In January 1961, a 19-year-old Bob Dylan made his first New York City appearance at Cafe Wha? on MacDougal Street. That same year, he turned up in Cambridge at Club 47 — now Club Passim — and talked his way onto the stage between another act’s sets. Both rooms are still standing, still booking songwriters. […]
Paula Fong – A Bird on the Wing
I’m sometimes amazed by the extent to which a youthful interest can lay the foundation for a lifetime of passionate involvement in something. Such is the case with Los Angeles artist Paula Fong. Her fascination with music began with summertime explorations of Brittany as a child being exposed to Celtic songs, and Breton folk in […]
“Sweet Song” – a Premiere from Leah Tash
From the very first bar, Leah Tash’s “Sweet Song” brings the kind of charm that’s impossible to ignore. A bright, plinky piano sets the backdrop, but it’s the infectious, happy-go-lucky melody that immediately hooks you in. It takes a special talent to balance classic country influences without sounding dated. Tash drew inspiration for her new […]
Johnny Rawls & Dave Keller – Tribute to Soul
Johnny Rawls and Dave Keller want you to know how much fun soul blues can be. In their collaboration this summer, Tribute to Soul, the two put together a celebration of the music that hits the mark. Rawls has been a fixture on the blues festival circuit for decades. Once a sideman for the great […]
Twangville x Dial Back Sound: Live in Boston & NYC
While not often discussed, the choice of recording studio has a profound impact on a record. Great music rarely comes from sterile, assembly-line spaces—it comes from studios with character and warmth, filled with vintage gear and musical mojo in the walls. That mindset is at the heart of Dial Back Sound, located in the quiet […]
Leon Majcen on Record Release Strategies and the Downside of Truck Leases
Leon Majcen recalls getting overpaid at his first gig at 13, describes his old day job at a Nashville tree company, and explains why he tailors every show to the room that he’s playing.
Monday Morning Video – Patty Griffin
Patty Griffin’s “Top of the World” is a deathbed reckoning — a life examined right at the end, loss and regret laid out plain. Here it’s just her acoustic guitar and voice, with a subtle electric guitar underneath adding to the song’s melancholy and beauty. If anything, the sparse arrangement makes the regret harder to […]
Now & Then: The Yawpers’ Teething and the reach of Fire of Love
The Yawpers have never hidden the influence of bands that pushed country and blues through a punk framework. Nate Cook has specifically cited the Gun Club, which makes Fire of Love, the band’s 1981 debut, a strong reference point for Teething. The connection is not simply aggression or guitar tone. Both records treat roots music as working material, preserving its rhythmic and melodic foundations while making it fit the concerns and energy of their own moment.
Readers’ Pick: The Yawpers – Teething
You picked The Yawpers – Teething as your favorite new release for the week of September 4, 2026.
RJ Chesney – A Southern Man
Sweet tea. Kudzu wrapped around anything that doesn’t move. Wearing a short sleeve shirt with a tie to church. While you can experience those things many places (less so the kudzu), growing up with their ubiquity is part of a cultural perspective that lends definition to the idea of being a southerner. In a similar […]