With a name like Memphis 59, and an album cover like a rusty truck you may think that the “Ragged” moniker would ring true. But instead of a rough edged, dirty sound, Memphis 59 come off as clean as a whistle. Grammy-winner John Jennings has cleaned up their sound to a fault. It’s squeaky clean. […]
Tumbledown into Punk Country
There are still many a music fan out there that doesnt quite get where the roads of punk and country or folk meet. For those that do “get it”, it isnt hard to draw a straight line that connects the spirits of Woody Guthrie and Joe Strummer. While the sonics of the two genres can […]
Mayer’s Playlist from February 2010
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH: Wings, by Will Kimbrough Nashville’s Will Kimbrough has long been a musical journeyman, lending his [immense] talents to artists ranging from Jimmy Buffett to Rodney Crowell. Yet, despite this heavy schedule, he still finds time to create some striking music of his own. Wings, his latest release, has a gentle and […]
Twangville Sunday Social: May 4th in Dallas
RSVP Artist Spotify Preview: https://bit.ly/TwangvilleSundaySocialPlaylistMay2025Artist Video Preview: https://bit.ly/TwangvilleSundaySocialVideosMay_2025 HANNAH ALDRIDGE Hannah Aldridge grew up on the muddy banks of Muscle Shoals—her birthright is music and Alabama (she’s the daughter of Hall of Fame writer Walt Aldridge). A reckoning between her coming-of-age in the South and a lifetime of trying to create an identity outside of it, her […]
RIP Alex Chilton (Dec. 28, 1950-March 17, 2010)
Alex Chilton passed away this evening (yesterday) in New Orleans. The former Big Star and Box Tops frontman was 59. The Boxtops had a hit in 1967 with the Top 40 classic “The Letter”. Big Star never came close to commercial success during their brief tenure with Stax Records in the early to mid-70’s. Plagued […]
The Drive-By Truckers – The Big To-Do
At Twangville, the Drive-By Truckers carry a lot of weight. In fact, in the post-modern, post-alt-country (whatever) era of Indie rock, they are like superstars to some. Not like in the “Oh my god, what is Britney wearing†kind of way but rather in the anticipation that comes for some in a new record. It […]
Alex Hargreaves – Prelude
I found myself a little torn about whether to post a review of the new Alex Hargreaves album, Prelude, to Twangville. Â It does have fiddle and banjo and mandolin, but rarely does it even come close to twangy. Â It’s much more a jazz album. Â But this is a path that’s been blazed already by Bela […]
JT Earle & Joe Pug at the Birchmere
In American society’s current musical climate (without a lot of love of Americana music), you wouldn’t think that a “classic” sound would show up out of nowhere. Not only is JT Earle’s indie-darling status progressively more established, but the newbie Joe Pug ain’t no lightweight either. Earle had nothin’ but love for Pug and it […]
Sharif – Kisses & Lies
Traveling a path that has led him from his native Virginia, to NYC and Los Angeles, singer/songwriter Sharif (Myspace / Official) has honed his skills as an emotive performer that sheds all inhibitions with the vulnerable and excellent slice of pop, Kisses & Lies. The artist known as Sharif, tip-toes a fine line between saccharine […]
6 Questions With Joe Pug
We caught up with Joe Pug on the eve of the release of his debut LP Messenger, the follow up to the widely heralded Nation of Heat EP. Last time we talked you were still talking to various labels and considering putting out Messenger by yourself, how did the deal with Lightning Rod Records happen? We were […]