Hello, Teardrops!   In case you didn't know, I've started a whole new podcast called Rainbow Rodeo! This is the newest episode!   Sylvia Rose Novak hates expecations. That's why they've torn down their Americana image and set stakes in the alt-rock world with their blistering album A Miss/A Masterpiece -- not coincidentally, breaking out of the Americana genre has coincided with Novak coming out as non-binary. We talk about the album, Novak's coming out experience, and how they've trained their audience to adjust to a different sound. Subscribe to Rainbow Rodeo on Patreon, and learn about Sylvia's unexpected run-in with Lucinda Williams!

Well, this is it: the very, very, last episode of Adobe & Teardrops. It's been a great 5-year run, but fear not! The blog will continue. In honor of Adobe & Teardrops' 10th anniversary, here's a super episode of the unsung heroes of Americana's development into a commercial genre with special thanks to Tucker Riggleman, Gabe di Chiara, Farce the Music, and Dirt Reynolds for their suggestions. Here are all the places mentioned in the podcast: Adobe & Teardrops fundraiser for Never Again Action Miss my co-host Von? Check out his art at TV Artworks. Here's my episode of One Hit History about Cowboy Mouth Track list: Paul Sanchez/Cowboy Mouth -- "Light It on Fire" (Word of Mouth) (04:58) 2. Glossary -- "A Shoulder to Cry On" (Long Live All Of Us) (07:01) 3. Porter and the Bluebonnett Rattlesnakes -- "Your Hometown" (Don't Go Baby, It's Gonna Get Weird Without You) (11:12) 4. Audra Mae -- "The Real Thing" (Audra May and the Almighty Sound) (15:13) 5. Joseph Plunket & The Weight -- "Grand Street" (Nowhere Now) (18:08) 6. Drag the River -- "Here's to the Losers" (Drag the River) (24:58) 7. Lenny & The Piss-Poor Boys -- "Cambridgeport Salloon" (Lenny & The Piss-Poor Boys) (28:39) 8. Prison Book Club -- "Too Much Livin'" (Prison Book Club) (31:42) 9. Becky Warren -- "Stay Calm Get Low" (War Surplus) (35:27) 10. Have Gun, Will Travel -- "Spirit of Discovery" (Science From an Easy Chair) (39:32) 11. Robyn Ludwick -- "Out of these Blues" (YouTube) (45:08) 12. Ha Ha Tonka -- "Lessons" (Lessons) (49:09) 13. The Trishas -- "Mother of Invention" (High, Wide, and Handsome) (53:42) 14. Arliss Nancy -- "Abacus" (Truckstop Roses) (57:24) 15. The Pollies -- "Something New" (Where the Lies Begin) (1:01:26) 16. Two Cow Garage -- "No Shame" (III) (1:07:44) The best way to keep up with me and my upcoming Rainbow Rodeo podcast is to sign up for the newsletter -- and click the button twice! To financially support Rainbow Rodeo, you can donate through the Rainbow Rodeo website, or sign up to the Patreon -- you'll only be charged when the zine is ready to print, twice a year.

It's the second-to-last episode of Adobe & Teardrops, and Jewish country music won by popular demand! Read more about Mya Byrne here! Featuring:   Becky Warren -- "Good Luck (You're Gonna Need It)" (The Sick Season) Nessi Gomes -- "As You Will (Hine Ani)" (Single) Lily Henley -- "Morena Me Llaman" (Single) Tsibele -- "Di Svet Shop (The Sweat Shop)" (It's Dark Outside) Omer Netzer -- "Country Boy" (Single) Miriam Margles – “Kuma” (Rise Up) Mya Byrne -- "Inflatable Menorah" (Single) Elliah Heifetz -- "Living Proof" (First Generation American) Austin Lucas -- "Different Shade of Red" (Stay Reckless) Aly Halpert -- "She Is On Her Way" (Loosen) You can support Adobe & Teardrops by buying merch or hitting the ol’ Patreon or Ko-fi links! The podcast may be ending, but your donations will fund Rainbow Rodeo, the queer country zine, newsletter, and more media formats to come (hint, hint.) Thanks to Alma Contra for making the introduction.  

It's February, so it's time for some of my favorite break-up songs! Also, I started a queer country music e-mail newsletter called Rainbow Rodeo! You can subscribe for free here and click the button twice, and subscribe to the zine for as little as $2 a year here. You can hear me talk more about Cowboy Mouth on the brand new One-Hit History podcast! Foul-Weather Friend -- "Kristina's Last Song" (Fool's Gold) (2:40) Sad and French -- "Cheers to you" (Sad and French) (6:28) Zox -- "Leaving Me" (Take Me Home) (10:37) Cowboy Mouth -- "How Do You Tell Someone?" (Easy) (13:47) Two Cow Garage -- "Skinny Legged Girl" (Speaking in Cursive) (18:11) Karen and the Sorrows -- "Just a Little Heartbreak" (The Names of Things) (21:47) Austin Lucas -- "Go West" (Somebody Loves You) (27:11) Whitney Houston -- "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" (Whitney) (31:17) You can catch Adobe & Teardrops on Sundays at 1 PM Eastern/10 AM PST on Lost Church Radio. You can support Adobe & Teardrops by buying merch or hitting the ol’ Patreon or Ko-fi links! Please tell your friends to like and subscribe to this podcast. Thanks to Alma Contra for making the introduction. You can also subscribe to the Rainbow Rodeo newsletter for free, or get a paid subscription at the Rainbow Rodeo website, which will enable you to get the zine twice a year for as little as $2! 

Hey, gang. I got a little tied up with finals and never made a December episode for Adobe & Teardrops. That’s embarrassing, because December 8th is Adobe & Teardrops’ tenth anniversary!   I begin with a an all-time top 10 countdown for the last 10 years of Adobe & Teardrops. Then, at the 42-minute mark, I do my top 10 of 2021. See below for time stamps.   Also! I am fundraising for Never Again Action, a Jewish-led immigrant rights group. For every $100 we raise, I release a new song. Check out the videos that have already been posted and the donation link here. You'll also find an episode transcript there.   Before I begin, thank you so much for supporting Adobe & Teardrops for all these years. I wouldn’t do if it wasn’t for you.   (3:46) 2011 – John Moreland – “Low” (Everything the Hard Way) (6:10) 2012 – The Sparklers – “Gunfire and Confetti” (Crying at the Low Bar) (9:19) 2013 – Two Cow Garage – “Stars & Gutters” (Death of the Self-Preservation Society)   (11:36) 2014 – N.Q. Arbuckle – “Hospitals” (The Future Happens Anyway)   (15:00) 2015 – Norma MacDonald – “Blue As a Jay” (Burn the Tapes)   (20:47) 2016 – Anna Tivel – “Black Balloon” (Heroes Waking Up)   (25:23) 2017 – Karen and the Sorrows – “The Price of the Ticket” (The Narrow Place)   (29:46) 2018 – Mariel Buckley – “I Wonder” (Driving in the Dark)   (33:08) 2019 – Jason Hawk Harris – “Giving In” (Love & The Dark)   (37:19) 2020 – Stephanie Lambring – “Daddy’s Disappointment” (Autonomy)   Top 10 of 2021 (42:07) (44:36) Doc Feldman – “Let Me Love You” (A Healthy Dose of Anxiety) (50:53) Maia Sharp – “When the World Doesn’t End” (Mercy Rising) (55:15) Ben Trickey -- “Glendalough or Chantilly” (We Are Not Lucky We Are Blessed) (1:01:01) Adeem the Artist -- “Fervent For the Hunger” (Cast Iron Pansexual) (1:04:41) Semler -- “Prodigal Girl” (Late Bloomer) (1:07:40) Valerie June – “Why the Bright Stars Glow” (The Moon and Stars: Prescriptions for Dreamers) (1:13:00) Miko Marks – “Long As I Can See The Light” (Race Records) (1:16:40) Margo Cilker – “Kevin Johnson” (Pohorylle) (1:20:01) No-No Boy – “Where the Sand Creek Meets the Arkansas River” (1975) (1:27:38) Aaron Vance – “Five Bucks Says” (Cabin Fever) Thank you so much to The Lost Church Radio for having us on their internet waves. You can catch Adobe & Teardrops on the 1st Sunday of every month at 1 PM Eastern/10 AM PST, and the third Thursday of the month at 9 EST/6 PM PST.   You can support Adobe & Teardrops by buying merch or hitting the ol’ Patreon or Ko-fi links! Please tell your friends to like and subscribe to this podcast. Thanks to Alma Contra for making the introduction.

Happy Hanukkah! (It begins on November 28th). Let's celebrate the season with a whole episode devoted to Jewish country music. If you want more, you can find two different playlists on www.adobeandteardrops.com Sarah Aroeste -- “Las Kandelikas de la Fiesta” (Hanuka!) Nefesh Mountain -- “Hanukkah’s Flame” (Live From Levon Helm Studios)  Debbie Friedman -- “Not By Might -- Not By Power” (Celebrate Hanukkah) Karen and the Sorrows -- “The Price of the Ticket” (The Narrow the Place) Ben Fisher -- “The Heavy Gates of Gaza” (Does the Land Remember Me?) Dana Sipos -- “Hoodoo” (The Astral Plane) Rabbi Sandra Lawson -- “Kaddish in Memory of Black Lives” (Single) Deborah Stokol -- “Avinu Malkeinu” (The Ill-Tempered Clavier) Jeremiah Lockwood -- “Ribono Shel Olam” (Kol Nidre) Thank you so much to The Lost Church Radio for having us on their internet waves. You can catch Adobe & Teardrops on the 1st Sunday of every month at 1 PM Eastern/10 AM PST, and the third Thursday of the month at 9 EST/6 PM PST. And, of course, you can listen to these shows any time by subscribing to the podcast feed through your favorite app. You can support Adobe & Teardrops by buying merch or hitting the ol’ Patreon or Ko-fi links! Please tell your friends to like and subscribe to this podcast. Thanks to Alma Contra for making the introduction.

Welcome back, Teardrops! Feels good to have you all here. Adobe & Teardrops will now be a bi-monthly (every 2 weeks) podcast, and I’m so honored to have Lilli Lewis with me to re-inaugurate the show. Lewis is a veteran of the New Orleans music world and her new album, Americana, draws a line in the sand for anyone who think Black artists don’t belong in Americana music. We discuss whether or not genres even need to matter, anyway, and we spin a list of empowering songs by Black women. Lilli Lewis - “A Healing Inside” (Americana) Sweet Honey in the Rock - Sitting On Top of the World (B’lieve I’ll Run On...See What the End’s Gonna Be) Songs of Our Native Daughters -- "Music and Joy" (Songs Of Our Native Daughters) Toshi Reagon - Mountain Top (Toshi) Roberta Lea -- “Sunshine” (Single) Ruthie Foster - Death Came A-Knockin (Travelin' Shoes) Crys Matthews -- “Hope Revolution” (Changemakers) Nina Simone - Sinnerman (Nina at the Village Gate) Thank you so much to The Lost Church Radio for having us on their internet waves. You can catch Adobe & Teardrops on the 1st Sunday of every month at 1 PM Eastern/10 AM PST, and the third Thursday of the month at 9 EST/6 PM PST. You can support Adobe & Teardrops by buying merch or hitting the ol’ Patreon or Ko-fi links! Please tell your friends to like and subscribe to this podcast. Thanks to Alma Contra for making the introduction.

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Big news! This is one of the LAST few episodes of Adobe & Teardrops! But you can hear me at Rosa and Rachel's Redwall Report! Also, you can write for Rainbow Rodeo, the first queer country music magazine! Apply here! This week, I dig into some of the best releases from the month of July. Son Volt -- “Diamonds and Cigarettes (feat. Laura Cantrell)” (Electro Melodier) (2:56) Ryan Curtis -- “She Said” (Rust Belt Broken Heart) (6:48) Yola -- "Dancing Away in Tears” (Stand For Myself) (11:09) Tayls -- “Like a Dog” (Have You Ever? I’ve Always) (14:51) Leon Bridges -- “Motorbike” (Gold-Diggers Sound) (20:13) Jeremy Squires -- “Diminish” (Unravel) (23:54) Jodi -- “Get Back” (Blue Heron) (29:15) Next week’s topic: Winding Down Podcast intro by Alma Contra, music from Two Cow Garage’s “Stars & Gutters” Send me music via SubmitHub!  Get A&T gear and Rainbow Rodeo at the merch page! Send me money via Ko-fi or Patreon. Find Rachel and her comic via https://linktr.ee/rachel.cholst  

Summer's winding down so you gotta catch as catch can. Here are some of the best Americana songs around about summer flings and wanting more. Adam Hooks and the Huckleberries -- “Samantha (Bad News)” (So Far Gone) (01:46)  The Redhill Valleys -- “Finish Line” (Single) (05:06) Emily Duff -- “Don’t Hang the Moon” (Razor Blade Smile) (10:37) Gabe Lee -- “Heartbreaker’s Smile” (Honky Tonk Hell) (15:34) The Only Sons -- “Been Gone” (Steel Hearts) (21:14) Ashley McBryde -- “One Night Standard” (Never Will) (23:33) Kate Vargas -- “Honeydripper” (Rumpopo) (28:43) Next week’s topic: July Release Roundup Podcast intro by Alma Contra, music from Two Cow Garage’s “Stars & Gutters” Send me music via SubmitHub!  Get A&T gear and Rainbow Rodeo at the merch page! Send me money via Ko-fi or Patreon. Find Rachel and her comic via https://linktr.ee/rachel.cholst

Grace Pettis and I celebrate her phenomenal album, Working Woman, by trading feminist country and roots music. We also discuss how Grace uses her platform to benefit people who are marginalized in the music industry, and what being a woman really means. Here's that Spotify playlist of feminist country music that Grace and I mentioned. Learn more about Meg Christian on Making Gay History. Grace Pettis -- “Any Kind of Girl” (Working Woman) (7:17) Eurythmics/Aretha Franklin -- “Sisters Are Doing It for Themselves” (11:26) Chicago Women’s Liberation Rock Band -- “Papa, Don’t Lay That Shit on Me” (Papa, Don't Lay That Shit On Me) (18:22) Allison Russell -- “Persephone” (Outside Child) (21:03) Meg Christian -- “Ode to My Gym Teacher” (31:06) Shaniah Twain -- “Man, I Feel Like a Woman” (38:56)   Next week’s topic: Interview w/ Reggie Harris Podcast intro by Alma Contra, music from Two Cow Garage’s “Stars & Gutters” Send me music via SubmitHub!  Get A&T gear and Rainbow Rodeo at the merch page! Send me money via Ko-fi or Patreon. Find Rachel and her comic via https://linktr.ee/rachel.cholst

The second episode this week explores some of my favorite protest music -- just in time for the Fourth of July! You can read more about the No-No boys here. No-No Boy -- “Close Your Eyes and Dream of Flowers” (1975) (4:03) Nana Grizol -- “Plantation Country” (South Somewhere Else) (7:26) Leyla McCalla -- “Money is King” (Capitalist Blues) (12:24) Hurray For the Riff Raff -- “Rican Beach” (The Navigator) (15:17) Highwomen -- “Crowded Table” (The Highwomen) (20:46) Two Cow Garage -- “Brand New Flag” (Brand New Flag) (24:35) Next week’s topic: Papa, Don’t Lay That Shit On Me with Grace Pettis Podcast intro by Alma Contra, music from Two Cow Garage’s “Stars & Gutters” Send me music via SubmitHub!  Get A&T gear and Rainbow Rodeo at the merch page! Send me money via Ko-fi or Patreon. Find Rachel and her comic via https://linktr.ee/rachel.cholst

In this two-episode week, Rachel spins the best music released in June (that she hasn't already covered for Pride, at least.) She also talks a little bit about the survivor's guilt of seeing Cory Branan in concert. Cory Branan -- “Visiting Hours” (Adios) (2:02) Angela Autumn -- “God’s Green Earth” (Frontiers Woman) (5:42) Von Bieker -- “An Artist’s Life” (Long For This World) (9:10) Sleater-Kinney -- “Method” (Path of Wellness) (15:56) Dana Sipos -- “Greenbelt” (The Astral Plane) (20:15) K.C. Jones -- “Queen of the In Between” (Queen of the In Between) (26:45) Lara Hope and the Ark-Tones -- “Some Advice” (Here to Tell the Tale) (31:22) Cory Grinder and the Playboy Scouts -- “Honky Tonkin’ Beauty Supreme” (Honky Tonkin’ Beauty Supreme) (34:21) Jeremy James Meyer -- “That’s OK” (Alive & OK) (37:35) Sara Milonovich - “Two Dollar Town” (Northeast) (43:41) Friday’s topic: Our America Podcast intro by Alma Contra, music from Two Cow Garage’s “Stars & Gutters” Send me music via SubmitHub!  Get A&T gear and Rainbow Rodeo at the merch page! Send me money via Ko-fi or Patreon. Find Rachel and her comic via https://linktr.ee/rachel.cholst  

In our final Pride episode, I speak with my friend, poet and writer Anastasia Walker. As we discuss, Anastasia and I met five years ago at our college reunion, and have kept in touch since. We talk about her upcoming book of poetry, The Girl Who Wasn’t And Is from bd-studios, and how the trans experience has changed and is changing across the generations that bridge the two of this. Also, a trans analysis of “Long Black Veil.” After our recording, Anastasia fleshed her thoughts out on her blog. Johnny Cash - The Long Black Veil (At Folsom Prison) (14:12) Tricia Black -- “Not 1 of the Boys” (YouTube) (18:02) Love -- “Alone Again Or” (Forever Changes) (34:37) Fancy Hagood -- “Forest” (Southern Curiosity) (37:50) Penelope Houston - Talking with You (Birdboys) (49:23) Gary Cawker - "I Want You (to be My Man)" (The Sleep of Reason) (52:59) Emily Davis and the Murder Police -- “Bloodlines” (Never a Moment Alone) (61:21) Next week’s topic: June Music Roundup Podcast intro by Alma Contra, music from Two Cow Garage’s “Stars & Gutters”   Send me music via SubmitHub!   Get A&T gear and Rainbow Rodeo at the merch page!   Send me money via Ko-fi or Patreon. Find Rachel and her comic via https://linktr.ee/rachel.cholst

I’m honored to be joined by Terry Blade to celebrate Juneteenth and Pride! In this episode, Terry discuss his new single “Forward,” as well as his diverse influences and the BIPOC artists he resonates with. We also discuss the rapid corporatization of Juneteenth and how music media can best portray artists’ multiple identities. As always, learn about more music and episode transcripts at AdobeAndTeardrops.com Terry Blade -- “Forward” (Single) (11:47) Crys Matthews - “Prodigal Son” (Changemakers) (14:18) Allison Russell - “Persephone” (Outside Child) (22:34) Amythyst Kiah - “Wild Turkey” (Wary + Strange) (26:51) Jett Holden -- “Taxidermy” (Single) (47:42) Brittany Howard - “Stay High” (Jaime) (64:48) Podcast intro by Alma Contra, music from Two Cow Garage’s “Stars & Gutters” Send me music via SubmitHub!  Get A&T gear and Rainbow Rodeo at the merch page! Send me money via Ko-fi or Patreon. Find Rachel and her comic via https://linktr.ee/rachel.cholst

  I'm super excited about my latest project, the queer country zine Rainbow Rodeo! The articles are amazing and the thing looks great -- and that's all thanks to the artists featured in this episode -- as well as many more! In this episode, I preview the zine and play music by some of the zine's contributors. You can get your copy at www.rainbowrodeozine.com Karen and the Sorrows -- “You’re My Country Music” (Guaranteed Broken Heart) (3:03) Justin Hiltner -- “Silver Dagger” (Single) (7:17) Mya Byrne and Paisley Fields -- “Stay Away From My Man” (Electric Park Ballroom) (12:25) Maya de Vitry -- “Better and Better” (How to Break a Fall) (14:28) Bug Martin -- “Just For the Hell of It” (All That Is And What Ain’t) (19:22) Sarah Shook -- “Fuck Up” (Sidelong) (22:16) Next week’s topic: Juneteenth Pride With Terry Blade Read the episode transcript at AdobeandTeardrops.com Podcast intro by Alma Contra, music from Two Cow Garage’s “Stars & Gutters” Send me music via SubmitHub! Get A&T gear and Rainbow Rodeo at the merch page! Send me money via Ko-fi or Patreon. Find Rachel and her comic via https://linktr.ee/rachel.cholst  

Adeem the Artist and I picked some of our favorite new queer country songs to feature for Pride! Shortly after this interview, it was announced that Adeem will be opening for American Aquarium in the fall. I’m so stoked for them!  Turns out that between the two of us, Adeem and I reviewed half the albums featured here, so check those out in the show notes. Also, Country Queer is raising funds so their writers (like me and Adeem) can get paid! Sign up for their Patreon here! Quite a few (non-sexual) adult words in these songs, so heads-up if you’re listening on speakers. Adeem the Artist -- “I Never Came Out” (Cast Iron Pansexual) (8:23) Chris Housman -- “Blue Neck” (Single) (12:25)  McKain Lakey -- “Queer AF” (Somewhere) (22:15) Jessye DeSilva -- “Queen of the Backyard” (hover) (26:03) Sam Armstrong Zickefoose -- “Heart of Mine” (Spark In Your Smile) (34:01)  Cidny Bullens -- “Walkin’ Through This World” (Walkin’ Through This World) (37:19) Harper Grae -- “Caviar and Bars” (Single) (51:08) Austin Lucas -- “Drive” (Alive in the Hot Zone) (54:23) Next week’s topic: Juneteenth Pride w/ Terry Blade   Podcast intro by Alma Contra, music from Two Cow Garage’s “Stars & Gutters” Send me music via SubmitHub! Send me money via Ko-fi or Patreon. Find Rachel and her comic via https://linktr.ee/rachel.cholst

Lots of great music came out on May! Let's round' em up! Read the transcript for this here. Album of the Month: Maia Sharp -- Mercy Rising Maia Sharp’s Mercy Rising. You’ll see what I mean when you listen to “You’ll Know Who Knows You.” This is a really sexy song, something that to me has an ineffably queer, nay, lesbian, aesthetic. The whole album is incredible; a sort of Neil Young influence, yes, but so confident and experimental and uniquely Sharp’s. Travis Linville -- “See You Around” (I’m Still Here) (3:41) Johno Roberts -- “Reflections of Me” (Single) (6:58) Maia Sharp -- “You’ll Know Who Knows You” (Mercy Rising) (10:50) Volk -- “I Fed Animals” (Cashville) (14:50) Lindsay Ellyn -- “Pieces of Things” (Queen of Nothing) (19:16) Robert Finley -- “My Story” (Sharecropper’s Son) (23:16) Eddie 9-Volt -- “3 AM in Chicago” (Little Black Flies) (28:17) Next week’s topic: Queer Pride! w/ Adeem the Artist Podcast intro by Alma Contra, music from Two Cow Garage’s “Stars & Gutters” Send me music via SubmitHub! Send me money via Ko-fi or Patreon. Find Rachel and her comic via https://linktr.ee/rachel.cholst

This week, Kasey Anderson and I shoot the breeze about baseball, why we like it, and our favorite songs about baseball. Where else will you find Sam & Dave and Todd Snider in the same place? Kasey Anderson -- “Older Guys” (Let the Bloody Moon Rise) (9:59) Todd Snider -- “America’s Favorite Pastime” (The Excitement Plan) (13:43) Caroline Spence -- “Softball” (Spades & Roses) (23:57) Sam & Dave -- “Knock It Out of the Park” (Sweat ‘n’ Soul) (28:18) Two Cow Garage -- “Movies” (Brand New Flag) (32:15) Ultramagnetic MCs -- “The Saga of Dandy, the Devil, and the Day” (The Four Horsemen) (35:24) Vigilantes of Love -- “You Give It All Your Heart” (Live at the Be Here Now 2000-04-14) (51:04) Next week’s topic: May Music Roundup Podcast intro by Alma Contra, music from Two Cow Garage’s “Stars & Gutters” Send me music via SubmitHub! Send me money via Ko-fi or Patreon. Find Rachel and her comic via https://linktr.ee/rachel.cholst  

Here's a lot of brand new music that SOUNDS old, because honky-tonk is forever. You can find the transcript here! Charlie Marie -- “Soul Train” (Ramble On) (3:44) Soo Line Loons -- “What They Don’t Tell You” (Soo Line Loons) (7:41) Shootouts -- “Rattlesnake Whiskey” (Bullseye) (11:47) Steel Woods -- “I Need You (feat. Ashley Monroe)” (All of Your Stones) (14:52) Fiver With the Atlantic School of Spontaneous Composition -- “Yeah But Uhh Hey” (Fiver With the Atlantic School of Spontaneous Composition) (23:50) Ashleigh Flynn and the Riveters -- “Deep River Hollow” (Live From the Blue Moon) (29:46) Next week’s topic: Baseball! w/ Kasey Anderson Podcast intro by Alma Contra, music from Two Cow Garage’s “Stars & Gutters” Send me music via SubmitHub! Send me money via Ko-fi or Patreon. Find Rachel and her comic via https://linktr.ee/rachel.cholst  

This week, I review some of my favorite anti-racist country songs -- and what anti-racism even means. And yes, it's meant to be this short! Read the transcript here. Links from the episode: The Spotify playlist this episode is based on My article in The Boot about the ACM Awards Redlining in Country Music: Representation in the Country Music Industry (2000 - 2020) 2016 interview w/ M Lockwood Porter Country Music Against White Supremacy and the #ChangeCountry Pledge Donate to the Color My Country Grant Tracks played: M. Lockwood Porter -- “Charleston” (How to Dream Again) Karen and the Sorrows -- “The Price of the Ticket” (The Narrow Place) Jason Isbell -- “White Man’s World” (The Nashville Sound) The Skipperdees -- “Sins of the Father” (The SkipperdeEP) Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires -- “Whitewash” (Live at the Nick) Amy Ray -- “Didn’t Know a Damn Thing” (Holler) Next week’s topic: Contemporary Classics -- brand new music with a vintage feel Podcast intro by Alma Contra, music from Two Cow Garage’s “Stars & Gutters” Send me music via SubmitHub! Send me money via Ko-fi or Patreon. Find Rachel and her comic via https://linktr.ee/rachel.cholst

This week's episode is the LAST episode in this format, where I spin some new tunes that I like. Moving forward, each episode will revolve around a certain theme! Album of the Week: Doc Feldman -- A Healthy Dose of Anxiety The first half of the album is a healthy dose of some anti-anxiety; this album is a bit of a left turn for Doc, veering away from heartland rock and ploughing full-speed ahead into 70s-style Southern rock, like we heard on “Let Me Love You.” But Doc doesn’t make things simple. Even with that easy ridin’ music, these lyrics are gorgeous and thoughtful. Meanwhile, “Heavy Edges,” where the album gets its title from, is an almost chamber pop jeremiad about living in late-stage capitalism: one that would do Two Cow Garage proud. This is on my album of the year list to revisit in December.   Sarah Jarosz -- “Johnny” (World On the Ground) (1:57) Doc Feldman -- “Let Me Love You” (A Healthy Dose of Anxiety)(5:57) Two Cow Garage -- “Death of the Self-Preservation Society” (Death of the Self-Preservation Society) (12:15) Brittany Howard -- “13th Century Metal” (Jaime) (15:44)   Tim Montana -- “River Kids” (Long Shots) (22:51)   Cowboy Mouth -- “Walk Among the Angels” (Word of Mouth) (26:21) Adam Hooks and the Huckleberries -- “Brown County Blues” (So Far Gone) (29:26) Lauren Jenkins -- “Like You Found Me” (Single) (33:44) West of Texas -- “Darlin’ How You’ve Changed” (Heartache, Hangovers, and Honky Tonks) (39:37) Brit Taylor -- “Waking Up Ain’t Easy” (Waking Up Ain’t Easy) (43:14) Veronique Medrano -- “Wasted Days” (Single) (46:35) Darrin Bradbury -- “Deanna, Deanna” (Single) (51:50) Next week’s topic: Anti-Racist Country Music Podcast intro by Alma Contra, music from Two Cow Garage’s “Stars & Gutters” Send me music via SubmitHub! Send me money via Ko-fi or Patreon. Find Rachel and her comic via https://linktr.ee/rachel.cholst

Read the episode transcript here! Rachel has some big personal news, which should explain why this episode is late! Plus, the best in Americana and queer punk. Album of the Week: Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band -- Dance Songs For Hard Times Anyone familiar with their work knows that the Big Damn Band does nothing but dance songs, but this time around the trio is playing with as much urgency as fun. Regardless of the events of 2020, there's always hard times for people somewhere, and there've been plenty of hard times since 2016. The reverend and his revelers take the blues to an elemental level, one where venting about difficulties takes as much pride of place as having fun. Rev. Peyton’s Big Damn Band -- “Ways and Means” (Dance Songs for Hard Times) (3:01) DL Rossi -- “Whiskey” (Lonesome Kind) (6:39) Under the Rocks -- “Palm of Your Hand” (Single) (10:17) Veronique Medrano -- “Wasted Days” (Single) (16:49)  Brightwire -- “Tears Through the Sunshine” (20:41)  Edwin -- “Face in Chrome” (West) (23:53) Lande Hekt -- “December” (Going to Hell) (28:39) Blowboater - "clever weather" (Blowboater) (31:37) Max and the Martians -- “Death Dance” (All The Same) (35:56) Jess McIntosh and Aaron Smith -- “Dinah” (Jess McIntiosh and Aaron Smith) (40:15) Next Week’s Topic: Final Grab-Bag! Podcast intro by Alma Contra, music from Two Cow Garage’s “Stars & Gutters” Send me music via SubmitHub! Send me money via Ko-fi or Patreon. Find Rachel and her comic via https://linktr.ee/rachel.cholst

In this episode, there are two Rachels, three Zachs, and three songs by country artists who eschew Nashville. Rachel Hurley is my co-pilot on this one! Rachel is the headmistress of Sweetheart PR and co-hosts the Music Rookie podcast. She talks about her impressive journey through the music industry before we gush about the music we love this week. Read a transcript of this week’s episode on Adobe & Teardrops! Zack Joseph -- “Keeping Me Sane” (Keeping Me Sane)(8:10) Zach Schmidt -- “I Can’t Dance” (Raise a Banner) (12:26) Zachary Lucky -- “No Shame in Working Hard” (Midwestern) (15:46) Twinnie -- “Chasing” (Single) (19:42) Sir Canyon -- “Drift on Down” (Single) (36:45) Van Plating -- “The Way Down” (Single) (30:38) Podcast intro by Alma Contra, music from Two Cow Garage’s “Stars & Gutters” Send me music via SubmitHub! Send me money via Ko-fi or Patreon. Find Rachel and her comic via https://linktr.ee/rachel.cholst

Hi, everyone! Welcome to Episode 166! My brain is in vacation mode. I stayed in a ridiculous mcmansion. In this episode, we get into some brand new music, some crate-digging, and an interview with Mackenzie Shivers! Dallas Moore -- “Blue Jean Jesus” (The Rain) (2:21) I Can Lick Any Son Of a Bitch in the House -- “It Don’t Get Much Better Than This” (Mayberry) (5:56) The Roseline -- “Seven Hundred Second Chances” (Single) (8:45) The Blips -- “Gold Rush” (The Blips) (13:03) The District Attorneys -- “Boomtown” (Slowburner) (16:16) The Pollies -- “You Want It” (Transmissions) (19:23) June Star -- “Seven Pieces” (Single) (23:06)  Ryan Barry Quintet -- “Desert Son” (Moonlight) (26:45) Jeremy Parsons -- “Something Other Than You Are” (Things to Come) (30:24) Interview w/ Mackenzie Shivers (34:40) Podcast intro by Alma Contra, music from Two Cow Garage’s “Stars & Gutters” Send me music via SubmitHub! Send me money via Ko-fi or Patreon. Find Rachel and her comic via https://linktr.ee/rachel.cholst

It’s episode 165 of Adobe & Teardrops! Thanks for sticking with me!   Well, everything is coming up Rachel this week. I’ve been on spring break. I joined a fantasy baseball league. I joined a queer softball league. Opening day is in less than an hour as I record this. We might be moving into a 2-bedroom apartment in the same building. Oh yeah -- things are good. Also, an interview with Hey, King!   Album of the Week: Hope Dunbar -- Sweetheartland   Hope Dunbar’s Sweetheartland. This is the kind of music I’ve been looking for since I started Adobe & Teardrops. Dunbar has an awesome heartland rock sound while staying true to herself, something that, frankly, I haven’t seen many women who go for that sound really succeed at. She’s a great storyteller, which we’ll hear on “What Were You Thinking,” and can really pull out the stops with “Evacuate,” which Patreon subscribers will hear. Elizabeth King -- “Living in the Last Days” (Living in the Last Days) (2:46) Cristina Vane -- “Blueberry Hill” (Nowhere Sounds Lovely) (5:55) Kai Mata -- “Wine” (Single) (9:55) Henry Conlon -- “Lucy” (Single) (13:59) Valerie June -- “Stay” (The Moon and the Stars: Prescriptions for Dreamers) (19:00) Hope Dunbar -- “What Were You Thinking” (Sweetheartland) (22:01) Scott Making Cents -- “Profile Picture” (Dog EP) (25:28) Andrew Waite -- “Ain’t Goin’ Out Like That” (Single) (28:55) al Riggs -- “Ragged But Right” (I Got A Big Electric Fan To Keep Me Cool While I Sleep) (33:20) Amina Shareef Ali -- “Honest Song” (In The Dark (Awake Of Course)) (36:33) The Barker Brothers -- “Thinkin’ June” (Single) (39:41) Claire Kelly -- “The Restless and the Reckless” (The Scenic Route) (42:39) Hey, King! -- Interview and “Half Alive.” (Read the rest of the interview here.) (47:26) Podcast intro by Alma Contra, music from Two Cow Garage’s “Stars & Gutters” Send me music via SubmitHub! Send me money via Ko-fi or Patreon. Find Rachel and her comic via https://linktr.ee/rachel.cholst

Hey, y’all! Welcome to episode 164 of Adobe & Teardrops! From now on, you can read the a transcript of the podcast on Adobe & Teardrops.    My computer decided to pick a fight with me, so this one is super late and I won’t be doing an extended cut for Patreon subscribers cuz I just want to get this done. Sorry about that.   Album of the Week   Miko Marks’ Our Country is truly a testament to what country music can sound like when we expand our definitions of it. Spoiler alert: it’s so much better. This album came to Marks in a dream several years after she gave up on Nashville when it pushed her out. You can read my interview with her by clicking on the link in the show notes or in the transcript. Our Country is a tour de force of classic country, soul, and their meeting place. We’ll begin with the first track off the album, “Ancestors.”   (1:15) Karen and the Sorrows -- “Walk Through the Desert” (The Narrow Place) (6:05) Sunny War -- “Like Nina” (Simple Syrup) (10:34) Esther Rose -- “Keeps Me Running” (How Many Times) (14:31) The Wanted -- “I Guess” (Strange Flight) (19:39) Miko Marks -- “Ancestors”(Our Country) (24:08) Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal -- “Changing” (Natural Born Hustler) (28:04) ZhanXG -- “Jazzy With Your Coffee” (Single)  (32:52) Kris Angelis -- “Meet You In Our Dreams” (Single)  (37:14) The Armadillo Paradox -- “Eyes Like Stars” (Out of Gas in Oil Country)  (40:24) Chevel Shepherd -- “Everybody’s Got a Story” (Everybody’s Got a Story) (43:13) Dave Wilbert -- “It’s All Yours” (Single)  (46:00) One Way Traffic -- “Good Thing” (Single) (51:24) DADA GAUGIN -- “Haru no Hi” (Single)   Podcast intro by Alma Contra, music from Two Cow Garage’s “Stars & Gutters” Send me music via SubmitHub! Send me money via Ko-fi or Patreon. Find Rachel and her comic via https://linktr.ee/rachel.cholst

For a complete transcript of this episode, click here! New website, who dis? Adobe & Teardrops condemns the violence against AAPI women this past week. I played a set of AAPI Americana artists in solidarity, and to remind us that this impacts the Americana world as well. Album of the Week: Melissa Carper -- Daddy's Country Gold I also wrote this up in No Depression. I can’t say enough that Melissa Carper is so freakin smart. Daddy’s Country Gold is vintage-style excellence, but it also subverts classic country music and insist on adding a queer presence there. As we’ll see on “Makin’ Memories,” a lot of this album is about questioning the past, and what really happened, and maybe seeing new things in it that we didn’t before. Gabe Lee -- “Ol’ Smokey (Reimagined)” (Single) (2:49) Mercy Bell -- “Black Dress” (All Good Cowboys) (6:40) Amina Shareef Ali -- “Farewell to My Man” (In the Dark (Awake of Course)) (11:26) Morgan Wade -- “Other Side” (16:26) (Reckless) Rob Leines -- “Saturday Night” (19:35) (Blood, Sweat, and Beer) Royal Horses -- “Time Wounds All Heals” (Single) (24:10) Sam C. Jones -- “Born to Love You” (Single) (27:44) Melissa Carper -- “Makin’ Memories” (31:56) (Daddy’s Country Gold) Mandy Rowden -- “Ghosts on the Arkansas” (35:48) (Parachute) The Heels -- “High Heels On” (Single) (40:36) Deadass Dobro -- “Through the Night” (Single) (43:23) Schmekel -- “FTM at the DMV”(48:54) (The Whale That Ate Jonah) Janet Simpson -- “Nashville Girls” (50:11) (Safe Distance) Samhain -- “Let the Horses Run” (Single) (53:07) Ontarians -- “No Regrets” (The Greatest Short Story Never Told) (57:22) Yasmin Williams -- “Adrift (ft. Taryn Wood)” (Urban Driftwood) (1:01:54)  Podcast intro by Alma Contra, music from Two Cow Garage’s “Stars & Gutters” Send me music via SubmitHub! Send me money via Ko-fi or Patreon. Find Rachel and her comic via https://linktr.ee/rachel.cholst

 I won the Self-Made Indie Podcaster Award for Best Female Host and Best Music Podcast! Thank you so much!!! I was super busy this week what with applying to grad school and learning how to be a social animal again! This week has some awesome music, so let’s get into it!   Album of the Week: Semler -- Preacher’s Kid   I don’t have Grace Baldridge’s experience of growing up queer and Evangelical, but you don’t need to be Christian to have shame around being queer. Before I get into the album, I do want to point out that Baldridge pulled a Lil Nas X and listed this album under Christian music -- after all, it is about their experience with the religion. And it’s music. And it has since shot up to #1 of the Apple Music Christian charts. Maybe it’s Baldridge’s gravelly voice; maybe it’s the way they expertly intertwine their experiences of pain, humor, awkwardness, and empowerment. Whatever your background, this is an album that gently reminds you of the queer shame you felt going up, that maybe you still haven’t abandoned, and celebrates with righteous joy that we made it through. Vivian Leva & Riley Calcagno -- “Biding All My Time” (Vivian Leva & Riley Calcagno) Ontarians -- “No Regrets” (The Greatest Short Story Never Told) Rosie Cima & What She Dreamed -- “Stuck” (Realm of the Warring Gods) Dirty Bird -- “Thunder Don’t Run” (For the Time Being) Mac Leaphart -- “That Train” (Music City Joke) Semler -- “Jesus From Texas” (Preacher’s Kid) The Octobers -- “Rip Van Winkle” (Single) Fee Doyle -- “My Previous Life” (Trail Markers) Lainey Wilson -- “Neon Diamonds” (Sayin’ What I’m Thinkin’) Oh Susannah -- “Pretty Blue Eyes” (Soon the Birds) Bill Mallonee -- “Everybody Does (A Clamoring of Ghosts) Adeem the Artist -- “I Never Came Out” (Cast Iron Pansexual) Clark Naito -- “Pen Ken Pan” (Single) Podcast intro by Alma Contra, music from Two Cow Garage’s “Stars & Gutters”   Send me music via SubmitHub! Send me money via Ko-fi or Patreon. Find Rachel and her comic via https://linktr.ee/rachel.cholst

Arr, matey! Sling some skilly’n’duff and grab a tankard of October Ale, because this episode features a sea shanty by Brian Jacques, the author of my beloved Redwall books. Which, by the way, Rosa and I are going to make a podcast about it.   Also, some of the best new Americana out this week!   Album of the Week: Charles Ellsworth -- Honeysuckle Summer     Ellsworth’s music has always had an excellent Americana sensibility, but in the past it has ranged from humorous to straight-ahead spleen. On Honeysuckle Summer, he cuts to his own core with some of the most honest and personal songs I’ve heard from him, with beautiful storytelling that really did make my heart ache.“Blood in the Halls” is easily one of the best songs about gun control I’ve heard while making this blog. The Liverpool Fisherman -- “Yate’s White’s Blues” (Swallow the Anchor) Kaiti Jones -- “Gettin’ Around To It” (Tossed) Charles Ellsworth -- “Gripping Onto Water” (Honeysuckle Summer) The Prairie States -- “High That I’m Riding” (Single) Amythyst Kiah -- “Black Myself” (Single) Pressgang Mutiny -- “Stormalong John” (Across the Western Ocean) Adeem the Artist -- “I Never Came Out” (Cast Iron Pansexual) Maddisun -- “Meant to Be” (Single) Eagle Rock Gospel Singers -- “Willfully Blind” (I Will Rise) Brittney Spencer -- “Thoughts and Prayers” (Compassion EP) Elizabeth & The Catapult -- “the muse” (sincerely, e) Hurray For the Riff Raff -- “Crash on the Highway” (Small Town Heroes) Henriette -- “never go back” (Single) Terry Blade -- “Ms. Mizell” (Single) Podcast intro by Alma Contra, music from Two Cow Garage’s “Stars & Gutters”   Send me music via SubmitHub! Send me money via Ko-fi or Patreon. Find Rachel and her comic via https://linktr.ee/rachel.cholst