Newport Folk Festival 2016- Saturday We arrived at Fort Adams Park in Newport bright and early on Saturday and were greeted with a a lot more heat and humidity. Luckily, the musical acts on Saturday almost made you forget about the sun. From living legends to hot new acts, the day had much in store. […]
Newport Folk Festival 2016- Friday
On the first day of the Newport Folk Festival, the breeze was up and the humidity was down. Fort Adams State Park in Newport, Rhode Island was a beautiful spot for the particularly exciting Friday lineup. At Twangville, we’ve known about the new scene in Muscle Shoals, Alabama and following in the footsteps of the […]
Mayer’s Playlist for July/August 2016, Part 1
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH Cold Snap by Anthony D’Amato Singer-songwriter Anthony D’Amato stretches out on his latest release, his second for New West Records. An acoustic guitar may still be his instrument of choice but the arrangements are robust and more orchestrated, reminiscent of Josh Ritter’s more recent work. Cold Snap was recorded in Omaha, […]
Doug MacLeod – Live in Europe
You may not have heard of Doug MacLeod yet, but he’s been kicking around the California blues scene for decades. And if you’re looking for excellent country blues, you can’t go wrong picking up one of “Dubb” MacLeod’s many releases. Born in New York City, raised in North Carolina and St. Louis, and spending a […]
Newport Folk Festival 2016: Preview
The Mrs. and I are bringing Twangville back to the best festival this year. Newport Folk has a great lineup again and we’re super excited about it. To kick off the weekend, we’ll just give a quick preview of some acts each day that we’re excited to see. FRIDAY St. Paul & the Broken Bones […]
Ralph Stanley Remembered
There’s a quote frequently used to describe how old blues musicians managed to get the sound they did despite having no formal training, “it’s in him, and it got to get out.” Â That came to mind last weekend as I heard of the passing of Dr. Ralph Stanley. Â Anyone who heard Stanley perform O Death, […]
Sam Bush – Storyman
It is fitting that Sam Bush is releasing his new album on the heels of The Telluride Bluegrass Festival. After all he has ruled the festival for most of its existence. Seeing him there was an experience that allowed me to cross at least one item off my bucket list. His new release, “Storymanâ€, has […]
Twangville Album Premiere: Scott Low – The New Vintage
Scott Low’s no-nonsense country fits quite nicely  in the current camp of alt-country/”true” country artists.  His vocals are very reminiscent of Ryan Bingham, with maybe a touch of Jamey Johnson thrown in for good measure.  His latest album, The New Vintage, drops Friday from 10 Foot Woody. Opener “Back To The River” has a chorus […]
Mayer’s Playlist for June 2016
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH My Way Home by Eli Paperboy Reed They say that what doesn’t kill us just makes us stronger. While not quite that extreme, Brooklyn by way of Boston singer-songwriter Eli Paperboy Reed emerges from the ashes of a major label deal gone bad with a remarkable new album. The slick production […]
Robert Rex Waller, Jr – Fancy Free
The snow swirls around the lamp posts and even the bars have been closed for hours.  It’s too cold to kill time, but killing time is all you have left.  Painting that picture of desolation and near despair, Robert Rex Waller, Jr., opens his upcoming album with a version of Utah Phillips’ Walking Through the Snow In […]