One of the things we love to do at Twangville is introduce our readers to artists that are just starting out. These under the radar artists are a big part of why I joined the Twangville posse. This week I was able to sit down and interview Drayton Farley about his new EP “Sweet Southern […]
Golden Shoals – Golden Shoals
One of the best things about travel is the occasional chance to just sit there and observe the people around you. Not being held to a schedule opens your mind to different perspectives. Musical duo and long-time friends Amy Alvey and Mark Kilianski were afforded probably a lot more of that perspective than most while […]
Ted Russell Kamp – Down In the Den
Everybody knows about Cheers, the bar where everyone knows your name. Apparently the recording studio equivalent of that is Ted Russell Kamp’s former garage, now affectionately known as The Den. Ted has a new album out, Down In the Den, that features (if I counted right) 35 of his friends, who all happen to be […]
Mayer’s Picks – The Best of 2020 (So Far), the Songs
No Time for Love Songs, The Mastersons (from the Red House Records release No Time for Love Songs) I love you so much but it’s no time for love songs We’re starting to unravel at the seams Maybe I care too much and this world is hard enough How come everybody’s gotta be so mean? […]
Mayer’s Picks – the Best of 2020 (So Far), the Albums
Self Made Man by Larkin Poe Sisters Rebecca and Megan Lovell take no prisoners on this sonic rock and blues explosion. Self Made Man is a brilliant combination of fierce guitars, impassioned vocals, and rousing anthems. Key Tracks: She’s a Self Made Man, Holy Ghost Fire, Keep Diggin’, Back Down South, Tears of Blue to […]
Mayer’s Playlist for Spring 2020, Part 4
She’s a Self-Made Man, Larkin Poe (from Tricki-Woo Records Self Made Man) Rebecca & Megan Lovell pull no punches on their latest release. Self Made Man, their follow-up to 2018’s Grammy nominated Venom & Faith is a bruising rock album pure and simple. The sisters are old souls possessed by the spirit of the legendary […]
John McCutcheon on $400 Days and the True Definition of Success
Prolific folk singer John McCutcheon talks about the dustbin of his writing archive and recalls playing a union gig when he was a teenager
On the Road: A Tribute To John Hartford
For the most part, Bill Monroe invented the bluegrass genre over a period of years. The progressive/new grass/indie grass branch of the tree, though, can possibly be related to a single album, John Hartford’s Aereo-Plain. Therefore it’s fitting that so many of that strand’s best known groups jumped in to contribute a cover of one […]
Kristen Grainger & True North – Ghost Tattoo
As a writer, I suppose it’s natural for me to have a soft spot for well-written lyrics. I was gobsmacked, though, at some of the turns of phrase on the latest record from Oregonian Kristen Grainger. For instance, “outside the traffic clattered, like a sky full of geese drawing fire.” Does that draw you a […]
Broke Down South of Dallas – A Special Playlist
Voices, Joshua Ray Walker (from the State Fair Records release Glad You Made It) Joshua Ray Walker sure seems like he’s having fun on Glad You Made It. Sure, the album opens with the stunning “Voices”, a song of loneliness and despair. Yet as the album progresses, Walker leans into the country side and showcases […]