I’ve had several conversations recently about the greatness that is the Boston music scene. So what better way to celebrate it than sharing a cover of a Boston music classic performed by one of Boston’s current finest. Here’s Session Americana’s “big band” take on Jonathan Richman’s “Roadrunner”.
Mayer’s Playlist for Fall 2022, Part 3
Let You Down, Bird Streets (from the Sparkle Plenty/Deko Records release Lagoon) John Brodeur – aka Bird Streets – is a master of the power pop craft. To be sure, these aren’t pop songs of the three chord variety. Rather, they have an inspired complexity – accessible yet filled with melodic and lyrical twists along […]
Monday Morning Video – Christine McVie
Christine McVie, who passed away last week, was the quiet force behind Fleetwood Mac. McVie wrote or co-wrote many of the band’s most memorable hits. Here are two classic faves, notable for, among other reasons, their iconic McVie opening keyboard riffs. And while we’re at it, let’s listen to the glorious harmonies on McVie’s “Say […]
Monday Morning Video – Doc Dailey
It has been a decade since Alabama’s Doc Dailey released a pair of incredible albums but I still periodically check to see if there is something new. Even if it’s a new-ish acoustic performance of an older song, I’ll take it. Here’s the sad but outstanding “Let Me Down” from 2010’s Victims, Enemies & Old […]
Monday Morning Video – Ever More Nest
There’s something special about art inspiring art. Truth in point – New Orleans’s Ever More Nest’s “What’s Gone Is Gone”. Says singer-songwriter Kelcy Mae about the song: “Some New Orleans musicians took a page from the Bushwick Book Club and invited songwriters to read Margaret Atwood’s The Heart Goes Last, write a song inspired by it, and […]
“Names” – a Premiere from The Commonheart
I’ve no doubt that many a sports fan has dreamed about breaking into their local arena and standing in the center of the room looking up at the seats arrayed around it. Pittsburgh-based The Commonheart live out that fantasy in their latest video, sneaking into their hometown PPG Paints Arena to perform their latest single […]
Dallas Got a Soft Machine – a Special Playlist
It’s been a while since I made a playlist featuring Dallas artist releases so I’ve got some catching up to do… This playlist is a mix of songs from albums released in 2021 and 2022. Panhandle Wind, Isaac Hoskins (from the self-released Bender) Denton’s Isaac Hoskins rode out Covid – no pun intended – working […]
Monday Morning Video – John Fullbright with The Band of Heathens
Here’s a bunch of musicians sittin’ around singing. John Fullbright and The Band of Heathens, hanging out at MusicFest in Steamboat Springs, CO back in 2020, collaborated on “Social Skills”, a track from Fullbright’s just released The Liar.
Bonus Monday Video – a Premiere from Greg Hall
I met Greg Hall at his “day job” – playing bass with Boston’s Ward Hayden and the Outliers. Turns out he’s got some damn fine songwriting chops of his own, which he is about to showcase with the release a new EP titled Experiments in the Revival of Greg Hall. The western Massachusetts-based artist […]
Monday Morning Video – Andy Frasco and the U.N.
Andy Frasco and the U.N. brought a party to Brooklyn this past weekend. And what a party it was – I don’t think it was possible to walk out of the venue after the show without a big ol’ smile on one’s face. Frasco and company interspersed fun covers (ranging from TLC to Nirvana to […]