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...

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...

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)...

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...

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...

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...

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. ...

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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)...

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”...

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...

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...

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) ...

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...

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”...

  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)...

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...

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...

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”...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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 --...