Another year is winding down, leading us to the moment where we look back at all our favorite releases from 2015. Without further ado, here are my choices for the best albums of the year. #10. (tie) ANDERSON EAST, Delilah The Nashville by way of Alabama singer-songwriter is a welcome new talent whose songs are […]
Monday Morning Video – Glen Hansard’s Surprise Serenade
People prepare for Thanksgiving in different ways. Me? I prepared for turkey and stuffing by catching Glen Hansard in Atlanta last week. What better way to ease into the holiday, right? Hansard started the show solo and sans mike, silencing the crowd with “Grace Beneath the Pines,†the opening track from his latest release Didn’t […]
Mayer’s Playlist for November 2015, Part 2
Life’s a Bell, Langhorne Slim (from the Dualtone Records release The Spirit Moves) The pride (at least I think) of Langhorne, PA is back with his best album yet. He still has one foot planted in the Americana realm – a banjo plays subtly yet persistently across many of songs here – yet his sound […]
Monday Morning Video – Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats
There’s been, well, a bit of buzz around Nathaniel Rateliff. His recent Boston appearance was initially booked into a small club with a 240-person capacity but was moved to a room that holds more than 1,000. Even then, the show sold out quickly. The buzz is well-deserved as Rateliff and the band put on a […]
Mayer’s Playlist for November 2015, Part 1
Wonderin’ Where, Joe Ely (from the Rack ‘Em Records release Panhandle Rambler) Joe Ely is a one of the great American musical storytellers. His latest album finds him in a rather reflective mood, casting a thoughtful eye on the characters and landscape of his beloved Texas. Whether he is painting a picture of the lonesome […]
Monday Morning Video – Paris and Allen Toussaint
Music is – and should be – about joy and bringing people together. Even the sad songs. Friday’s events in Paris were heartbreaking and our thoughts go out to those who were affected by the attacks at the Eagles of Death Metal concert and throughout Paris. The week began with the sad passing of the […]
Monday Morning Video – A Premiere from Ronnie Fauss
Built to Break, the 2014 release from Dallas-based artist Ronnie Fauss, is an under-appreciated gem. The album careens across eleven mostly rockin’ tracks that are all burnished with Texas red dirt. Fauss sings about characters who strive for success in love and life but who often miss the mark. He stops short of drawing conclusions; […]
Undeniably Donnie – A Tribute to Funky Donnie Fritts
Muscle Shoals musician and journeyman Donnie Fritts is perhaps most immediately recognizable from his nearly 20 years touring and performing with Kris Kristofferson and appearing in a handful of films (including a trio of director Sam Peckinpah classics). Arguably his greatest talent, however, is as a songwriter. What does it say when an writer’s work […]
Monday Morning Video – J.D. McPherson Lets the Good Times Roll
How about some good ol” rock and roll to start your week? This online casino week”s video is courtesy of J.D. McPherson.
Mayer’s Playlist for October 2015, Part 2
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH Didn’t He Ramble, by Glen Hansard Hansard’s latest album is a journey. Across the album’s ten tracks, Hansard takes the listener on a quest for happiness and contentment. Not surprisingly the journey is a meandering one, filled with hopes both realized and dashed. The album begins with a rather defiant tone […]