By the time most bands have released a dozen or so albums, they are past their prime. They may still be releasing solid material, but the zenith is clearly in the rear view. Thankfully American Aquarium isn’t most bands. BJ Barham’s band is scarred, and road worn for sure. Lineups have changed and morphed over […]
Oliver Wood – Fat Cat Silhouette
Every morning when he isn’t on the road, Oliver Wood starts the day in his designated writing chair with a cup of coffee. Many of the songs from “Fat Cat Silhouette”, Wood’s second solo record, began taking shape in that chair. The contemplative feeling of meditation/prayer and a morning coffee is what sets the mood […]
Jenny Don’t & the Spurs – Broken Hearted Blue
Sound-color synesthesia is when a certain sound causes you to see things in a certain color. I don’t have it, but I experience a related effect when I listen to the latest from Portland, Oregon, based Jenny Don’t & the Spurs. It’s called Broken Hearted Blue and evokes the washed-out, slightly sepia-toned tint of an […]
Chip’s Best of 2023
I had the same problem with my year end rankings as always. There were at least 35 albums worthy of the top 25. As you can see that math only works for congressmen and poker hustlers. I focused the top 25 on Americana and Roots music. To have included Indie and Alternative would have been […]
Song Premiere: Colin Cutler “Parker’s Back”
Today we at Twangville have the pleasure of bringing you a song premier. The song is “Parker’s Back” from North Carolina based Singer-Songwriter Colin Cutler. Fans of Flannery O’Connor might recognize the title, and that is no coincidence. It is from his upcoming album “Tarwater”, which will be released on November 3rd. For those who […]
The Wood Brothers – Heart is a Hero
Since their formation, the Wood Brothers have produced some of the most eclectic and vibrant music on the Americana scene. In addition, they have taken it on the road with energetic and entertaining live shows. Their reputation will only continue to grow with the release of “Heart is a Hero”. The band’s eighth studio album […]
New Earth Farmers – The Good Ones Got Away
When I first became aware of musical duo Paul Knowles and Nicole Sarto, they were fronting a band, Mars Arizona, centered on a mythical place in the Southwest. They soon expanded their horizons and became New American Farmers, likewise expanding their musical style. They’ve broadened further, leaning more to rock than anything twangy, and have […]
Say ZuZu – No Time To Lose
Thirty years ago a group of young New Hampshire musicians bonded over the burgeoning alt-country music scene. They formed a band, Say ZuZu, and met with success, putting out half a dozen albums over the next decade. But, as they say, life happens, and in 2003 the members went their own separate ways. Fast forward […]
Drayton Farley – Twenty on High
The rapidly growing fanbase of Drayton Farley is about to need to put a double-decker on the bandwagon. Farley will be releasing “Twenty on High” via Hargrove Records/Thirty Tigers on March 3rd. Up until now his records have been one man DIY releases. However, that hasn’t stopped him from amassing millions of streams on Spotify […]
Shawn’s Favorite Albums of 2022
It was a good year for music, both live and recorded. I heard some things pushing the envelope of an already large package called Americana. I heard some new takes on old songs and some old takes on new songs. I heard a few things that even though I knew what was coming, and looking […]