If there’s one thing that Justin Townes Earle seems intent to prove, it’s that he’s his own man. Whether that means pissing his dad off to no end, pushing deep into country, or showing an uncompromising need to try on different genres for size. While his first EP “Yuma†is an almost exclusively intimate acoustic […]
The Flatlanders – Hills and Valleys
Nobody in this band has anything left to prove. Individually Joe Ely, Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock have established their reputations so deeply in their home state that you can not talk about the Texas Music scene without mentioning them in the same breath. The collaboration of the three as The Flatlanders goes back […]
Riverboat Gamblers – Underneath the Owl
Austin, TX by way of Denton, TX rockers Riverboat Gamblers have built a reputation for being raucous performers who don’t mind bleeding a little during their frenetic live-set. The spirit of their live-performance ways are captured brilliantly in their new record, Underneath the Owl (Volcom). The band will be spending a great deal of time […]
Mayer’s Playlist for February 2009, Part 2
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH: Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit, by Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit There’s something satisfying about watching a performer mature before your eyes. Though Jason Isbell has long been a Twangville favorite, his latest showcases his tremendous growth as a songwriter and performer. Exhibit A is “Soldiers Get Strange,” the […]
Mayer’s Playlist for February 2009, Part 1
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH: One Last Century, by The Damnwells “Somewhere between nothing and something is everything,” sings Alex Dezen about halfway through the band’s latest release. It seems an apt, if cryptic, explanation for his decision to make the album freely available on the internet. Freed from music industry obligations but still possessed by […]
Heartless Bastards – “The Mountain”
When I first heard the Heartless Bastards a few years back, I thought, “there’s someone who listened to a *lot* of Zeppelin when they were young.” That’s not a unique thought, by any means. It will get further reinforcement on their latest release, The Mountain. In addition to the guitar-fueled wall of sound, the lyrics […]
The Weight – Are Men
Grab a bowl. Place a few New Yorkers in the bowl. Give one of them an almost Dwight Yoakam-like vocal. Mix in a little jingle, a dash of jangle. Throw in a few nods to the glory of 70’s Southern-Rock while folding in some serious Country sensibility that retains a sense of humor and you […]
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
When the Drive-by Truckers and Jason Isbell parted ways last year, the direction of each of the divorcees seemed unclear. Isbell and the Trucker’s first effort were surprisingly strong albeit not extremely different or shocking. Perhaps the most shocking thing was Isbell’s more acoustic bent and Shonna Tucker’s amazing song-writing. For his second record, Isbell […]
Pierce Pettis is Born Again
Pierce Pettis has never gotten credit he deserves. He is a thoughtful lyricist. He delivers his stories and messages with a twist of irony and poignancy that is hard to ignore. Pettis has been laying low for the last 4 years. With the release of That Kind of Love it is apparent that Pettis has […]
James Moore – Crows
With a name as plain as James Moore, I don’t quite know why I clicked on the link to play the sample song. But when I did, I was struck by the power of the melodies. Even with relatively simple arrangements, Moore has managed to pull together some affecting heart-rending tunes. Crows is not Moore’s […]