There’s perhaps only one thing better than hearing James McMurtry play his remarkable “Levelland” and that’s watching him perform it in a pastoral setting that is so fitting for the song.
Pharis and Jason Romero – Sweet Old Religion
The sun comes up over the pine trees, darkness and shadowy forms give way to the crispness of the air and the glint reflected off the lake. Daylight accentuates the feeling that it’s going to be a beautiful day with nothing but great things on the horizon, regardless of the distresses of yesterday. Â That’s the […]
Mark Otis Selby – Naked Sessions
I’m a sucker for a really good cover song. Â The best ones take the same chord progressions and lyrics and convey an entirely different experience. Â Think Jimi Hendrix All Along the Watchtower compared to the original Dylan version. Â Now turn that around, where you’ve heard the second version, and now you get the original, lightly […]
Deep Ellum Blues – A Special Dallas Playlist
Good Luck, Garrett Owen (from the self-released Sad Eyed-Son) To call Fort Worth’s Garrett Owen a captivating performer just doesn’t do him justice. Even as he sings songs about heartbreak and loss, he somehow pulls in listeners with an enthralling allure. There’s a melancholy that hangs over his music – he sings achingly of heartache, […]
Wood & Wire – North Of Despair
The best artistic efforts have the ability to hit you on many levels–strikingly beautiful at even the first glance, and then building your appreciation as you peel back the layers and get more and more out of it. Â I found that to be the case with the latest record from Austin-based Wood & Wire. Â It […]
John Prine – The Tree of Forgiveness
If John Prine’s music seduced you back in the 1970s, you probably get it, and you’ll love The Tree of Forgiveness, his first album in 13 years presenting any new original music. He has released a collaboration with Mac Wiseman (Standard Songs for Average People), a couple of compilations of early music (including The Singing Mailman […]
Monday Morning Video: Hannah Aldridge Will Leave No Heart Behind
Hannah Aldridge‘s 2017 album Gold Rush is still in heavy rotation among my listening selections, especially the song “Ne Heart Left Behind.” Angry electric guitars fuel the studio version; here Aldridge delivers a solo acoustic take that bristles with the same passion and urgency.
Phoebe Hunt & the Gatherers – “Marching On” Video
Long time Twangville favorite Phoebe Hunt had one of 2017’s best albums.  For 2018 she’s following Mother Nature’s lead and planning to release 4 singles coincident with the seasons.  Starting with spring and its signature rebirth, Marching On layers a bright & airy sound on top of the relentless marching band snare drum.  The result underscores her lyrical […]
SXSW 2018 – The Sounds, Part 3
TERRA LIGHTFOOT If there was one artist on my “do not miss” list this year it was Terra Lightfoot. I first saw her at SXSW a few years back and she just keeps getting better and better. The combination of her voice, songs and guitar playing makes for a potent rock and roll cocktail. JAIMEE […]
Monday Morning Video – A SXSW Sampler
Sure, there’s plenty of musical diversity at SXSW. There’s also variety in the venues, not to mention the time of day. This video playlist is a sampler of the performances that happen in hotel ballrooms (Nathaniel Rateliff, SMYL, The Lost Brothers), chapels real (Quiet Slang at St. David’s) and not (Margo Price at Luck Ranch […]