Twangville

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

Mayer’s Picks – The Best of 2014, So Far (the Albums)

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The year is off to a strong start and I expect that it will only get better. Here, in no particular order, are some of my favorite releases from the first half of 2014. SOMEWHERE ELSE by LYDIA LOVELESS “Simply bad-ass” is the phrase that overwhelms my thinking every time I give this album a […]

Billy Joe Shaver – Long in the Tooth

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Billy Joe Shaver is back at 74 with his first album in seven years. Shaver reportedly feels that “Long in the Tooth” is his best album. It is a tall claim considering his voluminous discography, but it is definitely in the upper echelon. Since his last album, Shaver has shown he is not ready to […]

Mayer’s Playlist for June 2014, Part 1

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ALBUM OF THE MONTHS Metamodern Sounds in Country Music, by Sturgill Simpson It’s easy to take pot-shots at what passes for country these days. You know what I’m talking about: the feel-good, truck-drivin’, beer-drinking music makes for great stadium concert sing-alongs. If that’s your scene, then more power to you. Some of you, like me, […]

Ward Hayden Reflects on the Legacy of Hank Williams

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When Twangville heard about The Garden Spot Programs, 1950, a just released collection of Hank Williams performances that hadn’t been heard in over 60 years, we asked Ward Hayden — singer-songwriter for Girls Guns and Glory and the biggest Williams enthusiast that we know — to share his thoughts on the release. We had requested […]

More Than a Feeling: A Special Boston Playlist*

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FEATURED ALBUMS Smith & Weeden, by Smith & Weeden It’s always a treat to stumble across a band that, quite simply, sounds like they are having fun. Such is the case with the Providence-based quartet* Smith and Weeden, whose songs run the gamut from harmony-laced country to guitar-fueled rock. In the country category are ambling […]

North Of Nashville – North Of Nashville

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Sometimes the music we listen to, and write about, here on Twangville is a little light on the twang.  That would not be the case with the debut album from Maine duo North Of Nashville.  From the opening chord of the opening song, The Lady And the Outlaw, this is the music that propelled country […]

Katie Glassman & Snapshot – Dream A Little Dream

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When I first ran across Katie Glassman a couple of years ago (review here), I noted her album was exploring a lot of genres.  Her latest release, Dream A Little Dream, hit the streets earlier this week featuring her now-permanent band, Snapshot.  She’s taken a significant step forward as a recording artist with this project. […]