No Depression, high quality Americana mag: RIP

Americana, like most musical genres, is a mixed bag. It has a core of unmissable folksy/country/bluesy musicians – Hank, Gillian Welch, Dylan, Lucinda Williams, Ryan Adams, John Hyatt, Lyle Lovett, Ralph Stanley and a few more are quintessential musicians for grown-ups.

But there aren’t many more. In fact, I’d cross the street to avoid most of the musos covered in Americana mag, No Depression. Below the top level, most Americana sounds like gnarled nostalgia to me, sung by an army of mostly superannuated left-field guitar pickers way too deep into their own mythology.

Regardless, No Depression is a high quality, stylish magazine, covering Americana with passion and authority.

Or, rather, it was such a mag. Because, after 13 years of publication, Issue 75 May-June 2008, is the last: collapsing CD sales claim yet another victim.

Undaunted, No Depression’s founders plan to serve the community they’ve developed by expanding their web site.

May they live forever young. And prosper.


www.nodepression.com






Gerry Smith