Twangville

A music blog featuring Alt-Country, Americana, Indie, Rock, Folk & Blues. Est. 2005.

Billy Joe Shaver – Long in the Tooth

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Billy Joe Shaver is back at 74 with his first album in seven years. Shaver reportedly feels that “Long in the Tooth” is his best album. It is a tall claim considering his voluminous discography, but it is definitely in the upper echelon. Since his last album, Shaver has shown he is not ready to […]

Amy McCarley – Jet Engines

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There must be something in the air or water again in northern Alabama.  Home to the legendary Fame studio in Muscle Shoals, site of innumerable hits in the 60’s and 70’s, this part of the country is breeding future stars again.  This time, though, it’s not the studio musicians adding brilliance to an outsider’s record, but […]

Nickel Creek – New Day in Boston

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Although my recent interest in bluegrass has certainly been controlling lots of airtime on my  stereo, Nickel Creek bridge the gap of old and new. Somehow, they managed to sneak into the Americana/Indie Rock section of the record store in my college days and I’ve been a fan for the near decade of their existence. When I […]

Old Settler’s Music Fest – 2014 Edition

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Every spring, a couple of weeks after the madhouse of SXSW, the music festival season kicks off with Old Settler’s Music Festival, about a half hour outside of Austin.  Started as a bluegrass festival, Old Settler’s now embraces a broad spectrum of Americana.  Organizer Jean Spivey has a magic touch for consistently mixing old with […]

Trevor Alguire – Miles Away

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Staring out the window, it’s only the middle of the afternoon and yet darkness has started creeping in.  A cold wind howls out of the north and  the trees seem to be wrapping their branches around themselves in a futile attempt to stay warm.  Even the good things going through your mind seem to have […]

Levi Lowrey – Levi Lowrey

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My favorite album of last year was Jason Isbell’s Southeastern.  It was an exploration of a man’s demons, some of them intense enough to sometimes weigh in on my decision whether to hit play or go for something a little lighter on the mind.  Levi Lowrey, with his second, self-titled, album, has also chosen to […]

The Bastard Sons of Johnny Cash – New Old Story

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With the increasing popularity of the various genres of music loosely grouped under the label “Americana”, there has been a proportionate increase in the number of Honky-Tonk and traditional Country bands. The Bastard Sons of Johnny Cash are best described by the former. Although Honk-Tonk music is on the rise, the true Country bar is […]