ALBUMS OF THE MONTH American Ride, by Willie Nile Willie Nile is on a roll. After playing the major label game twice in his nearly 35-year career, Nile quietly self-released 1999’s outstanding Beautiful Wreck of the World. Since then he has delivered three more compelling albums filled with high energy rock songs and touching ballads. […]
Donna the Buffalo – Tonight, Tomorrow, and Yesterday
We’ve all had this experience.  You’re in a park or at a music festival, with song in the air.  You look around and there’s some giant of  a man dancing with a tiny child.  All their cares in the world being twirled away into the sunshine.  You just grin, whether at the silliness of the […]
Caitlin Rose- The Stand-In
Writing this review is difficult for me, and not because my feelings about the album are ambiguous. I almost uniformly adore the record. The difficulty arises in attempting to write about the record. Because, despite my adoration of The Stand-In, I can’t really put my finger on the reason why. Every thought comes across as […]
Mayer’s Playlist for March/April 2013, Part 2
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH The Other Life, by Shooter Jennings I’ll admit that I haven’t spent much time with Shooter’s previous releases. No real explanation, his music just never made it into my rotation. My bad. His latest is one of the most refreshing country records that I’ve heard in quite some time. Shooter and […]
Mayer’s Playlist for March/April 2013, Part 1
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH The Beast In Its Tracks, by Josh Ritter It’s easy to be angry after a break-up. You want to grab a bottle of whisky and crank some classic angry Bob Mould songs (Black Sheets of Rain, anyone?). I suppose that Josh Ritter had a few of those moments when his marriage […]
Sons Of Fathers – Burning Days
My first listen to the latest release from Sons Of Fathers, Burning Days, and I was tempted to just label it sophomore slump and be done with it. Â I so liked their first release, though, that I had to go back and listen again and I realized it was my pre-conceived notions at fault and […]
Wednesday Morning Video: SXSW 2013 Highlights, Part 3
We wrap up our SXSW 2013 coverage with a final set of videos. This collection features several up-and-comers that we’ll be hearing great things from in the years to come. Dawes performing their brilliant song “When My Time Comes” You Won’t playing a song whose title I don’t know (can someone help me and Shazam […]
SXSW 2013: The Sounds, Part 2
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 […]
SXSW 2013: The Sounds, Part 1
Patty Griffin One listen to a Patty Griffin song and you’ll understand why she has developed an almost cultish following. She is, quite simply, an extraordinary songwriter. New West Records, her new record label, arranged a private showcase at a South Austin mansion called the Castle to celebrate her forthcoming release. It was an event […]
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 […]