CICERO BUCK “Delicate Shades of Grey” sounds more like it came from Atlantis. It’s a near-perfect melding of classy old-world folk atmosphere with American college-radio guitar-pop, circa 1985. When Wilkinson’s voice locks in with Hughes’ Byrdsy guitar lead on “Weather,” you’d almost swear Sandy Denny was sitting in with Let’s Active. No Depression
ROBERT BURKE WARREN This vinegar-and-honey-voiced balladeer ruminates on family ties, personal breakouts and the challenge of reconciling history and possibility in songs that mix folkish heart and post-punk skepticism. -Ann Powers, The New York Times
BOB CHEEVERS "You want to know about the American South? Just listen to my friend Cheevers. This stuff is anthropological,for God's sake." ---Kevin Welch
TERRY CLARKE From west of London but he sings like his heart belongs in Sligo, Ireland and his bones are happiest in Austin, Texas, he tells stories about loners, freewheelers and passionate home-comings.. The Shelly River..a record that will tickle anyone who's ever got a thrill out of Springsteen's 'Nebraska' or The Pogue's Shane McGowan at his most displaced and sentimental.. -New Musical Express
DIANA DARBY "Darby has her precedents -- Nick Drake and Beth Orton come to mind -- and, like any good rock artist, she kills them off with conviction." -Roy Kasten, Riverfront Times Move over, Lucinda Williams. Houston based songwriter Diana Darby is tracing her own mesmerizing journey ..Annie Zaleski - Alternative Press
RONNY ELLIOTT Ronny Elliott was insurgent country before insurgent country was cool. Billboard
DAN ISRAEL "DAMN, WHAT A RECORD!" -in fact, perhaps the most surprising, and welcome, singer-songwriter find since Tim Easton's Special 20. No Depression
FATS KAPLIN was born and raised in New York City. Influenced by jazz, gypsy, and traditional string band music, Fats had already been featured on legendary recordings and extensive tours by the time he was 18 years old. Now, living in Nashville, TN, he is one of the music industry’s leading multi-instrumentalists (fiddle, steel, accordion, mandolin, guitar and so on).
IAN KEAREY Ian, a multi-instrumentalist, has worked with The Oyster Band, The Blue Aeroplanes, Pete Astor, Heidi Berry and Caroline Trettine. He is also a contributor to Folk Roots. His long-awaited solo album, "Preaching to the convertible", was released recently.
BRIAN LILLIE "Wonderful blend of folk and rock elements by this young singer/songwriter. A perfect example for all acoustic american folk'n'rock." - Music Network, Bremen, Germany
JAMES McSWEENEY An old-school troubadour in the Guy Clark, David Olney vein and equally at home with literate songwriting. His cd 'On the border' sees him travelling the same dusty roads as Townes Van Zandt and David Ackles and showcases his gravelly voice and neat fingerpicking.
KEVIN MEISEL His melodies are haunted: his phrasing is hunted and his voice carries the depth and dimension of each story he turns over and over, like dirt being tilled to discover the meaning inside." - Thom Jurek, Detroit Metro Times
STEVE ROBERTS Steve Roberts released his first solo album in May 2001. Described by The Guardian as an 'acoustic troubadour', this acoustic driven album stakes out classic singer/songwriter territory and was co-produced by Martyn Campbell (Lightning Seeds).
JIM ROLL Rocking singer Roll reconnoiters the alt.country/modern folk borderlands, with smart, simple songs of domestic complication; he works with lyrics by Ice Storm novelist Rick Moody and Jesus' Son author Denis Johnson in his latest, unpretentiously, but it's his own stuff that still charms most. - Barry Mazor/The Village Voice
CLAUDIA SCOTT Claudia Scott says her first musical recollection was listening to the radio and hearing Frank Ifield's version of Hank William's "Lovesick Blues". "My dad," she explains, "who sings both Jazz and Country, and who also formed a band when I was about 10 years old, would play everything from Ella Fitzgerald, Joe Williams, and Josh White to Waylon Jennings.. -WPLN - the songwriter sessions.
DEANNA VARAGONA A mostly mournful country blues record that feels old-timey and spare, "Tangled Messages" has earned Varagona comparisons to Steve Earle and Joni Mitchell, both of which seem oddly appropriate. It feels a million miles away from the strange and rollicking Lambchop, for whom Varagona plays saxophone and frequently sings.- Allison Stewart - Chicago Tribune