Jun 17, 2013
After 12 years of war, it feels like we’re all “Still Fightin’ the War.” I used to think that political albums and their agendas are a hindrance, that the best music should be about the music. But Cleaves uses the war as a cohesive vehicle to tell the story of America. The lost jobs, the [...] more »
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Jeff McMahon in Reviews
Jun 17, 2013
One never knows what will happen when guests drop by to sit in with Session Americana. Here’s a clip from 2011 when none other than Peter Wolf stopped by for a visit. Wolf brought a couple bottles of champagne and stories about Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard for an free-wheeling night of music. See what [...] more »
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Mayer Danzig in Americana, Twangville Festival, Videos
Jun 17, 2013
Here’s a collection of videos featuring artists who will be appearing at the Twangville Music Festival on Friday night, June 28th at the Lizard Lounge in Cambridge, MA. Session Americana — performing “Raking Through the Ashes” from 2012′s Love and Dirt and “The Coal Burner” from 2009′s Diving For Gold Kevin Gordon — playing “Don’t [...] more »
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Mayer Danzig in Acoustic, Americana, Rock, Twangville Festival, Videos
Jun 14, 2013
Rory Block’s acoustic blues guitar picking has reserved her a special page in blues history. Since the 1960s, the Manhattan-raised prodigy has pursued delta blues styles with the passion of a pilgrim. Since the mid-1970s she has built a body of work that demonstrates her deep understanding and mastery of acoustic blues. Avalon, the fourth in Block’s “Mentor Series,” pays [...] more »
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Bill Wilcox in Blues, Folk, Reviews
Jun 12, 2013
After ten years in the business, Kevin Gordon has had time to hone his craft. Each of his four records shows his attention to detail and background in writing. He graduated from the elite Iowa Writer’s Workshop in poetry. His songs are highly literature and story centered. At times they devolve into straight up stories. [...] more »
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Jeff McMahon in Reviews, Twangville Festival
Jun 12, 2013
On her last record with longtime backing band the Broken Singles, Sarah Borges recorded covers ranging from X to Smokey Robinson to the Lemonheads. As incongruous as it may look written down, Borges has made it sound damn near perfect over the first decade of her music career. Wowing audiences across the country and recording [...] more »
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Eli Petersen in Downloads, News, Reviews, Twangville Festival
Jun 10, 2013
\ To listen to Hem, the label “countrypolitan” or “classical country” makes a lot of sense. The band consists of folk country elements and classical strings in the studio. But in person, Dan Messe’s piano and Sally Ellison’s vocals make this band stand out. They sound classical in every sense of the word. The keystrokes, [...] more »
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Jeff McMahon in Reviews
Jun 10, 2013
In last week’s Twangville team review of Jason Isbell’s Southeastern, several of us wrote about “Elephant.” The emotional song describes a man watching a friend die from cancer. Here’s Isbell, with his new wife Amanda Shires, performing the song a few weeks ago in New York City. The song will undoubtedly leave you slack-jawed and [...] more »
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Mayer Danzig in Acoustic, Videos
Jun 7, 2013
Love In the Wind, the opening cut from Marshall Chapman’s latest release, Blaze Of Glory, might be one of the best rock and roll songs ever written. I know, that’s pretty extreme hyperbole. Maybe I’m just under the influence of a sunny, summer afternoon. But damn, it’s got great garage surf rock guitar licks. It’s [...] more »
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Shawn Underwood in Blues, Reviews, Rock, Roots
Jun 7, 2013
Stephen Kellogg’s new album “Blunderstone Rookery” is being released at turning point in his career and life. Within the last year he has lost his Grandmother and Mother-in-law. In addition, his band (Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers) has decided to take a break. It is fitting that the album takes its name from a character [...] more »
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Chip Frazier in Reviews, Twangville Festival
Jun 5, 2013
Every once in awhile, there is an artist whose album is so anticipated by everyone in the Twangville Posse that we all pile on for a team review. Put Jason Isbell’s Southeastern in that category. SUZANNE’S TAKE Sobriety looks good on Jason Isbell. Sounds good, too. I remember watching him in May of 2011, chugging [...] more »
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Mayer Danzig in Acoustic, Americana, Downloads, Reviews, Rock, Streams
Jun 3, 2013
Whitehorse, the duo of Melissa McClelland and Luke Doucet, lay claim to the Springsteen tune with this stark performance. more »
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Mayer Danzig in Rock, Videos
May 31, 2013
As announced yesterday, Twangville’s posse is gathering in Boston on the 28th and 29th of June to celebrate the fact we all still get along, and to listen to some awesome live music. Think of it sort of like a family reunion, except there’s more fun than dysfunction. We’re taking over the Lizard Lounge for [...] more »
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Shawn Underwood in Alt-Country, Americana, Downloads, Reviews, Rock, Roots, Streams, Twangville Festival
May 30, 2013
The Twangville Posse – we’ve got writers across the United States – like to get together from time to time to, well, talk music. This year we’re gathering near Boston and you’re invited to the party! Twangville will be taking over the Lizard Lounge on June 28th and 29th for an incredible weekend of music. [...] more »
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Mayer Danzig in Acoustic, Americana, Country, News, Pop, Rock, Twangville Festival
May 27, 2013
Our Monday Morning Video, Memorial Day edition, arrives courtesy of Jason Isbell. Here’s the emotional story behind the song, written for a high school friend of Isbell’s. more »
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Mayer Danzig in Acoustic, Americana, Videos