As 2007 fades from memory, there’s a wealth of great music on the horizon in 2008. I’ve listed a few of my most eagerly awaited arrivals below, ordered by expected release date. Most of the artists have preview tracks available via MySpace; click on the artist name to link there. Check the Twangville Release Calendar […]
Mayer’s Picks from 2007: The Songs
Dress Blues, Jason Isbell Potent in its simplicity, Isbell reflects on the loss of a high school friend in the Iraqi War. Even after hundreds of listens, I still get a chill in my spine when Isbell sings “You never planned on the bombs in the sand, or sleeping in your dress blues.” If I […]
Rich McCulley/cerro gordo
The first thing I thought when I popped cerro gordo into my CD player was, “Is this Guster?â€Â Well, actually no, it wasn’t, it was Rich McCulley. But it sure as hell sounded like Guster. McCulley’s vocals were eerily similar to that of Ryan Miller and the poppy upbeat opener “Forget It All Again†could […]
Happy New Year 2008
I woke up this morning, and none of the news was good Death machines were rumblin’ ‘cross the ground where Jesus stood And the man on my TV told me that it had always been that way And there was nothing anyone could do or say And I almost listened to him Yeah, I almost […]
Todd’s Tops of 2007
Favorite Albums:  Neil Young/Live at Massey Hall – So, some folks call it a reissue, but it’s the first time I’ve heard it and I believe, the first time its been released. Yeah, it was a concert that took place over 30 years ago but still new to my ears and it was one […]
Mayer’s Playlist for November/December (part 2), a Video Companion
The second party of our November/December video companion is chock full of live performances. Bettye Lavette kicks us off, Jason Anderson kicks it up a notch and Ben Arnold just kicks it. Other performances include Band of Horses, Brother Ali, the Redwalls, Joe Purdy, Mark Ronson and Chris Mills.
Dan Israel – Turning
A late release in 2007 that I almost overlooked is Dan Israel’s Turning. In fact this albume has become a late year Twangville fave. Israel has been around a while from the Midwest to Austin and back again. He has opened for acts as diverse as Morissey, Spoon and Peter Himmelman. He has won songwriter […]
Mayer’s Playlist for November/December, part 2
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH: The Scene of the Crime, by Bettye Lavette Detroit’s Bettye LaVette wastes no time in making a statement on her latest release. “I’ve been this way too long to change now,” she declares with a voice that leaves no room for negotiation, “you’re going to have to take me like I […]
Mayer’s Playlist for Nov/Dec (part 1), a Video Companion
The first of a two-parter kicks off with minimalist performances from Gary Lightbody and Lisa Hannigan (The Cake Sale) and Dan Wilson. Chuck Prophet kicks it up a notch before ceding the floor to Marc Cohn, Levon Helm, The Avett Brothers, Sharon Jones and the Daptones and House & Parish. We finish up with additional […]
Mayer’s Playlist for November/December, part 1
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH: The Cake Sale, by The Cake Sale When Brian Crosby and Paul Noonan of Ireland’s Bell X1 were inspired to create a benefit album for Oxfam’s Make Trade Fair campaign, they formed the collective known as The Cake Sale. Friends ranging from Nick Seymour (Crowded House) and Nina Persson (The Cardigans) […]