Qobuzissime

The American dream is an inexhaustible subject. It is approached head-on, sideways, from behind, above and below. It is the ultimate fuel for hordes of songwriters; even when they weren’t even born in America. As is the case for J.S. Ondara. This young Kenyan, who his label calls "the link between Tracy Chapman and Michael Kiwanuka" (an easy claim but not wrong), went there to try his luck. In 2013, Ondara dropped anchor at his aunt's house in Minneapolis. Having only previously known his native Nairobi, the musician took his songs into bars, clubs and even out onto the street, equipped with only his voice and a simple acoustic guitar, perhaps in the hope of becoming a third millennium Bob Dylan. The Dylan of The Freewheelin', his favourite record; Springsteen's Nebraska also being one of his top picks... But to limit himself to cloning those giants wouldn’t be very interesting. And Tales of America avoids that. First of all, J.S. Ondara has his own voice. His plaintive tone is a little androgynous and makes him truly unique. On the instrumental side, he adds some more daring flavours with the help of the great Andrew Bird, Griffin Goldsmith from Dawes and Joey Ryan from the Milk Carton Kids duo. In a divided America and a crisis-riddled world, J. S. Ondara's songs are more than just bandages, they’re powerful balms that penetrate the skin and warm the heart. This is a Qobuzissime that we needed... © Marc Zisman/Qobuz

Rhiannon Giddens has always been keenly aware of the arc of American history -- the Carolina Chocolate Drops, the 2000s band she once led, was designed as a critique of the darker moments of Americana -- but Freedom Highway, her second solo album, puts her intent into perspective. Where her 2015 solo debut, Tomorrow Is My Turn, was essentially a covers album, gaining its importance through context, Freedom Highway relies on originals, but the past is never far behind. This should be expected from Giddens, who is at her core a folk artist building upon -- and expanding -- tradition, but it's still startling to realize how she establishes a vernacular at the outset of Freedom Highway, then explores all of the possibilities of African-American folk music on the album. "At the Purchaser's Option," the song that inaugurates Freedom Highway, explicitly evokes slavery, and it's spare and haunting, standing in contrast to the title-track closer, a funky number that illustrates how far African-Americans have traveled during the course of the history of the United States. Throughout Freedom Highway, Giddens plays with this idea -- how oppression gave way to freedom -- and it's not just through her lyrics, but how the music expands as the album reaches its conclusion: at the outset, it seems austere, but by its conclusion it's a robust celebration of all the weird, wonderful parts of America. This isn't an accident. Freedom Highway draws upon deep American traditions, and while its form may be a throwback, it speaks to a time when the phrase "Black Lives Matter" can be seen as controversial and, in doing so, it illustrates how these issues are deeply ingrained in American life and cannot be forgotten. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Having exhausted every angle in pop and rock over the past few years, the country scene seems to have finally decided to return to its roots. Margo Price is another name to add to a list alongside the likes of Kacey Musgraves and Sturgill Simpson, among others. A native of Aledo, Illinois, the young damsel has already been lucky enough to be hand picked by a certain Jack White to sign with his label, Third Man Records. Being in favour with the former leader of the White Stripes will bring her some extra spotlight she most certainly deserves... This first solo album however, is by no means the 32-year-old singers first venture in music. She landed in Nashville after finishing high school in 2003, where she met her future husband, bassist Jeremy Ivey. The couple when on to form the (somewhat) obscure Buffalo Clover Group. Three self-produced later albums, and a tsunami of misfortunes which included (the death of her son, time spent in prison, problems with alcohol, anxiety and depression, among others), Margo Price advanced alone with this disc put together in the Mecca of rock music, the legendary Sun studios. To the listener, Midwest Farmer's Daughter – an obvious nod to Coal Miner's Daughter by Loretta Lynn – sees price walk in the footsteps of the great ladies of the eternal country. Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Tanya Tucker… Musically, the approach is quite purist and reminiscent of the glorious country of the seventies. Some honkytonk, rockabilly, and blues twang - Margo Price sings her songs with conviction and sincerity. A truly beautiful album, and a worth Qobuzism! ©MZ/Qobuz