Another winter passes without disappointment. There were some expected solid records like those from Tift Merritt, Gary Louris, Kathleen Edwards and the Drive-by Truckers. Some breaking artists like Liam Finn, The Whigs, Mando Saenz and Justin Townes Earle. Some surprises from Counting Crows, The Black Crowes and Seven Mary Three. And some that simply made [...] more »

Wed, Apr 02, 2008 | 3 Comments

What’s a monthly playlist without a video companion? This month we start and finish with a pair of incredible acoustic performances by the Jones Street Boys. In between we’ve got clips from Tift Merritt, Nada Surf, Butch Walker, Joe Jackson and Greg Trooper, among others. Don’t miss the haunting J. Tillman & [...] more »

Sun, Mar 30, 2008 | 0 Comments

ALBUMS OF THE MONTH: Another Country, by Tift Merritt After 2004’s classic Tamborine, Tift Merritt escaped more than her record contract — she fled the country. Relocating temporarily to Paris, she found an apartment with a piano. The record that emerged is a travelogue of a different kind, a search for identity and assuredness. [...] more »

Mon, Mar 24, 2008 | 1 Comment

I had a tough time finding new clips from several of the artists in this month’s playlist. So I did the next best thing and dug into the archives. Highlights include a long-time fan favorite and a new political statement from the Drive-By Truckers, Jon Dee Graham performing an acoustic “Faithless” on [...] more »

Sun, Feb 24, 2008 | 1 Comment

ALBUMS OF THE MONTH: Lurch, by Mike Viola Whether recording under his own name or his Candy Butchers moniker, Viola is a master musical alchemist, building each song around varied instruments pulled from his bag of musical sounds. From the Fisher Price piano that kicks off “Maybe, Maybe Not” to the fuzzy bass of “It [...] more »

Thu, Feb 21, 2008 | 0 Comments

New music is created in studios, bedrooms and studios every day. We at Twangville are fortunate and honored that many emerging artists chose to share their music with us. Join us below and in future installments to see what we find in the Twangville mailbox. Potlatch, The Bean Pickers Union (self-released) If music is at [...] more »

Tue, Feb 05, 2008 | 0 Comments

ALBUMS OF THE MONTH: The Scene of the Crime, by Bettye Lavette Detroit’s Bettye LaVette wastes no time in making a statement on her latest release. “I’ve been this way too long to change now,” she declares with a voice that leaves no room for negotiation, “you’re going to have to take me like I [...] more »

Sun, Dec 30, 2007 | 0 Comments

ALBUMS OF THE MONTH: The Cake Sale, by The Cake Sale When Brian Crosby and Paul Noonan of Ireland’s Bell X1 were inspired to create a benefit album for Oxfam’s Make Trade Fair campaign, they formed the collective known as The Cake Sale. Friends ranging from Nick Seymour (Crowded House) and Nina Persson (The Cardigans) [...] more »

Fri, Dec 28, 2007 | 0 Comments

Hey Everybody, As always, the following is a link to ITunes to download a playlist of some of my favorite songs of the year: BOBBY K’S 2007 PICKS. This playlist contains a song from most of the records I reviewed below, as well as some other great songs from 2007. I took great care in [...] more »

Thu, Dec 27, 2007 | 0 Comments

Video selections from the second part of my two part Soul Collection playlist titled ‘The Groove‘ starting with Marc Broussard and Toby Lightman’s version of “If I Could Build My Whold World Around You” popularized by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. more »

Fri, Dec 07, 2007 | 0 Comments

Here it is. Part 2 of the two part Soul Collection playlist series. Whereas the first soul playlist was geared toward the softer side of soul, ‘The Groove’ is meant to get you jammin’. And if it doesn’t get you movin’ you might just want to prick yourself just to make sure you’re still alive. [...] more »

Sun, Dec 02, 2007 | 1 Comment

Video selections from the first part of my two part Soul Collection playlist labeled The Seranade starting with Marc Broussard’s version of “I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know” popularized by Donny Hathaway. more »

Sat, Dec 01, 2007 | 1 Comment

ALBUMS OF THE MONTH: What Is Love For, by Justin Currie Justin Currie sets the tone for his long-awaited solo debut with his opening line, “What is love for?” Over twelve intense tracks, Currie explores broken relationships with a studied but captivating eye. Lyrics filled with tinges of regret and resignation abound, often with [...] more »

Wed, Nov 28, 2007 | 1 Comment

What is soul music doing on a twang website you wonder? I am by no means a music historian nor a music scholar, but I believe that soul and twang are intrinsically connected. Both are sung from the heart. They both reach deep into the mind and soul to talk about those things that we [...] more »

Tue, Nov 20, 2007 | 0 Comments

Lots of great videos this month including a bunch of two-fers that showcase artists in traditional videos as well as performing live. We’ve got pairs from Jeremy Fisher, Mike Viola (Candy Butchers), Rilo Kiley and Watershed, plus single shots from Emerson Hart, the Office, Mark Knopfler, The Go! Team, Admiral Freebee, and Gomez. [...] more »

Mon, Oct 22, 2007 | 0 Comments