On January 25th, Amos Lee is going to release Mission Bell on Blue Note Records. Mark your calendars, this early January release will remain on many best of lists by the end of 2011. Characteristically, Lee’s soulful voice is the focal point of the album. However, the sound of Mission Bell exhibits more texture than his previous […]
Listen Up: The Q-Dee Rock and Soul Series
Q Division Studios has long been a mainstay of the Boston music scene, hosting everyone from burgeoning local bands to internationally renowned artists (see the list here). The studio has been known to put out a few releases of their own, as they are doing with the limited edition Q-Dee Rock and Soul Series. Beginning […]
Mayer’s Playlist for Oct/Nov 2010, Video Companion
Happy weekend. I’m certainly ready for it, some time to relax and perhaps catch a show or two. Here’s the over-stuffed (Thanksgiving pun intended) video companion to the October and November playlist. Things kick off with a run of acoustic performances from Bow Thayer, Doc Dailey, Will Hoge, Teddy Goldstein, the Autumn Defense, Benjamin Frances […]
Meatyard – Sweet Old Green Life
Somewhere in the information that I dug up on Meatyard, it says something about how “Leonard Cohen would sound if he had a country band”. There are all kinds of implications in that statement, like future greatness, cult following, and even that somehow nothing Cohen does is country. I don’t subscribe to much of that, […]
Mayer’s Playlist for October/November 2010, Part 2
ALBUM OF THE MONTH: Victims, Enemies, & Old Friends, by Doc Dailey and Magnolia Devil A strong Southern accent imbues Muscle Shouls musician Doc Dailey’s voice and music. His songs continue a rich Southern storytelling tradition, filled with characters struggling with the hands that they’ve been dealt. In album opener “Prove Me Wrong” Dailey strives […]
Kathryn Caine – Down Home Girl
Ever notice there aren’t many female-oriented songs about not being tied down? I’m sure there are, but they don’t come to mind like Free Bird or Ramblin’ Man. I suppose Thelma & Louise gives the XX perspective for the movie genre, but what about something you can sing along to? Kathryn Caine, on her latest […]
You Pick It: Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song”
Does anyone not consider this song a classic? It is certainly hard to argue with the impressive array of artists who have covered the Bob Marley classic. In this edition of our “You Pick It” series, we get Johnny Cash & Joe Strummer; Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros; Ziggy Marley & the Chieftains; Bono, Bob […]
Paul Thorn – Pimps & Preachers
You can always count on Paul Thorn to provide a picture of life in the margins. His new effort Pimps and Preachers paints many different portraits. There are catchy singer-songwriter story songs like the opener “You’re Not the Only Oneâ€, which shows that the problems and trials of life are not unique to the family […]
Mayer's Playlist for October/November 2010, Part 1
ALBUM OF THE MONTH: The Bottom of the Sky, by Bow Thayer and Perfect Trainwreck After listening to this release, it shouldn’t be a surprise to learn that Thayer has played with Levon Helm (although it was really the reverse – Helm played drums on Thayer’s 2006 release). They are kindred spirits, men whose music […]
The White Buffalo – Prepare for Black & Blue
Wow. Upon seeing the name, The White Buffalo, visions of indie-hipsters attempting achieve some sort of irony for irony’s sake, were dancing through my head. Thankfully, an irony-seeking hipster The White Buffalo isn’t. It was too good to be true that The White Buffalo would be this artist’s given name. According to our friends at […]