As much as it pains me to say it, MTV had a good idea. Â It was back in the 90’s and someone there decided it would be unique to hear a rock band playing acoustic and unplugged. Â And very quickly, the better bands discovered they could turn that opportunity into a new sound; something that […]
Fall 2011 Release Preview
It is hard to believe that summer is nearly over. How do I know this? I was at a music club on Saturday that had changed over their Sam Adams tap from Summer to Octoberfest. Talk about jumping the gun! Anyway, the next few weeks will unleash an abundance of great new music just in […]
Frank Turner- England Keep My Bones
I could say a lot of things about England Keep My Bones. I could tell you it’s by a British folk singer named Frank Turner. I could tell you that Frank Turner used to front a post-hardcore band called the Million Dead. I could tell you that Turner’s 2008 record Love, Ire & Song has […]
Monday Morning Video: You Am I
Australian outfit You Am I know how to rock. And they do it really, really well. Don’t believe me? Check out these clips or, for those in select US cities, check them out when they come to your town. Click here for more Twangville coverage on You Am I.
Q & A – Maps & Atlases
Chicago-based four-piece Maps & Atlases aren’t a math-rock band. O.K., good, we’ve got that out of the way now. Sure, there are some rather math-y elements to the band’s indie-folk informed sound, but not to the extent where those intricacies define their overall sonic contributions in the way that many would have one believe. While […]
Monday Morning Video: Big Star
A classic song performed by a legendary songwriter. What better way to start the week.
John Hiatt- Dirty Jeans and Mudslide Hymns
You know what they say about 20th records…….well actually you probably don’t, because few artists ever reach that particular milestone. Well John Hiatt has always had a way of making the difficult look easy. His career now spans 40 years and includes a Lifetime Achievement Award for songwriting from the Americana Music Association, a couple […]
Mayer’s Playlist from July 2011
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH: Not So Loud: An Acoustic Evening, by The Bottle Rockets I don’t know why, but I’ve always hedged when considering the Bottle Rockets as an acoustic outfit. It makes no sense, I know, given that the band is so well travelled on the Americana road. Sure, I love the backporch feel […]
Hayes Carll Vinyl Giveaway!
A few months ago, we took an initial look at the latest record from Hayes Carll, KMAG YOYO (And Other American Stories), and decided that yes, it was worth having and was indeed a good record, but wasn’t the greatest record of Carll’s young career. Well, a few months later, those feelings haven’t necessarily changed, […]
Monday Morning Video: Celebrating with Springsteen
Two members of the Twangville posse had an eventful July, celebrating their weddings in the summer sun. To mark the occasion, my mind first veered toward a slow, sentimental ballad. But that just wouldn’t be the Twangville style. So I give you the celebratory electricity of Bruce Springsteen and the Mighty E Street Band. Congratulations […]