Dec 23

Dec 23 Graber Gryass: Late Bloom- A Review and Interview

Writers, authors and artists come in a million varieties. Some are born with a desire to document, some are forced through reflection of circumstance, some are young and naive who try to paint the world before they’ve seen it. Michael Graber has lived a life, I’m sure he’d tell you, and you can listen to Late Bloom and he will, but that’s the beauty of an album like Late Bloom. You don’t have to wade through pretense of someone getting philosophical about made up problems, telling grand stories of a life not lived. “Late Bloom” which was released on 10/30/20 is full of stories about a life lived, problems solved, problems that have failed to be solved, dreams that made it, dreams that may still make it and dreams that didn’t. I had the chance to talk to Michael about the record, a little about life, and after having the chance to ask some questions, I feel a little more connected to a record that I found striking. As a child of deep rural Appalachia, I have a pull to traditional folk and Bluegrass. If you have a love of jam band music or ‘grass,this is for you.

Dec 22

Dec 22 Ruston Kelly: Shape & Destroy

Phillip Ring

This year has been a mess, but a hallmark year for records. I could name five without blinking that I believe are forever records. I can name one that broke my heart, and changed something in me. Ruston Kelly’s Shape and Destroy. This album was released earlier this year, but better late than never.

I came into this record as a fan. I’m exactly who an artist like Ruston Kelly hits: someone raised on traditional music, with a taste for the more eccentric punk/emo tracks. When you add those things together you’d think you get something that’s pretentious, without direction, and confused about what it wants to be. This is not that, this is something that is made to reach down your throat, close its hand around your heart and pull it out while you watch. It’s painful, but it’s supposed to be. It’s voyeuristic as an artistic choice. It’s personal by design.

Dec 21

Dec 21 Grayson Jenkins : Hand Me Downs

Ryan Bush

Steeped in the rolling coal hills of Western Kentucky, combined with a voice matching the smoothness of the rolling water of a cold creek, Grayson Jenkins’ newest release, Hand Me Downs, is a testament to what great songwriting can ignite in the heart and soul.

A reflection of honoring life and all the good that it can entail, Jenkins, along with his backing band, The Resolutions, provide a sound worthy of a smoky barroom, but with points of the contrasting brightness of a warm, sunny day. It’s a mesh of melody and catchy lyricism that Jenkins continues to feed as an artist and writer.

“I’m always taking notes on my phone or scribbling down words in a notebook. I steal little phrases and observations that pop out in life or conversations and try to put them to song. Most days, I free-write about random places or things, with no rhyme or melody in mind. That helps to exercise the writing muscles and can usually pull me out of a slump if I’m in one. For me, it’s just about filling out my tool bag with different ways of writing so that I can run with whatever pops in my head,” Jenkins says of his creative process.

Dec 17

Dec 17 Favorite Albums of 2020

The Amp Staff

Last year seemed like a banner year for releases, but the buzz for 2020 albums, tours and festivals had everyone thrilled for what was to come. No one imagined that all of that would come to a screeching halt in Mid-March when a global pandemic struck. A devastating blow to the performing arts community among so many other small businesses, the education system and the healthcare community. Many musicians had just released or were nearing release dates for their music, but were left unable to tour in support of it. Some chose to delay their releases and others forged on and released albums, EPs and singles anyway. I have a great deal of respect for those that took a gamble and provided us with one of the most important things to help get us through this difficult period. The power of music has continued to bring us together when we can’t join each other like we normally would. Thankfully, social media has allowed the artists to perform livestreams or even just promote their art. It’s allowed the fans to share music and continue to discuss and analyze it. Here at the Amp, we’ve made our own individual lists of our favorite three albums this year to share with our readers. We hope that you’ve listened to some of these amazing artists and their albums, but if not, we hope that you’ll at least give them a listen and perhaps find some new favorites.

Dec 3

Dec 3 Nick Dittmeier and the Sawdusters: Companion (Extended Edition)

Ryan Bush

An album combining Dittmeier’s fantastic song writing capabilities, along with grooving guitar riffs, Companion (Extended Edition) showcases an “A Side” of studio tracks recorded in 2019, while “B Side,” Alive in a Barber Shop in Southern Indiana, boasts The Sawdusters’ talents from a live viewpoint, creating a unique listening experience that encompasses the entire emotion of the sound.

“I really value having a full band to go out and do tour dates, because that's what I would like to see from other songwriters, and I love playing with other musicians. One positive about the shutdown is, we actually got to practice and micromanage things about our sound. We released some video from a live session we did in July and it captures what we were working on. On bass, I have Bob Rutherford and Josh Bradley on drums,” says Dittemeier.

Straight from the first track, “It’s Gonna Break Your Heart,” Dittmeier’s songsmith prowess comes through with a stunning flow and smoothness – with a truthfulness in his voice.

I still think about you baby / Every hour everyday / I’m still trying to kick these cigarettes / Before the baby comes in May

It’s the simple way of connecting simple words and creating an idea that Dittmeier sings with ease.

Dec 1

Dec 1 Birmingham Independent Venues: Coping with Covid

Derek Scudder

Great Peacock has solid ties with Birmingham, Alabama. Front man Andrew Nelson grew up in the area and guitarist Blount Floyd is also an Alabama native. They have plenty of friends and family around to make a party of any appearance in the Magic City. The band opened for The Wild Feathers, another band with a loyal Birmingham following, on Friday the 13th at Avondale Brewing Co., a popular outdoor music venue and brewpub just east of downtown. A few hundred fans showed up to help Great Peacock celebrate the release of their new record Forever Worse Better and the band treated the socially distanced crowd to several of the new songs in a solid set. But something just wasn’t quite right. I couldn’t help thinking that the show would have been a REAL party across the street at Saturn, the temporarily shuttered venue that is widely revered by artists across the country for its fabulous green room facilities and loved by fans for its consistently fantastic lineup.

Nov 30

Nov 30 Cold German Mornings: An Interview with James Steinle and Scott Davis

Melissa Payne

The Amp recently had the opportunity to interview artist James Steinle and his producer, Scott Davis, on his upcoming album, Cold German Mornings, out on December 11th. His thrid release of 2020, Cold German Mornings is an album that you can’t just listen to once and walk away knowing the intent behind each song. It’s deep, it’s involved and it’s a record that should be listened to as a whole, the way Steinle intended it. Steinle is one of those artists that has the feel of an old soul, wise beyond his years and wholly underappreciated for the quality of work he’s putting out.

1. Let’s talk about your newest album, Cold German Mornings. You say it’s an album that you’ve been writing in your head since you could walk, but what was it about this year that made you finally sit down and actually write it all out? Was there something significant that took place? Or was it the fact that this year has left everyone with a bit more time on their hands to pursue projects that they might not otherwise have completed?

Nov 23

Nov 23 The Piedmont Boys: Almost Home

Melissa Payne

If you’re looking for an album that is fun, lighthearted, and reminiscent of the good old days of 90s country, then you’ll need to get yourselves acquainted with The Piedmont Boys, who hail from Greenville, South Carolina. There’s no clap tracks or lyrics about back roads to be found on their newest record, Almost Home, and that’s just how they like it. What you will find is original, honky-tonk music, with some fiddle and accordion thrown in for good measure. The eleven tracks on the album are made up of mostly fast-paced, toe-tapping, fun songs, save for a couple more serious, slowed-down tracks that help bring balance to the album.

Nov 20

Nov 20 Interview with Amy Jack: Collaborating with a Legend

Phillip Ring

Amy Jack is an entertainer whose latest release had the hand of a legend on it. Anthemic tracks suited for fist pumping at a football game, tailgating with friends, or to get you through that last set in the gym. We here at The Amp had the chance to catch up with Amy Jack to ask a few questions and get a feel for what makes her tick, and what it was like working with a giant of the country music genre.

Nov 19

Nov 19 John Calvin Abney: Familiar Ground

Derek Scudder

March 2020 will be remembered as the month the music stopped. John Calvin Abney was set to tour with his long-time collaborator, John Moreland, to promote his latest record (LP5) when the pandemic shut everything down. That’s when Abney holed up at his current home in California’s Bay Area to begin writing the songs that would become Familiar Ground. He says, “I had written some of the songs before everything went down but some of the songs really took form as I had this surplus of time and lack of tour so I ended up having a lot of mental space and physical space to delve into writing. I also got to workshop some of these songs and hone their edges.”

Nov 16

Nov 16 Molly Parden: Rosemary

Melissa Payne

It may feel strange to describe an album as “dreamy,” especially when it encompasses a range of emotions, to include heartbreak and loss, but here we are. Molly Parden’s newest album, Rosemary, the biggest collection of songs she’s released since her first album, Time is Medicine from 2011, was released November 13th. At times it’s a struggle to decide what’s the real shining star in this release. Is it Molly’s raw, vulnerable and honest lyrics about situations that almost any one of us can identify with? Or is it her ethereal and hypnotizing voice, drawing the listener in and keeping them there, suspended, until the album ends? Luckily, we don’t have to make a choice between the two and can instead appreciate the fact that someone who didn’t come from a musical family, somehow found herself making music, moving to Nashville in 2013 and then traveling the world as a bassist, guitarist and singer for names such as Sam Outlaw and David Ramirez.

Nov 13

Nov 13 Josh Abbott Band: The Highway Kind

David Overstreet

It will be just over 3 years since The Josh Abbott Band has released a new album. On November 13th they will release The Highway Kind, the band’s sixth studio album. It was recorded in El Paso at the famed Sonic Ranch and produced by Marshall Altman on JAB’s own label Pretty Damn Tough Records. While making the record, Abbott and his wife relocated from Austin to Nashville for three months where he embraced the collaborative songwriting scene. Abbott dubs the new album “the first real, true band album experience” that they have recorded.

Nov 12

Nov 12 Premiere: Jason Sinkhorn | "My Last Folk Song"

Derek Scudder

Like so many other artists, Jason Sinkhorn thought 2020 was going to be a big year for his career. He says, “I thought it was going to be my year in the sense that I’d be playing live more, being more social with my music, revamping old songs and introducing new songs live. I was just gonna go for it.” The songs for the next project that he was considering had already written by January or February. Those were songs he was taking to multi-instrumentalist and producer Severn Edmondson and everything was all done for the new project except to actually do it. Then March happened.

Nov 5

Nov 5 Premiere: The Ransom Brothers | Part of the Show

Melissa Payne

What began as two acquaintances with shared taste in guitars and vinyl records, has now evolved into a collision of classic Southern Rock and outlaw country music. Singer/songwriter Sean McHargue and guitarist Daniel Solis have joined to form The Ransom Brothers, an Austin-based duo that blends haunting and accessible lyrics with gritty, saturated guitar tone.

They draw their influence from legends such as Willie Nelson, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Pink Floyd, as well as modern artists like Sturgill Simpson, Tyler Childers, and Whiskey Myers. While they make a concerted effort to honor the pioneers that paved the road before them, they have every intention of going off the beaten path and creating their own image and sound as stand alone, one-of-a-kind artists.

Oct 30

Oct 30 Premiere: Sean Whiting – Perfect World

Ryan Bush

Sean Whiting has a voice that melts souls …. it’s an instrument that can stand on its own. A lava that does not stop flowing. Ever. The passion and tone carry in every lyric of his newest single, "Perfect World," due to drop on November 6th, 2020.

Part of a live performance recorded at Fat Cave Studios in Jackson, Kentucky, in August of this year, Whiting pours his emotion into a bluesy tone that defines the “Appalachian Rock” genre that he so helped to create and forefront.

The sound is smooth. The words are sincere. They cut deep – but heal. The first of a possible three EP singles in the upcoming months, Whiting puts his talent to use with a tremendous backing, including Austin Lewis (Electric Guitar), Trevor Litteral (Bass), and Clarke Sexton (Drums) – not to mention the fantastic artistry of Sam Rogers (Engineer) – "Perfect World" pulls the curtain on what Whiting has to offer to the music realm, especially as a songsmith and visionary.

Oct 29

Oct 29 Sam Morrow: Gettin' By on Gettin' Down

Stephanie Blackburn

These days, many of us are just gettin’ by, and Spring, Texas native and current Los Angeles resident, Sam Morrow has a new album that will help us all get down in a good way right now. His sharp witted songwriting along with his hybrid rock and funk, Gettin’ By On Gettin’ Down is worthy of being turned up to 11. With heavy driving percussion and amplified more by the electric over the acoustic guitar, Sam and his multi-talented band bring an eclectic sound that will get you groovin’ or hit you straight in the soul on all nine tracks. Mostly recorded in just six days at an LA-based studio owned by Rock n Roll Hall of Fame guitarist Robby Krieger (The Doors), we are given a clear window into Sam’s artistic growth since Concrete & Mud. Touring internationally for eighteen months in support of that album allowed him to have diverse experiences and continue to gather musical influences that have a strong appeal across genre preferences.

Oct 28

Oct 28 Old Soul Staying on the Rails, Fighting the Good Fight: An Interview with W.B. Walker

Phillip Ring

If you find yourself asking, "Who or what is W.B. Walker?" I’m about to bring a world of joy, creativity, and intention to your attention. What started as a way to show friends and family what one smooth, southern, baritone-voiced, pirate radio DJ was listening to, blossomed into a way for artists to break into a brand new stratosphere. Being on the “Old Soul Radio Show” has become a stop on the way to stardom in the lives of many Country, Americana, or whatever genre the kids are calling twangy, honest, traditional American music these days. When you have someone like W.B. who dedicates his time without expectation of compensation, maintains integrity over popularity, and shares artists who go on to be stars, megastars, superstars and any other kind of star you can dream up, a platform like his becomes paramount to artists looking to stay fed on the road.

Oct 26

Oct 26 Zach Aaron: Fill Dirt Wanted

Jolene Horihan

Zach Aaron’s latest album, Fill Dirt Wanted, is his follow up to 2017’s Murder of Crows, released on May 15. Honestly, I didn’t know if we would even see many albums released after March this year. With the shutdown of venues, restaurants and bars, the climate of the economy of performing arts was so uncertain. Artists were no longer able to tour to promote upcoming or recently released albums. For independent artists like Zach Aaron, that is the most effective way to support their work. They don’t have big budget labels advertising their music. So many artists opted to postpone their releases or, conversely, took to heavily hitting social media and music publications to promote their albums. Zach and his team chose to do the latter.

Oct 22

Oct 22 Rachel Brooke: The Mystic Return of a Grievous Angel

Mandy Mitchell

So often in our modern age of shifting musical cannon boundaries and genre nonconformity, we hear the resounding plea for a return to simpler times and simpler songs made by purist fans and old soul hipsters wistfully clinging to a bygone era. With her newest album, The Loneliness in Me, Rachel Brooke channels a returning cosmic grievous honky tonk angel, her unembellished and commanding vocals inexplicably containing the specific sound of a haunted echo as it bounces off the baseboards of the oldest dance halls of the country music circuit.

Oct 21

Oct 21 Stephanie Lambring: Heavy Things to Say

Mandy Mitchell

In Stephanie Lambring’s upcoming album, “Autonomy,” delicate melodies combine with bare-faced lyrics forged in fire to deliver a haunting punch in the gut as the singer/songwriter reemerges after a long hiatus away from her music career. Bareknuckle truths are expertly folded into masterful lyrics aimed at ripping apart the societal cages that bind the modern woman. With topics ranging from sexuality, failed marriages, eating disorders, suicide, and the hypocrisy that often accompanies organized religion, no subject is sacred. ‘Autonomy’ will be released into the wild October 23rd, and leaves the listener examining shared hurts ages old, as well as the sometimes questionable ethics of personal moral codes.