No Depression - Roots Music Journalism

NO DEPRESSION SESSIONS at Lucinda's: The National Reserve We are proud to present this part of our No Depression Session series in partnership with NYC honky-tonk Lucinda’s and Hiatus Tequila. When Lucinda Williams teamed up with industry lifers Laura…

The National Reserve gave us a sneak peek of the new, unreleased music they’re brewing at our latest No Depression Session in partnership with NYC honky-tonk Lucinda’s and Hiatus Tequila! Check out the session, live from Lucinda's, below:

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ALBUM REVIEW: With ‘Valentine,’ Courtney Marie Andrews Offers Her Most Entrancing Sequence Yet Courtney Marie Andrews’ last two albums, 2020’s Old Flowers and 2022’s Loose Future, brimmed with catchy melodies and accessible phrasing, setting a new bar for the singer-songwriter. With her latest…

Valentine is songwriter Courtney Marie Andrews' most entrancing set of songs to date. With her latest sequence, Andrews continues to court the all-mighty hook, her vocal deliveries more nuanced than ever, her lyrics exemplary and revealing.

Read John Amen's review:

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ALBUM REVIEW: Britain’s James Hunter Recharges Classic Soul Sounds on ‘Off the Fence’ You’d never know it just to look at him, but James Hunter is an accomplished time traveler. Despite passing for an ordinary mortal, this exuberant singer has obviously transported himself from a…

You’d never know it, but James Hunter is an accomplished time traveler. The singer's latest album, 'Off the Fence,' is full of righteous grooves that transport listeners to 1960s London.

Read Jon Young's review at the link below!

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Langhorne Slim Reinvents Himself With ‘The Dreamin’ Kind’, Embracing Fuller Sound With his new LP, The Dreamin’ Kind, Langhorne Slim largely backburners the folkish and lo-fi sounds of earlier albums, including 2021’s Strawberry Mansion. Aided by producer Sam Kiszka, he embraces…

With his new LP, The Dreamin’ Kind, Langhorne Slim largely backburners the folkish and lo-fi sounds of earlier albums, embracing a polished, panoramic, and mainstream sound that still feels authentic.

Read John Amen's review below:

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Better late than never! Presenting ND's ins/outs list for 2026

THROUGH THE LENS: The Roots Music Lovers Guide to Analog, Part 7 Official website of No Depression's stories, columns, album reviews, artist voices, and roots music journalism

In this week's THROUGH THE LENS column, Amos Perrine zooms in on two labels, Intervention Records and Craft Recordings, who are reissuing classic audiophile records from Alison Krauss, Willie Nelson, and more. Read on below!

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'Muscle Shoals: Low Rhythm Rising' Exhibit Opens a Three-Year Run at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum Official website of No Depression's stories, columns, album reviews, artist voices, and roots music journalism

If you're heading to Nashville in 2026, stop by the newest exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame. “Muscle Shoals: Low Rhythm Rising," offers a glance into the North Alabama area that produced legendary recordings by The Rolling Stones, Dylan, and more.

Read on:

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NO DEPRESSION SESSIONS at Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion: Pigeons Playing Ping Pong Last year's Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion drew us even deeper into the rich history of recorded music in the Tri-Cities area of Tennessee and Virginia. It's coming up on a century since Ralph Peer's…

Baltimore-based psychedelic funk band Pigeons Playing Ping Pong joined us at Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion to share three songs from their new album Feed The Fire, and a soaring interpretation of Elton John's "Rocket Man." Watch the full session below!

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THROUGH THE LENS: Dead & Company, Tyler Childers, and Other Photos of the Week - No Depression This week’s column features photos by 15 ND photographers from three festivals, Red Wings Roots Festival, The Peach Music Festival, and Wind Grass Bluegrass Festival, as well as from concerts by…

Bob Weir, founding member of the Grateful Dead, has passed away at 78. We join the roots community and Deadheads everywhere in mourning this loss. 🌹

In tribute to Weir's long, strange trip, revisit Jim Brock's reflections from the final Dead & Co tour:

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SPOTLIGHT: Far-seer [ESSAY] Editor's Note: Mon Rovîa, whose debut LP Bloodline is out today via Nettwerk, is No Depression's Spotlight Artist for January 2026 and we're thrilled to share this personal, poetic piece on his…

Introducing No Depression's first Spotlight artist of the year... Mon Rovîa!

On the release day of his debut LP Bloodline, we're thrilled to share this personal, poetic piece from Mon Rovîa. Stay tuned for a profile and an exclusive video in the month to come!

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Tom Petty 'Wildflowers' Releases Take His Legacy To A Higher Place Tom Petty’s greatest achievement might have been coming off as a regular guy. His laidback persona and accessible catalog made it easy for millions of fans to forge a bond with the Rock & Roll Hall…

Tom Petty’s greatest achievement might have been coming off as a regular guy.

Eight years after Petty's death, ND considers Petty's masterpiece – the 1996 album Wildflowers – and how the Petty estate is keeping his legacy alive. Become a member to read in full.

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THE READING ROOM: Books from Musicians We Lost in 2025 In 2025, the world got a little quieter as a large chorus of musician’s voices fell silent. The list of artists who died last year includes soul icons Brenton Wood and Sam Moore, metal innovator Ozzy…

Brenton Wood, Ozzy Osbourne, Brian Wilson – the musicians we've lost in 2025 will continue to live through their music, of course, but many of them will also live on through books written by or about them. Henry Carrigan takes a look at some of these titles:

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ALBUM REVIEW: Folk-Music Vets Celebrate Lives Well Lived in ‘Together Again’ It started during the pandemic. Cooped up in their homes, folk-music vets Tom Paxton and John McCutcheon began meeting for weekly writing sessions over Zoom, ultimately composing nearly 200 songs.…

During the pandemic, Tom Paxton and John McCutcheon began meeting for weekly writing sessions over Zoom. On Together Again, they share these songs in a follow-up to the 2023 album together – it's immensely likable traditional folk at its eloquent, plainspoken best.

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For our latest Postcard From – a series that features dispatches from artists' daily lives on the road, in the studio, or anywhere in between – The SteelDrivers celebrate the Grand Ole Opry's centennial with a memory from their first performance there in 2008.

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THROUGH THE LENS: Mountain Stage Celebrates 42 Years of Presenting Roots Music Official website of No Depression's stories, columns, album reviews, artist voices, and roots music journalism

Since 1983, Mountain Stage – the nation's premier presenter of roots music – has grown in stature and durability.

In this week's THROUGH THE LENS column, Amos Perrine features photos from Mountain Stage's 42nd Anniversary Show. Check it out below!

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QUEER COUNTRY: The Best Queer Roots Music of 2025 If you're reading this, you have a sense of how deeply important No Depression is to independent roots music. Maybe you've been reading since the glossy magazine days of the 1990s (I have a vivid…

As 2026 begins, QUEER COUNTRY columnist Rachel Cholst looks back on some of the standout roots albums from LGBTQIA+ artists this year – including records from S.G. Goodman, Avery Friedman, Palmyra, and more. Check it out at the link below:

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ALBUM REVIEW, What We Missed: Austin Quintet Ulla Makes Magic with Traditional Sounds of the British Isles On ‘Ulla II’ Editor’s Note: Here at No Depression there’s too much great roots music in a year for us to cover it all. So in December, when new releases slow down, we ask writers to review some of the best albums…

Who’s the best band in Austin, Texas, right now? Plenty of folks might say Black Pumas. Certainly Spoon would get a lot of mentions. Don't sleep on Ulla.

Check out Peter Blackstock's WHAT WE MISSED Review of Ulla II below:

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Malawi based trio The Kasambwe Brothers was founded in 1987, but the world pop group has never recorded a full length album – until now.

Read Grant Britt's review of the debut LP from newly founded MASS MoCA records, produced in partnership with Hen House Studios: nodepression.org/album-review...

ND readers have spoken: the results of our annual year-end readers' poll are in!

Narrowing down favorites from the nearly 600 albums we tracked this year is no easy feat, but the results are clear. Read on for readers' Top 10 favorite roots music albums of 2025.

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Hannah Cohen has always been effortlessly cool.

On Earthstar Mountain, released in March, Cohen steps into the spotlight that has been beckoning her, easing into a groovier sound with chiffon vocals billowing like lavender smoke. Read Maeri Ferguson's review:

It’s often said that the family that prays together stays together. But what about the family that plays together?

Long-standing family band Annie & the Caldwells are bonded by more than blood or belief – they’re soul-connected through song.

THROUGH THE LENS: 2025 In Review - The Best of Everything Official website of No Depression's stories, columns, album reviews, artist voices, and roots music journalism

📸 THROUGH THE LENS 📸 : 2025 In Review - The Best of Everything

Adding to the year-end roundups, ND's very own Amos Perrine picks his favorites of the year.

Check out his list here:

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ALBUM REVIEW, What We Missed:  Buddy Guy ‘Ain’t Done With The Blues’. Not Even Close. Editor’s Note: Here at No Depression there’s too much great roots music in a year for us to cover it all. So in December, when new releases slow down, we ask writers to review some of the best albums…

Buddy Guy ain’t done with the Blues. Not even close.

Read our latest WHAT WE MISSED review by Alli Patton below.

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For our latest IN THE DEEP END Q&A, ND chatted with New Mexico-based multi-instrumentalist and multi-linguist Jordan Wax about his new album, Pantakozak and other new Yiddish Songs for Kids, a joyful and thoughtful collection of songs for an otherwise heavy period.

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CRITIC'S POLL: No Depression Writers, Editors, and Photographers' Favorite Roots Albums of 2025 The results are in for one of our favorite traditions! We asked our writers, editors, and photographers what albums they couldn't stop listening to this year. Collectively, the responses covered…

🎁 Time to unwrap our favorite 15 albums of 2025! 🎁 Head to the link below for our critics poll results (hint: albums by Margo Price, Mavis Staples, and a former Beatle made the list!)

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WHAT WE MISSED: A Crutchfield Reunion on Snocaps Debut LP

On the next installment of WHAT WE MISSED, John Amen reviews the "consistently catchy" record by Snocaps, a Crutchfield sibling duo project featuring some of the artists from Waxahatchee and Wednesday. Read more:

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THE READING ROOM: Jane Eisner’s, Carole King: She Made the Earth Move Carole King’s A Natural Woman (2012) remains one of the best music memoirs ever published. While many artists fill page after page with bawdy and salacious episodes on the road, in the motel room, on…

A new Carole King memoir offers an affectionate and robust portrait of the "Natural Woman" that excels in its close analysis of King's lyrics and music.

Become a member today to read Henry Carrigan's review at the link in bio.

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Forging forward with WHAT WE MISSED, Jon Young reviews a killer debut by Joelton Mayfield, who has the honky-tonk voice of a woeful hillbilly and Bruce Springsteen's ability to capture titanic emotions in a concise song. Read below!

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📸 PHOTOS OF THE WEEK: Joe Ely (1947 – 2025)

The West Texas troubadour Joe Ely passed away at his home in Taos, New Mexico on Monday December 15, 2025. This week, we're featuring photos of the late songwriter by photographers Peter Dervin, C. Elliott, Lisa Costantino, and Amos Perrine.

VOTE for Your Favorite Roots Music Albums of 2025 in Our Reader Poll 'Tis the season for reflection! As the year winds down, it's always fun to look back and see what ground we've covered in the last 12 months. And in one of our favorite traditions here at No…

ONE HOUR LEFT!

Night owls, last chance to cast your vote for your top 10 roots music releases of 2025 by 11:59pm EST. See you when we share results!

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