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On her new, 14th record, Mavis stands side by side with us in the face of dangers she knows all too well, at a time when more and more people have reason to wonder who and what could be lost. Produced by Brad Cook, it spans seven decades of the American songbook — a range nearly as vast as Mavis’ career — and includes reinventions of timeless songs as well as original music.

There’s a lot of Tweedy around here these days, between our Southern Songs & Stories podcast on Jeff (here), his certain influence on the new Autumn Defense release from two of his Wilco bandmates, his son Spencer providing drums on the latest recording from Case Oats, and now this big new release from Jeff himself. Twilight Override is an intentional, sprawling three-disc album, a testament to creativity in the face of overwhelming darkness. Recorded and self-produced at his Chicago studio, The Loft, Twilight Override features Chicago-based friends and family.

From John Darnielle himself: “In the night of May 29, 2023, I had a dream. Waking from it, I transcribed what I could remember of it into the note-taking app I keep on my phone. The note reads: 'through this fire across from Peter Balkan #dream'. It was the title of a work, not sure which form.” The next time I sat at the piano to see if I had ideas, I got the notion of writing a work that proceeded from its title, and that tried to make real the dreamlike grammar of that title. This album is that work.

It's the latest project from Katie Crutchfield (Waxahatchee) and her twin sister, Allison Crutchfield (Swearin'), and features MJ Lenderman and Brad Cook. Each of the four artists plays a number of instruments, but the spotlight remains squarely with the two sisters, with each writing and taking lead vocals for half the songs. When they sing in harmony, you’ll notice the kind of magic that close sibling singers can create. One of the major topics they cover in their songwriting here is that of addiction, which their family has wrestled with over the years.

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of their debut album, The Universe Smiles On You, Khruangbin has re-recorded the tunes and given us this surprise release. The band (Laura Lee, Mark Speer, and DJ Johnson) re-recorded all 10 tracks from The Universe Smiles On You in the same Texas barn where they made it the first time. There were a few changes this time, though: they had to rip up the flooring first to catch some varmints who’d made homes underneath, and then a cold snap descended upon the drafty barn-turned-studio. Do you know the original album? What do you notice that’s different about these versions, other than an updated track order?

After last year’s Rick Rubin-produced release focusing more on the Soul side, Greenville, SC native Marcus King is returning to his Blues and Country roots, reuniting with his longtime live band for their first album since 2018’s Carolina Confessions. Kaitlin Butts, Jamey Johnson, Billy Strings, and Jesse Welles are among the guests joining them, as well. Many of the songs are love songs to his wife, but perhaps also to his hometown of Greenville, too – as well as the clarity and gratitude that comes with a commitment to sobriety.

This Austin band features a triple-threat of songwriters in Marco Gutierrez, Daniel Davis, and Colin Gilmore (son of legendary Texas troubadour Jimmie Dale Gilmore), plus seasoned bassist/producer Eric Harrison and drummer Trinidad Leal.

This teenage singer has a beautiful Piedmont blues fingerpicking style, and she’s from County Donegal in northwest Ireland. The debut album from Muireann (pronounced “MOOR-un”) caused a stir on its initial Tompkins Square release, before she was snapped up by Decca Records. This new EP includes a Blaze Foley/John Prine cover, an inventive re-arrangement of Jackson Browne’s “These Days”, and an original tune – her first!

Luke Bell’s time in the music world lasted just a few years, but he became a leader and inspiration in the country-western genre. He grew up on a Wyoming cattle ranch before heading off to Austin and then Nashville to pursue his true passion. “He was a wild man from the West, and he made country music through that lens,” said Stephen Daly, who played guitar in Bell’s band. “If you told him what to do, he would do the opposite. If you tried to rein him in, he’d push away. He always did what he wanted to do.”

This Colorado band has made a name for itself with its fresh blend of funk, soul, rock, jazz, and hip-hop. Perhaps you’ve caught a live set of theirs in our area the past few years, including a live set from Sierra Nevada Brewing’s amphitheatre last year that added a fun finale to our latest Crowd Around the Mic compilation.