ALBUMS OF THE MONTH: The Cake Sale, by The Cake Sale When Brian Crosby and Paul Noonan of Ireland’s Bell X1 were inspired to create a benefit album for Oxfam’s Make Trade Fair campaign, they formed the collective known as The Cake Sale. Friends ranging from Nick Seymour (Crowded House) and Nina Persson (The Cardigans) […]
Mayer’s Playlist for October 2007, A Video Companion
My, my, my, where has the time gone. Here it is nearly mid-December and I’m just posting the October Video Companion. Was it worth the wait? You be the judge. We open and close this month with Justin Currie, first a special profile then a recent live performance of “If I Ever Loved You,” a […]
Mayer’s Playlist for October 2007
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH: What Is Love For, by Justin Currie Justin Currie sets the tone for his long-awaited solo debut with his opening line, “What is love for?” Over twelve intense tracks, Currie explores broken relationships with a studied but captivating eye. Lyrics filled with tinges of regret and resignation abound, often with an […]
Win Mindy Smith’s “My Holiday”, CD Giveaway
**NOTE: Contest is now closed. You can still participate but will no longer be eligible for the giveaway.** You could say that Mindy Smith was born to sing Christmas songs. The adopted daughter of a pastor and his wife who raised her in Long Island, NY. No doubt her Christian upbringing played into her interest […]
Why I Carry a Blackberry
I often get harassed for my blackberry addiction. While I don’t deny the accusation, I feel somewhat redeemed to have recently used it to help Emerson Hart, former singer-songwriter from Tonic, in a performance last week. In the middle of the set, Hart began playing Jim Croce’s “Operator.” The Croce classic is one of those […]
Beth Whitney + More, Album Previews
Beth Whitney, Leave Your Shoes (Partial CD) [MySpace] At this point in the year there’s less new music to talk about. Its that time for the record companies to start releasing the records that they know we’ll buy for the holiday season like our beloved Christmas albums and “best of” records for our friends and […]
Reader’s Pick: Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, “Raising Sand”
With 33% of the votes, you chose the Robert Plant & Alison Krauss‘s The Raising Sand as your favorite new album in a recent Twangville poll. Help us celebrate by enjoying these Robert Plant and Alison Krauss videos. Don’t forget to vote in this week’s poll!
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss + More, Album Previews
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, ‘Raising Sand’ (Full CD) Ever since Robert Plant formed the Honeydrippers and sang the cover “Sea of Love”, I’ve forgiven him for ever being anything but Led Zeppelin. Now with the help of T-Bone Burnett, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss have teamed up to produce the best collaboration since last […]
Mayer’s Playlist for September 2007, A Video Companion
Lots of great videos this month including a bunch of two-fers that showcase artists in traditional videos as well as performing live. We’ve got pairs from Jeremy Fisher, Mike Viola (Candy Butchers), Rilo Kiley and Watershed, plus single shots from Emerson Hart, the Office, Mark Knopfler, The Go! Team, Admiral Freebee, and Gomez. And be […]
Mayer’s Playlist for September 2007
THE ALBUM OF THE MONTH: Goodbye Blue Monday, by Jeremy Fisher Canada’s Fisher is a fresh voice on the scene with a sound that falls somewhere between folk and acoustic pop. The opening track “Scar That Never Heals” recalls Simon & Garfunkel’s “Me & Julio Down by the Schoolyard” and Simon-esque songwriting percolates throughout the […]