BEN KWELLER After a multi-year hiatus from music and, at least on this night, was in a feisty mood. In power trio format, he unleashed a boisterous pop fury. Welcome back, Ben. DEATH BY UNGA BUNGA This was the band that I saw that I saw the most at SXSW, catching three of their six […]
SXSW 2019 – The Sounds, Part 1
BALTO I was sold on Balto as soon as I heard the blistering slide on “Black Snake, Mojave Blues”, the sample track that they shared on their SXSW profile page. Seeing them live provided an exclamation point – I caught two exceptional raucous and greasy outdoor sets in the afternoon sun. The LA-based quartet were […]
SXSW 2019 – 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 2,000 bands and more than 20,000 attendees from around the world, SXSW is the world’s premiere music conference. Even […]
Hittin’ the Road with Johnny Chops – a Special Premiere
This isn’t your normal travelogue. Singer-songwriter Johnny Chops and his wife spent two weeks last summer on a road trip from Austin, TX to Southern California and back. Ostensibly the drive was a Chops solo acoustic tour. The video footage that they took along the way, however, paints a romantic picture of life on the […]
Monday Morning Video – Kathleen Edwards “The Cheapest Key”
Kathleen Edwards provides us with an adult version of the A-B-Cs on this classic track from her 2008 gem Asking For Flowers.
Monday Morning Video – Dick Dale
Another legend gone. Influential guitarist Dick Dale, an originator of the surf guitar sound, reportedly passed away over the weekend.
Monday Morning Video – A Premiere from Dwayne Shivers
There’s something magical about the combination of grand piano and acoustic guitar. It’s a point well made by Atlanta ensemble Dwayne Shivers in this premiere of their song “Southern Breezeâ€. The group came together when singer-songwriter Micah Dalton grew tired of playing the solo artist game. Fast forward a few years and the group has […]
Monday Morning Video – ZZ Top
Many of us may be dealing with some cold weather but here’s something to warm you up. How about some vintage ZZ Top to raise the temperature? Here’s “Just Got Paid” from a 1980 live performance.
Mayer’s Playlist for January/February 2019, Part 2
Jingle and Go, Ryan Bingham (from the Axster Bingham Records release American Love Song) Ryan Bingham stretches out on American Love Song, offering up a roadhouse full of of songs about on love, political commentary and boisterous escapades. Opener “Jingle and Go” kicks things off playfully, recalling Little Feat with its intertwined piano and slide […]
Monday Morning Video – Fruition on Fire
Portland Oregon’s Fruition had a busy 2018. They started their year with the release of Watching It All Fall Apart, their 5th full length album and closed it out with Fire, a 5 song EP. In between (and continuing into 2019) they blazed the highways to bring the songs to life on stages across the […]