Here’s the second installment of our special “Kiss Off” playlist, country and folk edition: So Long Baby Goodbye, The Blasters There was a cold wind blowing on the night we met, The leaves fell from the trees, You made a lot of promises I ain’t seen yet, And I ain’t gonna ask you please. You […]
Mayer’s Playlist for February 2009, a Video Companion
We book-end this month’s video playlist with Dan Auerbach (of the Black Keys), opening with a rocking take on “My Last Mistake” and closing with a special acoustic performance of “Trouble Weighs a Ton.” In between we’ve got live performances from Alex Dezen (The Damnwells), Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit, Justin Townes Earle, Sam […]
Mayer’s Playlist for February 2009, Part 2
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH: Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit, by Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit There’s something satisfying about watching a performer mature before your eyes. Though Jason Isbell has long been a Twangville favorite, his latest showcases his tremendous growth as a songwriter and performer. Exhibit A is “Soldiers Get Strange,” the […]
The Weight – Are Men
Grab a bowl. Place a few New Yorkers in the bowl. Give one of them an almost Dwight Yoakam-like vocal. Mix in a little jingle, a dash of jangle. Throw in a few nods to the glory of 70’s Southern-Rock while folding in some serious Country sensibility that retains a sense of humor and you […]
The Whipsaws- 60 Watt Avenue
The Whipsaws are a bar band…. a glorious, alt. country ass kicking bar band. Just listen to the tossed off rock and roll of their sophomore effort, 60 Watt Avenue. Though Neil Young is the easiest influence to infer as the band moves from Crazy Horse style rockers to Harvest-era ballads with ease, the Whipsaws […]
San Saba County – …Though Cheating Was Never an Option
To be described as an “Austin-based Alt -Country band” or an “Austin-based Indie band” is to be lumped into monikers that have become somewhat cliched in many ways. Thanks mainly to the capital city’s widely regarded reputation as a thriving home to musicians of all kinds, many bands that merely fit neatly into a single […]
Donna Ulisse – Walk the Mountain Down
Donne Ulisse Will be releasing a star studded Bluegrass album, Walk the Mountain Down on January 20th. The album is her second traditional Bluegrass album. She wrote or co-wrote all of the songs on the album. Produced by Keith Sewell it also includes an all-star cast of players including, Andy Leftwitch, Byron House and Rob […]
The Gourds – Haymaker!
The Gourds new LP,Haymaker (Yep Roc) should’ve come out a few weeks ago, that way, it could’ve landed on my Top 10 for 2008. I guess it will just have to wait. Pretty gutsy statement for such an early offering of 2009, huh? In an era where most “Country Rock” consists of Rock that is […]
Top 8 Shows of ’08
I’ve seen many good posts with favorite albums of 2008, so I thought I’d change things up a bit and cover the best live sets I saw last year. First, a word to the wary. I don’t care much for shows where the artist does a greatest hits compilation or plays the new album more-or-less […]
Nine for ’09
I can’t speak for the economy, but 2009 is shaping up to be a great year for music. Pay particular attention to March. It seems that every year the stars align on a single day and we get an embarrassment of riches. This year that day is March 3rd. Here are some of the incredible […]