Talk about stripping your artistry down to the core. Here’s Tim Easton, sans microphone and armed with just his acoustic guitar, delivering an energetic performance of his song “Broke My Heart.” If you like what you hear, New West Records has just released Before the Revolution – The Best Of 1998-2011 an impressive collection that […]
Friday Morning Video: Holly Williams
This was suppose to be an elegant review of the excellent new album from Caitlin Rose. Unfortunately, one of the Twangville posse (me) fell down on the job. So instead you get a video from the artist who caused me to lose all sense of time and place this week. Meet Holly Williams.
Son Volt – Honky Tonk
Son Volt released their latest album, Honky Tonk, earlier this week.  Eli and I both are liking it, so we’re going to offer you two reviews for the price of one.  First, here are Eli’s thoughts. “There is a world of wisdom inside a fiddle tuneâ€- Jay Farrar, Down the Highway Honky Tonk is a […]
Mayer’s Playlist for February 2013, Part 2
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH On My Mind, In My Heart, by Jesse Dee Who’d have thought that a kid from Arlington Massachusetts could so brilliantly channel Sam Cooke, Otis Redding and Al Green? Ladies and gentlemen, meet Jesse Dee. Over the course of 11 tracks, Dee rocks, rolls, reels and strolls as if he was […]
Duck Tape Saves Lives: Old 97’s- Too Far to Care [15th Anniversary Edition]
Here is another entry in the recurring feature that demolishes the normal review protocol in favor of cheap jokes, extended digressions, and an occasional interesting thought or two. Duck Tape Saves Lives is inspired by long back and forth emails between myself, fellow Twangviller Todd Mathis, and my twin brother Kyle Petersen. We only intend […]
Monday Morning Video: Kevin Gordon
The word “epic†probably gets bandied about a bit too much. It seems appropriate, however, when discussing Kevin Gordon’s “Colfax/Step in Time.†With a brilliant literary style, Gordon chronicles a young boy in the South during the 1970’s. As the song progresses, he touches on everything from young lust to the dark side of the […]
Corey Harris – Fulton Blues
After many years experimenting with roots music styles from reggae to ragtime, Corey Harris has emerged as a master.  Fulton Blues, a self-produced collection of mainly acoustic blues, represents a return to Harris’ musical roots. As a musical adventurer, Harris can be compared with Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder. He first gained notice with a pure Delta blues […]
Mayer’s Playlist for February 2013, Part 1
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH Rickenbacker Girls, by Todd May This is a real rock record. Now I don’t mean that it is filled with wailing guitars and pounding drums, although both certainly happen on this record. Rather I am referring to its authenticity: real instruments, real songs, real stories and real emotions. It starts with […]
The Mavericks – In Time
In general I have to say I’m really not one of those people who believe in reincarnation. Â Yet when I listen to Raul Malo out in front of The Mavericks I feel like I”m channeling some lonely young woman socialite in pre-revolutionary Havana. Â Malo’s voice is just so….dreamy. Â And the band’s sound is just so….timeless. […]
Josh Ritter: The Beast In Its Tracks
There’s a new Josh Ritter in town. No more “Bright smiles and dark eyes” and “I’ll be the one to drive you back home, Kathleen.” Now there are lyrics like these: “Nightmares have their dreams as well, / when they sleep they go to hell / and they drink their fill on lakes of blood… […]