Let’s start the week with the glory that is Fruition. I saw the group in NYC on Friday and it was a typical outstanding show, including a killer cover of the Velvet Underground’s “Walk and Talk”. Here’s the band a few weeks ago in Denver rehearsing Crosby, Stills, and Nash’s classic “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes” […]
Speedfossil “Disconnected” – A Twangville Premiere
I’m a sucker for power pop and am always excited to discover a new artist who possesses a great melodic touch. In that vein, meet Boston’s Speedfossil. Singer-songwriter Garret Vandermolen took an extended hiatus nearly two decades ago but couldn’t escape his musical calling. No Anesthesia, his third album since returning to music, finds Vandermolen just […]
Introducing Parker Twomey – A Twangville Premiere
Releasing a new single is always an exciting time for an artist. Releasing the debut single from your debut album, however, is truly a special moment. And Parker Twomey’s moment has arrived. Although he’s only a couple years removed from high school, Twomey is already a seasoned musical veteran. He has spent the past several […]
Embla and the Karidotters’ “Home” – a Twangville Premiere
After 13 years behind the drum kit for Norwegian indie popsters Razika, Embla Karidotter has not only stepped out on her, she’s forging a path in a new musical direction. The forthcoming Hello, I’m Embla hearkens back to the no nonsense country of the 1970’s. “Home”, Karidotter’s latest single, opens with enticing pedal steel and […]
Monday Morning Video – Eli Paperboy Reed at Muscle Shoals
How about one more week with the Paperboy… When Reed released Nights Like This, his Warner Brothers Records debut in 2014, his traditional R&B sound was given a more modern production. But it’s hard to take the classic soul out of the Paperboy. Here’s a version of the song recorded in Muscle Shoals with bassist […]
SXSW 2022 – Say What?!
One of my favorite things about SXSW (well, after the music) are the crazy comments that you hear along the way. Here are a few choice selections from SXSW 2022. I’m not gonna say it’s good to be back. We know that shit. John Doe We got booked for SXSW and we were so excited. […]
SXSW 2022 – The Sounds, Part 2
ALLISON RUSSELL Seeing Allison Russell was a transcendental experience. Her songs and performance were glorious in their intensity and emotion. While she brought out the clarinet and banjo for a few songs, she mostly relied on the talented trio of musicians to support her on acoustic guitar, electric guitar, and cello. Simply magical. BER One […]
SXSW 2022 – The Sounds, Part 1
DOLLY PARTON What can be said about seeing Dolly Parton for the first time? The hits, the stories, the people weeping with joy around me – it was spectacular. And playing “9 to 5” twice – the second time so the audience could sing it – was tremendous. LEE BAINS III & THE GLORY FIRES […]
SXSW 2022 – The Scene
For me, the true harbinger of spring is the arrival of the SXSW Music and Media Conference in Austin, Texas. Or rather, spring begins for me when I arrive in Austin for SXSW. With upwards of 1,000 artists and more than 20,000 attendees from around the world, SXSW is the world’s premiere music conference. Even […]
Monday Morning Video – Eli Paperboy Reed
R&B master Eli Paperboy Reed and his band cram themselves onto a small stage and set fire to the folk gospel classic “God’s Gonna Cut You Down”.