Did everyone hear that David Bowie has a new album coming out this year? Well, this ain’t him. It’s Austin’s favorite sons the Gourds (joined by Rhett Miller) performing the Bowie-penned “All the Young Dudes.”
Monday Morning Video: A Vintage Performance by the Band
Now this is a find. Here’s a four-song set by the Band, captured during a performance in Pittsburgh, PA back in November 1970. The set list includes: “Time to Kill,” “The Weight,” “This Wheel’s on Fire” and “Up on Cripple Creek.” Mighty fine.
Monday Morning Video: Townes Van Zandt
Monday Morning Video: Patty Griffin and Robert Plant
Patty Griffin and Robert Plant (billed as “Her Driver”) played a pair of intimate shows a few weeks ago at Austin’s Continental Club. The occasion was for a pair of fundraisers. The first show for Austin musician Michael Fracasso, an Austin musician who was injured in an auto accident while on tour. The second show […]
Monday Morning Video: Josh Ritter
Josh Ritter is gearing up to release a new album this coming March. While we wait with anticipation, here’s one from the archives. This performance of “Empty Heart” took place in Belfast back in 2009 with an accompanying string trio billed as the “Love Cannon String Band.” It’s hard to tell who was having more […]
Mayer’s Picks: Best Songs of 2012
I posted a best songs list for the first half of 2012 back in July (here). Rather than replicate that list for my full year review, consider this the continuation — the best songs from the second half of the year. Love Changes Everything, Session Americana (from the self-released Love and Dirt) Session Americana wrap […]
Mayer’s Picks: Best of Boston 2012
It’s been a great year of music in Boston. I’ve been fortunate to see lots of great local favorites live, from Todd Thibaud to Old Jack to Dennis Brennan to the Rationales. It was also a great year for new Boston music, as evidenced by the fine, fine releases below. SESSION AMERICANA, Love and Dirt […]
Bonus Morning Video: Paul Kelly’s “How To Make Gravy”
This video would be worthy of posting based on the song’s merit alone. Paul Kelly’s melancholy ode to Christmas is a masterpiece. Hearing Kelly tell the story behind the song is a bonus worthy of sharing. “I’ve got a Christmas song, but it doesn’t have a chorus and it’s set in prison.”
Monday Morning Video: The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl
I looked around to find a good cover of this song but finally came to my senses. There’s no replacing the original. Here’s Kirsty MacColl and the Pogues performing “Fairytale of New York.”
Mayer’s Picks: Best EPs of 2012
Several of my favorite releases from this year were 5-6 song sets rather than 8-10+ song full-length releases. Here, in no particular order, are a few favorite EPs from 2012. THE VANSADERS, The Vansaders If you like your rock-and-roll raucous and whiskey-soaked, you’ll be hard-pressed to find music better than the Vansaders. I’ll take mine […]