ALBUMS OF THE MONTH Women & Work, by Lucero Lucero jumped on the major label train for their last release, 2009’s stellar 1372 Overton Park. Things didn’t go quite as planned but Lucero are a band that just won’t give up. Good thing, too, as the band are in peak form with a sound that [...] more »

by Mayer Danzig

New England may not be the first place you think of for bluegrass, but the Three Tall Pines may have you thinking they’re from much further south. Dan Boudreau and Joe Lurgio give the band a spark in their beautiful songwriting. Each tune feels like it could be out of a one room house from [...] more »

by Jeff McMahon

Dr. John is an institution.  With his characteristic mystical groovy-gumbo-voodoo schtick and funky keyboard playing, he has been a force in American music since his groundbreaking Gris-Gris in 1968.  His early 1970s work, including Dr. John’s Gumbo and In the Right Place were instant classics.   A gifted piano (and occasional guitar) player, Mac Rebennack, or Dr. John, [...] more »

by Bill Wilcox

Opening with the raucous “Nothing Is The News” (featuring an excellent rambling lead guitar) I immediate thought that Jurardo had taken a cue from Neil Young’s Crazy Horse adventures, or his own I Break Chairs days, but, as I soon found out, that only lasts for one track. “Life Away from the Garden,” the second [...] more »

by Todd Mathis

Don’t miss these records from early 2012: MARTIN SEXTON, Fall Like Rain (EP) [★★★★/3.800] Singer/Songwriter/Soulster Sexton continues to perspicaciously reflect back on life with his songwriting while delivering mind-bending falsetto with his song. What this album lacks in length it makes up for in content. Four soul-searching originals plus a cover of Buffalo Springfield’s “For [...] more »

by Tom Osborne

IN TRIBUTE TO LEVON HELM: MAY 1940- April 2012 Levon Helm Band Life is Good Music Festival in Canton, MA: September 2011 Post by Suzanne D. McMahon (Suzanne Davis Photography)  I feel so incredibly lucky that I had the opportunity to photograph Levon Helm at the Life is Good music festival last year. It was [...] more »

by Suzanne McMahon

Trad bluegrass they ain’t. But don’t let that turn you off. The boys of Trampled by Turtles can pick  a banjo and make a fiddle whine with the best of em. In person, they were just as lively and rocking as bluegrass instruments can be. Dave Simonette’s impassioned vocals and three-part harmonies bring every bit [...] more »

by Jeff McMahon

Antonio Lulic A late start at the venue limited me to just a couple of songs from this singer-songwriter from North East London. His songs have a quiet intensity and his voice a weathered timbre, a pairing that combined for an impassioned performance. Audio Download: Antonio Lulic, “Hey, It’s Okay” [Audio clip: view full post [...] more »

by Mayer Danzig

Bahamas Former Feist guitarist Afie Jurvanen, who performs as Bahamas, caught my ear with his second release earlier this year. Live he takes it to another level, creating an ambiance that makes his already strong songs even stronger. Part of the reason is the distinctive make-up of his band: electric guitar, drums and two back-up [...] more »

by Mayer Danzig

There are literally thousands of performances that take place across Austin during SXSW. Here is a small sampling for your listening and viewing enjoyment. See below for a detailed list of the performances in this video playlist. Tom Morello, “World Wide Rebel Song” from the New West day party Bahamas, “Caught Me Thinking” The Lumineers, [...] more »

by Mayer Danzig

For me, the true harbinger of spring is the arrival of the SXSW Music and Media Conference in Austin, Texas. Or rather, spring begins for me when I arrive in Austin for SXSW. With upwards of 2,200 bands and 19,000 attendees, SXSW is the world’s premiere music conference. Even better, it is one heck of [...] more »

by Mayer Danzig

Lush strings, cavernous spaces and 80s style percussion. The first two of those are wonderfully symphonic, but the percussion just doesn’t please the ear. At times Great Elk outgrows the indie Death Cab sound, but at times the band sounds all too much like them. Songs are often light on lyrics, but bigger on atmosphere [...] more »

by Jeff McMahon

The Wrinkle Neck Mules are back again, but this time with a little bit of help from a celebrity Gecko. (Down South we think that is just a fancy name for a Lizard, but I digress.) The song “Central Daylight Time” is straightforward Honky Tonk and apparently the folks at Geico liked it so much [...] more »

by Chip Frazier

One of the most amazing things about Justin Townes Earle is how he reinvents himself on every album. For a singer/songwriter, this truly is a feat, but JT Earle has managed to do it for better or worse on pretty much every album. This time around, he’s managed the biggest turn of his career. And [...] more »

by Jeff McMahon

Live Video streaming by Ustream Check out our Live Ustream event with The Mastersons! The event is scheduled to start at 2:30pm EST with a live interview and, if we are lucky, a live performance. If you have any questions for The Mastersons, email me at eli@twangville.com or comment below. more »

by Eli Petersen