The gauntlet has been thrown, my friends. I’m just back from seeing the Hold Steady kick off their global domination 2008 tour in support of their forthcoming album Stay Positive. What does it say when the title track – a song that isn’t even the lead single – whips the crowd into an unbridled frenzy? […]
A Few Words with Will Hoge, part 2
Economics 101 with Professor Hoge “It’s foolish to try to fight digital music,†exclaims Hoge, “it’s like horse carriages versus cars – quit trying to stop it!†Like Radiohead and Nine Inch Nails among others, Hoge has been experimenting with music downloads as a means of exposing his music to new listeners. He wants people […]
A Few Words with Will Hoge, part 1
“Songwriting is a damn mystery,†says Will Hoge as we discuss “Draw the Curtain†his restrained yet compelling current release. It’s kind of like the Wizard of Oz, he continues, “you don’t want to know what is behind the curtain.†Although Hoge reunited with producer Ken Coomer, producer of 2006’s explosive The Man Who Killed […]
Who’s Playing Wednesday: A Twangville Give-Away
Wednesday is apparently the national night for musical residencies. In KC you’ve got Walkenhorst while in Austin you can regularly catch Jon Dee Graham AND James McMurtry. I’m lucky to live in Boston where most Wednesday’s I can catch Dennis Brennan, usually with special guest former J. Geils Band singer Peter Wolf joining in for […]
The Bob Walkenhorst Dinner Hour Show
Would you travel half way across the country to see a band play a bar in a non-descript strip-mall? If you’ve spent time in Twangville you might consider it. And if it is a Wednesday night and the weekly Bob Walkenhorst and Friends show is in session in Kansas City, you’d be foolish not to […]
Listen Up: Matthew Ryan Vs. the Silver State
Matthew Ryan’s voice can be an acquired taste, expressive and rough hewn. Yet it is a voice that conveys as much emotion as the instrumentation it accompanies. His emotional honesty and vulnerability are laid bare whether he’s barking out “Johnny wanted a lot of things but Johnny didn’t want to die†on “Drunk and Disappointed” […]
Listen Up: The Teenage Prayers’ “Everyone Thinks You’re the Best”
Imagine a soul band playing CBGB’s and you’ll have a sense of the Prayer’s sound. The Brooklyn-based group serves up a potent blend of soul and hard rock that will get you dancing until you collapse from exhaustion. Opener “I Like It†sets the tone with a smoldering intro that builds into an angst-ridden beat. […]
Bo Diddley, 1928-2008
Listen Up: Nakia & His Southern Cousins
In a small room off the beaten path at this year’s SXSW I found a big voice. Austin singer-songwriter Nakia took possession of the room that night, his rich and brawny voice shifting effortlessly from a soulful ballad to a R&B rave-up. Ably backed by his top-notch band the Southern Cousins, it was a highlight […]
Listen Up: Justin Townes Earle’s “The Good Life”
Justin Townes Earle’s The Good Life is really two albums intertwined. First you get some vintage honky-tonk and backwoods country; second you get some gorgeous/breathtaking acoustic ballads. Album opener “Hard Livin†is a prime example of the former, a fine honky-tonk rave-up that showcases the tremendous group of players in the band. Some mighty fine […]