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 »

by Mayer Danzig

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 »

by Mayer Danzig

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 »

by Bill Wilcox

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 »

by Mayer Danzig

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 »

by Shawn Underwood

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 »

by Mayer Danzig

Whitehorse, the duo of Melissa McClelland and Luke Doucet, lay claim to the Springsteen tune with this stark performance. more »

by Mayer Danzig

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 »

by Shawn Underwood

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 »

by Mayer Danzig

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 »

by Mayer Danzig

Josh Ritter & The Royal City Band House of Blues Boston, May 18 2013 It’s clear that Josh Ritter has a special place in his heart for Boston. This was a hometown show for band members Zack Hickman, Austin Nevins, and Sam Kassirer. Ritter brought his A-game and gave the Boston fans a lot to [...] more »

by Suzanne McMahon

Here’s a flashback to this year’s SXSW. Austin rockers The True Believers — featuring singer-songwriter-guitarists Alejandro Escovedo, Javier Escovedo and Jon Dee Graham — let their guitars ring out at Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop in this set recorded for Seattle public radio station KEXP. This band was meant to be played LOUD. The set list [...] more »

by Mayer Danzig

Click, whirrr.  Click, whirrr.  Like some aural Polaroid the recently released third album from upstate New York band Eastbound Jesus spits out snapshots of life in northern rural America that quickly take on the patina of nostalgia even when they’re new.  Northern Rock is as much about stories set to music as it is songwriting. [...] more »

by Shawn Underwood

It occurred to me that we haven’t written much, at least lately, about John Prine. Well, I went searching for a good song to share and stumbled across this incredible video. It features Kris Kristofferson and Joan Baez singing alongside Prine on the his classic “Hello In There.” ‘Ya gotta love Baez’s comment as she [...] more »

by Mayer Danzig

 Shawn Nelson and The Good Buds – Enough Back in 2011 I reviewed San Juan Street from Shawn Nelson and was enamored of the protagonist perspective in many of his songs along with the variety of musical influences.  So I was happy to see he has an EP out with his band, now known as [...] more »

by Shawn Underwood