Good Old Wind, Kingsley Flood (from the self-released Another Other) There’s been a recent trend of artists producing EPs rather than full-length LPs. The economics make sense, certainly for independent artists, in the context of the continuously evolving music industry. I also appreciate the possibility of getting more frequent, albeit shorter, releases from my favorite […]
Peace, Twang, and Turkey Grease: A 2016 Thanksgiving Toast to Todd Mathis
Well, here we are… Thanksgiving 2016… which means we’re celebrating 11 years of Twangville’s existence. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been writing a Thanksgiving toast each year to thank our contributors, our community, and the artists who give us something to listen to and write about. Without someone to make the music, […]
I Will Remember Massachusetts – A Special Boston Playlist
Monroe, Ian Fitzgerald (from the self-released You Won’t Even Know I’m Gone) For many a year Fitzgerald has plied his trade as a folk singer, a troubadour with an acoustic guitar. Over that time he has earned the respect of fellow musicians, always a good indicator that an artist warrants attention. Let’s give credit where […]
Courtney Granger – Beneath Still Waters
Outside, the warm Gulf breeze is gently blowing the magnificent oaks to a rhythm guided only by Mother Nature. Â Inside the dance hall, the velvet tones of a skinny kid in a bolo tie are doing much the same thing to the couples two-stepping around the well worn floor. Â The piano has a sound that’s […]
Photos that ROCK! Girls Guns & Glory’s new album!
Photos that ROCK! Girls Guns & Glory in the studio New album “Love and Protest” out now! I was so honored when Ward Hayden reached out to me and asked me to come take photos of Girls Guns & Glory in the recording studio. I had a great afternoon learning about the recording process, listening […]
The Sadies – Riverview Fog Premiere
A few years ago I opined The Sadies were the best rock and roll band coming out of Canada.  Like Canadian pathfinders, The Band, they adhere to a storyline that’s about seizing opportunity.  Some days it’s collaborating with stellar musicians like Neko Case, Jon Langford, or John Doe.  Other days it’s about brothers Travis and Dallas Good […]
Just Like Ringing a Bell – A Special Boston Playlist
Over the past few years there’s been a rush of overdue attention paid to the studio musicians responsible for some of the finest music of the rock and roll era. The Swampers in Muscle Schoals. The Wrecking Crew in LA. The Funk Brothers in Motown. I expect that many places, even today, have a collection […]
Big Dave McLean – Better the Devil You Know
There are bluesmen in Canada. Â Some damn good ones. Â Folks like Jim Byrnes, Amos Garrett, and David Wilcox (no relation), have been tearing it up for decades, and relative newcomers like Sue Foley, Colin James and JW-Jones have blazed their own trails to excellence. Â But through the years, one of the mainstays of Canadian blues […]
Dan Layus – Dangerous Things
One of the amazing things about the Great Plains this time of year is the sunrise. Â The flat, or gently rolling, geography lets you see things develop for an hour before the sun actually gets above the horizon. Â The mornings are crisp and you know that the long, cold winter is just around the corner, […]
Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit/Live from Columbia, SC, October 16, 2016
Photo by Darren Woodlief The first big concert I remember attending, besides a church revival or Fifth Sunday Night Singing, was Charlie Daniels at the Peach Festival in Gaffney, SC with the Pirates of the Mississippi opening. I was around 14 years old and my dad took me. It was a great time and I […]