Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real - Wasted

Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real is a new band on my radar, but Wasted is their second full-length album. Immediately recognizable on the first play of the disc is the nasally vibrato in the lead vocal. Yes, it's excellent.  Yes it's familiar. No, it isn't Willie. But Lukas is Willie's son.
Lukas lays claim to the songwriter's triple crown on this album: he writes the songs, sings them as well, and also plays all the guitars. As you would expect, there is no good genre with which to characterize Lukas' music. A little country, soul, and a lot of rock.  Maybe a sprinkling of jazz, and a dose of the blues. Check out "Heart of the Matter," my favorite after first listen. This is one of the best songs I've heard this year.  Highly recommended.

Lukas Nelson and POTR - Heart of the Matter

And check out a performance of the title track "Wasted."

Magnolia Mountain - Redbird Green

I didn't get around to writing anything about this Cincinnati outfit, Magnolia Mountain, when their album came out last year, so I'll just spend a few minutes to share some thoughts.  Redbird Green is a double LP, and it has a lot of different styles of Americana music on it, from old time fiddle and clawhammer jigs to minor chord alt-country ballads.  Myself, I prefer the more progressive numbers, but everything is done well enough that I can appreciate it, especially given the fact that it is,other than one track, original material and not a rehashing of traditional standards.  Check out the title track below, as well as a nice video for another good track, "Hellbound Train."

Magnolia Mountain - Redbird Green  (from Redbird Green) (Buy)