Bob Walkenhorst is among the most impressive songwriters that I’ve heard, a vibrant and literate lyricist who packs his songs with social commentary. As the lead singer and songwriter for Missouri’s Rainmakers in the late 1980’s, he matched intelligent lyrics with the force of classic rock and roll. Although I didn’t share his political views […]
John Gorka – Writing in the Margins, Reviewed
I was reminded of John Gorka while watching a Judy Garland biography on PBS last week; he wrote a character sketch of the actress on his first album, detailing the movie studio mistreatment that contributed to her tragic struggles. It was a fledgling example of his ability to report the human condition with keen insight […]
Special Guest Twangville Commentary
While conducting an interview backstage at this year’s Lollapalooza Festival, Mike Patton (Faith No More, Peeping Tom) offers his opinion on the band Wolfmother. See the video here. Video courtesy of G4.
Bonnie Raitt and Friends, Reviewed
Effortless. Like an eagle soaring in a calm wind. This is how Bonnie Raitt delivers her music. Back in September of 2005, Raitt played a concert for VH1 Classic in Atlantic City at the Trump Taj Mahal. It would have been enough to record Raitt and her band alone, release a live concert album and […]
Twangville Recommends: Jabe
After several years spent performing as a guitarist for Kris Delmhorst and Todd Thibaud, Jabe Beyer returns with Where are We Going & When Do We Get There, his fourth solo release. I’ve got my own question for New England guitarist Jabe Beyer: why did we have to wait so long for his latest release? […]
Mid-year in Review, Pt. 3: Best of the Rest
Still catching up. Here’s four more releases that captured my attention in 2006. Elvis Costello & Allen Toussaint: The River in Reverse If you have the time, click here for a marvelous read. It’s a list of Elvis Costello’s top 500 recommended albums — an extremely diverse list, which illustrates his willingness to embrace virtually […]
The Genius of Allen Toussaint
Live shows don’t get much better than the pairing of Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint, currently wrapping up a tour in support of their collaborative release The River in Reverse. While Costello has become known for his eclectic musical collaborations over the past decade, he’s reached a new peak with Toussaint. Whether creating musical arrangements […]
Mid-year in Review, Pt. 1: The Tributes
Hard to believe the year’s half over. I’m gonna beat the Christmas rush and muse about some notable releases from the first half of ’06. This week: the tribute albums. Sail Away: The Songs of Randy Newman One of the more fascinating releases this year, this tribute pairs Randy Newman’s songs of the South with […]
Tall Tales & Other Big Lies
A hiliarious animated story told by Ray Wylie Hubbard about a concert in the seventies. This was runner up for Best Animated Short at the 2006 SXSW Film Festival. Produced by TroyCampbell. Animated & Directed by Dano Johnson. Illustrations by Jose Luis Gonzalez. Music by Troy Campbell with Ray Wylie Hubbard. Copyright 2006 Collection Agency […]
Another Classic Will Hoge Rock Show
So my day job has been interfering with my Twangville activities. I hate it when that happens. I was, however, able to get to the rock show this weekend featuring Twangville fave Will Hoge. Rather than tell you about it, here’s a clip from a recent show. What the clip lacks in sound quality it […]