The set list captured here:

• She’s Got
• All Mixed Up
• Lucky Moon
• Who Calls My Name
• Excited
• Home
• Hard Road

‘Ya gotta love Baez’s comment as she steps to the microphone: “These two are two of this country’s greatest songwriters. And I do not know this next song.”

FEATURED ALBUMS

Waterfall, by Todd Thibaud
Thibaud’s latest album is a bit of a paradox. For all it’s upbeat melodies and potent rock energy, the lyrics are stark and introspective. The songs mostly capture characters reflecting on past mistakes with an air of resignation and anxiety about the future. Despite their unease, however, there is a maturity in their attitudes as they take responsibility for their actions even as they ruminate on the results.

Album opener “What May Come” is a great example. The song begins with a gloriously buoyant guitar riff before Thibaud declares “there’s a bitter taste to the air I breathe.” Yet the song has such an infectious quality that makes you want to play it loud and sing along at the top of your lungs.

“Not For Me” picks up the story, with Thibaud offering this life perspective:

Downtown Sadie is a prophet and a friend of mine
She says that life ain’t no secret, it’s as simple as a ball of twine
Every day’s another layer, every piece another lesson learned
She says the bigger that you make it, the longer you can watch it burn.

Brawny guitars convey the song’s pent-up energy with a touch of electric piano to soften the edges.

“Hollow” is propelled by an irresistible guitar hook, even as Thibaud sings “when the thing you lose is the thing you love and I know without a doubt there’s nothing that I can do.” Horns join in towards the end of the song to give this tale of love gone wrong a jubilant feel.

The frustration reaches a peak on “Wears Me Down.” Bristling guitars and an angry rock beat drive the song as Thibaud declares,

Inside my mother’s eyes, I find no surprise at all just her love unbound
She sees the best in me, I wish that I could agree but I feel like a man going down
And the hounds of failure howl outside my walls

The tempo, if not the sense of regret, slows down on the hauntingly beautiful “Change a Thing.” The song finds Thibaud asking the question that we’ve all undoubtedly asked ourselves as a relationship fell apart: “What if you could, I wonder if you would change a thing.”

Lest anyone think otherwise, there are some moments of joy and contentment in the mix. The title track is a song of love and redemption. “Dark was the cloud over me, warm is the hand that pulled me free,” sings Thibaud against a backdrop of shimmering guitars and an insistent rock beat.

For those in Boston, Thibaud is celebrating the release with a special show at Atwoods Tavern on May 23rd. See you there?

Audio Download: Todd Thibaud, “Not For Me”

Walt Whitman Mall, by Bill Janovitz
While Bill Janovitz wrote many of the songs on Walt Whitman Mall about his experience growing up on Long Island (home of said mall), the stories will undoubtedly ring true to many listeners, regardless of where they were raised. From summer loves and summer jobs to the adolescent desire to escape a “bedroom town that has no heart” – Janovitz captures it all with a perceptive eye. With the passage of time we can all look back on these formative years with both a healthy nostalgia and a bit of wisened perspective.

Album opener “Long Island,” a re-worked version of a song originally recorded for Janovitz’s 2001 album Up Here, starts as an upbeat indictment of suburban life and youthful rebellion. “The town ain’t got the heart you wear on your sleeve,” he proclaims.

The tempo changes mid-song, however, as does the desire to escape.

the Buick’s out in the drive-way now
you want to leave but you don’t know how
It’s summer time and the sun beats down
Your favorite time in your hometown

After a soulful interlude that reinforces the vacillation, the song returns to its original tempo and sentiment. It is a potent contrast that serves to reflect the vagaries of youth.

Fans of Buffalo Tom – the band that Janovitz co-founded and has performed with for over 25 years – will undoubtedly enjoy “Diamonds Down.” The brooding rocker features the intense guitar work that has become a Buffalo Tom hallmark.

At the other end of the spectrum is the elegant ballad “I Know It’s True.” The song finds a man returning home many years after his departure, confronting the loss of childhood friends and innocence. Janovitz’s impassioned vocals and acoustic guitar give the song a powerful sense of melancholy.

The album takes a nostalgic turn with “Heckscher Park.” A cheerful melody propels the song as Janovitz reflects on the big dreams for the future that we all undoubtedly had in our youth. “Feeding the ducks at Heckscher Pond, catching the snow with white coats on,” he reflects, “we could be anyone we want to be today.”

He then imagines a girl from his childhood returning to the pond years later, her young son in tow. The big dreams are no longer her own, they are now projected on her child. It is a fitting portrait of the transition from innocence to experience, and how the cycle renews itself generation after generation.

Audio Download: Bill Janovitz, “Long Island”

Old Brown Shoes, Tallahassee (from the self-released Old Ways)

There is an ominous beauty to Tallahassee’s latest release, a collection of songs whose sense of longing and uneasiness are captured in its expressive musical soundscape. The two songs that bookend this release are prime examples.

Album opener “Old Brown Shoes” finds singer Brian Barthelmes attempting to convince a reluctant companion to leave a small town in search of big city opportunities. “This town is a faded memory, I pray the Lord our souls to keep,” he sings, “I’d rather drown in the deep blue ocean, than drag water in this muddy creek.” Persistent harmonies and a soaring chorus the song do little to mask the song’s pensive feel.

“Where Oh Where,” the gentle closing track, finds the singer re-considering the decision. Having experienced the perceived coldness and contraints of city life, he yearns to return to the simplicity of a small town. A smoldering organ, accompanied by an acoustic and occasional electric guitar, paints a somber musical landscape as Barthelmes pleads, “Please take me back to the country, to the place where I belong.”

Audio Download: Tallahassee, “Old Brown Shoes”

Mr. Starlight, Michael Tarbox (from the self-released Works and Days)
Listening to his music, you’d never know that Michael Tarbox lives in Boston. Since his debut with the Tarbox Ramblers back in 2000, he has demonstrated a mastery of the country blues.

At the heart of Tarbox’s music is his guitar, as raw as it is charismatic. It creates an electricity that courses through every song. Just listen to this smoldering blues-based rocker.

Shake, Lori McKenna (from the Hoodie Songs release Massachusetts)
There are some songwriters who chornicle their own life experiences, exploring the nooks and crannies of their lives. There are other songwriters who create characters and situations which they can explore with detached honesty. Over the course of her career McKenna has proven herself capable with both styles.

“Salt” and “Shake,” two songs from her latest release, fall in the latter category. The songs offer opposing views on a failed relationship. In “Salt”, the protagonist simply walks away; in “Shake” the character is paralyzed and unable to walk away. McKenna inhabits both songs beautifully, singing with an emotion that is as powerful as it is restrained.

Time does not waste itself,
A dream cannot wake itself,
The truth cannot disgrace itself,
An unwritten prayer cannot save the lost soul.
Arms cannot embrace themselves
A heart cannot break itself
And I cannot shake myself from you.

Audio Download: Lori McKenna, “Shake”

Gone Yer Gone, Jimmy Ryan (from the Ruido Grande Records release Readville)
Ryan has a well-earned reputation as one of the premiere mandolin players in New England, well heck, make that everywhere. Alas, he spends so much time recording or touring with other artists that we all too infrequently get to hear new songs from him.

Well, Ryan’s got a wonderful new release that showcases the strength of his songwriting and, of course, his prowess with a mandolin. It’s a mighty fine pickin’ party.

Boston folk: Ryan will be celebrating the release with a special show at Johnny D’s on May 17th.

Audio Download: Jimmy Ryan, “Gone Yer Gone”

Never, Jenny Dee & Several Men of Mystery (from the ep release Jenny Dee & Several Men of Mystery)
For the past several years Jenny Dee has mined the glories of 1960’s girl group pop with her band the Delinquents. While prepping for that band’s new release, however, she followed the muse in a different direction.

Enter Several Men of Mystery, a collection of talented Boston musicians who accompany her on the three tracks with an Americana flavor. Fans of Paul Westerberg should seek out “Looking For Clues,” while those who favor old school country should check out her duet with Roy Sludge on “You Had It All.” As for me, I’m sticking with the twangy pop of “Never.”

Audio Download: Jenny Dee & Several Men of Mystery, “Never”

Heel to Toe, Laura Cortese (from the self-released Into the Dark)

One never knows what to expect with each Cortese release. She follows up 2011’s wonderful symphonic pop release Pine (recorded with The Posion Oaks) with an even more orchestral sound – a collection of songs performed mostly by a string ensemble that is anchored by Cortese’s violin. The genre-jumping just proves that Cortese has a magical touch that can cross musical styles.

Here’s a particular favorite from the latest release. It is a bit of an outlier from the rest of the collection with its fun hoedown vibe, but listen as the other instruments fade to let the strings bring the song to a beautiful conclusion.

Audio Download: Laura Cortese, “Heel to Toe”

Orlando Brown, Autumn Hollow (from the self-released Autumn Hollow)

The Boston rockers hit the mark with an anthem about former football player Orlando “Zeus” Brown, known to many for the injury he suffered when he was hit in the eye with a referee’s flag. They sing of him as a folk hero, a football player respected for his play and who persevered to return to the football field after his injury.

Horns and a children’s chorus join in to give the song a regal quality as the band sings, “Keep playing, keep fighting, do it for us, yeah they do it for us.”

You’ll find plenty more with the band’s blend of Americana, pop and rock on the band’s latest release, produced by fellow Boston rock musician Will Dailey.

Audio Download: Autumn Hollow, “Orlando Brown”

Second Hand Halo, Corin Ashley (from the Murray Hill Records release New Lion Terraces)

To celebrate one of those milestone birthdays, musician and unabashed pop music fan Ashley fulfilled a life-long ambition: to record his music at the legendary Abbey Road Studios. And Ashley didn’t record at just any room within the facility, he booked time in Studio Two — where the Beatles recorded most of their extraordinary work.

Not that Ashley needed the inspiration of the storied studio, his catalogue is filled with wonderful classic pop songs. Well, add another batch to the collection. New Lion Terraces is bursting with the kind of magical pop songs that would undoubtedly bring a smile to Paul McCartney’s face.

Read more about Ashley’s Abbey Road experience in his recording diary here.

Audio Download: Corin Ashley, “Second Hand Halo”

My World, Dave Alpert (from the self-released ep My World)
Although his latest ep takes a more twangy path than his previous acoustic pop and rock releases, Alpert’s core approach to songwriting remains intact: irresistible hooks with lyrics that don’t pull any punches. The title track from his forthcoming ep captures it perfectly as Alpert offers up a sharp social commentary on the materialism and pretentiousness in the world.

You’re a city guy
Spend every weekend high
Out on a limb
Go to the gym right after work
You think your boss is such a jerk
Drink cappuccinos all alone
But way out there you’re on your own

Audio Download: Dave Alpert, “My World”

As a special bonus, here’s Barnstar! taking on the Dawes gem “When My Time Comes.” An enchanting performance of a magical song.

Here’s a collection of four videos — two recorded in his early years and two from his later years — that feature some of his biggest hits.

Fenway officials were so caught off guard that they couldn’t muster up a version of “Sweet Caroline” without vocals so Diamond had to sing along to his recorded version. It hardly mattered. Fenway Park erupted in joyous smiles and song.

And as a special bonus, here’s Bruce Springsteen playing “Dirty Water” at Fenway last fall.

The Other Life, by Shooter Jennings
I’ll admit that I haven’t spent much time with Shooter’s previous releases. No real explanation, his music just never made it into my rotation. My bad. His latest is one of the most refreshing country records that I’ve heard in quite some time. Shooter and crew serve up a collection of songs that fit like a well-worn pair of boots – comfortable but a no bullshit attitude.

“The Low Road” is a classic country song that is just damn good fun. “My daddy always told me do the best that you can to be a kind-hearted sensitive hard-workin’ man,” he sings, “But if the high road is closed and the light is comin’ down sometimes you gotta man up and take the low road around.” Sounds about right.

Jennings stretches out on “Gunslinger,” a song that finds him marking his territory, standing tall but demanding to be left alone. An acoustic guitar opens the track, quickly building in intensity as Jennings get more defiant. Something happens towards the end, however, when a saxophone appears and the song breaks down into an extended jam. Perhaps not traditional country, but damn if it doesn’t sound good.

A few guests join Jennings for songs that, depending on your point of view, are about either unrealized ambition or live’s gone wrong. “Wild and Lonesome,” with guest vocals from Patty Griffin, is a downhearted tale of a guy looking for love but who gets lost in the bottle.

One man band master Scott H. Biram joins Jennings for a cover of Steve Young’s “The White Trash Song.” Against a rolling train drum beat, the two sing about a country boy resigned to a simple and lonely life.

I get to thinking about the road
And all the times I come back again,
I was born a child to these muddy roads,
Die here lonesome as the wind

“Outlaw You” is a timely song given the recent controversy over Blake Shelton’s comments about the evolution of country music. Partially reflecting on his father Waylon’s legacy, Shooter lambasts a lack of authenticity in country music.

Hey pretty boy in your cowboy hat
You couldn’t hit country with a baseball bat
Country ain’t just about where you’re at
It’s about bein’ true to what’s inside

Amen Shooter, ‘tis a sentiment that applies to any genre. Do it for right or don’t do it at all.

(See Chip’s take on The Other Life here.)

Audio Download: Shooter Jennings, “Gunslinger”

Texas Talking, Shinyribs (from the Nine Mile Records release Gulf Coast Museum)
I’m not really sure what to make of Kevin “Shinyribs” Russell’s earnest take on the classic “If You Don’t Know Me By Now,” the closing track on his latest release. Sincere? Ironic? I’m not sure but the fact that Russell leaves it open to interpretation makes me appreciate the song that much more.

I have a similar reaction when I listen to his originals as well. While his accent leaves little doubt that he is a Southern boy, his songs are infused with elements of rock, pop and soul. Heck, “Texas Talking” even has a bit of disco boogie in it.

The one thing of which I am certain: there’s no escaping Russell’s unassuming – and infectious — charm.

Audio Download: Shinyribs, “Texas Talking”

Brand New Day, New American Farmers (from the Big Barncat Records release Brand New Day)
One of, if not the best thing about Twangville is getting that random album in your inbox that just hits the mark. Of course, it’s not as is the Farmers are a new band, just new to me. The core of the group — Paul Knowles and Nicole Storto – have spent the last decade mastering a classic Southern California Americana sound. It’s hard to not get sucked in by the happy-go-lucky optimism of the title track from their latest release.

Oh, and don’t miss their magnificent cover of the ELO classic “Can’t Get It Out of my Head.”

(See Shawn’s review of the New American Farmers here.)

Audio Download: New American Farmers, “Brand New Day”

Gone, The Howlin’ Brothers (from the Readymade Records release Howl)
There’s no escaping the brilliant old-timey feel of this Nashville-based trio. You can hear it in their voices, the songs that they write and the instruments that they play. It’s a quality that makes even this song of love gone wrong sound jubilant.

Well do I love you, well it’s funny you should ask
You stole my heart and now you wanna give it back
Well I’m gone, gone, gone.
Lord, give me a little strength to carry on,
pain and love and loss it makes us strong
And I’m gone, gone, gone.

Audio Download: The Howlin’ Brothers, “Gone”

Tell the Girls, The Riverbreaks (from the self-released Wildfire)

The band may hail from Washington D.C. but many of these songs were born when songwriter Ryan Bailey was living in the jungles of Costa Rica. Bailey sings with a relaxed soulfulness, which blends well with the Allman Brothers vibe of this freewheeling track.

Check out the cool animated video that accompanies the song.

Audio Download: The Riverbreaks, “Tell the Girls”

Take It On Faith, Matt Mays (from the Sonic Records release Coyote)
After putting out three albums in four years, Canadian singer-songwriter Mays took a four year hiatus from new recordings. The break appears to have suited him well as he’s back with a powerful new release. His songs are filled with energy and fervor, typically packing a sonic rock blast.

Audio Download: Matt Mays, “Take It On Faith”

Lady Luck, Pickwick (from the Dine Alone Records release Can’t Talk Medicine)
Seattle sextet Pickwick make a strong statement with their debut full-length release. Singer Galen Disston has an expressive voice that fits well with the refined yet insistent grooves of the band’s songs. The group is joined by Sharon Van Etten on this bass-driven cover of a Richard Swift song.

Audio Download: Pickwick (with Sharon Van Etten), “Lady Luck”

Long Red Bottle of Wine, Michael Carpenter (from the Paisley Pop Records release Skrang: Sounds Like Bobby Sutliff)
When musician Bobby Sutliff was badly injured in a car crash last year, a group of fellow artists banded together to raise funds towards his recovery. And these aren’t just any artists, but a veritable who’s who of power pop musicians: Matthew Sweet, Will Kimbrough, Don Dixon, Velvet Crush and Tim Lee, to name just a few. Here’s but one example of the pop goodness to be found on the tribute, an infectious track from Australian rocker Michael Carpenter.

Audio Download: Michael Carpenter, “Long Red Bottle of Wine”

There Will Be a Reckoning, Billy Bragg (from the Essentials Music release Tooth and Nail)
Bragg looks at life with a more mature eye these days, but that doesn’t mean that he’s lost his feistiness and sharp tongue. To wit:

There will be a reckoning
For the peddlers of hate who spread the poison all across this estate
And a reckoning, too
For the politicians who left us to this fate
There will be a reckoning

At this year’s SXSW, Bragg talked about writing protest songs. Most writers fail, he said, because they focus too much on the lyrics and not enough on the music. His latest proves that he still knows how to find the right balance.

• Communist Daughter
• Rayland Baxter
• Ryan Bonner
• Drew Holcomb
• Cat Beach
• Gaslight Anthem

The Beast In Its Tracks, by Josh Ritter
It’s easy to be angry after a break-up. You want to grab a bottle of whisky and crank some classic angry Bob Mould songs (Black Sheets of Rain, anyone?). I suppose that Josh Ritter had a few of those moments when his marriage ended in divorce back in 2011. Yet Ritter further demonstrates once again why he is one of his generation’s finest songwriters with an album that tackles the subject with grace and intelligence.

Over the course of 13 songs, Ritter reflects thoughtfully on what worked and what didn’t. He ruminates on the feelings of what was lost and what he subsequently found with a new love. Few artists could tackle these topics with such empathy, even fewer can emerge – and share with his or her audience — a deeper understanding of self.

The album opens with “Hopeful,” a song that finds Ritter questioning the wisdom of the “wise man who said it’s better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.” The songs restrained yet insistent melody gives the listener some optimism that a light will shine at the end of the album’s journey.

“Joy to You Baby” illustrates how Ritter is able to detach himself from a situation while simultaneously capturing the emotion of a moment. The song begins with Ritter trying to escape reality, stuck at a party but imagining himself flying into the cloudy night. Further consideration leads to a realization:

There’s pain in whatever
We stumble upon
If I never had met you
You couldn’t have gone
But then I couldn’t have met you
We couldn’t have been
I guess it all adds up
To joy to the end

Elsewhere across The Beast in its Tracks, Ritter conjures up the biblical overtones that are the hallmark of some of his finer work. “In Your Arms Awhile” has a folk gospel quality to it while the plaintive emotion of “Lights” underpinned by a somber organ.

“New Lover” finds him reflecting on the downfall, both taking responsibility and placing some blame.

Perhaps the fault was mine
Perhaps I just ignored who you’re always gonna be,
Instead of who I took you for.
I’ve been treated worse it’s true, still I expected more.

The song announces that he has found a new love and expresses some hope that his former lover has found romantic happiness as well. Then again, Ritter, like any of us, isn’t above a few moments of anger and antagonism. “If you’re sad and you are lonesome and you’ve got nobody true, I’d be lying if I said that didn’t make me happy too,” he concludes.

Yet, the overall tone of The Beast In Its Tracks still comes back to the opening moments in “Hopeful.”

These days I’m feelin’ better about the man that I am
There’s some things I can change and there’s others I can’t
I met someone new now I know I deserve
I never met someone who loves the world more than her

Everyone should be as lucky to find similar peace and happiness.

(See Suzanne’s take on Ritter’s new release here.)

Audio Download: Josh Ritter, “New Lover”

This track is a great example. McBride’s vocals inject a soulful quality to this relaxed ballad, with a soothing string accompaniment to give it a timeless feel.

(See Jeff’s recent interview with McBride here.)

Audio Download: Tom McBride, “Julia”

Doesn’t It Remind You of Something, Ken Stringfellow (from the Spark and Shine release Danzig in the Moonlight)
It’s been eight years since Stringfellow released a proper solo album, but it isn’t like he has been resting on his laurels. In the year’s since 2004′s Soft Commands, Stringfellow has released a handful of albums with his legendary power pop band the Posies and his Norwegian garage band the Disciples, not to mention his work with REM and Big Star.

Well, Stringfellow the solo artist is back. His latest is a stripped down affair that shines a light on his songwriting prowess. The tracks on Danzig in the Moonlight span genres — from the half-spoken country ballad “Doesn’t It Remind You of Something” to the Al Green-style soul of “Pray” — but are all infused with Stringfellow’s impressive pop sensibility. The aforementioned track is a gem perfect for Twangville, a woeful tale of heartache with duet vocals from The Head and the Heart’s Charity Rose Thielen.

And call me biased, but I love the album title….

Audio Download: Ken Stringfellow (with Charity Rose Thielen), “Doesn’t It Remind You of Something”

Lo Siento Spanishburg West Virginia, Scott Miller and Rayna Gellert (from the F.A.Y. Recordings release CoDependents)
Miller is a talented storyteller, crafting tales of the South with the proper balance of meaning and humor. A chance meeting with gifted fiddler Rayna Gellert at West Virginia’s legendary Mountain Stage resulted in this collaborative ep release.

This stand-out track reflects on the transitory nature of life, touching on a football team that loses its winning ways and a soldier whose life is changed when is injured in battle before describing a West Virginia town transformed from a modest settlement to a retirement mecca. The listener gets all this conveyed in a four minute Appalachian mountain folk song anchored by Miller’s acoustic guitar and Gellert’s fiddle.

Audio Download: Scott Miller and Rayna Gellert, “Lo Siento Spanishburg West Virginia”

Pieces and Castles, Nakia (from the Something-Music release Drown in the Crimson Tide)
Austin soul singer Nakia has been on a roll of late. Fresh from making it to the final eight on the inaugural season of The Voice, he extended his time in LA to work with some impressive songwriting and musical collaborators. The result is a stirring new ep. Whether letting loose on the feisty “Pieces and Castles” or the R&B ballad “When I Found You,” Nakia’s soulful vocals stand front and center – exactly where they should be.

Audio Download: Nakia, “Pieces and Castles”

Something to Do, The Sideshow Tragedy (from the self-released Persona)
It’s been a few years since we’ve heard from Austin’s The Sideshow Tragedy. Well, the duo are back and pick up right where they left off, making a glorious racket of bluesy and boozy garage rock. Singer-guitarist Nathan Singleton wails on vocals and guitar, especially when he applies a slide to his guitar, while drummer Jeremy Harrell lands his own punches with a bruising beat.

Audio Download: The Sideshow Tragedy, “Something To Do”

Rooftop, Lady Lamb the Beekeeper (from the Ba Da Bing Records release Ripley Pine)
Brooklyn by way of Maine songwriter Aly Spaltro — Lady Lamb the Beekeeper – displays a musical confidence that belies her age. Twenty-three now, her emotionally charged music careens from gentle ballads to fevered indie rock, sometimes in the course of a single song. At its core, however, are Spaltro’s impassioned vocals and the powerful strum of her electric guitar.

Audio Download: Lady Lamb the Beekeeper, “Rooftop”

Running Red Lights, The Postelles (from the +1 Records release …And It Shook Me)
There is always a certain amount of fear when a band releases the follow-up to a great debut album. Well, New York City’s the Postelles do more than avoid the so-called “sophomore slump,” they put it out to pasture with their glorious new release. The band’s pop melodies are served up with an indie rock swagger. There’s a jubilant feel to tracks like this one, guaranteed to get feet tapping and faces grinning.

Audio Download: The Postelles, “Running Red Lights”

This week’s video playlist includes:

• Andrew Combs
• Pale Cowboy
• Max Gomez
• Shivering Timbers
• Sunny Taylor