TRAPPER SCHOEPP The Milwaukee-based rocker used a raucous early afternoon set to preview songs from a forthcoming album. With Hold Steady guitarist Steve Selvidge in tow, Schoepp and his band the Shades provided an electric jolt to all those in attendance. Count me among those eagerly awaiting Schoepp’s new release — it’s gonna be a […]
Pharis and Jason Romero – A Wanderer I’ll Stay
A few years ago I saw Gillian Welch in Golden Gate Park. Â When she did I Had A Real Good Mother & Father, her voice was so lonesome and pleading it sucked the warmth out of a sunny summer day in the meadow. Â The temperature hadn’t changed, but people started shivering. Â Pharis Romero took me […]
Session Americana “Pack Up the Circus”
Every once in awhile, there is an artist whose album is so anticipated by the Twangville Posse that a number of us pile on for a team review. Put Session Americana’s Pack Up the Circus in that category. SHAWN’S TAKE Pack Up the Circus, the latest album from Session Americana, seems a nearly perfect name […]
Bernard Allison – In The Mix
Bernard Allison has a tough act to follow. The son of legendary bluesman Luther Allison, Bernard Allison has inherited his father’s energy and skill, but he has forged a sound of his own. When I saw the elder Allison perform live in the early 80s, it was like watching pure energy. Luther Allison’s guitar work was […]
Hearing Things
So I’ve been listening to a lot of music lately, new and old. Here’s a rundown: The Vagaband/Medicine for the Soul – If you’ve been craving some vintage Wilco with a touch of The Felice Brothers thrown in, have I got the band for you. “Black Sheep†will have your toes tapping and singing along […]
Lilly Hiatt – Royal Blue
The skeptics tend to come out of the woodwork when the progeny of a well-known musician launches a career. To be true, their caution is often warranted. One listen to Lilly Hiatt’s new release “Royal Blue†silences all doubt. This is her second album; and it firmly establishes Hiatt as a gifted artist who is […]
Lindsay Lou & the Flatbellys – Ionia
In small rural towns across America Friday night is high school sports night. Â Everyone collects at the field/gymnasium about 6:30 and watches the local kids take on the town-down-the-road kids. Â In autumn it’s football, winter means basketball, and spring is for track & field. Â Because the school is so small, all the kids play all […]
Folk Alliance Conference 2015 – The Scene and The Sounds
Twangville made its first trip to the annual Folk Alliance Conference a few weeks ago. The event brought hundreds of musicians to Kansas City for four days of music. And more music. And more music. Folk Alliance is unlike any other festival or conference one can attend. Sure, like most conferences it features topical sessions […]
Mayer’s Playlist for February 2015
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH Complicated Game, by James McMurtry Six years. That’s how long it has been since we last heard new music from McMurtry. While he hasn’t been missing during this time – he could always be found on the touring circuit – many of us were anxiously awaiting some new music. Well, that […]
JJ Grey & Mofro – Ol’ Glory
Southern swamp funk-blues band JJ Grey & Mofro have a unique sound forged in the backwaters of Florida. Grey, the band’s leader, is well established as a songwriter, and the band’s recordings and live performances are among the most dependably enjoyable in the business. Grey & Mofro’s reputation grew steadily since the band recorded its first […]