Review: Susan Alcorn’s ‘Pedernal’

Geography isn’t destiny, but it might explain some things about pedal steel guitarist Susan Alcorn and her new release, Pedernal (Relative Pitch Records, 2020). Alcorn is based in Baltimore, a place where the strange, unexpected and contradictory thrive. It is the birthplace of Edgar Allan Poe, Frank Zappa and John Waters, who wrote, “You can […]

Review: Butcher Brown’s ‘#KingButch’

Here’s a tip for whoever is reading at the Richmond, Virginia Chamber of Commerce: when you produce your next showcase commercial, make sure that Butcher Brown does the soundtrack. Better yet, license “For the City,” the penultimate track on the band’s newly released #KingButch (Concord Jazz, 2020). The song’s hook is, “We’re known for the […]