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Reviews

Review of Here Come The Sons

Here Come The Sons

The Sons of Buena Vista

Take 5 Music

Rating: ★★★

Five years after Wim Wenders’ 1999 Buena Vista Social Club, he executive produced a follow-up film titled Música Cubana: The...

Reviewed in issue April/2026

Review of Makaya

Makaya

Wesli

WUP

Rating: ★★★★

Does this ring any bells: “The fourth track, also in twoubadou style but merging into a faster kompa, [showcases] Wesli’s...

Reviewed in issue April/2026

Review of Genuine Negro Jig (15th Anniversary Edition)

Genuine Negro Jig (15th Anniversary Edition)

Carolina Chocolate Drops

Nonesuch Records

Rating: ★★★★★

Soon after the release of Genuine Negro Jig by Carolina Chocolate Drops in 2010, the album rocketed into the top...

Reviewed in issue April/2026

Review of Everybody Wants to Know How I Die

Everybody Wants to Know How I Die

Uncle Sinner

Stomp the Bug Music

Rating: ★★★★

The fifth album of demon-haunted country blues from Canada’s scariest songwriter. Sinner takes traditional songs as his jumping-off point, expanding...

Reviewed in issue April/2026

Review of Filin

Filin

Melissa Aldana

Blue Note Records

Rating: ★★★★

Celebrated Chilean-born saxophonist and Blue Note Records torchbearer Melissa Aldana delves into her love of the Cuban filin musical style...

Reviewed in issue April/2026

Review of Tukaluguti

Tukaluguti

Eva Deer

Uummati Records

Rating: ★★★★

For years, I held up Inuit accordion music as the least-known folk music in the world. There were very few...

Reviewed in issue April/2026

Review of One Mississippi

One Mississippi

Eric Bibb

Repute Records

Rating: ★★★★★

Polished but never bland, infusing even the darkest stories with determined hope and beats that get you more than ready...

Reviewed in issue April/2026

Review of O Que Mais Você Quer Saber De Mim

O Que Mais Você Quer Saber De Mim

Dorea

Ajabu!

Rating: ★★★

How can this Bahian folk-MPB songwriter differentiate himself from his contemporaries on his second album, when there are many others...

Reviewed in issue April/2026

Review of Magic Accident

Magic Accident

Della Mae

Compass Records

Rating: ★★★

It’s time to start leaving out the “all-female band” tag when referring to Della Mae. While their critical role as...

Reviewed in issue April/2026

Review of Galaxia Tropical

Galaxia Tropical

Ranil y Su Conjunto Tropical

Analog Africa

Rating: ★★★★

This is Analog Africa’s eagerly anticipated second volume of works by Jorge Raúl Llerena Vásquez, the legendary cumbia singer and...

Reviewed in issue April/2026

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