Beneath the stomping country rock of Ben Dukes’ latest single, “Old Fixer Upper,” is the beating heart of a man who has lived through it all – loss and success, united together in the passage of time. Performing live on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson this Wednesday, Dukes has been discovering more of the latter recently and deservedly so. The hard-working singer/songwriter has just released a superb new album, Walkin’ Thru Hell, while the sizzling riffs…

Some artists are not born; they simply become one after years of being on the sidelines, listening, absorbing every riff. For guitarist Jean-Pierre Klifa, an important figure in his creative development is Mark Knopfler, the iconic leader of Dire Straits and also the Notting Hillbillies. Like Knopfler, Klifa freely explores various styles – progressive, blues, and country – and unifies them with a guitar style that relies heavy on atmosphere and…

For Jean-Pierre Klifa, the guitar is a camera; however, instead of freezing the frame it lingers on in voyeuristic fashion, capturing moments as they unravel in time. Many roots-music albums are this visual. They are usually focused on authenticity, echoing sounds of the past with vintage instrumentation and even lyrical vision. That’s not the case with Klifa. He places his emphasis on Pixel Love on atmospherics; the songs here are largely moody, gradually moving snapshots…

An unyielding sense of cynicism continues to overwhelm the radio airwaves, brushing off patriotic messages to right-wing media. Such a shame as a love for one’s country should not be divided by political affiliations. After the recent tragedy in Boston, listening to singer/songwriter Russ Marsh’s new album America provided a much-needed respite from the unspeakable horror and anti-American bashing being inflicted upon us by extremists. Call it old-fashioned, if you will; Marsh has…