How long between albums before "so-and-so is BACK" becomes a valid description?
I don't have an answer, but I know there can be no debate that the long-awaited third album from Alabama Shakes is worthy.
So, here we go. For Fresh Pick albums this week ... wait for it ... Alabama Shakes are BACK, the Billy Strings jam and bluegrass revolution continues, Ruthie Foster once again strikes gold with Rebecca Lovell and Tyler Bryant and, speaking of Shake(s), Jim Blaha of The Blind Shake takes you skateboarding with I Will Die In This Jean Jacket.
For Fresh singles, where will Sylvan Esso go next? Ezra Collective teach us the meaning of "Jubilee," and Jake Xerxes Fussell finds a gem in little-known sea shanty.
Then, as we continue to pay tribute to the force that was Dolly Parton, instead of our normal Pick of '76, we're bringing you the staff of KAXE's favorite Parton tunes from her 67 years of recording.
Check out this week's suggestions from Music Director Kari Hedlund, Asst. Music Director Malachy Koons, Volunteer Coordinator Dan Gannon and the entire KAXE staff.
Albums
Album of the Week: Alabama Shakes - I Must Be Dreaming
Has it really been 14 years since Alabama Shakes released their debut record of hollerin' soul-n-roll Boys & Girls?? Holy cow! We are now 11 years removed since their second record, Sound & Color, graced our ears with its denser and more experimental sound.
I Must Be Dreaming sees these small-town musicians having families, getting married and releasing solo records. The sound reflects an earned maturity, time spent apart and the conflicted country we live in.
Lead singer and guitarist Brittany Howard showcases falsetto vocals on a majority of the songs and the vibe she creates highlights the double entendre album title I Must Be Dreaming. ... Am I crazy or this is amazing?!?! The growl and howl of Boys & Girls and world weariness of Sound & Color are replaced with the sound of a singer whose vocal range is endless — beautiful and powerful all at the same time. Songs such as singles "I Feel Hope Coming" and "American Dream" deliver a vision for concrete things we all need, like clean air, and the manifestation of simply continuing to dream of a positive place for everybody.
Bass guitarist Zack Cockrell, who was a member of Howard's solo act touring band, created the basis for many of the songs on I Must Be Dreaming, replacing an exhausted Howard as the primary generator of musical ideas within the Alabama Shakes world. The music is chilled like a cool creek in the woods behind your house while still bringing some of the noise and power they are known for.
I Must Be Dreaming is the third Alabama Shakes album in 14 years but the sonic timeline they have created check out in a wonderful way. -DG
Billy Strings - So Much For Goodbyes
While Billy Strings has made a name for himself in progressive jamgrass, So Much for Goodbyes is surprisingly traditional as he grapples with grief over his mother's unexpected death. That grief is palpable in songs like "Still I Crash," where we hear Billy raw, up close and personal. "Remember to Cry" is grief masked in upbeat bluegrass, and "I Wish I Wanted To" goes country while channeling possible depression with a smile. The album includes classic bluegrass tunes that already sound traditional in "Lay Me Down," featuring Del McCoury, and "Mill Town Flood." "Live to Tell" is a highlight for me on the record, capturing more of an Americana and Grateful Dead sound with unexpected turns.
Since his debut in 2017, I've felt Billy Strings is a revolutionary force in bluegrass and jam music. While this is one of his more straight forward records, it is one of his richest collections of songs in textures, depth and songwriting. -KH
Ruthie Foster - Just Say Yes
Foster just keeps getting better and better. Fresh off her first Grammy win for 2024's Mileage, the Texas-based blues singer once again worked with Rebecca Lovell of Larkin Poe and her husband Tyler Bryant on Just Say Yes. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. A rootsy and bluesy collection of songs that draw from gospel, folk and Americana, the album finds Foster defiantly positive and willing to grow. -MK
I Will Die In This Jean Jacket - Hang From A Cloud
Minnesota punk rocker Jim Blaha (The Blind Shake, Green/Blue) is back with a new project and new album inspired by mixtapes a friend would make for him during his skateboarding years. Drawing from early post-punk and the jangling indie of groups like The Clean, Hang From A Cloud was recorded solo, analog and direct to tape in his basement. That setting, and Blaha's hushed vocals, give the album a special atmosphere that will have you dusting off your tape collection, busting out the Walkman and hitting the skatepark. -MK
Singles
Sylvan Esso - "On & On"
Our third taste of the upcoming album OW ∞, out Sept. 11, 2026, has me unsure of what to expect ... in a good way. Amelia Meath and Nick Sanborn introduced the project with the surprising in-your-face guitar pop of "Hot Slob." They followed that with the contemplative and Sigur Rós sampling "Concrete Glen" and just dropped the quietly hypnotic "On & On." In some ways, it's a return to the folk and electronica fusion they first made their name with, but the sneakily complex rhythm and Meath's quiet pondering on the passing of time show the duo are still growing their sound. -MK
Ezra Collective - "Jubilee Feeling"
“Jubilee is a word that’s very precious to me,” said bandleader Femi Koleoso.
He offers an infinitely better description than I could write.
“It’s the name of the church I grew up at and the youth group I work at, but its meaning is what moves me most: a year when debts are settled, prisoners are set free and everyone gets to start again. That feeling of freedom you maybe don’t even deserve is such a picture of euphoric joy. The Funky House movement of the early 2010s gave us that same feeling. As a band, we love that music — it makes us dance and makes us feel great. So ‘Jubilee Feeling’ marries UK Jazz and Funky House to embody that joy: a joy you almost don’t deserve,” Koleoso said.
The only thing I have to add is to check out the amazing music video. And how about that solo from keyboardist Joe Armon-Jones?! -MK
Jake Xerxes Fussell - "Boney"
One of the great collectors and interpreters of folk music today, Fussell's knack for finding gems in the threads of music history is a special thing. His latest release is a maritime work song of British origin from the 19th century. It describes the life of Napoleon Bonaparte, and would have been sung by sailors for a hauling task on their ship. Unless you are a folk music scholar, you would have no idea when listening Fussell's version, and that's why the North Carolina-based musician will be releasing his seventh album — his third with Fat Possum — later this month. -MK
Picks From '76 67 years of Dolly Parton
KAXE's Favorite Dolly Songs
- "In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad)" (In the Good Old Days [When Times Were Bad] 1969) - Andrew Dziengel
- "Coat of Many Colors" (Coat of Many Colors 1971) Heather Johnson
- "Washday Blues" (My Favorite Songwriter, Porter Wagoner 1972) - Dan Gannon
- "My Tennessee Mountain Home" (My Tennessee Mountain Home 1973) - Emma Krab & Kari Hedlund
- "Jolene" (Jolene 1974) - Kari Hedlund
- "Love Is Like A Butterfly" (Love Is Like A Butterfly 1974) - Penny Holcomb
- "Here You Come Again" - (Here You Come Again 1977) Brenda Greeley
- "Baby I'm Burnin'" (Heartbreaker 1978) - Julia Schenkler
- "Hard Candy Christmas" ("Hard Candy Christmas" single, 1982) - Jennifer Barr
- "Islands in the Stream" with Kenny Rogers (Eyes That See in the Dark 1983, Rogers) - Jennifer Barr
- "Why'd You Come in Here Lookin' Like That" (White Limozeen 1989) - Kari Hedlund
- "White Limozeen" (White Limozeen 1989) - Malachy Koons
- "Eagle When She Flies" (Eagle When She Flies 1991) - Larissa Donovan
- "Slow Dancing with the Moon" (Slow Dancing with the Moon 1993) - Stella Mayerhoff
- "The Seeker" (Little Sparrow 2001) - Penny Holcomb
- "Stairway to Heaven" (Halos & Horns 2002) - Steve Neu
- "Backwoods Barbie" (Backwoods Barbie 2008) - Sarah Bignall & Larissa Donovan
