The Winner is… Tis the season… The best of lists are coming out in force. The Twangville eitors list just came out and now it is time for us in “The Posse” to reveal our individual lists. I am going first because I am the best looking. In my mid-year list, Buddy and Julie were […]
Jason Eady – When the Money’s All Gone
Often, when people think of “Texas Music” or “Texas Country”, they tend to think of the country-tinged rock of Reckless Kelly, the honky-tonk floor-stomping of Aaron Watson or the rock-flavored country of Randy Rogers. I will warn those folks to not overlook the gospel and delta flavored blues of Jason Eady (Official / Myspace). Eady’s […]
The Band Of Heathens – One Foot In The Ether
Wikipedia defines Americana as “artifacts related to the history, geography, folklore and cultural heritage of the United States.” By that, the latest effort from The Band Of Heathens is about as close to a definitive musical interpretation of Americana as you can get. One Foot In The Ether has a little something for everyone who’s […]
From Texas to Nashville: Seth James & Amanda Shires
A couple of recent releases have provided great examples of records that were made by Texan artists in Music City. People often mistakenly – and lazily – equate any country music made in Nashville to the slick pop style that is featured on Top 40 Country radio. For those paying attention, these two albums should […]
Mayer’s Playlist for August 2009, part 2
Showerhead, Rachelle Van Zanten (from the RZV Records release Where Your Garden Grows) Canada’s Van Zanten sure can play a mean guitar. What really caught my ear, however, was the confidence and brawn in this track. Mix the rawness of a Lucinda Williams tune with the slide guitar chops of Bonnie Raitt and a touch […]
Porterdavis – Porterdavis
The new, self-titled disc from Austin’s Porterdavis is a Country-Blues gem. With stomping rhythms, a menacing harmonica weaving it’s way through the melodies, and the dark, smokey and soulful vocals of Dan Barrett, much of the disc seems to be rooted in the mud of Mississippi rather than dusty soil of Texas. If another band […]
The Deep Vibration – Veracruz
The Deep Vibration, out of Nashville, know how to leave a guy wanting more. Their EP, Veracruz (Dualtone), seems to tease the listener with only a total of 5 songs. All 5 songs are made up of high-quality, bluesy rock and it just doesnt seem like enough. Matt Campbell’s vocal performance is strong and the […]
Damon Fowler – Sugar Shack
A few months back, along with a couple of other CD’s I was reviewing, I received a copy of Damon Fowler’s Sugar Shack . I put it on at the time, it was OK, I didn’t think too much about it. I realized this weekend that I keep coming back to this disc. I know […]
Mayer’s Playlist for February 2009, Part 1
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH: One Last Century, by The Damnwells “Somewhere between nothing and something is everything,” sings Alex Dezen about halfway through the band’s latest release. It seems an apt, if cryptic, explanation for his decision to make the album freely available on the internet. Freed from music industry obligations but still possessed by […]
Listen Up: The Low Anthem
It would be easy to describe the Low Anthem’s Oh My God, Charlie Darwin as ambitious. The term, however, doesn’t do it justice. It is one thing to be ambitious (right Axl Rose?) it is quite another to realize musical ambition and make it seem effortless. Ladies and gentlemen, meet the Low Anthem. The mystical […]