#1. JASON ISBELL & THE 400 UNIT, Here We Rest (Lightning Rod) I’d be lying if I said that I wasn’t hoping for a full-on rock assault from Isbell and crew. What I got was something better — a nuanced musical tour of his home state of Alabama. From the back porch acoustic sway of […]
Mayer’s Playlist for December 2011
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH: Too Drunk to Truck, by Roy Sludge This album was tailor-made for Twangville. Old school in all the best ways, it might as well be a collection of lost classics from the Sun Studios archive. The title track kicks off the album with a strong indication of what will follow. Yup, […]
Readers’ Pick: What Was Your Favorite Album of 2011?
Over the course of the year we’ve had a weekly poll highlighting select new releases. You’ve picked your favorites each week and those have turned into our weekly and monthly Readers’ Picks. Now it’s time to turn the short list into a Twangville Readers’ Pick of 2011. To qualify, a release had to have at […]
Michael Donner & The Southern Renaissance – No Better Time
Just under the wire for 2011, Michael Donner introduces himself on his first solo album.No Better Time. What an introduction! Donner is certainly going to take listeners by surprise when they discover this collection of well crafted songs. This is not only one of the best under the radar releases of the year, it is […]
Photos that ROCK! Jesse Malin & The St. Marks Social
Jesse Malin & The St. Marks Social Jammin’ Java in Vienna, VA: December 2010 Post by Suzanne D. McMahon (Suzanne Davis Photography) Jesse Malin sure knows how to put on a show. The last time I had seen him, he had the entire audience sit on the floor and then came to join us (even […]
Mayer’s Playlist for Oct/Nov 2011, Part 2
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH: Long Live All of Us, by Glossary Glossary have always had a reputation as a scrappy rock band from Murfreesboro, TN. While their latest doesn’t abandon the past, the band has injected a healthy dose of southern soul into the mix. And, man, does it sound good. Opener “Trouble Won’t Always […]
Gillian Welch – Back Porch Music Hall
When Gillian Welch & David Rawlings took the stage at the Music Hall in Portsmouth, New Hampshire and Gill began her first song “I am an orphan on God’s highway,” I had a vision. I thought of A.P. Carter and his hopes for country music. How if he walked in at that very moment, the […]
Shawn Nelson – San Juan Street
The Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Shawn Nelson. Â What do they have in common? Â Anthems about being a free spirit. Â You undoubtedly know about Ramblin’ Man and Free Bird. Â In the case of Shawn Nelson, it’s Nobody Got A Hold On Me, the first track on his 4th release, San Juan Street. Â Stylistically the song is […]
Artists I’m Thankful For (A Fall Collection)
At this time of year, we all like to sit back, reflect, and look at what we are thankful for. Most people around my neck of the woods cite family, freedom, friends, etc., and while I am very thankful for all of those, I’m also pretty thankful for a few musicians that seem to pop […]
Barr Brothers
The Barr Brothers are causing a buzz in the Indie world. Their self-titled debut release is a mostly acoustic journey into the duality of human emotion. They explore the context of our true feelings, and the complex emotions that make us betray them. The Barr brothers are not new on the scene, they are the […]