Dave Lamb of the Providence, RI-based duo Brown Bird passed away this past weekend. The circumstances are heart-wrenching. Lamb fell ill with mysterious symptoms while touring Texas last year. In a tale that is all too familiar, Lamb had no insurance. Fortunately, he was able to get home and secure insurance for what became a […]
Southern Soul Assembly at the Saenger Theatre, Mobile, Alabama
So I’m in Mobile, AL this week for my day job. As I’m eating lunch Tuesday I look up and see a poster for the Southern Soul Assembly, featuring JJ Grey, Luther Dickinson, Anders Osborne and Marc Broussard. And it’s that night at the Saenger Theatre about a block from my hotel. I rush out […]
Trevor Alguire – Miles Away
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 […]
Monday Morning Video: Ray Charles and Willie Nelson
Two legends. ‘nuf said.
Mayer’s Playlist for Feb/Mar 2014, Part 2
ALBUMS OF THE MONTHS English Oceans, by Drive-By Truckers I suppose that this review could be titled “Cooley Steps Out.” The band co-founder, who has historically contributed only a couple of songs per release, is credited with six songs on English Oceans. Ever better, they are some of his strongest songs in years. The opening […]
Lost & Nameless, Cody Jasper
Empty Spaces, the latest EP from Lost & Nameless opens with a title track that is perhaps best described as an Americana tango. Â So right from the get-go you know this is going to be an interesting listen. Â The remainder of the record does not disappoint. Â Lost & Nameless is an Austin-based group composed of […]
Monday Morning Video – Mike Farris
What better way to start your week than listening to the soulful voice of Mike Farris. As the man says, “glory glory.” Here’s a bonus video from Farris, his take on the Bob Dylan classic “Knocking on Heaven’s Door.”
Eliza Gilkyson – The Nocturne Diaries
When you question successful artists in almost any field, one of the common themes that emerges is a belief that what you resist the urge to add to a composition is every bit as important, if not more so, as what does end up in the final mix. Â Eliza Gilkyson and her son, Cisco Ryder, […]
Mayer’s Playlist for Feb/Mar 2014, Part 1
I suppose that Lydia Loveless could have gone in two directions after 2011’s outstanding Indestructible Machine…
Levi Lowrey – Levi Lowrey
My favorite album of last year was Jason Isbell’s Southeastern. Â 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. Â Levi Lowrey, with his second, self-titled, album, has also chosen to […]