I still can’t believe that Robert Francis has managed to steer clear of the spotlight. He’s young, talented, and has an amazing voice. His songs are both accessible and devastating. He sings about lost love, drug addiction, and the road in an authentic voice. But why wasn’t he touring? Apparently, Francis left music altogether, shaved […]
Long Time . . . Seldom Scene
Isn’t it funny how a set of covers can sound so revolutionary. The Seldom Scene certainly began their career in the early 70s looking at bluegrass a bit differently. Way back when, their style was one of the first of the “progressive” style of bluegrass. Yet now, the band is on Smithsonian records and is […]
DBT Slays Boston
50 years old. At that age, you’d think that most people would be settling into their career. Yet Patterson Hood still seems like he’s got lots new to say. He and Mike Cooley may be a little bit older, but they’ve definitely still got a hard-edged guitar attack and a heck of a lot of […]
Nickel Creek – A Dotted Line
Nine year itch? Well nine years can’t come fast enough. Nickel Creek albums have instrumental brilliance throughout, folky, experimental, bluegrass, and true band dynamics. The albums can be uneven at times, but such sheer brilliance shines through each album. So I thought that a reunion album would be the diet coke of Nickel Creek. Strangely, […]
The Grass is Always Bluer – The Seldom Scene
At twangville, we love our rootsy music but thus far we haven’t given one of the most distinct strains of country its due. And that will change today. I’ve had my own personal bluegrass renaissance and at the hands of the skilled pickers of the  Seldom Scene. The band has made a habit of bringing […]
Girls Guns and Glory
If you were to waltz into a Girls, Guns, and Glory show in Boston, you might think you were dreaming. Ward Hayden on stage seems like he walked out of a honky tonk. He wears the hat, has the mannerisms, hell he even smiles like a classic country singer. Small town Franklin MA and their […]
David Wax Museum at the Sinclair
When one thing ends, another begins. Suz Slezak had her baby 6 weeks ago and suddenly she was back on tour in the limelight. She talked about how relaxing her life as a pregnant woman was compared to hotel rooms and tour buses. I suppose that coming back to Boston (where they started and Wax […]
Celebrate the Best Shows of 2013
I’ve been pretty active on the concert front this year. From small shows to medium shows, I’ve seen lots of great and underappreciated acts as well as established acts hitting their stride. Some surprisingly good and others expected to be good. Definitely feel lucky to have enjoyed so much quality live and twangy music this […]
Throwback Tuesday: The Bottle Rockets
Jeff McMahon (Original Album) Brian Henneman has really been all over the place in the alt-country world. He’s worked with Uncle Tupelo and they have worked with him. He played lead guitar on Wilco’s debut A.M. (definitely the most out and out country album of theirs). But from the first note of his songs, he […]
Travis & Boston: Reunited and it Feels so Good!
When you see an old friend, even if you know they’ve changed, there’s always a hope that things will come back to the way they were. That’s why you can’t help but check in on them, or these days, see their facebook page. I was worried about seeing Travis since their recent albums weren’t nearly […]