It sure was a hot summer. One that didn’t bring much rain or relief in my area. The good news is that some great music was born this summer. The best of which came from artists like Jason Isbell, Grace Potter, Peter Case and Ryan Adams in my opinion. But that shouldn’t downplay artists like […]
Mayer’s Playlist for September 2007
THE ALBUM OF THE MONTH: Goodbye Blue Monday, by Jeremy Fisher Canada’s Fisher is a fresh voice on the scene with a sound that falls somewhere between folk and acoustic pop. The opening track “Scar That Never Heals” recalls Simon & Garfunkel’s “Me & Julio Down by the Schoolyard” and Simon-esque songwriting percolates throughout the […]
Mayer’s Playlist for August 2007, A Video Companion
Another great month of music, another fine collection of videos. And speaking of videos, how about Justin Timberlake at the VMAs imploring MTV to play more videos. Rock on, Justin, rock on. Highlights this month include a dynamic duo of live Josh Ritter performance and a double shot and short documentary from new faves Stonehoney. […]
Mayer’s Playlist for August 2007
THE ALBUM OF THE MONTH: The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter, by Josh Ritter Josh Ritter bounces back from his label’s bankruptcy in fine fashion. Quickly (and smartly) picked up by Victor/Sony, Ritter releases his second masterpiece in as many years. Historical Conquests may not have the lyrical gravity of last year’s breathtaking Animal Years, […]
Mayer’s Playlist for July 2007, A Video Companion
“My name is Jason Isbell. This is my fabulous rock and roll band The 400 Unit. And we need more whiskey as soon as anybody can get it up to the stage.” Quite the fitting kick-off to the July video companion… This month’s video companion bears a certain similarity to a full bottle of Jack […]
Mayer’s Playlist for July 2007
THE ALBUM OF THE MONTH: It was another great month for new albums. I’m calling it a draw in the album of the month category. Sirens of the Ditch, by Jason Isbell At long last, Isbell unleashes his solo debut and shows the breadth of his talents. Sure, there are rock songs like the opening […]
Best of Spring 2007, a Playlist
I’m finally getting around to sharing my favorite songs from releases in Spring. As usual, there were a few casualties trying to fit the entire list onto a single disc. Among the fallen were Loudon Wainwright III, Elliot Smith and Mando Daio. All were painful to remove, but in the end I don’t think the […]
Mayer’s Playlist for June 2007
THE ALBUM OF THE MONTH: It was a tough month for the Album of the Month… in a positive way. I couldn’t decide on a single album so this month we get two! A Year in the Wilderness, by John Doe John Doe may be one of the most under-appreciated songwriters of the day. Musically […]
Mayer’s Playlist for May 2007, A Video Companion
It’s hard to go wrong with a book-end set of Stax classics featuring Otis Redding and Sam & Dave. In between we venture into the heart of Twangville for some Gina Villalobos, Mic Harrison, Brandi Carlile and Leeroy Stagger. Throw in some Ike Reilly, Patty Hurst Shifter and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and we’ve got […]
Mayer’s Playlist for May 2007
THE ALBUM OF THE MONTH: The Stax 50th Anniversary Celebration The Stax sound is one of American music’s greatest legacies. one of the greatest legacy’s in American music. With Booker T & the MGs — a house-band so good that they could score a #1 song on their own (with the instrumental “Green Onions”) as […]