Encore Records

Bonnie ' Prince' Billy and the Cairo Gang

The Wonder Show of the World

New year, new album, new band.

Will Oldham and Emmett Kelly collaborate on this stripped down affair.

She & Him

Volume Two

2010 sophomore release from Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward.

She & Him make music for an eternal springtime, when the temperature is warm enough to go riding with the top (or at least the windows) rolled down and the radio turned up.

They occupy an alternate universe where the saddest of songs feel as warm as sun showers; the rain may be coming down, but somewhere nearby, everything looks bright.

What began as a fascinating, no-strings attached collaboration on 2008’s Volume One has evolved into a bona fide touring band, and She & Him are here to stay.

Deschanel and Ward are as comfortable and complementary a musical pair as Les Paul and Mary Ford; hearing them again on Volume Two feels like getting together with two old friends.

This time, the harmonies have grown more angelically layered, the string arrangements more dramatic, the songwriting even sharper and more confident. But as with Volume One, the prevailing mood is bittersweet, dreamy, and romantic.

Drive By Truckers

The Big To-Do

2010 release, the Truckers’ 10th album in an amazing 13 year career.

The Big To-Do features 13 new tracks from the Drive-By Truckers and was produced by their long time producer, David Barbe (Sugar, Bettye LaVette). Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley continue to be the chief songwriters of the group, continuing a musical partnership that has lasted over 23 years.

Josh Rouse

El Turista

2010 album from the singer/songwriter and performer, a collection of Brazilian songs in Spanish.

Unexpected and utterly sublime, this sultry song cycle will shuffle seamlessly in tandem with Getz/Gilberto and Graceland, albums as boldly surprising in their eras as El Turista is in this one.

The record marks a new direction for the critically acclaimed cult artist, while offering the musical sophistication and emotional depth Rouse’s devoted constituents have come to expect from him thanks to a consistently enthralling body of work highlighted by the modern-day landmarks 1972 (2003) and Nashville (2005).

John Hiatt

The Open Road

Looking at life through the rearview mirror was the inspiration for John Hiatt’s 2010 album, The Open Road.

A classic Hiatt record, the rockin’ songs sizzle with the heat from a two-lane blacktop on a hot summer’s day. Hiatt and his touring band (Kenny Blevins on drums, Patrick O’Hearn on bass and Doug Lancio on guitars) recorded a test that gives ‘Garage Rock’ a new meaning.

‘All the other years, my songs are about coming home,’ Hiatt says. But within these 11 new songs, including ‘Haulin’’ and the title track, ‘The Open Road’, home is never the destination.

Besnard Lakes

Are the Roaring Night

Dark, atmospheric, and dreamlike, Montreal’s The Besnard Lakes return with their brand new album, ‘The Besnard Lakes Are The Roaring Night’ on the much esteemed Jagjaguwar label.

Founded by husband and wife team, Jace Lasek and Olga Goreas, Besnard Lakes have become a cult and critical success, releasing two albums, including 2007’s Polaris Music Prizenominated ‘The Besnard Lakes Are The Dark Horse’.

Since then, the band have also composed and performed an original score for the Mark Ruffalo-directed independent film, ‘Sympathy For Delicious’, which has since been accepted into the prestigious 2010 Sundance Film Festival.

Janis Ian

Stars / Aftertones

Digitally remastered two CD set containing a pair of original albums from the Folk/Rock singer/songwriter: Stars (1974) and Aftertones (1976).

These two albums bookended her hugely successful Between The Lines album, each of these releases are complimented by a bonus live track on each disc.

While Stars was a critically successful release, Aftertones consolidated the worldwide success of Between The Lines, particularly in the UK and Japan.

Joanna Newsom

Have One On Me

2010 three CD / LP release from the acclaimed singer/songwriter, the long-awaited follow-up to her album The Y’s.

Featuring Ryan Francesconi and Neal Morgan from Joanna’s Ys Street Band, Have One On Me is an extravagantly packaged collection of fantastic new Joanna Newsom songs: her most colorful record to date.

Joanna’s music has more of an affinity with the Folk revival of the ‘60s, or the Bluegrass movement at present, than with most contemporary Folk (or Anti-Folk) scenes.

Affinities aside, her style could hardly be called Bluegrass; nor does it evoke the pastoral tonalities of ‘60s Folk: she sings about whalebones, sleep, grammar, mollusks, accumulation, automobiles, owls, burning boats, string collections, milk, teeth, bridges, balloons, cake, colors, and kin, all in an otherworldly, ragged-sweet voice that defies convention.

Johnny Cash

American VI - Ain’t No Grave

2010 release, the sixth and final chapter in the American series from the Country legend.

Containing a collection of his final recordings, American VI: Ain’t No Grave features one Johnny Cash original plus nine Cash-ified cover versions.

Includes the Avett Brothers appearing on the title track plus musical assistance from Mike Campbell, Smokey Hormel, Matt Sweeney, Benmont Tench, Jonny Polosky and others.

South Memphis String Band

Home Sweet Home

Acoustic trio fetauring Luther Dickinson from ‘North Mississippi All Stars’, bluesman Alvin “Youngblood” Hart and former ‘Squirrel Nut Zipper’ Jimbo Mathus.

An all-acoustic romp through traditional blues and gospel tunes.

Stripped down and laid back.  Will appeal to all those ‘Oh Brother’ fans !!