Will Hermes
@willhermes.bsky.social
Writer, music usually. https://newmusicoldmusic.substack.com/ Contributing Editor @rollingstone.com @nytimes.com @pitchfork.com @npr.org Books: Love Goes To Buildings On Fire 🔥 Lou Reed: The King of New York 👑 https://linktr.ee/willhermes
I don’t write often about theater, but Benedict Lombe's "Shifters" at the Cherry Lane Theater made me weep. Tremendous acting, and sweeet music: Papa Wemba, Awilo Longomba, John Hiatt (?!). It runs through September. Anyone remember the African/Afro-Caribbean club Kilimanjaro in late-’80s NYC?
Review: Love & soukous
Benedict Lombe's "Shifters" — a UK import at the tiny Cherry Lane Theater in the West Village — made me weep. And the music was sweet.
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BOTD Jerry Garcia!! T50 via Browne, Cummings, Grow, @willhermes.bsky.social, Marchese, Sheffield & @douglaswolk.bsky.social: www.rollingstone.com/music/music-... One of the few great Dylan interpreters: www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEyr... & Gives us the Song of the day: www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8lY...
Jerry Garcia Band - Dear Prudence | Live at Convention Hall (1980)
YouTube video by Wolfgang's Grateful Dead
youtube.com
Very inspiring to speak w/ Linton Kwesi Johnson, a great hero of mine. Topics: The wordless LP he just finished with wingman Dennis Bovell. The artistic renaissance among Britons of West African heritage. How this moment in history reminds him of the '60s, and why he's optimistic about the future.
Interview: Linton Kwesi Johnson
I spoke w/ the poet, activist + reggae legend about retirement, resistance, the West African renaissance, the newly-restored 1979 doc "DREAD BEAT AN BLOOD" + the wordless solo album he just finished.
open.substack.com
Very inspiring to speak w/ Linton Kwesi Johnson, a great hero of mine. Topics: The wordless LP he just finished with wingman Dennis Bovell. The artistic renaissance among Britons of West African heritage. How this moment in history reminds him of the '60s, and why he's optimistic about the future.
Interview: Linton Kwesi Johnson
I spoke w/ the poet, activist + reggae legend about retirement, resistance, the West African renaissance, the newly-restored 1979 doc "DREAD BEAT AN BLOOD" + the wordless solo album he just finished.
open.substack.com
Writing from wildfire-smoked New York City in a nation of unhinged leaders, I offer a deep dive in this week's newsletter into two resonant oldies: The (English) Beat’s “Stand Down Margaret” and Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire.” 🔥 open.substack.com/pub/newmusic...
Writing about old songs
Music history can tether us to the present. Thoughts on the (English) Beat's "Whine and Grine/Stand Down Margaret" and Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire"
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I drove 1000 miles in 2 weeks, attended 3 festivals in 2 countries + wrote about how big music festivals build community and maybe even bolster democracy. Artists mentioned: L’Rain (pictured), Billy Bragg, Wilco, Tortoise, Angine De Poitrine, Patrick Watson, Oumou Sangaré, Gang of Four, Mekons, etc.
Music festivals as sacred spaces
Wilco's Solid Sound. Montreal Jazz Fest. Le Festival International Nuits d’Afrique. The holy communion of concert-going.
open.substack.com
I drove 1000 miles in 2 weeks, attended 3 festivals in 2 countries + wrote about how big music festivals build community and maybe even bolster democracy. Artists mentioned: L’Rain (pictured), Billy Bragg, Wilco, Tortoise, Angine De Poitrine, Patrick Watson, Oumou Sangaré, Gang of Four, Mekons, etc.
Music festivals as sacred spaces
Wilco's Solid Sound. Montreal Jazz Fest. Le Festival International Nuits d’Afrique. The holy communion of concert-going.
open.substack.com
Some songs sidle up to you slowly, and some carjack you at a traffic light. This one’s the latter. Reminds me of a young Bonnie Raitt. Stay cool out there.
Margaret Glaspy "That Rose" (New Song of the Day #56) 🌹 🌞 🧨
A firecracker for a fearsomely hot Fourth of July weekend.
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New Song of the Day #55 — Iraqi electro-folk-rock from Brooklyn, with ripping guitar, and a potent LP from Beirut.
New Song of the Day #55: Maryam Turkey "Hiragt El Rouh"
A young Iraqi sculptor and "melody freak" finds musical community in Brooklyn and builds a remarkable electronic folk-rock. Also: new music from Lebanon
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Morby just released this 8th LP, already one of my favorite albums of the year. So I was stoked to speak with him about it We talked Dylan, impending fatherhood, his West Coast "indie rock retirement community," and a maybe-someday duo LP w/ his partner Katie Crutchfield (aka Waxahatchee)
At home w/ Kevin Morby
His eighth LP, "Little Wide Open," is one of 2026's best. We spoke about songwriting, his LA "indie rock retirement community," and a maybe-someday duo LP with his partner Katie (aka Waxahatchee)
open.substack.com
Every town needs a Tubby’s - Portland ME has one (Space) and is getting better bookings than Boston/Cambridge these days…
Will Hermes@willhermes.bsky.social · 2mo agoI wrote about my favorite clubs / music spaces in the Hudson Valley — which might be the most vital region for live music in the U.S. right now — and some of the great shows coming up. Happy Summer!!
Sharing this essay/guide to music venues in the Hudson Valley from @willhermes.bsky.social, because a) it's wonderful and optimistic about gathering to make and hear art, which is SO necessary, and b) has a f**kton of great upcoming shows. (SO pissed I missed the Richard Thompson at Levon's onsale!)
Will Hermes@willhermes.bsky.social · 2mo agoI wrote about my favorite clubs / music spaces in the Hudson Valley — which might be the most vital region for live music in the U.S. right now — and some of the great shows coming up. Happy Summer!!
My summer playlist, and favorite 9 (okay, 11) albums of the years so far. Plus that fine new Ezra Collective single.
Summer! 90 new songs/9 LPs
Favorites from 2026 so far — hypnotic grooves, tasty covers, pan-national songcraft. Music for slacking, patio pizza dinners and long-ass drives.
open.substack.com
I wrote about my favorite clubs / music spaces in the Hudson Valley — which might be the most vital region for live music in the U.S. right now — and some of the great shows coming up. Happy Summer!!
Summer music: Hudson Valley
Bonus post: a summer concert guide + love letter to, quite possibly, the most vital live music region in America. (Co-published w/ The Kingstonian)
open.substack.com
Speaking of that NYTimes “30 Greatest Living Songwriters” list... here’s something I wrote for ‘em that's got nothing to do with it. It's about the brilliant new album by guitarist Marisa Anderson (gift link, fyi).
Marisa Anderson’s (Tunefully) Un-American Activities
nytimes.com
I wrote about some excellent recent covers — specifically Laura Marling, Jeff Tweedy, Waxahatchee + MJ Lenderman covering Adrianne Lenker, Neutral Milk Hotel, Portishead, Townes Van Zandt, T-Rex, Gillian Welch.
Speaking of cover versions...
Laura Marling, Jeff Tweedy, Waxahatchee + MJ Lenderman play covers: Adrianne Lenker, Neutral Milk Hotel, Portishead, Townes Van Zandt, T-Rex, Gillian Welch. They're not on streaming services.
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Helluva singer-songwriter, this guy — one of the best albums I've heard this year.
New Song of the Day #52: Joshua Burnside"It's Not Going to Be Okay"
A Belfast singer-songwriter offers cold comfort that's strangely comforting on the title track of a striking new album.
open.substack.com
This month's new music mixtape, w/notes. A tender Joy Division cover. New Death Cab For Cutie. Buddhist alt-country. Abstract beats. Watercolor jazz. Tom Misch. Nia Archives. A 112-track LP of emo-folk-rock mashups. The world is a bountiful place.
April! 75 new songs
A tender Joy Division cover. An elegant Sonny Sharrock cover. Abstract beats. Watercolor jazz. New Death Cab For Cutie. Nia Archives. Tom Misch. A 112-track LP of emo-folk-rock mashups.
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3/22/65: Bob w/Bringing it all Back Home More @willhermes.bsky.social: www.rollingstone.com/music/music-... Jordan Potter/ @faroutmagazine.co.uk: faroutmagazine.co.uk/most-importa... @jesseducker.bsky.social: albumism.com/features/bob... @scottrowley.bsky.social: www.loudersound.com/features/bri...
“If you don’t like Bringing It All Back Home, you don’t like music. You should hand your ears back.” Bob Dylan’s game-changing album is 60 today and still astonishing
It’s not when-Dylan-went-electric, it’s not when Dylan ditched protest songs: it's when Dylan laid the foundations for everything we love
loudersound.com
Just read this great deep-dive primer on party-rockin’ '70s Bolivian tropical jams, a wild world of vinyl deliciousness I knew nothing about, but now can’t get enough of. The playlist slays. When life gives you military dictatorships, make lemonade — or in this case, chicha.
New music books worth reading (& hearing)
A semi-regular survey of new(-ish) volumes. First up: a deep-dive primer on '70s Bolivian tropical jams — psychedelic chicha, cumbia, etcetera.
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A preview of Marisa Anderson's Anthology of UnAmerican Folk Music (RIP Harry Smith). Gillian Welch + Dave Rawlings play Radiohead (and tour as a Dead cover band). Rosalía's ecstatic rave at the Brits… and etcetera.
Gillian Welch: Deadhead. Rosalía's hard techno. VU ephemera. KinAct. CMAT. Aldous Harding. Marisa Anderson. '70s Sao Tomé puxa.
Gillian Welch's Grateful Dead jukebox. Rosalía's Brit Awards rave. Avant-garde Congolese street jams. '70s Sao Tomé puxa grooves. Velvet Underground ephemera. Etcetera.
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velvet underground researchers have apparently confirmed that this audio from a random youtube user is genuinely the long-lost july '67 performance from upbeat, a cleveland teen tv show, doing the unreleased "guess i'm falling in love" complete with screaming girls. www.youtube.com/watch?v=GU2U...
Lou Reed Guess I'm Falling in love live
YouTube video by Lund Peterson
youtube.com
Great post and playlist. If you haven't read "Love Goes to Buildings on Fire" by @willhermes.bsky.social, go do it now. It's an amazing primer on music, history and culture and is SO much fun to read. I think I finished it in a weekend while also rabidly tracking down the music mentioned in it.
Will Hermes@willhermes.bsky.social · 5mo agoGift post, no paywall. The playlist was SO fun to make, brought me back to my NYC days in the '70s / '80s. Willie was a mixed bag for sure, like a lot of family. But goddamn his jams are hot.
Gift post, no paywall. The playlist was SO fun to make, brought me back to my NYC days in the '70s / '80s. Willie was a mixed bag for sure, like a lot of family. But goddamn his jams are hot.
RIP Willie Colón: a 30+ song primer
Notes on the pan-American salsa innovator + New York City legend (e.g. Bad Bunny's shout-out in "NUEVAYol"), and a streaming playlist primer for folks who think they don't like salsa.
open.substack.com
it's really fucking cool for artists to stop being obsessed w/an antiquated idea of publications and also talk to writers at the newsletters they are building, so we can all create something cool and sustainable!
Will Hermes@willhermes.bsky.social · 6mo agoI had a hearty diner breakfast w/ Big Thief wingman Buck Meek recently. We talked about his new solo album, the California wildfires, making music w/ older folks, un-cryptic songwriting, and what's next (yup: a new Big Thief record). We did a little crate digging afterwards, too.
I had a hearty diner breakfast w/ Big Thief wingman Buck Meek recently. We talked about his new solo album, the California wildfires, making music w/ older folks, un-cryptic songwriting, and what's next (yup: a new Big Thief record). We did a little crate digging afterwards, too.
Breakfast w/ Buck Meek
Big Thief's wingman on California wildfires, making music with older folks, his new solo album, and what's next (a new Big Thief LP).
open.substack.com
New songs from the UK speaking to the moment and beyond. Sault. Cleo Sol. The brilliant and spirited Joshua Idehen. Billy Bragg. Arlo Parks. A potent new single from Peter Gabriel. From the US: María Zardoya (of the Marias). Mitski. Ratboys. Lucinda Williams. Bruce Springsteen.
New songs: a 2026 playlist
Sault. Springsteen. Billy Bragg. Peter Gabriel. Cleo Sol. Imarhan. Mitski. María Zardoya. Ratboys. Arlo Parks. Joshua Idehen. Lucinda Williams.
open.substack.com
