There’s something special about a song that strikes such a deep chord with fellow musicians. John Hartford’s “In Tall Buildings” is a perfect example. Its gentle folk melody carries words that speak to the quiet heartbreak of all that’s lost when life becomes consumed by work in “tall buildings.” I was introduced to the song […]
Brayden Baird and the Once In A Lifetime Band – Lord, why do you do these things to me
If you’re over a certain age one of the memes that sticks with you is Monty Python’s “and now for something completely different.” That’s the thought that crossed my mind when I heard Brooklyn resident Brayden Baird’s new album, Lord, why do you do these things to me. Some of the materials label it as […]
D.K. Harrell – Talkin’ Heavy
Young D.K. Harrell is good. Really good. With a polished guitar sound and soulful vocals, his sound is reminiscent of a Harrell’s idol B.B. King or a young Robert Cray. Born D’Kieran Harrell in Ruston, Louisiana, Harrell says he first heard King when he was a toddler and immediately started singing along. He grew up […]
Kai Crowe-Getty – The Wreckage
At some point in everyone’s life you learn to measure your hopes and desires against the reality of your situation. You have to still keep them separate in order to function daily, but each can inform the other. I think that heightened sense of self-awareness is the common thread in the songs from Virginian Kai […]
“We Are, We Are” – A Video Premiere from Willie Nile
Fresh off the release of his latest album, Willie Nile keeps the momentum rolling with the premiere of a new video for “We Are, We Are”—a full-throttle rock anthem that channels his signature mix of grit, heart, and unshakeable optimism. The song is classic Nile: a defiant, uplifting anthem built for raised fists and open […]
Eric Schenkman of Spin Doctors on Tour Mac & Cheese, Cigarette Smoking, and Not Over-Rehearsing
Guitarist Eric Schenkman of Spin Doctors talks about learning how not to break guitar strings, how to rehearse effectively at sound checks, and shares his views on the music industry.
Monday Morning Video – Introducing Kirby Baby
Americana musician Kirby Brown has reinvented his musical self as Kirby Baby. He comes out swinging with “Hell When You Come Around”, a great indie rocker about a relationship as irresistible as it is destructive: i know it’s going to be scars after loving youi know I’m going to fall hard like I always doit’s […]
Tawny Ellis – Edge of the World
I generally tend toward a less-is-more aesthetic to the music I listen to. I’ll take a live studio take on a song before a 64-track production any day. I like to see songs performed on stage without autotune or a dozen recorded background tracks. But every now and then I get a hankering for some […]
Mayer’s Playlist for Spring 2025, Part 2
True Believer, Jason Isbell (from the Southeastern Records release Foxes in the Snow) Foxes in the Snow finds Jason Isbell in a raw, reflective space, drawing from the emotional wreckage of heartbreak and the cautious hope of starting over. These songs live in the aftermath—where pain lingers, memories echo, and new love emerges slowly, shaped […]
Big Love Car Wash – Daydream
A few weeks back we premiered a single, 21st Century Telegraph, from a recently formed Austin band, Big Love Car Wash. Formed after a fateful one-time gig organized by mandolinist/vocalist Sol Chase, the group discovered they had a musical chemistry that begged further time together. They gathered in an Austin studio and put together their […]