Craft Roast Soul

Equal Exchange is an example of a company going the extra mile to ensure farmers are fairly compensated for their product.  They promote the idea of the "citizen-consumer", which entails each of us being mindful about the impact of the products we buy and the companies we support.  From Equal Exchange Co-President: "We now know that we cannot possibly succeed in our goal to transform the food system without the active, deep and committed participation of  citizen-consumers  like you. An authentic Fair Trade system requires democratic organizing of producers in the South, worker democracy for businesses in the North, and active citizen involvement in the North." Be sure to check out their website for full details on their mission and how you can get involved.  This is a great mission statement for any coffee company or consumer to be aware of.  These are issues that pertain to the wider food and farming industry as well, not just the coffee ...

One of my very favorite places to go for coffee in West Michigan is the 205 Coffee Bar in Holland.  A relative newcomer to the scene, the 205 has attracted quite a crowd and a reputation for quality. They feature original drink concoctions that you won't find at other shops, and feature homemade syrups and whipped cream to go with your latte.  They feature fresh roasted coffees from Michigan based roaster "Stovetop Coffee Roasters".  The house blend is my personal favorite.  It's a medium-dark roast with notes of hazelnut, cocoa, and vanilla.  This time of year they are offering a "Holiday Blend" as well, which will pair perfectly with all of your Christmas food traditions. They do fun things for the community as well.  Last year they opened for a few hours on Christmas Day and offered free coffee and baked goods.  The idea was to give people who didn't have anywhere else to go on Christmas a warm, inviting space to hang out in. Speaking...

One of the great things about the internet is that through platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and others you can have access to artists you might not otherwise know about.  Whether it's a new artist or an established one still making great music, you can keep up with just about any artist anywhere in the world. One such established artist that has come across my radar recently is Ireland's 'Aslan'.  I was introduced to them via a cover of one of their big hits by fellow Irish band U2.  When I heard the song I had to check out this band 'Aslan'.  I was not disappointed!  They have been making music since the mid 80's and still perform today and put on incredible live shows.  Here is a video of Aslan performing their original version of 'This Is': Christy Dignam is one of the great rock n' roll front men of our time.  He has a great voice and is a phenomenal performer.  He's very animated and emotive onstage, remind...

I happened across this group when I was listening to the 'Unbelievable? With Justin Brierley' podcast.  One of the guests, Malcolm Guite, who was on the show to talk about C.S. Lewis is also a poet, songwriter and priest. I noticed in the show notes that he was part of a Cambridge-based group called 'Mystery Train'.  I checked them out and they are quite good! The group performs covers of roots rock, R&B, and blues tunes from the 60's and 70's, and also write original songs.  According to their website they are "like an amalgam of The Last Waltz and The Rolling Thunder Revue...".  I find this to be an apt description after hearing their album of originals. Check out the band's website here And then head on over to their Bandcamp page to listen to or purchase the album.

This week I've been drinking Deeper Roots Summer Punch blend.  Fruit punch isn't exactly a term I expect to describe coffee with, but it is very accurate.  The fruity, citrus-y notes in this coffee do indeed remind me of a fruit punch.  Yet the coffee isn't just a fruit bomb.  It has enough of that roast-y bold flavor to be an everyday coffee. I had mine hot both times, but I can imagine this would be very good as a cold brew or iced coffee as well.  Deeper Roots is a Cincinnati-based roaster that supplies coffee shops and some restaurants in the area.  They also operate a couple of cafes of their own.  They offer an excellent line of coffees and are committed to sustainability in each area of the supply chain.  Even their coffee bags are eco-friendly! Check out their page on sustainability here. I tried it at Trailhead Coffee in Newport, KY.  Trailhead is a newer addition to the Northern Kentucky/Cincinnati coffee scene.  They are...

I'm always on the lookout for great podcasts featuring artist interviews, and I recently came across Rock Talk With Mitch Lafon.  I've listened to a few episodes already and I really like his style. The series has been running for quite a while so there is an extensive back catalog of episodes to check out.  He has interviews with some of the biggest artists in rock, and the interviews are usually quite in-depth.  The episode that introduced me to this podcast was his interview with John Cooper of Skillet backstage at the Heavy Montreal Festival 2019.  I loved their chat.  John had some great things to say about the band's new album, life on the road, the role his faith plays in his work, whether or not he likes the label of 'Christian' band, and much more. Check it out below or wherever you get your podcasts.  John Cooper on Rock Talk With Mitch Lafon

One of my favorite new bands is a Dublin group named 'Inhaler'.  The band's singer is the son of U2's Bono, but they aren't leaning on that connection to make a name for themselves. They've become an accomplished band on their own, securing a record deal and touring on the strength of their first batch of songs. While singer Eli Hewson sounds very much like a twenty-year old Bono, the band have their own distinct sound.  It's reminiscent of early U2 and other 80's post-punk rock, but skillfully updated for the modern age.  Perhaps the best example of this is the band's latest single "My Honest Face". The B-side for this single is not to be missed either. It's a slow, crawling piece with a cool bass part best experienced with headphones or good speaker.  It kind of reminds me of Massive Attack or perhaps even Radiohead.  Titled "There's No Other Place", it can be found on  Spotify  or you can check it out on YouTube ...

I can't say enough good things about The Alarm's latest album "Sigma" . The Welsh band has been very busy lately, and is smack in the middle of one of the most prolific periods of their career. For the last few years it has seemed like every couple of months I read about a new project or tour they're embarking on. Their latest album "Sigma" comes hot on the heels of last year's (2018) "Equals" . From top to bottom the album is loaded with standout tracks. Both lyrically and musically these songs shine bright. Everything is polished to perfection. The raw emotion and passion singer Mike Peters and co. bring to each song is inspiring. The music is uplifting and joyous in the way that the best of U2, Bruce Springsteen, or Coldplay are. And like those artists there is an edge and rawness to the songs. They don't shy away from the dark, but there is always hope and light at the end of the tunnel. I've been following their 2019 to...

Hatchet Coffee out of Boone, North Carolina continues to impress. The latest I have tried is the "Origin of the World" Columbia, Cauca. It's a very well rounded Columbian coffee with the milk chocolate, nutty, and floral notes I love in Columbian coffees. This could easily be an everyday go-to coffee. It features more of Hatchet's distinctive, beautiful bag art. Their bags are some of the most eye-catching I've seen. Very colorful, interesting art style with every panel on the bag being decorated. This coffee rivals Hatchet's Blue Ridge Blend for my favorite from their offerings. The bag art for the Blue Ridge Blend still takes the top spot in my opinion though. Check out Blue Ridge Blend, Origin of the World, and other great coffees by visiting Hatchet Coffee's online store. Check out the bag for the Blue Ridge Blend:

Luxury are a great band with an incredible story. I first heard of them a couple of years ago, but it wasn't until just a few months ago that I listened to their newest album and their earlier work. A recently released documentary about the band provides an in-depth look at their journey, and is well worth checking out even if you aren't into the music. Check out the trailer below: A couple of my favorite tracks from the latest album are "Don't Feel Bad If You Don't Feel Better Right Away" and "You Must Change Your Life". Check out those and much more from Luxury on Spotify. Don't Feel Bad If You Don't Feel Better Right Away You Must Change Your Life NPR did a superb interview with the band in a feature they ran in July 2019. Check that out here: NPR Feature on Luxury - July 2019

The Food 360 Podcast recently featured interviews with Todd Carmichael, co-founder of La Colombe, and Master Barista Georgio Milos of Illy. Both interviews were fascinating, and I admire both companies.  Check out the episode on Apple podcasts or iHeartRadio  Food 360 With Marc Murphy  - Apple Podcasts Food 360 With Marc Murphy  - iHeartRADIO Visit La Colombe and try them today! Shop for Illy Coffee Learn about Illy Coffee

Michael McDermott is a relatively recent discovery for me, but he's been making music for nearly 30 years. His debut album, 620 W. Surf came out in 1991.  It's always a great feeling when you discover an incredible artist and find that there are many years worth of albums to explore.  Author Stephen King was an early fan, and even wrote the liner notes for McDermott's 1996 self-titled album. (See links below)  More recently, King said of him, "Michael McDermott is one of the best songwriters in the world and possibly the greatest undiscovered rock n roll talent of the last 20 years." I couldn't agree more. McDermott's 2016 album "Willow Springs" was my introduction to him, and it is incredible. Some critics say it's one of the best albums of his career. The entire album is incredible. I quickly realized that this was one of the most gifted singer-songwriters I'd come across in quite some time.  If you like Bob Dylan, Bruce Sprin...

Today I'm kicking things off by featuring a coffee I'm really excited about from Smokin' Aces Coffee Co out of Lexington, KY. I've been impressed with everything I've tried from them lately, but this one might be my favorite so far.  Santa Catalina Guatemala, a washed coffee from the Antigua region, it's the kind of of coffee you can drink all day. It's bold enough for a nice morning cup, but light enough that you can enjoy it in the evening also. Very flavorful with notes of milk chocolate, plum and orange.  Check out their website and order some to see for yourself! Smokin' Aces Coffee Co.