How do you spell pop music? I spell it “Jim Boggia.” This video companion features a few from the pop maestro. Keep going to find live performances from Willie Nile, Chris Knight, Air Traffic, the Avett Brothers and a classic from Todd Snider. Finally we’ve got a special interview and performance video from Randy Newman.
Mayer’s Playlist for Aug/Sept 2008, Part 1 Video Companion
Summer ended with a bang thanks to some fine new music. We kick off our August/September video bonanza with some, well, sweet live performances by Matthew Sweet, one of our featured artists. Dig a bit deeper and you’ll get live concert footage from Cory Chisel & the Wandering Sons, British Sea Power, Chris Knight and […]
Mayer’s Playlist for Aug/Sept 2008, Part 1
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH: Sunshine Lies, by Matthew Sweet “’cause we’re already good and we’re already evil, unfazed by a world of constant upheaval,” sings Matthew Sweet on “Let’s Love” from his latest release. It’s a moment that carries meaning beyond the song’s intended topic. In the nearly fifteen years since Sweet’s seminal Girlfriend, the […]
A Tale of Two Texas Records: Owen Temple & Susan Gibson
Texas has become quite the recording hot-spot, with Austin being the central source of heat. Simply because an album happens to be recorded in the Lone-Star State doesn’t make it a “Texas Album”, in my not-so-humble opinion. Honesty, simplicity, distictive voices, and even more distinct writing is the combination of components of what I consider […]
Bruce Robison + More, Releases 9/2
Bruce Robison performing “She Don’t Care” at Scholz Beer Garte, Austin 8-13-08 BRUCE ROBISON, The New World (Premium) Official Site | MySpace | Samples (Amazon) The most disappointing thing about this album is that there are only ten tracks. This is perhaps a countrier version of something Peter Case would put together which makes it […]
Your Favorites in 2008… So Far
The residents of Twangville have spoken! Here are some of your favorites from the first half of the year. The Band of Heathens, The Band of Heathens Hayes Carll, Trouble In Mind Drive-By Truckers, Brighter Than Creation’s Dark Justin Townes Earle, The Good Life Kathleen Edwards, Asking for Flowers Elbow, Seldom Seen Kid Eleven Hundred […]
Mayer’s Playlist for July 2008, a Video Companion
More video goodness this month. We kick things off with two of my favorite songs this summer, Little Jackie’s “The World Should Revolve Around Me” and the Hold Steady’s “Sequestered in Memphis.” Keep on moving and you’ll see a special video from Alex Woodard and live performances from Love Pyschedelico, the Baseball Project, Eric Lindell, […]
Mayer’s Playlist for July 2008, Part 2
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH: Stay Positive, by The Hold Steady When Craig Finn preaches, “our psalms are sing-along songs,” in the opening track of their latest release, he might as well have revealed the band’s musical mission. Whereas previous albums have focused on the characters living in Finn’s imagination, this go-around spotlights the rock anthems […]
Country with Muscle – John D. Hale Band & Back Porch Mary
I have been very clear (or not, probably not) in the past that I have grown weary of musical-genre labels that either fail to make much sense, or simply don’t really define much (“Red-Dirt” anyone??). Having said that, I have recently began espousing a labeling philosophy that I think suits me just fine. If the […]
Twangville Picks the Best So Far in ’08
We at Twangville have been fortunate to hear some great music in the first half of ’08. I polled the crew on their favorites are here are the results: Todd: Hayes Carll, Trouble in Mind (read more) Chip: Drive-By Truckers, Brighter Than Creation’s Dark (read more on this album and Chip’s full list) Tom: Old […]