Imagine a soul band playing CBGB’s and you’ll have a sense of the Prayer’s sound. The Brooklyn-based group serves up a potent blend of soul and hard rock that will get you dancing until you collapse from exhaustion. Opener “I Like It” sets the tone with a smoldering intro that builds into an angst-ridden beat. [...] more »

by Mayer Danzig

In a small room off the beaten path at this year’s SXSW I found a big voice. Austin singer-songwriter Nakia took possession of the room that night, his rich and brawny voice shifting effortlessly from a soulful ballad to a R&B rave-up. Ably backed by his top-notch band the Southern Cousins, it was a highlight [...] more »

by Mayer Danzig

Every so often I encounter a new artist that really gets me fired up. Since I entered the blogosphere a little over a year ago, my opportunity to discover these upstart talents has been an unexpected benefit. Nashville’s Wes Charlton is one of those artists. All I can say is watch out. This kid is [...] more »

by Chip Frazier

So you wanna be a rock and roll star? If only it were so simple. Songwriter and film-maker Chris Valenti learned the hard way. He recorded Emotional Wreck, his debut cd, manufactured 1,000 copies and, well, stacked 800 of ‘em in the corner of his apartment. What might have been a discouraging experience for some [...] more »

by Mayer Danzig

I’m from northern California where “layering” your clothing is a mantra more than a conscious thought. Sure came in handy this year for Old Settler’s Music Festival in Driftwood (Austin), Texas, where there was driving rain, freezing cold (at least it felt that way), and warm, late-spring sunshine. Oh, and lots of good music, which [...] more »

by Shawn Underwood

Being a fan of free in-store performances, vinyl and many of the bands from Denton, Dallas & Ft. Worth Texas, this national holiday provided me with a chance to enjoy these treasures all at once. There didn’t seem to be a downside to this day of celebration, as even with Christmas, there is always the [...] more »

by Kelly Dearmore

In this day and age of artists making a killing on 99 cent downloads and hit singles, the days of that special album that you don’t feel the urge to skip even one song on the entire disc are almost gone. We all have the ones that still reside in our top 3 or 4 [...] more »

by Kelly Dearmore

The Train Wrecks’ debut Whiskey & War is a tight collection of eight originals with three covers thrown in for good measure.  Jason Bible’s vocals are a rusty reminder of why we all love Uncle Tupelo, and you don’t have to get too far into the album to see that The Train Wrecks are fans [...] more »

by Todd Mathis

New music is created in studios, bedrooms and studios every day. We at Twangville are fortunate and honored that many emerging artists chose to share their music with us. Join us below and in future installments to see what we find in the Twangville mailbox. Potlatch, The Bean Pickers Union (self-released) If music is at [...] more »

by Mayer Danzig

Tuesday is going to be a big day for new releases. Because of this fact, a couple of Gems releasing on 1-29 that could easily get lost in the Hoopla. Twilight Hotel Highway Prayer is the first one I would like to point out. This Winnipeg based male-female duo enlisted fellow Canadian Colin Linden to [...] more »

by Chip Frazier

**NOTE: Contest is now closed. You can still participate but will no longer be eligible for the giveaway.** DC area artist Bill Williams, whom you may have previously seen in the capitol area with such bands as Last Train Home, Kevin Johnson and the Linemen and The Grandsons, recently released his first solo effort. The [...] more »

by Tom Osborne

**NOTE: Contest is now closed. You can still participate but will no longer be eligible for the giveaway.** Something’s been going on in the golden state. Lately, it seems there’s been a handful of Alt-country/Americana bands making a dent in the California music scene. The sound is markedly different than what we hear coming out [...] more »

by Tom Osborne

Accompanied by 7 additional musicians, Justin Trawick rocked DC’s 9:30 Club Friday (6/29) night peforming as The Justin Trawick Group. Donning worn Saucony shoes, ripped jeans, tattered tee and a engineer’s cap that’s probably got a story of its own to tell, Trawick led a bouyant band of musicians including such varied instruments as bongos, [...] more »

by Tom Osborne

This past Friday night I caught Last Train Home performing at IOTA (Arlington, VA) for my fourth time live. I was a little bummed that the opening act The Commons had been moved to Saturday night having heard great things about them. To my surprise and delight, a local cat named Justin Trawick stepped in [...] more »

by Tom Osborne

Imagine gathering a group of old age pensioners to record a classic rock song in the legendary Abbey Road Studios. Meet the Zimmers. With an average age of 78 (with some centenarians in the mix!), the band formed as part of a BBC documentary profiling the treatment of the elderly. Under the direction of U2 [...] more »

by Mayer Danzig