Mark Pelavin
@mpelavin.bsky.social
I write mostly (but not only) about music, mostly (but not only) Americana Music. More at https://markpelavin.substack.com/
AVT/PTTN is about all the ways we vanish—into depression, into performance, into the roles others need us to play. The collaboration itself mirrors this theme: Patton disappears into the Avetts’ world while they disappear into his. What emerges isn’t a compromise but a genuine third thing.
ALBUM REVIEW: “AVT/PTTN” is Unexpected Alchemy from the Avett Brothers and Mike Patton
Originally Published on AmericanaHighways.org
markpelavin.substack.com
November 14, 2025 at 3:07 PM
AVT/PTTN is about all the ways we vanish—into depression, into performance, into the roles others need us to play. The collaboration itself mirrors this theme: Patton disappears into the Avetts’ world while they disappear into his. What emerges isn’t a compromise but a genuine third thing.
Stuff imagines the inner lives of the things we discard and reveals how those objects carry traces of who we were. What sounds like a cloying conceit deepens into something tender and profound, as Walker, fresh from chemotherapy, considers and asserts his own place among the leftovers.
ALBUM REVIEW: Joshua Ray Walker Finds Life in “Stuff”
Originally Published on SpectrumCulture.com
open.substack.com
October 31, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Stuff imagines the inner lives of the things we discard and reveals how those objects carry traces of who we were. What sounds like a cloying conceit deepens into something tender and profound, as Walker, fresh from chemotherapy, considers and asserts his own place among the leftovers.
You can hear the pain in Rhett Miller’s voice here. That’s not a metaphor. Recording with a cyst on his vocal cords just before surgery, these are performances that are physically compromised—strained, imperfect, cracking at the edges—and capture his emotional fragility. @rhettmiller.bsky.social
ALBUM REVIEW: Rhett Miller, A Lifetime of Riding by Night
Originally Published on SpectrumCulture.com
open.substack.com
October 24, 2025 at 7:32 PM
You can hear the pain in Rhett Miller’s voice here. That’s not a metaphor. Recording with a cyst on his vocal cords just before surgery, these are performances that are physically compromised—strained, imperfect, cracking at the edges—and capture his emotional fragility. @rhettmiller.bsky.social
From the Hellhole may not break new ground in Crenshaw’s career, but it doesn’t need to. It’s a thoughtful, well-sequenced anthology of recent work and rare treasures that reaffirms his standing as one of the finest practitioners of classicist, hook-driven pop.
October 17, 2025 at 3:50 PM
From the Hellhole may not break new ground in Crenshaw’s career, but it doesn’t need to. It’s a thoughtful, well-sequenced anthology of recent work and rare treasures that reaffirms his standing as one of the finest practitioners of classicist, hook-driven pop.
After a career built on equal parts humor and heartbreak, Todd Snider has delivered a record that sounds both weary and rejuvenated, expressing his juke-joint sensibility: loose, soulful, funny, and unmistakably his own.
REVIEW: The Road Goes On: Todd Snider’s "High Lonesome Journey" • Americana Highways Todd Snider High Lonesome and Then Some
After a career built on equal parts humor and heartbreak, Todd Snider has delivered a record that sounds both weary and rejuvenated.
americanahighways.org
October 14, 2025 at 8:45 PM
After a career built on equal parts humor and heartbreak, Todd Snider has delivered a record that sounds both weary and rejuvenated, expressing his juke-joint sensibility: loose, soulful, funny, and unmistakably his own.
The real blessing of this 30th anniversary deluxe edition is getting to watch a master do what he did best – finding the extraordinary hiding inside the ordinary and making it sound like the most natural thing in the world. @johnprine.bsky.social
ALBUM REVIEW: John Prine: Lost Dogs & Mixed Blessings Deluxe
Originally Published on Spectrum Culture
open.substack.com
October 3, 2025 at 1:27 PM
The real blessing of this 30th anniversary deluxe edition is getting to watch a master do what he did best – finding the extraordinary hiding inside the ordinary and making it sound like the most natural thing in the world. @johnprine.bsky.social
These songs flow together like one long meditation. They’re anchored by Reid’s warm, weathered baritone and built on piano ballads, upright bass and touches of pedal steel or light orchestration. Henry’s production keeps everything spare and uncluttered; nothing obscures a single syllable.
ALBUM REVIEW: Mike Reid & Joe Henry: Life & Time
Originally Published on Spectrum Culture
substack.com
September 30, 2025 at 3:58 PM
These songs flow together like one long meditation. They’re anchored by Reid’s warm, weathered baritone and built on piano ballads, upright bass and touches of pedal steel or light orchestration. Henry’s production keeps everything spare and uncluttered; nothing obscures a single syllable.
CONCERT REVIEW: A songwriter’s festival is, first and foremost, about songs. Great songs, songs that stay with you long after the show has ended, are rare and precious. This year’s gathering delivered more than a few standouts.
SHOW REVIEW: Notes From The 2025 Annapolis Songwriters Festival
Originally Published on Americana Highways
markpelavin.substack.com
September 20, 2025 at 6:31 PM
CONCERT REVIEW: A songwriter’s festival is, first and foremost, about songs. Great songs, songs that stay with you long after the show has ended, are rare and precious. This year’s gathering delivered more than a few standouts.
This is Fulks at his most essential—reflective, amused, occasionally pissed off and completely honest about getting older. In an industry that often discards its veterans, Now Then reminds us what is lost hen we stop listening to voices with something substantial to say. #americanamusic #robbiefulks
ALBUM REVIEW: Robbie Fulks: Now Then
Originally Published on Spectrum Culture
open.substack.com
September 19, 2025 at 1:48 AM
This is Fulks at his most essential—reflective, amused, occasionally pissed off and completely honest about getting older. In an industry that often discards its veterans, Now Then reminds us what is lost hen we stop listening to voices with something substantial to say. #americanamusic #robbiefulks
#Emma Swift’s Resurrection Game succeeds as both personal statement and artistic milestone. Swift’s willingness to address difficult subject matter directly demonstrates real courage, and her voice remains compelling throughout.
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ALBUM REVIEW: Emma Swift “The Resurrection Game” -- Where the Brutal Becomes Beautiful
Originally Published on Americana Highways
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September 11, 2025 at 2:29 PM
#Emma Swift’s Resurrection Game succeeds as both personal statement and artistic milestone. Swift’s willingness to address difficult subject matter directly demonstrates real courage, and her voice remains compelling throughout.
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Josh Ritter shows that questioning, imagining, and believing don’t have to be solemn endeavors. The album sparkles with clever turns, rollicking stories, and irresistible hooks—proof that even the weightiest ideas can be entertaining when delivered by a master storyteller
ALBUM REVIEW: On “I Believe in You, My Honeydew,” Josh Ritter Makes the Case for Belief—and for Joy
Originally Published on Americana Highway
open.substack.com
September 11, 2025 at 1:41 AM
Josh Ritter shows that questioning, imagining, and believing don’t have to be solemn endeavors. The album sparkles with clever turns, rollicking stories, and irresistible hooks—proof that even the weightiest ideas can be entertaining when delivered by a master storyteller
Airline Highway stands as proof that artistic vitality isn’t about age—it’s about remaining open to new experiences, new collaborators, and new ways of seeing old truths. After three-quarters of a century, Rodney Crowell is still finding fresh roads to travel.
Review: Rodney Crowell Keeps Driving: Airline Highway Marks a Late-Career High Point
Originally Published on Americana Highways
open.substack.com
August 26, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Airline Highway stands as proof that artistic vitality isn’t about age—it’s about remaining open to new experiences, new collaborators, and new ways of seeing old truths. After three-quarters of a century, Rodney Crowell is still finding fresh roads to travel.
We’re Only Human marks a distinct turn inward: a record less concerned with characters and more with the person behind the pen. This is Carll at his most vulnerable, most emotionally open and perhaps most generous.
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Hayes Carll: We’re Only Human
Album Review
open.substack.com
August 14, 2025 at 11:39 PM
We’re Only Human marks a distinct turn inward: a record less concerned with characters and more with the person behind the pen. This is Carll at his most vulnerable, most emotionally open and perhaps most generous.
open.substack.com/pub/markpela...
open.substack.com/pub/markpela...
Two very different songwriters—one a battle-scarred Gulf Coast poet and artist, the other a precociously wise Texan barely out of his teens—reminded me that powerful music isn’t bound to an era.
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Show Review: Abe Partridge and Jack Barksdale Deliver Timeless Musical Truths at Ram’s Head in Annapolis
Originally Published on Americana Highways
open.substack.com
August 14, 2025 at 11:36 PM
Two very different songwriters—one a battle-scarred Gulf Coast poet and artist, the other a precociously wise Texan barely out of his teens—reminded me that powerful music isn’t bound to an era.
open.substack.com/pub/markpela...
open.substack.com/pub/markpela...
Key West has Jimmy Buffett, New Jersey boasts Bruce Springsteen, and now, the Eastern Shore has Steve Lowe.
Album Review: Steve Lowe’s “Salted Limes” Delivers a Taste of Eastern Shore Life
Originally Published in the Talbot Spy
markpelavin.substack.com
June 5, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Key West has Jimmy Buffett, New Jersey boasts Bruce Springsteen, and now, the Eastern Shore has Steve Lowe.
Writers write what they know, and Richard Shindell knows the road, trucks, driving, and, perhaps most of all, how the ebb and flow of daily life shapes us. A regular visitor to the Avalon, Shindell returned last week, bringing his poignant observations and sharp wit to an appreciative audience.
Spy Review: Richard Shindell Captivates Avalon Audience
Originally Published in the Talbot Spy
open.substack.com
May 29, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Writers write what they know, and Richard Shindell knows the road, trucks, driving, and, perhaps most of all, how the ebb and flow of daily life shapes us. A regular visitor to the Avalon, Shindell returned last week, bringing his poignant observations and sharp wit to an appreciative audience.
McMurtry has said, “A song can come from anywhere, but the main inspiration is fear. Specifically fear of irrelevance.” The Black Dog and the Wandering Boy is proof that he has nothing to fear.
Album Review: On “The Black Dog and the Wandering Boy” James McMurtry Has Nothing to Fear
From Americana Highways
open.substack.com
May 12, 2025 at 6:34 PM
McMurtry has said, “A song can come from anywhere, but the main inspiration is fear. Specifically fear of irrelevance.” The Black Dog and the Wandering Boy is proof that he has nothing to fear.
Touring in support of his new album Visitor, Moreland delivered a set that was equal parts hushed and harrowing. These aren’t songs designed to uplift in the conventional sense. But make no mistake—they offer comfort, too.
Show Review: John Moreland Brings Sad Songs and Quiet Salvation to the Ram’s Head
From Americana Highways
substack.com
May 12, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Touring in support of his new album Visitor, Moreland delivered a set that was equal parts hushed and harrowing. These aren’t songs designed to uplift in the conventional sense. But make no mistake—they offer comfort, too.
David Ramirez has long occupied a distinctive corner of the Americana world. On All the Not So Gentle Reminders, his sixth studio album, Ramirez steps further into that lineage, delivering a rich, emotionally resonant collection that cements his place among the genre’s most compelling voices.
Album Review: David Ramirez Finds Grace in the Wreckage on “All the Not So Gentle Reminders”
From Americana Highways
open.substack.com
April 22, 2025 at 4:10 PM
David Ramirez has long occupied a distinctive corner of the Americana world. On All the Not So Gentle Reminders, his sixth studio album, Ramirez steps further into that lineage, delivering a rich, emotionally resonant collection that cements his place among the genre’s most compelling voices.
Some artists step onto the stage. Josh Ritter bursts onto it. He radiates an infectious energy that never wavers throughout the night. Ritter smiles more than should be legal while singing, but it never feels performative. It’s real—just like the stories he tells.
#joshritter
#joshritter
SHOW REVIEW: Minotaurs, Mystics, and Melody – Josh Ritter in Annapolis, March 12, 2025
Americana Highways
open.substack.com
March 16, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Some artists step onto the stage. Josh Ritter bursts onto it. He radiates an infectious energy that never wavers throughout the night. Ritter smiles more than should be legal while singing, but it never feels performative. It’s real—just like the stories he tells.
#joshritter
#joshritter
These aren’t new songs. Some stretch back decades. But that’s the thing—McMurtry’s music isn’t stuck in time; it keeps meeting the moment. A James McMurtry concert isn’t an exercise in nostalgia. The songs remain just as urgent, and, they’re needed now more than ever.
#jamesmcmurtry
#americana
#jamesmcmurtry
#americana
Show Review: James McMurtry at The Ram’s Head with BettySoo • Americana Highways
James McMurtry took the stage at The Ram’s Head in Annapolis with BettySoo. We were there to photograph and review.
americanahighways.org
March 10, 2025 at 5:57 PM
These aren’t new songs. Some stretch back decades. But that’s the thing—McMurtry’s music isn’t stuck in time; it keeps meeting the moment. A James McMurtry concert isn’t an exercise in nostalgia. The songs remain just as urgent, and, they’re needed now more than ever.
#jamesmcmurtry
#americana
#jamesmcmurtry
#americana
Hood said, "I decided if I ever was going to do another solo record, I wanted it to be pretty different than the band, as different as it can be.”
Mission accomplished. While Hood’s gravelly, lived-in voice is unmistakable, these songs feel deeply personal and intentionally different
Mission accomplished. While Hood’s gravelly, lived-in voice is unmistakable, these songs feel deeply personal and intentionally different
REVIEW: Patterson Hood "Exploding Trees & Airplane Screams" • Americana Highways
Patterson Hood: Exploding Trees & Airplane Screams is a sonic departure that still feels unmistakably raw, unfiltered & deeply human
americanahighways.org
March 10, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Hood said, "I decided if I ever was going to do another solo record, I wanted it to be pretty different than the band, as different as it can be.”
Mission accomplished. While Hood’s gravelly, lived-in voice is unmistakable, these songs feel deeply personal and intentionally different
Mission accomplished. While Hood’s gravelly, lived-in voice is unmistakable, these songs feel deeply personal and intentionally different
Jordan Tice bridges the gap between tradition and modern storytelling. Whether he discovered bluegrass icons before finding his way to Bob Dylan, Randy Newman, and Paul Simon —or the other way around—his music reflects a rare ability to meld past and present seamlessly
#Jordantice #americanamusic
#Jordantice #americanamusic
Spy Concert Review: Jordan Tice Showcases New and Old at the Stoltz Listening Room - Talbot Spy
Jordan Tice, who launched his national tour at the Avalon Theatre’s Stoltz Listening Room last week, bridges the gap between old-time tradition and modern
talbotspy.org
February 24, 2025 at 3:30 PM
Jordan Tice bridges the gap between tradition and modern storytelling. Whether he discovered bluegrass icons before finding his way to Bob Dylan, Randy Newman, and Paul Simon —or the other way around—his music reflects a rare ability to meld past and present seamlessly
#Jordantice #americanamusic
#Jordantice #americanamusic
The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You is an unforgettable portrait of an artist; a powerful, compelling, memoir, helping us understand the life of one of our most interesting, insightful, and important songwriters.
#americana #bookreview #nekocase
#americana #bookreview #nekocase
BOOK REVIEW: Neko Case’s Life Was Saved By Rock and Roll
From Americana Highways, January 22, 2025
markpelavin.substack.com
February 20, 2025 at 8:18 PM
The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You is an unforgettable portrait of an artist; a powerful, compelling, memoir, helping us understand the life of one of our most interesting, insightful, and important songwriters.
#americana #bookreview #nekocase
#americana #bookreview #nekocase
Musically Plus One is all over the place, in the best possible way. Think the Staples Singers crossed with Miranda Lambert (who cowrites one song here), with some Talking Heads and Randy Travis mixed in.
ALBUM REVIEW: The War and Treaty “Plus One” – A Jubilant Celebration of Love and Hope
Americana Highway, February 10, 2024
markpelavin.substack.com
February 20, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Musically Plus One is all over the place, in the best possible way. Think the Staples Singers crossed with Miranda Lambert (who cowrites one song here), with some Talking Heads and Randy Travis mixed in.