do so. They say rock n' roll is dead, well whoever "they" may be obviously have not heard the music of these fellas. The harmonies these fellas manage to lay over country tinged guitar riffs and steady rhythms is
RLR 2 Year Anniversary Show Artist Spotlight: The Whiskey Boys Featured Artist by Brian Carroll - February 25, 2015January 21, 20160 My wife and I have differing tastes when it comes to music. Sure, we enjoy a lot of the safe stuff, even tolerate the stuff each other listen to that the other doesn't necessarily like. There are few bands that the two of us absolutely love, The Whiskey Boys are one of those very few. With a "Punch Brothers"-esque style, focused on musicianship and arrangements that many other artists are intimidated by, The Whiskey Boys are a force of nature...bluegrass nature. There is a pop sentiment to much of David Delaney's writing style. You can latch on to a phrasing or a chorus easily, but that's where the easiness ends. Each solo break, having 4 instruments playing very differing parts in
RLR 2 Year Anniversary Show Artist Spotlight: Mark Whitaker Band Featured Artist by Brian Carroll - February 23, 2015January 21, 20160 Mark has been one of the most supportive people in my own music over the course of the time I have known him. He is easily the most talented and virtuoso musician I have ever played with, yet he is incredibly encouraging and humble when you play with him. Urging you to stretch yourself as a player and musician and helping you to push the boundaries of your own music. Sitting in the round with him or jamming is always a treat, seeing him with his band is an entirely different level. Mark may stretch the frontier of the banjo, taking jazz, rock n' roll, classical, and of course bluegrass techniques and melding it into a unique style that is all