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 […]
800 CDs and Counting…
So you wanna be a rock and roll star? If only it were so simple. Songwriter and film-maker Chris Valenti learned the hard way. He recorded Emotional Wreck, his debut cd, manufactured 1,000 copies and, well, stacked 800 of ‘em in the corner of his apartment. What might have been a discouraging experience for some […]
Mayer’s Playlist for March/April, A Video Companion
Here we go again, another video companion chock full of tasty nuggets. We’ll kick things off with songs from Steve Poltz and Missy Higgins, our featured artists for March & April. They we’ll dig into videos and live performances from Kathleen Edwards, Foy Vance, Against Me! and Shurman. We wrap things up this month with […]
Mayer’s Playlist for March/April, Part 2
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH: On a Clear Night, by Missy Higgins The first thing that you’ll notice about Australia’s Missy Higgins is her stunning voice, a magical blend of confidence and uneasiness. Opening track “Where I Stood” epitomizes this dichotomy. The song captures the moment where a woman realizes that, despite her emotional attachment to […]
Mayer’s Playlist for March/April, Part 1
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH: Traveling and Unraveling, by Steve Poltz Poltz proves himself to be a genuine musical instigator across two concurrent releases, blending a comedic wit and biting lyrics with instantly hummable acoustic melodies. Who else would react to life’s frustrations by asking the semi-serious question “What would Ghandi do in this situation, go […]
SXSW 2008: Say What?
“More vocals? I’m glad you actually want to hear me. I wish my mother did.” ~ Elia of the Scotland Yard Gospel Choir Drunk guy: “Do you guys know where the bridge party is?” Non-drunk guys: “Well there’s a bridge but I don’t see a party.” ~ Overheard at 3am as I crossed the bridge […]
SXSW 2008: The Sounds Part 2
Alejandro Escovedo Escovedo’s Sunday night show at the Continental is the traditional unofficial closing of SXSW and this year he served up a special treat. With co-conspirator Chuck Prophet on guitar, Alejandro and company performed the entirety of Real Animal, his forthcoming release. Lyrically it finds Escovedo in a reflective mood but musically ready to […]
SXSW 2008: The Sounds Part 1
X Legendary Los Angeles punk band X authoritatively declared that they could still rock hard after 31 years together. I caught them twice and the band pounded through both shows without a set list. The band merely called out out songs that captured their mood and responded to audience requests. Their influence on modern rock […]
National Record Store Day on April 19th!
Mothers and fathers get their own days, so why not independent record stores? Across the country records stores will be celebrating with exclusive releases and live performances. See below for a list of very cool exclusive releases and some select performances taking place at my favorite indie record shops. For a list of participating stores […]