“The aim of every artist is to arrest motion, which is life, by artificial means and hold it fixed so that a hundred years later, when a stranger looks at it, it moves again since it is life.†William Faulkner was known not just for long sentences, but also his ability to so luridly set […]
Twangville’s Shaky Knees 2015 Recap
A new location brought a special surprise – no rain. Rain, often torrential, is a Shaky Knees tradition. From year one’s mudfest to last year’s lightning storm, the weather has never been kind to Shaky Knees. Until this year, that is. The sun shone bright (perhaps too much at times, but I’m not complaining), making […]
Danny Vines of Banditos Shares Tour Stories and Why He Wishes He Had Apprenticed as a Mechanic
The Banditos bassist talks about why he doesn’t write lyrics and the challenge in trying to find time to practice while spending 200 days a year on the road.
Paul Lacques of Double Naught Spy Car & I See Hawks In LA On Rehearsal Studios and Never Turning Down a Gig
Paul Lacques of Double Naught Spy Car and I See Hawks in LA shares the first song he wrote and talks about why he doesn’t miss industrial rehearsal spaces.
Monday Morning Video – James McMurtry “These Things I’ve Come to Know”
James McMurtry’s Complicated Game is one of this year’s standout albums. His way with both words and melody is as strong as ever. Here is a clip of McMurtry performing a track from the album in the basement of New York’s Mercury Lounge.
Trout Steak Revival – Brighter Every Day
There’s something about bluegrass that always seems slanted toward picking up your spirits. Â It’s not that the genre doesn’t have its share of good murder ballads–a couple of doozy’s come immediately to mind–but as a rule it’s not somber music. That’s true in spades in the debut album from Colorado-based Trout Steak Revival. Entitled Brighter […]
Mayer’s Playlist for March/April 2015, Part 3
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH The Firewatcher‒s Daughter, by Brandi Carlile For some, the process of getting off the major label merry-go-round can be a traumatic experience that results in musical purgatory. Not for Carlile, who shifted to ATO Records and returns with another stand-out release. Her voice is as radiant as ever, beautifully complimented by […]
Old Settler’s Music Festival 2015 Edition
My favorite weekend of the year has come and gone again. Â A couple of weeks after the over-sized crowds, egos, and marketing campaigns of SXSW comes a music festival in the hill country outside Austin that’s just about the music. Â With only 15,000 attendees, and a couple of stages, you can see at least a […]
Mayer’s Playlist for March/April 2015, Part 2
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH Down To Believing, by Allison Moorer Real life is often the best inspiration for art, notably when it is created in response to heartache and sorrow. Such is the case for Allison Moorer, who channels her emotions into a collection of songs that is by turns sad, angry, regretful and defiant. […]
Lyal Strickland on Eating Healthy on the Road and Why You Can’t Ride on Talent Alone
Lyal Strickland talks about life as a single dude driving a minivan, what happens when friends drive by his farm while he is rehearsing and why he changes his guitar strings before every show.