Dana Robinson—The Sound of the Word

2026

Veteran singer-songwriter Dana Robinson is an accomplished guitar, banjo, mandolin and fiddle player. His voice has the unique quality of simultaneously sounding laid-back and quietly intense. These qualities extend to his deft instrumental work. The liner notes mention how he was inspired by producer Bil Vorndick to truly hear and fully capture the music. Robinson's work over the years has been marked by his attention to detail. His consciously meticulous approach in his studio gives this album a truly refined sound, incorporating tastefully played drums and piano from talented Vermont-based musicians Ezra Oklan and Michael Hartigan. Although the songs do not mention specific places, themes of natural beauty and farms abound and the arrangements seem to leave spaces to hear the quiet of rural living. 

Songs like “Raspberry Cane” and “Springtime Etc.” celebrate the peace and clarity of living close to nature.

The traditional "The Farmer is the Man Who Feeds Us All" is elegant, with an insistent backbeat, tastefully picked guitar and layers of fiddle driving the message home. (You can learn more about the long history of this song at Robinson’s substack.) Let this beautifully crafted album take you to places where it’s OK to take the time to listen. —Michael Devlin

Annie Gallup is an artist with an extensive catalogue of beautifully written, performed and crafted music. What happens when such an extraordinarily touring singer/songwriter is unable to tour due to chronic Lyme’s? Her travel becomes just the distance to the studio in her house, but her journey continues, exploring stories, emotions and sounds. Gallup’s technical skills and masterful playing allow her to build sonic landscapes to match the moods and themes of the lyrics. A song inspired by the 2024 elections, "The Elephant," parades into your ears with an elephant walk rhythm. “Mechanical Monkey” features a sound similar to a toy piano. “Robots" has a whimsical arrangement reminiscent of “The Syncopated Clock.” Phrases like "their hands carry the world but they still can't tie their own shoes,” cheerfully belie the dark admission that the robots will take over and save the world, but not necessarily humanity. In the title track, “night clothes” suggests vulnerability. A neighborhood burns and the residents are forced into the street, sharing their bewilderment in their night clothes. A mother vigilantly waits for her daughter’s late-night return, but she trusts that she will not need to be dressed in more than her night clothes. The night clothes of a couple side by side in bed show the peace of long-shared intimacy. Gallup appropriately sings this song with her voice clothed only in the lovely sound of her piano. Annie Gallup may not be on the road, but she is in your ear, with compelling music made in a quiet place, to be enjoyed in a quiet room. —Michael Devlin