While the image of David Berkeley from the album cover and his stage persona may suggest otherwise, David Berkeley’s music sounds like anything but. . . . The songs have subtle orchestrated textures and thoughtful but not self-indulgent lyrics. Berkeley spurns the folk-singer norm, but his voice won’t let him fall fully into the Americana […]
Coming Soon: 2011 Release Preview, Part 2
Without fail, there are always two random days each year that overflow with impressive new releases. Mark February 15th on your calendar for a bounty of musical delight. And if you are still catching up on 2010, you’ll find our Best Of 2010 lists here. KASEY ANDERSON, Heart of a Dog (Release date 15 February […]
Up & Comers – Honey Child
Honey Child may be currently unsigned, but that will not be the case for long. Their sound is definitely Indie Rock, but their music is mostly up tempo and very accessible. They mix the electric instruments of a Rock band with mandolin, banjo and acoustic guitars. The instrumentation produces an Alternative sound with Americana undertones. The songs have melodies and […]
Abigail Washburn- City of Refuge
City of Refuge is a surprising album from Abigail Washburn. It’s not surprising because it’s a crazy fusion of Appalachian music and Chinese folk songs—she’s done that already. It’s not surprising because it features the talents of banjo-god Bela Fleck—she’s done that too, with the ground breaking Sparrow Quartet. It’s surprising for a whole passel […]
The Acoustic Burgoo – Soul Bucket
Sometimes it’s amazing how changing just one instrument changes the whole sound of a band. Â You can hear that happen a few times in the latest release from The Acoustic Burgoo, Soul Bucket. Â From the folky, acoustic, harmonies of Appalachia, band member Rudy Bzdyk (sic) chimes in with his trumpet and suddenly you’re down in […]
Todd’s 2010 Mixtape
So folks, I made this easy for you. 20 songs, a little over an hour, it all fits on one CD, and it is promised to delight. Some of my favorite tunes from the past year. Cheers. This Fucking Job / Drive By Truckers Swollen But Not the Same / Bobby Bare Jr. Hurricane J […]
Coming Soon: 2011 Release Preview, Part 1
Even though we’ve just barely wrapped 2010, the 2011 release calendar is about to burst from the gate. Here are a few releases we’re eagerly awaiting at the Twangville General Store. And don’t forget our special give-away — tell us your most highly anticipated 2011 release and be eligible for signed cds from Chris Knight […]
Best Albums of 2010, Tom’s Picks
Here are my favorite albums of 2010 of everything I listened to. As usual, my tastes are all over the map as you can clearly see. You’ll see some long time favorites like Eli “Paperboy” Reed, Justin Townes Earle, Hold Steady, and Ray Lamontagne in my top 10 but also pay close attention to some […]
John Moreland & the Black Gold Band- Things I Can’t Control
Things I Can’t Control features the same rock and roll that made Endless Oklahoma Sky an unheralded masterpiece two years ago. It is, unfortunately, the swan song for the rollicking Black Gold Band. Though all signs point to Moreland having just as much rock in his solo work, it’s sad that this band never got […]
Readers’ Picks: Best Albums of 2010 (Plus a Giveaway)
Twangville readers rallied to give Paul Thorn‘s ‘Pimps and Preachers’ an overwhelming victory for album of the year. An interesting fact about the album is that Thorn himself painted the album cover. He painted the preacher to be his father and the pimp to be his uncle. You don’t have to look much further to […]