Courtney Marie Andrews, Ryan Oxford, Nick Delffs
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Last year Courtney Marie Andrews released Honest Life, an album best summed up by a line in its standout track, “How Quickly Your Heart Mends”: “The jukebox is playing a sad country song/For all the ugly Americans.” These lyrics serve as a mission statement for the Pacific Northwest songwriter, who paints American life in black ’n’ white, like Peter Bogdanovich’s classic film The Last Picture Show. And like Bogdanovich, Andrews explores the intersections of nostalgia and regret with a clear-eyed assessment of America’s so-called glory days. Whether you’re a fan of ’70s folk-rock or plain old country music, Andrews possesses the kind of diamond-in-the-rough voice that perfectly captures the struggle behind the American dream. She’s joined by Mama Bird Recording Company labelmate Ryan Oxford, who’s celebrating the release of his new Brian Wilson via the Shins-inspired record, Fa Fa Fa Fired. WILLIAM KENNEDY