Natalie Hemby paints a loving tribute to her grandfather, and in the process, creates ​Puxico, the first great record of 2017.

Puxico, the debut album of much-lauded songwriter Natalie Hemby, is love letter to a man and a place.  George Hemby is the man, and Puxico, Missouri is the place. On her first solo album, Hemby spotlights her considerable talent for storytelling, spinning tales of remarkable people and places of the heart.

​If you haven’t heard Cary Morin, you need to. Morin will release his fourth solo cd, Cradle to the Grave on January 13th. The eleven track album features some of the finest acoustic guitar picking you’ll hear anywhere. Boasting eight solid original tunes, Morin shows off his songwriting chops as well as his guitar wizardry. And it doesn’t hurt that he has a fine singing voice as well.
Morin sometimes gets classified as acoustic blues, but he is so much more than that. A superb fingerstyle guitarist, Morin is a troubadour of the first order. In addition to the originals on this album, there are three fine covers, including an excellent acoustic take on Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U.” Morin, with his earthy, world-weary voice, is able to express a full range of emotion, anchoring his concerns with a steady bass line and fluid jazzy fretwork. If you are a fan of acoustic guitar picking, this album is a must-have.
The second track on the record, “Laid Back” features some nimble finger work and manages to be quite lively, no matter what the title might suggest. The song is about the joy of fishing and laying in the shade. The toe tapping melody appreciates the simple enjoyments of a life lived close to nature. This theme recurs on the next cut, “Dawn’s Early Light.”
The ballad, “Dawn’s Early Light” is a show of support for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. Although Morin does not see himself as a protest singer, his native Crow heritage lends depth to a heartfelt vocal delivery. In the song, Morin appeals to the listener with simple human common sense, as opposed to vitriol and rhetoric. “I have always felt that the honoring of a treaty, no matter when it was made, is not a complex idea. History has proved this not to be the case, but I hope this time it is.”
“Mishawaka” is a lovely song about leaving.  Morin draws the listener in as he wraps his warm voice around the nuanced, emotive guitar playing. The sense of impending change, and the finality of the decision, are carried on the tenderness in the melody. And yet, Morin avoids treacly sentiment as he says goodbye to his friends. Lyrically it is focused on the farewell, little is said about his destination. For my part, I want to take the journey with him.
Cary Morin has performed and recorded for over twenty years and co-authored Turtle Island, a production that ran for a couple of years in Colorado. This latest album is the third in a trilogy meant to spotlight his growth as a songwriter and guitarist. He is also a member of the Young Ancients, a trio with Steve Amedee and John Magnie of the Subdudes.The guitar playing on this album is elegant, and simple in it's beauty. And while what he is doing might be complex, he seems to toss it off effortlessly, as if anyone could play this well.
Cradle to the Grave has found its way into near constant rotation in my cd player, it’s just that good. It seems only right that Americana music should take note of this Native Americana artist. I predict that by the end of 2017, when everyone is mentioning the top releases of the year, Morin’s name will be in there with the best of them.

Big Dave McLean is back and sounding as cranky as ever, and that’s a good thing. McLean’s new release Better the Devil You Know is produced by fellow Canadian and string wizard, Steve Dawson. This album is McLean’s second for Black Hen Music, Dawson’s label, and reunites him with the same players who made the last album, Faded but Not Gone, such a treat for the ears.
McLean never sounds better than when he’s grousing about something, and there is plenty to like here. The thirteen tracks consist of five new McLean originals, as well as covers of Muddy Waters, and Jonathan Parker Millsap.
Big Dave starts the album off with “Life on the Road,” an ode to making a living playing gigs. As the song rumbles along on the rhythm section of Gary Craig and Jon Dymond, McLean tells the listener “I’m living out the dream, or so it would seem.” The hint of sarcasm in the lyric is born out in McLean’s gruff delivery. You get the distinct impression McLean sings with tongue firmly planted in cheek.
Kevin McKendree lights up the second track, the Muddy Water’s chestnut, “You Can’t Lose What You Never Had.” McKendree’s piano solo is playful and bawdy all at once, and offsets the tale of loss with a measure of subtlety. McLean’s vocal is convincing and appropriately dour, as if the sting was still fresh.
Steve Dawson’s production is deft and a perfect fit for McLean. Dawson’s fretwork on eight different instruments fleshes out the material. He has just the right touch for each song, and varies the arrangements so as to showcase each performance in its own light. McLean returns the favor, covering two Dawson compositions, the best of which is the tragic blues, “Angeline.”
One of the best songs on the album features the strong backing of the McCrary Sisters, on the traditional number “You’ll Need Somebody on Your Bond.” Riding on a shuffle beat, McLean and the McCrarys toss caution to the wind and dive into the song headfirst, with a zeal that results in simple, giddy fun. Fats Kaplan’s delirious Arkansas fiddle pushes the whole thing over the top. This is the kind of track that the repeat button was made for.
The sin and salvation theme resurfaces several times on the record and McLean is our favorite sinner turned struggling saint. You can imagine him playing these songs with a wink in his eye and a sly grin on his face. His vocal performance is full tilt boogie. The man sounds like an ice truck with a busted axle; his voice is glorious to behold. Grab a beer, and settle in with Better The Devil You Know; you’re in for a great time.