ALBUMS OF THE MONTH Windfall, by Joe Pug It has been three years since Joe Pug’s last release, a time that found the singer-songwriter coping with the burn-out that comes from years of continuous touring. Sharing one’s music with audiences around the world may be joyous, but the life can be arduous. In that context, […]
Monday Morning Video – Joe Cocker “Darling Be Home Soon”
’cause sometimes the singer makes the song.
Monday Morning Video – Couch By Couchwest 2015
Coinciding with SXSW is the annual Couch By Couchwest Festival. What’s not to like about a festival with the tagline “where the beer is cheaper and the only hipster is you.”? (Far be it for me to quible, but some of the beer at SXSW is free. Just sayin’.) Here’s how it works. Artists — […]
SXSW 2015 — Say What?!
One of my favorite parts of SXSW is the crazy things you see and hear along the way. Here are a few choice selections. This song is called “I’ll Tell You How It’s Gonna Be.” It’s about you not telling me what to do. Best Coast singer Bethany Cosentino responding to an annoying fan who […]
SXSW 2015 — the Sounds, Part 2
THE STONE FOXES This San Francisco-based rock band added a new drummer since the last time that I saw them. The change enabled original drummer Shannon Koehler to step out as the band’s primary front-man. It’s a role that suits him well as he fired up an afternoon crowd, bounding around the stage and through […]
SXSW 2015 — The Sounds, Part 1
TRAPPER SCHOEPP The Milwaukee-based rocker used a raucous early afternoon set to preview songs from a forthcoming album. With Hold Steady guitarist Steve Selvidge in tow, Schoepp and his band the Shades provided an electric jolt to all those in attendance. Count me among those eagerly awaiting Schoepp’s new release — it’s gonna be a […]
SXSW 2015 — The Scene
For me, the true harbinger of spring is the arrival of the SXSW Music and Media Conference in Austin, Texas. Or rather, spring begins for me when I arrive in Austin for SXSW. With upwards of 2,200 bands and more than 20,000 attendees from around the world, SXSW is the world’s premiere music conference. Even […]
Monday Morning Video – Austin Lucas “Alone In Memphis”
Nashville-based troubadour Austin Lucas has a new album on the horizon (later this spring). Here’s a favorite from his last release — 2013’s excellent Stay Reckless. Damn those harmonies sound good.
Monday Morning Video – Alejandro Escovedo and Jon Dee Graham
Austin legends Escovedo and Graham revisit their True Believers days with the classic “The Rain Won’t Help You When It’s Over.”
Kiss Off — A Special Twangville Playlist, Part 6
A few years back I put together a series of special playlists featuring my favorite kiss off songs. Despite what some may think, I’m really not that cynical. Rather, I just appreciate how some songwriters can tackle the topic with humor and bite. It’s kind of like a genre unto itself. Over the past year […]