It’s been a great year of music in Boston. I’ve been fortunate to see lots of great local favorites live, from Todd Thibaud to Old Jack to Dennis Brennan to the Rationales. It was also a great year for new Boston music, as evidenced by the fine, fine releases below.
SESSION AMERICANA, Love and Dirt
The latest release from Boston’s premiere Americana collective captures some of the free-wheeling fun of their live shows. The songwriting, contributed by various band members, is as strong as ever. It’s an embarrassment of riches.
Additional Twangville coverage of Session Americana: Mayer’s Playlist for December 2012, Listen Up: Session Americana and Monday Morning Video: Peter Wolf and Session Americana.
TIM GEARAN, Riverboat
Gearan takes us on a musical tour down the Mississippi River system, from Chicago down through New Orleans. Along the way, Gearan demonstrates his guitar and vocal prowess while generating enough rock and roll grooves to make for one hell of a party.
Additional Twangville coverage of Tim Gearan: Please Come to Boston: A Special Playlist.
CHRISTIAN MCNEILL AND SEA MONSTERS, Everything’s Up For Grabs
It has been an incredible ten years since McNeill’s last release. Was it worth the wait? Absolutely! McNeill, backed by an incredibly talented group of Boston musicians, serves up a potent blend of rock and soul.
Additional Twangville coverage of Christian McNeill and Sea Monsters: Mayer’s Playlist for Fall 2012, Part 1, Music With a Purpose: Grooving Forward, Vol. 1 and Really Rockin’ in Boston.
THE BEAN PICKERS UNION, Better the Devil
Songwriter Chuck Melchin excels at painting musical portraits, as rich with imagery as they are in instrumentation.
Additional Twangville coverage of The Bean Pickers Union: Mayer’s Playlist for December 2012 and Twangville Mailbox.
HIGHWAY GHOSTS, Beyond All Help
The Highway Ghosts latest release has a comfortable feel to it, filled with songs that are warm and engaging. It’s the musical equivalent of that well-worn and much loved shirt that you pull from the closet when you go to your favorite music club.
Additional Twangville coverage of Highway Ghosts: Mayer’s Picks: The Best of 2012, So Far (The Songs), Mayer’s Playlist from February 2012, Part 1 and Love That Dirty Water: A Boston Playlist.
DAVID WAX MUSEUM, Knock Knock Get Up
David Wax and Suz Slezak side-step the sophmore slump with their latest release. They lean a bit more towards the pop end of the spectrum yet still retain their distinctive Mexican and Appalachian folk sound.
Additional Twangville coverage of David Wax Museum: Mayer’s Playlist for Fall 2012, Part 2, Mayer’s Playlist from February 2011 and Mayer’s Picks: Best Albums of 2011.
Click here for more Twangville Best of 2012 coverage.
About the author: Mild-mannered corporate executive by day, excitable Twangville denizen by night.