Let’s flash back to 1996…or 1997. I’m in college at the time, and on this particular night at a small club in Columbia, South Carolina named the Elbow Room checking out the Drag from Myrtle Beach. They put on a pretty good show but weren’t quite as grand as I had hoped. (Not the Southern […]
Todd’s Tops of 2009
With the end of another calendar year, comes the “Best Of Lists†galore from everyone from Oprah to Obama encompassing books, food, music, and who knows what else. So, since I have a space here on Twangville, I figured I’d throw my 2 cents worth in on the music side. I’m going second because I […]
Todd’s Christmas List
I have been trying and trying to listen to some new releases lately, but my 3 year old daughter insists that we listen to Christmas music. About 3 weeks ago I checked out an Ella Jenkins disc of holiday tunes for her from ye ole public library, and that has not left my car speakers […]
Charlie Louvin/Live at the White Mule/Columbia, SC/November 12, 2009
Like many from my generation, (I’m guessing) I first learned of the Louvin Brothers after hearing Uncle Tupelo’s cover of “Atomic Power.†It was a great song that immediately caught my attention and made me want to hear the original. So, I tracked it down and found out it was an old-timey tune from the […]
Lissie/Why You Runnin’
Lissie’s persistant publicist (say that 3 times fast) recently pursued me to check out the artist’s new 5 song EP, which is being released on Fat Possum Records November 10th. After doing so, what I found was a mellow recording bringing to mind possibly something from Tift Merritt or Emmylou. I wasn’t instantly struck by […]
Drive-By Truckers/The Fine Print
The Fine Print is an unreleased (until now) collection of Drive-By Truckers tunes recorded over the last few years and mostly culled from the Dirty South era. While it is not as strong as that record, or Decoration Day, I”m guessing the die hard Trucker fan will snatch up these “b-sides” and cover tunes. For […]
The Restoration/Faulknerian chamber pop from Lexington, South Carolina
John Moreland/Rob’s House Demos
John Moreland and the Black Gold Band’s website states the following:  We’re from Okalahoma. We’re loud as hell. We don’t give two shits.  That may sum up the band when in full force, and it may sum up their 2008 album Endless Okalahoma Sky, but it doesn’t really capture the feeling of Rob’s […]
Slaid Cleaves / Everything You Love Will Be Taken Away
I got a copy of the new Slaid Cleaves for review and the first thing I said to myself was, “Self, you’ve heard of Slaid Cleaves but I don’t think you’ve ever listened to him. Or if you have, you didn’t know it was him at the time.” I have deep thoughts like that sometimes. […]
Pete Yorn/Back & Fourth
Pete Yorn/Back & Fourth  I’m a pretty big Pete Yorn fan and was stoked when I was browsing around I-Tunes and saw the pre-order of his new album Back & Fourth a month or so ago. I didn’t pre-order, but did buy the album the day it came out, June 16th, burned a copy […]