It has been seven years since we heard from Romantica. Of course we have heard from front man Ben Kyle in the meantime. He has done two acclaimed albums. One was a duet with Carrie Rodriguez and the other was a solo project. The wait for new material from Romantica was well worth it. The […]
A J Hobbs – Too Much Is Never Enough
There’s an old saying about blues musicians who had no formal training and yet could unload a gut-wrenching, soulful composition about life or love or maybe just an old dirt road: “it in him, and it got to get out.” Â There’s a country outlaw version of that in the first full-length album from California native […]
The Twangville 2017 Release Preview
If the albums scheduled for release over the next few months are any indication, we’re in for a fine year of music. Here are just a few forthcoming long-players that we’re highly anticipating. MOUNT RENRAW by OTIS GIBBS (13 January on Wanamaker Recording Company) Otis Gibbs is one of the most thoughtful songwriters in Americana, […]
Blackie & the Rodeo Kings – Kings And Kings
A few years back up-and-coming Canadian roots band Blackie & the Rodeo Kings undertook an ambitious project to record an album of duets with female singers they admired and wished they could work with. They pulled it off and that album, Kings And Queens, started getting them noticed by a much wider audience.  Fast forward to […]
Mayer’s Picks – Best Songs of 2016
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.