Ever since Ray Charles earned the wrath of the righteous back in the 50′s with his corruption of “church music”, musicians have been stealing that mix of old fashioned gospel, rhythm and blues, and soul.  Rarely, though, has it come together as well as on the latest Ruthie Foster project, Let It Burn.  Listening to [...] more »

by Shawn Underwood

I’m Dead, Serious is the second solo record from Two Cow Garage frontman Micah Schnabel. It follows 2010’s acoustic bombshell, When The Stage Lights Go Dim. In between the two, Two Cow Garage put out their fifth record Sweet Saint Me. So, dude’s been busy. His lyrics, as always, are phenomenal, opening with a chorus [...] more »

by Eli Petersen

If you want to get a Twangville reviewer’s attention, mentions of beer, whiskey, or other spirits will usually go a long way. When songwriter and guitarist Jess Hoefner floated me a bottle of bourbon the other week, I knew I had to fulfill my long put off promise of reviewing his band’s latest EP, Gone [...] more »

by Eli Petersen

ALBUMS OF THE MONTH: Live At Lincoln Hall, by Joe Pug Since arriving on the singer-songwriter scene in 2008, it didn’t take long for Joe Pug to establish himself as a rising star. This live album, recorded in Chicago last spring and comprising songs from his one full-length album and two eps, is a spectacular [...] more »

by Mayer Danzig

Most of the time, a band with a gimmick is more gimmick than band. Hokey, jokey one-hit wonders litter our memories like so many bumper stickers on a hippies VW Van. Sometimes – just sometimes – a gimmick is worth more than a disposable three minutes of our time. Austin’s The Possum Posse, a self-described [...] more »

by Kelly Dearmore

Instead of focusing on a best of list, I wanted to highlight 10 albums released in 2011, by artists that aren’t household names. There are so many hard working and passionate artists who deserve to be noticed. The current landscape of the music industry makes it difficult for artist from local and regional scenes to [...] more »

by Chip Frazier

Everybody’s Someone In A Honky Tonk.  Anyone who’s reading this blog probably knows the David Allen Coe song, You Never Even Called Me By My Name (written by Steve Goodman), about the perfect country western song.  This tune, from the latest Carolann Ames release, may not be the perfect country song, but it has the [...] more »

by Shawn Underwood

If you are looking for hot, fun country music by folks who are playing it because they love it, The Little Willies’ newest release, For the Good Times, should be your destination.   A side project by several artists on separate musical paths, the best known of whom is the enchanting Norah Jones, this second album by The [...] more »

by Bill Wilcox

There were tons of releases in 2011 and I am sure I only listened to a fraction of them.  I always have a hard time narrowing down my top 5 or so choices, and then I always have a hard time coming up with a full list of 25.  Here’s my top 15 of the [...] more »

by Todd Mathis

Top Live Shows of 2011   Gillian Welch at Strathmore, Bethesda, MD As a music fan, I am always looking for the beautiful sonic combination of melody, harmony and that lonesome sound. As a live show, the sonic perfection of the symphony hall at Strathmore with Gillian Welch and David Rawlings was a stunning experience.  [...] more »

by Jeff McMahon

By now you’ve seen what most of us were listening to on our MP3 or CD players last year.  So I thought I’d add my favorite live sets from last year.  1) Roger Waters: I got a chance to see The Wall at the HP Pavilion in San Jose.  Holy cow.  As far as I’m [...] more »

by Shawn Underwood

2011 was another pretty damn good year for music. #1 was the easiest pick on the whole list. Frank Turner blew my mind this year. I re-discovered his back catalog just prior to the release of England Keep My Bones and now have a new favorite songwriter. Other notables on the list include several “new” [...] more »

by Eli Petersen

As a twangville writer, I rarely listen to the 80s stations. I can’t stand the production and electronic drums. It’s tough to hear songs by the Boss and Lucinda Williams choked by the little knobs behind the glass. But still, some of those songs are irresistibly fun. They have an undeniable upbeat nature to them [...] more »

by Jeff McMahon

Josh Ritter & The Royal City Band Photos taken at 2 separate concerts: Mass MoCA in North Adams, MA and the 9:30 Club in Washington, DC Post by Suzanne D. McMahon (Suzanne Davis Photography) I have had the privilege of seeing Josh Ritter and his band play numerous times. My favorite show was an outdoor [...] more »

by Suzanne McMahon

 1) R.E.M. – Collapse Into Now: OK, I’m willing to admit maybe this was a little bit of a sentimental choice for me since it may be their last album.  But darn it, I still think this is their best effort since the 80′s and 91′s Out Of Time.  The jangly guitars, the inexplicable Stipe [...] more »

by Shawn Underwood