Musical fads are a double-edged sword…or are they a blessing and a curse? Either way, with each new “movement”, whether it be Texas/Red Dirt or Freak-Folk or whatever, we see an influx of artists that, thanks to the artists who initially drew the attention of the masses to a certain trendy style, get 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

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

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

Circles Around Me, Bush’s seventh solo album is a mix of classic bluegrass covers and new originals. Quite possibly this is Bush’s most cohesive release. Bush has always been a dichotomy. He is influenced by the old but is the original innovator of the new. Hell, he literally coined the term new grass with [...] more »

by Chip Frazier

Man, I’ve got some catching up to do. A heavy travel schedule has kept me from my monthly playlist duties. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had the pleasure to visit some impressive places. Even better, I’ve had plenty of great new music to keep me company along the way. Well, its time to [...] more »

by Mayer Danzig

Many great artists produce music that is inspiring without being technically gifted vocalists. Kris Kristofferson and Ryan Bingham have produced two of the year’s best albums while displaying vocals that few would term “smooth”. The largely acoustic solo debut from Curtis Harvey (Myspace), Box of Stones (FatCat), successfully showcsaes the same ability to move the [...] more »

by Kelly Dearmore

Move over Bonnaroo.  Step aside Coachella.  With crowd estimates hovering around 750,000 this year, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass is now the country’s largest music event.  And it’s free.  Three days, 6 stages, 80 acts with a broad range of appeal, all courtesy of Warren Hellman, a local investment banker and philanthropist.  With that many sets of [...] more »

by Shawn Underwood

The record by relatively new act, Michael Ford Jr. & The Apache Relay, 1988, is a really focused and well performed set of tunes for a band that hasn’t been together for very long. The bio of the band really enhances the overall experience of listening to 1988. When you find that Michael Ford Jr. [...] more »

by Kelly Dearmore

Sometimes it is the song that really matters, as illustrated by these Twangville pick songs so far in 2009. Mayer’s Pick: “Good” by Jason Isbell (from the Lightning Rod Records release Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit) It’s hard to escape the onslaught of guitars in this furious rocker. They are the musical equivalent of [...] more »

by Mayer Danzig

Five years ago a skinny 13-year-old in black high tops took the stage at Old Settler’s Music Fest in Austin and proceeded to leave me, and most of the crowd, slack-jawed at her mandolin skills and innate stage presence.  Fast forward to today and Sarah Jarosz has performed with some of the biggest names in [...] more »

by Shawn Underwood

The Red Stick Ramblers derive their name from where their hometown, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Their music is also derived from the cultural influences of their native region. Baton Rouge is located along a corridor that runs from New Orleans to Houston. Consequently the Red Stick Ramblers deliver an eclectic mix of Zydeco, Country, Bluegrass and [...] more »

by Chip Frazier

“I just say that I grew up in a bluegrass band that became something else,” says Sara Watkins to describe her time spent with Nickel Creek. Watkins stretches out on her self-titled newly released solo outing. Recorded in Nashville and LA with producer John Paul Jones (he of Led Zeppelin fame), the album [...] more »

by Mayer Danzig

While my colleagues have regaled you with tales and reviews of the annual over-indulgence in Austin known as South by Southwest, I’ve found myself over the past few years gravitating to the far, far less heralded (and far, far less crowded) Old Settler’s Music Festival a couple of weeks later in the month.  Beating out [...] more »

by Shawn Underwood

Our friends at Vimby were kind enough to share this video interview with Twangville favorite Justin Townes Earle. If you haven’t had the opportunity to see Earle live in concert, this is a good introduction to his down-home style and the sharp wit that he inherited from his father. VIMBY – Justin Townes Earle more »

by Mayer Danzig