Twangville

A music blog featuring Alt-Country, Americana, Indie, Rock, Folk & Blues. Est. 2005.

Carolina Chocolate Drops – Leaving Eden

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The Carolina Chocolate Drops, whose informal folksy jug band approach belies a talent pool that is seemingly bottomless, have added another gem to their already stellar catalogue with Leaving Eden.  The Drops, who in their live shows recreate the look and feel of a turn-of-the 20th century string band but with the anachronistic addition of human “beatbox” vocal percussionist […]

Monday Morning Video: American Gun

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The time has nearly arrived for the Twangville showcase, scheduled for this Saturday (10 March) in Columbia, SC! Kicking us off that night will be hometown favorites American Gun. Check out this video for “Therapy,” one of my favorite songs from 2011. The boys from American Gun will be joined by Lydia Loveless, Mooncussers and […]

Davy Jones, 1945-2012

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It was another tough week for rock and roll with the passing of Davy Jones of the legendary Monkees. Whether one caught the tv series on its initial run in the 1960’s or the re-runs that followed for decades, it was hard not to smile at the group’s antics and enthusiasm. That was especially true […]

I See Hawks In L.A. – New Kind Of Lonely

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Driving east out of Bakersfield you see it long before you get there, the heat shimmer distorting lines and colors, and yet somehow it kind of sneaks up on you.  One minute you’re in civilization, the next…nowhere.  California’s high desert has inspired musicians from Gram Parsons and the Eagles to Ted Nugent and Queens of […]

American Aquarium – Live in Raleigh

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North Carolina’s American Aquarium has certainly made the most of their tenacious touring and effective self-promotion over the past few years. With their last two studio albums, Dances for the Lonely and Small Town Hymns possessing an irresistibly comfortable blend of country and rock, and the band’s live shows having gained a reputation for being […]

Monday Morning Video: Kasey Anderson

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To help us get in the mood for the upcoming Twangville showcase, here is a video from featured artist Kasey Anderson. Anderson will be joined by Lydia Loveless, Mooncussers and American Gun for a special night of music on 10 March 2012 at The New Brookland Tavern in Columbia, South Carolina. Details on the show […]

Walter Rose Drives South With Lucinda

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There aren’t many voices out there that are fair or worthy companions to the singular, sultry and smokey groan of Lucinda Williams. The California-dwelling Walter Rose released Cast Your Stone last month, and while it’s a solid album to be sure, it’s tough to deny the magic this song has. Want proof of said magic? […]

Otis Taylor – Contraband

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Otis Taylor and Corey Harris may be the most creative blues musicians active today. And with Harris spending much of his time exploring other musical avenues, that leaves Taylor pretty much in a class by himself as an avant-garde bluesman.  His moody, atmospheric yet beautiful recordings are a welcome change from the many younger musicians trying […]

Heartless Bastards – Arrow

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There’s something unexplainably exhilarating about a rapid and dramatic change in temperature.  In Russia and Scandinavia they go from a hot sauna to a leap into freezing cold water.  Where I grew up in the Midwest, we’d go from a hot, sweaty mosh pit in a club with ear-ringing decibels to the subzero outdoor environs […]