These are difficult times, and that can make writing about music feel trivial. And yet, music can be a salve and can also feed the fire inside of us when we need it most.
This week’s Fresh Picks touches on new protest songs from Lucinda Williams and Big Richard, Americana albums from Minnesota artists, a sibling duo from Mexico and a lot more.
Check out this week's suggestions from Music Director Kari Hedlund and Host/Volunteer Coordinator Dan Gannon.
Albums
Lucinda Williams - World's Gone Wrong
A legendary contemporary songwriter, Lucinda has helped define Americana music as we know it. Her style of writing a song is by using plain language so the message doesn't get lost. For her 16th album, World's Gone Wrong, the message is of vital importance, featuring original protest songs about the state of the world, plus a cover of Bob Marley & The Wailers' "So Much Trouble in the World," which features fellow legend Mavis Staples. The song titles give good clues to the content: "The World's Gone Wrong," "Something's Gotta Give," "How Much Did You Get for Your Soul" — I could go through the entire tracklist to give you the whole picture. Throughout the album, her words are direct and clear:
They plan on your silence
Ignorance and vagary
While the streets fill with violence
Chaos and tragedy
So let me remind you
Just what's at stake
Apathy will blind you
Until it's too late
- "Freedom Speaks"
- KH
The Lowest Pair - Always As Young As We'll Ever Be
After a six-year break from the studio, the double banjo duo is back and bigger than ever. For their eighth album, produced by Tucker Martine (My Morning Jacket, Caamp, Charlie Parr), we find the duo with drums, synth, fiddle and more. While more robust than what we’re used to, they have still captured their intimate, raw and right-in-your-ear sound.
Bookended by stripped-down and folk-forward songs, “Give It All Away” and “Thorn," they play around with their expanded sound in songs like “Tiny Rebellions,” which gets gritty with a snarling bass line, a fretful fiddle and repeating lines, “I erased God from my vocabulary.” Kendl Winter channels Ani DiFranco in “Casually Getting The Job Done,” while songs like “Spilled The Beans” really highlight the beauty of the harmonies between Winter and Palmer T. Lee. - KH
Langhorne Slim - The Dreamin' Kind
Mr. Slim has a wonderfully soulful voice and knows his way around a hook, a tune and a beat. He is often tilting at windmills with hopeful lyrics exploring the human condition. Langhorne not only brings his usual acoustic, finger-picking vibe on the title track but enlists rockers Greta Van Fleet to thump out a more rock 'n' roll sound on "Rickety Ol' Bridge" and "Engine 99." Langhorne Slim come back to Grand Rapids!! - DG
David Huckfelt - I Was Born, But...
David Huckfelt has written some of the most beautiful songs to come out of Minnesota in his solo albums and time with The Pines. In this album, we don't hear David's words, but words written by some of his musical heroes: Bob Dylan, Keith Secola, JJ Cale, among others. And through those words, we hear Huckfelt in a heartbreaking version of Adrianne Lenker's "Anything." Then on the other end of the spectrum, his covers of "Any Way The Wind Blows," "Little Satchel," "The Race Is On," and "Who Do You Love," the folk singer is having — oh what's that word again — fun? Huckfelt and the musicians on the record are clearly so familiar with these songs that they have made each of them their own. - KH
Singles
Big Richard - "Millionaire"
The quartet from Colorado announced they are coming out with their second album, Pet, by releasing the raw “Millionaire.” With vocals that come from the depths of the singer’s body, screaming, “How many of you want to see me dead?” This, paired with strong up-front harmonies and acoustic and stripped-back neo-bluegrass instrumentation, Big Richard is new to me, but I cannot wait to hear more. - KH
Sotomayor - "Porvenir"
The Mexican sibling duo is back after six years! WABI SABI will be released Feb. 13, 2026, and will celebrate the group’s 10-year anniversary. “Porvenir” is a groovy number channeling their trademark blend of Latin American rhythms and electronic music. About one minute in, the song gets a drum breakdown that ups the vibes and moves the next two minutes in a way you can’t help but move that body back and forth. - KH
PAPA Sound - "Chunga Vasadu" (ft. Carolina Mattson)
PAPA Sound is a Swedish duo steeped in the sounds of Jamaican dancehall music. Up-tempo, staccato rhythms, dancehall beats and slangy vocals will get your pulse runnin' and hips dipping. - DG
Courtney Barnett - "Site Unseen (feat. Waxahatchee)"
Grand Rapids Riverfest headliner and rocker, Barnett slows down the tempo and snarl on this one, stating, "Always getting in my own way / Is it too late for making any changes?" No, no, no, Courtney, it's not too late, but we do love your artistry and vulnerability. Wonderfully melodic little gem here. - DG
