When you talk about the artists taking Bluegrass in new directions you think about musical directions not the directions on a compass. Yes many artists have followings in Europe and the Kreuger Brothers are from Norway, but China is not a country I think of as craving a good banjo tune. Besides can you imagine […]
Listen Up: The Teenage Prayers’ “Everyone Thinks You’re the Best”
Imagine a soul band playing CBGB’s and you’ll have a sense of the Prayer’s sound. The Brooklyn-based group serves up a potent blend of soul and hard rock that will get you dancing until you collapse from exhaustion. Opener “I Like It†sets the tone with a smoldering intro that builds into an angst-ridden beat. […]
“For You” A Biography Of A Cult
Dave Marsh, the biographer of the Boss, has dubbed Springsteen fans the cult. Springsteen fans habitually follow the guy around. Waiting in line at a show, waiting for the gates to open it is not uncommon to hear a cacophony of accents and languages. Some more than others. Natives from New Jersey and Italians tend to […]
American Aquarium- The Bible and the Bottle & Bones [EP]
American Aquarium is from Raleigh, NC. And yes, every review you read about them will compare them to Whiskeytown. But, to their credit, American Aquarium embraces the comparison on their second full length, The Bible and the Bottle. Skillet Gilmore (drums for Whiskeytown) does the artwork. Caitlin Cary (founding member Whiskeytown) contributes background vocals to […]
The Mother Truckers (Austin, TX) – Let’s All Go To Bed
I have recently spent a solid amount of time listening to albums from various bands that call themselves Country, Roots-Rock, and even Alt-Country. As I listen to these albums, I find myself breaking down each song to analyze the components that make the album fit within the boundaries that the band itself defined by labeling […]
Band of Heathens Giveaway Contest!!!
The Band of Heathens has been gracious enough to provide Twangville with a couple of copies of their soon to be released album to give away. Just leave a comment to this post about the Heathens. Refer to my previous post in which I reviewed the album. Then check back on 6-8 when we will […]
Al Green Lays Down Soul Supreme
The reverend is back at the secular front with his third album since his 2003 comeback “I Can’t Stop”. After shying away from the secular market, focusing on Gospel, Al Green seems to have fully embraced the salt of the earth again. Green started scaling down his Pop career in ’74 when a girlfriend doused […]
Old Favorites/New Sounds: Part 1 – Neil Diamond
You may have read the title of this post and then double checked to make sure you were at the right site, but never fear, you are. While the tunes of old-school crooners Diamond or Steve Winwood aren’t regular occupants of the Twangville pages, three recent releases display a common thread that I hope will […]
Listen Up: Nakia & His Southern Cousins
In a small room off the beaten path at this year’s SXSW I found a big voice. Austin singer-songwriter Nakia took possession of the room that night, his rich and brawny voice shifting effortlessly from a soulful ballad to a R&B rave-up. Ably backed by his top-notch band the Southern Cousins, it was a highlight […]
Wes Charlton – World on Fire
Every so often I encounter a new artist that really gets me fired up. Since I entered the blogosphere a little over a year ago, my opportunity to discover these upstart talents has been an unexpected benefit. Nashville’s Wes Charlton is one of those artists. All I can say is watch out. This kid is […]