Sometimes, when you hear music coming out of Austin you realize that it just couldn’t come from anywhere else. The songwriting style of Guy Clark and Townes van Zandt from back in the day; the fiddle and accordion Tejano influences; the dance halls of central Texas; it’s all there. That’s what struck me most about […]
Quick Hits – Small Town Therapy and The Popravinas
LA-based The Popravinas are going to bust out of their self-described confines as one of the best SoCal party bands if they aren’t careful. Guitarist and producer John Adair has added some pretty sweet country licks to lead singer and writer Eddy Sill’s blue collar, roots rock compositions. Almost Sick has a classic, honky tonk […]
Bambi Lee Savage – Berlin-Nashville Express
Bambi Lee Savage started her music career on the control side of the mixing board, doing audio engineering for the likes of U2 and Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds. Over time, though, her creative outlet became the craft of songwriting and led her to singing and playing on the other side of the glass. […]
The Get Ahead – Deepest Light
The bartender and I agreed on a universal truth: a band that has a trumpet or sax and a fiddle is going to be a lot of fun. The band in front of us was the Vandoliers, but the truism extends to Calexico and St. Paul & the Broken Bones, going all the way back […]
Megg Farrell & Friends – Megg Farrell & Friends
Imagine if Patsy Cline took the stage at a smoky old jazz club, backed by a string band. Or better still, Diana Krall guesting on vocals with Heybale! at the Continental on a Sunday evening in Austin. That juxtaposition is a good way to think about the self-titled, debut album from Megg Farrell & Friends. […]
Old Settler’s Music Festival 2019 – The Music
Every year in mid-April I head to Austin for the Old Settler’s Music Festival. Here are some of the highlights for me of the 4 day line-up. Kickin’ It Off: The first night of music at OSMF is always in the campground and a nice welcome to get things started right. The first band was […]
Old Setter’s Music Festival 2019
Every year in mid April I head to Austin for the start of the outdoor music season. No, I’m not headed to SXSW, but rather to the Old Settler’s Music Festival. It’s become my favorite outdoor festival with a mix of good vibe and good music I haven’t found elsewhere. Let’s start with the music. […]
Ted Russell Kamp Video Premiere – Home Away From Home
Life on the road is hard. As the glass of water metaphor describes, though, optimists and pessimists see that challenge differently. You can put Ted Russell Kamp firmly in the former. Between his own performances and as a long-time member of Shooter Jennings’ band, Kamp gets double the opportunity to travel. On his latest record, […]
Tim Bluhm – Sorta Surviving
There’s nothing like going to the source of your inspiration to really understand its intricacies. Californian Tim Bluhm, of The Mother Hips, did just that when he decided to do a country music album. Sorta Surviving was recorded at Johnny Cash’s cabin-cum-studio, and features A-list players like Jesse Aycock on guitar and Elizabeth Cook on […]
Son Volt – Union
The previous two Son Volt albums explored leader Jay Farrar’s musical groundings in country and blues with Honky Tonk and Notes Of Blue respectively. On his latest record, Farrar and his bandmates are showing some of their folk roots. That’s not to say Union is a folk record: far from it, this is a return […]