About 18 months ago I wrote an optimistic piece about the potential return of 1990’s power pop master Matthew Sweet. weet had recently posted a a medley of new songs being considered for the album, all rich with the boisterous guitars and pop melodies that made 1991’s Girlfriend so magnificent. Fast-forward, or slow-forward as the […]
Mark Wright, Takings Twists and Turns Through the Melting Pot
Some artists embody America’s rich music history in the strangest and most surprising ways. As a big Springsteen fan I first learned about Mark Wright when he announced a cover project of Springsteen songs. When I decided to investigate a little further I stumbled in one surprise after another. Aside from covering Springsteen, Mark Wright […]
Who’s Playing Wednesday: A Twangville Give-Away
Wednesday is apparently the national night for musical residencies. In KC you’ve got Walkenhorst while in Austin you can regularly catch Jon Dee Graham AND James McMurtry. I’m lucky to live in Boston where most Wednesday’s I can catch Dennis Brennan, usually with special guest former J. Geils Band singer Peter Wolf joining in for […]
The Bob Walkenhorst Dinner Hour Show
Would you travel half way across the country to see a band play a bar in a non-descript strip-mall? If you’ve spent time in Twangville you might consider it. And if it is a Wednesday night and the weekly Bob Walkenhorst and Friends show is in session in Kansas City, you’d be foolish not to […]
Listen Up: Matthew Ryan Vs. the Silver State
Matthew Ryan’s voice can be an acquired taste, expressive and rough hewn. Yet it is a voice that conveys as much emotion as the instrumentation it accompanies. His emotional honesty and vulnerability are laid bare whether he’s barking out “Johnny wanted a lot of things but Johnny didn’t want to die†on “Drunk and Disappointed” […]
Truth & Soul, Digging in Music History
In an era of digital downloads threatening the record industry record labels like Truth and Soul are a breath of fresh air. Truth and Soul is the kind of label that doesn’t aim on big sales, but is there to satisfy the needs of collectors like me. In limited editions the company releases actual vinyl […]
Listen Up: The Teenage Prayers’ “Everyone Thinks You’re the Best”
Imagine a soul band playing CBGB’s and you’ll have a sense of the Prayer’s sound. The Brooklyn-based group serves up a potent blend of soul and hard rock that will get you dancing until you collapse from exhaustion. Opener “I Like It†sets the tone with a smoldering intro that builds into an angst-ridden beat. […]
John Hiatt + More, Releases 5/27
John Hiatt on Austin City Limits. JOHN HIATT, Same Old Man (New West)Official Site | MySpace | Preview Our favorite ‘Master of Disaster’ proves he’s still the ‘Same Old Man’ with his aptly titled new album. Rumor has it that Hiatt was intended to be the surprise artist at New West Records’ SXSW day party […]
Listen Up: Nakia & His Southern Cousins
In a small room off the beaten path at this year’s SXSW I found a big voice. Austin singer-songwriter Nakia took possession of the room that night, his rich and brawny voice shifting effortlessly from a soulful ballad to a R&B rave-up. Ably backed by his top-notch band the Southern Cousins, it was a highlight […]
Listen Up: Justin Townes Earle’s “The Good Life”
Justin Townes Earle’s The Good Life is really two albums intertwined. First you get some vintage honky-tonk and backwoods country; second you get some gorgeous/breathtaking acoustic ballads. Album opener “Hard Livin†is a prime example of the former, a fine honky-tonk rave-up that showcases the tremendous group of players in the band. Some mighty fine […]