Author Archives: Daniel Jordan

Chicagoan Bobby Conn’s new experimental record “King for a Day” is almost as outlandish as his persona. The young glam-rocker — known for his makeup, his audience participation and his video monologues about satanic forces — has largely maintained the socially critical bent of his earlier albums. Long compositions, arranged with as many as 12 »

Willie Nelson, reigning monarch of American music, offers part of his domain to collaborator Ryan Adams on his new album “Songbird.” The project is colored a little by Adams’ rock music but mostly by Nelson’s cultivated voice. Adams’ backing band, The Cardinals, definitely rocks Nelson, but the country always shines through. After all, His Highness »

If bluegrass never excited you before, “How to Grow a Woman from the Ground” is guaranteed to turn you on to the twang. The album is the third solo effort from 25-year-old mandolinist Chris Thile of the band Nickel Creek. Thile combines dance-inducing instrumentals with bluegrass-infused rock and blues to fashion a record that is »