Folk/Country — All Formats  

An excellent record from Hiss Golden Messenger – who blend rootsy, but freewheeling instrumentation with artful, ambitious songwriting – and they're one of the most creative groups around making brilliantly original music that still hold true to southern folk and roots history The anchors are singer/guitarist/mandolin player MC Taylor and guitar and bass player Scott Hirsch – but the music is fleshed out by a large group of great musicians on a diverse list of instruments – piano, Rhodes and Hammond on the keyboards spectrum, banjo, fiddle, pedal steel and and array of acoustic and electric strings, sax and more. In a way, it's the mix of traditional reverence and straight up newness is reminiscent of The Band in the late 60s and early 70s – but they ultimately have a vibe all their own. Includes "Red Rose Nantahala", "Sufferer (Love My Conqueror)", "I've Got A Name For The Newborn Child", "Devotion", "Hat Of Rain", "The Serpent Is Kind (Compared To Man)", "Cheerwine Easter", "Busted Note", "What Shall Be (Shall Be Enough)".

An excellent record from Hiss Golden Messenger – who blend rootsy, but freewheeling instrumentation with artful, ambitious songwriting – and they're one of the most creative groups around making brilliantly original music that still hold true to southern folk and roots history The anchors are singer/guitarist/mandolin player MC Taylor and guitar and bass player Scott Hirsch – but the music is fleshed out by a large group of great musicians on a diverse list of instruments – piano, Rhodes and Hammond on the keyboards spectrum, banjo, fiddle, pedal steel and and array of acoustic and electric strings, sax and more. In a way, it's the mix of traditional reverence and straight up newness is reminiscent of The Band in the late 60s and early 70s – but they ultimately have a vibe all their own. Includes "Red Rose Nantahala", "Sufferer (Love My Conqueror)", "I've Got A Name For The Newborn Child", "Devotion", "Hat Of Rain", "The Serpent Is Kind (Compared To Man)", "Cheerwine Easter", "Busted Note", "What Shall Be (Shall Be Enough)".

A 7-inch single commemorating Willie Nelson's 80th birthday – and his faith in and use of a particularly herbal remedy! Includes the Heroes album version of "Roll Me Up And Smoke Me When I Die" with fellow aficionado Snoop Dogg, plus longtime friend and collaborator Kris Kristifferson and Willie acolyte Jamey Johnson. It's a fun track, but the real keeper is the flipside – Willie Nelson's previously unreleased solo version. Willie's often at his best when he's recorded in sparer, lonelier settings, and that's true for this track, too.

Arranged by Mort Garson – with tracks that include "Child Of Clay", "Today", "Turnaround", "The Lovers", "You Pass Me By", and "My Love Is A Wanderer".

One of the two incredible albums by Townes Van Zandt from 1972 – both right up there with his best ever! High, Low & In Between, along with The Late Great Townes Van Zandt represent real career high points for Townes – with sparer, folk-based production and songs that touch on folk, country, blues and even a little bit of gospel. Some sweeter female backing vocals appear hear-and-there providing the right kind of lovely backdrop for the rugged beauty of Townes voice and songcraft. That's all the sweetener it needs. Greatness! Titles include "Two Hands", "You Are Not Need Now", "Greensboro Woman", "Highway Kind", "Mr. Mudd and Mr. Gold", "Blue Ridge Mountains", "To Live And To Fly", "High, Low And In Between" and more.

One of the two incredible albums by Townes Van Zandt from 1972 – both right up there with his best ever! High, Low & In Between, along with The Late Great Townes Van Zandt represent real career high points for Townes – with sparer, folk-based production and songs that touch on folk, country, blues and even a little bit of gospel. Some sweeter female backing vocals appear hear-and-there providing the right kind of lovely backdrop for the rugged beauty of Townes voice and songcraft. That's all the sweetener it needs. Greatness! Titles include "Two Hands", "You Are Not Need Now", "Greensboro Woman", "Highway Kind", "Mr. Mudd and Mr. Gold", "Blue Ridge Mountains", "To Live And To Fly", "High, Low And In Between" and more.

One of the most vital singer-songwriter packages we've seen in years – the stunning original trio of albums by Mickey Newbury from 1969-1973, dubbed his American Trilogy – plus the bonus 4th disc of even rarer tracks and unreleased material! Newbury was in the upper tier of brilliant and successful songwriters of his era straddling the lines of country, rock and folk, yet rendering genres moot with his adventurous craft. He wrote songs that were recorded by by a wide variety of artists – from Roger Miller to Eddy Arnold to Andy Williams – and well beyond. His own recordings are something else entirely – lonely, haunting and achingly beautiful. We can hear the influences of in admirers from the best writing of Kris Kristofferson and up to Will Oldham – both of whom are professed admirers. First up is 1969's Looks Like Rain, just a beautiful, loose around the edges, yet oddly imaculate at the same time. The set includes '69's Looks Like Rain, '71's 'Frisco Mabel Joy, '73's Heaven Help The Child and the rarities disc Better Days with demos and unreleased material from throughout the period. The 4CD set also includes a nice booklet with writings from Chris Campion, Ben Fong-Torres and Kris Kristofferson's original liner notes for Looks Like Rain.