One of the reasons I like live shows so much is you get a true sense of the artist. You hear the real musician, not what an engineer or producer decides you should hear. You also get to see their real talent. Take Emmylou Harris, for example. Unbelievably, that crystal clear, mesmerizing, audible perfection of […]
Mayer’s Playlist for January ’09, a Video Companion
What’s a playlist without a video companion? We kick things off with Otis Gibbs and Miranda Lee Richards, our featured artists this month. From there we’ve got live clips from the Gourds, Gary Louris & Mark Olson, Joe Ely and A.C. Newman, plus videos from Frank Turner and Bruce Springsteen. We close out this month […]
Mayer’s Playlist for January ’09, Part 2
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH: Light of X, by Miranda Lee Richards LA-based Richards is a testament to persistence. Eight years have passed since The Herethereafter, her 2001 debut release. Yet in 2009 Richards picks up right where she last left us. Light of X is steeped in the Gram Parsons Laurel Canyon-sound, layered with a […]
Mayer’s Playlist for January ’09, Part 1
ALBUM OF THE MONTH: Grandpa Walked a Picketline, by Otis Gibbs Otis Gibbs is an American original, a gruff musical journeyman who is unafraid to tell it like he see’s it. With a matter of fact lyrical style, he spins tales of the back roads and the folks that wander them. “Caroline,” for example, tells […]
Mashville Brigade @ The Station Inn Nashville, TN 1/13/09
This week I trekked to Music City for business. Luckily for me, I was there on a Tuesday night. While Tuesday isn’t typically thought of as a hot music night, quite the scene has emerged on this bland, early-week night. The Mashville Brigade has been jamming on Tuesday nights at the legendary Station Inn for […]
Donna Ulisse – Walk the Mountain Down
Donne Ulisse Will be releasing a star studded Bluegrass album, Walk the Mountain Down on January 20th. The album is her second traditional Bluegrass album. She wrote or co-wrote all of the songs on the album. Produced by Keith Sewell it also includes an all-star cast of players including, Andy Leftwitch, Byron House and Rob […]
The Gourds – Haymaker!
The Gourds new LP,Haymaker (Yep Roc) should’ve come out a few weeks ago, that way, it could’ve landed on my Top 10 for 2008. I guess it will just have to wait. Pretty gutsy statement for such an early offering of 2009, huh? In an era where most “Country Rock” consists of Rock that is […]
Top 8 Shows of ’08
I’ve seen many good posts with favorite albums of 2008, so I thought I’d change things up a bit and cover the best live sets I saw last year. First, a word to the wary. I don’t care much for shows where the artist does a greatest hits compilation or plays the new album more-or-less […]
Nine for ’09
I can’t speak for the economy, but 2009 is shaping up to be a great year for music. Pay particular attention to March. It seems that every year the stars align on a single day and we get an embarrassment of riches. This year that day is March 3rd. Here are some of the incredible […]
Eastwood – Everything’s Personal
I have made no secret about being a proud Texan, and to be even more specific, a proud Dallasite. What is also anything but a secret is the sizable amount of emerging and quality Folk, Country (“Alt” or otherwise) and even Bluegrass acts that are coming from the D/FW area and it’s neighbor to the […]