Twangville

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

Listen Up: Justin Townes Earle’s “The Good Life”

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Justin Townes Earle’s The Good Life is really two albums intertwined. First you get some vintage honky-tonk and backwoods country; second you get some gorgeous/breathtaking acoustic ballads. Album opener “Hard Livin” is a prime example of the former, a fine honky-tonk rave-up that showcases the tremendous group of players in the band. Some mighty fine […]

The Middle Class – Deep in Debt

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Some call it Old-Timey, New-Grass, Jam-Grass, Rootsy, Pre-WWII, Folk or hell, some label junkies may even dream up a title like Appalachian Dumpsta-Funk (not bad actually, can’t it be as useful as “Alt-Country”?) The fact is, in the last few years we have witnessed an Ellis Island-style rush of young, unique, and quality hard-to-define acts […]

South Austin Jug Band – Strange Invitation

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South Austin Jug Band has found itself. They have always been talented and creative song-writers. However, they were stuck somewhere between traditional and contemporary acoustic music. They were too much on the fence. With Strange Invitation they have created self-described “progressive – acoustic” music. Maybe this clear break was due to the fact that the […]

Old Settler’s Music Festival Highlights

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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 […]

SXSW 2008: The Sounds Part 2

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Alejandro Escovedo Escovedo’s Sunday night show at the Continental is the traditional unofficial closing of SXSW and this year he served up a special treat. With co-conspirator Chuck Prophet on guitar, Alejandro and company performed the entirety of Real Animal, his forthcoming release. Lyrically it finds Escovedo in a reflective mood but musically ready to […]

The Waybacks – Loaded

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“Tradition in Transition” is the title of the cover article in next to last No Depression It focuses on how young bands such as Crooked Still, The Avett Brothers, Uncle Earl and Chris Thile’s new project the Punch Brothers are innovatively changing traditional acoustic music. A couple of bands that aren’t as young as the […]

Langerado and Trampled By Turtles

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Hi, kids. It’s been awhile, I’ve missed this! School + work = me not writing much. However, I have managed to wrangle a long weekend to attend that most hallowed of Florida music festivals, Langerado (no offense, Fest lovers). The likes of Josh Ritter, The Avett Brothers, G. Love, The Wood Brothers, Medeski Scofield Martin […]

Mayer’s Playlist for November/December, part 1

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ALBUMS OF THE MONTH: The Cake Sale, by The Cake Sale When Brian Crosby and Paul Noonan of Ireland’s Bell X1 were inspired to create a benefit album for Oxfam’s Make Trade Fair campaign, they formed the collective known as The Cake Sale. Friends ranging from Nick Seymour (Crowded House) and Nina Persson (The Cardigans) […]

Ron Block of Union Station Finishing Production of Album by Mandolin Prodigy

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As Allison Krauss tours with Robert Plant in Spring of 2008 members of Union Station are going to be working on various projects. One of these projects is currently under way. Ron Block is working on production of an album by 15 year old Bluegrass Mandolin prodigy Sierra Hull. The album will be released in […]