As a lover of music and also as a documentary geek, it doesn’t get any better for me than when I get my hands on a well done film that chronicles the artistic life of one of our greatest legends. I have enjoyed films that showcase up and comers, like Dig! for example (featuring Brian […]
Win Big! A Dar Williams Give-Away
Dar Williams cranks it up a notch on Promised Land, her latest release. Returning from a three year recording hiatus Williams transforms her folk roots into a more pop-oriented sound. Lead-off track “It’s Alright” is a great example: a happy-go-lucky melody highlighted by William’s bright lyrics and gentle voice. As if to prove the point, […]
Todd Snider’s Gift to You
One need look no further than the title of his latest release to realize that Todd Snider has an eccentric personality. Peace Queer combines Snider’s outspoken politics with his quirky sense of humor. His stark take on John Fogerty’s “Fortunate Son†takes the song’s anger to a deeper level. “As an International Peace Queer, I […]
Zack Hickman’s House of Ill Repute
Every once in awhile you come across a show that simultaneously offers the highest and lowest of expectations. My first visit to Zack Hickman’s House of Ill Repute, a month-long residency in Cambridge’s Lizard Lounge was that kind of show. Hickman, the mustachioed bassist for Twangville fave Josh Ritter and several others, has been inviting […]
The Book Report Part 1: Sing Me Back Home – Dana Jennings
Dana Jennings shares through his personal experience why traditional Country music endures and has meant so much to so many generations. He also reflects on how it has changed, and conjectures as to why modern country music has changed its tune. The primary factor is socio-economic and demographic. Histtory teaches us that after the great […]
MySpace Secret Shows Hit Boston
After a long wait, the MySpace Secret Shows finally hit Boston last week. In earlier editions, New York got Neil Diamond at the small but legendary Bitter End while Eagle Rock California got Rilo Kiley at a bowling alley. Heck, even Billings Montana got the Hold Steady. Boston got… Chicago punk band Rise Against. Gotta […]
Ray Lamontagne – Gossip in the Grain
With the release of his 3rd studio album, Ray Lamontagne has broadened the concept of what we have come to know as a “Ray Lamontagne Album“. Gossip in the Grain (Oct. 14 -RCA) seamlessly blends multiple moods, tempos and even a sense of humor into a complete work that shows dexterity and growth in such […]
Bob Dylan, Tell Tale Signs
John Leland once called Dylan a trickster in his book Hip: The History. He saw Dylan as one of those enigmatic people who we are unable to capture, unable to get a real grasp of. A sense of understanding of Dylan, according to Leland, bestows us with a sense of hipness, even though in silence […]
Live in Twangville: Grateful Dead Give-Away
In my mind, there is no denying that The Grateful Dead is a classic, iconic American band. In my opinion, the Dead represented a true alternative to mainstream rock of the 60’s and 70’s and were in the forefront of blending rock, country, funk and even jazz into a concoction that few people knew what […]
Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, 2008 Version
First a note that with 70+ acts over 5 stages in basically 2 days (plus a short warm-up schedule Friday afternoon), any Hardly Strictly Bluegrass review is going to be partial. I’ve discovered that with careful scheduling and a knowledge of some shortcuts between stages in Golden Gate Park, I can absorb about a dozen […]