I can’t speak for the economy, but 2009 is shaping up to be a great year for music. Pay particular attention to March. It seems that every year the stars align on a single day and we get an embarrassment of riches. This year that day is March 3rd. Here are some of the incredible […]
Best Songs of 2008, Mayer’s Picks
It would be easy to mine my top album list for the best songs of the year. But why take the easy road? Here then are the top songs that aren’t represented on the top album list. The World Should Revolve Around Me, Little Jackie (from the S-Curve release The Stoop) This song is an […]
Mayer’s Playlist for December 2008
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH: City Lights, by Javier Escovedo Ironically, we finish the year with an album that arrived at the year’s start. The Escovedo name may sound familiar. Brother Alejandro gets most of the attention but City Lights proves Javier to be equally talented. Escovedo is clearly a student of classic rock, filling his […]
Best Albums of 2008, Mayer’s Picks
#1. MATTHEW RYAN, Matthew Ryan Vs. the Silver State (00:02:59) Whether he’s performing a ballad or a rock song, Ryan’s intelligence and intensity course through this release. (Twangville review, mp3s and video here.) #2. THE HOLD STEADY, Stay Positive (Vagrant) They rock, they roll and then they rock some more. The Hold Steady may very […]
Mayer’s Playlist for November 2008, A Video Companion
We bolt right out of the gate this month with Butch Walker’s smokin’ video for “The Weight of Her” followed by the Right On’s blazing through a live performance of “Do Your Thing, Babe.” After that, you’ll want to catch your breath with live acoustic performances from Ben Nichols and David Garza. From there we’ve […]
Mayer’s Playlist for November 2008, Part 2
Duets, Rachel Yamagata featuring Ray Lamontagne (from the Warner Brothers release Elephants’ Teeth Sinking Into Heart) As sparse as it is breathtaking, this acoustic ballad finds two weary lovers quietly trying to reclaim a faded relationship. Yamagata and Lamontagne’s breathy vocals are a magical combination. Do Your Thing, Babe, the Right Ons (from the 2Fer […]
Mayer’s Playlist for November 2008, Part 1
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH: Sycamore Meadows, by Butch Walker Are you familiar with the old adage of giving an artist the hook? It usually signifies the need to drag a talentless performer from the stage. For Butch Walker, however, it carries a whole different meaning. Walker has established a reputation for sharing his hooks with […]
I Want My MTV!
Remember when MTV and VH1 used to play actual music videos? Well apparently the big-wigs at the music video channel discovered YouTube and thought, “hey, we should do this ourselves.” Here, here. Having spent countless hours over the past week staring at my computer screen watching videos, I’m happy to a few choice blasts from […]
Twangville Recommends: Paul Kelly in Song
A tour through Paul Kelly’s catalog is a musical journey filled with sharp themes, clever lyrics and engaging melodies. Here are a few choice selections. Everything is Turning to White (from 1989’s So Much Water So Close to Home) A woman’s spine-tingling tale of her husband finding a young woman’s brutally murdered body on a […]
Twangville Recommends: Paul Kelly
“I’m a legend not a star,†sang Australia’s Paul Kelly on 1998’s Words and Music. It is an apt description for one of the world’s most distinctive songwriters. With a career that dates back to the late 1970’s, Kelly displays a songwriting capacity that crosses numerous boundaries. His base is pop and rock but he […]