“We Could’ve Been Friends” (hauntingly similar to the Dandy Warhol’s “We Used to Be Friends”) begins the new release, Bastion, from Kentucky’s Wayne Graham, an album that I’ve listened to no less than 15 times the last couple of weeks. The Dandy influence doesn’t end there, but on the remainder of the album it’s sprinkled […]
The Next Twangville Dallas House Concert (20 October)
Twangville invites you to join us for the next edition of our Sunday Social backyard concert series in Dallas, TX! The show takes place on Sunday, October 20th. Doors open at 3:30pm and the show starts at 4pm. RSVP for the address and full show details. RSVP We’ve got an incredible line-up of artists who […]
Americana 2024, Mayer’s Picks (Part 2)
LYDIA LOVELESS Loveless played two shows to celebrate a new album, Something Else, a reimagined version of her 2014 release Somewhere Else. The new release is nearly entirely Loveless solo on piano and was the focus of a stunning Thursday appearance at Todd Snider’s Purple Building. The next afternoon Loveless and John Calvin Abney brought […]
American Equator – a Premiere from Pete Mancini
I’m a sucker for a good power pop song. The best of ’em pull you in with catchy melodies even as/when the lyrics are less than uplifting. Such is the case with Pete Mancini’s new single “American Equator”. The song finds Mancini contemplating the political dissonance of the past several years, lamenting its continued escalation. […]
Review: Big Star Quintet Celebrate Radio City’s 50th Anniversary @ Union Stage, Washington, D.C. (8-25-2024)
“We like harmonies,” joked REM’s bassist Mike Mills at one point during the 50th anniversary show of Big Star’s Radio City recently at Union Stage here in Washington, D.C. Harmony, humor, and a celebration of songs that influenced so many musicians for decades were the theme of this sold out show. A smaller crew than […]
Mayer’s Playlist for Summer 2024, Part 2
The Money or the Time, Goodnight Texas (from the 2 Cent Bank Check Records release Signals) Goodnight Texas have built a career around storytelling. Their early albums were thematic period pieces, snapshots of time vividly captured in song. Later albums, including the recently released Signals, may lack an overarching narrative but are no less compelling […]
Wilson Moyer of Happy Landing on Fast Food Restaurants and Persevering Through Disaster
Bassist Wilson Moyer of folk rock band Happy Landing talks about making ends meet when the band isn’t on the road, the day job that helped him build patience and willpower, and the importance of being a good hang.
Monday Morning Video – The Ballad of El Goodo
Let’s go back to 2010. Alex Chilton was scheduled to appear at SXSW that year to celebrate the legacy of indie rock legends Big Star. Chilton tragically passed away from a heart attack just days prior to the appearance. So the planned celebration suddenly became a bittersweet tribute to a band that inspired so many […]
Colin James – Chasing the Sun
To say that Colin James is big in Canada is an understatement. With eight Juno Awards (Canadian Grammies) and 31 Maple Leaf Blues Awards, James might be the most prominent member of a healthy Canadian blues scene that has included the likes of Steve Dawson, Colin Linden, Sue Foley, Jim Byrnes, JW-Jones, Big Dave McLean […]
Monday Morning Video – Rockpile
I’m in the mood to start the week with some good ol’ rock and roll. And who better to Rockpile, part of the English pub rock movement of the late 1970’s and early 1980’s. Rockpile – Dave Edmunds (vocals, guitar), Nick Lowe (vocals, bass guitar), Billy Bremner (vocals, guitar) and Terry Williams (drums) – only […]