Travis Meadows recently provided a welcome reminder that some of the best songs come directly from the artist’s own life experience. At a Dallas show a few weeks ago, Meadows introduced this song with tales of his youthful quest for love cruising the streets of his Mississippi hometown while listening to classic rock on the […]
Jesse Dayton May Have To Do It (Song Premiere)
Jesse Dayton has some impressive credentials. Early in his career he played guitar with likes of Waylon Jennings and Johnny Cash while more recently lending his talents to artists ranging from Supersuckers to X. And then there are the movie soundtracks that he provided to horror film director Rob Zombie. More recently Dayton has been […]
Michael McDermott Comes Out From Under (Album Premiere)
To say that Michael McDermott has been on a creative run would be a understatement. In 2016 he released not one, but two outstanding albums in a matter of months. First up was Six on the Out, a thematic piece from the Westies, his collaboration with his wife Heather Horton. That was followed several months […]
Monday Morning Video – A Heavenly Premiere from Jeff Plankenhorn
Guitarist Jeff Plankenhorn has become something of an Austin institution, sought after by many artists to lend his musical talents to their albums and performances. Calling him a guitarist doesn’t quite do him justice, though. Sure, he’s designed his very own guitar – a custom lap steel guitar called, perhaps not surprisingly, “The Plankâ€. Give […]
Erica Blinn Keeps on Truckin’ (A Video Premiere)
It is perhaps not surprising that the road is a frequent topic for musicians, certainly those that spend many of their days hauling their gear from town to town. The title of this song certainly suggests that it is the focus here. The lyrics, however, veer in a different direction. As Blinn explains: “Suitcases and […]
Monday Morning Video: Hannah Aldridge Will Leave No Heart Behind
Hannah Aldridge‘s 2017 album Gold Rush is still in heavy rotation among my listening selections, especially the song “Ne Heart Left Behind.” Angry electric guitars fuel the studio version; here Aldridge delivers a solo acoustic take that bristles with the same passion and urgency.
Kris Delmhorst on the Art of Making an Album
One of the things that most impressed me about Kris Delmhorst’s 2017 album The Wild was its evocative and cohesive feel. It was clear that Delmhorst was pursuing a specific vision and captured it brilliantly on the record through both song and performance. The album’s 12 tracks present an enthralling meditation on the passage of […]
Monday Morning Video – The Posies Are Throwing a Party
The Posies are throwing themselves a year-long birthday party and we’re all invited. The group, anchored by Jon Auer and Ken Stringfellow, released their first album 30 years ago. They’ve been through a lot in the subsequent years – the ups and downs of being on a major label, rhythm section personnel changes and more […]
SXSW 2018 – 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 2018. Hi, we’re Dressy Bessy. We won Dumbest Band Name here at SXSW in 1999. This year we aren’t even in the top 500. Tammy Ealom […]
SXSW 2018 – The Sounds, Part 3
TERRA LIGHTFOOT If there was one artist on my “do not miss” list this year it was Terra Lightfoot. I first saw her at SXSW a few years back and she just keeps getting better and better. The combination of her voice, songs and guitar playing makes for a potent rock and roll cocktail. JAIMEE […]