I posted my list of favorite from the first half of 2017 back in July (here). Rather than replicate that list for my full year review, consider this a continuation — the best songs from the second half of the year. No Heart Left Behind, Hannah Aldridge (from the Rootsy Music release Gold Rush) I […]
Monday Morning Video – Christmas From the Drunk Tank
I always love when holidays fall on Mondays as it gives me license to share holiday-themed videos. On this day how about partaking of two of the best holiday songs ever written. Two songs which happen to share a common theme of spending the holiday in jail. Go figure. Enjoy the Pogues (with Kirsty MacColl) […]
Mayer’s Picks – Best Albums of 2017, Boston/Dallas Edition
I’ve had the pleasure to explore the music scenes of two cities this year – Boston and Dallas. Both have exceptionally vibrant music scenes. The albums below were my favorites from each city. Love it local. DEEP IN THE HEART OF TEXAS Ronnie Fauss, Last of the True Fauss takes the listener on a short […]
Mayer’s Picks – More Favorites from 2017
Here, in no particular order, are a few more favorites from 2017. New MistakesTerra Lightfoot Letters Never ReadDori Freeman Other Love SongsFront Country Boy Crazy and Single(s)Lydia Loveless Transient LullabyThe Mastersons The World We BuiltThe Wild Reeds Youth DetentionLee Bains III and the Glory Fires Tomorrow ForeverMatthew Sweet Life Is FinePaul Kelly This Is My […]
True North – Open Road, Broken Heart
Kris Kristofferson famously wrote that “freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose.” Â Kristen Grainger, lead singer & songwriter for True North, writes a corollary, “you call it leaving, but she calls it freedom”, on One Way Ticket, the opening track on their latest album. Â While Me And Bobby McGee was about the journey […]
Mark Olson and Ingunn Ringvold – Spokeswoman of the Bright Sun
Success, as pretty much everyone has realized, gives one some freedom that can’t otherwise be earned. Â Some use that freedom to advance an agenda, whereas others look to self-improvement and creativity as the opportunity. Â Mark Olson, founder of pioneering Americana group The Jayhawks, chose the latter path along with his wife and musical partner Ingunn […]
Americana 2017: Mayer’s Picks (Part 2)
Every fall, The Americana Music Association gathers members, artists and music fans together in Nashville for its annual conference. Starting with the annual Americana Music Awards and continuing through four days of showcases and panel discussions, it is a tremendous celebration of Americana music. Here are but a few of my favorite performers and performances […]
Americana 2017: Mayer’s Picks (Part 1)
Every fall, The Americana Music Association gathers members, artists and music fans together in Nashville for its annual conference. Starting with the annual Americana Music Awards and continuing through four days of showcases and panel discussions, it is a tremendous celebration of Americana music. Here are but a few of my favorite performers and performances […]
Deer Tick – Vol. 1 and Vol. 2
It takes a bit of bravado to release two albums simultaneously. Most bands work hard to put 10 – 12 well-crafted songs together every few years. It is not uncommon to see “B-side†albums come out shortly after a release, but for the most part they are only collections of songs and not a cohesive […]
Three Diamonds In the Rough
A few weeks ago I wrote about a movie that explores the issues around how streaming has changed the economics of the music business.  The result of that plus nearly free compute power, is it’s now cheap enough to make a record that musicians can choose to make an album in support of other projects and priorities.  Here […]