ALBUM OF THE MONTH: Late Music, by Dennis Diken with the Bell Sound Who knew? After nearly 30 years sitting behind the drums with the Smithereens Dennis Diken emerges as a pop maestro. Diken and collaborator Pete DiBella shine with an album that brims with echoes of the Beach Boys and the Who, circa the […]
Mayer’s Playlist from July 2009, a Video Companion
So my quest for a Bottle Rockets video from the new release turned up empty. That won’t, however, stop us from watching the boys rock out with David Bowie’s “Suffragette City.” From there we run through a string of great live performances from Daddy (Will Kimbrough & Tommy Womack), Jones Street Station, Those Darlins, Ketch […]
Mayer’s Playlist from July 2009
ALBUM OF THE MONTH: Lean Forward, by The Bottle Rockets Now that summer has finally arrived, it’s a good time to pick out the summer albums. It starts with the latest from the pride of Festus, Missouri, The Bottle Rockets. Lead songwriter Brian Henneman is a pop songwriter masquerading as an alt-country musician. And summer […]
Mayer’s Playlist for June 2009, a Video Companion
We kick the June video companion off with selections from this month’s spotlight artists: Missouri’s Ha Ha Tonka and Athens, Georgia’s Patterson Hood. From there we get a bevy of performances from Rhett Miller, Amy Speace, Crooked Fingers, A Camp, Andrew Ripp, The Roadside Graves, Pete Yorn and Matthew Grimm (covering Billy Bragg). We finish […]
Mayer’s Playlist for June 2009
ALBUM OF THE MONTH: Murdering Oscar (and Other Love Songs), by Patterson Hood Patterson Hood’s last solo release was a somber acoustic affair. This one ain’t. In fact, this collection of songs from Hood’s archives is not dissimilar from a Drive-By Truckers release. Sure, I miss Cooley’s guitar and the Truckers triple guitar interplay. But […]
Mayer’s Playlist for May 2009, a Video Companion
We’re back with another fine video playlist of nearly all live performances. We kick things off with John Paul Keith and the One Four Fives performing at the legendary Ardent Studios in Memphis. Other live showcases include Tim Easton (who rocks a bluesy number on his acoustic), Slaid Cleaves, Tift Merritt, These United States, John […]
Mayer’s Playlist from May 2009, Part 2
THE PLAYLIST: Broke My Heart, Tim Easton (from the New West Records release Porcupine) “Love and destruction seem to go together, when you find one the other’s close behind. A broken heart isn’t the worst thing in the world, when you give it justa little piece of time.” Six Fast Bullets, These United States (from […]
Mayer’s Playlist from May 2009, Part 1
ALBUM OF THE MONTH: Spills and Thrills, by John Paul Keith & the One Four Fives Last month we highlighted ex-V-Roy Scott Miller’s latest release, this month it is his former band-mate John Paul Keith’s turn. Keith’s latest is a rockabilly romp, heavy on Southern boogie and down-home fun. The party gets started with the […]
Mayer’s Playlist for March/April 2009, Part 2
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH: Broken, by Todd Thibaud Thibaud is a roots rock everyman, routinely cranking out hearty workingman’s music. His latest continues his streak of satisfying releases. Thibaud is at his best when he takes on the emotional conflicts of people grappling with their everyday lives. His lyrics capture their internal conflict yet keep […]
Mayer’s Playlist for March/April 2009, Part 1
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH: Debris, by Michelle Malone Pity me, I almost missed this release. Fortunately fate intervened and I’ve now got my lead candidate in the summer album derby. Malone’s blend of Southern rock and blues, with the occasional folk and acoustic rock interlude, are the perfect accompaniment for sunny summer days. And lest […]