2020 Music Capsule Reviews
Photo Collage by Carol Roth, 2021
Albums Released in 2020
MOO - Mumblin’ Drew’s Oldfangled Orchestrators
Mumblin’ Drew’s voice will make you question whether all the guys on phonograph records sounded that way because of the recording technology of the time, or if maybe they actually just sounded that way, because he sure does. He assembles a marvelous set of musicians for this rollicking album of obscure older-than-old oldies, and it’s so much fun to listen to.
Folk n’ Roll Vol. 1: Tales of Isolation - Ondara.
This collection was entirely written, recorded and released in the early days of the pandemic, and while its awful specificity might preclude it from becoming a lasting classic, it’s worth a listen. Ondara’s one-of-a-kind voice and quirky lyrics perfectly capture the confusion, claustrophobia and incredulity of those first few months before we all became lockdown pros.
Logan Ledger - Logan Ledger
I wrote at length about my interpretation of Ledger’s lyrics, but I could write another article just as long about his unbelievable voice (yeah, voice is a huge deal for me). With his impressive vocal range and versatility, it has shades of Roy Orbison, George Jones, Elvis, Willie Nelson and more yet still sounds completely new and different.
Reunions - Jason Isbell
Much has been written already about this stellar album and Isbell’s evocative songwriting, so I’ll just say a word about the song multiple critics flagged as the weakest one on it: “River.” It’s a great, creepy murder ballad with one of my favorite lyrics of the album: “The men I've hired, they all seem to be afraid of me / They turn their eyes away from me like kids.”
Western Swing & Waltzes & Other Punchy Songs - Colter Wall
As an extremely young guy with now four albums under his belt, it’s no wonder that Wall’s style and voice continue to evolve. I prefer the rougher voice and darker themes of his earlier records, but I can’t fault this one, which shows increased control and maturity in his vocals while hewing even more closely to old-time country/western arrangements as he sings of cowpokes and his beloved Saskatchewan homeland.
REDNECKED - Tommy Luke
Luke is another singer I suspect is pretty young, because his voice has changed since his past albums — it’s softer, lighter, with such a casual-seeming delivery that the pain and emotion in some tracks, like “Worried Man,” kind of sneaks up on you. But on this album of mostly covers, he still shows a penchant for silly (the adorable “Weinie Man”) and the crass (the title song).
Singles Released in 2020
“Happy Man” - The Cactus Blossoms
One of the only times my favorite living musicians broke their internet silence during the pandemic, it was to promote the release of this single. It’s a complete reinvention of the old-time country style song “Happy Man on a Gloomy Day” from their self-released 2013 Live at the Turf Club, and its bright yet soothing new seventies-era sensibility was very welcome in the dark days of lockdown.
“Minneapolis.” - Luke Callen
This spirited folkie with a powerful voice and worldview ricocheted from Wisconsin to Colorado and many places in between before settling in the Twin Cities, and this song expresses his disappointment that we are not truly the nature-loving progressive stronghold we’re often portrayed as. I’d heard Callen play this song many times live, and since live shows were put on hold for a long time in 2020, I was glad to have a recorded version.
“Maybe It’s Time” / “Alabama Sky” - Jason Isbell
Full disclosure: I’ve never seen the new A Star Is Born nor heard the Bradley Cooper version of the Isbell-penned “Maybe It’s Time” — ya know, the one that made the Billboard Hot 100. But I snapped up this demo-style version and its equally wistful B-side track, loving hearing just Isbell with an acoustic for a change.
“People With Real Jobs” / “Baby Bye Bye” - Cole Diamond
This local Twin Cities artist has a distinctly seventies-eighties country feel to me, so it’s fun to hear him sing about twenty-first century grievances that include people bragging about their Bitcoin fortunes and being “real protective with her phone.” Both songs could be downers with their subject matter, but their bouncy delivery make them humorous and relatable.
“Tennessee Blues” - Jack Klatt ft. The Cactus Blossoms
I heard Klatt and the Cactus Blossoms do this Bobby Charles cover several times live so, again, it was a very welcome surprise when Klatt released it as a single. Wistful but dreamy and soothing, it’s a beautiful — and beautifully rendered — version that I’ll never get tired of hearing.
“Words of a Fool” - Barry Gibb ft Jason Isbell
I wasn’t sure what to think when I heard that Isbell had recorded an old unreleased Bee Gees track with Gibb, but after a couple of listens I had to buy it. Isbell takes the lead and his vocals have never been prettier and more soulful, and the gospel feel of the song gives it an uplifting optimism — even if, at its core, it seems to be about a guy who should maybe stop waiting for his lover to come back and get on with his life.
“Blue” - The Younger Brothers
I think I discovered this Philly duo when they hashtagged #thecactusblossoms on a teaser for “Blue,” their first single, although the resemblance ends with “two guys who sing close harmonies and sound kinda throwback.” No matter — I was immediately entranced by this melancholy yet comforting pandemic-era anthem and may or may not have listened to it on repeat the entire day of its release.
“Jeremiah” / “Why’d Ya Do It” - Sierra Ferrell
It’s hard to describe the sound of this girl from West Virginia — she has a very old-time country feel yet something about her voice reminds me of Rosemary Clooney and Billie Holiday — pretty yet full of surprising depth and complexity. This pair of singles sum that up for me; “Jeremiah” is very old-time country while “Why’d Ya Do It” sounds more like a tango or something — I could totally picture Clooney doing this in a nightclub scene in a musical.
“She’s Layin’ in the Flowers” - The Younger Brothers
Needless to say, after bingeing gluttonously on their first song, “Blue,” I was beyond excited when the YBs dropped another single fast on the heels of the first. This again has the feel of an empathetic COVID-era creation, but unlike “Blue” which languished beautifully in the sadness of 2020, this gorgeous, upbeat seventies-esque song with lush Beach Boys-style layers of harmonies helps us envision what it’s going to feel like “when we’re walking on the other side” of the pandemic.
Carol Roth. Photo credit: Dan Lee.
Carol Roth is a full-time marketing copywriter and the main music journalist and social media publicist for Adventures in Americana. In addition to studying the guitar and songwriting, Carol’s additional creative side hustle is writing self-proclaimed “trashy” novels under the pseudonym @taberkeley!
