One of the things that I’ve long appreciated about the Boston music scene is the sense of community that exists there. It is common to see musicians out supporting one another in the clubs, not to mention performing with one another whenever the opportunity allowed. Which makes it all the more painful when a member […]
Robert Rex Waller, Jr. – See the Big Man Cry
I have to profess, a vocalist’s range is not something where I tend to pay enough attention. But it came up front and center on Robert Rex Waller, Junior’s latest album, See the Big Man Cry. Like hearing Roy Orbison or Raul Malo for the first time, you suddenly realize there’s a whole other axis […]
Robert Finley – Black Bayou
Robert Finley is releasing his fourth album “Black Bayou”, but still there are a lot of people unfamiliar with him and his unusual backstory. In fact, Finley didn’t even take up music full time until he was in his sixties. This on the face of it doesn’t seem like the most opportune time in his […]
Save Me From Myself – a Premiere From Jonah Tolchin
Jonah Tolchin is an Americana artist in the truest sense of the word – one who relentlessly explores every musical crevice of the genre. From folk to rock and from country to blues, Tolchin has explored it all over the course of his career. Dockside, his latest album, goes deep into the blues. Tolchin travelled […]
Tom Heyman – 24th Street Blues
It’s fashionable these days to predict the demise of San Francisco. Its problems are vast; no one wants to live there; it’s too expensive. Long-time Philadelphia and San Francisco resident Tom Heyman has been around cities enough to know that’s cyclical, not an end destination. He documents his own love/hate relationship with the City by […]
Josh Travis – Few of Days & Full of Trouble
Many religions, Christianity among them, have a common thread that life is hard, and short, and the reason to suffer through it is the afterlife. A lucky few learn to find and cherish the moments that offer a respite from the daily turmoil. Even those times are earned; they’re not a birthright. That kind of […]
Now That’s What I Call Cold Chocolate – A Twangville Premiere
When I first encountered Boston’s Cold Chocolate back in the day, they were exploring a traditional bluegrass sound. Well time passes and artists evolve. Today their music is best described as garage folk, intelligent singer-songwriter fare that is scruffy in the best possible way. Like many an artist, they found themselves with some time on […]
Readers’ Pick: EmiSunshine and the Rain – Sideshow
You picked EmiSunshine and the Rain – Sideshow as your favorite new release for the week of October 6, 2023.
Keturah Allgood – Shine
I’ve heard it said multiple times that a musician’s professional and personal lives become more and more intertwined over the years. I suppose that just makes sense when your job is touching people’s inner feelings. In the case of North Caroline born-and-raised Keturah Allgood, professional and personal merge in a relentless drive for compassion and […]
Drive-By Truckers Rock New York City
The first time I saw the Drive-By Truckers was in 2005 at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City. Eighteen years later – in May 2023 – they headlined the same venue which has a capacity of approximately 600 people. In a world where former bandmate Jason Isbell can sell out 8 nights at the […]