ALBUMS OF THE MONTH Poor Man’s Bible by Mike June Mike June doesn’t pull his punches. At all. His latest release is filled with biting commentary about society, politics and religion. He approaches it with a working-man’s perspective, certainly jaded but with a spirit that flirts between combative and cautiously optimistic. “Big corporations too big […]
Monday Morning Video – Town Mountain Cover Bruce Springsteen
North Carolina’s Town Mountain give Bruce Springsteen’s “I’m On Fire” a bluegrass make-over. Sounds mighty fine to me.
Readers’ Pick: On the Ropes by Honeycutters
HONEYCUTTERS, On the Ropes beats out TOM PETTY & MUDCRUTCH, 2 as your favorite for the week of May 20, 2016. Poll Results New Releases Did we miss something? If you feel a new release is missing from our current poll, please let us know in the comments. Readers’ Top 25 Spring 2016 WILLIE NILE, World War […]
Mayer’s Playlist for May 2016, Part 1
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH Between the Moon and the Midwest by Austin Lucas Austin Lucas wears his heart on his sleeve. He writes from a personal place, revealing – if not quite reveling in – tales of his adventures in love and music. “I look around and at 35 all I’ve got are songs,” he […]
Lloyd Cole On Why Deadlines are Helpful and How To Survive a Tour Van Breakdown (Hint: Really Good Tequila)
Lloyd Cole talks about splurging on a Michelin 3 star restaurant while touring in France and celebrating his 50th birthday by playing heavy rock songs with his kids (songs like “Back in Black” and “Ace of Spaces”).
Monday Morning Video – A Double Dose of Beach Slang
Beach Slang, a Philadelphia rock band (apparently with some Rhode Island roots), passed through Boston last week and put on one hell of a show. The quartet unleashed a fury of guitars and attitude, much to the crowds delight. The set list was a moving target in the best way. Plenty of band originals, along […]
Readers’ Pick: Self-Titled by Those Pretty Wrongs
THOSE PRETTY WRONGS, Those Pretty Wrongs beats out FOY VANCE, The Wild Swan as your favorite for the week of May 13, 2016. Poll Results New Releases Did we miss something? If you feel a new release is missing from our current poll, please let us know in the comments. Readers’ Top 25 Spring 2016 WILLIE NILE, […]
Shamrock Shakes and Oxycontin – A Special Boston Playlist, Part 2
The musical ground in Boston and New England has been especially fertile this year. We’ve already seen some outstanding releases by artists that run the gamut from long-time favorites to incredibly talented newcomers. To that end, here is the latest installment in our periodic series highlighting Boston and New England artists. (View the complete series […]
Hot Buttered Rum – The Kite & the Key
Sort of like a medium who can channel different spirits from the beyond, a good producer can channel the different spirits of a band. Â The new “album” from San Francisco Bay Area-based Hot Buttered Rum gives you the chance to experience that in a comfortably confined space. Â I put the quotes around the word album […]
Guy Clark – The Real Stuff
As soon as I heard about the passing of the iconic troubadour, Guy Clark, one song popped in my mind, “Stuff that Works”. On that song he sings “Stuff that works. Stuff that holds up … Stuff that’s real and stuff you feel. The kind of stuff you reach for when you fall”. Nothing else […]