American Songwriter Magazine 
Creating Bad Blake And The Authentic Sounds of Crazy Heart(1)
All photos by Dustin Cohen
Like the character he plays so convincingly in Crazy Heart—Bad Blake, an aging Texas troubadour grown weary of his hard-drinkin’, honky-tonkin’, country-music career—Jeff Bridges has been around music all of his life.
But unlike Blake, he has loved every minute of it so far. And that actually has helped him approach his [...]
On the Horizon: Joe Pug
Unknown performers need back stories. That’s just the way it is. Even when they’re finessed and assembled selectively—as all stories are, really—they help us figure out how to interpret the new sounds we’re hearing, and the sources we’re hearing them from.
Joe Pug’s story happens to be a particularly good setup for a 20-something singer/songwriter who’s [...]
Spoon: The Power of Transference
In 1995, Spoon were often dubbed “the next Pixies.” The tag never quite fit, but the two did share a love for writing glorious pop songs and then shrouding them with walls of noise and mystery. Over 15 years, the Austin, Texas band have survived lineup shuffles and early record label neglect, finding their signature [...]
JOHN HIATT > The Open Road
JOHN HIATT
The Open Road
(NEW WEST)
Rating:
John Hiatt immediately sets ablaze asphalt underfoot.
“Shrunken head and Mardi Gras beads,” the celebrated songwriter sings as howling, hooky guitars unhinge The Open Road’s title track, “hanging on the rearview mirror that bleeds/Keeping her eyes on the open road/No telling where that son-a-bitch goes.” Either way, journey outweighs destination. “Got [...]
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