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 […]
Kai Crowe-Getty – The Wreckage
At some point in everyone’s life you learn to measure your hopes and desires against the reality of your situation. You have to still keep them separate in order to function daily, but each can inform the other. I think that heightened sense of self-awareness is the common thread in the songs from Virginian Kai […]
“We Are, We Are” – A Video Premiere from Willie Nile
Fresh off the release of his latest album, Willie Nile keeps the momentum rolling with the premiere of a new video for “We Are, We Are”—a full-throttle rock anthem that channels his signature mix of grit, heart, and unshakeable optimism. The song is classic Nile: a defiant, uplifting anthem built for raised fists and open […]
Mayer’s Playlist for Spring 2025, Part 2
True Believer, Jason Isbell (from the Southeastern Records release Foxes in the Snow) Foxes in the Snow finds Jason Isbell in a raw, reflective space, drawing from the emotional wreckage of heartbreak and the cautious hope of starting over. These songs live in the aftermath—where pain lingers, memories echo, and new love emerges slowly, shaped […]
Mayer’s Playlist for Spring 2025, Part 1
The Van Pelt Parties, Patterson Hood (from the ATO Records release Exploding Trees and Airplane Screams) Patterson Hood has long been a master of Southern storytelling, and on his latest album, he delivers a collection of tales—some real, some imagined—that reflect the complexities of life in the Deep South, particularly his native Alabama. These aren’t […]
Shelby Means – Shelby Means
I sometimes get surprised when a musician releases a debut album. Their industry stature and experience just led me to assume that along with all their other projects they’d somewhere along the line done a solo record. Such is the case with Charleston’s Shelby Means. With groundbreaking and Grammy-winning stints in Della Mae, and Molly […]
Rabbit Feet – a Premiere from Norma
I’ve written before about the richness of the Norwegian Americana scene, affectionately called Nordicana. The latest to emerge from those fertile grounds is Norma, a quartet delivering some mighty fine cosmic country. Their sound blends psychedelic shimmer, rock grit, and folk warmth, all wrapped in luminous three-part harmonies. Though still a relatively new band, they’ve […]
The Shootouts – Switchback
Some people collect old vinyl records. Some people collect autographs. As far as I can tell, Ryan Humbert and his bandmates in The Shootouts collect guest stars. They just released their 4th album, Switchback, and it includes appearances from Vince Gill, Rodney Crowell, and Sam Bush, among others. Their previous records have featured Chuck Mead, […]