ALBUMS OF THE MONTH: Traveling and Unraveling, by Steve Poltz Poltz proves himself to be a genuine musical instigator across two concurrent releases, blending a comedic wit and biting lyrics with instantly hummable acoustic melodies. Who else would react to life’s frustrations by asking the semi-serious question “What would Ghandi do in this situation, go […]
Old 97s + More, Releases 5/13
The story behind the Old 97’s new album ‘Blame It On Gravity’. OLD 97’s, Blame It On Gravity (New West)Official Site | MySpace | Samples And then entered the contender. Dallas based band The Old 97’s are back in a big way. Teaming up with talented producer Salim Nourallah ‘Blame It On Gravity’ is the […]
The Daylight Hours- How To Make A Mess of Things
The Daylight Hours is Columbia, SC’s own David Adedokun. Adedokun has been slowly but surely working on How To Make A Mess Of Things for over two years, since the break-up of his former band, Courage Riley. It was worth the wait. Adedokun blends an array of influences into an Americana-indie-pop dream, all the while […]
The Atkinsons – American Gothic
When I pop in a disc from a band based in Virginia (West, or just the plain one) or North Carolina, I get excited and my mind fills with preconceived notions of good ol’ smokey mountain boogie, complete with Dueling Banjos and Foggy Mountain Breakdowns. Unfair? Sure. True? Not really, I don’t think that all […]
Q&A with the Wrinkle Neck Mules + a Monster Giveaway
**NOTE: Contest is now closed. You can still participate but will no longer be eligible for the giveaway.** One disc you may have overlooked in 2007 came from Richmond, VA based Wrinkle Neck Mules titled ‘The Wicks Have Met’. Rustically rooted in Old Dominion’s historic south, the Wrinkle Neck Mules deliver with their own special […]
Old Settler’s Music Festival Highlights
I’m from northern California where “layering” your clothing is a mantra more than a conscious thought. Sure came in handy this year for Old Settler’s Music Festival in Driftwood (Austin), Texas, where there was driving rain, freezing cold (at least it felt that way), and warm, late-spring sunshine. Oh, and lots of good music, which […]
National Record Store Day – Good Records, Dallas TX
Being a fan of free in-store performances, vinyl and many of the bands from Denton, Dallas & Ft. Worth Texas, this national holiday provided me with a chance to enjoy these treasures all at once. There didn’t seem to be a downside to this day of celebration, as even with Christmas, there is always the […]
Swing Set- How To Make A Living Selling Yourself Short
Under Swing Set’s influences section on their webpage, Teenage Fanclub and George Jones are listed side by side. Just the kind of spirit that has driven the southern rock and roll movement of the last decade or so, a spirit that owes just as much to R.E.M. as Lynrd Skynrd. Swing Set is the solo […]
Drive-By Truckers ‘Brighter Than Creations Dark’, a Giveaway
**NOTE: Contest is now closed. You can still participate but will no longer be eligible for the giveaway.** The Drive-by Truckers had to make ‘Brighter Than Creations Dark‘ in the way that they did. Consisting of 19 songs comprising 75 minutes of twanged up tell-it-like-it-is rock n’ roll. I’m sure the band will attribute the […]
Griffin House: Flying Upside Down
In this day and age, Singer-Songwriters are often compared to other similar artists from both past and present. For Nashville-based performer Griffin House (offical / myspace), the chief comparison seems to be Josh Ritter or Ryan Adams. Griffin’s latest offering, Flying Upside Down (April 29 – Nettwerk) opens with the track “Better Than Love†and […]