Michigander, the nom de plume of singer-songwriter Jason Singer, have been plying the trade for a decade yet only released a debut album earlier this year. The self-titled release remains one of the best power pop albums of the year. Here are two songs from said album performed acoustic style (“I’ll Be OK” and “Giving […]
Dar Williams – Hummingbird Highway
Over the years I’ve heard many singers comment about how to write good songs. Frequently it’s a variation on the theme of “live the life you want to write about.” In the case of Hudson Valley, NY, resident and folk music icon Dar Williams, that’s a life of traveling troubadour and social crusader. In addition […]
Monday Morning Video – Woody Guthrie
It feels especially fitting to talk about Woody Guthrie on Labor Day. The iconic folk singer was a tireless champion of the working class, giving voice to their struggles and triumphs through song. This new collection captures Guthrie at home in Brooklyn in 1951 and 1952, recording on a reel-to-reel machine gifted by his publisher. […]
Grant-Lee Phillips – In the Hour of Dust
I looked up the word “cinematic” and, not surprisingly, all the definitions center around visual elements. Yet, it’s one of the first words that came to my mind as I listened to the new record from Grant-Lee Phillips, In the Hour of Dust. The album’s title is taken from an 1800’s painting of cattle being […]
East Nash Grass – All God’s Children
A few years ago a friend of mine told me about a Monday night bluegrass show at Dee’s in East Nashville. He said it was like a romper room for string band musicians, where fun was favored over taking the traditions of bluegrass too seriously. The lineup was always a little different, but had a […]
Hillary Reynolds – Changing Seasons
Life happens, as the saying goes. Angeleno Hillary Reynolds can attest to that. What started as a project 6-ish years ago got waylaid by the pandemic, pregnancy, and raising a child. While she could have dropped making the album, and was at times tempted to do so, it became important to finish. Unlike many of […]
Monday Morning Video – Vincent Neil Emerson
Fort Worth’s Vincent Neil Emerson brought his country stylings to New York City over the weekend. The show featured some Emerson classics alongside some great covers of songs by Willie Nelson and The Band, among others. Even better, he showcased some great new songs destined for a new album planned for release in early 2026. […]
Chip’s Best of 2025 – So Far
I thought I would kill two birds with one stone. My year end best of is a daunting task, so I am going to cut the challenge in half and try to get the Twangville readers to think about what their favorites are so far in 2025. No better to do that than give you […]
Hey NYC: Join Twangville at Café Wha? – October 24th
GET TICKETS We’ve hosted shows in living rooms and backyards over the years — but this one’s different. On Friday, October 24th, Twangville takes over the legendary Café Wha? in NYC’s Greenwich Village, where Dylan played his first NYC shows and the walls still echo with Hendrix, Springsteen, and a hundred other legends. Now it’s […]
Wild Mountain Mystics – Fire & Honey
I was reading the other day about the Horseshoe Theory, which suggests that the extreme right and extreme left have surprisingly similar points of view on many things. I won’t comment on the political validity of that, but I discovered a musical version of the idea. Imagine combining the DIY aesthetic of punk rock and […]