I posted my list of favorite from the first half of 2016 back in June (here and here). Rather than replicate that list for my full year review, consider this a continuation — the best songs from the second half of the year. Stay Gold, Butch Walker (from the Dangerbird Records release Stay Gold) My […]
Shawn’s 2016 Favorite Albums
As always, lots of good music that came out last year. Â I have no doubt some really good stuff released and I never heard a song of it. Â Rich world problems. Â Here’s what I listened to and liked a lot this year. The Avett Brothers – True Sadness: I like the Avett’s mix of pop, […]
Mayer’s Picks – More Favorites from 2016
Here, in no particular order, are a few more favorites from 2016. Midnight MotelJack Ingram Rangers & ValentinesTrapper Schoepp Teens of DenialCar Seat Headrest Burn Something BeautifulAlejandro Escovedo Kicked Out of EdenJavier Escovedo My Way HomeEli ‘Paperboy’ Reed Cold SnapAnthony D’Amato LakesideEric Ambel Eric BachmannEric Bachmann The RevealerJesse Dayton BlindfallerMandolin Orange RockinghamBJ Barham American BandDrive-By […]
Mayer’s Picks – Best Albums of 2016, Boston Edition
This has been an exceptional year for music in and around Boston. I hesitate to break these out into a separate regional list as many of these releases would figure prominently on my overall Best of 2016. That said, taken together they make a great statement on the vibrancy of the Boston music scene. The […]
Mayer’s Picks – Best Albums of 2016
Another year is winding down, leading us to the moment where we look back at all our favorite releases from 2016. Without further ado, here are my choices for the best albums of the year. #10. THE ROOMSOUNDS, Elm St Dallas, TX quartet The Roomsounds hit the mark with a feel good rock record heavy […]
Adam Carroll on Avoiding Complacency and His Envy of Darrell Scott’s RV Camper
Texas singer-songwriter Adam Carroll talks about not (yet) being fired as a sideman in his wife’s band and why his tour vehicles are SUVs rather than RVs.
Courtney Granger – Beneath Still Waters
Outside, the warm Gulf breeze is gently blowing the magnificent oaks to a rhythm guided only by Mother Nature. Â Inside the dance hall, the velvet tones of a skinny kid in a bolo tie are doing much the same thing to the couples two-stepping around the well worn floor. Â The piano has a sound that’s […]
Just Like Ringing a Bell – A Special Boston Playlist
Over the past few years there’s been a rush of overdue attention paid to the studio musicians responsible for some of the finest music of the rock and roll era. The Swampers in Muscle Schoals. The Wrecking Crew in LA. The Funk Brothers in Motown. I expect that many places, even today, have a collection […]
Monday Morning Video – Joe Ely “Dallas”
Legendary Texas singer-songwriter Joe Ely has a question for you this week. Have you ever seen Dallas from a DC-9?
Dan Layus – Dangerous Things
One of the amazing things about the Great Plains this time of year is the sunrise. Â The flat, or gently rolling, geography lets you see things develop for an hour before the sun actually gets above the horizon. Â The mornings are crisp and you know that the long, cold winter is just around the corner, […]

