Robert Finley’s story as a musician that finally has their breakthrough on their 50/60s is not unique – see Charles Bradley or Seasick Steve – but always impressing to hear about. After decades of obscurity, blues/soul songwriter Finley was spotted busking outside a music festival in Alabama, and the rest is history. His second album, “Sharecropper’s Son”, produced by Dan Auerbach, is out now. It’s our album of the week.
Aaron Frazer is best known as the drummer (and singer) for soul outfit Durand Jones & the Indications. Like so many songwriters in the past few years, he teamed up with the Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach and got his debut solo album, “Introducing…”, ready in no time. We’re not even halfway through January and we already have our first highlight of 2021. Feels good to be back.
‘what we say in private’ is the debut album by Canadian singer-songwriter/painter/visual artist Alexandra Levy, or Ada Lea. It’s been out for less than a handful of days but it’s already one of our indie rock albums of the year. Is it because its opening song sounds like a lost track off Wilco’s Yankee Hotel Foxtrot’s recording sessions that eventually morphs into a more layered Big Thief song, while never sounding like a tribute to either bands? Or maybe it’s because of the stellar songwriting in it. We don’t know. Let’s just listen.
Plus: new tracks by Wilco (the new kind of Wilco, not the old YHF one), Andrew Combs, Strange Ranger, Long Beard, Aviva le Fey, Shannon Lay, Joan Shelley, Holy Golden (now known as Dolly Valentine), Summer Salt, Grace Lightman, Bleached, Roselit Bone, Trash Kit, Fly Pan Am, Adam Green, Tony Molina, Leon Bridges, Whitney, RF Shannon, Hiss Golden Messenger, Joe Pug, Jim Lauderdale, and Twain + The Deslondes.