Folk

Critic Jeff Burger's picks for the best music of 2024 include releases from Willie Nelson, Joni MItchell, Laura Nyro, and more.

Nyro’s music was superb from the word go, thanks to her soulful mezzo vocal work, intimate and poetic lyrics, surprising rhythmic inventions, and unique blend of pop,  Motown, doo-wop, rock, folk, jazz, gospel, and R&B.

The tradition of Jewish songwriters writing Christmas tunes dates back at least to Irving Berlin's 'White Christmas.'

Reviews: an expanded edition of Talking Heads:77, plus the Flatlanders, and more.

American Railroad from The Silkroad Ensemble gives us a new perspective on history and is an incredible collection of songs and music.

Less than two years after the release of the excellent four-CD The Songs of Bacharach & Costello, Elvis Costello has unveiled another major box set. Called King of America & Other Realms, it features 97 tracks on six CDs. (Casual fans and those with tight budgets can opt for a …

Some rock groups carry on for too long—until after they’ve lost their spark, after they’ve already done a farewell tour, or after all the original members have jumped ship. Not the Allman Brothers Band, whose players walked off the stage for the last time 10 years ago with their performing …

Reviews of an anthology of Dylan-influenced music, plus Tom Petty, Mick Fleetwood and Jake Shimabukuro, and more.

An updated version of the goth-folk songspiel is on stage now for Days of the Dead in NYC.

Standards Grayson Capp’s new release, Heartbreak, Misery and Death, is the singer/songwriter’s foray into producing an album of standards. Standards is a rather vague term North Americans use for referring to anything from Gershwin to traditional folk songs from the United Kingdom.  Basically, it means a song you’re likely to …