It’s burned in my memory, the exact moment I first heard Afton Wolfe. Coming down out of the mountains on an impossibly bright day in southern Utah, I hit play on his new album, Kings For Sale. Like when you flip down a pair of polarized lenses after squinting into the sun, the textures hidden […]
“The Somerville Lights” – A Twangville Premiere from Dan Blakeslee
Christmasland Jubilee is a dream fulfilled for Dan Blakeslee. As he tells it, he started recording Christmas songs on his meager home recording gear in 2006 to share with his family as gifts. Those humble beginnings sparked his desire to record a full Christmas album with his band the Calabash Club. That process began in 2019 […]
Bill Frisell on his new release Valentine
When Mayer emailed the team asking if anyone wanted to interview Bill Frisell, my response was “F*&k Yes!” I’ve been a fan ever since hearing his 2001 album simply titled With Dave Holland and Elvin Jones. That’s probably still my favorite album after all these years, with Disfarmer, Nashville, and others somewhere up there as […]
Monday Morning Video – A Tough Week in Music
The title says it all. Covid-19 continues its deadly march, leaving death and heartbreak in its wake. The music world is not exempted as a growing list of artists are being abruptly taken from us. In the past week, we’ve lost Adam Schlesinger (Fountains of Wayne), jazz pianist Ellis Marsalis, and country singer-songwriter Joe Diffie, […]
Che Apalache – Rearrange My Heart
So much of the early development of Americana and roots music sprung out of the mountains of Appalachia and the cotton fields of the Delta that we tend forget how popular a lot of it is across the globe. And like any musical style, once musicians learn it they start adding their own influences. Nothing […]
Blue Moon Marquee – Bare Knuckles & Brawn
Perhaps the best way to describe Canadian “Gypsy Blues” duo Blue Moon Marque is to imagine Tom Waits doing Cab Calloway numbers. It’s an unusual style, but it works on Bare Knuckles & Brawn. The duo, which features A.W. Cardinal on vocals and guitar and Jasmine Colette on vocals and upright bass, captures a unique […]
In Memoriam – Leon Redbone
Since you’re a Twangville reader, you probably heard Leon Redbone passed away this week. Chances are good you heard that from a friend or a post in your group; mainstream media never really discovered Leon. He was a performer rooted in 100-year-old entertainer traditions and his music pushed boundaries even as it sounded sort of […]
Quick Hits – Small Town Therapy and The Popravinas
LA-based The Popravinas are going to bust out of their self-described confines as one of the best SoCal party bands if they aren’t careful. Guitarist and producer John Adair has added some pretty sweet country licks to lead singer and writer Eddy Sill’s blue collar, roots rock compositions. Almost Sick has a classic, honky tonk […]
Delvon Lamarr on His Band’s Tour Food Philosophy and Their Efficient Rehearsals
Organist and band leader Delvon Lamarr discusses broken guitar strings and the band’s current 14k mile tour.
Megg Farrell & Friends – Megg Farrell & Friends
Imagine if Patsy Cline took the stage at a smoky old jazz club, backed by a string band. Or better still, Diana Krall guesting on vocals with Heybale! at the Continental on a Sunday evening in Austin. That juxtaposition is a good way to think about the self-titled, debut album from Megg Farrell & Friends. […]