ACL 2021 ~ Pandemic Playlist

A year ago, we hoped we would not have a pandemic playlist in 2021.  But COVID stuck around.  The music we listened to was informed by isolation, illness and a bout of premature hope, chased by a secondary, more muted

Cheryl E. Leonard ~ Schism

“If your home were on fire, what item would you rescue first?”  In 2019, the top answer was the laptop. During the pandemic, we became even more attached to our electronic devices.  It’s hard to imagine getting through our lockdowns without

ACL 2019 ~ The Year’s Best Winter Music

We have a soft spot for winter music, as do our readers.  The 25 Best Winter Albums of All Time remains our all-time most-viewed post; every year, as the cold descends, we post an update as The Year’s Best Winter Music.

Cheryl E. Leonard ~ Watershed

Is it cold where you are?  It’s 7F here, which makes the cold weather recordings of Cheryl E. Leonard a perfect accompaniment.  Watershed is active and enthralling, existing on the invisible reef between field recording and improvisation.  On the surface, this is a