Wonderin’ Where, Joe Ely (from the Rack ‘Em Records release Panhandle Rambler) Joe Ely is a one of the great American musical storytellers. His latest album finds him in a rather reflective mood, casting a thoughtful eye on the characters and landscape of his beloved Texas. Whether he is painting a picture of the lonesome […]
Shawn Mullins – My Stupid Heart
On his first album in five years, Shaw Mullins releases what is perhaps his best album. “My Stupid Heart†is a virtual dead heat with 2006’s “Ninth Ward Pickin’ Parlor†as his career best. “My Stupid Heart†exhibits a diversity of styles. The core of the album, as always, is Mullins melodic songwriting. There is […]
Corb Lund – Things That Can’t Be Undone
One of the best bar-concert surprises I’ve ever had was seeing Corb Lund open for Hayes Carll a few years ago at the Doug Fir in Portland.  I’d heard a couple of his songs, but hadn’t given them much thought.  Lund and his band, the Hurtin’ Albertans, came out and proceeded to not just get the […]
Monday Morning Video – Christopher Paul Stelling
Chances are that you’ve never heard folk classic “Sixteen Tons” quite like this. The legendary song paints a grim picture of life working in the coal mines back in the early and mid 20th century. Christopher Paul Stelling takes an already somber song and gives it a haunting edge. Here he pairs it with his […]
Mayer’s Playlist for September 2015
Into the Deep, Galactic (from the Provogue release Into the Deep) There’s a lesson to be learned across the eleven tracks that make up Galactic’s latest release. I can’t recall a record in recent memory that is so musically diverse yet sounds so cohesive. It is a testament to the New Orleans-based quintet’s immense musical […]
The Blackberry Bushes String Band – Three Red Feathers
I love it when music transports you to another time or place. Â Some musicians do it with their stories. Â We wrote about Kevin Gordon last week. Â John Prine and Robert Earl Keen also come to mind. Â Other musicians do it with the music itself. Â The Mavericks always make my short list for that, as does […]
Kevin Gordon – Long Gone Time
While all of the Twangville writers have their favorite artists, there are a few of them that end up on just about all of our lists. Â Kevin Gordon makes that short list, and his latest record caught the imagination of more than one of us. Â So here are a few thoughts on Long Gone Time. […]
Jackie Greene – Back To Birth
I’ve always liked musicians who mix things up in a live show and aren’t afraid to dive into a new genre, comfortable their artistry and talent aren’t confined to a single style. Â Over the years, Joan Osborne has been a poster child for that, doing everything from 90’s pop ballads to covers of Motown classics […]
Peace, Love and Twang at the Philadelphia Folk Festival
The Philadelphia Folk Festival, which has been around for 54 years, isn’t your grandfather’s folk festival. While there is still a smattering of venerable acoustic solo folksingers on its program like Arlo Guthrie, Bruce Cockburn and Tom Paxton, the festival has become a great platform for Americana artists of all flavors as well as for […]
Mea Culpa! A Special Summer Playlist, Part 1
Mea culpa! So last year I made a commitment to myself to write a monthly playlist and publish it within the month for which it was named. I gave myself a hearty pat on the back when I met that goal. Thankfully, I didn’t set the same goal this year as I would have failed […]