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On Strange Medicine, Kater seeks to transform grief into joy, sorrow into hope. Her songs celebrate the power of oppressed people and act as an antidote to centuries of exploitation, fear, and greed. This collection of ten songs—featuring appearances by today’s finest roots musicians such as Allison Russell, Aoife O’Donovan, and Taj Mahal—showcases Kater’s biting topical songwriting and deft arranging chops.

RT is back with a new one! From his co-founding of Fairport Convention in the 60s, through his work with Linda Thompson in the 70s and string of spectacular solo releases since then, he’s remained a favorite of ours here at WNCW. This 12-song set was produced by Thompson and recorded in Woodstock, NY.

A native of South Carolina now living in Nashville, Kyshona (“Kuh-SHOW-nuh”) is a music therapist and community connector, in addition to being a talented musician with this moving new album. Her work focuses in part on uplifting the silenced and forgotten, and reconnecting those who feel marginalized and divided. This album chronicles her journey researching and writing about her family’s ancestry and stories, and includes co-writes with Aaron Lee Tasjan, Brittney Spencer, Caroline Spence, Jess Nolan, and her brother and grandfather.

The latest album from this jamgrass band was recorded last summer in the north of Iceland at Flóki Studios (where acts like the New Mastersounds, Robert Walter and Eddie Roberts have recorded lately). Swimming in the chilly waters and working through the nights of no setting sun added a surge of creativity to the band. So did keyboardist Holly Bowman, who has worked with them the past few years and lent her talent to this album.

He’s a favorite of ours: for his songwriting, his spirit, and his multi-talented music prowess. Will is known as a great producer (including for Shemekia Copeland’s last three albums), a guitarist (including for Emmylou Harris for her recent tours), and as a member of Daddy and Willie Sugarcapps among other projects. Now we have his 11th full-length solo album, and he’ll be performing in Asheville on June 17th!

After 10 studio albums, several EPs, and more than two decades as a band, The Avett Brothers have stamped their own name on their 11th album, the follow-up to 2019’s Closer Than Together. It marks a return to their original label, Ramseur Records, which is releasing the album in conjunction with American Recordings and Thirty Tigers. Rick Rubin was their producer once again, and they recorded it at Rubin’s Shangri-La Studios in Malibu, with other work done in Nashville, Los Angeles, and the band’s hometown of Concord, North Carolina. Scott Avett created the illustration featured on the album’s cover. Does it define the band better than any of their previous ones, as self-titled albums are often intended to do? Get to know it with us and decide!

Here’s another favorite band of ours since they formed in Miami back in 1989, the same year WNCW was born. We love their Americana/roots fusion of alternative and outlaw country, rock, blues, R&B and Tejano/Tex-Mex influences, and Raul Malo and the rest of the band are back with their 13th album. They’ve already got quite a full sound on their own, but they’re also joined by featured guests Sierra Ferrell, Maggie Rose, Nicole Atkins, and Max Abrams. It was recorded in Louisiana, Santa Fe, and their hometown of Nashville.

Greenville, South Carolina’s own Marcus King has opened up more than ever in telling his story and addressing his demons in the songs on this new album, the appropriately titled Mood Swings. Anxiety, depression, past relationships, they’re all bared out in these lyrics. Is it blues? Soul? Southern Rock?

Imagine that sweet, warm sound of Norah Jones recordings, with a psychedelic garage-soul sound this time. Fuzz guitars and other retro-60s sounds sync up wonderfully with Norah’s piano and voice here. “The reason I called the album Visions is because a lot of the ideas came in the middle of the night or in that moment right before sleep.” says Jones. “We did most of the songs in the same way where I was at the piano or on guitar and Leon was playing drums and we were just jamming on stuff. I like the rawness between me and Leon (Michels, the producer), the way it sounds kind of garage-y but also kind of soulful, because that's where he's coming from, but also not overly perfected.”