The True Believers Austin’s The True Believers were high on, if not at the top of, my list of bands to see at SXSW. Nearly thirty years ago they established a reputation as a powerhouse rock and roll band. Given that I wasn’t attending many rock shows thirty years ago so I was downright giddy […]
New American Farmers – Brand New Day
Mars, Arizona. Â Wind and sun the primary elements of nature, the tumbleweeds rolling through town, red sand whipped into dust devils with nothing but cactus to impede their motion. Â Like so many small towns in America, the burden of providing for its citizens outweighing a rapidly diminishing tax base until there’s no choice but to […]
Josh Ritter: The Beast In Its Tracks
There’s a new Josh Ritter in town. No more “Bright smiles and dark eyes” and “I’ll be the one to drive you back home, Kathleen.” Now there are lyrics like these: “Nightmares have their dreams as well, / when they sleep they go to hell / and they drink their fill on lakes of blood… […]
Reed Turner – Ghosts In the Attic
I do love me a good murder ballad sometimes. Â Cocaine Blues, popularized by Johnny Cash and later George Thorogood, is maybe my favorite. Â I’m pretty enamored now, though, with a cut off the new Reed Turner release, Ghosts In the Attic. Â The song, Killed That Girl (‘Cause She Was Killing Me) has just the right […]
Bill Mallonee – Amber Waves
Bill Mallonee’s 50th release (that is not a typo by the way) is one of his most impassioned. I realize that is a bold statement when the referenced artist has such a large body of work. The lyrics on “Amber Waves” are full of pain and loss. However, there is an underlying hope in these […]
Mayer’s Playlist for January 2013
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH Battles, by Kingsley Flood Battles is the sound of a band hitting stride. Kingsley Flood have always delivered rock solid songs and performances. Their latest release, however, packages their most potent songwriting to date with some equally powerful arrangements. There’s a real edge to the songs across this release. The title […]
Carrie Rodriguez – Give Me All You Got
I’ll get straight to the point here. Â Carrie Rodriguez has finally captured the energy, or spirit, or je ne sais quoi, or whatever you want to call it, of seeing her live, on a record. Â I’ve enjoyed Carrie’s previous records. Â But they tended to be sort of introspective. Â Go to a live show, though, and […]
Miscellaneous Gems
Over the last 6 months or so I’ve come across a few albums or EP’s that I enjoyed, but for one reason or another didn’t do a full review. Â As the year winds down I figured it’s a good time to collect a few of those into a single post. Wasabi – Wide Open An […]
Mayer’s Picks: Best Albums of 2012
Most years there is one record that stands head and shoulders above the rest. Things were different this year as three albums vied for the top of my favorites list. I gave up trying to pick one – I’m declaring it a tie. #1 (tie). BRANDI CARLILE, Bear Creek Carlile recorded her latest release in […]
Monday Morning Video: An All-Star Performance of Dylan’s “You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere”
Now here’s an impressive line-up: Steve Earle, Loudon Wainwright III, Mike Scott of the Waterboys and host John Wesley Harding leading a cover of Bob Dylan’s “You Ain’t Going Nowhere.” The performance was captured at Harding’s eclectic “Cabinet of Wonders” series in New York City last month.