La Cumbia Chicharra – Quinto Mundo (Music Box Publishing, 2025) Two of the innumerable things I’m no good at are defining what exactly is meant…
Taking the Fifth
Category: Album reviews
Kunbe Brings The Power of Afro-Rock Fusion to Fanga
Kunbe – Fanga (Adjololo Records, 2025) Fanga, the second album from Kunbe, continues the collaboration between Malian musicians and the Livenais brothers, longtime figures in…
BashElan’s Titkon Weaves Hungarian folk, Balkan rhythms, and Roma traditions
BashElan – Titkon (Fonó, 2025) BashElan, a stellar young ensemble led by founder Zsombor Herédi, crafts its cathartic sound from traditional sources. The group mixes…
Hirundo Maris: A Fusion of European and Ottoman Early Music Traditions
Hirundo Maris – Looking for New Horizons, Book I (Seyir Müzik, 2025) Looking for New Horizons is the lovely debut album by Hirundu Maris, a…
Alta Forma Returns With Trajectory: Big Ideas, Sharp Turns
Alta Forma – Trajectory (Timeless Momentum, 2025) Innovative British progressive rock band Alta Forma reunites songwriter-collaborators JK Harrison, Todd Sucherman, and Antoine Fafard. These new…
Ali Farka Touré’s Niafunké Brought Desert Blues Back Home
Ali Farka Touré – Niafunké (World Circuit Music, 1999) Malian guitarist and singer Ali Farka Touré released Niafunké on World Circuit Music in 1999, a…
Smithsonian Folkways Releases Impressive Clifton Chenier Zydeco Anthology
Clifton Chenier – King of Louisiana Blues and Zydeco (Smithsonian Folkways and Arhoolie Records, 2026) King of Louisiana Blues and Zydeco is a comprehensive, dazzling…
Family Tunes Resurface: Garry Walsh’s Debut Album
Garry Walsh – Uncovered (Ossian, 2004), Irish flute player Garry Walsh released his debut album Uncovered on Ossian (2004). The grand material here draws on…
Devon Allman Rallies a Blues Dream Team for Star-Studded Album and Tour
Devon Allman – The Blues Summit (Ruf Records, 2025) Devon Allman put together The Blues Summit, a collaborative studio album featuring a roster of guest…
Yilian Cañizares Powers Up 2026 With New Album Vitamina Y
Yilian Cañizares – Vitamina Y (2026) Cuban-born violinist, singer, and composer Yilian Cañizares will release her new delectable album Vitamina Y on February 6, 2026.…