Along with the download that I posted in my January playlist last week, the fine folks from Kingsley Flood shared this video of the song “Strongman” from their recent cd release party in Washington D.C. If nothing else, watch at the 2:00 minute mark as drummer Travis Richter attempts to atomize his drums. Now THIS […]
Bill Mallonee – Amber Waves
Bill Mallonee’s 50th release (that is not a typo by the way) is one of his most impassioned. I realize that is a bold statement when the referenced artist has such a large body of work. The lyrics on “Amber Waves” are full of pain and loss. However, there is an underlying hope in these […]
Mayer’s Playlist for January 2013
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH Battles, by Kingsley Flood Battles is the sound of a band hitting stride. Kingsley Flood have always delivered rock solid songs and performances. Their latest release, however, packages their most potent songwriting to date with some equally powerful arrangements. There’s a real edge to the songs across this release. The title […]
Monday Morning Video: The Gourds with Rhett Miller
Did everyone hear that David Bowie has a new album coming out this year? Well, this ain’t him. It’s Austin’s favorite sons the Gourds (joined by Rhett Miller) performing the Bowie-penned “All the Young Dudes.”
Bill Mallonee – Live House Concert
To say that Bill Mallonee is prolific in his songwriting is an understatement. Between traditional releases and online releases, he has recorded 50 albums. Based in Athens, he came on the scene in the late 80’s as the front man for the Vigilantes of Love, but has primarily been a solo-act for the better part […]
Skinny Molly – Haywire Riot
Welcome to 1978. Hardworking, hard rocking Skinny Molly’s new release, Haywire Riot, is an unabashed throwback in the tradition of southern rock bands Molly Hatchet and Lynyrd Skynyrd. Led by frontman Mike Estes, a member of latter-day iterations of Lynyrd Skynyrd since the mid-1990s, the band was intended as a fun diversion but Estes said it became his […]
Monday Morning Video: A Vintage Performance by the Band
Now this is a find. Here’s a four-song set by the Band, captured during a performance in Pittsburgh, PA back in November 1970. The set list includes: “Time to Kill,” “The Weight,” “This Wheel’s on Fire” and “Up on Cripple Creek.” Mighty fine.
Carrie Rodriguez – Give Me All You Got
I’ll get straight to the point here. Â Carrie Rodriguez has finally captured the energy, or spirit, or je ne sais quoi, or whatever you want to call it, of seeing her live, on a record. Â I’ve enjoyed Carrie’s previous records. Â But they tended to be sort of introspective. Â Go to a live show, though, and […]
Jeff’s Favorite Records of 2012
1. Robert Francis – Strangers in the First Place After his major-label debut in 2009, I thought Robert Francis would be my little secret no longer. But strangely, neither 2009’s Warner release Before Nightfall or this year’s vanguard release Strangers in the First Place brought the kind of attention that I thought. This hasn’t dulled […]