I was reading the other day about the Horseshoe Theory, which suggests that the extreme right and extreme left have surprisingly similar points of view on many things. I won’t comment on the political validity of that, but I discovered a musical version of the idea. Imagine combining the DIY aesthetic of punk rock and […]
The Dang-It Bobbys – Early Riser
With July 4th just passed the cultural calendar is firmly planted in summer styles. The literary publications are full of reviews of beach reads. Hollywood is rolling out their summer blockbusters, a category which, if the critics are to be believed, pretty much originated 50 years ago with a story about a beach and a […]
Studio Spotlight/Welcome to 1979, Chris Mara
In 2018 I had the opportunity to attend Tape Camp at Welcome to 1979 in Nashville, then stay over for a few days and record. Chris and his team were nothing less than fantastic and the place is a wonderland for bands to explore. I recently reached out and asked if he would answer our […]
Maria Muldaur – One Hour Mama: The Blues of Victoria Spivey
Sometimes music can act as a time machine, delivering us back to some previous time or place. Maria Muldaur’s latest tribute to Victoria Spivey takes her listeners back to the “Roaring Twenties,” a time when Spivey’s saucy lyrics and jaunty rhythms played a big part of the counter-culture of the day. Born in Houston in […]
South Carolina Roundup
I often get a few local bands on my radar spinning around the Columbia area and beyond. Here are a few I think you should check out. The Water Kickers – With beautiful melodies and interesting arrangements the Water Kickers feature husband and wife duo Kelley and Brody fronting the band. They are strong enough […]
The Twangville 2025 Album Preview-Side B
Here are some albums that we’re looking forward to hearing in the back half of 2025… Americana Radio by J. Isaiah Evans and the Boss Tweed (11 July) Evans and the Boss Tweed make a raucous entrance with their debut album. Evans pairs his booming voice with his fierce guitar for ten tracks of what […]
Mayer’s Picks – The Best of 2025 (So Far), the Songs
Wrong End & Black Snake, Mojave Blues, Balto (from the self-released No Hard Feeling) These two songs represent the scope of Balto’s musical power – the unbridled rock and roll fury of “Black Snake, Mojave Blues” and the powerful emotion of “Wrong End”, the band’s seeming farewell to music: I don’t believe in songs no moreIn the long dead horse […]
BettySoo – If You Never Go Away
As far as I can tell, every musician has a bunch of sad songs in their catalog. If songwriting is cathartic, that makes complete sense because it’s the difficult things in life that need to be worked out, not the happy moments. Austinite BettySoo professes to be the queen of sad songs, going so far […]
Mayer’s Picks – the Best of 2025 (So Far), the Albums
No Hard Feeling by Balto Released quietly in late December 2024, Balto’s surprise album opened 2025 on an incredibly powerful note—impassioned, defiant, and beautifully crafted. From the slow-burning heartbreak of “Big City” to the searing catharsis of “Black Snake, Mojave Blues,” the band channels their frustrations and fading faith in music into a collection that’s […]
D.K. Harrell – Talkin’ Heavy
Young D.K. Harrell is good. Really good. With a polished guitar sound and soulful vocals, his sound is reminiscent of a Harrell’s idol B.B. King or a young Robert Cray. Born D’Kieran Harrell in Ruston, Louisiana, Harrell says he first heard King when he was a toddler and immediately started singing along. He grew up […]