With apologies for the tardiness of the appearance of this, the beginning of my 2008 SXSW highlights reel, we’re off to the races now. This post is the first in a nine- (possibly ten-) part series which will be coming your way regularly over the coming days, so please don’t be shy about chiming in […]
Hayes Carll + More, Releases 4/8/08
HAYES CARLL, Trouble In Mind (Lost Highway) Official Site | MySpace | Preview Known for his dry sense of humor, tell-it-like-it-is songwriting and the first self-released record to reach #1 on the Americana Music Chart (‘Little Rock’), Hayes Carll brings us a new album on Lost Highway Records he calls ‘Trouble In Mind’. He’s been […]
Justin Townes Earle + More, Releases 3/25/08
JUSTIN TOWNES EARLE, The Good Life (Bloodshot) Official Site | MySpace | MP3* [audio:http://www.chimehosting.com/bsr/justintownesearle/private/file_xfer/TheGoodLife/hardlivin.mp3] At times Justin Townes Earle sounds like he’s broadcasting songs from a time long gone. At others he couldn’t be more here and now. As you might already know, he’s the son of legendary singer/songwriter Steve Earle and wears the mark […]
Kathleen Edwards + More, Releases 3/4/08
You could be doing any number of things this week. For instance, you could be playing superdelegate ping pong in your mind while you watch the latest news coming out of Ohio and Texas regarding who’s hot right now, be it Barack or Hillary (or John). You might also be joining us in mourning the […]
Tift Merritt + More, Releases 2/26/08
TIFT MERRITT, Another Country (Fantasy) Official Site | MySpace | Stream | MP3 While we all sit back and sigh a brief moment of relief to know that Jamie Lynn passed her GED this week. Its good to know that there’s a bunch of new music we can send her as a graduation gift. After […]
Ray Davies + More, Releases 2/19/08
RAY DAVIES, Working Man’s Cafe (Ammal/New West) Official Site | MySpace With his second solo album, former Kink and Rock n’ Roll Hall of Famer Ray Davies brings us ‘Working Man’s Cafe’. The album features 12 new songs penned by Davies who co-produced the album with Grammy Award winning producer Ray Kennedy (Lucinda Williams, Steve […]
Mando Saenz + More, Releases 2/5/08
MANDO SAENZ, Bucket (Carnival) Official Site | MySpace | Stream His first radio single “Pocket of Red” off of new album, ‘Bucket’, is co-written with Kim Richey and offers a flipside point of view of the lead off song “Wrong Guy” about a person admittedly difficult to be in a relationship with. From Texas to […]
Mayer’s Picks from 2007: The Video Companion
Before we get too far into 2008, here’s a quick trip down (recent) memory lane with some of my favorites from 2007. Among them: Jason Isbell (“Dress Blues”), Josh Ritter (“Right Moves”), Justin Currie (“If I Ever Loved You”), Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova (“Falling Slowly” plus a bonus “Into the Mystic”), Brandi Carlile (“The […]
Mayer’s Picks for 2008
As 2007 fades from memory, there’s a wealth of great music on the horizon in 2008. I’ve listed a few of my most eagerly awaited arrivals below, ordered by expected release date. Most of the artists have preview tracks available via MySpace; click on the artist name to link there. Check the Twangville Release Calendar […]
Mayer’s Picks from 2007: The Songs
Dress Blues, Jason Isbell Potent in its simplicity, Isbell reflects on the loss of a high school friend in the Iraqi War. Even after hundreds of listens, I still get a chill in my spine when Isbell sings “You never planned on the bombs in the sand, or sleeping in your dress blues.” If I […]