ALBUM OF THE MONTH: Spills and Thrills, by John Paul Keith & the One Four Fives Last month we highlighted ex-V-Roy Scott Miller’s latest release, this month it is his former band-mate John Paul Keith’s turn. Keith’s latest is a rockabilly romp, heavy on Southern boogie and down-home fun. The party gets started with the […]
Listen Up: Roman Candle “in the Ear”
Roman Candle is one of those bands that confuse me. I guess it is rock, but it could be pop. Sometimes it is roots, except when it is not. Despite the confusion, there’s no denying that Oh Tall Tree in the Ear is a gem. Though the band has only released three proper albums since […]
Jay Bennett, 1963-2009
Audio Download: Jay Bennett, “The Engines Are Idle” [audio:http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/11/1/2169351/04%20The%20Engines%20Are%20Idle.mp3] [Source: Rock Proper]
Lucero on MTV’s $5 Cover
I’ve heard mixed reviews about MTV’s latest reality show featuring various Memphis musicians including Lucero. Personally I’d pay a bit more than a $5 cover for a Lucero show. Just sayin’. Lucero – New Music – More Music Videos
John Doe Covers Paul Westerberg
Darn if this ain’t one of rock’s most cherished voice covering one of its most respected songwriters.
Wilco (The Album) Stream Available
Wilco is streaming the entirety of their forthcoming release Wilco (the album) at their web site here. Feel free to discuss amongst yourselves.
Listen Up: Willie Nile’s 1000 Guitars
I’ve figured out the secret to Willie Nile. It’s not some special studio trick or the backing of a top notch band (though they do rock like nobody’s business). No, the magic of Willie Nile is his unbridled passion for life that permeates the man and his music. It hearkens back to the romantic innocence […]
Win Big: Sara Watkins
“I just say that I grew up in a bluegrass band that became something else,” says Sara Watkins to describe her time spent with Nickel Creek. Watkins stretches out on her self-titled newly released solo outing. Recorded in Nashville and LA with producer John Paul Jones (he of Led Zeppelin fame), the album features tracks […]
Listen Up: Buddy and Julie Miller
If there has been a more heart-breaking song this year than the Miller’s “Chalk,†I haven’t heard it. The twinge in Buddy’s voice as he sings, “If all our heartaches were in a stack, they’d go all the way up to heaven and back,†is spine-tingling. The song, a duet with Patty Griffin, is only […]
Mayer’s Playlist for March/April 2009, Part 2
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH: Broken, by Todd Thibaud Thibaud is a roots rock everyman, routinely cranking out hearty workingman’s music. His latest continues his streak of satisfying releases. Thibaud is at his best when he takes on the emotional conflicts of people grappling with their everyday lives. His lyrics capture their internal conflict yet keep […]