I love that this song from Michael McDermott isn’t specifically about New Year’s Day, but rather that any day can be the start of something new. Listening to it on New Year’s Day, however, makes it all the more inspiring. Happy New Year everyone! Let’s make a list and we’ll write it all downEverything we […]
Mayer’s Picks – More Favorites from 2023
Here, in no particular order, are more favorites from 2023.
Mayer’s Picks – Best Songs of 2023, Part 2
I posted my list of favorite from the first half of 2023 back in June (here). Rather than replicate that list for my full year review, consider this a continuation — the best songs from the second half of the year. Whatever Helps You Sleep, Abby Hamilton (from the Blue Gown Records release #1 Zookeeper (of the San […]
Mayer’s Picks – Best of 2023, the Albums
11. Somebody’s Child by Somebody’s Child Not the typical Twangville fare but I can’t get enough of the infectious and electrifying rock anthems from the debut album by Somebody’s Child, the Ireland/UK group founded and led by Cian Godfrey. (More coverage) 10. End of the World by Wild Child End of the World is an […]
Mayer’s Playlist for Fall/Winter 2023, Part 2
Stranger’s Voice, William Matheny (from the Hickman Holler/Thirty Tigers release That Grand, Old Feeling) If you’ve ever read any of our artist interviews, you’ve read many of them talk about touring life being 23 hours spent traveling, dealing with the business side of music, or just sitting around venues for the hour or two of […]
Mayer’s Playlist for Fall/Winter 2023, Part 1
Toothache, Lydia Loveless (from the Bloodshot Records release Nothing’s Gonna Stand In My Way Again) Relationships are messy and few songwriters capture that fact better than Lydia Loveless. One need look no further than “Song About You”, the confessional ballad that opens their latest album. Against the backdrop that is mostly a lone electric guitar, […]
Dan Bern on Open Mics and a Short-Lived Day Job
Singer-songwriter Dan Bern talks about “The Ballad of Andy Fahrquarth”, the first song that he wrote, and the time he left a tour van in an Oklahoma parking lot.
Monday Morning Video – “Fairytale of New York”
This holiday classic takes on extra meaning this year given the recent passing of songwriter Shane MacGowan. Glen Hasard and Lisa O’Neill led this beautiful performance at MacGowan’s funeral a few weeks ago.
Uncle Lucius – Like It’s the Last One Left
The sub-title of this review could be “Uncle Lucius, a band in 3 acts”. In the early-mid 2010’s, Uncle Lucius was emblematic of the Austin bands that could make a living without ever sleeping in a hotel (although they certainly did their fair share of touring). Then in 2018 front man Kevin Galloway decided it […]
Jolie Holland on Tour Schtick, Weaponized Plagiarism, and Her Side Project “Velour Sewer”
Jolie Holland talks about touring in a microvan, shares an early song lyric, and explains why she is sincerely uninterested in genre .