Our Top Six Albums October 2024
Top Six Album Releases
October 2024
Our Top Six Albums October 2024
By Rob Dickens
Billy Strings
Highway Prayers
Reprise Records
27 September 2024
Grammy-winning ‘bluegrass’ guitar wunderkind Billy Strings has become prominent very quickly, reportedly selling over a million tickets to his live shows in the past three years. His youth, energy and, above all, incredible proficiency has taken the genre by storm, in a way that Bill Malone might not entirely agree (although, to be fair, Monroe and his amazing lineups certainly did not become an icon without creating something fresh himself).
Highway Prayers is a triumph in many ways. The genre-bending, the power rhythms and the licks are hypnotic. Strings eshews a full-on showpiece of his technical chops for more of an homage to the melodies, the might and spirit of the original material.
It’s a monster, twenty-track collection. It’s edgy. It’s pulsating. It’s brilliant.
Caleb Caudle
Sweet Critters
Independent
30 August 2024
Sweet Critters is Caleb Caudle’s sixth studio LP and, again, one of my favourites. Beautifully put together by John Paul White and Ben Tanner, at the duo’s Florence, Alabama studio Sun Drop Sound. The theme of the record is an appreciation of members of the animal kingdom who don’t possess humanity’s complexities of judgement and dubious decision-making.
“The Brim” is a beautiful track, incorporating a gentle call and response with Aoife O’Donovan and it’s hard to imagine a more tender song from the year. Like O’Donovan, Allison Russell‘s contribution on “Heaven Sometimes” is a clever adornment, and there is the achingly honest “Mountain Laurel”. “Great High Mountain” and “Knee Deep Blues” are driving tunes from a gifted wordsmith.
Caudle has established himself as an artist whose every release should be examined and embraced.
Jeffrey Foucault
The Universal Fire
Fluff and Gravy Records
6 September 2024
Jeffrey Foucoult‘s first release of original material in six years is a stunning slow burner. The Universal Fire follows the death of his friend and drummer Billy Conway who passed away in 2021 and the songs were created out of grief and reflection.
Foucault enlisted the signature percussion of John Convertino (Calexico), a tricky thing to do to replace his friend in the studio. Still, it turned out to be an inspired choice to honour Conway. Recorded at Wave Lab in Tucson and produced by Mike Lewis (who also plays piano and saxophone). Foucault’s band also features the multi-talented Eric Heywood on steel, Jeremy Moses Curtis on bass and Erik Kiskinen on electric guitar. Vocals from Kris Delmhorst, Pieta Brown and Barbara Jean Meyers complete the picture along with, of course, the rusty vocals of Foucault.
The Universal Fire is stark, bleak but immensely rewarding.
Kelley Mickwee
Everything Beautiful
Independent
27 September 2024
From Memphis, Kelley Mickwee gives us her first solo album in a decade. Everything Beautiful was recorded at Church House Studios in Austin, Texas and was produced, recorded and mixed by David Boyle who enlisted some masterful players who have played on albums by Gary Clark Jr., Band of Heathens, the Black Pumas, plus highly respected journeyman Will Sexton. The album is rootsy with a huge dash of soul.
Mickwee has a noteworthy musical back story – a member of the Memphis duo Jed and Kelley, followed by a stint in the acclaimed Texas-based band The Trishas and, more recently, Shinyribs. She has also sung on records by Charley Crockett, Reckless Kelly, Ray Wylie Hubbard and Silverada. Her last solo album was 2014’s You Used to Live Here.
Mickee’s soulful roots vocals on this record are absorbing.
Via Propeller Publicity
Sadie Campbell
Metamorphosis
Independent
25 October 2024
This is an arrestingly great debut. Nashville-based artist Sadie Campbell has released an album of eleven tracks that covers some heart-tugging sentiments and honest, raw emotions. Her voice roars and ebbs with such passion that indifference is impossible.
The exemplar on Saved is the fearless title track (clip below). While Campbell honed her vocals in a church choir, she is clearly no longer a fan of the teachings of the Christan Church.
”I am scared to open this can of worms, so to speak, but I chose to put this song on the record for the people out there that also have questioned their faith, questioned the church, been wronged by the church, had to reprogram their minds and hearts after leaving. It’s for them. For us.”
Sadie Campbell
Saved is a defining premiere statement from a wonderfully talented artist.
Via Sarah J. Frost PR
Van Walker
Healing Descent
Cheersquad Records
27 September 2024
Van Walker returns after his marvelous 2020 album Ghosting (one of our top albums of that year) with Healing Descent, with ten personally compelling songs written around the time of the first major COVID lockdown. Walker recorded the collection in just four days, teaming up again with expat. Australian multi-instrumentalist Chris Altmann while the former was on tour of Canada.
The songs were born from observations and optimism about the natural world being unaffected while humanity was subject to spotty exile due to the virus. The swing of positivity was also seeded from the darkness of Ghosting and its narratives of the grieving of a lost relationship.
In both releases, Walker’s trademark lyrical honesty and raspy yearning vocals are consistently undeniable.
Healing Descent is a truthful celebration from a masterful singer/songwriter.
Via Jo Corbett Publicity
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Our Top Six Albums October 2024
Our Top Six Albums October 2024
Our Top Six Albums October 2024
