Americana musician Kirby Brown has reinvented his musical self as Kirby Baby. He comes out swinging with “Hell When You Come Around”, a great indie rocker about a relationship as irresistible as it is destructive: i know it’s going to be scars after loving youi know I’m going to fall hard like I always doit’s […]
Readers’ Pick: Joshua Ray Walker – Tropicana
You picked Joshua Ray Walker – Tropicana as your favorite new release for the week of June 13, 2025.
Mayer’s Playlist for Spring 2025, Part 2
True Believer, Jason Isbell (from the Southeastern Records release Foxes in the Snow) Foxes in the Snow finds Jason Isbell in a raw, reflective space, drawing from the emotional wreckage of heartbreak and the cautious hope of starting over. These songs live in the aftermath—where pain lingers, memories echo, and new love emerges slowly, shaped […]
Larry McCray on Music Streaming, Ticket Prices, and Burnished Nickel Guitar Strings
Blues singer and guitarist Larry McCray talks about touring in “Nellie Bell”, the time the police drove him to a gig, and the importance of having a trusted legal advisor.
Monday Morning Video – Celebrating Two Greats
We lost two great architects of rock and roll last week with the passing of Brian Wilson and Sly Stone. Each pursued a singular vision and leave behind tremendous musical legacies. Here is but a taste of their greatness. “God Only Knows” and “I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times” from Wilson and “Everyday People” […]
Readers’ Pick: North Mississippi Allstars – Still Shakin
You picked North Mississippi Allstars – Still Shakin as your favorite new release for the week of June 7, 2025.
Mayer’s Playlist for Spring 2025, Part 1
The Van Pelt Parties, Patterson Hood (from the ATO Records release Exploding Trees and Airplane Screams) Patterson Hood has long been a master of Southern storytelling, and on his latest album, he delivers a collection of tales—some real, some imagined—that reflect the complexities of life in the Deep South, particularly his native Alabama. These aren’t […]
Shelby Means – Shelby Means
I sometimes get surprised when a musician releases a debut album. Their industry stature and experience just led me to assume that along with all their other projects they’d somewhere along the line done a solo record. Such is the case with Charleston’s Shelby Means. With groundbreaking and Grammy-winning stints in Della Mae, and Molly […]
Rabbit Feet – a Premiere from Norma
I’ve written before about the richness of the Norwegian Americana scene, affectionately called Nordicana. The latest to emerge from those fertile grounds is Norma, a quartet delivering some mighty fine cosmic country. Their sound blends psychedelic shimmer, rock grit, and folk warmth, all wrapped in luminous three-part harmonies. Though still a relatively new band, they’ve […]
Ally Venable on A Day Spent Waitressing and Now Living Out Her Dreams
Blues-rock artist Ally Venable talks about early gigs at coffee shops, grocery stores, crawfish stands, and flatbed trailers and the importance of not taking the music business personally.