By Will McGuirk

Valerie June is one of those enigmatic roots musicians, so versatile and singular - soul, gospel, blues, human condition songs I guess. Like Nina Simone, Lady Blackbird, Lauren Hill, and Rhiannon Giddens, just truth. So great since for me I guess Workin’ Woman Blues’ and ‘Trials, Troubles, Tribulations’ from Pushin Against a Stone from 2013 and the covers project she did too covering Mazzy Star and Nick Drake among them. She is back around with a new album Owls, Omans, and Oracles on Concord. The new single is ‘Joy, Joy’ and fuzzy New Orleans feel of a stomper.