#Cinder Well

[little-exhausted]

Cinder Well - Returning

[concerthopperblog]

10 Standout Roots and Americana Albums of 2023 So Far

“Best Of” lists have always been polarizing. Some people enjoy the roundup and some hate them for their reductive qualities. I personally love them because they give me a chance to catch up on some albums I missed during the year (or half-year as is the case here). The one thing I don't care for is the “best” label, at least for my list. Concerthopper's album review section is mostly a one-man operation on the Americana side and, being one person with two ears, I can't possibly listen to every album that comes my way, and some might have made a “best” list if I had. Instead, what you find below is a list of favorite Americana and roots albums of the year so far. Your list may differ and I look forward to your choices in the comments. Where we reviewed the album, I've linked it. Where we didn't, I've linked a Youtube video of one of my favorite album cuts.

10. Iris DeMent- Workin' on a World A new Iris DeMent album is an infrequent thing and to be celebrated anytime there is one. On Workin' on a World, she takes on the hate and divisiveness our political system has delivered of late and faces it with a mixture of defiance (“Warriors of Love”) and healing (“Workin' on a World”). Simply put, it's DeMent at her best and, at her best, she's as good as it gets. 9. Ben Folds- What Matters Most In his finest solo release to date, Ben Folds pens songs that are essentially short fiction, story songs that run the gamut from political dissatisfaction (“Wait There's More”) to a humorous encounter with a lady with too much stamina and some weird fetishes (“Exhausting Lover”) to a middle school crush who became a hate-filled meme sharer in adulthood (“Kristine From the 7th Grade”) with equal parts earnestness and humor. 8. Margo Price- Strays Margo Price always delivers and Strays is her best studio album since Midwest Farmer's Daughter. With some help from Sharon Van Etten and Sierra Ferrell she delivers an album that is equal parts classic country, America, and straight ahead driving rock and roll. It's a fun album, even when Price is offering raw autobiographical material (“Been to the Mountain”). 7. Dom Flemons- Traveling Wildfire Dom Flemons is roots music's most dedicated historian. He began (alongside Rhiannon Giddens and Justin Robinson) his work of unearthing the almost forgotten history of black string band music with Carolina Chocolate Drops and has continued to do so with his solo records for Smithsonian Folkways. But Traveling Wildfire also shows off Flemons' love of traditional country, from the ambling waltz of “Slow Dance With You” to the Marty Robbins-esque western story song “It's Cold Inside” alongside his historical remembrances like “Nobody Wrote It Down.” 6. Joy Oladokun- Proof of Life While Proof of Life is Joy Oladokun's third album, it's her true coming out party, an album so good that it brought her a larger audience, and a well deserved one. From the slow burn of “Pride” to the hip-hop enhanced soul of “Revolution,” there's something for everyone on this album. The breadth of influences on this album is evident from her guests, ranging from Chris Stapleton to Manchester Orchestra to Maxo Kream to Noah Kahan. 5. The War & Treaty- Lover's Game I'll admit to being concerned when The War & Treaty signed a major label contract last year. Would the duo that so fiercely defended their place in Americana when they burst onto the scene become watered down by the mainstream? I needn't have. Lover's Game is another satisfying album of country-soul. There's a bit more emphasis on the country side this go around, but that only serves to give them the vibe of Ray Charles' forays into country music and that's not bad company to be in. 4. Parker Millsap- Wilderness Within You Parker Millsap has never been an artist afraid to experiment with new sounds, but on Wilderness Within You, using technological gadgets not usually found in roots music while condemning the technology that separates us even when we're feet apart. On the album, Millsap dabbles in New Wave (“So Far Apart”) and Krautrock (“Half a World Away”) while never leaving his core roots sound on songs like “Greetings and Thanks” and “Front Porchin.” 3. Doolin'- Circus Boy There's nothing that draws me like artists who embrace the strange. So when I ran across Doolin', a band billing themselves as “France's Best Celtic Supergroup,” I knew I had to give it a listen. I'm glad I did. Recorded in two sessions bookending the pandemic, the first in America and the second in France, the album finds Doolin' stretching beyond the bounds of their traditional Celtic sound into earnest folk-pop (“The Darkest Way”), Americana (“Circus Boy”), and even calypso with a cover of Harry Belafonte's “Man Smart, Woman Smarter.” Doolin' was the discovery of 2023 for me and a band I immediately went out and picked up the back catalog from. 2. Cinder Well- Cadence While it's not the #1 album of the year so far, it's a near thing. No album bowled me over like Cadence in the first half of 2023. I was familiar with Amelia Baker's “doom folk” project from her excellent previous album No Summer, but nothing prepared me for the dark explorations of the “thin places” in our reality where magic, not always positive, happens. Songs like “Two Heads, Grey Mare” and “Gone the Holding” practically drip with the Old Ways of Baker's home on Ireland's coast. 1. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit- Weathervanes Six albums into his Southeastern Records output I've pretty much just slotted Jason Isbell into the #1 slot unheard and I will until he proves to me that he doesn't deserve it. Weathervanes is another success, an album unafraid to tackle tough topics like racism (“Cast Iron Skillet”), school shootings (“Save the World”), and addiction (“King of Oklahoma”) without ever sounding preachy. As always, his band The 400 Unit proves that they're the next generation Heartbreakers, ably weaving instrumental greatness into Isbell's lyrics, notably on his Sadler Vaden guitar-driven tribute to Justin Townes Earle, “When We Were Close.”

[celesomnis]

Mommm, the Trein boys are roasting the headmage again

[pygmypouter]

some cinder stuff from my fall studio 🦿

cinder outfits, iko, nainsi, ‘pumpkin’ car, sketches, rough ‘storyboard’ for our final trailer, & tshirt design. in that order :-)

[s0ull3ss-p3rs0n]

I'm blaming @nyaskitten for this.

[howi99]

Follow up to this post

Kid Cinder: *slowly waking up, looking around her* I will never be free, will i? If only he was real...

The sound of something rusted creak near her

RK: Hm, so that's what your childhood was like. *Looking around* almost no heat, you look like you haven't eaten in days and that collar... Well, the scars on your neck are telling me enough.

Cinder: *looking at the rusted knight, the hero from her favorite book, talking in front of her* Wuh? Wha?

RK: So, you accepted my offer. To have a second chance. *Smile* My name is Jaune Arc, but you must know me better as the Rusted Knight, right?

Cinder: ... I'm dreaming, this can't be real. *She slap herself* OUTCH!

RK: Uh... Cinder? This is not a dream-

Cinder: But you can't be real! Unless... Oh god, the isolation turned me into a madwoman!? Oh no, oh nononono-

RK: *put his hand on her head* Hey, calm down kid, i'm real. No trick. And you certainly didn't turn mad. (At least not yet)

Cinder: B-but then... You are here to save me, right?

RK: Well, yes? Why would i be here if it isn't for that?

Cinder: T-then, you will kill the mistress, right!?

RK: *shaking his head* No. I know how hard it must be to hear this, but we can't kill her.

Cinder: But why!?

RK: It's against the laws

Cinder: ...

RK: ...

Cinder: ... Not even beating her almost to death?

RK: Cinder, i'm removing your collar and we are out of here.

Cinder: Aw....

[iloveacronix]

SUPER SMALL ROBY AND CINDER DOODLEEEES (spoiler!!)

[amethystsoda]

2028!!!!!!!!!!! IT’S REAL!!! 🥳

[anthurak]

I feel like one of the biggest differences between Cinder and Adam as antagonist is how they regard their respective tragedies. Cinder seems to try repressing her trauma under her power lust and egomania and would pretend she never suffered at all to fuel her delusion of strength and being powerful. Adam meanwhile brings his sob story up often and leans on it as a justification for every petty act of cruelty he carries out. I don't know what you would make of this, but I think it's an observation worth noting.

Yeah, I’d say that distinction tracks very well.

There’s probably a good reason we were only able to explore Cinder’s backstory via a POV flashback, given that she has otherwise never brought up so much of a hint of her past with ANYONE.

And I think we actually have a bit of on-screen evidence for Adam exploiting his ‘tragic sob-story background’ to manipulate others. Blake’s reaction to Adam taking his face-cover off in Volume 6 definitely has a feel of “I can’t believe I fell for this shit…” (She’s practically rolling her eyes) that implies that Adam has done this kind of song-and-dance plenty of times before.

[allaboutherock2011]

Following an announcement last week that heavy experimentalists Sumac will unite with contemporary orator Moor Mother on stage at the festival, Roadburn today confirms its final multi-band announcement for the 2025 edition. Among the new additions to the line up are a special performance from psychedelic titans Bo Ningen, ethereal soundscape artist Penelope Trappes, and a commissioned…

[carouselunique]

Yeah, sure why not! Here's a snippet of them I did a few days ago!

[howlingday]

Cinder: With our own Ruby, we can sneak in and steal the relic from everyone's noses!

Emerald: I already tried something like that.

--------------------------------------------------

Mercury: (Dressed like Ruby, High-pitched) OOH~! LOOK AT ME~! I'M RUBY~!

Jaune: ...I disagree.

--------------------------------------------------

Emerald: Personally, I thought he nailed it, but everyone's a critic, I guess.

[hyperfixate-on-ninjas]

Fuck it.

I’m making like my own rendition of Seabound Nya meets Amnesiac Jay/ DR Jay, where basically Crystallized never happened. (So Nya is still the Sea, and she’s got so much ocean to work with now…)

And one of my little tidbits about Jay is that he STILL has the habit of making a room full of water cups and lighting up candles so when he ends up joining Ras this kinda shit happens.

So like- Cinder be wondering if their new member is really an old Ninja or has been thoroughly messed up by the Administration.

Or maybe he’s taking the cult thing a little too seriously.

[iheartmothz]

"why is there so much knightfall" um... sorry...

[bornetoblood]

if i think too hard about them i cry and throw up

[ruins-of-tragedy]

Concluded season five of RWBY. The band is back together! The world tour is on track once more!!!

- Adam. You were right. Someone needed to die that day. But it shouldn't have been Sienna. It was supposed to be you.

- The PR battle between Adam and the Belladonnas. WoWie... I want to tear that Taurus guy apart from limb to limb.

- So Ozpin is not just Ozpin but many, many, many people who merged their souls with a cursed person? Okie. This is a thing.

- Cursed because he couldn't stop Salem initially. What kind-of fucked Gods are these?!

- I want... No. I NEED Weiss, Blake and Yang to receive special training from cute small little Oscar boy Ozpin. Pwease.

- Love the idea of a semblance and what that can mean in our verse. Especially since we can unlock it too... In the words of one wise Nora Valkyrie, it's "...like your very own superpower! Everybody's got one. It's just a matter of finding it and mastering it."

- Raven may not be a great mother, but she seems like a badass. I can respect that. However, fucking nope. Yang deserves better. Am glad she at least had Summer for a while.

- It's the fact that Weiss has to stand up on her tippy-toes in order to hug Yang properly. 😆😭🥹

- Ruby is innocence. Weiss is defiance. Yang is strength. 🫶🏻

- Blake must miss them so much.

- Adam is spite. And his way of thinking is dangerously contagious. Gods... I LOVE this show.

- Who needs real tea when Raven's over here spilling the whole container worth of gossip?

- To the guy carving food like ramen out of wood pieces... Teach me your ways!!! Also, do better for Faunus. They should be allowed in the bar too.

- Yang and Weiss and Ruby hug!!!!

- Vomit Boy. Nickname throwbacks!!! AGHHHHH!!! Ice Queen didn't miss them at all. ✨

- That conversation between RWY and then Weiss and Yang... Gods. I really appreciated the variations in loneliness Weiss talks about.

- Unrelated note, but Jacques Schnee should come to our world. I will welcome him happily. Please. And thank you.

- Ruby was right. "Nice Weiss strikes again."

- Also, love how Yang does not want to care. At all. But she does. So much.

- Abandonment issues are the worst.

- Ilia liked Blake? Awwww! I didn't know she was cool like that! The betrayal though. Fuckity fuck.

- WoWie. Ilia was able to form thoughts and speak them out coherently still, while having a lady on top. Straddling her, as she was being pinned down. Gods. I couldn't have done it if I was her age. Heck, can't do so even now... Debating morals and engaging in a big emotional confrontation this way... She is stronger than I am.

- Ilia could have died the same death her parents probably did. Fuck. Thank Gods for people like Ghira.

- The audacity of this biatch. The Belladonnas ruined everything?!??? Corsair. Catch these hands!!!

- Welcome to the good side Ilia. Here we have friends, support and Blake!

- So Weiss gets stabbed. I know she is not going to die. But FUCKKKKKKK. They are really coming after her this season...

- My emotions are being played with.

- Jaune's semblance heals?! Awwwwww! So fitting!!!

- Hazel is so overcome by his own rage, he can't see it was his sister's choice. And instead of respecting that, he is out here trying to bring down other children. I don't think she will be impressed.

- Raven is the spring maiden. Did NOT see that coming.

- I need a show revolving around Team STRQ.

- Jaune's aura amplifies others. He won't run out. Pyrrha believed he has a lot of it. 🌟😭

- Blake coming in with back-up and reinforcements had me screaming with joy!!! Really needed that.

- Cinder's now Grimm too?!

- That look between Blake and Yang. Xiao Long cannot anymore. She has fallen HARD. I think she knows it too. At least somewhat. Gods. I love them.

- Yang not letting her emotions get the best of her when it easily could have before... Especially when it's Mercury coming for her. Top tier character glow up!!! Even more so because it didn't happen all at once. There were times she failed to do it too. I like how they kept it realistic.

- Cinder Fall falls. Vernal is the MVP. And dead.

- Every time RWBY has a half an hour episode now, I get scared. And that's the case still with the finale of this season.

- Sun Wukong is an honorary Belladonna for me.

- Weiss remembers Blake being more quiet. 😂

- Yang vs Raven. Love this battle of wills.

- So much for being "Lionheart." Giving Leos a bad name. At least he dead now.

- Fuck. Could never have imagined Raven killing the initial Spring Maiden. But I guess it makes sense.

- Yang Xiao Long is my favourite character. Period.

- Team RWBY is back together. They are hugging. AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

- Bumbleby is out of the trenches, but heading into an emotional one perhaps?

- Next stop: Atlas. I feel Qrow's long suffering sigh. 😤. Ironwood was turning into a bit of a dictator, the last time we saw him. Wonder what's going on with him now.

- Raven wants to talk to Tai... Not your typical parents teachers meeting. 😆

- This is out of order, but I laughed so hard when Raven clocks the bad folks for being ego-maniacs. Then calls out Cinder's last name and how it's too appropriate. Doctor Watts confirming it was the cherry on top!

- This season was something. In the best possible way. Holy hell... Anywho, onto the next one!!!

(No spoilers! Or I use you for Jacques and Adam target practice. Adiós!)