Something you don’t see much of anymore is an album that fills multiple roles, not just as something to listen to but also an accompaniment to a theatre presentation or as a scripted performance piece. San Franciscan Rachel Garlin has gone down that road with her new record, The Ballad of Madelyne & Therese. Besides […]
Brewflies Premiere – Fortunate Son
Take four musical friends who played together and separately for thirty-plus years, most of it on the road and supporting everyone from The Pogues to Del McCoury, then pull the rug out from under them, keep them separated and at home, and what do you get. By now, that pandemic story has become the impetus […]
The Scooches – Lift You Up
Not everyone embraces the use of the word Americana to describe the genre(s) of music that make up the typical Twangvillian playlist, especially when it includes certain strains of country music. But when a record touches on gospel, bluegrass, Dixieland, R&B, and jazz…what else are you going to call it? That’s exactly the case with […]
Jeff Black on Field Parties and Getting Paid to Drive
Singer-songwriter Jeff Black talks about working in a contract business, never missing a gig due to a tour vehicle breakdown, and another cup of coffee.
Twangville on Tour in NYC, BOS, & PVD
We’ve done periodic shows in the past but we might have gotten a bit carried away this summer. We’ve got not one, not two, not three, but four shows on the books. Read on for details on the shows and featured artists, as well as videos from all of the performers. Americana the Beautiful – […]
Mayer’s Picks – The Best of 2023 (So Far), the Songs
Suicide of Town, Ben de la Cour (from the Julian Records release Sweet Anhedonia) Amidst an album of dark and sobering ballads, de la Cour proves that he can rock with the best of ‘em. Simple Things, The Band of Heathens (from the BOH Records release Simple Things) Getting by on simple things, letting go […]
Parker Ferrell – Love Runs Through
Spending time early in adulthood to find oneself has become a bit cliche. Frequently it’s code for delaying acceptance of responsibility and purpose. For Tulsa musician Parker Ferrell, though, it cemented his perspective on the importance of love and compassion while remaining rooted in the daily requirements of the present. Those values inspired the songs […]
William Lee Ellis – Ghost Hymns
William Lee Ellis plays roots music in its purest form. An acoustic master named after his godfather, legendary bluegrass pioneer Bill Monroe, Ellis plays bluegrass, folk and blues in a straightforward, intimate way. His music is a throwback to the days before computers, before television, even before radio, when music was always live and personal. […]
Mayer’s Playlist for Spring, Part 3
Broken Heart of Mine, William Prince (from the Six Shooter Records release Stand in the Joy) “Is the moon shining bright where you are? Is it even shining at all?,” asks William Prince at the start of the outstanding “When You Miss Someone”, the lead track from his latest album. The song wistfully chronicles the […]
JD Graham Premiere – Sidewalk Bobby
There’s a long tradition of dark stories, darker personalities, and black-hearted endings in Americana and folk music. They range from the myriad of circumstances highlighted in the plethora of murder ballads to the teary ending of an outlaw motorcycle rider, or a fervent prayer to not have one’s last minutes be in a cheap motel. […]