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Meat Raffle Road's music really isn't alt-country. In fact, it's probably best described as "alt-alt-country" or post-punk Americana. Whatever you want to call it, Meat Raffle Road's debut album "Eaten By Crows" is "awful good eating" to borrow a country phrase. No, it's not exactly pot roast at Sunday lunch. Its more akin to fried frog legs at your second cousin's house. Delicious, but different. Reverend Horton Heat blazed the trail for punk and ska bands to more seriously embrace elements of country music, and the two members of Meat Raffle Road have taken their long background in punk and combined it with the roots and Americana music of their childhood to create a new genre of country - a punk-country fusion that is both trailblazing and startling with added elements of humor. The album begins with the dark, ethereal "Thunder God," and it's followed by the best song on the project, the title track "Eat...

Otis Taylor has a full, rich voice so full of bluesy soul that it could melt butter, and Taylor's new release, "Pentatonic Wars And Love Songs," will also melt your heart. Fans of roots and Americana music enjoy Otis Taylor because of his signature sound which emotes passion and intensity even in low-key tracks such as the album's first song "Looking For Some Heat." Otis Taylor feels the lyrics, and at some moments he channels Barry White with some blues-infused Americana. Plus, Taylor is an accomplished instrumentalist, and his skills on guitar are breathtaking. Country fans may have first discovered Otis Taylor on "Recapturing The Banjo," which is his stellar 2008 release that examines the banjo's African roots. "Pentatonic Wars And Love Songs" takes an entirely new direction and explores all elements of love. The biggest surprise on the album is the melodic and ethereal "Silver Dollar On My Head." Otis Taylor has ne...

Kelly Carmichael's new album "Queen Fareena" is a blues and dixieland delight with superb instrumentation, excellent lyrics and an upbeat tone. In fact, doctors should prescribe "Queen Fareena," because even the most depressed listener cannot help but break into a great big smile. The brilliance of "Queen Fareena" is derived from the joyous intensity of Kelly Carmichael's vocals and guitar along with Jean-Paul Gaster's expertise on drums and a talented crew of brass musicians. One of the best tunes on the album is "Untrue Blues." This song could be a major radio hit with its melodic chorus and a perfect balance of instrumentation and vocals. The biggest surprise on the album is the more easy-going track "She's Funny That Way." Carmichael's vocal performance shows a serious intensity without being overdone, and the track slowly builds to a crescendo with a perfect pacing that is both satisfying and musically impres...

The new, self-titled album from porterdavis is a Roots music masterpiece with pitch-perfect three-part harmonies and engaging, thoughtful lyrics. Fans of Blues and Roots music should run - not walk - to their favorite music dealer to buy "porterdavis." The best song on the project is the superb "Grass Growing On Concrete" which showcases the band's stripped-down instrumentation and penetrating vocals. Other standouts include "Strange Way To Grieve," "Jack" and the new Americana classic track titled "Carter's Tune" featuring Eliza Gilkyson. The band members, Daniel Barrett, Mike Meadows and Simon Wallace, crafted nine original songs (and one cover - "Can't Be Satisfied" by Muddy Waters) with the help of famed producer Gurf Morlix. By the way, porterdavis' unique name is a tribute to Boston's Porter Square and Davis Square subway stations where Daniel Barrett and Mike Meadows got their start by busking for...