There’s something special about hearing songs in their truest form. Kevin Gordon’s recent release of the demos from his 2000 release Down to the Well is a fine case in point. Sure, it’s nice to hear Lucinda Williams adding her voice to the album version of the title track. The original demo, however, bristles with […]
Sean Danger Smith – Space Camp
He calls it “music to think to.” Sean Danger Smith’s music is introspective and interesting. Introspective, these days, with many of us unemployed and shut in at home, might just be where it’s at. I was turned on to Sean Danger Smith by a young friend of mine in Philadelphia. Smith has released a new […]
When the Lawn Gets Dark – a Premiere from Jackson Emmer
You can hear lots of musical touchpoints in Jackson Emmer’s music. There’s the lyrical perceptiveness of Jackson Browne, the melodic air of fellow Colorado artist John Denver, and the occasional flash of wit reminiscent of Todd Snider. It all comes together quite nicely on Alpine Coda, Emmer’s forthcoming new album (arriving 2 Oct). “When the […]
Mayer’s Picks – The Best of 2020 (So Far), the Songs
No Time for Love Songs, The Mastersons (from the Red House Records release No Time for Love Songs) I love you so much but it’s no time for love songs We’re starting to unravel at the seams Maybe I care too much and this world is hard enough How come everybody’s gotta be so mean? […]
Mayer’s Playlist for Spring 2020, Part 4
She’s a Self-Made Man, Larkin Poe (from Tricki-Woo Records Self Made Man) Rebecca & Megan Lovell pull no punches on their latest release. Self Made Man, their follow-up to 2018’s Grammy nominated Venom & Faith is a bruising rock album pure and simple. The sisters are old souls possessed by the spirit of the legendary […]
Broke Down South of Dallas – A Special Playlist
Voices, Joshua Ray Walker (from the State Fair Records release Glad You Made It) Joshua Ray Walker sure seems like he’s having fun on Glad You Made It. Sure, the album opens with the stunning “Voices”, a song of loneliness and despair. Yet as the album progresses, Walker leans into the country side and showcases […]
The Dunes of the Cape – A Special Boston Playlist
Her Town Now, Mark Erelli (from the self-released Blindsided) A song of the year nomination at last year’s Americana Music Awards put Mark Erelli on a stage that he has long deserved. Over twelve albums, Erelli has honed his songwriting craft and become one of Americana’s leading, if until recently under-appreciated, songwriters. Blindsided, his latest […]
Mayer’s Playlist for Spring 2020, Part 3
FEATURED ALBUM I’m Learning How to Tell Myself the Truth, John Moreland (from the Old Omens/Thirty Tigers release LP5) John Moreland is still searching for that which eludes him. I wouldn’t call it happiness, but rather contentment. It’s a quest to find understanding, if not meaning, in the world. Much of his latest release centers […]
Socially Single – A Special Twangville Playlist
It is times like these where we most need artists. And they are rising to the occasion. Many a music fan has watched some of the flood of online streaming shows that have – and continue – to occur. While these events are a crucial source of income to artists in an era where most […]
….All Others Pay Cash – a Premiere from Ben de la Cour
Nashville-based Ben de la Cour may have ventured north to Canada to record the forthcoming Shadow Land, but the album is steeped in the Southern gothic storytelling tradition. De la Cour’s songs are filled with troubled souls, sometimes the result of their environs and other times the consequence of questionable decisions. While the lyrics – […]