Ry Cooder in The Irish Times: “Nobody didn’t like Brownie and Sonny. Everybody liked them, especially white people who’d never heard of the blues, didn’t know what it was, wouldn’t have wanted to know what it was.” Mahal: “The blues haven’t gone anywhere; it is the people who’ve disappeared.” Cooder and Mahal’s tribute album to McGhee and Terry called Get On Board comes out April 22 on Nonesuch Records. It’s pure greatness.
April 18, 2022
Mike’s Monday Muse – Taj Mahal & Ry Cooder
April 11, 2022
Mike’s Monday Muse – Calexico
John Convertino and Joey Burns first met when they were playing with Howe Gelb in Giant Sand in the early 90s before going on to form Calexico. El Mirador is the 13th studio album of captivating cactus community rock-n-roll from arguably the world’s best band.
April 4, 2022
Mike’s Monday Muse – The Mary Janes
This is a Bloomington, Indiana classic. Janas Hoyt (Vulgar Boatmen) and her great band The Mary Janes put out Record No. 1 in 1998 and it’s full of rock-jangly, country-rolling tunes that always sound new. “Wish I Could Fly,” “Throwing Pennies,” “She Flies Away,” “Final Days,” and the 7:41 epic “Shooting Star” are some of my favorites.
March 28, 2022
Mike’s Monday Muse – The Hanging Stars
Hollow Heart is the fourth full-length record from London-based cosmic rockers, The Hanging Stars. It’s pedal steel paradise.
March 21, 2022
Mike’s Monday Muse – Beverly Guitar Watkins
Beverly Guitar Watkins was eight years old in 1947 when she taught herself to play “John Henry” on a Stella guitar bought from Sears Roebuck. She won a talent show playing “Blue Suede Shoes” on that Stella in high school where she also learned to play piano, bass, and trumpet. In Paris is a new release of a 2012 live show out now on Music Maker Foundation. She sleighs covers of “You Send Me” and “What I Say” on the album and two songs, “Red Mama” and “Sugar Baby Swing,” are named after her guitars.
March 14, 2022
Mike’s Monday Muse – Rick Holmstrom
Rick Holmstrom has been playing guitar in Mavis Staples’ band for 15 years. His new killer solo record of instrumentals, Get It, is out now on his label, LuEllie Records. Man I dig this video.
March 7, 2022
Mike’s Monday Muse – Justin Peter Kinkel-Schuster
Mike’s Monday Muse is where friend of the blog, roots DJ, house show organizer, Bloomington Music Expo czar and all around nice guy Mike McAfee picks one song a week to share with the people.
Justin Peter Kinkel-Schuster wrote, produced, played, sang, recorded and mixed all the music on this superb rock-n-roll record, No Tongue Can Tell. “Is It Lost,” “Mama’s Cash,” and “Daisies Never Tell” are #1 hit tunes in my car. JPKS is one of my very favorite artists and I recommend all his solo work as well as Marie/Lepanto, Water Liars, Theodore, or anything he releases through his Constant Stranger label.
February 28, 2022
Mike’s Monday Muse – Dallas Good
I’m still terribly saddened and shocked by the death of Dallas Good of The Sadies at the age of 48 last week. Dallas was a super-force of nature as the front man, guitarist, singer, and songwriter for The Sadies, the best rock-surf-country-punk band on the planet. You need more of The Sadies in your ears. Badass side note: I made a playlist of instrumentals by The Sadies and I found 34 of them! Dallas was a hero of heroes. He collaborated with Neil Young, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Kurt Vile, Neko Case, Garth Hudson, Jon Doe, and so many others. The 2003 self-titled release from The Unintended is a hidden gem.
February 21, 2022
Mike’s Monday Muse – Kimberly Morgan York
Don’t listen to this unless you enjoy Dolly & Tammy, waltzing pedal steel guitar, The Drive-By Truckers, sweet twangy vocals, and real-deal country music. Found Yourself A Lady is Kimberly Morgan York‘s debut album (check out the equally stellar cut “Real Thing“) and her second record, Keep On Going, comes out later this year.
February 14, 2022
Mike’s Monday Muse – Elephant Micah
I had the privilege of seeing Kate Long perform her gorgeous cover of Elephant Micah‘s “Dentist/Drummer” exactly twice recently and it slammed my face into an Elephant Micah rabbit hole. Vague Tidings, Globe Rush Progressions, and Where In Our Woods remain on repeat mode. Nothing is ever wrong with reminding me of Jason Molina and Will Johnson. Me digs this live video of “By The Canal” with Jason Groth on guitar .