Kevin Gordon is as authentic as they come. His Southern stories are rooted in truth, though only he knows exactly how much. He brings those tales to life with a literary eye, set against guitars as gritty as the stories themselves. There are countless reasons a great song gets left off an album — which […]
Bonus Monday Video – David Garza
Seems like an appropriate day to re-share this gem from Texas virtuoso David Garza. Honest words are like August thirdsThey just both come maybe once in a year
Monday Morning Video – Glen Hansard
Glen Hansard died last week, and it’s hard to know where to start. He was one of the genuine ones — in his music and in how he moved through the world. That’s a rare thing, and it’s the thing we’ll miss most. I’ve written before about my favorite Hansard memory: an impromptu moment at […]
“Start a Band” – A Premiere from Bleu
LA popmeister Bleu doesn’t release a lot of his own music these days — he’s too busy writing and producing for television, film, and other artists. But personal experience provided the impetus for his new album: a tribute to two close friends he lost, longtime studio partner Ducky Carlisle and college best friend Alex Scutro. […]
Monday Morning Video – William Matheny
William Matheny’s new album, Material Witness, was released earlier this month. It’s great songwriting with real rock and roll grit. The title track gets the live-in-studio treatment for this week’s video — just Matheny and his band, no overdubs to hide behind. Matheny played NYC last night, a show I appropriated as my birthday party. […]
The Twangville 2026 Album Preview-Side B
Here are some albums that we’re looking forward to hearing in the back half of 2026… Material Witness by William Matheny (10 July) William Matheny brings pure rock and roll spirit to Material Witness, leaning heavy on electric guitars and hearty, driving rhythms. His lyrics crackle with authenticity and a wisened view, proving there’s still […]
Monday Morning Video – Austin Plaine
Some songs meet you exactly where you are — and then lift you somewhere better. Austin Plaine has a gift for that kind of winsome, quietly uplifting songwriting, and “Rise Above It” is a perfect example. It sits with the weight of hard-won experience before arriving at something that feels like grace. “Looking at the […]
Monday Morning Video – Al Green and Chicago
Chicago, the rock band known for hits like “25 or 6 to 4” and “Saturday in the Park,” are joined by soul legend Al Green in this 1973 performance. Green sings his own hit “Tired of Being Alone,” with Chicago’s horns locking into the pocket behind him.
Mayer’s Picks – The Best of 2026 (So Far), the Songs
Don’t Let Go, Fantastic Cat (from the Missing Piece Records release Cat Out of Hell) A scream-along-at-the-top-of-your-lungs anthem about holding on to your dreams. Nothing you can buy can save what you soldSo hold on tight to the light in your soulDon’t look down, baby don’t let… Don’t let go Suffer, Boy Golden (from the […]
Mayer’s Picks – the Best of 2026 (So Far), the Albums
Cat Out of Hell by Fantastic Cat Fantastic Cat’s third album is another classic, nothing but pure pop perfection. Four songwriters with distinct styles blend here in a way that shouldn’t work as well as it does — sharp and spirited in both lyric and melody. And credit where it’s due: any album title that […]