Those Pretty Wrongs – aka Jody Stephens and Luther Russell – just returned with Zed for Zulu, their long-awaited sophomore album. Like their self-titled debut, it is full of wistful power pop. While the album arrangements elegantly surround Russell’s acoustic guitar with standard guitar/bass/drum accompaniment – not to mention the occasional strings, keyboards and even […]
Americana 2019: Mayer’s Picks (Part 2)
Every fall, The Americana Music Association gathers members, artists and music fans together in Nashville for its annual conference. Starting with the Americana Music Awards and continuing through several days of showcases and panel discussions, it is a tremendous celebration of Americana music. Here are but a few of my favorite performers and performances from […]
Americana 2019: Mayer’s Picks (Part 1)
Every fall, The Americana Music Association gathers members, artists and music fans together in Nashville for its annual conference. Starting with the annual Americana Music Awards and continuing through several days of showcases and panel discussions, it is a tremendous celebration of Americana music. Here are but a few of my favorite performers and performances […]
Monday Morning Video – the Dreaming Spires
I’ve been continuing to dig into some of my favorites from years gone by. I stumbled across Oxford, UK’s The Dreaming Spires at the Americana Music Association festival in Nashville back in 2015. “Searching for the Supertruth”, the title track from their 2015 release, captures the beauty of their music. As the song demonstrates, the […]
Monday Morning Video – Doc Dailey
I’ve been revisiting some of my favorites from years gone by and have been reveling in the Doc Dailey catalog. Dailey introduced himself back in 2010, sending along the just released Victims, Enemies & Old Friends. One listen and I was hooked – the album made my top ten list that year. Here’s a triple […]
Monday Morning Video – Lula Wiles
Folk trio Lula Wiles put out an exceptional album earlier this year. What Will We Do, their sophomore release, showcases for the breadth of their songwriting. In true folk fashion they shift effortlessly from pointed social commentary to candid personal reflection, surrounding catchy melodies with stellar musicianship and harmonies. Here are three favorites from the […]
Bonus Monday Video – Remembering Neal Casal and Donnie Fritts
Last week was another tough one in the music world with the passing of both Donnie Fritts and Neal Casal. Fritts Fritz was the longtime keyboardist for Kris Kristofferson and a renowned Alabama songwriter while Casal was the guitarist in groups ranging from the Chris Robinson Brotherhood to Ryan Adams & the Cardinals to the […]
Monday Morning Video – Runnin’ Solo with Ken Stringfellow
Ken Stringfellow has quite a musical resume. After firmly establishing his power pop credentials as co-founder of The Posies, he has gone on to perform with everyone from R.E.M. to the re-formed Big Star. In between these and several other collaborations, he’s released a couple of stellar solo albums. Stringfellow is about to launch a […]
Monday Morning Video – Vincent Neil Emerson
Country singer Vincent Neil Emerson’s debut was a long time in the making. For several years the East Texas native has been honing his craft the old school way, playing honky-tonks across Texas and beyond. One can hear the miles, not to mention the honky-tonk dance floor dust, pulsing through the songs that make up […]
Mayer’s Playlist for Summer 2019, Part 2
Have You Seen My Girl, Todd May (from the self-released Let’s Go Get Lost) There are certain albums that were meant to be heard on vinyl. While the latest from Todd May isn’t available in that format, one can hear both its inherent warmth and insistent crackle in every song – even when streamed or […]