Imagine if Graham Parsons had hooked up with Grace Slick instead of Emmylou, and one of their offspring had moved out to Joshua Tree for a decade or so, then formed a band with a couple of his friends.  The real story of how I See Hawks In L.A. came into being is less, well, [...] more »

by Shawn Underwood

For a guy from Dallas, I will admit to feeling pretty lucky about the great music I have available to me throughout the Dallas, Ft. Worth and Denton area, no doubt. I will also admit that I sometimes get twinges of jealousy of the music lovers in my state’s capitol. Austin is obviously home to [...] more »

by Kelly Dearmore

If you’re a frequent Twangville reader you know by now I’m an unabashed live music aficionado.  I usually manage to see 30 or more live acts a year, so in addition to the top records of the year I have to add my view to the best live sets I saw. #9 Michelle Shocked.  Many successful [...] more »

by Shawn Underwood

I came across a few tracks from Quiet Life (Myspace) a while back. I really enjoyed them and looked forward to hearing more sometime. Well, that time has come with the release of their newest EP, California Vacation. As with the last batch of songs I listened to, the tracks here are a fun and loose [...] more »

by Kelly Dearmore

Arms & Legs and Flowers, Ian Hunter (from the New West Records release Man Overboard) It’s no accident that Ian Hunter gets two mentions on this list. The legendary singer-songwriter is a true rock and roll poet, writing magnificent songs that combine simplicity with depth. “Arms & Legs” is an inspirational tribute to [...] more »

by Mayer Danzig

Give Me Tomorrow, Willie Nile (from the River House Records release House of a Thousand Guitars) Nile’s eternal optimism reigns supreme, most notably on this spirited testament to change and opportunity. “I’ve seen poison in the waters, heard the crying of the sea, I have heard your sons and daughters say what’s to become of [...] more »

by Mayer Danzig

As you’ve no doubt figured out, in addition to the collective top 20 albums of ‘09, each of us is sharing our own spin.  So here’s my perspective on the best of the year. 1. Dave Alvin & the Guilty Women – eponymous: Perhaps my opinion is colored by having seen a couple of stellar [...] more »

by Shawn Underwood

In year’s past, I haven’t done much a personal “Best-Of” list at year’s end. I have left that up to others, mainly due to the stress level inherent with such a task. This year, I contributed a list to multiple outlets, so I figure I would share my ballot with you here. What you see [...] more »

by Kelly Dearmore

#1. LUCERO, 1372 Overton Park (Republic/Universal) The former residents of 1372 Overton Park in Memphis let loose a potent blend of classic rock anthems and horn-infused Southern soul. Fueled by singer-songwriter Ben Nichol’s gritty vocals and filled with lyrics about whiskey-filled nights and the mornings after, this one is a barnburner. (Twangville review here [...] more »

by Mayer Danzig

The Winner is… Tis the season… The best of lists are coming out in force. The Twangville eitors list just came out and now it is time for us in “The Posse” to reveal our individual lists. I am going first because I am the best looking. In my mid-year list, Buddy and Julie were on top, [...] more »

by Chip Frazier

Singer/Songwriter Collin Herring (Official / Myspace) has spent years living in Ft. Worth, California and Austin where he has played clubs and garnered a good bit of praise from his peers as a thoughtful, insightful artist. He has also spent a good bit of time in rehab and suffering through a divorce, experiences that has [...] more »

by Kelly Dearmore

Mellow can often mean bland, but it can also be deceiving. The heartfelt sincerity of Somethin’ Concrete by Joe Koenig (Official / Myspace) comes through in a mellow flow that is soulful, not shallow. The Californian considers his folk-rock/country/gospel hybrid to be a Texan form of soul. Such a description is appropriate, as Koenig spent [...] more »

by Kelly Dearmore

As usual, there have been many great albums come from artists that call Austin home. I recently enjoyed Tom Gillam’s latest, and am looking forward to Reckless Kelly’s soon to be released disc. A recent release that is easily one of the better “Austin albums” of the year is Graham Wilkinson’s Yearbook. This record is [...] more »

by Kelly Dearmore

Maybe it’s due to the drastically large volume of talent here in Texas, or maybe it’s becaus I can often be clueless, but many times, I feel like I am way behind when it comes to certain artists that I finally get around to “blogging” about. Tom Gillam (Official / Myspace) is one of [...] more »

by Kelly Dearmore

I miss John Hartford.  He had a rare combination of incredible musicianship, a sly sense of humor, and an unmatched story-telling ability.  The result were songs that were fun: fun to listen to, fun to sing along with, and no doubt fun to perform.  There’s a lot of that fun in Danny Barnes’ latest release, [...] more »

by Shawn Underwood