One of my highlights at Folk Alliance a couple of years ago was seeing a couple of sets from Larry & Joe. Their subsequent album, Nuevo South Train, was one of my top 5 that year. So when I heard they had a new record coming out, I had a little trepidation about whether their […]
Monday Morning Video – John Prine “Summer’s End”
Summer has nearly come to an end and I can’t think of a better way to acknowledge it than with a song by one of the masters. Here are two versions of John Prine’s “Summer’s End”, from 2018’s The Tree of Forgiveness, to close out the season. First is a solo acoustic performance, shot backstage […]
Mayer’s Playlist for Summer 2024, Part 2
The Money or the Time, Goodnight Texas (from the 2 Cent Bank Check Records release Signals) Goodnight Texas have built a career around storytelling. Their early albums were thematic period pieces, snapshots of time vividly captured in song. Later albums, including the recently released Signals, may lack an overarching narrative but are no less compelling […]
Monday Morning Video – The Ballad of El Goodo
Let’s go back to 2010. Alex Chilton was scheduled to appear at SXSW that year to celebrate the legacy of indie rock legends Big Star. Chilton tragically passed away from a heart attack just days prior to the appearance. So the planned celebration suddenly became a bittersweet tribute to a band that inspired so many […]
“Dead Flowers” – A Premiere From Afton Wolfe and Jaimee Harris
Sometimes you just have to run with the moment. A random conversation between Nashville residents Afton Wolfe and Jaimee Harris about cult movie hit “Big Lebowski” was the spark behind this impressive collaboration. Those familiar with the movie will recall that Townes Van Zandt’s cover of The Rolling Stones’ composition closes out the movie. Harris […]
Teni Rane – Goldenrod
The source of inspiration can be an interesting perspective into an artist’s project. Sometimes a big, life-changing event forces a new way of looking at things. Other times a small detail becomes the crux of a new viewpoint. Both of those figure into the new album from Chattanooga native Teni Rane. Ostensibly guided by the […]
Holy Ghost Blues – a Premiere from Silas Nello
“Holy Ghost Blues”, the lead single from Silas Nello’s forthcoming From West Hollywood EP is a bit of a paradox. The song originally appeared on his 2018 debut full-length album, recorded in Dallas where he was living at the time. That version had a decidedly LA flair with its Sunset Strip swagger and snarl. Nello […]
When It’s Twilight in Boston – a Special Playlist
Enough, Alisa Amador (from the Thirty Tigers release Multitudes) If I’m honest, I’m really skeptical about music competitions. Call me idealist, but I think the music industry is tough enough already and pitting artists against one another is counterproductive. That said, watching Alisa Amador win the NPR Tiny Desk Contest is somewhat reassuring. It’s wonderful […]
AJ Lee & Blue Summit – City of Glass
Some bands have a birthing moment, a specific date they first played together. Others form in what is probably best described as an organic fashion. The latter is the case with Santa Cruz’s AJ Lee & Blue Summit. Two of the members, mandolinist AJ Lee and guitarist Sullivan Tuttle, first performed together with his siblings […]
Mayer’s Picks – The Best of 2024 (So Far), the Songs
Better By Now, Heather Little (from the Need to Know Music release By Now) “I’ve wasted a lot of love being wrong, I learn too late and I stay too long,” in this haunting tale of heartbreak, “I oughta be better by now but I got mixed up with you somehow.” So Glad You Made It/Go All […]