New Music Discoveries

1. I can't remember how I first heard of the Greencards, but I was sufficiently impressed to get their latest CD, Viridian. You can hear some of their music at their website and their MySpace page. They're a bluegrass group, but their sound is not altogether traditional (perhaps because they originally come from Australian and the U.K.). Nice stuff.

2. I'm absolutely hooked on Eilen* Jewell's CD Letters from Sinners & Strangers. Go to her site right now and listen to some of her songs. I'll wait. OK, you're back? What a voice, huh? I agree with reviewers who have compared her to Gillian Welch and Lucinda Williams, but she has her own sound too. When I'm listening to her, I imagine I'm in a smoky honky-tonk (in the good way). I sent an email to the guy who picks the setlists for Boot Liquor and asked him to start playing her, but I didn't hear back yet. (I also sent SomaFM a donation, and you should too if you appreciate their commercial-free music streaming 24/7.)

*I read that her first name is pronounced so it rhymes with feelin'.

Comments

[Joel]

The Greencards are good on first listen - a little more subdued than, say, Nickel Creek. Thanks for the tip!

For bluegrass, have you checked out the Carolina Chocolate Drops and their CD "Dona Got a Ramblin' Mind"? Good stuff, and preserving the heritage of the African-American bluegrass tradition.