OK, I think I like this format of posting what I've been listening to over the past month. So, we'll see how this goes.
There was a lot of good stuff to come out in April, but these three albums really stuck with me.
First up is Rod Melancon's Pinkville. It's at times manic, laid back, country, rock, punk and uncatergorizical (I may have made that word up). Melancon has a unique voice that one could either love or hate. A few times, there is more narrative telling than singing, but it works. The closest comp I can come up with is John Mellencamp deep tracks. Here is "Westgate":
I've been a Melissa Etheridge fan since her first self-titled album came out in 1988. Her latest release, The Medicine Show, may be my favorite since that debut. For this listener, this album seems to recapture the feel of her first two albums. It's not as raw as those first two, but for whatever reason, the edge is back.
The third album is the self-titled debut from Jade Bird. This was not even on my radar until my fellow blogger Megan clued me in. And I'm so glad she did. The 21-year-old singer/songwriter from the UK weaves together a perfect amalgam of country, roots rock, folk and young angst. Think of an Amanda Shires/Lucie Silvas/Alanis Morisette mashup. Yeah, it's diverse and interesting, if you're into that.