One need look no further than the title of his latest release to realize that Todd Snider has an eccentric personality. Peace Queer combines Snider’s outspoken politics with his quirky sense of humor. His stark take on John Fogerty’s “Fortunate Son†takes the song’s anger to a deeper level. “As an International Peace Queer, I […]
Levi Stubbs, 1936-2008
Zack Hickman’s House of Ill Repute
Every once in awhile you come across a show that simultaneously offers the highest and lowest of expectations. My first visit to Zack Hickman’s House of Ill Repute, a month-long residency in Cambridge’s Lizard Lounge was that kind of show. Hickman, the mustachioed bassist for Twangville fave Josh Ritter and several others, has been inviting […]
MySpace Secret Shows Hit Boston
After a long wait, the MySpace Secret Shows finally hit Boston last week. In earlier editions, New York got Neil Diamond at the small but legendary Bitter End while Eagle Rock California got Rilo Kiley at a bowling alley. Heck, even Billings Montana got the Hold Steady. Boston got… Chicago punk band Rise Against. Gotta […]
Happy Anniversary to the Bottle Rockets
The first time that I heard the Bottle Rockets was in an Atlanta recording studio. It was one of the intimate in-studio performances that had about 15 of us sitting on the floor while the band played a brief stripped-down set. Drummer Mark Ortmann played a guitar case. The song that stood out for me […]
Win Big: Jim Boggia
I’ve always had mixed feelings about music in commercials. For many of us, songs often become connected with certain personal feelings and experience in our lives and it is a bit jarring when a commercial suddenly associates it with something totally different. On the other hand, commercials can be a lucrative source of income and […]
Do You Know What “Mondegreen” Means?
We get a lot of interesting press releases in our virtual Twangville mailboxes. Some are so entertaining that they should be shared in their entirety. Anybody got any other mondegreens? Celebrate Punctuation Day with the iTunes Playlist from SpinVox Party Down with Culture Club’s “Comma Chameleon,†Rihanna’s “Bracket Off†and More. Atlanta – 24 September […]
New Music from Matthew Ryan
Matthew Ryan was kind enough to forward this astonishing new song, Some Streets Lead Nowhere.” It is an astonishing performance that highlights his ability to wrap emotional intensity in delicate arrangements. Equally impressive is Ryan’s essay about the song’s original and meaning, provided below. You can download “Some Streets Lead Nowhere” via iTunes. Matthew Ryan, […]
Mayer’s Playlist for Aug/Sept 2008, Video Companion Part 2
How do you spell pop music? I spell it “Jim Boggia.” This video companion features a few from the pop maestro. Keep going to find live performances from Willie Nile, Chris Knight, Air Traffic, the Avett Brothers and a classic from Todd Snider. Finally we’ve got a special interview and performance video from Randy Newman.
Mayer’s Playlist for Aug/Sept 2008, Part 2
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH: Misadventures in Stereo, by Jim Boggia Jim Boggia is a pop classicist extraordinaire. He takes simple and sublime melodies and packages them in intricate yet accessible arrangements. It is a skill to admire and a treat to enjoy. Take “To and Fro,” a rollicking ode to complicated relationships in which Boggia […]