By Steven Miller

After the raucous triumph of Death Wish Blues (2023), which earned her a Grammy nod and solidified her place among today’s blues-rock elite, Fish returns with an album filled with her gift for songwriting. Produced by Detroit garage-rock icon Bobby Harlow and released via Rounder Records, Paper Doll has layers of sonic framework to reveal Fish’s truest weapon: her voice. Yes, her guitar still snarls and struts. But it’s her vocal performance that is attention-grabbing in its elastic, expressive, and electric character that drives this record straight into the hearts of modern blues, Americana, and roots rock fans.

The [...]

by Shannon Smith

Ally Venable has carved a niche in the blues-rock genre with her electrifying guitar skills and commanding vocals. Her previous album, Real Gone, achieved significant acclaim, reaching #1 on the Billboard Blues Chart. With Money & Power, Venable collaborates with producer Tom Hambridge and features artists like Christone “Kingfish” Ingram and Shemekia Copeland, aiming to deliver a potent mix of musical prowess and social commentary. The album will be released on April 18, 2025 on Ruf Records.

“Money & Power” stands as a bold anthem of female empowerment. Venable describes it as a [...]

by Steven Miller

Ric Harris’ journey from North Carolina to Chicago was a calling—a desire to soak up the rich blues traditions of the Windy City and to grow beyond his roots in jazz. His latest album, Along The Avenue, is the culmination of decades of dedication to the blues, exploration of jazz improvisation, and the kind of joyful expression that only comes from a musician who knows his way around a guitar and a lyric. The fourteen tracks on this self-released album reflect Harris’ skill as a player and a songwriter, blending the blues tradition with a twist, and creating a sound that is refreshingly influenced by other [...]

Marcus King’s latest single, “F*ck My Life Up Again,” a track hailing from his upcoming album, marks an expanding moment in King’s musical journey. The song’s feel and songwriting showcase a fresh versatility and his ability to evolve and adapt his sound.

Produced by the legendary Rick Rubin, known for his Midas touch in transforming artists’ sounds, “F*ck My Life Up Again” is a fresh direction in sonics for King, who traditionally is celebrated for his guitar playing, shifts the focus to his vocal abilities. The soulful and bluesy singing on the track reveals a new dimension to his [...]