Ken Abrams

A new book, Wilcopedia: A Comprehensive Guide to the Music of America’s Best Band, written by journalist Daniel Cook Johnson, is an attempt to chronicle all things Wilco. While it may not be for everyone, Wilco fans will find it indispensable.

Ken Abrams shares his highlights of this year’s Newport Folk Festival which celebrated its 60th anniversary and the 100th anniversary of Pete Seeger’s birth.

Two exceptional bands, Calexico and Iron and Wine reunite for a new album “Years to Burn”. This 8-song release is more of a collaboration than their previous effort “In the Reins,” with layers of music and stories worthy of these musical explorers.

Sincere and effective songwriting doesn’t always come together. Jefferson Hamer does an outstanding job on Alameda, carving out his own niche in the current folk arena while paying tribute to the masters.

Deer Tick’s latest offering ‘Mayonnaise’ is a fine collection for longtime fans and serves as a nice introduction for those less familiar with the band. Give it a listen!

This is an impressive album, blending the traditional folk of artists like Denny, Jansch, and the Thompsons, with more contemporary sounds from alt-folk artists like Ryley Walker. We strongly recommend giving it a listen.

Strike the Match is an excellent new release from the Boston, MA-based band Billy Wylder. The band blends a fresh indie-folk sound with compelling lyrics to create a joyful listening experience.

For the first time ever, two legendary Folk Festivals on two continents are teaming up to spread the word about a few talented artists. We caught up with Darlingside and Kaia Kater at Newport Folk Festival ahead of their Cambridge appearance.

30 years out from their groundbreaking 1988 album, “The Trinity Sessions,” the Cowboy Junkies continue to evolve, with clever arrangements and new stories to tell. All That Reckoning is their most overtly political album to date, cementing their status as a great band.

“Over the Years,” a collection of demos made from 1968 to 1980, is an outstanding new release from Graham Nash. The songs are brilliantly underproduced, raw and naked, mainly recorded with just acoustic guitar and piano. There’s raw, heroic quality hidden in these versions.

Viva L’Acadie, the new album by The Mallett Brothers Band is a whiskey-soaked old-time Acadian hoedown and everyone’s invited. It’s also a love story to a region and a people – a fading culture caught up in the homogeneity of modern life.

Astral Weeks: A Secret History of 1968 is an especially enjoyable read for anyone who has ever lived in or around Boston. It’s an entertaining tale, with lots of juicy anecdotes, that truly gives you the feel of a major American city in a turbulent time gone by.