DEL MCCOURY AND FRIENDS PAY TRIBUTE TO THE STRUGGLES OF RURAL AMERICA Del McCoury has put out a compilation project that sings about the plight of rural America. The album enlists a stellar group of artists to tell this story. Moneyland, which is also the name of the title cut, invokes the spirit of FDR […]
A Few Words with Will Hoge, part 1
“Songwriting is a damn mystery,†says Will Hoge as we discuss “Draw the Curtain†his restrained yet compelling current release. It’s kind of like the Wizard of Oz, he continues, “you don’t want to know what is behind the curtain.†Although Hoge reunited with producer Ken Coomer, producer of 2006’s explosive The Man Who Killed […]
The Kennedys–Madison Square Park, New York City
The Madison Square Park Concert Series in New York City kicked of to a soggy start on Wednesday, June 18, but the passing thunderstorm didn’t deter eager folk enthusiasts from coming out (umbrellas and all) to the park’s lush Oval Lawn listen to the quirky, bohemian musical talents of Pete and Maura Kennedy, known on-stage […]
Reckless Kelly – Bulletproof
In the late-nineties and early in this current millennium, the Texas-Country scene exploded, not only in the Lone Star State, but throughout the South. The vast scope of the music attracted many listeners, as the movement represented an alternative to the product that was being churned out in Nashville. The giants from that not-so by-gone […]
Reckless Kelly + More, Releases 6/24
Reckless Kelly performing Alejandro Escovedo’s “Castanets”. RECKLESS KELLY, Bulletproof (Yep Roc) Official Site | MySpace | Samples (Amazon) Believe me, passing over Alejandro Escovedo to feature Reckless Kelly this week was not easy. But that’s just how much I dig this Texas band. They took some time to get ‘Bulletproof’ out but early signs show […]
Billy Bragg: Live at the Fillmore
Barack Obama campaign rally or live music show? Hmm, hard to tell. On the other hand, anyone who expects a Billy Bragg show to be just music without any social or political commentary has found themselves a nice, isolated cave to live in. Billy was on a west coast tour swing in support of his […]
The Bob Walkenhorst Dinner Hour Show
Would you travel half way across the country to see a band play a bar in a non-descript strip-mall? If you’ve spent time in Twangville you might consider it. And if it is a Wednesday night and the weekly Bob Walkenhorst and Friends show is in session in Kansas City, you’d be foolish not to […]
Honeybrowne + More, Releases 6/17
Honeybrowne performing in League City at the Village Fair. HONEYBROWNE, Mile by Mile (Smith Music)Official Site | MySpace | Samples Amid false rumors that the band had parted company (they were allegedly busy making babies), Austin’s Honeybrowne release their latest brand of rockin’ country tunes titled ‘Mile by Mile’. File under: Country / Rock / […]
Listen Up: Matthew Ryan Vs. the Silver State
Matthew Ryan’s voice can be an acquired taste, expressive and rough hewn. Yet it is a voice that conveys as much emotion as the instrumentation it accompanies. His emotional honesty and vulnerability are laid bare whether he’s barking out “Johnny wanted a lot of things but Johnny didn’t want to die†on “Drunk and Disappointed” […]
Truth & Soul, Digging in Music History
In an era of digital downloads threatening the record industry record labels like Truth and Soul are a breath of fresh air. Truth and Soul is the kind of label that doesn’t aim on big sales, but is there to satisfy the needs of collectors like me. In limited editions the company releases actual vinyl […]