A friend introduced me to the music and legend of the late New Orleans pianist James Booker. The “Bayou Maharajah,” as he was called, lived a flamboyant life. While he never found true commercial success, he built gained popularity in Europe and even played a couple of shows with the Jerry Garcia Band (before being […]
Twang for your Inbox
Want to receive a weekly recap of the week’s posts? Sure ‘ya do. Now you can with our new weekly email newsletter. Every Saturday you’ll receive an email highlighting all the previous week’s posts. Yup, a full week’s worth of twang delivered to you. Ready to sign-up? Fill out the form below and we’ll add […]
Tommy Ramone, 1952 – 2014
Mayer’s Picks – The Best of 2014, So Far (the Albums)
The year is off to a strong start and I expect that it will only get better. Here, in no particular order, are some of my favorite releases from the first half of 2014. SOMEWHERE ELSE by LYDIA LOVELESS “Simply bad-ass” is the phrase that overwhelms my thinking every time I give this album a […]
Monday Morning Video: Locals Covering Locals ’round Boston
Our friends at Red Line Roots spearheaded a really cool project this past spring. With support from the Club Passim Iguana Fund, they invited a plethora of local artists to cover one another’s songs. Locals Covering Locals, the resulting collection, is now available for download. Even better, you can get it for free here. I […]
Celebrate the 4th with the Blasters
I usually like to celebrate the 4th of July by posting Dave Alvin’s “4th of July” but this year I’m going to break with tradition. Well, at least a bit. Dave and his brother Phil founded legendary rock band the Blasters nearly thirty-five years ago. The group was born from — and brought life to […]
Monday Morning Video: Patrick Sweany Rocks the House
We in Boston have been spoiled with the plethora of great shows that have come to town this month. Among the latest to hit town was Patrick Sweany. The Nashville-based singer-guitarist is a force of nature, serving up an incredible blend of rock, soul and blues. This video, although not from the Boston show, provides […]
Mayer’s Playlist for June 2014, Part 2
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH Trouble, by The Howlin’ Brothers The Nashville-based Howlin’ Brothers expand their musical palette with their latest release. Sure, it has plenty of the traditional bluegrass upon which they’ve established their reputation. The unexpected treat, however, are the shades of reggae and pop that make an appearance. They kick things off in […]
Monday Morning Video: Glen David Andrews
If you can’t make it to New Orleans, the next best thing is for New Orleans to come to you. Twangville was in the house when NOLA’s own Glen David Andrews transformed a Boston club into a sweaty Frenchman St.-style dance party. Andrews and crew even took to the streets, much to the surprise of […]
Mayer’s Playlist for June 2014, Part 1
ALBUM OF THE MONTHS Metamodern Sounds in Country Music, by Sturgill Simpson It’s easy to take pot-shots at what passes for country these days. You know what I’m talking about: the feel-good, truck-drivin’, beer-drinking music makes for great stadium concert sing-alongs. If that’s your scene, then more power to you. Some of you, like me, […]