There are songwriters that are so prolific, that they write a song a day. Maybe once a week, they write a good one. The difficulty then comes in figuring which ones are really good. Guy Clark is not that kind of songwriter. He is a true craftsman in every sense of the word. Working on […]
Judith Edelman – Clear Glass Jar
Back in 1998 while touring in support of Only Son, Judith Edelman offered some advice to aspiring songwriters that they should write a song every day. Some would not be very good, but some would be surprisingly good. And as proof of the latter she offered up her song, Library Card, about, literally, her library […]
From Texas to Nashville: Seth James & Amanda Shires
A couple of recent releases have provided great examples of records that were made by Texan artists in Music City. People often mistakenly – and lazily – equate any country music made in Nashville to the slick pop style that is featured on Top 40 Country radio. For those paying attention, these two albums should […]
Reader’s Pick: The Bear by Stephen Kellogg & the Sixers
Twangville readers picked ‘The Bear’ by Stephen Kellogg & the Sixers as their favorite release for week of September 8, 2009. With their fifth full release the SK6ERS solidify what they’ve always done well… plain-and-simple rock-n-roll! Chock full of layered instrumentation and pop hooks The Bear should be a recipe for how to produce a […]
Kieran Kane – Somewhere Beyond the Roses
An album doesn’t have to have great lyrics for me to connect with it. A good song doesn’t need to possess deep meaning for me to enjoy it. In fact there is nothing more formulaic and boring than a guy with an acoustic guitar pretending to hold the meaning of life. However, when I come […]
Coming Soon: Lucero, Drivin’ N’ Cryin’, Tom Russell
We’re getting into the fall release season and there are some good ones on the horizon. Here are a few for your consideration. 1372 Overton Park, Lucero This may be my most anticipated release for the fall. The boys from Memphis have long been known for their raucous live shows and whiskey-soaked songs. (Although whiskey-soaked […]
Live Recap – Red Dirt Round-Up (Ft. Worth, TX)
This past Sunday, I had the privilege of attending the 4th annual Red Dirt Round-Up hosted by Cross Canadian Ragweed in the Ft. Worth Stockyards (right next to Billy Bob’s). It was a fantastic time, and as usual, it made for some great people watching. Below are some thoughts: Sorry, I have tried. I just […]
Mayer’s Playlist for August 2009, a Video Companion
We’ll cut right to the chase with this live performance only edition of the Video Companion. The Drive-By Truckers burst out of the gate with Patterson Hood’s fiesty “The Righteous Path” followed by Austin’s (by way of Somerville) Porterdavis singing “Smack You Back.” We carry on with Ian Hunter, Delbert McClinton, Sam Baker, These United […]
Readers’ Pick: The Fine Print by Drive-by Truckers
Twangville readers picked ‘The Fine Print’ by the Drive-by Truckers as their favorite release for week of September 1, 2009. ‘The Fine Print’ is subtitled as ‘A Collection Of Oddities and Rarities 2003-2008’ and it is just that. A collection of previously unreleased tunes from an especially fruitful time in DBT history. The smattering of […]
The Belleville Outfit – Live at Yoshi’s
One of the signs I look for in really good musicians is their ability to play to the audience, both the crowd that particular night as well as the nuances of a venue. The Belleville Outfit played Yoshi’s jazz club in San Francisco Monday night and became my poster child for just how to execute […]